Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Twenty-six.

He hurt you too.

"Mornin'" Shane says, coming up behind and wrapping his arms around Iris's waist, "mornin'" she replies pushing the scrambled eggs around the fry pan.

"What're you doin' today?" He asks, kissing her neck, "I have to go out" she says, "don't... just stay here with me" "I have to... I've got to go look for him".

"if you didn't come back to the group everything would be fine" Shane says, Iris stops stirring the eggs "what?" She asks, slowly the man's arms start to tighten around her, "you should of just stayed away" he says, his voice laced with poison.

The doorbell goes off making Iris's body jolt, Shane lets go of her and she walks to the door. Iris pulls back the door and her stomach drops, the governor, Iris sees he has something in his hand.

She looks down, "what have you done!" She cries, looking into the lifeless eyes of her beloved dog, as the man holds only his head in his hands.

With his empty hand he grabs onto the woman's hair pulling her with him "Shane! Help! Please!" She cries out to the man but he just stands at the door watching as she gets dragged away.

.......

The woman jolts awake, looking around at the cell she was sleeping in, she swings her legs over the edge of the bed sitting up. Bear wonders over to her, she reaches down and pets the dog kissing him on the head before standing from the bed.

She puts on her shorts and her vest and then her shoes and hat, strapping on her leg holster and putting her hand gun in it, then sliding her knife into her belt. She throws on her coat and then her bag before walking out of the cell and down the stairs with bear following her.

The two of them walk out of the prison fence and make their way down the empty road, after an hour of walking they move off into the woods.

.........

"Did you find anything?" Maggie asks walking over to Iris as she walks up the field to the prison, "no" "maybe it's time to stop looking" Maggie says Iris stops walking and turns to look at the woman.

"I can't" Iris sighs "i have to make him pay for what he did to you... to Glenn... Andrea and all his people" Iris adds "he hurt you too" Maggie says.

Iris goes quiet, looking down at her feet, "because I didn't want him doing it to you" Iris says quietly, just loud enough for Maggie to hear. Maggie's heart sinks at the thought of the woman putting herself through that to keep her safe, she reaches out and hugs her tightly.

The contact takes Iris by surprise, once her brain processes what is happening, she hugs Maggie back "i have to find him" Iris mumbles into Maggie's ear.

.......

"Mm food" Iris says, walking up to Carol while she plates up the food for everyone, "here you go" Carol says, smiling at Iris while handing her a plate. "How'd it go?" Daryl asks from next to her, "nothin" Iris says stuffing her food into her mouth with her hands.

"I need you two to see something... Patric, can you take over?" carol says, Iris puts the last of her food into her mouth and places her plate down, Daryl and Iris follow Carol "mr. Dixon. I just wanted to say thank you for bringing that deer back yesterday." the kid says.

"It was a real treat sir" he adds, Daryl looks over at Carol and Iris "i'd be honoured to shake your hand ." the boy says holding his hand out in front of the man, Daryl licks his food from his fingers before shaking Patrics hand.

Carol starts leading the way again and Iris and Daryl follow behind, "about today, i dont know if we're gonna be able to spare a lot of people for the run." Carol says "that place is good to go. We're gonna move in on it." Daryl informs.

"Yeah... the thing is we had a pretty big buildup overnight" Carol says as the three look over to the fence crawling with walkers "it's worse since i went out before sunrise" Iris says. "It's getting as bad as last month. They dont spread out anymore" Carol says "we can try and move them away... maybe add some traps" Iris suggests.

"With more of us in here, we're drawing more of them out. You get enough of those damn fence-clingers, they start to herd up" Daryl says, "they're pushing against the fence again. It's manageable, but unless we get ahead of it not for long" Carol says.

"sorry, pookie" Carol says looking at Daryl, he scoff and nudges her arm with his, before turning away with Iris following. She lets out at small laugh and the man looks at her ""what're you laughin' at?" he grumbles "nothing" she says letting out a bigger laugh, Daryl says and nudges his arm into hers.

........

Daryl, Iris and a few others begin packing the truck ready for the run, Iris turns and sees Beth kissing one of the boys before walking towards Iris, "hey can you keep an eye on Bear?" she asks the young girl "of course" beth says smiling and grabbing onto the handle of the harness "thanks kid" Iris smiles and watches the girl and her dog walk away.

"It's like a damn romance novel" Daryl says walking past up to Iris and putting another crate into the truck bed, Iris closes the truck after making sure they had everything before walking over to Daryls bike as he starts it up.

"Well look whos back" Daryl says turning off the bike in front of Rick and Michonne "anything?" Iris asks, begging that she has found something "didnt find him" Michonne answers Iris nods slightly, "glad to see you in one piece" Daryl says speaking for the woman sat behind him.

"Im thinking of looking over near Macon." Michonne says, "it's a good idea. I think im gonna go and look closer to woodbury again tomorrow" iris says, "70 miles of walkers. You might run into a few unneighborly types" Daryl says to the women "i'll be fine" Iris says but Michonne stays silent.

"I'm gonna check out the big spot. The one i was talking about just seeing." Daryl informs Rick "yeah, i got to go out and check the snares. I dont want to lose whatever we catch to the walkers" Rick says "i'll go" Michonne says stepping away.

"You just got here" Carl says "and i'll be back" the woman says walking away smiling at the boy. Rick places his hand on Iris's shoulder, squeezing it gently as Daryl turns his bike back on saying goodbye to Rick before they drive away.