Scarlett Greene hadn't spoken since she was twelve. After her Daddy was arrested for abuse when she was seventeen, she is sent to live with her Uncle Hershel. Her life gets better, but the trauma is still there.
When the apocalypse begins, she take...
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before the world ended
SILENCE WAS SOMETHING SCARLETT KNEW FOR YEARS. It was beaten into her until not even a whimper or scream left her lips. She knew better now.
The day her Daddy was sent to jail, her uncle thought the girl's life would suddenly become better. He thought that she would begin to live her own life, making her own choices, and stating her own opinions. He did not realize how much trauma was inflicted on the poor girl. 'Cause even though her Daddy was gone, he was everywhere.
Scarlett was now twenty four years old, and it had been seven years without her Daddy physically, mentally he was still in there, but she still thought she was doing better. She was not as skittish, doing her own thing for the most part.
She and her uncle's friend Otis were the hunters of the farm. They found fresh meat when they could, and he taught her a lot about the woods. She was quiet, of course, so it made it easier for her to sneak up on her prey. Otis told her she was a good partner, and she felt pride for the first time.
Maggie was her uncle's eldest daughter. She was the same age as Scarlett, and she was her first real friend. Maggie took care of Scarlett best she could as seventeen year olds, and to this day, Scarlett was Maggie's number one priority.
Scarlett did not attend school until she was twelve when the social workers found her at a grocery store and made her Daddy send her. He had beaten her a lot that day, but she thought it was worth it because for at least eight hours a day for five days a week, she was away from him.
When she was seventeen and sent to live with her Uncle Hershel, his new wife homeschooled her. Annette was a lovely woman who gave them nothing but love. Still, Scarlett was wary of any new people in her life, 'specially men. When Beth brought home her first real boyfriend, Jimmy, they watched Jimmy try and shake Scarlett's hand. Before anyone could warn him, she ducked and curled into herself with tears streaming down her face.
No one was allowed to touch her unless she let them. It was something all of the Greene's and their friends had to learn. Most of the Greene's were allowed now, but she was still wary of Patricia, Otis, and Jimmy.
Maggie walked inside Scarlett's bedroom with a smile. "Hey, Scar, Shawn wants to know if you wanna go ridin'?"
Scarlett glanced up from where she was cleaning her Colt Python. It was something she stole from her Daddy when he was taken to jail. She remembered cowering in the corner and holding it in her closet when the cops came. She had been hiding, ready to aim and shoot if she had to.
She shrugged at Maggie before she began to stand, sticking her Python in the holster she clipped on. Her Uncle Hershel did not like people carrying at the house, but he let Scarlett when he saw how safe it made her feel. Just another choice she was able to make on her own.
"I'll go let 'im know. Beth needs help with her math homework when you get back. Don't know how you got so smart," Maggie finished with a ruffle of Scarlett's hair. Scarlett rolled her eyes, pushing Maggie off.
Walking outside toward the stables, she smiled at the second eldest Greene sibling. Shawn was Annette's first born, Beth's half-brother. He was Maggie's step-brother since Maggie's mom had passed away years ago. Shawn was already getting the saddle on the two horses.
When she got there, she let her hand glide across her horse's head. He snuggled into her, and she smiled further. His name was Buck.
"Buck's been real antsy. Nelly's nerves were gettin' irritated by his constant whining. Figured we should get them out for a bit," Shawn said, climbing onto his horse, Nelly. Only Shawn could get Nelly to calm down surprisingly.
She nodded, whistling to get Buck moving.
They trotted along the woods, finding the creek after a half of an hour. The horses lapped up the water while the two riders sat in silence besides a few comments Shawn made about the area around them.
They did a slow trot and took the longer route back to the farm.
"Y'know, Scar? I think you should do that therapy Pa was talkin' bout," he murmured. "I know yer still scared, but ya got us. Don' want ya livin' the rest of yer life scared to live."
Scarlett stayed silent, her knuckles tightening around the reigns.
"You can talk, and we won't hurt ya."
She snapped her head to glare at him. He shrugged at her.
"Just sayin', but y'know it's yer choice," he finished before he heard rustling in the bushes. "Woah," he called to Nelly as she became frightened. "S'all right! Calm down!"
Scarlett turned just as Nelly flung Shawn off of her. He hit the ground with a groan. It had been years since she had thrown him. Scarlett watched with wide eyes as Nelly ran off in the direction of the farm. If she had stopped watching the damn horse and focused on her cousin, she may have saved him.
Shawn was groaning on the ground with his head in his hands and eyes shut. He was moaning about the pain in his back. He had felt it before, but it had been so long that it hurt more it seemed. He chuckled when he heard rustling next to him. He thought it was Scar.
"Nelly's actin' strange, aye?" he said just as he opened his eyes and saw a rotten corpse of one of their neighbors open his rotting mouth and take a large bite of his arm. "AHH! SCARLETT!"
Scarlett turned at his screams, her stomach dropping to her shoes as she watched Shawn fight off a human being that was eating him. She jumped off the horse, taking a shaky hand and grabbing her Python from her holster. She switched the safety off, shooting the woman once in the shoulder.
The woman did not even bleed. Her beady grey, dead eyes looked up at her with a growl and snarl before she let another round hit her square in the head.
That seemed to do it as the woman fell dead.
She hustled to her cousin, ripping off her jacket and wrapping it around his arm while trying to stop the bleeding. His eyes were rolling to the back of his head, but he grabbed her hand with his. She did not even feel the tears begin.
"J-Just stop bein' so 'fraid. Yer gon' be all righ'."
Squeezing the shirt on the wound, she silently sobbed just as she heard the pounding of horse hooves coming toward them. The rider was Maggie, and she stared at the scene in horror.
"Shawn!" Maggie shouted, hopping off and trying to help Scarlett. Scarlett backed away, her bloody hands staring at the cannibal she killed. She killed someone.
Maggie turned to see what Scarlett was staring at.
"They're already here," she whimpered, and Scarlett had no idea what she meant.
