Thirty-Five Years
Brings Déjà vu to Reality
By H.G. Hunt
Chapter 20
Three bodies lay motionless on the sand. Heart rates fell
back into the normal zone. Breathing lost its heavy rhythm.
Muscles relaxed. Slowly the gravity of their exhaustion hit
them; especially Jean and Lisa. Neither had ever expended so
much energy in a like amount of time. It had happened only
with adrenaline and enmity, lust and hatred, hormones and
sparks of pride, humiliating despair and pinnacles of
reward. Now they recovered.
Clothes actually found their way back on. Blankets were
folded and put away. Containers were recovered and stashed.
A few hushed words were spoken as the clan packed up and
began filtering away towards their cars. A few phone numbers
had been exchanged, emails shared, cameras stowed, and not
surprisingly a few lusty caresses were shared among the
nine.
Brent kissed Jean a small peck, “Congratulations my queen.”
“Thanks. You never doubted me did you?”
“No. Not really.”
Lisa sat up and grabbed a bottle of water, swallowing half
in a gulp.
Jean slowly sat up and reached for the bottle with a
questioning gesture. Lisa shared. Brent rolled over on his
stomach and propped up on his elbows to see the last of the
witnesses strolling south along the shore. Only the three of
them remained once again.
“Well, this has been quite a reunion, hasn’t it?” Lisa asked
Jean.
“Yes it has,” Jean responded in soft understatement. “You
remember the rest of the bargain right?”
“Oh yes. I remember. I am a woman of my word.” She paused a
moment. “You’re the champion I guess, but only for a while.”
The clock ticked by another ten minutes as the women
recovered and munched the few remaining snacks. They felt
their skin begin to burn, having all neglected any sort of
sun protection. The visible remnants were likely to be some
sunburn, but the real remnants would be in their memories
and the pictures stored in Brent’s Nikon.
“Did you like the beach?” Jean asked Lisa as they began
their own stroll back.
“Perfectly.”
TO BE CONTINUED