Hope On The Rocks/Issue 128

This issue 128 of Hope On The Rocks, entitled "Amputation".

This issue is Miles-centric.

1002, Amputation
Tex and I have been hunting every day the last couple of months. It seems as the amount of prey is lowering. At this moment, we’re four hours into the forrest. We have only caught a rabbit, no signs of boars or deers. “I don’t think we’ll get anything else today.” Tex mutters as we silently walk through the forrest. “Yeah, me neither.” I say and stop up. So does Tex. “Should we turn back?” Tex nods. “Might as well.” He says, and we begin to walk back towards the camp. That’s four hours to spend.

The first thing we hear when we get back to the camp, and walk past the main fire where Wesley and Garrett are talking, is a woman screaming. Since we only have two women in the group, it can either be Lia or Holly. This sounded more like Holly though. Anyway, we all run towards the scream. Tex and I in front, Garrett and Wesley right behind us. The scream came from inside the hotel, and we run inside. This is where Geary ususally prepares his food. “Holly?” Tex yells. “Over here!” A sobbing Holly says. We all look, seeing her kneeling down next to Geary’s table. This is where he makes spice mixes and prepares our food. As we get over to her, we see Geary laying in Holly’s arms. Wesley kneel down to check if he’s breathing, after which he just takes Geary out of Holly’s hands, and begins to do CPR. “What happened?” Garrett asks, looking shocked at Geary. We all liked Geary. I don’t think we would have survived without him. He knows what is safe to eat and what isn’t. “I don’t know...” Holly sobs. “We were talking when he just... fell.” “Looks like an allergic reaction.” Wesley manages to say while giving Geary mouth to mouth. A big risk since the old man can reanimate any minute. “He... he ate those brown berries an hour ago...” Holly tells. “But he said he’d be fine.” “What do you mean?” I ask, not really understanding what she means with ‘he said he’d be fine.’ “He told me he was allergic, but...” Holly sobs, still sitting on the ground next to the corpse which Wesley was trying to bring back to life. “And he ate them anyway?” I say. “He said it wasn’t serious...” Holly explains, and just as she finishes her sentence, I look at Geary. Who has been brought back from the dead. Not in the way we would like though. Wesley doesn’t seem to have noticed, but before any of us can notice him, Geary bites off four of Wesley’s fingers, only leaving his thumb on the right hand. Wesley screams as Geary chews on the fingers. It’s Garrett that puts down Geary, with a hit to the head with a machete. Garrett always carries that machete around. Probably for situations like this. “Oh, fuck!” Wesley says looking at his bleeding hand. “I’m going to fucking die!” “You’re not gonna die.” Tex says, and turns to Garrett, who understands what Tex wants to do. Looking at Wesley, Garrett gives Tex the machete. “What... what are you gonna do?” Wesley asks nervously, obviusly in pain. “Miles, can’t you help Garrett getting Geary to the graveyard?” Tex asks as he knocks Wesley onto his back. “No, no, no.” Wesley says as Tex places his foot on Wesley’s right arm. “Don’t do this!” I get Geary’s legs and with Garrett, I carry him outside. Holly follows us. A few moments after we’ve walked out of the hotel, Wesley screams.

Deaths

 * Geary Franklin

Credits

 * Miles Vance
 * Texas Starr
 * Garrett White
 * Holly Boehicki
 * Geary Franklin
 * Wesley Snipe