When the dead roam - (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 64 - We're all Negan

Louise spit fresh blood onto the floor as she shuffled backwards and sat up against a foundation beam. Dirt transferred to her torn jeans as she moved. Carol looked towards her and nodded in appreciation; Louise had saved her from a beating and had received it herself. Bruises had started to form on the skin around her throat as she could feel her muscles tightening as she swallowed. Paula paced around the room, a lit cigarette in her mouth and smoke spilling from her lips and nose whilst Molly tended to Donnie's wound.

"I just wanted to say thank you" Carol mumbled. "For helping Louise, for helping me. My husband Ed, he used to-"

"I don't care if your old man used to ring your bell. I see exactly who you are Carol. I know" she spat, walking towards her. "You're pathetic. You wanna think we're the same? You're wrong" she pointed towards Donnie. "He's just a warm body for my bed. That's it. I could kill him in his sleep"

She shook her head and nodded towards the crucifix pendant in her hand. "Do you really believe in that crap?"

Carol sighed. "Faith got me through the death of my daughter"

Louise looked up from the ground. Tears began to form in her eyes and she stared at the grey-haired woman. Although she may not be close with Carol, she was beginning to see her in a new light. Faith isn't something Louise had and she was envious that someone could find peace after loosing their child.

"Well" Paula smirked. "The good news is, maybe you'll see her again soon"

"You're wrong" Lou said, glaring at the ginger woman.

Paula raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"I said you're wrong. She's not pathetic, she's strong - hell of a lot stronger than you are"

She walked towards Louise and crouched in front of her. "And what do you know about being strong, huh? Because when I look at you, all I see is an empty shell of a woman, pretending to be someone she's not" she stood back up and smirked. "I know you more than you know yourself, Louise"

"You don't know anything" Lou sighed, rolling her eyes.

The radio crackled and Rick's voice echoed from the speaker. "Have you thought about it? Talk to me"

"You weren't listening" Paula sighed, bringing the box to her mouth. "I said I'd contact you"

"Would it make a difference if I said I was sorry about that?"

"What do you think?"

"I think we're gonna make the trade, so tell me where" he said. Lou could tell he was smirking.

"We haven't agreed to that"

"You will"

Paula was slowly growing angry. "You know what? I'm not so sure. We'd be taking most the risk, not getting much in the way of reward"

"The other option won't work out for you"

"You don't have to do this" Carol said quickly, moving forwards in her restricted position. "You don't have to fight"

"You're people killed all of my people" Paula scoffed. "Of course we gotta fight"

"We didn't want too"

"But you did. So tell me why"

"Your people ambushed my people on the road, tried to take everything we had" Carol explained, sobbing as she spoke. "They were gonna kill them"

"Well damn" Molly said, standing up and moving away from an unconscious Donnie. "Now we know what happened to T's group"

"Those idiots" Paula rolled her eyes. "Probably put on a big show. Okay, fair play. You were just defending yourselves but, see, your people killed them on the road, right? Blew them to pieces. So, why not stop?"