Deadland

Chapter 128- Dual

(TW!! Mentions of torture!!)

(Adrian Walsh's POV:) We've been dealing with Walkers all goddamn morning. Not to mention Maggie trying to insult Negan every three seconds. 

I can't get Alyssa out of my mind. Where the hell is she? Is she safe? 

Please tell me she's safe. 

I hope Daryl and Gabriel are safe too. But, I can live with their deaths. 

"You know, the only way this is gonna work is if we trust each other." Negan says to Maggie, though, he doesn't turn to face her. 

"Why would I ever trust you? Adrian might, but I don't. And I never will." She spits back, putting her bloodied knife in her holster.

"I don't know, Maggie. 'Cause you wanna stay alive, same as me. And I'd prefer it if Adrian or Alyssa didn't die on our hands because we were too busy bickering." Negan replies, looking up at the clear blue sky. 

"If I stay alive, it'll be in spite of you, not because of you." Maggie says. "And Adrian and Alyssa won't die because of us, especially not on Adrian's terms." 

I nod, "You get it." 

"If that's how you feel, I don't understand why you haven't gone behind Adrian's back and put me down yet." 

I scoff, "Because she knows she'll be the next fatality." 

Maggie then throws a knife straight at Negan's head, landing in a Walker's forehead just after Negan ducks. 

"I ask myself that question every day." She looks at me. "And you know you can't kill me." 

I smirk, "You wanna fuckin' find out? Because I assure you I'd win that fight." 

She doesn't respond, she just walks over to the Walker and grabs her knife, continuing on without looking back. Negan looks at me, "Shit, Adrian." I roll my eyes and keep walking without responding.

"Up here.' Maggie says to us, pointing to a green, two-story house. For some reason, I have hope that Alyssa's gonna be in there. Is she? Probably not, but I can't shake the feeling that she might be.

We pick up the pace, our backs bent in a crouching position as if that's gonna make us invisible. I'm the first up the porch and into the house; once I get to the door, I swing it open, my whip in my hand and my hopes unrealistically high. 

When Alyssa isn't in the house, my shoulders deflate and that scared, helpless feeling comes back. Maggie stands next to me in the foyer, "She'll be here." She assures me. 

I exhale slowly and nod, walking away from Negan and Maggie as Negan says something. I already know she's gonna make it into an argument and currently, I can't be around that. 

I make my way into the almost fully empty living room. Dust floats around me as I flop on the couch and rest my elbows on my knees, running my hands through my hair and staring at the wall in front of me. It's as if I'm watching T.V. through the black screen, though, instead it's a mirror, reflecting me. I stare at myself, narrowing my eyes to get a better look. I never realized how much I look like Alyssa. The eyes, the lips, the face shape. Though, because our noses are different, we seem to look just as different as we act.

"We give it 'til sundown." Negan suggests in the other room. He drops his voice so I don't hear, "And if Alyssa doesn't get here, we're gonna have to drag Adrian kicking and screaming home because sooner or later the Reapers will." 

I feel my lip start to quiver uncontrollably because now...even Negan doesn't think she's coming. Not that he ever did, anyway.

A few hours go by and Negan stands up and walks over to the crates of supplies. "What are you doing?" Maggie asks, walking over to him. I do the same except, I don't say anything.