Secrets of Liberty Mountain No Man s Land Chapter9
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“Crazy 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 should make town by sundown. If they cooperate.”
“Karma?” I inquired.
“Yeah, Karma. We can run, but we can’t hide. Karma gets us in the end, and we receive what we deserve.” Sheila lowered her Steiner binoculars and returned them to the case hanging from her hip.
“Nice one.” I glanced at the hard-leather case. “High-quality military-grade optics are priceless. We’ll not see its match in our lifetimes.”
“Exactly. Being able to see further with more clarity than the other guy is a big plus in the game of survival.” The Commander snapped the lid of the case closed.
Karma, if we are to believe such nonsense, is the universe’s way of keeping score. As we sow, so shall we reap; an old and new testament theology with a Hindu flavor.
“Maybe. Maybe not.” I lowered my glasses and reached for a smoke. “Fitzwater hates same-sex lovers. He’s a jerk who gets off violating bisexual women. He’s earned the right to retribution.” I chuckled at the erections the men were growing.
“His mind must be a mess; his homophobic hand welded to the prick of his gay-bashing buddy. Those boys can’t move without stroking each other. Poetic justice in a daisy chain of mutual involuntary masturbation,” she laughed.
Sheila played with words like a cat with a mouse before breaking into a modified off-key rendition of the old classic by the Police: “Every move you make, every step you take, he’ll be wanking you.”
“I would love to be a fly on the wall when they return home and try to explain how they came to be as they are,” the Commander mused without joy.
“Crap like that makes me embarrassed to be a man. They’re traitors to their sex,” I said.
Sheila hugged my shoulder. “They were more true to their chromosomes than you are to yours.”
“Since our mothers swung down from the trees, we’ve lived in a world where the male spreads his seed at will. ‘No’ was never an option for the females of our species. At least not until we evolved. As a race, we’ve been firing on half of its cylinders for much of our existence. We fail to evolve when one gender or another is ignored at the cost of the other. We are one people. We need one another, whether we like it or not.”
“You evolved. They haven’t.” Sheila pointed to the clump of men as they vanished from sight over the distant hill at the far end of the granite ridge.
“Those boys never got the memo.”
“I sent ‘em a message with my method. Perhaps they’ll learn. Likely they won’t. But I’m sure they’ll think double before screwing with us again.”
“And if they don’t?” I asked.
“Then we need to return home and put our house into order. We’ll be on our way in fifteen minutes.”
“Speaking of together, I gotta see Darlene and Seraina. I’ve been worried sick about them,” I said before the leader held me back.
“Tread lightly. They don’t want to be touched by anyone. Especially a man. Give them space and love, Sky. They’ll come around.”
Since the liberated horses set the pace for our homeward journey, Belinda and I changed our tactics from leapfrog to hurry-and-catch-up. We rode from one objective to another and didn’t move until our comrades were in view.
Afternoon rain showers had left the mid-summer sky in chaos as the cool air of the passing cold front collided with a warm surging air-mass from the Gulf of Mexico. Clouds of every type raced the wind across the verdant indigo-blue sky arching above us like the cathedral of creation. Wispy white cirrus clouds painted the gates of heaven with swirls of mist, while fast forming and quickly vanishing stratus clouds danced between the summits and the valleys below.
“My Lord! Have you ever seen anything like this?” Belinda whispered as she bent her head and leaned slightly backward as we gazed upward at the sun-lit top of the billowing cloud tower a few miles to the south of us.
With more nooks and crannies than an English muffin, the face of the misty giant glowed brightly against the pastel blue-gray shadow canyons carved into the contours of the thunderhead.
“Only in the movies. It is stunning.” I lifted my eyes skyward in reverent appreciation and gratitude. “It’s good to be alive, specifically after this morning’s meet-and-greet.” I hunched down with my hand shielding the tip of my cigarette and sparked my lighter into life. “Let’s take a break, my back is killing me, and my butt hurts.”
I used the brim of my fedora to sweep the sand and gravel from a small patch of ground and sat down. I groaned with relief as I leaned back against a sofa-sized chunk of weathered stone and draped my rifle across my knees with the muzzle facing away from my partner.
“Got an extra?” Belinda asked as she sat next to me and pointed to her mouth and pretended to smoke.
“Bad for your health; how about some weed for a change?”
I stubbed out my cigarette and passed her the torch along with one of my pre-rolled cannabis cigars. I needed to relax, and nicotine wasn’t cutting it. Belinda eyed the blunt with suspicion, and I thought she would decline my invitation. Instead, she peeped down the trail for any signs of the sisterhood, smiled and said, “What the hell. Why not?” before she touched the flame to the end and took a toke that would make Willie Nelson proud.
“Ya know something? Back there, you did okay for an old man, Sky.” Frosty stroked my back as she handed me the glowing cigar.
“Thanks, you’re too kind, but I don’t think so,” I said as I shook my head in disbelief. “Waiting for them to clear the crest, I was so scared I thought I would piss myself.” I shuddered at the memory of fear.
“You did good enough to get the job done, and that’s what we needed when you distracted them long enough for us to the get the drop on them,” she said as her mouth bent into a smile. The thin dimpled crease of a scar across her lips accented every expression with a mirror image. Smiles seemed to be happy frowns and frowns looked like misplaced grins. She smiled and took the smoldering joint from my fingers.
“Thank you. It means a lot to hear you say that.”
I returned her smile with a hug. I hadn’t been brave in my deeds. I had simply forgotten to be afraid.
“My pleasure. We work well together,” Belinda grinned.
For the next several minutes we silently shared the mega-joint. Sometimes more is said when nothing is spoken.
“Where do I sit?” I asked Sheila as I leaned against the door frame at the entrance to the meeting hall and surveyed the room.
“What do you mean? Why do you ask?” The Commander gave me a perplexed look.
“At the last meeting, you told me I was to be reassigned and would no longer be your assistant, what is my status?” I studied Sheila’s face and tried to read her thoughts.
“You’re in the Society. Do what needs to be done,” my boss replied.
“A less than useful answer, don’t you think? I hate riddles; just tell me what it is YOU want me to do, I’ll take it from there.” I tapped a cigarette from my pack and lit-up. Halfway in and partway out of the meeting room, no one was nearby to give me grief over secondhand smoke.
“Ditch the smoke, sit with the council like you usually do and take minutes; they’re expecting you.” She carefully took the cigarette from between my lips and took a quick drag before stubbing it out against the heel of her boot.
“Waste not,” she frowned with a strange grin as she slipped the unsmoked remainder into my back pocket and smacked my ass. “Want not,” she casually looked into my eyes several heartbeats longer than necessary and smiled.
“They are?” I peeped over Sheila’s shoulder at the members of the council gathering at the oak table to the right of the Leader’s podium. “They are?”
“You take the minutes at every meeting, and you’ve been doing it since the day you became a member of the Society. Nobody asked you to stop.” She looked at Martha and Belinda in conversation with Jennifer. “You’re knack with words is appreciated. We need a historian; it might as well be you.” She patted my head and walked to the stage.
I had an uneasy feeling in my gut as I followed my mistress of mixed messages. Until I knew the lay of the land, I would make my way gingerly through the shifting moods of the Sisterhood. The twin SkyFire events had left everyone anxious and uneasy. The confrontation with the Sheriff and his posse was a troubling first introduction to the new world beyond our walls.
Like the minds of soldiers finishing basic training on the evening of war, the frame of mind of the Society was transitioning from theory to practice. It was exhilarating and terrifying; a high wire act without a net. No matter how amazing was our grace or beautiful our style, it was still the same distance to the ground if we missed the wire.
“With the hour being...”
Sheila held her gavel at the ready and stared at the silent grandfather clock at the front wall of the amphitheater. Unwound, the dormant timepiece had ticked its last tock at two-twenty-two on the afternoon or morning of some previous day.
“Oh, bother,” she grumbled as she checked her watch. “Ah hum, the time being twenty-one hundred hours, more or less, I declare this meeting of the leadership council to be in session, Sheila Carson presiding. Today’s agenda is in three parts. Firstly, the council will direct a hearing into the circumstances leading to the detention and subsequent liberation of Darlene and Seraina,” the Commander said as she held up a single finger.
“Secondly,” she extended another digit, “we will examine the conduct of our rescue party during our, er, rather sticky encounter with the Sheriff’s Department. Today’s actions may have significant implications for our future relationships with local law enforcement. Finally, we have unfinished business from our last meeting.” Sheila turned to face me. “Mister Wolf’s performance review and duty assignment. We’ll deal with that after dinner recess. But, enough of that. Before we begin, let’s all welcome home our sisters, Darlene and Seraina,” the chief said as she embraced each of the women.
I scanned the hall as I rose to my feet and became one with the assembly as we flooded the hall with a defiant wave of joyful applause. We had met the enemy and prevailed, at least for the moment. With a gentle tap of the hammer, Sheila returned the hall to silence as she pointed to the returned women and beckoned them to rise.
“Speak truthfully so that we may better know your mind. We know that your return was delayed by red tape, something to do with missing paperwork. What happened after we left that caused you to become prisoners?”
“We were closing on the two Hybrid-Electric Ford F-250 trucks and about ready to complete the transaction when we the manager noticed an error in the title. The VIN was wrong, and the registry was closed,” Darlene explained as she walked across the platform and stood before Martha and the other councilors.
“We decided to rent a couple of rooms for the night and finish the mission when we got the titles sorted out,” Seraina joined her companion as her voice trailed off into a whisper, and her body tensed like she was standing on the edge of an abyss.
“What happened next?” Sheila bridged the silence with a soothing voice of inquiry.
“All hell broke loose an hour after we settled in,” Darlene said as she inhaled and held her breath for a moment before continuing.
“I opened our door to investigate, and a terrified girl ran into our room,” Seraina said as she gave Darlene’s hand an additional squeeze of strength and affection.
“The poor sister was a naked, bloody mess with two black eyes, and a split lip. Blood was running down the inside of the girl’s legs. She was scared shitless. Literally.” Seraina wrinkled her nose and continued.
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 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-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 out a...
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"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-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-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-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....
The 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...
"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-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 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-FiThank 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...
We 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...
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...
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-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“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...
"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-Fi"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-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. 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“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...
While 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-FiAlice 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...
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-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-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...
"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-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...
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-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-FiThe 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...
The bright glow of morning sunshine reflected off the snow-capped western mountains and cascaded through our bedroom window, filling every corner with light. Some part of my sleeping brain registered the change in illumination and curiosity teased my eyes open. My initial reaction was a momentary disconcerting sense of confusion that we all feel when waking up in a brand new place for the first time. The mountains dazzled white and magnificent against the brilliant blue sky; Darlene...
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-FiDarlene moved around the front bumper and gave me a hug as she murmured in my ear, “Did I mention that this is an all-women survival commune?” “You forgot to share that little detail with me. What the hell we gonna do now?” I muttered back. Darlene was like that. She tended to skimp on the details and fill the void with trivia or useless facts. She 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 partner, Dennis...
As 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 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 the...
As the drone’s camera pointed directly down, Alice and I stared straight up, whooping for joy, our mouths as wide open as baby sparrows awaiting a fresh worm. Our hungry-bird-faces filled the screen as Sheila reviewed her notes while she paused the video. “Oomph!” I let out an involuntary snort of laughter; we looked fucking ridiculous. Alice tried to stifle giggles as the audience got the joke. Titters and chuckles filled the hall. Sheila had a puzzled expression on her face as she looked...
Sheila 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-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-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-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-FiEverything I knew about Sheila told me she was a gifted gamer with the skills of a chess master. 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 a wave of anxious observation while I awaited developments. The pawns on the board were changing positions of their own accord. “She wants you to be her what?” Darlene giggled in bemused amazement at my news. “Administrative assistant. She thinks I...
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-Fi