Sweet Silence ~AWalkingDeadFanFiction~

14. When walls can't protect you

The morning after Tyrese's group had left Ellie still hadn't left her cell. She thought it would be better if she did some walking around so she collected some weapons, food and a sniper rifle with a telescope.
She still had worries that the Govenor would retaliate soon and she wanted to be ready. She slung the rifle over her shoulder along with a bag that held her food and water ration for the day. She also bought along one of Daryl's hunting knives that he left in his cell and her pistol.
Ellie walked towards the guard tower that she had spent a lot of time in before the incident in Woodbury. It was the best one, she thought, because it had a good view of the entire front yard of the prison.
Once she climbed up to the top she put her stuff down next to the window. She took the rifle and set it up to watch over the road leading to the prison.

Ellie waited there even after the sun began to rise. Bored of staring at the road she did a lap of the tower to stretch her legs. She didn't want to leave the gun unattended so she kept it in her grasp. She saw movement inside the prison walls. She pulled the scope up to eye level. She saw her dad. Running.
She grabbed her pistol and ran after him. Down the steps and out the door of the guard tower. She ran back the way she came and through an unlocked gate. The early sun was stinging the back of her neck.
Ellie saw the women with the katana, Michonne, standing by an overturned prison bus.
"Did he say anything?" Ellie asked as she jogged passed her.
Michonne shook her head. Ellie ran to the gate and slid through it. She could see her dad more clearly now. He stood there with his back towards her.
"What the hell?" Ellie mumbled. She walked towards him now. He stiffened.
"Dad?" She called. He turned. His eyes were wild.
"Ellie," he croaked. He searched around her as if he were looking for something. "What are you doing down here?"
"I could ask you the same," she said.
"I'm just checking."
"Checking what, exactly?"
He didn't answer just looked behind him.
"Dad!" She snapped, "what is wrong with you?"
"I'm fine," he said quietly.
"No you are not! Do you remember what you did yesterday? You kicked those people out, dad. You scared them off. They were good people!"
"I'm doing what I have to," he growled.
"You brought your gun out!" She yelled. Rick looked down and rubbed his eyes.
Ellie sighed, "look, you're scaring me and you're scaring Carl. Can't you just tell me what is wrong with you?"
He shook his head at the ground and then looked up at Ellie, "no."
Ellie took a step back. Her eyes wide. He had said it with such poison and bitterness that she didn't even recognise his voice.
She shook her head at him, "what is wrong with you?" She repeated.
She didn't wait for answer. Ellie left her dad there and trudged back to the guard tower once more. Promising herself that she wouldn't come back down for a good long while.

*

So again, Ellie sat in the guard tower, watching over the prison. She thought about her dad and Carl, she also thought about Daryl and if he was ok. Who was she kidding? It's Daryl. If anyone was ever suited to the road it would be him.
She thought of her mother. She wondered if the reason her dad was being so different towards her was because they looked so alike.
Ellie didn't like the thought of it. So she grabbed a fistful of the hair that had only just grown back since last time she cut it off in the bathroom about a year ago. She grabbed the hunting knife and she began to roughly chop through her chestnut coloured hair.
She felt the breeze on her neck when she had finished. She saw her reflection in one of the guard tower windows. Her hair touched her cheek bones. This time none of it hung down. It was almost as short as Carol's.
She liked it. It gave her appearance a more menacing look, that she needed. She smirked at herself.
For now on when people looked at her, they wouldn't see the frightened Sheriff's daughter. They would see Ellie Grimes the girl who is taking revenge.
Except Ellie didn't know who she would take revenge on. The walkers, for killing her mother and other people she had grown to love? The Governor, the man who had abused and tortured her? Or herself, for being such a stupid little girl that had let both those things happen?
Her thoughts her interrupted by someone calling her, "Ellie?"
She jumped and nearly dropped the knife on her foot. She cried back, "Yeah?" She ran over to the edge of the guard tower with her rifle at the ready. She saw Glenn standing at the bottom squinting up at her.
"Oh," Ellie said, "it's just you."
"Can I come up?" He asked.
"Why not," she hollered down.
She heard his footsteps up echoing through the inside of the tower as he ran up the stairs.
When he finally got up he looked at Ellie's hair.
"Why did you do that?" He asked almost immediately.
"Does it matter?" She sighed, "I doubt you came up to talk to me about my hair."
"Right," he nodded, "Hershel thinks we should leave."
"What? Why?"
"Why do you think? He thinks its not safe here."
Ellie shook her head, "did you tell my dad?"
"Ellie," Glenn sighed, "I came to you because, well, Rick isn't the right person to give orders at the moment."
"So you are doing that for him?"
"No. I thought you would."
"Me?"
"Well, you're Rick's daughter-"
"And Carl is his son. If I don't you're going to put a twelve-year-old in charge?"
"No, of course not, Ellie. I'm just trying to deal with the situation at the moment!" He snapped.
"Glenn, you or Hershel are a better choice then me. So deal with the situation yourself! I'm only 19 for god sake!"
He paused before going on, "you think the Governor is going to attack don't you?"
"Trust me, Glenn. I know he is going to attack. And you do to. You met him as well as I did."
"That's why I'm going into the tombs with Carl some time soon. If walkers can get in then its going to be easy for an armed man to as well."
"Carl? No you are not!" She snapped.
"He's not just a child anymore, Ellie!"
"Yes he is! He's my brother!"
"You can't afford to be a child anymore in this world. You know it as well as I do!" He yelled at her.
"So you're going to make him a soldier!" Ellie screamed back.
"We need to more hands than we have against the Governor!"
"I'm not letting you give him a gun to shoot a HUMAN BEING down with!"
"Stop trying to be his mother! You're not Lori!"
Ellie glared at him. Glenn looked guilty as soon as he said it.
"I didn't mean it, Ell-"
"Yes you did. Now get out." She said quietly.
"Ellie, I'm sorry. It's just, with the whole Governor thing and Maggie..." He trailed off, "I'm sorry." He repeated.
"Maggie still not talking to you?" Ellie looked up at him.
Glenn nodded.
"Well, perhaps, if you just talk the fucking thing through with her. Instead of assuming the worst!" She growled, "now get out."
"Ellie, I'm sorry." He said again.
"I know you are. I'm sorry too. Now go. I'll stay on watch."
Glenn hesitated then left her.
Ellie sniffed and wiped away a rouge tear. She didn't want to cry. Crying was stupid and completely not allowed now.