A discrete model governing a system of cold bosonic atoms in zig-zag optical lattices in quantum optics was proposed in the literature. In an analog to this model, a continuum model is, here constructed. The resulting equation is a nonlinear Schrodinger equation NLSE with drift force and linear growth. Exact solutions of this equation are obtained. To this issue, a new transformation that allows to inspect the optical lattice due to soliton-periodic wave collision is introduced. Here, the colliding dynamics are inspected. A class of polynomial and rational solutions of the model equation constructed are obtained by using the unified and generalized unified methods. The solutions found reveal the propagation of local zigzagshaped pulses in optical lattices. Mixed smooth-sharp (shock-like) optical pulses are also observed. This leads to the issue that the collision is locally elastic (or inelastic). Furthermore, self-modulation zigzag-shaped pulses with compression, are remarked. We mention that the zigzag-shaped pulses, in an optical lattice, was not found in the literature. Thus, the results found in this work are original. It is found that the polarization of zig-zag optical lattice is self-focusing.