Hope On The Rocks/Issue 35

This is Issue 35 of Hope On The Rocks, entitled "Another World".

This issue is Axel-centric.

315, Another World
I have a nice life here in Rogersville. Peter and I. After Peter’s parents died, I took him in, cared for him. I let him move into the house next to me, along with Landon. Now that Landon is gone, I don’t really know what to do with Peter. I’m afraid of what he might do when he’s alone. I owe Peter just as much as he owe me; he saved my life. Funny story, actually. It was a supply run, Peter, Landon and me. I was getting some tools and stuff when a young woman walked towards me. She began talking about being hungry or something. She fell down, tipping me over. Being on top of me, I thought she was in for something, but I was terribly wrong. She turned and bit off a big piece of my lap. I managed to get away, but she began biting me in the other leg. Peter killed the zombie, and managed to get off both my legs before the infection would spread. Though I have no legs now, he saved my life. Right now, I am driving towards my warehouse; gonna drop off the drugs I got from Stanley. It’s a nice deal we have here. He steals drugs from the pharmacy and gives them to me, and I give him porn. “Good evening, Garrett. Frank.” I say, as I drive by two survivors from the town; Garrett White and Frank Moore. I don’t like either of them, but Frank buys stuff from me all the time. Garrett had been Sylvest’s right hand man since the outbreak. A former politician, who had been eager to get the title as leader since day 1. When Chad took over, Garrett got really mad. Due to him being so passive-agressive, nothing happened. Now he is just cold to anyone, saving Frank. Frank was Garrett’s chief of staff. He rarely speaks, but he’s nice enough. At least, when Garrett isn’t around. Without words, Garrett and Frank walks by me, ignoring me. Well. Not my problem, I guess.

I had the warehouse before the apocalypse too. Well, I worked here at least. It was a dog food company who had the warehouse, and as far as I’m concerned, I’m the only living survivor from that company. I guess that means it’s mine, right? Well, it is now. I open the door, driving inside. I instantly senses that something is wrong, and I see it within seconds; Al and Ellis are standing in the door to my prostitutes. “Can I help you?” I ask as casual as possible. Seems like I startled them. Nervous, perhaps angry, Al closes the door to the small room, and begin to walk towards me. “What’s that?” He asks more angry than nervous. “That, my friend, is prostitutes.” I say, driving towards the shelf with meds and drugs. I open a box and drop the pills I got from Stanley down there. “I see that... but that’s wrong, man.” Al says, following me. Ellis is following behind him, silently looking at me. “That’s not wrong.” I say with a smile, closing the box and looking at Al. “It is.” Al is feeling uncormfortable. I can tell by how his eyes are flackering. “Al... Ellis...” I begin. I already had this conversation with Nick, Landon and Peter. “In this new world, what’s wrong and right are not the same. Once you would never take things from a store without paying. Now it makes sense, because that’s what keeps us alive.” Sceptical, Al mutters: “Sex doesn’t keep us alive.” I smile. “Morale does. Listen, keep this between us, okay? I’ll give you three of my Berettas if you keep quiet.”

And that was what happened. Al and Ellis took the shotguns, and I can continue my buisness. I have a feeling that Garrett knows about it though, just waiting to get me in the act. Well, he wont. As I sit at my stall, selling drugs to Lukka, the fat man, I see my van coming closer. That means that Peter and Miles have returned.