Detached [TWD Fanfiction]

Chapter 1

They found her sat in the small church, blood smeared on her cheek, surrounded by the dead. It wasn't clear if she had killed them all by herself - she certainly didn't seem tired out - but they weren't about to pick a fight with her after seeing such a mess. Daryl, Rick and Glenn, the first three who entered, saw her and signalled to the rest of the group that they could enter, but to stay by the door. Shane stood in front of them all protectively, but still peered forwards at the stranger. She hadn't even turned to face them. At first they had thought she was one of the dead. They couldn't hear her breathing or see her moving in any way. When they approached her she still didn't move. Daryl was half tempted to shove a bolt straight through her skull and just be done with it, but given that she hadn't tried to eat anyone yet he saw no reason to. It was Rick who looked at her face first, cautiously stepping over what remained of a priest and half a dozen other bodies. She looked straight ahead, eyes closed. If it wasn't for the blood on her face and her stillness she could have been praying.

'Hey, you alright?' Rick asked gingerly. If she was one of them, she could jump on him at any moment, and there was still really no telling if she was alive or not. 'Can you hear me?'

'I'm fine.' Her answer was blunt and monotonous, reminding Rick of the days when he had asked Carl how school was only to get a shrug and a grunt.

'What's your name?' He pushed. He kept his distance, still wary, holding his hands out to show he was friendly. Despite this gesture, Daryl stood behind her, holding a knife in case she did pounce. Glenn stood in front of the group, confused as to why he had suddenly become their first line of defence when Shane was there too, but he seemed to be focussed on guarding Lori and Carl.

'Irrelevant.' Another short answer.

'Did you do this?' Rick gestured to the bodies. 'Are you hurt at all?' At this, she opened her eyes and stood up. There was no fear, no sadness no nothing. Yet somehow there was something. Rick couldn't tell what it was, but something told him there was no point in dwelling on the thought. Daryl raised his knife, ready for her to go crazy and lash out. But she didn't. She stepped forward, forcing Rick to move slightly, and leant behind the alter to pick up a bag. All eyes were on her as she walked casually to the door. Glenn gulped, thinking she was going to start with him, but she kept walking, hopping down the steps like a kid at school.

'Hey!' Daryl yelled after her, moving to the door frame. She was halfway to the trees, but stopped. She turned and looked at him, taking in the group for the first time. Several large, muscled men and a handful of thin women, one clutching a child. The man who had shouted to her stood in front of them all, drilling a hole straight through her. Impatient didn't quite cover her body language. She seemed very much like there was somewhere she needed to be.

'Have you seen a lil' girl round here?' The gruff man asked. Sure, they didn't even know this stranger, and boy was she strange, but anything was worth a shot to find Sophia. At least, Daryl thought so.

'No. I'll keep an eye out.' She continued walking, rucksack slung over her shoulder, hair bouncing gently. Daryl almost wanted to follow her. For a girl, she didn't seem to mess around and definitely seemed like she could look after herself. He'd been planning to leave the group not so long ago, and going with her now struck his mind. It'd be damn refreshing to not have to keep an eye on everyone. But he didn't even know her, and that would mean giving up on the kid they'd lost. He wouldn't do that.

'Should we go after her?' Glenn offered.

'Nah, she don't seem right. Best leave her to go,' Shane replied. And that was that.