Chapter 2

September drifted on into October in the community of Bluefields. Soon, it would be the hurricane season and already the humidity was becoming unbearable. Passion Creek had become a mere runnel and the pools were barely deep enough to cover a person's knees. Porta-fans hummed continuously in the houses of the Arks and the freezers dispensed endless supplies of ice cream. Tempers frayed easily and the elders of the community were hard put to adjudicate disputes.

The girl, Faith, had all but recovered from her encounter with a Tiger snake, but neither she, nor her mother and brother, seemed in a hurry to leave. If things were growing tense at Bluefields, conditions in the lower valley must be indescribable. That, alone, should be enough reason for Charity, Faith and John to remain if it wasn't also for the fact they liked it there.

They all found the loose sexual mores difficult to get used to and the casual profanity disturbing. John adapted the most readily, however, and Charity concluded he was spending too much time with the girl Rada. Such intermingling of young people was unheard of among the Faithful. Young men spent their time in devotion to God and studied the good books. Since his arrival at Bluefields, Charity noted, he'd spent no time at all on the Sacred Texts, preferring, she sighed, to learn the rules of 'kickball.'

In their three weeks, however, they were better nourished and better cared for than at any time in her life. Reged and Sean Beth, in particular, had made every effort to include her in the community. She even looked forward to their occasional 'girls chat' over chamomile tea with belts of poiteen. Her new friends had even taken her riding up into the hills - giving her the use of a horse they called 'a paint' with the name of Sisyphus. She'd picked up riding a horse quickly with two days intensive training overseen by Reged.

One of Sean Beth's and Reged's activities she hadn't as yet indulged in was their 'skinny dips.' No-one, accept her husband, Martin, had seen her naked. She couldn't bring herself to display herself to even other women. Reged described it as a 'hang up' and, given time, she'd think nothing of it. Charity wasn't so sure.

Her daughter lately had been taking walks with Thane, Reged's son. At first, she thought he was helping her regain the use of her injured leg, but their walks had continued long after there seemed any need for it. Faith was barely 14 and should be studying how to be a good, dutiful, future wife. She needed to learn how to cook, clean and keep house. Instead, Thane had taken her to the target range where she learned how to fire an autorifle. Likewise, she was riding horses and spending time under the influence of that precocious pair Rasida and Rada. Their parents should've locked up those two long ago and only let them out after they'd found some unfortunate husbands for them.

But, at some time, Charity accepted she would need to go back to Canaan and receive the beatings her husband Martin, in all his wisdom, would have to administer. She believed she'd loved him, but, it was not the sort of love she saw between Mikele and Reged, Sean Beth and Roger. Martin treated her as a child, chiding her if he believed she'd erred. She'd cooked, cleaned, kept house and walked the regulation four steps behind her husband by way of reward. Each time she had her period, she went to the 'unclean house' and wore the red gown of shame. Her Ark friends regarded that as 'subservience' and 'slavery' and she found few arguments to put up in defense. She didn't want to go back, but, at the same time, she felt she must.

"Penny for them?" George said, swaggering over in that way she thought 'corny.' She was aware he was trying to impress her and resolved to give him no encouragement. She was a married woman and he but a youth of twenty. George's behaviour bordered on the inappropriate, but, she knew few skills on how to discourage his attention.

"I'm just keeping a diary," she told him. Charity was sitting on her favourite rock, with views clear up the misty, pine covered mountains. George came and sat next to her and she shuffled uncomfortably - disturbed by his closeness.

"Saw Thane and Faith back there," he told her. "They were off into the trees, I think."

"I'm not sure I like it," she tutted. "Faith is not used to, well, the way you do things - the way you young people think. I fear she might wind up in a situation, ah..."

"I understand what you're saying," he replied. "Ark girls, well, they'll tell you straight. If they like you that's fine. If they don't, well, they're not afraid of telling you to your face," he chuckled. "But, I don't think you need to worry about Faith. Her and Thane seemed to be getting along fine."

"Yes," Charity replied, "that's what I'm afraid of. Faith is too young to be involved. I'm not sure she knows what to do - how to handle the situation where a young man..."

"So, what are you really afraid of?" George asked. "If they like each other..."

"My daughter is a virgin, she..."

"So, you're worrying about her sleeping with Thane?"

"George, I understand you see the world through different eyes. You see nothing wrong with children as young as Faith having, ah, relations. But, we were brought up to believe that was wrong and, try as I might, I can't just ditch a lifetime of learning. What happens when we return to Canaan and it's discovered Faith is no longer a virgin? She'd be shamed and no man would want her."

"So? Don't go back - it's obvious."

"Is it? I know you've all done your best to make us feel welcome. I thank you for that, as well as thank Sean Beth for giving my daughter's life back to her. But this is not our home - you are not our people. It's fantasy to believe we can become Arks and live as you. What if these 'myths' you claim we believe in are real? What if Martin is right to chastise us for erring? What if we've truly entered the temple of bacchanal and Faith, John and I face eternal damnation?"

"And what if it's a crock and you're subjecting yourself and your kids to needless torture?"

"Don't you think I've thought about that?" her eyes moistened. "I pray for guidance, but ... I wish I knew what to do."

"Here!" George put his arm around her. Charity sobbed into his shoulder for a bit, before collecting herself.

"And you, George?" She wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "I know your attention is ... it's not right. I know what you want ... I can't, you see? I'm a married woman. I'm not an adulteress."

"Arks have fewer, ah, considerations," George told her, still with his arm around her. "Like - not like? Want to fuck - don't want to..."

"Please don't talk like that," she blubbed. "A husband comes to his wife to procreate. A wife's duty is to, ah, obey her husband. This f... - this thing of which you speak, is sinful."

"Why? Surely it's perfectly normal to want to..."

"No, it's not!" Charity cried. "No, it's not!"

George continued to hold her and Charity continued to sob softly into his chest.

At the same time, Thane had persuaded Faith that holding hands didn't condemn her to a lifetime of purgatory. At first, it was merely to assist her over the rough ground, but, when the going got easier, Thane wasn't inclined to let it go. Faith really liked Thane - she found him interesting to talk to and well versed in things natural. Rasida had described his dark hair as 'cute' and she didn't disagree. His tan skin he'd inherited from his father Mikele. Like all Ark guys at Bluefields, they were fit from the outdoor life, but that didn't make them stupid. Thane had a very sensitive side she found compelling.

14 year old girls at Canaan were expected to be ignorant of things they euphemistically described as 'marital relations.' That didn't mean Faith didn't have feelings nor wasn't attracted to certain guys. But, at Canaan, boys were kept strictly separate from the girls and there was little opportunity to express those feelings.

Thane found a log to sit on and Faith sat down beside her. They spent a nervous few minutes staring out across to the other side of the valley. Faith was aware Thane still held her hand and it felt nice. She felt his eyes on her - she blushed, and looked down.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Dunno," she answered. "Shy, I guess. I'm not used to people staring."

"Sorry."

"No, it's me. I shouldn't, ah ... you're just looking, aren't you? No harm in that."

Thane began to stroke her hand with his thumb. She found herself shivering - her tummy, a nervous knot.

"I think you're beautiful," Thane told her.

"Oh, no!" she turned away. Her hands flew to her face in embarrassment. After a lengthy pause, she straightened, fanned her reddened face and asked, "Thane? Have you slept with anyone?"

"Sure. Why do you ask?"

"I haven't. Haven't ever been anywhere with a guy until now. Never even talked to a guy. I'm not sure how ... how to act or anything. I'm sorry if I seem..."

"First of all, Faith, you just need to relax. Then you need to accept what comes your way."

"I'm trying, Thane. I try and then I hear the voice of my father saying how I'm going to go to hell."

"Close your eyes," Thane asked. "Tight! See your father's face? Tell him you're Faith and you're autonomous. Tell him he has no power over you anymore. You done that?" She nodded. "Good!" While Faith had her eyes closed, Thane leaned into her lips and kissed her lightly. Her eyes flew open and she started to say something. "Shh," Thane said, then moved in again. By the third kiss, Faith completely accepted his lips and was giving as much as she was receiving.

Faith had acquired more suitable clothing for life at Bluefields. She now wore boots and trousers. Her top was made from tight allsuit fabric and she tried to conceal her chest with a brown leather sleeveless jacket. She'd opened it earlier, as they'd climbed, and Thane found easy access. She barely noticed his hand at first - lightly brushing across the allsuit fabric. Then his fingers roved over the gentle swell of her small breasts and she was startled.

"Oh!" she exclaimed.

"What's the matter?"

"You ... you touched..."

"A boob?"

"Yes. No-one's..."

"Remember I said to accept what comes your way? If you don't want me to..."

"No, I didn't exactly say that. It made me jump."

"Maybe we ought to head back?" Thane suggested.

"I guess. We could have one last kiss, though. Only if you want?"

Their last kiss was rather more passionate. This time, Faith didn't jump when Thane's hand found her left boob. He spent a good time exploring the contours before taking her hand and guiding her to her feet. Thane noticed she was a little reluctant to go.

George went to help the other boys to groom the horses and Charity continued back to Sean Beth and Roger's alone. When she got back, she found Reged and Sean Beth drinking in the lounge. Apparently, the guys had gone off to work on the still and the girls had taken the opportunity for a gossip.

"Sit down with us, Charity?" Reged told her. She was a little flushed in the face and Charity concluded that wasn't the first cup of poiteen spiked tea she'd drunk. After the incident with George, Charity was reluctant, but Reged had already pushed a full cup across to her. She smiled, and took a good sip.

"George back?" Sean Beth asked pointedly.

"Yes. Gone to the barn. We met up there by the rock. Funny, I was there and he happened to walk..."

"He chased you up there, you mean?" Reged laughed.

"Well?" Charity played with her cup.

"You can tell him to go away, you know?" Sean Beth said.

"Or maybe you don't want to?" Reged looked slyly at her. "A lot of women our age, Charity, would be delighted to have 20 year old lover."

"No!" Charity shook her head. "I'm a married woman. That, maybe doesn't mean that much to you, but it means everything to me."

"We bond, but we're not in bondage. I chose to remain faithful to Roger. Not that I've never been tempted," she sniggered. "George is grown up beyond his years, though. He has his father's 'smarts'."

"And his muscles?" Reged added. Her eyes positively sparkled at the reference to an old joke between the two friends.

"Yes, his muscles," agreed Sean Beth. "But, I'd say he has a good head on his shoulders. I think Roger put all his energy into George. Rasida, well, I think she got a bit left out. That's why she's so, so ... I think she feels she needs to be to earn her place. Bondy, well, he just does what ten year olds do. Only appears at meal times and is off running with the pack."

"So what would George want with a woman 15 years his senior?" Charity asked, taking another gulp of poiteen.

"Ask him?" Sean Beth shrugged.

"Maybe he thinks you're beautiful?" Reged suggested. "Maybe he can talk to you in a way he can't with girls nearer his own age?"

"Maybe he thinks you're available? Maybe he thinks you're not and likes a challenge? 101 different reasons, Charity, why a man fancies a woman - and vice versa," said Sean Beth.

"Boobs? Butt? Legs? Hair? Face? Hell, I think we've all been trying to figure that puzzle since we came down from the trees," added Reged.

"Roger? He kind of swept me off my feet. Before I knew it I was in his bed and didn't want to get out."

"Yeah, I so know what you mean, sister," Reged smiled. "Mikele and I, well, we just flew at each other..."

"I envy you two," Charity looked sad. "To just be able to do that. Fall in love and never look back? And twenty years on, you've no regrets? You've never doubted?"

"Nothing's ever that perfect, Charity." Sean Beth told her. "We argue like any partnership. But, we always make up - usually in bed."

"Yeah!" agreed Reged, looking into the middle distance.

"We have an altogether different attitude to, ah, marital, ah..."

"Fucking?" suggested Sean Beth.

"Screwing?" suggested Reged.

"Relations. Martin and I didn't, ah, do a lot of ... We believe relations are for the begetting of children. You, ah, seem so happy to ... It must be, um..."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry," Charity stumbled. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that you both seem so happy to have, ah..."

"We like sex, if that's what your asking?" Reged said. "Doesn't everybody? Don't you?"

"Well, no, ah, not much. It's just an act to get children. Sometimes it's quite painful."

"Painful? It shouldn't be 'painful.' You, maybe, weren't ready to take a dick?" Reged raised her eyebrows.

"Not in the mood, maybe?" Sean Beth suggested. "Didn't Martin take the time to get you interested?"

"A little wine? Sweet talk? A little nuzzling, maybe?"

"Foreplay?"

"What's this foreplay?" Charity looked confused.

"Cuddling, kissing, stroking? A little tongue, maybe, and a suck or two where a girl likes to be sucked?"

"And, ah, where's that?" Charity asked.

"Wherever gets you juicing up?" Sean Beth explained. "Personally, I like it when Roger goes down on me - and pinches my nipples."

"Hmm hmm!" agreed Reged. "That works for me, too."

"Goes down?" Charity asked.

"Sucks my clit, honey," laughed Sean Beth. "With my hand around his nice, stiff dick!"

"Oh, my goodness!" Charity recoiled. "I've never done ... Martin has never - Oh God!" Her hands flew up to her face. Reged pushed another drink across and she took a large gulp. "I never realised..." she added, clearly shocked.

"So I'm thinking he just jams it in when he wants to fuck? Maybe after he's been out with the boys bowling?" Sean Beth suggested.

"Not exactly, but, yes, in truth, that's about how it is. Except, he doesn't go bowling."

"So? About George?" Reged grinned.

Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the mountains, plunging the valley into darkness, two figures crept furtively towards the river.

"Shh!" Rada held her finger up to her lips. "It's just down below those bushes," she whispered. "I'll check if there's anybody there."

"You sure it's all right?" John. looked back towards the nearest house.

"You wanna ask Charity?" she giggled.

"No, no! It's just..."

"You're 16, right? So? C'mon, I think it's clear." Rada lead John down below the bushes to the swimming hole. The night was barely cooler than the day - hot and humid. At it's deepest, the water came up barely above John's knees. Rada sat down on the bank and began to take off her clothes. John hesitated, turning his head away as she shed her loose cotton shirt. "You taking off your clothes?" Rada asked, amused. "Or maybe you swim with them on at this Canaan?"

"I've never..." he stammered. Reluctantly, he unbuttoned his shirt and stripped to the waist. Rada had her clothes off in a thrice and was already in the water when John stood in his shorts, wracked with indecision.

"C'mon? Get 'em off," she urged. After a final moment of uncertainty, John dropped his last garment and quickly slipped into the water. The hole was just big enough for two and John realised he had to get closer to Rada or stand with the water around his ankles. He moved towards her then crouched down modestly. "Saw it," she teased.

"How? It's dark," he challenged.

"Just enough moonlight, hehe. You shouldn't be ashamed of that equipment, John. It looked pretty good from where I'm sitting."

"You're brazen!"

"Yah!"

John settled in next to Rada, acutely conscious of the naked 13 year old girl's slender figure. Her straight ginger hair spread out over the surface of the sluggish stream. She put her head back and John got a glimpse of her two pointed breasts floating just above the surface. She suddenly reached out and grabbed John's arm - pulling it around her shoulders.

"Shouldn't we head back? They'll miss us?"

"Unlikely," Rada replied. "Hey, John? Do you like me?"

"Huh? Sure!"

"Y'know, like, do I make you get, like hot? maybe horny?"

"Um, I don't know how to answer. If you're asking me if I want to sleep with you... ?"

"Yah, that's exactly what I'm asking. See? Guys don't look at me the way they do Rasida. She just snaps her fingers, and..."

"You have some kind of rivalry?" John looked at her. "Over boys? You sleep with guys just because you want to get one over Rasida?"

"Um, well, not exactly, um, well, maybe that's partly true. Who would you rather sleep with, me or Rasida?"

"What question is that? Maybe I want to save myself for marriage to the right person?"

"And maybe you want to have some fun with the wrong person?" she teased. "How do you know who's right and who's wrong if you don't sleep with any of them?"

"Maybe I should sleep with Rasida and find out?"

"You would?" Rada looked shocked. "Hey, your tugging my chain, aren't you?"

"Just a little."

"I guess it don't matter if you don't like me. I think you're hot, so, maybe?"