I entered the women's living room where they waited for
my nightly appearance. Lana came to me as I entered and took me directly to the
small comfortable group of furniture we'd fallen into the habit of using. There
was other furniture in the room too, but the wide soft stools set around a
central, low table were the most comfortable to sit on, besides being closest
to the buffet and bar at the same end of the room.
Debbie, Toni, Lavern and Cindy were all standing at one
of the windows talking among themselves as Lana and I poured our drinks. Lana
stopped me by the buffet for a short exchange.
"Cindy tells me you entertained her last night while
the rest of us were gone."
"Yes, I did. We had a pleasant evening of
conversation."
"That's what she said."
Lana held her hand to my forehead.
"Why did you do that?" I asked, backing away.
"Cindy said you were a gentleman, and didn't make a
pass at her. I was wondering if you were sick."
"No."
"Then you don't find her attractive?"
"No. I mean yes. I do."
"Geof, Cindy thinks you don't want to mate with her
for some reason."
I must have shown surprise.
"I think you better tell her you were ill or
something. She thinks you're not interested."
"Oh."
The others were coming to the buffet, so Lana greeted
them, while I refilled their glasses; then we all sat down together and begin
the evening discussions.
Lana, always the spokeswoman, started right in by
reciting the minutes of our last meeting in the Living Room; relating how Sandy
had claimed great things trying to impress them; and then how I'd made some
sarcastic statements in agreement with her, then passed out.
Most of what Lana said was for Cindy's benefit, and
possibly mine. She wasn't really lying, just allowing her to think I was still
somewhat disabled by the stress from that incident. As Lana talked, I could see
Cindy soften to the story, and appeared to relax as Lana talked.
Lana went on to tell how Sandy had been so sure of
herself, that she'd blown her own cover by nearly gloating about knowing the
truth, then calling for the fruitless search of my apartment.
The look Lana gave me when she told about that part of
Sandy's downfall was priceless, and I nearly burst out laughing; until I
realized I didn't have any idea how Tina had known about the search in time to
clean out the apartment. She hadn't told me that and I hadn't thought to ask.
Lana went on for some time about the details of what had
happened during the time I'd been asleep, and finished with the news that Sandy
had earned the wrath of the High Counsel. When she told us what the sentence
passed on Sandy was, I could see the thought of banishment to the outside world
terrified these women.
When Lana finally finished her story, the room was silent
as the women passed looks to each other in unspoken sympathy for Sandy's fate.
"Should I leave?" I asked quietly.
Toni answered, "No, it's not you. We just think the
punishment was too severe for the crime."
"But I am a man. I know all too well what will
happen to a woman like Sandy on the outside."
"Like Sandy? What's that supposed to mean? Aren't
all women raped and killed? What makes Sandy different?"
All of them were asking their questions at once, making
answering any an impossibility. By their reactions to my statement I must have
touched a nerve in each of them, and it was some time before normal
conversation returned. As usual, it was Lana who brought them all back to
reason.
"What will happen to Sandy?" Lana asked for the
group, when reason was restored.
"That depends on her own attitude." I replied.
"Much the same way, what happens to me here is dependent on my actions and
attitude."
"Oh." was the groups collective response.
The room fell silent.
*** *** *** *** ***
I'd emptied my drink, gone to the buffet for a refill,
then moved to one of the windows before anyone had any more to say. I had a
pretty good idea what would happen to Sandy once she was found and taken to one
of the men's villages, but I didn't feel it would help my position if I were to
share my thoughts with these women.
I looked out the window into the darkening distance, and
became lost in my own thoughts.
What I hadn't told them was that Sandy's fate was in some
degree dependent on which particular group of men found her. Some of the men
were inclined to be much more tolerant towards women than others were. If she
were picked up by one of the more tolerant villages, and she softened her
attitude, she might survive it.
If one of the less tolerant villages found her and she
tried the attitude on them, she used on me here, life was bound to be over
swiftly, if not painlessly for her.
There was another alternative, but it was so far removed
from the usual course of events, I didn't give it any thought. I should have.
*** *** *** *** ***
When I turned from the window, and my inward thoughts on
the subject of Sandy and Justice; Lana and Cindy were the only two left in the
room with me.
"Where are the others?"
Lana: "Gone to their rooms. Most of us are still
tired from the stress these past days, and we haven't sleep for nearly two
days."
I raised an eyebrow at her.
"I'm going to my own room now, but I'm sure you two
will find something to keep you, uh, occupied for the evening."
Lana was leading Cindy to me as she spoke so Cindy didn't
see Lana's lips as she mouthed, "Come see me later." as they
approached, nor did she catch the accent I sent to Lana when my eyes slowly
closed and opened together.
When they got to me, Lana took Cindy's hand and placed it
in mine. There was a look of mischief on her face when she did that, and she
was nearly beside herself as she delivered her parting shot.
"You kids be good now, and don't do anything out of
line. I'll be right down the hall in my room if anything goes wrong."
Then she turned, and walked directly out of the room.
Cindy looked nervous, as if she had just been thrown to
the wolves. In a way, she had, if the term were singular. There was only one of
me in the room.
*** *** *** *** ***
"Nervous?" I asked.
"A little." Cindy answered.
"Me too, but it goes away."
"When?" she asked.
"When you relax, like you did last night."
Cindy thought for a moment.
"I was relaxed last night, wasn't I?"
"You appeared to be, after a while that is."
Again, she thought for a moment, then visibly relaxed,
saying:
"You are a sly one, aren't you?"
"No, just honest." then, "I'm empty, would
you like another drink?"
"Please." and held out her glass.
I took her glass, went to the buffet, and poured our
drinks.
*** *** *** *** ***
Cindy and I returned to the windows and gazed out on the
quiet city below. For a time each of us thought our own thoughts, while we
drank our drinks. I broke the silence.
"Cindy, have you ever wondered who built this city,
or why?"
"Sometimes. I used to a lot, I've even tried to find
out, but nobody knows, or they don't want to talk about it if they do."
"Why?" I asked the question of myself, more
than Cindy.
"I don't know. What I do know is that asking those
kind of questions is discouraged, and the few others I knew who pressed the
point are gone."
"That makes me wonder what they're hiding."
"Who are "they"?" she asked.
I thought for a moment and almost told her what I really
thought.
"If we knew that, we might know what it is we're not
supposed to know."
We stood quietly for a time, then I asked.
"Are there any libraries down in the city?"
"Yes, a few."
"Did you look in them for any books on the
subject?"
"Yes, I've looked in all of them, but couldn't find
anything of value."
Cindy looked at me sharply, then.
"Did you find anything in the library
upstairs?"
"No. I didn't."
I'd told her the truth. It was Tina who found them, and I
now realized how important those books Tina had hidden in the attic really
were. Not only to me, but to all of us.
Cindy had finished her drink. I took her glass and set it
with mine on a nearby table, then took her hands in mine and brought them to my
face. After kissing them, I said:
"I think it's time you expanded your vocabulary
again."
"What's the word for tonight?" she asked.
"There are several," I replied, "but we
should start with desire."
"Desire?" she repeated, "Why desire."
"Because I desire your body."
I pulled Cindy to me and kissed her while I terrorized
her breasts. She responded by pressing against me.
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Chapter 32 | Chapter 34
Index | Title Page
| Credits | Preamble | TOC