Hope On The Rocks: Before The Outbreak/Issue 1

This is an issue of Hope On The Rocks: Before The Outbreak, focusing on Miles Vance.

Miles Vance
“All right, class. Today we are going to talk about Pompeii.” Mr. Poling says as he enters the class room. “Mr. Poling.” Sandra Clausen says, sounding like something was wrong. I know that nothing is wrong. Sandra always acts like that. Mr. Poling lets out a sigh, then looked at Sandra. “Yes?” “It’s just that, I haven’t finished my homework because my bus was late yesterday, and I couldn’t get home in time to do it.” That’s a lame excuse. She always comes up stuff like that. I look at the other end of the class where Lia Camper is sitting, silently chatting with Mae Lauritzen. Mae is fat, not looking very well, to be honest. Lia, on the other hand, is likely the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She is so out of my league. I don’t have one single chance.

That’s why I begin to date Mae. She’s ugly, not attractive or anything, she’s not even that nice, but I wanted to see if Lia would get jealous. Then she starts dating a guy. I don’t know his name, Francis, I think. He has only been in our class for a couple of months. I stand in the cafeteria, drinking a coke, when Francis approaches me. “Hey, you.” Francis says. He’s big, a little threatening. “Yeah?” I say, trying to not sound nervous. Francis stands next to me, not looking at me as he talks. “Dude, I’ve seen how you look at Lia.” Francis begins. “She’s hot, I know, but that’s my girl. Okay?” I just smile and nod. “Good. See ya around.” Francis says, giving me a pat on the back.

That’s when I break up with Mae. She hasn’t met my parents, luckily. “You can’t break up with me!” Mae cries. “We’ve only dated for three weeks.” “I just don’t think we...” I try to talk out of it. We’re standing in the hallway, people looking weird at us. “No! Shut up!” Mae cries, then walks away. “Nice move, dickhead.” Somebody says, walking past me.

Sitting home in front of the computer, I read about the symptoms to depression. Seems like I have all of them. And to be honest, I feel depressed. I can’t get a girl. Well, I could, but I couldn’t get the girl I wanted. The girl I’ve been in love with. Some rumors say that Lia and Francis broke up, but I’m not sure. I’m just staying home now. The only times I go out, is when I go to school. There I don’t participate in the lessons or anything. I’m just depressed. If just I could get better, I could talk to Lia.

It takes seven months before I get a little better. But that days, when I get better, everything shatters. “We’re going to work now, honey.” My mother, Karen, says, giving me a kiss on the cheek. “See you later.” “Bye, mom.” I say. My father pats me on the back, then leaves with my mother. I sigh, get up and pack my bag. Today I only have history, english and astronomy. Why did I choose astronomy, I’m never going to use any of that. The school is close, so I walk. Boring day in school as always. Only, today Sandra Clausen isn’t here. Neither is Mae, Francis and six other people. “Must be flu season, huh?” Mr. Poling says during the history class. We get off early, to make sure none of us gets infected with the flu. Or well, what everbody assumes is the flu. I go home, sit in front of my computer. Then I hear a slow knocking on the door to my room. I get up and go over to open my door. It has to be my sister, Jane. We’re the only ones that are home. “Can’t you just open the...” I ask, opening the door. Then Jane attacks me, jaw snapping. She has been bit by someone on her arm, blood is running down from the big wound. “What are you doing?!” I yell, trying to hold her off. This is just like the movies. I push her off me and run over to my window. I have my baseball bat there. Not that I want to use it on my sister, but she’s crazy. “We’ve got to get you an ambulance.” I say, taking the baseball bat. “Just get into the living room, okay?” I get a quick glimpse out the window. People are walking around, looking just as dead as Jane. That’s when I realize what is going on. I raise the bat and smash Jane’s head. I don’t know why, but I can’t cry about it. I just walk around in our apartment with my bat. Then I decide to run.

Deaths

 * Jane Vance

Credits

 * Miles Vance
 * Lia Camper
 * Jerry Vance
 * Karen Vance
 * Jane Vance
 * Dan Poling
 * Sandra Clausen
 * Mae Lauritzen
 * Francis Ubber