Chapter 22: The Scar

Hello, hello, hello. 

So...update?

I may or may not have been a little lazy when writing as of late......

And it may or may not due to the snow fall that England has had as of late....

But seriously. This is England. We do not get snow. Go home weather, you are drunk. Sure, we may get pathetic snow compared to other countries but you don't understand.....to us this is amazing. Please appreciate this.

On top of that I've had to do two controlled assessments very recently....one on Macbeth and one on creative writing (So blame that for any lack of creativity)

So....basically I'm going to reply/acknowledge comments in her now seeing as I don't wish to deceive everyone by making my story have twice the amount of quotes :D

So huge thank you to those who have commented on my last chapter:

@DramaBeats137

@clubpkay

@WalkingDeadOrAlive

@SamCoates

@Pandamalion

@Natasha13

You guys are supermegafoxyawesomehot....just saying ;)

Thank y'all for the votes, for the fanning and reading. :)

Tasha out xox

_____

Chapter Twenty Two

The Scar

▬ Third Person- No one’s P.O.V ▬ 

     Electra had taken to leaning on the R.V watching her fellow survivors preparing for their long journey to Fort Benning. To her, they resembled bees, working together to get everything done. It gave  her a strong sense of pride and warmth to see them working together despite their differences. I guess you don’t care about differences when your surviving, that was all in the old world.

     The old world was gone.

     Things had changed.

     “It’s the same as it ever was: The weak get taken.”

     Guillermo’s strong words swam around her head. He was right, so right. Now he’s dead, lying among the bodies of the rest of the Vatos and the old folks. Repulsed, that’s how she felt. It was disgusting, she couldn’t even begin to comprehend how someone could bring themselves to do something like that.

     The weak do get taken.

     Sighing, she looked on to the group, studying each and every one with equal measure. They were all weak and she was too. Before she could even to think of who was going to ‘get taken’ next she dismissed the thought from her mind, it was too painful to bare.  

     “Why aren’t you-” Electra turned her head ever so slightly to see T-Dog syphoning gas from one of the many cars that were scattered across the area. “-helping?” he questioned her causing Electra to spin around to face him.

     “Yeah El.” Glenn agreed, doing the same, or attempting to do the same to another vehicle nearby as he popped his head up so he could watch here.

     “Not like you to leave all the work here to the men, Mismatch.” Daryl commented as he passed through the space in-between herself and T-Dog.

     “I think you mean boys.” Electra shot at Daryl playfully causing him to turn around and cross his arms around his chest as the others stared at her.

     “You trying to infer that we’re not manly?” T-Dog questioned her as he adjusted the syphon ever so slightly before glancing up at her.

     “Well, I am just as ‘manly’ as y’all.” Electra stated, crossing her arms around her chest. “Perhaps even more ‘manly’ then some.” Electra challenged with a smirk.

     “I hope you mean Glenn there Mismatch.” Daryl commented as he hauled a box of stuff into the R.V, dropping it near the entrance before stepping back down the stairs.

     “Hey!” Glenn’s head yet again shot up from behind the vehicle, a hurt expression on his face despite the fact he knew it was probably fact.

     “I didn’t say anything.” Electra raised her hands in surrender innocently. “And don’t y’all get onto me for not helping, I may be fantastic with guns but….cars are not my forte.” Electra admitted as she lowered her hands causing T-Dog to chuckle ever so slightly. “What?!” Electra demanded.

     “Well….erm….” T-Dog started, chuckling in between his words. “Shane told me about your first time driving…..” T-Dog explained.

     With her jaw hung open, Electra stole a rag that T-Dog had just used and threw it at the back of Shane’s, who was stood in her sights, head. At the point of impact Shane jumped causing T-Dog to howl with laughter as Shane rubbed the back of his head and turned around to face Electra. 

     “You traitor!” Electra declared causing Shane to look to the guys for help who just grinned at him from their places. “You told them about my first experiences when driving a car!” she exclaimed in disbelief causing the corners of his mouth to turn upwards at the memory as he desperately tried to hide his amusement before he started to crack up. Rolling her eyes, she sighed and tapped her foot. “And now you are laughing at me.” she nodded.   

     “Well….it was pretty funny.”

     “Tell me Shane…..” Electra crossed her arms again before cocking her head at him. “Did you come with a receipt or something?” The question confused him. “So I can like….exchange you for another brother? You kind of suck.” Electra continued causing the guys to chuckle softly.

     “But……” Shane started as he approached Electra. “You couldn’t live without me.” he stated as he pecked her cheek and retreated back.

     “Sure.” Electra called after him. “Yup. Uhuh.” she shouted as he continued walking. “Whatever you say twinkle toes!” That caused him to turn around.

     “Twinkle toes?”

     “Don’t play dumb, dear brother of mine.” Electra scolded him. “Basically…” she turned in T-Dog’s and Glenn’s direction. “When Shane was two he-”

     “Shouldn’t y’all be preparing.” Lori scorned Electra and the men with a glare causing Electra to growl incoherently. ‘And shouldn’t you be doing….erm...what is it that you do exactly?’ Electra so desperately wanted to retort but bit her tongue so hard it hurt. Without a word, the men turned their heads to concentrate on what they were meant to be doing.“Where’s Rick?” Lori enquired.

     “Over there.” Electra pointed out Rick who was crouched by the side with the walkie in his hand, as soon as the words were out Lori darted away from the group. “Not helping out either.” She retorted.

     “What’s his obsession with that damn walkie?” Daryl questioned no one in particular causing everyone’s eyes to land on the man.

     “I don’t know. That father and his little boy who took him in and saved his life have the other one, I suppose he still wants to contact them and update them on our moves so they can come join us.” Electra hypothesized casually as she crouched down to tie the laces of her vans which were undone, much to her irritation whilst Rick passed her, obviously having done with his ‘conversation’.    

     “D’ya reckon he’ll ever get an answer?” T-Dog interrogated, shooting to his feet at the same time as Electra, when Rick was at a distance.

     “Naw.” Daryl shook his head. “Too many things could have gone down. For all we know that dad and his kid are dead or lost signal.” He stated.

     “Nice little ray of sunshine aren’t you, Dixon.” Electra rolled her eyes before taking the sight of the Harley Davidson behind where Daryl was standing. “You’re riding that?”

     “Yer…..” Daryl nodded, patting the bike with pride. “We have to limit the amount of vehicles like Rick said, there’s no point driving around a car with only one person in it….” Daryl explained but Electra was still staring at him as if he were a lunatic. “What, woman?”

     “That?”

     “Yup.”

     “Okay, am I the only person who’s thinking logically here?” Electra looked around but no one said anything. “You….are riding a Harley Davidson….they make a crap tonne of noise……walkers are drawn to noise…..” Electra stated level-headedly, confused as to why everyone else was fine with it.

     “Ellie.” Rick nodded at her to get in the R.V, indicating that it was now time to go whilst Daryl scowled at her. Rolling her eyes, Electra stepped into the R.V with Glenn behind her. Dale was already sat on the driver’s seat whilst Shane and Andrea were sat at the table.

     “I’ll be on map duty.” Glenn announced before Electra could open her mouth to ask, she hadn’t gotten any sleep last night and Glenn knew that. “You’re welcome.” Glenn responded to her smile. “I’ll see you in a little bit.” He winked at Stacie who appeared at Electra’s side.

     “Come on Stacie.” Electra messed up Stacie’s hair as she nudged her in the direction of the R.V bedroom of which she opened the door widely and took a few steps before laying eyes on it.

     It was a bucket.

     A bucket full of blood.

     A bucket full of Jim’s blood.

     Oh God.

     “Electra?”

     “Yes?” Electra turned her head, guessing that Stacie too had seen the bucket.

     “Is that J…..” Stacie began to speak. “Is that Jim’s blood?” Stacie asked hesitantly. Sighing, Electra looked down and nodded sadly. “Is Jim a walker now?” Stacie asked, she didn’t really understand what had happened to Jim really. Electra nodded once more. “And Jacqui?”

     “No, sweetie.” Electra shook her head as she crouched down in front of Stacie to be at eye level with the little girl. “Jacqui’s not going to come back.” She assured her.

     Assured?

     Was that the word?

     “I’m just going to try and get some sleep now honey,” Electra stated just before Stacie let out a little yawn. “I think you should too, best to be wide awake, yeah?” Electra snaked under the covers earlier than Stacie who jumped in beside her with Rory in her clutches.

     “Electra?”

     “Yeah?” Electra shifted her body so that she was laying on her side, looking Stacie dead in her clear blue eyes as they bored into her own.

     “I’m glad I have you.”

     “Me too.” Electra smiled at her holding her little hand in hers, finding herself unable to sleep for a while before her eye lid fluttered downwards.   

►►►

▬ First Person- Electra’s P.O.V ▬ 

     “I could clean yours.” Shane’s words entered my ears as I carefully stepped outside of the R.V bedroom. “Oh yeah.” I heard him exclaim before hearing a cock of a gun. “It’s a sweet piece.” He commented, I could now see he was clutching Andrea’s gun.

     “Oh…Shane and his guns.” I breathed as I raked a hand through my hair sleepily before taking a seat down next to Andrea.

     “Says the one who caught the jist of a gun before her older brother.” Shane shot back at me. “You practically taught me how to handle a gun Ellie.” He reminded me causing me to grin before placing my elbow on the table and rested my head on it. “But you have to admit, it is a sweet piece….” Shane smirked.

     “Give it here.” I held my other hand out to take the gun from Shane. Carefully, examining it I cocked it myself. “Smith & Wesson 3913 ‘Ladysmith’…as much as I hate to admit. Shane’s right, it is a sweet gun.” I commented, still studying it intently.

     “It was a gift from my father,” Andrea said from beside me causing me to give her a side long look. “He gave it to me just before Amy and I took off on our road trip,” she continued to explain. “He said that two girls on their own should be able to defend themselves.” She elaborated.

     “Smart man, your father.” Shane mused, nodding his head in agreement as I glanced up at him slightly causing him to mutter something under his breath.

     “So...” I drew Andrea’s attention to me. “Look.” I instructed her, showing her the gun carefully. “It’s a limited capacity. See?” I questioned, glancing up I realised that she definitely did not see. “Basically…..” I trailed off. “This gun is only able to hold seven rounds-” I began.

     “Oh, jeez.” Dale cursed from the front seat, interrupting me as I just started my explanation. Raising an eyebrow involuntarily, I turned around.

     “Oh, no.”

     Shooting up to my feet, I sandwiched myself in between the two seats to see that we had reached what resembled an old traffic jam. Hundreds of derelict vehicles, abandoned or littered with corpses which looked as if they had just plopped out of the sky impended out route causing Dale to draw the R.V to a stop.

     A loud humming noise sounded from close by. ‘Hmmm. I wonder who that is?’ I thought to myself before, surely enough, Daryl pulled up beside the R.V.

     “See a way through?” Dale questioned him through the window, this caused Daryl to look onwards before nodding and driving off, leading us through a snaked out path that was most likely carved through by other survivors when they hit the road. 

     “Uh….” Glenn studied the map again from beside me. “Maybe we should just go back…” he suggested nervously, before pointing to something on the map. “There’s an interstate bypass-” he began.

     “We can’t spare the fuel.” Dale dismissed him.

     Nervously, we crawled through the wreckage, with no way to know what sort of dangers lurked within. Glancing out the window, I saw a decayed body in one of the many static vehicles.

     “Jeez.” Glenn exclaimed, causing me to turn my head to see that he too had noticed the many dead bodies inside the cars.  “Can we get through here?” Glenn questioned.

     Clank.

     I practically jumped when the sound erupted from the R.V shortly before smoke started to form in front of the window, the engine sputtering uncontrollably. Cursing, Dale yet again drew the R.V to a stop. It was only a matter of moments before us, and everyone else had resulted into emerging from their vehicles to go and investigate the problem.

     “I said it.” Dale states as he climbed down the R.V stairs. “Didn’t I say it?” he questioned me causing me to shrug. “Thousand times. Dead in water.” He continued.

     “Problem, Dale?” Rick enquired.

     “Oh.” Dale puts his hands on his hips. “Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope off….” Dale trailed off as Daryl passed us, heading straight towards an open boot of a car and began to search through it when he reached it. “Okay, that was dumb.”

     “If you can’t find a radiator hose here-” Shane started.

     “There’s a whole bunch of stuff we can find.” Daryl interrupted, still searching through the boot, currently examining some sort of blanket.

     “I can siphon more fuel from these cars for a start….” T-Dog added on.

     “Maybe some water?” Carol asked.

     “Or food.” Glenn nodded.  

     “This is a graveyard.” Lori was quick to point out causing everyone to stop in their tracks and turn back to look at the woman who had her arms crossed.

     As painful as it was for me to admit: She had a point.

     “Lori’s right.” Thea agreed also causing everyone’s eyes to widen. She had never really been one to say her opinion. “I don’t know how I feel about this.”

    Awkwardly, everyone’s eyes started to dart around the group, looking desperately for a sign of what to do. Silently, we all agreed that it was the right thing to do….or at least I did. The whole world is a graveyard now. If it were me, dead in one of those cars, I would want others to steal my stuff to survive. It’s not like I would need it or anything. Would they be disrespecting my memory? Not in my eyes.

     “Alright, alright.” T-Dog sounded from nowhere. Turning around, I spotted that he had already begun to syphon gas. “Here we go!” he exclaimed, before my view was blocked by Daryl who went back to search through the boot of the vehicle.

     “Come on, y’all.” Shane encouraged all of us who hadn’t started moving yet. “Just look around, gather what you can!” he instructed to get us all moving.

     I made my way towards the trunk of the first vehicle I laid my eyes on. Thankfully, the trunk was unlocked and I opened it wide with ease. As it opened, I smile etched onto my worn face.

     “Who said something about food?!” I called out loudly into the ‘graveyard’, seeing Glenn shoot up into my vision almost instantly.

     “Food?” Another voice sounded from nearby, turning my head I laid eyes on Carol who was holding a red t-shirt in her hands.

     “Aw yeah!”

 

     Laughing, I pulled out the box of food and passed it straight to the first person I saw- Thea, before I stole some cereal bars out of it. Not being able to contain my grin, I treaded towards Carol and handed her four of the bars causing her eyes to widen in shock.

     “For you, Stacie, Sophia and Carl, yeah?”

     “Thank you.” Carol thanked, obviously still startled at what I had given her. “Thank you so much….” She smiled gratefully.

     Noticing Glenn looking at me like a lost puppy, I marched on over to him. “Here you go Glenn.” I said, offering him the cereal bar.

 

     “I love you!” Glenn exclaimed as he wrapped him arms around me much to my surprise. “I really love you.” He reinforced. “Let’s just go get married, right now.” He proposed before he released me causing my smile to turn into a grin and then to laughter.

 

     “You’re welcome, Glenn.” I giggled before turning around once more.

       Spotting a gun metal blue 2008 Ford Escape, I exhaled and started to make my way towards it. Firstly, I tried opening the trunk hoping that it would be unlocked like the other vehicle but there was no such luck. Cursing, I made my way over to the driver’s door. Glancing on inwards I set eyes on the dead body…and he had not died a pleasant death.

     This wasn’t walkers.

     This was the military.

     Shane had told me what had happened with the whole Rick ordeal, how the military came to the hospital and started to shoot people in the corridors. It had scared the shit out of me. Inhaling deeply, I carefully pulled the driver’s door open. Biting my lip, I reached across the dead body, brushing my arm across the leathering skin and retrieved the key from the key hole before retreating cautiously.

     Clutching the keys in my hand, I slammed the door shut once more before marching over to the boot but not without realising what was on the keychain….a picture holder. The picture holder held the picture of a small ginger curly-haired girl of about two years old named ‘Sarah’. Looking of into the distance, I wondered where Sarah was now. Dead? Alive? Undead?  

     Not wanting to get distracted, I dismissed the thought and headed back to the trunk, forcing the key into it before turning it. Hearing the smooth ‘clink’ I pushed the trunk open to find a whole bunch of stuff inside along with a few suitcase.

    

     “I think I would actually give anything to be back home in England right now,. Chilling out at home in my warm hoodie, watching TV with Oreo pestering me for her lunch despite the fact I had given it to her before.” I thought out loud to myself.

     “Oreo?” Daryl’s voice sounded, apparently he had overheard my mumbled speech whilst searching in a vehicle perpendicular to mine.

     “Yeah.” I nodded, looking at him from the corner of my eye. “My pet kitten.” I explained causing him to continue on staring at me for an instant before looking back down again. “Instead, I’m stuck here…searching through dead peoples possessions.” I went on with a sigh.

     To this, Daryl shrugged without a word before making a grab for something inside the trunk of the vehicle he was searching through. In a blur, he tossed it at me out of the blue and I managed to catch it before it slammed right into my face.

     “I don’t know about a kitten or a T.V….” Daryl started as I simply stared at him in confusion. “But at least you got a hoodie now, woman.”

     “Thanks?” I raised an eyebrow at him as I glanced up from the oversized powdered blue Lonsdale hoodie whilst he closed the trunk of the car.

     “Yeah well…..” Daryl headed towards the trunk of my car and heaved two of the suitcases out. “You still owe me those ten arrows, Mismatch.” He shot at me before walking off. Rolling my eyes, I closed the trunk of my car and skipped past my brother and towards Glenn who, I guessed, had now been enlisted with the job of fixing the R.V.

  

     But on my way to Glenn, I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eyes. Taking a double take, I stood correct seeing that the van I had seen did indeed have the words ‘Spring Water. Home & Office delivery’ written on the side of it. Without I word, I charged towards the back and slid the door upwards revealing several canisters of fresh water still inside it.

     “Shane?” I questioned loudly causing his head in my direction. “Glenn?” I called making him copy Shane’s actions. “Were we short of water?” I grinned as I turned my head to look at them both to see their eyes as wide as plates. Before I could react, Shane had speeded over to my side and had taken the lid off of one of the containers letting the water soak me.

     “Hey save me some!”  

     Laughing in delight, I opened my mouth and gulped down the water which felt amazing. Glenn also joined in, looking chipper as he continued his work on the R.V. Chuckling, Shane pulled me out of the way and stood under the water himself as I whipped my hair around like a puppy.

     “It’s like being baptised, man!” Shane exclaimed as I turned my head grinning at Dale who looked at Shane in disapproval. Silently telling him to lighten up, I turned my head once more towards Shane who was still stood under the streaming water both drinking and showering with it as it slowly drew to an end. Pivoting around, I began to make my way to Rick who was speeding towards me.

     “Rick?” I questioned.

     “Hide,” Rick whispered to me.

     “Wh-” I began to ask before my eyes widened at the sight. Walkers…there must have been at least fifty of them… a heard...all headed towards us.

     “Oh Christ,” I said unable to move.

     “Hide,” Rick’s voice brought me back to reality, his hand gripping my arm for but a second, his blue eyes boring into my own. “Under the cars,” he instructed. “Carl, Sophia, Stacie, get down now.

     Trying not to panic, I slid underneath the first car I saw.

     “Guys?”

     Glenn.

     He had obviously been to engrossed in fixing the R.V and excited/amazed at the water canisters being discovered to had heard anything.

      My hand shot from underneath the car and pulled the red van covered foot causing Glenn to lose his balance and fall down to the ground, landing flat on his stomach, head turned so he could see it was me. Instantly he slid underneath the car next to me.

     I began hyperventilating like crazy. The words ‘We’re-gonna-die-we’re-gonna-die-we’re-gonna-die.’ chorused around my head but had seemed to have all merged into one horrifying word or sound There was nothing Glenn could do but stare at me in shock and confusion.  Shane rolled under the car I was under placing an arm around me and a hand over my mouth.

     “Shhhh, shhhhh,” Shane whispered into my ear, using the arm he had slung around me to stroke my hair in attempt to calm me down.

     “Shaaaaaaaaane?” Anthony's low guttural voice rang throughout the house. “Electraaaaaaaaaa?!” he called out. “Daddy’s home!”

     I sprang up from my bed almost instantly, I could practically feel Shane’s loud music from his brand new stereo set. Without hesitation, I shot out of my room and  flung Shane’s door open to see Shane shirtless on top of a blonde bimbo who was only wearing her lacy pink panties and bra.

     It was Rihanna Mores, a girl who was placed in the year above Shane but was in reality three years older than him, five years older than myself. Shane practically flung himself backwards off of Rihanna Mores who was practically killing me with her narrowed eyes.

     “Ellie?” Shane questioned, getting up of the bed and moving so that he was directly in front of me. “What’s wrong?” he asked me, placing a hand on my arm. It was only then I had realised I was shaking like a crazy person, that was probably why Rihanna Mores was staring at me as if I was one.

     “Dad’s home.” I told him, my lips trembling whilst I did so causing his face to drop before he looked at me with wide eyes, as if I had gone insane.

     “Ellie, what are you talking about?” he enquired. “Dad is never home this early, he usually gets kicked out around three in the morning…and he forgot his keys.” Shane reasoned with him

     “SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” Dad shouted, this time it was loud enough for Shane to hear even over the music blasting.

     “Get under the bed,” Shane said sternly.

     “Sha-” Rihanna began to wine.

     “Under the bed NOW!”

     I looked straight ahead to see a sight that broke my heart: The three kids. Carl, Sophia and Stacie were all lying down underneath different cars all alone. I could see Sophia panicking and bawling her eyes out, Carl adjusting his position under the car so that he was centred correctly and Stacie hyperventilating like I was. Stopping myself from hyperventilating, caused Shane to remove the hand from over my mouth.

      I brought my eyes in her direction so that my eyes connected with Stacie’s blue tear filled eyes, I brought my finger up to my lip and mouthed a ‘shush’. I could see that she was trying to be quiet but she couldn’t. ‘Cover your mouth’ I mouthed before covering my mouth to show her in case she couldn’t get my lip reading. Quickly, she copied my action, getting it- clever girl.

     “Shhhh,” Shane hissed. “Cover your mouth,” he ordered.

     “Eleeeeeeectraaaaaa?!”

      Why wasn’t Shane under the bed like me?

     “Eleeeeeeectra!” his voice was getting louder, he was climbing the stair now. I could hear him stumbling and the stairs creek under his weight. The whole house was silent now, apart from his footsteps pounding the floor. I hold my breath and dare not move.

     SLAM.

     “I know yer in here!” Dad’s voice echoed throughout the room. “You think I can’t here ya snivelling, get out here!” Dad roared cackling.

     Where was Shane?

     Carl seemed to be coping the best with the situation he had been flung into, waiting underneath his car patiently as the walkers walked straight passed. Hell, he was coping a heck lot better than I was at first. Stacie was still covering her own mouth much to my relief, still shaking from the sobs, but I couldn’t hear her- thank God. Sophia was trying to keep her whimpering out of control but I could see she was failing.

     I wanted so much just to go over to her but I couldn’t, that would jeopardise everyone. I hope Carol was hiding far away and wasn’t witnessing this. It pained me deeply, I couldn’t even imagine how much it would pain her own mother. As walker feet seized to block my vision of Sophia, she too was looking around edging her way out from underneath her car. She screamed as a walker went to grab her foot.

     “Yer think you can hide?” Dad shouted at the top of his lungs causing tears to form in my eyes, I had no words to describe how terrified I was. Shane had abandoned me. “Yer think you can hide from your own FATHER?” I couldn’t contain my trembling. “Lock my out of MY house?!” he roared. “Yer think I wouldn’t be able to pick the lock? I picked it with my own damn arrows!” Oh Christ. “Yer should have locked the shed too! Not that it would have made a difference! I’ll always find yer, some way or another!”

 

     Oh fucking hell.

     “Last chance!” Dad called out.

     Last chance? What did that even mean?

     I let out a squeal as my ankle was grabbed- I was being pulled out from under the bed.

     “NO!”

     “No-” I roared but I wasn’t able to make a sound from underneath Shane’s sweaty hand that he had placed over my mouth yet again. It was torture, seeing Sophia crawling away from the walker sobbing and screaming all at the same time, when she was out from underneath her car she came face to face with another walker.

     I screamed at the top of my lungs, desperately grabbing onto the feet of the bed… but it was no use. I was barely thirteen, how could I even hope to put up a fight against my dad- 6’4 and muscular.

     “Let ‘er go!”

     “NO!” I screamed as my dad pushed Shane, who was charging towards him, with full force, resulting in Shane practically flying through the air and falling on his back.

     “YER THINK YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME?!” Dad roared in my face as I whimpered, the tears streaming down my face as he held me tightly, cutting off the blood flow to my forearms.

     He raised his hand.

   

     BOOM.

     I heard it, like thunder vibrating around my skull as my ears began to ring. The hit had the full weight of his body behind it, causing my head to snap to the side. In a fraction of a second, it felt as if my whole head was inflated and my whole sense of balance failed me resulting in my body falling to the wooden floor.

     Frightened, Sophia span on her heal and bolted off into the woodland the walkers hot on her heels.  I slid out from between Glenn and Shane just in time to be passed by Rick who began chasing after her.  Carol screamed out for Sophia and Lori grabbed her to keep her from running off into the woods too.

     My eyes began to wonder to the forest entrance where Sophia and Rick had sprinted to as I began to take a small step forwards but I felt my arm being grabbed. Spinning around I came face to face with Shane who didn’t let go and just store into my eyes.  

          It was only when I heard Shane’s voice beside me that I realised I had become totally detached from my environment for God knows how long. I attempted to say something but I couldn’t, all that seemed to come out was uncontrollable sobbing like I had never experienced before.  

     “It’s okay Ellie,” Shane held me in his arms as I sobbed, my eyes trailed to the sigh of my dad lying on the floor unconscious. My face was still throbbing from where dad had backhanded me, my head stinging from where his wedding ring had dug into my temple. “It’s going to be all right,” Shane assured me. “I handled it.” He stated, referring to my dad being unconscious.

     “Let Rick handle this.”

______

Ps. In case any of y'all did not realise, the stuff written in italics are flashbacks that Ellie is having. :/