Ellie Dixon

Bruises

I remember falling to the ground. I remember Sophia's crutches being thrown to the side and her knocked over. I heard Sophia's cries and begging. I felt my face being punched three times before I was pushed the ground. I could feel the kicking of my stomach, making it feel like my lungs were collapsing in on themselves. I can remember them putting a hand over my mouth to make sure I didn't scream to loudly as they put the knife deep into my face and ran it down my face.

I remember the person taking Teddy. "Tell anyone and I will kill you." They said before walking away.

All me and Sophia wanted to do was take a walk after we'd eaten dinner. Everyone was doing their own thing after tea. Since Carl was with Rick, me and Sophia went just the two of us.

Sophia crawled over to me, her whole body shaking, and her face was tear streaked; more tears were still falling from her eyes. I felt numb, staring off over the fields, trying to disassociate myself from the situation. "Are you okay?" She asked, shakily. I couldn't respond to her question. "I'll get help." Sophia cried, crawling to her crutches and managing to hobble off.

As I was laying there numb, I noticed a walker heading my way. Ever since Andrea shot my dad, nobody's been up on the RV keeping watch. He limped over to me, slowly but fast enough. I started to shuffle back but he kept coming towards me. Small whimpers came from my mouth as my injured body was forcing itself to crawl against the grass. The tears finally started to form in my eyes as everything sunk in at once.

I heard noises from the barn. The groans of walkers. But there couldn't be walkers in the barn, I was hearing things, right? It must have just been the adrenalin. The fear.

I watched as it fell to its knees next to me. It tried to bite my ankle, but I kicked it away. I drew my legs up to my chest, a pained groan escaping my lips as I did. Sitting on my butt I kept shuffling, back. I didn't have the strength to stand up... But I didn't wanna be a walker's dinner.

It could move quicker than my injured self. Lunging and grabbing onto my knee. He leaned forward about to take a bite out of leg when a knife went quickly through its head. The walker fell to my side. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I fell backwards to relax.

I could barely make out who was by my side in the dark. "Ellie, what happened? Are you okay?" Glenn's voice questioned.

"I just fell over while fighting it off." I whispered.

"The ground did that?" Glenn clearly did not believe me.

"Yea." I nodded but wincing at the pain.

"Sophia found me, said you were hurt." Glenn said, helping me stand up but when my knees buckled, he just picked me up bridal style.

"Well, she must have meant that I was going to be hurt." I lied.

"Did the walker come from the barn?" Glenn asked.

"No. Why would it have?" I asked.

"Don't worry. Let's get you to your dad." Glenn said. 

I saw Sophia making her way over to us as quickly as her crutches would let her. "Ellie, are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Soph. I'm just gonna get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? You should go to sleep as well." I said dismissively. I knew if her and Glenn talked that she would accidentally give up what really happened before I got the chance to talk to her.

"Uhm- yea, okay. Goodnight, El." Sophia said quietly.

Our tent was open. Glenn kneeled in front of it and let me crawl in. I saw mum and dad sitting up on their sleeping bag. Mum and dad had been staying together in the sleeping bag. Them staying together meant me listening to a lot of whispered arguments, like every night. "Oh my god. Ellie, what happened, baby?" Dad said, looking at my face.

"Me and Sophia were taking a walk, we ended up behind the barn. A walker came at us before we could realise. I sent Sophia to get help, I tried to fight it off. I fell over and landed right on my face. Glenn saved me." I explained.

Dad looked up to Glenn. "You killed the walker?"

"Yes, sir." Glenn nodded. I looked over to mum who smiled at me as she held Teddy in her lap.

Dad swallowed thickly. "Thank you. Ya saved my kid's life."

"I'm glad I'm did. Maybe the girls should stay closer to camp though." Glenn suggested.

"I think that's a very good idea." Dad glanced at me.

"Night, guys." Glenn smiled before getting up to leave.

"Goodnight." I called after him before crawling over to my sleeping bag.

My mum chucked me Teddy who I easily caught. "You left this. You should really be more careful where you leave your toys."

I nodded. "Sorry, mum."

Dad zipped up and sighed before giving me a disappointed look. "Why would you go over there, just you and Sophia?"

"You said camp's safe." I replied.

"That doesn't mean walkers won't come here. In the day we can see them coming. Not in the dark." Dad shook his head. "Now, look at your face... That must have been one nasty fall. You got two black eyes and a big ole scratch." Dad drew his finger down his own face to indicate where my scratch was located on mine, from the top of my forehead down to halfway on my right cheek. "That scar looks pretty deep, babe. We're going to have to take you to Hershel to stitch it up. He isn't going to be happy."

"Ellie, you are so irresponsible. I hope you know that me and your father are very disappointed in you. Ya know that you could've died? That Sophia could have died? Look at your face, you're hideous-" Dad cut her off.

"Alright, Isabella. That's enough." Dad looked to her with a stern look.

"You're defending her? You want to see your daughter buried? This is ridiculous. She needs to know how it is so she doesn't ever do it again. You understand me, Ellie?" Mum glared at me, but there was a hint of enjoyment in her face. She knew what really happened.

I nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Now, get out of my sight." She waved her hand.

Dad got out of the tent, and I went out after him. I went to take his hand, but he just started walking towards the house. "Daddy?" I asked.

"What?" He replied bluntly, without looking at me.

"I said I was sorry. Why are you still mad?" I questioned; I wasn't used to my dad being mad at me.

"Because, princess." Dad stopped and squatted down in front of me. "This isn't just something you fix by apologising. I'm gonna need you to show it."

"I did show it. By apologising." I furrowed my eyebrows which made my scratch hurt.

My wince brought my father's attention back to the scar. "Ya know, that's pretty deep. You sure the ground did that?"

"My eyes landed on rocks. Scratched my face on a bit of broken glass that's back there." I lied, smoothly.

Dad nodded. "You sure, babe? You know you can tell me anything."

"I know, daddy. And I'm telling the truth. Now, let's get back on the topic of you forgiving me because I don't like you being mad at me." I sighed.

 Dad put his hands on my forearms. "I'm not mad, darling... I'm disappointed."

Dad got up and started walking towards the house again. I walked with him and looked up to him with sad eyes. "But that's even worse... Don't worry. I'll make it up to you."