when i look at you | TWD

chapter four. i have the knife, asshat

ELEANOR LOOKED UP FROM HER DRAWING IN THE DIRT, SPOTTING THE WOMEN DOWN IN THE QUARRY, GIGGLING LOUDLY. Rick and them left not too long ago, everyone now doing their daily chores around camp. She smiled faintly, glad to see that some people were having a good day. Ellie's smile faltered once she saw Ed Peletier walking up, muttering something that she couldn't hear. She got up from her spot hesitantly, making her way towards them, now getting a clear listen of their conversation.

"You don't like it, Ed? Why don't you wash your own clothes?" Andrea says, throwing the wet shirt towards him, only for it to be right back into her arms again, caused by Ed tossing it back with an aggravated glare.

"C'mon, now." The man grabs onto Carol's arm, the woman letting him, tears beginning to prick her eyes.

"Hey, asshole, why don't you back off?" Amy spat out once Ed started to grab onto Carol. Ellie stayed in her spot, watching everyone's movements. She steps closer, now being just beside Amy, who was in front of Ed.

He pulls on Carol's arm harshly and she whimpers in pain, looking towards the ground.

"Let go of her!" El yells out, moving in front of Amy, grabbing Ed's grimy hands off Carol's already bruised arm. He reaches out with his free hand, swiping it across her face swiftly. Ellie grunts in response and stumbles, nearly falling over. She would have if it wasn't for Jacqui who grabbed onto her arms to steady her. "You alright, baby?" She asked and the girl nodded, wiping the blood off of her lip.

"Fucking asshole." She mumbles, holding her injured face in her palm.

Shane suddenly comes up from behind the RV and towards Ed, throwing a punch at his jaw before the man falls, him grabbing his shirt and dragging him across camp. Ellie watches with worried eyes as her father pounds in Ed's face, his knuckles getting bloodier and bloodier with every punch. She inhales and exhales shakily, heartbeat increasing as her adrenaline was at its peak right now.

"Stop it!" Carol screams out as Amy pulls her away. "Stop it!"

Shane doesn't even glance at Carol as he continues to punch him, banging his head on the concrete once before he grips onto the collar of his shirt, pulling his face towards his. "If you ever put your hands on my daughter, or anyone else in this camp, I will not fucking stop! You understand?!" He yells out, Ed nodding his head, barely conscious. He tosses his body back into the concrete before getting up, making his way to his daughter. "C'mon." He says in a low voice that surprised Ellie, she's never heard it filled with so much anger. She follows him towards the RV as he swings the door open, holding it for her. "Sit down." He orders and she does, pouting as she made her way to the couch, wiping the blood from her lip.

"Here." He growled, throwing the ice pack towards her. Ellie sighed and placed the cold item on her nose, wincing as it stung a bit. "What the hell were you thinking? Huh? You don't ever try to break up a fight. Especially with assholes like that!" He yelled, a vein popping out from his neck.

"I-I'm sorry. I was just-" Tears were starting to leak from her eyes as he yelled at her, getting in her face.

"Just trying to what? Get yourself beat up? Was that it?" Shane sighed deeply as he turned away from her, rubbing his head. "I can't believe you." He whispered, thinking she didn't hear him, but she did and she scoffed, getting up from her spot in the couch.

"Really? You didn't give a shit about what I was doin' when you were fucking Lori!" She yelled, making her father turn around with  that same look of anger.

"Watch your damn mouth, young lady!" Shane yelled, pointing his finger in her face.

Ellie just scoffed and shook her head in disbelief as tears fell down her face. She walked passed him and out from the RV, instantly being greeted with stares from everyone in the group. The girl met Lori's eyes, full of guilt and pity.

Scoffing, she made her way down to the quarry, throwing rocks into the water. She felt someone come next to her and to her surprise, it was Amy. "Ellie... hi." She says, standing next to her.

Ellie wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffled, not even glancing her way.

"You mind if I sit?" The blonde asked. The teenager now looked at her and she shook her head, Amy now sitting next to her.

The two sat in silence for a couple of moments before Amy spoke. "How's your face?" She asked, giving her a sad smile.

Ellie shrugged, throwing another rock. "Fine."

Amy sighed, looking up towards the sky. "I heard what happened in the RV. Pretty sure everyone did." She chuckled awkwardly, scratching her head. "I'm sorry."

The girl looked to her, smiling slightly, it not quite reaching her eyes. "Thanks, Amy."

"My dad was always like that. So demanding and controlling. Not letting me do my own thing." Amy chuckled, remembering her father in her last year's of high school. "But no matter how much he yelled at me... I know that he loved me. Even if he hardly showed it." She assured the young girl.

Ellie sighed and nodded, no other words being exchanged between the two.

It was now night time and Ellie was sitting next to Jax, him being close to her for warmth. Amy looked at the two with a bit of jealousy, but then casting her eyes back down at the fire, trying to ignore their closeness.

The boy moved closer to Ellie, smiling slightly, this all going noticed by Shane. The father was still a bit mad from earlier, but he has beginning to realize that he was overreacting and regretting what he said to her, especially after seeing her cry like she was. The tension in the air between the two could be cut like a knife and everyone in the group could feel it as well, their stares being awkward as they tried to keep looking at the fire.

Amy got up suddenly, making Andrea look at her in question. "Where you going?" She asked her.

"I'm going pee. God, try to be discreet around here." Amy scoffed, the group laughing in response.

Shane looked to his daughter from across the way, her trying not to look at his pleading eyes to forgive him.

"We're out of toilet paper?" Amy called out, the group look to her and suddenly, a walker came up from next to her, biting a chunk out from her arm. Everyone got up immediately and the children started to scream loudly, moving towards their parents.

Jax moved Ellie behind him and she scoffed. "I have the knife, asshat." She told him, throwing her knife at the walker that was coming towards them, hitting it in the shoulder. She cursed loudly and moved towards it, retrieving her knife.

There was a walker coming towards Jax and he looked around, trying to see if he could find a weapon. "Jax!" The sound of his fathers voice made it's way to the boys ears and he looked up, seeing Rick throwing a gun towards him. The boy caught it with ease and shot the walker in it's head. Perks of playing football.

After minutes, the screaming stopped and everyone panted heavily, looking around to see a bunch of their group now dead. Andrea cried loudly, Amy being on the floor with a large chunk taken out from her neck.

Shane quickly ran towards his daughter and placed his hands on her cheeks, checking her body for wounds. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry." He gasped, pulling his daughter into his chest as Ellie just stood there with a blank look on her face, tears falling down her face as her hands shook. She hugged her father back and sobbed into his chest, him holding her tightly.

"I remember my dream now. Why I dug the holes." Jim stated, the only thing they heard was the sound of Andrea's loud cries as she held onto her sister's dead body.