Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Forty-four.

Prove it.

Iris sits back against the seat, and looks over at Daryl, the pair still holding onto each other's hand, "we're okay" Carol says, Iris looks out the now smashed windscreen, the sound of the trio panting fills the van. Iris grips onto Daryl's hand tighter as a walker falls on top of the front of the van, and one after the other more walkers throw themselves on top of the van.

Once the walkers stop falling Carol opens her door and climbed out, Daryl lets go of Iris's hand and opens his door, he climbs out, grunting in pain, once he steps on the ground he turns back to Iris, holding out his hand the woman takes it and he helps her out of the van, Iris winces in pain, her muscles sore from the impact. "You good?" he asks as she stands "im fine" she mumbles "you?" "I'm fine" he replies. Carol hobbles over to the pair and they separate from each other, and together they hold her up, helping her walk.

The trio make their way through the city, finding a spot to rest for a minute and get some water, Iris sits down next to Carol as Daryl stands in front of them. He opens the canter of water and holds it out in front of Carol "i'm fine" she says looking down at the floor, "prove it" Daryl says, she looks up at him and takes the water, wincing when she tries to use her right arm.

She drinks some of the water before handing it back to Daryl "how bad is it?" he asks, Iris stands and moves to the woman's arm "i've had worse" she says, showing the pair her injuries, "damn that was stupid" Daryl says handing Iris the water, she sits back in her spot and drinks, "we made it down in good time though" Carol jokes making Daryl scoff as he sits down between the two women.

"There's only three blocks between us and Grady" Carol says "we need to find a place nearby, scope it out and see what we can see" Daryl says "You really think we're gonna find out what we need to know just by watching?" Carol asks "It's where we start." Iris replies "Come on." Daryl says standing up and putting the water back in his bag, Iris stands and follows Daryl back through the streets.

Daryl holds the door open as Iris walks through, the woman doing the same for Carol behind her, the dead lay scattered on the floor, only one of them turned into walkers, Iris pulls out her knives and watches as Daryl drives his into the head of the walker. Iris moves towards the large window, sitting on top of the desk and looking out at the hospital. Carol joins her, standing next to the desk "Its them" Carol says.

Daryl walks over to them and looks out at the building, "all right" he says looking through a plastic bag "lets see what we see" he says and hands Carol a pack of food before moving over to Iris and handing her one too, she jumps off the desk and they move into a different room.

Iris sits in the windowsill opposite Carol, Daryl stood next to them as they eat their chips, Iris finishes her food and throws the empty packet on the floor, "You said I ain't like how I was before?" Daryl asks, Iris stares out the window as she listens to them talk, "Yeah." carol replies "How was I?" he questions "It's like you were a kid. Now you're a man." Carol explains.

"What about you?" "Me and Sophia stayed at that shelter for a day and a half before I went running back to Ed. I went home, I got beat up, life went on, and I just kept praying for something to happen. But I didn't do anything. Not a damn thing. Who I was with him... she got burned away. And I was happy about that. I mean, not happy, but... And at the prison I got to be who I always thought I should be, thought I should've been... And then she got burned away... Everything now just... consumes you." Carol explains, Iris looks over at the woman, deep down she understands how the woman is feeling, but she stays quiet for the time being wondering if she should speak or not.

"Well, hey... we ain't ashes." Daryl says, the three turn their attention to the hallway when they hear a noise, Iris stands and pulls out her knives holding them up high as they start making their way out of the room, quietly they follow the thudding to find a walker pinned to the wall with one of Daryl's arrows through its neck, "Is that your's?" Carol asks "yeah" he says, hitting the walker in the head with the machete he found before taking his arrow out of the walker's neck.

Suddenly the sound of an automatic gun echos through the halls Iris quickly follows Carol to the source, they find the thief from earlier trying to fight off a walker but failing miserably, the man pushes the walker onto carol, Iris stabs it in the head as Carol struggles against it on the ground. She kicks it off her friend before chasing the man, she slows down as she gets closer to the man struggling, Daryl finally catching up to her. They look around the corner to see him trying to move a shelving unit, Daryl runs up and rams into the back of the man knocking down the shelves with him, Iris quickly grabs Daryl and helps pull him out of the way of the falling object.

Daryl picks up their weapons, Handing Iris her hand gun "Plea-- please. I had to protect myself." the stranger cries from the floor "Why you followin' us?" Daryl questions, anger radiating off of him, "I-I didn't, I swear! I thought you followed me." "Bullshit." Iris snaps, Daryl bends down and picks up a large pack of cigarettes, taking out a small box, throwing the rubbish on the floor as he keeps eye contact with the boy on the floor.

Daryl takes out a cigarette before holding out the box to Iris, she takes one and places it between her lips, reaching into her pocket and pulling out her lighter, lighting hers before holding the flame to Daryls, shoving the lighter back in her pocket. "come on, man. Plea-- please! Please, please." "Nah, I already helped you once. It ain't happenin' again." Daryl says, blowing the smoke out into the air.