Date: Sat, 29 May 2010 13:30:06 +0100 From: paxos@hushmail.com Subject: Ash Cloud - Chapter 6 The Aurora is moored, stern on, to the jetty. The old man and Captain Bob sit at the table in the cockpit. Fabio returns from the van, wiping his hands on a rag. "That's the last crate, uncle." "Buono. Send the boys below." The old man pulls a cigar from his pocket. He bites the end and spits it overboard. "Have you accendino?" Captain Bob rummages through a drawer and returns to sit opposite the old man. A match flares. The old man sits back and looks toward his men on the dock. He drags on the cigar. It blooms red. "You listen carefully, Captain." His voice is papery, like dry reeds. "Fabio will be in charge here, Captain. All the way to Inghilterra." He slowly picks a fleck of tobacco from his tongue. "In charge. You understand." "Yes sir." "He is family to me, Captain. And I am family to him." His eyes, worn and dull, look at the Captain. "Blood. You understand?" "Yes sir." The old man draws smoke into his mouth. It seeps from his nose. "Do you have family, Captain?" "No sir. I live alone." Silence crawls across the table. "I think you may be problem. Captain." "A problem? Why would I be a problem." The old man leans forward. His voice low. "Are you brave?" "Brave?" "Brave men, always problem." "I'm not a problem." "You know why men are brave?" The old man smiles. "They think nothing bad can ever happen to them." "I am not like that. I know who you are. I am not a problem." "Or those they love." "I am not a problem." "You think my nephew will not hurt you? Or the boys?" "I am sure he is capable." "You think so?" "Yes." "But you do not know." The cigar flares. "You do not know for sure." The words are wreathed in smoke. "I believe it." "Put your hand on the table." "Why?" Captain Bob is breathing hard. The cigar glows. His hand trembles as he reaches it out. It is still shaking as he presses it onto the table. Fabio stands. He puts his left hand flat on the Captain's hand and leans his weight on it. With his right hand he grips the Captain's little finger. "Please!" "Don't make noise, Captain Bobs." The noise is is of bone, snapping. --- Where, before, the Aurora had skipped across the wave-tops, now she wallows and heaves. To the north, metal-blue storm clouds darken the sea and birds ride the gusting air for land. Jack stands at the wheel, salt spray stinging his eyes. Captain Bob cradles his hand and hunches forward in the cockpit, giving instructions. Toby is below in his cabin. The pennant at the top of the mast flaps furiously, frayed and battered. Fabio climbs into the cockpit from below. The Aurora plunges into the trough of a wave and hits hard. Plates crash in the galley below. "We need to get out of this." Captain Bob uses his good hand to steady Jack. "The storm is headed this way." "No, Captain Bobs. We go round it. It's not too bad." A wave heaves past them, rolling green against the mercury sky. Fabio takes the wheel from Jack. He presses buttons on the dashboard to trim the sail. Even so, the Aurora seems to bolt and stampede across the sea. Jack sits beside Captain Bob, who puts his arm around him. Spray showers across the cockpit with every plunge. They both notice the handgun tucked inside Fabio's belt as his soaked white shirt clings to his wet skin. Half a continent away the volcano groans. Deep below, molten rock churns and punches skywards. A pall of dust in a limitless cloud billows south towards the Mediterranean. --- Darkness turns the broiling sea to black. Captain Bob, struggles one-handed at the wheel, using his elbow when it is smacked sideways. He points the boat into the rush of the wind. High seas dwarf the boat as it labours through. Toby joins him clutching cookies and a banana which he offers to Captain Bob. Bob shouts over the roar: "I can't right now Toby!" He smiles into the boy's frightened face. "This is fun isn't it?" Toby is shaking his head. Struggling to stay on his feet, Toby uses the moments before the boat plunges down the next wave to peel the banana. He holds it to Captain Bob's lips and the captain bites down. He shoots a bananary grin at the boy. The Aurora points her bow to the inky night then topples forward into the next deep trough. Bob takes the banana shaft into his mouth and bites off. He wants to pull the boy to him but dare not release the wheel for a moment. He swallows hard. Now there's a sweet cookie at his lips. He bites into the oats and raisins. His lips, for a moment, nudge the boy's slender fingers. His hair is pasted to his forehead. A strand of hair stings his eyes. He tries to flick his head to move it away. The boy's hand wipes across his brow. Small fingers dragging the slick hair out of his eyes. The boy's hand is on his cheek. His damaged finger is wrapped in gauze over a makeshift split. With his elbow steadying the wheel, his hand is held high. The boy's head turns to it and he feels to boy gently kiss it as wind and raging sea pound around them. Fabio is in the cockpit. He grabs Toby by the neck and shouts something into his ear that Captain Bob cannot hear. The boy disappears below. Fabio stands alongside Captain Bob as the wheel shakes. It is all he can do to hold it. Fabio is leaning into his ear. He is shouting. "You stay here. I go fuck Toby." Captain Bob lets go the wheel and lunges for Fabio. Immediately the boat twists and the next wave smashes it to port. Both men are flung across the cockpit. Fabio is reaching for his gun. Captain Bob has hold of Fabio's shirt which rips as the men are hurled forward as the boat pitches. Bob grabs for Fabio's ankle. The foot kicks into his face. The boat is screaming. The wheel is spinning and the boat is turning side on. Captain Bob grabs the clattering wheel that hammers against his good hand. He turns it furiously as a wave picks up the boat and throws it down. The gun is loose in the cockpit. Bob can see it scuttle across the deck with the other debris. He tries to reach it with his foot, still turning the wheel with all his might. It is just beyond his reach. Fabio is on the floor scrabbling for the pistol. Bob kicks at him and Fabio buckles in pain. Bob lets go of the wheel, which immediately starts to spin back. He looks at the gun. At Fabio. Then takes the wheel again. Fabio has the gun. The Aurora turns in a tortured arc down the crest of the next wave, to point once again into the wind. Captain Bob is shaking. Fabio points the gun at him and wipes blood from his mouth. There is a crack and flash of light as lightening booms overhead. --- The flat sea is rosy pink with frail morning sunlight. The cloudless sky slowly fills with milky blue. The Aurora has lowered all sails and floats like a cork on an empty sea. At the base of the mast, sitting on the deck, is Captain Bob. His hands are tied behind him around the mast. His shoulders are pressed painfully forward. His head rests on his chest. He is asleep. In the cockpit, in a foetal position, Fabio sleeps. In Jack's cabin, the two boys, fully clothed, are curled up together. Asleep. The sun breaks the horizon and Fabio wakes. --- Captain Bob wakes up. The sea is flat as a billiard table. He can hear the boy's voices from Jack's cabin as clear as if they were standing next to him. The words carry across the sea. "Fabio, leave him. I'll do whatever you want." "How did you tie a knot like this?" "Seriously, Fabio, he's not gay or anything.... Look I'll take my shorts off." "I'll have to cut it." "Look, see!" "There, that's better, is it. No need those shorts anyway Toby. Let's look at you." SIlence. "Stay still." "Fabio! Look, over here!" "Stop wriggles.... Come here Jack. You do this to him." Silence. "That's good. See he like it when you do it." Toby's voice. "Please!" Silence. "He got big one." Silence. "Jack. You do me too. Other hand." Silence. "Good boy." A slight breeze slowly turns the boat around its axis. The rising sun swings slowly around the boat. "Toby, not fair Jack do all work. You play his now.... Like this. No need be shy." Silence. "Good boy." "Don't worry about it Toby, try to think about something else." "Tobys... you ever suck the cock? Don't do that Jack. That's for Toby.... Come over. That's.... No. JACK!" The sound of a slap. Silence. "I told you. Now be good boy. Toby...." "Don't worry about it Toby." "Good boy." Silence. "Good boy." Silence. "Very good. Hey! Look how hard you making it." Silence. "Toby, suck Jack now." Silence. "That's it. Good boys. He good no?" Captain Bob is pulling at the rope that binds his wrists. His arms are seething with pain. Silence lasts an eternity. "Not that Fabio." "Sit up, Toby." "Fabio, you'll hurt him." "You want do it first?" "If I do it, will you leave him alone?" Silence. "Good boys. You good friends now, huh?" Toby's voice. "Please, I'll do anything else." "Let me see. Only just in! Don't be baby, Toby.... Put it fully in, Jack." "Please!" "All way!" "Please!" "Stop pushing him.... I hold him. Okay Jack, now..." Below the boat, water laps at the hull. Captain Bob moans. Silence, except for the lapping below the boat, rippling outward. "You good friends now." A long silence. Toby's moans. Louder. Jack grunting. "Fuck, fuck, fuck FUCK!" The Aurora is gently bobbing on the sea. Fabio laughing. "Good boy! Let me see.... First time." Silence. "My turn." "NO! You promised you wouldn't!" "Get off me." The noise of tumbling and banging. "Jack, you stop or I..." More noises. "There.... No...." A door slam. Running below. "Give me that.... Come here. Now I have to tie...." Fabio, naked, cock swinging, comes onto deck carrying a naked Jack over his shoulder like a fireman. The boy is tied at his ankles. His hands tied behind his back. Fabio carefully lowers him to the deck in front of Captain Bob. The boy's cock is semi hard and glistens. Fabio ties him to the safety rail, smiles at Captain Bob, and goes below. --- Toby lies in the middle of the bed. His buttocks are clammy on a wet patch on the crumpled sheet. He turns to see Fabio enter the cabin. The man has sweat on his chest. Toby sees the man's hairy thighs and clenched buttocks as he turns. He feels the bed sag as the man climbs on. He feels the man grip his ankles and pull him around and open him up. He sees the man kneeling between his legs. The man's knees are white and pink and brown. The man's hand is hairy. There are hairs along the knuckles that wrap around his limp penis. He feels hard fingertips rolling his soft cock and stares at the ceiling. He feels a thumb drag back on his scrotum grazing his balls. Strong arms scoop under him and press him to the man's chest, lifting him off the sheet. He smells sweat and salt as the man's rough tongue wriggles into his mouth. He becomes a rag-doll. His arms fall back. His mouth opens and the man swirls his tongue inside. He tries to avoid looking into the man's eyes but in the end he cannot help it. He stares, unblinking. Down below, the man's relentless fingers are making him hard. He is blushing and sweating. His back is pressed into the bed. He cannot keep up the rag doll any longer. He begins to squirm against the tongue, against the fingers. His legs thrash. His toes curl. He bucks his hips and clenches his buttocks. His fists hit against the man's curved back. His minutely open hole feels the bump of the mushroom head. He twists. The man grabs him at the knees and folds him in two, his back pressed down against the wet patch. The man is sweating and looking down. Fingers bring Toby back to full erection. The mushroom presses. Toby thinks he has gone deaf. He can no longer hear the grunts or the grinding against the sheets. All is complete calm. Silence wraps around him. He knows his feet are knocking the headboard behind his head but he cannot hear them. His arms are out to his sides. He notices the tight black curls on Fabio's forehead and sees a bead of sweat gather at the tip. He watches it fall onto his own skinny chest that is already slick with sweat. He notices Fabio's chin lift. He notices the punching rhythm become staccato jabs. He notices his head has joined his feet against the headboard. Then his shoulder. He hears nothing as Fabio lifts his ankles and pulls him by his hips away from the wall. He feels the swollen pole inside him spasm. He closes his eyes and a red flash blinds him. Bent double he opens his mouth and his lips are splattered with cum. He cannot understand it. Where it came from. That cum. --- comments appreciated paxos@hushmail.com