FEAR ⇾ THE WALKING DEAD

vi. | the burial of many

ELLA KICKED HER SHOVEL INTO THE DIRT, releasing a grunt as she lifted it and threw the dirt into the pile, her eyes glued to the grave she was digging up for Amy for when they put her down.

Her father stood next to her, his hands on his hips. He had been trying to talk to her all morning, but she wouldn't answer him. She didn't answer anyone really except for Carl and Sophia, and of course Andrea when they were hugging each other and sobbing. She told Andrea that everything would be okay because they still had each other.

"Ella," Shane sighed, concern etched across his face. "Please talk to me, baby."

Ella tipped her head up to take a brief glance at the pale blue sky. She looked back down at her father, eyes full of hot tears. "Dad. . . Amy she-she. . . why did it have to be her? Why couldn't it have been only Ed?" she cried, hands shaking. Shane frowned and reached out to her. She shook her head. "I-I want to be left alone for today."

Shane nodded. "Okay. I'll let you be for a little bit, but tomorrow I won't let you be." he told her, she gave him a firm nod, before he walked away to help the others with the rest of the dead bodies.

Ella mounted more dirt onto the large pile. She gave one last kick to the shovel and threw dirt on the side. She pulled herself out of the four foot deep hole and dropped the shovel on a grassy patch.

Her head turned to the campsite where the children and women were, the women were all trying to talk to Andrea and dispose of Amy's body. It was mostly because the children were scared of it and because they didn't know when Amy would reanimate and try to kill her older sister.

The brunette took a deep breath, running her hands over her face, then she began to walk towards camp. But she stopped short when she heard Glenn yelling.

"This is for the geeks!" Glenn pointed at the area for the walkers. "Our people go over there!" he yelled.

"What's the difference?" Daryl asked the raven haired boy. "They're all infected." he shrugged.

"Our people go over in that row! We don't burn them, we bury them!" Glenn shouted tearfully, his voice cracking. Ella's lips parted and she started heading over to him. "Understand? Our people go in that row!" he pointed them in the direction of the graves.

The two men didn't move an inch. They simply stared at the other, unsure if they should listen.

"Hey!" Ella shouted, glancing between Morales and Daryl. "You heard him. Take our people over to the burial site!"

The pair shared a look, before heaving a sigh and dragging the body over to the burial site where Shane, Rick and Dale were digging up more graves for the people they lost the night before.

Ella turned to Glenn with a small frown. "Is everything okay?" she asked in genuine concern.

He nodded. "Yeah, I guess," he paused and met her eyes. "Everything's different now. I don't like it." he sighed.

"I can agree with that," she swallowed thickly, shifting her gaze on her feet. "Ever since Rick found us. . . everything's been so hectic. It's like he's some bad luck charm." she chuckled.

Glenn laughed. "I suppose he is, but something like this was going to happen one day anyway."

"You're right."

"But I wish it didn't." he admitted.

"Why?" she asked.

Glenn glanced around to make sure they were out of earshot from everyone. "Look, I'm glad Rick found his wife and son, but I feel like he's the cause of all this. Amy might still be alive if we left more guns, Merle might still be with us if Rick never locked him up, and we wouldn't have gotten kidnapped by those guys in Atlanta."

Ella frowned. "Glenn this doesn't sound like you. Just because you hear other people feeling like this, or because someone is trying to drill it into your head doesn't mean you have to agree and I know you don't," she told him. "Like you said all this was going to happen one day anyway, so this is definitely not Rick's fault."

Glenn slowly nodded. "Okay, sorry. I think I'm just angry."

Ella walked closer to him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "You want someone to blame," she stated. He nodded. "Okay. If you want someone to blame, blame the dead for the chaos and the people we lose. Don't blame Rick."

"Alright. Blame the dead."

"Always?"

"Always."

Ella smiled. "Good, now I'm gonna go check up on Andrea."

With that being said, Ella strode away. Glenn stared after her, the corners of his lips turning upwards to form a smile of adoration for Ella Walsh.

The brunette wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans while breezing past everyone else who simply stared at her wondering if she would talk some sense into the remaining Harrison woman.

As she stopped behind the blond, Ella touched her shoulder, which caused Andrea to jump. Andrea swiveled her head around to find Ella standing there, her eyes wild. Her face softened at the sight of her friend.

Ella rounded Amy and crouched down beside her deceased best friend. She put a hand on Amy's face, taking in every facial feature, before she removed it and looked at Andrea.

"I think it's time, Andrea."

The woman brushed her fingertips over her sisters pale cheek. "I don't it want to be."

Suddenly shallow breathes emitted from Amy's mouth. Ella widened her eyes as Andrea leaned down and put her ear close to Amy's mouth. Ella's eyes drifted down to see Amy moving her hands, and Andrea noticed it too.

As Andrea cupped Amy's face, Amy's eyes fluttered open, but they were not her own eyes. Instead of being a bright blue, they were a mixture of white and grey.

"Amy," Andrea called out. "Amy, I'm sorry," she cried. Amy moved her hand to Andrea's cheek. Andrea used her free hand to push her pistol towards Ella, and Ella gasped. "For not ever being there. I always thought there'd be more time."

Ella picked the pistol up, shaky breath's floating from past her dry lips. She watched as Amy sat up and Andrea kept her distance, holding Amy back as she continued to talk.

"But I'm here now, Amy," she looked at Ella who cocked the pistol. "And so is Ella. We're here. . . we're both here."

Upon hearing boots crunching in gravel. Ella snapped her neck to see her father and his best friend pulling out their guns. Ella gave them a shake of her head.

Andrea sobbed. "I love you."

Ella pulled Amy into her arms, slamming the barrel of the pistol into the side of her head. "I love you so much, Amy."

And with that Ella squeezed the trigger, ultimately ending her best friend's life forever now.

Ella felt the tears coming now as she said, "I love you."