The Runaway

I looked outside my reading room window and can see the snow storm get worse. I squinted and can barely see past the privacy hedges I had planted a few feet away from the tiny house that I had built. Several years ago, I had caught wind of the tiny house movement and had fallen in love with the idea of living with a minimalist mindset. One of the advantages of being an architect, you know how to build a home of your own and make it better than anybody else's. With a fantastic career working at a very popular firm, I had raised the money and seniority to work from home and built my own little place on my own little piece of land in the middle of nowhere. Well, it wasn't entirely in the middle of nowhere. I had purchased land just an hour away from NYC. Close enough to where the action is, but far enough to not see the crap and drama that comes with the city. It was paradise for me. Being ambitious, I didn't build a tool shed and called it a home. I went above and beyond. My home may be small, but compared to all the other people living small, my home was large. I needed my technology with me. I needed the niceties. I needed my home to be somewhat zombie/end-of-the-world proof. With that in mind, I built a home I found suitable.

There was a knock at my door. The knock startled me, since my home was a hundred yards down a rocky path from the major roadway that passed through the small town I built my home just outside of. Another knock came, this time, louder and seemingly more urgent. What the hell is this? I thought. I got up from the office chair in my reading room that also served as my office away from the office and walked up to a hidden compartment. I tapped a code into a panel and pulled out a pistol. I pulled the slide of the semi-automatic handgun slightly and press-checked the chamber to make sure it was loaded. I walked down the short flight of steps and head towards my front door. The knock became knocking. I got up to the door and looked into the peephole to see a hooded figure standing right outside. The person had their face covered with a scarf and was seemingly shivering from the storm outside.

"Who is it?" I asked and readied myself for anything. I have taken quite a bit of firearms training. I looked back to the large windows that I had special designed for the living room/dining room/entertainment area of the tiny house. If there was more than one person out there, the knocking can be just a distraction. I kept my awareness of what was going on near the large windows and asked again, "Who is it?"

"Jeff, its Maggie! Please, open the door!"

Maggie? It was my baby sister. Maggie and I were two of the three kids in my family. My sister Connie being the oldest at thirty-two, I was closing to thirty and my sister Maggie, the baby in the family, just turned twenty a few months ago. I ripped the front door opened and can see Maggie was covered with snow. "Maggie? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah, dude, come on in." I said and pulled her into my home. Out of habit, I scanned the surroundings quick before shutting the front door and locking it.

Maggie stood in the mudroom area of my home, shivering. She looked at the gun that was in my hand. "What is that for?"

I looked down and shrugged, "There has been a lot of criminals leaving the city and moving their shit up here. I got this for my own protection."

"Seriously?"

I helped Maggie clean off the snow that had accumulated on her and took her completely soaked jacket from her and hung it on a hook near the front door. I looked her over. She was wearing tight black leggings, a pair of sneakers, a thin sweater and her jacket. As she kicked off her soaked sneakers, I noticed a duffel bag next to her. "Maggie, what are you doing here? Queens is like an hour away by car, two in this storm!"

Maggie looked up at me with her green eyes and ran her hair through her wild dark auburn hair. She pouted, "I got kicked out."

"What?"

"Dad caught me smoking weed."

"So?" I said as I lead her into the living room area and offered her a seat on my custom designed and built couches that can serve as beds when pulled out. I set my pistol down and stepped up into the kitchen and started a pot of water on the stove. "Dad smokes weed every once in a while. I know. I've seen him."

Maggie nodded, but I saw in her body language, there was something else. She took a deep breath and while shivering she said, "I got thrown out because I was also dealing. NYPD knew, but because they knew dad, they gave us a warning and turned a blind eye this time. Dad beat the shit out of me, made me pack whatever I could in this shitty duffel bad and threw me out in this storm."

I stopped what I was doing and groaned, "Maggie, what the fuck?"

"I was stupid. I needed the cash."

"I could have loaned you some money."

Maggie looked over and found one of the blankets I had kept lying around the living room and pulled it around her to stop the shivering. "I can't do that. Money loaned is money owed."

I rolled my eyes as she recanted one of our father's mantras. "Maggie, why didn't you go to Connie's? She lives like thirty minutes away from mom and dad."

"Connie's a cunt, Jeff. She doesn't understand me. I'm not book smart like you and her. She just calls me an idiot and brushes me off. At least I know you have a heart."

I made us both hot tea and brought her a large mug's worth. She warmed her hands with it and sipped from the cup. I can see that she was still shivering. "You have any clothes to change out of? Your choice of clothing for walking around in a blizzard wasn't the best."

Maggie set her mug down on the shelf built into the wall next to her and looted through her duffel bag. She pulled out a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt. I motioned for her to go change in the bathroom. She stood and walked around aimlessly. "Um, where is your bathroom?"

I smiled. I lived here; I should have known people that wouldn't see that the slightly irregular shape of the first floor of my tiny house had accommodated several hidden rooms and closets. I pointed to a door that was kiddy-corner from the kitchen. Maggie peered at where I was pointed and nodded. As Maggie changed, I sat in the living room and contemplated in calling my parents. An alert went off on my phone. I pulled it out and looked at it. An app that my company developed displayed information about a home. It was alerting me that hot water was being used at a great amount and was draining the propane that I had to keep the water heated at high temperature. I sighed, I wasn't going to let Maggie sit there frozen solid in clothes that she had in a duffel bag.

"Wow, that shower is hot." Maggie said as she appeared from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her auburn hair. Her face was flushed from the temperature of the water. She was in better shape. She sat back down across from me and sipped her tea. Maggie looked around my tiny home and nodded. "From the outside, this place looks tiny. But, it really opens up in here."

"Thanks."

"Where do you sleep?"

I pointed at a flight of steps leading to a loft that served as my bedroom and my office/reading room. "I work and spend most of my time up there."

"This is nice, Jeff."

"Thanks."

I stood up from the couch and went to find a blanket and pillow for her. I set them down next to her. "You can pull the cushion out and that couch can turn into a bed. I got an early morning conference call to make. It's late. We can talk about what we are going to do with you tomorrow. Since I have gotten no texts from mom, dad or Connie, you must have pissed them off royally."

"I did."

I started up the steps to my room.

"Jeff?"

I stopped at the top of the steps and looked back.

"Thanks."

* * *

I woke up to the sound of my alarm. I lie in bed and rub the sleep from my eyes and focused around my room. I started looking through messages and emails sent to me while listening to the hum and clicks of my home. I can hear the hot water tank being prepped by the propane powered heaters for my morning shower. The clicks coming from the deck were the solar panels automatically adjusting to the position of the sun in the sky. I wonder if the snow will cause any issue. But, then I heard breathing next to me in bed. I turned and looked and found Maggie sound asleep. Overnight I had completely forgotten that she was here.

"Maggie? What the hell?" I whispered. She stirred slightly, but only to move closer to me in bed. I reached out to her shoulder only to find that it was bare. I lifted the covers to see that she had crawled into my bed in just her panties. Her body was slender, but curvy. Her hips and legs were silky looking and almost shining even though they were under the covers. Her arms were crossed across her bare chest, but I can see her perfectly shaped C cups and little perky nipples. I rolled my eyes and dropped the covers. "What the fuck, Maggie?"

Maggie opened her eyes and smiled, "Hey, Jeff."

"What are you doing in my bed?"

"Dude, it is cold down there. That couch/bed thingy you designed isn't comfortable at all to sleep in." she said pouting. "I got so cold, so I climbed up here and slept next to you. You used to let me do it when I was a kid."

I shook my head, "You also weren't...well, a woman and naked then!"

Maggie snuggled a little closer to me and offered an even bigger smile. "Stop being a prude. I'm not coming onto you. I always slept naked. Since you and Connie moved out, I took your room, which had a lock on the door and slept like I came into this world, naked, free and completely non-caring."

"Jesus, that weed you're smoking is making your head warped."

Maggie giggled, "Says the guy with the erection."

"What?" I looked down and found what she was talking about. "Maggie, that isn't because of you. Jesus, you know guys get like that."

"Mmhmm."

I turned my back to her and continued to look through my phone. "I'm not saying this is right, but it is cold down there. But, I can't let this happen every time you are cold if you continue to stay here."

"So I can stay?"

"I didn't say that, I said if."

"Please? I don't have anywhere else to go!" Maggie pleaded behind me. I felt her get closer to me. Her body was pressed up against my back, "Jeff, seriously, I have nowhere else to go. I burned as lot of bridges before I finally got thrown out. You're my last chance. A last ditch chance or freeze to death wandering the streets."

Maggie always knew how to push my buttons. I relented to her and said, "I will think about it. I do live in a tiny house. It was built for one, maybe two."

"I swear I will keep put of your way!" she said happily and curled into me with happiness. I felt her perfect breasts pushed up against my back. She nuzzled her face into my neck and I felt her arm reach around me. She held onto me and sighed in content. "Didn't you have a conference call? I can head downstairs if you need privacy."

"No, they cancelled it because of the storm. A bunch of people couldn't make it into the office."

"So, what are your plans for today?" She asked.

"Not much, just tending to the house and property. Making sure the snow doesn't cover the solar panels and checking the propane tank levels."

There was a long silence before Maggie said, "So, can you stay in bed with me for a little longer?"

I wanted to turn around and talk to her, but at her current state and my own, I opted not to. "Um...only for a little bit longer, I don't think lying next to your sister is right."

"Especially if she is naked?"

"Yes, Maggie, especially when she is naked."

Maggie held me tighter and sighed in content. "I miss you, Jeff."

I reached down and held her hands that we around me, "I miss you too. I wished you didn't get thrown out."

"Me neither." She snorted. "Maybe, this was just inevitable."

"What was?"

"Me being here, maybe it was just inevitable." She said as she snuggled tighter.

"I don't know about that Maggie. Sure, you have made some bad choices, but it doesn't mean that you can't pull your life back together."

"No, I am fine with my choices. I made decent money when I was selling. Hell, it was helping mom and dad pay for bills too. It's just weed. I don't sell any of that other crap. But, I meant being here...with you."

I pulled her hold loose enough to turn to face her, "What are you talking about?"

Maggie moved a little exposing a glimpse of her perfect breasts, I rolled my eyes and covered her up. She smiled at my discomfort. "I mean, no one else in this family ever understood me. You were always the friendly smile. You always looked at the good instead of the bad. I don't know, Jeff, it is just how you are."

"Stop, your family loves you."

"They have to love you, but they don't have to like you."

I cringed as she spouted off another one of dad's mantras. "Stop."

Maggie got closer to me. I can smell her scent. She always smelled like baby-powder and candy. It wasn't overwhelming, but she had smelled like that since she was a kid. She tucked some of her rich auburn hair behind her ear and looked into my eyes. "You have always kept me safe from Connie when she was on a tirade. You hid some of the crap I did from mom and dad. You were always there for me, my knight in shining armor."

The morning erection that I had thankfully had diminished, but as she got closer, it began to stir. I mustered everything I could to keep anything from drifting into my mind. But, the sight of her in front of me only reinforced the darker thoughts. I closed my eyes and tried to think about everything else other than Maggie being naked and so close to me. The judgmental thought was that she was my kid sister. She was blood. Any thought of perversion was more wrong than anything I can even conjure up. As I opened my eyes, I felt her lips touch mine. Her lips were cool to the touch at the outer most edges, but warm, wet and inviting in the middle. Her kiss sent pulsating electricity through my body. I couldn't remember the last time I had any kind of encounter like this with a woman. Living a life of a recluse can do that to a man's sex life. Impulse took control of my thoughts as I kissed her back. Her tongue playfully darted into my mouth and back out as if she was testing the waters. My erection was now at full and pressing up against her soft, youthful stomach. I reached up and pushed away making sure I wasn't shoving her away, but rebuking the act of the kiss. I shook my head and got out of bed without saying anything and made my way down to the bathroom for a hot shower.

* * *

Eggs. I always liked cooking eggs. I stood in front of the small stove in my kitchen with a frying pan filled with eggs that I was scrambling for breakfast. I looked out the window that was right above the stove and can see that storm had not let up. I went out to check propane levels and was comfortable knowing I had enough that would last me two weeks of non-stop use. The solar panels were cleaned off and still functioning at their peak efficiency. I kept myself busy. Keeping myself away from Maggie at the moment was the best thing for me. I glanced back to see that she was sitting in the living room staring out the window. Her soft, wavy auburn hair had been tied into a neat ponytail. She was wearing a pair leggings she had in her duffel bag and a sweatshirt of mine that I had lying around. She pulled her knees up almost touching her chest as she shifted positions and stared out into the storm. The fabric of the leggings she wore pulled tight on her ass and her pussy. I can almost see right through them. I turned my gaze before she saw me looking.

"Do you want bacon?"

"Sure." She said simply.

I threw a few pieces of pre-cooked bacon onto another pan and watched as they sizzled and snapped from the heat. I quickly checked my phone and still there were no messages in regarding Maggie being thrown out of the house. A part of me was tempted to tell my parents she was here.

"They don't care. I told you that already."

I looked over to her and put my phone back into my pocket, "I was just checking work messages."

"Mhmm." Maggie said. "You can tell them I am here if you want. They won't come and get me. Especially not in this storm, but I can assure you that they won't."

I scooped the scramble eggs and bacon onto two plates, grabbed forks and a bottle of ketchup because Maggie ate everything with ketchup still and walked over to her. I handed her a plate and sat down across from her. "I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to. But, they are your parents and should know you're safe."

Maggie took a bite of the eggs and squirted ketchup over everything after she tasted the eggs. She set the bottle down and looked at me, "Do you want me to go? I can try to walk to the bus station in town."

"What? And, do what at the bus station?"

"Find somewhere else to go."

"Where?" I asked. "No buses are going to be running in what's going on outside."

She shrugged and continued to eat.

"Maggie..."

"I'm sorry, ok?"

"About crashing my pad? I don't care. I would rather you have not frozen to death in this storm."

"Dude," she said as she rolled her eyes. "I didn't apologize for that."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh." Maggie said. "I'm sorry that I kissed you. I want you to know I'm not warped or anything. It isn't the weed talking, but I really do have those feelings for you. Jesus, Jeff, I know you're my brother. Shit, I even got to talking to one of my regular buyers. I told her how I felt about you and she even told me to tell you about them. I don't believe I talked to one of my buyers like she was a friend! I know you must think I'm sick, but to me, it felt right. Ok?"

I nodded and ate some eggs. I found it hard to swallow as Maggie was broaching the subject of us kissing. Sensing I didn't have anything to say, Maggie gave me a pass and changed the subject. Her expression was one of rejection, but I didn't have the mental capacity to say anything to her at the moment.

"How long do you think this storm is going to last?"

I shrugged, "Weather app says it may be for a couple more days, at least."

"Looks like a foot of snow out there."

"Closing on two, Maggie."

She turned to look at me with shock in her eyes. "What if you get stuck here? Do you have supplies? Enough stuff to keep going?"

I smiled as I took another bite of eggs. "I have enough provisions to last several months. The propane that heats this place will last me two weeks of constant use or a month if I keep it easy. I'm not completely off-grid, I have power coming in from the town, but I depend on my solar panels more."

Maggie stuffed another mouthful of ketchup and eggs into her mouth. "You really did design your apocalypse home, didn't you?"

"Yup."

Maggie knocked on the glass of the large window, "I am curious why you would install this huge window if you were preparing for some sort of zombie situation."

I laughed, "I don't know why I did that. There is this woman I worked with and she suggested that a large window here will make me feel less like I was living in a closet."

"Was she pretty?" Maggie said as she ate another bite of eggs.

I shrugged. "Sure."

"Did you make a move?"

I shook my head. "I wasn't...I am still not great with women, Maggie."

Maggie looked over to me. I felt her eyes scan me. I was six foot even with broad shoulders. My father had told me that I had an athlete's body that was wasted upon books. Like everyone in my family, I had green eyes, yet I was the only one that didn't have the auburn hair. I cut my brown hair down to a military style cut and was now sporting a thing beard that gave my still boyish face some edge to it. "You are an attractive guy, Jeff. I bet you have had many girls flirting with you at work. I would if I worked with you."