AN: Hi! Thank you to those of you who read the first chapter. Thank you to Aka Breeno and Faelyght for reviewing and I hope more of you review this chapter.
Song: Jess Glynne - Don't be so hard on Yourself.
~ Chapter 2 ~
Violet sat opposite Andrea, whilst she played with the gun. Night had fallen and the irritating sound of the gun was grating on her last nerve. Daryl was lying on the RV floor with his hands behind his head. Violet looked over at Carol, her body was shaking from her cries and Violet felt her heart ache. Andrea didn't seem to be paying attention, she was too focused on the gun.
Violet had already made up her mind that she was never going to lay her hand on a gun again, because whenever she did something bad happened. She glanced at her bloodstained bat, and she knew that, that and her knife would get her by for now.
Daryl shifted on the floor and looked over at Carol. Violet saw a hint of annoyance on his face, and she wasn't sure if it was because of Carol's cries or because of the noise Andrea was making. If it was because of Carol, then he needed a smack in the goddamn face for being so rude. The poor woman had lost her child, she could relate to that, because her baby brother, Oscar was gone.
Andrea began to push the bullets into the magazine and Daryl turned and looked over at her. Andrea had her full attention on the task at hand and Violet wondered why she was acting so serious about the gun. She looked pained to be doing it.
Daryl sat up with a grunt and Violet looked over at him. He paused for a second and he bit on the side of his thumb, then got to his feet. He grabbed his crossbow, which was resting behind Violet and he put it on his back.
"I'm gonna' need my clip now," He grunted and Andrea handed it to him. "I'm gonna' walk the road. Look for the girl."
"I'll come with you," Violet whispered and his eyes narrowed at her. "I just wanna' help," Violet said and she looked back at Carol, who looked over at them, wiping her tears away. Violet flashed her a smile and she returned it.
"C'mon," Daryl muttered and he walked out of the RV. Violet grabbed her bat and followed him. Daryl turned on his torch and Violet looked up at Dale, who was standing on top of the RV, scanning the area.
"I'm going off into the forest, see if I can give her some light. Let her know we're here," Daryl explained.
"Do you think you should be going?" Dale asked, looking down at Violet.
"I can handle myself," Violet replied.
"We don't know that-"
"I can," Violet hissed and Dale nodded.
"Okay," He retorted, raising his hands up in defense.
"You comin' kid?" Daryl asked, messing with his crossbow.
"Yeah," She walked over to him. "And I'm not a kid."
...
Violet walked next to Daryl, following the woodland trail. His huge light lit up the path ahead and she kept a death grip on her bat. The last time she'd been out this late at night, was on the first day of the outbreak and she'd been attacked by a lot of creepers.
She felt her nerves rushing through her body, and she pinned it down on Daryl. For some reason he made her feel nervous and not in a good way. He didn't creep her out, it was just the stories her daddy had told her about people like him, and it gave her every right to be cautious, since they were out in the woods in the middle of the night.
Daryl took his crossbow off his back and held it in his hand. He looked around, his eyes alert and ready. Violet could tell he had hunter in his blood, the crossbow also gave it away. She heard the crunching of leaves and Daryl stopped, raising up his crossbow. A creeper came stumbling out and she saw he was about to fire a bolt at its skull, but she stepped in front of his firing line. She held up her bat and swung hard, knocking the creepers head clean off and she pulled her knife from her belt and stabbed it between the eyes.
"Damn creeper," She muttered, pulling her knife back out.
"Creeper? That's such a crap name," Daryl snickered, lowering his crossbow.
"Well, what the hell do you call them?" She questioned.
"Walkers," He retorted.
"Yeah, well Beth came up with the name," She replied.
"Who the hell's Beth?"
"She's back on the farm, she's my friend," She explained.
"I don't care," He carried on walking ahead and Violet rolled her eyes.
"Idiot," She whispered and followed him. She walked back into pace with him and he shone his torch around. "Do you think Sophia's ever gonna' be found?"
"You got that look on your face, same as everyone else. What the hell's wrong with you people," He growled and he looked around at the trees.
"I never meant it like that," Violet said and Daryl glared at her.
"Sure you didn't, just like you didn't mean to shoot Carl," He retorted.
"Hey! Now, that's not fair!" She shouted.
"Shut the fuck up," He hissed. "Your gonna' let every walker nearby, know we're here."
"Well, do you? Do you think she'll be found?"
"She's probably in a cabin somewhere. People get lost and survive, it happens all the time," He explained.
"She's just a little girl," Violet whispered. "I wouldn't be able to survive out there on my own at her age."
"You survived and your a little girl," He growled.
"I'm not a little girl!" She snapped.
"Hell, I was younger than her when I got lost. Nine days scourin' the woods, wipin' my ass with poison oak."
"Did people find you?" Violet asked.
"My old man was off on a bender with some waitress. Merle was off in juvie. Didn't even know I was gone," He looked over at her. "I made my way back though, went straight into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. I was a little worse for wear, but that was all."
"That's horrible," Violet whispered. "That must've been hard."
"I don't need your pity!" He spat.
"I don't pity you," Violet said.
"Anyway, the difference is Sophia has people lookin' for her. I call that an advantage," He murmured and Violet smiled.
"I suppose your right," She whispered and she carried on ahead. "What signs are we actually lookin' for?"
"Anything that indicates human movement...maybe blood or torn fabric from her clothes," He explained, scanning the ground.
"W-Wait," Violet stuttered, coming to a stop in front of him and he almost walked into her.
"Watch it kid!" He snapped.
"Sophia, she didn't have a backpack with princesses on...did she? Please tell me she didn't?" She panicked, beginning to freak out.
"What the hell are ya rambling on about, girl?"
"B-Before, I accidentally shot Carl. Otis and I came across a young girl. She was dead, had a bullet wound to her head, she had this princess backpack on her," Violet looked over at Daryl with teary eyes.
"No, that wasn't her."
"Thank god," Violet sighed and Daryl walked past her and carried on following the trail. She kept her distance and decided she was better suited to watch his back.
Violet just wanted to get back to the farm and go see everyone. She wanted to see if Carl was okay and she wanted to beg Rick and Lori for forgiveness. It was bound to happen soon though, she always managed to find a way to mess good things up. The farm was probably the best thing to come across in the middle of the apocalypse and along with that she'd been blessed with a new family, blessed with people she could trust.
She stared at Daryl's back. The only thought on her mind was, sleeveless shirt? Why the hell was he wearing that? She could tell they'd been torn off by hand and she smirked to herself. His fashion sense wasn't the best, but for some reason it suited him perfectly.
Violet came up behind him and a noise came from the trees and he raised his crossbow. His sudden movement making her jump backwards. She pulled out her knife and gripped her bat, tight.
Daryl began walking through the trees and she carefully followed him. He was crouched down slightly and she mimicked his actions. They made their way deeper into the trees, until they came to a clearing. There was a little campsite, with a huge tent in the middle, bags of rubbish were scattered around and Violet wondered where the people who camped here were.
They walked further in and when Daryl's torch landed on one of the trees. She saw the member of the camp who'd used to live here. She gulped and tapped Daryl's arm. He looked over and he stood up straight.
"What the hell," Daryl said, lowering his crossbow and staring up at the walker hanging from the tree.
Violet stared up at the man hanging from the tree. She felt physical sick, not just from the stench of rotting flesh, but from the realization that he'd taken his own life. How could someone do that? Violet believed that you should be grateful that you are given life and you shouldn't take it, because if people like him think they should take their own, it's not fair on the people who get it taken away from them. Like her parents.
The walker reached out his arms and swung them around, with no sense of direction. Daryl stepped closer and looked him over. Then Violet saw there was something nailed to the tree.
"Got bit. Fever hit. World gone to shit. Might as well quit," Daryl read the words from the sign and he looked back up at the walker. "Dumbass didn't know to shoot himself in the head. Left himself as a swinging piece of bait, now he's a mess."
Violet leaned forward, nausea taking over her body. She placed the back of her hand to her mouth and she swayed slightly.
"You alright?" Daryl asked, looking back at her.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," She responded.
"Well go ahead if your gonna," He looked away from her and back up at the walker.
"No, it'll pass over soon," She brought her hand away from her mouth, and stood up straight. "How'd you learn to shoot?" Violet asked, wanting to change the subject.
"You gotta eat, this is the one thing we and the walkers have in common. We're probably the closest thing he's had to food since he turned," Daryl said, avoiding Violet's question. "Look at him, hangin' there like a big piñata," He smirked and pointed at his legs. "Other walkers, must've came and ate all the flesh from his legs."
Violet felt the sick rise in her throat and she hunched over, throwing up in the bush nearby. She leaned against the tree and her fingers curled into the bark, cutting through her skin. She coughed, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"I was tryin' to change the subject," Violet wheezed.
"We'll call that payback for havin' pity on me," Daryl replied and Violet glared at him. "C'mon, let's head back."
"Aren't you gonna' put him out of his misery?" Violet asked, pointing her bat at the walker.
"Nah, he ain't hurtin' nobody," Daryl said. "Ain't wastin' an arrow either. He made his choice, opted out. Let him hang," Daryl turned away and Violet did agree with him, but the poor man deserved to be put out of his misery.
Violet stepped closer and she stared up at him. He began to swing his arms more and his groans were louder and hoarser, as he tried to reach out for her, but couldn't reach. Daryl looked over and rolled his eyes.
"We gotta' go," Daryl said and she continued to gaze up at the walker.
"Would you please put him down?" Violet asked, not looking over at him.
"Why?"
"No one deserves to be left hanging out here, especially alone," She replied.
"They don't have feelings," He said and she shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't care...no one deserves it," She whispered.
Daryl raised up his crossbow and he fired an arrow. It pierced through the walker's skull and his head rolled forwards. Violet looked over her shoulder and smiled at him.
"Thank you," She said.
"Still a waste of an arrow," He muttered and then walked off.
Violet looked up at the walker and she sent a prayer up into the sky. She wasn't a religious person, but Hershel had rubbed off on her a bit and she believed that everyone that turned deserved to go to heaven. If there even was one.
She sighed and turned on her heel. She took off in a jog and tried to catch up with Daryl's fading form.
...
Violet stepped out of the trees and Daryl was ahead of her and climbing over the barrier. She saw the graveyard of cars on the highway and sighed, walking up the small hill and she climbed over the barrier. Daryl was making his way through the cars and Violet slowly followed behind him.
She saw all the dead bodies in the cars and it made her heartache when she saw baby toys and car seats. She knew that a lot of babies would've died, but the realization that it was true was probably the hardest thing to face.
Up ahead, Violet could see Dale and Andrea on top of the RV and Carol was hanging around by the door. They made their way over and Carol looked over at them and she let out a cry, then ran inside, slamming the door behind her. Dale and Andrea climbed down from the RV and walked over to greet them.
"No luck?" Dale asked and Daryl shook his head, then he walked inside the RV.
"He tried...he really wants to find this young girl," Violet said and Dale nodded his head.
"I know he does...We all do," He sighed. "You should go inside and get some sleep."
"I'm fine. I'll take watch up on the RV, it's the least I could do," Violet replied and she climbed up the ladder and took a seat on the chair.
"Goodnight," Dale waved at her and he went inside the RV. Andrea lingered for a second and she looked up at her.
"Can I ask you something?" Andrea asked.
"Sure."
"Have you ever wanted to take your own life?"
"No," Violet said through gritted teeth. "Why have you?"
"Yes, I tried to...We were at the CDC, and the place was about to blow up. I wanted to stay, but Dale made the decision to save me-"
"You should be thanking that man then, not hating him I can see the look in your eyes. He doesn't deserve it, you should be grateful that you're alive," Violet explained.
"You speak wisely for a nineteen year old girl," Andrea said.
"I know," She replied with a simple shrug of her shoulders and then Andrea went inside the RV.
Violet stared out at the graveyard of cars. She hoped Otis was doing okay out there. She still thought she should've gone, since it was her that created this mess. She wanted to get back to the farm and see if Otis was back safely and to see if Carl was doing okay.
She wrapped her finger around the ends of her hair. It rested by her stomach and she always prided herself in caring for her hair, but now she didn't have the time to maintain the kind of routine she used to. Now the length was a disadvantage, because a walker could grab onto it easily if they wanted to and then she would be dead.
Dead. She hoped that her baby brother wasn't dead. One day, she hopes she'll find him.
...
Morning came a few hours later and Dale was the first one to wake up and step outside of the RV. Violet's eyes burned from all the watching, she swear she hadn't even blinked once, until Daryl came out of the RV and slammed the door shut making her jump.
"How was watch?" Dale asked.
"Fine," Violet's voice croaked and she coughed to clear her throat. She stood up and jumped down from the RV, not even using the ladder and she landed next to Daryl. He narrowed his eyes at her.
"What?" She asked.
"You'll break your legs if ya keep doin' that," He muttered.
"Whatever," Violet replied and then Andrea and Carol came out of the RV.
"Are we headin' to the farm now?" Andrea asked.
"Yeah, Violet I need you in the front of the RV with me, to show me the way," Dale said and she nodded.
"Okay, that's fine," Violet responded.
"We need to leave her a sign," Carol said. "Sophia..."
"We'll leave her a sign and some food supplies," Andrea said.
"Let's make a sign, then go," Daryl muttered and he made his way over to a dusty car.
"Let's go inside," Violet suggested to Carol and she nodded.
They both went inside the RV and Carol took a seat. Violet climbed into the front and Dale soon joined her and then Andrea got into a silver car. Violet watched Daryl make a sign on one of the cars and he left some supplies for her. He made his way over to his bike and he got on, bringing the engine to life.
"Lead the way Violet," Dale said
It didn't take long to get there. They made their way along the road and Andrea went ahead in the silver car and Daryl was in front of her. Violet glanced back at Carol who was gazing out of the window, sadness apparent on her face.
"Hey, Carol," Violet said and Carol looked over. "We'll find her."
"Thank you," Carol whispered and she played with her fingers.
Violet could see people moving logs by the trees and she saw Glenn, Jimmy, T-Dog, Shane, Beth and Maggie. Violet smiled as they got closer. Eventually they pulled up at the front of the farmhouse and Violet was the first out of the RV. She raced around the front and Beth and Maggie ran towards her. She hugged them both tight and then Jimmy walked over.
"I'm so glad you're okay," Beth beamed up at her and Violet smiled.
Rick walked out and Hershel, Lori and Patricia came out behind him. Everyone stood around looking between one another. Then Dale stepped forward.
"How is he?" Dale asked.
"He'll pull through," Lori said and everyone smiled. "Thanks to Hershel and his people," She sent a cold look in Violet's direction, but Violet accepted it. She deserved it.
"And Shane, we would've lost Carl if it wasn't for him," Rick looked back at Shane who looked down at the ground. Dale stepped forward and hugged Rick. Violet looked over at Patricia, her eyes were red and it was clear that she'd been crying.
Violet stumbled back and Carol grabbed her arm. She looked around at everyone, noticing who wasn't there. Patricia looked over at her with teary eyes.
"W-Where is he!?" Violet shouted, catching everyone's attention. Hershel sighed and then Maggie and Beth looked down at the ground. "N-No," Violet whimpered. She looked around at everyone, her eyes landing on Daryl. His face had softened slightly, and he wasn't looking at her like she was a kid. Now he was the one looking at her in pity.
"H-He didn't make it," Patricia sobbed.
"N-No," Violet cried. "This is my fault...m-my fault," She waved her arms around and Beth stepped towards her, but she stepped away.
Violet ran past Beth and inside the farmhouse. She stumbled over to the couch and sat down. She placed her head in her hands and began to cry. She heard the door open and then close, and she looked over at Hershel. He sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side. She wrapped her arms around him and began to cry into his shoulder.
Otis was dead, because of her. She should be the one that's dead, not Otis.
...
Violet stared blankly at the pile of rocks. Beth placed one on top and she walked back over to Violet. Hershel looked over to her and she picked up one of the rocks and slowly made her way over. She gently placed it on the pile and she felt Daryl's gaze burning into the side of her head. She looked over at him and he looked away from her.
Violet turned on her heel and made her way back over to Beth and Patricia. She grabbed a hold of Patricia's hand and gave it a squeeze, flashing her an assuring smile.
"Bless him God. Father of our lord, Jesus Christ," Hershel closed his book. "Prayers be to him, for the good of our brother, Otis. For his span of years, for his abundance of character. Otis who gave his life to save a child's, now more than ever are most precious asset. We thank you God, with the peace he'll enjoy and embrace. He died as he lived, in grace."
Violet looked over at Shane. He was looking anywhere, but at Hershel or Otis's grave. His new haircut made him look scarier in Violet's eyes and his sickening eyes were darker. She could tell that his story was a lie. She may be young, but she wasn't stupid. He was hiding something.
"Shane," Hershel said and Shane looked over at him. "Will you speak for Otis?"
"I'm not good at it," Shane said. "I'm sorry."
"I'll say something," Violet said and Hershel nodded her way. "Wow, I don't think I can say how much I regret letting you go...It should've been me. Patricia, I'm sorry. I should've gone instead, if I did, then Otis would still be here, but for what it's worth Otis was a great man. He tried to teach me to shoot, but that didn't really go to plan, because I ended up shooting your prized cow, but like Otis used to say, you win some you lose some, but life keeps going. I'm sure he's looking down on us now, happy that he died a hero," Violet looked over at Shane, her eyes narrowing at his.
"If it wasn't for Otis I would be dead, and so would Carl," Shane picked up a rock and walked over to the pile. "He saved us both."
Violet was tempted to growl at him, but she kept herself under control. Shane may be fooling everyone else, but he wasn't fooling her at all. She looked to see Daryl was watching Shane closely, almost as if he was thinking the same thing as her.
...
Maggie placed the map on the bonnet of the car. Rick, Hershel, Andrea, Daryl and Violet stood around it. Violet was ready to help find Sophia, but she could see the anger in Shane and Rick's eyes. Shane's was the worst, Violet reckoned that she just needed to give Rick a while to calm down and then she would try and earn his forgiveness, but she wasn't sure that Shane deserved her forgiveness. Something else definitely happened with Otis, but Shane was happy to stick to his story.
"How long has this girl been missing?" Hershel asked.
"This would be day 3," Rick said.
"County survey map," Maggie said, rolling it out on the bonnet. "Shows terrain and elevation," She placed rocks on the corners to hold it down.
"This is great, an easy way to get things organized," Rick nodded at Maggie and she smiled. "We'll grid the whole area and start searching in teams."
"Not you, not today," Hershel said and Rick looked over at him. "You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't last five minutes hiking in this heat, before passing out. You with your ankle busted up, you won't be no use to anybody."
Shane sighed and Violet looked over at him. She then looked over at Daryl who was carefully studying the map.
"Guess it's just me," Daryl said. "I'ma head back to the creek, work my way from there."
"I could still be useful," Shane butted in. "I could drive around the estates and see if Sophia wandered back."
"Alright," Rick nodded his head. "Tomorrow then, we'll start doing this right."
"This means we can't just have people out there with knives," Shane explained. "Apart from her, she stays well away from a gun," He pointed at Violet and she growled at him.
"I wasn't planning on using a gun," She muttered.
"You're not going anywhere," Hershel said.
"What? Why?" She asked.
"Before Otis left he told me about the young girl you came across," Hershel explained. "He said you weren't acting right after that."
"I was acting fine!" Violet snapped.
"Yeah, but I'm not allowing you to go off and look for the little girl. It's too many bad memories for you. I know you're still thinking about your baby brother," Hershel slammed his hand against the bonnet. "That is my final decision."
"Yeah and the last time I checked you're not my goddamn father, because he died ages ago!" She yelled back.
"You're grieving. You need time to grieve," Hershel said.
"But-"
"Violet, just go inside," Maggie whispered and Violet looked up at her. She'd hoped that Maggie would back her up, but obviously not. She looked around at everyone's gazes and she rolled her eyes.
"Whatever," She stormed off in a fiery bubble of rage. She ran inside the farmhouse and slammed the door behind her.
She heard a hiss and she looked over at the room Carl was staying in. She made her way over and leaned against the door frame. Carl was still pale and covered in a thin layer of sweat. He looked over at her and she smiled.
"I'm Violet," She greeted him and she stepped inside.
"Carl," He whispered. "Are you the one that shot me?"
"I did, and I'm sorry about that. It was accident I didn't see you," Violet explained.
"I'm gonna' have such a cool scar," He smiled and Violet laughed. "I'm sorry about your friend Otis."
"He died saving you," She replied and she sat down on the bed. "I'm glad you're okay."
"It hurts," He murmured.
"I'll go grab Patricia-"
"No, could you stay with me, everyone's outside setting up the tents. I'm bored."
"Okay, I'll stay."
...
Violet stepped out onto the porch and she could see Daryl walking off and Rick was standing on the grass watching him leave. Hershel was standing on the steps, leaning against his stick. He looked over and he nodded his head at her and she nodded back.
She'd had a chance to calm down properly and she knew Hershel was right. She wasn't in the right frame of mind and she needed to not get herself into more trouble and stay on the farm.
Rick walked over and Violet flashed him a smile, but he looked away from her and turned to Hershel. The pair walked off a bit so they were out of earshot and she saw Hershel staring over at the barn. She looked at the old broken structure. Hershel didn't want any of them going anywhere near it, and Violet understood why, because these people wouldn't see it from his point of view.
Dale and T-Dog walked over. They were pulling a cart behind them, with plastic bottles in and she knew they were heading out to the pump for water.
"Would you mind helping us?" Dale asked.
"Sure, I'd love to help," She jumped down the steps and took the cart from T-Dog and began pulling it along behind her. They made their way along the dirt road and went through the gate and across the field towards the pump. T-Dog leaned over and Violet placed a hand on his back.
"I'm not weak," He wheezed. "And I'm not a coward."
"I never said you were," Dale muttered.
"No, what I said on the highway," He scratched his head. "I don't know what that was."
Violet was confused as to what was going on. Clearly it wasn't any of her business so she didn't ask. She grabbed a plastic canteen and walked over to the pump.
"Where that came from, it wasn't me," T-Dog sighed and Violet began to pump water in the plastic bottle. Dale and T-Dog both smiled at each other and T-Dog began to use the pump.
"Do you think there's actually a chance we'll find that girl?" T-Dog asked and Violet looked over at him and smiled.
"You'll find her, especially with Daryl looking," Violet said. Dale walked over to the well and she brought the bottle up to her lips and Dale looked over.
"I wouldn't drink that, if I were you," Dale said and she quickly brought it away from her lips.
...
T-Dog returned with Lori, Maggie, Andrea, Shane and Glenn. Dale and Violet stood by the well and stared down at the hideous walker at the bottom. She looked over at Maggie who appeared at her side and she looked down at the walker.
"Looks like we got ourselves a swimmer," Dale said, shinning his torch down the well and everyone leaned over to get a better look.
"How long do you think it's been down there?" Glenn asked.
"Long enough to grow gills," Andrea replied.
"We can't leave it in there, god knows what it's doing to the water," Lori explained.
"Well, we gotta' get it out," Shane said and he rested his foot on the rim of the well.
"Easy, put a bullet in its head," T-Dog stated and Maggie shook her head and Violet knew she held the same belief's as Hershel.
"Whoa, whoa guys, no," Maggie placed her hands on her hips and Violet nodded in agreement.
"If that thing hasn't contaminated the water already, blowing its brains out definitely will," Andrea explained.
"Your right," Violet said.
"She's right," Shane looked at everyone. "We can't risk it."
"Someone's gotta' go down," T-Dog pointed at the walker and Glenn crouched down to get a better look. "How we gonna' do that?"
"We should lower some meat down there and see if it bites it...find out whether it's hungry or not," Violet suggested.
"That's a great idea," Dale said.
...
They lowered the meat down the well. Shane carefully lowered it down with the rope and everyone leaned over to take a better look. The walker didn't even move to get the meat and Dale sighed.
"He's not biting," He mumbled.
"We need live bait," Andrea said, resting her hands on her knees and then she looked over at Glenn.
"What, why is it always me...I'm not doing it!" Glenn exclaimed.
"That's not fair you can't make him go down there," Maggie intervened, standing in front of Glenn.
Lori looked over at Violet and she clicked her tongue, looking her up and down. Violet shifted uncomfortably under her piercing gaze and she stepped towards her.
"You shot my son. You do it," She pointed her finger at her and Violet gulped.
"What, no way!" Maggie snapped.
"If you want me to ever consider forgiving you, then you do it," Lori explained.
"Okay," Violet squeaked.
"Violet, no," Maggie stomped her foot on the ground and jerked her hip out.
"I gotta' do what I gotta' do," Violet muttered.
Shane grabbed the rope and he roughly grabbed her, wrapping the rope around her waist. He pulled it in a knot tightly and she winced at the suffocating feeling.
"Violet, think about this," Maggie pleaded.
"It's fine...I'll be fine," She made her way to the edge of the well and she sat down, staring at the walker.
Shane picked up the other end of the rope and walked over to the pump and wrapped it around it, then pulled slightly and Violet almost went over the edge. Everyone stood at the other end of the rope and Violet smiled at Maggie.
"You better come back up in one piece," Maggie called out and Violet smiled.
"Don't worry, I will," Violet remarked.
She grabbed the torch and turned it on. She gave them all a nod and they all picked up the rope. Violet rested the other rope with the loop for the walker, on her shoulder. She pushed herself off the edge and she swung a little bit and then they lowered her down.
The stench coming from the walker made her want to be sick. She shined the torch down, making sure to never take her eyes off the walker.
"You doin' okay!?" Maggie shouted.
"I'm doing great!" Violet shouted back and she took the rope from her shoulder and swung it by her side. "Little lower!"
Violet got closer and closer to the walker and she wasn't going to lie. She was crapping her pants right now. She was really scared, what if the rope broke, she'd be screwed and it would all be her fault yet again. She really was a pushover, she should've just stood her ground with Lori, instead of giving into her, but she supposed it was better to be her down here, then Glenn.
A loud screeching sound filled her ears and the pump came loose and fell to the ground. The rope began to lower quickly and Violet screamed. She heard everyone else screaming and the rope began to fall some more and her body was smashed against the cobblestone wall.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Violet screamed. She could feel the rope being pulled, but it was useless. "GUYS! GET ME OUT!"
The walker tried to grab her legs, but she kicked them away, thrashing herself about violently. The walker began groaning loudly, snapping its jaws at her. She continued screaming for them to get her up and she could hear them all struggling.
The torch fell from her hands and it fell into the water and suddenly everything became a lot darker and the walker grabbed a hold of her ankle.
"GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT OF HERE!" She screeched at the top of her lungs and her head smashed against the side of the well and her vision began to blur.
She kicked at the walker's hand and it let go and then the rope began to move upwards. She could hear them all screaming and she was moving closer to the top. She grabbed onto the side of the well and Maggie raced over, pulling her out. Violet got to her feet and then a wave of dizziness came crashing over her and she fell to the ground in Maggie's arms.
"Are you okay?" Maggie asked, shaking her.
"She's hurt her head," Dale said and Violet brought her hand up to her head and when she pulled it away she saw the blood on her hands.
"V-Violet, I'm so sorry," Lori gasped and she crouched down in front of her.
"I-I need to close my eyes," She stuttered.
"No, Violet no!" Maggie yelled and Violet's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed into Maggie's arms.