9.(23-25) Love on Old Smokey

Slim Novel 9 - http://adventuresofkimi.blogspot.com - See Homepage


23. Cove-Before-Pines

Tanaka invites Kimi and Grandma on an outing he and Jun plan. Kimi suspects a plot to throw her at Jun.

A June morning perfect for sailing! Their boat rounds the harbor jetty and heads south along the coast. Jun stands in rear at rudder, with early growth of beard and he wears short-sleeve blue jacket over undershirt and ragged gray pants. Tanaka crouches in the front, facing Jun. Between puffs on grimy cigarette he shouts orders. In the bow, Kimi squats peering down at the water. Grandma, between Kimi and Tanaka, sits on shins gazing at the rocky shoreline.

   The boat had passed through 3 generations. Tanaka no longer uses it for fishing since the Cooperative supplies him with a new, larger boat but his ocean-going fisherman's life makes him love to sail the sea in a craft not much larger than a rowboat; it packs the four so they almost bump each other and is so narrow that in moving from bow to stern one carefully steps over anyone in between. Its short mast with sail at midpoint can easily be turned to take advantage of a wind, and at its stern is a high-rudder that the helmsman must stand to control. Oars are used to row out of breakwater then sail unfurled and the sail is controlled by the helmsman with a stick lever attached to the mast.

   Tanaka orders Jun to head south near shore and after hours following coastline he spots destination. “There!” He stands pointing "Cove-Before-Pines." It is a jumble of volcanic rock forming a natural inlet. Jun maneuvers the boat into the inlet then they row to shore between occasional pine-covered coastal islets.

   Behind the rocks on the mainland looms a dense pine forest with black mountain ridge ending in white peaks behind. And over all, glooms and looms a single peak with wisp of white smoke hiding its crater. Kimi recognizes from postcard views the volcanic mountain Old Smoky that last erupted fifty years ago.

   Another part of the scene is an arched redwood bridge from mainland cliff to nearby islet of pine-covered rock that juts up out of the sea and has an old Buddhist shrine.

   Quiet reigns: no other boat or human. As if having same thought, Kimi and Jun stop and stand to gaze in awe. Even Grandma looks impressed but Tanaka is too old to be impressed and he breaks the spell by shouting direction for landing on the gravel beaach near the red bridge. While Tanaka beaches the boat, Jun and Kimi climb a narrow path into the dark pungently fragrant pine forest.

   They return, arms full of pine twigs and soon a small fire is burning under a pot of clear soup into which Grandma is dropping 3 just-cracked-open raw eggs and a bunch of finger-size silvery dried fish. Flames leap up from ignited twigs, the soup simmers, and a pot of white rice steams on the grill beside skewered strips of sizzling blood-red whale meat, giving off a zesty aroma. Now it is almost noon and Kimi discovers her appetite as she bites into a soft juicy simmering deep red whale steak pungently flavored with soy sauce, and then a mouthful of freshly cooked rice. Jun, Grandma and Tanaka squat with her as part of a circle around the fire, their mouths working in a wordless, timeless rite.

   Jun suggests climbing Old Smoky and Tanaka laughs. “Madam and I are too advanced for that. We shall relax here while you and Big Daughter trek up the mountain.”

   Grandma nods, gives a slight smile and touches Kimi’s left cheek in approval.

24. Climbing Old Smokey

Kimi follows Jun along a dark trail littered with brown cones, the air heavy with pungent pine and the upward incline getting steeper as they go. Before long they clamber up rocks with rough footholds and at interval they rest on a ledge. She is rapidly tiring so Jun on reaching a resting spot turns and putting hands into her armpits lifts her onto a ledge so narrow she has to hug him tightly and modesty forces him to avert face but he cannot control his sex which makes its presence firmly and not unpleasantly felt in her midriff.

   At each stop she lingers longer in his arms and as they close on summit the air rarifies making them euphoric and loosening each one's inhibition. Jun’s hands falling from shoulders to her soft seat press her more strongly to his front and their loins grind together almost involuntarily yet ecstatically. In that moment they strain together – chest to chest, belly to belly, groin to groin and Kimi shudders in erotic implosion from toe to fingertip.

   She feels his sex go limp and warm wetness from his pants front freezes in the icy air.

   Embarrassed he breaks away from her and climbs the last section of rock rapidly. She follows and at summit they kneel together looking down into smoking hole of the crater.

   “Forgive me,” he says head averted, I have broken the Emperor’s commandment to honor women. I have defiled you. My shame is great. I will appease your honor in the volcano.”

   She reaches and firmly grasps his left arm. “No! Blame me! As a woman I should have realized what the nearness of me would do to you. Besides, we were separated by clothing so my honor is intact. She faces him, putting her hand on his shoulder. “I do not desire you to die.” She looks away and Jun – facing her, held by her grip – is silent. They stand together in the icy air at summit.

   This man will father my child, she thinks with a curious calm

25. Desire under the Pines

Afterward, they retrace their steps down the mountain. Back at the beach are no Grandma and Tanaka, only smoldering embers of the fire. Scanning the shoreline, Kimi spots the old couple wading in a tidal pool, Grandma shin deep in water, stooped over rock-strewn flats with one hand holding the hem of her gown above her knees and the other hand reaching into a pool and pulling out a catch which she drops in a bag at her waist while, nearby, Tanaka is reeling in a flapping fish.

   “Let us swim. Follow me!” She dashes with Jun racing behind. On an indented stretch of beach hidden from view by surrounding rock and pine she throws off her clothes and turns to Jun. “Here is my woman-ness. Let me see you in your skin!”

   Pulling off his clothes, Jun faces her.

   Scampering off, she shouts “Catch, have and hold!” and runs to dive into an incoming wave, swimming out toward the inlet. Jun follows but is no match for her in the water.

   Exhausted from the swim, she drops onto the sand, face up, breasts heaving but not solely from exertion, thighs seemingly carelessly apart and eye pupils widened by desire. Jun now stands above her, breathing deep and fast. She gasps at him “I am caught, now have me!” Jun drops atop her, his stiffened sex penetrates between her thighs and, it seems, to her core. It is a long grappling encounter punctuated by sigh, squeal, grunt and moan. Jun partly drained by his action on Old Smoky pursues his desire from the end of a slow-burner fuse and his delayed orgasm suits Kimi fine, allowing her to develop hers to highest peak and quality so that each pleasure spasm ignites a next one, exploding like Roman candle at end trajectory into myriad flashes of intense joy. And she is aware of Jun losing control as he heads into final instant. “Oh! Ah! Oh! Ah! … .,” their voices mix and are terminally punctuated by her high-pitched “Eeee!” and Jun’s deeper “Ah!” as each one’s hands grab hold onto the other's butts, lock into cleavage, and the two grind together in a shuddering, trembling mutual climax then fall apart on the sand, like facing pages of a suddenly opened book.

   They lay, backs on sand; then she arises and taking Jun by hand walks into the surf and washes him. 

Fifteen minutes and they have dried, dressed and gotten themselves together enough to present a picture of young man and woman who had not done anything. As they walk together hand in hand, she thinks, He will serve my good purpose.
   To read on, click 9.(26-27) The Woman's Friend at an End