Kal, Male, 38

	- Narrator, disaster survivor and castaway

	- Husband of Kate, Bailey, Keekah, and Amy, father of Katie

	- 6'1, 190lbs, straight, shoulder-length dark-brown hair

Kate, Female, 37

	- Wife of Kal and Amy

	- 5'8, 150lbs, pale skin, shoulder-length curly red hair

Nina, Female, 26

	- Lover of Kate, Kal, and Hakee

	- 5'4, 120lbs, light-brown tanned skin, straight shoulder-length brown hair

Bailey, Female, 14

	- Wife of Kal, mother of Katie

	- 5'5, 130lbs, golden-brown tanned skin, shoulder-length light yellow-brown sun-streaked hair

Keekah, Female, 16

	- Wife of Kal, pregnant, daughter of Manu, sister of Hakee and Mie, cousin of Poln

	- 5'6, 140lbs, mocha-brown skin, waist-length mostly-straight black hair

Gale, Female, 43

	- Wife of Tok

	- 5'5, 130lbs, dark tanned skin, waist-length dark reddish-brown hair

Manu, Female, 33

	- Survivor from Hahonoko, mother of Keekah, Hakee, and Mie, aunt of Poln

	- 5'5, 150lbs, mocha-brown skin, butt-length straight black hair

Hakee, Female, 18
 
	- Survivor from Hahonoko, daughter of Manu, sister of Keekah and Mie, cousin of Poln

	- 5'9, 145lbs, mocha-brown skin, butt-length straight black hair

Mie, Female, 12

	- Survivor from Hahonoko, daughter of Manu, sister of Keekah and Hakee, cousin of Poln

	- 4'10, 100lbs, mocha-brown skin, shoulder-length wavy black hair

Poln, Male, 11

	- Survivor from Hahonoko, nephew of Manu, cousin of Keekah, Hakee, and Mie

	- 4'10, 115lbs, mocha-brown skin, short, wavy dark-brown hair

Tok, Male, 35

	- Survivor from Hahonoko, husband of Gale

	- 6'3, 205lbs, brown skin, shoulder-length wavy dark-brown hair

Amy, Female, 16

	- Wife of Kal and Kate, pregnant

	- 5'6, 130lbs, pale skin, shoulder-length straight black hair

Katie, Female, 23 1/2 weeks

	- Daughter of Kal and Bailey, first baby born on island

	- Infant, beige skin, sandy red hair

Amu (Amutoko), Male, 52

	- Newcomer to the island, widowed hermit

	- 5'6, 150lbs, medium-brown skin, tight-curly black hair

Kylana, Female, 15

	- Uhonamonan visiting the island, sister of Hunamu, Tika, and Tila

	- 5'8, 140lbs, dark-brown skin, long dark-brown hair in braids

Hunamu, Male, 14

	- Uhonamonan visiting the island, brother of Kylana, Tika, and Tila

	- 5'10, 150lbs, dark-brown skin, cropped curly black hair

Tika, Female, 13

	- Uhonamonan visiting the island, twin sister of Tila, sister of Kylana and Humanu

	- 5'3, 125lbs, dark-brown skin, wavy dark-brown back-length hair

Tila, Female, 13

	- Uhonamonan visiting the island, twin sister of Tika, sister of Kylana and Humanu

	- 5'3, 125lbs, dark-brown skin, wavy dark-brown back-length hair

Popko, Male, 20

	- Uhonomonan native

	- 5'10, 165lbs, dark-brown skin, short curly black hair

The appearance of the boat triggered in several of us the acknowledgement that we had let ourselves grow somewhat lax in preparing for worst-case scenarios. Before dawn the following day, I sat with Nina and Bailey, Katie nursing at my wife's leaking breast, while we ate a quick breakfast of canned plums and banana-fruits mixed into porridge.

“They may come here, Kal,” Nina cautioned, “we can't avoid that forever.”

“No, you're right,” I replied, finishing my meal, “so what do we do about it?”

“We should build defenses around the camps.”

I frowned, “would that really do anything? Wouldn't we just melt into the trees if we were attacked here? Get up on the ridge and defend there?”

“Probably,” Nina said, “but it wouldn't take much to put up a handful of defensive bunkers here, as well as in the North. The ones here would allow a couple of us to buy the others time when they moved North. And there, we would need to defend the pass up. I know it's a difficult climb, but we can do a lot to improve our ability to protect ourselves there.”

I nodded, wishing I didn't have to think about such a frightening event. “Can you lead the effort, if the others are on board?”

Nina nodded. “I wasn't infantry, you know, most of my time on boats, but I have a basic understanding that can help us here.” She scraped her bowl with a spoon and swallowed the remains of her porridge before continuing. “I think we have to prepare. We have too much at stake.”

“Agreed,” Bailey cut in. “We have one infant already, two more on the way. We can't risk a haphazard defense if they come, Kal.”

“I know... I know.” I watched as Bailey shifted Katie from her left breast to her right, a small trail of thin milk drooling from our daughter's lips and onto Bailey's stomach where her shirt was raised to expose her tits. “I'm in. I hate to think that of the effort involved, but I understand we have to do it.”

“We can't defend everything. Just around this camp, and the North, along with the pass there. Here, we do it to buy time, there...”

“As a last stand,” Bailey added quietly.

Nina nodded and said nothing more.

The others soon joined us around the fire, Hakee still in the North alone, Nina going back as soon as it was light. No one disagreed with the plan to build defenses near the camps, and Nina promised to have an outline of how to accomplish the goals by the time she and Hakee returned in a few days time.

With light soon spreading out over the island, Nina headed North. I planned to take Popko with me to clean up the corpses, but he was feeling ill that morning and Amy insisted she wished to go in his place. I warned her about the bloated, festering bodies, but she felt she was up to the grim work and wanted to help out. Kate, Bailey, and the others set about the daily chores in earnest, trying to get ahead of the tasks before we had to start dedicating time to building our defenses.

- - -

It was a depressing task heaving the bodies into the water. The day was already warm by the time Amy and I got to the boat, which made the odors so much worse. We wore the worst of our clothing so as not to soil anything of much value during the cleaning. We'd taken a few things with us to aid in scouring the blood from the deck, as well as food and water. I hoped it wouldn't take too long.

The first body, that of the woman, oozed from where the corpse had burst open in several places. We wrapped bandanas around our mouths and noses, but the smell was still overwhelming. I think I had a harder time with it than Amy, and that surprised me given her pregnancy and sensitivity to nauseating smells. I retched several times before we were able to send the woman's body to drift quickly to the Southeast.

The second was easier and soon we had it trailing behind the first. The final one, the corpse down in the hold, was simply awful. It took us an hour of small movements to get it onto the deck and over the side, the smell too much for either of us to deal with for long. Carrying it up the ladder proved too difficult as bits of skin broke off and puss oozed out of cracks and wounds. We finally settled on tying it off with a rope and hoisted it up to the deck, then turned it over the rail just seconds before I lost my breakfast over the side.

I stared at the blood stains on the deck as I sipped water and sat with my back against the starboard rail. Amy held her arm around me as we rested in silence. We were both covered in disgusting fluids and we smelled like we, too, were rotting and fetid.

An hour later, after a lot of scrubbing and using a bucket to draw saltwater up over the railing, we had removed the stains from the deck. I wasn't looking forward to trying to deal with the hold.

“What I'd give for some bleach and a few scented candles right now,” I groaned.

Amy gave me a small smile, “best get this over with, eh?”

I nodded, my stomach turning over again at the mere thought of going back into the hold.

Seeing Amy lead the way gave me strength and fortitude. In so many ways over her months in my life, she had inspired me. When she descended the ladder and immediately set about scrubbing the blood from where the corpse had been rotting and festering near the bow, I felt guilty for having any reluctance. It wasn't that she was cheerful or enthusiastic about it, but she kept her retching in check and went about the task with a determination which encouraged me to do the same.

It took another half-hour or so, and several trips to the deck to draw water and catch my breath, before we were satisfied. It still smelled of the body which had lain inside for days, but it was manageable and should get better over time.

Amy held up better than I did. I retched uncontrollably even after my stomach was empty and the clean up was completed. It was disturbing in so many ways, and I was angry at myself for my visceral reaction to what I'd experienced. It made me feel feeble.

“Hey, check this out,” Amy called from the console in the center of the boat, “they destroyed the radio.”

“Yeah,” I replied weakly, “I noticed that when we were bringing it back here.” The communications equipment had been hastily slashed and parts of it hung from the control panel, wires and broken metal exposed.

“Still finding it strange that they didn't just take this with them.”

I nodded, “agreed, but... who knows why? Maybe there were other P.U. boats around and they thought it was easier to get away with the contents of the hold in one boat instead of two. I dunno.”

Amy stared at the console a moment, then said, “doesn't sit right with me. Can't put my finger on why.”

I didn't respond, busy trying to control my spasming stomach.

- - -

We rested in the shade on shore after finishing the gruesome work, sipping water and bathing in the warm breeze which had whipped around to blow in from the Northeast. We'd stripped our clothing and did our best to scrub away the filth coating our bodies, then donned clean shirts and pants before relaxing a moment. My stomach continued to trouble me, and the stench of the corpses seemed to stick in my nose, the memory of the sickeningly-sweet odors causing me to wave off Amy's offer of food. She munched quietly while I stared out over the water to the East.

“I guess we have two boats now,” she offered.

“I suppose,” I responded without energy. “It worries me a little. Nina identified the boat easily enough as Progress United. If anyone gets close to shore and sees it... it might draw attention which our fishing boat might not.”

“True,” Amy replied quickly, “but we have a backup now. A way to escape quickly if we must.”

I nodded but didn't say more.

“Do you think Nina's defenses are the best plan?” Amy asked, finishing her dried fruit and swallowing a long draw of water.

“I think we have no choice,” I said. “It seems inevitable that GS will show up here. Again. We have to defend what is ours.”

“'What is ours',” Amy repeated, “do you think, when the war is finally over, that we'll be left alone here? I mean... the history books speak of stronger nations always taking over weaker ones. What's to stop Progress or Great Society coming to claim our island for their own one day.”

“Only us, Amy,” I answered. “And we don't really have the numbers or the training to do more than resist. If anyone comes with numbers, or is willing to use real force... there's little we can do.”

“Do we... fight to the death?”

I thought a moment, then replied, “no... no, that would be foolish.” I slid my hand over the gentle curve of her belly. Amy was about four months along in her pregnancy, and I couldn't help feeling a moment of anticipation for the day she would bring a new child into our lives. “We resist while it makes sense. And then...” I trailed off.

“And then we give up?”

I shrugged. “If the options are to see all of us dead, or raped, or taken as slaves... then we'd have to fight to the end. But... say a hundred soldiers come here. What real fight could we give?”

“I dunno, Kal. On the ridge, Nina seems pretty confident we could hold off a large number thanks to the bottlenecks.”

“We could hold off a hundred for a time, but if an enemy is that determined, they'd bring more. Plus, we only have so much ammo. Once that's gone, throwing stones won't stop them. If they bring mortars, grenades, artillery... There are decision points we'd face... not something I want to think about...”

“Yeah,” Amy's voice was wistful, “but I'll fight, Kal, until it is clear we have no chance. I'm fighting for two now. I don't want my child to have to face the worst of what might come just because I gave up too soon.”

“I know... I'm not suggesting we do anything else. But... whatever happens out there, it is inevitable that someone will think we owe allegiance to one side or the other. It's just a matter of time before we face that. Maybe we work it out with words, but we have to prepare for less civil conversations...”

Amy drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs. I slid my arm around her shoulder. She spoke in a whisper. “Will people survive all this, Kal? So many are dead...”

I shrugged, “perhaps. Humans are pretty resilient, don't you think? I mean, look at us.”

“We've been really lucky,” Amy responded, “the wrecked boat, the island's bounty, the raid... all the times we've gotten lucky instead of the worst happening. We could easily be dead and no one in the world would even notice. So many other people didn't make it this long and no one remembers them...”

I stared silently at the two boats bobbing in the moderate waves off shore, their ropes drawing taut and then slack in a steady rhythm. I realized Amy's thoughts had shifted to something more personal than Progress United or Great Society. “Missing your parents?”

She nodded. “Yeah... I don't really think about them much, anymore... but some days...”

“They'd be proud of you, Amy. I'm sure of that. I certainly am.” I stroked her tangled black hair, running my fingers along her ear and down her neck. “I can't imagine life without you. You give me... us... everything you have. I'm sure they would see that you're a strong woman, now. Maybe you don't believe the same things they believed about the world and the forces controlling it, but... I think they would appreciate that you care about others as they did, that you want to make a difference, that you... love us and you don't back down in protecting your family.”

“I suppose... I just... I hate not knowing, Kal. Whether they're alive or dead. At least if I knew they were dead, I could stop thinking I might see them one day. At least then...” she grew quiet.

“At least then you could say goodbye.”

“Yeah...”

We had no clue what had happened to Amy's parents. She lost them in the chaotic fighting many months earlier. It was very likely they were dead. “I'm sorry, Amy...”

“Thanks.” She leaned into me and I wrapped around her tighter. “Sorry I'm such a downer today.”

“Never be sorry for feeling sad. I'm just glad you're here, with me. With all of us. We're family, now. We can never replace your parents, but...”

“You are family, Kal, and that means so, so much to me.”

- - -

“They have asked us to stay longer...” Gale's voice through the radio crackled with static. “They wish me to teach English to them.” We were speaking 'in the clear' for the first time since starting radio communications between our islands. Usually, we used Uhonamonan to converse so that we could reduce the chances that anyone listening in could understand what was said. But Gale had insisted in talking to me directly, and given my poor grasp of either Uhonamonan or Hahonokoan, we were forced to use English.

I was silent a moment, processing Gale's words. “What do you want to do?” I finally responded.

Gale's voice was firm. “I would like to do this. Kal... I'm coming to love it here. I miss home, with you and the others, but we're doing a lot of good work with the Uhonamonans. Tok and I have been teaching individuals English as best we can, but Kunomo has asked to formalize it, to add it as a class in the schoolhouse. Several classes, in fact. They recognize that English is going to be the dominant language no matter who wins this war, and they wish to be ready.”

“And Tok?”

“He said he stays where I stay.”

I smiled. “Never doubted it.”

“It's not permanent, Kal. But for now... I really enjoy helping these folks. They're becoming family, too.”

“Your decision is yours, as always Gale. I can't say we won't miss you, because I know I will, but I'm happy you've found a calling.”

“I think I have, for now, at least,” she replied. “Listen, Tok and I will return for a brief stay in a few days. The Uhonamonans wish to trade some things. Still got plenty of potatoes?”

“Tons right now, yes.”

“Good. Several crates washed up here a few days ago, mostly rice. Some damaged, but a good haul. The potatoes here got mealy, though, so they wish to trade if you will.”

“Sounds good to me, I think the others will agree.”

Gale continued, “Kunomo is coming with us, he wishes to see his nieces and nephew. How are they?”

“Fine. They've taken to this place fairly well. I think they like it here.”

“Good,” she added. “Glad to hear it.” Gale paused, “I must go. We plan to arrive on July 1. Can't wait to see you again, Kal. I love you.”

“Love you, Gale.”

The radio crackled but the woman's voice was gone. I switched off the set and leaned back. I hadn't considered that Gale and Tok might decide to stay in Uhonamona. I knew Gale had said it wasn't permanent, but she'd also mentioned the islanders there were becoming family to her. The longer they stayed, the harder it would be to leave. I felt a small sadness at the idea.

- - -

It had become quite normal over the years to hear the sounds of sexual pleasure in the camp. Often, it was inside the connected huts, where sighs, groans, and wonderful cries could be heard by all. I woke one morning to light sighs, soft moans. It sounded like one of the twins. Bailey was beside me, the other spots on our oversized mattress empty. Katie was also gone from her crib, and I assumed Kate had taken my daughter. The first light of morning could be seen creeping through the doorframe.

I listened a moment and heard the moans grow louder. A second voice soon joined in.

Bailey's arm wrapped over me and she kissed my cheek. “Mmm... sounds lovely in there.”

“Was thinking the same,” I replied.

Her hand soon found my swelling flesh and stroked me to hardness.

Bailey asked quietly, “Want to join them?”

I nodded and we rose slowly, stretching, and shared a warm kiss. My cock throbbed against her body.

A few steps through the small corridor and I pushed aside the curtain which covered the entrance into the common room. Bailey and I stood and watched a moment.

Tila and Tika were naked, on their backs, each with a hand between her twin sister's legs. Both sets of eyes were closed, and we watched as they slowly ground their bodies in pleasure.

One of the girls spotted us a moment later and stopped moving, then smiled. Her sister did the same. Bailey pushed past me a moment, then dropped to her knees, taking my penis in her mouth. The twins watched and began to move again.

Tika and Tila were gorgeous thirteen-year olds, dark-brown skin with thin, dark labia lightly covered in black fur. I could see wetness dripping from both slits.

I pulled Bailey up and took her hand, guiding her to a mattress near the twins. We slid down together in front of them, and I pushed Bailey onto her hands and knees facing the teens. As I sank my cock into my wife's hairy pussy, I had a perfect view of the masturbating twins.

The heat of Bailey's vagina pulsed into me and I swelled inside her young body. I stared into the dark-skinned girls' eyes and stole long looks at their sweaty genitals. Tila closed her eyes and arched her back, her sister's fingers penetrating her vagina. She shuddered in orgasm, her own hand unmoving between Tika's thighs.

As Tila came down, she moved her fingers again, tracing rapid ovals around her twin sister's thin labia, up over the girl's hood, pausing to pass small circles on Tika's hard clit. I felt Bailey shudder, her orgasm rising and crashing into her as I fucked her slippery channel. Tika climaxed to her sister's fingers. The sounds of moaning girls was a cacophony of sensual, arousing tones.

Bailey looked back at me, eyes half-open. “Want to put it in my ass, Kal?”

I groaned my answer and pulled my penis from my wife's pink folds. I leaned down and lapped at Bailey's anus, drawing saliva onto her flesh, using my tongue to push more into her rectum. I loved licking Bailey's asshole, and I spent long moment savoring the rich, dark flavors and soft textures found there.

Tila had slid down between her sister's legs and lapped the teen's pussy slowly, Tika's eyes fixed on Bailey's as I pressed my cock to my lover's tightest hole. Slippery from my saliva, her anus yielded slightly and the head of my dick pushed inside. Bailey gasped but stayed relaxed. She'd taken me there many times, and she'd learned well how to really enjoy the sensation.

Slowly I worked my way in to Bailey's ass. Tila's face was pressed between Tika's thighs, and the girl's upturned ass was close enough for Bailey to caress. I watched my light-skinned wife squeeze and stroke Tila's butt a moment before slipping a finger into the teen's vagina.

My cock swelled inside Bailey's rectum. I was getting close, and watching my teen wife fingering the twin's pussy was making it urgent. When Bailey slipped her finger from Tila's cunt to the girl's anus, I started to unload.

Bailey pressed the tip of her digit into Tila's asshole as cum rushed from my cock. I groaned and held fast, pressed hard against my wife's young body, emptying my seed into her butt. I watched Bailey's finger slide deeper into the teen's ass as the last of my sperm dribbled into Bailey.

I withdrew slowly, slimy cum streaking my cock and leaking from my teen lover's anus. Bailey had her finger deep in Tila's butt, carefully penetrating the girl, pulling out an inch before moving back inside.

Tika slid out from under her sister and moved down the mattress, settling on her back beside Tila's body. Tika moved her hand under her twin's abdomen and started stroking the girl's clit.

Tila erupted in long, intense thrusts against Bailey's finger. Rapidly she rose up, her sister's fingers joining with Bailey's movement in her ass to bring on a powerful climax. Juices slipped from Tila's vagina and ran down her sister's arm.

I collapsed beside Bailey as she withdrew her finger and sank onto her side next to me. The twins curled up quickly, holding each other in a lovely, reassuring way. They kissed lightly on the lips, and then broke into soft giggles, glancing at me and Bailey occasionally.

“That was nice,” Bailey said to the girls, “thank you for sharing that.”

The twins nodded and giggled again. Several times, Tila ran her finger through her ass crack, surely unused to the dull throbbing which she still felt back there. Her grin suggested she liked it.

I rose first, stretching again, and Bailey was soon with me. It was clearly past daybreak, and we had work to do. I smiled at the twins, then knelt down. I kissed each on the cheek, then Tila took my arm and brought her lips to mine. It was almost innocent, closed-mouth, and so wonderful. Tika did the same, and then repeated the lovely gesture with Bailey. We left them and returned to our own cabin to done clothes before heading out into the chilly morning.