VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴92

Ellie hated that the people of Meridian refused to give up Rick and Michonne. 

They were tough- Ellie gave them that. They refused to go down without a fight, too. Ellie even had a cut or two on her from the fights.

Anytime she would get a person one on one, she'd demand them to point her to their leaders. They refused. They were loyal. It made Ellie sick.

But, those that didn't flee were killed. Ellie made sure to tell the others to string the bodies up nice and clear in view.

Michonne and Ellie had a talk about Michonne wanting to go back 'home'. If she ever dared come back here, Ellie had a nice surprise for her.

But.. it wasn't right.

Ellie even stormed through the schooling area. But, no Judith.

She scanned the walls. But, no sign of the Grimes' belongings. No old Sherrif hat. No decor with Carl and Judith's handprints. 

The fight was over within a blink of an eye.

"Walls.." Brandon sighs. "Haven't had those in a few years."

"What happened to the last camp?" Josh wonders.

"Assholes came in with a truck. Smashed the gate open.. Raided up," Leah recalls. "We lost good people. But, the ones you see here.. we made it. That's what is important."

Ellie didn't care that the new camp they'd taken had walls.

She didn't care that her hands were bloody and it was hard to see through the dirt and blood on her face.

She breezes past the rest of the Reapers and goes back into a building.

Signs. There had to be a sign. There had to be something she missed.

Anna doesn't bother following her girlfriend. Josh wanted to go, but Pope stopped him. Instead, Pope chased after Ellie himself.

Ellie had made it to a building full of bedrooms by the time Pope caught up to her.

She was ripping frames off the walls and throwing mattresses aside. She rummages through closets and tosses clothes aside carelessly.

"Did you fail to find the answers you seek?" Pope asks and leans against the doorframe.

"I didn't fail," Ellie states, cold. "They just got away. I was delayed- not thwarted."

Ellie stabs her knife into the closet door and takes a deep breath to manage her emotions.

"Do you understand just how incredible of a leader you are shaping out to be?"

Ellie looks over at Pope. "You're the leader, Sir."

"It's strange.. I am the leader of the Reapers- this family we've found. But, do you want to know something interesting?"

"What's that?" Ellie asks- trying to hide the frustration in her voice.

"Not once over the years have I felt like your leader." Pope points to her. "You.. Individually."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I know that you'll never do exactly as I say."

Ellie's skin crawls. Was Pope angry? Was he.. threatening her?

"I've never seen you kneel or bow to someone else. Especially not me, nor another man."

"I told myself I never would after.. the False God."

"The story that mirrored Abraham and Isaac," Pope recalls. "He made you kneel?"

Ellie places a bloodied hand on the wall. "He did."