Chapter 1: Rise

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You lay on a cement floor, its cold texture sending chills through your arms and legs

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You lay on a cement floor, its cold texture sending chills through your arms and legs. Hearing the sound of echoing clinks and clanks stopping dead in their tracks caused you to wince. Your vision was blurred at first but cleared enough to see the pair of black leather boots standing before you. A faint gasp escaped your lips as you haltingly look up to lock eyes with the man who glared deeply at you; an amusing expression to form his features. "Well, look who decided to finally wake up," he spoke.

A pause of silence filled the vacant room, allowing you to shift positions and sit up, now leaning your back against the wall from behind. Still keeping eye contact, you manage to break away from his elongated stare and study his appearance, noticing that he is wearing: a leather jacket to match the boots, a red scarf, and a single black glove on one hand. He also showed: grayish stubble which nearly formed a beard, brown hair and irises, and a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire resting in his left palm.

"I'm Negan," the man smiled with a shit-eating grin. "I'm the boss of things around here...Welcome to The Sanctuary." He lifted the bat and whirled his arm around in a presenting manner. "What's your name darling?" Negan questioned, but you remained quiet. "What's wrong? Cat gotcher' tongue?" He inched closer to your face, feeling your stomach churn as a result of untrustworthiness.

"Y/N..." you spoke, voice sounding weary and dry from lack of fluids.

"Ah, so your throat box does work!" he laughed.

In response, you glanced up at him, then at the ground. There wasn't too much more to stare at considering the extremely small room the two of you occupied. Dull walls which replicated the same color of the concrete flooring; it all seemed to be a shade of filthy dishwater gray. The only light source was a dimmed bulb hanging from the ceiling, looming above Negan's head.

"Alright. Time to get your ass up." His right hand reached out to you—unsure of what was going on or what this stranger may do to you. You hesitantly grasped it, feeling the glove graze your skin as he pulled you from the ground.

"H-how did I get here?" you stutter while finding your balance.

"I'll explain later. At the moment you need to eat, then make a big decision that'll change your future."

You gulped in fear at his words; not knowing what he meant by 'change your future'. You were starting to gather thoughts of: How did I actually end up here? How long have I been out cold? What is this place? How many people dwell here? Is Negan to be trusted? Where was he taking me? What will change my future? Most importantly, why can't I remember anything before I woke up?

Those endless questions boggled in your brain, leaving you wondering in such a deep trance that you didn't even hear what Negan said prior, as he snapped his fingers in your face, asking if you'd hurry up. Immediately doing as you're told, you follow close behind the leader, obviously understanding a fight would be no match for you lacked strength nor inherited a weapon. Both of you stepped out into the corridor, complementing the room with its familiar, dull, colorless atmosphere.

Along the journey to who-knows-where, Negan managed to explain more information about this place called, 'The Sanctuary', and how his people go by the 'Saviors'. Also not to mention the baseball bat indeed has a name: Lucille. You listened carefully to what he had to say, plus taking cautious notes of your surroundings and studying the features of passing Saviors, who seemed to always shoot you a menacing glare.

***

"Here we are!" Negan proclaimed.

The two of you entered a kitchen where numerous fruits and vegetables awaited. Eyes widening, you longed to just snag an apple and scarf it down as quickly as you could. Instead, you patiently stood beside the boss-man, watching what his next intentions would be.

"I want you to take it easy for a second darling—Breathe—I notice how tense you are right now. No one is gonna hurt-cha." He smirked placing an arm around your shoulder, still perceiving the nourishment lying beneath you. "Eat for now...My right-hand man, Simon, will be here shortly to escort you to your new living chamber and also stop by Dr. Carson's office since you're up and walking." Negan moved forward to face you. "Meet me in my room later today so we can discuss things." You nod your head. "Good, I've gotta go. I'm a busy busy man. I'll see ya' in a bit, darlin'." he asserted; a whistled melody spewing from his mouth when exiting the canteen.

Soon Negan had left you be. Inhaling sharply, you grabbed a piece of fruit from a semi-torn basket and started to graze. It felt so nice to have your belly filled after such a long time. You then hoped to clear your head from this odd awakening of not remembering a thing or your encounter with the leader of the Saviors. You remained to rummage through different baskets and drink sips of water; acting as if you belonged there. Everything felt at peace while you were alone and as workers busily kept to themselves in the background, until a voice called your name that wasn't Negan's.

Turning around you spot a man only a few yards away, striding in your direction. He wore: a khaki shirt and pants with dark-colored boots. His black receding hairline and thick mustache to correlate. The stranger stood before you, tall frame towering from above, his dark brown eyes staring into yours as a cocky smile etched across his lips. "Hello, I'm Simon," he said, "I'm here to help you settle in."

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