Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Ninety.

You were right.

Abraham, Daryl and Rosita lay Eugene in the back of the truck, Iris climbs into the front and Daryl gets into the driver's seat. He starts the truck and they start driving back to Alexandria, Abraham and Rosita stay in the back of the truck with Eugene, keeping pressure on his wounds, Daryl keeps his eyes on the road, the image of Denise's body staining his mind. Iris keeps her head down, picking at the skin on her fingers, what are they going to tell Tara? What if Eugene doesn't make it? They're going to have to tell her that her girlfriend and her friend are dead.

Iris thinks about what Denise was saying before it happened, I wanted you here because you don't make me feel stupid. You've been helping me. You also make me feel safe. She looks over to Daryl, her heart breaking as she looks at the broken man, her sadness grows into anger. She's angry because Denise didn't deserve that. She's angry because they've lost another person. She's angry because Daryl has been hurt again. And she's angry because yet again someone has been ripped from them and another group is taking advantage of them.

.........

When they park up in Alexandria Iris jumps out of the truck and runs ahead to the infirmary, the others carrying Eugene behind her, she slams open the door and starts grabbing all the things she's going to need to save Eugene's life "i need light" she orders walking over to the man laying on the bed, she pulls up his top and starts assessing the wound, "looks like the bullet just grazed him" Iris says cleaning it up she starts to bandage him up.

"Rick's coming. How is he?" Abraham questions walking back into the house, "bullet just grazed him, but it's a good thing we got him back when we did. Antibiotics we picked up could save him from an infection." Iris explains "Could save his life. That's what Denise did." Rosita adds, Iris looks at Eugene when he starts coughing "You here?" Rosita asks the man "Present." He says still groggy from his sleep.

Iris stands up from next to his bed and steps outside, she stands on the porch and lights a cigarette, Rick comes running up to the porch, "are you okay?" he asks, grabbing onto the woman's shoulders and looking her over, "i'm fine" Iris says lifting her cigarette and sucking in the smoke, "you sure?" he questions, lifting his hand and stroking her cheek, "i'm sure" she says, Rick makes his way into the Infirmary and Iris walks back to the truck.

She climbs into the driver's seat and starts the engine but before she can drive off the door to the passenger seat opens, without saying anything Daryl climbs in and shuts the door behind him. Iris drives back down the roads, she pulls up in front of the tree and they get out of the truck, the pair walk in silence, making their way down the tracks. When they make it to the spot they stop for a minute, Iris looks down at the woman's body, she crouches down and carefully pulls the arrow out of her head, throwing it on the ground.

Daryl grabs onto Denise's legs, Iris grabbing onto her upper body and together they start carrying her back to the truck, gently laying her in the truck bed, they cover her body with the white sheet Daryl threw in there before he got in. Iris closes the back and gets back behind the wheel, turning the truck around and driving Denise home to rest. The guard slides open the gate and Iris drives the truck to the graveyard, they carry her body out and lay her on the ground, Carol joins them and hands them both a shovel.

As they start covering the body with dirt Daryl pulls out two small bottles of alcohol, hands one to Iris and she quickly pours it into her mouth, throwing the empty bottle on the floor and going back to work, "You were right. I knew it when you said it." Carol says Iris just ignores her and carries on covering Denise.

Iris walks back to the house, she makes her way upstairs, Michone and Carl watching her, she walks into her room and locks the door behind her, she slides down the door and pulls out her cigarettes and lighter, as she smokes she plays with the lighter in her hand, flicks it open and watches the flame dance in the light breeze, she slowly brings it closer to her leg but freezes when a knock sounds from the door behind her.

"Iris! Open the door!" Rick pleads from the other side shaking the handle and trying to get in, Iris just sits there leaning her head back against the door, "Iris come on" Rick says, Iris slowly stands up, she looks down at the lock, she unlocks it and opens the door, "dont do this to yourself" Rick says "i'm fine" Iris says "i'm gonna kill them for what they've done" she adds, "i'll help you" Carl says from behind his dad, Iris looks over at the boy "we all will" Rick says.

.......

"Where're you going?" Iris questions running out of the house to Daryl on his bike, "just out" he says "Daryl" she says standing next to his bike, "I'll be fine. I'll see you when I'm back" he mumbles, looking up at her, "okay" Iris says, before she watches him speed off. She watches Michonne and Glenn jump into the van with Rosita and drive after him.

"Iris!" Rick calls, she runs over to him and Tobin, "what is it?" she asks "Carols gone" Rick says, "What time did she leave? Do you know what she took?" Iris asks Tobin "Sometime in the night. I never heard her go, but she made a bunch of food, you know. She took her pack, one of my coats–" Tobin explains "Did she leave on foot?" Rick asks "I-- I don't know."

"Rick, I took over at 12:00, I was on till 6:00. I never saw anything." Sasha says when they make it to the gate, "Front's been quiet since the others left." Abraham says "What? Who?" Rick asks "Daryl. He went ICBM after the Saviors from yesterday. Glenn, Michonne, Rosita, they all went to shut that shit down." Abraham explains

"Where's the other car?" Tobin asks, walking closer to the gate "We added two more cars yesterday. One of them's missing, the one we put right between those houses." he explains "You can barely see between the houses from up top, especially at night." Abraham says "The note, can I see it?" Morgan asks "You never saw any headlights, taillights? She's smart enough to cover her tracks." Rick says handing Morgan the piece of paper.

"She must've left during the shift change." Sasha says "Where are you going?" Rick asks looking at Morgan as he starts to walk away "I'm gonna go find her." Morgan says "Wait. Tell Carl I'll be back soon. No one else leaves. Everyone else stays ready for a fight." Rick says to Iris before running over to the car.