Forever Broken // Carl Grimes

Chapter 16

"Tell Negan she's awake," One Hand growled at the tattooed man. Reluctant to take the order, Tattoo eventually left, grumbling under his breath.

Lauren grinned, holding two bars in her hands. She pressed her face against the cool metal, laughing to herself.

"Damn man, who'd you piss off? Oh yes! I remember now," She said, smiling through the blistering anger and insanity, "It was me."

He clenched his fist, rage pouring into his features. He stalked closer to the bars and Lauren jumped back, chuckling to herself.

"I will kill you," He spat, hatred swimming in his eyes.

"Now now," She laughed, "I promised something to you, didn't I? How about you come in here and I can make good on that deal."

She stepped back up to the bars, just inches away from the Savior. She grinned, parting her lips slightly. Her voice was as low as a whisper.
"Or are you scared?"

Before she could react, his hand shot through the bars, gripping her throat. He squeezed, just enough to leave a bruise and let her know that he could crush her windpipe in seconds. She just smiled and mouthed two words:

Do it.

She expected him to kill her, but he didn't. His hand fell from her throat and his body slumped backward. She saw the dagger inbedded in his back as he fell, and the tanned hand that held it. She almost gasped as she stumbled back. One Hand's eyed rolled back in his head and he stuttered out incoherent words as Negan looked down at him, an expression of annoyance on his stubbled face.

"You know better than to damage my toys," He growled like a predator. She was dumbfounded, a flicker of fear dancing in her heart. She squashed it, a stony exterior befalling her. She stared at Negan through eyes void of all emotion. Her demon growled inside of her. She remained silent.

Toys.

"If you're out to get yourself killed all you have to do is ask," Negan said, wiping One Hand's blood from his face. His tone held a hint of annoyance, a warning. But he still smirked, and she hated it.

"If you were going to kill me you would have done it already," She retorted, her jaw clenched, "Either you're using me for leverage, or you've got something else in mind. I don't care either way, I'll get out of here somehow and I'll cut you a smile."

Negan chuckled, the sound reverberating through the dismal cell.

"Big talk for a little girl."

She laughed, but the sounds held anything but humour.

"You and I both know I'm capable of keeping my word," She snarled, her top lip curled as her words lashed out like knives, "How many of your men cowered at the thought of looking for me, fighting against me. Does it make you feel weak to know that a little girl made your men piss themselves? That they feared a little girl more than they feared you."

Negan didn't rise, he didn't let her words boil his blood. He didn't give het the reaction she wanted, and it killed her. He just smirked, a low chuckle sounding into the emptiness. But she knew that behind his eyes, it ate him that she made facing his wrath seem less of a punishment. He placed a hand on the bars that caged her and laughed.