Walking Dead: Dark Burdens
Chapter 13 of my Walking Dead story, time for another curveball.
Reviews
Boris Yeltsin: Sadly yes, and things are just getting worse.
Now onto the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Walking Dead or its characters.
Chapter 13: Reversal
Violet swallowed as she tried to compose herself; she found herself having a blessed moment alone that Wednesday evening. She was still reeling from what she had endured in the basement of the camp building, the memories of the chair, the pain it had inflicted on her still fresh.
'Conversion therapy, I thought that was illegal here...but they…' She thought to herself.
Shifting and trying to hide her trembling she subconsciously began smoothing the dark grey ankle length dress she was wearing, paired with matching flats. She honestly felt strange just looking at the clothes, let alone wearing them. It was hard, she felt worn down, but kept trying to stay strong, to stay herself, to not let herself be overwhelmed.
She shook her head. 'I keep wanting Clem to show up and save me from this, but how can I possibly expect her to get me outta here...I don't even know where here is. I don't have a phone or...anything.'
"Hey, new girl huh?" A female voice broke into her thoughts.
She started and looked up to see a young woman approaching her. She looked around twenty with shoulder length black hair and black eyes, she had tanned skin and was clad in a brown ankle length dress with matching flats. Violet couldn't be certain but she suspected the young woman was Native American. When Violet nodded warily the young woman sat down under the tree next to her.
"Samantha Fairbanks." She introduced herself. "But please, I insist you call me Sam...when it's just the two of us."
Violet saw the way she looked around warily and nodded again. "Violet Adlon."
She didn't know why, but there was something about this girl she felt she could trust.
Violet hesitated, unsure what to say, when Sam shook her head and spoke up.
"I know that look on your face a mile off." She said quietly. "They put you in the chair, didn't they?"
Startled Violet could only stammer. "T-two days ago...yeah…"
"I thought so. I've endured it too." Sam replied; admitting the last part with a barely suppressed shudder.
"You mean, you…?"
Sam gave a small smile. "Like girls over boys, yeah...it's why mom forced me here."
Violet narrowed her eyes at that. "My drunk ass dad had some goon help him fucking abduct me and bring me here."
Sam bit her lip at that, looking at Violet carefully and then looking around again. She then nodded to one of the houses nearby, close to the main building itself.
"My mom actually lives here, she dragged me here and one of my brothers, Greg...I'm the oldest of four and the only girl. Greg, mom, they're totally into that crap the so called Reverend spouts here."
Violet gaped at that. "Seriously, you mean she…?"
Sam nodded. "Dragged me here, she and Greg were already drawn in, that was three years ago, I'd just turned seventeen and mom found out about my romantic interests in girls...in a girl actually. So I was put that camp like you were, went through the same shit. I know what it's like."
Violet shifted awkwardly at that. "What was her name?"
"Paige. Paige Palencia. From what I can tell she was thrown out of her home by her parents after the truth came out. My dad actually took her in and she's stayed with him and my other two brothers James and Alex ever since." Sam explained. "I don't know why but mom's trying everything to get James and Alex here, in her custody. Dad's fighting her every step of the way…"
She lapsed into silence after that, sighing sadly.
Violet wasn't sure if she should say anything or not, but finally she broke her silence.
"I...well, told you how I got here...I don't even know about my mom." Violet said sadly. "Dad drank every last bit of money we had and she was never home, working so many jobs, just to put food on the table, keep a roof over our heads...Clementine was the only ray of hope I ended up having really."
"Clementine?" Sam queried. "Is she the one?"
Violet nodded and there was another pause.
"They'll do that again to you." Sam said suddenly. "The chair, until they're sure it's worked. You need to lie, to bury your feelings deep down...it's what I did."
Violet turned to Sam, about to speak, but then a sharp familiar voice.
"What is this?!"
They turned to see Alyssa stalking towards them. Luckily she hadn't heard them, but that didn't seem to matter.
"Fairbanks, back home, you know the rules. No fraternising with those in the camp until they are ready and one of us." She warned. "You, Adlon, back to camp, now."
Dejected Violet made her way to the dreaded building, but at least she knew there was at least one person here who understood how she felt. It was enough to give her some hope to keep on going.
XXXXX
Abel glowered, his patience wearing thin that Friday afternoon.
"For God sake, we've been through this." He snapped.
Amy and Clementine stood resolute however and Amy spoke sharply.
"I happen to know that it is supposed to be standard procedure to properly examine all evidence." She remarked. "So why aren't you doing your job?"
"Don't you dare think you can tell me how to do my job, woman." Abel snapped.
"Then do the comparison already." Clementine cut in.
"You watch your mouth girlie, talking to me like that, I-" Abel fired back.
"What comparison?"
Abel froze and turned, as did Clementine and Amy, to see a tall, muscular dark skinned police officer present with shaved black hair and black eyes. It was Andre Mitchell, a senior officer whose length of service gave him seniority over even Abel.
"Officer Mitchell, this is my case." He tried to explain. "I…"
But Clementine saw her chance. "We're here about Violet Adlon, she's missing. There's a letter that allegedly was written by her that claims she ran away. But when we try to get a handwriting comparison, he refuses."
"You...refuse?" Andre asked, turned to Abel.
Abel shook his head.
This wasn't how things were supposed to go.
He quickly tried to explain. "Girls father confirms it's from her and-"
"And I'm her mother and I want proof it's from her." Amy cut in.
Andre then added. "And that's not how we do things Officer Fernandez. We get a questioned document like this, we send it to the lab with a known handwriting sample for comparison, especially when faced with circumstances like this."
"Fine, fine." Abel snarled. "Send it for comparison then."
Glad to have finally broken the impasse Amy handed over the known sample of Violet's handwriting and she and Clementine braced themselves for a long wait. But surprisingly it didn't take that long after all.
"You, made the comparison already?" Amy asked the analyst, surprised and worried.
The analyst nodded. "Yes, the differences were so blatant it was almost impossible to miss. Your daughter did not right that note about running away, ma'am. Someone else did."
With that he looked at Andre and Abel.
"In which case I would suggest we look into this more seriously."
"A good idea-" Andre agreed.
Abel spoke quickly. "Alright, well let me get to work and stop crowding me, this is still my case after all."
With that they all left, Amy and Clementine heading home, hopeful that something would now be done at last.
Instead Abel called Graham. "Your little plan didn't work, they got what they wanted and now they know she didn't write the note."
"Well we'll need to do something else then." Graham snapped. "You're in this as much as me remember, you're the one who helped me deliver her to salvation and-"
"Yes, I know." Abel hissed. "Leave it to me, I may have something...but I'll need to give it time. Tomorrow morning should work perfectly."
With that he hung up, an idea already forming in his mind.
XXXXX
Arriving home Amy glowered at Graham, seated in his usual chair, already drinking.
"So, made an interesting discovery at the police station today." She remarked as she approached. "Regarding that note that was apparently proof Violet had run away."
Graham said nothing, merely took another drink and ignored her.
Shaking her head Amy continued. "Turns out its fake, Violet didn't write it, it didn't even come close to her handwriting...which begs the question who wrote it, and why?"
Again Graham said nothing; now fuelling Amy's anger as she was growing more and more certain he knew more than he was letting on, but she couldn't figure out a way to find out and right now, with him barely reacting, he wasn't giving her any opening either.
"I tell you the note is fake, your daughter hasn't run away, she could be in danger and you just sit there and drink." She hissed, incredulous. "You are so unbelievably callous. Clearly you don't care about your daughter in the slightest."
That fuelled Graham rage, but he wisely kept it inside.
'Bitch, you don't know a fucking thing, of course I care, I clearly care more than you. Why else would I ensure she gets the help she needs, to avoid being cast out of Heaven.' He thought angrily.
But he didn't say anything, not wanting to give anything away though a lack of being careful. With a dismissive snort, Amy stalked through the bedroom, unable to stand being in the same room as him now anymore.
XXXXX
Clem took a deep breath as she left her bedroom that Saturday morning, all ready to face the day in a new outfit of black denim shorts, a grey tank-top, white ankle socks and black sneakers.
'We finally got the police to do something...my suspicions were right. The police aren't against us or stopping things, it's just Abel.' She reflected. 'Well, hopefully we'll hear from them today and get some leads, anything really, so long as we get something...Violet, where are you, that's a whole week you've been gone…'
Shaking her head she entered the kitchen where the rest of the family sat around the breakfast table. All dressed casually for that Saturday morning, AJ in cargo shorts with a white T-shirt, dark grey socks and black sneakers. Omid in cargo pants, a red polo shirt and white socks and Christa in black yoga pants, a purple T-shirt and white socks. Looking up and seeing her expression, they all shared a worried look before Christa stood up.
"Clem, are you…?"
She managed a small smile. "Morning. I'll be alright I just…I need to eat something."
She got something to eat and sat down; as she joined her family for breakfast AJ spoke up.
"Have they found Violet yet?"
"No kiddo, I'm afraid not." Clem admitted. "The officer we were speaking to, wouldn't do what he was supposed to do, but yesterday we managed to get him to do so and now, hopefully we can actually find her now."
"But I thought police were meant to-" AJ replied.
As he said that there was a knock at the door and Omid went to answer it.
Clem smiled and explained. "Not all police are good AJ, it's sad but true. It causes no end of problems for the good ones as well."
It was then Omid returned; looking troubled.
He soon explained why.
"Clem it's for you, it's the police."
She stood up. "Must've found something already."
She made her way to the door, becoming warier when she saw Abel there, in his usual black police uniform. He smirked at her and then, the moment she was close enough suddenly grabbed her.
"Hey, what!?" She cried as she was forced against the wall.
There were shouts, a cry of shock, Christa, Omid and AJ had entered the hall and could only watch as Abel forced Clementine's hands behind her back and handcuffed her.
"Clementine Hutchison, you are under arrest."
Clem glared over her shoulder. "For what?!"
"Forgery for starters, but mostly, for the kidnapping of Violet Adlon."
End of chapter, so we have a chance for the case to get ahead, only for things to take a nosedive, read and review please.