Book 5, Chapter 88
T
he ingenuity of the Chiqua. How great they are. Timothy felt the
comfort of his body the inside the lamb's wool lining of his mountain suit, attire:
cap, jackets, trousers and boots, all made with llama and alpaca leather and lined
with lamb's wool. Again he thought about the inventiveness of the Chiqua and
their development of lightweight clothing. Clothing designed to be functional and
serve a purpose and not burden the wearer. He thought about the soft llama
leather cap clasped securely under his chin. His jacket, fastened tightly at his
neck, wrists, and waist, trousers that closed firmly around his jacket at the waist
and ankles, and his mountain boots. He recalled thinking how strange it was to
wear only briefs under the white and gray leather suit. No undershirt, just socks
and briefs. Then he realized no other clothing was required as they travelled away
from the Palaqua into the foothills and the medium altitudes of the Andes
Mountains. He enjoyed the feeling of the soft wool against his skin.
He pictured his hair, how it was longer than he normally wore it, and felt
his hair touch and brush against the wool inside his cap. He chuckled thinking
about how much the cap resembled an aviator's helmet, in style, but was lower
in the back of his head, and was wool-lined and warm. And this cap design came
from the isolated Chiqua who knew nothing about aviation. He thought about his
chest, arms and belly and moved his body gently against the soft wool lining. He
liked the soft, warm feeling. He met and rubbed himself against the the wool
lining with his hips, his butt, thighs, and legs and enjoyed the warmth of the
attire and its efficiency in keeping his body heat inside his suit.
Timothy scratched himself through his trousers and glanced at Richard.
He buried his legs deeper in the long wool of his llama, Mia Melocoton—My
Peach and imagined he could feel the warmth of her body through the thick wool
of the legs of his suit and through the leather of his saddle. Timothy enjoyed his
comfort, felt the rush of cold air against his face, and knew there were no cold
air leaks into his suit. He laughed thinking about how he and Danny played one
of Danny's favorite games, 'View,” at Quipai's wedding. He became excited
remembering his wetness and how he finally stopped the game as Chiqua began
touching his body.
Timothy glanced at Daniel as the young women walked onto the platform
could see from Daniel's face that he enjoyed the sight. He's joyous. He's
absolutely ecstatic! He felt his manhood stir and knew what Daniel would say to
him using pwo.
“Can you believe that?” Daniel asked moving his lips distinctly.
“Yes,” Timothy replied.
“I would like to have a couple of them for dinner tonight, then two more
at ten, then two more at midnight...”
“Why only two?” Timothy asked.
“I couldn't make love to more than two every couple of hours of but I
wouldn't want to be selfish. I would save a couple of them for you.”
“What?” Timothy asked.
“I would show them how to spread your legs, how to kiss you between
your legs, how to nibble on you here and how to lick you there...”
Timothy perspired heavier and turned so that he couldn't watch Daniel's
lips speak of loving young women. He looked at Daniel and said, “Not here man,
I can't stand and from the looks of your briefs, neither can you.” He watched as
Daniel smiled.
“OK, then, want to play View?” Daniel asked.
“Yes,” Timothy replied as the marriage ceremonies got underway. Path
of least resistance.
“Third row and fifth from the right,” Daniel said. “Can you see her
clearly?”
“Yes,” Timothy replied.
“I'll start,” Daniel said, “Hair, a ten, face, a ten, tits a twelve...”
Timothy interrupted Daniel, “There's only numbers up to ten. You can't
say twelve.”
“When you're as hot as I am, I could say twenty, and still be right.”
Timothy smiled, shook his head, and knew how Daniel had to feel.
“Tits, a thirty, belly, a forty, home base, a fifty, legs, a ten. Geez, I wish
she would turn around so I could see her sweet little bottom.”
She turned and faced her husband.
“Hey look over there,” Daniel said, blowing imaginary kisses to the
young woman. “Isn't that sweet?” He glanced away from the young woman and
looked at Timothy and said, “Games over, brother.”
“Why, Danny, I haven't had my turn.”
“I'm wet, babe. Games over.”
Daniel tried to stand straight. Timothy noticed Daniel's difficulty. Timothy
saw that Phillip was not aware of Daniel's state and was himself watching the
young women on the platform.
Timothy felt My Peach snort and cough and smelled her scented fur that
only diluted not erased her llama odor. The winds flowing down from the high
Andes blew past him, he enjoyed the cold feeling against his face, and the
thought of Daniel, the game, Quipai's wedding, and the events in the plaza faded.
He felt his own wetness and knew why he enjoyed playing view with Daniel.
Richard stood up on Mi amigo—My friend, grabbed him tight with his
legs, twisted his at his waist and looked backward down the foothills into the
valley: the source of the Amazon. He felt a loneliness. He could not see the
Palaqua. It just isn't there anymore. Well, it's there, we just can't see it from this
distance. He stopped trying to see the Palaqua and glanced at Phillip who
resembled a cherub with red cheeks and lips and big brown eyes. Phillip smiled
at Richard and squinted nearly shutting his eyes, protecting them from the icy
blasts of Andes's wind.
Richard turned around, looked at his gloves and inspected his mountain
suit. I'll be glad when we get on the other side. He looked up, watched Toomai
point to location in the side of the mountain and knew it had to be the entrance
to the tunnel that would take them through the Andes and not over them. It's the
tunnel that only the Chiqua know exists. Only the Chiqua. He squeezed Mi
Amigo's sides and felt the llama step livelier up the rocky path.
Phillip touched his lips, felt the lip pomade, smelled it's lemon flavor
thought about the mud fight he and Daniel had. Wasn't certain he understood
what happened, knew he had enjoyed the feeling of the mud on his body, its
earthy smell, and wrestling with Daniel.
He thought about their last swim party in the large lake, saw he and his
brothers walking toward the lake, with the Aides and their personal cadre, saw
several groups of men form small circles, put their heads together as the rain beat
down on the jungle in sheets and streams of water.
Phillip felt the first large drops and knew that soon the large drops would
change to small drops and the heavy rain would be falling. He grabbed Richard
as Richard reached out for Timothy and the Delta Rhos formed their small circle
and put their heads close together. The rain got heavier and drowned out the
hum of the katy-did. It beat down on the backs of their heads, necks shoulders,
backs, and buttocks, stinging. Water splashed in every direction and the young
Americans had to squint to see each other.
“Hey guys,” Phillip shouted, look at your legs. We're all getting lighter.
And fast.” He could hardly hear his own voice. The men pulled closer together.
“It's stinging my butt,” Richard shouted, spitting water.
“Look at it as a rubdown,” Timothy suggested, pulling Richard and Daniel
closer to him.
“Oh, sure. Like a rubdown,” David added. “No rubdown ever hurt me
this much.”
“I like the feeling,” Daniel added shouting loudly.
Phillip saw that Daniel was aroused and wondered why.
The intensity of water and sound suddenly stopped. Phillip straightened
up, looked at the shining bodies of his brothers, glanced at the several groups of
Chiqua Aides and cadre, saw bent and broken headdress plumes, drooping briefs
and started walking toward the lake. “Come on guys,” Phillip shouted. “Let's go
get a bath!”
The Rhos laughed and the Aides followed, some shook the water out of
their plumes while others wipe the water from their bodies.
The fraternity men approached a large pool of mud. Phillip recalled having
seen Chiqua jump in and cover their bodies with is before continuing to the lake.
Impulsively he stopped walking, turned and faced Daniel and said to him, “Stop
and spread you legs.”
Daniel stopped walking, turned to face Phillip and spread his legs. Phillip
put one arm through his legs and quickly placed the palm of his hand against
Daniel's butt, while grabbing his back firmly, lifting him, in spite of his
protestations and walked into the mud pool.
Phillip inspected the slippery bottom with his feet and when the level was
almost up to his crotch he dropped Daniel into the mud. Daniel surfaced, covered
with the red of the pool, wiped the mud away from his face, and lunged toward
Phillip, who stood laughing at his brother's appearance.
“Hey Phil,” David shouted breaking Philllip's daydream. “Look up there.
It's the entrance to the tunnel. About a mile ahead.”
Phillip turned and waved his arm in the air acknowledging David's
comments and returned to his wrestling match. He watched the slow motion of
the fight in his mind.
Daniel grabbed Phillip's waist and pushed his down into the mud. Phillip
spread his legs and quickly wrapped them around Daniel. Daniel stood up
carrying Phillip with him. Phillip put his arms tightly around Daniel's head and
neck and kicked his back with his feet. He released his leg lock around Daniel's
waist. He felt Daniel's excitement. Daniel grabbed Phillip by the shoulders,
turned him enough to bend his legs at the knees and tried to throw him backward
into the mud. Phillip bent down and thrust his shoulder into Daniel's stomach
throwing him backward. Daniel felt backward into the mud and sat up with his
legs spread wide. He tried to get up. Phillip jumped on top of him and realized
Daniel's head was in the mud. Daniel thrashed his arms and feet. Phillip sat back
on Daniel's lap and pulled the top part of his body out of the mud. Daniel
gasped. Phillip stepped backward and pulled Daniel to his feet. Daniel spat mud.
Phillip held him and stopped the mud fight. Phillip heard him ask Daniel if he
was OK. Daniel replied he was. Phillip saw the two brothers get out of the pool
and head toward the lake. He had the feeling that Daniel enjoyed the fight and
could see that it was exhilarating for his fraternity brother. He wondered why.
He felt the movement of llama, Mia Perla—My Pearl, gently beneath his
buttocks and legs. His recollection of the last nights in Palak excited him and
made his body grow warmer as he saw he walked out of the Temple of The Five
Young Gods, looked up at the evening sky and realized he was being followed.
He turned and told Chilor, walking up to him, “ Your a wonderful Aide.” He put
his hand on Chilor's shoulder. “But I need to be alone for a while. Do you
understand what I'm saying when I say I need from privacy?” He frowned
remembering Chilor's concern.
“Yes, my lord,” Chilor responded. “Your body needs to be alone with
your thoughts.”
“I guess that'll handle it, Chilor,” Daniel responded, as he smiled at the
dark haired Chiqua.
“My concern is you may not be noticed as a god,” Chilor said.
“It doesn't matter. I'm among friends, brothers and sisters here. Perhaps,
if I'm not, I won't be touched and I can just be myself.”
Who is he that he wants to be himself. But I understand. Chilor looked
into the face of the young blonde blue-eyed American as he thought about his
secret places in the jungle, when he lay by himself, felt the warmth from the sun
over his body, and enjoyed the feeling of the land under him when he laid belly
down. “Yes, my lord, I understand the desire to be alone.” Chilor bowed. Daniel
bowed and they looked up as the sound of the temple gong reverberated down the
street.
“Now what?” Daniel asked Chilor.
“Because of Quipai's wedding today it is again 'The Night of the Flute,'
my lord.”
“Again?” Daniel asked and felt himself.
“Yes, my lord, so that Quipai and his birth mates who were married today
can embrace...”
“...and make love in bed,” Daniel added.
“And make love with their bodies in bed tonight,” Chilor said.
“When does it start?” Daniel asked.
“It has started,” Chilor replied. Daniel observed Chilor's excitement.
“Tell you what, my friend,” Daniel said. “I'm going to let you go home
to your wife again. You seemed to have enjoyed it when I watched you at your
house...”
“Oh, yes, my lord,” Chilor said. “Sometimes when I'm away from her,
I ache too much. Too much,” he said rubbing between his legs.
“Then, go home and give your wife a good evening, Chilor. Go ahead.
I'll be fine.”
Chilor bowed, turned and hurried away from Daniel.
Daniel, in his heart, thanked Chilor for an evening of privacy, turned and
walked slowly in the opposite direction, away from the plaza, down the street,
paved with large cobblestones, inlaid with resins that made the surface smooth.
Funny I haven't seen any wheeled vehicles. They have horses.... He turned at the
intersection of the streets and continued sauntering east. ...llamas, alpacas,
litters, and that huge fucking palanquin, but no wheels. Wonder why?
He ambled past different shops still open in the early evening. He stopped
in front of shops and observed men, attired only in briefs and sandals, getting
haircuts, women, lying naked on soft surface tables, massaged by both men and
women, men fitted for new attire, women trying on long sheer dresses, their
bodies slim and well formed, adults and children fitted for new sandals, encrusted
with wither diamond dust, ruby dust, jade dust, and he saw sandals of different
colors: tan, white, black, red, blue, gray, and green as their new owners walked
in them, admired them on the feet, and walked out of the shops wearing them.
Daniel heard the second gong and saw the smiles on the faces of Chiqua as they
passed him. They're going home. He envisioned naked bodies on beds and
enjoyed his reaction. He enjoyed his masculine feeling.
He noticed different shops that served only roast tapir, fruit and juice.
Then he identified others that specialized in snake meat, roast rat. I prefer to call
it roast rodent although that sounds almost as bad. He chuckled and inhaled the
aromas from the various eating places as he passed them.
He turned again at the next intersection, had no idea how far he had
walked or where he was, heard the third gong and knew 'The Night of The
Flute,' was in full sway. If they all made love in unison, it would cause another
earthquake. He laughed again.
Daniel turned another corner, looked ahead and noticed two figures
standing close together. As he approached he recognized the man with his arms
around the young woman. Polay. It's Polay! Dick Thomas's friend. He was with
us in the jungle at The Lands. Oh! They're kissing. Kissing hard too.
He walked up to the couple, watched them a short time, and finally caught
Polay's attention. Polay pulled his head back from the pretty young woman, stood
back and Daniel saw Polay's arousal. Polay recognized Daniel, bowed and
introduced the young lady.
“This is Cooloe, my lord,” Polay said, “Coolai's elder daughter.”
“Coolai?” Daniel asked. “Lord Poutak's Aide, Coolai?”
“Yes, my lord,” Polay answered. “No Chiqua has the same name as
another Chiqua,” he added.
“My lord,” Cooloe said, smiling. She raised up and held her cheek for
Daniel to kiss.
Daniel kissed Cooloe, felt his manhood stir, and wanted to kiss the young
woman many times, but knew he couldn't.
He pulled back from Cooloe, who continued smiling at him, and turned
to Polay. “I thought you had a wife?”
“No, my lord,” Polay answered, “but I would like for Cooloe to be my
wife.” She smiled, bowed her head and looked back at Daniel and smiled with
her eyes.
“I can see why,” Daniel said, wishing he could take the young woman to
bed. “She is indeed beautiful.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Cooloe said and bowed again.
“You're kind, my lord,” Polay said.
Daniel noticed that Polay's excitement hadn't diminished and was
astonished at how his manhood stretched his briefs away from his body. He
walked away from the couple and wished them luck.
What am I wishing them luck for? I'm so hot, I'm dangerous. Ready to
take the first filly that I see and do I believe my eyes? Hello! And do not be still
my heart!
Daniel walked past a shop that served fruit, loaded with dizzies no doubt,
and saw a woman leaning against the wall of a bread shop on the other side of
the narrow street. He turned and crossed the street counting ten strides to the
other side and continued up the street. The Chiqua woman turned and watched
Daniel as he approached her. She looked at his eyes, then his lips, his nose, face,
neck, chest, belly, the bulge in his briefs, thighs, legs, and feet and smiled and
licked her lips delicately stained in pink.
She can't be playing 'View.' He laughed to himself thinking about he and
Timothy playing 'View,' at Quipai's wedding. He felt good again.
Daniel continued his slow promenade toward the beautiful woman and was
impressed by her lovely face and inviting body. He stared at her breasts, the
curve of her belly, and dark hair, clearly visible through her bright, white gauzy
long dress. He stiffened his buttocks, hardened his legs, became proud, subtly
flexed his muscles, and walked slowly up to her, and smiled.
She touched the small of his back. He stopped. She rubbed her hand down
the curve of his buttock. He inhaled deeply, took a few steps backward, turned
and looked her in the face.
“Your are beautiful,” he said softly.
“You are beautiful.” She looked directly into his blue eyes. “I have never
seen eyes as pretty.” She paused. “This is another 'Night of The Flute,'” she
said, smiling.
Daniel admired her smooth, white teeth, her tongue and enjoyed watching
her lips move as she talked. Rosebud lips. He enjoyed looking at her face. He
wanted to kiss her cheeks, her eyes, her nose.
“There is something about you."
“I love beautfy,” Daniel answered, quietly. She doesn't know who I am?
That's good. Geez, she smells like heaven. He inhaled deeply.
She pulled his body and face close to her. He felt her breasts expand
against his chest. She pulled him closer as two young Chiqua warriors walked by.
Daniel felt a finger poke his buttock and heard them chuckle. He glanced at the
young men out of the corners of his eyes. He did not recognize them. He looked
back at the woman. Their noses touched. He smelled her breath. Mint. Their
bellies and hips then thighs touched. Daniel felt flush. “What is you name?”
Daniel asked.
“Amie,” she answered, moving her finger slowly over his shoulder, down
his arm, over his chest, down his belly and against his side. She moved slowly
and moved with his reaction. She pressed her harder into Daniel and was aware
of his great strenght. He gasped again and breathed heavier.
“You're strong and hard,” she added slowly rotating her body with his.
She felt the hair on the back of his head, made ringlets with her finger, grabbed
his head and pulled him closer. She touched his lips first with her tongue then her
lips. He trembled. His body shivered and jerked away from her touch. She ran
her fingers down his back under his briefs, around his buttock, barely touched
him and felt his body gently. He bent forward and she tenderly rubbed his hard
belly and hips with her fingers and kissed her lips.
Daniel's head whirled, he felt as though he couldn't catch his breath. He
kissed her hard and deeply. He touched her neck, her shoulders, her breasts and
was aware that other young Chiqua, men and women, passed them, felt their
touches against his back, legs and head, and heard his heart beat rapidly. He
heard his blood pulse in his ears.
Amie relaxed and finally Daniel was still. Chiqua continue to pass. He
smiled at the passersby, moved away from the wall, hoisted his briefs higher,
looked at his arms and chests and her boy and realized how much they had sweat.
“Can we get some juice?” he asked.
She nodded and pointed to a shop not distant from where they stood. They
walked to shop and passed several couples kissing and moving their bodies
together. He touched the back of one young Chiqua and recognized Polay. They
passed a second couple and Daniel walked up close to them and stared at the
warrior and asked,”Piqua?”
“Yes, my lord,” the Chiqua said without taking his mouth away from the
young woman. “How are you, my lord?” Piqua asked.
“Fine, now,” Daniel replied and touched Piqua's back. He and Amie
walked through the doorway of a small shop and sat down at a table with two
chairs.
Rattan table and rattan chairs. Daniel pulled out a chair and seated Amie.
He pulled out his chair and sat down. A young woman approached the table,
wearing a long sheer gown and sandals. “Two juices,” Daniel said, turned to
Amie and said, “Thank goodness a lot of you understand my language. How did
you learn it?”
“I think from the Att.”
The young woman sat two tumblers on the table, bowed and returned to
her chair in the corner of the small shop. She sat down.
“How many years do you have?” she asked sipping her juice.
“Almost twenty,” he replied.
“Why don't you have a wife?”
“That my dear is a long story.” Daniel felt his loneliness for a woman.
Julie. The image of Julie Sargent, the lake at Green Hills, her petite and delicate
body flashed through his mind. He wondered how much Amie resembled Julie.
“You're not Chiqua are you? Now that I take a good look at you. You're
not Chiqua are you?”
“Don't you know who I am?”
“Are you with that expedition. Those people from the north?”
“Yes,” Daniel replied and sipped his juice. His identification didn't matter
to Amie.
“When will you marry? When you go home?”
“I have no idea.” He set his tumbler down. He felt the moisture in his
briefs. “When will you marry?”
“I will marry again soon.”
“You've been married?”
“Oh yes. That's why being around another man is difficult. I see them,
their hips, their bodies, their manhood, and I wait for one, and when I saw you,
I thought perhaps I would choose you...”
“You choose me?” Daniel asked shouting.
“Why do you shout? Didn't you know that?” She smiled and drank more
juice. “The woman selects the man she wants and of course the man must want
her, and then they become husband and wife.”
“Does the man ever say 'No?'”
“When he does, he has good reason. Another woman must choose him
soon or his reason vanishes. If he really does not want a wife at that time he need
not take one. It works fine for us, though.”
“Why couldn't I have taken you to bed? I want to very much,” he said
and took hold of her hand. She permitted Daniel to stroke her delicate fingers.
“We are not married.”
“But what did we do out there in the street?”
“We showed our appreciation for each other. When that happens one,
either the man or the woman, desires to be chosen, or is ready to choose.”
“If you were my husband, we would have many children, because I love
your body, and you love women.”
“I would love you.”
“I know you would.” She touched his hand and stroked it lovingly. “But
I knew when you pressed against me you were not Chiqua.”
“Would that make a difference to you?”
“No, that's not what I mean.”
“The hunger your body had for me, the way you rotated your hips, the
strength between your legs, while similar is not Chiqua.”
“How many men have you decided to select?”
“None, you are the first, since my husband's death.”
“How did you husband die?”
“He died in the last earthquake. Wood from a small building's roof fell
on him.”
“I'm sorry, Amie,” Daniel said, as he patted her hand.
“He stands with his fathers in the caverns now. They'll be completing a
mural soon. It will show my husband, me and our small son.”
“You have a boy?”
“Yes, he looks like his father.”
“Did you love you husband a lot, Amie?”
“Oh yes, perhaps too much.” She turned her eyes away from Daniel. “He
was tender with me, loved me gently, and very strong with his son.”
“How old is your son?”
“He has six years. He is very much a young boy.”
They sat at the table and neither spoke for a short time. Daniel formulated
his questions, looked at Amie, decided to not ask some and desired to ask others.
“Amie?” he asked.
“Yes?”
“If I were to stay here, would you select me?”
“I cannot answer that,” she said and looked into Daniel's blue eyes. “I
love your eyes, your lips,” she said touching them. He shivered. “Perhaps we
would a long life together. I know I want to feel you inside me, but that is not
going to happen because you must leave.”
“Maybe someday I'll be back.”
“I must not wait, sir, or should I say, my lord?” She smiled a pretty smile
for Daniel. “I need love now, I need the strength of a man around me, and I want
more children now.”
“How many years do you have?” Daniel asked.
“Sixteen, my lord,” Amie answered. “And you? You are almost twenty
years,” she added.
He looked at her face, stood up from the table, bowed, lifted her hand,
and kissed her fingers. “I shall always remember you, Amie. You're lovely. I'm
sure you won't have to wait long for a husband.” He kissed her hand a final time,
let go of it, and walked out of the juice shop. He walked rapidly toward young
couples talking, smile and touching each other. He passed other couples kissing,
caressing, and holding each other closely. He had no desire to touch the warrior
or the soldier, thus encouraging him in the Chiqua manner. He tried to stifle the
feeling in his stomach. He wanted to cry. He had no success at keeping the tears
from his eyes.
He did not see Amie's tears as she remained at the table and gently rubbed
his hand, his hand she no longer held.
Daniel felt his llama, Mi amuleto—Charm, stumble and for the first time
noticed the column was moving along a narrow path. He stood up and peered
over the edge of the narrow road, looked down and was shocked by steepness of
the slope and distance to the bottom of the ravine they traversed.
He sat back down on Mi grande ojo—Big Eyes, his beautiful white llama
and tried to ride her more carefully. He was unnerved the wind gusts that came
and went quickly without warning and noticed that the direction of the wind gusts
was the direction the llamas stepped sideways. He moved his Big Eyes forward,
passed Daniel and told him to ride Charm farther away from the edge of the
walkway. He moved cautiously forward told Phillip to move to the right. He
fought a quick gust and felt it move Big Eyes toward the edge, looked down and
knew that Richard's llama, Friend, was walking too close to the edge.
David squeezed his llama and moved up directly behind Richard. A gust
seemed to punch Friend in his side and he started to crumple, went down to his
knees, and started over the edge. David kicked Big Eyes, who lunged forward,
he reached out for Richard, grabbed him around his waist and threw him
backward onto the narrow walkway. Big Eyes snorted and David halted the
llama. He looked down into the ravine and saw Richard's llama still falling,
hitting rocks, and tossing like paper in a strong in wind. David jumped down
from Big Eyes and met Daniel as they ran to Richard still lying on the ground.
“What happened?” Richard asked. “What did you do?” he asked David.
“He saved your life, Dick, that's what he did,” Daniel said. He looked at
David, who frowned and looked as though he were going to cry. “Don't cry now,
babe,” he said to David, “Heroes don't cry.”
“I don't know what happened. All of a sudden I got this feeling of danger.
I saw how far down it was. I told you,” he looked at Daniel, “and Phil to move
over. Those fucking gusts can send you right to the bottom.” Timothy and Phillip
walked up to the three Rhos and stood over them. The five Aides looked down
at Richard. “And before I knew it, I was flying toward Richard. I saw his llama
stumble and walk toward the edge. And then I saw his left leg go over the edge,
miss the walkway and he started down. I don't know how I ever caught Richard.
It all happened so fast.”
Daniel helped Richard to his feet. “You alright?” he asked.
“Yeah, just my elbow,” Richard said, wiping his backside, his legs, and
the front of his mountain suit. He thanked Daniel and glanced at David. He
trembled.
Richard put his arms around David and said, “There is no word beyond,
thank you, thank you for saving my life.” He felt David's body shake. “Where
did you get the strength? How did you do it? You've got to calm down.”
“I don't know,” David said. He voice sounded stronger. He started to
relax.
Richard spoke to Chiquan and told him he would be walking with David
the rest of the way up the foothills to the entrance to the tunnel that would take
them through the Andes. Chiquan bowed. Timothy, Phillip, and Daniel listened
and followed their brothers. Richard finished thanking David and the last words
they heard Richard say was, “Are we true friends, at last?”
They saw David nod and knew that all past competition between Richard,
Richard Thomas, Jackson, Mississippi, blonde, straight, light, blue, 180, 6 feet
and David, David Parlee, Grand Rapids, Michigan, red, straight, ruddy, blue,
185, 5 feet 10 inches, was at last finished. It had ended forever.
Phillip walked between Timothy and Daniel up the walkway toward the
entrance to the tunnel. The three young men followed David and Richard, while
the Aides had tied the four llamas and led them up the walkway in a single file.
“I hate it when people cry,” Phillip said.
Timothy and Daniel first looked at Phillip, then each other, then back at
Phillip. They did not speak. They kicked up the dust and punted the rocks as the
continued the short trek to the tunnel's entrance.
“It make me feel sad and I don't like the feeling,” Phillip added. Phillip
shuffled his feet imitating Daniel and Timothy. “There's only one other thing
about crying I hate worse.”
Timothy looked at Daniel and they both listened to Phillip and still didn't
speak. Daniel frowned.
“That's when I want to cry but I'm trying not to cry,” Phillip said kicking
a large rock.
“I know what that's like, Phil,” Daniel said.
“Me, too,” Timothy said.
The column of men approached the tunnel entrance. They heard the sound
of rapid movement of warn air and saw veins of glowing gold inside the tunnel..
They felt the warm air rush past them and saw the wind batter the uniforms of
the many Chiqua guards, causing a ripple effect. They saluted the guards dressed
in black, gray, and white mountain suits and walked into the bright light of
another tunnel streaked with many gold veins.
They entered the tunnel and followed its winding corridors that first turned
left then right then left again. Tunnel had many turns but it remained level so that
the men didn't climb upward or downward and remained walking on the same
level.
“This is another short way through this part of the Andes, my lords,
Toomai said. It gets much warmer as we continue through it and it is very warm
on the western ocean. It's that time of year, you know. We'll help you change
into more comfortable clothing, because you'll spend tonight on the beach and
then tomorrow morning you'll be boarding the ship for your trip north and home
again.
The young men gathered together and started taking off their mountain
suits. Phillip pulled his cap off and tossed it Toomai. “Nice catch, Toom,” he
said. He loosed the fasteners around his neck and undid his jacket. He handed his
jacket to Toomai as Richard gave Chiquan his jacket. The young Americans
leaned on each other and unfastened their boots, kicked them off, and slipped
their trousers down.
“We'll give you your night uniforms now,” Coolai said as he handed dark
navy blue cotton shirts and bell bottom trousers to the young men. They put on
their shirts, buttoned their shirt cuffs then buttoned their shirts. They pulled up
their trousers, noticed the tight fit, buttoned the waist, looked down at the square
fly flap in front, giggled, laughed and proceeded to button all eleven buttons.
“Oh, that's nice and snug,” Daniel said. “I barely make it.”
“I like it,” Phillip said. “Feels good.”
Timothy felt his snug fit, rubbed himself between his legs and looked up
at his brothers. Coolai handed him a wool navy cap and he put it on imitating the
way his brother's wore their caps. They leaned up against the wall of the tunnel,
put on their hiking boots, tied them and walked back to Toomai and the Aides.
“These pants are really tight aren't they?” David asked feeling the curves
of his buttocks. “There's no room for anything, back here or in front.”
“Good old Att,” Timothy said smiling. He turned Phillip around, looked
at him from behind and from the front. “Very nice,” he said. “It looks like it was
made only for you.” He started to turn Richard around when Toomai spoke.
“Gifts from Garland,” Toomai said. “He thought you might want to spend
time on the windy part of your ship...”
“It's the top deck, Toomai,” Daniel said. “It's called topside.”
“Yes, my lord,” Toomai replied. “He suggested the clothing would be
serve you if it fit your body tightly. The wide pant width at the bottom will give
you stability in heavy winds.”
“Smart guy, that Garland,” Phillip said. “How did he measure us? He
never used a tape measure on me.”
“They taught us how to do with their eyes, quickly,” Coolai replied.
“What?” Richard asked. “You can look at a body and know the
measurements of say, necks, waists, thighs, calves, and hips?”
“Yes, my lord,” Chiquan replied.
“Amazing,” Richard said. “What's my waist?”
“Thirty-one inch units.”
“Thirty-one inches,” Richard said. “I'm still about the same.”
“You know all our measurements, don't you?” Timothy asked.
“Yes, my lord,” Coolai replied. “You're almost thirty-two inches, Lord
Peiquoo there, Philip, is almost thirty-one inches, while David and Daniel are
both still exactly thirty-one inches.” The Aides smiled at the young men.
“Shall we go on?” Coolai asked.
“Let's just go. Go to the ocean,” Timothy said and pointed ahead. The
Aides to the young men, followed behind them, and slowly removed their
mountain suits, handing their caps, jackets, trousers and boots to the Chiqua
cadre. Soon they were walking in the warm air of the tunnel fed by the summer
ocean winds. They walked behind their gods, proudly in the mannger of the
mythical Chiqua.
The young Americans walked smartly through the tunnel in their navy blue
shipboard attire: hiking boots with rubber soles, tight bell bottoms, shiny dark
long sleeve shirts and woolen caps. Daniel looked up and laughed at Phillip who
wore his cap pulled down over his head. He held his hands out in front of him
and kept pace with Richard and David.
“How do you know where you're going?” Daniel asked shouting at
Phillip.
“A trick I learned in the jungle, my friends,” Philip replied. He kept his
eyes open and thought at first he was seeing through the loose knit of the cap. He
quickly realized he couldn't see through the material. He wondered how he could
see ahead of him. Phillip yanked the cap off his head and saw the same view of
the tunnel he saw wearing his cap. “It's the same,” he said under his breath.
“Wonder why?” He swung his cap and continued walking through the tunnel
alongside Richard and David. He looked back, turned around and walked
backward. “Come on guys,” he said to Timothy and Daniel, “keep up with us.”
Timothy punched Daniel's arm gently and said, “Come on. Let's go catch
up with those three skinny kids.”
They ran a few feet and positioned themselves between their brothers.
Timothy walked between Richard and Phillip while Daniel walked between Phillip
and David. The five young men walked together in a casual manner, then
marched in step, laughed, and began walking at their individual pace. They knew
that in a short time they would reach the tunnel exit. They began to smell the salt
water, the fish, the seaweed, and smiled at each other as they heard the crash of
the waves, roar throught the tunnel, as they rolled over the shore of Peru. They
listened to the Pacific Ocean caress the sand with its salt water. They listened to
the voice of the great body of water the Chiqua reverently called the Western
Ocean. They turned and knew they were near the shore. They made a final turn
as the sun was about to dip into the body of water that spread out forever in all
directions.
The young men walked slowly down the walkway covered with sand.
They remembered this walkway was designed by the Chiqua to appear as though
it had not been for centuries. A modern Peruvian walking along this stretch of
Peruvian beach would pay little attention to the paving in a street that his
ancestors had used in hundreds of years. They would step on it over it and
continued along the beach.
The young Americans walked toward the ocean, felt the warm evening b
reeze, didn't know the month of the year, the day of the month or the time of
day. They didn't care much, as they walked and slowly started to disrobe. Their
Aides picked followed them, picke up hiking boots, navy blue wool socks, bell
bottom trousers, sleek navy blue shirts and stretchable wool caps. Toomai and
Collai shouted orders to Quipo, Chilor, and Chiquan to prepare for the evening
and the final party for the young gods.
Toomai and Coolai gathered their clothes and supervised the construction
of the encampment. They pointed to where campfire should be and four young
Chiqua warriors clad only in headdresses, battle belts, briefs and sandals began
to clear the sand.
Toomai indicated, and Coolai concurred that the young gods's bed mats
should be placed so that the head of their mats were close to each other. “They
liked to sleep with heads together,” Toomai said in Chiqua to Coolai.
“I know,” Coolai said as he turned and watched the young men, their
bodies much lighter in skin tone than it had been. He sadly commented to
Toomai, “They're changing back to their own color again.” He turned his back
toward Toomai and Toomai knew that Coolai, too, was saddened by the departure
of the young men from the north. He watched Coolai walk away from the area
the young Chiqua soldiers laid the bed mats.
“I know too, my friend,” Toomai said to Coolai, knowing Coolai could
not hear his words. “It will be a very difficult thing we do when we watch the
boat take them away from us.” He continued to watch the young men as they
pulled down their briefs and ran into the crashing evening waves.
“Hey, it's bubbling all around me,” Phillip said. “It didn't feel this good
when I was a kid in Seattle. Course, I had to wear that long bathing suit. It was
wool and itched me,” he shouted jumping over another wave. “Remember, Dick,
did you ever go swimming in the Gulf?” Phillip jumped up again, Richard
jumped as the same wave crashed toward him and watched Phillip float on his
back.
“Oh, yeah. Once when I was a kid,” Richard shouted. He watched
Timothy dive into a wave. He saw his head, back, butt, legs and finally his feet
disappear under the water. Richard stood up and anticipated Timothy surfacing.
He stood up in the water and counted. He reached five and Timothy shot up
through the water as though pushing off from a springboard. He leaped out of the
water almost up to his knees and crashed onto the next wave.
“A belly flop,” Richard shouted.
“He sure did,” Daniel said. “I'll bet it really smacked his nuts.
Timothy jumped again holding his manhood. “Both that stung,” he
shouted, laughed, and spit water. “It's really salty,” he said as he jumped up
turned around in the air and crashed back into the water.
David walked up to Richard, stagerring as he was pushed by the incoming
waves. “Feel this,” he said to Richard.
“What?” Richard said rubbing David's shoulders and chest. “It feels like
sand but it's salt.”
“No kidding?” David said. “There isn't any salt in Lake Michigan. That's
the only big body of water I've been in.”
“Dunk yourself and stay wet,” Richard said. “It will come off.”
David went under the water.
“Of course, it will come back on again,” Richard said and laughed as he
dove under the water looking for David.
Phillip stood with his hands folded, listened to his brothers splash, shout
at each other, dive and spit fountains of salt water. He watched the large round
red sun slip slowly into the ocean. He cupped salt water and splashed his head
with it. He lowered his body in the water up to his chest, and held his head
backward, then raised it so that his hair was quickly and neatly in place. “Hey
guys, come here,” Phillip said. “You want to see some magic?”
The young men gathered around Phillip, looked at him then the sun.
“Don't look at the sun. Look at the horizon. You'll soon see the green magic
affect.” The young men were silent. Phillip and Richard folded their arms,
Timothy stood with his hands on his hips, while David leaned on Daniel and
Daniel scratched his scrotum.
“What is it?” Timothy asked.
Suddenly the red and orange remnant of the sun disappeared and a green
shimmer spread out along the horizon moving rapidly north and south at the same
time.
“Wow!” Timothy said. “How often will we see it?”
“Not often,” Phillip responded. “Not very often at all.”
“How did you know?” Richard asked.
“It's magic,” Phillip said. “All magicians know these things.”
David laughed and asked, “What's it called?”
“Phillip McCall's green magic shimmer,” Phillip said. “And noboby
knows how I do it.”
“I know I don't know,” Daniel said, as he finished scratching himself,
turned and started to wade toward shore.
“Wait for me, Danny,” David said, as he jumped in the water to catch up
to Daniel.
Timothy put his arm around Richard. “Well cousin,” he said as more stars
began to shine. “Looks like this is our last night in Peru...at least for a while.”
“It's been heavy, hasn't it?” Richard replied, as the cousins stood looking
out over the ocean and occassionaly up at the night sky.
Phillip moved close to them, stood next to Richard and put his arm around
Richard's waist. The three young men dug their feet into the sand and used their
bodies as barricades to keep back the waves. They laughed at their efforts and
stiffened their legs as the waves kept rolling in.
“We could do it if we wanted to,” Phillip said, “hold back the waves.”
Richard heard Phillip's words and replied as though thinking about
something else. “I guess we could hold back the waves, Phil,” he answered. “If
we wanted to.”
Timothy looked at his brothers, jumped in front of the next wave as if to
protect them and shouted, “Anyone for roasted rat?”
“Argh!” Phillip shouted.
“Geez, Dex,” Richard laughed. “Don't we have anything else?”
The three Delta Rhos jumped their way toward the shore and their last
night on the beach in Peru.
Ivy Walls, Book 5, Chapter 88
RAG Fiction Novels
Ivy Cast
Book5, Chapter 81
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