FEAR ⇾ THE WALKING DEAD

xxxi. | little ass-kicker

But they didn't leave.

Ella started growing more and more angry as Axel spoke a bit more to them. "Your friends, they-they were good folks."

Glenn shot him a dark look. "They were family." he corrected.

"I think I had one friend like that my whole life. . . you got a whole group. Sorry you lost 'em." Oscar informed him.

In the distance, both Ella and Glenn saw Hershel standing by the fence watching over them. He wouldn't have been out here if he didn't need something. And he shouldn't have out by himself. Who knew what could happen.

Glenn hopped out of the grave he was digging. "I need two more." he informed, referring to the graves. Ella took hold of Glenn's hand and together they walked up the hill.

It was one way of getting rid of them.

"Rick?" Glenn hoped.

Hershel shook his head. "Still inside."

"Okay, I'll go get him." Glenn nodded.

Ella felt her heart tighten. She couldn't let him go alone. There were so many things that could go wrong, and she did not want any of those things to happen to Glenn. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. "I'll come with you."

Glenn hesitantly nodded. He glanced at the survivors. "A third of our group in one day." he whispered.

"'Cause of one asshole." Hershel replied.

"Part of me wishes that we killed all the prisoners on sight."

"Axel and Oscar seem like good guys."

"I don't know," Glenn looked over to Ella, he felt the need to protect her whenever those men were around. "When the evacuations started, T-Dog drove his church van to the home of every senior he knew just in case they needed the ride," he remembered. "He saved my ass a thousand times. He wasn't just a good guy. He was the best."

Ella pulled him into a side hug. "He was. . . all of them None of them deserved what they got."

Hershel slightly nodded. "I don't know what happened to Carol. Lori died from birth and. . . T-Dog got bit closing the gate. If he hadn't done that. . ." Hershel trailed off.

"It could've been Ella." Glenn whispered. He widened his eyes and pulled from her. Ella stared at him, her lips parting. "And Carl. It's wrong, but. . . I'd trade any number of people for ours any day."

Hershel closed his hand around Glenn's like he was going to say something. He didn't.

So, with that, they left.

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IT WAS DARK. Walkers were littering the floor, so was tons of blood. It was gross and it smelled horrible. This was Rick's doing and the trail of walkers he left behind on the ground after beating them to death were leading them right to Rick, wherever he was.

Glenn shone a flashlight into the darkness ahead as Ella had her fingers placed on his back to help guide her amongst the mess Rick made, her gun in her other hand.

They stopped in the middle of their tracks. Ella peered over his shoulder to see one of the hallways were covered in walkers, they weren't lined up against the wall like the other ones. Glenn kicked one of the walkers to see if they were still alive. No need for a mishap like last time when they blindly went out.

Ella glanced to the side, her face twisting with shock. "Rick?" he was dripping with blood, his axe was smashed with guts, flesh and blood.

They carefully approached him. "Everybody's worried about you. You shouldn't be in here. Come on out."

As Rick turned, Ella was surprised to see blood smeared over the wall. She walked up to him. "Hey. . . Rick. This. . . you don't need to do this, alright?" she whispered.

"Our cell block is cleared," Glenn added. "We'll just close off all the doors again. Rick, why don't you come on out with me, okay?" he asked.

No answer.

Ella barely touched his arm and he grabbed her by the torso, slamming her against the wall. Ella let out a yell. Glenn jumped and tried to pry her out of his hands as he screamed at Rick to let her go, it was no use. Glenn held Ella's arm, eyes wide. Ella grunted, letting out a shaky breath as he panted in her face.

"Rick-" Glenn began.

Suddenly, Rick threw Ella down the hall. She collided into the wall with a grunt. Glenn dashed over to her. He immediately held her by the face as she let out a few tears, holding his wrists.

It was going to take a lot to bring Rick back.

____________________________

DARYL AND MAGGIE were finally back with the formula after they'd been gone most of the day. It was probably extremely hard finding the formula and finding the place with formula that wouldn't be too overrun for two people. Ella was just glad they were back and unharmed.

"How's she doing?" Daryl questioned as he dropped everything on him to the ground, before he took the baby from Carl as Maggie and Beth were mixing the formula together.

Ella smiled and watched Daryl hush the baby. He was actually great with children, at least with babies. He was an expert. Ella saw someone enter the room out the corner of her eye, and she looked up to see it was Glenn. . . and Oscar and Axel.

Beth handed Daryl the bottle. He took it and slowly put the bottle nipple in her mouth. He chuckled. "She got a name yet?"

Glenn sat by Ella. He gave her a warm smile, she returned it. A big win after everyone they lost.

"Not yet," Carl responded. "But I was thinking maybe Sophia, then there's Carol, too, and Andrea. Amy," he sighed. Ella took a deep breath, tears coming to her eyes as those names were mentioned. She felt Glenn grab her hand.

He wants to name her after a dead woman, she thought.

Carl continued listing names of the deceased. "Jacqui. Patricia. Or. . . Lori," he shrugged and turned away. "I don't know."

"Yeah. . . you like that, huh?" Daryl whispered to the baby. "Little ass-kicker," he turned to everyone. "Right? That's a good name, right? Little ass-kicker. You like that, huh? You like that, sweetheart?"

Ella smiled.