Solitary {2} : The Walking Dead

Chapter Three.

You’re alive.

Iris sits in the wagon as the others take the strangers out, she looks up at the Alexandria sign watching as the gates open, she pulls her hat on her head nervously as the horses slowly start walking inside the walls, and Iris looks around at all the work done. She jumps out of the wagon as it slows, she stands next to Aaron and looks around at the people walking towards them, “Hi, Daddy!” “Gracie, stay where you are, okay?” Aaron says, Iris looks over to see the young girl.

Siddiq wraps his arms around Iris, hugging her tight, Iris hugs back, smiling at him as she pulls away, “There's another one in the wagon. Female with head trauma. She's conscious.” Rosita explains to the man, Iris watches as they walk to the wagon “I'll take her to the infirmary right now.” Siddiq says “I'm coming with her.” one of the strangers says but gets blocked.

Iris looks at the gates as she hears a horse running towards them, Iris stays behind the group as she watches the horse stop, Michonne climbs off, walking towards the strangers, “You wanna tell me what this is?” she asks “Five unknowns... all clean, one headed to the infirmary.”

Michonne starts inspecting the strangers, patting them down “All clean? You sure about that?” she asks “Indeed. They're whistle-worthy, clean as a-wise. They surrendered their weapons willingly and submitted to standard frisk procedure.” Eugene explains “And why are they here?” Michonne asks, “My call.” Aaron says “It's not your call to make.” Michonne snaps

“I decided. They needed help.” Judith says “Judith, you know the rules. You all do.” Michonne says “Thing is, they're here now, and one of 'em's badly hurt. Siddiq's checkin' her out, but… Look, no disrespect, but maybe their fate is something we should decide together.” Aaron says, Iris keeps her focus to the floor as she listens to them talk “It'll be dark soon. First thing tomorrow, we can bring them before the council for a vote.” Gabriel says.

“Okay. Put them in holding.” Michonne orders, turning away from them, Michonne starts walking away but stops when she notices the Sheriff's cap sat on top of the familiar red hair, “Iris?” she questions, Iris slowly looks up at the woman, they both walk to each other, hugging each other tight. Iris pulls away and notices Judith standing waiting to talk to her mom, “i’ll let you deal with this” she says before walking away.

“Hey gabe” she says, wrapping her arms around the man “you're alive” he says, shocked that he can see and feel her right now, "I'm alive" she mumbles “I’ve got some people to visit” Iris says, pulling away from him and walking down the road.

Iris looks down at the graves, “i’m back” she mumbles “i'm sorry i was gone so long” she adds, she sits down and looks at the three graves. “I went out on the road for a while. I couldn't be here anymore… i-i don't even know if i can right now.” she says, picking at the skin around her nails “i’ve missed so much, everyone's changed. I’ve changed. This is the first time I've seen everyone in 2162 days. I kept count. I needed to, to stop me from losing myself” Iris explains, “I don't know if i’m gonna stay. I don't know if I can” she adds.

……….

Iris lays in her bed staring up at the ceiling as the dark quiet room starts collapsing in on her, she stands from the bed and storms out of the house, she pulls out a cigarette she had rolled and holds it between her lips, lifting her lighter and holding the week flame to the end of the stick, she stops in front of the gates and whistles up at the guard.

They slowly open the gates and Iris walks out of the community, she starts walking down the road, moving into the woods as she smokes the cigarette, she sits on the floor, leaning her back against a tree. She looks up at the stars peeking through the treetops.

……….

As the sun sits in the sky Iris stands up and starts walking back to Alexandria, “thought you left again” Aaron says, walking over to her as the gates close behind her, “sorry” Iris mumbles, looking down at the floor and avoiding the man's gaze, “you gonna stay?” he asks, Iris thinks for a minute, unsure what the answer is, “i don't know” she says, looking up at him nervously.

Iris and Aaron start walking together, Iris looks up from the floor when she hears a door shut, the red head freezes as she stares at Michonne, a small boy in her arms, Michonne looks back at her, a painful smile on her face, Michonne walks over to the woman, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she looks down at her son, “this is RJ. it’s short for Rick” Michonne says.

Iris opens her mouth to speak but no words come out, she forces her mouth shut and puts on a smile, “RJ this is your aunt Iris” Michonne says, the boy looks at Iris shyly, Iris just stares at the boy, her brain and body frozen, Iris looks down at the floor but a face catches her eye.

Negan stares at her through the cell window, “i need to go” she mumbles, walking away and leaving Aaron and Michonne in the street, she rushes into her house, clutching her chest as her breathing picks up, she paces back and forth in the kitchen of her old house, the faces of everyone she’s lost surround the room.

She swings open her front door and quickly walks back to the gates, walking out and making her way into the woods. Iris bends over as anything left in her stomach fights its way back up, she wipes her mouth as she stands straight again.