VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴33

"What's it like to kill someone?"

Carl looks over at Ellie, confusion and bewilderment on his face. "What?"

"You've killed people when protecting us.. What's it like? Is it like killinf walkers?"

"It's not at all the same."

Ellie rests her elbows on her knees, head in her hands. They were sitting on the porch as the aftermath of last night is cleaned up.

Pete killed Reg Monroe. After Deanna's approval, Rick killed Pete.

And of course there was the lingering concern about what Glenn and Nicholas went through. But, neither said a thing about what happened out there.

"Jesus said the dead would resurrect.. I always thought it meant that the pure souls would come back after the world has silenced and they would restart life on earth as the new Garden of Eden."

Carl wrinkles his nose. He knew nothing about religion. If anything, the concept made him uncomfortable.

"Maybe it was the sinners that came back to punish the living. Hell on earth," Ellie rambles on, mostly to herself.

"Do you still believe in all that?" Carl can't help but ask.

Ellie purses her lips, humming in thought. Carl waits until Ellie comes up with an answer.

"He promised a resurrection of the dead.. It happened. I still believe that miracles can happen- most of us wouldn't be here if they couldn't. But.."

"What? You losing faith in another guy?" Carl jokes. "My mom used to say God is a woman."

"Nah.. A woman wouldn't screw up this bad."

Carl snorts, nudging her side. It pulls a small smile out of Ellie.

"Mother nature, though.." Ellie recalls. "She's thriving, I guess."

"What's the difference?"

"Mother nature is the earth. The wind, the soil, the crops.. All those man made factories and companies are gone. Thr stars are brighter at night. Plants grow in abandoned buildings and roads. The air has no pollution- air or sound."

Carl crosses his arms, tilting his head back and forth. He could see that. That made sense, at least.

"My grandpa was a sinner. I know that.. But, he worked hard to correct himself and right his wrongs. He was the last person that should've been tortured and murdered the way he was."

"So.." Carl urges.

"I don't know if I believe," Ellie answers. "I want proof that He hasn't given up or at the very least that He is real. But.. we aren't supposed to test or doubt Him to begin with."

Ellie looks at Carl with a frown. "Does tgat make me a confused and blind follower or a hypocrite?"

"I think you're someone that's gone through a lot and have the right to question the things from before si ce you've been through so much."

Ellie smiles, the corners of her mouth pulling into her face as she knocns her knee against Carl's. "Thanks, Carl."

The pair fall intk a momentary silence before Ellie wonders. "What's going on with you and Enid? I saw you go over the walls the other day."

Carl kicks the toe of his boot into the wood below him. "I don't know.."

"She has a boyfriend. Adulatory is a sin, you know?"

Carl rolls his eyes with a scoff. "She just gets me. I get her."

"Gross, you're turning mushy."

"You'll do the same when you find a boy you like. Get a boyfriend."

Ellie draws back in disgust. "No way! I don't want a boyfriend."

"Okay, then, when you get a girlfriend," Carl shrugs.

Ellie pauses. "You can do that?"

"Do.. what?"

Ellie tilts her head. "I'm a girl. I can date another girl?'

"Dude, are you serious?" Carl laughs. "You've never seen a same gendered couple?"

"You can do that?" Ellie repeats.

"I mean.. I don't know anything about it. Tara does, though. Tara likes girls."

Ellie's mind was blown.

Michonne and Rosita go running by. Carl tilts his head at the sight.

A few seconds later, Glenn and Daryl run by, just as fast.

Ellie takes notice afterwards.

"What's all that about?" she wonders.

Ron stomps off the way they came, Hessie following behind him- irate and frustrated.

"Why would you go outside like that?! What if something happened?" Jessie demands.

"Nothing happened!" Rom argues.

"You've never stepped foot outside of these walls, Ron! You don't know what it's like out there."

"Oh, but you do because rosita is training you and your best buddies with Rick?"

"That's not what this is about. What was so important out there, anyway?"

The mother and son were further away, Ellie could hardly hear Ron's response. But, the bit that got through made her skin crawl.

"I wanted to see where dad was buried! Is that so bad that I.."

Their voices fade as they enter their house.

"Why is he so upset?" Ellie questions. "Pete was an asshole. Rick did what was best for everyone- including him."

"Cause Pete's his dad,' Carl shrugs.

"But he was going to kill them if he kept beating them. He did kill someone else."

"Maggie hit you," Carl reminds.

"That was different. I was being awful. She didn't beat me, she popped me for being disrespectful to her and grandpa."

"My mom never even spanked me when I was bad."

"That's why you're so awful now," Ellie giggles.

"Did Matt ever discipline you?"

"I don't know.." Ellie admits. "All of his parenting was like.. sneaky. He was being dad without showing that he was dad, you know?"

"You got a confusing life."

"Whatever."

It isn't long until Maggie is walking over as if she knew she was being discussed.

"Hey, we need you two," Maggie informs.

Elloe thinks about seeing the others in such a haste.

"Something's wrong," Carl figures it out first.

"Rick and Morgan were out burying Pete. They found something."

"Something like..? A new community?" Ellie throws a wild guess.

"Not quite. But, it's jhst as dangerous. Maybe more so."

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

i was missing my fav besties together and i wanted them to catch up after everything that happened hi hello