Hope On The Rocks/Issue 21

This is Issue 21 of Hope On THe Rocks, entitled "Peter's Journey".

This issue is Peter-centric.

301, Peter's Journey
Before the outbreak, I lived in Scranton with my girlfriend. I work at a paper company in Scranton, or well, I did. I was on a buisness trip to Waynesburg when the outbreak arrived. Haven’t heard from my girlfriend since. I got picked up by Sylvest, and he took me along to Rogersville. There I met Axel, who gave me his old house. Apparently, he sleeps at his stall. Anyway, he hired me to go scavenge tradeables for him, and trade with other colonies. I get pretty much whatever I want from his stall. Axel hired this guy, Landon, as well. He is the most freaky guy I have ever met, but he’s okay. He’s weird at times, but pretty nice, actually. Landon and I are currently on our way back to Rogersville. We’ve just been at Waynesburg Refugee Camp. Around 100 people. “You think Axel’s gonna be satisfied with what we’ve got for him?” Landon asks, eating a candybar, which we found in a vending machine. I am 22 years old, and had no drivers license before the apocalypse. Now I am driving a mini van. “Of course.” I say. “A generator. That’s pretty valuable these days.” Landon shrugs and finishes the candy bar. “I guess.” He says, moth full of food. The zombies have been quiet lately. It’s nice. Making our job much easier. “Hey... Peter?” Landon begins. “Yea?” “I’ve been thinking...” I take a look at Landon. He looks worried, nervous. I then look back at the road. “Let me hear.” I say. “If I ever get bit... Will you... Y’know.” Landon says and looks up. I can’t see it, but I know he is looking at me. “You’re not gonna get bit.” I just say. I don’t know if I’d be able to put down my friend. That’s just not me.

We drive straight to the marketplace, where Axel is driving towards us in his electrical wheelchair. I stop the van, and jump out of the van, followed by Landon. “Peter. Landon.” Axel greets us. “What’ve you got for me?” I open the door the the back of the van. “A generator, two laptops, a bucket of oil.” I say. “And two boxes with various spare parts.” Axel drives over to the van, looking at the stuff we traded us too. “Allright. Take the spare parts and the oil to my stall.” Axel says, and looks at me. “Take the rest to the warehouse.” Axel has a warehouse, where there is a lot of stuff. Really, a lot. Only Axel and I have keys to it. There is some stuff... That shouldn’t be public.

The town has a bar as well. The current owner, Tom Malibue, was a weapons mechanic before the outbreak, but as the owner of the bar died, Tom took it. Landon and I always take a drink after we’ve been out. Entering the bar, I say hello to a few people, and then sit down at the bar. “Peter Armstrong. Landon Bartle.” Tom says, walking towards us, two beers in his hand. He opens them and gives them to us. “Still not interested in the jobs?” Everytime we’re here, Tom asks us if we want to work for him, but I like my job with Axel. It’s exciting. I don’t know why Landon doesn’t take the offer, though. He often tells me that he hates the job. “No, thank you, Tom.” I say and take the beer. Tom takes one for himself and opens. He takes a sip. “Landon?” Tom asks, looking at the obese 23-year old. “Nah.” Landon just says, and empties his beer. I haven’t known anyone who drinks faster than Landon. Same with eating. That might explain why he is so obese. “Guess I have to hire that new guy...” Tom says, and waves to a customer entering the bar. “Which one?” Landon asks. “Not the black one, right?” Tom ignores the last part. “Texas. The owner of The Rocks.” He nods for himself. “I loved that bar.” Followed by these words, everything goes black. The music stops. “What happened?” Someone yells. Tom sighs and empties his beer. “I knew this would happen.” “What?” I ask, even though I know what’s going on; we’re out of power. “We’re out of power.” Tom says.