Hope On The Rocks/Issue 160

This is Issue 160 of Hope On The Rocks, entitled "The End".

This issue is Texas-centric.

1210, The End
1210; The End; Texas

Ellis had been in the bar for around twenty minutes when Chad Bottom came in. He didn’t order anything, he just told me to turn on the TV. He was a big man, so I just did it. I had no idea what was going on outside, until this old newscaster told us that the dead were coming alive. We were in my bar for two hours before Odin and Miles entered. When I first saw Miles, he was just a kid. He wouldn’t even be able to handle, well, anything. He was a kid. Then he found Al, went with the others to find Gavin Cart, found Rogersville and supported Chad when he was kicked out. Miles has grown. On the road, after we met Doug, Miles disapointed me for a while. He cheated on Lia with Kristen. I was so disapointed in that phase. And it was even after she had been kidnapped by Bobby Lunar. He saved her, some of our people died. It was sad, and after all we went through there, he just ignored it, and cheated on Lia anyway. First when Al died, he realized he was wrong. And he was, he really was. Miles and Lia are soulmates. I never met mine. Chad stayed behind with the others, including Kerri, who I’ve always had a little crush on, not gonna lie. We crashed on an island, and there Miles and I really bonded. That was when I began thinking as him as my son. That’s what he has become to me. My son. I know it’s silly, but as I stand here on the roof of the warehouse, I can’t help but think back. Because Miles has been bitten.

Miles and Kevin are bit. The rest of us made it without a scratch. Well, Timmy had a small bruise, but it is nothing dangerous. We’ve all lined up to say goodbye to them. I’m in the back of the line, watching as the others say their goodbyes. Jim starts, by simply giving Kevin a handshake. Kevin seems to want more than just a handshake and gives Jim a hug. I understand him. The guy is about to die. “Get them there in one piece, will you?” Kevin says, patting Jim on the shoulder. “Of course.” Jim nods. I look down, only listening as Jim says goodbye to Miles. Miles says something to Jim that I can’t hear. Looking up again, I now see Holly giving Kevin a big hug, sobbing something. “It’s okay.” Kevin says with a smile. He has given up, he knows he’s going to die. I haven’t really understood it yet. Miles is going to die. I still don’t... it’s weird. I’m still looking down, but as soon as Holly says “Bye, Miles.”, I feel my eyes watering. Lia is crying too, standing in front of me. I turn her around, and hold her head against my shoulder. Looking again, Holly enters the helicopter, and Garrett looks at Kevin. Holly and Miles are still talking. “I’m sorry,” Garrett begins. “I should have gone with you. I mean, I promised Chad to...” “Shut up, Garrett.” Kevin says, laying his hand on Garrett’s shoulder. “You’ve done what you could.” “I haven’t.” “Maybe not.” Kevin says, and lets out a silent laugh. Garrett smiles too. “But you will, from now on. These people need someone to lead them, and I can’t think of a better man.” Garrett looks down for a few seconds, then back up at Kevin. “I... I killed so many people in Rogersville. There’s no way I could...” “Garrett, nobody blames you anymore.” “But...” “Garrett.” Kevin says, giving Garrett a quick hug. “Goodbye. Good luck.” “But...” “Good luck, Garrett.” I’m not sure, but I think I spot a single tear running down from Garrett’s eye. I look into the helicopter, Jim and Holly are sitting, waiting for us. Holly is crying, Jim comforting her. Garrett now says goodbye to Miles, giving room for Timmy to say goodbye to Kevin. Neither Kevin nor Timmy says anything, they just hug. For several minutes, Garrett has already moved on to the helicopter. They’re not saying anything, just hugging. When they finally let go, I can see the tears on their faces. Without saying anything, Timmy gives a hug to Miles, saying the words “Bye, papi.” “Bye.” Miles replies. As Timmy has moved on to say goodbye to Miles, this has given room for Lia to say goodbye to Kevin. “I don’t want to say goodbye.” Lia sobs. “Understandable.” Kevin says, laying his hand on Lia shoulder. “Goodbye’s are a bitch.” I let go of Lia, and she turns around, hugging Kevin. She sobs into his shoulder, and I can’t hear what she’s saying.

As Lia moves on to Miles, a conversation I’m sure will take a while, I say my last goodbye to Kevin. I remember how relieved I was when Kevin first joined us. Of course, he lied about who he was, but still. He has shows himself to be a good man. “You take good care, Tex.” Kevin says, giving me a hug. He let go and look at me. “Of course, boss.” “And y’know, if you ever need anything, just call.” I can’t help but laugh. It’s weird to laugh at a moment like this. “Man, we need Doug, don’t we?” Kevin says. “To say his prayers and such.” “We’re gonna need you, Kev.” I say. “You’re gonna be fine.” “Let’s hope so.” Lia and Miles has been hugging for a while now, silently talking to each other. I look, so does Kevin. They are now kissing one last kiss. Then, both with soaked eyes, Lia turns around and gets into the helicopter. Timmy comforts her as she watches me saying my last goodbye to Miles. Miles. My son.

Kevin has sat down, a revolver in his hands. He’s going to end his own life, he said that was how he wanted it done. I am standing next to Miles, looking at Kevin with the loaded gun in his hands. The gun is one of the revolvers Odin and Chad got from the gun store one of the first days of the outbreak. I recognize it because of it’s corner, which has a little white paint on it. That revolver has saved a lot of lifes. Now it’s gonna take one. “I’m thinking,” Kevin says, cocking the revolver. “about what my last words should be.” Nobody says anything as he takes the revolver to the head. “But I guess it’s gotta be...” Kevin closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and says “Keep living.” The gunshot is loud, very loud. I can hear some zombies moaning, mixed with cries. I try my best not to cry. “Miles...” I say, looking away from the now dead Kevin. “Thanks for everything, Tex.” Miles sobs. “I’m the one thanking.” I say. “Without you... I’d be dead... we’d all be dead.” We hug silently for a while. I can clearly hear Lia crying. “Tex...” Miles says as I let go. “Could you do one last favor?” “Of course.” I say. “Anything.” “You know... you’ve been there the whole time. When Odin died, William, Nick, Geary, Ridley, Chad... all of them.” He says, looking at me. “You can tell all those stories about how they died.” “Miles...” I say, knowing where this is going. “I want you to tell my story.” He says, handing me a .22 Walther. This is the pistol that Lia brought with her the first day. I know, because it’s the only .22 Walther we’ve ever had. “Are you sure?” “There is no way I’d rather end this life.” I nod, and load the pistol. It may sound weird, but this is something I want to do. I don’t want him to kill himself, I don’t want anyone else to take his life. I want it to be me. I want to take my son’s life. It’s weird, I know. But that’s how it is. Miles looks at Lia one last time. I look, seeing how Timmy is covering her eyes. “Bye, dad.” Miles says and smiles. I aim the gun at Miles, my arm shaking. “Bye, son.”

The helicopter is silent. We’ve been flying for a while now, no idea for how long. I’m sitting in the front with Jim. He isn’t saying anything. None of us are. We’re just thinking. Thinking about how many people had to die for the six of us to make it here. A lot of people. I feel bad. I feel like I should have died, not Miles. I’m sure the others feel the same way. My throat it sore. Grabbing my bottle with water, I look at the water in it. I take a sip. This sip feels like it takes forever. It feels like I empty the bottle. I don’t know, everything just feels so... so weird. Like I just lost a limb. Removing the bottle from my lips, I look out. I see land, must be Greenland. “We’re here.” Jim mutters. “This is our last stop.” “Let’s hope so.” I reply. “No matter what,” Jim says. “this is the end.”

Deaths

 * Miles Vance
 * Kevin Gardner

Credits

 * Miles Vance
 * Lia Camper
 * Kevin Gardner
 * Timmy Ember
 * Texas Starr
 * Garrett White
 * Holly Boehicki
 * Jim Iroas