Secrets of Liberty Mountain No Man s Land Chapter9
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Like sailors clinging to a raft on tempest-tossed seas, Sheila and I held tight to each other as an ocean of rainbows flooded the sky.
"Oh, my God! What is it?" she cried as glowing waves of light thundered silently across the firmament. The heavens blazed with a kaleidoscope of color.
"I don't know," I said as I watched the glowing pastel streamers of brilliance slither along invisible magnetic lines of force like undulating serpents.
"I think we're looking at the mother of all solar storms. We need to assess the damage." Sheila broke away from me and twisted the key in the truck's ignition. Dead. Not so much as a click. The circuitry was fried. "Everyone, inside, pronto!" she commanded as she turned and raced across the meadow for the safety of the cabin.
"I have no idea what this is doing to the background radiation, probably off the charts," our leader screamed as we scrambled to seek sanctuary from the fire in the sky.
I'm not an expert on radiation, but the idea frightened the crap out of me. Not knowing the details, I allowed terror and my paranoid imagination to fill in the blanks. What we don't know can kill us. I ran like the hounds of Hell were on my tail.
"Keep going! Move! Everyone, take cover in the cavern," Sheila said as she directed us to the emergency stairway next to the kitchen elevator.
The interior of our home was shrouded in shadow, illumined only by the sky glow pouring through the windows at the front of the Great Room. The reverse fire drill was a well-executed route as we dashed inside away from the fire in the sky. I fought against a rising tide of dread as I scrambled down the rattling cast-iron staircase. Having a nightmare dream is one thing. Waking up next to the monsters under my bed was another.
When Monty Python declared no one ready for the Spanish Inquisition, he wasn't kidding. If we ain't ready to cry havoc and nuke our neighbors, we sure as shit ain't prepared for the technology-killing chaos raging in the heavens above; just another random event dished out by a disinterested universe. Nothing personal. Shit happens.
"Stay calm and carry the fuck along. Deal with it and get over it," I said aloud to myself as I took the stairs, two at a time.
"Excellent advice," Sheila's voice echoed from beneath me as an "Amen to that," sounded from above.
Next time I talk to myself, I gotta remember to whisper.
The winding descent into the cave took forever as terror and adrenaline compressed focus and extended my perception of time. The second hand on my watch refused to advance as moments oozed into minutes which stretched into hours.
The rattling clatter of scores of human feet pounding on the metal treads echoed like thunder from the musty-damp granite walls of our pitch-black corridor. Whatever had lit up the sky had eclipsed our electricity.
My terrified guess? We had a grandstand seat to an epic Carrington event of biblical proportions. I'll leave it to the scholars to sort out the theology. I prayed we weren't pawns in some demonic chess tournament. If you have any doubt Mother Nature plays a wicked game of chance, ask the citizens of Pompeii or the children of Krakatoa.
The palms of my hands were slick with sweat. My mouth was dusty dry, and my head spun with every twisting turn as I lept down the spiral stairway into the darkness. With a boom sounding like a cannon in a trash can, a blueish white radiance illuminated our vertical tunnel. Someone underneath me had kicked open the rusty steel door to the cavern under our cabin.
The light was a welcome sign. Whatever had eaten the guts out of the electronics in the building above us hadn't stopped for lunch in our underground grotto. As I emerged from the exit, I bent down with my hands on my knees and gasped for breath: short pants followed by deep inhales. Stinging trickles of sweat ran into my eyes as I fought to get my breathing under control.
"What's going on?" Jennifer yelled from the second story doorway of the ranch-style control center.
"Solar storm!" the commander shouted before she turned to face me. "Sky, please see everyone is settled in and accounted for. Assemble the sisters by the lake." Sheila brushed her hair from her eyes and pointed to the cozy bench beside the mist-shrouded lagoon of hot water. The dark pond was fed by geothermal hot springs. It was the same place where we had talked so long ago.
Fear hits different folks in different ways. Two sisters were bent double as they vomited on the cave's stone floor. Several women of the clan offered comfort as they gathered around their stricken comrades. The rest of the society milled about in stunned silence and tried to process the impossible.
"Listen up!" I called as the last of the clan emerged from the door at the bottom of the staircase. With a wave of my hands, I motioned for the ladies to gather around. "The chief is checking with Jennifer. I presume she's getting an update and status report," I told the news-hungry gathering. Sheila has asked me to get everyone settled in and accounted for. Martha, can you do the honors?"
The terror in the captain of the kitchen eyes abated as she focused on the task at hand. Busy people don't have the luxury of panic. As Martha attended to the women, I assumed a seat on the stone bench and took a moment to gather my wits and clear my mind. I was terrified. Fear can be a useful servant, unlike his kissing cousin, Panic. Fear strengthens the scenes and sharpens the mind. Panic smothers reason, and we flee without purpose.
Trembling like an old man, I tapped a smoke out of my pack of cigarettes and flicked my Bic. I inhaled and held each breath for a moment before exhaling. As the pace of my breathing slowed, the knot of muscles in my jaw and neck gradually softened. Nicotine seduces every smoker, and we'll continue to love her still even as she becomes our assassin.
"Now what?" I questioned myself.
Before I could answer, I was on my feet and trotting toward the control center. My body had decided while my mind dithered. Time to make the donuts and earn my keep. I took a drag and tossed the butt to the side of the path.
"Ahoy, the center," I called out as I climbed the stairs to the second story balcony.
Sneaking up on comrades in combat is never a great idea. A benign surprise is an excellent way to get killed by friendly fire. Sheila waved a welcome without taking her eyes away and from the bank of computer monitors. I entered and stood behind them as they frantically clicked from one screen to the next as they checked system status reports.
"Is it bad?" I asked.
"Well, it's not good," Sheila answered as she called up a system summary. "It looks like we've lost power in everything above ground. Solar's dead, as are the remote sensors. We won’t know the extent of the damage until we go topside and do an inventory.
"At least we've got plenty of power down here." I waved at the computer screens and the lights in the ceiling. Our subterranean settlement was unchanged from the day Sheila, and I had toured the facility a few weeks ago.
"Yes, we do. Up to six megawatts if need be," Jennifer laughed.
I smiled a half-grin. Considering the size of the dark cloud around us, we needed every silver lining we could find.
"What about radiation?" I asked as I glanced upward toward the cavern's domed ceiling.
"I don't know. I may have overplayed the hand. I read somewhere especially bad solar storms and CMEs can kick the crap out of the Earth's magnetic field protecting us from most cosmic rays." Sheila shrugged her shoulders and licked her lips. "Better safe than sorry."
"What do you think?" Sheila put her arm around Martha's shoulder and led her to the picture window overlooking the canter's courtyard.
I moved to the commander's side and pulled out my pen and back-pocket notepad and prepared to take notes.
Below us, the woman of the sisterhood gathered about in various postures of shocked dismay and uncertainty. Several ladies were huddled in conversation, and about a dozen was seated on several of the benches facing an arrangement of rocks positioned like islands in an expanse of sand raked to represent ripples in the water. The Zen garden did little to calm the mood of dread which had settled over the inhabitants of Liberty Mountain.
"Do we have enough to feed the multitude?" the leader asked as she scanned the worried faces of the sisters.
"Thankfully, we've got enough for a feast. No one need go hungry; the pantry is full, and we just filled the freezer on Monday," Martha replied
"What a wonderful idea! I love it." Sheila dark expression of concern slowly brightened into a smile as she took Martha's hand and they stood together on the second story deck.
"Hear ye! Hear ye!" Sheila sang out as she raised her hands over her head in a sign of prayer. "Tonight is the first night of a new world. By the authority of my office, I hereby declare a feast of gratitude and thanksgiving. Spread the word to gather, rejoice, and be thankful. We are alive. We have survived, and we will continue to survive. Blessed be."'
I couldn't keep myself from smiling. It was as corny as all hell but might work. Her declaration of a feast in defiance of fate and everything going on around us was a cheeky and masterful distraction from the anxiety and apprehension we were all feeling.
Hmm, the first night in a new world? I might as well play historian. I scribbled the date on my notepad followed by, "Day One, Year One - Chief orders we start the new age with a celebration of gratitude and thanksgiving."
With a few commands and several suggestions, Martha organized the society into a scrumptious scavenger hunt.
"Please put everything over there," the kitchen maestro said as she instructed us to transfer the contents in the freezer to the dining table.
She scratched her head as she examined the freezer wrapped contents and sorted them into several piles while also scanning the pantry shelves for additional fixings. With a look of intense concentration, Martha closed her eyes as she matched her inventory of recipes with available ingredients. After about a minute heavy thinking, her face relaxed into a smile and her eyes flashed open.
"Got it!" she exclaimed with a wide grin as she slapped the palm of her hand on her thigh. Her dietary gifts were matched by her leadership skills. With a minimum amount of direction, she turned the community dinner into a sisterhood project.
"Commander, I need a crew to take the canned foodstuff down to the sampling station by the hot springs. We'll cook the broth for the venison stew. Submerse the jars in the water next to the dock," Martha ordered as she began to clear the glass containers of vegetables from the pantry shelves. "Oh, and a couple of gallons of spirits from the wine cellar would be a helpful addition," the head of the kitchen crew called over her shoulder.
"Sky, can you take StarShine with you and fetch the brandy?" the director suggested.
"Boss?" I stammered. "Can someone else help me? I'm kinda having personal problems with StarShine," I kept my facial expression as neutral as possible to avoid the necessity of a detailed explanation. Ever since my acceptance into the society as shadow-sister, Seraina's daughter had been pestering me to consummate her entry into womanhood.
"Personal problems? What kind?" Seraina's eyes narrowed with concern as she studied me carefully.
"Um, er, it's embarrassing." I shuffled my feet and looked at the decking beneath my shoes.
"Well?" The commander tilted her head to one side and brushed her hair out of her eyes as she gave me that look. She was an impatient shepherd who didn't like secrets infecting the tranquility of her flock.
"Never mind, I'll deal with it," I said as I cleared my throat with a quick cough. The truth was too awkward to admit. What kinda guy refuses sex with a willing and beautiful virgin scoring an eleven on the one-to-ten hotness scale? Teaching the eager daughter of my lover the joys of sex was too close to incest for my tastes. I like kinky, but I don't bend in that direction.
"StarShine sees you as some kind of father figure, and she's worried sick about her mother. Be a nice daddy and comfort your daughter. She needs you," the Society's director said as she turned on her heel and left me alone with my thoughts and her instructions.
I found StarShine sniffling at the bottom of the stairs. With her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin resting on her knees, she rocked back and forth to the sound of invisible music. I sat down next to her and put my arm around her shoulder and held her close to me as I kissed the top of her head and said nothing. The young girl had retreated within herself to a place where words could not reach.
"I'm scared, Wolfie," Star blubbered as she wrapped her arms around my neck and hung on to me like a drowning swimmer grasping a life preserver. I stroked her hair and let her weep without interruption.
"You're afraid. I'm afraid. We're all afraid. Your mom and Darlene will be okay."
My reassurance was more a prayer than a conviction. We were in unknown territory.
Alice and I took our seats on each side of Sheila as the last stragglers filed into the amphitheater and returned to their places."Before we resume, I want to thank our kitchen crew for a fantastic, as usual, flash-banquet. Well done, thank you," Sheila said as she held her gavel in the ready position.With plumbing and dietary needs satisfied, a soothing and comfortable afterglow had fallen over the proceedings. It wouldn't last long, but at least we were starting with an advantage....
Fantasy & Sci-Fi"Okay, my turn," I chuckled as I picked up the fat cigar-sized joint of the Sisterhood's weed. Possession of the Canibus talking stick authorized the owner to speak without interruption.I took a heavy hit and passed the blunt to Sheila and took my place in our naked Truth or Dare fireside chat."Please be honest. What do you believe?" The commander's theology drifted all over the map from Pagan to Puritan, seasoned with native lore and eastern thought. Pinning her down was like trying to...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe Society of Sisters and their compound at Liberty Mountain were the pride and joy of Sheila's existence. She devoted almost every waking hour toward her mission of building an organization that could withstand anything the apocalyptic whims of fate might send our way. The Colony's boss was an innovator who served both as a leader and also as a follower.Like the Caesars of old, she had the authority to issue any order necessary to secure the safety of the group. Unlike the dictators of...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi"Super glue? Really?" I chuckled as I focused my field glasses on the bonded band of mutually masturbating men crab-walking westward."Your punishment is diabolical," I shook my head in puzzled amazement. "Intruders were killed in the past for less, so why the sudden mercy?" "Not compassion. Karma. What goes around, comes around." Sheila trained her spyglass on the retreating men."They might make town by sundown. If they're lucky." "Karma?" I inquired. "Yeah, Karma. We can run, but...
Fantasy & Sci-FiRattlesnake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is the culinary equivalent of cruel and unusual punishment. I had about had it with rattlesnake by the end of the third meal on the first day. I skipped the midday meal and picked at supper the second day. I hated snakes as much as Seraina did by the evening of the next day.Mood affects perception. The blue funk of disappointment settling over us transformed our dark and cozy shelter into a dank and dismal prison. We slept like babies and fucked like...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi"I'm getting too old for this shit," I moaned and plopped into one of the Situation Room's ergonomically designed conference chairs. I massaged the sore spot on my shoulder and shifted and squirmed and as I searched for a less uncomfortable position. Nothing worked. I hurt in places I didn't even know I had.The steaming mug of fresh brewed Colombian laced with the Sisterhood's brandy warmed my hands and took the edge away from the pain in my ass. Java and joy-juice will cure...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi"Shit!" Sheila swore as she angrily flipped the turn signal and slowed our Ford Super Duty truck to a crawl and searched for a safe place to pull off the road."Sky, I need my license and registration, they're in the glove compartment," she instructed as she rolled down her window with her left arm pointed over the roof of our vehicle. She waved toward the side of the road, a visual indication to the following patrol car we were pulling off the highway."Stash the Glock in the hump, we don't need...
Fantasy & Sci-FiMy bladder is the perfect alarm clock. The urgent need to go dragged me out of hibernation as the night sky brightened in advance of dawn. I awoke to the gentle sound of Sheila's breathing. Naked, beautiful, and warm, she lay next to me in the relaxed innocence of sleep. Sheila sensed a change in my position, shifted her body, and pressed her bare bottom into my groin as we snuggled together under the covers. My hand remained cupped to her breast. Sheila placed her hand over mine and pulled it...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi"Thank you, what’s the deal?" I asked as I took the offered towel from Sheila’s hands and fluff-dried my thinning mane. Hair loss among men is a myth. It’s not so much that our locks leave as that they change location. The stuff that had lived on my head now grew out of my ears."Jen thinks the ionosphere has settled enough for shortwave. At her suggestion, I’ve decided it time we start a twenty-four-seven radio watch. You got the first shift. Listen and log, let’s see what’s going on out...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe stern rap of Sheila's opening gavel muted but did not extinguish the murmuring voices of dozens of private conversations. The posture of the Colony's leader appeared poised and relaxed as she held the gavel in the ready position with her elbow bent at a forty-five degree angle for several long seconds as she waited for silence. Beneath Sheila's placid surface I spotted a ripple of anxiety as she unconsciously polished the gavel's wood handle with her thumb. I've called enough meetings to...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi"This is Liberty base. The National Weather Service has issued a revised winter storm warning for our area. Up to thirty-six inches of snow starting tonight at five with blizzard conditions beginning at six-thirty PM. Snow throughout the evening, ending late tomorrow. Winds south by southwest twenty to thirty miles per hour, one hundred and twenty miles per hour gusts exposed ridges. Return home immediately. Please acknowledge.""It's too bad we can't reply to a message we never received," Alice...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi"Okay, listen up!" Sheila knocked her knuckles on the conference table and brought the final briefing to order. "We've got an outstanding weather report, vehicles and crews are ready. We are good to go at daybreak..." she smiled as she waved at the huge flat screen display we had installed several days ago and checked her watch for the time, "which means we're in luck. We have thirty-minutes for one last run-through.""Time for a quick cup of coffee before we start?" I made it halfway across...
Fantasy & Sci-FiWrestling under the covers while playing a game of naked grab-ass kicked our biological heat engines into overdrive. The internal temperature of our sleeping bag was well beyond the comfort zone as our cozy sleeping space became a sauna without steam."I'm tired of anatomy by Braille, I wanna see what I'm doing." Alice tossed the sleeping bag cover back and rose to her knees.Her nude body glistened with perspiration in the lantern's harsh light. Alice's cheeks, neck, and breasts glowed blush-red...
Fantasy & Sci-FiRattlesnake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is the culinary equivalent of cruel and unusual punishment. I’d about had it with rattlesnake by the end of the third meal on the first day. I skipped lunch and picked at supper the second day. By the evening of the next day, I hated snakes as much as Seraina did. Mood affects perception. The blue funk of disappointment settling over us transformed our dark and cozy shelter into a dank and dismal prison. We slept like babies and fucked like...
Alice and I took our seats on each side of Sheila as the last stragglers filed into the amphitheater and returned to their places. “Before we resume, I want to thank our kitchen crew for a fantastic, as usual, flash-banquet. Well done, thank you,” Sheila said as she held her gavel in the ready position. With plumbing and dietary needs satisfied, a soothing and comfortable afterglow had fallen over the proceedings. It wouldn’t last long, but at least we were starting with an advantage....
"That should do it. Time check," Belinda wiped sweat from her brow with her t-shirt as she braced her entrenching tool against the entrance of the newly constructed "bunker-in-a-bag." Unless you were part Mountain Goat, the winding ridgeline trail was the only drivable and walkable unbroken overland route from town to our base. Prior to SkyFire, arrays of remote sensors and wireless cameras guarded the pathway to the Society's home. The sun pulled the plug and left us blind. Our mission...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe moderator leaned back in her chair and studied StarShine for a moment before turning to me and sitting upright."Do you want to become a member of our Society?""Yes," I replied after a short pause. The question had caught me by surprise."Why?" Sheila asked."Survival," I responded.Sheila tilted her head to one side as her eyes widened in an expression of puzzlement. "Survival?""Yes, survival. This is the high mountains in winter. Without the warmth and shelter of this place I wouldn't last a...
Fantasy & Sci-FiWhile our dinner is not worthy of a five-star restaurant, the view around us was six-star spectacular. The night was moonless, and the velvet black sky above our heads blazed with countless stars. The Milky Way rose and arched across the heavens in a misty river of light along the eastern horizon. The snowshoe workshop did triple duty as kitchen, dining area, and lounge. We spent as many hours outdoors together as we could stand.Spooning naked in the blackness is sexy, erotic, and boring. Even...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe days melted into weeks and the weeks flowed into months as winter searched for spring. For the first couple dozen wake-ups, I started each morning with the unreal feeling that I was at the bottom of a rabbit hole. By the end of the second month, the sense of strangeness decreased, and I was able to open my eyes without breaking into a cold sweat. I was still on the wrong side of the looking glass, but Wonderland had become my home. I didn’t make a journey to Liberty Mountain to search...
The Society of Sisters and their compound at Liberty Mountain were the pride and joy of Sheila’s existence. She devoted almost every waking hour toward her mission of building an organization that could withstand anything the apocalyptic whims of fate might send her way. The colony’s Boss was an innovator who served both as a leader and a follower. Like the Caesars of old, she had the authority to issue any order necessary to secure the safety of the group. Unlike the dictators of ancient...
Chapter 1I stuffed my last cardboard box of personal belongings into the cargo hold of my girlfriend's Toyota Rav4, jumped into the passenger seat, and waited while she fussed over a map with directions to our new home. Darlene was like that - a stickler for details.She flipped her shoulder-length hair out of her eyes for the umpteenth time and squinted to read the tiny letters. Mapmakers tended to hide the most critical information in the smallest print known to man.Finally finished, she...
Fantasy & Sci-FiI peeked past Sheila's shoulder as she looked over the semicircle of women from the Science Team gathered around Jennifer as the dark lady of data studied the computer screen in front of her workstation. Her fingers flew across the keyboard while she scanned hundreds of files, crunching numbers and extracting the data she needed.The thirty-four-year-old Boston descendant of Zulu warriors became a legend within the Society as a math prodigy with an uncanny ability to ferret out hidden trends and...
Fantasy & Sci-FiI peeked past Sheila's shoulder as she looked over the semicircle of women from the Science Team gathered around Jennifer as the dark lady of data studied the computer screen in front of her workstation. Her fingers flew across the keyboard while she scanned hundreds of files, crunching numbers and extracting the data she needed.The thirty-four-year-old Boston descendant of Zulu warriors became a legend within the Society as a math prodigy with an uncanny ability to ferret out hidden trends and...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi"These mountains are as dangerous as they are beautiful. They might appear to be lovely and majestic but don't let 'em fool you. The beauty hides the heart of a killer," Brenda explained as she dug through her inventory, looking for a pair of gloves in my size."Got 'em!" she yelled as she held the object of her search aloft, a pair of insulated gloves joined the rest of my new wardrobe.A slim and attractive woman in her mid-thirties, Brenda served as the colony's quartermaster. Medium sized,...
Fantasy & Sci-FiIn the confined space of the cave, Alice's distressed cry reverberated off the walls, so loud my ears hurt. I scrambled to be at her side. She sat in a fetal position with her arms wrapped around her knees and her whole body trembling like a leaf in the wind. Fear distorted her face, and her eyes closed so tightly her facial muscles twitched with the effort.A tiny voice uttered from her lips, repeating a single word again and again: snakes. Kneeling next to Alice, I put my arm around her...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi“These mountains are as dangerous as they are beautiful. They might appear to be lovely and majestic but don’t let ‘em fool you. The beauty hides the heart of a killer,” Brenda explained as she dug through her inventory, looking for a pair of gloves in my size. “Got ‘em!” she yelled as she held the object of her search aloft, a pair of insulated gloves joined the rest of my new wardrobe. A slim and attractive woman in her mid-thirties, Brenda served as the colony’s quartermaster. Medium...
Thank you, what’s the deal?” I asked as I took the offered towel from Sheila’s hands and fluff-dried my thinning mane. Hair loss among men is a myth. It’s not so much our locks leave as they change location. The stuff which had lived on my head now sprouted from my ears. “Jen thinks the ionosphere has settled enough for shortwave. At her suggestion, I’ve decided it time we start a 24/7 radio watch. You got the first shift. Listen and log, let’s see what’s going on out there.” She hesitated...
"With all due respect, do we have any idea how ridiculous we look?" I stepped over the long picnic bench next to the community dining table as I stood to speak. My rear end protested.After several long hours of note taking, my fanny was in no mood for a new session. My flat ass had a bad case of meeting butt. My hand was cramped, and after a day of biking thru the mountains, I hurt in places the sun didn't shine."This does not bode well," I said as I closed my notepad and set it to one...
Fantasy & Sci-FiWe returned to our room after breakfast to find a note from Sheila pinned to our door. She was reminding us to join her on the front deck for an introductory tour of the colony and the surrounding area. The instructions also suggested that we dress for the weather. Our walk-in closets looked like walk-in dumpsters. Everything we had brought with us in the Rav4 had been piled in the storage spaces like an unorganized jigsaw puzzle. I busied myself picking out an appropriate wardrobe for our...
With flying gravel and a sandy whoosh, Frosty's motorbike cleared the crest of the granite ridge in an airborne glide before skidding to a wobbly stop about a dozen yards down the slope. "It's Alice and Darlene with five guys wearing uniforms from the sheriff's department." Belinda took my hand and pulled herself up to the top of the incline. "They are under guard, wearing handcuffs. Did they see me?" She lifted her binoculars to her eyes and scanned the rise at the far end of the trail along...
Fantasy & Sci-FiWith flying gravel and a sandy whoosh, Frosty's motorbike cleared the crest of the granite ridge in an airborne glide before skidding to a wobbly stop about a dozen yards down the slope. "It's Alice and Darlene with five guys wearing uniforms from the sheriff's department." Belinda took my hand and pulled herself up to the top of the incline. "They are under guard, wearing handcuffs. Did they see me?" She lifted her binoculars to her eyes and scanned the rise at the far end of the trail along...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe tour of the Liberty Mountain camp consumed most of the day, and I welcomed the chance to sit down and collect my thoughts. We were back in the cabin with about twenty minutes to spare before dinner service, and I wanted to use the time to clean up before supper. Darlene had left me on my own for the evening to rekindle a long lost friendship or love affair. Her parting words for the evening were, "Don't get into too many beds and if you do, save a spot for me." I had a real affection for...
Fantasy & Sci-FiConsciousness came slowly, on the installment plan, one sensation at a time.I groaned and opened my eyes to a room full of sunshine. Dancing clusters of sparkles and glowing dust motes drifted in the sunbeams filling my field of vision as I attempted to focus and give the optical center of my brain a chance to sort out the dazzling array of visual information. For several seconds I stared at the ceiling and tried to remember where I was. Naked, comfortable, and warm in bed with my partner next...
Fantasy & Sci-FiChapter 7As the applause died down, I took a seat on the table's bench next to Sheila and tried to relax. I felt like I had just run a marathon. Darlene gave me a warm hug and a glass of ice-cold water and sat with me. I don't know which I appreciated more; her company, the hug, or the beverage. I guzzled the water down in one long gulp. Public speaking is lonely and thirsty work.The sisters stopped by in ones and twos to exchange small talk with Sheila before retiring for the evening. That was...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi“I’m getting too old for this shit,” I moaned and plopped into one of the Situation Room’s ergonomically designed conference chairs. I massaged the sore spot on my shoulder and shifted and squirmed and as I searched for a less uncomfortable position. Nothing worked. I hurt in places I didn’t even know I had. The steaming mug of fresh brewed Colombian laced with the Sisterhood’s brandy warmed my hands and took the edge away from the pain in my ass. Java and joy-juice will cure...
Darlene stepped around the front bumper and gave me a hug as she whispered "Did I mention that this is an all-woman survival commune?" in my ear."You forgot to share that little detail with me. What the fuck are we going to do now?" I whispered back.Darlene was like that. She tended to skimp on the details and fill the void with trivia or useless information. Darleen held my hand as we broke from our embrace, and spoke to the assembled women on the porch. "I would like you to meet my lover,...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe moderator leaned back in her chair and studied Starshine for a moment before turning to me and sitting upright. “Do you want to become a member of our Society?” “Yes,” I replied after a short pause. The question had caught me by surprise. “Why?” Sheila asked. “Survival,” I responded. Sheila tilted her head to one side as her eyes widened in an expression of puzzlement. “Survival?” “Yes, survival. We’re in the high mountains in winter. Without the warmth and safety of this place, I...
“This is Liberty base. The National Weather Service has issued a revised winter storm warning for our area. Forecasters are calling for up to thirty-six inches of snow starting tonight at five o’clock with blizzard conditions beginning at 6:30 PM. Snow will continue throughout the evening and into late tomorrow afternoon. Winds south by southwest twenty to thirty miles per hour with gusts up to one hundred and twenty miles per hour along exposed ridges. Return home immediately. Please...
Alice and I hurried toward the source of illumination like moths to a flame. A glimmering halo of white light surrounded the hole Alice cut through the snow drift at the tunnel’s entrance. I crawled into the air shaft that she’d excavated and punched through a thin cap of frost at the end and was instantly dazzled by blinding sunshine. “Alice, come here and take a look, you aren’t going to believe this,” I shouted over my shoulder as I emerged into the open air. The blizzard had passed us...
91.28 - 91.62 While our dinner wasn’t worthy of a five-star restaurant, the scenery around us was six-star spectacular. The night was moonless, and the velvet black sky above our heads blazed with countless stars. The Milky Way rose and arched across the heavens in a misty river of light along the eastern horizon. The snowshoe workshop did triple duty as a kitchen, dining area, and lounge. Spooning naked in the blackness was sexy, erotic, and boring. Newlyweds need to hop out of bed and...
“Shit!” Sheila swore as she angrily flipped the turn signal and slowed our Ford Super Duty truck to a crawl and searched for a safe place to pull off the road. “Sky, I need my license and registration, they’re in the glove compartment.” She rolled down her window with her left arm pointed over the roof of our vehicle. She waved towards the side of the road, a visual indication to the following patrol car we were pulling off the highway. “Stash the Glock in the hump. We don’t need any...
“Okay, my turn,” I chuckled as I picked up the fat cigar-sized joint of the Sisterhood’s weed. Possession of the cannabis talking stick authorized the owner to speak without interruption. I inhaled deeply and gave the blunt to Sheila and took my place in our naked Truth or Dare fireside chat. “Please be honest. What do you believe?” The commander’s theology drifted all over the map from Pagan to Puritan, seasoned with native lore and eastern thought. Pinning her down was like trying to...
"We need to talk" is usually the two slices of sweet bread covering a shit sandwich. I have yet to hear those innocent sounding words when they weren't followed by news to which I didn't want to listen.The last time a boss called me into the office using that invitation, I left with a security escort to the front door with a severance check in my back pocket."Have a seat," Sheila patted the empty cushion and motioned for me to sit. "We've got a lot to talk about and not much time. The meeting...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi"We need to talk" is usually the two slices of sweet bread covering a shit sandwich. I have yet to hear those innocent sounding words when they weren't followed by news to which I didn't want to listen.The last time a boss called me into the office using that invitation, I left with a security escort to the front door with a severance check in my back pocket."Have a seat," Sheila patted the empty cushion and motioned for me to sit. "We've got a lot to talk about and not much time. The meeting...
Fantasy & Sci-FiSheila had the soul of a cavalry commander and lived the warrior's code of old. Feed your horses, your troops, and yourself. In that order. Her declaration of a banquet of gratitude was a brazen departure from the typical bullshit command response to a crisis which was: when in doubt, run in circles, scream, and shout. With the generous help of brandy and buds, Martha's magnificent meal of thanksgiving had brought everyone, myself included, back from the brink. "Come on in; the water's fine!"...
Fantasy & Sci-FiEverything I knew about Sheila told me she was a master gamer with the skills of a chess genius. She did not offer me a job to alleviate unemployment, instead, she appeared to be working a gambit of some sort. The uncertainty of purpose generated within me a wave of anxious observation while I awaited developments. The chess pieces on the board were changing their position of their own accord. =^.^= "She wants you to be her what?" Darlene giggled in questioning amazement at my...
Fantasy & Sci-FiIn the confined space of the cave, Alice’s distressed cry reverberated off the walls so loudly my ears hurt. I scrambled to be at her side. She sat in a fetal position with her arms wrapped around her knees: her whole body trembling like a leaf in the wind. Fear distorted her face, and her eyes closed so tightly her eyebrows twitched with the effort. A tiny voice uttered from her lips, repeating the same word again and again: snakes. Kneeling next to Alice, I put my arm around her shoulder...
My sleep was shattered by three sharp raps which crashed through my slumber like gunshots in a nightmare on the morning of the third day."What the hell!" I hurled myself from my bed, stomped across the floor and jerked open the door."Do you have any idea of the time?" My growl faded to a reluctant sigh as Sheila pushed past me into the quarters Darlene and I had shared since our arrival at the compound last fall."Good morning, Sky, time for coffee," she said with a slight smile."It's not...
Fantasy & Sci-FiOur return to the cabin became a déjà vu moment and a mirror image of when I first arrived with Darlene about ten days ago. As our rescue vehicles approached, it appeared as though Sheila and the entire membership of the Society of Sisters waited on the cabin's balcony in freezing cold. The upper deck erupted in shouts of joy and hand waves of welcome when Seraina dismounted from the snowmobile. The boisterous display of affection slammed into a wall of silence as I climbed off the passenger...
Fantasy & Sci-FiMorpheus, the God of dreams, wrapped us in a cocoon of dreams. But when he did, he forgot to include a bathroom. I awoke with a four-alarm "urgent need to go" moment as my bladder trembled in an effort to hold back a flood of Biblical proportions. It would be wonderful to wake up nice and slow like I once did in my younger days. I used to enjoy the delightful transition from slumber to wakefulness. No such luck. Personal plumbing issues are now at the top of my morning's To-Do List.I groaned as...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe gentle nudge of Alice's hands dragged me out of my sleep. "Dennis, I'm sorry to wake you, but I've gotta piss so bad I can taste it. I need your help," she said as she pulled me into a sitting position. Our warm and cozy tent had turned into an icebox."You gotta be kidding; since when do you need help taking a piss?" Reaching under my makeshift pillow, I fished out my light and turned it on. In front of me, a naked Alice sat huddled, her breath streaming like smoke from her mouth, and...
Fantasy & Sci-FiStripping was going to be awkward. Getting naked in front of a group of nude women was the last thing I wanted to do, especially with a growing boner. Even so, I decided that I had no choice but to comply. Clearly, I would eventually have to join the clothing optional norm of the colony.Taking a deep breath, I braced myself and unbuttoned my shirt, took it off, and laid it on the table. I then took my shoes and socks off and placed them next to my shirt. I undressed as slowly as possible,...
Fantasy & Sci-FiChapter 4The dining area was located just off a large commercial kitchen at the far end of the great room. A supersized picnic table lined with benches provided more than enough seating capacity for the thirty-seven females who made the Colony their home. The table itself was a stunning thing of beauty. The tabletop surface consisted of wide pine planking sanded to a silky smooth sheen and then coated with dozens of layers of polyurethane.I took a good hard look around as we descended the...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe next room turned out to be the bedroom Sheila shared with her partner, Lucia. The walls were hand-hewn pine planks decked out with bookcases and several very well done nude watercolor portraits of women.A queen-size four-poster bed covered with a beautiful handmade quilt took up one wall, and a rustic looking nightstand with a large table lamp adorned with a stained glass shade provided most of the light in the room. The balance of the lighting came from a stone fireplace with several...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi“With all due respect, do we have any idea how ridiculous we look?” I stepped over the long picnic bench next to the community dining table as I stood to speak. My rear end protested. After several long hours of note-taking, my fanny was in no mood for a new session. My flat ass had a bad case of meeting butt. My hand was cramped, and after a day of biking through the mountains, I hurt in places the sun didn’t shine. “This does not bode well,” I said as I closed my notepad and set it to one...
The protracted stillness in our fabric cave floated from awkward to uncomfortable as we each waited for the other to speak. Silence and rubber bands share at least one thing in common. If you stretch them far enough, they’ll snap. In our case, the break came when Alice’s stomach rumbled in hunger. A few moments later, my gut responded in kind. “I’m famished. What’s for dinner?” Alice wanted to know. “We’ve got bouillon and tea. What’s your pleasure?” I inquired. “I want something to munch,...
With a sandy whoosh in a cloud of flying gravel, Frosty’s motorbike cleared the crest of the granite ridge in an airborne glide before skidding to a wobbly stop about a dozen yards down the slope. “It’s Alice and Darlene with five guys wearing uniforms from the sheriff’s department!” Belinda panted as she took my hand and pulled herself to the top of the incline. “They are under guard, wearing handcuffs. Did the men see me?” She lifted her binoculars to her eyes and scanned the hilltop at...
“Okay, listen up!” Sheila knocked her knuckles on the conference table and brought the final briefing to order. “We’ve got an outstanding weather report, vehicles and crews are ready. We are good to go at daybreak...” she smiled as she waved at the enormous flat-screen display we had installed several days ago and checked her watch for the time, “ ... which means we’re in luck. We have thirty-minutes for one last run-through.” “Time for a quick cup of coffee before we start?” I made it...