Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Fifty-five.

Route 16.

Everyone makes it back to the barn, Michonne and the others find a car and an RV, the RV was filled with canned food. "This, this is ours now." Rick says, picking up a tin and looking at Aaron, "There's more than enough." Aaron says "It's ours whether or not we go to your camp." Rick adds "What do you mean? Why wouldn't we go?" Carl asks, Iris looks to the boy "If he were lying or if he wanted to hurt us... but he isn't, and he doesn't. We need this. So we're going, all of us. Somebody says something if they feel differently." Michonne says "I don't know, man. This barn smells like horse shit." Daryl says from next to Iris.

Rick looks to Iris, wanting to see what his closest friend thinks, "the kids need a proper place to grow up" Iris says looking up at the man, "Yeah. We're going." Rick announces. "So where are we going? Where's your camp?" he asks, turning back to Aaron, "Well, every time I've done this, I've been behind the wheel driving recruits back. I believe you're good people. I've bet my life on it. I'm just not ready to bet my friends' lives just yet." he explains "You're not driving. So if you want to get home, you'll have to tell us how." Iris says standing up and standing in front of the man.

After thinking for a moment Aaron finally speaks up "Go north on Route 16." Rick writes it down and waits for more but it doesn't come. "And then?" Michonne asks "I'll tell you when we get there." "We'll take 23 north. You'll give us directions from there" Rick says "That's... I don't know how else to say it... That's a bad idea. We've cleared 16. It'll be faster." Aaron tries.

"We'll take 23. We leave at sundown." Rick says, and Iris sits next to Daryl again "We're doing this at night?" Sasha asks "Look, I know it's dangerous. But it's better than riding up to the gates during the day. If it isn't safe, we need to get gone before they know we're there." Rick explains, "No one is going to hurt you. You're trying to protect your group, but you're putting them in danger." Aaron says "Tell me where the camp is, we'll leave right now." Rick says, but Aaron doesn't answer.

"It's going to be a long night. Eat. Get some rest if you can." Rick says walking out of the barn with Michonne following after him. Iris stands up, grabbing a tin of food and pulling out her knife, using it to open the tin, "here" she says handing it to Carl "eat" she says, "thanks" Carl says before shovelling the food into his mouth, she picks up another tin doing the same and walking over to Aaron grabbing a spoon on the way, Daryl sits and watches, making sure the stranger doesn't try anything.

Iris sits in front of the man and places the food on the floor, scooping some of it up and holding it up to the man's mouth, "eat" she says, when the man just stares at her. Aaron opens his mouth, eating the food, and Iris repeats the action until the food is gone. Without saying anything Iris stands, picking up another tin of food, and sitting down next to Daryl, "here" she says, handing the man the food, he opens the food with his knife, taking some out with his hands and eating it.

He moves the food in front of her waiting for her to eat some, but she just looks down at his hand, "you need to eat something" he mumbles, looking over at the woman. She looks up from his hand and into his eyes, "eat" he orders, Iris reaches her hand to the tin and brings some of the food to her mouth, eating it. Iris takes off her hat putting it in her bag, deciding to keep her past job a secret.

After some time, the sun is replaced with the moon, and the group prepare to leave, "iris" Rick says, and the woman walks over to him, pulling her backpack on, "i want you to go in the RV and stay with Carl and Judith" he explains, "of course" Iris says, hugging the man before walking out of the barn and into the RV.

Iris sits in the back of the RV as they drive off, keeping her hand close to her thigh holster in case, stroking Bear's head with the other. Suddenly the vehicle stops and Iris stands and walks to the front, the dog following her, "what's going on?" she asks Abraham in the driver's seat, "it's a horde" the man says, "where are they?" she asks, looking out the window as walkers make their way to the RV.

Iris opens the door, stepping out with her dog close behind, Daryl and Abraham following. Iris takes out her knives and starts walking in the direction the others were, killing walkers as she moves closer, Bear taking down walkers with her, like he has always done, "i can't see them!" she shouts back to the others, moving further. She looks around as more walkers surround her and Bear, "Daryl!" She calls out, not able to see him or Abraham, Bear's barks become louder as Iris spins in all directions, trying to find a way out.

"Daryl!" She shouts again, driving her knives into the heads of the walkers, Bear jumps at the dead, biting at their heads, suddenly Iris hears a yelp from behind her. She quickly turns to find a walker biting into Bear's side, "no!" she shouts, pulling out her gun and shooting at the walkers as tears stream down her face, bullets and arrows start to fly around her taking out the dead as she drops to the ground next to her companion.

"No. no. please" she begs, putting pressure on the wound, blood seeping through her fingers, dripping on the floor under them, "Iris!" Daryl shouts, running over to her with Abraham, when he sees the scene his heart breaks. "We have to go" he says into the woman's ear, holding onto her shoulders. Abraham quickly picks the animal up, as Daryl helps Iris up, leading her back to the RV, as her body shakes.

Rosita jumps into the driver's seat, as Abraham carries the large dog into the vehicle, laying him down on the floor and moving out of the way so Iris can get to him. Carl looks down at the dog, tightening his hold on his sister as he cries, Daryl manages to get the woman into the RV and she drops down on the floor. Reaching down and placing the dog's head in her lap as he cries in pain, "im so sorry" she cries, stroking him, Carol takes Judith from Carl and he sits on the floor in front of the woman, stroking the dog one last time.

"It's okay" she whispers to Bear, "you did good... goodboy" she adds leaning down and kissing Bear on the head as he takes his last breath. The group stay silent crying to themselves, driving through the dark roads, listening to the woman's cries as she holds the body of her dog. Iris blocks out everything as she holds onto Bear's body, thinking about how she should have made him stay in the RV. thinking about how many times he saved her, from herself and others, and she didn't save him.