by Leela Ash
“Jessa, can you grab that skillet out of the bottom cabinet? I just can’t seem to lift it.”
Trying not to huff, Jessa grabbed the pan and hoisted it up onto the top of the table. It couldn’t have been more than 20-25 pounds, she thought, struggling to mask her annoyance. Luckily she didn’t have to try long.
The back door swung open at that moment and Jessa looked behind her to see a few men coming through, led by Teresa’s husband. Jessa was about to turn back to what she was doing at the table, when she saw a stranger walk in. He was trailing along behind the rest of the men and came in last, closing the door behind him.
3
Michael walked in after Seth, James and Billy. He had crossed paths with Billy on his way across the country, and had come to join the community at Billy’s urging. Michael had been wandering for years, and had thought maybe it was time for a rest. Maybe if the quest he had begun hears ago hadn’t turned out to be a wild goose chase, he would have been able to find some kind of purpose to his life. Still, as fruitless and empty of satisfaction as his crisscrossing journey had been, he had nevertheless been unable to stop.
Staying on the move became his only comfort. He had lost his wife and small son ten years before to a raiding party, and the subsequent fast moving fire that swept through their home had left him wandering the world as a lone soul. Since then, he went from town to town, searching for the ones who were responsible for the deaths of his family.
All he knew about what happened came from a few bits and pieces from passing witnesses. A gang had raided his home, leaving no survivors. A burned out shell was all that greeted him when he returned from his hunting trip. He and the other men had only been gone overnight but that was long enough for tragedy to strike. In that one evening he had lost whatever semblance of peace he had been able to create for himself in the barren world.
He had a friend named Solomon with him who had lost his own family as well. The two men started out searching together, but Solomon could not take the quiet nights and had taken his own life years before.
All that Michael had to go on in his search was a half burnt leather jacket with a laughing skull emblem on the back that he found snagged on a nail on the burned out timbers of his porch. There were also plenty of motorcycle tire tracks in the dirt around his house. These were the clues, along with the words of those few witnesses, which set him on his search for the motorcycle gang. Bikes were easier to maneuver around clogged roads and had become the vehicle of choice for most nomads. With all the debris and the roads in disrepair, motorcycles were the way to go – if you could get the fuel that is. Surprisingly, there still seemed to be enough of that for those dedicated to go hunt for it.
Michael remembered the world before all the destruction. He was a young college student when the first bombs dropped. He had seen more death in his time than anyone “pre-bombs”, as they called it, could ever imagine. Sometimes it felt to Michael that he had seen more people die in those years than many had seen alive in their whole lives. He had spent the first couple of years burying the bodies of his neighbors after the short stint he had spent living in an underground bunker.
After a huge outbreak swept through his hometown, killing almost everybody he had ever known and loved, he decided to hit the road. He couldn’t handle the constant reminder of death.
Eventually, he found purpose again in the form of his wife. Her whole family had died on their way home from a scavenging run and she was left alone. She had hidden when a group of bandits appeared. When he came across her, she had smiled at him just right and had needed his protection. He needed someone to need him and her infectious, up-beat personality sealed the deal. A year later they welcomed their son Christopher into the world and Michael was happier than he had ever been before. But they say life is cruel, and he learned first-hand just how cruel it could really be.
Michael had not seen a soul in weeks when he ran into Billy. When the stranger suggested he join up with their group, he couldn’t deny how good a home cooked meal sounded. He was in need of a little conversation. He had other needs that needed to be satiated as well, but he had learned that it could be months before he might find a suitable woman on the road. So, in short, he had more than a few reasons to accept Billy’s hospitality.
Truth be told, the lure of good food had been the real persuasion for him to put his mission on hold and rest for a while. After ten years some of the urgency had faded anyhow. He had been looking for years and still questioned if he was just chasing ghosts or his own demons. He deserved a break. And more to the point, he actually needed one for his sanity. He really just needed something to take his mind off of the past.
Despite his latent desires, he had not been expecting her. His throat practically closed up when he saw the women in the black dress, standing by a wood stove with a pot holder in her hand. Not the sexiest setting, but she looked at him with the deepest green eyes he had ever seen and the faintest hint of a smile on her lips. He could tell his sudden appearance disconcerted her for a moment as well. For just an instant they locked eyes, and then just as quickly they both looked away. A quick, perturbed frown crossed her face before she finally turned back around to set the pot holder down on the stove.
Facing him again, Jessa walked the few paces up to the men to say hello.
Billy was first to speak.
“Jessa, this is Michael. He’s just passing through on his way west.”
“Well I may stay a little while after all...”
His smile deepened as he stepped forward to shake the enchanting woman’s hand. He was stunned, just as she had been, upon first seeing her. There had been – and still was - an instant attraction between the two. Michael felt a stirring in his loins as he looked at her.
He was surprised by the firmness of her handshake and as he got a better sense of her, he noted the subtle rebellious stance that seemed to be her body’s standard pose. She was actually trying in vain not to be noticed, though Michael could not help but notice her. He had a feeling she knew exactly what was on his mind and he wondered if he really was as transparent as her reaction seemed to indicate.
“Nice to meet you Mike, welcome. I hope you are enjoying the community so far.”
“Oh yes, very much so.”
If Jessa would have been any other women, she may have swooned. Michael was just her type, if she had actually had one. The vibes she was picking up off of him were turning her knees to jelly. He was a hair shorter than her, maybe 5 foot 8, and built very well. He was obviously not afraid of hard work and that strength attracted her even more. Michael was wearing a cut off T-shirt that had many miles on it, with khaki carpenter shorts. He looked delicious and her chest tightened almost immediately to his presence. It had been far too long since she had felt this animal attraction, and she felt a sudden flush that caught her off guard.
To keep from embarrassing herself, Jessa nodded politely and went back to the skillet of chicken on the table. She turned her back to them all, dismissing them to give her body time to recuperate. Jessa needed a few minutes to settle her needful desires.
Michael waited for her to turn back around, but she didn’t. With one last backwards glance, he followed the guys out onto the porch to grab more wood as Teresa had requested. He made a mental note to find out what he could about this intriguing woman from some of the other men. He didn’t see a ring on her finger, but he figured that someone had a claim on her. You just didn’t find single woman like her anymore. It just didn’t happen.
***
“Damn Billy, I didn’t even say hello to your wife. I am sorry man.”
Billy just kind of chuckled to himself, “Yeah she has a way of doing that to a man, doesn’t she?” They both knew that the conversation was not about Billy’s wife anymore.
“So what’s her story, is she with anyone?” Michael knew that the chance was slim, but there was still hope in his heart. Even if she was with someone, maybe he could win her away from some other guy that d
idn’t deserve her as much as he did. His mind always found a way to create hope, to keep going. Everyone had to find a way to do that in this desolate new reality.
“Nope, but good luck with that one. No one has convinced her yet and she has been here for several months now. Some think that she likes women, but she even turned down the two lesbians who made a combined effort on her.”
Michael just kind of smiled to himself. He always did like a challenge.
4
Dinner was served a little while later and Michael was glad that he had decided to come back with Billy. He had not seen that much food selection in a long time, even at some of the bigger towns he had come across over the years. Between the food and the new woman, he was thinking that stopping here was one of the better decisions he had made in quite a while.
“Wow. May I ask where all of this food came from?”
“Didn’t you see our gardens when you came through town? The biggest one is at Jessa’s house though. In six month’s time, I swear, it’s already like a jungle over there. I don’t know what we would do without her. She keeps us all well fed. Even when there is nothing to hunt, we always have food.”
Jessa gave Teresa an embarrassed look. Her match making skills were as bad as her attempts at subtlety. The woman was not particularly stealthy with the wink that she sent her way either. Jessa wasn’t used to all the attention. Combined with this high school crush feeling that had come over her, all she wanted to do was to change the subject quickly.
Michael looked at Jessa then, though she would not meet his blue eyes. She instead turned to her son and helped him cut up some of the chicken on his plate. The conversation soon turned to the dangers of the road and the men all joined in with opinions on how to keep the town safe.
Michael told the table about the city just twenty miles from there. He had come across people that were not people anymore. Like the animals that had mutated, many of the humans that remained in the city close to all the supplies changed into something not quite human. He seemed particularly adamant when he spoke of the motorcycle gangs of nomads that were causing terror throughout the country, wreaking havoc wherever they went. Those were who Billy should worry about, in his opinion.
The whole room was quiet for some time as everyone there remembered their own run-ins with dangerous elements. Everyone had a story and they had all had more than one close call.
Jessa looked over at Michael a couple of times while the conversation flew all around them. She actually made solid contact with his haunting aquamarine eyes once. Disconcerted with the shiver that ran up her spine, she had looked away quickly.
Jessa did not stay much longer that night and she feigned a headache to the company. She bade them all farewell and left quickly. She sent one last look at the man that was sitting across from her before she got up to leave. Shane wanted to stay longer, but she was firm with him and he relented after he realized that she was not going to give in.
Michael was disappointed that she had left so soon. He had thought she might be interested in him, and felt a pang in his heart that perhaps he had misread her feelings. Maybe she really did have a headache. Regardless, he hoped that he would get to see more of her soon.
He told himself that he would make it so and continued the game of darts that the men had started outside. He was completely aware the entire time though, of the silent woman who was entering the house next door to them. He could see what Teresa had been talking about. There did seem to be a rather impressive growth of plants around the quiet woman’s home. She certainly had the magic touch when it came to horticulture. His musings were interrupted as he noticed the dim candle lights quickly light inside and her soft shadows as she moved through the house.
5
Never being one for darts, Michael lost often and usually by a wide margin. Tonight was no exception, especially considering that he could not get the woman out of his mind. He couldn’t help but constantly glance over at the house next door.
There was only one room lit after a while and he assumed that the woman had put her son to bed. He mumbled something about having to piss to the other guys and started walking toward the outhouse behind Billy’s house.
As he neared the rear of the house, he caught himself looking into Jessa’s windows. He stopped moving when he saw the flickering light move to the last room in the house. Slowly he walked further back, forgetting completely that he had to go to the bathroom. He stopped again, taking in a sharp involuntary breath as he spotted her through the window.
The lit room turned out to be the woman’s bathroom. She was in the process of undressing to clean herself after a long day. The man pushed himself against the house, trying to become invisible. He was mesmerized as she took off her shirt and bra. Michael swallowed, the knot forming in his throat as he saw her pale pink nipples rising in the night air. The window was slightly open, and he could have sworn he could smell her sweetness wafting over to his hiding spot.
Jessa bent down and when she stood back up, he could see the small patch of hair between her thighs that matched the blonde on her head. Like her, the hair was neat and trim. Michael’s hand itched to seize himself, but remained at his side while his eyes held steady on her, unblinking. When she turned full on towards the window it was almost all he could take.
Seeing her in all of her glory sealed his need for the mysterious woman. Every inch of her body was smooth and tempting. A sponge in hand, she started to rub her shoulders and neck with soapy water. The man watched the drops cascade down her form, her nipples hard tips. He wanted to be there with her, rubbing all the places he knew she would like. He was full of gratitude just to be able to see such a beautiful sight. It had been quite a while since he had even had this much action.
Jessa’s hands spent time rubbing in circles on her breasts, her fingers slightly massaging the soft underside. Her globes were large and jiggled as she moved. Michael’s heart stopped in his chest when he saw her pinch one of her nipples between her fingers and then close her eyes with the pleasure.
She bent down and his heart pounded in his ears while he waited for her to come back into view. When she did she rinsed her front and the man melted in his shoes. The sponge in her hand pressed between her legs, and by the look on her face, she was doing more than cleaning. Every few seconds he could hear a soft moan and a panting sound as she rubbed her wet, slippery womanhood.
Jessa dropped the sponge and her fingers continued the soft exploration of her slit. Michael felt a rising in his pants and every soft noise from her lips made his pants more uncomfortable. Her one hand moved faster while the other hand cupped and fondled her breasts. He could hear her working herself to a crescendo and then a loud whimper pierced the night air. Michael was surprised to realize that the sound was from him.
The woman’s hands stopped and her eyes squinted out into the night. Michael pushed himself further into the bushes and his heart pounded while he waited. He was afraid to look and only did when a considerable amount of time had passed.
Jessa finished washing her body off in the basin and she was humming to herself. Michael could hear the sweet sound and relaxed. He was completely captivated by her. She released her hair from a messy bun and it flowed down her wet body, sticking to her flesh in some areas. Her hair was past her waist and it served to cover just enough of her breasts to tantalize him even more. She continued to wash her hair and when she raised her arms to work in the shampoo and faced the window, Michael finally grabbed his own hardness, tugging it instinctively. He choked a little bit and threw himself under a bush when she heard him again.
Cursing himself, he hid for what seemed like hours until he heard Billy’s inebriated voice calling for him. He got up and rejoined them quickly. He was not sure yet if he wanted to stay around the little town, but he did know there was someone he wanted to take with him if or when he left. Of course, that would be up to her.
***
Jessa kind of smiled to herself. She really should put
a curtain up. The men around the community always seemed to find a way to walk past her windows at night. Even though she told herself she hated the public attention, Jessa found it exciting to think that someone was watching her in her more private moments. She really hoped that it was Michael this time. Still, she knew she shouldn’t tease, so she debated which privacy bush she should plant in the back, though she had to remind herself that she wasn’t going to be there that long. She went into her son’s room to check on him, then went to her own bed to lie down for the night.
Sleep usually came easily from all the hard work during the day, but that night she found herself doing something entirely different. She was surprised to find herself thinking about a man besides her husband for the first time in quite a while. Up until then she had believed that Kraven had been and still was her one true soul mate. As a result, she thought it was pointless to even contemplate looking for another man. Why bother? But Michael had caught her eye and stirred up some feelings she was not expecting. The thing was, she was not sure how she even felt about feeling anything at all. When she finally did doze off, she was thinking about how much she missed the feeling of a man’s strong arms around her. It had been far too long since Jessa had been able to have the real thing.
***
The next morning, Jessa and her son did their normal watering. Since his father had died, Shane had taken on a bit of the role of the man of the house, and as a result he was determined to learn to shoot and hunt. Jessa was happy to support him in this for many reasons, both practical and emotional. So, like on many other days, she took him out in the woods for some practice. It wasn’t long, however, before his initially fervent attention to mastering the bow began to wane. Then he heard Aidan playing and completely lost whatever interest had remained.