Pandemic Pt. 03 Ch. 11-14

The infection survivors climbed into the back of the Hilux and we drove back along the road over the forested ridge to the meadow farm. We entered the valley with its gently sloping meadows and turned onto the track alongside the stream. Twenty four cows and six calves grazed. I stopped at the house and we gathered at the front steps.

I pointed out the expanse of grazing land in the valley and the stream.

"We could help you dam the stream to produce fish. This valley could support more cattle or sheep."

We entered the house, "Solid stone and many rooms, you could make it more secure and it is already on high foundations. Some of the rooms need to have new beds, but there is other furniture in several rental cottages just up the road. With airing out and furniture it would be a good place to live."

Maddy and Michael approached and Michael whispered, "Shall we perhaps remove the bodies from the bedrooms. They are skin and bones, but the beds are ruined. Perhaps we take the whole beds out?"

I nodded and whispered. "We have gloves and spray suits in the Hilux, best to use them. And it would not hurt to use the masks. We can dump the beds in front and make a funeral pyre? Best I lead them out the back to look at the fruit trees and garden first, unless someone else would like to?"

Tim was looking at the large fireplace while the others rested on the furniture. I led Tim and friends out the front door, and along the verandah to the back of the house. We passed a large shed, which still contained some shovels, an axe and other tools. I had not had a good look at the garden before. We wandered through it. There was a hectare of apples, pears, chestnuts, walnuts, hazelnuts and two macadamia trees. Another might be an avocado. The stream continued past the orchard and back along the valley pasture. As it got steeper trees grew along its banks splitting the pasture.

We returned to the house with arms full of fruit.

"We can give you potatoes and some other vegetables too. If you divert the stream from higher up the valley you could make the water flow near the gardens."

Smoke started billowing up from the other side of the house.

"Don't worry, it is fine. There were some soiled furniture and beds, the others have cleaned it out and are destroying it", I reassured them.

Thankfully they had even moved the cars so that they were away from the smoke. We then entered the side door and looked at the rooms. Two beds were fine though the whole house needed airing and cleaning. They could do that.

I explained that as well as this farm, there was a home and two rental cottages further along the road which contained things they could use. We took them there, travelling along the main road to the edge of the valley then up the forest lined entry road.

We loaded two double beds onto the back of the G-wagon, one from each of the wooden plank rental cottages. We cleared the kitchen of one cottage of utensils too. Then we took them to the larger home. There was still some food in containers there that we had left previously and they gathered it and collected some clothes.

In the yard at the back there were another perhaps 25 fruit trees and some grape vines. Also the damaged chicken coop would be handy and some of the mesh wire. We would gather that for them later.

I spoke to Tim again, "You could come here to collect fruit and there is a larger river about two kilometres away along the road. That likely has marron and fish, perhaps trout. We would like you not to cross that river to gather food and we will agree not to harvest from these places around here."

Tim agreed, "Yes we do that, stop at bridge. I thank you for helping us."

I looked at the others, "You also agree not to forage or travel past the bridge?"

Some said yes, others nodded.

We loaded up with some fallen timber for firewood, then returned to their house, helping them move the furniture and food inside. Tim kept the rifle he had been holding and I gave them another one from those we had collected. We kept the other two rifles, though one was very knocked around and filthy.

We said we would be back with plants in a couple of days and left them to settle in. Tim and Megan thanked us.

* *** *

Karen and Linda were waiting anxiously. We had been longer than anticipated, especially with the time taken to assist Tim's group to settle in. We had much news to share after dinner. After a tasty stew we retired to the lounge. Relaxing in the Georgian leather armchairs and sofas we told of seeing the enraged, of deciding to attack before they got any closer, then of finding that some were peaceful. Some of the details might have been edited a little, what Karen did not know about my initial encounter with Tim was best kept that way.

"Are you sure it's not a trick?" asked Karen. "Although I am glad, to have most of the infected become enraged is sad, I am glad some may live peacefully."

"Tim seems very calm and did not attack when he had every chance to." I replied, deliberately keeping back any mention he could have killed me and chose not to.

"The others are controlled too, they were quiet and concerned at times, but never seemed aggressive." affirmed Annelise.

"Michael said he could make a telephone system, that way they can warn us if they are attacked. That would mean they act as an outpost to danger for us. How much we interact I guess we will see. I said we would bring them some potatoes and other vegetables so they can plant a garden."

"Glad you are all safe", said Karen, giving each of us a warm affectionate hug and kiss.

"Think we had better go, I am tired." Linda pulled Michael up, "We have a new room to finish getting ready so I don't have to walk so far."

Karen explained she had helped Linda set up a bedroom in the tower to sleep in so she could still have some space, but not walk home at night.

I realised how tired I was too. It seemed the day caught up with the others as well. We all got up to have an early night. Karen, Maddy and Annelise headed up the tower steps. As Eliza went to follow I touched her hand, gently catching her fingers.

"How are you? It was probably a rougher day on you than anyone?" I asked.

She swallowed and looked away, then looked up.

"You scared the shit out of me today. I thought we were both going to die."

I nodded.

I said, "When Tim spoke and looked at me, it was like I could sense he meant no harm, but yes I was lucky too. I am sorry I put you through that."

Then the day caught up with her and I held her shaking body while she cried against my shirt.

"If you get yourself killed we will all come after you as ghosts and make death hell!"

I kissed her, "I will try harder not to let that happen."

Then I slipped my arm under her knees, lifting her light body into my arms and carried her up the stairs. That at least brought a smile at the top. Maddy had gone to sleep in the next room and Annelise was already half asleep when we got into bed. Karen returned from the bathroom and slipped in next to me, holding me. In moments I was asleep, too tired for any nightmares to strike that night.

* *** *

Over the next few weeks we took Tim's group out to collect potatoes, created a dam higher up the valley with the tractor, dug a channel to lay a pipe from the stream to the house and helped create garden beds and a chicken run. Thanks to an existing phone line and finding some older phones in the nearby houses we now had two phone lines from the house to the lake farm and to Tim's farm.

Tim was always pleasant, calm and thanked us every time we gave assistance. We got to know the rest of his group better. Lisa, his blonde younger companion was the most suspicious of us. She seemed agitated and high strung but Tim's presence kept her calm. Alan and Ellen seemed most damaged, but they just did whatever they were asked to. Ellen was pleasant enough but needed someone with her so she could check what to do, whereas once Alan was told a task he just kept on with it, taking any instruction literally. Megan kept an eye on Alan, she was also quiet, but was attentive and affectionate to him. Similarly Tom kept in close contact with Ellen. They were the youngest, in their mid to late twenties. He was robustly built, but showed no tendency to aggression at all. He gave a cheery hello, but otherwise tended not to speak except for single word responses. Ellen was pregnant and Linda regularly checked on her. Other than her mental difficulties, Linda said Ellen was in good health.

They seemed to be doing well, but I wondered how resilient they would be if they stressed, or really it would be when they next were stressed.

CHAPTER 12. A NEW ARRIVAL

Monday 9th January

To build up our own supplies and to make Tim's group more self-sufficient we went to a new area of potato fields, collecting Tim, Lisa, Megan and Alan on the way. In an afternoon we collected enough buckets of potatoes for both groups to store and plant.

A warm bath was bliss afterwards. Eliza was there when I came in and the bath was large. I offered to wash her hair and stripped.

"Slide in behind me. That will be easiest" she requested with a smile.

I slipped in next to her and lifted her up so she was sitting between my legs. Her slim body so soft and light. I drew her against me, stroking her slippery arms, stomach, hips, then gently cupping her soapy breasts. She leant back against me, stroking my arms, twisting to kiss.

She teased, "Thought you were supposed to be washing my hair?"

"Oh yes", I massaged her nipples with my fingertips, "Sorry, got distracted."

"Mmm, I noticed."

She grasped my hands, pulling them away and turned to give me a long soft teasing kiss.

"Wash my hair first, before the water is cold, then you can play."

I eased her forward, so she bent forward and dunked her hair into the water, then as she lay back I slid forward so that my cock slipped in against her slit. Then I held her back against me while I squeezed shampoo on her hair.

"Mmm, this is the best shampoo job ever." She wriggled against me, sliding my cock against her.

I massaged her head and hair, enjoying the sensation of touching her as much as Eliza.

Annelise dropped into the room, looked at Eliza and smiled. "Guess this bathroom won't be free anytime soon."

Eliza opened her eyes, "Annelise, would you be sweet and give me a warm rinse?"

Annelise returned with a bucket, slowly pouring blissfully warm water over Eliza's hair.

Meanwhile I stroked and massaged Annelise's leg and ass while she poured. I stroked her thigh and then gently eased my fingers inside her panties, caressing her smooth thigh and pussy, gently stroking along her lips.

She eased away slowly and then left to return with another bucket.

My hand returned to her thigh, and my finger entered her as she poured, easing and massaging her lips apart. She conveniently eased her legs apart slightly.

Annelise finished pouring the water and squeezed Eliza's hair dry.

Eliza said, "Thanks Annelise." then she looked up, "Oh, he is bad isn't he?"

I reached down and pressed my cock against Eliza's clit, massaging it against her as I kept fingering Annelise.

Eliza reached over and hooked her fingers into the top of Annelise's shorts, easing them down. I moved my fingers, helping pull down her panties and drawing her hips towards us, kissing her hips and thighs, then her pale hair, mons and lips. My tongue eased her lips apart and then I licked her several times. I teased and sucked her clit.

I looked up at her and grinned. "Want to join us?"

"Oh I am pretty happy standing here." She replied.

Two fingers entered her, curling up inside, massaging her warm moist tunnel. I slipped my fingers in and out faster as she bent her legs giving me easier access.

Eliza reached down, pressing my cock against her, holding the head and rubbing the shaft firmly across her clit.

Annelise knelt on the edge of the bath, knees apart. I fingered her faster, while holding Eliza's breast firmly in my other hand, rolling her erect little nipple between my fingers.

Annelise squirmed against my fingers, squeezing her breasts, then moving one hand lower pressing me firmly against her. I leaned over, sucking her clit into my mouth and tonguing her as I kept my fingers entering, twisting, slipping in and out. She held me tight inside as I kept eating her slender hard clit, drawing it firmly between my lips. She shuddered and slipped into the bath beside me, water splashing out.

That set the two women off giggling. I reached down between her legs, but she held my arm.

"No, enough you will drown me."

I drew Annelise's head against my chest and stroked Eliza's chest. She resumed massaging my cock between her legs. She eased higher and moved my cock against her so tight opening.

"Don't cum ... okay?" She whispered.

"Okay ... only a couple of times though."

She held the base of my cock, pushing the tip inside her, then again further. Again and again until I was well inside her velvet soft, hot and still so tight hole. She slowly eased herself up and down.

"Careful Eliza, you are fertile", whispered Annelise.

I pulled out of her, turning her around so she was on her knees in the bath facing me, one knee between Annelise's legs. I slipped down the bath, half resting my back on Annelise's hip. Then I parted Eliza's soft black hair and licked her tender sticky pussy, sucking her clit and licking her tight opening.

Annelise grasped me, sliding me back up the bath. My head supported by the end of the bath, she rolled and lay on me. Her hand guiding my cock into her.

Eliza warned, "Annelise you are fertile too."

"Do you all keep track of when the others can have sex?" I asked, curious.

"Yes of course" they answered in unison.

"Maddy next" said Eliza, "Then Karen next week, then Annelise, then me. Tiffany just before Annelise."

"Oh, and I thought it just happened." I grinned.

"I would be happy having a baby." Whispered Annelise thrusting against me.

She thrust again, her pale chest becoming pinker. "We need children for the future."

"Mind that idea?" She asked as she thrust against me until I was deep inside and tightly against her, then she slowly raised herself.

"No, I like that idea, as long as you are safe."

I kissed her open lips deeply and she pressed down firmly against me again.

Again and again she thrust her lithe body down on top of me, her fine silver blonde hair tickling my face. I leant up to kiss Annelise's delicate soft pink nipples and milk white perfectly smooth breasts. I kissed them again, capturing her small hard nipples as she rocked up and down on top of me. The water gently rocked in time to her hips pressing against me. She leaned back, her arched back thrusting her breasts upward. Her thrusting hips moved faster and she squeezed around my cock in a velvet, warm slippery embrace. Too warm, too firmly she squeezed and I could hold no longer, and my squirmy warm, slippery cum was inside her. She frantically thrust faster, then collapsed against my chest and we lay together. The bath though was starting to chill. Eliza had got out and wrapped herself in a towel. She handed two towels to us as we too got out.

* *** *

By early February we had Tim's group well established on the other farm. They seemed to be coping well and in the warm summer weather with the new dam providing water, their gardens were thriving.

We were also doing well and now the work had gone back to its usual routine after a month of hectic activity.

One Monday evening when we were chatting in the lounge after dinner, I noticed Eliza seemed anxious and withdrawn. As I thought about it I recalled she had been quiet the last few weeks while things had been pretty busy. Yet when I quietly asked how she was, she said she was fine and smiled.

That night she slipped into bed next to me but wrapped herself around her pillow. I kissed Annelise goodnight and then Eliza responded, accepting being kissed too. Then a kiss for Maddy before Karen wrapped me in her arms with a longer passionate kiss. A busy day chopping and removing dead timber to reduce the fire risk, I was exhausted and sleep claimed me in moments.

The next morning Karen asked if I could check something up in the sunroom before I went to work outside. We did not go into the sunroom much in summer, already the morning sun had a sting in it and promised a hot day. In spite of being hot, it was a lovely room though and my favourite one in winter. Well it shared being my favourite room with the lounge room because of many fun times we enjoyed there.

I gazed out over the gardens, poultry pens and sheep grazing in the front yard. The front wall now had a robust walkway with balustrade built along it, and sections of the crenations had been modified to create narrow firing slits. Beyond the northwest corner of the wall I could see the wire mesh dog proof fence that protected the grazing cattle. I looked around the room. I could not see anything that needed fixing, but Karen's wishes would become clear soon and it was simpler to wait and enjoy the view than guess.

Karen entered the sunroom with Eliza. She looked around and shepherded Eliza towards a white sofa.

"Let's sit down over here and have a chat."

I gave Karen and a nervous Eliza a smile, "Sure." I responded.

Karen seemed to be supportive of Eliza, so it did not seem they had any dispute, and I could not think of anything I had done that should cause upset. I moved to the end of the sofa and sat, puzzled. Karen eased Eliza into the middle of the sofa and sat next to her.

"Eliza ..." Karen started to speak.

Eliza threw up her hands and lowered her head. "It should have been alright... It was early... Sorry I am pregnant, I think."

Ah, so that was it.

I took her into my arms and held her, then leant across and kissed Karen,

"That is wonderful. A bit scary, but wonderful. How do you feel about having a baby Eliza?"

"I was worried you would be mad at me, having to bring up two babies while we are surviving. It was not planned. I don't know anything about looking after a baby."

"It will be important to have children to look after us when we get older and to grow a community. Everyone will give support and Linda's child will have a playmate. And wow!" I released her from my arms and kissed her.

Karen gave her a hug too, "See I said it would be alright."

"How long?" I asked, then thinking that she had avoided sexual contact since late January, "Christmas or mid-January I guess?"

"Yes, I have missed two periods since mid-January. Linda says it is likely to be then."

* *** *

Mid-April, autumn had arrived and temperatures were noticeably cooler. Occasional rainy days made work outside cold, wet and muddy. We had been busy gathering firewood to warm the house in the evening and to stockpile wood for winter. Anxiousness hung over us. Really it was not the cold, wet or mud that we were worried about though, rather Linda was due any day now. We could do little to help if anything went wrong with the birth. Thankfully she had been healthy so far.

Unfortunately none of the women had given birth previously. Karen was the oldest but before the virus we had delayed having children until it was convenient. Nor had Linda had any practical midwifery training during her studies so far. The best we could do was that Maddy and Michael had seen cows giving birth and Maddy had helped her father deliver stuck calves. Her hands and arms had been slimmer than his and she said she had more patience than her father had at assisting with the births.

Much of the information once used by the medical staff at Silverwood medical centre was either on the internet or computer and lost to us. We had collected some more medical texts, including ones on gynaecology and midwifery. The local news agency and library had also yielded some books on home birthing. Reading through the material though highlighted everything that could go wrong. All the advised solutions - drugs, transfer to a hospital, calling an ambulance - were not available to us.