It was a relief to move into the cover of untouched vegetation. Already the smells of death and rotting decay were becoming a bit too much to handle.
I'd smelled plenty of dead creatures before, but never like this and what made it all the worse was knowing how many people I was smelling the decomposing remains of. That was especially hard to accept, but inevitable within this new era of chaos.
We walked for hours and skirted away from any sign of human habitation, but soon we would have to cross some congested urban areas. I didn't know what Orrin's plans were but I hoped that they included finding me a new pair of shoes.
The shoes I had were not cut out for this. Indeed, I wasn't sure how cut out for this I was.
The straps of the pack bit hatefully into my shoulders and my back hurt from the weight of the pack, but I didn't complain. Indeed, I felt a bit pathetic as I knew my pack must be half the weight of the one Orrin carried.
That said I couldn't help feeling the way I did. Tiredly I switched my grip on the shotgun to my other hand, for the hundredth time.
An electric ripple streaked through the air with a crackle of extreme voltage and I jumped fearfully as the loudest thunderclap I'd ever heard sounded out overhead. More streaks of potent electrical power streaked across the suddenly dark sky overhead.
The force and terrific sound of their booming echoes had me crying out fearfully and trying to cover my ears, but holding the shotgun made that impossible. My gaze took in Orrin, only to see him scanning about worriedly.
He caught sight of something and then he was seizing my free hand and yelling, "Come on! We've got to get away from these trees!"
Oh no! I hadn't thought about that.
The reassurance the trees had been for me suddenly vanished as the reality of being fried to a crisp by being beneath one of them when it got lit up by a lightning bolt galvanized me into action and gave me the adrenaline needed to keep up with Orrin as we dashed madly through the forest. All of a sudden rain pounded down upon us as if somebody was pouring buckets of it out from up above.
Instantly soaked I tried my best to keep my footing on the sudden mush of several inch deep mud that the forest understory soil had become, but it was hard. Orrin more or less was the only thing keeping me from falling flat on my face.
What he was headed for I could not guess at as I couldn't see anything in the downpour other than his form ahead of me dragging me onward and the trunks of nearby trees that we were passing by. My feet touched down on something solid and in the rain pressed darkness I saw and felt enough to recognize it as a gravel road.
Blearily I gazed about as the icy chill of the rain began to make its full impact on me. I saw nothing and then I saw something reflective looking.
Window glass! Indeed, it was to this that Orrin drug me onwards to.
The lightning and thunder had never stopped, but had sort of become a background for the rain in a crashing symphony of sound as if in replication of a World War II tank battle. The battle took new meaning though, as the ground shook and the sound of wood blowing apart echoed out behind us in a threatening way of approaching disaster that seemed unstoppable.
Not wanting to, but feeling the need, I glanced back and beheld trees on fire!
How that was possible in this heavy rain, I did not know, but as I looked a bolt of electric blue power streaked down and coalesced a tree into an electric flame the likes of which I'd never seen anywhere before. Everything in this chaos of a world gone mad had become far more savage than previously before seen.
More and more trees were lit up or blown apart and I turned my head forward and ran with all I had until I was neck and neck with Orrin. The imagery of an alpine like getaway cottage took shape and then the stairs to a second story entrance were before us and we quickly ascended up them.
The place had the appearance of no life to it and I prayed that it was so. The storm was enough to handle right now.
Orrin pushed me beneath an eave of the roof and shivering, I stood there as I thankfully took in the sight of the down strikes of lightning moving off away from us through the forest. Suddenly I heard glass shatter and clutching my shotgun up to me I held it uncertain as to what to do as my teeth chattered nonstop.
Minutes went by and I was on the verge of going after Orrin when he reappeared uninjured and surprisingly with a smile to say, "No one is here. Come on."
Feeling like my feet were made of lead I did. I stepped through a shattered screen door, mindful of the broken glass on the floor.
The house was dark, but immediately I was struck by the realization that this was a nice place. Shivering, I stood still upon the hard wood floors feeling slightly at a loss as to what to do as Orrin worked at stretching a canvas tarp out over the door he had broken through.
That done he turned to me and with a curious look he asked, "Why are you just standing there? Get out of those wet clothes, Honey."
Coming unglued from my trance I hurriedly took him up on that advice and unslung the hatefully heavy pack from off my shoulders and set my shotgun down to rest against it. My fingers fumbling, as bad as they were, because of how cold I was I still managed to get my sodden clothes off in record time.
Orrin had disappeared off to somewhere again. Naked I padded over to lift up a warm fleece blanket from off one end of a couch and with relief I brought it around me, only to then jump with startlemeant as the lights of the house came on.
Staring about the expensive interior of the cottage I searched for a clue as to how electricity had come to life, but found none. I heard a noise and glancing through the balcony railing that showed an overview of the basement level below I saw Orrin reappear from outside through a secondary basement access door.
With a smile he called out, "There's a generator."
I did my best to smile, but my teeth were still chattering.
Orrin bounded up a stairwell and disappeared elsewhere in the house. I gazed longingly towards the comfy looking couch, but I made myself go to an open style kitchen instead.
Opening a cabinet my eyes were blessed with the sight of a fully stocked cabinet full of food. Closing my eyes, I said out loud, "Thank you God! We so needed this, thank you! I pray for whoever this place belongs to... I hope they're okay and if not, then I hope and pray that there with You."
My gaze was immediately drawn to a small kitchen table nearby and in particular to the well-worn looking Bible that rested upon it. I smiled bittersweetly as I had my answer to the likely outcome of the owners of this getaway in the forest.
As tempting as the food before me was the urge to be dressed warmly was greater. I turned away from the cabinet only to see Orrin standing nearby gazing at me. He had a thoughtful look on his face and feeling self-conscious I asked, "What?"
"You have a great heart. I mean... lots of people would thank God for a place out of the rain and for food, but you prayed for the owners of this place. You're different."
I shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise I saw in his eyes and said, "I'm just who God made me to be."
"No. You've made choices. Good choices."
That was true to some extent, but not knowing how to respond I didn't say anything. Crooking his finger, he said with a sudden grin, "Come this way Baby Girl."
He disappeared and I followed along finding myself increasingly enamored by this softer side of the man I had thought of as only being cruel natured and hard of heart. Following along, I soon heard the sound of water apart from that which was sheeting off the eaves of the house.
With delight, I followed Orrin into a resplendent master bathroom that had a shower that looked like it belonged in a spa resort. Steam rose from off the water falling from multiple jets and with a squeal of delight, I dropped the fleece blanket and jumped into the streams of hot pulsating water.
The water was quite hot, but I didn't mind, in fact I craved its heat. Gazing up into the flow of it with my eyes closed I soaked in the feel of it cascading down over me with forceful warmth.
The feeling of being made clean again when the world outside seemed nothing else but dirty and torn apart seemed in a way to rejuvenate my soul. My skin prickled with surprise and desire as the feel of a fully aroused man of hard-core conditioning stepped up to press against me from behind.
Turning my back to the flow of water I shyly pressed my face into his curly chest hairs as the sensation of being with a man in the intimacy of an act such as showering together caused tingles to sweep up and down my spine. He pulled on my hair and letting my head fall back, I accepted his kiss as the warmth of the shower warmed me up on the outside, even as the reaction to his kiss did the same to me from within.
I moaned regretfully as he pulled his lips away from mine. Opening my eyes, I took in the sight of him picking up a soap bar and then to my delight he began to wash me with it.
I stood, as if transfixed, as his sudsy hands moved over and under my breasts caressingly and then to my sides and stomach. Turning me he washed my back and I moaned as the feeling of him doing that seemed to make a dream come true within my heart.
I blushed against the heat of the water as I heard him kneel down in the shower, only to then feel his lips kiss one of the cheeks of my bottom. My face got redder still at the feel of the soapy bar moving upon my bottom and then up and down through the cleft of my cheeks.
The intimacy of his touch was breathtaking and I pressed my hands against the shower's wall for support as he continued to wash me by gliding his soapy hands down the backs of my thighs and around to the front of them. Languidly I stood still as the heady desire for this man threatened to consume me with the urge I had to feel him pulsating within me.
Finishing my feet he rose up to press against me commandingly from behind. I thought he was going to take me and I was only too willing to bend over for him to do so, only he surprised me again by spearing his hands full of a rich smelling shampoo into my hair.
I moaned at the feel of his fingers massaging along my scalp and gliding through my hair. The feeling was indescribable and I felt like my voice was one long drawn-out moan of delight.
He chuckled near my ear and said, "You really like this."
He had no idea what he was doing to me! In this moment I was putty for whatever he could possibly wish to do to me.
I'd never felt so cherished or loved before and I ached to be able to return the appreciation I felt from him for me in some way. He washed my hair clean of the shampoo and feeling as if I had a chance to return the favor I grabbed a hold of the soap bar and muscled him as best as I could into the direct flow of water.
Gazing at him with all the love I was coming to feel for this hidden gem of a man I said playfully lifting the soap bar, "My turn."
He smiled and with pleasure I began to soap up the muscled plains of his chest and shoulders. I scrubbed beneath his arms and then with delight at the anticipation I saw upon his face I rubbed the soap bar into his curly pubic hairs even as my sudsy hand washed up and down his shaft that had stayed in full vigor of erectness with its desire to plunder my body.
The time for that was coming, but I wanted to finish washing him first. Kneeling down before him I leaned forward and placed a kiss on the head of his shaft. Glancing up, then I said, "Turn around big boy."
He did so reluctantly. I was faced with his rear and far from being repulsed by it, I was both intrigued and turned on by the tight strength of it as I washed him as thoroughly and as intimately as he had me.
Leaning forward I pressed a kiss to each of his tight cheeks before moving on to wash his legs one by one. Standing up I washed his back and felt turned on all over again by the feel of just how strong he was.
Getting the shampoo I doused his head with it and then with relish, because some deep buried feminine part of me knew how much I was tormenting him I pressed into him from behind, as I stood up on tiptoe, to run my hands through his thick oily hair.
As I massaged his scalp in a rhythmic motion the full essence of my breasts brushed and repeatedly ground against the tensed muscles of his back. I brought his head under the water and washed it clean and then I let go of the beast as with delighted anticipation I waited for him to seize a hold of me and make me his.
Turning and sending water everywhere his large hands gripped a hold of me and brought me near for his kiss that was truly savage. I knew that I'd aroused something to a fever pitch within him and I didn't object at all to the roughness of his touch as I knew he needed release.
His lips left mine and his hands spun me around in the shower. Bravely I brought my hands to rest against the shower wall as I bent forward for him, but he pressed on my shoulders demandingly and I realized that he wanted me to move more.
Willingly I bent over at the direction of his hands, until I had nothing to grasp hold of but my own ankles. I did so and closed my eyes as his thick shaft pressed into my wetness in a commanding way that screamed of his sharp need for a release.
Submissively I did my best to be that open vessel in order to fulfill his every want. I gasped, but held onto my ankles as his shaft gored all the way into me thickly and with his hands firmly gripped about my waist he let me have it.
There was no thought of my pleasure in this moment and that was fine. I closed my eyes against the discomfort and did my best to keep my balance on my feet as he rammed his shaft fully and deeply into me each time in a way that stated I was his and indeed I was.
He shoved deeply into me and hearing him cry out with real pleasure I felt his shaft pulse within me with the power of his orgasm and outpouring of seed. His orgasm was a long one, but almost instantly upon its conclusion he was pulling on my hair to bring me upright.
Blood rushing out of my head, I did come upright enough to rest my hands against the wall again, as he continued to pulse passionately within me with an erection that wouldn't go away even after it had achieved its completion. He was such a stud!
I relished the feel of him, resting against my back and feet apart, I partially supported him in the shower through the weakness caused by his sharp release of passion into me. Breathing heavy against my neck, he mumbled out as warm water continued to rain down over both of us, "Sorry. Selfish. I..."
In an action meant to interrupt him I bucked my bottom into his groin and his still deeply seated shaft moved within me and with a groan his hands formed over my hips. Glancing over my shoulder I said with earnestness, "I'm not complaining. I'm here. I'm yours. Have your way with me however you like, Honey. I trust you and I know you have my best interests at heart."
"You do?"
"I do!" I affirmed before erotically shifting my rear into him in a playful manner.
He groaned, and shaking his head, he exclaimed, "I wish there were more people like you!"
Smiling, I said, "Well, you can choose to be someone like me, anytime that you wish to."
With seriousness he said, "I might just do that."
Turning my head forward I earnestly prayed on the spot that he would indeed do that. He withdrew his shaft and straightening up I pressed back against him and relished the feel of his arms come around me from behind to hug me tightly.
He pressed his face against my hair and it took me a moment to realize that he was crying. My heart felt overwhelmed as I heard the sounds of repressed emotion finally coming up to the surface of this toughest of the tough.
Coasting my hand soothingly over his arms gripped tightly about me, I did the one thing I could think to do at the moment, I sang. Feeling a give in the tension of his arms I made to turn around and he let me, but as I did so he collapsed to his knees and not wanting to show his tears he ducked his face in against my belly as his arms hugged around the back of my thighs
Gently but firmly I pulled his head back until I could gaze into his crying eyes. With passion I said, "I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere. You cry all you want. If you want to talk we'll talk. You can tell me anything, anything at all and I won't think the less of you. I'm yours Orrin. If you want to bend me over again and take me hard then let's do it or if you want me to make sweet love to you then I will. You say it and we'll do it, Honey. Okay?"
He nodded and then pressing his face back against the softness of my belly I heard him mumble out, as his grip around me grew tighter again, "I want you to hold me."
My hands swept around the back of his head and I pressed him more fully to me. He turned his head to the side and with one hand holding his head to me and the other massaging upon his forehead and face I began to sing again.
I sang love songs, Christian praise songs, my favorite songs and I did so until the water began to get cold. I turned it off and then I coaxed him up to his feet and dried him off, as well as myself, and then led him into the bedroom that matched the bathroom for opulence.
Pulling the covers of the plush looking bed back, I pressed him down to sit upon it and then with a loving smile I kneeled down before him and pressing his thighs apart, I made love to his resurgent member with my mouth and hands until he came hard with an explosive release of his seed into my mouth. Swallowing his essence I rose up and kissed him full on the lips in a way that gave him a taste of his own seed that I hadn't licked away completely yet from off my lips.
I wanted him to know that I accepted him as he was and that my heart was such as to please him, only him. Pulling back from the kiss I pressed him down and crawling in beside him I pulled at him until he rolled onto his side and rested his head on my chest that made a soft cushion for him.
Pulling the covers up I folded my arms around him and held him tightly as he started to cry again and when that was done he began to talk and I listened. I listened for hours and never once did I let go of him or pass a judgmental word down upon him for any of the secret things he told me about.
In short, I loved him unconditionally and he sensed it and with his consciousness bared to the full he fell asleep against me. Still holding him, I stared up at the dark ceiling as the rain continued to pound outside.
This man had done much that was awful and yet his heart was burdened by those things and not accepting of what he had done. He was a man I sensed who was willing to change. He was a man worth fighting for.
Feeling tears come to my own eyes, I whispered into the darkness, "Thank you God for helping me take this option. I can't be everything for him, but what I can be of help in please help me to be so, while at the same time I pray that Your Holy Spirit wouldn't give up on him, but instead I pray that You will press upon him to make the changes and commitments that he needs to. Help me be whatever part of that process that I can be and thank you again for a man who loves me even though he hasn't said as much, I still know that he does, but truly it's Your love that he sees because I at first hated him, only to now see what You saw all along. Thank you for never giving up on us lost souls. To You be all the glory and honor for what I know You are going to do in this man's life and in mine."
My prayers and praises said I fell into a contented slumber as my mates head lay one day where our baby's head would one day lay. I was sure about very little in this upturned world on fire, but one thing I knew that would occur would be that there would be children.
Not just one either. How many I didn't know, but they would all be with this man, who at first had terrorized me, but now held me in his sleep as if I was the most precious thing in the world.