Leslie patted my back. “Don’t let up now. We’re almost there.”
Our smell must have alerted whoever was inside, because the sounds stopped abruptly. Leonard took my hand, helping me with the final ascent.
“Thanks.”
He grinned, surprising me, flashing enormous ivory teeth. “You’re welcome.” His voice was deep and raspy.
In that moment, he looked almost human. The expression on his face had been so endearing and unexpected; I gaped at him with my mouth open. Now I knew what my sister found so appealing. He could be charming when he wanted and sweet. His response revealed intelligence and humor. His behavior did not stop there. He grabbed me, hauling me against him; his heated breath was on my neck.
“You smell good,” he rasped. “Yummy like Porsche.”
“D-do you miss her?”
He nodded. “She comes back soon. You stay, and I have you both.”
That was not what I wanted to hear. “Um, no. I have to go home.”
“Guys, you can argue about this later,” griped Leslie, who stood behind us with her hands on her hips. “I’m getting my kid. Either make forward progress or get outta the way.”
The other apes had already disappeared into the opening, leaving us loitering in the doorway. Leslie brushed past us; her jaw was set determinedly. There was light up head; the source came from a small fire. To my horror, there was a naked woman hanging from the ceiling. She had semen dripping down her inner thighs, and the smell of sex was rife. Her wrists had been tied with rope, and her mouth was covered in a gag.
“Oh, my God.” I glanced around in the dimness, noting two additional Sasquatches, who stared at us with interest. My eyes fell on a man dressed in black and his buddy; both were tied up and bleeding. The woman looked unharmed, aside from having been sexually assaulted.
“Where’s Wolfie?” Leslie seemed unconcerned by the condition of the humans, pushing her way forward, searching impatiently. An ape in the corner held something in his arms. He got to his feet. “Omigod! Wolfie! Give me my baby!” Leslie snatched the infant from him, the baby recognizing her instantly. His little body was covered in tan fur, and his eyes were bright. “Thank God.” She held him close, kissing his fuzzy face. “Oh, baby, my little baby.”
Bubba and another ape began talking; the sound was gruff and strange, and the noise of their conversation echoed in the confined space. I stood awkwardly, feeling uneasy and repulsed by what they had done to the woman. She eyed us; her look was pleading.
“Oh, man,” I said. “What are they going to do to these people?”
“They fucking attacked us,” snarled Leslie. She grasped the edge of a filthy rag and yanked it down one of the men’s faces. “Who are you?” Blood was smeared on his forehead.
“We’re B-Bigfoot hunters. Can you help us?”
“Are you kidding me? You fucking attacked us. You didn’t give a damn who you were shooting at. Did you know your buddies are all dead? Dead and buried, asshole.”
I was mildly surprised by the vehemence in her voice, but she did have a point. We could have all been wounded or killed by the arrows, which flew indiscriminately.
“Look, I know we messed up…but…we were following orders.”
“Whose orders?”
“A guy named Nick Redfern. He organized the hunt. We didn’t mean to shoot at you. We didn’t know humans were with the Sasquatches.”
“Bullshit. Porsche said a guy by that name was asking questions. He knew she was living with the apes. Quit feeding me a line of shit.”
“What are they going to do with these people?” I asked, glancing at the woman. My sexual experience with the apes had been nothing but pleasure; I suspected hers had not. Her eyes drifted between us, hopeful, yet filled with trepidation.
“Leave ‘em I say,” muttered Leslie. “I got my kid. We can go.” She glanced at a bag on the floor. “What’s in here?” She knelt before it, rifling through it. “They have baby milk. This proves they came here specifically for Wolfie.”
Leonard and Bubba remained oddly quiet, assessing the situation. Leonard’s nosed perked up, as he sniffed the woman. He seemed to enjoy taking care of females and treating them well. What was he going to do? Would we leave now and let the humans face their own fate, or would our apes intervene? To answer my question, Leonard suddenly grabbed the woman, the gag muffling her scream of surprise. He deftly untied the rope, releasing her. This set off her ape captors, who jumped to their feet, with teeth bared. They snarled and waved their arms angrily.
“Ggggrroooaaaarrr…” Bubba voiced his displeasure, the hair standing on top of his head. He spoke in Sasquatch, and the other apes howled at him, stomping their feet into the dusty floor of the cave.
“I’m leaving,” said Leslie. “I don’t give a shit what they do to these stupid people.” She brushed past me with Wolfie in her arms.
Leonard grabbed a pile of black clothing from the floor, tossing them at the woman. “Get dressed,” he rasped.
He kicked a pair of boots at her. She scrambled to step into the pants; fear mixed with hope was etched into her features. She was built athletically with short, reddish hair, and a pretty, but dust-streaked face. A clean path revealed the tracks of her tears.
“Whhooaaarrr…” the leader of the rival apes spat in displeasure.
The argument continued to rage on; all the while, Leonard worked to untie the men, giving them a push towards the door. It was extraordinary to witness his humanity, especially considering he was a creature of the woods. I was also slightly ambivalent about their release, considering they were mercenary, and, if given a chance, they would have killed us last night.
Moments later, we found ourselves on the side of a rocky gorge; Leslie had already descended. She was heading back the way we came. “Wait, Leslie!” I ran to catch up to her. “What’s happening?”
“Who cares. We gotta get Pooky medicine. That’s more important than anything right now.”
The freed hostages followed us. Their expressions of worry creased their foreheads. “Hey,” yelled one of the men. “Do you have a way to call for help? We were supposed to meet someone downstream.”
“Too fucking bad,” muttered Leslie.
He eyed me pleadingly. “Um…I don’t know,” I said. “I’m kidnapped myself. I’m waiting for a rescue too.” And that certainly was the truth.
Bubba and Leonard appeared, scurrying down the mountain. They brushed by the men, not bothering to acknowledge them. From the determined look on Leonard’s face, we would be returning to the cave now, our mission accomplished.
“Look! Please,” said the woman. “Can’t you help us? I know you’re mad, and you have every right to be, but we have no way out of here. Please.”
We didn’t owe these people anything, least of all compassion, so when Leonard stopped in his tracks, I was astounded when he gestured for them to follow. After everything they had put us through; he was going to offer them sanctuary. Gratitude shone in their eyes, and they hurried, jogging to catch up to us. We walked single file up the other side of the ravine, the hike made more difficult by several feet of snow. At one point, I felt Leonard’s hand on my butt, the flat part giving me a substantial boost to make it up the hill. I turned to grin at him, and he smiled, flashing ferocious looking teeth. Bubba picked up the package of medication, carrying it on top of his head.
“You’re in contact with the outside world,” said the woman. “Do you have a satellite phone?”
Leslie glared at her. “What if we’re just inviting you back to camp, so we can cut you up and eat you?”
I giggled, not being able to stop myself. “Oh, yum.”
“They have contact. That package is new. It’ll be all right, Kelly,” said the taller of the two men. His face was nearly unrecognizable because of the blood.
“I took excellent care of that baby,” said Kelly. “He’s a real cutie.”
“Please, don’t talk to me,” said Leslie. “You’re on my shit
list, bitch.”
“I’m sorry. I really am. I was only doing my job. It’s incredible that humanoids exist. We’ve been searching for so long. These Sasquatches seem really smart. Those other guys were more like animals.”
I had to sympathize with her, knowing she had experienced a level of brutality that I could only guess at. “They are smart. They care about their families.”
“A lot of our team died. They have families too,” said the shorter man.
Leslie removed one of her gloves and rubbed her thumb and forefinger together. “This is the world’s smallest violin, buddy. It’s playing for you.”
Chapter Five
The reaction at the cave to the enemy strangers was mixed. Zelda, whose expression of distaste was obvious to everyone, set about unpacking the box and withdrawing a syringe with the medication we needed for Pooky. The wounded ape’s fever continued to rage, and he had yet to stir from his pelt before the fire. The newcomers were taken to the hot spring, where they bathed away the blood and grime. We gave them clothes to wear that belonged to Dr. Haynes and his research assistant, George. They had left a bag of supplies here.
After everyone had been taken care of, the shorthaired woman noticed Kat, the female Sasquatch. She stared at the ape; her interest was unmistakable. Kat, sensing the attention, began to preen, which was amusing. She tidied the hair on her face and licked her lips. From the naughty look on her face, she wasn’t adverse to lesbian sex, because I had been told she frequently enjoyed it with Zelda.
“Maybe we should introduce ourselves,” said the shorter man. “I’m Jack. This is Kelly and Sam.”
“I’m Lena.” I pointed to Leslie, who sat in Bubba’s lap with Wolfie in her arms. “That’s Leslie.”
Leonard chewed noisily with a mouthful of bull trout, observing everything. Kat and Dale had gone hunting, while we had been on our rescue mission, and, as a result of their efforts, the smell of grilled fish lingered in the air. Bubba Jr. and Lendal kicked a soccer ball in the more cavernous portion of the cave. Their laughter could be heard from the other room.
“I can’t believe there’s a female,” said Kelly. “We were told they were really rare. This is so fascinating. Our approach was totally wrong.”
“Going after Bigfoots isn’t all that smart,” said Zelda. “The males typically take the women and kill the men. These two are lucky to be alive.”
“We really appreciate your hospitality,” said Sam. “You don’t owe us anything, and yet you’ve been so kind.” He looked at Leonard as he spoke. “I’m sorry for the mess we’ve caused. I don’t know who started shooting, but that was a mistake. We were only trying to distract the tribe, so we could…ahem…collect evidence.”
“My kid’s not evidence,” griped Leslie.
“I know, but…we needed concrete proof. Pictures aren’t good enough anymore, because people believe they’re fake. Our organization has gotten more aggressive with stuff like this. But I gotta warn you, there’ll be a shitstorm coming, because of the men that died. They were supposed to pick us up down river. They’ll be looking for us.”
His speech worried and excited me. I didn’t want to live with the apes indefinitely. My classes were starting soon, and I had to talk to my advisor. I glanced at Leonard to gauge his reaction. His eyes sparked with intelligence, although his mouth continued to move as he ate. Dale suddenly spoke; his voice was low and gruff. He seemed to be making his feelings known. When he finished, Bubba and Leonard glanced at each other and nodded. The leader of the apes got to his feet. His girth was expansive, his belly bulging. He grunted and gestured in what looked like sign language. The entire cave suddenly crackled with kinetic energy, and every Sasquatch stood.
“W-what’s happening?” I eyed Leonard, who had raced from the room.
“Looks like we get to hike now,” muttered Leslie.
Sam seemed perplexed. “Was it something I said?”
“How observant.” Zelda glared at him. “This was our winter home. We were supposed to be here for another two months, and now, because of you, we’re out on our asses.”
“You’re leaving?” He was incredulous. “The conditions outside are terrible.”
“No shit, Sherlock.” Zelda’s scowl took over her entire face. “Why do you think we hunkered down in this cave? We’ve got enough supplies to see us through till spring, but now we have to hit the road and fend for ourselves. It’s a fucking disaster.”
“I guess I’ll wait here for the rescue,” I said. “People are coming, right?”
Zelda shook her head. “Honey, that boy isn’t gonna let you go. I’m sorry to have to break it to you, but there it is.”
Was she referring to Leonard? A shudder went through me, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. The cave had been thrown into an uproar, as humans and apes packed, tossing provisions into enormous looking backpacks. A type of stretcher was brought out, made of sturdy looking branches, interwoven with rope. Tate and Archie placed Pooky on it, because he had yet to wake, but his temperature was improving.
“I’m going with Pooky,” said Zelda. “I’ll keep giving him his medicine. Whose going with me?”
“A-are we splitting up?” I had dressed in layers; a sweater, jacket, coat, and a knitted hat was on my head.
“We gotta split up, honey. It’s how it’s done when there’s a crisis. It’s the best way to hide the tribe. We’ll meet up again soon enough.” Zelda zipped up a heavy-looking backpack. “What’s the plan, guys?”
“You take Dale and Kat,” rasped Leonard. He pointed at Bubba. “You take Tate and the boys. I go with Archie and Lena.”
But this couldn’t be. “Hey, wait! I think I’ll stay and get rescued. I’m good.”
“Do you have a satellite phone or anything we could use for communication?” asked Jack.
“Right, buddy. Like we’re gonna give you that.” Zelda glared at him. “Should I make you a latte while I’m at it? Double espresso? You need a extra pillow?”
“You’re lucky to be alive,” said Leslie. “You can shut up any time.” She hugged me, which was a surprise. “Look, I know you wanna go home, but shit’s going down. You’re gonna have to hang tight a bit longer. The apes have tracking devices. They’re being monitored. When Dr. Haynes finds out we’ve split up in the middle of winter, he’ll know something bad happened.”
“But isn’t it dangerous being outside in this weather? Isn’t another storm coming?”
“The apes know these woods really well. They’ll keep you warm and fed. You don’t have to worry about that. All we gotta do is walk our asses off. I’m sorry, but that’s how it is.”
“I can walk. I can do that.”
“So you’re being monitored by scientists?” asked Kelly. “Who is Dr. Haynes?”
“Mind our own business, honey.” Zelda thrust her arms through a formidable-looking backpack, attaching it at the front. “Time to hit the road, folks. We’re blowin’ this taco stand.”
The apes grunted in agreement. Dale grasped the handles of Pookie’s stretcher and dragged him into the next cavern. Lugging him around would be a tremendous amount of work, and it would leave a significant trail, which anyone could follow. Had the apes thought of that?
“Thanks for helping us,” said Sam. “We really do appreciate it. You saved our lives.”
“Yes, thank you,” said Kelly.
“Thank you very much,” said Jack. “You’ve been far more humane than we were. I’m truly sorry for the trouble we’ve caused. It would’ve been amazing to get to know the Sasquatches better. This tribe is fascinating.”
“Ah, stuff it,” grumbled Zelda. “Tell whoever hired you they can piss up a rope. It’s really stupid to go messin’ with Sasquatch. You people should know better.”
He didn’t seem to have a response to that, and he remained silent, wisely so. They watched us leave; the three of them stood by the fire, as we headed out of the cave. The interlopers wouldn’t be hungry or tired. They could relax in comfort and wait
for rescue. We would be the ones out in the elements for days or more.
Once outside, we split up, and I was relieved to see Dale and Kat lifting the stretcher, holding it between them. They wouldn’t be dragging it after all, or at least not yet. I trudged on, following Leonard with Archie behind me. I wore a backpack also, but it wasn’t as big. Bubba and Leslie disappeared down the ravine, followed by Lendal and Bubba Jr. The little apes were laughing, their raspy utterances drifting to us. They seemed to always be in fine spirits, no matter what the situation, and I envied their enthusiasm.
Leonard turned to look at me. “You good, Lena?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“You unhappy?”
“I should be home.”
He snorted. “You are home.”
That was not what I had wanted to hear. “You can’t kidnap women like this.”
“I didn’t.” He grinned impishly.
“You know what I mean.”
“You stay for a while. Bad weather’s coming.” He sniffed the air. “Big storm.”
Oh, great.
As the day wore on, the wind began to pick up, the gusts thrashing the limbs of trees above our heads, creating a gale-force type of howl that left me feeling utterly isolated. The apes seemed to know where they were going, keeping to a path only they recognized, and I had to hope they had a plan for when the snow began to fall. After lunch, the skies darkened ominously, thick gray clouds blocking out the sun completely. The walking had kept me reasonably warm, but exhaustion had begun to rear its ugly head, and I worried that I would not be able to keep up. My sister had become an expert, long distance hiker living with the Sasquatches, but I hadn’t been trained in this manner. I never went to the gym, and the most exercise I engaged in was walking between classes.
Tiny flakes began to fall about an hour later, which was an indication of things to come. It would only get worse from here. The pine trees had grown dense, and the terrain was packed with boulders, which were coated in ice and snow. We hadn’t gone far when Leonard suddenly stopped walking, the apes sniffing the air. I came up behind them.
Cum For Bigfoot 12 Page 3