Ellie Moore
Silence.
Silence surrounded the farm.
I sat on a tire swing that Alexis showed me. I could see the whole farm from here. Carol cried into Loris's chest. My heart ached for her. But I was also feeling sorry for myself. My mom was gone. My last family. I had Daryl but he's not like my mom. He's more of the fun uncle than a dad.
"Hey, Lil Dixon," T-Dog said. I looked up. "Hi." I smiled slightly. "You alright? You've been up here a while." He said sitting in front of me.
I didn't answer.
"I got you something." He reached in his bag and pulled out a bow. I stared at it. "I'm assuming you lost yours," T-Dog said.
He held it out and I took it. "Did you get-" He cut me off by handing me the arrows. I smiled and stood up. I pulled the string back and let the arrow fly through the apple hanging from the tree.
T-Dog smiled.
"I have faith in you, Lil Dixon." He nodded standing up.
~
"Daryl." I stepped into the RV. "Lori said the ceremony is ready," I said. Daryl nodded and we stepped out. I walked up to Carl and stood next to him. Red lines surrounded the blue orbs that I looked forward to seeing every morning.
After the ceremony, I stood there. Everyone left. I stayed to think about my mom a little longer. "I love you," I whispered before I walked over to Sophia's grave. "I'll keep him safe." I bent down.
~
"Hershel's missing," Rick told me. "He's what?" I said. "Missing." Rick stopped walking. I shook my head. "Any idea where he's at?" I asked.
"Maggie thinks the Bar, we're going to go check," Rick said.
"We?" I scrunched my eyebrows.
"Glenn and I." He answered. I nodded. "Keep an eye on Shane and Lori." He demanded. "Lori can handle herself." I laughed. "Ellie, can you keep a secret?" He bent down.
"I'm good with secrets." I smiled. "Loris pregnant." He said. My smile faded. "How?" I asked. "That's a question for your mo-." Rick stopped talking and frowned.
I sighed nodding.
"I'll keep things in line," I said. "Thanks." Rick patted my shoulder.
~
"Carl!" I yelled.
He stopped walking. "What?" He rolled his eyes. "What's wrong with you?" I crossed my arms. "What's wrong with me!" Carl yelled. I stepped back. "I just lost the girl I like." He whispered. I looked down. "Let me show you something." I grabbed his hand.
I took him up the hill and sat him on the swing. "It's a tire swing?" Carl said trying to sound surprised. I sighed.
"Alexis showed me it. She said it helps when you have problems that you want a quiet place to think about them."
Carl sat down.
"I miss her." He let tears fall from his face. I nodded. "If she was here right now, what would you say?" I asked. He looked up at me. "I'd tell her how I feel." Carl stared in my eyes. "I'd tell her everything."
I nodded.
He stood up. "Ellie." He looked into my eyes. "You-" He was cut off by the sound of a car.
I mumbled words under my breathe and ran down the hill. "Where's Lori and Shane?" I asked. "I'm right here." Shane's voice boomed behind me. "Where's Lori?" I asked. Daryl spoke up. "Probably looking for Rick and the Chinaman." He rolled his eyes. "She asked me but, I told her to go herself." He said.
I ran my hands through my hair.
Shane got mad. "You what?!?" He yelled. I grabbed Shane. "Stop!" I yelled. "I'm going to find Lori and when I come back, I will discuss things with you!" I pointed at Daryl.
Shane shook his head. "Ellie, you can't drive, I'll look for her," Shane said. I shook my head. "I have orders to keep an eye on you," I said.
Shane rolled his eyes. "By Rick right?" He said walking towards the car. I ran after him. "Lil Dixon," T-Dog said.
I turned. "Let him go." He nodded. I sighed. "You better come right back!" I yelled. "Yes, mother." Shane sighed.
I turned around and Carl stood on the hill. He looked down at me. I smiled and he walked away. Daryl leaned up against the tree looking at me. I walked into the house and sat down. We all started eating.
~
I sat outside in the dark humming. Andrea and Carol sat next to me. I watched Carl pace in front of us. "They're not back yet." He said. "Calm down." I rolled my eyes. Andrea lightly pushed me. "Calm down!" Carl said. "That's my mom and dad." He looked over at me. "You won't understand how it feels to lose your family." Carl cried.
I stood up.
"I think you're forgetting something. I lost my parents too!" I yelled pushing past him. Andrea stood up to go after me but Carol shook her head.
I climbed a tree and sat there.
I watched everything around me.
He had the nerve to say I don't know how it feels to lose my parents. He doesn't know it feels to lose his. I kicked the air and huffed.
~
Daryl and I sat in the barn with Randel. Daryl was here to ask him questions. I was there to make sure he didn't kill him. Daryl was punching him and he was screaming. "I told you everything." He cried in pain. Daryl sighed.
He pulled out his knife. "Daryl!" I yelled. He looked at me. "Ellie go play or something." He said. I gave him a glare. "Let me handle this." I pushed past him. "Hi." I smiled. "I'm Ellie, I hear you're Randel." I bent down.
He nodded. "Yeah, that's my name," Randel said scared. "How many people are in your group?" I asked calmly.
He didn't answer.
"Randel listen, I'm not afraid to let Daryl here stab you. I'm trying to let you live but I can't do that until you answer the questions." I said. Randel nodded.
"30."
I nodded. "Where?" I asked. He didn't reply. "Randel where?" I raised my voice. I turned to Daryl. "Have you ever picked a scab?" I asked. Daryl stepped forward. "Start real slow at first." He dug the knife into his knee. "Then you got to rip it off."
He started to spill everything.
"One night we found this man and his two daughters. Teenagers. They were young. Real cute." Daryl turned to face him. I could tell what was about to happen. "Dad has to watch while these guys they..... and they didn't even kill em after!"
"They just made him watch. His daughters..... just...just left them there. But I didn't touch those girls." He pleaded.
Daryl kicked him.
I opened the barn door and walked out. I wiped the sweat off my face. "Where were you?" Shane said. I looked at him. "Making sure Daryl doesn't kill him," I answered. "Dale put you up to that?" Shane rolled his eyes.
"Doesn't matter who put me up to it," I said walking away.