Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Seventeen.

They didn't make it.

Before I make it outside I notice Rick, Daryl and T-dog haven't gotten back yet, I let out a whistle and Bear comes running over to me, I go through the door connect to the halls we went through earlier.

Bear and i stay close as we walk through the quiet halls, as i walk further i hear shouting coming from one of the rooms, i raise my gun and open the door, "you saw what he did to tiny... that was my friend" a prisoner cries in front of me.

"Please, we aint like that. I like my pharmaceuticals, but im no killer" he adds "Oscar here, he's a B and E and he ain't very good at it neither! We ain't the violent kind, they were! Please! Please, I swear to god! I wanna live!" the man continues.

Rick turns and points his gun to the other man, oscar, " What about you?" Rick asks "I ain't never pleaded for my life. And I ain't about to start now. So you do what you gotta do." Oscar says.

"Rick" I say getting his attention, he looks over his shoulder to look at me, everyone else also looking at me, "dont do it" I say lowering my gun, and the man does the same, making Daryl and T lower their guns as well.

We take them to a seperate cell block Rick and T pushing them in, every cell has a prisoner laying face first dead with their hands behind their heads.

"I knew these guys... they were good men" Axel cries looking at their bodies. "Lets go" Rick says "so you just gonna leave us in here? Man this is sick" Oscar says.

"We're locking down this cell block, from now on, this part of the prison is yours. Take it or leave it. That was the deal" Rick says, turning and walking away.

"You think this is sick? You dont wanna know whats outside" Daryl says "consider yourselves the lucky ones" Rick says leaving, "sorry about your friends man" Daryl adds "word of advice clear it out and burn the bodies... goodluck" I say following Daryl out of the cell block with Bear next to me, shutting and locking the door behind us.

..........

I separate from Rick, Daryl and T, and i go outside like i had planned, i take out a cigarette, lighting it and taking a puff of it. "Iris!" Carol shouts running outside, "Herhsal is awake", i quickly throw the cigarette and i turn and run back inside, running into his cell.

I stop outside of the door and stand next to Daryl "well done" Daryl says looking over to me "just repaying him for saving me" I say, i let out a relieved breath thankful that the man has survived.

......

"How are you feelin?" I ask Hershal sitting down next to him, i took this shift to check on him while the others start moving the cars inside the fences.

"Tired" he says i move the blanket from his leg and inspect it, "the bleeding looks okay... i want to keep it covered as much as possible to prevent infection" i say laying the blanket back over him.

"Thank you... for saving my life" he says "it's nothing, just repayin after you saved me" I say "and then for lettin me stay at the farm" I say standing up "get some rest, i'll send lori in with food and water in a while" I add walking out the room. And to an empty cell.

........

I climb the stairs and lay on an empty bed, Bear lays on the floor in the doorway, and i let my eyes close, my tiredness taking over my body.

........

"Hey beautiful" a voice says next to me, i open my eyes and turn my head, Shane, "hey" i say smiling at the man. I look around and see my old bedroom, in my old house, from before the world went to shit.

"What you thinkin?" he asks, leaning over and brushing hair from my face, "im thinkin... that i want to stay like this forever" i say looking back to him. He pulls my body into his warm body, i lay my head on his chest while he traces patterns into my naked arm.

"It could have been like this... you should of stayed with Daryl and and Glenn" he says "what?" i ask looking up at him, "you werent supposed to come lookin for us" he says, i sit up and look down at him "why are you saying this?" "you destroyed everything!"

.......

My eyes shoot open to Bear barking at me, once i know my surroundings i hear gunfire going off, i jump from the bed and make my way towards the shouting, Bear following.

I run outside and see walkers taking over, "Iris! Are you okay yeah?!" Rick asks seeing me come outside, "im fine! What the fuck happened?!" i ask "I dont know..." he says.

I open the the gate "beth hold onto Bears harness, he will keep you safe" I say, closing the gate behind me.

I run over to Rick and Glenn "those chains didnt break on their own, someone took an axe or cutters to them" Glenn says. "You think they did it?" he asks looking over at the two prisoners.

"Who else?" Rick says, suddenly an alarm starts to echoes through the prison, "whats that?" Glenn asks, looking around for a source, "the fire alarm" I say.

"Oh... you gotta be kiddin me!" Daryl shouts, the walkers start following the sound, making their way towards us. Rick shoots one of the speaker and the rest of us follow.

"How the hell is this happening?" I ask pointing my gun at Oscar, "woah woah woah! It has to be the backup generators" he says holding his hands up in surrender.

"Well how do you turn those on?" Rick asks "theres three thats connected to a diesel tank, okay? Each one controls a certain part of the prison. The hacks shut 'em all off when the prison was overun" Oscar says.

"Can someone open up the main gates electronically with full power?" Rick asks "i only worked in there a few days. I... i guess it might be possible" "come with us!" Rick says grabbing Oscar and dragging him with them.

"Rick im gonna stay here deal with them" I say pointing to the walkers, "stay safe" he says running off. I run down to the fence line and start driving my knife into the heads of the dead.

I make my way back up to Hershal and Beth, when i get there Rick and the others come back, "hershal" Glenn says as they run over to us "you didnt find them?" Herschel asks "we thought maybe they came back out here" Glenn says

Beth and Hershal both shake their heads no, "what about T? Carol?" I ask "they didnt make it" Daryl says looking down at his feet "that doesnt mean the others didnt. We're going back. Daryl and Glenn you come with me" Rick stops what he was saying, turning to the sound of a baby.

I turn around to see a distraught Maggie carrying a baby, with a broken Carl walking with her. But no Lori. Rick paces around confused and hurt but my focus stays on the boy.

I drop my knife to the floor and make my way over to Carl, i reach out and pull his small frame into my body, squeezing him tight, the world around me goes silent, the distant sound of Ricks cries and maggies sobs.

Suddenly im pushed back into the real world, "no... no... no" Rick cries next to us, staring at his son, i feel tears start falling down my face as i hold the boy and watch his dad fall apart next to us.

The man stamers away from us collapsing on the floor, the boy in my arms slowly turns to look at his father, but i pull him back into me so he cant see.