VILLAINESS [TWD]

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Ellie's body lurches forward as she throws up over the side of the porch.

"Easy.." the woman soothes, rubbing Ellie's back.

Ellie spits on the ground and then slumps against the porch railing.

"Takes a real special kind of stupid to chase a high when facing the dead," the woman comments.

A tear leaks down Ellie's face. She wasn't sure if it was from actually crying or the sickness leaving her body.

"It.. It helped," Ellie argues.

"How so?"

Ellie sniffles and closes her eyes. "I saw my dad."

"Matthew?"

Ellie's insides flip. "Who is your Matthew?"

Both of the women were out in the woods looking for guys names Matthew. Ellie wonders if the woman's Matthew was also a ghost.

"My son," she answers. "Who's Beth?"

Ellie rubs her aching head.

She didn't even know this woman. She was a stranger. Yet.. Ellie was too tired to put up a fight or lie about her condition. The woman found her in her lowest of lows.. what was the point in hiding?

"My aunt."

"Is she also..?"

"Yeah. I thought.. Maybe they made me see her now. But, it was just you."

"Well, my name is Leah."

"Sorry, Leah," Ellie apologizes. "I'm Ellie. Thanks for helping me."

Leah nods and drops her hand from Ellie's back. 

It was morning now. Ellie had woken up a little less than two hours ago.

Ellie knew from Hershel and Carol's words what happened. But, she didn't want to face reality.

Ellie had nearly overdosed. 

She almost killed herself.. again. Just because she wanted to see Matthew. Just because she was.. lost.

"I'll be out of your hair when I remember how to walk," Ellie assures.

"No need. I'd rather you stick around until I'm sure you won't collapse."

"Then, that'd be my own problem."

"Not if you turn and end up banging on my door."

"Fair."

Leah stands up and walks away. Ellie opens her eyes and puffs out a breath, watching the cloud form in the air from the early morning air.

The little cabin that Leah had dragged Ellie's unconscious body to was hidden away in the woods. Ellie had half a mind to wonder if this was where Leah lived before.

A slime-filled sweep on Ellie's hand makes her sit up straight with a gasp.

"Goddamn, man," she curses, looking down at the little puppy.

"He's friendly," Leah assures. "Unless I call or you're a dead one."

"I think he was checking to see if I was alive or not," Ellie lightheartedly jokes.

"Here." Leah sits down beside Ellie and holds out a bottle of water.

"I've got water in my bag," Ellie denies. "I won't take your stuff."

"This is from your bag," Leah says. "I went through it."

"So much for privacy," Ellie scoffs and takes the water.