Lovin' in the Apocalypse

Last time on, Lovin' in the Apocalypse!

Kelsey gives Tom a reason to love guard duty as Rachel continues to find sexual gratification in their sneaking around. Meanwhile, the days are much darker at the hotel as the past haunts the struggling survivors. Ghosts and demons close in and the only way out is bloody.

Will Kelsey finally get the sex she's been begging for? Will the survivors encounter the dangerous man stalking their group? Winter is coming fast, what will our heroes do to protect their own? Find out now!

Chapter 8: Back in Shack

Tom laid on the bed, snoring softly as he slept the previous day's guard shift off. Rachel smiled as she looked at him, feeling good and at peace with their lives. Sure, she would trade anything to get back to what had been before but she could also see a decent life in this place. Tom was good to her and his faithfulness was far beyond anything she should expect in this world. Rachel knew that the bond they shared was more rare now than it ever was before. Hell, the chances of a couple even surviving the infected this long together is about impossible.

Rachel quietly closed the door to their shack and made her way to the center hub. The morning sky was bright and the warmth coming off the sun was invigorating. She waved and smiled at the people she passed, sometimes able to attach a name to a face. There seemed to be a happy energy in the camp this morning. People were grouped together and chatting excitedly. The other survivors in line at the rations counter all were equally upbeat. She would have asked what was going on but she saw no one familiar enough to strike up casual conversion with.

An older woman with grey streaks in her black hair sat on a stool behind a counter. Rachel knew this woman, her name was Rosa and she was one of the council members. Rosa was smiling and making light conversations with the people. She possessed a grandmother vibe but one of the old world types. She could be sweet and inviting but there was an edge to the woman that could slice deep. Rachel waved and smiled at Rosa as she stepped up to the counter.

"Good morning, Rosa."

"Buenos días. How are you settling in? Cameron says you and Tom have been quite a good addition to the scouting teams." Rosa reached over and lifted one of the full drawstring polyester bags.

"Oh, did he?" Rachel's stomach fluttered at the thought of Cameron talking about her. "It's really nice here. Settling in has been easier than I expected, honestly."

Rosa handed Rachel the bag of food. It would have some locally grown vegetables and a chuck of random meat, already cooked and wrapped up. There would be enough food for her and Tom to eat for a couple days if they ate sparingly. "That's good to hear, we're glad to have you. Oh and don't get too excited but, our farmers seem to think we're going to get a lot of wheat this year. If we're lucky, we'll have bread soon."

Rachel's jaw dropped. "Bread? Are you serious?"

Rosa's eyes sparkled as she smiled. "Deadly serious. I'll be happy when they start the corn but for now, bread is good too."

Rachel left the line and decided to check on the message board. She felt bad about missing the last guard cycle and was determined to end up on the next one. She forgot all about the guard list when she saw Cameron standing near one of the trucks and talking to Gregg. She hurried over to the two men.

"Hey! How's it going?" Rachel beamed at Cameron who looked happy to see her as well.

"Good morning! We were just talking about the Deterrent team's mission. Some plan about hanging up church bells to replace fireworks." Cameron looked just as well dressed and handsome as ever. His hair and beard were so neat, it looked as if it was trimmed daily.

"Better long term." Gregg said. The usually sullen man looked like he was in a good mood. He was more relaxed and free with his smiles. "You can't keep the fireworks ready to use in a hurry and dry too. We have to set it up every time the camp is attacked. Shit is too chaotic when that happens and it takes too long to get them going."

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Rachel said. "Although, the firework show was pretty nice."

Gregg chuckled through his nose. He was about to say something when his eyes widened slightly. "So yeah, better get going. The team will be waiting." Gregg popped open the truck and got inside quickly. The truck engine coughed to life and Gregg moved towards the front gate.

Rachel was puzzled by his sudden escape. "That was weird."

"What was weird?"

Rachel's stomach dropped as she recognized the voice. Kelsey just walked up behind them. She tried to sound casual and to make her face stay neutral. "Gregg just moved like something bit him. Good morning Kelsey."

"Hey." Kelsey gave her father a hug while maintaining eye contact with Rachel. She did look a little smug. Rachel's heart began to beat faster.

"What's up, baby?" Cameron returned the hug tightly.

"Just walking around." Kelsey looked like she was trying to fake being bored. "Thought I'd try to find something fun to do."

"Well, you better have it while you can. Hopefully, team 5 will be back today. Then we can take the trucks to get the stuff we found."

"Awesome!" Kelsey smiled up at Cameron. "I could use some fresh air."

Rachel could agree with that. As safe and strong as it was, there was a bit of a stink to New Washington. On top of the smell of humans and the muddy nature of the camp, there were animal hides drying on racks, compost piles, bags of trash and a row of vehicles that were being used as spare parts for the working ones. Plus, after so much spilled blood, the smell of decay never seemed too far gone. A place like this would smell bad no matter what was happening in the world. "Fresh air does sound nice."

Kelsey looked at Rachel as if she was trying to put together something to say. Finally she said, "How was your husband's first night on watch?" Kelsey asked with no teasing in her tone. If Rachel did not already know about what happened, she might have missed the way the young woman's eyes narrowed or the slightly mocking side grin she was wearing.

Rachel really had to struggle to keep her face in the same shape. She wanted to blush and could feel the warmth rising in her face. She swallowed a couple times to make sure her own words stayed even. "He really seemed to like it. He was in a great mood before he went to sleep."

Kelsey could not hide the flash of pride on her face. "Good, that means he'll sign up for more of them. It sucks being on the wall."

"Now Kelsey. It isn't that bad. We all got to do our part." Cameron bumped his daughter with his elbow, not aware of the real conversation happening.

"I know dad, I was just saying. If Tom likes it so much, he can have all my slots."

Rachel could not breathe. The girl was rapidly firing innuendos out like a boxer throwing punches. Kelsey assumed she was the only one in on the joke. The young woman was stroking her own ego at Rachel's expense. The feeling was exquisite! Her pussy felt like it was melting inside her jeans. She tried to covertly squeeze her thighs to relieve some of the tension in her loins. Rachel decided to feed the girl some of her own medicine.

"Oh, Tom likes those sucky jobs. I'm sure if you offer, he'll take all your slots."

Kelsey snorted as if what Rachel said was hilarious. Cameron gave his daughter a puzzled look. "Sorry. I just thought of something funny."

"Well, don't be thinking you can give all your chores away. You gotta earn it like everyone else." Cameron was again confused by Kelsey's sudden laughter. "What the hell is so funny?"

"Ooooh, nothing dad." Kelsey took a second to collect herself. "Don't worry. I like having to work for it. I got all the time in the world, right? See you later!" After kissing Cameron's cheek, Kelsey smiled and waved at Rachel.

Rachel felt tense, sexually wound up and out of her depths with this young woman. Tom did say the girl was like a wild animal, she thought he was exaggerating. But no. Teasing her right here in front of her own father. Kelsey was indeed wild. She tried to picture how the young woman would look in bed with Tom but could not do it. If anyone ever deserved to be called a wild card, it would be Kelsey.

"Huh?" Rachel shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"I asked if you were okay? You zoned out pretty hard just now." Cameron looked a little concerned.

"Yeah! Sorry, I just let my thoughts get away from me there. I'm fine." Rachel laughed awkwardly.

"Alright. Well, I'm going on to see if Rosa needs a hand. I'll see you guys soon. If 5 gets back, we'll have our run to make."

"Sounds great, see ya." Rachel waved but Cameron was already turning away. It seemed they lost some ground in that odd moment but Rachel did not feel discouraged. Kelsey was like a lightning rod for drama and it would be fun playing with her for a while. Rachel nearly skipped home with the pack of food. She was gathering the starting ingredients for a really juicy idea.

As it would happen, Rachel's ideas would have to be set on a back burner. Team 5 returned that afternoon with a bounty of goods that was worth celebrating over. In one of the covered trailers, they had loaded a bunch of small cast iron wood stoves, ductwork to run smoke and various shapes of metal sheeting. It was all crammed in where they were able to fit it. A short man in a tucked in Polo shirt was standing near the trailer and smiling brightly at all the excited people. His thick mustache danced with his glee.

"Buddy! Look at that! You hit the jackpot!" It was as if Cameron was looking at a chest of pirate treasure.

"You got no idea!" Buddy laughed and smacked one of the wood stoves. "We didn't find enough to get every cabin one but that's not a lot of living space anyways. If we duct it right, one of these bad boys should be able to heat up two or three cabins."

"Man, you don't even know how good that's going to work! While you were gone, we found some insulation at a construction site. Piles of the stuff. That's just one of many stacks." Cameron pointed out the neat pile of rectangular shapes under a blue tarp.

"Hell yes! I'll get my team started on installing everything in a couple days. It'll be good to relax for a bit."

"Yeah, you guys deserve it. With all this, we'll have a much better time in winter. If only I could figure out our food problem." Cameron smiled and tried to feel good about solving one of the big problems.

"Well, I guess you're gonna really love what's in the other truck." Buddy looked like he was holding the best punchline in the world.

As the heavy ramp fell down, Cameron's mouth dropped open. The first truck had been a treasure. Something they vitally needed, something that would save lives. But this trailer. This one was far more spectacular. "That's not possible." Cameron whispered.

"Of course it is." Buddy patted the big man on the back. "We found an overturned semi that was tucked into some trees. The damage to the truck was insane but the trailer itself held together pretty decently. I hate that we couldn't save all of it but we got all the good stuff that was left."

Packed from front to back without any gaps at all was food. Cans and bottles, some things in bags like pasta and rice, everything that they needed to make it through the coming winter. It was all right here in front of Cameron. The most food he seen since the beginning of the pandemic. He was stunned beyond belief at the literal fortune. "I can't believe this. Buddy. This is insane."

"Awh, shucks mister. I'm just doin my job." Buddy laughed. "I get your point though. It does feel like we're starting to get our feet under us but we can't expect to find something like this again. The last great gift of the past."

The men were silent for a moment as the weight of the stock in front of them truly settled in. This could very well be the last time they find food that may still be good enough to eat. The end of an era.

"True. So why don't we enjoy it while we can?" Cameron put a hand on Buddy's shoulder and smiled. They did seem to be having a lucky streak.

*

Three days later, Cameron's scouting team along with another one, loaded themselves into the trucks and left to retrieve the construction equipment. The time before they left had been like a festival. Just after team 5 returned, a two man hunting team came back home with a full sized wild boar. Using the fresh meat and some canned goods, Rosa organized a large feast and all the survivors at New Washington all went to bed that night with bloated stomachs. The party was surreal to most of the people and absolutely necessary. Camp morale soared and everyone began to work and live with renewed vigor.

The one person who seemed to be incapable of enjoying the merriment was Kelsey. She was like a caged tiger, constantly watching for an opening. The two day party kept everyone busy and together and she saw no opportunity to sneak off with Tom. It was frustrating and the longer Kelsey went without spending time with him, the more she worried he would forget about her. In her youthful self doubt and anxiety, Kelsey feared being rejected. She worried that the next time she approached Tom, he would have that look on his face. The cruel one that Gregg gives her these days. Even though she was growing desperate, Kelsey knew better than to do anything too obvious. If Rachel caught wind of what was happening, it would be like Laura all over again. She needed to stay patient.

Kelsey tried to relax and enjoy the party but could not convince herself things were okay. She wanted things to calm down and go back to normal so she could sneak around. Everyone in camp was having a good time but was inadvertently taking hers away. It did not seem fair. The constant doubt was starting to put her back in a gloomy mood. She became standoffish and short with people and felt the time tick by like slow torture.

Now that they were in the trucks and headed back to the construction site, Kelsey's mood was lifting. She was trying to imagine how to get Tom back in that shed but without the help of a dead mob, she could not think of a way to set up a moment. She would just have to watch carefully and pounce at the first chance she got.

Everyone else in the truck seemed completely relaxed. After the party and the following day to rest, all of them were recharged and ready to work. Unknown to the poor young woman, Tom and Rachel were feeling the same rising tension that Kelsey was feeling. Both of them were eager for more and spent their alone time talking and fantasizing about her. They also saw this trip as an opportunity to maybe get Tom alone with her. The couple was more than ready to know what she tasted like. Rachel caught Tom admiring Kelsey from time to time. His eyes would get stuck on the soft curve of her neck or they would be tracking up her long legs with hungry intentions. Rachel loved watching him like this. She in fact, wanted to watch him do so much more.

The time at the construction site was uneventful but productive. With six people loading and two on a rotating watch, both trucks were almost completely loaded by the end of the day. Kelsey watched every moment like a hawk but without a distraction and so many more eyes, no chance came. She worked in a quiet fervor that kept the rest of the team moving to keep up with her. They finally called it good enough as the sun began to sink down into the evening sky. With the work done, the survivors set up camp and began to relax after a long and hot day.

"Did you notice Kelsey's mood?" Rachel asked quietly while she walked beside Tom on his patrol.

"Would have to be blind to miss that much sulk." Tom chuckled. "What do you think is wrong?"

Rachel looked at him with an eyebrow cocked. "Seriously? You don't know? She's probably losing her mind. Don't you remember what it was like to be young and have to hold your hormones in check?"

"I guess so. You think she's that upset because she's horny?"

"Oh, horny, anxious, restless, jealous, you name it. She probably feels like a balloon about to pop. She'll do something brash soon." Oh how Rachel would love to see the eagerness on Kelsey's face. "Just watch. I'll give you some space and she'll come."

Tom thought about something. The couple of days before they left camp, he and Rachel were pretty much inseparable. Since they had a mission coming up, they were not required to do gate duty and found themselves enjoying a festive couple of days off. During that time, Tom did not notice how Rachel was making every effort to be as near to him as possible. Now with hindsight, he realized his wife was playing her own game. "Did you make her like that on purpose?"

Rachel smiled devilishly at Tom. "I don't know what you're talking about, dear. I just wanted to spend time with my loving husband." She batted eyelashes up at him.

"Oh. You're going to get me killed." Tom laughed and shook his head. "Okay."

"Don't act like you're not the luckiest man alive." Rachel kissed and hugged him tightly. She whispered in his ear, "have fun, baby. Don't forget to remember everything about it." She broke the hug and went to find something else to do.

Tom watched her walk away, admiring the way her ass moved. His eyes floated up and over towards the supervisor's trailer that they were camping in and he saw Kelsey sitting on the concrete steps. She was staring off into space but seemed to feel Tom's attention on her. She looked over at him and smiled when she saw he was alone. Kelsey's face rearranged into an unspoken question. Tom hesitated for a heart beat and then gave her a small nod. He turned and walked away, heading in a direction that she would know well.

Tom stood beside the cracked door of the tool shed. If someone were to look inside, they would not see him. He was motionless and quiet as he waited. He heard footsteps, quick and light. She was not quite running but he could hear her excitement in the way she moved. Tom waited in the shadows, feeling his pulse quicken.

Kelsey stepped up to the cracked door but hesitated when she could not see anyone inside it. "Tom?" She hissed into the shed but heard no reply. "Tom?" She asked again as she slowly entered the shed, feeling a little confused.

"Here." Tom moved forward from behind the door, smoothly pushing it closed before grabbing Kelsey's waist.

Kelsey spun in surprise and nearly cried out in alarm until Tom pressed his bearded face against hers. She made a humming moan in his mouth. It sounded like she was going to melt. Finally! She returned the kiss as intensely as he could handle. Kelsey hopped up and wrapped her long legs around Tom's waist. His hands moved to her ass to support her. They did not break the kiss as he walked over to the workbench and sat her down. She fought against him when he tried to pull away. It was like she was dying of thirst.

"We don't have much time." Tom said, finally pushing her desperate mouth away. He reached for the front of her jeans and Kelsey leaned back to give him easier access to the button.

Kelsey felt like she could not breathe, she was so excited. Tom's strong fingers fumbling at her lower stomach was sending shockwaves through her body. He finally managed to break the button loose and Kelsey sighed with pleasure as he traced light kisses below her bellybutton. She lifted her hips as Tom's fingers hooked into the waistband of her jeans. He yanked them off her, pulling off her shoes in the same motion. "Yes! Come on, fuck me!" Kelsey grabbed for Tom's jeans but he stepped back.

"We don't have enough time for that. I just wanted to get a quick bite to eat before bed." Tom kissed Kelsey's lips and then pushed her body back to lean against the wall. Kelsey's mouth was open with arousal, her dreads hanging down in front of her hooded eyes. He wanted her so fucking bad but had already promised to himself to drag it out a little longer. Besides, he had flipped the table on the young woman today and she was floundering. He liked seeing her on her heels.