VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴49

I almost ran into Molly in the halls. She was taking down walkers and I was sneaking through the building.

I could kill her. It would be quick. I could take her gun.

Nauseated, I take off running in the other direction.

I ease door after door open. Finally, I find mom.

"Ellie," she gasps.

I rush forward and cut her hands and feet free. I go to say something, but she wraps me in a hug.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

"I'm fine. Are you?" I make sure.

"I'm good," she assures.

We pull back from the hug and hold each other's forearms.

"They have people coming in ten minutes. They want to pick Rick and the others off at the door. She thinks Rick is close because there's no static. We have to get out and warn them-"

"No, Ellie. No." Mom shakes her head. "Honey, we have to finish this. Us."

"But-"

"Ellie," she calls. "I know. Okay?"

My chin trembles as I force myself to not cry.

"It's not gonna be easy. Fact is, it's gonna stick with you a hell of a lot longer than it'll take to do it. But, Ellie, we started something. It might not have been our idea or want, but we're a part of this now. We have to protect ourselves, each other, and the people back home. There's no turning back now."

I slowly nod. "Okay."

"Come on," she hurries, grabbing my hand.

We run through the building and end up back in the first room. Mom kneels beside Donnie and begins unfastening his tourniquet.

She pauses when his breath rattles.

"He was already dead. He's turning," she reveals.

My stomach drops and my mouth goes dry.

"He's.." I gasp.

Donnie was already dead? The bullet wound and injury killed him? I.. I killed him?

Everything started moving fast around me. Mom tied the rope to Donnie's belt and the other end to the pipes in the room. She ushered me out and we hid in a side area.

Molly passed by. She opened the door and Donnie, now turned into a walker, bit her. She screamed and stabbed him.

Just when Molly was threatening us to come out, mom snuck up behind her and grabbed the gun in her holster. She bashes it against the elder woman's head, screaming until the woman is dead.

Mom takes the gun from her and the pack. "Let's go, Ellie."

I blink a few times. Mom looked fine a second ago, now she was covered in Molly's blood.

We run through the halls again. This place was like a haunted maze- instead of ghosts, there were walkers.

A scream rips from my throat when a punch flies into my face. I fall to the floor, rolling to the side of the hall. Michelle was lying in wait around a corner and attacked us.

Mom smacks the gun out of Michelle's hand. Michelle elbows mom's arm and sends Molly's gun flying. I blink a few times to get past the black spots. My head was hurting like I'd never felt before. I crawl to the gun that Michelle dropped. It was dad's gun that they took from me.

"You lying bitch!" Michelle screams, taking out a knife.

She slices through the air and mom backs up just in time. I shout in pain as I force myself to my feet.

Just when Michelle stabs at mom's stomach, I jump between the women. The knife's blade sinks into my side. I scream at the burning sensation and wrap the arm closest around her arm to keep the weapon in my skin. If it didn't move, she was weaponless.

Michelle jerks and the knife twists in my skin. I scream and bring dad's gun to my side. I shoot straight up and Michelle's head explodes centimeters from my face.

"Ellie!" Mom cries.

Michelle's body and I both fall to the floor. The blade rips down a bit, opening my wound up further. 

Tears stream down my face as I write in pain on the floor. 

"Michelle?" Paula calls from down the hall.

I slide mom the gun and she rushes out a breathy 'hold on' and runs off toward the noise.

I whimper and gasp, grabbing the knife's handle. 

A gunshot goes off in the distance.

Mom returns, more blood on her. This time, it was Paula's blood.

"Don't take it out!" she gasps. "You could rupture something. We need to get back home- Denise will patch you up."

I sob as mom wraps my arm around her shoulder, helping me to my feet. 

"There's others coming. They.." I cry out. "They have more people coming. It's- It's not done."

"We have to get you home and-"

"No, no, no.. I'll be fine." I limp out of her arms and fall against a wall. "What you said.. What Beth said.. I get it now. It doesn't end until they're all gone. They always come back."

"Ellie, you're losing a lot of blood-" mom grabs my arms.

"So.. So, let's.." I grunt. "Let's finish this fast.. and.. and go h-home."

Mom sighs. But, she knew I was right. She nods and I force a painful smile.