Ellie Dixon

I was a Dog Person

I slowly blinked open my eyes and looked up to see my mum. I rubbed the sleep outta my eyes before looking around. Everyone was there, except my father. "Dad's gone out hunting." Sophia answered my silent question as she was sitting next to mum, leaning her head on mum's shoulder.

"How long ago did he leave?" I asked.

"About an hour." Mum said, taking out my pony tail to re-do it.

"You feeling better?" Carl asked.

I smiled but I couldn't turn to face him with mum doing my hair. "Yea, I was just tired is all. I'll be fine to walk when we start going again."

"Ellie, your body still hasn't had the food and water it needs." Rick argued.

"Neither has yours. Or anyone else's. I'm walking." I finalised before looking over to Abraham. "And carrying my own stuff. I appreciate you all looking out for me but I'm just causing extra strain. I'm fine."

"You've been saying your fine a lot recently." Michonne raised her eyebrows.

"It's the truth." I shrugged, leaning back into my mum when she was finished with my hair. I was between my mum's legs, leaning my head on her chest. Her left arm was around me while her right arm was around Sophia who was leaning against her shoulder.

A little while later we heard rustling in the trees opposite. We all got ready to kill a walker but it was only my dad. We all settled back down and a small smile graced my face as dad sat opposite me. He put his hand on my calf as he smiled tiredly at me, Sophia and mum before his eyes focused back on me. "How you feeling, angel?"

"I'm fine, daddy." I replied.

"She refuses to let anyone carry her anymore though." Sophia interjected.

"Baby-" Dad started.

"I'm not going to put that strain on you when I'm okay to walk." I interrupted.

"And what if you faint again?" Mum questioned.

"Then I faint again. Big deal." I rolled my eyes.

Dad sighed, shaking his head and looked down. He stayed like that for a few seconds before he met my eyes. "Fine, but I'm carrying your bag."

"Dad-" I began.

"I ain't arguing about this." Dad shook his head.

"I can take shifts carrying it with you if you want, dad." Sophia offered.

"Thanks, sweetheart, but I'm taking yours as well so that wouldn't make much sense." Dad shrugged.

"What? Why? I'm fine." Sophia complained.

"You're a day or two away from the same incident. I'm taking your bag to hopefully delay it enough till we can get some food in you." Dad responded.

"I'll take one of their bags. Share the weight out." Mum stated.

Dad nodded. "Thanks."

"And what if you faint?" Sophia asks.

"Pigs will be flying when that happens, honey." Dad retorted.

"Cocky much." I kicked his leg gently.

Before dad could respond there was quick rustling from the bushes in front of us when four dogs came onto the road. Dad grabbed his knife instantly while my eyes widened and I pushed myself further into my mum at the sight of the angry, barking dogs. When Sasha stood up and pointed her gun, I looked away. I covered Sophia's eyes as she was staring in horror. I heard the four "pew" sounds indicating Sasha had shot her gun which had a silencer on it. I heard the dogs falling to the floor and very brief whimpering.

We made a fire... I hate to say it but we were doing what we had to so we could survive. I was served first but I couldn't bring myself to bite into the meat. I had my serving on the black bandana in front of me. Sophia sat opposite me with her serving on my dad's red rag. She was very slowly and silently eating, very uncomfortable with the meal choice. 

"Ellie, eat something please, mi amor." Rosita's voice broke me out of the trans of just staring at it.

"Pretend it's beef." Dad said, eating his rather quickly.

I glanced at him before back at the meat. I slowly raised it to my mouth before taking a bite. I didn't like the taste. I chewed it and swallowed it, cringing the entire time and trying not to gag. It wasn't that the taste was so gut retching, it's that Toto was my favourite character in Wizard of Oz. "You okay, Ellie?" Carl's concerned voice questioned.

"Scooby Doo was my favourite character." I said sadly after swallowing, but I continued to eat the food with a distasteful look.

Eugene was already done. Most people were eating quite quickly but that man had some form of secret super power. He was sitting next to Sophia and he kept glancing at the food in front of her. Even though Sophia was served before him, she was also eating slow because she kept thinking of the dog her neighbour used to have that looked exactly like one of the ones Sasha shot.

Eugene glanced at Sophia, she wasn't looking, and he didn't realise I was... He slowly reached across and took a bit of meat off of the cloth in front of her. Before he could take a bite, I did something that was perhaps a bit rash. Now, before you judge me... I really have no defence other than I was still pissed at him and I would die to keep Sophia happy. So, I pulled out my gun and aimed it at his face. 

I didn't say anything as I just stared at him. The meat hovered a few inches away from his mouth as he started at me. "What are you doing?" He asked me.

"Don't play dumb, Porter. That ain't yours. Give it back to Sophia or I swear to God I will put a bullet through your skull." I threatened. 

"Ellie, put the gun down." Rick ordered, not in an angry voice more of a... Here we go again voice.

"It's okay, El. Let him have it. Put the gun down." Sophia tried calming me.

"No." I stated.

"Guess you're still mad at me." Eugene slowly put the meat back down on the rag in front of Sophia. 

I lowered my gun and put it back in its holder. "Oh, what ever gave you that impression?" I asked sarcastically.

"Thanks." Sophia said quietly to Eugene.

"Don't thank him." I shook my head, taking one of my chunks of meat and chucking it to Eugene which he barely caught. "Don't say I never did anything for ya." I muttered before he quickly dug in without even a thank you.

Dad took his last chunk of meat which he was about to eat and put it in front of me. "Eat before it goes cold."

"Daddy, I don't need this." I tried giving it back to him but he ignored my waiting hand.

"Yes, you do. Eat it, I'm fine." Dad wiped his mouth with his hands which he then wiped in his trousers. "Just stop pointing guns at people, would ya? I might actually have to parent you then and I really can't be bothered."

I laughed quietly, splitting the meat in half that he gave me and giving him half. "Eat it, I'm fine." I mocked his earlier words with a small smile on my face. Dad smiled gently, taking the meat off me before kissing my head and then he started to eat again.

I watched as Gabriel threw his religious white collar into the flames of the fire and watched it burn. Although I wasn't particularly keen on the man, it did bring a sadness to my heart. If even the strongest of God worshipers lost faith, what chance did the rest of us have?