Hope On The Rocks/Issue 133

This is Issue 133 of Hope On The Rocks, entitled "Somewhat Immortal".

This issue is Miles-centric.

1007, Somewhat Immortal
We need this helicopter done. We’re running low on food, and without Geary, we will not last more than a month here. Se we’re all working on the helicopter. Right now, Jim and I are working on the engine. I have no idea what to do, so I just do as Jim says. “Link the two yellows together.” Jim says, pointing at two yellow wires. I take a piece of ducttape, and wire the copper in the two wires together. Then I secure it with the tape. “You learn fast.” Jim says, and pats me on the back. “Thank you.” I say and smile. I don’t get many compliments anymore, so it’s nice to get one. Jim hands me a screwdriver, and without getting told what to do, I unscrew the top of a metal box. Inside there is several parts laying, not connected to the rest of the machinery. “This looks bad?” I say, looking at Jim. Jim quickly checks it out and says “That’s not a problem.” “Great.” I say and smile. “So how long would you say it’ll take for us to finish up here?” Jim thinks while fixing something with a counter. “A few days.” He says and looks at me. He quickly returns to the counter. “Really? That’s great.” I say. “Should I tell the rest?” “That’s probably a good idea, yeah.” Jim says, struggling with that counter.

So I do that. At the main fire, Lia is sitting with Doug, Garrett and Wesley. They are all sitting around Doug, comforting him. He looks tried. “Hey...” I say carefully. “What’s up?” “Kristen is dead.” Lia says siltently. Doug has his face burried in his dirty hands. “What? How?” I say, also sitting down. “Suicide.” Garrett says. “He was up all night to burry her.” “Man, I’m so sorry.” I say, patting Doug on the shoulder. “Thank you.” Doug mutters. My announcement seems so unimportant now. “I was going to tell you that the helicopter is done in a few days.” I say anyway. “But now it just seems so... I don’t know...” “It will be good to get away from here.” Doug says. “Understandable, man.” Wesley mutters. Lia then gets up, and pulls me aside. Silently she begins to talk. “I don’t want to leave, Miles.” She says. “What?” I say, surprised. She has to leave. We can’t stay here. “Remember how it was like before this island?” She says, avoiding eye contact. “Chad died... and Al and Odin and my parents...” “That’s not going to happen, okay?” I say to comfort her. “We’ll go to a safe-zone.” “But what if that safe-zone isn’t there? What if they are wrong?” Lia says worried. “We’re not.” Wesley says from the main fire. I ignore him and say: “Lia, please.” “I don’t want you to die.” She says and hugs me, silently crying. “I will not.” I say and kisses her on her forehead. “I will not.”

Deaths

 * None

Credits

 * Miles Vance
 * Lia Camper
 * Douglas Tallie
 * Garrett White
 * Jim Iroas
 * Wesley Snipe