The Ties That Bind

What Once Was Lost

Negan finally came to a stop in front of a large room with a high ceiling that was full of people eating around tables.

By the time they had arrived Sibora was so lost she was sure she would never find the room she slept in last night.

She wondered if Negan had purposefully chosen convoluted routes in order to disorient her.

There were more tables than Sibora could count, and to her surprise there was a steady din of noise coming from the rooms occupants.

"This is our cafeteria of sorts. You can usually find a meal here any time of day or night." Negan said with a nod of his head toward the room.

"That's not always the case though. Food is a constant necessity, and part of everyones responsibilities. Whatever you find that is still edible you bring here." Continued Negan.

"I thought you'd be more of a 'to the victor go the spoils,' kind of guy." Sibora said scornfully.

Negan turned fully to face her.

"There are plenty of spoils, don't you worry. But they don't come in the form of food."

Sibora didn't like the look in his eyes as he said that.

Negan continued. "Food is the one resource that needs to go around for all to share. That way we all win. Now go and eat something, I'll find you later."

With that he turned and wove his way through the tables until Sibora lost sight of him among the crowd of people.

Along with the clanking of silverware, people chatted amongst themselves, talking casually. There was even the occasional burst of laughter.

There almost seemed to be an air of... camaraderie.

It made Sibora's stomach turn over in disgust.

These were the people who willingly fought alongside Negan and believed in his 'cause.' They were the foot soldiers that did his dirty work and made the lives of the people who resisted miserable. They destroyed the futures of so many, and here they were gossiping over lunch.

The last thing Sibora wanted to do was eat now, but she begrudgingly went and made herself a plate.

Sitting down at one of the few empty tables available, she went quietly about the business of eating her food without drawing attention herself.

I don't want to hang around here any longer than necessary. Sibora thought. I need to do what needs to be done, and get out.

She heard Negan's voice somewhere over her left shoulder and snuck a glance in his direction.

He was talking to someone who's back was to Sibora, laughing at something the man said.

Sibora gripped her fork and knife tighter, grateful that at least they were made of metal and not plastic.

Negan turned to leave and started heading down a hallway.

Quickly finishing the last of her food, Sibora tucked the small knife she had been eating her food with along her inner arm and stood, following Negan down the hallway he had gone.

The small knife was pathetically inferior to the blade that had been taken from her last night, but with the element of surprise Sibora thought she could still manage to fatally wound Negan, if not kill him.

Then his reign of terror would finally be over.

Sibora couldn't see him, but she heard footsteps echoing down the hall, so she quickened her pace.

Suddenly a hand grabbed the arm she held the knife in and pinned it to the wall.

"I would think twice about going through with whatever you're planning on doing right now."

Sibora locked eyes with the man from last night who had given her the shirt she was wearing.

He was taller than her so she had to tilt her head back slightly to look into his dark blue eyes. They looked back at her with amused accusation.

Glancing down, Sibora saw the hilt of the blade that was meant to be hers tucked into the waistband of his pants.

So this must be Drake.

"You!" Sibora narrowed her eyes. "You were in my room last night. You had no business doing that."

She tried to wrench her arm from his grip but he held fast. She smelled the unmistakable tang of alcohol on him, and it made her nose sting.

"And you have no business wielding dull cutlery as a weapon." He said, deftly prying the utensil out of Sibora's hand and releasing her.

She glared at him.

"The knife you took from my room last night belongs to me. Negan said it was mine to keep."

Drake regarded her for several long moments.

"So he told me." He pulled the knife from his waistband and offered it to her handle first.

Her mouth almost fell open, but Sibora didn't hesitate.

She snatched it from his hand. Leaning close she said, "If you ever enter my room again while I am sleeping, I will kill you."

Whirling away from him she continued down the hall, feeling his eyes on her the whole way until she rounded a corner, not knowing where she went.