Negan || En || The Walking Dead

Chapter 57 - See The End

Rick was also keeping head on the last zombies and, even if with a few scratches, he had not lost faith and continued to defend himself.

He had seen that Negan had gone to Kat but did not know what they had said, then he saw him heading towards him and helping him take out those monsters, but he was still troubled by the fact that he had no idea what would have happened once killed all the zombies. Sweat ran down his forehead, littered with wet curls, and his aching hands showed scratches and cuts due to violent contact with the handle of his ax. Negan, on the other hand, was slightly better but had a white shirt smeared with blood and torn.

In the meantime, the Saviours had returned with all they needed to open the cage and defend their leader and the girl, but when Negan saw them running, he shouted to stay behind and not open the cage. The men suddenly stopped at the door and stood with their mouths open, not understanding the meaning of that choice. Even Rick and Kat were surprised and displaced by that decision.

Negan and Rick got rid of the last zombies and when the last one fell dead, again on the ground, the two found themselves face to face in silence.

Rick's icy eyes were fixed in the Negan's abyss ones.

Kat, still tied to the pole and miraculously safe and sound, did not want to attend the scene, knowing perfectly what would happen shortly thereafter.

<Now I'll explain what's gonna happen Rick: you lay down the weapon, kneel, apologize and maybe I'll save your life... but be careful, not to all of yours who are still alive, only you, or fight with me now and we end it once and for all> Negan said, showing himself calm and lethal as always.

<I've already knelt once... and I won't make the same mistake again> Rick replied coldly.

<Okay, as you want Rick> pronounced Negan by welding his grip on Lucille.

After a moment of silence, the two hurled themselves against each other mercilessly, skillfully avoiding the shots of the adversary and moving dangerously towards Kat.

<Just end it!> The girl shouted in vain while outside the cage the Saviours praised their boss over her voice.

A shot of Negan's bat hit Rick's ax by letting him throw it and leaving him unarmed, forcing him to run after Kat to avoid being hit.

<I told you you were a coward Rick. You're hiding behind her, hoping I will not hit you to avoid hurting her... very noble of you> he ironically looked at him with disappointment.

<Throw your stupid ax to the ground and move>

<Ouch, you're offending her: be more kind to Lucille Rick... and maybe she will be with kind with you too>.

<Negan! Negan! Please listen to me!> Kat shouted, hoping that the man would cross her eyes and listen to her, but he was too focused on Rick to listen to her.

<Come on Rick, move and fight like a man!> Negan cried impatiently, suddenly moving the arm with which he held Lucille and making Kat jump.

The girl filled her lungs with air until bursting and with all her strength she cried out.

<NEGAN!> She finally managed to capture the man's attention, who looked at her as if he had just been awakened by a state of unconsciousness and saw in her eyes the anguish she was feeling.

<Kat...> Negan whispered in a faint voice, staring at her in astonishment.

<Negan, please, stop. Let him go and set me free> suggested the girl.

<Honey, you know I can not do it: you'll never be safe with that one still alive. He won't leave us alone knowing that I still breathe...> explained the man trying to gild the pill.

Rick watched the two staring into sincere eyes, listening to those revealing words and understanding that he was condemned. He did not think twice about it and went to take his own ax, taking advantage of the fact that Negan was distracted by Kat.

With an equally abrupt demeanor, Rick returned behind Kat, and after looking glazedly at Negan, had cut off some of the ropes that bound the girl without being noticed.

The tension could be cut with a knife: the eyes of the opponents fixed in each other, ready to scrutinize the smallest of the movements to take advantage on the other. The muscles quivered in adrenaline that crossed every inch of their body.

After pondering long enough, Rick pulled away slowly and moved away from Kat, giving Negan a chance to fight.

Negan did not hesitate any longer and hurled himself at the man: he fired a deadly blow with Lucille but failed because Rick lowered himself in time, then with a hook straight to his face Rick made Negan go backward in a bad way. The ice-eyed man took advantage of the disorientation of the leader of the Saviours to unleash a series of punches that forced him to collapse and to drop the bat.

Rick watched Negan from above, with his trusty ax in his bloody hand, ready to launch the last blow: the decisive one.

<Let's finish it here. Now> said Rick.

Negan smiled mockingly as always, oblivious to the fact that he was about to die, because even in the darkest moment he would not have bowed to anything or anyone. He raised his head and stared into the sheriff's eyes.

Rick took a deep breath, welded his grip on the ax, lifted his arm up and was ready to put an end to that chapter of his life once and for all.