Chapter 2: Susan

They smelled the cabin before they saw it. Smoke! Wood smoke.

Walking cautiously up the winding drive through the shade of dense forest, they finally reached a cleared area, a meadow. Set well back, up the slope near the far edge of the knee-high grass, was a deep porched log cabin. The smoke they smelled was definitely coming from the cabin’s chimney.

“Josella, this is it, though the deep porch and garage are new since I was here last. I think it best to see what or who we are dealing with before we show ourselves,” Mishka told Josella. “Why don’t you stand on the other side of the drive while I call from this side? Can you shoot somebody if they shoot at us?” He asked. “I think that I can shoot if you want to give me the rifle.”

“I’m pretty sure that I can, especially if they shoot at you!” Josella replied. “I’m chambering a round, now,” she continued. She dropped her pack-bundle and positioned herself just inside the tree line across the gravel road. “Start whenever you’re ready.”

Mishka took a deep breath, funneled his hands, and called, “Hello, the house.” He waited, and repeated the call, this time a little louder.

After a few moments more, the door cracked and a rifle barrel poked through. A tentative voice responded, “Who are you? What do you want? Why don’t you show yourself? How many are you?” The questions flew too fast to answer before the next came.

“My name is Mishka Novik, and my dad used to rent this cabin from Matthew Fletcher,” Mishka called back. “The world has gone crazy, and I thought this might be a safe place to come to. We can leave if you want.”

“I remember that name, but it has been years, and I wouldn’t know you,” the voice replied. “You said ‘we.’ Who is with you?”

“Only my friend, Josella,” Mishka answered. “Look, I’m willing to show myself - if you promise not to shoot. You should know that I am wearing a pistol, but I won’t draw unless threatened.”

“Okay, let’s see you!” demanded the voice.

“I’m coming out,” called Mishka as he stepped from the shadows into the bright sun.

Striving to appear harmless, he neither raised his hands nor kept them near his weapon. Still cautious, he remained ready to drop or retreat back into the forest.

After a long pause, the rifle withdrew, and in a few seconds more, the door opened and a small, jean-clad figure stepped through and to the side. Mishka noted a plaid flannel shirt, puffer vest, walking shoes, and a wide-brimmed straw hat. The rifle was slung over a shoulder, but now a shotgun was cradled at the ready.

Suddenly, from Josella, “It’s a girl! Mishka, it’s a girl!” Then she called, “Don’t worry, Missy, it’s gonna be okay. We won’t hurt you,” and she dangerously stepped into sight.

Mishka watched, fearful and fascinated, as his new partner ejected the magazine, jacked and caught her rifle’s cartridge, and strode up the road crossing the meadow and onto the porch. Seeing the gesture, the girl on the porch cleared her shotgun as well. Then the weapons were propped against the wall, and the two hugged. Tears flowed, and they seated themselves on the porch, feet dangling swinging, with their arms around each other.

Mishka shouldered the pack he’d grounded, walked to Josella’s former hiding place, and retrieved the bundle she had also dropped to prepare for shooting. He hoisted Josella’s gear, walked to the porch, and placed the bundles gently against the wall. Then, looking down at the pair, he seated himself on the opposite side from Josella and said, “Looks like you’re glad to see us.”

“You have no idea!” gushed the girl. “I’ve been here alone since forever. I’m Susan, by the way, Susan Fletcher.” She braced herself and said, “We can swap stories in a while, but first I need something to be clear. I’ve thought a lot about what would happen if someone came. You can stay, but there are conditions.”

She was suddenly nervous, but plowed on, “I’m still not ready for sex, but if you are staying, I’m sleeping with you in the same bed - every night. I’m not going to go through that ‘alone’ Hell again! Not ever! The two of you can suck, fuck, screw, make love - whatever - and that’s okay; but I’m staying, and no bullshit about age or privacy.” She looked at them steadily while they nodded. “AND, when you aren’t busy playing slap and tickle, I sure could use more than an occasional cuddle. AND, when I say I’m ready, you’re going to marry me and screw my pussy until I’m walking bowlegged. Deal?”

The new arrivals looked at each other, grinned, nodded, and declared, “Deal!” It was a new world, after all.

Still sitting beside his future new wife, Mishka asked, “So I don’t cross any of your boundaries, what kind of cuddles are you looking for? Plain vanilla, little girl cuddles? Friendship hugs and cuddles? Naughty cuddles? What?”

Susan gave his question her full attention and replied, “Somewhere between the last two I think. Since you’ve asked, I won’t get upset if you cross my boundary, just as long as you stop if I tell you. I’m female, you know, and those boundaries are going to change.”

“OOOOOkay,” Mishka responded. “How old are you anyway?”

Susan looked over at Josella, who shook her head slightly. “I don’t think I’ll tell you. A girl has to have some secrets.” Neither of the two women wanted their man’s actions based on his perceptions of their ages, so they just didn’t tell him.

Anxious to show her new partners their home, Susan led them inside. The cabin, rustic on the outside, was very well appointed within. There was a huge fireplace with a bed of dying coals they had smelled burning. A very old-fashioned wood-burning cook stove was in the kitchen area as was a propane gas cook top and oven. Similarly, the sink had a hand pump and a pair of modern faucets. The great room had sufficient tables, chairs, and sofas to accommodate eating and lounging. All this was much as Mishka remembered.

There were two bedrooms on either side of a huge, shared bathroom. This had changed from Mishka’s memory, as before there had been three bedrooms and a cramped bath. The master bedroom contained a king sized bed, and best of all, the bath’s huge walk-in shower was fed from a solar water heater on the roof. Once aware of that change, Mishka realized that the inside lighting was electric, and it was on. Powered by solar panels, he learned from Susan on the fly, while Josella’s clothes were flying in every direction, as she got naked for a hot shower.

Mishka shrugged an apology to Susan and began peeling himself. Susan, recognizing the need, went to a closet and fetched several big fluffy towels. Placing them on a counter, she stripped naked and joined them. This one was no shy wallflower!

“You sure you’re okay with this?” Mishka asked. “We’ll be scrubbing all the concaves and convexes. This is our first wash in warm water since we met, and we really need this. Anything can happen.” He began shampooing Josella’s hair to her soft sounds of pleasure.