PetrA

Chapter seventy-two: Ellie

Ellie looked down the road rubbing her belly. Where were they? She thought frowning. It had been over a week now. "You shouldn't be out here only wearing a T-shirt." Timothy said putting a blanket around Ellie's shoulders. "Get inside they're serving food." Ellie frowned. "Timothy... we only have enough food for another three days." She said frowning. "I know, but we'll have to trust that they will be back soon." He said guiding her back inside. Ellie frowned down at the tiny bowl of porridge. "Don't worry El-Bell." Marcus said using his nickname for Ellie giving her a slight bump with his shoulder. "We're going hunting tomorrow if they're not back." That didn't make Ellie feel better at all. She scowled at him; she didn't even bother to tell him off for calling her El-Bell. Even though she hated it. "Yo Dolphin!" Nala called grinning at her. Ellie liked Nala, but her constantly good mood was getting to her. "Oh cheer up Ellie." Mary said, "Your cookie will be back soon enough." Ellie scowled.

Another two days passed and there was still no sign of them. Grant, Marcus, Travis and Justin was sent out to hunt. The camp felt suddenly quite void of male presence. Ellie counted up what they had left of food and frowned at the pile, well it wasn't much of a pile, more like a slap in the face. Nala walked into the building singing Christmas carols. Ellie looked up from her list and raised an eyebrow. Was it already that close to Christmas? "What day is it?" She called. Nala stopped singing and opened the door facing Ellie; her eyes were red and puffy, "Twentieth of December." She said smiling at Ellie. "What's wrong?" Ellie asked putting down the list. She walked over and suddenly noticed that her feet hurt and so did her back. "It's nothing." Nala said putting on a bright smile that Ellie knew too well. "Nala I know that smile." Ellie said. Nala searched Ellie's face for a moment. "What smile?" She asked. The tightness in the smile, reminded Ellie of the same smile she'd used for years, pretending that everything was okay, she still used it. Hiding the sadness, hiding everything from the world. "Nala I've used that smile for years. I know what it means." Nala sighed and dropped the smile. "It's just... today is eight years since my..." She choked and began to cry. Ellie saw all the defences crumble around her and quickly walked over embracing her in a hug. "Come here." She said guiding her over to a seat in the corner. "Eight years..." Nala sobbed as she hid her face in Ellie's shoulder. "M-My son!" Ellie swallowed hard and pulled her closer letting her cry.

Ellie knew that saying anything was pointless; it would do nothing to ease the pain. "He was so young... four years old." The words hit Ellie like a truck. "It's okay, just let it out..." Nala clung to Ellie as if she was a lifeboat to safety. "H-He didn't deserve it." Ellie rubbed slow and steady circles on her back. "It should have been me!" Ellie had a vague idea of where this was going, "Strangled, s-strangled to death." Ellie listened quietly as Nala sobbed her way through the story. Ellie didn't know what she was supposed to say. A small four-year-old son strangled to death, by his own father. She couldn't imagine how anyone could do such a thing to their own child, a child they'd sworn to love and protect, a fragile life that was supposed to grow and become someone, and live their life. Ellie did not know for how long they sat there, but when Marlene walked in she stopped and looked at them. Ellie shook her head ever so little and Marlene understood and quietly left again. "Come on Nala we better get something to eat, it's late." Ellie said gently helping her up. "You can't tell anyone..." Nala said still clinging onto Ellie. "You have to promise me. You won't tell anyone." Ellie looked at Nala for a moment and nodded her head. "I promise. I will not tell anyone." She said. "I promise on the River of Styx." Ellie thought it was her imagination, as thunder rumbled across the sky. She walked with Nala back to the main house where only a few people were gathered in the warmth, all of them wearing several layers of clothing.

Gordon rushed over with two bowls of food. "This one is for you Ellie." He said handing Ellie a bowl with slightly more food than the one he gave Nala. "I'll be right over there." Nala said as she walked away quickly. "Why is there more food in my bowl?" Ellie asked frowning at Gordon. It seemed like she did nothing but frown and scowl these days, "Timothy told me." He said looking at her with wide eyes. "You need to eat, the tiny portions aren't enough to keep you and a baby healthy and alive." He said. Ellie sighed and pulled Gordon into a tight hug. "I'll live." She mumbled into his long hair. It had grown so much, "And you need a haircut." She said ruffling his hair. "I'm not letting you cut my hair." He said backing up quickly. Ellie rolled her eyes, "Well who else is going to do it?" Gordon scowled at her. "You can't cut straight." Ellie scoffed. "Is that a challenge?" She asked. Gordon shrugged and ran off.