Wilted

t h i r t y o n e

We sit in silence around the dining room table. It was awkward, tensions were  high. Negan had made us set the table, bringing everything to him as if we were servants in our own homes. 

"You know Cherokee, you look a lot like your dear old dad right now, ya know, serving me so quietly with a hint of hatred behind your eyes." He speaks to me and I only glare at the man further. "I wonder if you'd take as long to break as he did." 

My face softens, my father didn't deserve whatever torture Negan was tossing his way. Negan laughs and takes a sip of the lemonade he so desperately wanted. After that, I sit down next to Carl, who doesn't look away from the white walls of our home. He's staring at them as if they're the most interesting thing in the world. Eventually Negan speaks up once more after a long sigh. 

"I'm not waiting for your dad anymore." He states placing a hand on his bat. "I don't know where the hell he is, but Lucille is hungry." 

He puts the barbed wired baseball bat in a chair as if it had a mind of it's own. Next the man places a napkin around his neck, covering the white shirt. It's almost comical. 

"Carl, pass the rolls." He states with a pause before looking at the love of my life. "Please." 

He's the only one to eat. I'm starving in reality, but I want nothing that this man has to offer. Even if it's our food he's wasting. 

What seems like hours go by, eventually a knock is heard at the door. My heart stops for a moment, thinking it's Rick. God I was hoping it was Rick, he'd know what to do. It's not though. When Negan stands up to answer the door, I hear Spencers voice. 

The stupid piece of shit. I think to myself. He's going to do something that's going to get us all killed. He doesn't know what this man is capable of, and now? They're sitting on our porch drinking whisky as if he hasn't killed our friends. This is out of spite of Rick. 

 I put Judith in her room for a nap after she begins to get cranky. Carl comes up and stands behind me wrapping his arms around my waist. 

"I'm sorry." He whispers. 

"He was going to come sooner or later," I say shaking my head. "it's not your fault." 

His attention turns to the window. "What the hell?" He mutters and I look over his shoulder. 

Negan and Spencer are playing a round of pool in the middle of the street, talking with each other.  They've gathered a crowd. Everyone in Alexandria has gathered around the two watching them from a semi-safe distance. Although, with Negan here no where is really safe.

We make our way downstairs and onto the front porch. Olivia was already there when we arrived. I can't hear much but I know enough to know he's trash talking Rick. They're close now. Face to face. Negan whisper something to Spencer and Deanna Monroes last living son smirks. 

"You know, I'm thinking Spencer. I'm thinking how Rick threatened to kill me, how he clearly hates my guts. But he is out there right now gathering shit for me to make sure I don't hurt any of the fine people that live here. He is swallowing his hate and getting shit done." He says shooting the blue striped ball into a pocket. "that takes guts. And then there's you, the guy who waited for Rick to be gone so he could sneak over and talk to me get me to do the dirty work so he could take Rick' place. So I gotta ask, if you wanna take over, why not just kill rick yourself and just take over?" 

"What? No, no I didn't-" Spencer stutters. "I don't"

Negan raises a hand, cutting him off. "You know what I'm thinking? Cause I have a guess." 

He then leans close to Spencer, whispering something in his ear. Next, I watch as he pulls out his knife plunging it into the stomach of Spencer Monroe. Olivia gasps from beside me as I grab Carl's  arm tightly. Negan takes his blade across Spencers stomach, his insides spilling out of him all at once. He falls to the ground holding his own intestines and choking on his own blood.