Black Water

by Jon Fore

  “Bite me,” Madison said as she rolled her eyes.

  “Yeah, sure, but let’s eat first,” Chris retorted.

  Ethan shut the laptop down as Chris carried the cooler into the kitchen, trailed by the others. He decided to leave the computer where it was and went with them into the kitchen.

  “After dinner, can we take some pictures in that big room by the front door?” Madison asked Abby as she was cutting open pouches of used-to-be-frozen pasta.

  “Yeah, I guess, if you want,” Abby replied trying not to sound too uncomfortable.

  “Can I watch?” Chris asked, leaning closely toward Madison.

  “Actually, I would like certain parts of your body in them, if you don’t mind.”

  “That depends on what parts…” Chris trailed off slyly.

  “Well, your arm or a leg, maybe a hand or two. Implied pornography.”

  “If it’s got to do with porn, then I am there.”

  “I sort of thought so,” Madison said while rolling her eyes again.

  Abby leaned closely to Ethan who was monitoring a pot on one of the wood-burning stoves. “You will be there as well, my good man. I am not shooting this shit alone, got me?” she whispered to him.

  Ethan turned and smiled into the red spreading across Abby’s face. “Sure, whatever you say.”

  “What was that?” Chris asked.

  “I said, ‘I am sure he won’t make you pay,’” Ethan replied loudly.

  “Who won’t make you pay?”

  “Brighton,” Abby answered.

  “Listen, if he wants that damn wall fixed, I’ll pay for it, alright?” Chris sounded as though he was becoming angry again.

  “Okay,” she replied quickly, clearly not believing he would.

  “Tomorrow, can we do some artistic photos outside on the dry dirt out there? I think there would be a nice contrast with my skin,” Madison asked, trying to change the subject.

  “Yeah, okay, if you want—but it will have to be right before we leave when the sun is on the other side of the house,” Abby said uncomfortably.

  “That sounds great. Thanks for doing this for me.”

  “Can I have a copy of the pictures?” Chris asked hopefully.

  “Well, if you pay for them, yes.” Madison smiled at him.

  “Maybe I can take my own pictures…” Chris offered.

  Ethan came and sat at the small table carrying a couple of tinfoil trays of food. Abby followed shortly behind him with a couple more.

  “Did you get enough photos of the place, Abby?” Ethan asked.

  “Not quite yet. There is still a garden somewhere around here with an attached greenhouse, and I would like to shoot the rooms the escaping slaves stayed in when they were here.”

  “Do you know where those are?” Chris asked, trying to work his way into the conversation. He never did like not being the center of attention.

  Abby hoped silently that by the time they returned to the university, Madison would have grown tired of him and sent him on his way. She could just find another to share her bed with while failing out of college. Out loud, she said, “No, actually I don’t. I was hoping it would be obvious when we walked around the house. I had forgotten that other people had lived here. I am sure they have been done over—could have been one of the bedrooms upstairs.”

  “Maybe they stayed down in that room behind the wall,” Ethan said.

  “Could be; I hope not. I am not going to knock that wall down for pictures,” Abby stated firmly as she eyed Chris. He just raised his hands up defensively.

  They finished eating but stayed to finish a couple of warm beers and pass another of Madison’s special Jamaican cigarettes around. This time, they all shared, even Ethan, certain he would need something to get through the photo shoot and the social discomfort that was to be a part of everyone’s evening.

  Chapter 6

  By the end of the hour, the group made their way back to the entry where Madison made a decision about which room to shoot in. To Abby’s chagrin, she chose both the library and the greeting room. She attached the flash to the top of her camera and set the white balance while Madison did her makeup. Chris sat and chatted with her, completely comfortable with what was about to happen. Ethan attempted to make himself a small piece of unobtrusive furniture in the corner, trying desperately to not draw attention. Abby was fine with this as long as he was close by.

  The love seat, sitting off to one side, proved to be a fine pallet for Madison’s skin, and some of the sheers gently removed from the windows added mystery to the scene. Chris made a quick round with the lighter, sparking the candles that remained to life, giving the entire scene an ethereal sexy feel while still being warm and eclectic. Abby began to feel as though she might have a knack for this sort of thing, this type of photography—well, at least at setting the scene.

  She had never done any form of model photography, had never directed a model, positioned her, or oversaw the application of makeup. She was trying to be a photojournalist not a fashion photographer. This would be a new experience, and since Abby did enjoy studying women, even in the nude, she thought this might not be too uncomfortable after all. She had never been attracted to another woman sexually, but found great beauty in the female form with just a small helping of lustfulness.

  The sky had long since lost its grip on the sun and had grown dark and overcast. Not even the glare of the moon invaded the now bare windows. Beyond was a perfect blackness, broken only by the reflection of candlelight on the glass.

  “I am going to have to use a slow shutter speed here, so when we frame up, you’ll have to hold real still. I don’t want to let this warm lighting go,” Abby instructed.

  “That’s fine,” Madison said as she approached the couch. She suddenly pulled her shirt off, being careful not to smear her makeup, and dropped it to the floor. “Can we get this same light you think in the other room and maybe on the stairs?” she asked as she removed her bra and dropped it on top of the sweatshirt.

  “Cold in here, toots?” Chris asked jokingly.

  “It’s freezing in here,” she replied as she rolled her tight jeans to the floor.

  Ethan’s breath stopped short, taken with the purity of her skin, untouched by freckle, scar, or even a simple birthmark. She was slender across her midriff and taunt muscles played just beneath her ripened, full breasts. She was a magnificent example of a woman: young, fresh, and almost overly-developed.

  When she stood, Ethan was surprised to see she had not worn underwear. Her hips rounded perfectly along the sides and dissolved into legs, long and slender, even for her diminished height. He was also shocked to see she had trimmed her pubic hair into the shape of a heart, neatly, as if she had been to see a barber. Even the mound of her womanhood was smooth and developed without a blemish of any kind. Ethan was unsure he was going to be able to watch this play out as aroused as he was at that moment.

  “Where do you want me, or how do you want me?” Madison asked as she shook her hair into a more passionate and wild cascade.

  Abby found herself swallowing hard; her throat had become dry. Suddenly she felt both completely plain and unattractive as well as strongly aroused. She had never been this turned on by the sight of a woman before, and found it oddly curious, even considering the female perfection before her. Perhaps because it was real and not some movie one of her girl friends liked to share. “On the couch…however you’re comfortable, I guess. I have never done this, remember?”

  “That’s fine.” Madison sat on the couch with a severely arched back. She parted her legs, threw her shoulders back, and let her head fall to one side, her hair washing down on one shoulder, her eyes searching longingly to the floor. “How’s this?”

  Abby found she was speechless. This was the most outrageous thing she had ever done, the most erotic, the most enticing, and Madison was so perfectly sensual. She realized she had not said anything for a time and rushed out, “That’s good. Hold that.” She snapped a few pictu
res, from vaguely different angles. “I think I got it. You know, you’ll be able to see, well, everything in these pictures.”

  “Great! That’s what I wanted. Here, try this one.” She stood, turned her back to the watchers, hiked one leg up onto the back of the couch, and poured her upper body into the cushions.

  “You’re so fucking hot, babe,” Chris said, his voice clearly dry as well.

  “You think so?” Madison asked sweetly.

  Ethan cleared his throat nervously.

  “Are you sure you want to go this far, Madison?” Abby asked.

  “Oh, sure. In fact, can you come around a bit and get this one from almost behind me but not quite?”

  “I thought this was supposed to be…what did you call it…implied something.” Abby’s voice suddenly sounded wet, as if her mouth was trying to hold too much saliva.

  Madison rested her hiked knee on the couch and said, “Well, I sort of lied, I guess. I want to start my own website, you know, to make some more money. I was going to ask Ethan there if he could help me.”

  Abby looked toward Ethan, but he just looked at her wide-eyed. “If that’s what you want, sweetie; I am sure it will be popular,” Abby said as she made her way a bit around Madison as she brought her knee back up. Abby steeled herself and knelt a bit to get the well-angled money-shot.

  “Hey, Madison, give us a smile, won’t ya?” Chris asked, once more overly excited.

  “You can’t see my face in this shot.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” Chris replied with a chuckle.

  “Oh… Hold on.” She reached beneath herself. “Like this?”

  “Perfect!” Chris beamed.

  Abby swallowed hard again and snapped multiple shots from varying angles. She felt her body reacting to Madison’s soft flesh, becoming warm all over and a bit moist. She wondered how well Ethan was handling all of this. Abby was sure it was much more erotic, a much stronger turn-on for him than her—at least she hoped. With this new rush of desire to have another woman—to hold her, caress her, taste her—she began to question her own sexuality.

  Madison flipped herself over the arm of the couch and hugged her midriff; lifting her breast and making them appear even more firm and full. She perched her lips and gave Abby a wry smile. The camera sounded its artificial shutter many times. This rotation continued for some time: Madison changing her position, each either pornographic or sensual, Chris vocalizing his innuendoes, and Ethan remaining utterly silent.

  Abby was becoming comfortable with her reaction to Madison and began to enjoy the animalistic arousal. Her direction, when needed, produced very provocative images and she began to think this might be a heretofore-untapped talent sitting recessed in her artistic mind. That is when the camera began to beep that it was full.

  “We have to dump the camera; it won’t take very long,” Abby said.

  “That’s fine,” Madison said breathily.

  It dawned on Abby that Madison was most likely as aroused as she was, if not more. Abby was certain Madison was an exhibitionist, and most likely living out a fantasy.

  “I want to do a group of masturbation shots next, if that’s okay.”

  Abby felt herself shudder in anticipation. She hoped she would be able to contain herself for that, not do anything embarrassing. She was certain that some lesbian switch had not just been thrown, but she was more than ready to have her first encounter—even hoped for it.

  Ethan powered up the laptop again without further prompting and began copying images. He was a brilliant red, and Abby thought this the cutest thing. She suddenly wondered if she had begun to love him. No matter, tonight she was going to tear him apart and leave him as a steamy puddle.

  “You want to proof these, Abby?”

  “Yeah, if I can.”

  “Sure, here, you know what to do.” Ethan spun the laptop around to face her.

  Abby began to scroll through the images she had just captured, every one something for her to be proud of even considering the content. She was certain that Madison would like them, especially if she wanted to do this website thing. Then something caught her eye: a shape in the background of one of the images. She looked up and scanned the room, but the shape was not there. It certainly did not take anything from the picture itself, so she continued.

  Some fifty images later, the shape was there again, only this time much more prominent. It was most certainly the outline of a person standing near the couch but still out of the way. It was dark and not entirely in focus, but she was almost positive it was Chris. She just did not remember him getting into any of the shots.

  “Chris, did you walk behind the couch while I was shooting?” she asked without looking away from the picture.

  He was sitting next to Madison, and kissing her ferociously; Abby felt an unreasonable twang of jealousy at this. “Chris?”

  “Yeah, say again?” he responded huskily.

  “Did you go behind the couch while I was shooting?”

  “No,” he said flatly and went back to his groping and facial sucking, Madison moaning in delight.

  “Ethan, what do you think this is?”

  Ethan came close to her and peered into the glow of the laptop’s screen. “Looks like someone standing there behind the couch. Here, let me see it.” Ethan took the laptop and drew a square around the section. It leapt forward and redrew down the screen. The shape was clearer, enough so to say it was a man who looked to be wearing all black. Abby glanced over at the couple on the couch just to make sure Chris was not dressed in black. He was still in his flannel and faded jeans but now wearing Madison like a school ring.

  “Oh, great,” she muttered. “Can you get closer? It may be an aberration or reflection or something.”

  Ethan drew the box two more times, and the screen took its time drawing the image again. This time it was clearly a man, wearing black, but the black of a priest. He wore around his neck the white collar and a gold cross suspended on a gold chain. His eyes were shadowed and dark, giving him an utterly evil appearance, a horrific semblance of a priest. Abby felt an icy chill run down her back as she searched the room again.

  Although it was dark, all of the walls were visible around her, and there was no priest. She tried to reason this in her mind, but it would not come. Abby began to be afraid, and suddenly decided it was time to leave this house and go home.

  “You guys should come and see this,” Ethan called.

  “What? Are they good?” Madison asked from around Chris. “Let me up, you horn dog. I want to see the pictures.” She pushed off Chris who sat back with a huff. “Let me see,” she said excitedly.

  Abby felt the spark of desire again when the naked Madison leaned over her shoulder, pressed her bare breasts warmly into her back, but it did little to belay the horror swelling in her chest.

  “Who is that? He looks creepy as hell,” Madison said.

  “He was behind you in the photo,” Abby said. Her mouth had gone dry once more, but this time from a building fear.

  “No way, guys. You put him in there, freaking computer nerd. That’s not funny, alright?”

  “I didn’t put him in there,” Ethan replied defensively.

  Everyone but Abby looked around the room again in search of the figure in the photo. Abby had become transfixed with the darkness that should have been his eyes. She searched the black depths, looking for some semblance of eyes, she knew somehow that if she could find them, then he would not be so horribly frightening and would become just a man.

  A loud rumbling sound came from the foyer, from beneath their feet, followed by a terrible earthy crash. The laptop shut off, the screen going dark in an instant. Madison let out a scream, which made Abby scream and grab on to Ethan. Both Ethan and Chris held their tongues, but neither of them had ever been this starkly afraid before.

  “It was the wall,” Abby suddenly realized. “The damn wall fell.” Her anger bullied her fear aside as she stood.

  Ethan went into the foyer first
and turned toward the brick wall. Abby rushed up beside him. They turned on their flashlights and began scanning the floor. There were chunks of brick and concrete dust everywhere, scattered all around the floor, some of it still suspended in the air.

  “That’s just fucking great!” Abby said hotly. “How are we going to clean this up?” She cradled her head in her hands, exasperation suddenly filling her with hopelessness.

  “What is it?” Madison asked, hunched and close to Chris and, not surprisingly, still entirely nude.

  “The damn wall came down; we really have a mess here. Brighton is going to be so pissed off,” Abby said angrily.

  “Abby…” Ethan said gently.

  “No, I don’t want to hear it. We should not have been poking at the damn wall. Now I have to come up with the money to replace it and clean this mess up. And just look at the wood floor!”

  “Abby!” Ethan shouted urgently.

  “What?”

  “The door was closed, remember?”

  “So? The bricks knocked it open, so what?” She sounded angry but just a little curious at the same time.

  “The bricks fell upward hard enough to force the door open. Shouldn’t they have fallen down and into the cellar?”

  Chapter 7

  Abby stared at the pile of refused bricks and mortar trying to reason why they had not fallen down into the cellar. She thought that possibly there was a slight slant in the floor—maybe it was not perfectly level, perhaps it was just enough that it allowed the bricks to tumble outward and their weight forced the door open. It seemed reasonable to her, but it did nothing to quiet the uneasiness growing from the seed planted by the picture of the dark priest.

  “Abby, we didn’t do that, did we?”

  “No, Madison, you didn’t,” Ethan replied. “You may have weakened it, but by what I felt, it was about to come down anyway.”

  “Abby, I’ll pay for it anyway,” Chris offered earnestly. It was rare to hear him speak sincerely.

  “We can’t leave it like this. We have to find a way to clean it up. Madison, you better get dressed; this will be hard enough to do with flashlights without you being naked.”