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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the plan
CARL PULLED SOPHIA'S SMALL AND MALNOURISHED BODY FROM THE SMALL CUPBOARD SHE HAD HIDDEN HERSELF IN. Scarlett's eyes became wet with tears as Carl held Sophia's body close to his, muttering thanks to anyone above as he heard small breaths leaving her mouth. She was dirty, hungry, dehydrated... Scarlett finally got her wits about her, rushing forward and taking the girl from Carl's arms.
She immediately took off her sweater, making Carl put it as a pillow. She laid the girl down, taking one of the unopened gallons of water and literally opening the girl's mouth and gently pouring some in it. She had Carl make sure she was not choking, but soon the little girl's eyes began to flutter open in fear.
They moved from Scarlett to Carl, and Scarlett watched a small smile form on her face as Carl reached out to hold her hand.
"Carl?"
"I'm here, Sophia," he mumbled. "I found you, just like I promised."
She smiled, looking up at Scarlett. "Where's my Mommy?"
"At their farm... safe," Carl promised again. "This is Scarlett. She's a badass who's been looking for you." Scarlett gave him a look for the language before she opened her backpack to find something for Sophia to eat. Carl opened the candy bar, helping Sophia eat as another slam of a body hit the door. "We need to get out of here."
Scarlett nodded as Sophia's eyes welled with tears. "I feel really bad, Miss Scarlett."
"I know," she whispered back, eyes moving frantically around the room. "I know, baby, but you got to be strong for just a little while longer until we get back home, okay? Okay, Sophia? I need you to be strong or we won't make it, baby." Scarlett rushed out, finally getting some form of a plan in her mind as time ticked by. Sophia nodded sadly, wanting to argue but also wanting to be safe again.
Scarlett sat Sophia up, placing her sweater on the girl's frigid body. Sophia melted into the warmth. Scarlett grabbed Carl's hand. "You need to be brave too, okay?" He was about to argue, but she shook her head. "I know you, Carl. You try to act big and bad for your father and Shane, but you're still a little boy. I know you hate hearing it, but it's true. I need you to not be scared right now." His eyes glassed over with tears because he knew she was right. He nodded. "Okay. I need you to promise me you'll protect Sophia before anything when we get out. You get her back to her Momma, and you get back to yours."
"What about you?" Carl asked, fear in his voice.
"I'm going to divert them away," Scarlett grumbled slightly, not enjoying their situation at all. Carl was going to protest again. "This is what is going to happen..." she began to explain her plan to the small children, not wanting them to be alone but knowing there was no way of survival with those walkers out there.
Carl kept his gun on him, giving Sophia the hunting knife as she stood shakily.
Carl grabbed the tarp they found Sophia under, ripping the thick material up. They layered it on Scarlett's body, using duct tape to keep it in place. They found some plastic also, wrapping it all over open areas that needed protection. She looked like a puffball after they were done with it, and she was glad when Carl made the comment because Sophia giggled slightly.
Using the Sherrif's hat as hair protection, they stuffed all her hair into it—they even taped the hat to her head.
She looked funny.
"Remember what I said, just be brave and strong for a little while longer, okay? Stay with Carl. He knows the way back to the creek. From there, it's a straight shot," she mumbled to the pair as she stood by the door where the banging increased. "No shooting yours unless necessary." He nodded and ran to her, hugging her tightly. Sophia did the same, all three having tears coming out of their eyes. "Okay, get ready. Shut the door and count to seventy-five, just like we said. Use Mississippi's," she teased softly as she checked the rounds in her gun. "I'll meet you at the farm once I divert them."
Sophia's broken eyes looked up at her from where she handed Carl Scarlett's backpack. "Be safe, Miss Scarlett."
"You stick to Carl," she said back, counting to three slowly before shoving the door open.
The door knocked over two walkers, and she was able to shoot three of them that were right on top of her. As soon as she cleared the door, she heard Carl slam it shut again. Step one was complete. No walkers got in during her exit.
She kicked a walker that rushed toward her, and she made sure to shoot one that was walking back to the bunker doors. A yelp left her lips when she tripped over the stupid tape they used, and she landed on her stomach. Turning over, she watched two walkers snarl as they came to take a bite.
Kicking one in the stomach, she grimaced as her foot went straight through causing him to fall on top of her completely. She shot him directly in front of her face, making her ears ring. The other walker opened its mouth, taking a bite of her arm...
Of the plastic and tarp. She felt nothing pierce her skin.
Taking the butt of her python, she let the gun go straight through its head.
Whistling at the remaining walkers as she stood, she began to pull off the tarp and tape so she could begin to run into the woods away from the church and creek.
She felt one try and grab her, but he got stuck to the tape. He began to twirl as he tried to get out of the tape and get to her. She almost laughed.
Finally getting the last bit of tarp off of her, she got to the treeline and had the herd coming for her. In the background, she saw the door opening with no walkers to get Carl or Sophia as they hesitantly climbed out.
She yelled, "Come on!" when one tried to turn, and they all continued to follow her. She pulled the tape off of the hat, letting her hair begin to fall out as she turned and shot another that got too close. Trying to shoot another, she heard the empty click of her python. The ammo was in her backpack currently with Carl... something she did not think about when checking her rounds. She thought they were in her pocket. "Shit," she muttered as she took out a throwing knife and used it to stab them.
Blood splattered everywhere as they continued in the direction away from the house as night began... darkness swept over the woods while the snarling only grew.
