Aurora Borealis

[TinaG13]

Sadie McGraff

"Whiskey'll be fine", Sadie replied as she eye-balled him up and down with her sharp green eyes. So he was a Frenchman. She had heard stories about certain 'skills' of the French in the romance department, but this one gave her pause to wonder. Oh he was handsome enough, but he seemed a bit stuffy and..., soft. Sadie's eyes narrowed as she remembered something else. She had also heard stories of how different the attitudes and morals of Europeans were compared those here in North America. His seeming indifference to her company made her wonder if he was one of those fellas that preferred other fellas over the ladies. No matter. Money was money and if all she got out of him was a drink or two, she would just move merrily on her way to the next customer who may be more interested in keeping company with a fine-looking female the likes of Sexy Sadie.

Instead of taking the seat opposite him as he had gestured, she boldly took the chair closest to him. Sadie took a swallow from the glass of whiskey that had been set in front her and closed her eyes for a moment as the liquid burned her throat, leaving a warm trail all the way to her stomach. She thought about telling him about herself and what had led her up the path she had chosen, but if it was one thing Sadie knew, it was that not much else served to loosen a man up like good strong drink and having someone willing and interested in listening to him talk about himself.

"Thanks Mister" Sadie ventured. "My name's Sadie. What might yours be? I must say I'm a might curious. Mind telling ol' Sadie what brings a fine French gentlemen like yourself to this neck of woods?" Noticing the serious expression had not left his face, she added, "Ever heard about how all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy?" She winked and flashed her dazzling smile at him as she studied his face, waiting for his reply with genuine interest.

 

[Maid of Marvels]

The lady that's known as... Lou

Lou wove her way through the crowd on her way across the room, greeting the regulars and making sure the girls were taking care of them. The smile that usually brightened her face faded as she climbed the stairs in search of Jim.

Deep down she knew that he wouldn't hurt a fly, but there was his gun. And Tonsillitis wouldn't outright lie. Would he? He certainly wasn't mistaken if he said it was Jim's gun. A Webley revolver wasn't common in these parts. It was a distinctly English gun and James Masterton was the only man in Carmack who carried one.

Carried. Now that in itself was a laugh. Kept it in the bureau in his room with his socks and combinations more like. Anyone could have gone in and taken it. But who?

Lou stopped in front of Jim's door, pushing it open. He hadn't closed it in his haste to check the wearabouts of his pistol. No sooner had she walked in when a carelessly flung shirt landed on her head. Pulling it off, she began to laugh. The room was a shambles.

"Laundry day?"

 

[ariosto]

Salee returns...

OOC...glad to see y'all didn't run away from me.
I'll be posting here in the next day or two.

Rafe

 

[Messalina]

Annie

She took the plate from Tad, declining his offer to wash. "No, Tad. Grazie." Truth was, Annie liked cleaning up after herself as she went, but they had a couple of girls who did the washing up regular. They were off doing some of their other chores just now but she knew they'd be back in the kitchen soon.

Tad nodded and took a furtive look at Tonsillitis before whispering, "I think I’m ready for that bath."

Tonsillitis?" Annie smiled and turned toward the diminutive man who was picking almost daintily at his stew. "Just set your dish in the sink, sì?"

Tonsillitis nodded without comment. Turning back to Tad, she gestured for him to follow her. She'd get him a change of clothes from Hank. They looked of a similar size. And for sleeping... Well, she'd figure that out in a bit, too.

Annie made small talk as they climbed the narrow back stairs that were mainly used by the help so they didn't have to keep walking through the common room of the Aurora. He followed her quietly as they walked down the corridor at the landing of the second flight to where the staff quarters were.

Opening the door, she turned to Tad. "Come." Noticing his hesitation, she tugged at his sleeve and gave him a nudge. "Come."

The room wasn't frilly, but it was obviously a woman's. Hers, in fact. Not knowing what else to do with him, Annie had decided to let Tad use her bath. It was just a small room off her own, but she did have running hot and cold thanks to an engineer Lou had struck a deal with some time back.

Tad's face was glowing a bright shade of crimson as he began to realize where he was. Annie just grinned. There was a charming innocence to his wide-eyed wonder that tugged at her heart-strings.

"Over there," she pointed toward a screen that stood out from the wall. "You can undress there and throw your clothes over the top. You can run your bath once I've taken them and left. Soap is in there. Towels as well. And make sure you scrub behind your ears or I will do it for you. Capisce?"

Tad just stood there shuffling his feet until Annie gave him a firm but gentle shove. "Undress. Now." The look on her face and her no nonsense tone of voice told him that he had best do as told. Without another word he hurried behind the changing screen and began placing his clothes, layer after layer over the top as she had bade him do.

 

[Guest]

In the silence of the sumptuous office Calley closed her eyes, leant back against Salee and abandoned herself to Vicki’s expert manipulation.

All the times she had touched herself at night never felt this good and yet she had thought that heaven.

The sensation of that warm, wet tongue exploring, probing, finding exactly the right spot to cause Calley to moan and sigh was exciting beyond anything she knew.

She started give small cries and grasped Vicki’s head, her fingers enmeshed in the, now tousled hair. She pulled tried to pull Vicki closer, rising to her tongue.

Her other hand squeezed and pinched her own breast, echoing what Vickie was doing with the other.

She writhed and arched, her mouth wide in a silent cry.

 

[ariosto]

The girl was furnace hot as she arched back against Salee's broad chest, hips bucking up from his naked lap and thrusting her eager sex onto Miss Vicky's busy tongue.
Rafe's hands were kneeding the Irish girl's young breasts, his eyes taking in the tight tender pink nipples now so saucily exposed.
Yes..., he thought, she'll be a good one all right. Not every girl takes so quick to another woman's tongue and hands. THis little bitch might work into one of the acts he and Tamara often put on in the back room for 'special' customers of the hotel.

Suddenly Calley shuddered and stiffened in his arms, her downy mons seemed glued to Miss Vick's lips and from the glitter in the prostitute's eyes he knew she was enjoying it every bit as much as her innocent victim was.

"That's it girl, let yourself go. Ya see now men ain't all that important are they?"

The virgin girl didn't hear her new lord and master chuckling as a final wave of cascading pleasure swept her up nad over the edge.

 

[Graybread]

Tad Meriwether gets a bath.

Tad grabbed his rifle off the wall, as he followed Annie up the back stairs. He was grateful to be out of the kitchen, away from Mr. Jones. The man gave him the willies, or the “hebbie jebbies”, as his little brother would say. He felt very uncomfortable around the man, but the feeling was fading as he walked with Annie. The feeling fell from him as he listen to her chatter. He liked to listen to her voice, even if he didn’t understand all the words sometimes. He thought her voice was sweet like a meadowlarks. He didn’t understand them, but he could listen to them for hours. She didn’t make him feel uncomfortable at all. They finally came to a door down the corridor and stopped, she opened the door.

“Come,” she said.

Tad paused, the fragrances of Annie wafted from the room, strong and sweet.

“Come,” Annie, said again, tugging at his sleeve, pulling him into the room.

He just didn’t know what to do. He realized this was her room, she was inviting him into her room, his heart skipped a beat. He didn’t know what to do. He had never be invited into a woman’s room before. He felt an overpowering urge to run, but also, at the same time, he wanted to be here. He was so embarrassed to be standing in her room like this. He was even more embarrassed than the time Becky Hampton had kissed him on the mouth right in front of his two brothers, and they laughed at him for days. It wasn’t the kiss that bothered him, he liked that, it was when they told Ma about it. And for some odd reason, she just smiled and hugged him. But this, this was different, he was alone in her room, Annie’s room, with her.

"Over there," she pointed toward a screen that stood out from the wall. "You can undress there and throw your clothes over the top. You can run your bath once I've taken them and left. Soap is in there. Towels as well. And make sure you scrub behind your ears or I will do it for you. Capisce?"

Tad just stood there, he had heard the words, they just didn’t register. “Undress, now”, did. He hurried behind the screen and started taking off his clothes. He pulled the suspenders off his broad shoulders and unbutton his first torn and tattered broadcloth shirt, took it off and threw it over the screen. Then the second one came off, he had found it warmer and more convenient to wear all his clothes as apposed to carrying them. He threw this one over the screen as well. He lifted one leg and pulled the boot off, then the other. He looked down at his socks, and smiled, one big toe was sticking out of the left sock and all the toes out of the other. Neither had heels. He pulled them off as well and threw them over the screen. “All done,” he called.

“Your combinations as well,” Annie replied.

A small amount of fear entered his heart. He looked down at himself, his combinations where a dingy dirty gray, and had more holes than his socks. “But….but then I’ll be naked,” he answered in a weak voice.

“Your combinations, Tad,” Annie said, suppressing a giggle.

“Couldn’t I just wash them while I take a bath,” he asked hopefully?

“Tad,” came the voice.

“Alright,” he whispered in reservation. The top three buttons were already missing, so he started at the next one down. It fell off as well, as soon as he touched it. He did manage to get the rest of them unbuttoned down to his crouch, but when he tried to push them over his muscular shoulder he heard it rip down the back. He ended up just tearing them off and throwing them over the screen. “These might need some mending,” he added matter of factly. He heard Annie laughing on the other side. “What? What’s funny,” he asked?

“Niente, toro. Niente,” she laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

Tad stretched his big arms, and the muscles rippled down his back, it felt good to be out of clothes, for awhile. A white X crossed his back, from his suspenders, where he had gone shirtless, when plowing the fields. It looked as if they were holding up white pants as well. “The tubs in here,” he asked, stepping into the doorway of the little room.

“Si toro,” Annie said, still giggling.

“There’s no water in the tub,” he yelled out.

“You have to turn the faucets,” she yelled back.

“What’s a faucet,” he asked?

“Here, let me show you,” she said, starting across the room and around the screen.

“Nooooo,” he wailed, “Don’t come in here. I don’t have any clothes on.” He jumped behind the door to hide himself. He had known fear before. He had out run a Wolverine, in sheer panic, when crossing the Canadian and US border. He had spent three separate nights in tree tops, one getting away from a pack of wolves, and two from “Grizz”, but this was all out fear, nothing compared to this. He tried to shut the door on her, but she was already through. He hide behind it, peeking out around the edge, the white X now bright red.

A broad smiled crossed her face as she walked over and turned the faucets. “One is hot and one is cold,” she said, not turning to look at him. “More hot is better, Capisce?” She turned away from him, not wanting to embarrass him more, although it wouldn’t have mattered, he wasn’t even peeking around the door now. “Soap is here and towels are here,” she said as she left the room, grinning devilishly. She was one step out the door when he slammed it behind her.

Tad heard her laughing as she collected his clothes and left the main room. “Wimmin,” he commented, as he stepped to the tub and watched the water run. He thought the faucet thing was the best invention since…since the trap door in the behind of his combinations. He raised his foot and stepped into the tub. Grabbing a bar of soap before sitting down in the hot water. “Aaaahhh,” he moaned as he settled down in the warmth. Tad had trouble remembering the last time he had felt really warm. He played with the faucets for awhile, turning them off and on, until the tub was so full it was splashing over the sides. He slide down under the water and held his breath, letting the heat soak in. He finally came up and began to wash himself seriously, starting at his hair and worked his way down. When he was satisfied that he was clean enough he just settled back and relaxed. He fell asleep before he knew it.

 

[Tibxo]

James Masterton

"Laundry day?" The familiar voice asks him.

"I can't find it." He says, ignoring her comment.

"The gun?" Louise asks him.

"Yes." Dejected, he sits down on the bed, his face facing the wooden floor. "I have no idea where it is."

He feels the bed sag as Louise sits next to him, an arm sliding around his neck...

 

[papillon24]

Miss Vikki

Vikki reveled in the excitmnet of the girl. Most of the other girls fought and ran at her touch but this on was quite different. Calleys body began to shutter in the moment as her body took her ove rthe edge.

Vikki looked up at Rafe with a smile.

"This one is fun boss. Can I keep her?" A Chuckle escaped her lips as she moved up the girls body leaving wet kisses along the way. Her lips came to rest on her neck and moved ever so slowly to her lips pressing gently upon them.

 

[Guest]

Calley Fitzgerald

Calley had found a hunger she never knew existed.

As Vikki’s lips touched hers they opened and the two tongues met. She sat forward to meet Vikki’s kiss and the two embraced oblivious of Salee, who sat casually stroking himself and smiling as he watched.

The two entwined bodies slid to the floor still locked in a passionate kiss. Calley broke away and gently, but firmly, pressed Vikki to lie below her.

She crawled like a cat stretching down the length of Vikki’s voluptuous body kissing and licking as she went.
She wasn’t even distracted when Salee gave her upturned ass a playful smack.

As she reached the musky area between Vikki’s open thighs she took a deep breath as if to inhale the scent of arousal that she instinctually recognised. Her fingers opened and divided the wet, pink lips and she leaned in to kiss Vikki there.

Excited by the moaning response from Vikki she grew bolder and pressed her tongue in among the swollen flesh following the furrows, tasting the honey.

Calley was pleased and surprised that she could create the kind of response in Vikki that she was.
She allowed a finger to explore. It slid easily into the open vagina, no tightness or opposition. She tried another, and a third, all the while kissing around and on the wet slit. Her tongue found Vikki’s nub and toyed with it eliciting a loud moan and a shudder from Vikki.

Calley felt hands on he head urging her on and she increased the pressure of both tongue and fingers. Her mouth was watering so much that saliva was mixing with the juices. Calley’s hands gripped Vikki’s hips pulling her cunt closer as if she wanted to get inside.

She raised her eyes to look at the beauty’s face trying to tell if she was genuinely pleasured or was just faking for Salee’s benefit.

 

[Maid of Marvels]

The lady that's known as... Lou

Lou sighed, sitting down on the bed beside Jim. Things didn't look good, but she knew deep in her heart that he hadn't killed Lars. He didn't have any reason to pick a quarrel with that man in the first place. Actually, no one did. Well, that wasn't quite true now, was it? Someone obviously did and had done him in to boot.

Lou slipped her arm around Jim's neck, and gazed into his eyes. "Someone took it, Jim. You and I both know that. Why? Well, we will find that out when we find out who. And we will."

James Masterton was probably the only person besides her ma who knew her inside and out and she wasn't going to lose him because of some foolhardy accusation. Lou let her finger trail along the quiet Englishman's jaw, finally tracing the outline of his lips with her thumb. He smiled softly, melting her heart as he always did.

"Everything's going to be all right. You'll see."

 

[Messalina]

Anna DeSilva

Annie chuckled when Tad slammed the door behind her. There was always a bit of a boy left in every man, and this one was no different.

Looking at the raggedy clothes hanging over the screen, she picked them up gingerly using only thumb and forefinger of each hand. If not for the dirt holding them together, they would have crumbled at a mere touch. There wasn't that much mending in the world to make these things right again.

Trying not to breathe too deeply, Annie left her room and took Tad's clothing to the incinerator out back. Lou had insisted on their having one and who was she to argue. It kept the rats down and some other animals away too.

Tonsillitis was still eating daintily when she walked back into the kitchen. Anna scrubbed her hands with a cake of brown soap she kept at the sink, not knowing what sort of critters might have been in Tad's clothes. Frankly, she didn't want to take a chance.

"Are you enjoying your dinner?" she asked, more out of politeness than anything. He nodded and thanked her in that quiet voice of his while she cut him a slice of pie and put it on the table before going into the common room to ask Hank to lend a change of clothes for Tad.

Hank raised an eyebrow when she asked, but quickly obliged. Anna wasn't sure they'd fit, but they would at least do until the mercantile opened the next day. She had already decided to talk to Lou about an advance in Tad's pay. He had to dress in order to work, sì? Sì.

Now to see about Il Toro. He wasn't very much younger than she was by the looks of him -- maybe six or seven years, but there was something about him that made her want to take him under her wing and keep him safe. Truth, Anna liked him and was more than a little glad he'd found his way to the Yukon.

Grinning, she let herself back into her room. "Tad?" she called out. "Sono qui. Are you finished bathing?"

Not getting an answer, she knocked on the door. "Toro? Che cosa? Are you there?" Of course he must be there. Where would he wander culo fauda?

Anna knocked again before opening the door. "Toro?" The sight that met her eyes tugged at her heartstrings. His sun bleached blond hair plastered to his head, the big boy/man was sound asleep in a tub full of gray water. She watched him for a moment before placing her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Wake, Toro. You cannot sleep in the water all night."

 

[ariosto]

"I think we'll both keep her Little Darlin'"
Rafe watched closely as Calley's mouth played over Vikki's swollen sex and from the look on the whore's face, he knew that the Irish girl was doing very well indeed. A real natural all right...
Dollar signs began floating in Rafe's mind as he enjoyed the arousing tableau before him.
It was enough to bring his pego back to stiff attention and with a grin and a wink in Tamara's direction, he guided the thobbing shaft to the girl's upturned ass and cunnie.

Calley quivered at the touch of the soft head on her swollen dewy lips, but she didn't interrupt her meal. If anything she became more ravenous as she felt the probbing tip of Rafe's erection, parting her labia and pushing slowly into her virgin cunt.
His hands grasped her hips just as hers grasped Tamara's and with a sudden jerk and a flash of pain, she felt herself splitting apart, stretching unbelievably around the thick column of his pulsing, throbbing cock!

She held onto ViKki for dear life as Salee's deep hard thrusts drove both girls across the floor....

 

[Light Ice]

John Thomson

He offered the judge a final, parting handshake, and declined his head in a curteous nod. It was all business, his words came out monotonous and cold, "Thank you, sorry for wasting your time, your honor."

"That's alright, Mr. Thomson. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Let's hope it doesn't happen again."

Anxious to get a drink, John stubbornly crossed the small dirt road towards the Aurora again. It was dark, and the night sky had been over taken by brilliant stars that hung delicately against their ebon backdrop. The air was crisp and filling, the rush of it into his lungs reminding him of how much he had sobered up.

The Alsatian dog rushed to him, circling him with a series of crisp barks before falling in step. The sleek creature seemed overjoyed, its large tail bobbing swiftly from side to side as they crossed the threshold into Lou's cheery establishment once again. The bartender gave him an uneasy glance, and John tossed down a few bills to end a situation before it began.

"Tennesee Whiskey, if you would..."

His cobalt eyes danced across the other patrons, booted leg raising to rest on the bar's foot rail. His large hat eclipsed his handsome features, and it was because of this he hoped to have a few drinks without being noticed. He doubted Lou would throw him out twice, she had a soft heart in her and everyone knew that.

But he wouldn't bet on anything...assuming anything with a woman was the ass of all sins, and if Lou felt she was being taken advantage of she knew how to take care of business. Then again, with the amount of money John could drop or hustle in a poker game...

It always helped to have an ace up your sleeve, and this cardshark kept plenty. His games were crisp and fast, clean and honest... But he had tricks to pull out in every situation, his assailant and learned that only hours before. The smell of cordite had faded, but the blood had stained the floor.

Lying where the body once did, John thought he saw his reputation with the good natured hostess...pressed to the floor with a bullet in its head.

 

[Tibxo]

James Masterton

Louise's finger on his face. That is one of the many things he likes about her and that is her almost childlike optimism, something that seems so misplaced on a woman who runs a saloon so far from civilization.

In this case, he wishes that he could share this optimism. But if it is his pistol they have found, then the circumstantial evidence could be damning.

Not the first time, he finds himself looking into her eyes and feels the temptation. This time, more so than ever.

And not for the first time, he draws away. This time getting up from the bed.

"I do hope you are right, darling." He says. "Maybe Tonsillitis has made a mistake." He does hopes so though the man did seem very positive, which raises another query:

Why would someone use his pistol to kill Lars Lindquist?...

 

[Shylady]

Hanna Monroe

It was so nice just walking with a man again. The feel of the muscles in his arm under my hand. The warmth of his body next to mine. I enjoyed listening to him talk. Gradually I began to relax with him. We reached the edge of town. Together we moved toward the river and trees.

He asked to hear my story. I was silent for a little while, then moved to a large rock and pulled Ringo down beside me. I stared at the water for another moment then began in a soft voice.

"We met when we were only kids. It was love at first sight. My parents were against us moving out here. But I was so in love with Spence and he had such dreams. "


I turned and laughed into Ringo's eyes, " I won't bore you will all the details, but those were the best times of my life so far." Looking back at the water I continued," They were also the worse."

"What happened to Spence." Ringo asked softly.

I looked at Ringo and told him how Spence had a little money from his grandparents and we had used some of it to buy our house. We had kept the rest for emergencies and Spence had been looking around for the perfect place to stake a claim. He had gone out one morning , it was so cold, but he promised he would be back by nightfall. He never made it back. I remembered that night like it was yesterday. I couldn't sleep, I kept checking the window and the door.at first daylight, I had demanded the mounties to look for him. Four hours later they brought him home. Apparently his horse had thrown him and he had broke his neck. I was quiet for a little while again.

Then I smiled at him again. " So I opened Monroe House in the house we had bought together. It's hard work but it helped me survive and now while I still miss Spence and always will, I have come to love what I do. I always wanted to make a home and give comfort to someone. Now I just have alot of someones to pamper."

Ringo chuckled and gave my hand a little squeeze, "Ma'am you do a great job of pampering people"

 

[Maid of Marvels]

The lady that's known as... Lou

Lou sighed as Jim rose from the bed. He was so damned proper it made her teeth ache -- not to mention certain other parts of her. Ma always said all good things in their time. Why did Ma always have to be right, dammit.

Standing up, she walked over to the chiffonier and looked in the mirror, as much to fix her hair as to sneak a look at Jim. He would never let on that he was terribly worried about this mess, but it showed plainly in his face when she wasn't supposed to be looking.

"So how do I look, handsome?" Lou asked as she turned and slipped her arms around her straitlaced Englishman. "You know James Masterton, one of these days... And don't you 'now, Louise' me, either."

She offered her lips to his for a kiss. "Just to tide me over til... " Jim arched an eyebrow in mock horror, a look she returned with an innocent blink and a mischievous smile. "Why you naughty man. I meant until after we speak with the Constable. Whatever are you thinking?? Now kiss me quick."

 

[Tibxo]

James Masterton

"So how do I look, handsome?"

Coming out of his reverie, he finds himself in the arms of the sassy saloon woman. "You know James Masterton, one of these days... And don't you 'now, Louise' me, either."

In the tight embrace, he can feel his body responding even as she raises herself for a kiss. "Just to tide me over til... "

He can't help but grin even through his mock surprise. Until he had met Louise, he had always thought that it was the men who did the chasing.

If she is like this trying to get him into bed, what would she be like once she did?

The idea does nothing to cool his own rapidly rising ardour.

"Why you naughty man. I meant until after we speak with the Constable. Whatever are you thinking?? Now kiss me quick."

And then they are kissing, their mouths hot and wet meshing together as their bodies press together just as eagerly. He can feel her soft body against his, her large breasts pushing into his chest. He finds his defences starting to give, wishing nothing more than to allow her to have her wicked way with him.

Then the word registers.

Constable?

Abruptly, the pleasure is gone and he is back to reality. Just abruptly, he pulls away and steps back.

"Constable? What constable?"...

 

[papillon24]

Viccki

She felt a shudder pass through my body as I the girl played eiht her now we cunt. Her hands moved though her har pulling her harder to her. Moans of joy and excitemnet escaped her lips as hse reveled at the touch of innocence.

She wathed as Rafe moved closer and then as he entered the virginal cunt. The girl winced as he drove into her deep for the first time.

"Relax girl. Enjoy him. He is the best cock in town. Be glad he wants you" A smile crossed Viccki's lips as she watched the delight. Her hands came back ot the girls head urgng her back to pleasuring her cunt. "Girl, you can't just stop. Not now. Please comtinue."

It was devine the sight in front of her. The young one being impaled by Rafe as she slowly lowered her head again. Her tongue was soft as it probed Viccki's bud exploring every bit.

 

[Yoc]

Hank "Bull" Garvin

After handing over some of clothes to Anna, Hank returns to the main bar and starts clearing away the glasses, his mind on other things.

So Lindquist is dead and Masterton has been set up to take the fall. Being a good judge of men which has helped him a number of times when running the bar, he is certain that the Englishman did not do it. Even if he had a reason, Lindquist was pretty good with his gun. So either Masterton had been lucky or someone else did it.

Still, if Masterton does take the blame, that would leave the path clear for him to reclaim Lou.

He pauses as he remembers the sleepless nights when the two of them had shared a bed, their sweaty naked bodies twisting and writhing as they sought their pleasure. He has never met a woman whose hunger matches his. That's why he can't understand why she is so attracted to Masterton. Even if he is different from most folk around here. From the talk he has overheard, Masterton has not even lain with her once and he knows that she still wants him. He has seen it in her eyes more than once.

No, though he quite like the Englishman, he can't let him get in the way of him and Lou any longer.

 

[LAVA GODDESSS]

Miss Lorena Ana Mercado

She couldn't sleep.

She had been tossing and turning for the past three hours, the rain had stopped, sleep had caressed her and entertained her for a mere hour.

THe moon shone into her room coaxing her out.

So she didn't resist.

With that, she dressed, putting on a simple cotton skirt, midnight blue, and a sleeveless white cotton blouse tight to her supple body, the top button unbuttoned allowing for the humidity to dew on her skin. Her breasts almost spilled over the top.

Taking her purse, and going to the mirror, she mechanically began to 'proper' her hair...when she realized she didn't have to be proper for anyone.

So she let the raven locks run free, hanging loose in wild waves to her waist.

Taking a dark blue silk shawl, fringe lining the delicate edges, she pinched her cheeks eliciting color in them as she walked down the stairs.

No one was in sight, she assumed the madame was asleep.

The night was amazing, a bit humid, but luring and the scent of rain clung. Lightning still seemed to illuminate the sky on occasion.

---

She had heard of the Aurora....so to the Aurora she went.

She had a taste for home...a taste for tequilla, she hoped they carried...

The sounds of the laughter and voices spilled down the street, and so...she followed her way to the light of the saloon.

SHe walked straight in, laying a coin on the bar, "Dos Tequillas...two..."

 

[Maid of Marvels]

The lady that's known as... Lou

"Constable? What constable?"...

"Jake Reading, dear," Lou sighed. "I would rather we dealt with the Superintendent himself but Jake appears to have been in the right place at the wrong time. He heard Tonsillitis' news and wants to speak to both of you."

James' face had paled visibly at the thought of having to deal with the local law, which meant the North West Canadian Police. Lou knew they were a formidable presence in the Yukon, and one to be reckoned with. They always got their man... or so they said.

Well, lingering here wasn't going to help, Lou thought solemnly. Best to get things over so someone could go down to Patterson's Creek and retrieve Lars Lindquist's body and tend to the burial. He couldn't just lie there. Dead was dead, but even dead, a person deserved that much.

 

[Graybread]

Tad Meriwether

(Tad was sitting on the bench with Becky Hampton, hoping she might kiss him again. He was holding her hand, wishing he had the courage to kiss her.
"Wake, Toro. You cannot sleep in the water all night." Becky said, in a voice that wasn’t hers.
“Becky,” he replied, “I’m not in any water, and how do you know those words I don’t understand? The only person that talks to me like that is Annie, and she’s way up in Carmack…. Annie,”… he stated, puzzled, pushing up off the bench.)

Tad stood up in the rapidly cooling gray water, his tanned torso contrasting sharply with his white lower half. His eyes pooped open and he looked down at Annie standing beside the tub.

“Hi Annie,” he said sleepily, still not totally awake. “I was just talking to Becky.”

A broad grin spread across Annie’s face as it turned a brilliant shade of red. She gave Tad a quick once over before turning and grabbing a towel lying on the stand behind her. Keeping her face turned away she handed the towel to Tad.

“Tad,” she giggled, “you’re culo fauda.”

“Huh?” he replied.

She pointed her finger at his naked body, to indicate the meaning of ‘culo fauda’.

He followed the point of the finger, looking down at himself.

“Aaaagggghhhhh!” he gasped, his eyes widening, coming fully awake now. He dropped back down in the water, causing it to slosh over the sides of the tub, some splashing on Annie’s dress. He quickly leaned out and grabbed the towel, pulling it under the water to cover himself.

“Oh Gosh, Oh Gosh,” he stammered, his whole body a brighter red than her face had been. “Oh Gosh,” he stammered again, looking for a better place to hide, looking everywhere but at her. Finally sliding as far down in the tub as he could slide, until just the top of his blond head poked above the rim.

“Come my culo fauda, toro,” she giggled, peeking around to see the top of his head. “I have brought you clean clothes.” She stepped out of the washroom, shutting the door hard, to indicate that she had left, laughing the whole time.

Tad peeked over the edge of the tub to make sure she was gone, holding the wet towel in front of him, he quickly stepped out and went to the door. Leaning against it to make sure she couldn’t get back in. He tossed the wet towel back into the tub and grabbed an other to dry himself. He slipped on the clean trousers and the shirt. The trousers fit fine around the waist, but they were a little short in the leg. The shirt was fine also, except the sleeves were three inches to short, and it was a little tight across the shoulders.

Once dressed, except for his boots, Tad didn’t know what to do. “She has seen me,” he thought, “all of me.” He doubled his fists and clutched them to his chest. Pacing across the room, splashing through the spilled water. Four steps turn and four steps back. His embarrassment and fear at an all time high. “Pa always said I was big as an ox and twice as dumb,” he said to himself, as he continued to pace. He stopped in the middle of a stride.

“Well, ya aint no big dumb ox,” he said, pushing his fear down. “Yer a man now, out on your own. Ya aint no farm boy no more, so acts like a man. Jus go out there and tell her yer sorry, she seen ya.” He continued to tell himself. He unclenched his fist, pressing the wrinkles out of the shirt. He stepped to the door and opened it a crack. Peeking out, he could not see Annie. He shut the door again.

“Aaaahhhmmm,” he cleared his throat, as he opened the door and stepped out. His bare feet protruding out the bottom of the trousers, the skin wrinkled on his toes. His long arms and hands hanging down from the shirt sleeves, his blond hair, still damp, uncombed, sticking in every direction. He stepped out from behind the screen, his face down to the floor, his hands crossed in front of him.

“Miss Annie,” he began. “I’m sorry ya seen me nekkid like that…” His face turning red again.

 

[Snork Maiden]

Naomi Fullerton-Smith

Naomi Fullerton-Smith hung over the cold rails of the SS Portland and watched as crewmen assisted in rescuing the passengers from a stranded vessel, it engines obviously having failed. It was cold, much colder than she had expected. Although it had been snowing in Seattle on the day of the ships departure, the weather had improved as they had sailed northwards up the coast of British Columbia towards the Barent Sea, but now it had turned for the worse.

She cupped her mittened hands, patting them together with a muffled clap and holding them to her face. Across the waters of the river, she observed the multitude of black smoky plumes generated by the numerous fires lit by the prospectors to thaw the permafrost on the shorelines, an attempt to improve the panning ability of the shoreline's mud and silt. There were riches to be found in this inhospitable climate "but at what price and suffering.", she thought to herself.

She knew that she would be glad to reach Carmack, find her lodging house, which had been apparently pre-booked and take a long hot bath.

The ships bell clanged and she looked up. The steam billowed from the steamers funnel, like a large cloud as it condensed in the arctic air, ”3 fathoms….. 3 fathoms…. “ a sailor called out as he sounded the channel they were now entering.

The river had been roughly charted but still it was not uncommon for ships to founder on sandbars. The steamer slowly made its way up river towards Carmack and Naomi returned to the cabin that she was sharing with three other nurses.

"My goodness it’s cold up there!", Naomi exclaimed as she entered the small sparsely furnished but functional cabin. One of the girls got up to peer through the porthole, rubbing it with her hand as her warm breath condensed and misted the cold glass.

"Well it’s not much better in here !" another remarked. The four women laughed.

"I think we must be pretty close, the ship seems to be going slower and shore is getting closer", the girl looking through the porthole remarked.

It was true, the ship indeed was approaching the quayside that served as the prominent point of entry into Carmack, although many prospecters had made the overland journey from Oregon and Washington, indeed from much of US, the idea that there were riches to be found in the North rekindled the fever that had gripped the nation earlier, even now more fervently as the recession deepened and many farmers even professionals sort to relieve their poverty through a ‘lucky strike’

The mooring was uneventful and Naomi and her colleagues disembarked, pulling their heavy black woven wool cloaks about them tightly as the Yukon wind bit and snapped about them. Their arrival was anticipated and small bespectacled man approached them, holding out his hand eagerly to greet them.

”Welcome to Carmack!, my name is Samuel Tate I work as town clerk, it is really good to have you here” his voice was enthusiastic and warm. Their presence indeed would be greatly appreciated.

As they made their way towards the open top cart, transportation to take them into town, Naomi looked about her. This was nothing like she had imagined. Around her quickly assembled sheds and huts that served as accommodation for a rapidly increasing population, showed none of the infrastructure that would have matured over time. The scene was more of one of 15th Century England. Muddy streets with no sidewalks, a smell of rotting trash and other odors filled the air. Was it any wonder there was a high degree of cholera, typhoid and yellow fever here.

The escort apologized for the fact that it had been impossible to accommodate all four women under the same roof, but he explained that the accommodation that had been reserved was good and clean.

Naomi was the last to be dropped off. As the cart pulled up outside the ‘Aurora Borealis’ she glanced around. This seemed to be one of the better hotels in the town, clearly it was one of the oldest established, by that she reasoned it had been around for more than a year.

The driver helped her down from the cart and lifted her baggage down carrying it inside and placing it in the foyer by the reception desk. She smiled back at the man and thanked him, then turning to the town clerk, "I should like to settle in and freshen myself, but as soon as possible I should like to get to work, especially in the camps"

Tate nodded his agreement, ”Absolutely, naturally yes, please, your journey must have been quite arduous and you must be anxious to rest. I will send someone to collect you tomorrow and then perhaps you can set to work, but for now, please accept our hospitality. I shall see you tomorrow”.

He approached the counter of the reception and slapped his hand on the bell, to attract the attention of the counter staff, "I will leave you in the capable hands of the Aurora, then turning he spoke with the driver. "Come on Jack, we have to collect some provisions from the dock, be sharp now. "

Naomi pulled the mittens from her hands, placed them in the pockets of her cloak and waited at the counter.

 

[Yoc]

Hank

He is just coming back from the john when he sees the woman standing at the reception desk, the empty reception desk.

Where is that darn Arnold?

It is not the first time, the boy has been known to sneak off. No doubt to have fun with one of the gals.

He ain't no different to you when you were his age! He chuckles to himself as he walks behind the counter. Looks like I will have to give him another talking to!

"Evenin', ma'am and welcome to the Aurora. How can I help you?" Close up, the woman doesn't look half bad though not from around these parts. Another darn easterner! He has seen her sort before. They come in, find the going too tough and leave just as quickly. This one won't be no different.