Ellie Dixon

Taking One For The Team

Me and Sophia had a plate of food each. We decided to eat outside, around all of our people and outside of the tents. I was sitting in between my dad's legs and Sophia was sitting in between her mum's legs. We both wanted to be close to our parents. My mum was on the other side of the circle we'd formed, glaring at me and my father. I've never answered back to her before, I've never had the confidence. I also had Teddy sitting next to me, Dolly was next to Teddy as Sophia and Carol were on the other side of our toys.

"So, what was it like?" Carl asked, when I'd finished most my food. We had ham, peas and mash. It was a little dry but much better than what me and Sophia had been eating.

"Soph?" I looked over to her, wondering if she wanted to speak.

She shook her head. "You can take the lead."

"Ah, gee. Thanks." I said sarcastically. "Well, after the highway, we ran like hell... After falling down some banking or something. Those three freaks followed us, so we climbed a tree. We stayed there for ten minutes but when nobody came, we started to worry that the walkers would figure out how to get to us before you found us." I explained, before eating more mash. "So, ya know we ran-"

"No, that's not how it happened." Sophia shook her head.

"Please, anytime you wanna step in." I smiled.

"Ellie ran. She told me to stay in the tree, to wait for her or help. But I didn't. I didn't listen so it was my fault we were out there that long. It was my fault we were out there in the first place, if I hadn't screamed then they wouldn't have found us." Sophia admitted.

"Soph, they-" She cut me off.

"No, it's okay. After ten minutes I got spooked and went after El. I found her passed out after she had gotten three walkers stuck in mud. I carried her to some house's basement. I couldn't remember the way back, so that's why we got lost. Cause I was scared." Sophia explained.

"It's not your fault, Sophia." Her mum comforted her.

Sophia nodded. "It is." She turned to me. "I'm so sorry. I-" She cut herself off, looking down as she tried not to cry, so Carol wrapped her arms around Sophia in a hug.

"You were scared. Nobody can blame you for being scared. And you saved my life." I comforted her, she nodded but the silent tears still escaped her eyes. "After a couple days, Sophia fell out of a tree we were staying in and broke her ankle, five walkers noticed so we ran. I didn't really do anything-"

"No, they heard me scream, and you held most my weight and helped me cross the water. Then about fifteen of them noticed us. They were catching up, so Ellie carried me. I'm the older one and she saved my life, over and over. Whenever we had food, she'd give me more, she refused to sleep so I could sleep, she'd make sure I was safe so she could handle the walkers. Even at the church she said if she couldn't fight them off that the walkers eating her would buy me time to run. She sacrificed everything to keep me safe. And I let her cause I was a coward; I didn't know how to take care of myself, so I let her do it all." Sophia ranted, unable to meet anyone's eyes, angry tears ran down her face. Then she turned to me. "So don't you dare say that you didn't do anything because if it wasn't for you I'd be dead right now."

I stared at Sophia silently, not entirely sure what to say. "You're lying." My mum said, everyone turned to her. "Come on. You really believe her? There's no way my daughter did any of that. She's weak, always has been-"

"Isabella, if you're going to disrespect your daughter then you can take a walk." Rick said

"A long walk, off a short pier." Dad suggested.

"Please, don't start arguing." I said quietly to my dad, he rubbed my arm in a comforting manner.

"You know what? I am going to take a walk." My mum stood up. "Not because you told me too, because I don't want to listen to this bullshit anymore." Then she walked away.