Hey, you

Chapter 17 - Ellie

'And cut!' shouted Doug as the main studio lights instantly switched back on. 'Great stuff out there today everybody!'

Ellie climbed down from the burned-out car roof that she'd been standing on in front of the green screen.

'Great job today, Ellie,' Doug was all smiles as she walked over to him.

'No problem. Glad to see some of my ideas are actually being considered this season,' she joked as she walked past him and towards the catering table. 'What is this crap? I seriously feel like the quality of food is on the decline around here...' Ellie complained as she turned to look at Doug, holding an empty plate.

'Well, I hear there's a job opening in catering if you think you're up for it?' he chortled as Ellie sarcastically smiled back at him before marching to the exit of Stage 7 and back towards her trailer.

'Oh and here is the star of Awakening the Undead, Ellie Greene!' a voice shouted. Ellie had to quickly find her fake smile which she had perfected over the years. Still, fake or not, it was never easy to smile on an empty stomach. She hated these studio tours - but between her and her trailer stood twenty-or-so screaming fans who desperately wanted to meet her.

'Hi everyone! How are you all doing?' The screams from the fans nearly deafened Ellie who's ears were still ringing from the sounds of explosions that had been going off left, right, and centre on set.

She was suddenly swamped by people trying to hug her or reaching out to touch her arm. She always thought that was weird. Did people really boast to their friends that they've stroked Ellie Greene's arm?

The cameras flashed, there was always that one fan who's phone just happened to freeze when she was posing for a picture with them. Her fake smile wasn't going to stick around all day...

Eventually, the tour moved on, much to the delight of Ellie who could finally relax her jaw and get some much-needed rest.

'You handle them well...' a voice said behind her. It was a very well-spoken British accent. Ellie rolled her eyes as she turned around to see her co-star, Luke, stood in front of her.

'Well you know, all part of the job I guess...' Ellie looked Luke up and down. How was it that they starred in a show about the apocalypse, yet he was always well presented? There was not a splash of fake blood, nor a trace of dirt on his neat white t-shirt.

'You were excellent out there today,' he complimented as Ellie turned back around and opened the door to her trailer.

'You sound surprised?' she joked as the door swung open. 'Anyone would think I do this for a living!'

'Not surprised, just glad to see you back out there. There was talk for a while that you weren't coming back? The actor that vanished. I hear they were this close to killing you off...'

'And then, she returned. Back to steal the show once again,' Ellie said in a sarcastically yet dramatic tone before giggling at Luke.

'Something like that,' he replied. 'So what're your plans for this evening? It is getting warmer out here again, fancy taking a walk somewhere? Maybe grabbing a bite to eat? I hear that the catering isn't up to much around here these days...' Ellie looked at Luke, she was trying to work out why he was actually being a decent person for once rather than a complete douche.

'It's actually not that bad once you come accustomed to the taste of paper!' she joked as she climbed into the trailer.

'Unfortunately, though, I must decline your kind offer,' she said imitating Luke's British accent. 'Lines to learn, scripts to criticise...'