Chapter 6: The Seeds of Time

Lalo shivered; this was a cold, damp, unwelcoming place. Why had she been drawn to this long neglected, remote place? Clouds of exhaled breath billowed before her, as she gazed at the algae stained concrete walls, and sighed.

The journey from home to the reservoir, on foot, had been an arduous one. Lalo would never be able to understand why her mother had panicked so much. Her mind drifted back to her bedroom; she remembered, Cath and her, lying together, entwined with her Mum. The three of them were gently recovering from their sexual excesses, but what had happened to spook her Mum? Lalo relaxed, forcing her mind back; back into the heady feelings, which she had experienced in the afterglow of the sexual gymnastics, and then she saw it.

No, that wasn't entirely right. At first, she had felt it; the room had grown warmer, the atmosphere sultry, and then the light, a dull red glow. That was the moment Maldea had flown into a frenzy of packing. Within minutes, they were out of the house and walking. Then Mum had done the oddest of things, she asked Lalo where to go, as if she would know!

Even stranger, Lalo did know, and she directed her mother south. After hours of fruitless trekking, they had arrived here, Sithian's reservoir with its decrepit, abandoned bunker. As soon as Lalo saw the deserted large 'Pill box', she had known; this was the 'place'. The only questions that still ranked high in her mind were why? What force had bought her here, and why did she now feel safe?

"Come on, Lalo, no time for reflection - there's much to be done!" said Maldea.

"Done, here! What can be done?" asked Lalo.

"Lots. We can make this bunker feel more like home. I won't let my standards drop."

"Can't we just go home? Dad will be worried."

"No! He would never understand what happened between us all, how could he?"

"Dad's a good man, he would forgive us."

"You are right; your Dad is a good, honest man. I, on the other hand, have broken the law; abused you and Cath. He would go to the police, Lalo, and I would go to prison."

"Dad wouldn't do that, surely. He wouldn't want that."

"Probably not, but if he did - I would go to jail, and you would go into care! Is that what you want?"

"No, I suppose not," Lalo agreed.

"That's settled then, now roll your sleeves up. We have work to do, and quickly, if we are to be ready for our guests."

"We are going to have visitors? Here?" Lalo gasped.

"No, oh I don't know, it's just a feeling I have. Now work."

Lalo grumbled, and cast a long glance at Cath, who had been hanging back, only too happy to keep out of the family squabbles. Cath shrugged, and idly kicked some of the rubbish on the floor of the bunker. She turned her back to Lalo and gazed out of the long, narrow slit in the bunker wall.

Cath could see why the bunker had been placed here; she had a perfect view of the whole width of Stithian's reservoir. In the distance, she could make out the tip of Crowan beacon, an earlier form of early warning system. For, over the centuries many had tried, and failed, to invade this remote corner of England. Cath wondered what they were doing here, and just what they needed to be alert to.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Lalo.

"Cath, will you help me clean this place up?"

"Sure, where's your mum going?"

"She's off to get some supplies - she might be gone a while, she has to hitch hike to Redruth."

"I hope she's back before it gets dark, this place unnerves me."

The van had only travelled a few miles when it quaked and stopped. Virginia scrambled to her feet, and moved to the rear window. The van was lopsided; part perched on a bank. All Virginia could see was lush woodland. Her location screening came to a sudden end as Rachael's face popped up, her eyes wild and flaming. Still hunched over, Virginia retreated as far as the cargo hold would allow her. She felt the solid bulkhead bite into her back through her slack towelling robe.

The rear door wrenched open, and Rachael entered, followed quickly by Pearl. Virginia watched the teenagers as if her life depended on it. Rachael reached out and calmly pulled the rear door shut, the interior dimmed. Rachael knelt down and tugged at Pearl's jeans. She pulled her down to face her. Rachael reached out in a casual manner and brushed against the kneeling figure.

Pearl shivered, reacting to the slow caress of Rachael's fingertips as they wandered over her cotton blouse. Rachael's fingers located her buttons, and plucked them free from their fastenings. Virginia could hear her own breathing pause as the blouse fell open, sliding free of Pearl's sloping shoulders.

Trapped in a voyeuristic prison, Virginia wondered at Pearl's transformation; gone was the terrified girl, a young sexual being had shed its cocoon. The display offended and excited Virginia in equal measure. When Pearl turned her head and looked directly at Virginia, the older woman understood. She wished she hadn't, but she saw the inevitability of her future.

Rachael gently rotated Pearl's head back in her direction. She mouthed two words. Even in the dim light of the van, Virginia could easily lip read.

"She's yours."

Virginia froze, she felt like the butterfly - gazing at the collector, net in hand. As Pearl walked towards her crouched form, she wondered at herself. Cat-like, Pearl stalked her prey.

"Now Pearl, you don't have to do what Rachael tells you. Stop before this goes too far," Virginia pleaded.

Pearl hesitated, and Virginia stepped forward, reaching out for the consolatory hug. The force of Pearl's slap threw the doctor backwards and Virginia landed inelegantly on her padded rump. Pearl flew at her, not giving the shocked counsellor any time to recover. The teenager's hands were everywhere; in the space of seconds, they were under the robe and on Virginia's plump breasts.

The trapped counsellor fought to retain her composure and dignity. She had almost struggled free when she felt a wet mouth clamp over her sex. Her mind reeled, as Virginia fought against the increased longing, trying to concentrate on her professionalism instead. She blocked her passion, and was just about to force the teenagers off her, as Rachael's active tongue located her clitoris. Pearl bore down and trapped Virginia's stiff nipple between her teeth; Virginia made one last supreme effort of will and pushed the pale girl from her bosom.

Pearl flew back, and then slumped down, her chest crashing onto Virginia's face. The counsellor's open mouth was suddenly filled with a stiff throbbing bud of flesh. Virginia tried in vain to spit out the stiff nub from her mouth; which drove Pearl wilder in her lust. Virginia felt Pearl's prominent pubic bone driving rhythmically against the taut muscle of her thigh. Virginia came, and her professionalism went.

Helen woke late, as was her habit on 'off duty' days. As the morning progressed she began to feel guilty, in the way that only seems to curse the female of the species. 'I really can't spend the whole of my day off lazing around - I really should do something, ' she thought, gazing at the early afternoon TV. Then it occurred to her, it had been so long since she had really cleaned the kitchen! It may not be spring but a 'spring clean' was in order. Helen happily busied herself - she had found something 'worthwhile' to fill her afternoon.

By half past three, the kitchen was looking like a bomb-site; cupboards flung open - their contents strewn across the work surfaces. Cloth in hand, Helen strenuously buffed the shelves of the cupboard under the sink. 'If a job's worth doing... ' she thought to herself as she merrily hummed. Mid buff she was interrupted, by an unexpected sound, the doorbell chimed once, and then again. 'Who can that be?' Helen wondered, as she peeled off her yellow 'marigold' gloves, which she tossed into the sink and headed off to meet her unexpected caller.