Ellie Dixon

Breaking Into Prison

As soon as the sun was high in the sky, we were opening the gate into the prison yard. Maggie, my dad, Glenn, T-dog and Rick went in with guns and lead pipes. The rest of us were banging on the fence and killing them through there, trying to get as many away from the others as possible. We didn't kill many though, most of them went over to the five. Mama Rick had told us not to shoot unless they were being overwhelmed. So, we watched and waited as we saw the group of five move forward in formation which was pretty much forming a circle so they could see every angle and they covered each other's backs.

As the five moved further, clearing the walkers from the first yard, they eventually had to go round so they were out of view. "I can't see them; can you see them?" Lori questioned Carol.

"They're back there somewhere." Carol responded.

They came back round the corner and started heading back over to us when they suddenly stopped, talked for about forty seconds before they entered the prison. "Are they going in? That wasn't the plan." Carl pointed out.

"Carl, when are the golden five ever going to tell us the full plan?" I raised my eyebrows.

"The golden five?" Sophia asked.

"Whenever there's a thing of walkers, those five usually take care of the heavy lifting. So, I named them." I responded.

Glenn and Maggie came back up to us after five minutes. "What's going on?" Lori questioned as soon as they were in ear shot.

"It's safe. We can take things in now." Maggie smiled.

Me and Sophia had our backpacks on, Sophia had Dolly and I had Teddy. When I'm saying we'd die for those toys, I'm not kidding. We were being chased by walkers a couple months ago when Sophia dropped Dolly, Carol dragged her away so she wouldn't go back... Nobody thought that I'd run straight towards the herd of walkers, but I did. Since then, someone's always made sure to have a hand on me when we're being chased.

Me and Sophia went through the door, down a flight of stairs before entering a room which had two tables in it and a small space for the warden or security guard. Then, we went through another gate before we were faced with what was apparently Cell block C. "What do you think?" Rick questioned as he walked down the stairs from the second level of cells.

"Home sweet home." Glenn commented as I noticed T-dog dragging a walker out.

"For the time being." Rick nodded.

"It's secure?" Lori asked.

"This cellblock is." Rick responded.

"What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel questioned.

"In the morning, we'll find the cafeteria and infirmary." Rick answered.

"We sleep in the cells?" Beth asked.

"I found the keys on some guards. Daryl has a set too." Rick confirmed.

"I ain't sleeping in no cage. I'll take the perch." Dad said.

"I dibbs top bunk." I said to Sophia.

"Who says I'm not rooming with Beth or Carl?" Sophia questioned innocently. My jaw dropped dramatically causing Sophia to laugh. "I'm kidding. Carl's a boy and Beth likes her privacy."

"If that's the only reasons you're rooming with me, you can have your own room." I smirked before going upstairs and into a cell that was opposite the perch my dad was sleeping on.

"No, please. I'm kidding." Sophia leaned on the door frame as I put my backpack under the bottom bunk. "Please, I wanna room with you."

"Nu uh." I shook my head. Sophia put her bag down and started tickling me. "No, stop, please." I laughed, trying to get away.

"Say I can room with you." Sophia ordered, not stopping her attack.

"Fine, fine! I yield." I laughed and so did she as she backed away before sitting on the bottom bunk with an innocent smile. "You're evil." I told her, grabbing Teddy and throwing him onto the top bunk.

"I know." Sophia said proudly with a happy sigh.

I stared up at the top bunk. "There's no ladder." I pointed out.

"How are you meant to get up there?" Sophia asked.

"By myself? No clue." I shook my head.

"And not by yourself?" Sophia raised her eyebrows.

"Daddy!" I yelled and he came running in.

"What? What's wrong?" Dad said, holding his knife in his hand. I also noticed Rick had come to our rescue too but walked off when he saw there was no danger.

"How do I get up?" I said, outstretching my arms up and they barely touched the top bunk.

"These beds were made for grown men. Not nine-year-old girls." Dad reminded me, walking over to me and picking me up to place me on the top bed.

Sophia stood up and tried to pull herself onto the top bunk but when dad saw she was failing miserably he helped her up, so she sat next to me. "What if a prisoner had dwarfism?" Sophia asked.

"Well then they'd take the bottom bunk, sweetheart." Dad laughed.

"But what if they didn't wanna take the bottom bunk?" I pushed.

"Then they shouldn't have gotten themselves arrested, darling." Dad shook his head.

"But what if they were framed?" Sophia raised her eyebrows.

"But what if I jumped up there with you girls? Would there be enough space?" Dad questioned.

"No." I laughed, realising he was gonna do it.

Dad had a big, goofy smile on his face as he jumped up with us. Dad leaned back on the bed, putting his head on the pillow, he almost accidentally pushed Sophia off, but he put his arm around her to keep her on. I lay on his stomach, resting my hands on him and resting my head on my hands. Sophia was next to him, with her feet dangling off and dad's arm around her middle to save her. "Ya know, this is kinda cosy." Dad wriggled around.

"It was before you came up here." I poked him.

"Hey, that's mean." Sophia shook her head with a smile.

Dad started to fake cry. "That really hurt my feelings."

"Awh." Sophia sympathised with him, dad moved closer to the wall so she could lay down next to him and hug him. "It's okay, Daryl. Just ignore Ellie. She's being mean." 

"Should I call you a wambulance?" I teased. 

Sophia laughed causing dad to gasp. "I thought you were on my team?"

"I'm sorry, but that was funny." Sophia smiled.

"Traitor." Dad shook his head. 

Me and Sophia laughed at him. I shut my eyes, enjoying the moment. Nobody said anything for a couple minutes as we all just enjoyed the hug. I did wonder why dad wouldn't be sleeping on one of the beds, but I decided not to question him just yet. After a couple minutes dad started fake snoring. I opened my eyes; he was pretending to be asleep and snoring loudly. I couldn't hear a single noise from anyone else, my guess was that everyone else was also enjoying this. Dad stopped snoring and just hugged me and Sophia tighter. I smiled, I couldn't see anyone else, but I knew everyone felt the same as me. We all felt content.