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the devil

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the devil

"SHE WAS LUCKY," BETH MURMURED AS SHE STOOD IN BETWEEN TWO CELLS. One cell held Hershel, barely keeping on as his leg was chopped off due to a walker bite. The other cell held Scarlett, the redhead now on an IV that Carl found in the infirmary with Sophia when they were not supposed to leave. Scarlett's body looked all right again, not as pale. She even was not coughing anymore.

The past twenty-four hours had been absolute hell, Maggie thought as she stared where her sister pointed. Their two family members were bedridden, and both girls were worried. She was glad Scarlett did not have to endure the long day they had...

From clearing the walkers from Cell Block C to burning all the walkers in the yard and the cell block, that alone was hard work. Next, they had gone looking for the cafeteria or the infirmary depending on what they crossed first. Cafeteria had been first, and Maggie sighed as she thought of Hershel being brought back with his leg missing from the adventure.

Finally, the worst part of the day was when they found other survivors. There were six of them that Maggie knew of from Carl's retelling.

Two were not friendly from the get go, but Maggie was sure Rick would take care of them. She hoped he would continue keeping them safe.

Lori walked past, breathing heavily as the baby's weight made walking hard on her, and she went to Scarlett's bedside. She felt her head, nodding when she felt no fever. She turned to the Greene siblings with a smile.

"She's healing quick now that she has medicine," she told them. "Carol is about to rewrap Hershel's wound. He looks less pale as well."

Beth smiled. "See? It's all working out. Soon, the baby will be here, and we'll get to make this place a home!"

Maggie squeezed Beth's shoulders just as Carl and Sophia called out something. Maggie turned to see Carl about to open the cell, so she walked forward to see what the fuss was about.

Scarlett felt herself waking up, and she did not think she would ever do that again.

Groaning and moaning as she moved her body around, she could feel a prick of the IV in her arm. Blindly reaching for it, she yanked it out with a hiss of pain.

Her eyes finally opened on her command, squinting at the brightness from the large windows outside of her... cell?

Gently feeling underneath her body, she realized she was in a cell. On a mattress. With a pillow.

A small smile made its way on her face. They had done it. They had gotten somewhere safe!

Her body felt heavy still, but she managed to sit up and scratch her head as she yawned. It took her a few minutes to stand up without feeling dizzy, but she managed to do so and grab her weapons before trotting her way slowly out of the cell. It was very quiet, and she wanted to know what was going on. Where was everyone?

The first two people she saw were Carol and Lori. Lori's eyes widened when she saw her.

"You should be resting!" she scolded just as they heard shouts of anger. Scarlett's hand went to her holster as she stepped toward the noise. "Scarlett, you're not well enough—" Carol even joined in, but Scarlett ignored them both as she found Carl and Sophia hiding behind bars to a door.

Both eyes had widened when they saw her, and Carl almost forced the bars to stay shut as he heard the arguing.

"I don't care about what you want! You said ma daughter is 'ere, 'nd I'll be damned if I don' get to see 'er!"

Scarlett's blood ran cold.

"What? I got to beat some sense into you too? Poor Brother didn't 'ave the balls!? Hershel never did have balls like mine."

Scarlett grabbed Carl and Sophia, pushing them toward their mothers as she opened the cell. The loud creaking alerted everyone that someone was coming.

Rick, Glenn, Maggie, T-Dog, and Daryl had weapons pointing at one man. Maggie had angry, frustrated tears leaving her eyes. Rick's eyes were cold once the story clicked into place. Then, there was him. Standing there with his jumpsuit tied 'round his waist showing his tattoos that littered in grimy body... That stupid smirk was on his face.

"Carl, I told y'all to keep watch and stay out—" Rick began with a low and angry tone of voice until all the eyes landed on Scarlett.

Standing there was not the Scarlett they all knew.

They knew the fierce and badass Scarlett. They knew the Scarlett who was beginning to overcome her fears. She was talking. Letting people touch her. She was happy and brave and would do anything for the group. She was Rick's rock that kept him grounded while he did the same to her. She was something so fierce that it was almost humorous to compare her to her past self. She had grown so much.

The Scarlett standing there was seventeen years old again, afraid of her own shadow.

The man laughed, almost wiping a tear away by the look on their faces.

"No shit," he began. "Mags here was lyin'. Knew you'd be alive, you little shit. Never could stay down, could ya? Get yer ass over here and give your old man a hug... been too long. Who'd think the apocalypse would get me back to you."

"You talk too much," Daryl growled out as even he was dumbstruck by Scarlett's shaking form. "Scar, go back to Lori. Let her check ya temperature or somethin'."

The man, her Daddy, laughed again. He smirked as Daryl's grip tightened on his crossbow. "Oh, you best not go. You know you only listen to me. Ain't that right?" She did not respond. "I SAID AIN'T THAT RIGHT!?" And Scarlett nodded swiftly as a tear left her eye. "Good girl. Silent." He paused. "Temperature? Ran out of medicine, poor girl?"

Maggie stepped in front of Scarlett. "You best go back to your cell before we put a bullet in your eye."

He rose his hands in surrender, glancing at them all. "Tell Hershel, we need to talk. Brother to brother, aye?" He turned before looking back again at Scarlett. "Let's go, Marina."

Scarlett began to walk forward.

Immediately Glenn stood in front of her, putting his hands on her shoulders with an incredulous look.

She flinched, more tears leaving. She backed away and out of Glenn's touch.

It's just Glenn. Good guy Glenn. He loves Maggie. He loves this family we got. Why am I flinching from him?

"Let her go! She knows only I touch—"

"I'M GIVIN' YOU THREE SECONDS TO GET INTO YOUR CELL BEFORE I BREAK MY PROMISE!" Rick shouted, his voice cold and raw and scary... everyone froze. He walked until his python was on her Daddy's chest. "One..."

Her Daddy laughed. "Better keep that cell bolted tight. Marina will run to me the second she can, Rick," he taunted as Rick said 'Two.'

Turning, he went into his cell as Rick tried to lock it with shaky, angry hands. Daryl noticed, taking the keys as he motioned for him to go to Scarlett. When they turned, she had already run outside with Maggie following. The door slammed in Maggie's face, however, and she looked back with fearful eyes at what to do.

Violent Silence • Rick Grimes ✓Where stories live. Discover now