Ellie Dixon

The End of an Era

Me and Hershel were sitting on the porch. "And then Rick hugged me and told me we're safe here." I laughed, remembering the time a bunch of us when to The Big Spot on a run, and the whole building just came crashing down. "Man, none of us had any idea that the Governor would be back. If we did... Things would've gone a lot differently, you know? Maybe one day I'll take you back to the prison, show you where we all lived for a pretty long time. We can go on a road trip." I laughed.

"Tip!" Hershel giggled.

"Not even close." I shook my head, grinning at the small boy. "I thought I'd avoid you for the rest of my days. I had no idea how I'd be able to look you in the eye when you grew up. I'm sorry I couldn't get there fast enough. I didn't even know you and Beth were still in the house, it was just a double check." I let out a breath, I refused to shed any more tears over something that happened over a year ago. "Anyways. How about I tell you the story of when I snuck into Terminus and killed a bunch of cannibals? Actually... Maybe you're a bit young for that one yet. I'll have to re-tell you all this crap in a few years anyways because you're too young to remember this stuff."

"Stoof!" He squealed.

I laughed and shook my head, before in the corner of my eye I saw someone on a horse trotting on the path from the road. I reached over for the binoculars when I saw Sophia coming my way. I smiled, putting down the binoculars. She waved to me, when she went past the house I knew she was going to put her horse in with mine. It only took a couple minutes before she was back. "Hi, guys." She smiled, sitting on the step next to Hershel, she kissed his head. "Awh, he's adorable." Sophia commented when he smiled up at her.

"He called me a hoe." I deadpanned, causing Sophia to burst out laughing. "I'm not sure what he was tryna say, but I'm onto the little guy." I narrowed my eyes at the baby which made him laugh. "He laughs at everything."

Sophia smiled and shook her head, leaning against a beam. I moved to sit opposite her and lean on the other beam. "How are you?" Sophia asked.

"Usual." I shrugged.

"You excited to come home next month?" She pushed.

"I think everyone else is more excited than me." I scoffed.

"It'll be good to live with you again. It gets lonely just having Carl to deal with. He won't shut up about you by the way. He's so excited for you to come home where he'll be able to keep a good eye on you. Well... His only eye on you." Sophia explained.

"He never liked me moving out here." I nodded.

"I understand why you did." Sophia told me.

"It helped." I agreed. "I finally sorted through some shit that I buried a long time ago."

"Like what Isabella's boyfriend did to you?" Sophia pushed wearily.

"Jackson. His name was Jackson Brown. And what he did to me, was molest me, for months... I can finally say that out loud. I knew what had happened, but anytime I really thought about it I would throw up, or cry, or just be numb. However, now I can tell you what happened, and I'm not saying that I'm over it... But, I'm at peace with it. Without this farm? That wouldn't have happened." I explained.

A sad but soft smile appeared on Sophia's face. "I'm happy for you, El. I really am. You deserve to be happy."

"So do you. Speaking of, how are things with Enid?" I grinned.

"Good, they're good." Sophia laughed. "She actually had to cut a guy's arm off at the construction site. Pile of logs fell on it and crushed it so bad... She's gonna be a real doctor, she's already pretty good now." Sophia explained.

"I'm happy for her. Sucks for that guy, but good for Enid. Oh, by the way... This construction site? What are y'all even building? I've heard that there's some big building project going on but nobody's actually told me what it is. I never cared that much to ask either." I laughed.

Sophia laughed with me. "Ellie Alfonsa Dixon, are you serious? It's been going on for like seven months now? We've literally set up camp there for most the time."

"I know, I know." I waved her off, a smile playing on my lips. "Nobody mentioned it, and by the time I realised I didn't know what was being built it had been four months. Seemed a little late to question it at that point."

"But seven months isn't too late?" Sophia quirked an eyebrow.

I shrugged. "I gotta face it sooner or later. So, what's being built?"

"You remember that storm that tour down the bridge?" Sophia asked. My heart sunk, my chest tightened, my stomach churned. There's no way. "Well, we've been rebuilding that. For seven months."

"I gotta go." I uttered, standing up. 

"Where you going?" Soph asked.

"Watch the baby." I ordered her, before running to Emily. I grabbed my horse and locked the fence again before jumping on as quick as I could. 

"Ellie, what's going on?" Sophia called, holding Hershel on her hip as I made Emily gallop towards the road. 

I knew Emily wouldn't be able to keep the speed for long, but I had to get there before the herd. I took a short cut that would take me to the other side of the bridge than where I led them. I didn't lead the herd this way because I knew there would be too many risks of distraction and therefore them getting off course. I got there as fast as I possibly could. I was fighting off tears at the thought of me wiping out an entire camp of people accidentally.

My father could be there, Rick, Rosita, mum, Carl, Ezekiel, Tara... A bunch of other people, some of which I cared about, but others were just innocent people that I cared enough about to not want to get them killed. The thought of something happening because of me plagued my mind. When I got closer, what I saw... I didn't expect. I was too far away, but when I narrowed my eyes... I saw Rick. He was injured, blood covering his torso, a wound he was holding onto. He was limping across the bridge with the herd following him. "Rick!" I screamed, my voice cracking as I made Emily gallop closer.

He sort of stopped at the end of the bridge, looking around... He didn't know what to do. He saw me. "Ellie, stay back!" Rick yelled, but his voice was weak and broken which represented how injured he was.

Did I listen? No. I made Emily go faster towards him, but a walker coming out of the forest ahead spooked her. She went up on her back legs and made me fall on my back. When she was backing up, she nearly crushed me so I had to roll out of her way. I used my boomerang to kill the walker. Once I caught the weapon, I started running towards Rick. I ran as fast as I possibly could. A couple walkers fell dead around him, I knew there must have been people on the ground who saw this.

"Rick! Rick, run!" I screamed at him. "Run!" I tried, I tried so damn hard, but it wasn't enough. I changed the herd's direction. I caused this. I had to save him. "Rick, damnit!" I cried. He raised his arm, his gun in his bloodied hand. Just in front of the herd of walkers which were rapidly approaching the injured Rick Grimes... Was a box of explosives. Dynamite mostly. "No! Mama Rick!" My voice cracked as I screamed for him.

That's when I heard the bang. He pulled the trigger. The explosion happened right in front of me. The force pushed me so I fell onto my back. My ears were ringing as the smoke and tears clouded my vision. I grabbed my black bandana from my back pocket and tied it around my face, covering everything from just under my eyes to my chin. I forced myself to my feet as I pushed my way through the black smoke. When it cleared enough I saw the empty space of where the bridge used to be. The remaining wood was on fire, walkers falling into the river just like I had planned. The current ripped their weak and decomposing bodies apart. Wood was flowing down the river as I looked around for him. I nearly gave myself whiplash turning my head so fast, scanning everywhere to try and see him. Tears fell from my eyes as I fell to my knees on the concrete, just before the gap which previously held a wooden bridge where Rick Grimes had been. A loud, pained, blood curdling scream left my lips as I fell over onto my side.

I just murdered Rick Grimes. 
155.