to the ends of the earth || ellie williams (book one)

ten

"The winter nearly killed us. I don't know how we ever made it to Atlanta. When we got there, the city was in ruins. FEDRA must've got to it around outbreak day. What we saw there... it was anarchy. We got hit by hunters when we first arrived. I'd never killed before.." I took a moment to contemplate, "I'd never killed before. Dad got injured. I practically carried him to the motel. They told us to meet them at the Fox theatre. But when we got there... they were all dead."

Tommy shook his head, bringing his hand to his face to stroke his stubble as he exhaled slowly. He pinched his temples with his pointer finger and his thumb, rubbing them gently before looking back up to me.

"Then, what did you do?" He asked.

"It broke my Dad. You know... he really thought we were gonna make it, that he was gonna see her again. He closed off. He wouldn't speak or eat. We stayed there for a while, secured the place best we could. The hunters were hot on our trail though. We had to move."

I leaned back into the couch and took a deep breath.

"We were on the road for a while. He didn't know where to go, he didn't want to come back because he felt like a failure. We got up to Maryland - it was quiet there. We joined with a group, set up in a hotel. For a while, things seemed to calm down."

Tommy leaned forward in his seat, his elbows resting on his knees as he stroked the back of his neck.

"Then people started to get confrontational. As more people joined the group, it began to divide. We found ourselves on the road again. But Dad was getting sick," I continued, "Soon, he couldn't walk anymore. I fixed up a car as we were moving through Virgina. He slept the whole way to Cincinnati in the back seat. When we arrived, I went to wake him up. He wouldn't budge."

"Oh.." Tommy sighed softly.

"He died peacefully in his sleep. He wasn't in any pain, he was comfortable and warm. I fought to keep him with me, to bring him back here and give him a proper burial. I carried him with me for days. I was so exhausted.. I was starving. I knew I had to leave him... I buried him in a park under an oak tree. I carved a message into the tree."

Tommy moved to sit beside me, pulling my head on to his shoulder and rubbing my back soothingly. I cried into his chest for what felt like hours.

"Well... you're home now, kiddo. Come on, let's get you settled." He spoke softly, standing up and linking my arm to walk me to his horse.

He jumped on the front, holding his hand out to help me on behind him.

As we made for the town, I looked around at the snowy mountains, at the trees that framed them in a picturesque manner. The sun was setting over their peaks as the day faded to night. I exhaled a warm breath, holding on to Tommy tightly as we galloped down the mountains.

The gates were pulled open on our arrival and we soared through, entering the stables and dismounting once we were inside.

"You hungry, kiddo?" Asked Tommy as we left the stables, "We can make a pit stop."

The streets were familiar. I could see me on my way to the first day of school, I could see Dina and I on our bikes, I could see my father closing the shop at dusk.

"I'm okay for now."

"You're skin and bones, Charlotte. At least let Maria fix you a plate to bring over once you're settled in," He pleaded.

"Okay, sure. That'd be nice," I smiled softly, caving to his persuasion.

Maria was a pretty good cook.

"We didn't clear out your old house, you know, in case you ever came back..." Tommy began - but I knew what he was going to say.

"Tommy, I can't."

"I figured... but that house is yours, okay? It always will be. We have a few trailers down at the trailer park that are empty or if you're wantin' something a little more homely, there's a bungalow out by the church."

"A bungalow would be nice.. if possible," I responded as we slowly walked the dimly lit streets.

"Of course. Come on, this way."

One thing I appreciated about Tommy - he didn't linger. When he left, I dropped my bags at the door and scanned the house in which I now lived. The space was small and homely, moderately furnished with little plants and other hidden charms.

I made for the bedroom at the end of the hall, collapsing down on to the bed and wrapping myself up in the sheets. It'd been so long since I'd slept in an actual bed that I almost forgot what it felt like. I must've drifted off pretty quickly because by the time I'd woken up, night had long fallen and the moon hung high in the darkness.

I checked the clock beside my bed. 3:17am. I groaned as I shifted in my space, bolting up when I heard a few gentle knocks at my door. I slid out of bed wrapped in a blanket, making a beeline for the door and swinging it open to reveal a familiar face.

Dina looked older. She'd grown up. Her dark hair was tied in a high ponytail, her baby hairs hanging loosely to frame her face. Her cheeks and nose were littered with familiar freckles but the rosiness of her complexion had cooled as her cheekbones had hollowed. She was slightly taller than I remembered. I was always the tallest but she was gaining on me, standing only a few inches shorter than me in the moment.

"Well, I'll be damned." She grinned, holding out her arms to pull me in for a tight hug, "We have so much to talk about."