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The girl sat on the table, drawing quietly. Ella had been outgrowing her clothes lately, she needed some new ones. She was trying to draw the cat Michonne had found, Evelynn was right. Ella loved it, she thought it was weirdly pretty. Rick, Daryl, and Hershel went to talk to the governor. They had set up some arrangements.
"When can I play outside?" she asked, looking up at carol who was tidying stuff up.
"You can go, take someone with you though." carol replied, ella nodding her head. She didn't know who to take, basically everyone was busy. Ella got up, went over to Beth.
"Beth?" Ella walked over to Beth's room. She was with Judith, feeding her.
"Hey! What's up?" she replied.
"Can you come outside with me?" ella asked, hoping she'd say yes.
"Aw, I can't. Gotta take care of the baby and she might attract walkers from her cryin'." beth answered, ella was disappointed.
She walked away, draaging her feet and decided to go out anyway. She'd be okay, right? She was able to get a new knife so she could protect herself still. Ella walked outside, everyone was inside or somewhere around the prison prepping incase anything might happen while Rick was away. With all the guns and ammo they had, Ella hadn't worried much about the war.
Ella crouched down, picking up a small little caterpillar. It was fluffy with a white stripe going down its body. Ella put her hand closer to her face to get a closer look of the small little bug. She smiled as it wiggled around, tickling her hand. Ella carefully placed it down back in the grass. She sighed, there wasn't much else to do out there or inside.
Ella just sat on the ground, thinking. She was wishing she had a soccer ball, she used to play. Ella was never on an actual team but, when her father finally decided to be a dad for once they'd play together. Sometimes she'd play with Caleb as well. Ella had gotten better over the years but, all that time not playing it much she probably wasn't that good anymore.
Ella wanted there to be someone her age, evelynn and carl were both 13 and judith was just a little baby. She turned around from the noise of the door, It was Glenn. "Hey, Maggie wants you inside." he said. Ella sighed, getting up and dusting herself off. Glenn walked off to who knows where and Ella just listened and went inside.
"Hey sunshine. I need ya to stay in here, alright?" maggie said. Guns and ammo were scattered on the table. They were making sure every single gun they had had enough ammo incase anything happened. Ella nodded her head and went over in the cellblock.
"Evelynn?" she called out. "In here!" Evelynn yelled from a cell, ella following the sound. Ev and Carl were sitting down on the bunk bed reading a comic book.
"Whats that?" ella tilted her head.
"A comic book. Its basically a book, just with more pictures and way more action." carl answered.
They had multiple, not alot but enough. Ella took one and sat at the edge of the bed. She wasn't an awesome reader but it wasn't that hard for her. The words became harder and harder to read, ella put the book down aggressively in frustration. Evelynn looked up at the younger girl as she got up.
"I'll go find something else to do." Ella said, walking out.
Ella pouted, everyone else had something to do. She decided to grab her notebook and draw a little something. For some reason, she didn't know what to draw. She didn't know what to do either. She just felt bored and alone. Ella sat down on her bed, just thinking.
AUGUST 2010
DAY OF THE OUTBREAK
"Where's daddy?" ella asked patiently, the girl who had just turned 7 years old that day. It was around 3pm, she didn't wanna do anything until her father arrives.
"I don't know honey. He's just leaving me on voicemail." her mother, Sarah replied, the girl frowning. "But I'll find out, alright?" Ella nodded her head. Caleb was looking at them, feeling bad for his sister.
"Ella, come on. Why don't I give you your gift early?" Caleb smile, the girls mouth turned into a wide grin. Ella nodded her head following her big brother. Caleb walked to their room, bringing out a small gift box and handed it to his sister. "Open it." he rushed.
Ella quickly opened it seeing a silver necklace with a pretty moon pendant. Her eyes brightened with joy. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she beamed, smiling wide and went to hug her brother.
"How much was it?" asked their mom who stood at the doorway.
"Don't worry. I payed it myself, it wasn't much." caleb assured her. "Alright. let me put it on you." he kneeled down to get to her eye level. Ella held up her hair as Caleb put the necklace on her. "You look beautiful." he smiled, getting up.
A few hours later, the family sitting on the couch watching a movie waiting for Ella's father to arrive. The poor girl was falling asleep but fought to stay awake to see her dad. Suddenly, a knock on the door. Ella quickly ran for the door, "Sweetheart, wait up." her mother said, pausing the tv and walked toward her daughter. Their mom opened the door, "You're late." she said firmly, in an angry tone.
"Daddy!" ella smiled. "I knew you'd come."
"Hey! Sorry, I was stuck helping my wife but, I got here as fast as I could." he said. Ella didn't mind, she knew his wife was struggling with cancer but suddenly, the tv blinked. It was the national news, it was only broadcasting during emergencies or really important stuff.
"There has been a highly deadly virus spreading across europe, canada and is now reaching the united states! Please lock your doors and avoid any contact with anyone who looks sick. We've seen aggressive behavior between them including, biting, scratching and eating the human flesh. Stay safe out there."
"What the hell is this?" Ella's father questioned, all he did was think about his wife. A helicopter whirring above them, as well as many planes. The ground shook, everyone quickly ran to a window. The Atlanta night sky was lit up in orange and smoke. They were bombing the city.
"What the hell?" said their mother. "No, no, no. I have to get my wife. I'll meet you guys here." her dad wrote down some coordinates on a piece of paper and handed it to Sarah.
"Are those bombs?" caleb asked, total shock in his eyes, Sarah nodded at him.
"You're here. You have to come with us. Thats your daughter right there damn it." she said, denying for him to leave them, again. "No. I have to go." he said, rushing out the door "Okay fine. I knew you'd just leave us again like this. Fuck you! Don't expect to see us again!" Isabella shouted through the halls but he didn't look back. He kept on walking. He chose his new wife over his daughter. Ella stared at her mother who was stressing out.
"Okay, grab what you can take and let's go." said their mom, worriedly rushing to grab a few essentials. They took a few pair of clothes and a jacket, socks, some water and food. Since she was celebrating her birthday, she left the apartment in a colorful outfit. The elevator wasn't working so the three ran down the stairs. As they went down Ella stared at her friend, Meghans door. "Come on! let's go Ella!" her mother shouted. Ella quickly ran catching up and they got inside, going into their blue truck.
Isabella tried to start the truck but engine kept failing. "God damn it!" she hit the steering wheel in frustration. Ella looked out the window. "Mom..." she called out as Sarah was still trying to start the car. "Mom! What is that?" she yelled in fear staring at the pale woman eating another person. Sarah managed to start the car quickly driving off, not to the coordinates she was given but the complete opposite. She turned on the Radio.
"Updates on the wildfire virus. It's DEADLY. The dead are coming back to life, repeat the dead are coming back to life! There are survivor camps set up across Atlanta, get to your closest one now. If you feel sick, get away from everyone, as far as possible. Stay safe."
"The dead?" ella thought it was all some crazy early halloween joke even though it was 2 months away but it wasn't. She saw that person, tearing apart another and feasting on them. Ella heard the terror in the night, screaming, crying, cars honking, bombs. She covered her ears as her eyes began to tear up in horror and shock. Caleb looked back from the passenger seat, climbing into the back. "It's okay Ella. We're here, we're okay." he whispered, holding her in his arms rocking his little sister. Caleb always had a special way of making Ella feel safe. Whenever her parents would fight, when there was trouble at school. Ella felt safe with Caleb. Sarah kept her eyes on the road, without looking back, she just continued to drive trying to find a safeplace to stay. Somewhere far away from the human eating monsters.
PRESENT
"Ella, honey." Maggie softly shook the girl. Ella quickly sat up from bed, "I was asleep? For how long?" she asked in a sleepy voice.
"Quite awhile. Do you remember where you live?" Maggie questioned, sitting at the edge of the bed holding out a map.
Ella looked over, recognizing her school's name. "Mhm. That's my daddy's." she pointed, then looked over trying to find her mother's place. Ella looked up shrugging, she couldn't remember much, she never thought she'd had to.
"Alright, We'll have to go to your dad's then. An apartment is too dangerous. We'll get you some clothes, maybe shoes. While Rick is with the governor I think we could make a quick run. Your startin' to grow." Maggie circled the location. "Let's go." Ella got up, following Maggie outside. It was just the two of them. She thought maybe at least Glenn would've tagged along but he didn't.
Ella sat in the front, she usually wouldn't be allowed to but she was able to, just this once. Her father's house was almost an hour away. "We'll be in and out, okay?" Maggie kept her eyes on the road
"Okay." ella nodded her head, staring at the familiar roads. She began to fidget with her necklace. It's always been hiding under her shirt, only Maggie knew about it after helping her bathe back at the farm. Her stomach began to twist on their way here. She hadn't been there in awhile, who knew if she would even find clothes that would fit her. A part of her wanted her dad to be there, waiting for her to show up and say everything is okay but she knew that wouldn't happen. Maybe she'd be okay with her family if they had just gone to the coordinates they were given. She had a bad feeling, not because of the fact walkers existed but going back to that house. She didn't know how to feel. She wanted to go but she didn't. Ella didn't even know why Maggie took her here, alone. Did she trust herself, the both of them to make it out of here in one piece? But Maggie knew why she took her. She wanted to talk to her, make sure no one else was listening and help Ella get better in combat especially with walkers. Although Ella wasn't trusted with a gun, she needed to learn, gun or knife.
As Maggie parked the car in the middle of the road, ready to leave quickly if she needed to. It was quiet. No walkers, surprisingly. Ella stayed in the car, staring at the house. "Come on sunshine." Maggie gestured. MElla hesitantly walked out, closing the car door behind her. "Alright, take this." Maggie handed her a baseball bat. "Now stay behind me." she slowly walked up the stairs with her gun out in front of her. Glenn had taught Ella the position she should hold her knife in while it was out, ready to stab whatever was in her way.
The door was open by a few inches, Maggie slowly opened it, looking around and ready to shoot. No walkers and no survivors. Maggie still checked every room, they were all clear. The house was a bit of a mess. "Does it feel empty to ya?" Maggie asked, using her foot to shove around stuff on the floor.
"I guess." Ella lied. She knew it didn't feel empty. She was used to it. She was used to the loneliness. Even if it were her last day with her dad before she went back go her mothers, he'd go out to a bar with his new wife and come home drunk. Maggie noticed a hole in the wall, "What is this?"
"It was there when he bought the house." ella shrugged, lying again. Why was she protecting her father? Why wasn't she telling the truth? She didn't want Maggie to think badly of her father, he was good only sometimes. But he was still her dad, and she loved him.
Ella led Maggie into where her room was. One of her closet doors was still open and a few toys all over the place. Ella's father never really gave a single batshit about what he bought for his daughter, They were either too big, too small or it wasn't her style. Sometimes he'd buy literal toddler clothes. Maybe if he payed more attention, he would realize. Maybe he would've been here. Ella now fit into the clothes that used to be too big on her. No shoes. She had boots but they felt a bit big. Her pink shoes still fit fine. They brought the boots anyways, incase she started to grow into them.
Ella stuffed the clothes she found into a pink backpack with cartoons on the front. "Do you wanna grab a toy?" Maggie questioned. Ella shook her head, "It's no use. My favorite one is lost now." she sat on her bed. Her bedding was filled with tiny little stars scattered around, they were all different colors. Maggie sat down next to her.
"Sunshine I want you to be honest with me. What happened the day Merle took us?" you could tell by Maggie's face she wanted to know, not to just know but to help her. If she keeps it in, it'll be harder to deal with. Ella stared at her pink sketchers then looked up with teary eyes. "I don't know. He just touched my hair,, and my face. He kept asking me for my name and where our camp was. He told me that he wanted peace and to help us. I heard what Merle did. I heard what he did to Glenn. I was scared he was gonna do that to us too." her voice shook. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything I didn't want them to hurt us."
"Don't say sorry darling. Thank you for telling me. You know it was wrong right? He shouldn't do that to you." maggie put an arm around her, ella nodded her head. "You're okay now, sunshine." she said. "If it happens again, I'll be the first you'll tell, okay?" Ella nodded."I'll always be here for you, el."
"Promise?"
"Promise." maggie assured her.
Ella didn't want to say anything else. She just wanted to leave. Being back here made her feel sick. She wanted to leave it in the past. Everything that happened here, she doesn't want to remember it. "Alright, lets head back." Maggie got up, picking up her backpack and boots. Ella put the backpack on, following maggie outside.
There were a few walkers about 3. "How about you take one out?" Ella was hesitant at first but, she need to be brave. She got ready to throw her knife and looked up at Maggie who gave her the "okay" signal. Ella aimed it toward its head, almost missed but she managed to get it in the eye. Maggie walked toward it, taking the knife out and stabbing it in its neck then shot the other 2 walkers. Ella didn't kill the walker but it was her first time stabbing one.
As they drove back, Ella still sat in the front seat, fidgeting around with her necklace. She wished her dad was there, or Caleb. Any one of them and she'd be happy. She wanted a family like Carl did, and Maggie. That was when she realized, she did have a family. The group was her family. It's almost been a year of them looking after her, she was relieved. It felt good but it also felt wrong. Was she replacing her old one? Ella didn't know how or what to feel. Maybe she'd be better off without a family, just alone. Like Carol or Michonne. They didn't have a family, not anymore and they both seemed tough.
A/N ;;
Sorry for not posting in like 3 days... I had writers block but I overcame it woohoooo!!!!!! Thank you soooo much for 2k+ reads, forever and always greatful. Make sure to check out wpstupiidlycupid for edits of this fanfic on tiktok and vote if you like my chapters :). I appreciate you all, thank you !!