Ellie Dixon

The Mall

All of our stuff had blown up. The RV pulled up outside this huge mall. Everyone got out of the cars and gathered together. "Thank you." Carol said to my dad.

"For what?" Dad asked.

"Taking Sophia." Carol said like it was obvious, before Rick started speaking.

"Okay, all of our stuff blew up. We're gonna need new clothes, medical supplies, food. This mall was one of the first things to close, they locked it up and abandoned it so there shouldn't be any walkers inside. That does not mean that we let our guards down. We'll go in groups. Me, Lori, Glenn and Andrea will handle food. T-dog, Dale, Isabella, Shane, I want you four on medical supplies. Daryl, Carol you two take the kids to get clothes and backpacks. Luckily, we were hostile enough to bring our weapons with us when confronting Jenner." Rick explained before he and Shane pulled open a shutter. They then pushed open the door and looked into the dark entrance of the mall. No walkers. "Grab flashlights." Rick nodded at us.

Me, Carol, my dad, Sophia, Jacob and Carl had separated from the other members of the group. I think Rick put all the kids on clothing with Carol and my dad because if there were any people who stayed behind, they would not have been in Forever 21. My dad was with us for muscle just in case something bad happened. "Can't believe I got stuck on clothing." My dad muttered.

"You used to love taking me shopping." I pointed out.

"I love making you happy, not picking out clothes." Dad responded.

"I hate clothes shopping. Why couldn't we be doing something cool." Jacob complained.

"If we're quick and you behave, we can go into the toy store on the way back." Carol bribed him.

"Really? Okay, we need to be quick. I need a new car." Jacob grinned.

"Alright, we need jobs to get this done quicker. I don't want to be looking at panties for the next hour of my life." Dad said.

"Ew, dad, don't say that word." I cringed.

Dad laughed. "I'm just making a point."

"Daryl, you take Carl and Jacob to get the bags. We'll need about eighteen to twenty. There's fourteen of us, so everyone gets a bag each for their clothes. Then we may need extra bags for the food and medical supplies." Carol said.

"We'll get any many as we can, Carol." Carl spoke up.

"Then I'll take the girls to get the clothing since we'll have better taste." Carol smiled.

"You know how to work a gun." Dad said passing his handgun to her.

"We'll need a gun?" Sophia asked, looking nervous.

"No, darling, it's for just in case. But, yes, I know how to work a gun." Carol said, taking the gun.

"Here's the sports store. We'll get what we can." Dad said taking the boys into the sports store.

Carol led me and Sophia into some clothing store, we flashed our torches around. Carol handed me and Sophia a basket each. "I'll handle the underwear, socks and men's clothing. You two find clothing for the two of you, Jacob, Carl, Lori, Andrea, Isabella and me. Trousers, leggings and tops. No dresses or skirts. Look at the sizes of things, and everyone will need three to five changes of clothes. If your basket gets full bring it to the front of the store and leave it there to get a new one. Understand?"

"Yes, mum." Sophia nodded.

"Got it." I grinned.

"If you need anything, you find me. Do not leave this store, do not wonder off. If you see a walker, yell and run." Carol looked very stern. "And stay together."

"We will." I nodded, as me and Sophia started walking.

Carol had gone to the men's section while me and Sophia headed over to the children's. "What should we get?" Sophia asked.

"This would look nice on you." I said, grabbing a blue shirt that had a small rainbow on the front.

"Thanks." Sophia smiled, taking the top and putting it in her basket.

Me and Sophia had both filled our baskets, so we went to get new ones. We saw that Carol had already filled up two baskets and was on her third. Suddenly we heard footsteps entering the store right in front of us. We screamed and backed away, holding up our torches to see my dad, Jacob and Carl. Carrying like seven bags each. "Will this be enough?" Dad asked.

Carol came running with her gun held high since she heard our scream but lowered it when she was that it was just our people. She smiled. "I think you got plenty. Now, you can help us shop for clothes." Carol grinned as all three males groaned.

Me, Sophia and Carol were sorting different people's clothes into their bags. We'd been the first ones out so while we were waiting, we decided to make ourselves useful. "Who do you think will look better in this? Rick or Shane?" I asked, holding up a plain white shirt.

Sophia laughed. "God, there's so much detail on it. I think only a certain type of person could pull it off. There's so many things it could clash with."

"Who are we gonna go with?" I grinned, trying to look deep in thought.

"I've thought it over... My vote's on Shane." Sophia confirmed.

"To Shane it goes." I said, putting it in a backpack. "That was such a difficult decision."

Dad, Carl and Jacob were facing the inside of the mall, on the lookout for our friends. Sophia and Carol were having a small conversation, discussing if the blue flannel should go to Andrea or Lori. I was on the edge of the row of bags when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around and was faced with a walker. My eyes widened. She fell down to her knees to try and eat me since I was sitting on the floor. "Daddy!" I screamed as she grabbed ahold of my arm. I screamed as she was about to bite me, but an arrow went through her head, so she fell on top of me. Carol pulled her off me as Sophia pulled me to my feet and hugged me.

"Are you alright, babe?" Dad asked, running over and looking over my arm for a bite or scratch.

"I'm okay." I nodded.

"Guys." Jacob got our attention. 

"Go! Go!" We heard Rick yelling from far inside the building.

"Get the bags in the RV." Carol said.

We zipped up the last one, me and Sophia grabbed the bags, chucked them to Carl and Jacob who would chuck them to Carol who would throw them into the RV. "They got about thirty on their tail." Dad said panicked.

"Is everyone there?" I asked.

"Yea, I see everyone. They just gotta run faster. Guys, hurry!" Dad yelled. As the bags were all in the RV me, Sophia and dad ran over to my dad's truck. Carol, Jacob and Carl all got in the back of a car ready for Rick and Lori to jump in the front.

Everyone ran out and went to their vehicles. We started the vehicles and drove off. A walker clawed at Sophia's shut window, she screamed and pushed herself farther into me as I was sitting between her and my dad. Dad drove over two walkers who were in front of the car as we all sped away from the mall.

"Is everyone okay? Did you see?" I asked dad.

"Yea, baby, everyone's fine. They had baskets with them and plastic bags, they got what we need." Dad answered. "We're all going to be okay."