Chapter 5

Harriet looked at Linda, puzzled, and said “Come here, child.”

Linda had a bit of trouble getting to her feet as Julia rushed past her to bury her face frantically in Harriet’s pussy. Harriet looked down at Julia and then moved backward and down, parting her legs so Julia had access. Julia was frantically fingering herself, and a guy came up behind her and began fucking her with the same apparent need.

“Sit next to me,” invited Harriet. “We need to talk.”

Linda moved to obey, her body singing with the sexual energy and desire, but her mind clear. It was like there was a wall between her rational, intellectual self and her body with its primal, sexual needs and desires. She had the odd feeling like Julia could be doing her very best between her legs and other parts of her body, and she would enjoy it immensely, but still be able to talk with this ... this... amazingly attractive woman.

“Now, dear, ooh, yes, Julia, right there honey, that’s so good, tell me, you can see the energy and the time-release capsules of it that keep exposed people no longer in an energy surge from being depressed and miserable?”

“I can, sort of, but it isn’t really seeing, exactly. It’s like my mind tells me what’s there, I can sense it somehow. I can feel the surges themselves, and, like, the energy flowing out of the cave and inside the cave, and wow is it something! I feel that in my body, and how it responds to it, but also in my mind.”

“Hmm. And you feel it now?” asked Harriet.

“God, yes! Are you doing something to let me talk to you? Because I would be fucking anyone and everyone here otherwise.” She yelped and gasped in pleasure as one of Julia’s hands slid two fingers inside her flooded slick pussy and began working it. “Oh, thank God, Julia, yes!”

“Doing something? Yes, sort of, in a way. It’s kind of an energy re-routing in a couple of spots in your brain. It’s the same way I can talk to you like this, otherwise I would be doing the exact same thing. It allows us to think and fuck at the same time. I sort of developed this, what, skill? out of a survival instinct. It was literally killing me to have as much sex as was needed to set the time-release energy in people. I have to control my thinking and, to some extent, my body, or I couldn’t manage it. I just created a buffer like mine in your brain,” said Harriet. “What you feel as surges or waves, I now feel all the time. I only have so much stamina!”

Linda goggled at her words. All the time? Oh my God! Linda wondered how long she herself could take it before fucking herself to death. Not that long!

Harriet continued, “As it was, if Jack hadn’t been here, and then brought down the sports drinks, June and I would probably be in a coma by now.” Harriet looked Linda over as their bodies responded to Julia’s fingers and tongue. “You ... are different from most people. Your neurological wiring is just a tiny bit different, but it is enough to allow you to sense the energy in a way no one else seems to be able. This is very good. Did you feel depressed when the energy was gone?”

Harriet suddenly grasped Julia’s head and thrust against it, crying out as she came. Julia’s hand, however, didn’t miss a beat inside of Linda as she did.

“Um, the energy was never completely gone, it just got lessened by a lot. It got harder for me to feel after the wave passed, but it was still there. Some of it came from the others around me, like Julia and Jocelyn, but some came from here.”

“Yes, that must be the time-release capsules, I think,” said Harriet. Julia switched places.

“But it wasn’t all from them. Oh, holy shit! Hi Julia! Damn, she is really good at that! I’m going to cum in a few seconds,” said Linda. Seconds later, she did, as did Julia, and the man behind Julia as well, and the woman who was licking where the man and Julia met. The young man fucking that woman came a moment later.

“There, the capsules are set for them, but it will take a few minutes and a couple of orgasms before they can stop.” said Harriet.

Linda felt the energy in the cave decline somewhat, but Harriet still glowed -- well, “glowed” was really the only way she could think of it, though there was no light involved -- with it like a little warm sexy sun in the cave. That “light” was dimming while moving in an odd way, both inside Harriet’s body and outside it.

The orgy reconfigured itself, but oddly, Linda and Harriet were left out, and Julia raised her glistening face from Linda’s pussy. “Oh, that’s better! That, Linda, was nice! I would like to do that with you on a regular basis. I love your taste! Harriet, damn woman you look like sex personified, and I am going to want to 69 with you in a few, but I have a message from Jocelyn. Is there anything you can do about birth control? Otherwise, every woman in town is going to be continuously preggers, and usually by a son or a father, and, you know, genetic issues.”

‘Oh, damn, I hadn’t thought of that!” answered Harriet.

“Yeah, Jocelyn and Veronica thought you might not have.” said Julia. “We also noticed that no one is being forced, or raped, at least not in town, and some people, God knows why, have actually said ‘no’. People just find someone who is willing, not that those are hard to find! One just jilled herself since no one willing was around. Her uptight husband was appalled, and stayed on the far side of the room, according to Veronica. He’s no longer uptight since the last wave, by the way.”

“I was actually worried about that, like at the edges of the waves, where one person might be in and the closest person not. That is very good to hear, and interesting at the same time. No one?”

“No one we know of. Though something scary did kind of happen to Juliette at the college today. A lot of guys wanting her that she didn’t care for. Darren had to fight them off, then the two of them got caught fucking each other in the janitor’s closet. Dave and I had to go pick them up. They’re likely expelled.”

“So the energy in each calls to the other ... The people who said ‘no’, they’re untreated?” asked Harriet.

“Come to think of it, yes.”

“Had they been exposed?” asked Harriet.

“Hard to tell,” said Julia. There were only a few of them, and I would bet they live on the edge where one of those waves got weak or stopped. They didn’t say ‘no’ long when the last wave hit!”

“They were all fucking with abandon in that last wave,” said Linda. “I didn’t really see anything before it though, so I wouldn’t know.”

“How bad was it?” asked Harriet, worried.

“Bad? It wasn’t bad at all!” said Julia, reaching over and fingering Harriet’s pussy with one hand and her breast with the other. Linda found her fingers busy at her own.

“I mean how strong? Is the cave not containing enough of the energy” said Harriet, her concern evident amid little appreciative noises.

“It was pretty strong in the church,” said Linda. It was my first, so I can only compare it to being in here. It was about maybe a half as strong as what was happening in here before. It was about three times as strong as it is in here right now. Oh, and Jocelyn put a rush on the fencing.”

“Linda, I have a favor to ask. I haven’t given you a time-release energy capsule yet, because I’m not sure if you need one, and I need to find out how far the next wave travels. It will happen when the next group comes down. If you find yourself getting depressed, turn around. You need to go by yourself, both so you don’t get distracted and so anyone who might go with you doesn’t increase the range of the wave. We need to keep those who have been exposed, and especially those who have been treated, as far from the fencing as possible. I wouldn’t send you, but we need the information and you are the only way to get it. Also, please tell Jocelyn and Veronica that I will see what we can do about contraception.”

“I will,” said Linda, and came on her two middle fingers, hard.

After a moment, she asked, “You’re the librarian; do you know, has this ever happened before?”

“I ... mmm, that’s nice dear, think so. There are hints of such things in history. It looks like certain authorities destroyed the places and people in which it happened, at least those that they became aware of. There have been a couple of island civilization where I suspect it happened and went unchecked, but the distance from anyone else prevented the spread, and the way of life continued after the ... surges ended. Such uninhibited behavior scares people, and with good reason. It is why we are trying so hard to contain this, so frightened people won’t see us as a threat and destroy us. We also have technology that those previous people didn’t have, and we are bringing that to bear on the issue as well. We may be able to stave off a lot of the fears of earlier peoples.” answered Harriet.

“Like birth control?” asked Linda.

“Well, yes. though I was thinking more of the Faraday cage. As for birth control, if what I plan on checking doesn’t work out, we can go to implants for birth control, or something like that. But hopefully, we can avoid even that need. Can you imagine a town full of women and men with a pregnancy fetish? These things are getting developed with environmental factors and exposure to the energy, like one young man who was watching “Grey’s Anatomy” on television when it hit -- he now has a doctor fetish.”

“And I get off on being tied up for the same reason. Olivia and June have a breastfeeding thing, from opposite sides, because she was feeding her baby when it hit. My kids and husband and I are incestuous because of it. And so on and so forth.” explained Julia.

“So, people would get off on being pregnant or being with a pregnant woman?” asked Linda, wide-eyed.

:More like fucking pregnant women than ‘being with’ them!” said Julia with a laugh.

“Yes. Exactly. Best to head that one off at the pass if we can. Ah! They’re starting to come out of it, now,” said Harriet, casting an eye over the slowing orgy participants. I’ll know by morning if we need to order a bunch of implants. Please tell that to Jocelyn and Veronica as well, if you would!”

“No problem,” said Linda. “How are you going to check it out?”

“I’m going to check with a friend,” Harriet answered.

Linda studied her. “A friend... ?”

Harriet smiled. “Indeed! Her name is Lily.”

Linda looked at Harriet oddly for a long moment. “She’s ... dimmed herself?” Linda asked.

Harriet cocked an eyebrow. “Right now, yes,” answered Harriet. She glanced toward the others, about to reach what had to be a final climax for a while. “I will introduce you to her later, after you get us this important information. She is looking forward to meeting you. You’ll like her as well, I’m sure!”

“O ... kay,” said Linda, looking doubtful.

“Think of it this way, if I told someone that a friend could sense energies in people, and feel the energy waves no one else could feel, how would they react?” Harriet asked.

“Well ... okay, I see. I look forward to meeting her, too, I guess,” Linda admitted.

“Good woman! Please help these folks back up to the church. Give me a little time before the next group, maybe half an hour or forty-five minutes. That will give you time to talk to Jocelyn and then get in position, too. And I need the break.” said Harriet. Then she turned as someone else entered the cave. “Hi Jack! Feeling better?”

Jack came in and Julia greeted him, “Hi Jack! Back to check on the love of your life?”

“I am,” said Jack, and looked at Linda. “Hello there! You look remarkably unexhausted!”

“We had a talk while everyone else got treated,” said Harriet. “This is Linda. She can see and feel the energy in a way different from anyone else.”

“Oh?” said Jack.

“Um, yeah. It’s hard to describe,” Linda admitted.

“I can imagine!” said Jack, smiling openly.

Linda suddenly understood that he could understand, because the woman he loved experienced things differently than anyone else, too. “I look forward to getting to know you better later, right now I’ve got some things to do for Harriet.” Linda smiled, “Take care of your lady! I don’t know how she’s keeping up with the demand.”

“Tell me about it!” Jack rolled his eyes and grinned. “I brought some things to help her keep her strength up. I’m glad June is on a break!” The he looked at the people slowly getting dressed. “You and Julia taking them back up?

“Yeah.”

“He may be older, but he’s good! You could do worse than taking him ... anywhere, for that matter!” said Julia.

“You are insatiable, woman!” he smiled at Julia, who smiled back and squeezed his shoulder.

“Take care of her, old man,” Julia said as they got up and rearranged clothing and reclaimed flashlights.

“I will, as often and as much as she’ll let me,” he said, and Harriet and Julia both laughed. “Go on, now, leave me with my love!”

“Where’s Heather?” Julia asked, looking towards the cave entrance.

“Taking a shower, having a bite to eat, and getting some more supplies for tonight. We don’t know how long we’ll be down here.”

“Good point,” said Julia.

The group filed out of the cave, and Jack’s voice floated out after them, “I brought some more sports drink, and a sandwich and pudding for you, dear. Also some wipes and baby powder to help you feel a little fresher...”

They walked for a bit, and Linda said, “He really does love her, doesn’t he? He’s not, like, in thrall to her or anything. That was real loving care.”

“Yep. They were dating when this whole thing started, apparently. Some of the first exposed. Probably saving our asses right along with Jocelyn ... and you, now, I’m guessing.”

“Me? I can just feel it, I can’t be that important!”

“Honey, you’re important like a thinking Geiger counter is important in a nuclear accident. Did you not realize?” said Julia. “You are dealing with the important people in this mess, and they are listening to you because you have vital info, and good sense. You’re even going to meet the mysterious Lily, and I can count the number of people who’ve done that on one, well, maybe two hands, but still...”

“I didn’t know,” said Linda.

“Keep together, folks, watch the path! We get up to the road and the church is just a little ways on,” Julia said in a strident tone, and some of the obviously weary stragglers of the group straightened up and drew closer to the rest. “Yes, dear, congratulations, you’re drafted onto the emergency town council to deal with this crisis.”

“Are you on it, too?”

“Hell, no! I just have friends in high places!” exclaimed Julia. “Them, and a big nose, and a sex drive that won’t quit. I hear things.”

“Uh-huh. And you’re observant and you think even when you are in the throes of titanic orgasms.” observed Linda.

“Well, there is that, but so do you.”

Linda grinned. “Secret agent slut?”

“Just a slut, thank you, and a damn good one! I thoroughly enjoy my work!”

They both laughed. “You are damned good at it, I will say,” Linda agreed. “You listened to everything we said, and you’re going to report it to Jocelyn and Veronica.”

“Smart woman! See, that’s why you’re playing with the big girls!”

Linda shook her head. It made sense, she was an unknown, they’d have to judge how she would perform in this emergency. She did realize now that this was an emergency, and it really was quite likely their lives were actually riding on how well they handled it. When you’re in the middle of the orgy, it’s hard to recognize it as an emergency. But she’d seen and heard enough tonight to make her realize it. And then it really hit her -- she really did need to get good information on how far the waves were getting before fading out. That was all on her.

They entered the church and folks went to sit and talk, and maybe sleep before the next wave started. She and Julia went directly to the church office. Chad was sleeping stretched out on the floor, and Juliette and Dave were curled in a corner, napping, while Darren was talking with Jocelyn.

“ ... So the other young adults are pretty much happy with things, they’re not as bothered as the adult non-treateds, and even the adults are less concerned than they were. Of the pre-puberty kids, the oldest are pretty good about looking after the youngers during the waves. They understand the adults are not going to be able to help them during one, and most are taking it very seriously. I told Bobby Gentry that if he got into trouble during those times his parents would tie him up to make sure he didn’t get in trouble while the adults were ‘busy’. He got bug-eyed and said he’d be good. His mom nodded, and he pinky-promised he be good.”

“Thank you, Darren. Please keep an ear out and let me know of any trouble spots showing up, okay?”

“Will do,” said Darren, and smiled at his mother as he left the office. She smiled back and watched with pride as he left.

“So how did it go?” asked Jocelyn as they got to the desk.

“Harriet’s pussy tastes much the same as it did several hours ago. Jack’s down there with her now getting her fed and cleaned up a bit. I’m sure the only thing she really wants now is an actual shower.”

Jocelyn gave a gesture that plainly said “Really, your telling me this?” as Julia started speaking, but then she took the last part in and nodded seriously.

“Good,” she said, then looked at Linda.

“It was interesting, both the conversation and the experience. First, I’m to tell you that she will look into the birth control issue. We updated her on what was happening up here -- we had a relatively normal conversation while an orgy was going on, including us! She says she developed the skill to allow that as a survival mechanism. Then the wave eased up and Julia joined us, though she was listening closely the entire time. I’m supposed to go out before the next wave starts and see how far it extends from the cave and church, and how close to the fence they’re working on it gets. She also says she wants me to meet Lily.”

Jocelyn cocked an eyebrow at that. “Okay. Welcome to the inner circle.”

“Told you,” smirked Julia.

“Wow, you are so ... I don’t know, relaxed? about everything!” Linda exclaimed.

“I am just being my true authentic self, which is fun and enjoyable. It doesn’t mean I’m unaware of what may happen if we fail. I’m just enjoying the now.” said Julia, a bit more seriously.

“She’s better than she used to be,” said Jocelyn. “She used to press diamonds out of coal with her asshole.” Julia laughed at that. “She set an example no one could live up to as a ‘proper woman and mother’. She’s a lot more fun these days. Just go with it, if you can.”

“Oh, I can! I’m just startled by how relaxed she actually is!” said Linda with a smile.

“You should get a head start. The next group will be going down in few minutes,” said Jocelyn, shifting the conversation.

“Harriet asked for a bit of a delay. This is hard on her, no pun intended at all. When there are a bunch of people down there with her it gets ... intense,” said Linda, and Julia nodded.

She needs a chance to eat and rest, and this is going to cause more and more people to need to be treated,” Julia added.

“Okay, then, we’ll give her half an hour or so. Thank you both!”

“Good! I want to find Larry. Have you eaten, Julia? Actual food, I mean!” asked Linda.

“No. No, I haven’t.”

Jocelyn said in a no-nonsense tone, “There’s pizza out there. Go get some and eat it. The pizza arrived mid-wave. The pizza guy has three women sitting on him now. Holding him down, I mean. They’re not going to let him leave, not that he really wants to.”

“I’ll go with you,” said Linda. The two left in search of the cooling pizza.

Jocelyn looked at he naked son, asleep on the floor, his cock semi-erect and twitching. It had been a long day, and would be a longer night, but at least her son was here to help. She knew the next wave would be even more powerful, and then the one after that ... She went to grab a cold slice of pizza herself, and to see what Veronica was doing.

Linda found Larry and Jocelyn found Veronica in the same place, talking with a group of people. Actually, Veronica was doing the talking and Larry was dozing in a pew nearby. Veronica had been with Larry during the last wave, along with Jocelyn, Chad, and Olivia, though Olivia was somewhere else caring for her infant at the moment. When he heard her voice, Larry roused and smiled at her. When she smiled back, he got to his feet and came in for long hug.

“I so missed you this last time!” he said. “It ... it wasn’t the same without you. I ... think ... I need you. I mean, you know, um...” he flushed bright red.

“Yeah, I do know. The cave was a trip, but not ... um ... I have to do something during the next wave, but the one after that, I want both of us to go down together, okay? Do the whole thing together. We might have Julia tagging along, though, just to warn you.” When Larry looked puzzled, she explained, “I didn’t get treated while I was there. I spent the time talking with Harriet while everyone else, ah, got theirs. And Julia, well, it seems that Julia has sort of taken a liking to me, not just the sex thing. I think she wants to be my friend.”

“Oh, with benefits!” came Julia’s voice from behind her, and Linda started.

Larry chuckled. “She was behind you the whole time,” he said.

“That’s okay,” said Linda, “I wouldn’t say anything behind her back that I wouldn’t say in front of her. I’m actually very happy about both of those things!”

Larry saw Julia suddenly appear to get something in her eye and move away. “Neither of you has had a close friend in a while, have you?”

“I’ve spent years trying to be a wallflower, and now, I’m finding that I can’t be that anymore. Julia’s situation is ... very different but also similar. This whole thing has kind of blown our covers, and we’re both happier now, I think. I think we’ve got an odd but solid foundation to build a real friendship on. And she likes the taste of both my juices and your cum, so expect to see a lot of her. You okay with that?”

“Actually, yes, I think I am. I like her. Sharp and blunt, and real, all at the same time. She’s fun, too.”

“Good!” Linda said, relieved. “I was worried that one of you ... well...”

“I think I understand. Remember, I’ve been a bit of a loner, too, and now that I’ve made this connection with you ... I’m just going to shut up, now. I don’t want to mess anything up before ... shutting up now!”

Linda smiled brightly and kissed him for a while. “Stick with Veronica for this wave, too, if you would. I like and trust her, too.”

“Yeah. Not to sound smitten with her or anything, but she’s impressive! You should watch her do her job, her calling, I guess I should say. She is incredible at helping people through things that are eating them alive! So non-judgemental, but helping them find themselves and deal with their issues and come to a place of responsibility and acceptance, and making the choices that are best for them and their families and the community without pressuring them, it’s like she helps them see reality and their options for dealing with it. Just like, I don’t know, ‘here’s A, isn’t it, and what can you do, B or C or D, and what would the right goal be, E or maybe F, possibly G, and what makes the most sense and is actually possible for you? Remember, you’re human, so you’ve got to allow for that.’ And ths next thing you know, they’ve adapted and got a realistic plan. I dunno how well they’ll follow it, but that’s on them, not her.”

“Hmm, sounds like I’ve got competition!” teased Linda.

“No, no, that’s not what I mean! It just like watching a really good auto mechanic fix a car, or like a bartender in that Tom Cruise movie -- it’s all smooth and not a motion wasted, like a dance, really, graceful and yet fast, making haste slowly but smoothly. I wish I had that kind of skill,” said Larry, earnestly, really wanting her to understand

“Well, I think you’re pretty wonderful, and you have some very good skills yourself!”

Larry went scarlet and looked at her with wide eyes and a goofy grin. She laughed and kissed him.

Linda was alone in the dark, with but a flashlight and a map and a pen, and was where she thought the edge of the wave should be. She was about two thirds of the way from the cave to where they were building the fence, and on a line projected out from between the cave and the church. When she felt it start she would move along where she felt the edge to be in the direction of the church to see how much she had to adjust her course to allow for the group of people boosting the amplitude there. She hoped it wasn’t much, because she was afraid she would get too close to the fence for the increase in power to be contained before it could be completed.

She had discovered that the depression, or ‘the leeching of all joy from life and the world,’ as some had described it, was very real, but she knew that would change shortly, and if things got too bad she could retreat toward the church or the cave to counteract it. It was scary, though, and she understood now why the others were so concerned about those caught in a wave and not getting help. She herself was doubting everything she had ever done, worried how Larry could possibly love someone like her, and felt truly wretched.

The church itself, or the people in it who had been treated, really, were actually a good countermeasure in and of themselves. There was a constant background hum of positive, if sexual, energy there now, much like with the cave, even between waves newly exposed people were not feeling the depression, and sexual interest was always bubbling just under the surface for those near people who had been treated. She was longing for her own treatment, now.

She felt remarkably alone and down, moreso than she ever had in her life. She felt a need for Larry, and wished he were here holding her hand in the dark, or wrapping her in a warm embrace. It wasn’t sexual need, because she couldn’t feel less sexual in a mud mask with curlers in her hair after wading through a swamp in a flannel gown and sodden bunny slippers. She wanted to be held and told it would be alright.

She wished she had a fire, or a warmer jacket, or something if she couldn’t have Larry. She had a strange desire to smoke a cigarette, just to have something to do -- she didn’t smoke, never had, why was that thought tickling her mind? She felt, almost rather than saw, a woman behind her on a porch fiddling with something in her hands. There was a sharp fear and guilt, maybe in her posture and movements.

Oh, shit.

She walked over.

“Hi!” She called out, and the woman started at her voice emerging from the darkness.

“Who’s there?” the woman asked.

“My name is Linda. Why aren’t you at the church?”

“Why?”

“There’s a town emergency, everyone is meeting at the church. Is anyone else home with you?” answered Linda.

“My son,” said the woman. He’s fifteen. I...” the woman suddenly changed course. “We’re Catholic, we don’t go to the town church.”

Prayer beads, that’s what was in the woman’s hand, thought Linda. And she’s been partially exposed and is having trouble coping. “Oh, that doesn’t matter! The church is just where everyone is meeting during the crisis. The two of you should go as soon as possible! Right away! It’s important!”

“What’s happening?” asked the woman.

“Uh, the mayor is telling people about it now. Really, the two of you should hurry! I’m going house to house checking. I’ve got to go on, now, but really, you and your son should go now. Just keep going until you get there, okay?”

“Crisis? Well, all right,” the woman replied. She called out into the house, “Steven! Put your, uh, shoes on! We have to go to the church down the road. Some kind of emergency meeting! Let’s go!”

Please hurry, thought Linda. It’s got to be close to happening any minute!

The young man came out of the house and he and his mother hurried off. Linda moved away toward the next house trying to look official, on town business, or whatever, as they left. They’d gone about a block when the wave hit.

It was a great deal weaker, here, and Linda gasped but moved away, feeling for where it was even weaker, searching for whatever edge it had. She was no longer feeling down, but wasn’t unable to control her sexual impulses, either. She got past two more houses and found the edge. It suddenly was almost gone, and she marked her position and moved to trace the boundary. It did get a bit stronger as she moved forward down the street, so she crossed it and moved down the other side. She began to hear people on the far side, the side she’d crossed from, indistinct but startled, alarmed, and then amorous.

“No, no! We shouldn’t!” came a male voice from one house, followed by a woman’s throaty laugh.

“Come here, mister! I want to show you something!”

Linda kept moving and tried not to think about what whatever ‘she’ was showing whoever ‘he’ was. It got harder as the energy intensified and Linda moved farther away and into actual front yards to keep to the boundary. It might have been fun to see what ... focus! Keep moving, check the map, ah, boundary again, whew! The drop-off of the energy was actually kind of steep, if you thought about it, almost like a bubble, or maybe like the zone where a magnet loses its strength to pull steel to it.