The Walking Dead (Fanfic)

Chapter 25

Everyone was standing around the fire in silence, we stood waiting to hear from Rick, Daryl and Shane who were over at the barn with Randall. Dale had walked off and hadn't come back, he needed time alone. The only sound that could be heard was the crackling sound of the fire and the chirping of crickets as well as other insects. 

Carol, Andrea and Lori were sitting on the chairs on the other side of the fire, while Maggie, Glenn and I sat on the one side. T- Dog was standing staring at the fire with his arms crossed and I thought that Carl was in his parent's tent. 

I sighed before leaning my head on Glenn's shoulder, I heard him sigh as well. Betraying and not siding with Dale hadn't just been a difficult decision for me. Glenn had learnt many things from Dale as the elderly man treated him like a son. Both of us hated the fact that we hurt him. "He just needs time to think it through." Glenn reassured me, which I think  he was also trying to reassure himself.

"It's Rick." T-Dog said which caused us all to stand up, and look in the direction he was coming. Rick wasn't alone though, he had his hand rested on his son's shoulder. Carl had snuck out to go watch the execution. We stood in silence, waiting for Rick to tell us Randall was dead, but he didn't. "We're keeping him in custody for now." he said, and almost everyone looked relieved. Despite our differences Andrea asked me to come look for Dale so that we could tell him the good news.

We walked to the RV and looked inside but he wasn't there, and he wasn't on top. "Dale!" we called out into the field. "His not in the house. Did he go for a walk?" I asked Andrea but she shrugged. "Well he wouldn't-" she was cut off by a blood curdling scream. Before we could think we sprinted off into the field, Dale was in trouble. "Dale!" I screamed before reaching for any kind of weapon, disappointed when I didn't feel my gun. More screaming sliced through the air as Andrea and I ran as fast as we could, but the sight before us made us freeze.

There was a walker on top of Dale and there way blood everywhere, without thinking I kicked the walker before stabbing it in the head. When I looked back, hoping to see the elderly man sitting was instead Dale, bleeding out. The gash on his stomach, as well as the organs piling out, made my heart stopped. It was too late.

"Help! Over here!" I screamed on the top of my lungs as Daryl ran and crouched beside me, and one by one everyone saw the sight in front of me. My vision blurred and my cheeks felt wet, I was crying but I didn't care. Everyone was screaming and yelling, Rick was now crouched beside Dale as the elderly moaned in pain. "Get Hershel!" I yelled as Andrea began sobbing beside Dale. 

It had happened so fast but all I could hear was his moans in pain, even as everyone else screamed and cried. When Hershel ran up, I looked up at the veterinarian and begged him. "Please save him, please." I said but Hershel and Rick had a hushed conversation. I knew what it was about, I knew we couldn't save him. "No!" Rick yelled, as everyone cried. I sobbed as I told him it was going to be okay.

Rick crouched down with his gun in his hand, as I saw Dale nodding his head. He wanted the pain to stop, I squeezed my eyes shut and cried harder. "He's suffering. Do something." Andrea cried, crouched over Dale. Rick aimed his gun at Dale and looked him in the eyes. I looked away as I felt Dale's hand squeeze my own. If you hadn't betrayed him, he wouldn't have been out here, a voice whispered to me, this is your fault.

I saw how Rick shook his head, he couldn't do it. Daryl took the gun from him, but I stood up and took it from his hands. Daryl shook his head but I didn't give the gun back. I fell to my knees as I sobbed. "I'm sorry." I cried, Dale nodded his head as his eyes looked straight in mine. My hands were shaking uncontrollably, but I held the gun with both hands. Dale lifted his head pushing his forehead to the gun before I pulled the trigger. The loud bang cause me to flinch, but I was the one who ended it.