Ellie Dixon

Alone

I entered the unexplored part of the prison, alone. I didn't have a torch, but I could still see due to the small window. I entered some warden's office looking thing. I looked closer at the window and realised it was open, I rushed to shut it, but it was too late as there was already a walker climbing through. I panicked and headed to the other door in the room. I opened it without thinking and shut it behind me to avoid confrontation with the walker while I was low on ammo.

I entered one of the halls. Looking straight forward, I couldn't see any walkers, looking right I could see a few walkers that hadn't noticed me yet. To my left there was only wall. I decided to start walking forward so the four walkers didn't come after me. My steps were small and quiet, trying to stay away from any and all walkers. It felt like every breath I took was echoing around me, I felt like I was being hunted. I wasn't, the walkers didn't know I was there... But the anxiety of being alone, low on ammo, surrounded by walkers took over any and all rational thoughts.

I thought about Sophia. She got pulled inside, but does that mean she's safe?

I thought about my dad. He saw me, Carol and Sophia get separated, how much is he panicking right now?

I thought about everyone... Would they be okay? Would I be okay?

I didn't want to call out, what if I got the attention of an unwanted dead pest instead of one of my friends? I tiptoed down the halls, trying my best to stay quiet. I didn't know where I was, I didn't know how to get back to everyone else. I heard a noise behind me, I turned around and saw the four walkers following me, they were quite far behind though so I only picked up my pace a little. I wasn't worried, walkers couldn't move that fast anymore.

An alarm started blaring throughout the entire building. That's going to attract a lot of walkers. How did it come on? Where did the walkers come from?

I turned a corner and saw six walkers ahead; my gasp instantly caught their attention. There was only one way to go and that was back, I had four walkers still coming this way though. I was surrounded. I was alone. I had only one choice, to enter the room next to me. I swung open the door quickly going in before slamming it shut behind me. The room was pitch black, the only noise I could hear was walkers banging on the door. My back was against the door, trying my best to keep it closed. There was one particular groan though that sounded louder than the others. It was louder. It was coming from inside the room.

I had to jump away from the door when I felt it go to grab me from my right. I backed away, as my eyes adjusted to the dark, I could see it trying to feel around for me. As long as I didn't make a sound and kept moving it wouldn't find me... But that door wouldn't hold forever. I bumped into a table, instantly ducking down and crawling under the table. I backed into the wall and that's when my back felt it... A vent?

I turned around and I was right, there was a small, but big enough for a nine-year-old girl to crawl through vent. I moved the chair next to me so it was more in front of me, just to make me feel slightly safer from the walker in the room as I tried to pry the vent from the wall. It was too difficult to pull with my hands, so I brought out my knife and started to turn the bolts keeping the vent in place.

Two bolts down. The door opened. I knew it wouldn't hold. It wasn't a problem, I just had to be extra quiet... I was alone with eleven walkers in the room. I could've tried to make a break for it, but the room was so small the exit was blocked. I assumed that this room was where the security guards would watch the CCTV footage so there wasn't a lot of space at all.

Three bolts down and I gently placed the silver screw on the floor, I still didn't attract any of the walkers. The fourth one was a little tricker, but I managed to do it. I had to use two hands to get the last bolt out, but what I didn't take into account... Was the vent lid falling onto the floor, making a clang sound that echoed throughout the room. I turned around and could already see the walkers going to kneel. I instantly threw the vent cover at the first walker face I saw before crawling through the vent system after pocketing my knife.

Walkers couldn't craw, right? Wrong.

I turned around and saw a walker following me, he couldn't crawl as fast as me... But I still didn't like being followed. How could I possibly get out of this? My plan was to hide out in the vents, now I actually had to find a way out, without somehow being cornered and eaten alive.

I moved as quickly as I could, but would it be quick enough? The alarm finally stopped blaring through the prison. Now, the only sound I could hear was hands and knees knocking against the metal of the vent, my breathing and the groans of the walkers behind me.

I turned a corner and to my horror, it was a dead end. I knew this would happen eventually, but it didn't make it any easier when it did. I grabbed my gun, turning around and sitting ready for the eleven walkers on my tail. The first one came round the corner. Head shot. The second one tried climbing over him. Head shot. The third tried climbing over those two. Head shot. By the time the fourth came, it was struggling for space, so I just leaned forward and stabbed it in the head. Its body fell limp and completed the wall. The walkers behind couldn't get through, the dead walkers filled the gap, so I was safe. 

I lay on my back and let out a breath of relief. I felt another vent grate on my back causing me to laugh with delight. I turned over and started kicking at the grate. After a few minutes of trying to kick it off, it finally fell. The noise attracted one walker but as I waited, I realised it was the only one. I got my knife ready as I jumped down, stabbing it in the head as I used its body to cushion my landing. I looked ahead of me and behind me and realised I was alone. 

Standing up, I noticed the walker was in police uniform, that's when I noticed something in his pocket. I squatted down and pulled it out, a rotted doughnut. I laughed, I put my hand over my mouth as I laughed, falling to my butt, one hand clutching my abdomen and another covering my mouth as I laughed. Joy overtook my body as I picked up the completley rotted doughnut. 

Looking around, I realised I now knew where I was. I walked outside and I could see Beth, Hershel, my dad, Rick, Glenn, Oscar and Axel in the yard. "The others inside? Oh well, don't matter, I'll tell them later. Y'all will not believe what just happened to me. Oh, and not to mention." I held up the rotted doughnut. "I won the bingo card. I'm going to Hawaii. I can't wait to tell T-dog. You know, because he was so close to winning... I think he'll be my plus one. He's gonna be so excited." I smiled brightly as I explained.

"Baby-" Dad started as he walked over to me, squatting down in front of me. "T-dog he..." Dad trailed off. 

"What?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"He didn't make it, princess." My dad said quietly.

I took a couple steps back. "No, you're lying. You're lying!" I yelled at him.

"I'm sorry." Dad shook his head. 

"No, no, no." I muttered, shaking my head. "But that's not fair. It's not fair, he had to make it! He's okay, you're lying to me. You're lying!" I fell down onto my knees. Dropping the doughnut as I cried. Dad came over to me and wrapped his arms around me as I collapsed into his chest.

Through my tears, I noticed Sophia, Carl and Maggie coming out into the yard. Sophia was crying, Carl looked like he had been crying but he looked numb and traumatised, Maggie held the same expression as Carl. I stood up and pulled away from my dad. "Where is she?" Rick asked, walking over. Maggie's eyes trailed to the ground. "Maggie, where is she?"

"The baby didn't make it... It killed Lori... From the inside." Maggie replied hesitantly.

Sophia walked over to us, still crying. Rick started to cry but I tried to tune him out as he yelled and cried. "Where's my mum?" Sophia asked.

"Girls, uhm... We uh-" Dad started.

"Where is she?" I questioned. Then it clicked in my head. "She was with T-dog."

"Where's T-dog?" Sophia questioned.

"I'm sorry, Sophia. He's dead, honey." Dad responded. 

"And my mum, she-" Sophia cut herself off as loud sobs escaped her lips. She fell to her knees; my dad hugged her tightly as I stood there.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Dad whispered to her.

"She's not dead. T-dog wouldn't have let anything happen to her." I said determinedly, running past a crying Rick and back into the prison.