The night was gone and I woke up alone. Nate stayed with me for a couple of hours but he left before sunrise. We both didn't want to risk Negan showing up early.
I still haven't made my decision. It's a life-changing one and it shouldn't be made without lots of thought but I don't have much time. Nate is getting antsy and I can't blame him, he's had it way worse than me.
The entire beginning part of the day, I'm stuck in my head, Between Negan coming back and the bomb Nate dropped on me. Everything is happening so fast.
"Where is the love of my life? I hope you didn't have too much fun without me!" Negan announces his arrival.
I look up from the book in my hand with slight worry, the fear of hiding this secret from him is burdensome.
"How was your trip?" I ask casually with my body across the bed.
"A little rough, I had an unexpected reunion with Rick but that's not important now" he sits next to me and snatches the book out of my hand.
"What the hell?" I try to get it back from him but he holds it out of reach.
"I'm not gonna let you just read all day. We have better things we could be doing" he licks his lips seductively.
"I'm not in the mood" I push him away from me disgusted at his innuendo.
"Not that. I have a surprise for you. So get up!" he pulls me up by the back of my shirt.
This is awful timing for a surprise especially one from Negan. It sounds like a nightmare. I give him a look of contention but that doesn't stop him from practically dragging me along with him.
"where are we going?" I ask as we walk through the hallways and down the stairs.
"Don't worry. We're almost there" he chuckles suspiciously.
As we get closer and closer to the outside, I get more and more anxious. He seemed happy when he greeted me so I hope whatever he's surprising me with is something good but I don't know what to prepare myself for. It's one unexpected thing after another.
"I hope you got your shitting pants on!" Negan opens the exit door to reveal what he has waiting for me.
____________________________________
Nate:
"So where were you last night?" my work partner says out of nowhere. We've been putting in hours of hard labor in silence. My time with Carmen was refreshing but also draining at the same time. All I want to do is work in peace.
"Do you really think I'm gonna tell you?" I brush him off then shovel the dirt around to continue digging the ditch.
"oh so you were with Carmen, you got some balls. If Negan finds out-" before he could get the rest of the words out I finish the sentence for him.
"Yeah, I know he'll kill me" I roll my eyes. The statement is getting redundant.
"hey, I'm just saying" he throws his hands up, showing that he'll back off the subject."That's a hell of a risk but I get it"
It's a risk I'm willing to take for the woman I love. He has a wife he should understand but I guess everyone isn't as loyal as I am, "don't say you get it you don't. I'm not made for this, I can't just sit around and let another man punk me out". I know I sound like a dick right now but I can't keep a happy exterior.
"Well you must've woke up on the wrong side of the bed"
"Don't even say that, I'm reacting the way you would too. You have a wife and he hasn't done anything to her yet but you don't know what could happen" I warn him, maybe it will make him see what's truly happening here.
He gives me a look of uncertainty, "not to sound crude but he already has your wife, I don't think he really wants mine"
This dude must really want to get his ass beat. He's lucky I need to stay out of trouble, "go to hell" I throw the shovel on the ground and leave to take a break.
"Wait don't leave I was just joking!" he yells with a small smirk."I know this situation is fucked up but what else can we do".
What else can we do? He's more spineless than a jellyfish, "we can fight back".
He thinks about every moment and then shakes his head, "what, the two of us? come on man"
"No not the two of us, I know some people that are down for it. He's one man but we can make an army" I explain further, it can't hurt to try and get him on my side.
"Do you mean like stage a coup?"
A devilish smirk comes over me, "That's exactly what I mean. We take this shit in our own hands"
"that's insane! the Sanctuary has been around for years and no one has ever tried that, you know why that is?"
"Why" I dreadfully ask, not really caring about what excuse he's going to come up with.
"because it's impossible. He's got this game rigged. He's brainwashed people you can't fight that. It's like a cult. People would kill themselves if he asked them to" he fearfully tries to talk me out of it but I've already made up my mind.
"Even if it is a cult there are always people who break away. I'm gathering all those people. you can join us if you want to but if you don't that's fine" I lay it all down on the table. It's his choice now.
He stares up at the sky like he's praying to make the right decision, "then why are you telling me all this if you weren't sure that I was going to tag along"
He's going for it like I thought he would.
"I know you even though we've only been around each other for a short time. If you don't have the guts to help at least I know you won't say anything"
He has a delayed response but soon a glimmer of hope flashes in his eyes, "I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm in. I have a person that might be useful but it won't be easy getting a hold of him"