Chapter eleven.

Hershel was gone. Ellie watched from the hill by her tent as Rick and Glenn drove down the road to go and find him. She felt a strange ache in her gut as she watched them go, as if something was off when Rick wasn't around camp. She hoped that they would come back safely.

Beth was in shock. Ellie had seen Lori and Maggie talking frantically a little while earlier and she asked what had happened. The poor girl. Ellie couldn't imagine being sixteen and in this shitty world, and just having to watch your family get gunned down in front of you.

It felt like this day had been going on for years. She was exhausted, her feet aches and her heart burned. She wondered down to the house and sat on the steps of the porch. She picked at some of the weeds that were winding their way through the flowers. Cooper bounded along the porch, happily winding his way around the table and chair.

The window next to Ellie was open and she heard voices through it, slightly muffled.

"We need Hershel. What the hell are we meant to do?" Andrea said.

Footsteps, and then, "Would you look in on Carl for me?" Lori had asked Andrea.

"Yeah."

More footsteps and the front door was opened. Lori appeared and looked down at Ellie.

"How's Beth?" Ellie asked.

"Not good. Do you know where Daryl is?" Lori asked in a rush.

Ellie frowned. "Sure, over by those trees." She knew he had gone over there to cup some wood for some arrows and figured he needed a minute alone.

Lori thanked her and ran over to him. Ellie stared after her but decided again following her. After a few minutes, Lori came storming back past her with a face like thunder.

"You know, I thought he was better than that!" She cried, shoving a finger in his direction.

Ellie stood up and cocked her head in confusion. "What happened?"

"He's selfish, that's what happened. Won't help go and get Rick and Hershel."

"Well, does he even need to?" Ellie asked, annoyed with Lori at her words on Daryl. "Rick's a grown man, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Lori tutted. "You too, huh? Beth needs Hershel now." She insisted, tapping her foot.

"I'm sure they won't be long." She said, watching as Lori rolled her eyes.

"I'm taking a car and going after them. I'll be back soon." She began to walk towards the parked cars.

"Wait." Ellie sighed. "I'll come with you." Lori paused and looked back at her. "Cooper, stay." She told the dog, watching as he laid down on the porch and stared off towards the direction that Daryl was in.

"Ok, let's go." Lori urged. Ellie zipped up her jacket and followed Lori to the cars. Daryl wouldn't be happy that she was doing this but she hated sitting around, being useless.

…

Lori pulled out of the farm road without a word and hit the gas as she drove straight.

"You know how to get there?" Ellie asked after a few minutes, eyeing Lori with unease.

"Kind of. I have a map." Lori said, showing Ellie the contents of her pocket. They both looked down at the map and the gun, and Ellie nodded. Looking back up at the road Ellie felt a scream leave her lips.

"Lori!" she screamed, eyeing the walker that was stood in the middle of the road. They were going too fast to stop.

SMASH.

Lori hit the walker square on, and Ellie felt the impact as the body hit the car, smashing the windshield and thudding over the roof. Ellie gasped as she caught her breath and Lori's eyes were wide. The car was swerving as she broke, losing control of the wheel. Lori gave a small scream as the car rammed against the tree line and flipped onto its back. Ellie's head snapped back against the seat and she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. The rush of wind flew through her hair as the windows smashed on impact. The seatbelt locked tight against her body as they flew upside down and dug into her stomach. A few stray objects hit her face as they fell off the dashboard and she felt a sharp stabbing pain as several blades of glass pierced her legs and arms.

The car continued to roll and landed on the driver's side, causing Ellie to hang uncomfortably against the seatbelt. She felt sick, dizzy and disorientated. Glancing to her left, she saw Lori had scratches covering her face from the glass and blood on her lips. Smoke from the car and dust from the road made her eyes water and her vision go blurry for a second before she felt her eyes droop and darkness overcame her.

…

"Ellie. Ellie."

When she opened her eyes it took her a second to remember what had happened. It was dark now, hadn't it been light? The lights on the car blinked on and off in the black. She groaned lightly and looked to her left. Lori's eyes were open and wide.

"Ellie." She said again in a weak voice.

Ellie tried to answer her but felt as though she would vomit if she did. She tried to move her head around but felt a sharp pain in her shoulder and on her head. A loud bang made her jump, and a hand hit the windscreen of the car.

"Ellie… walkers." Lori coughed, looking terrified.

Moans could be heard from outside, and Ellie took a few deep breaths. As the car lights blinked on again, she could see the bloody teeth of a dead man scratching against the glass. The cracking glass.

Ellie reached down and tried to click her belt. It took a few tries before it unclasped and she had to catch herself before she fell.

"Oh god." She groaned in pain as her shoulder gave a sharp twinge. She felt the piece of glass in her thigh wedge down deeper as she hit it against the dashboard. She gasped as the mouth of the walker broke through a small gap in the windscreen and was snapping a few inches away from her face.

"Can you undo yours?" she asked in a whisper, trying to keep her breathing steady.

As the walker pushed itself further into the car, the skin on its face peeled back, exposing blood and bone. Ellie whimpered and crouched down into the seat.

Lori reached down and clicked her clasp. She stuck up her hands and tried to pull herself up. After a few attempts, she pulled herself next to Ellie, and they looked at the snapping walker in front of them.

"Climb." Lori told Ellie, pulling herself further up the car, to the door. Ellie tried to but her shoulder gave way and she creamed in pain.

"Lori, the walker." She cried, holding her shoulder for support. She attempted to reach down to her waist and grab one of her knifes by it was too tight against her waist that she couldn't reach them. The walker's hand was now through the glass and it reached up and grabbed her hair, pulling her face first towards its teeth. She looked around frantically before setting her sights on a blade of glass that was sticking out of the window in front of her. She grasped it with her hand, biting her lip as it cut into her palms and fingers, bending it until it broke off. She didn't waste any time, and slammed the glass down into the walkers head. The moans fell silent instantly, and the dead eyes of the walker stared back at her.

"Did you get it?" Lori asked, reaching into the car to help her.

"Yeah." Ellie panted, dropping the glass and wiping her hand on her shirt. She grabbed Lori's hand and pulled herself up and out of the car. She tentatively stood on her feet and instantly felt herself wobble. She reached out and grabbed the car for support.

"You ok?" Lori asked, hand on her knees.

"I think so, you?" she replied.

"Yeah." Lori moaned and pulled a bit of glass from her leg.

Ellie looked down at her own and saw two small bits of glass sticking out of her thigh. She moved her hands up to her bump and felt around, making sure that no glass had hit her stomach. Thank god, she thought.

Wiping the blood from her lip, she glanced up at Lori.

"No!" she shouted, see the shadow approach Lori from behind. "Lori!"

Lori cried out and span around, shaking off the jacket that the walker had grasped.

"Here!" Ellie cried, shoving a knife into Lori's hand. Lori gripped the knife and threw it up into the dead's skull with a shriek. It fell to the ground with a thud, and both women stood panting.

Lori looked around in the darkness and signed loudly.

"We need to find our way back." Ellie whispered, scared and cold. She knew that people will freak when the see them.

"I know, let's head this way." Lori whimpered as she walked back the way they came. Ellie moved off on her leg hesitantly and hobbled along behind her.

…

They had been walking for some time before Ellie heard the distant sound of a car.

"Someone is coming." She whispered to Lori, pulling her to the side of the road. They crouched down, and waited for the car to pass. As it go closer, Lori gasped and straightened up, stepping out into the road.

"Lori!" Ellie hissed, eyes wide.

"It's Shane's car!" Lori exclaimed. The car slowed to a stop in front of her and sure enough Shane stepped out.

"Lori!" he called. "Are you ok?" He climbed out of the car and ran along to join her, holding her arm and eyeing her up and down.

"I'm fine." She muttered to him.

"You ain't fine Lori, I saw the car." He said, shining his torch on her. "Lemme look at you." He checked her over with a grim expression on his face. "What happened?"

"Looked down for a second. Walker stepped out in front of the car." She said simply.

"Next time you stay put." He demanded. "C'mon, I've got to get you back." He guided her towards the car.

"Ellie." Lori stopped in her tracks and looked behind her. "Come on."

Ellie came out of the shadows and walked behind them to the car. Shane looked at her too and gave her a curt nod. She opened the back door and climbed in silence, with a lot of pain. Once they were all in, Shane span the car around and began to drive them back to the farm.

…

As they arrived at the house, Ellie suddenly felt anxious and guilty. She should have told Daryl that she was leaving too. She could see the shadows of several people standing on the porch, and she got closer, she saw they were Maggie, Glenn, Andrea, Dale and Carl. Her heart sank as she searched for Daryl's face. Maybe he didn't care that she had gone, after all they weren't together or anything.

The car came to a stop and she opened the door and climbed out shakily. Andrea and Dale rushed to her side.

"Are you ok?" Dale said urgently, eyeing her bloody clothes and scratched face.

"What happened?" Andrea asked both her and Lori.

"Crashed the car." Ellie said quietly, feeling slightly dizzy. "Where's Daryl?"

"He's pacing the camp, going crazy." Dale said, glancing at the now running figure in the distance. "Looks like he's just clocked you."

"We had to stop him leaving to search for you." Andrea told her. "He was adamant that he would but with Rick, Glenn, Hershel and Shane all gone, we need people here for protection… Shane had already left and T dog managed to talk Daryl into waiting for a little while to see if Shane could see ya'll. He was pissed, that's for sure."

Ellie felt her cheeks heat up.

"You've got yourself quite the protector." Dale chuckled lightly. Ellie groaned half from pain and half from embarrassment.

Daryl reached them a second later, rushing forwards and scanning Ellie's small frame with worried eyes.

"What the hell happened? You look like shit." He barked, concern evident in his voice.

"Geez, thank you Daryl. Exactly how to make a girl feel special." She said sarcastically, happy to see his face.

He rolled his eyes at her. "You have glass sticking out of you, you're bruised and bloody. What the fuck happened? Why did you go?" he asked, or rather demanded.

"I-." she felt sick. Really sick. "We were in that car and-."

It all went black.