by Nate Johnson
A mile into the plain they heard a faint rumble and crashing noise. It took them several minutes before the realized it was waves slapping into a beach. A brief look of excitement passed between them before they turned and hurried towards the sound.
As they drew closer, Nora darted in front and ran up a small rise. The rocky plain gave way to a pebbly beach and the wide blue expanse of a lively ocean. The only sound was the ripple of water as it ran back through the pebbles and into the ocean, only to be repeated when another gentle wave rushed in.
The air was still, a cloudless blue sky matching the endless water before them. Nora plopped down and rested back on her hands.
A small rock island lay a few hundred yards off shore, barely breaking the surface of the sea. White waves crashed over it sending a fine mist into the air.
“Just think, no one has ever seen this,” she said. The thought was overwhelming and pushed a surge of pure joy into her heart. A tear formed at the corner of her eyes, and she quickly wiped it away before he could see.
“What should we call it?” Erik asked.
“What do you mean?” Nora answered.
“The ocean, you were the first one here, you get to name it.”
Nora was thunderstruck with surprise. He wanted her to name an ocean. The responsibility weighed on her shoulders like a lead filled back pack, threatening to push her into the ground.
Standing back up, she scanned from left to right. Headlands framed them, separated by about three miles of rocky, barren plain. The beach itself was egg sized rocks broken up by clumps of rocky outcrops and tide pools. It all looked so picturesque and inviting. The ocean was that deep blue, the kind that hid a ton of secrets.
He stood there with folded arms and that damn little crooked smile of his.
“The Creshington,” she said with hesitation. “Yes. The Creshington.” More firmly this time, and looked up for his reaction.
He smiled and nodded his head. It amazed her to think that a thousand years from now young children would be learning about their world and would hear the story of the first person to die on this planet.
Taking a deep breath, her shoulders relaxed, and she turned to follow Erik while he walked along the water’s edge. He reached down and grabbed a handful of water confirming its saltiness with a quick taste.
“Um, I think that island is moving,” Erik said, with a frown to his voice.
Nora focused on the island. Yes, it was moving slowly, parallel to the shore.
“Yes, I think you’re right.” Something that big was terrifying to think about.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but swimming is out.”
“Maybe it only eats plankton,” she said.
“I don’t want to be the one to test your theory. Nothing personal.”
She laughed and started walking up the beach. Erik jumped up to follow. They had only gone about a hundred yards when Erik froze in his tracks, his eyes focused on a distant object.
“What is it?” she asked, her heart racing. Trying to see what he saw.
He ignored her and sprinted about twenty yards, come to a sliding stop next to a square stone cube sitting in the middle of the pebbled beach.
“What is it?” she asked again, her eyes trying to discern what he did.
The rock was ten inches on a side. Each edge perfectly straight, each corner an exact ninety degrees.
Erik reached down to the rock, and a scene from an old story flashed into her mind. A young girl finding a magical lamp in the desert. She shuddered and put a hand on his arm to stop him. She didn’t know why, but her stomach was clenched in a knot screaming at her to slow down.
The rock was only a rock. A corner was chipped off, highlighting the perfect squareness of the rest of the piece of brown and white mottled granite.
Calm down, Nora, she thought. It’s the same kind of indigenous stone found on almost any planet with any kind of water erosion system. Yeah, right. She shuddered with relief when Erik put it back down and stepped away shaking his head.
An outcropping of rocks led to a deep set of tide pools. The kind where you expected seals to be sunning themselves and pelicans to be basking, both waiting for the next grunion run. The placid water looked to be about five feet deep in some places. The bottoms covered in white sand and the occasional shell. Nora felt the sweat run down her back and the grimy dirt that had accumulated over the last few weeks.
Erik smiled and sat down to take off his shoes. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Taking a bath, I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of stinking all the time.”
Her face blanched in shock as he stood up again and stepped out of his orange uniform. Her cheeks flushed, and her heart threatened to jump out of her chest, but she couldn’t look away as he stood there in his tight shorts. Her insides turned over as she scanned over his body. He looks like a Norse god, she thought. His red beard was showing hints of gold. His shoulders were wider than a canyon and looked strong enough to support the world. His chest and stomach rippled with muscles that appeared to be rock hard.
And his legs were huge, not like the tooth picks around here, more like Valdorian oaks, the kind that could stand up to any storm.
Get a grip girl, she told herself. But, she couldn’t stop fluttering inside. She had to close her eyes to regain control. She opened them up again and tried her best nonchalant look, but knew it was hopeless.
Looking over his shoulder, he flashed a smile, then stepped off the ledge and into the water. He looks like a little boy who just found a train set under the Christmas tree, she thought.
He came up flipping water from his hair and spouting a stream like a roman fountain.
“It’s great, come on,” he said before dipping under again. She shook her head, no way.
They had been taking sponge baths next to the river, but no one was allowed to go in. The depths held to many secrets. But, this was different, they could see everything.
A wicked thought flashed through her mind. Hell, it was one of many wicked thoughts. But, this one had some appeal. Off limits was she. That meant she could tease, could tempt without fear, without consequences. Off limits was she? She’d make him regret that. Besides, she needed a bath as bad as he did.
Hiding a smile, she stared into his eyes. Her fingers moved to the zipper at her neck. She hesitated, was she really going to do this? Slowly, her hand brought it down. A flash of power rushed through her body when she saw his eyes narrow, and he got that look men get when they see something they want. That look when they see something they need.
She slipped out of one shoulder and then the other, thanking the Gods above that her underthings matched.
Afraid of chickening out, she quickly stepped out of the garment and jumped into the water. Laughing as she came up for air.
Nora’s soul ached for some soap, shampoo seemed like a miracle that couldn’t even be wished for. Their new life had introduced so many new smells, but it hadn’t eliminated the old ones.
.o0o.
The sun felt good. Erik started to relax for the first time since the GQ alarm on the Intrepid. He closed his eyes and let the warm sun dry him. Nora was off exploring, the place seemed as tame as a coffee shop. A shudder passed through his body. God, why did you have to think that? Now he had to go check on things.
He sat up and scanned the beach. Nora was only a few yards away, bent over looking at something in a small pool. Unfortunately, she had put her coveralls back on. He would never forget the flash of skin he’d glimpsed before she jumped in.
His mind wanted to wander and day dream but, something wasn’t right. His skin tingled, he remembered that feeling.
Summers on a New Kansas farm were filled with storms. They said that’s how the place got its name. He looked out at the ocean and was shocked to see massive columns of clouds building on the horizon. Tall, dark, gnarly thunderheads forming evil looking anvils. His stomach turned over when he thought about how exposed they were.
“Nora, we need to get going,” he said, nodding towards the approaching storm. A puff of breeze ruffled her hair, as she looked up at him then out to the sea. Her face blanched, and eyes widened to dinner plate size.
It was obvious that she recognized the seriousness of the situation.
Chapter Ten
The pebble beach seemed to want to swallow their feet as they cut back onto the plain. They both felt the cool wind picking up as it pressed into their backs, seeming to push them forward, telling them to hurry. Without verbal communication, they both began to run. Jumping and dodging foot chomping rocks.
Single, big wet rain drops began to plop onto the dry barren plain, like army ants sent on patrol before the swarm, they were warning the couple of what was coming.
Erik threw a quick look over his shoulder then grabbed Nora’s arm and pulled her to the right. “Come on,” he yelled above the driving wind.
Leading her to an outcropping of boulders he started gathering bowling ball sized stones and tossing them towards the huge outcropping. Her brow creased as she looked at him like he’d lost what few marbles he had left.
“What are you doing?” she asked then watched as he dropped to his knees and started fitting the stones together, forming a small wall around a crease in the ground.
Eons of wind had carved a narrow gouge under the boulder. Her eyes popped with understanding, and she quickly bent to help. Bringing him stones and running out for more. The day started to grow dark as the wind and rain picked up. The pin pricks of slashing drops mixed with blowing sand to scrap his skin like wet sand paper.
Erik finished the quick wall. Without warning or preamble, he guided her, head first into the dark hole then crawled in after. His shoulders felt trapped by the stone above, and his heart raced. Some instinctive part knew they were in trouble. Weather forecasts, another of those minor modern miracles that they took for granted.
He pushed his backpack into their entryway and blocked the last of the storm and what little light remained from the day. Sliding down he felt her shiver and adjusted himself to bring his knees up behind hers and his arm under her head. He gently wrapped his other arm around her middle and pulled her close.
“Hold on,” he said into her ear, trying to block out the wind and rain working its way through the jury-rigged wall.
“How long do you think it will last?” she asked. Her voice fighting to rise above the roaring torrent.
“No idea, a while,” he yelled back. This wasn’t a ‘normal’ storm. Some deep dark, primitive part of him knew it was going to be bad. He had no sooner thought that than he felt one of the rocks shift next to his back. The wind was moving ten pound rocks.
A shiver passed through his shoulders, and it wasn’t all related to being cold. He pushed back and fought to keep it in place.
Praying. Maybe that will work, he thought. He didn’t want to think what would happen to them if they were fully exposed. At least now they knew why the plain was so barren. Nothing could live if exposed to this onslaught. Nora scooted and wiggled to get into a comfortable spot, and he could have sworn he felt her sigh.
The dark hid everything. The feel of her in his arms left a tumultuous warmth coursing through his veins, a warmth that rivaled the raging storm outside. Her soft curves and the luscious sweet smell of her hair seeped into his soul, pushing out all thought of the storm. His mind narrowed down to the realization of where his hand rested, flat on her stomach, half way between her breasts and the top button of her pants. His hand rose and fell with each breath she took, and he had to fight to not pull her in even closer.
The back of her tight thighs rested next to his, and her perfect round bottom was pressed into his lap. My God, you are a mean SOB to torture me like this, he thought. He gritted his teeth and scrunched his eyes shut.
It was no good. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get pictures of her out of his mind. Pictures of them doing things that were so off limits she’d die of embarrassment if she knew what he was thinking. But he failed, and his body responded. He grew aroused. His heart raced, and he tried to think of other things, the storm, Shuttle repair, categorizing the fauna and flora of New Kansas, anything else.
Nothing worked, her power over his thoughts was total and complete. He felt himself growing and poking at her backside. There was no hiding it now. She had to know what was going on.
He felt her try and scoot away, but there was nowhere for her to go. She must feel so trapped, he thought, and his heart broke a little at the idea of hurting her. His face flushed, and he had trouble catching his breath. “God I’m sorry Nora,” he said into her ear.
The hard wall of stone continued to press into his back as if trying to shove them together. The wind ripped and roared, the rain constantly found every little hole and crevice to soak him to the skin. But all he could think about was the girl in his arms and how much he wanted her. He had lusted after her for months. Kept her at arm’s length and done everything in his power to stay away from her.
He felt her shoulders shaking and a whimpering sound. God, she’s crying he thought and cringed inside, but his body refused to stop wanting what it needed.
“I’m sorry,” he said again, “here maybe if you scooted down a little.”
But she didn’t leave her spot. Her shoulders shook, and she turned he head slightly to look over her shoulder and barked out a laugh.
“Oh Erik, how the mighty have fallen,” she burst out between hearty chuckles. “It seems the great Erik Tanner is human after all.” Then she wiggled her bottom and pressed herself against him.
.o0o.
Nora's belly shook under his hand which made her laugh even more. Who would have ever thought that this was how she found out that he wasn’t as cold as a Valdorian trout? Once again she could feel it pressing into her, poking at her backside and it sent a delicious chill up her spine. He wanted her. He could deny it, but his body didn’t know how to lie.
Sighing in contentment, she snuggled back into his arms and closed her eyes. The storm didn’t matter, the ripping roar and pounding deluge were forgotten. For the first time since they got there, hell for the first time since she was a little girl, she felt safe. Delicious warmth spread throughout her body.
It was the silence that woke her, an eerie dead sound that startled her into awareness. A faint light peaked through the stones, enough for her to see the bare brown boulder that surrounded them. She blinked furiously, but the sight didn’t change and with the realization of where she was and why.
She lay there for several minutes, listening to him breathe, feeling his chest rise and fall with each breath. Finally, though, she had to go, her bladder felt like it would let go at any moment. Regretting it, she shook him awake.
“Time to get up Erik,” she said. “I’ve got to get home. My parents are going to be furious.” He didn’t laugh. “Come on I’ve got to get out of here. The storms over, let’s go.”
He mumbled and grumbled, obviously not a morning person. Then grunting she heard him push the stones out of the way and roll from their temporary tomb.
Finishing her business on the other side of the huge boulder she came back around to find him staring off into the distance a faint pink glow about his cheeks. God is he embarrassed about last night? It made her smile.
This trip had been great. She was learning so much about the big strong Erik Tanner. He liked pretty landscapes. He liked to go swimming. And most of all, he liked her.
“Do you think the storm hit the camp?” she asked, trying to change the unsaid subject.
He glanced down at her and shook his head, obviously glad for the chance to avoid the previous night. “No, I think the valley funnels the winds in a straight line, that’s why everything is so bare. If they were lucky it should have passed them by, if not, half the forest will be laid out flat.”
She couldn’t let it go, the opportunity was just too great. “So, about last night…” She left the words unsaid but looked at
him to make her point.
He hunched his shoulders but continued to stare down at her.
“Well anyway, thank you. It was pretty smart finding that place and getting the wall up. I don’t want to think about what it would have been like out in the open.”
He blanched a little then nodded his head. “Listen, I’m sorry about everything. I don’t want to give you the wrong idea. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. You know that don’t you?” He asked. His face looked like a little boy who’d spilt some milk.
Nora stopped and put her hands on her hips. Did he really say that? Was he going to pretend he hadn’t been affected? Did she mean so little that the whole thing could be ignored and swept under one of these stones? Seeing how uncomfortable he was, he must really hate the idea of his body betraying him like that.
Smiling up at him she said, “Erik, let’s face it, you think I’m hot.”
.o0o.
Jonathan grabbed his spear and started weaving his way through the forest. Stepping between trees and over fallen limbs. A soft chill traveled across his shoulders when he thought about coming in here alone. The darkness under the canopy was pierced by the occasional sharp shafts of light. Giving him enough to maneuver, but not enough to feel safe.
They were supposed to travel in pairs, but Erik wasn’t around to enforce it, and no one else would go with him anyway. That familiar feeling of outsideness leaked into his bones. He shook it off and focused on his footing.
Jonathan’s heart raced when he saw the first snare had been tripped, but then he felt like a rock had been dropped in his stomach when he spied the empty loop of wire. A quick exam showed where something, probably one of those hedgehog like creatures had set it off but had escaped.
He carefully put everything back in place and wondered for the thousandth time if he was doing it right. He had cursed his useless data flex. Things would have been so much easier if he’d been able to study the data files on how and where to set snares. There was probably a dozen thing he was doing wrong.