Region: Key West
Lyn, Jack & Cassidy
As I walked back into the house, the very one I had ran from early this
morning in such panic and distress, the first thing I noticed was an amazing
smell hanging in the air. The lights
were dim and a bit of music played softly in the background. I turned questioningly toward Cassidy who was
standing behind me in the doorway; she brushed past me leaning toward the wall
and flipped on the switch. “Don’t worry
loverboy, Lyn will be back later tonight she’s on duty right now and well we
gotta keep our appearances up you know? Are you hungry?” She didn’t wait for my response as she walked
out of the hallway into what I knew was the kitchen from having been there the
last few nights. I stepped into the kitchen
and spotted some covered pans on the stove that were simmering and puffing
steam into the air. At least now I know
where that wonderful smell was coming from, I thought to myself as I surveyed
the area and watched Cassidy rummage around in the freezer.
“Lyn never did tell me how you all still manage to have
water and electricity around here.” I said trying to make small talk and not seem
be so on guard. Cassidy turned to me
holding out a bag of something brown and frozen and I took it. “You are an inquisitive one aren’t you?” she
said as she grabbed a towel from above the sink. “Use this for your damn nose. It’s probably a little too late but whatever
works right?” she looked at me for a moment as I took the towel from her not
saying anything. She shook her
head. “I am sorry about your nose” she
managed to say as I pressed the frozen brown stuff wrapped in the towel against
my face. “You just really caught me off guard
and fucking Lyn knows I don’t handle surprises well.” I told her not to worry I have had
worse. She laughed a bit and the tension
between us eased some. “For some reason
I can believe that.” She said turning her attention toward the stove and the
contents in the pots.
About forty five minutes later or so we both sat at the
table, our stomachs full from Cassidy’s cooking. To be honest I had not had a meal like that
in years. Lyn had managed to scrounge up
some food over the last week but it was nothing compared to what we just ate. Cassidy and I even managed to have a decent
conversation over dinner and I was beginning to realize she was really not all
that bad. I mean how could she be if her
and Lyn were friends or even roommates for that matter? She had told me that the local baroness used
to actually work for the city of Key West and that since they were so isolated
she knew the grid very well, whatever that meant. It turns out having swamps, the everglades
and all that other stuff surrounding them the town of Key West had become a
pretty self sufficient place well before the chaos and wars that came about because
of Hepatitis X. As luck would have it a
lot of the women around here knew a thing or two about how the systems worked.
After dinner Cassidy steered me toward the shower. I was beginning to feel pretty damn
spoiled. When I was finished I toweled
myself off as I stared into the mirror examining my beat up face. “Man she got you good didn’t she Jack?” I
asked my reflection while smiling.
Eventually I dressed and returned to the kitchen. Cassidy had already cleaned everything up and
I am sure put away something for Lyn. “Well
it’s my turn for a shower. You think I
can trust you to not do anything stupid for a few minutes? Or do I have to remind you that all the
patrols are in and this part of the island is just loaded with soldiers who
would love to come across you?” Cassidy
asked with a bit of mock concern on her face.
“Yeah, Yeah I get it don’t run off.” I said as she was walking out of
the room. “That’s a good boy” I heard her
say sarcastically as she vanished from site.
After a short while I found my way to the back porch. It was well hidden amongst the palm trees and
shrubs and it had a clear view of the ocean. I figured I’d be safe sitting
there. I stared out into the water wondering
when Lyn would be back. I replayed the
past few days in my mind as I sat there in the darkness listening to wave after
wave crash on the beach in front of me.
I was startled back to reality a short while later when
Cassidy spoke from behind me. I think
she noticed I jumped a little bit because she made a comment about how for
someone who is always running and hiding I did not do a good job of keeping a
watchful eye. I could not respond
because I was too busy staring at her.
She stood near me extending her hand out offering a beer but that’s not
why I was tongue tied. I was shocked by
what she was wearing or rather what she was not wearing. Her head was wrapped in a towel and she wore
a cutoff t-shirt that clung to her breasts. Her dark panties stood out against
her long slender pale legs and I was at a loss for words. As I stared at her speechless for a moment I
think it finally dawned on her. “Oh shit this is gonna be an issue now isn’t
it?” She asked. “Dammit take this.” She
demanded handing me two beers and then she left the room. In a few minutes she was back but this time
she was wearing some light pink pajama pants.
She stuck her hand out and I handed her one of the beers. “Well here’s to things changing around here”
she said as she clinked my bottle in an unexpected toast and padded barefoot
across the porch in front of me and flopped down in the chair next to me.
She broke the awkward silence after a few moments had passed
by explaining how she has not had to worry about what she was wearing or not
wearing in over ten years. “You should
have seen your face loverboy.” She
laughed out loud. I began to laugh
myself a bit. “Well now that one will be
a story for Lyn won’t it?” I kind of
trailed off my laughter a bit and took a sip of my beer. When I looked over at Cassidy her smile faded
and she turned a bit serious. “You do
realize you can’t stay here right?” As her
words washed over me, a reality I already knew settled in. She was right. “It’s not safe. We have so many soldiers coming and going you’re
bound to get caught here. Lyn and I would
get in so much trouble. Hell we might even
be killed if they find you.” I shook my
head in agreement. “That is why we are
not staying here Cassidy.” Both Cassidy and I turned to see Lyn standing in the
doorway. She continued with her
statement. “That is why we are getting
the hell out of this place all of us.”
I, as it seemed to be the only thing I did lately, sat speechless. Cassidy on the other had a very wicked smile
cross her lips as she looked up at Lyn. “Are
we now?” she asked with a bit of excitement on her voice. Lyn smiled back just as wicked. “I think it’s
time don’t you?” She brought her own
beer up to her lips and took a sip and stared off into the ocean while we all
sat in silence each pondering what would happen next.
To Be Continued…
Ashlyn Weaver
Jack Steiner
Cassidy Welch
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