Authors: H Ryder
“I’ve always had one, and I’ve taken a few courses, off-roading and recovery, you know, just the essentials.” I laugh. “Never driven one of these though,” I change gear with an audible and reassuring clunk, “and I like it.” I steer along the track, “and, yes your car will do this too,” he looks very satisfied.
We arrive in perfect order at the bottom and the path goes west, or is it east, it's left...I Think. I drive along the track toward 9 O'clock, notice much fewer ruts here, in fact no ruts, whoever drove here before was put off by the gradient of the hill. Ha! I cheer to myself, visitors one, locals zero.
Fly change and ride a 20 metre circle on the other rein.
It’s raining a little harder now, the track will get slippery. Stopping the car, the view is incredible, the atmosphere is hot, damp and close. It’s quite difficult to breathe, but the surroundings are worth every short breath of damp hot air. We step out of the Landrover into the heavy humidity of the forest. Intense greenery and glossy leaves dripping with rain, unfamiliar calls from brightly coloured birds fill the air and I feel suddenly damp to my skin and haven’t walked anywhere yet. Layered canopies stretch far above us all fighting for their turn in the light, they branch like giant broccoli. Tropical flowers smell intoxicating and I let my senses be filled with the place. I wonder if George and Harry would like it here. Plenty to eat, none of it grass though. Daniel points to a tall flat surface which could be rock a little in from the track with some markings on it. “One of the markers the Professor was telling us we should find?” I nod agreement.
We walk over to the standing stone, now we're there, it's much taller that it looks from the car at least eight foot tall and as we brush away the plants from its surface, it's covered in markings and symbols. Some we recognise from our study of the tattoos but others are different, new. A velvety surface from lichen and soft moss coating it camouflages the stone somewhat, but some of the markings are very clear. “The Prof. needs to see this,” Daniel says. Naturally, “we'll begin here in the morning, do you think we can fit in this vehicle?” He doesn't look like he'd believe me either way.
“No problem” I laugh, “once the crane gets here I’ll instruct them to place it in the back.” I can see he understands my expression, he's learning.
“I didn’t mean take the stone” he laughs, “I meant the people.” Ahhh, that does sound more plausible.
“I’m driving though right?” Do I sound too happy about that?
“You're the expert.” he admits, looking over to me. Expert? I like that.
“Then no problem, I get a seat no matter what.” Not convinced though I wouldn't be more comfortable in the back, I rub my bottom to get some feeling back, great for off-roading yes, good for lumbar support, no. “Let's just have a wander over there, I can hear something in the forest.” We return to the Landy, I take the remote out, not sure why, there’s no one about within hundreds of miles and no one’s been here in living memory judging by the growth over the track.
Daniels phone vibrates and he stares at the screen frowning. I look questioningly but say nothing. “It’s James, he’s taking a girl away for a few days and wants to borrow the helicopter.” There's a helicopter?
“Sounds like a most reasonable request Daniel” Bet it doesn’t have wine gums, my Landy does.
He scoffs at my comment, rolling his eyes in amusement. “I told him to return it undented and refuelled.” Sounds like a suitable arrangement, I'd agree with those terms. He finds the whole thing funny, Brothers eh? “And if he eats all my wine gums, he must replace the bag.” What! I don’t disagree. And What! We grab our bags, leave the car sitting in the forest, and hike along the track that was once a path, but is now overgrown. Only the moss and lichen cover over the stony ground tell this was once walked upon.
PF: “Babes, going away for the weekend” how unlike her.
TC: “Enjoy xx” I will.
PF: “With the
boy
” wonder if she knows about the helicopter ride he's planning, I decide to keep Mum.
TC: “Don't eat all Daniels wine gums” there.
PF: “Stay in out of the sun Tharie” cheek!
We walk for what seems like an hour, but a glance at my Dad's gold watch tells me it's only been 20 minutes, it’s hard hiking in this temperature, and humidity in the forest. The smell is green and wet, like washed salad. Working our way through the dense vegetation is making us weary, we are close, the space to travel is very narrow and we use each other’s path. I have to admit following Daniel where I can stare at his arse has its benefits. I mean to say, of course, where someone else is in charge of directions.
Note to self, always walk behind him.
I pat my backpack, yep, flask of tea is still there.
Chapter twenty-three, Thursday
:
31thoctober2013, Chachapoyas waterfall
In the forest there’s almost constant precipitation because if the rain, damp, drips from leaves, I am used to the sounds, like a white noise of static, then another tone joins in, a deeper sound of moving water, I can smell it as we get closer. It's the waterfall marked on the map, we are close by.
Bloody phone, doesn't it realise I need to pay attention, Mum will ask questions about the wildlife.
PF: “I don't believe you understood my text, I’m going away...with a
man
!” I heard.
TC: “Are you asking for my blessing or a warning?” God, she’s
needier than me.
PF: “Either” ‘rinse and repeat’ the last comment.
TC: “Relax and enjoy yourself” I believe that is good advice.
TC: “And condoms, you’ll need those too, with a boy” bloody hell.
PF: “Thanks x”
“Daniel,” a little breathless from the heat and atmosphere, I stride faster to catch him and touch his back, “look, there’s the waterfall.” I grab his waistband to stop him. “That must be what you could hear.” Isn’t it beautiful? “Tea?” Please say yes.
“Yes, let’s have a cup.” I'm already extracting my flask, there's not stopping
this
train once it gets going. “Incredible.” He stares at the seclusion of this fast flow of deep turquoise water, its origin at least three stories above us. We can feel its power, its kinetic energy, its thundering fall and bubble. It smells fresh and clean and so inviting. The air is filled with vapour, we can taste the water as it sprays into the forest, and the energy of the sheer volume of water as it froths on impact inside the pool is exciting to watch.
“Let’s go in.” I say finishing my tea in a final huge gulp, and already heading to the pool at the base of the fall, shrugging off my pack. I sit on a nearby rock, it’s slippery with moss or lichen, it’s a humid atmosphere perfect for plant life. The Charles family love water, and any excuse to paddle. I begin to take off my Mountain Horse boots and peel off my socks. Thinking this is how tomatoes must feel like living in a hot greenhouse. Thinking about salads again? Must be hungry. It's stopped raining for now.
Daniel sits on a rock beside the water’s edge, “take off your clothes.” He orders, it's so hot, and also, it’s so
hot
. Aware that I’m not the slinkiest or most seductive of women, I remove each item with care, slowly and carefully. “Your body is gorgeous Tharie, I wish I could watch you do this all day.” He winks at me, giving me confidence.
“You’re the boss,” I answer, “I have to do what you ask me to, don’t I?” I try for a seductive finale to my striptease by turning my back on him as I remove my panties, I've neglected to change, bloody hell. Stella McCartney is reminding me it's Wednesday, hoping it is Wednesday. Not completely sure I pulled it off I turn and Daniel and he stands completely nude and his cock is alert and ready. Bingo! I leap into the water and dive under the surface, glad to finally feel cool if only for a short time, when I come up for air Daniel is nowhere to be seen, but then I feel his lips kissing my sex from under the water. I grab his hair and pull him up, he takes a large gulp of air, shakes his head like a wet dog, and smiles at me such a care free beautiful smile. We fool around with each other, touching and teasing but nothing more. We swim back to the little cove and pull our wet bodies out of the water. Glistening in the late afternoon sun now quite low on the horizon, the sky ablaze with a kaleidoscope of pastel colours.
Still close and warm, and I don’t just mean the weather.
“It's getting late, we'd better get back to the house.” I say in mild disappointment, but add a smile.
“OK”, Daniel says taming his hair with his fingers, “I’ll fuck you quickly then!” And he grabs my wrist, and bends me forward over the rock in a half Nelson, one arm up my back, the other on the rock, where my clothes lay draped. Before I even have a chance to brace myself, he has come behind me, fiddles with my sex with his light touch. “Ready again, baby, you just can’t get enough can you?” I hear the ripping of the condom packet where did that come from? And he's ready too. He grabs my other hand, and has my wrists pulled together behind my back, holding them in both hands, my arse is in the air, but that’s what he wants isn’t it?
“Nice.” I gasp as he enters me from behind, impaling me, pushing and thrusting hard and quick. We have never had fast sex before, but I love the feeling, the intensity. He pushes hard and the rhythm increases, I push backwards into him to increase the intensity, he releases one hand to work, and his fingers are massaging my clit and I reach between my legs with my freed hand and grab his balls and gently play with his scrotum, he cries out with intense pleasure and agony.
“Yes baby, pull it gently.” I do as I’m instructed, and our bodies build and climb, his fingers working faster, making me wetter, faster again a tiny flicking movement, until we can hold onto the feelings no more and explode in the heated shower of pleasure together. Pulling out of me he bends down and bites my arse, quite hard “mine baby, all mine.” Smiling at me, “nice arse too.”
Dressed we drive back up the hill following the trail back to bed in Daniels house, this time, I say to myself, we'll mean business, and I was right.
Hope the kettle is on.
Chapter twenty-four, Friday
:
1november2013, it begins
Assembled around the vehicle after breakfast, we grab our bags from the open back of this old Landrover to recheck we have everything we might need, we have a lot of gear. “Better to have it and not need it,” Stan tells us, “than to need it and not have it.” We all had to agree it makes perfect sense, and I recall hearing something similar in a film? I check the batteries in my torch, so heavy it doubles up as a possible weapon, I hope I won’t need to use it I correct my brain hastily.
Check my phone, yep, fully recharged, messages waiting, this is my life.
PF: “Having a hard time sleeping” I sense a trick, but play along.
TC: “Expect you’re overdoing it again Pete” and…?
PF: “That’s it exactly” glad she’s finally found someone to match her energy.
TC: “You just need a lie down…Tx” baiting her for information, it’s not really fair, but I need details.
PF: “You mean
don't
get on top?” Bingo!
TC: “Filth” I am so proud.
PF: “James has me upside down and back to front” nice, very nice indeed.
TC: “Don’t exercise on a full stomach” that’s good advice too.
PF: “And fucks me five different ways before work” I know the feeling.
TC: “And you start work very early, that’s good going” the boys in that family, all have great staying power.
PF: “Stamina I hear you say, babes, I’m going to have to go to the gym to build my core strength” it must be bad.
TC: “Tell me everything when I get home” need to share.
PF: “We’re going on a little trip, no idea where, it’s so exciting” that’s smooth work, I need to find out more about this man.
Note to self, grill Daniel about his Brother.
I slam the passenger door after a pre-flight check of my iPhone cable and it doesn't shut true, it has a shallow dent from a previous adventure, not ours. Daniel looks at me, “we could have hired a Jeep you know, and nice new one....with air conditioning.” I shoot him a sarcastic glare that shuts him up for a while. We all clamber in the car, me driving, Daniel in the middle of the bench seat and Liza next to the window. Stan and the professor in the back where there's loads of room and they sit on a sleeping bag I found in the house propped up on our backpacks. “We could have all had seats you know, comfy ones, with reclining facilities, seat belts and lumbar support.” Daniel chatters on, taunting me. The others just carry on collating their own stuff in the car, checking and rechecking, looking at their phones, pretending not to notice. But smiling nonetheless as Daniel kisses me, holding my back in a tender way. We all need to begin our unusual journey. We follow the same route from yesterday, so I know where I’m going. An unusual sensation for me.
After some needless trepidation from the others at the hill top I know this as chattering stops, and silence once more prevails, and some words of warning, Daniel grips the hand bar and said “off we go we’ll be fine.” He reassures everyone, and we tip over the edge as before and descended down the steep bank in an almost impossibly slow and leisurely pace. Stan and the Professor thoroughly enjoying themselves in the back. I'm certain I catch them discussing Landrovers. We stop in the exact spot we had yesterday before shunting an about turn and heading onward, “keep your elbows and hands in the car.” I negotiate an enormous rut twisting the car up onto a bank.