The Doomsday Papers

by JanJan Untamed

  “Home?”

  “Home, Duma. There is nothing for us in Texas. We’re taking our son and going home.”

  “And your wives?” What about them? Are you taking them?

  “They are coming with us. Give me the baby while you eat. You need your energy to catch up on your wifely duties tonight.”

  “Judea.” I reprimand him sadly. His wives can hear him. His smile fades when his words don’t provoke their usual blush. They make me sad.

  “My wifely duties weren’t missed around here, Judea. You got on fine.”

  “Leave the room. We need a moment alone.” He’s angry. They scuttle like mice.

  “We don’t need a moment alone.” I don’t care who I offend. “I have nothing to say to you.”

  “Draw the shades before you go.”

  The curtains close and the light comes up. He uncovers my hair. He stretches one of my braids. It touches my belly before he lets it go and it springs up around my shoulders.

  “It’s grown.”

  His fingertip traces the shell of my ear before touching the scar.

  “Does it bother you?”

  “Yes.” I admit. He kisses it softly.

  “They are good to you.”

  “You are good to me.” He says kissing our son’s cheek.

  “She can cook.”

  “Not like you. They can’t do anything the way you do.”

  “It was good enough.” I set my fork on the edge of my plate. “You made a baby.”

  “I know you’re upset but you have to eat.”

  “I’m not hungry. I want to go to bed.”

  “Why? So, you don’t have to look at me? So, you can cry? No. You’re staying here and you are going to finish your dinner. You can cry at the table. Yell at me, scream at me, throw something at me but I’m not letting you hurt alone.”

  “Why did you make a baby with that woman, Judea? Did you think our baby was dead?” I demand angrily. “Were you hoping we wouldn’t come back?”

  “I could strangle you for saying that. I wanted you back. I tracked you down after you left me with another man. I love you. I came out here to search for you.”

  “Between their legs? You were searching for me in their pus—”

  “Damn it, Duma. Lower your voice before the entire church hears you!”

  “Screw that, Judea. What’s wrong with you? You were that hard and bothered that you had to stick your di—”

  “For fucks sakes, Duma. She’s my wife. I was fucking her and I didn’t want to stop. I made her pregnant. That’s what happened. Don’t think about her baby right now. Let’s enjoy our baby. I want to talk about us.”

  “Is the second wife pregnant too?”

  “No, she isn’t. I was sad. I had an ache in my balls that my fist couldn’t ease anymore. I was never careful. I don’t know why. Maybe, I was feeling entitled. Maybe, I was testing my manhood.”

  “Our children will be the same age. Does that make you a man?”

  “No, it doesn’t. It makes me look like an asshole. I’m going to do what I think is best for us. Let’s put the baby to bed. I want to hold you.”

  “Why do you want to hold me? What’s special about it when you’ve been holding two other women?”

  “Don’t ever mock my feelings for you. I wasn’t holding you and kissing you. I wasn’t burying my dick inside of you. That’s what makes it so special, Dumani. It’s you.” He kisses my warm cheeks and it spreads all over. “I missed this blush.”

  Baby Jude is sleeping in the basket. I peek at him. He cracks an eye giving me a sleepy smile. My heart melts when his eyes close again and he drifts off.

  “A man couldn’t ask for a better wife or son.” Judea turns me to face him. “I don’t want to lose you again.”

  “This is where I belong.” I say in defeat. “I belong with my son.”

  “What about me?” He kisses me. “You don’t belong with me?”

  “I will always belong to you, Judea.” His arms feel so good. “Nothing will ever change that.” I hug him back and I hold on.

  “I love you.”

  We lie down on the bed and he takes down my hair. He shakes it out and digs his hands in it.

  “I will never give you another reason to leave me.”

  I’ll stay and be who they want me to be until I die. The way my mother did. I was foolish to run off. He wanted me when no one else did. He calls me beautiful and perfect because he is blinded by his love for me. Judea believes his words. We lay here together. Lips to lips. Heart to heart. Soaking up our love and rolling around in it and loving each other until our hearts are content. We’re still dressed.

  “Tell me to stop, Dumani. Tell me you need your sleep or I’m going to take off this gown and you might not sleep for a week.”

  “I will never tell you to stop. Take it off, Judea.”

  I sound like a common woman. I probably feel like a common woman right now because I want him to do it. I don’t feel like a Goodwife when he undresses me with his teeth. Or when I take him into my mouth with a perverse joy that I feel all over. I am not sure if this is supposed to feel this good for me. I love the way he feels in my mouth and I love the taste of him. When Judea lays on his back and tells me to sit on his face, I have a moment of hesitation. I’m not hesitant because it’s nasty. I want to look at his face first before I sit on it.

  “I order you to do it.”

  I cock my head at him. He orders me? Really? He grins.

  “Pretty please?” Judea wants me to do it. “I won’t tell anyone and we can ask for forgiveness tomorrow.”

  “Judea.”

  Blasphemous preacher’s son. I love him. I straddle his face and he guides me onto his mouth where he wants me. My eyes widen and I’m tempted to jump up when his tongue enters me. This isn’t modest or decent. It can’t be. It feels too wicked. I’m a sinner now. That means I’m free to enjoy common things like sitting on my husband’s face. Jude enjoys giving me pleasure. A large part of his pleasure is watching me pant and feeling me squirm when he is doing something sinful, like sucking on my pussy hole like this. His arms lock around my thighs so that I can’t run away when his tongue licks over my other hole. My honey hole squeezes up when Judea licks her neighbor. He sucks on my secret until I reach the edge of my sanity. I’m ready to dive off. He turns me around on all fours, pushes my face down on the mattress, and enters me from this new angle. I’m wet and ready and after a few test strokes, Jude grabs my shoulders and he uses them for leverage as he takes me from behind. He’s giving it to me harder than he ever has before. I’m playing on the precipice of pleasure and pain and I am not sure which I am enjoying more. I push back against him welcoming his invasion as I whisper his name and jump over the edge on the pleasure side. I lose concept of everything around me when Judea is bringing me to this place. This magical, golden place.

  His hands squeeze my shoulders holding me in position. I would be face down in a crumpled pile if left on my own. My knees are weak and I’m leaking all over him. I whimper and shake in his hands. My walls contract around his thick dick when he reaches his own magical place. Judea jerks out of me abruptly. I moan as he squeezes creamy strings of white cum onto my dark skin growling like a bear. We fall over on the bed breathing hard and trying to be quiet. That was amazing. It was incredible. Jude nuzzles my neck as he presses his body up behind me kneeing my legs apart. Already? I bring his hands to my leaking breasts I push back against him when he drives into me again.

  “Touch your clit, Dumani. Put your hand between your legs and touch your pussy for me.”

  “Judea.” I whimper. I can’t do that. I’ve already done enough. But, I want to.

  “Do it. Do it now.”

  I reach down and I touch myself. I touch myself where he tells me to. It’s shocking. This isn’t right. I rub it with the middle fingers on my good hand.

  “Your pussy is so tight, Dumani. It’s a perfect fit for my dick. It stretches for me when I put it all inside of
you. Go ahead and blush. Blush twice because I’m going to put my dick between your wet titties and cum there next. Then, I’ll put you in the shower and suck on that pussy some more. If I get hard again, you’re going to soap up your hands and stroke me until I come in your pretty face. I want to see it dripping down your lips again.”

  I burst into flames. His dirty words send me to that good place where everything is perfect. He fans the fires with every stroke. After he puts out the fire, I will be home in hell. Judea and his wicked tongue will be waiting for me. Judea does every sinful thing that he promised to do. The wicked boy fucks my breasts with an enthusiasm that makes me hot. When he strokes himself in his milky cum afterward, it makes me cum. He sucks my secret again in the shower and we wash and clean our mouths. Judea puts me to bed like a favored child with kind words and hopeful promises of love. I barely nod off when he’s handing me our hungry baby. I’m so sleepy. I lay on my side and put him on. He’ll stop nursing when he’s finished. He and I have slept with him on my breast before. I stir when Jude returns him to his basket. I whisper his name and reach out to him with open arms. He comes to me wordlessly wrapping me in his arms. I snuggle in and drift off again.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  I’m running through a forest so thick that it blocks out the light. I don’t know what waits behind the next line of trees. I take my chances and crash through the foliage with the enemy on my heels. They’re chasing me. They want to kill me. They want my son. Where is my baby? Where is my husband? Why am I all alone? How did I get here? I run until my lungs are burning and I keep going. I can’t let them catch me. I won’t go back. I can’t let them take me away from Jude again. They are closing in on me because I’m tired and my legs won’t move any faster. It’s futile and my efforts are hopeless. Hands grab me and a body pins me to the damp ground. I scream for Jude and I fight for my life. I kick and punch and claw but the weight won’t budge.

  “Dumani, wake up. You’re having a bad dream, Love. Open your eyes. It’s only a dream.”

  I’m torn between my nightmare and heaven when I feel his lips press against mine.

  “I’m here. You are safe now. It was just a dream.” Jude coaxes me back gently. He holds me down until I cease my thrashing. The baby is screaming and I’m sobbing in relief. It was just a dream. He’s here. I hold on to him desperately and I cry for the time we were apart.

  “Judea.”

  “I’ve got you. I’m here.”

  “I woke the baby.” I feel worse.

  “He’s fine. It’s you who needs attention. What were you dreaming about?”

  “What if they come back for me? What if they find me? The traitor stole me from you and then he stole me from the government. They were taking me out of the country.”

  “If they come back, we’ll be waiting for them. I’ll die before I let someone take you away from me again. Your brother has two hundred men on this rock who are anxious to kill someone. Let them come.”

  “The baby.”

  “I’ll get him. Stay here and calm down.”

  “I’m sorry I woke you.”

  “Don’t apologize to me. I don’t like it.”

  Jude’s wearing sinful white pajama pants and nothing else. I can see his dick swinging between his legs. He holds the baby close as he walks him back and forth whispering soft endearments until he’s calm again. I lay on my side watching him and thinking what a wonderful father he is and how big he is down there. Look at him. I don’t blame the women of the church for wanting to be his wives. It wouldn’t have mattered if he’d chosen me seventh. I would’ve come to him gladly and been the best seventh wife that I could be. Now, I want to be the one? I thought I would grow old serving in Father’s home and here I am Judea’s wife and mother to his son. He’s an esteemed Reverend with thousands of people following him right now. He has their respect and protection. If he leaves the church, he’s on his own. It will be up to the two of us to protect our family and our home. How can two people hold off hundreds of troops?

  “Talk to me.” Jude lays down with me taking my hands in his.

  “I ruined everything. The government is probably looking for me. If they come for me, the church won’t help you protect our son.”

  “We can protect our son.”

  “There are too many enemies out there. You need the church.”

  “Don’t even think about running off again. I need you. It isn’t your place to worry about these things, remember?”

  “I’m sorry—” He kisses my apology away.

  The next morning, the men don’t wait for Jude to come down. The high Deacons come up and they speak in the living room as the pretty wives serve them. I’m hiding out in one of the bedrooms listening.

  “My wife was abducted and bled like a pig when they did their experiments on her. They used her blood to make a vaccine for the illness. She was going back to sacrifice herself for the good of mankind. She didn’t run off to be with a man and I will call out any man who says different.”

  “The government? They came into our church and stole your wife?”

  “Duma escaped and brought my son back to me. She was shot in the process. She ran off again because she didn’t want to draw them here. My wife saved my son and she saved us more than once. I owe it to her to save her.”

  “What else did they do to her? She was alone with strange men. She is no longer a suitable wife.”

  “Duma has been with me for most of my life. I’ve never met a better woman. Some of you know her and you know her family. Shadrach raised her well and whatever sin she has committed was committed for me. She was trying to protect me and my son.”

  “Our church survived this long because we have laws, Reverend. The church took her mother back after she left. Maybe it’s time to let them go. They’re dangerous. The girl—”

  “Mrs. Hamilton to you.”

  “You can’t keep her and still lead this church. Your father would’ve hanged her already.”

  “I’m not my father. I’ll take Duma and go. I understand the shame my leaving the church will cause my second and third wives, so I return them to you. The third wife is carrying my child. I am sure that there is a midwife who can rid her of it.”

  “You would leave the church for her?”

  “You can start a new church. I welcome anyone who wants to follow me and release anyone who wants to follow you.”

  “Your ancestors are rolling in their graves right now. The Dare woman was hunted down by the government. They wanted her enough to risk death. She has bad blood. She is the result of rape. Shadrach took pity on her and accepted her anyway. He married her against the churches’ wishes and paid a hefty price to do so. She bewitched him.”

  “That’s stupid and a lie. What does any of it have to do with my wife?”

  “She’s Naomi’s daughter. She put a curse on you. You said yourself that she didn’t get sick. How do we know she didn’t cause this plague?”

  Judea laughs. I don’t. It’s not funny. They are accusing me of witchcraft.

  “I met other people who didn’t get sick. They weren’t witches.”

  “The other dark girl, the serving girl, she didn’t get sick either. They took her too. Maybe they’re working with the enemy.”

  “You are reaching old man. She’s not a witch. I’ve known her since she was a child. A witch wouldn’t have a bullet hole in her. Witches don’t cry the way she cried last night. A witch would heal her own face.”

  “Now, good Reverend, please sit back down. We should visit every possibility. We don’t doubt your word. You would know if she was a witch. The church needs you. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t matter if you leave because it will. People will follow you, most of the men here will follow you. This is not the time to break up what we built. We’ve suffered losses but we are still here. We are still strong.”

  “What do you gentlemen suggest we do?”

  “The church will demand satisfaction for her leaving on her own the s
econd time. It doesn’t matter why she left, Reverend. The fact is, she left. Divorce her but keep her as a part of your household.”

  “Never. You are insulting me.”

  “Fifty lashes and a day of kneeling prayer.”

  That means in glass. They want me to kneel in glass. Fifty lashes? I’ll faint.

  “Get the hell out.” He’s offended.

  “Now, Reverend, we come in peace.”

  “So far, you’ve suggested I divorce her or let you lash her and make her kneel in glass for a day begging for forgiveness for something I won’t punish her for.”

  “It’s the right thing to do, Reverend. The fact that she remains among us is a testament to our willingness to work this out. It will appease the church.”

  “No.”

  “Think about it. We’ll give you until we reach Texas to discuss it with her father. Her brother has taken to the girl with her tongue cut out. He won’t let anyone within two feet of her. He threatened to shoot anyone who bothers her.”

  My brother and Belle? I wonder what happened to the other one? Maybe he left her in Texas. They want to lash me and make me kneel in glass to be in good standing with the church? I will do it. I’m going to take the lashes and live to see another day.

  “We have a good life back home. We’ll be fine.”

  “Reverend, take the lashes. Make good with the church, please?”

  They all file out silently. I relax when the front door closes.

  “Dumani!”

  I jump when he calls my name. I come out, head down, face covered. I messed up everything. I should go back to my old ways. I should behave and move past this.

  “They are not caning you. No one is caning you. I don’t care if it will get us back into good standing with the church. Fuck good standing. No one is touching you.”

  “It’s only fifty lashes, Judea.”

  “Only fifty lashes? Have you lost your frigging mind? I should’ve killed your father the last time he caned you. I should’ve shot him in the belly to make it last. I thought about all the times my father caned you when I put the pillow over his face and stabbed him to death. I stabbed him so many times that I couldn’t begin to count. Forty? A hundred? I didn’t recognize him after it was done. I cleaned up the mess and burned it in the silo. The next day, I left home and followed you.”