𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 , the walking dead - [49] the boogeyman (2025)

THE BOOGEYMAN
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THE LEATHER JACKET WAS THE FIRST THING THEY NOTICED, but it was the bat wrapped in barbed wire that stuck out to them most. The man from the shadows—the boogeyman, he kept that dangerous bat against his shoulder. Even swung it around a little for presentation, he acted as if it was part of him, like another limb.

"Boy, do I have a feeling we're getting close. It's gonna be pee-pee pants city here real soon." The man states, taking his time walking up and down the line staring down each member that sat on their knees. They all looking up at him, some with fear, some with rage and few with emotionless expression. "Which one of you pricks is the leader?"

The saviour from before points out Rick while also informing him that one of them is missing, a certain blonde girl with an unmatchable rage.

"We better find her before she misses out on all the fun," The man with the bat looks around, knowing that she is out in the woods somewhere. In his mind, the girl ran because she was scared but it was quite the opposite. Then the man walks up to Rick as he nonchalantly says, "Hi, you're Rick, right? I'm Negan,"

Everyone looked up at him, they all knew that this was the man they've been trying to fight for so long. The one they thought they were stranger than, but now he had them brought to their knees. Were they stronger?

"And I do not appreciate you kill my men. Also when I sent my people to kill your people for killing me people, you killed more of my people. Not cool. Not cool. You have no idea how not cool that shit is, but I think you'll be up to speed shortly. Yeah...you are so going to regret crossing me in a few minutes." Negan told them, a sinful smirk on his face as he glanced around at all of them, "You see Rick, whatever you do no matter what you don't mess with the new world order. It's really very simple, even if your stupid which you very well may be, you can understand it. Ready?"

Negan stood straight, swinging his bat around before stopping it near Rick's head. Causing him to flinch slightly as Negan's voice sounded up again, "Give me your shit or I'll kill you. Today was career day, we invested a lot so you would know who I am and what I can do. You work for me now, you have shit—you give it to me. That's your job. Now, I know that is one mighty big nasty pill to swallow but swallow it you most certainly will."

As Negan's eyes trailed down the line of all the new faces of fresh meat, it was like he was eyeing up his new toys. He was getting a thrill out of this, so it seemed, his voice ever to sounding to the ears of the ones on the ground. Louis could barely see through his teary eyes, although he didn't show the emotion of fear--the tears that were slipping from his cheeks gave it all away.

"You built something, you thought you were safe, but the word is out. You are not safe--not even close. In fact, you are pegged, more pegged if you don't do what I want or if that bitch out there doesn't come out soon. What I want is half your shit, and if that's too much you can make, find or steal more. And it'll even out sooner or later. This your way of life now, the more you fight back, the harder it will be--"

Negan was in the middle of his speech again but was cut off by the sound of gunshots in the distance. Making all their heads turn, especially the group from Alexandria because to them they knew that it was Maeve. No one knew which side of the gunshot she was one, and they could only hope that she was still safe.

Although Louis didn't look over, he didn't need to. He knew that his sister was going to come out on the other end. She was going to make her way to them one way or another, and that's what scared him even more. Whatever Negan had up his sleeve was nothing he wanted her to be a part of, Maeve is a fighter--it's all she knows, and Negan is directly telling them not to fight. There was no good outcome of this.