Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Sixty-three.

People Are People.

Daryl looks down at one of the walkers on the floor, "What the hell's that? Is that a W?" he asks, Iris and the others look down at the walker, inspecting the 'W' carved into the forehead. "Yeah." Carol says, and Rick crouches down to get a closer look, he looks up to Iris before standing again, "I'm gonna stay out for a bit longer... have a look at everything" Iris says, the others stop and turn to look at her, "Okay" Rick says and Iris turns and walks away from them.

Daryl follows behind her without saying anything, and the two walk in comfortable silence until they notice something strange, Iris and Daryl raise their weapons and move towards it, "come out now!" Daryl orders, and they follow a figure with their weapons, Aaron walks out of the bushes with his hands up in surrender.

They put their weapons down and stare at the man, "You can tell the difference between walkers and humans by sound?" Aaron asks them, "Can you tell the difference between a good guy and a bad guy? Rick doesn't seem to be an expert at that." he adds when the two just stare at him, "There ain't much of a difference no more." Daryl says, "That how you feel about your people?" Aaron asks "Why you following us?" Daryl asks the man.

"I didn't know I was. I came out to hunt rabbits... I know why you're out here... Mind if I join?" Aaron asks, Daryl thinks for a minute, turning around and looking at Iris before they start walking away, "Keep up. And keep quiet." Daryl orders the man. They carefully walk through the woods, Aaron trying to follow Iris and Daryls lead as they follow tracks, making sure they dont ruin them.

Iris stops and looks up when she hears the horse, "hold on" Daryl mumbles quietly, they look through a clearing in the trees and find the horse stood eating grass, they slowly walk closer, "I've been trying to catch him for months, bring him inside. His name is Buttons." Aaron says, Iris and Daryl look at the man "One of the kids saw him run by the gate a while back. Thought he looked like a Buttons. I haven't seen him for a while. I was afraid it was too late. Every time Eric or I come close, he gets spooked." Aaron explains, pulling out a rope and getting it ready for use.

Daryl puts his crossbow on his back and takes the rope from the man, "Have you done this before?"Aaron asks "our group did. But they weren't out there that long. The longer they're out there, the more they become what they really are." Daryl explains before slowly walking closer to the horse, Iris and Aaron following carefully behind, "I ain't gonna hurt ya... All right?" Daryl says, getting closer to the horse "Come on, boy. Yeah. Just keep on eating." Iris stays back and watches the man work.

"Yeah. Good boy. Yeah, you used to be somebody's, huh? Now you're just yours." Iris listens to his words, on the outside Daryl was a rock but on the inside he felt everything. Iris looks away when she hears a twig snap "fuck" she mumbles, noticing the walkers making their way to them, pulling out her knives, the horse freaks out and runs as Iris stabs the walkers in the head, the other two taking down the other walkers. "Come on" Daryl says once all the walkers are on the floor, Iris quickly follows as he runs after the horse.

"You ride horses?" Aaron asks, as they walk again, "I ride bikes." Daryl answers, and Iris keeps quiet, "I take it you don't mean 10-speeds. I know you're feeling like outsiders. It's not your fault, you know. Eric and I, we're still looked at as outsiders in a lot of ways. We've heard our fair share of well-meaning, but hilariously offensive things from some otherwise really nice men and women. People are people. The more afraid they get, the more stupid they get. Fear shrinks the brain. They're scared of you and me for different reasons. They're less scared of me because they know me. It's less and less every day. So let them get to know you. You should go to Deanna's party tonight." Aaron rambles.

"I got nothing to prove... I met a lot of bad people out here doing a lot of bad shit. They weren't afraid of nothing." Daryl says, and they walk in silence again. "Gotta move quick. He's pinned in with them." Daryl says, as they look at the horse running around a fenced area with walkers surrounding it, "I got the far ones." Daryl says they split up and start taking down the walkers, she runs towards the horse, Daryl and Aaron making their way over to her, "shit" she says, watching as the walkers grab the horse, pulling to the floor and ripping it apart.

Iris turns her back to the scene as she hears the horse cry out for help, she feel bile rise in her throat as the noise reminds her of Bear, Daryl grabs onto her hand and squeezes it, he lets go and walks over to the walkers with Aaron, Iris listens as they take out the walkers, slowly turning to face them when the horse goes quiet, Daryl kills the last walker and she walks over to him, watching as Aaron shoots the horse in the head, putting it out of its misery.

"He always ran." Aaron says, looking down at the dead animal, "You were trying to help him." Daryl says, grabbing onto Iris's hand and walking away, they walk back to Alexandria hand in hand in silence. When they make it back the sun had gone down and the group are at the party, Daryl and Iris stand outside the house, staying by the trees in the darkness so no one sees them.

Iris listens to the chatter and music sounding through the walls, Iris looks to Daryl noticing he is also uncomfortable and unsure, "you wanna go in?" he asks, look at her, "not really" she answers, Daryl nods his head and starts walking away with her following, she grabs onto his hand and follows him through the empty streets.

As they walk past a house the porch lights turn on making them both turn their attention to it and slowing to a stop, "Daryl. Iris. hey" Aaron says, from the open door, "Thought you were going to that party over there." Daryl says, pointing back to Deanna's house, "Oh, I was never going to go 'cause of Eric's ankle, thank God." Aaron explains "Why the hell did you tell us to go, then?" Daryl asks "I said try. You did. It's the thought that counts thing." Aaron says.

"All right." Daryl mumbles and turns to walk again, "Hey, come in. Have some dinner. Come on, guys. It's some pretty serious spaghetti." Aaron says, Daryl and Iris watch the man retreat back into his house, they look at each other and Iris makes the decision to start walking up to the house, pulling Daryl along behind her by the hand.