𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 ♔ 𝙙.𝙙𝙞𝙭𝙤𝙣 [1]

64

Slowly opening her eyes with a pounding headache, Scarlett looks up, squeezing her eyes shut because of the light. Peeling them back open, she glances around, her eyes trailing over Maggie and Carol. As she goes to say something, a gag around her mouth prevents her.

Scarlett pulls her legs up to her chest, struggling to reach in her boot. The door creeks open and Scarlett jumps back against the wall, acting normal. "Ah, little badass is awake." The older woman once again taunts and Scarlett rolls her eyes, shaking her head. Furrowing her eyebrows, Scarlett turns her attention towards Carol, who is hyperventilating.

Both Maggie and Scarlett try to get the attention of the group and Paula bends down in front of the pregnant woman, pulling her gag down. "She's hyperventilating." Maggie snaps, nodding towards Carol. Scarlett eyes the woman walking up towards her. The older woman, pulls the gag out of her mouth harshly, letting it drop to her neck. Pulling a box out of the back of her pants, the woman slides a cigarette out and lighting it.

Taking a puff, she blows it in Scarlett's face, irritating her more. "Molly-" Paula sighs, rolling her eyes. Molly chuckles, standing to her feet. Scarlett tilts her head, her jaw clenched as she watches Paula pull a gun out on Carol. "Bitch, how did you make it this far?"

"Honey, you need to take some yoga breaths and calm your ass down." Molly tells Carol, puffing out another breath full of smoke. "What are you so afraid of? Are you actually afraid to die? All this and you're scared of getting your ticket punched." Paula scoffs, tilting her head to the side, her red hair falling into her face.

"I-It doesn't matter what happens to me. Just don't hurt Maggie. Don't hurt the baby." Carl stutters, her body visibly shaking. The pain in her head continue and Scarlett turns her attention to the ground, her lips pressed together.

Her brown hair covers her face as she closes her eyes, the pounding in her head getting louder and more painful. Her hands begin to shake and her heart races. Quietly telling herself she needs to calm down, her breathing quickens as she begins to think of what could happen. Raising her trembling hands to her temple, she winces as pain soars through the temple. Preventing herself from crying out, she lowers her hands, pressing herself against the stone wall behind her.

Daryl's face appears in her mind, saddening the girl even more. Tears build up behind her eyelids and she swallows harshly, her mouth beginning to feel like a desert. Her throat begins to tighten and she opens her eyes, the ground blurry because of the tears in her eyes. Blinking back at the tears, the tightness in her throat seizes and she inhales through her nose, exhaling through her mouth, calming herself down. Act like Daryl, fight like Daryl.

Raising her head, her heartbeat slows down as she watches Maggie's lips move, talking to Paula. Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to hear what she's saying but can't because of the pounding in her head and through her ears. As if in slow motion, anger builds up in Scarlett as she watches the guy slap Paula.

Bolting forward and landing on her hands, Scarlett swings around, kick the guy's knees out from under him. Maggie raises her tied hands over her hand before bringing them down on the man's temple, knocking him out. Watching as Michelle pulls Maggie up, Scarlett shakes her head. "No!" She yells, the pounding in her ears seizing.

"She's just going to talk, no need to act all big and bad." Paula spats, pushing Scarlett back up against the wall. "If you do anything other than talk to her, I'll shove my foot so far up your ass, you'd have to get it surgically removed." Scarlett growls, her blue eyes darkening. Paula scoffs before walking away from Scarlett.

Silently listening to Molly's and Paula's conversation, Scarlett fiddles with her fingers under the duct tape, boredom consuming her. "Excuse me-Just wanted to say thank you for help Maggie and Scarlett. For helping me." Scarlett rolls her eyes at Carol's sentence, letting out a huff.

"My husband, Ed, he used to-" Paula cuts Carol off, chuckling. "Yeah? I don't care if your old man used to ring your bell. I see exactly who you are, Carol. You're pathetic. You wanna think we're just the same? Go ahead. You're wrong. He's just a warm body for my bed. Thats it. I could kill him in his sleep if I wanted to."

Looking down at the gray duct tape, Scarlett chews on her bottom lip. Is Daryl just a warm body for my bed? The answer is obvious, he's not. She feels so different around him, it should be illegal.

♢ ♢ ♢

Firmly grasping the pocket knife in her hand, Scarlett quiets her breathing, listening to Molly call for Maggie. A painful cry sounds from the woman and Scarlett jumps out, shoving the pocket knife in Molly's stomach over and over again until she is dead.

Yanking the knife out of her stomach and flicking the blood off of the blood, Scarlett motions for the other two to come in. Patting down her pockets, Scarlett yanks a familiar looking knife out of Molly's holster, a scowl on her face. Grabbing the pack of cigarettes, Scarlett shoves them in her back pocket.

Closing the pocket knife and cramming it in her pocket, Scarlett comfortably holds the white knife in her fragile hands, security washing over her. Trailing behind Maggie and Carol, on high alert, Scarlett's eyes dart around, looking for anyone. Snarls from walkers fill her ears and she cranes her neck, looking at the hallway filled with trapped walkers.

Gunshots fire and Scarlett bolts behind a metal spot, her body pressed against the cold wall. Once she gun signals Paula is out of ammo, Scarlett stands to her feet, staring down the woman. "Just run." Carol cries, the gun pointed at Paula. "Shoot her." Maggie says and Scarlett nods her head, looking between Carol and Paula.

"Go on. Do it. You've killed Donnie. You've killed Molly. Your people have destroyed my home." Paula says shakily, walking forward. Scarlett squeezes the knife in her hand, taking a deep breath. "You have no idea. The things i've done, what i've given up, what I had to do."

A walker gets loose and reaches out for Carol and Scarlett springs forward, shoving the knife through its head. A gunshot rings through her ears and grunts from Paula and Carol sound.

"Paula?" Michelle's voice calls and Scarlett and Maggie glance at each other before dashing forward, Maggie attacking Michelle. "I got this!" Maggie tells Scarlett and Scarlett nods, standing close. As Michelle flips them around, Scarlett springs into action, grabbing Michelle's forearms and swinging her around. Michelle harshly pushes Scarlett away, Scarlett's head slamming against the brick wall.

Falling to the ground with a cry, she holds the back of her head in her hands, black dots beginning to fill her vision. As she flickers in and out of consciousness, the last thing she hears is gurgling coming from Paula.