Daryl, Glen, and Maggie were on the way back from a run to get "Lil' Asskicker" some more formula when she ran out in front of the car. Glen slammed on the brakes and Daryl had to drive on the other side of the road to avoid rear-ending him. Maggie and Glen jumped out of the car with guns raised as Daryl put the stand down on his bike. He glanced at the woman as he did this and quickly saw that she was unarmed, though she was dragging an enormous duffle bag. She looked like she`d been badly beaten, she was covered in blood, and when Daryl turned and got a good look at her, he could see her ribs through the tears in her shirt. She held her hands up and tried to say something between sobs, but was too hysterical to actually communicate anything. She clearly wasn`t a threat though, so Daryl walked over to her with his crossbow still hanging on his back. As he got closer he saw her start to tremble, and when he reached toward her, hoping to get her to calm down and stop hyperventilating, she whimpered and took several steps back. Now that he was finally face-to-face with her, he recognized her.
"Clara?"
At hearing her name, the woman seemed to snap back to reality. She stared at him for a few seconds in disbelief before asking, "Daryl?" He simply nodded, seeing her start to recognize him. Before he saw it coming, she had launched herself toward him and wrapped her arms around him. It scared him to feel how light she was. She clung to him as though her life depended on it, but he could tell that there was no strength in her embrace at all. She`d always been tiny, and probably weaker than most, but nothing like this.
Finally, Glen spoke up, "We have a save place. Come back with us. It`s not save here in the open."
Clara nodded; she released Daryl from the vice-grip like hug, but still clung to his arm tightly. She smiled at him. "Can I ride with you?"
"Hop on."
When they finally got to the prison, Clara had become much more weak. She took a couple of steps away from the bike before she collapsed. Daryl caught her and carried her inside. She seemed to weigh nothing in his arms, and he had to take a breath to keep his cool. He was terrified that she was going to die. He didn`t really understand. Sure, he understood the bruises. There`s nothing strange about being a little beat up during the apocalypse. But before all of this happened Clara would go live in the woods for weeks at a time. She`d go with just a knife and a bow, and if anything she usually came back looking healthier than when she went. She shouldn`t have gone hungry. She knew how to survive out there.
Hershel was looking at Clara while the others talked. Daryl had already decided that she was staying. No one had argued with him about it. In fact, they seemed more interested in being nosey than finding out if she was dangerous. At 5 foot nothing and literally skin and bones, she didn`t seem like a big threat. But when they snooped through the duffle bag they found something bizarre: her bow, some arrows, but mostly books.
"She carried at least fifty pounds of books with her... no food or supplies. Is she crazy or something?" Maggie asked.
Daryl shook his head, "That bow and arrows is all the supplies she needs. She knows how to live in the woods. Always loved it... The books is typical for Clara. Smartest person I ever knew. Most them science books and how-to books. She probably get more use carrying them 'stead of fifty pounds of food."
Glen shrugged. It made sense- with walkers swarming every town, a good hunter would have an easier time finding food than books.
Carol smirked at Daryl, "So how do you know her?"
Daryl looked at the floor, "She was my girlfriend. Lost her when all this started. We looked for her for a while but when I couldn`t find her I figured the walkers got her." He felt horrible now that he knew that he`d left her to deal with the apocalypse by herself. At the same time though, he was overwhelmingly happy. After he`d lost so many people, it was a nice change to get someone back.
Hershel left the cell where Clara was staying. He gestured to Daryl to come talk to him. The others respected the private conversation, even though they were all dying to know about this girl. Hershel moved away from the cell door and the others and talked to Daryl in a quiet voice, so no one else would hear.
"Walkers didn`t do this to her. Neither did being out there alone. The bruises are from someone beating her. She has marks from being whipped with a belt and some burns from cigarettes. I think she should tell you the rest when she`s ready, but she`s pretty shaken up. Might be a good idea for you to stay with her for a while, to help keep her calm. She doesn`t seem comfortable around anyone else."
"I`m gonna fuckin' kill whoever did this," Darly mumbled through gritted teeth. He kicked a couple of things that were laying around before Hershel spoke more harshly.
"The last thing that woman needs right now is more violence. You`re the only one she feels safe around at the moment - don`t scare her by acting like this."
Daryl thought about it for a moment, then nodded and headed into her cell.
