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Rick Grimes knew it had to be done. He couldn’t allow the herd of walkers to cross the bridge to his remaining friends and family, and he couldn’t let them sacrifice themself for him. He couldn’t move another step, between the concussion and the blood loss, he had spent all of his energy.
But, there was still some hope. He had a bullet in his gun and there were explosives right there. He just needs to lift his arm and shoot. Then his friends, his wife Michonne, his daughter Judith would live. The people who came to rely on them, he wouldn’t let them down by leading walkers right into their home.
The ghosts of his past were calling him, he could see them and hear them plain as day, he knows that it’s time to go join the rest of his family. He raised his hand, smiled at his wife Michonne, and pulled the trigger.
First there was a loud explosion as his vision turned red then white, and… nothing. Just a very bright room. Rick didn’t feel anything, the stab wound where he’d been impaled, the pounding of his head was gone.
He took a slow look around, trying to see where he was, outside the gates of heaven maybe? Has God judged what he did to be acceptable? The people he killed, Shane, The Governor, the guys who had tried to assault his son? Were their deaths forgiven?
Could he really go join his friends and family who died brutal painful deaths before him? His wife Lori who died giving birth to his daughter in that prison, Beth, Maggie’s younger sister who was killed before they could be reunited? Sophia, that little girl at the very beginning who he failed to protect, Andrea and Amy, Dale, Jacqui, T-Dog, Merle, Jim, Hershel Sr., Patricia, Jimmy, Duane, everyone that Rick had ever known since waking up in that hospital to find the dead wandering around the earth, was he really about to go meet back up with them? Could he hope to see Glenn again, after all this time?
He heard a knock before someone seemed to phase through the white. This person, who Rick is assuming is a he, is dressed in a black suit with a purple tie, the suit very typical of businessmen or lawyers, he had a white drama mask on, the mask’s smile seemed unnatural but not malicious. He had his hands behind his back and he held himself with an air of authority much like that corrupt mayor that Rick and Shane had busted a couple years before he was shot and awoke to find the dead consuming the living.
The weirdest thing about this guy though, was that he didn’t seem either holy or evil, he simply just was. The mask moved in an imitation of a mouth moving as the guy spoke, his voice somehow sounding masculine and feminine, legible and illegible, one voice and many voices, all at the same time. It took a couple minutes once the moving of the mask stopped for Rick to finally hear what the guy said.
“Nice day to die, isn’t it?” Rick blinked at him a couple times as his greeting repeated in his head.
“Who are you?” the mask moved as the voice spoke again.
“I’m a being who’s grown a bit bored, and I come to you with a deal.” Now, Rick has read the bible many times to know that whatever this deal thing was, it would end with Rick either selling his soul to the devil, or keeping his soul for himself.
“Just hear me out first before comparing me to the big guy downstairs, I don't work for him, so there’s no need to worry about being tortured for the rest of eternity.”“Do I wanna know where I am?” The mask’s smile seemed to stretch even further.“Why, you’re in MY domain of course, i rearranged some things to look like someplace you could relax in. No idea why you chose this bright white though.”
“Wait, I’m sorry, but are you reading my mind?” If this wasn’t heaven and this wasn’t hell, then where the fuck is he? Where is his family, his friends?“They’re not here, so no need to worry about them. And it's less of the mind reading and more like after watching you for so long I can just tell what you’re thinking. “ the guy's eyes crinkled upwards.“So, why am I here?” Rick is very confused as to this whole thing, and it didn’t help that he was developing a headache from listening to this unknown guy speak.“For a deal of course.” Rick sighed before deciding to entertain the guy.“And what would this deal entail, exactly?” The mask distorted and cracked as the smile grew impossibly wider.“My entertainment, of course.” Rick’s skin developed goose bumps as the guy seemed to gain a glint in the slits where the eyes were. “Of course, i’m fully prepared to make sure you benefit from this as well. I have … some… influence on your world, and i can send someone to help out your family, maybe … prevent some unfortunate deaths?” Rick knew exactly what this guy was offering, Rick’s soul for Rick’s family, while the pauses were suspicious at best, there had to be some way that Rick would know that what this guy is telling him is true, after all, he isn’t so naive as to just sell his soul at any chance to save the members of his family from what happened to them, while he was happy with the way that things worked out, if he was able to give his people happier endings, who was he to not try?“You want some assurance?” Rick startled at his sudden question in response to his thoughts but got over it quickly.“I do, yes.” The guy/being/god/whatever quickly nodded his head before raising his right hand, and snapping his middle finger and thumb. The white seemed to zoom forward before they were in a small living room, to the right was a big double glass window which seemed to take up the entire wall, and was letting all the light from the rising sun outside the window in. to the left was an open doorway to a dining room, the doorway big enough to fit barn doors in. Rick could hear voices that sounded familiar behind him, but they soon stopped as in front of him was a couch, with a young adult lounging on it, a tv remote in hand. The person had large wings that
jutted out of the black t-shirt they were wearing, the wings looked like those of an angel’s except they had a metallic sheen to them and were navy blue. Looking up from the wings they had a tan skin color, green eyes, and black, wavy hair that was hanging down to their shoulders. As they sat up fully, they addressed the entity next to Rick.“Boss.” The entity now known by the nickname ‘Boss’ spoke back to them.“Laurence, i have an assignment for you.” The kid, Laurence, didn’t seem to be any older than 20, but the sigh that he let out made him seem even older than Rick himself.
“Now don’t be like that, you know what you signed up for, and you’re the only one yet to go on assignment.” Laurence just seemed to sulk even further at that.
“Can I at least finish this episode of Walking Dead?” The entity known as Boss seemed to gain an amused aura at that.“Have you not noticed our guest?” Laurence snapped his head over to look at Rick before his eyes went wide.“YOU’RE ASSIGNING ME INTO HIS UNIVERSE?!” Boss laughed.“You are an expert after all, this is your 3rd time re-watching the show.” Laurence rose and pouted.“Fine, but if I die I'm punching you.” Boss turned to look at Rick.“So, how about it?” Rick let out a suffering sigh before looking behind him at the t.v. to see him talking to Shane at the farm, he then sighed again, shook his head, and stuck his left hand out for a handshake.“I promised my family that I’d do anything I could to save them, and you sir, seem like my best shot.” Boss’s right hand turned blue with the energy coursing through it as he shook Rick’s hand.
“Okay, Laurence, grab your sword and an apocalypse outfit, you’re assignment has been
given. Rick, let’s have you join your family, I'm sure there’s a
banquet being set out for you.”