Retribution - The Walking Dead

Only dead men are free,

Daryl pressed his knife against the throat of the young stranger that he had held against a tree. "I said, who you with!?"

"I... I don't know what you're talking about." The stranger stuttered.

Daryl grunted and pushed his knife harder still.

It was still early morning, the sun was just rising. They'd only been walking for around half a mile before they came across this guy.

"There's nobody. Please!" The young man swallowed. He was visibly shaken. "Please just let me go. I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen anyone."

"Bullshit," Daryl growled. "I ain't buying it."

The stranger didn't have an answer. His eyes filled with tears as he took a look at Carol and Julie who were standing behind Daryl.

"Please?"

"Daryl," Julie sighed. She was the only one who didn't have some kind of weapon in her hands.

The young man whimpered as his eyes flicked to the clearing behind him making everyone turn round.

"Well, looky what Daddy found." Negan had returned from his search of the surrounding area and was pulling another young man by the scruff of the neck behind him.

Negan pushed him forwards and he fell to his knees.

"Oh, shit." Julie laughed in disbelief. This guy, they knew.

Bradley grimaced. He tried to stand back up but Carol raised her rifle and made him freeze.

"Stay down," She warned. "Are there more of you?"

"It's just me and Colt." Bradley raised his hands. "There's really no need for— "

Carol fired a warning shot at the ground right by Bradley's knee.

"Fuck, okay! All right." Bradley kept his hands in the air and stayed on his knees.

Negan raised his eyebrows, his tongue moved from the inside of his cheek to swipe across his lips. Carol had impressed him yet again.

His admiration for her showed on his face in the form of an amused smile as he crouched down to talk to Bradley.

"If I were you, I'd do what this nice lady's asking, Brad. She won't ask twice."

Negan stood up again. His eyes met with Carol's briefly before he turned his attention to Daryl.

"Did this one talk yet?" He gestured at Colt with the crowbar he was carrying.

"Nah," Daryl shook his head. He grabbed hold of Colt's wrist and pinned it against the tree beside his head so he could see what was coming his way. "He's 'bout to though."

"No no no, please." Colt was begging, his eyes had filled with tears.

Daryl held his knife against one of Colt's fingers.

"Don't!" Bradley tried to get to his feet again but fell back to the floor after Negan struck him over the back with his crowbar.

"Fuck," Bradley groaned in pain. "It's just us!"

"Yeah?" Daryl huffed a laugh. "Funny 'cos Colt just got finished telling us how it was only him."

Colt had his eyes closed and his head turned away from Daryl. He was whimpering.

"Daryl, come on, he's just a kid." Julie stepped up behind Daryl, she rested her hand on his back. She spoke to him quietly like they were the only two there. "Wrong place at the wrong time."