Hope On The Rocks/Issue 17

This is Issue 17 of Hope On The Rocks, entitled "Amo".

This issue is Miles-centric.

209, Amo
Rogersville is a small town. A main street, five or six streets with residences and a few farms in the outskirts of the town. That is pretty much how Rogersville looks. Currently are Al and I exploring the town. We’re walking towards the city hall. In front of the building, there is a fountain and a large spot with tents. It looks like a market. “What do you think that’s about?” Al asks and nods in direction of the tents. As we get closer, we see that it actually is a market. Under the tents, tables are, and many places there is an RV next to the tables. “Some kind of market?” I mutter. I am very tired, but I want to know the town better. Ridley and Esther are at the house, looking through what we have. “Let’s take a look at it.” Al says, and passes the first tradesman. On his table, there is a varity of soups and bread. The woman behind the table, sitting under a cover from her tent, looks at us with a mad look as we passes her. “Don’t mind her.” I hear a voice say. I turn to see a bearded man sitting under a simple cover, made by tarpaulin. There is no tent at his table. As I look closer, I realize that he has four tables around him, and a lot of stuff around his chair too. “She’s just mad nobody wants to buy her soup.” Al goes closer to the man’s shop, and I follow. “You two are new here?” The man asks with a wondering face, possibly acted. “Yea.” Al begins. “We got here two days ago with some other people.” “Welcome, then.” The man says and stretches his arm, to shake our hands. “My name’s Axel Durwin. Best tradesman in this town.” “That’s official?” Al says with a weak smile. “Al, and that’s Miles.” “Al, Miles.” The tradesman, Axel, says and nods. “Hey, couldn’t you show us around here?” Al asks, looking at the man. Without any words, the man begins to drive out of his stall, on what appears to be a wheelchair. He drives toward us, and now we see that he is missing his legs, from the knees and down. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Axel says. “Ask William.” With these words, he drives back into his stall. “How’d it happen?” Al asks. I think it sounds insensitive, but apparently Al doesn’t. “Did you know you can survive a zombie bite if you cut off the bitten limb?” Axel simply answers. Apparently, he was bitten by zombies, and he was forced to cut off both his legs. I think I’d rather die, though Axel seems happy enough. I take a look at the stuff he is selling; intruments, tools, board games. He sells pretty much everything that isn’t food. My eyes fall at a guitar. It appears to be a Yamaha with nylon strings. I take it up and begins to play the start of a spanish song I once heard. “You sure know how to use that.” Axel says and nods impressed, again I’m unsure if he’s acting it. I smile. “Thank you.” As I place the guitar on the stall again, Axel stops me. “You can’t just play good like that and then not buy it.” Axel says and winks with a smile. “I don’t have any money.” I say. I take myself actually wanting to buy the guitar from this man. “Neither do I. Do you have anything to trade with?” Axel asks, and while I look through my pockets, he helps another customer. “Do you really want that guitar?” Al asks. He is standing with arms crossed, looking at me. “I guess.” I say. “But I don’t have anything.” Al takes off his jacket and gives it to Axel, wihtout saying anything. “Really?” I ask. Al have had this jacket on since we found him. “Is that enough for the guitar?” Al asks. While Axel looks over the jacket, I see a car approaching. It stops where William stopped a few days ago, and I see Texas going out of the car. “Yea, that’s enough. That watch for a strip for the guitar.” Axel says, refering to my old, broken watch that doesn’t work anymore. I’m just wearing it of habit. I take the guitar and strip, and gives Axel the watch. Before I leave, I nod at Axel and say: “Thank you.”, then I grab Al and runs towards the car, where everyone now is out. “Hey, Miles.” Texas says and smiles. He is unpacking whatever stuff they had brought with them from The Rocks. “Hi, Tex.” I say and nods. I take myself smiling by seeing these people again. “Didn’t know you played guitar?” I hear Lia’s voice say. I look. “I just got it. Al kinda gave it to me.” I say. For a few moments, we just stand there looking at each other. Then Chad inerrupts the silence, and leads us back to the house.