Comfortable Prisoner

After being left alone, I lay awake in the darkness.

I thought about what it was like before. Being out there, alone, scavenging for food. Sometimes my stomach hurt so much from the hunger, it felt like I would never fall asleep. Now I would always have food, and I when I washed up, I could actually stay clean for a while. I also wouldn't have to fight any of the dead while in here. I was locked away. In Sanctuary, I was safe, but I couldn't shake this overwhelming feeling of dread.

I was stuck here and something told me I wasn't the only one.

Today, I would follow Lexi again. At least until I got my bearings I think. I had showered and dressed awaiting her arrival. For now, I was just hanging out when I heard a knock on my door.

"Hey Enid," Lexi called out to me from outside my door. "Get out here. There's someone I want you to meet."

I quickly got up and opened it.

The man she was with was tall and slim, but the thing that stood out most about him was hair. It was dark brown, thick and curly and made him look like a surfer. Or maybe it was the shirt. Yeah, it was definitely the shirt. He had on a colourful Hawaiian style shirt that was unusual for someone nowadays.

"This is Eli," Lexi said.

"So you're Enid, are you? Nice to meet you." He extended his hand for what I expected was a handshake. Instead he kissed my hand. "Mi'lady," he said.

"Such a goddamn weirdo." Lexi said to herself with a grin.

I admit the kiss caught me off guard for a moment. It wasn't just did, but the way he did it. It didn't make me cringe or feel uncomfortable. He just looked like someone genuinely happy and at ease here. Like he loved life. I didn't think it was possible.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you too," I said as he dropped my hand. You must be from somewhere warm I'm guessing..." I said, trying to make conversation.

"Or maybe I just found a suitcase belonging to some middle aged white man who wore these shirts thinking they looked good on him," Eli said. "And I found out I they look better on me."

"Definitely look way better on you than anyone I've ever seen," Lexi joked, before looking around. "All right. I'm gonna take her to get something to eat. You coming?

"Sorry, got things to do."

"OK. We will talk later, OK," Lexi told him.

"Yeah, "Eli said, as he began to head off. He turned back around and gave us both a salute before he turned the corner. Lexi and I started in the opposite direction.

"He's good. Don't worry," Lexi said after a moment.

"Good?" I repeated quietly aloud and she must hear me because she explains herself.

"I mean... he's safe. You can trust him wholeheartedly. A lot of guys around here, you can sense just how sleazy and gross they are. Would sell you out in a heartbeat. Eli's not like that it. He's got a good heart."

I nodded.

"And when I'm not around. He's the next best thing." She smiled, but her eyes looked like she wanted to say more.

After getting breakfast for me, Lexi showed me where to get food and supplies. Never actually got any myself. She still did all that for me. Everything after that was just "Never go here" and stay away from this place". I ended up back in my room exhausted as hell.

I was relaxing on my cot when a loud knocking on my door jolted me up and out of bed.

"Yeah...?" I answered with caution.

"Open up," It was only Negan.

I stood up and opened the door for him. Still holding onto the doorknob once he was inside like he would leave anytime soon.

He turned around and gave me a look that said "WTF are you doing?".

"Shut it," he said, sternly.

Annoyed, I finally did, then went to sit on my bed as I expected he'd be here for a while.

"Been meaning to ask you a couple things," he said, begin to pace a little.

He continued when I didn't respond right away. "My men said you were alone when they found you..."

"Yeah," I responded, not knowing whether this was leading to a question or not.

"How did you end up that way?" I looked at him and then he explained. "Most people find a group... hell even one son of a bitch to shack up with and find shit with. That never happened to you?"

I sighed when I thought about a time when I wasn't alone. "No, it did... then it didn't."

"How long exactly have you been alone out there?" He stopped moving and leaned against the back of my door, his bat pointed the the floor.

"Since everyone in my last group died," I answered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"And your parents?" He asked.

"They're both dead," I answered after a while.

"Sorry to hear that, kid," he said. The way he said it sounded odd. He didn't sound remorseful at all... like it was just a fact. Simple.

"Whatever," I muttered.

"What? You think I'm not?" Negan asked amused, but still sounding in slight disbelief.

I didn't respond. After a silence that felt like forever, I decided to speak.

"Why "Negan"? I finally asked. "Just seems a bit random." I added.

He chuckled. "I'll have you know it's actually my middle name, kid."

"Oh I didn't know..." I responded quietly.

"Of course you didn't," Negan muttered to himself.

Then it dawned on me again about how much the world had changed. How we both changed. The things we did before, it would never be that way again. Negan looked at me and must have recognized the look on my face because he shifted.

He let out a loud breath. "And that would be my cue to exit," he said. "Not really interested in playing "remember the good old days" with you."

I nodded. "So about me leaving then?" I asked.

He just chuckled. "Today is not the day to piss me off, little girl."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I started to say. "I just thought..."

"Well then, it's settled. Don't bring it up again." He was about to leave, then he sighed. "Look, the only way you get to leave this place is under three conditions. One," he said raising his first finger. "You can take yourself. Two. You have a valuable skill I can use and three," he said on his last finger. "I trust your ass not to run away."

Then he wiggled his fingers. "Now, any of those three things sound like you. Nope. Didn't think so," He said, not bothering to wait for me to answer.

Finally, he opened the door to leave. "I'll leave you to contemplate that for a bit."

After he was gone, I fell asleep with a real reason to leave my room. A short time later, I awoke to a small commotion in the hallway outside my room.

I heard a voice that sounded like Simon's. "Negan wants every worker on this floor to follow us, now," he demanded.

I opened my door and stepped out where I saw Simon, Paula and another woman rounding people up to go somewhere. They all turned to me as soon as I started heading towards them.

"Where's everyone going?" I asked.

"Follow the herd, kid," the other woman said to me. She had tanned skin and short curly black hair with dyed blonde ends.

"Don't worry. I got this," Simon said to the woman. "You get the next hallways."

The woman nodded and turned back to the crowd, leaving me with Simon and Paula. "All right. Keep moving!" she shouted.

Simon spoke first."Alrighty then, let me tell you what is about to happen here." He had a Cheshire like grin on his face. "This would be one of them consequences I was tellin' you about earlier. One that Negan would like a few of us all to bear witness to."

"What did this person do?" I asked.

He smiled. "Someone who wasn't too smart, got caught with his hand in the wrong honey pot."

"Simon, really?" Paula groaned at what I assumed was his use of terminology.

He just laughed and continued. "Anyway, he's about to pay for it by getting the Iron."

"The iron?" I asked aloud.

"Yeah..." Paula began. "You should join us." I noticed the slight amusement in her eyes as well..

"Um..." I wasn't too sure if this was something I wanted to see.

"Oh, she'll be there," Simon interjected. "On Negan's request..." He said looking right at me. "Meaning it ain't optional, missy" He warned. You may not be a real worker, or even one of us, but he wants you there."

"I'll come," I replied eagerly.

"Well, alright then," Paula announced with satisfaction, looking to both Simon and I. "Let's get going before we're the last ones left."

They started leaving and I followed behind them. Not too close, but far enough so I could still lag behind.

Then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey," Lexi stopped me, pulling me slightly backward. "I was coming to check on you...You're coming?" She asked, incredulously.

"Uh, yeah..." I told her.

"You do know what's about to happen, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded. One of those consequences people keep talking about, I thought to myself.

"I mean, he wouldn't notice if you skipped it, right?" Lexi mused, mostly to herself. I don't understand why my being there bothered her so much.

Oh, he'd definitely notice, I replied in my head. "It's fine, Lexi. I'm not a kid. I can handle it."

"OK." She seemed to be in agreement. "Just stay close to me, got it?"

I nod.

I kept walking with Lexi, through some hallways, then finally up some stairs. I eventually saw the door everyone was entering up ahead. I hesitated for a moment and Lexi continued on probably thinking I was still behind her. I turned around for just a second and that's when I saw her.

A blond woman who was only a little taller than me. From the way she walked and dressed, I could tell she wasn't a worker. Also the way she stared me down as she walked. That was a giveaway. She had a nose ring, but other than that, was pretty unmemorable. Then I noticed the tattoo on her neck. It was series of boxes and lines that looked almost tribal. So unusual, I thought to myself... but also cool.

I decided to turn back around and head for the room when I heard a voice call out. "Hey, you. Not so fast."

I stopped, and turned back around, knowing exactly who had called me. She was much closer now.

"I'm curious about something," she said.

"Yeah?" I asked, hesitantly.

"I've seen you around. With Lexi. And you've got a shit room...sleep where the workers do, yet you don't eat like them. I was wondering why is that?"

I froze when I realized I didn't have an answer for that. At least not one I thought through thoroughly yet.

"Back off, Warrior Princess." I looked up and it was Simon. "This isn't the time to play detective," he told her.

"Oh what? I can't have questions?" she asked, getting defensive.

Simon smiled, then placed his hand on my shoulder. "This one's a charity case. Little orphan Annie. Any other questions you got, you can bring them to the Big Man."

"Nope. That about covers everything I needed to know," she said.

"Alright. Then, I suggest we keep it moving."

"OK," The woman said, sounding like an annoyed child as Simon starting ushering me into the door, before letting me go and turning back around. I took a peek behind and saw the woman was still looking at me while Simon shoved more people inside.

"Maybe if she wasn't staring at me like I killed her pet pig, I would have left her alone," the woman said.

"Yeah yeah yeah," Simon said, not really paying attention to her.

I turned back around. The room I entered was one of the rooms Lexi showed me. It was where people worked and kept the supplies they gave out. must have There clothes hanging about. Tables set up with different stuff like bread, candles, spices, pasta, you name it. You could get it here...or so I was told.

I also noticed a huge fire burning, off to the far left. I wondered what it was for making.

I was going to look for Lexi when I heard a familiar voice. It was Eli. He was here too, but off to the side in one of the warehouse rooms. He was talking to someone I couldn't see and he looked serious. Tense. Much different than how he seemed earlier today. He rushed out of the room without looking and almost bumped into me.

His face changed from annoyed to a bit calmer once he saw it was me. "Oh, hey Enid." He gave me a small smile, but I could still see whatever the issue was, it was still bothering him.

"Hi," I said, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Just some work shit," he replied to a question I never even planned to ask, realizing I must have saw him in there.

"Oh, I wasn't..." but he didn't let me finish.

"You supposed to be here?" He asked in a tone that was similar to the way Lexi sounded earlier. Full of unnecessary concern.

"I was asked to be here," I told him, then out of nowhere Lexi showed up.

"Sorry, about that," she said as she grabbed on to me. "I'm not use to having a shadow, so please try to keep up."

Then she turned to Eli. "Hey," she said to him in passing, as she took me by both shoulders and ushered me towards the middle of the room where the crowd was starting to form.

"So what are we waiting for exactly?" I asked glancing up at Lexi as she released me.

"Nothing. Here he comes," she said.