Ellie Dixon

Hide and Seek

In the dead of night we walked through the forest. I didn't want to be using my torch, but how would I keep to the tracks if I didn't? I felt like I had eyes on me, but Finn was to my side. He was looking everywhere apart from me, because he wanted to spot walkers or whisperers. We'd passed quite a few dead walkers along the way. "Him killing walkers is just gonna draw more attention to us." I commented.

"That's what he wants if he wants the Alpha. He can't track, right?" Finn responded. I simply hummed, noticing how the tracks lead to an old cottage. I saw a light inside, me and Finn exchanged glances. "Carl or a whisperer?"

"Lydia told me that Whisperers hang outside as long as the weather doesn't force them to take shelter. It's nearly summer." I told my... Friend... Boyfriend... Not entirely sure, we didn't really make it official. We walked towards the house. "You take the back just in case."

"Yes, ma'am." Finn agreed. As he passed me, his hand want across the small of my back. I couldn't help but smile at the feeling. I got to the front door and slowly pushed it open, I noticed a lantern in the middle of the living room. I furrowed my eyebrows when I didn't see anybody, before I was aggressively pushed forward. There was a weight on my back as the person was straddling my middle back with a gun pressed to the back of my head.

"Where's your leader?" Carl's voice asked.

I couldn't help what happened next. I was pissed at him for running off like he did. I reached my hands back and grabbed his wrists, I pulled them forward so he lay on my back. Within the second I rolled us over. I rolled over once more than him so I was laying on my stomach next to him while he lay on his back. I grabbed his gun from his hand while he was still stunned. I sat back onto my knees, emptied the gun of its ammo before chucking the unloaded gun onto his chest. "I don't have a leader, dickhead."

Carl closed his eyes, let out a heavy sigh and threw his head back. Finn entered the room and furrowed his eyes at the sight. "Everything good in here?" He asked.

"Other than the fact that Carl's an absolute idiot? Yea, we're fine." I responded, not breaking eye contact with Carl as I stood to my feet. "I mean, what were you thinking? Carl, you could get yourself killed out here. Crossing the boarder like that? It's reckless, none of us should be here. Going after their leader? How reckless can you get?"

"You're right it's nearly as reckless as going into a camp full of loaded cannibals just to get revenge for a boy you don't even like." Carl spat back.

I scoffed. "Seriously? Of all things, you bring up that?" Carl just sat up, taking his gun and walking away to lean on the counter, facing me. "Carl, you're an idiot. I get that you're upset. I get that you hate me. I get that you maybe never wanna see me again. Fine, I don't care. Take your anger out on me. Scream at me, hit me, insult me, whatever the hell you want. Just, for gods sake do not put yourself in danger like this." I refused to raise my voice, if we hadn't been spotted yet, that could be the final thing.

Carl shook his head. "I am sorry about how it went down, Ellie."

"You don't have to be. I'm not mad about that, Carl." I ran a hand through my hair. "I'm mad because crossing these boarders could've meant that you never came back. Killing Alpha would've gotten you killed and then brought on war between our people and their people. They have thousands of walkers at their disposal, Carl. We can't afford that kind of fight."

"Their people put our people's heads on sticks!" Carl yelled. "They killed Enid, Jessie, Tara-"

"I know, but damnit keep your voice down!" I whisper yelled at him.

Carl nodded, blinking away a tear. "We lost family, Ellie. We lost land, hunting grounds... All for what? Some bald lady who wears walkers on her face and beats her daughter? We can't keep living like this. She needs to die."