Savior

(9) The Hilltop

"We are the saviors." Negan said, closing his weekly speech, we locked eyes and he smiled. After dismissing all of us, he began walking down the metal stairs. "Alice. I've thought about your conditions."
"And?" I said, crossing my arms. He reached into his coat pocket and revealed a ring.
"It's not much, but you'll be the only wife with one." He held it out, almost afraid I wouldn't take it. I took it and slid it on my finger.
"You have all the authority I do, you decide what to take on runs, you are in charge of punishments, anything I can do, you can."
I nodded and walked off, heading towards the trucks.
"Looks like you did it after all huh?" Simon chuckled as he started the truck.
"Where's Dwight?"
"Haven't seen him."

--
"You're married to him now? What the hell Alice?" Jesus said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.
"Just leave it be, did you find anything on my friends?"
"I followed them as far as I could, I think they're in this area, maybe holed up with another group?"
"Okay." I walked out of the room and began heading towards the other members of my new group.
"Please, don't take it." A woman begged as Simon held on to what looked to be a necklace.
"What's going on here?"
"I just thought this would be a mighty addition to the boss' new wife."
"Thanks." He dropped the necklace in my hand and as soon as he was out of sight, I handed the woman the necklace.
"Thank you. Thank you." The frail woman said with tears in her eyes. I gave her a small smile and continued helping load supplies into the truck.
"Where do you think Dwight could've went?"
"No idea. Negan's sending a search party out later, does that sound like something you'd be interested in?"
"I'll take it up with Negan, see if he needs me elsewhere."
"Sherry's gone too, he also said there was some medicine missing, and you know the punishment for stealing."
"Yeah I do." He beat against the side of the truck and it started pulling out. I looked back to the huge building and saw Jesus peering through the window.
I waved and began walking towards the truck, Dwight never leaving my mind.

Daryl
"Son of a bitch!" I pulled my coat off and saw the gaping wound on my shoulder. I clenched my teeth as I tied a piece of my shirt around it, remembering when I fell off the horse back at Hershel's and had to do this. I heard a woman's voice through the thick woodland.
"Dwight! We know you're out there, just come out!" If I had known any better, I would've said it sounded like Alice, but that's impossible. "Dwight! Sherry!"
"I don't think they're here, we need to keep moving. Negan won't be happy about this." Who's Negan? Is that Alice? I tried to peer around the tree and all I could see was a brunette woman in a leather jacket walking through the woods, her hair was tied up, but I couldn't see her face.

Alice
"Dwight! Why would you do that? Try to leave, plus taking medicine? Negan wants to have a word with you." I crossed my arms and he rolled his eyes, heading up the metal stairs leading to Negan.
"Dwight says he ran into someone in the woods, can't remember what name he told me."
"Something special about him?"
"Dwight took all his things, his weapons but somehow he managed to get it back. Took the insulin they stole for Sherry's sister. 'Sum a bitch brought it back." Simon muttered, watching Dwight sulk as he inched towards Negan.
"Wow. Why would he try to leave though?"
"No idea. Guess he couldn't handle the way we do things around here."

--
"You're kidding me right?"
"Would I really fucking joke about this?"
"Are you actually going to do it?"
"Of course I am. Have you seen how hot she is?"
"You do realize what this is right? She's a bargaining chip and you're accepting it, what kind of message does that send to everyone else?"
"That I'm a decent fucking man. Jesus Christ, when you agreed to this marriage you really fucking meant it huh? Spare me the arguments, because I will fucking win them sweetheart."
"You're not winning this one sweetheart."
"How does this decision concern you? Please tell me that, for fucks sake."
"Because you're adding another whore to the list."
"Oh darlin', keep in mind, you're one of them." He slammed the door, leaving me alone in my room. I sat on the edge of the bed and took my tight bun down, the mop of curls falling to my chest. I began to cry silently, praying Negan wouldn't return. The door opened and it was the last person I expected to see, Dwight.
"Hey." He said awkwardly, leaning against the doorway.
"Hey." I sniffled and wiped away the tears staining my cheeks.
"What did he do?"
"Nothing, it's not like you could do anything about it anyway."
"Yeah, you're right. Did you hear? Sherry's going to be another of his wives."
"Word spreads around here."
"I would like to see Simon and Alice out by the trucks immediately." Negan's harsh voice rang over the walkie talkie.
"What do you think that's about?"
"I don't know."

--
When I arrived to the trucks, Negan had Lucille over his shoulder. This isn't good.
"Now, I want to know if this is everything you got from the Hilltop."
"Yes."
"This most certainly is not fucking half of their shit. Load up, let's go."
"Where are we going?"
"What's it look like? We're going back to the Hilltop."
Negan got in one of the trucks and banged on the side of the door, signaling for Simon to hurry up. I got in one of the trucks and held my head in my hands. I knew what this meant, he was going to kill someone.

"Line up!" A few of Negan's men were pushing people towards Negan, shoving them on their knees. "Now, our agreement clearly fucking says half of your shit. I don't get half? One of you dies." I locked eyes with Jesus, who was one in the lineup. I wanted to speak up, tell Negan not to pick him, but it was out of my hands... or was it? He said as much authority as him, here it goes.
"Stop." All eyes were on me.
"Excuse me?"
"You don't need to kill anyone. I was in charge of the supply runs, just punish me. It's not their fault."
"Now Alice, I appreciate your modesty, and you're balls of fucking steel, but you know the rules." He began walking down the row of knelt people, trying to pick his victim.
"Him. Bring him up." As awful as it was, I was thankful it wasn't Jesus.
"Now, I hope we all learn something today." He swung Lucille around in his hands and gripped the wood with both hands, and swung the bat, connecting to the boy's cheek. I turned away as everyone started screaming, their screams sent chills down my spine. I watched as he swung the bat, blood splattering on my coat. It took everything in me not to throw up or scream.
"We'll be back next week for our half. Until then, ta-ta."

--
I laid awake staring at the ceiling. Today's events were still in the back of my mind. The screams, their cries, the blood. Was it my fault that the boy died? Did I shorten up the supplies? A tear rolled down my face and my bedroom door creaked open.
"Alice? Are you awake?" Negan.
"Yeah." I wiped away the tear, trying to hold back the sobs built up in my throat.
"Scoot over." I sighed and rolled towards the wall, I don't think I can bring the courage to even look at him.
The sounds of his boots hitting the floor made me jump. His arms wrapped around me and he sighed.
"Are you okay?" He finally asked, showing the side of him that made me want to marry him.
"Yeah. I'm okay."
"Does if have anything to do with what happened today?"
"No." I choked out, biting the inside of my cheek, using everything I had not to burst into tears.
"You know it's okay to cry right? You don't have to hide the fact that you want to. I know you're upset and I get why, first I called you a whore and that was downright un-fucking called for. Then I take you to the Hilltop and kill someone. I know you understand the rules. I had to kill that boy to prove a point."
"I know."
"So I guess sex is out of the question?"
"Can we just lay here, please?"
His arms returned back around me and he put his chin on my shoulder.
"I'm sorry." He muttered, kissing my shoulder.
"It's okay."