CHAPTER EIGHT
Rocko
“Hee-haw.”
Rocko woke with a start.
“Hee-haw, hee-haw.”
He bolted upright in bed as bright sunlight filtered through the room, making his eyes burn.
Rocko twisted to stand, quickly realizing he was no longer in pain.
He stretched out his arms and flexed his legs, and for the first time in days, every part of his body responded properly and without pain.
Of course, he was stiff from being laid up in bed for so long, but other than that, Rocko was back to his usual self.
Thank God, or more specifically, thank Renee.
Rocko was now dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt he recognized as his own.
Shit. They’d gone to his trailer, retrieved his clothing, and likely viewed his empty whiskey bottles.
He felt a twinge of shame at that. Drowning his insecurities in alcohol wasn’t really how he wanted to be seen.
It showed a weakness he couldn’t afford to show.
Even his leaving the compound was up in the air now that he’d been deemed some wonder drug for their leader’s mental health.
He couldn’t make this shit up if he tried.
Though his loneliness still ate at him, he didn’t want to be kept around for that reason alone. It was well past time for him to not give a fuck. He stood up carefully, and when he didn’t fall down, he moved slowly to the wall and picked up his boots. He slid them on and glanced out the window.
“Hee-haw.”
The scene before him had drastically changed since the last time he’d seen the compound.
The barn was complete and substantially bigger than he’d originally imagined.
Cows, chickens, and a very talkative donkey roamed the now-fenced-in pen area, getting a lay of the land.
He could see six cows, well over ten chickens, and the donkey that needed a new home before being sent off to be made into kibble, which Ellen had adopted.
Rocko couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
He headed for the bedroom door. After a quick stop in the bathroom on the landing, he made it down the stairs—holding on to the banister for dear life in case— and onto the porch.
It felt good to have his body back under his control and moving without pain.
The sun warmed him as the weather seemed to have turned a corner in the past week.
He sucked in a deep breath and slowly let it out.
Ellen sat outside, reading a book. She put it down and smiled when he appeared. “You look better,” she said.
“I feel better,” Rocko chuckled. “Being able to move again without pain is unimaginably satisfying.”
“I’m guessing it would be.”
“I see your new guests have arrived,” Rocko said, pointing toward the livestock. “How are they settling in?”
“They’re doing great, but the chickens keep managing to break out whenever they’re left alone. I don’t know where they’re finding the escape route, but they keep doing the Houdini.”
Rocko couldn’t help but laugh, imagining these feathered magicians wreaking havoc and the crew having to chase them around the compound.
“Let me have a look at it. I’m pretty good at finding things,” Rocko said.
“That’d be great, thanks.”
“Where is everybody?” Rocko asked as he glanced around.
“Rosaline is in the kitchen. I know, big shock. Renee is currently in talks with a heifer about her sore hoof. Damon, Blade, and Xavier are down by the lake, preparing the dock to go in because the boat arrives tomorrow. Well, Damon and Blade are. Xavier is likely standing off to the side and quietly watching. Jagger and Ace are finishing the electrical hookup for the barn while Apollo, Griffin, and Hendrix are on a run into town for supplies.”
“Busy place,” Rocko said, but couldn’t help but feel disappointed that Apollo wasn’t around. He tried to shake it off. What did he care? But the feeling wouldn’t leave him.
“My brother would lose his marbles if he came back and found you working after everything that’s happened.”
“I don’t think Apollo cares all that much about what I get up to,” Rocko chuckled. “As long as I don’t cause shit.” And of course, I’m nearby when he needs a quick fix of calm.
“I wouldn’t say that.” Ellen laughed. “Why don’t you grab something to eat, shower, and ease into it. Oh, and you might want to shave.”
Rocko ran his palm over his stubbly face. “Getting a bit scruffy?”
“Yep, you’re getting a bit sasquatch.”
Rocko liked Ellen; she said it the way it was, and he appreciated that.
“Not the look I’m going for,” he chuckled. “Talking of Xavier, has he said anything since his rescue?”
“Nothing, but it seems as though he and Damon understand each other well enough to get by.”
“He never leaves Damon?”
“Never, but I know there’s nothing romantic going on. They’re attached in some way, but no one knows how or why. It’s been that way since the moment Xavier was brought back; even when unconscious, Damon stood guard over him.”
“Maybe we aren’t supposed to understand it and be thankful they have each other in this messed-up world,” Rocko said.
Ellen turned to look at him. “You’re very insightful. Did you know that?”
“I don’t know. It’s how I see things and how my screwed-up brain figures things out.”
Rocko had never given it much thought before.
He’d always accepted that his mind worked differently from others, but Rocko never considered himself particularly insightful.
As far as he was concerned, it was simply another mutation along with his jacked-up memory, great for party tricks but useless in the physical world.
***
Apollo
Apollo pulled out his list. “We already have the regular supplies and the extra barbecue food Rosaline ordered. We need to pick up our order from the hardware store and stop by the gas depot and restaurant to pay this month’s tabs.”
Griffin grumbled. “I’m getting hungry, and Rosaline’s cooking roast chicken with all the fixin’s for supper tonight. Let’s move this along.”
“Wouldn’t want to get in your way of food, man.” Hendrix laughed as he held his hands up in mock surrender.
“Damn right,” Griffin chuckled, showing off a bit of fang for good measure.
There wasn’t anyone near them, so he was safe to extend them a bit, but they were ever cautious of their surroundings.
“Okay, let’s split up to move this along faster. Hendrix, you go to the hardware store with the truck. Griffin, you head over to the gas station, and I’ll go to the restaurant. We’ll meet up there when you’re done,” Apollo said while tossing the keys to Hendrix.
“On it.”
Apollo turned and headed down the street toward the restaurant.
On the way, he stopped to have brief conversations with a few people in the community; it was always a good idea to stay on the locals’ good side and to fit in.
The restaurant was busy when he walked in, so Apollo headed to the back service area to check for Mary.
Luckily, she was working, and when she saw him, she came over.
“Good afternoon, Apollo,” she said with a smile. “Coffee?”
“No thanks, not today, Mary. Just here to pay our tab.”
“Great, I’ll ring it up for you.”
“Thanks. How’s your dad doing?”
“Good, thank you. He was going out hunting wild turkey tomorrow, but there’s still a mess from that windstorm.”
“I’m glad he’s feeling good enough to consider going hunting. How bad’s the damage?”
“Me too. Dad’s had a hard winter. We’ve got some trees down, and our fence needs to be repaired.”
“Let me see what we can do to help,” Apollo said, already working out a plan to stop by their farm.
“Dad will freak. He’s said that you’ve already done so much for us that he’ll never be able to repay,” Mary confessed. “Though I know he needs the help.”
“You leave that to me. He’ll never know we planned on helping. Just stopping by to be neighborly.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what we’ve done to deserve you guys helping us.”
“Don’t give it a second thought. We’re good.”
Thanks. Here’s your bill,” Mary said as she handed him the receipt. In the past, Mary would have tried to talk him into not paying anything, seeing as how they were helping her and her dad out. Apollo had insisted on still paying, saying they had a business to run.
Apollo pulled out his wallet and handed Mary the money, along with the usual monthly tip. She was a single mother who had moved back home with her father after her boyfriend left. Mary could use the extra money to care for her daughter, whom Apollo had yet to meet.
“Thanks, Apollo. Have a great day. See you later.”
“Say hello to your dad for me.”
“I will.” She smiled and quickly made her way around her tables, refilling coffee. The young mother worked hard.
By the time he walked back out front of the restaurant, Hendrix and Griffin were parked at the curb waiting for him.
The truck was loaded with boxes and bags covering their usual supplies and the new fixings for the barbecue they’d decided to hold, and Apollo found himself almost looking forward to something for once.
It had been a long time since they’d let themselves relax and enjoy all their hard work.
Why had it taken so long?
Apollo’s thoughts drifted to their visitor back at the compound. He still didn’t understand what it was specifically that made him feel calmer and more relaxed around the man, but he’d honestly rolled with it and enjoyed the feeling for as long as he was lucky enough to have it.