Torn (TWD Fan-fiction)

Mixed Signals

I opened my eyes as I heard the scream coming from outside. I ran outside as fast as I could, grabbing a knife from the RV's small little kitchen. The pain didn't hit me until I hit the last step of the RV. "Ugh!" I gritted my teeth as the pain shot up my leg, but there was no turning back now. I was already on my feet. I followed the screaming into the trees. Grunting every so often as my foot bumped into rocks or tree roots, it was getting dark so it was hard to see. I came into a small clearing and I could see two figures on top of each other. I slowly made my way closer, jumping as the figure on the floor shouted, "Please, Help me!" I limped over as fast as I could and sunk the kitchen knife into the walkers head, or so I tried. "Shit." the word escaped my lips as the walker moved, making me miss and making the knife go through its neck. I sighed as the knife broke off and I was left with the knife handle in my hand. Seeing as I was the walker's new target, the figure on the ground took the opportunity to run off into the trees. "Hey, come back!" I shouted after them, but it was no use. They were gone. "Crap, what do I do about you..." I looked at the walker. I kept backing up as it walked closer to me. I knew that if it lunged at me I would be on the floor in 2 seconds, I was useless with this leg. It was getting too dark to see the ground, there were too many trees around to let the moon light the ground. I felt around on the ground with my foot hoping to come upon something useful for a weapon. The walker moaned and growled as it reached its arms out for me. "No!" I shouted as it lunged and fell on top of me. I screamed as I fell back on some wild thorns and as the walker crawled onto my swollen ankle, the pain was immense. "GET OFF! GET THE FUCK OFF!" I was screaming as the thorns were ripping into my back and into my arms, the more I struggled the more it ripped my skin apart. The walker was groaning as it tried to take a chunk out of me. It's heavy body pushing me deeper into the thorns. I gasped as an arrow went through its head, it's decayed body going limp on top of me.

I winced as Glenn pulled the walker off me. Daryl and Rick grabbed my arms, "CAREFUL!" I exclaimed before they could pull me up. "Ellie what is it?" Rick asked. I took a deep breathe trying to keep myself calm, "I fell onto some wild thorns. They're in my back and in my arms." Rick sighed, "Shit. Okay. Shane. Glenn. Keep your eyes open for walkers." I hadn't even realized Shane was with them, he must have been keeping his distance. Throughout this whole chaos I had forgotten the mysterious figure. I blurted out, "And people. Keep an eye out for people." Daryl grunted, "What're ya talking about?" I looked in Daryl's direction, "There was someone out here. I was sleeping and I heard a scream. I followed the scream this way and someone was getting attacked by this walker. They ran first chance they got." Rick stood up and walked over to talk to Glenn and Shane. I looked back in Daryl's direction, I could barely make out his face. "Can I get out of these damn thorns now?" I asked. Daryl got closer to me and started cutting whatever vines he could. He grunted and said, "Why are you so stupid?" I was taken back by that, "I beg your pardon?" He stayed quiet. "Go ahead speak your mind Dixon." I said as I slowly tried getting my right arm out of the thorns. He didn't get a chance to speak because Rick walked back over to us. He knelt down next to me, "Alright, Glenn and Shane are out doing a quick sweep of the perimeter. Ellie, let's try to get you out of here before anything or anyone else shows up." I nodded, even though he probably couldn't see it. Rick grabbed my arm and carefully started removing the thorns so that I could get lose. It wasn't too long until both my arms were free, now came the worst part. Rick tried picking me up, I grunted as the pain shot through my back, I gasped "Rick stop". He let go and stood back, "Shit. What do we do?"

I bit my lip. I usually had a high tolerance for pain, but this was something else. They stood there for a minute or two trying to think of a way to get me up without hurting me. Daryl walked up to me, "Put your arms around my neck." I could feel his breath hit my face. For once I didn't question him, I knew this was the only way to get me out. I raised my arms and wrapped them around his neck, holding on as tight as I could. He looked at me, "Want me to count down or something?" I quickly shook my head, "No, quick. Like a band-aid." Rick knelt down behind me, holding the vines down on the ground to try to make it easier. Daryl put his hands on my sides and pulled me up in one quick move. I screamed as some of the vines came out of my back, a burning sensation ran up my spine. My fingernails digging into his shoulders as my body quivered in pain. "Come on let's go." he called out to Rick as he carried me back to the RV. I buried my face in between his neck and shoulder, at the time I didn't think anything of it. He made me feel safe, and I was extremely tired. Once we got to the RV I could see everyone gathered around trying to figure out what happened. Rick opened the RV door and said, "Get her cleaned up. I'm going to go find Shane and Glenn." Daryl carried me inside to the bed and laid me on my tummy. He cleared his throat as if something was bothering him. "What is it?" I asked. I could feel him standing there awkwardly, "Make sure you don't move. I uh, gotta go get someone else to do this." he quickly walked out. I laid there for a few minutes, drifting off to sleep until I heard the RV door open. "Hey." I recognized the voice immediately. Lori. "Daryl told me what happened. Didn't think it was this bad. When he said thorns, I thought of small rose thorns. But these--these are no small thorns." she paused as she grabbed things from the drawers and cupboards, "Okay, Ellie. I'm going to cut your shirt off so that I can get a better view at what I'm working with." I didn't say anything. I was too tired to speak, I just wanted to sleep. She proceeded to cut my shirt off with some scissors she found in one of the drawers. I heard her gasp a bit at the sight of my back. "Is it that bad?" I mumbled. Lori rolled her sleeves up and pulled her hair back into a ponytail, "Oh yeah. Got about 12.. maybe 13 of em stuck deep in your back and a few more in the back of your arms." I could hear her getting the stuff ready, "Ellie, Ima need you to take a deep breathe. This is gonna hurt, but you'll be fine. Ready?"

"Yup, do your thing." I counted the seconds as I felt the pliers tug on one of the thorns in my back. Lori was quick, one by one she pulled the thorns out. Asking me if I was fine after every one she pulled out. I just grunted. It hurt, but not as bad as it did before. Guess I got used to the pain. Lori sighed, "Done with your back. Now onto your arms and then you can rest afterwards." The ones on my arms were much more sensitive, but still not too bad. "All done. Let me go check if we have any antibiotics to rub on your back. Don't need it getting infected." She came in moments later with a small bottle of something in her hands. "It ain't much, but this should prevent infection." she said as she squeezed a small amount of the ointment onto her hand. "It'll be a bit cold." she said before she started applying it onto my arms. I scoffed, "That's the least of my worries." Lori carefully applied the stuff to my arms. She was right, it was cold. I shivered a bit as goosebumps covered my body. "Pretty cold huh? You know, whenever I had to wipe Carl's butt when he was a baby I would blow on the wipes because they were so cold. Although, it was pretty funny when I would forge-" Lori stopped once she was applying the ointment close to my wrists. My heart stopped as I realized what she was looking at. "Ellie, what's that?" I could feel my throat start closing up and my heart beat faster. I managed to say, "That's from the vines." Lori shook her head, "Don't you lie to me. That is not from those vines. What happened? Did...did something happen--" she stopped talking as Glenn came into the RV. He stopped and quickly faced away, "Oh. Sorry, should've knocked." Lori just stared at me as I slid my hands under the pillow to hide them. Glenn was embarrassed as he asked "Is she okay?" Lori walked over to him, "She's fine. It just needs to heal. Here. You mind finishing up? I need to talk to Rick." Lori handed the antibiotic to Glenn and walked out to find Rick. Glenn looked down at the bottle in his hands and then down at my bare back. His face turning red in a matter of seconds. He stuttered as he walked towards me, "Uh. O-okay. Uh. Do I just..just rub it on there or..? I'm not, um, not s-sure."I couldn't help but giggle at how embarrassed he looked. I smiled, "Glenn. Calm down. Haha, it's just like putting lotion on. Try not to apply to much pressure, it's pretty sensitive." He nodded and squeezed out some of the contents from the bottle onto his hand. He gulped as he placed his hands on my back. I smiled as I heard him whisper to himself, "Just like putting lotion on, no big deal." It didn't take him long to finish. "All done Ell."

I nodded my head at one of the bags on the table, "I think there were shirts in there. Can I have one?" He walked over and pulled out a tank top, "Is this fine?" I shook my head, "Are there any long-sleeves? I'm pretty cold." He gave me a crazy look, "Cold? It's like a hundred degrees out there." I just stared at him, "Yeah. It must mean I'm getting sick or something, I get cold when I get sick." He shrugged and looked for a long-sleeved shirt. He handed me a gray long-sleeved shirt and turned away as I put it on. I groaned as I sat up, "Thank you Glenn. Oh man, a swollen ankle and a fucked up back. Today has been the best." I said sarcastically. He smiled and sat down across from me, "Well, one thing is for sure." I looked down at my feet, they were dirty from running out into the woods, "I'm doomed if another horde comes through?" Glenn laughed, "No. You're still beautiful. Doesn't matter how banged up you are, you're always beautiful." I sat still and kept looking at my toes. "If you had to live the rest of your life with raisin feet, like the ones I had back at camp, or two swollen ankles...what would you choose?" I wiggled my toes as I hoped that the conversation would change. Glenn stayed quiet for a bit. "Hmm, I'd have to go with the raisin feet." I looked up at him and we started laughing, I nodded in agreement and said, "Yeah, me too." He sat closer to me, "Ellie, I'm glad you're okay." My eyes widened as I realized what was about to happen, "Glenn I--" Glenn leaned in and kissed me. I backed away. He looked surprised. I looked down at my feet again and quickly said, "Uh, I should really get some rest. It's been a rough day." Glenn opened his mouth to say something, but then he changed his mind. He stood up and walked out. I laid on my side, wincing as the injuries on my arm pulsed from the pressure.

I let out a deep breath, "What just happened?"