Violet wandered around the forest in a daze, her father's words ringing in her ears, over and over. Becoming. Rebirth. Transformation. She did not want any of that. This was far from anything she had ever expected or wanted. This was bad. Something inside was taking her over, and she would not even know what until it happened.
"Violet!" Carl Johnson suddenly stood in front of her, snapping her out of her thoughts. "I have been calling you for hours! I thought..." He shook his head and strode forward. He wanted to touch her, to calm her, she could tell, but he felt awkward about it.
"It is not your fault!" Violet told him. "I thought all this had something to do with the bond, but it doesn't."
"Yes, well, we can discuss it inside," he said, then took her by the hand and led her forward.
