Solitary {2} : The Walking Dead

Chapter Twenty-two.

Ghosts.

HOUR 4.

Iris drives her axe into the walker's heads, she looks back at Laura as the last walker drops, "hold up" she mumbles, looking at the herd coming to them.

HOUR 6.

Iris nods to Aaron as he walks past her with a new group to clear out the walkers.

HOUR 13.

Iris stands on the watchtower with Eugene, she whistles down to Aaron as him and the group walk back through the gates, Aaron climbs up the ladder and Eugene hands the man his binoculars, Aaron looks out at the herd stumbling down the road towards the community.

"They keep coming from the direction of the border. Just a constant wave after wave." Aaron explains to everyone, Iris bites her lip nervously, "This is her." Carol says "You know your training. Lock it down." Iris says before walking away.

HOUR 14.

Iris grips onto her knife as she stands with Daryl at the front of the group, Michonne walks up next to them, looking through the binoculars and watching the walkers as they get closer.

HOUR 19.

Iris drives her blade through the gaps in the fence, killing the walkers, one after the other, "Iris take a break!" Michonne shouts, the redhead reluctantly listens and steps back.

HOUR 24.

Iris steps back in, driving her knife into the walkers again, blood splatters over her, mixing with sweat as she kills.

HOUR 31.

Iris lets out a sigh as she steps back, "here" Michonne says, handing Iris some water "thanks" Iris mumbles before bringing the bottle to her lips and pouring the liquid into her mouth.

HOUR 37.

Iris raises the spear, driving it through the heads of three walkers, pulling back quickly and watches the bodies fall on top of each other. Iris washes the blood on her hands into a bucket of water, she cups some water in her hands and brings it to her face, the blood and sweat dripping into the bucket, she lets out a tired sigh before walking and grabbing some food.

HOUR 44.

Iris swings her axe in the air, her blade sliding through the walker's head, she looks around as the last walkers hit the ground, "you look like shit" she jokes, looking Michonne up and down, "not as bad as you" Michonne laughs.

HOUR 49.

"Shit" Iris mumbles, looking through the binoculars and watching a new herd walk towards the community, she hands the binoculars to Michonne and rubs her hands over her face.

Iris walks to the gates and starts helping everyone load up the bodies, "How long till the next wave hits?" Michonne asks Eugene, "One hour from the north, two from the south. Northern wave's thicker than fleas on a farm dog, but the southern's more dispersed. By my estimation, we'll be fighting into the night again." Eugene says.

"Yeah, can't push 'em too much further." Daryl says, standing next to Iris and Michonne "I have eyes... Sorry. I'm just tired." Michonne says "We all are." Daryl says, patting the woman on the shoulder and turning away with Iris.

"Hey, heads up." Daryl says, Iris looks up and watches a skin walk towards them, Iris, Daryl and Michone watches the woman as she stops in front of them "The north border. Now." the skin says.

"Call off your walkers." Michonne orders, "Not us." "Yeah, right." Daryl scoffs "Not. Us. Go to the border, lay down your weapons, and wait." the skin says "Wait for what?" Iris asks "Her." the skin says before walking away.

..........

Daryl leans against a pillar, Iris standing next to him as they watch the group sit around, "All right!" Michonne yells, everyone goes quiet and looks at her "Is this your mother?" Iris looks down at Lydia "No. I don't think it is." the girl says.

"Why's she want to talk with us?" Daryl asks "You crossed into her land. Again. You have to answer for that." Lydia explains "We don't have to do anything. We could just not go." Aaron says "That's a bad idea." the girl says "We're already under attack." Dante says, the crowd shouts in agreement with the man.

"It isn't her. If she wanted you dead, she'd send the horde. All of it, not just a few waves at a time." Lydia explains "Maybe she's trying to wear us down first." Carol suggest "Or, as I relayed to you all at the beginning of this meeting, there's plausible reason to believe that the satellite and fire..." Eugene tries "I don't want to hear about the damn satellite anymore, Eugene!" Margo shouts.

Iris grips her knife as she watches the woman "My friends died trying to save yours and ended up with their heads on spikes. The Highwaymen want justice!" she shouts, standing from her seat

"So all I want to hear from you is that you're gonna take a dozen of us to meet these freaks at the border and that we're gonna take that lead bitch's head off!" Margo shouts.

"We cut it off! And then we'll put their heads on spikes!" Gage shouts, Iris watches Siddiq rush out of the the building, everyone shuts up when Michonne stands "How many walkers did you see in Alpha's horde?" she asks.

"Tens of thousands." Daryl says, "Ah. So... What's your plan for taking them out?" Michonne asks, looking down at Margo "Oh, that wasn't rhetorical." Michonne snaps when the woman doesn't answer "I don't have one." the blonde admits.

"Ah. Does anybody else? If she sends that horde, that's it! Right now, all she wants to do is talk. And we are going to listen. Now, while we are doing that, everyone here needs to focus on what's coming in from the north and the south." Michonne explains.

She lets out a sigh and looks down "We're tired. We are on edge. And it is going to get worse before it gets better. But we aren't gonna get through it at all if we do not act as one." she adds.