Spider Monkey

Chapter Fifty - Eight - Big Bad Wolf

Rick looked at the ground.

Negan carried on looking around. "Whatever happened to that sick girl? That seemed like a hell of a stressful night for her. The way she was carrying on, she was married to number three, right?" Rick gave him a look. "Careful. Careful how you're lookin' at me, Rick." Rick looked back at his shoes. Negan continued, "Widows, especially ones that look like that-" He exhaled sharply, "They are special. I love 'em. Right after their husbands go, they are just empty inside." He then singsonged, "But usually not for long."

Hedley hated the way he spoke, lip trembling with rage.

"Where is she? I would love to see her."

Father Gabriel popped up, "Do you care to pay your respects?"

"Ho-ly crap! You are creepy as shit, sneaking up on me, wearin' that collar with that freaky-ass smile."

"My apologies. I'm Father Gabriel."

Negan chuckled until he realised what he had said, turning to Rick, "She didn't make it?"

Rick shook his head.

"Damn tragedy."

Hedley heard this, looking round, "M-Maggie? No. No!" He tore out from Fletcher's grip, hands going over his ears. Rick and Daryl tried to go over to him but Negan held up his bat that them. They were just forced to watch Hedley cry and hit himself on the forehead.

"Damn, kid. Take it easy." Negan said but Hedley whimpered, falling to the ground to bury his head into his knees. Negan just rolled his eyes, "Well, this must really suck for you guys. Number one? That was on me. No choice there. Lessons had to be learned. But number two and three? That didn't need to happen. But Daryl, his brother and the spaz here, forced my hand into punishing at least one of them."

Daryl had to close his eyes in order to keep his anger inside. Memories of his brother's death echoing his mind.

"Probably put her right on her back, huh? Damn. I was gonna ask her to come back with me. Oh, I know what you're thinkin'. How could I have a shot, guy that just bashed her husband's head in? You'd be surprised. Boy, people, they-"

Gunshots in the distance and glass shattering cut Negan off his gross speech.

Negan and Rick went towards the noise and found Carl holding a gun at the men in the Dixons home.

"Carl, Carl, put it down." Rick begged.

"No. He's taking Hedley's stuff! He doesn't like it when people move his stuff! They're not taking it! They're not!"

Negan smiled brightly, "Oh-ho. Really, kid?"

"And you should go." Carl growled at Negan, "Before you find out how dangerous we all are."

"Well, pardon me, young man. Excuse the shit out of my goddamn French, but did you just threaten me? Look, I get threatening Davey here, but I can't have it. Not him, not me."

"Carl, just put it down."

"Don't be rude, Rick. We are having a conversation here. Now, boy, where were we? Oh, yeah. Your giant, man-sized balls. No threatening us. Listen, I like you, so I don't want to go hard proving a point here. You don't want that. I said half your shit, and half is what I say it is. I'm serious. Do you want me to prove how serious? Again?"

Carl gave the gun to Rick, eyes still on Negan. "Just not his. Please. They're just rocks and bones and photos. That's it. Nothing of use."

"Since you asked nicely." Negan turned to his men, "Go put the stuff back." His men turned around and went back upstairs. Negan looked at Carl, "Now... since I did you a favour, you've gotta do me one."

Carl narrowed his eye, "What?"

"You see, I've already got all the guns your daddy took from my outpost when he wasted all my people with a shit-ton of your own guns, and I'm bettin' there's even more, which adds up to an absolute ass-load of guns, and as this little emotional outburst just made crystal clear I can't allow that. They're all mine now. So, Carl... tell me... where are my guns?"

***

Carl showed Negan where the guns were hidden and when done, they walked down the street to see Negan's wagon full to the brim with stuff. Carl then saw Hedley on the ground, rocking back and forth.

"Hedley? Hedley!" Carl ran to him but Rick held him back. "Dad! What are you- Hedley!"

"No, Carl. You can't. We can't." Rick whispered in his son's ear, holding his squirming body.

Hedley's head snapped up and he wanted to go over but he caught Negan's eye. It told him that if he tried to go even a step near his best friend, he'd regret it. So he stayed in his place, tears streaming. He's lost so much so soon. Abraham, Merle, Glenn and now Maggie. That and he wasn't even allowed to hug his best friend or his own father for comfort. He felt so lost, so alone.

The gate opened and Michonne came in with a dead deer on her shoulders.

"Look at this!" Negan cheered.

Rick took the gun off of her and gave it to Negan, "This one never came inside. We kept it near the line."

"Look at this." Negan took the gun and looked pleased, "This is something to build a relationship on. Good for you, Rick. This is readin' the room and gettin' the message. I've said it before, I'm gonna say it again. You, sir, are special."

"Now that you know we can follow your rules -"

"Yes?"

"I'd like to ask you if Hedley can stay."

"Not happenin'."

"He's just a boy. He should be with his family."

Negan pretended to think then said, "You know what? I don't know. Maybe Hedley himself can ask me to stay. Maybe he can convince me to let him stay with his daddy and lover boy." He got close to Hedley's tear stained face, eyes dark and evil, "Hedley?"

Hedley was about to speak but caught Daryl's gaze. The hunter shook his head, fear all over his face. Hedley closed his lips and looked at the ground.

That made Negan laugh, patting Hedley hard on the back before doing the same to Rick, "Well, you tried. Now what you got to do is get over that tall wall of yours and try harder out there. Earn for me. Because we're coming back soon, and when we do, you better have something interesting for us, or Lucille, she's gonna have her way. I want you to hear that again. If you don't have something interesting for us somebody's gonna die. And no more magic guns. Arat, grab that deer."

Michonne heard this and dropped the deer on the floor with a huff. Arat took the dead deer and dragged it to the truck.

"Fletcher, get the kid and put him in the truck. It's getting late. Let's go home."

Fletcher grabbed Hedley's shirt collar and pulled him to one of the other trucks, forcing him inside. A small window was on the door and Hedley poked his head out to look at Carl and Daryl staring back at him.

Hedley fogged up the glass with his breath, using his finger to write two words. It was backwards for his people to read but they still know the contents.

'Stay Alive'.

Then they were in their vehicles and left an empty Alexandria behind.