The Nameless Survivor (Valkyrie)

by Hawk, J. K.

  “I guess I just thought you wanted to be more than a friend.” she responded.

  “More than a friend?”

  “I – I thought that you loved me.” She said, her tears now flowing freely.

  Gently I kissed her head and hugged her tight, trying to ease her sadness. How could she love, or even make love after her tragic past. How could I ensure her satisfaction and ease her discomfort. And yet, it was her that initiated this, I was the only one uncomfortable with it. Gently I wiped the tears from her eyes and slowly lifted her head up and looked into those gorgeous green eyes. It was then that everything came clear, the one thing that I always believed was just a man-made emotion. That feeling in my gut that most have proclaimed to have felt, and what I had always believed to be imaginary.

  “I do love you.” I said timidly before leaning down and kissing her tiny sweet lips.

  Her tears stopped instantly, and she kissed me back. My heart raced with a pitter-patter as I laid her down on to her back. We gazed into each other’s eyes, still kissing as I ran my fingers through her hair. I was hard again and the pressure was building as it pressed gently between her legs. She too was aroused, I could feel her wetness soaking through my drawers. Her hips began to pulsate into my own as she too began to breathe heavily.

  Slowly I shimmied down, kissing the side of her neck, then along her chest and gently sucking on her perfectly erect nipples. Her skin was both sweet and salty, and my erection grew excruciatingly hard. Still, I worked my way down over her stomach, kissing every inch and licking her sweet navel before moving down even further. Not once did she resist, and instead she willingly spread her legs, lifting them up into the air as my tongue caressed over her naturally thin patch before slowly entering her. She gasped in pleasure, tightening her thighs around my head like a vice. She moaned and breathed heavily with each flick of my tongue as she grew wetter and wetter.

  Moment later I moved back up to kiss her on the lips again as I fumbled to remove my underwear and slowly slid myself into her. The pain in my member had ceased and turned into pure satisfaction as I gently thrust myself deeper with our lips still locked together. Her nails dug into my back with each push, and I held her tightly by the head. With each thrust she gasped and released a sweet moan as she swayed her hips in unison with me.

  Slowly I rolled over and she hung on, clenching her thighs around my waste and positioning herself on top. I just laid back and watched her beautifully white skin gleam in the moonlight as she rocked back and forth, staring down at me with a grin of complete content. She moved back and forth and up and down like those college girls I use to have flings with. Complete lust, but with Mia, it was different. It was not just animalistic urges that fueled her sexuality, but the love that shined within those gorgeous eyes. Brighter than those souls that gleamed down upon us.

  It did not last long before we both exploded in orgasm and she laid herself atop me in exhaustion. We stayed like that the rest of the night, sleeping contently within each other arms. It was perfect, it was the connection we had both needed, and we are finally complete. Although

  I had never realized, or at least admitted before, but I truly did love this girl.

  continuance;

  The next morning I awoke just before dawn to take a look at what our trout-line had provided. Mia was still asleep, her head nestled gently upon a bundle of our clothes, so I let her rest and built up the fire some more before heading off in the buff. Spending this time alone would give me some needed time alone, time to think about what last night really meant. Time to think of what is to come.

  An hour later I was back at the camp to find Mia had already awoken and built up the fire even more. There was a new kind of light in her eyes this morning, a twinkle that I had never seen before. And her smile, from ear to ear, so sweet and innocent. All I could do was to smile back at her as she raised a hand and flailed her fingers in hello.

  “Good morning, gorgeous.”

  “Morning.” She responded with a bit of shyness. Nonchalantly I knelt down beside her and planted an unexpected kiss on her lips, but she did not tense, instead she melted like butter in my arms. For a moment, I almost laid her down to take advantage of her some more. But, it was too soon, we needed to let everything sink in first. Besides, we have plenty of time for that, we had the rest of our lives.

  Together we prepped our catch to roast over the fire. Only two fish, but one was a whopper of a salmon. The other just a small, barely four-inch brook trout, which normally I would release but this one was already dead. Both fish were excellent, smoky light flesh that just peeled away from the bones. Of course Nova had her share, leftover fish heads, which she devoured without a moment’s hesitation.

  We spent most of the day playfully swimming together in the river. Since we only brought the clothes we wore, we remained nude the entire time. The sight of her milky white skin, wet and glistening in the mid-day sun aroused me even further. Her perky, hard nipples bobbing in and out of the flowing current. Her gorgeous eyes staring at me constantly and unrelentingly. It was all too much.

  However, those cold mountain waters ensured my urges were sedated quite well. No sex, instead she held on tight to me as we kissed, slowly and passionately. The current would occasionally catch us off guard, pushing us further and further downstream. Still, we did not stop kissing. We were like teenagers in love for the very first time, and there was nothing that could distract us.

  We decided soon after lunch that our little survival excursion had lost its appeal. So we gathered up our clothes, buried the fire pit, and headed back to the cabin. Gently we held each other’s hand as we navigated the forest and left Bear Brook behind, and maybe forever. The proximity to Hell's Garden is just another sad reminder of the world we live in, something that we both aspired to avoid as much as possible.

  It took the rest of the day to make it back, and we were starving. Luckily I had come across a nice big snapping-turtle along the way and immediately started a fire for pit-roasted turtle in the shell. A delicacy from my past, a recipe that my father had passed down to me. Of course it is not the most romantic of dinners in the Old-World sense. But that is the old world, this – Is Our-World.

  30th day, 6th Fish Moon;

  The hour is late now, Mia has long fallen asleep, her right arm draped around the wolf like she was a stuffed animal. What a beautiful sight! I've come to acknowledge a lot of beauty in the world these days. Things I've never really notice before, like how the fluffy white seeds of the dandelion dance like little fairies throughout the air. There is, now more than before, beauty everywhere that I look. This World of the Dead has seemed to have retreated, leaving behind an exotic wonder of life. Just like the warm days of spring emerging from a long and harsh winter. Or, a colorful butterfly, pulling itself from the cocoon for the very first time.

  Earlier today Mia and I went up to the bathing hole after a long day of yard work. We stayed there most of the afternoon, washing up and playing around with Nova, who has finally lost her immature fear of the water. After a while I crawled up onto the embankment and sat myself up against a tall Cedar tree that rested just on the edge of the brook.

  Mia continued to play with Nova, tossing rocks into the deep-hole as the wolf dove in after them. Mia's golden wet hair hung in thick strands over her bare shoulders as the beads of water that caressed every inch of her pale skin glistened in the sun. I found myself in awe of the beauty before me, even the horrid scars that crisscrossed her body were all but overshadowed by it.

  As the two of them played I indulged with a few puffs from a small spliff and sat back to enjoy a perfect day with a euphoric buzz sweeping over me. However the tranquil afternoon was soon interrupted by an ominous stomping. It took a moment to pin-point its location over the racket of my loves merriment, but became apparent that the footfall approached us from just over the hill on the opposite edge of the brook. Trying not to startle Mia, I reached over to my gun laying atop my pants, all the while keeping
my eyes locked over the myriad of trees.

  Soon the advancing footsteps were revealed, nothing more than a large moose. A mother moose at that, her yearling trotting up over the hill after her. Instantly she noticed us, stopping abruptly in her tracks, with her young naively following suit. Lightly I whistled out to Mia, just loud enough to get her attention. In return she looked up at me with those gorgeous eyes and that gorgeous smile, clueless to what stood just a mere five feet from her.

  “Grab Nova.” I whispered as I pointed across the stream, gesturing for her to look, and she did. Swiftly she backed into deeper water. Nova noticed the beast as well and abrasively began to growl, this is the first time the wolf has come face to face with her natural prey, but instead she saw the beast as a threat and not food. Mia lashed out, grabbing the scruff of her neck and holding her firmly.

  “Nova, hush!” She exclaimed, but the wolf did not obey, she continued to growl in that low and menacing tone, she was not about to let the massive beast come any closer to. Nova has become quite the protector, especially over Mia. However she is still too naive to understand that one does not trifle with a mother moose and her young. The big old cow was definitely not impressed with our presence as she stomped the ground and snorted with baneful anger. The yearling immediately trotted away, back down the hill, but the mother held her ground, continuing her hostile display of both mass and ferocity.

  Mia held tight to Nova and we all just watched, motionless, afraid yet also curious of the giant animal before. I knew that if this mother chose, she could charge and kill us easily with her massive hoofs, but she didn't. After a few more minutes of her threatening dance, the creature moseyed off back down the hill. In some way I believe she understood us, common creatures just trying to survive. A natural connection in an unnatural world.

  Mia made her way back onto the shore, yet Nova still held her ground, staring intently into the forest, but thankfully she did not pursue. Mia laid down, resting her head on my lap and caressing my hand as I draped it over her petite stomach. Together we sat quietly and listened as the mother moose began calling out to its young. An eerie sound, like a broken bicycle horn letting out a muffled yet long honk, each call sent shivers down my spine.

  Eventually the calls faded, almost as fast as the sun, and we headed back down the mountain to the cabin. Although it was still early in the evening, we were both exhausted from the day as well as still in awe at the confrontation we incurred back at the brook. We skipped dinner and headed straight to bed, however our exhaustion did not hold us back from indulging in our new found love. But afterwards we slept, and it was the best sleep I’ve had in forever.

  25th Day, 6th Thunder Moon

  I'm sitting by the fire-pit watching Mia as she lays on her back staring up at the passing clouds and singing to Nova. The song sounds so familiar, but for the life of me I cannot place it. I am sure it was a hit from not long before the Great Outbreak, and the name is right there, on the tip of my tongue. “Whatever we become, we will be together, forever,” She sang repeatedly in such a beautiful angelic voice. That's what she was, an angel sent from heaven just for me. I don't normally believe in such things, but there is just no other explanation for her being here. But, I guess that is what faith is, reasoning behind never-ending mystery.

  Yet now, after all these years of living in hell, I received a gift from above. Every night I found myself thanking whomever was up there, thanking them for Mia. She is the love of my life, and not as the “last man and woman on earth” kind of way, but in the true sense of the word. Fairy-tale love you could say. Angel or not, Mia and I have taken advantage of our new found love. Even with her horrid past, she enjoys the act of love sometimes more than I. There is no ridge or crevice of this mountain that has not been christened by us

  Nova on the other hand is not impressed with our flagrant affection. Numerous times she has rudely interrupted us by squeezing in between, but usually she just lays nearby with her head on her paws, staring at us and letting out pitiful groans. A part of me wishes a wolf-pack would wonder by and take Nova with them. Back to where she belongs. Although it would most definitely crush Mia.

  Aimlessly I wander about in our heavenly courtship, my heart always racing each time I see her smile. Luckily for me she smiles often, yet it has taken its toll. Winter is only a few months away and we have done little to stock up or prepare. This sensual distraction, as wonderful as it is, has gotten me contemplating. Should we stay, or should we go. I have done well living in the wild, I've made a home and built a perfect system of survival.

  So why go? I ask myself this every day, and as I sit here staring at my love, everything tells me to go. The lack of preparation, and the ensuing warnings from the Ghost of Mount Sprague who still haunts my dreams. There is also one other reason to go, which I don't think Mia even realizes, but I have undeniably noticed. The word “Go” written across her sweet and slightly swelled stomach.

  2nd day, 6th Blood Moon;

  Mia's petite frame is overshadowed by her sweet little pot-belly. It's almost as if a balloon had been partially inflated under her skin. Her face glows with such joy and flaunts a perfect grin of serenity that remains stamped across it day after day. She is finally at peace with the world and yearning to meet the innocent child that grows within her. Her excitement and impatience fuels a raging fire of questions...

  “When will it come?”

  “Is it a boy or a girl?”

  “How big will it get?”

  With each inquisition I find myself unable to satisfy her anxious curiosity. Except for one – One question that I know the unfortunate answer to, and she knows it as well, but still she asks anyway.

  “Is it going to hurt?”

  How am I to deliver this child when my seventy-five thousand dollar education has in no way prepared me for this? I know nothing about labor, nothing about cutting the cord, or the treatment required after the birth. I realize that humans have been doing it for millions of years, however I'm afraid we may have lost our natural instincts for it. What if something goes wrong? No, it is time to go. We need to find a survivors colony, we need to find a doctor.

  I proposed the idea to Mia, yet I was not surprised that she was unhappy about it. Not that I blame her, it feels safe here, and it's our home. She knows what it's like out there, more so than I. She also knows that mostly likely there is nothing for us find. But, we have to leave and leave soon, there is no other choice. The nights are rapidly cooling down, and the days get shorter with every passing sunrise.

  Our trek is all but planned and I have two packs waiting on my final decision. Mia though is unaware of any of it, I don't want to upset her until I am sure it is time. Until I am ready to see her beautiful smile disappear from that angelic face. Until I get a sign - another warning from Old Bob. But, just like the dead, he too has been unspoken. My dreams have become dark and silent like the night, and I wonder if this decision to leave was made too late.

  But what is really out there? I assume, or maybe just fantasize, that this virus has finally run its course. We have not encountered any in such a long while. Maybe luck is the only reason they have been so absent. Then there is the living, if they are still out there, both the good and the bad. Who among them can we trust, if any?

  On the other hand, if we stay and there is a complication with the labor, I could lose her - lose them both. If we go, I could be walking us into our deaths. I am unsure of what to do, I had never conceived of leaving this place, our home. There are just so many questions with so little answers, and I fear that I may have damned us both. So I will ponder on it, consider all the options, for just a few more nights.

  3rd day, 6th Blood Moon;

  Nova has become aware of the changes, of what is growing within Mia's stomach. Earlier today, by the river, Mia sun-bathed in a beautiful Indian-Summer light. Nova lay fondly beside her, resting her head ever so gently on Mia's stomach. Every now and again she would lick her tummy as if nurturing a newborn pu
p. It was all too cute, how her motherly instinct knows no prejudice, she is content in helping us care for this soon to be blessing.

  I spent the morning fishing the river and into the afternoon, six fish altogether, enough for a good old fish-fry. We still had a few jars of fiddle heads, a few potatoes for roasting, and freshly picked wild carrots. Everything that an expecting mother needs for a strong and healthy baby. It would be a feast for what was to be our undecided last night on our mountain.

  As the afternoon dragged on, Mia and I sat together silently and listened to the ripples of the river. Abruptly the unmistakable roar of an ill-tempered voice rung out over the water flow. It was the answer to our questions about the living, they are still out there. More importantly, this voice closing in on our position was a familiarly and uplifting sound. Tugger! Mia and I both jumped to our feet in excitement and rushed over to the river’s edge. There he was, mere yards from my fishing hole, trudging himself through the vigorous current. Haggard and blood stained, but in one piece. He held tightly to his shotgun, a pack strapped upon his back, and his worn-out fishing hat still resting all askew on his head. Although it has been over a year, he looked good, healthy. However, Old Bessy was nowhere to be seen.

  “Hello Tugger!” I shouted.

  “HELLO!” Mia cried, as Nova pounced into the water and rushed to meet our old friend.

  “By Jesus, you’re alive!” He chuckled out while bending down to greet Nova as she aggressively leaped to lick his face. As he reached the shoreline I gave him a firm hand shake and a quick pat on the back. Mia jumped in and wrapped her arms about him, squeezing with all her might. Tugger immediately noticed her belly, rubbing it gently while shooting me a congratulatory glance.