Copyright Aurora Black, March 2006
The author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
This is a work of fiction. The events described here are imaginary; the settings and characters are fictitious and are not intended to represent specific places or living persons.
Author's Note
: Although
I am not eligible for this contest
, I wanted to share my thoughts on Earth Day. Enjoy.
* * *
The sun slowly rose over the horizon as the men entered the forest, their confident strides taking them deeper into the trees until they could no longer see the world they'd left behind. As they walked, the men observed the lush green of their surroundings and realized that besides the contents of the heavy backpacks they carried, there were no signs of civilization. No car horns to break the peaceful silence, no telephone poles to ruin the awe-inspiring view of the sunrise over the trees, not even a signal for their cell phones. They were alone in nature, and they were content.
The feeling didn't last. The men were lumberjacks, assigned to clear a large section of trees near the river by the day's end.
They paused for a moment to take a deep breath of the fresh air, the smell of wood and earth enticing them, calling to them. Their leader released a quiet sigh as they looked around at the delicate, tranquil beauty of the trees, knowing that they were meant to destroy them.
The foreman of the group, Bill, cleared his throat before addressing the men in a gruff voice. "All right, guys. We'd better get moving if we want to fulfill our quota. Can't get paid if the bosses don't see results, right? Let's hustle up, the site's still a long way off."
The rest of the men muttered in agreement, and silence fell again as they continued hiking through the woods, the chainsaws growing heavier on their backs with each step.
Hours later, the team of loggers reached the river and the trees beyond. The sun was high in the sky as they approached the site, its rays filtering through the canopy of branches and leaves and creating a shimmering glow that covered everything it touched. The effect was magical.
Bill ran a hand over his face as a pang of regret pierced his heart, but he quickly recovered.
"Come on! The sooner we get the job done, the sooner we can go home!"
The men detached their chainsaws from their packs as they each took position at a tree, the serrated blades shining in the light. In unison, they reached out for the cord to start the motor... and the faint tinkle of female laughter made them stop in their tracks.
Startled, all ten heads whipped around as they tried to find the source of the noise. They saw nothing but birds fluttering around the surrounding trees. No women were in sight.
Bill frowned, his wary eyes scanning the terrain. His hand instinctively tightened on his saw.
"What the hell? I don't like this. Let's hurry and get this over with."
The men nodded in agreement and returned to their posts. The chainsaws whirred loudly, disturbing the natural flow of the forest as the frightened birds took flight to escape the awful noise.
Before they could bury their saws into the tree trunks, a slender hand closed on Bill's muscled shoulder. He jumped at the intrusion, swinging his large body around and barely missing the woman with his still running chainsaw. Bill gasped as he realized what he'd almost done, and he rushed to turn the machine off before lowering it to the ground at his feet. The other men did the same, staring in disbelief at the sight before them.
Bill's eyes widened at the sight of the mysterious woman, and he knew that he should ask if she was all right. But he was too entranced by the softness of her skin, the vividness of her emerald eyes. The color of rich, dark earth, her hair fell like a waterfall down her shoulders and back, skimming the gentle swells of her naked breasts. The long tresses were adorned with leaves that matched her eyes.
She was the most beautiful thing that he'd ever seen. What was she doing in the middle of the forest?
It was a long moment before Bill noticed that the chainsaws had stopped completely, and it took another moment for him to find his voice. He couldn't stop staring at her incredible eyes.
"You all right, Miss? Are you hurt?"
Her moist lips parted, and he couldn't resist imagining them enveloping his cock. He squirmed as he grew hard in his jeans, his erection pressing against the confining denim.
Silently, the woman stepped closer, pressing her full breasts against his taut chest. He could feel their heat through the layers of jacket and shirt that he wore, and he grit his teeth at the sensation.
She gently cupped his cheek with one hand, her eyes mesmerizing. "Why are you here?"
From the corner of his eye, Bill saw a multitude of women emerge from the bushes to surround the remaining men. They were as diverse as they were beautiful; all shapes, sizes, all colors of the rainbow. He watched as they embraced the loggers, who gave only a token resistance before succumbing to their charms. The sounds of masculine groans of pleasure floated on the wind.
Bill returned his eyes to the enchantress, torn between desire and fear.
"We are... we need to..." He couldn't complete the sentence under her gaze. "W-who are you?"