A/N: It has been nearly two years. Fear not, this fic is still in development. In fact, I will be doing a Vampire Diaries drabble as well. I haven't forgotten about any of you. I've been badly depressed and fighting friend betrayals for the past year that stagnated my writing. But now, it's finally back. Time to focus on Dale.

chapter 12: the old veteran, dale

When the apocalypse happens, he is not surprised, rather resigned.

He is an old man, everything that has happened to him in life has been both good and bad. He is no longer surprised by anything. He is only glad his wife isn't here to see this.

The idea of having to put a bullet through his wife's head…sends a shudder down his spine. He is glad he does not have grandchildren. He has no one to really put down, so to speak. It is depressing watching his neighbors turn, one after the other, until there is no one left but him.

Dale Horvath isn't sure what to think of things after the CDC. Nothing feels right. He saved Andrea from dying, but she hates him for saving her life. Reality isn't right anymore. The others talk of things he finds abhorrent, killing innocent people for no reason.

Shane goes off the deep end and Dale is not surprised by it, at all. That man had always been a ticking time bomb. What scares him most is how many believed his story.

Good god, why are they doing this? Why are they going to kill an innocent kid, based on a blameless rumor? After they killed his friends and left one for dead, they cut off his leg and torture him? What is wrong with the world?

Rick is unwilling to listen to him about it, and everyone tells him he is crazy for being moral, still.

He has had enough. He leaves to get some fresh air and think.

Until he hears the groaning behind him.

He turns in time to see the walker, stumbling towards him.

He wants to run, but he is too old and his muscles too bad.

He watches as it opens its mouth and attacks.

Oh god, not his stomach. Dear god.

They are here, all of them.

Andrea looks upset.

He points at his head. Do it. Kill him.

He doesn't want to be a walker.

Rick shakes his head.

Daryl is the one who points the gun at him.

The young man has grown so much since they first met, becoming a true man.

"Sorry, brother." He says, and those are the last words Dale hears before it all goes black.