Ellie Dixon

The Bridge

Me and Sophia were walking on this path, we had trees on our left and trees on our right. We didn't know where we were going, just looking for somewhere, I guess. Somewhere worth going. "How you doing?" I asked Sophia, breaking the hour-long silence.

"I'm good. For the millionth time. You don't gotta keep asking me." She laughed under her breath.

"Well, what you went through sucks. I gotta check in on my favourite girl." I defended.

"Yea, it sucks. But, I'm okay. You stopped him before he could go any further... That's the main thing." Sophia nudged me, gently.

"Doesn't matter how far he got. What he did was... Inhumane. What he was going to do as well. It's okay if you're not okay." I tried.

"Woah, inhumane, that's a big word for you." Sophia grinned.

"I'm serious, Soph." I stopped in my tracks to turn to her. "What he did is not a joke."

"Sorry, I'm just playing around." Sophia furrowed her eyebrows. "Why are you so hung up on this?"

"I told you bout Isabella's boyfriend who died? Well, he was an inhumane prick. Nobody checked up on me. Nobody cared. I'm telling you that I care about you and what you went through. Not to mention I shot a man in front of you and you're like anti-death and all that Christian crap." I explained.

"He... Isabella's boyfriend, he..." Sophia trailed off.

"She called me an attention whore and said I was lying. So, yea, I'm a bit hung up on this." I told her before I started walking again. I turned around after a few steps and noticed Sophia standing in her place and staring at the floor. "You coming or not?"

She slowly looked up to me. "I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "He got what he deserved. You might call it's God's plan or whatever."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Sophia offered.

"Maybe one day." I answered. "I can't today." My voice cracked slightly so I cleared my throat. "Come on, let's go."

Sophia nodded and walked to keep up with me. "Does dad know?"

"Nope." I popped the p. "Tried praying to God. Took the big guy months to come through. So, I gave up. And that's all I'll be saying on the subject."

"Can I hug you?" She questioned.

"Can I punch you in your mouth?" I challenged.

"Is that a yes?" Sophia asked. I turned to her with a sigh, stopping in my tracks and spreading my arms. Sophia smiled softly at me before bringing me in for a hug. I sighed into her, hugging her back tightly. "You're so strong... But you don't have to be. Not all the time. You got me now."

Me and Sophia were approaching a bridge when a noticed a sign in front of it. "Hold up." I told her, pointing at the sign which she read aloud. 

"Sanctuary for all, community for all, those who arrive- survive." Sophia read.

"Terminus." I nodded. "You reckon it's still up and running?"

"Might be. We got anywhere better to be anyways?" Sophia laughed.

I heard rustling in the trees behind us. We both turned, I whistled to see if a walker came out. Nothing. I turned back to the sign which had a map underneath. "We walk over the bridge and then for three miles. Turn right once we get to the tracks by the looks of it."

"It's where all the tracks meet." Sophia realised.

"Ya know, if anyone else got out of the prison... And they saw these signs?" I crossed my arms over my chest.