Embracing, they kissed deeply, wet dark brown and red hair tangling together as bodies pressed tightly against each other. Erect nipples found themselves under the attention of a deft tongue while gentle hands caressed the side of her breast and the small of her back. Running fingertips down Jaimee’s side, Cathy slowly reached between the junction of her thighs, teasing her partner’s lips and clitoris.
“My knees are giving out.” Jaimee panted and grasped her partner’s waist.
“Aim the water at the wall; it’ll help warm it up for your back.” Smiling, Cathy pressed Jaimee against the chilly sidewall in the shower and released.
Yelping, Jaimee grasped the showerhead and aimed it at the spot she just abruptly vacated.
This is a nice change of pace, she thought, leaning back after the water took some of the chill away. I guess I don’t always have to be the one ‘chasing’….actually I love being ‘chased’.
A soft moan escaped as slick, warm fingers glided inside her velvet depths. Cathy, although a bit shorter in stature, held Jaimee up with the probing hand and pressing an upper leg underneath, anchoring her partner against the wall and keeping legs spread. Hooking fingers into a shallow ‘C’ shape, she pulsed up, in and out watching Jaimee shudder.
“Oh…” Jaimee bit her lip and rocked in time, “I want to wrap my legs around you.”
“Do it then. I want to make you cum.” She whispered. “I love fucking in the shower. You can be as messy as you want. So hot.”
Cathy’s feet slipped as Jaimee began to raise her legs. They caught themselves before slipping very far, giggling over the sprawl of limbs in the shower.
“Uh, maybe I better keep my legs down...” Jaimee laughed. “Or at least one of them. I want to ride your hips, but not fall and break a hip either.”
Cathy chuckled and nestled her hips against Jaimee, dipping inside once again. Continuing until Jaimee quivered and clenched around her hand, riding out the waves of passion as they crested and pulsed from her body.
Spent, Jaimee leaned on Cathy, knees still shaking, “I need to sit or lie down a bit…and then it’s your turn. Just you wait!”
Laughing as they stepped out of the shower, they toweled off and hurried into the bedroom.
*****
Present Day
Smiling sadly at the memory, Jaimee closed the valves and grabbed a towel. Wrapping it tight around her, she took the discarded clothing and immersed them in the sink. There were two washer and dryers in a room next door, but they sat useless without electricity to run them. Sprinkling some detergent in the basin, she scrubbed the clothing to loosen the dirt, sweat and dried blood. Jaimee looked forward to wearing semi-clean clothing again.
“I need something to scrub them against. This isn’t working all that well.” Muttering, she knew there was a lot of raiding in near future. Scavenging for useful tools in addition to the basics like food.
In order to survive or even build a safe home here to stay at for any length of time, she had to find items and transport them back. Going it solo was good, but life would be so much easier if she could bring others in and form a solid group. Good, decent people who were also striving to survive. There were those out there who probably were not ‘all that’ nice…in fact, she knew some were downright dangerous. Jaimee believed she was a good judge of character and tried to observe any group or person before approaching or letting them know she was present. So far, she managed avoided one bunch of thugs she ran across a few days after she lost the last of the original crew she was with while escaping LA. They acted like a gang out of an old Australian exploitation film – vicious, aggressive, one-step above animals. Slipping away unseen, Jaimee counted herself lucky and continued onward solo.
Hanging the clothing to dry, she double-checked the doors leading in to the bunk area of the fire station, bracing a chair under the knob for extra security. The outer doors stood locked. But, she had not survived this long assuming she was ever safe with only one line of protection. Again, Jaimee wished she had a small group of people to share watch shifts with while others slept secure in the knowledge that watchful eyes would wake the rest up if a problem occurred.
Jaimee found a stash of firefighter’s t-shirts in different sizes with a silk-screened logo and station number emblazoned across the chest and back. Feeling vulnerable, Jaimee did not want to sleep naked. She fished out an oversized XL and threw it on to wear as a nightshirt. It would do until her clothing dried overnight. As the sunlight dimmed, she chose a bunk and crawled between the sheets, dragging her bags full of various weapons underneath and placing a few within arm’s reach.
Sleep did not come for quite some time. Mentally, Jaimee made a list of things besides food she needed to find tomorrow. There was so much to do to create a safe space in the firehouse and items to find that her mind took a long time to quiet. The silence of this new world eventually calmed her mind and she drifted into sleep.
Dawn streamed through the window of the upper part of the day room that Jaimee had not boarded up. Golden streams of sunlight crept inside the room. She sighed and took a sip of one of the last sodas in the stash obtained from the police station. The coffee sat in the back of her mind, but she had to figure out a way to heat water before she could enjoy that luxury. The kitchenette in the fire station was electric powered, no natural gas appliances. If it came to it, she planned to set up some sort of grill in the bay, possibly knocking out one of the high set windows to let smoke escape outside. This way she could cook and heat water at will…and enjoy a warm cup of coffee again.
The night was not restful; even sleeping on a comfortable bed did not spare her the paranoia…the possibility that someone or something may gain entrance to the firehouse.
After I look around a bit this morning and bring supplies back, I think I have to figure out more ways of blocking off any access points to this place. I need the natural light, but I have to cover every single window and just leave a foot or so as high up as possible open for daylight to make it in here. Jaimee rubbed her eyes. Also gotta block off all doors better than I have, except for two I plan to use the most…probably one of the small side doors in the bay and the front door. Although, I’d like to build a barricade and create some space in front of that too eventually.
Stretching, she gathered a small arsenal of weapons to bring along and empty bags, packs and satchel she hoped to fill. I’m not sure how much I can bring back by myself. Damn. I need people to help me survive…but smart people. Not those that go out and get themselves eaten.
Shrugging, Jaimee figured that she could only do as much as she could. As long as it kept her alive another day, it would do.
For the first foray outside, she decided to scavenge for food, tools, weapons and anything else of use on foot. Condominiums and apartments sat on either side of the street near the station. An empty field sat to behind it and dipped down into a small ravine. She planned on starting with the condominiums and later taking the SUV down the block to the western stylized shopping center to search the shops and grocery stores.
Almost every satchel, bag and pack was empty except for weapons and some ammunition, in order to carry back as much as possible. They were almost too full by the time she finished.
Later in the day, after spending hours pilfering abandoned living spaces and killing off any roaming zombie she came across, Jaimee rested in the day room exhausted. Surrounding her sat the prizes hard won that day. Even though there was a few hours left of daylight, she decided to relax, stay inside and examine her haul. Ever organized, every canned food item she placed in cabinets behind the day room in the kitchen.
I miss fresh vegetables, but I’ll take what I can get at this point. Jaimee smirked while placing a third can of peas into the cupboard. Cans of corn, beans, green beans, fruit, and chili now filled the shelves as well as processed ravioli and salty pasta snacks. The last food items were a few stale packages of chips, nut trail mix and old bread. She sliced the moldy parts from the bread, ke
eping the still edible parts to eat.
Jaimee sighed, “But these…these make me feel the most human. Never realized how much I took things like this for granted.” Out of her bags came toothpaste, soap, feminine products, razors, tweezers, shaving lotion, deodorant, a hairbrush, toilet paper, and other sundries. Also netted during her foraging were clothing near her size, a couple flashlights, batteries and a pair of leather gloves and work boots.
Unwrapping a few large kitchen knives, she placed them next to her other weapons. Jaimee doubted she would use the meat chopper for culinary use, but rather as a last ditch way of defending herself.
Even though she believed them now to be luxury items and not useful as the world was right now, Jaimee could not resist also grabbing a couple books from one apartment. The two she liberated were completely random choices as the vacant owner had bookcase bursting at the seams with various novels. Both books were fantasy and science fiction from different authors. She wanted to read something that would lift her spirits or at the very least take her away from the current insane world. Escapism.
Cracking open a can of baked beans and sweetcorn, Jaimee relaxed for the first time since waking this morning and watched the light gradually dim through the upper windows.
Chapter 4
A week passed as she gradually settled in to the firehouse, securing entrances and the fenced back lot. Not wanting to risk attracting the undead, she refrained from firing up the generator. Instead, when she wanted warm food or drink, Jaimee used a make shift fire pit she built in the back. Even this, she used infrequently, for fear the smoke may bring another type of attention.
It wasn’t that I don’t trust anyone, but until I meet more people that have my back, there’s no way I’m going to blindly attract the attention of someone rolling through the area. Jaimee recalled the ugliness of humanity she saw when the world started to fall apart, the gore and brutality others had the capacity to do to others.
Today it’s time to head back into the grocery store for a raid. There’s an Rx in the same shopping center and I probably should load up on antibiotics, antihistamines, painkillers, etc…bound to be some snacks in there too and other useful things. I syphoned enough gas for the SUV – taking that for sure and loading it up as much as possible.
Pulling up near the store, Jaimee killed the engine and gathered empty satchels and packs along with her usual arsenal of weapons. Hand reaching for the door handle, she stopped, hearing voices nearby. They changed from loud, to shouting and one began to scream. Ducking below the dashboard, Jaimee carefully surveyed the parking lot and storefront. Not much could be seen through the darken windows, but there definitely was movement inside.
A quick ‘pop, pop, pop’ sounded inside. Jaimee’s eyes widened, recognized the firing of a handgun – something that before the world fell apart she had only heard in movies and TV. It was not a loud blast as was sometimes portrayed, but instead a short popping noise.
Rifles and shotguns are an entirely different story. Those can be LOUD. Jaimee readied her own guns and waited in the SUV.
Minutes passed. Nothing moved, aside from undead shambling through the parking lot toward the building. A door pushed open, four people swiftly exited, one clearly injured, bloody and limping. They glanced around and angled away from undead, north, around the corner of the strip mall. The man in the front used a large bowie knife to spike any of the creatures in the head that came too close. He stood tall and large, using his weight to force a clear path for the group. A shorter and darker, man and a blonde woman helped rush the wounded companion along, draping their shoulders on top. The injured person was slight of build and covered in grime and blood. Jaimee could not tell from her vantage point whether the figure was male or female.
Indecisive, Jaimee remained where she was. Dammit, why did I hesitate? These are the first humans I’ve seen for weeks that don’t seem psychotic. Oh hell, how do I know? How can I judge what they’re like from fifteen seconds of watching them?
She stayed hidden, sitting low in the SUV and watching the now distant figures as they reached the main street and turned out of view.
Maybe because it’s the first group with women since LA. Not that all women are trustworthy, but…well... She frowned, remembering corpses found during the flight east. Large groups made up of only men made her nervous. Mixed groups seemed more...normal. For whatever now passes as ‘normal’. If a group had women in it contributing to the safety of it, and not just sex slaves for the men, that is usually a good sign that it’s safe to approach them.
Over the next few weeks, Jaimee would see the small group again and try to follow using stealthy tactics learned over the months of survival. As far as she could tell, their base was located in a natural chaparral preserve set away from the homes in the area, but close enough to easily go out to scavenge on a daily basis. Only three now came out to raid the area – the same three – the large man, the blonde woman and the shorter male. Jaimee never saw the wounded person again. The woman drew her attention, not just because she was a woman and beautiful, but also a survivor. Strong, yet feminine. Jaimee wished she could get a closer look, but knew that particular pleasure better wait until Jaimee was confident the group was safe to reveal herself too.
The days were getting colder now, darkness falling earlier and earlier in the evening. Staying out in the open may not be the best option for them as the cold and wet months approached. They may decide to take cover in a home soon, but Jaimee would rather have the company.
If I can only be sure… Jaimee worried. I know I can’t spend the rest of my life worrying about whether to trust people or not. But I have to in this fucked up world.
Thinking about how the men interacted with the woman eventually made up her mind. Respectful and protective, they struck Jaimee as a likely trustworthy group. She knew firsthand how difficult it was to survive solo and a small, good group may increase everyone’s survival possibilities.
The next time I see them, and neither of us are being chased by the rotting bags of flesh, I’ll talk to them…
*****
Rain fell in sheets as Jaimee loaded the SUV with the most recent haul from the shopping center. The water did not bother her too much, but the cold set in after a good soaking with the gusting wind. The supplies took up a good portion of the back of the vehicle, but Jaimee still had plenty of room inside to store more provisions. She debated returning for one more basketful of items to throw in the car, but the darkening clouds decided for her – better to get back to shelter and unload.
A gunshot sounded from the apartments across the street as she climbed into the vehicle. Jaimee watched as figures ran onto the street, away from several zombies shambling from the complex. One man went down under three of the undead and his friends hesitated, taking a few steps toward the feeding frenzy before shaking their heads and backing away. Jaimee recognized the two from the previous group; the blonde woman and tall man fled the scene. However, the street crawled with wandering, rotting corpses, forcing the man and woman to escape in Jaimee’s general direction.
Damn, damn, damn. I didn’t want to meet them for the first time while getting chased. But, I don’t have much of a choice in this case. They need help. There are too many undead. Jaimee fired up the SUV and drove it quickly toward them, flicking the doors to an unlocked position and turned a little so they could see her inside while screeching to a stop.
She unrolled a window, “Get in!”
The two stopped, staring in shock and wariness at her, matted, wet hair streaming down their faces. The zombies slowly chased them, hissing and groaning, wanting more food. Snapping their teeth and jaws in anticipation.
“Come on – I’ve been watching you for weeks. If I wanted to harm you, I would have already. Get in!” She gestured impatiently.
Undead snapping at their heels and closing in from other directions, they did not have much of a choice, and clambered into the vehicle. Jaimee slammed the accelerator down and sped away f
rom the oncoming creatures.
The shopping center was set in the middle of three streets, which formed a triangle. The backside of the area was full of mostly doctor’s offices, an old dry cleaner, and a tanning salon. Jaimee stopped the car here and turned to talk to the man and woman. Both had weapons at an easy reaching distance and cautiously watching her. One had a hand gently resting on a butt of a pistol tucked into their belt.
The first to speak was the blonde woman, “Thank you. That was a mistake back there – it cost us a friend.”
Jaimee nodded and frowned in sympathy. Up close, even bedraggled, the woman was attractive. Wet, blonde hair curled around a long face, blue eyes and full lips. The rain dampened clothing also revealed a lithe figure with small, well-shaped breasts. Internally, Jaimee twitched, and then shook her head to clear her mind. The man was large, more muscle than fat, and reminded her of someone who probably served in the military in the past. Short brown hair framed a moon shaped face and strong jaw. Both leaned toward the doors as if to flee at the slightest provocation.
Holding up her hands, Jaimee said, “Look. I’ve been out here a long time. I have a place I’ve been hiding in, but...well hell. I’m not sure if I can trust you. I think we can help each other though. I don’t expect you to trust me right off, but if your group isn’t too big I have a secure place that’s weather proof.”
“What’s your name?” The man abruptly asked.
“What?”
“What’s your name? You haven’t even told us your name.”
“Oh. Yeah sorry. I’m Jaimee.” She said stupidly.
The woman held eye contact with Jaimee for a long time, and then nodded at her companion, “I’m Diane, and this big lunk is Tom. You said you’re from around here? Can we see your shelter?”
Still Alive: A Lesbian Love Story in an Undead World Page 5