Hope On The Rocks/Issue 23

This is Issue 23 of Hope On The Rocks, entitled "Pull the Chain".

This issue is Nick-centric.

203, Pull the Chain
You would think the zombies outbreak would be the worst to ever happen to me. It’s not. The death of Helen is the worst thing to ever happen to me. I met Helen in high school. We both took french, and I invited her out. We got Lia 17 years ago, best day of my life. I am happy that Lia is still alive. Without her I would have nothing. I have been drowning my grief in alcohol. Right now, I am sitting in the living room with a bottle of whiskey, listening to Miles and Lia talking. Everyone else are out. I have no idea what they are doing, and I don’t care. “Do you really have to leave?” Lia asks Miles. Sounds like what Helen asked me when I went with the military to Afghanistan a few years ago. “He asked me... I couldn’t really say no.” Miles says. They are quiet for a while. I am just staring at the couch across the table. “Promise me you’ll get back.” Lia says. Miles is quiet. “Miles?” Lia says again. It’s a month since Helen died. I haven’t had sex since that. I know it shouldn’t be that big of a problem, but it actually is. I don’t know how singles deal with this. “I’ll be back, Lia.” Miles finally says. “I promise.” I get up. I don’t know why, but I feel like I have to talk to Miles. If he is going to be with my daughter, he has to have a talk with me first. “Miles, can I talk to you?” I say, and head outside. It’s nice weather today. A bit cold, but it’s fine. “Eh... Sure.” Miles says, looking at Lia for a second, before getting up and following me outside. As he get out, I close the door and begin to talk. “Are you dating my daugther?” I ask, without really knowing if I’m happy for them, or mad at Miles for giving Lia false hope. Miles just opens his mouth, but doesn’t know what to say, obviusly. “Listen...” I say. I feel the alchohol kicking in. “I’m not mad... I’m happy for you guys.” “Thank you, mr. Camper.” Miles says and nods. Before the apocalypse, Miles and his friends would call me mr. Camper. But everyone is dead now, so it doesn’t really matter anymore. “Just call me Nick, Miles.” I say. “Nick...” Miles says, awkwardly. “Thank you... Nick.” “Just... Make sure to get back from that supply run alive, okay?” I say and smile. I take a deep breath, because now I am going to do something that was once illegal. “Of course. Thank you.” Miles says, shakes my hand and goes inside again.

Axel Durwin is a tradesman in Rogersville. Apparently, he owns a warehouse. In this warehouse he has a lot of stuff. To mention some, there’s cars, big machines and building materials. There is a thing more, though. Something people would find very wrong... I walk up to the warehouse. It’s big. Front door is locked. I knock. After a minute, one of Axel’s workers open. Peter is the name of the young man. One of the two Miles is going on supply run with. “Hi, Nick.” Peter says and lets me in. It’s not my first time doing this. I think I’ve been here four or five times already. “Listen, Nick.” Peter begins, leading me into the main hall. Shelves with a lot of stuff is in here. “It’s not human what you are doing...” “I know, Pete.” I just say. I’ve been discussing this thousands of times with Peter. But I need this. “Please...” Peter say, opening the door to a dark, somewhat big, room. “Pete... Just take this... and let me do what I have to.” I say and give Peter a gold ring, found in a drawer in the house. Peter takes the ring and sighs. “I’ll tell Axel. One hour and I’ll be back.” Peter says and walks away, shoving the ring in his pocket. I walk into the room. I stand here in the door for a moment. Then I close it behind me, and I look over what I have for the next hour: Nine women, all tied up in chains. All gagged. All naked. All mine for the next hour.