Hope On The Rocks/Issue 114

This is Issue 114 of Hope On The Rocks, entitled "Better Than This".

This issue is Timmy-centric.

902, Better Than This
We’ve been working on that boat for five months now. And we are not coming anywhere. That thing is busted. It will never sail again. Well, according to me, anyway. Kevin still has some hope. I am working on the boat right now, Kevin having a little break. The boat is placed a little away from our camp, and Kevin uses it as shelter. “It’d be easier to just make a dozen rafts, papi.” I say, while Kevin is eating a piece of bread, baked by Geary. Geary is our chief here. He makes all of our food, with very few exceptions. “We’ve talked about this, Tim.” Kevin says, mouth full of bread. “We can’t rely on a raft. Way too unstable.” “I’m aware.” I say, trying to improvise a rotor from wood and stone. “But this, papi... if we rely on this, we’re never getting off this rock.” “Well.” Kevin says. “I wouldn’t mind. It’s a nice place.” I smile. Indeed it is a nice place. I’ve had five wonderful months. The first month was tough. We had to adapt to the life on this island. There’s snakes here. I fucking hate snakes. Not cooked though. Geary makes some delicious snake. I think I’ll volunteer to go hunting tomorrow, then we can get some snake. “Yeah, it is.” I say. “But a safe-zone y’know... wouldn’t be bad neither.” “I hear ya.” Kevin says. We’ve had this discussion before. If we had to choose between a safe-zone and this island, we’d probably choose safe-zone. There we could relax. Here we have to work. Not that I have anything against that. “But for now.” Kevin says, getting up. “Let’s just leave this boat. We’re not getting it fixed anytime soon, anyway.” I smile, and drop what I am doing. Then I jump off the boat and follow Kevin back to the camp. I think I smell boar.

Dinner is the best time of the day. First, the food is usually awesome. But it is also nice to hear how everyone else has used their day. We are all sitting around our bonfire, eating this boar with mushrooms and spicy sauce. As always, it is delicious. “We’re still not running low on prey?” Garrett asks. We have totally accepted Garrett as a part of the group now. Ever since Chad gave him the spot on the boat, he has been a part of the group. “Not at all.” Texas says, chewing his boar. “We just have to go further into the forrest. We spotted a beehive too, gonna get some honey tomorrow.” “Looking forward to that.” Holly says with a dreamy smile. Whenever we get honey, it is such a good time. We use it for breakfast on our bread, and Geary makes some awesome honey-rabbit. “I’ll come with you.” Geary says, looking at Texas. “I’d like to collect some herbs too.” Food and water is pretty much what our days go with. Looking for food and collecting water. We have the water container from the boat, but it needs to be filled every day. So every day, two people get the duty to fill it up. It’s not the most popular duty, but it has to be done. “Who takes water duty with me tomorrow?” I ask, volunteering. I want to clean up a little when I’m at the river, so I might as well go and collect water. “I can do that.” Doug says. I look at Doug, who has a sleeping Kristen sitting next to him. I hear Kristen had been learning to fish today, and that really is the toughest thing you can do here. We have no rods, so you have to be out in the water with a knife. Understandable she’s tired. I nod to Doug, and go back to my boar. I look around, seeing how Axel is playing chess with Miles, and how Lia is watching. How Ridley and Holly is holding hands, talking. How the men are discussing best ways to shoot a boar and catch a snake. I smile, and enter the disccusion.

Deaths

 * None

Credits

 * Miles Vance
 * Ridley Johnson
 * Lia Camper
 * Kevin Gardner
 * Timmy Ember
 * Douglas Tallie
 * Texas Starr
 * Axel Durwin
 * Garrett White
 * Holly Boehicki
 * Kristen Tallie
 * Geary Franklin