'theodore joins forces with a stranger'

Society always perceived Dale Horvath as a good man. Before retirement he sold cars off a lot and did an excellent job. Everyday he'd drive home, humming to the music on the radio and waving at anyone who he recognized.

There wasn't a person in the world that didn't appreciate the man he was. You'd always hear about how generous, intelligent, and thoughtful Dale was. He'd greet any stranger with a polite smile and genuine interest in getting to know them.

Everything about the man's life was as glamorous as he ever imagined it being. With a breath taking wife and a cozy house all to themselves, he couldn't even think to complain. Not even the day they found out about her cancer.

To Dale, everyday was a gift- there wasn't a moment to waste. So when the news was broken to them, the husband of the elderly couple vowed to never let his Irma go more than an hour without smiling.

One day at work, he spotted a bland recreational vehicle that anyone with a pessimistic mind would view as an eye sore- but not him, not Dale Horvath. When he saw that large beast, all that ran through his mind was an image of him and his wife riding through miles of open road with nothing holding either of them back.

Irma had always wanted to travel the world and with her cancer growing deadlier, there wasn't another option.

So Dale did the only rational thing and worked harder than ever before. He moved every star in the galaxy, pushed through stormy deserts, and split any and every ocean in the world to get that RV. Every week whatever money he earned from sales would go into a savings account- the man must've lost nearly thirty pounds from not being able to order in as much as he did before but it was worth it.

After countless months of hard work and no play, being able to spend retirement on a never ending road trip was no longer just a daydream. It became a reality the second his signature seeped into the lease papers with blue ink.

Everyone imagined them riding in that beige Winnebago whenever Dale would bring it up to friends and Irma would only smile embarrassingly, not knowing how to find ways to apologize for her husbands excitement anymore.

A night before their grand adventure was set to start, Irma's health turned for the worst. Late night vomiting and unable to move, she knew the outcome was inevitable. Dale rushed to the phone wanting so badly to call for an ambulance but she stopped him- she didn't want to die in a damn hospital; she wanted it to be them like it has been for the past twenty years.

It was a love story for the ages- a man and a woman meet, they fall in love at first sight and stayed together until one of their ends. Through all disasters and all grace who were they to try and go against death? All they had were each other to hold onto and as Irma passed, that's exactly how it went.

Dale didn't want to let go of the woman that ethereally clouded every passing thought so instead of letting the Winnebago rust in his driveway, he put it to good use. There was a way Irma would be able to live on and he found it in every bed of water he passed by, every highway that curved into an abyss, and in the stars that shun so brightly in their own refinement.

Now, in the outskirts of Atlanta, hidden between miles of tall trees and plump bushes stood the recreational vehicle in it's underrated grit. Inside of the homey automobile, lying down in a bed that once had been prepared for a couple, was no other than Theodore.

The young man had been in and out of consciousness- waking once in a while in distress before falling back to sleep from the pain. Dale took care of him as well as he could in a now dangerously harsh world.

Days have gone by since the fatal helicopter accident and the beginning of the end of the world. If it weren't for Dale wandering through the woods to find a route out of the city, Theodore would've died.

Being a car salesman before the outbreak the elder man was obviously not a surgeon but he knew enough to at least keep the boy's heart from stopping. Knowing that whatever help there was before was now gone, Dale tried his best to bring Theodore back to a healthy state.

Just like a father would do for his own son, Dale went out of his way to do anything in order to keep Theodore safe and comfortable.

He'd keep watch on top of the RV looking for a better place to go for when the stranger were to wake. There would be bath nights where the older man would simply douse a washcloth and scrub underneath the young boy's armpits. And when the boy would mumble about a helicopter, he even went in search for it finding a horrific crash that drove a knife into his heart and recovered a black bag full of Avenger comics and male clothing.

Sometimes he'd read to Theodore knowing how soothing it was to hear a story when you felt fragile and through it all, Dale never lost hope for the young man's recovery.

Seeing the boy's eyes flutter completely open for the first time had to be one of the most relieving moments of Dale's life. Although it was anything but a smooth introduction, once calm and knowing protection wasn't only a promise, Theodore settled.

"I'm Dale." The man held out a hand.

"Uh," The younger boy hummed before reaching to it and shook with a firm grip. "Theodore but you can call me Theo."

Dale smiled brightly, nodding before asking, "Do you kind if I call you Theodore?" The boy looked at him in a strange manner- wondering why he was so weird. "It suits you better."

"Uh.... yeah, sure, I guess." Theodore chuckled awkwardly. "I don't care."

The sun was bright outside and it poured into the vehicle radiantly. Birds cooed outside in a repeated song that Theodore could remember hearing, although unable to process how. Now in a sitting position, he stared out the window and looked around at all the green that surrounded them.

It was really creepy once he thought about it, being in an RV alone with an old man whom he knew nothing about. He was nice but it still gave him the heebie-jeebies. Theodore wasn't very trusting towards strangers especially after all these years of being backstabbed and wronged.

But, not knowing how to get back home to a place that he had know idea if it still existed or not Theodore took his chances with the old man in a fisherman's hat.

Turning to Dale, he frowned, "Where are we?"

Dale sighed, standing at the entrance of the only bedroom. "Well," He drawled out curiously. "Where were you headed?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" He pushed concerned the boy may have suffered memory loss. "That helicopter must've been heading somewhere right."

"I don't know, man!" He exclaimed suddenly feeling overwhelmed at the image of Olivia's twisted body planting itself deep inside his mind. The boy fumbled with the watch on his wrist, trying to get rid of any traumatizing memories.

He shrugged, "They never told us where they were taking us." It came out soft and quiet- like he didn't want the world to hear how vulnerable he was. He turned back to the man who stared in sympathy. "I'm from Idaho."

Dale's eyes widened in surprise, "Wow." He breathed, rubbing the bottom of his chin in astonishment before scoffing. "You're a far ways from home, son. Wherever they were taking you, it must've been somewhere important."

All Theodore could do was shrug, not wanting to converse about anything he had no way of getting back to. He didn't want to forget about everyone left behind but it was the only way to be able to get through whatever was happening. Ghosts don't let you get better, they're only purpose is to drive you straight into a brick wall.

It saddened and terrified him, how his entire life changed in an instant. At one point he was a ruler of his own personal kingdom and now, all of what he built had been destroyed. Being back at the bottom was one of his worst fears and it had come true.

Feeling a tear roll down his bruised cheek, Theodore silently wiped it, thinking that Dale wouldn't notice but of course, he did.

Even if the man hadn't hope on taking in a teenager during the apocalypse, that was the reality of the situation. There wasn't anything either of them could do about it and the mere thought of sending him out there alone devastated the man. Theodore was alone and Dale could be here for him so that's exactly what was going to happen.

Taking a step forward Dale cleared his throat causing Theodore to sniffle before looking at him. Not knowing how he could cheer the young man up, he quickly scanned the room for anything that could benefit them both. Landing on a pair of fishing poles a smirk grew on the man's lips.

"You know how to fish?" Dale questioned nicely with both hands in his pockets and eyebrows slightly raised with anticipation.

"No." Theodore answered nonchalantly.

"Do you want me to teach you?" The elder offered and when he saw the reluctant look on the boy's face he smacked his lips. "Could be a useful hobby. The canned food in this place won't last forever, you know."

"Okay."

And that was the end of the past- it was that afternoon which marked a start to an unusual bond. One which included puzzles, literature, random philosophy lessons, fishing, bonfires, mechanics, and a whole lot of bird watching.

They spent weeks like that, waking up every morning and eating breakfast together before they each had a chore to keep them busy. Dale was an open book so Theodore enjoyed listening to one of his many stories every single day.

Through friendship, especially like the one they found themselves in, many people can find a place that kept them from insanity. It was all such a peculiar, heartwarming, and powerful instance that held them both together- they were a true team.

On a particular morning Theodore found himself stuck in a relentless rut, one which held the boy in it's clutches and wouldn't let go. Thinking of everything back when the undead didn't rule the world.

It drove him to not want to do anything the entire day which worried Dale but he gave the boy his space, knowing that some days everyone needed time alone.

There was a pack of old cigarettes which the younger of the two savored whenever possible. Feeling it take over his body in a flowing manner, Theodore stared at nothing but the flimsy, wooden bedroom door. Shirtless with a pair of jeans on and a simple silver chain, he savored every minute of the harsh hitting tobacco.

The top hatch of the RV was open as to let out the smoke which Dale hated since even then it would linger on inside for days on end. 

On the roof, standing upright with binoculars pressed to his face and a fisherman's hat on his head, Dale scoped out the area which they've only been staying in for about a week. It was the closest either of them have been to the city for a while and to say the least, they didn't plan on being there for long.

With nothing but an unpleasant view of a fallen population, he decided that maybe it was time to move on and find somewhere better. Theodore wasn't doing much anyways so searching for a new campout would be a way to use both their time more wisely.

"Theodore."

"Yeah?"

"What do you say about going somewhere else?" Dale asked, setting down his binoculars and turning his head so his voice could travel down into the open latch. "Somewhere with a nicer view- closer to water maybe." There was a pause. "Would do you think?"

Blowing out smoke, Theodore looked up at the hole in the roof to see Dale's silhouette waiting for an answer. He didn't like being so close to Atlanta either so the idea sounded good enough for him to put out the cigarette in his hand as he shrugged.

"Sure."

"Great! I'll be right down."

Feeling a dreadful pressure on his chest Theodore remembered they were running low on some supplies. Going into abandoned supermarkets and rotten buildings with walkers waiting for you upon entry wasn't a particularly favored experience- and you could imagine why.

But, they needed more. Living on fish, berries, and wheatgrass was terrible.

Theodore had gotten better at sneaking around especially now that he found something to help secure the possibility of getting out alive.

It was a spear but upon finding it, he thought it was a 'super dope sword or something'. The weapon was black and slender with two pointed blades on each end that were silver. Learning how to use it was frustrating and if it weren't for Dale, he would've given up on trying to master the skill. He wasn't the best at handling the weapon but good enough to protect himself.

A gun would've been his go to but since they made so much noise, he had to find something that didn't. The spear was definitely convenient considering how much he hated getting near any of the walkers- he had to be close but not so close to where they breathed on him.

"I should go on a run before we leave." Theodore called out as Dale slowly got down from the roof. The statement was followed by a thick silence until a creak erupted from the vehicle's door being opened.

"You don't have to go alone." Dale expressed with a slightly raised eyebrow. A strap across his chest securely held a rifle on the man's back.

Theodore threw on a plain shirt that smelt like firewood then stared at the man with furrowed eyebrows.

"You want to go with me?" He couldn't help but let out a low chuckle.

"Yeah, why not?" The man countered finally stepping inside the vehicle. Settling the rifle down in a specific spot he added, "It'll be better than waiting here- worrying about your safety."

Turning back towards Theodore, he glanced at the look of uncertainty still planted on his face. Dale sighed, "I'll keep watch. How about that?" He tried to compromise. "I won't even go inside."

Theodore knew how long discussions with the man could go on for and they didn't have all day. Being in the city during the day was risky but staying there after sunset was a death sentence.

He didn't like the idea of Dale going because the man was a lot older and even if capable of handling walkers would never be as agile or fast as himself. But, there wasn't another way around- he only had the option presented to him.

"Okay." Theodore agreed when a pained scream erupted through the air. Rushing outside he asked, "What was that?"

Dale had already begun climbing onto the roof, quickly planting his feet in the angle he heard it coming from. Frantically keeping the binoculars pressed to his face, he searched the area until finally landing on something out of the ordinary.

There were two women- one who didn't look conscious while the other attempted to drag her somewhere. Dale didn't understand what the panic was until he wrapped his head around the situation. The one walking could barely do so- there was some sort of injury that pained her so much that it didn't allow her to move quickly.

"What is it?" Theodore asked once again from below, looking up at the man for answers. He felt a racing beat to the way his heart thumped.

Shockingly Dale was at a loss for words- he hadn't met or seen any survivors since finding Theodore. They were a sight for sore eyes and he couldn't let them continue on in agony.

"One of them is hurt," The man said removing his binoculars, allowing them to sway around his neck. He glanced down at Theodore in a shocked manner, "We have to help them."

Hurriedly gathering himself, the older man scurried down the ladder and left the younger boy in a conflicted place. "We have to go!" Dale ordered, getting into the drivers seat and turning the engine over.

Theodore barely found the energy to move into the vehicle and reluctantly plop down in the passengers seat. He didn't want to endanger himself especially for people that neither of them knew. It was a terrible idea.

With an unexpected force, Dale sped away in the large automobile making the dirt underneath it's turning wheels splatter in all directions. Theodore held onto the safety handle with widened eyes since he had never felt the need to do so until this very moment.

"Slow down!" He found himself exclaiming.

"There's no time!" Dale responded, his attention solely on the uncleared pathway ahead of them.

With a cut of the wheel the man instantly drove into the main problem- a couple of stray walkers that were instantly crushed under the humongous recreational vehicle. They're bodies easily turned into mush the second they slipped under the spinning wheels.

Coming to a screeching halt, Dale finally felt like he had the ability to breathe now that no one was in danger. Slowly letting go of the steering wheel the man turned in his seat, ready to go introduce himself to those two strangers outside. Or at least the conscious one for now.

Theodore didn't know who was more shocked- the blonde who stood dumbfounded outside in a cloud of dust or himself. One thing they had in common was that neither could find a way to close their mouths as their jaws hung slack from what had just happened.

Dale hurriedly left the RV, leaving Theodore to sit in his seat for a couple of seconds before going over to the door. Opening it, he stood there watching as the older man tried offering his aid to the two women that obviously needed it.

The woman holding the strawberry blonde just above the ground looked shaken up, practically wanting to drop to the ground and sob. She didn't know what to do- they were strangers and those were the main reason why her father gave her the gun she carried at the moment.

So all she could do was stand there, her mouth still agape from what had just occurred.

Finding some sort of energy from all of this, Theodore felt his spirits being lifted has he somehow knew that these girls were going to stick around for awhile.

"I'm Theo- he's Dale." He introduced earning a surprised look from Dale. The boy stepped completely out of the RV.

"We can help you."