Part 1

The air around the group was tense, thick with an anxiety so heavy it felt like the world was about to implode. They were gathered in a small clearing, each of them held at gunpoint by Negan’s men. The sound of distant walkers growled through the trees, but it was Negan’s presence that commanded all the attention. He was in front of them, Lucille resting on his shoulder, his lips curled in that infamous grin.

“You all think you can escape me?” Negan’s voice was low and mocking. “Well, the rules have changed. There’s no running now.”

Daryl’s eyes were blazing with anger, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Beside him, Glenn's jaw was tight, his gaze flickering between Jihyo and the rest of the group. They had already learned, the hard way, that there was no talking their way out of this.

Jihyo stood quietly at the back of the group, her heart hammering in her chest. She had been trying to stay calm, to keep the fear from showing, but her breath was shallow, and the sweat beaded on her brow. She was terrified. Terrified of dying. Terrified of losing everything. She had survived the apocalypse by sheer luck, by using her wealth and influence to stay protected. But none of that mattered anymore.

Negan turned his gaze to her and smirked. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he said, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "You’re different from the others, aren’t you? I can smell the fear, sweetheart."

Jihyo’s heart pounded louder in her chest. She swallowed hard, taking a shaky breath. She stepped forward, her voice desperate. “Please… please don’t do this. I’ll do anything. I can help you. I—I know people. I have resources. I can—”

Negan cut her off with a loud, mocking laugh. “Oh, please, don’t try to bargain with me. I don’t care about your ‘resources,’ and I certainly don’t care about who you know. I’m the one in control here, sweetheart.”

Jihyo felt her legs wobble, the fear and panic rising in her chest. She had been in control for so long, hidden behind wealth and luxury, but none of that mattered here. She was just another survivor, another pawn in Negan’s cruel game.

She took another step forward, her voice trembling. “I beg you… please don’t kill me. I can help you. I can do anything… anything you want… just don’t kill me…”

The group watched in stunned silence, unable to move or say anything. Daryl’s hands were balled into fists, and Glenn’s lips trembled as he tried to process what was happening. But they knew, deep down, that this was out of their control. No one could stop Negan now.

Negan’s smile widened, his amusement growing. “Begging? Really? Is that what this is? You think that’s gonna save you?”

Jihyo’s face twisted in desperation as she dropped to her knees. “Please, I—I have a family, a life to live… Don’t do this. I’ll do anything, anything at all. I don’t want to die…”

The others, watching from a distance, felt the sting of helplessness. They all knew that there was nothing they could do. Even Daryl, who was always ready to fight, stood frozen. This wasn’t a fight they could win.

But Negan wasn’t moved. He simply looked at Jihyo, his expression unreadable.

“You think I care about your life?” he spat, his voice dripping with venom. “You’re nothing to me. You’re just another victim.”

He lifted Lucille high above his head, and with one quick motion, brought the bat down on her. The sickening sound of it connecting with her skull echoed through the clearing.

Jihyo’s body crumpled to the ground, her eyes wide open in shock. The others gasped, their hearts sinking as they watched her fall lifeless to the ground. But that wasn’t the worst part.

Jihyo’s body didn’t stay still. It began to twitch, to jerk unnaturally, as her body started to convulse. The dark reality of the apocalypse hit them all at once.

“She’s turning,” Glenn whispered, his voice cracking.

Daryl's fists clenched tighter, his eyes filled with pain and rage. “No… no…”

The group watched in horror as Jihyo’s body began to shift, her limbs growing stiff as she groaned lowly, the unmistakable sound of a walker coming from her. Her eyes, once full of fear and desperation, became clouded with the hunger of the dead.

Negan chuckled darkly, watching the transformation with cold amusement. “Well, well, look at that. She’s one of them now. A real shame, huh?”

Jihyo—now a walker—stood up, her head snapping towards the group. Her mouth hung open, teeth gnashing, ready to attack. The others stumbled back in shock and disgust, their faces contorted with grief and terror. They had just lost someone they cared about. And now, they had to face her as one of them.

Daryl’s breath was shallow as he stared at her, his eyes filled with sorrow and disbelief. He didn’t even know what to say. He had tried. They had all tried. But in the end, there was nothing they could do to stop this.

The group stood frozen, watching as Jihyo—once so full of life—was now nothing more than a hollow shell, a husk of what she had been.

Negan smirked, his eyes flicking over the group. “This is what happens when you mess with me. You all better get used to it.”

And with that, he motioned for his men to move on, leaving the group to stand in the ruins of another loss. The memory of Jihyo—alive, begging, pleading—lingered in the air as they walked away, the weight of her death heavy on their hearts.

But as Jihyo’s body shambled after them, the reality was clear. There was no escaping the horror of this world.