One more step

Overtaken

Lori had gone up and sat on Elli's bed running her hand over her hair. "Baby please talk to me..." Elli buried her face down in her pillow. Lori sighed and took Elli's hand, "Come on baby girl, let's go for a walk. I know you want to break out of here." Elli sighed and sat up.

Lori and her walked down across the field. In silence until Lori wrapped her arm around her shoulder. "You did the right thing, I know the guys were worried and yelled, but you were protecting the group. It was incredibly brave and grown up." Elli stopped and looked at her. "I'm proud of you Elli, you didn't give up when you were on your own. You fought. You fought at the CDC. You fought at the bar. You have to promise me you will keep fighting no matter what happens. I love you, I know we had our fights but I couldn't be more proud of you." Elli jumped throwing her arms around her mother. Lori squeezing her tightly.

Rick watched from the porch smiling. Merle sat on the steps snuffing out his smoke. Rick startled when Merle stood suddenly he followed Merle's gaze as he let out a shrill whistle then started running pulling his gun and screaming at the women. It was walkers, countless walkers walking out of the woods.

Elli saw Merle running at them as Lori saw the walkers. "Elli run!!" They took off towards the farm Merle stopping to cover them only turning to run after them as they passed him. Rick was yelling for everyone to get to the vehicles. Tdog jumped in Daryl's truck Merle yelled at the women to get in as he ran to get his motorcycle. Lori was screaming for Tdog to start the truck, he was trying but it wasn't starting. He turned quickly to open the door telling them to run. Elli got ahead of Lori vehicles pulling out left and right. Lori got cut off from Elli by walkers and Elli turned back. Lori screamed at her to keep running though. Elli turned and ran as fast as she could. She wound up in the woods. Walkers hot on her trail. She stumbled and a walker tumbled beside her. She rolled away from it and scrambled to her feet. She tore off again deeper into the woods.

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They had decided that they would have to move on from the highway. They had waited almost a whole day. The entire group except Merle, Andrea, Shane, and Elli was there. Carl begged and pleaded, but Rick was firm. "We can't stay carl, Elli wouldn't want you out here exposed." He didn't want to do this, but if she lived she would have made it there by now. Daryl was a wreck, he had been pissed at her and had left her alone. Merle was gone too, he was completely alone.

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Elli was out of breath. She made it to a road but didn't know which one it was and has lost her direction. Her worst fear had been realized. She was alone.