Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Thirty-eight.

You were a cop?

“He’s a smart dog” Tyreese says to Iris as they walk, “thanks'' she replies watching the dog run off, “he really helped me protect the kids” the man adds, Iris doesn't say anything when she realises the man said kids, knowing it probably isn't something he wants to talk about. “You train him yourself?” someone asks from behind them, Iris looks back to see Abraham, “yeah… i rescued him when he was two and he caught on quick” Iris explains.

“You were a cop?” Abraham asks looking at her cap, “yeah, i worked with Rick and Sha-” she says freezing slightly when she realises what she was going to say. “How long?” he asks “thirteen years. You military?” she asks “Sergeant. How’d you know?” he asks “i can tell” she says, and they fall silent again.

The group find a spot and sit, but Iris walks further into the woods, circling around the group keeping it clear. “Hey” Rick says walking up to Iris, the sun had gone down but she was still walking around, “hey” she replies as the man walks next to her, “you should get some food and rest” he says, “im good” she says “Iris. it’s not just you anymore.” he says, but she doesn't say anything.

“If you wont come and eat, i’ll get Carl to bring you some food” he says walking away and back to the group. A few minutes later the young boy comes up next to her holding out some food, “thanks kid” she says, taking it from him and taking a bite.

“How are you holding up?” she asks “im fine” the boy says, “i know you're not. But it’s okay… i know exactly how you feel… how that man made you feel” she says looking down at the boy as they walk “i was 9 when it happened to me for the first time…” she says looking ahead again.

“But the man who did it to me was my dad… part of me wanted to kill him. I wanted to make him feel the same way he made me feel. But I was too scared… You shouldn’t feel guilty about wanting him dead. He got what he deserved. And I will never, ever, let someone hurt you again” she says.

The boy grabs onto her hand as they walk, “will it get better?” he asks “it will, it'll take some time but it will” “did it get better for you?” he asks, the woman thinks for a minute unsure what to tell the boy “it will” she says, together they walk back to the group.

Iris sits against a tree with Bear laying across her legs, watching over the group as they sleep. Daryl notices the woman still awake, holding onto her gun as she looks around. He stands up and walks over to her, sitting down next to her, and they both stay silent, Daryl watches as her eyes begin to grow heavy, her blinking taking longer and longer until she loses the fight and falls asleep feeling safe next to the man.

……

When Iris opens her eyes again, Daryl is no longer next to her but talking to Rick a few feet away, the sun is rising and peaking through the trees. Iris pats on Bears back making him stand up, she gets up and walks over to Rick and Daryl “mornin” she says “i spoke with Carl” she adds “how’d it go?” Rick asks “it’s gonna take some time but i think he’ll be okay” she explains. “Last night did you see anything?” Rick asks, “no” she says “she was back with the group when it happened” Daryl says “what happened?” “Carol and Daryl think someone was out there last night”.

Everyone wakes up, packing their stuff and then they hit the road again. Daryl follows Iris as he goes further into the woods, together they search for tracks and hunt for food, after catching some squirrels they make their way back to the group “we surrender” Daryl says holding his hands up as they look at the group with their weapons pointed at Daryl and Iris.

Realising it is them they all put their weapons down, Iris and Daryl follow Rick away from the group “no tracks. No nothing.” Daryl says “so whatever you heard last night…” Rick says “it’s more what I felt. If someone was watching us, there would have been something.” Daryl says.

Rick nods his head and turns back to the rest of the group, Iris and Daryl keep walking ahead, looking for tracks and keeping an eye out, bear runs up and places himself in between the pair and walks with them. “Hey kid” Iris says as Carl comes up next to her “hey” he says, out of nowhere the pleas of a man echoed through the woods. 

The group stops walking and listens to the yelling, “dad, come on… come on” Carl says, running in the direction of the man's screams, Iris moves quickly to catch up behind him, the rest of the group close behind, taking her knifes out of her belt keeping them up ready to fight. They come across a man clinging to the top of a large boulder, screaming as walkers grab at his feet.

Iris drives her knives into the head of one of the walkers, letting gravity pull them out when the walker falls to the floor, while the others get rid of the rest. “Clear. Keep watch” Rick orders before turning back to the new man “come on down” he says. Iris reaches a helping hand up to the shaking man which he graciously takes, climbing down with the help.

Once the man is down Iris steps back towards Carl, standing in front of him slightly with bear next to her, “you okay?” Rick asks him, the man turns and doubles over throwing up all over the floor, “sorry” he says trying to catch his breath, “yes. Thank you. I'm Gabriel” the man says.

“Do you have any weapons on you?” Rick asks, Gabriel chuckles slightly looking around at the group, “do i look like i would have any weapons?” “We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like” Abraham says, “I have no weapons of any kind. The word of god is the only protection i need” Gabriel says,  “sure didn't look like it” Daryl says from next to Iris.

“I called for help. Help came.” he says smiling at the group “do you have… have any food?” he asks “what i had left, just hit the ground” he adds “we got some pecans” Carl says holding them out in his hand for the man, “thank you… that's a beautiful child” he says looking over at Judith as she coos at Tyrese, Iris tightens her grip on her knives as she watches the man.

“Do you have a camp?” he asks “no, do you?” Rick questions “i have a church” “hold your hands above your head” Rick says, Iris slips her knives back into the sheaths on her belt “Iris” Rick says nodding at her. The woman moves towards Gabriel and starts patting him down “how many walkers have you killed?” Rick asks, “not any actually” he answers as Iris checks all of his pockets.

“Turn around” she says, the man follows her orders and she continues to pat him down, “how many people have you killed?” Rick asks “none”. Iris stands back up and turns to Rick “he's clean” she says before walking back over to Carl and her dog. “Why?” Rick asks Gabriel “because the lord abords violence” “what have you done?” Rick asks, stepping closer to the man.

“We’ve all done something,” Rick adds when the man doesn't answer him, “I'm a sinner. I sin almost everyday. But those sins I confess them to god, not strangers.” “you said you had a church”