VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴14

Ellie's feet hurt.

She was tired of walking. They'd walked all day, took a break to eat and take turns napping, then started walking again.

Suddenly, Ellie missed the old days when there wasn't a lot of them and they could fit into one or two cars. Having double digits on their side again sucked.

But, she couldn't ignore that she was happy to see Carol, Tyreese, and little baby Judith.

She just hated seeing Judith without Beth.

She asked Maggie about Beth. Daryl had told them that they got out of the prison together. But, when walkers attacked, Beth went missing. A white car with a black cross.. No.. White car with a black cross. What color was the car again?

Ellie was exhausted.

They knew that Beth was alive. Ellie hated that they were walking around aimlessly instead of looking for Beth.

Rick found Carl and Judith. Sasha found Tyreese and Bob. Maggie found Glenn.

Was it too much of Ellie to ask to find Beth?

Beth was her best friend. They'd had each other's backs growing up.

When Ellie's stage fright took over, Beth was her voice. When Beth lost her voice, Ellie stepped up and became that for her.

Hershel was gone. Annette was gone. Sean was gone. Matt was gone. Jimmy, Otis, and Patricia were all gone.

Was it so bad that Ellie just wanted Beth back?

"Help! Somebody help me! Please, help!"

Carl fights, wanting to see where the screaming was coming from.

"Carl.." Rick looks at the group, then to his son.

"What if it's the bad people at Terminus?" Ellie asks Glenn.

Rick gives in to Carl, signaling for the group to follow. They run through the woods before finding the source of he screams.

There was a man on a rock. If not for how helpless and weak he sounded, Ellie might've laughed.

The group clear the walkers around and Rick tells the man things were clear. Slowly, the man climbs down from the rock, cautious of the dead bodies on the ground.

Ellie doesn't pay attention. She was too busy looking around the area in case there were more walkers. Or worse, the people from Terminus. Was this a trap? Abraham trusted her to be the eyes of the group, it was a job she refused to let go of even now.

"Come on, Ellie," Maggie ushers.

Ellie follows behind, still checking the woods as they walk to Gabriel's church.

"Hey," Glenn whispers, "Everything all right?"

"Mhm," Ellie assures. "Just making sure it stays all right."

When they reach the church, some break off to check inside and be sure it was safe. Ellie stood near the sign outside, still staring in the woods like the trees would start moving.

Once Rick gives the signal that it's clear, they move inside.

Ellie stops in the doorway.

She hadn't been to a church since.. Since everything happened.

Back before walkers were just a 'flu outbreak' that Hershel told her about to keep everyone home.

Before the world was gone.

"Ellie," Carl calls. "I know.. It's okay."

Ellie gulps. 

She takes another step into the room, careful and scared.

"It's not okay," she denies, eyes darting around the pews.

"Ellie, come get some water," Maggie calls from the front of the church.

Ellie sighs. She hated this. She hated the memories.

With tense steps, she makes it to Maggie. With shaky hands, she takes the canteen.

"We should plan a run," Glenn decides, "We need food. It'll be dark soon."

"Can I come with you?" Ellie asks, looking up at him.

Glenn smiles, patting her head and looking to Maggie, "You'll have to ask her."

"Can I?" Ellie asks Maggie.

"You want to go on a run?" Maggie clarifies.

"Not really.. I just want to be with you two," Ellie admits, blushing shyly.

Maggie and Glenn trade a look, smiles on their faces.

"All right. You gotta promise to stick close to us and listen very, very good. Okay?"

Ellie's face breaks into a grin and Maggie felt her heart pick up speed.

They were getting somewhere. They were actually getting somewhere.