Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter 153.

Juniper.

Iris stands from Junipers bed, looking around the room she writes a small note, 'gone to hilltop', she looks down at the letters Juniper had written, shoving them into her backpack she quietly sneaks out of the room, looking in the living room she looks at Tara, Rosita and Enid sleeping in the dark room. Iris walks out of the house and climbs onto her bike, as she turns it on she feels someone sit behind her, "I'm coming with you" Enid says, Iris doesn't fight, she just drives out of Alexandria.

............

Iris stops her bike, watching Maggie walk towards her, Iris climbs off her bike, Enid walks over to Maggie and hugs her, Iris walks past them, ignoring the looks as she makes her way into Maggie's office, "hey" Maggie says, shutting the door behind her, "juniper's dead" Iris says, she takes her backpack off her back and pulls out the letter with Maggie's name on it.

"Iris, i'm so sorry" Maggie says, moving to hug Iris "don't" the redhead says, stepping back and glaring up at Maggie, "she wrote this for you" Iris says, holding the paper out in front of her, "i wish i was there with you" Maggie says, taking the letter from Iris.

"I didn't want you there" Iris snaps, "what?" Maggie asks, looking at her friend confused, "I don't even want to see you right now" Iris says "I'm sorry about what happened. I needed to do it" Maggie says, "no you didn't! But you did it anyway!" Iris shouts, "you don't get it. You haven't lost what i lost" Maggie raises her hand to her mouth, regretting the words that just fell from her lips, her words coming out before she could stop them.

"Really?! I lost Shane and Lori! I owed my life to your dad and Beth! Bear died because of me! Abraham and Glenn got killed! I had to watch Carl shoot himself before he became a walker! Rick blew himself up for everyone else! I found my sister and now I've lost her too! So please tell me how i havent lost what you've lost!" Iris shouts, tears falling from her eyes.

Maggie stands and watches the angry woman, regretting what she had said "we've all lost people. Some of us were just trying to move forward" Iris cries, she storms out of the room, pushing past the people in her way, putting her backpack on she climbs onto her bike and speeds off, ignoring Enid's calls for her.

Iris speeds her bike down the empty roads, her anger clouding her vision as she skids to a stop. She looks around the old farm house and sits on the porch bench, pulling out her letter she begins to read.

Dear Iris,

I know I'm dying. You won't tell me but I know. We didn't know each other long but I love you more than anyone i've ever known. You are stronger than I ever could have been, that's why I know you will make it through this. I wish we had longer together, but I am thankful for the short time I did have.

When I saw you that day Negan brought you to me, I knew everything would be okay because you are here with me. I don't want you to lose yourself when I go. I want you to move forward, enjoy the new world we've been building.

I love you so much Iris.

-Juniper.

Iris folds the letter and puts it back into her bag, she sits and looks out at the fields, letting her anger drain from her body as she pulls out a cigarette and starts to smoke it.