Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Seventy-eight.

 My friends used to call me Jesus.

"Back up! Now!" Daryl orders "Keep 'em up!" Rick shouts "Whoa, easy, guys. I was just running from the dead." the stranger says "How many?" Iris questions as Rick steps back to look in the direction the man came from, "10, maybe more. I'm not risking it. Once it gets to double digits, I start running." he explains "Where?" Daryl asks "About a half a mile back. They're headed this way. You probably have about 11 minutes." the stranger warns.

The three of them stare at the man in silence, guns still pointed at his, "Okay, thanks for letting us know." Rick says, "Yeah. There's more of them than us, right? Gotta stick together... Right?" He questions, but none of them answer, Rick lowers his gun, Daryl and Iris reluctantly do the same, "You have a camp?" the stranger asks "No." Daryl says "Do you?" Iris asks.

"No. Sorry for running into you. I'm gonna go now. If this is the next world, I hope it's good to you guys." he says walking away from them, "I'm Rick. This is Daryl, and Iris. What's your name?" Rick asks, the stranger slowly turns to them and lowers his mask, "Paul Rovia. But my friends used to call me Jesus. Your pick." he says, "You said you didn't have a camp. You on your own?" Rick questions.

"Yeah. But, still, best not to try anything." "Best not to make threats you can't keep, either." Daryl says, "Exactly." Paul says, jogging off, "How many walkers–" Rick begins but Daryl stops him "No, not this guy." "How many walkers have you killed?" Rick asks, ignoring Daryl, "Sorry, gotta run. You should, too. Think you've got about seven minutes." Paul shouts as he disappears.

"What the hell was that?" Daryl asks, looking at Rick, "He was clean. His beard, it was trimmed. There's more going on there." Rick explains "He didn't have a gun, either." Iris says, "We could track him, watch him for a while, get to know more. See if he's really alone. Maybe bring him back." Rick suggests "Nah, guy calls himself Jesus." Daryl says.

Shots suddenly echo behind the building, the three carefully make their way towards the location of the sound, keeping their guns high and sticking to the wall of the building, they look around the corner and watch a small explosion coming from a metal barrel, "Firecrackers." Rick says looking over at the other two "Shit." Rick says as they all realise what's going on "He swiped your keys, didn't he?" Daryl asks, they quickly run back towards the front of the building "Sorry!" Paul calls out of the window as he drives the truck away from the three as they stand and watch him drive off, dragging the vending machine behind him. "Shit."

.........

Rick, Daryl and Iris run down the street, stopping when they come across the vending machine in the middle of the road. Iris looks around trying to catch her breath while Daryl starts going through his backpack, she looks over to him when he suddenly smashes the glass with his crowbar. He pulls out the chips and shoves them into his bag, before pulling out cans of soda, "This was a special request from the doctor." He says putting a hole in one of the cans and drinking some of it.

"Hey, whatever she wants. She saved Carl's life. We didn't know her, and she turned out to be alright. If there's still people out here, and they're still people, we should bring 'em in." Rick explains, drinking some of it and then handing it to Iris. "What, like this guy?" Daryl asks "No, not this guy." "We still got a trail." Daryl says and they all finish the drink "Let's go." Rick says and they all start running again.

.......

After running some more they slow down when Daryl gives them a signal, they crouch down slightly, they carefully peek over the hill to see Paul kneeling by the truck changing one of the tires, they quickly go down again and make their way into the woods. The three of them split up when they get closer to the road, Daryl going left, Rick going right and Iris going through the centre.

"Hold still and maybe we won't hurt you." Rick says, grabbing the man from behind and wrapping his arms around him so he cant move, Iris stands in the trees waiting for when she's needed "Sure thing." Paul says before fighting against Rick, she watches as Rick falls to the ground, Daryl steps in and tries fighting him. When Paul tries walking away Iris quickly goes up behind him, grabbing his arm, twisting it behind his back and pushing him to the floor.

Rick and Daryl both run up and stand next to her, all three of their guns pointed at the man on the floor "This is done." Rick says, as a walker begins to walk over to them, "Do you even have any ammo?" Paul asks, Rick and Daryl raise their guns and shoot the walker in front of them, while Iris keeps her gun on him and her glare burns into his skin.

"Okay. You gonna shoot me over a truck?" he asks "There's a lot of food on that truck. The keys, now." Rick orders, "I think you know I'm not a bad guy." "Yeah? What do you know about us? Give me the keys." Rick orders again, "This is the last time I'm asking." he warns. The man gives in and hands the keys to Rick, Daryl takes the rope out of his bag and gives it to Rick who ties it around Paul's wrists and ankles. Iris walks over to the front of the truck and checks out the tire, making sure it was ready for them to drive.

Iris climbs back into the middle seat, Rick in the drivers and Daryl back in the seat next to Iris, she looks at Rick as he swings the keys around his finger, smiling at her and Daryl, Iris chuckles at her friends and leans her head against the back of the chair. Rick starts the engine, Iris watches as Daryl holds his middle finger out of the open window, "so long prick!" he shouts and Iris laughs quietly.