Hope On The Rocks/Issue 36

This is Issue 36 of Hope On The Rocks, entitled "Prey".

This issue is Miles-centric.

316, Prey
Texas and I have the basement. There wasn’t enough rooms for everyone to get one, so now I live with Texas. It’s not that bad, actually. Texas is really nice and he has nothing against the fact that I read before I sleep. He says he likes the light. Michael Chrichton is by far my favorite author. I had all his books before the outbreak. Right now, I am reading Prey. Pretty interesting book. I suggested to Texas that he should read it, though he said he prefered comics. “How’s things with you and Lia?” Texas asks, setting up a table between our beds. I agreed to learn chess today. I never learned it. My father never had time for me, and my mother just thought about what was best for her. Not that I don’t like them, I do. I miss them all the time. But they never teached me chess. Good thing I have Texas. “Great. I can’t complain.” I say, finishing the page I am currently on. I came back from Waynesburg Refugee Camp four days ago. Everyone was interested in what Neil told me, but none wanted to find Gavin Cart. He was likely dead. “That’s good...” Texas says, placing the pieces on the chessboard. The table he has sat between our beds, is just one of those camping tables. I finish the page and insert the bookmark. I then put the book away, and turn to the chessboard. “Miles, I want to tell you, we are all very happy for you and Lia...” Texas says, avoiding looking me in the eyes. He just continues to put pieces on the chessboard. “Thank you...?” I don’t know what to say. I know there’s more to it. “But please be careful, ‘kay? Girl already lost her mother, y’know?” Texas places the king on the board and looks at me. Only a short glimpes, like he is afraid of my reaction. That’s just how Texas is. Nervous all the time. “Yea, I know.” I say, comforting myself in my bed, getting ready to play chess. “It’s just... I still feel guilty for Landon’s death. I feel like... like I have to help Axel.” “Yea, yea, I’know.” Texas says. “Just be careful, right?” I nod with a smile. Texas then begins to explain how to play chess. I listen, and within 20 minutes, I can play chess.

I like walking. I didn’t do it much before the outbreak, but now it makes a good sense to keep up with the cardio. I am walking down the street where I live. I think we have nine or ten houses here. I only know half of the people, but to be fair I have only been here for about a month. As I walk, a man walks towards me. I can’t see who it is, but he looks familiar. It’s too dark. “Miles!” I hear the man say out loud, and as I get closer I see that it’s William. The man who picked us up and showed us Rogersville. I haven’t talked much with him since we came here, actually. Not that I don’t like him. He’s nice. “Hi.” I just say, and stop up, looking at William. I now clearly see the round glasses and the brown hair covering his forehead. “What are you doing this late?” William asks, also stopping up. “Nothing with Axel, right?” I look confused at him. What should I do with Axel? “No... what do you mean?” I say with a confused look. “Well...” William says with a smile. “If you don’t know, then let’s keep it that way.” William lives nearby, so I walk with him to his house. Doesn’t bother me to walk a little more. “How long have you lived here?” I ask, as I walk into the house with him. He offered a cup of coffee, and I thanked yes. These days, you have to like everything. No time for being picky now. “My entire life.” William says, getting out the coffee from a cabinet. I nod impressed. William is, what, 35? And he still lives in the house where he grew up. I am truly impressed. “Do you ever think about... you know... moving on?” I ask. I don’t know how to ask that question. You can call it ‘moving’ anymore. It’s more like ‘relocate’ or just ‘being on the road’. Moving on was a nice way of saying it. “All the time.” William says, smiling. “Miles, I’ll tell you one thing.” He turns around, looking at me. “Yes?” “If Garrett White comes in charge here, I will move out of Rogersville.”