Kal, Male, 36

	- Narrator, disaster survivor and castaway

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

Bailey, Female, 13

	- Disaster survivor and castaway

	- 5'2, 110lbs, golden-brown tanned skin, shoulder-length light yellow-brown sun-streaked hair

Keekah, Female, 14

	- daughter of Manu, sister of Hakee and Mie, cousin of Poln

	- 5'3, 125lbs, mocha-brown skin, waist-length mostly-straight black hair

Gale, Female, 42

	- Survivor on Isla Gale

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

Manu, Female, 31

	- 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, 17
 
	- Survivor from Hahonoko, daughter of Manu, sister of Keekah and Mie, cousin of Poln

	- 5'9, 150lbs, mocha-brown skin, butt-length straight black hair

Mie, Female, 11

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

	- 4'7, 85lbs, mocha-brown skin, shoulder-length wavy black hair

Poln, Male, 10

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

	- 4'7, 100lbs, mocha-brown skin, short, wavy dark-brown hair

Hona, Female, 28

	- Survivor from Hahonoko, friend of Manu

	- 5'2, 155lbs, dark-brown skin, shoulder-length wavy dark-brown hair

Tok, Male, 34

	- Survivor from Hahonoko, friend of Manu

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

Amy, Female, 15

	- Stowaway from California

	- 5'6, 115lbs, pale skin, shoulder-length straight black hair

The island was raw, riveting, every beat of my heart showing me a shade of green I'd never experienced, brought the joyous sounds of a laughing birds, of branches slapping and clapping, catching the breeze for a moment and making it sing. It was comfortable, familiar, but for the first time in many months, the camp wasn't taken for granted. I saw a thousand things we needed to do to get it in shape, some of them brought on by the ravages of the storm, others the result of many months of letting the little things slide.

No longer, I promised myself. What we had on the island was always in need of improvement, of repair, of attention to the little things. The storm had blown debris everywhere, covered the fire pit with sand, and felled a couple of trees next to the boat. Thankfully, there was no obvious damage and our supplies and shelters looked to be intact. Still, there was a lot I saw that needed done.

First, though, we all recovered our wits and tried to recover our energy. Keekah was settled into the shelter shared by Hona and Hakee, sleeping and dreaming opiate dreams next to the two as they slumbered. Manu, Mie, and Poln napped in their shelter while Tok and Gale settled in the third.

I was exhausted but didn't want to sleep. Amy and Bailey climbed the deck and disappeared into the cabin for a nap while I sat in the shade next to the boat.

It was too soon to reflect on what had happened in the last couple of days. Instead, I inventoried what we needed to do to get ourselves back to a comfortable situation.

Water would run low soon and we needed to make a trip to fill up our jugs. Firewood was down to just a week supply below deck and another week in the wet pile in the tree-line, right on the edge of what we considered a minimum amount. We had a lot of dried and preserved foods, a few fresh vegetables, banana-fruits and purple nuts, but I decided we could all use a fresh, hot meal that evening.

I dug out the fire pit and got the flames roaring, settling a pot over and adding in a few seasonings and dried veggies. I grabbed a chair, three poles, rope, and the fishing supplies and soon had lines out for both fish and crabs. I was a bit of a zombie as I stood vigil, but a slow joy spread over me as I pulled in fish and crab alike. It became a bit frantic, trying to set the hook with a pole while a crab threatened to scurry away with the clam and rope.

I lost track of time in the cloudy afternoon, but I had a dozen fish and as many crabs collected by the time Amy joined me and sat on the sand, her toes in the surf. She smiled a sleepy smile at me, said, “that was rough.”

“I had everything under control. It just looked like we nearly died out there.”

She looked at me seriously a moment before breaking into a big grin. “Liar.” She took over the crabbing while I pulled in another fish. “Seriously, wow.”

“Yeah. I can honestly say that, for first time in my life, I accepted I was going to die. To have all this again,” I spread my arms to hold in the island, “I don't believe in gods and fate and guiding hands, Amy, but seeing this again... it's as close to a miracle as I'll ever know. Any of us.”

“Agreed. I wasn't scared this time. I thought I would be. Should've been. I just... didn't let myself be scared. I just... let things work out. I knew we would die... knew it... saw it on your face, saw it on Bailey's... and... I feel it now, more than I did then, just how close we were...”

I nodded, said, “I know... I was scared. I try not to show it... but... I was scared... you, though... I'm proud of you. You told me you'd rather die than get on another boat, and yet you jumped into the raft and went with me and Bailey without hesitation. You have guts, Amy, serious guts.”

She shrugged, “they needed help. How could I stay here when they needed help? I didn't really think about it until last night. It was so dark in the boat, so smelly, so lonely even though there were people all around, leaning on me. Then I felt it, but... I guess it wasn't as bad. I wasn't alone, I had you, Bailey, everyone else. I knew that if we died, at least I wasn't going to die alone.”

It made sense as I pulled in another fish and tried to see it through Amy's eyes. Her boat experiences were always just her, suffering, hiding, scared, with no one to trust. She'd quickly become close to me, to Bailey as well, had come to enjoy the company we all shared. It told me just how strongly she trusted us, loved us, when she overcame her deep fear in the boat and didn't panic, didn't break down. She was a strong one, and I knew she'd blossom further as the days faded away.

I got off the chair and sat on the sand next to Amy. I wanted to feel her against me, to know she was there. She leaned her head on my shoulder as she pulled in the string, and for long moments the innocence of our love for each other radiated and burned. When Bailey joined us a while later and leaned into my other side, I had to drop the pole a moment and hold them to me and be thankful that they were in my arms and had my back in all things.

Gale and Hakee joined us with the other two fishing poles, and before long, the five of us were hauling in fat blue and gold fish, along with a few we'd never seen before. They looked like flounder, flat fish with eyes on one side. They were plump and I hoped they tasted as wonderful as the flounder I caught off San Diego.

“How are Tok and Keekah?”

“Tok's doing fine. He overextended himself, I think, but he's resting. The knee's gonna take some time, but he's stubborn, so I doubt it will keep him from moving about.”

“Remind me later how to give him a proper thanks in his language. I still can't believe he did so much with that pain. He wouldn't take the painkiller and yet... he tried to fix the engine... paddled the raft... that man is a keeper, Gale.”

I smiled at her and she beamed back. “I've been thinking the same thing. He's got a big heart and a big smile and a big... well... He's a good man.” I laughed and she continued. “Keekah's still out. I think she's doing ok. Manu did what she could for her. Pretty sure that ankle's broken. Manu's going to fashion a cast of sorts for her when the swelling goes down in a few days. Really wish we had ice those first few hours, it would have helped a lot.”

Keekah's ankle had been wrapped when I first saw it, but I did recall that it looked grotesquely swollen. “We'll do everything we can for them. They've both done so much for us.”

Gale nodded and pulled in another flounder.

I must have started to nod off because Bailey's arm wrapped around me and pulled me back upright. “Go nap, Kal. We've got this.”

Only latter did I realize how significant her words were. It was hard to let go to accept that others could shoulder the burden of responsibility. Not that I didn't trust Bailey or the others, not that I doubted their abilities. But survival had been difficult at times, the margins for error very small, and I had trouble giving away any of that. But Bailey's words, her confidence, her smile that said that I really could leave some of the burden, it was convincing. I loved her all the more for it.

I made my way to the cabin and collapsed. I don't remember my dreams and I don't recall anything more until the light had fallen and night was once more over us.

I woke startled. I was on the boat, drifting, lost, alone. I felt for Bailey, for Keekah, for Amy and Gale and found myself alone. I called out their names, heard only my own voice. I was confused, scared, bolted from the cabin and cried out, “Bailey? Bailey!”

Her voice called up to me from near the fire, and my heart beat once more, “Kal, what's wrong?”

I felt anxious, not myself, confused, agitated, tried to find the emergency that my body told me must surely exist. “I... uh... I lost you... I lost you... All of you... I... uh...”

She rushed up to me, as did Amy. “Shhh,” Bailey whispered, “shhh... It's ok, Kal... we're here. Everyone's here. It's ok.” They held my arms and hugged me.

“Where... where's Keekah, where is she?”

“She's ok. She's ok, Kal. Really. We're all ok. Keekah's down by the fire, finally awake, finally eating again. Come on, we've got food for you, come eat.”

“I... something's not right, I can feel it... I can feel it...”

Bailey and Amy looked at each other with concern. Amy said, “Kal, it's ok. Everything's fine. We're having dinner, everyone's down there. Please. Come eat, you'll feel better.”

I can't explain what was going on. I didn't recall the day with the boat until some hours later. All I remembered was fear, the need to help someone, the horrible threat of everyone I loved dying. I trembled as the girls led me to a seat by the fire, and I saw on Gale's face that she was worried about me.

I tried to sit still but shook, I couldn't rationalize where I was or what had happened. It was like I was stuck between waking and dream, the world lost its context and all that was left was the dire, desperate emotions that had fueled my body for too long.

Keekah laid nearby and when I realized she was there I ran to her and held her to me. She managed a weak smile and said, “Kowl... Love you Kowl... Thank you come get me. Thank you...” I couldn't parse her meaning, all I knew was that I needed to hold her, needed to know she was ok. I held her a long time, ignored everyone and everything until I heard Gale tell me to eat.

I finally backed off and let Keekah lay still. She'd felt so warm, her flesh had soothed something terrible inside me, let some demon of urgency finally rest. I sank down in my chair and stared at the plate of food in my lap.

A fish filet the size of my thigh hung over the edge, dripping in juices, next to it a pile of what I assumed were potatoes, onions, bits of mango and coconut, a thin white sauce poured over it. I just stared, perhaps I forgot how to eat. I don't know. I was disconnected so severely that I don't recall anything else in my head for some time.

At some point I must have eaten because I remember the empty plate being taken from me and a glass half full of vanilla rum placed in my hand.

I drank and slowly warmed. Conversation around me began to register in my ears. I became aware that Bailey and Amy had gotten close to me and alternated taking my hands into theirs as I drank my rum. I warmed. Warmed. Became aware of the fire and the people around it. The boat. We'd been lost. So lost. Lost to the world. To each other. Where had we been? How did we find the fire again? I was still lost, it seemed, and I really don't recall crawling back into bed and falling asleep.

- - -

My dreams mixed darkly with moments of semi-conscious terror. I'd become aware of being in the cabin but unable to move. I slid through hallucinations until I dreamed once more, than came awake again to my paralysis. Once or twice I noticed Bailey stroking my hair and whispering to me, but I don't know now what she was saying.

I felt hot, then cold, hot again. I was frightened, cold once more. I remember her mopping my brow with a cloth. It was light outside as I drifted in and out of sleep. Amy held me. Later I awoke in Bailey's arms. Gale was there one moment, gone the next. I had a hard time putting anything in context, didn't know night and day, lost track of time, and at some point I stopped fighting, left the world to take care of itself as I lost myself in a black nothingness for what may have been minutes or days.

- - -

I heard a whisper that roused me. “... burning with fever. I'm worried. The symptoms... when I was down... two weeks...” It was Gale, I think, but I couldn't really put her words into a narrative that made sense. I tried to rise and felt heavy and light at once. The Pink Floyd song Comfortably Numb contained a line that went 'my hands felt just like two balloons.' As I attempted to rouse myself, parts of my body seemed to lift on their own, lighter than air, anchored by the parts of me that seemed to balance them out by feeling leaden and thick.

Hands pushed back on me gently, and Gale said, “Kal... hey... just relax... you've got a fever.”

I sputtered, “I need... I need... where's Bailey, Amy, Keekah? Where is everyone... someone... I need... to help them...”

“Shhhh... everyone is fine. Bailey and Amy were just here. Manu's here with me. Everyone's fine.”

“Water... need water...”

“I'll get you some...”

“No... jugs... we're low... need water filled...”

Gale smiled and kissed my forehead. “You dear man... so worried about us. We took care of it. Don't worry, your sweet Bailey took charge already, she's got everyone jumping to get things done.”

Something settled in me with those words. Something calmed. I laid back and tried to relax, somewhat aware that the fever had made my thoughts twisted and difficult to get straight. I finally said, “good. Good... she's a good one... I... I am dry, could use water... please... there's... there's acetaminophen... in the portable kit... for the fever.”

Gale smiled again, held out her hand. “Already tracked those down. You already had a few doses, time for the next round.” Despite her smile, her eyes showed that she was still worried about me.

I swallowed the pills, drank my cup of water and then a second. I tried to relax.

It was evening when I became aware again, just a bit of light coming into the cabin. I needed to pee badly, felt as though I had drunk the ocean. I stumbled to my feet. The door was open, letting a nice breeze into the room. I looked out to see a million stars dotting the sky and for a moment I forgot all things as I gazed above.

Then my bladder clenched and I tried to make it to the edge, nearly lost my balance and propped myself against the cabin. Bailey rushed up the ladder and took my arm. “Kal, you need to rest! Come, you need to come back to bed.”

I managed, “pee. I need to pee.”

She nodded and helped me to the far side of the boat, away from the camp. She held my penis as my flow started strong. I urinated freely, a distant part of me enjoying Bailey's fingers on my length as I did so. My urine slowed to a drizzle and dripped over the side. She shook me twice, then dropped to her knees, took me in her mouth, and cleaned my cock completely. Despite my fever and my confused state, my dick was fully aware of the warmth of Bailey's mouth.

It was over quickly, and I watched as Bailey stood and tested the flavors in her mouth. If she found it disgusting, she betrayed nothing with her expression. Instead she smiled, kissed my cheek, and led me back to bed.

We laid down together and I was lost again for some time.

I awoke in the night and I knew immediately that my fever had broken. I almost felt normal, rested, perhaps a little weak, but well. I didn't sweat, felt like my arms and legs were back to their normal densities, my thoughts coherent. My confusion of the previous days was gone, replaced by the memories of what we'd been through and what little I'd managed to observe in the time since.

Bailey was next to me, her soft butt against my groin. Amy was behind me, an arm over my shoulder, her breasts pressed into my back. I felt wonderful, couldn't help that my penis hardened and slid between Bailey's legs.

She snored lightly as I ran my cock into her butt crack, letting her cheeks hold my penis between them. My flesh slid past Bailey's tight little anus, rubbing it as I grew harder. I felt Amy pull up and look over me. I turned back, caught her eye and kissed her. She smiled and held me, watched as my dick slipped between Bailey's labia and slid into the thirteen-year old's vagina.

Bailey let out a soft sigh but didn't wake as I entered her. I held myself inside, enjoying her hot pussy. Amy rose high, sat on her legs behind me as I started to thrust and withdraw. She touched my legs and let her hands lightly brush Bailey's ass, her fingers feeling the softness, the smoothness of my young wife's skin.

Bailey stirred finally, her body moving before her eyes opened. She pressed back into me, pushing my dick deeper into her cunt, taking my length almost completely inside of her. Like Keekah, Bailey's pussy had matured and was better able to accept me inside. Also like Keekah, she was still incredibly tight and her perfect snatch consumed my hard cock.

We rocked together slowly. I heard her whisper, “oh, Kal...” as I fucked her gently. Amy's hands trailed over Bailey's leg and it was then that the thirteen-year old looked back and realized it was not just the two of us. Bailey's mouth was open, panting, the edges curled into a smile when she saw Amy. She slid her hand over the fifteen-year old's and led it to the front of her body, down to her pubes.

Amy's hand slid between Bailey's thighs, guided by the thirteen-year old, and soon, the pale-skinned girl was touching Bailey's pussy while I slipped in and out.

Bailey arched up, tensed, her vagina clamped as I thrust, her body shuddered, and she came, moaning long and wonderful in my ears. I didn't have much left in me when I groaned and emptied my seed into Bailey's pussy, filling her weakly with what little cum I could ejaculate. She accepted it and held tight against me as I came, the feel of her butt against me so warm and arousing.

Amy sat back and watched as we slowed our rutting and stopped, breathing heavily. She wasn't sure what to do, perhaps felt a bit out of place as Bailey and I made love and finished. I was feeling more tired than when I had awoken, but I wanted Amy to know pleasure very strongly in that moment.

I started to take her arm to guide her over between us, but Bailey was there first, turning, sitting up and bringing Amy to her. She laid the fifteen-year old down in front of me on her back, and together we settled into the teen's body and let our fingers explore her sensitive flesh.

Amy trembled with our touches, her young flesh covered in goosebumps, so warm under my fingers. Bailey kissed her and then I brought the girl's lips to mine as Bailey slid down and took her breasts into her mouth. Amy moaned between my lips, her body rising and falling as her breathing grew heavy. Bailey kissed her tits, licked the salty skin underneath, let her fingers dance down the fifteen-year old's thighs and slowly parted her legs.

I watched as Bailey's hand stroked Amy's straight, black pubes, the girl's thighs opening wide. I kissed Amy's neck, sucked on her earlobe. I whispered, “I love you, Amy,” as Bailey slid lower and gazed at Amy's sex from below.

I was in heaven as my young wife tasted Amy's pussy, her tongue lapping gently on the girl's labia and sliding over her clit. Amy arched and moaned a long, “oooohhhh... ooooohhhh...” with each touch. My fingers caressed her young, sensitive breasts, teased her tight, dark nipples, then drew them into my mouth, sucking her, tasting her warm skin with my tongue.

Bailey's head bobbed slowly between Amy's legs, her movements sure and focused. Amy's body drew up, her legs rose, her knees bent, her body shook and rolled. The girl's head drew back and rolled to one side, her arm slid over my shoulder and held me to her, her nipple hard between my lips.

Bailey purred into her cunt, mewling like a satisfied kitten as she tasted Amy, tasted her, licked her most private places. I smelled her then, knew her personal aroma as it hit my nose. Amy's arousal smelled of brine and warm flesh and wet pussy. She moaned again, louder, louder with each breath.

Amy drew up tighter, a hand on Bailey's head between her legs, the other holding tightly to my shoulder. I let my hand slid down her thigh, near where Bailey slid her tongue between the teen's labia and sampled her juices deep inside. Amy cried out, shuddered, and came beneath us. “aaaAAAHH... AAAAHHH... OOOHHH... NNNNUUOOOHH... OOOOHH... OOOhhh... oooohhh...” She bucked and clenched, her fingers a hard grip on my arm, her other hand holding Bailey's head tight against her genitals. Over and over she shuddered and quaked, Bailey's tongue and my fingers and mouth bringing the girl to a powerful, wonderful climax that took long moments to subside.

Amy relaxed, her hands fell away, her body covered in sweat as Bailey rose and brought her lips to mine. I tasted Amy immediately. Her delicate juices sweet and creamy and salty. I tasted brine and sweet jasmine, nutty tones of cashews and light hints of roses. Bailey's lips and tongue were coated with Amy's discharge, the slippery cream soon coating my tongue as well.

I longed to taste her directly myself, but the girl was relaxing, spent, her satisfaction complete, and I knew that she was ready to slide back into sleep. I moved up and held her body close, letting my fingers slide between her legs, cupping her sex and enjoying the heat that rose from her genitals. Bailey slid to the other side of the girl and kissed her for several minutes, letting the taste of her own pussy fill the girl's mouth.

She rested her head on Bailey's shoulder, whispered, “I love you Bailey. I love you, Kal. Oh... Oh... god... oh... mmmmmm....” She was soon snoring softly against my wife's chest. I stared into Bailey's eyes, saw the delight there, the thrill of her experience radiating from her face. She smiled at me and I knew she had loved sharing that moment with me.

I couldn't sleep and saw that Bailey was still awake. I slowly stood and Bailey slipped from under Amy, letting the teen curl up as she took my hand. We left the cabin, my legs a little unsteady, weak from the fever and from my orgasm inside her. Bailey helped me down the side, grabbed towels, and we walked down to the surf to sit and stare at the beautiful sky.

I'd gotten really good at telling time based on where the stars were. Not necessarily the hour, but what part of the night we were in. When you have no clocks, no watches, it became a normal thing to note which stars sat on the horizon to the East or West. They shifted throughout the months, but I got to where I knew which stars set just before dawn, and which would replace them in the weeks ahead.

I judged it to be very early morning, several hours before dawn, as we slipped into the water. I let my hands slide softly over Bailey's skin and she did the same to me. Soon, she turned around and fell back against me as we bobbed and drifted in the cool water.

“I love you, Kal... Love you so much. I was worried about you... you must be feeling better, then?”

“I am... still a bit weak, perhaps. Better, much better. Sorry I scared you, Kitten. I scared myself a bit, I think. Been a crazy few days...”

“Yeah, crazy...” I nuzzled her neck, let her hair brush past my nose and over my cheek. She said, “Amy's wonderful... I really, really like her. She really cares about you, too. She checked on you constantly when you were in bed. She helped me wash you, and... and we've talked a lot. She really likes you.”

I smiled, said, “I like her too.”

“Love her, you mean.”

“Yes.”

“Me too. That's the first time... I've done that with her. But we kissed a lot yesterday. I needed her, to feel her lips. She's so soft and wonderful... I... I really miss Keekah, though... I mean, not that she's gone, but... she's hurt and drugged and not all there right now...”

“I know... me too, Kitten. How's she doing?”

“Ok. Her pain is ok. Manu thinks her swelling is starting to go down, she may put a better cast on her today. I hope she's able to stay awake more, I really miss talking to her. Laughing with her. She such a good friend, I miss having that. Guess I didn't really notice how much until she got hurt...”

I nodded. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I feel the same... about everything, really. When we got back to the island, after all that, I felt... I felt like I'd taken it for granted. Everything we have, everyone, even you, maybe. I took it for granted that I'd always have it. Not anymore. I'm so grateful that we didn't lose everything that I'll not let that happen anymore. I cherish you, love you, love Keekah, and Amy and Gale and everyone... Never again...”

Bailey rolled her head back and kissed my chin, pressed her cheek against mine. “Amy's kinda not sure about everything. She told me that... that you played with her while I was up North... that she stroked you and you came on her... she was worried that I'd be mad. That I'd be jealous.”

“Are you?”

She hesitated just a moment before answering. “Maybe. No. No, not really, just... you know... it wasn't with me. I wasn't there to share it. For a minute maybe I was jealous. But... I dunno. I like Amy. Love her, I guess. And... Oh, Kal, I just love you so much. I never want to lose that. Promise me... Promise me that whatever we do, whoever we welcome into our... relationship... promise me that you won't leave me or forget me or stop loving me...”

It was the first sign of vulnerability I'd seen from Bailey in some time. She'd been so strong lately, so confident, so powerful in her will to survive and to help others. A part of me melted to hear it, and part of me was angry that I enjoyed being the one to give her the reassurance. “I promise you, Bailey Islandtamer... I promise that no matter what we do, no matter who we do it with, that you are my wife, the most important person in my life, and I promise to never take that for granted, to never forget it, and every day make sure I show you how much you mean to me. I promise you that.”

She kissed me, then pulled back, “'Islandtamer'?”

I laughed. “Oh, I'd forgotten to tell you that one. When Keekah's mom came in before they left for the North and I came in her mouth... she called me 'Kal Islandtamer.' I kinda liked it, and since you're my wife... I figured you should be called 'Islandtamer,' too. What do you think?”

“I like it. 'Islandtamer.' Sure, why not.” She turned and wrapped her arms around me, then wrapped her legs around my waist, riding me in the surf. “When you get to feeling better... I want you, badly... in every way... I want you inside me... everywhere... Promise me that, Kal Islandtamer.”

“I've never made a promise that would be so easy to keep. Yes, as soon as I have recovered, I promise you that and more.” We kissed again, my penis hardening and resting up against her pussy. I was too weak to do more, but it was still very arousing to feel her against me that way.

I needed some reassurances about our new relationship. “So... be honest with me, Kitten. What do you really think now about Amy, about... well all of us...”

This time, she didn't hesitate. “I love her Kal. We talked a lot, not just about you or sex... things she likes, things she's done. She's really cool, and I love being with her. She's really smart.”

“You're really smart, too. The way you came up with how to get Keekah's litter up the ramp. The cradle to get her over the side. Everything you did on that trip... I knew it before, Kitten, but you are simply brilliant. You and Amy probably have more brains than the rest of us combined.”

She giggled, “well, I dunno about that, but, uh... seriously. She's smart. She's going to start a journal, too. Just observations, I think. Some nature, some astronomy, keep a record of the things we do to survive. Recipes, how we prepare food, plants we can eat, that sort of thing. I'm going to help her, sounds like a lot of fun.”

“That's great. Very helpful. Everything we can get down and save that way might help us later. Get Manu to talk about her first aid, Tok his fishing, Hakee and Hona on their skills around gardens and various other things. Get Gale to talk about all her trials with the plants. So much to know and right now, most of it is in their heads. Fantastic idea.”

Bailey's nipples were hard as she pressed against me and hugged me tight. “But about the rest of it... I worried that I'd be jealous... and when she first told me... even though I knew it would happen and told you it was ok... I still felt a little jealous... but it didn't last long. I talked to her and found that I wanted her to feel good, to know your love the way I do... and... Oh, Kal. I just want to love everyone, now. Everyone. Since we made it back...”

She paused a moment, “Hakee hugged me yesterday. Hard. Really the first time and I got all warm and tingly. If she'd have... started touching me... I'd have let her, and I'd have done that and more... Anyone... I feel that way, now. I don't want to miss any of that, to think that someone didn't feel loved or that I could have made someone feel good and didn't... that... someone might want to make me feel good and doesn't... I dunno... I love Amy. I love that you love Amy... what we did earlier... that was hot and so wonderful... I can't wait to do more with her... She's still a virgin, you know, at least where dicks are concerned...”

“Yeah, she told me. When we talked, she wasn't ready for more, but we did have some moments that night that were fun and she enjoyed them, though she worried that she'd hurt you, that she'd wrecked things. I told her not, but I'm glad you two had a chance to talk about it. We'll definitely do more with her, when she's ready. I can't wait till Keekah is better, you know how much she likes to lick pussy. I can't wait to taste Amy, myself. She was pretty delicious on your lips.”

Bailey brought her mouth to mine on cue and we crawled up the sand and sat a while, the teen cradled between my knees, her back to my chest. It was a moderate night, clear, light breeze. For the first time in days I felt human again. Felt in control. I knew things would have changed in the camp, that my absence, my delirium had forced others to take responsibilities that I'd always clung to and never considered relinquishing.

Bailey herself had come into her own, and from what Gale told me, she'd been responsible for ensuring the camp stayed tight and things got done. I was so proud of her for that, and I told her so, holding her lovely young breasts in my hands. We whispered and giggled and touched each other until the first light rose in the East, and before anyone else stirred, Bailey and I had a fire going and breakfast of scallops and banana-fruits ready for everyone.