It lingered with him as they walked, the sight of her tied to a tree. She was still a her to him, even if she had already turned, she was still a person. He wasn't sure why usually once someone was dead they were a thing. Daryl had been the one to end it, putting his knife into her forehead. Not before he had seen it though the W carved into her forehead. It was like the others the walkers near the canning factory. Maybe it was the fear she must have felt that made her image stick with him, being chased down and killed that was different you could still try. Dying like that, in utter helplessness, that was something different.
They walked on now in silence, looking for the man in the red poncho, or the men who had killed her whatever came first. Daryl wouldn't mind if he found that men that killed her, he would kill them. That was justice now, in the new world an eye for an eye. Aaron struggled with this new world, he could tell. It was savage and dark. It changed because it had too, life behind the walls hadn't changed much, not like this.
The sun was setting low light shining through leaves, the forest had a different sound, different smell. They should be heading back soon, but when Daryl glanced back Aaron was still walking no signs of slowing. They had found the man Morgan, but it wasn't enough for Aaron. He believed that there were good people out here somewhere waiting to come back with them. Daryl wasn't so sure; he has spent a lot of time in this new world.
"Little further," Daryl muttered. "Then we head back, ain't seen any sign of people in a while." His hand reached out moving a branch before it caught him in the face.
Aaron moved closer, "I thought we would see at least someone, one-person, one other person." Aaron sighed thinking of the man they had found before Morgan; he was a good man he saved them there wasn't a lot of that going on now a days.
"Ain't many left out here, and if they are we may not wanna find them." He thought about her when he said it, the dead girl tied to the tree with the W carved into her forehead. He heard it just then a thin shrill scream and then stopped. A twig cracked under his foot, turning he pressed his finger to his lips. Aaron was wide eyed, but he stopped moving and listened.
There was a sound again and this time he could hear the direction, off to the left. Choked sobs, mumbled incoherent pleas. He was running then, ducking under branches, jumping over fallen debris on the forest floor. His crossbow was already in his hand, arrow ready. Crashing through the brush he saw them, the man stood in front of her. He was pulling up his pants, and she, she was silent head slumped to the side.
The flying arrow sliced through the air, preaching his head before he even had the chance to turn. Daryl could see the girl now, tied just like the last one red cut down the left of her forehead. The image of the other women flashed in his mind, this is how they leave them. A cold rage boiled inside him, a heavy booted foot kicked the man head in when he closer.
He was already cutting her down when Aaron came up behind him.
"Oh God," Aaron whispered. He took off the coat he wore and draped in over her limp naked form. "They were just going to..." He trained off turning his head and running his hands over his face as if to calm himself. Daryl only grunted slipping his arms under her head and legs lifting her up.
She was naked, skin marked with dirt and blood. Under it all she may have been a light caramel color, but it was hard to tell. In the dying light the bruising looked like a water color painting, yellows and green, black and purples. Her hair was a matted halo of chocolate curls, framing a heart-shaped face. She didn't wake when Daryl lifted her, never stirred once. The two men didn't speak only walked in the direction of Alexandria, never once questioning bringing her, there never was a question.