Questions

• Kaitlyn

The next day, as they drove to the same meeting place as before they saw that Gunther’s truck was already there. But also they saw on the horizon two more cars, from the direction of his farm. They were distant enough to be a few minutes’ drive away, but they still stood ominously at a distance, making Oliver’s group hesitate as they approached.

Oliver lowered the car window and shouted at Gunther and his group. “What are those people doing in the distance? We agreed on only one car with four people max!”

“And I’m following the rules!” Shouted back Gunther, gesturing at his truck and the two women behind him, along with another man they did not recognize. All were armed. “My boys back there are just insurance, in case you’re thinking of doing something stupid!”

Oliver sighed, but he stopped his car before getting off, giving the other man a wary glance. “So long as they don’t approach, no problem I guess…” Kaitlyn got off the car as well, along with Jacob and Ethan, who had his gun back. He had been silent for the entire ride, but now in front of the other group he did a pretty good job of looking calm and confident, one hand holding the pistol and idly pointing it down as he kept his gaze on the others. It reminded her of how he acted while pretending he had claimed all the girls and protected them during that awful day.

Gunther smiled his usual predatory grin. “So, come to your senses yet? Or are we at war?”

There was a moment of silence, and Kaitlyn felt both men steeling themselves, preparing for whatever would come next. She hoped her idea would work…

“Neither,” said Oliver. “We’re not going to war against you, but we’re not submitting either. We just want to be left alone”

“Oh?” Gunther’s brows furrowed slightly, even as he maintained his grin. “But what if the world doesn’t want to leave you alone, buddy? What then?”

“Then I’ll be **** to inform the world that I’ve prepared my farm in case of an attack,” explained Oliver. “I’ve put more people watching around the farm, looking for trouble, and ready to call all hands to defend the farm. But also, if there’s too many people and the farm is in danger…? We’ve also prepared a few gasoline caches around the farm, to set the whole thing on fire if we’re about to lose.”

Gunther’s smile was now fully gone. “What?” He hissed.

“You heard me! If you come at my farm, all you’ll get is a fight, and a burned down patch of land. No food, no pasture, no house, no nothing!” Oliver put his hands to his hips, glaring defiantly. “And if a big fire starts? Your farm is right next to mine. It might spread further, and with no firefighters around for miles even your farm might end up going in flames! So if you’re thinking of attacking us, better think twice.”

Gunther was now balling his hands into fists, glaring at them. “You wouldn’t have the balls for that… You’re bluffing!” But his voice wavered, revealing the bluster for what it was: empty. This was someone who was watching as victory was snatched away from him.

Oliver shook his head. “The thing between you and me now is like a cold war. Mutually assured destruction. If we attack you, we’re fucked. If you attack us, then both of us are fucked. We lose either way… But there’s no winning for you either.”

Gunther’s body trembled with anger. “So you’re telling me that you’re… What? Setting up a fucking bomb, right next to my farm? How am I not supposed to deal with you then? If any bandit sees you as the fucking easy target you are then- !”

“We want to be left alone, Gunther.” Repeated Oliver, trying to keep calm. But Kaitlyn could see that Gunther’s anger was making him upset too. “That’s all. You leave us be, we leave you be. We’re not butting up against you. We’re just… Making it so it’s too much of a pain in the ass to attack us. And any bandit will get the same message.”

Gunther seemed to be chewing on something, maybe his tongue, as he studied Oliver, and then the rest of our group. His eyes were still covered by sunglasses, but she felt he was looking at Ethan for a touch longer than the others.

“Claim your women then,” said Gunther. “Stop this freedom nonsense and join the rest of us. If you do that you and I could at least reach an understanding. Otherwise…? I might just decide to bite the bullet and take you out myself, fire or no fire.”

“No,” replied George immediately. And at this moment Kaitlyn was glad for Oliver. Despite their disagreements, at least she recognized that his desire to not claim women was genuine, and he was ready to fight for it. “I don’t tell you how to run your farm, you don’t tell me how to run mine.”

This immediately made Gunther angry again. “Grand words from someone sneering down on me! Who the fuck died and made you the savior of all women? It ain’t right! It’s not how the world works anymore!”

“I’ve also called the Wenders,” said Oliver. “Remember them, right? Farm opposite of yours? They were real keen on learning that you were going around threatening people and trying to make yourself king. Mind you, they also claimed a bunch of people, more or less. They’re keeping it a little more in the family… But they’re still a big farm with a lot of folks. And I let them know that, if they see a big fire coming from my farm, they’ll know what happened.” He paused, letting that sink in, before reinforcing his point. “The Wenders are gonna know that you attacked us. That you’re **** after a big fight. And that you might have even lost part of your land or some of your people in the fire. I’ll let you make the calculations to see if it’s worth it.”

Gunther snarled at them. “You think you’re better than us then? That you can set up your little shelter for freedom and goodness, and nobody’s gonna come for you?”

“We gotta band together, Gunther. Us farmers. It’s the best way we can survive this law of the jungle we’re dealing with now. All I’m doing is what everyone else is doing right now. Trying to survive.” He sighed. “Now the harvest’s coming, and what’s looking like the first winter after this whole mess. We don’t know what’s coming next… Do we really need to do this? Now?”

Oliver shrugged, looking expectantly at Gunther who seemed to glare back at him through the sunglasses. But Kaitlyn felt like this particular battle had been won a while ago. Gunther was still blustering, but it felt emptier and emptier with every word. Then he turned towards Kaitlyn, and she felt a chill down her spine.

“Fine. I’m not coming into your farm. We keep off each other’s properties… For the time being. But this isn’t over. Buddy.” And he hissed that last word with such venom more appropriate for insults. “And if I see your girls or any of your little group, walking around Ridgesburg? As far as I’m concerned, they’re fair game to claim! So enjoy your little peace party… For now.”

And him and his women, along with the other man, all went back into his truck and drove off while Oliver and their group returned to their car as well. Thankfully the cars in the distance followed their master and drove away too.

“So…” Said Kaitlyn after they drove in silence for a moment. “How long do you think until Gunther realizes that when winter comes our trump card loses a lot of its bite?”

“Fires can still be dangerous, even in winter,” muttered Oliver. “We don’t get big pileups of snow over here… But yeah. If the crops are harvested and it’s cold, or raining… A fire would be a lot less dangerous to him.” He sighed. “No mutual assured destruction there.”

“That means we’re still fucked?” Asked Jacob, taking a cigarette stub from his case and lighting it back up before smoking the last of its dregs. Cigarettes must be in short supply.

“We bought ourselves some time,” said Kaitlyn, trying to be optimistic. “Enough to let us prepare and figure things out. Maybe get an alliance going?”

“The Wenders don’t seem as crazy as Gunther, so maybe that can happen,” said Oliver, but there wasn’t much enthusiasm in his voice. “But it looks like everyone is doing the claiming thing. And lots of farmers are putting claimed women to work. Which… I understand? Truth be told, I’m impressed with the ones we have in our farm. Like the tall blonde one with you?” And he turned to Ethan. “She’s a real tough one, despite never working in a farm before as far as I know.”

“So slavery is making a bit of a comeback, huh?” Quipped Kaitlyn, not quite concealing how bitter she felt about the subject.

The old man sighed. “At least the Wender family agreed to lend us their harvester combine, in exchange for some of our produce, some seeds, a couple of the chickens... They’re driving a tough bargain, setting up their own independent production... But maybe doing business with them will also make this alliance of ours more likely?”

“Do you think the other farms will join up with us?” Asked Jacob before turning away and puffing out the last bit of cigarette smoke out the window before flicking out the stub.

“I’ve no idea what to think anymore,” said Oliver, shaking his head. “I suppose… I don’t know folks as well as I thought I did.”

Kaitlyn thought briefly of Ethan, and how he had changed since claim day. Or had he? Had she changed as well, in fact? She wasn’t completely sure of the answers to any of these questions.

And this bothered her, more than she would like to admit.

-

For a few days things were tense, but stable. They had people posted on the ends of the farm as sentries. Each had a chair to sit on when they were not patrolling, and a gun. Kaitlyn had done that work a few times herself, and had seen the workers on the Gunther farm on the other side of the fence watching her. But they kept their distance and so did she. An uneasy truce.

But Gunther’s last words scared her, and she did not dare step foot outside the farm. Oliver did briefly visit Ridgesburg, the small town close to them, and he came back reporting that half of the place was now a ghost town, while things like stores and gas stations had either been fully looted and abandoned, or had been fortified or turned into makeshift markets. He filled his car with gas in exchange for some food, after they had siphoned out most of the gasoline for their defenses, but he also told her that it was not a good idea for her to go outside.

Apparently the town’s gas station was also doubling as a brothel, with claimed women offering their services in exchange for food or goods. Oliver was sparing with the details, but he seemed disturbed by what he saw.

But there were things they still needed, not only gas. Tools and hardware for their different projects, and Oliver mentioned his wife’s medication was running low. He was quiet about her condition, but Kaitlyn had once caught him alone in his office with his face buried in his hands, looking desolate. She left him alone at once, and would rather swallow burning coals than admit she had caught him in such a **** moment.

This was their situation when the guard responsible for watching the gate came to them with news of a truck parked in front of their gate, telling them he was a trader. And so it was the outside world that first came knocking on their door.

-

“Good afternoon!” The man waved his baseball cap at them with an enthusiastic smile to match. Oliver approached him warily, and he was followed by Kaitlyn, Jacob and Ethan. “I see you got yourselves organized already! Love to see it! And what a wonderful place you’ve got over here!”

“Thanks,” replied Oliver. “But you mentioned you were a trader?”

“Yup! Got all kinds of things in my truck! If you want to take a look!” He said while waving at them excitedly. Ethan placed the other hand on his gun, at the ready, making the man raise both hands in the air. “Hey now! I don’t mean any harm! As I said, I’m a trader!”

“We’re being a little cautious, given the circumstances.” said Kaitlyn as she hung back, far away from arm’s reach of the man.

“That’s smart,” he replied with a smile that was a touch too ****. “But there’s nothing to worry, see?”

And he opened the back of his truck, revealing a jumble of assorted boxes and piles of packages with all kinds of things. Clothes, food, assorted tools including nails, screws and drills and other assorted junk that Kaitlyn was almost certain was looted from houses. Children’s toys, beauty products, a folded tent, everything jumbled and packed together to occupy as least space as possible in the truck’s interior.

“I wondered if you were interested in trading.” He jumped in and patted a pile of clothes inside a bag affectionately. “Anything that catches your eye? You can look first and we can figure out what you guys trade for me later! Or… If you want something in specific I can see if I find it? I’m making all sorts of new connections these days!”

“Do you have… Medication?” Ventured Oliver.

“Got some meds, sure. But do you just want painkillers or something more specific?” He replied, and Kaitlyn noticed the man immediately giving Oliver a shrewd look. Yup, that guy was ready to fleece the hell out of them if he could get away with it.

Oliver hesitated. “Levosicetran, it’s… It helps with kidney issues. Do you have it?”

The other man whistled. “That’s a hell load of syllables. Not sure if I have it, odds are good I don’t. BUT… I might still be able to know where to find it. Some hospitals are joining the trade network too. Now the question is… Do you got what it takes to afford me to go looking?”

“What is it that you want in exchange?” Asked Oliver.

The man paused and gave Oliver another look. Then Kaitlyn saw his glance flicker towards her, then back. “Fresh produce is something I would be interested in. But there’s also something else… I heard that your place has a no-claiming rule? Like… Kind of a safe zone?”

Kaitlyn tensed up, and so did Oliver, who sighed. “Where did you hear that?”

“Rumor I heard from these parts,” he said with a vague shrug. The trader licked his lips nervously “And I just wanted to tell you that, uh… Unclaimed women? You can fetch a REALLY good price for them, nowadays…”

“If you think-!” Began Oliver, his face going red with anger. The trader immediately backed off, hands raised in the air.

“Easy, friend! Easy! I’m not saying you should do anything. And I’m not… Taking anything from you either. I thought you should know, see? That’s good information there!” His glance flickered back to Kaitlyn. “So if you have, like, a prisoner? Or an unclaimed girl that you want to kick out of your place? Well… Just letting you know I could get a lot for you in exchange! LIke the medicine you wanted, for example?”

Kaitlyn saw the color drain from Oliver’s face, and had a brief moment of doubt. Then he shook his head and dispelled it. “Nobody here’s for sale.”

“Alright! Sure!” The trader waved his hands, his smile back in place. “Doesn’t hurt to make an offer, right? But no problem, no problem! I’ll trade for some fresh food instead! Uhh… So what do you have for me?”

They eventually traded for a few clothes and a boxful of nails, giving him some eggs and apples in exchange which he seemed very content with. He said he might show up again in a week for further trade, if they wanted, to which they agreed to. But Kaitlyn couldn’t help but feel sick, even after he went away.

-

There was another visitor, soon after. A car drove up to them, and Kaitlyn and Oliver once again went to greet the newcomers, only to find a very different group on the other side of the gate.

Standing just outside the driver’s side, door still open, was a man with short, black hair and a camo pants and military boots, which combined with the **** rifle he nonchalantly carried, put them all on edge.

“Heard you guys accept women without them being claimed,” he said by way of a greeting. “Is it true?”

“Yes… It’s true,” replied Oliver, uncertainty in his voice.

Kaitlyn fought back her own fear, trying to project confidence. “Why are you asking? And I suggest you don’t point that gun at us!”

He gave her a long, uncomfortable stare, completely silent. Then, at last, he spoke. “Two women in the car. They’re with me. If you’re willing to take us all in, I can help you out in exchange. I’m in the military… Or was at least. On leave. I have guns, magazines… Almost no food though.” Another pause. “I’m a hard worker. The girls… They’ve been though a lot, but they can pitch in too.”

And like that the air of intimidation melted as they realized he was asking to join, and not a threat. The stare he gave her… It was more out of fear than anger! Kaitlyn let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“Sure! I mean.. We’ll have to take off your weapons, at least until we can trust you more… And unclaimed women and men have to sleep in different places, although a man can meet a woman in her room, if both ask for permission!” Oliver spoke, and the relief in his voice was also palpable.

“The women with you… They’re free as well?” Asked Kaitlyn, trying to look into the car. There were bullet holes in one of the windows, but she could see two women in the back, one older the other quite young, 18 or 19.

“My girlfriend and her sister,” said the man, an edge to his tone. “They got claimed, but I freed them.”

Another silence. The man in camo pants finally took a deep breath and, with practiced motions, set the safety on his rifle before taking out the magazine and handing them all towards Oliver, still pointed down. “I accept your terms. Name’s Eddie, by the way.”

“Well… Welcome to Magpie Farms then, Eddie!” Said Oliver. Eddie just nodded back at them, and there was an intensity to his look. He reminded Kaitlyn a bit of the man they once met at the city, the one who pointed a gun at Ethan. Or maybe he reminded her of Ethan himself when he came back from saving Anna’s mother. The haunted, fixed stare of a man who had seen too much, and something had broken behind those eyes, a certain lost innocence that would take weeks, maybe years, to regrow into something more gentle and easygoing. Or at least, so she hoped.

But Eddy’s arrival had made one thing clear: there were rumors about the farm now, and people knew about their stance towards claiming. And apparently unclaimed women were ‘valuable goods’ - the phrasing of it made her stomach turn - which painted a target on their farm.

Could they still remain free? Independent? They would need to make allies eventually, for the sake of their own survival. But would that even be possible? How did everyone else in the region feel about them?

Too many questions, and not enough good answers. She needed to know more about the world outside! But how?

-

• Ethan

“I hope the farm work is not too rough for you guys?” Said Zarina, wincing sympathetically.

“Eh, it’s hard work but being next to Ethan is worth it!” Said Anna, turning to smile at Ethan, who smiled shyly back. He had to admit the constant admiration was something that always made him feel good, no matter the time.

“What about you?” Asked Anna, smiling at Zarina.

“Can’t complain,” she replied. “It’s not nearly as tiring as you guys’ work, of course! But… There are nights when I feel like I’ve crammed an entire encyclopedia’s worth of info in my mind. It’s… a lot. But on the plus side, I’m pretty sure me and Oliver have figured out a decent way to prepare all the corn we’ll harvest!”

“Oh? How so?” Asked Anna, eyes shining with interest.

Ethan enjoyed listening to the two talk. He had told Anna to continue being good friends with Zarina, something Anna seemed to enjoy as well, and it made his dinners feel a bit less alone. They were all in the newly-built cafeteria, the one place where people from different bunkhouses could mingle, but only Zarina consistently sat beside him to talk. Roberto and Faisal talked more among themselves and always left early, with eager smiles for what awaited them back in their bunks.

Carmen was busy working in the kitchen right now and Nadia only ate quietly, although she smiled whenever Ethan glanced her way. His evenings would be much quieter without Zarina to keep them all company.

“... Why it’s important. Otherwise we could all get really sick,” finished Zarina, looking proud of herself. “It was a big issue in the south once, they called it pellagra.”

“We’re really lucky to have you figuring out this stuff for us then!” Anna said. “Imagine what could happen if you didn’t!”

Zarina also seemed to enjoy the praise, even as she shrugged. “Nah, I’m nothing special… But Kaitlyn spoke up for me, Mashallah. She told Oliver about the info I had downloaded and said that I was smart, apparently…” She shrugged and laughed, as if at the ludicrousness of that statement. “So I guess I have a chance to take it easy while you guys sweat under the sun.”

“But your job is just as important, if not more!” Anna. “Although it’s true we do work up a sweat. Both on the field and off, eh Ethan?” And she nudged him playfully, which made both him and Zarina blush and look away.

“Research is important,” he agreed, trying to change the subject. “Not my strong suit either. Too bad there’s no need for any actors around here.”

“Aw, maybe you can improvise a play when we have more free time?” Said Zarina, smiling despite her flushed cheeks. Nadia was looking at her with interest.

“It’s really great of you to join us during dinner,” she said to the free woman, her tone warm and friendly. “Hope we’re not keeping you from mingling with the other women in the bunkhouse though?”

“Oh. No, it’s… It’s quite alright,” replied Zarina. She seemed to deflate slightly and, after glancing around, she lowered her voice. “Honestly my work kind of… Keeps me apart from the other girls. They’re all super nice though! But they’re mostly working on the farm or cooking and cleaning while I stare at a screen all day. Plus there’s… This.” And she played with the fold of her hijab, looking uncertain.

“Has anybody given you trouble over it?” Asked Nadia, her tone concerned but gentle.

“No, nothing like that!” Zarina was quick to dissuade them, before lowering her voice again. “But it does single me out a bit! Nobody’s said anything mean, but… I don’t know. It’s another thing to separate me. Maybe it’s all in my head.” She scoffed. “Funny, I’m not even that good of a muslim anyway.”

“Why do you say that?” Asked Nadia.

“Oh.” And Zarina laughed nervously, unsure if she should even respond. Ethan leaned in, curious. “I don’t know. Sometimes it’s so strict. I haven’t done the whole Salah, my five prayers, for a while now, since the claiming stuff! And, I don’t know... Some Muslim people can be so strict? We used to call them the haram police,” and she giggled at that memory. “Always complaining if any girl wore a skirt that showed even a little bit of knee or had a touch of makeup on, while the boys got away with anything. It used to make me so mad!”

“People judging you… Can be rough,” admitted Ethan.

“I know, right?” Said Zarina, nodding enthusiastically. “But then on the flipside you have these people talking shit about my hijab, you know, my headscarf? And saying ‘you don’t have to wear that here’ or ‘you’re so pretty! Why do you wear that?’… Bitch! I wear it because I want to!”

Ethan laughed out loud at her remark, surprising everyone sitting next to him. “I’m sorry,” he quickly said, recovering from his burst of laughter. “You’re usually so… Reserved. It surprised me.”

“Oh,” and Zarina chuckled softly herself. “Yeah. Maybe I’m a little too feisty for the more strict Muslims, you know? But it’s not like I hate my faith either! I mean, there’s some things about it I really, really like about Islam! Like Zakat, for example!”

“Zakat?” Asked Ethan.

“Yeah, one of the five pillars… Um.” And Zarina fidgeted, looking suddenly self-conscious. “Sorry, don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything…”

And Ethan got flashbacks when he was talking about theater or movies, and then stopped himself in case he was talking too much and bothering the other person. Was this how it looked from the other side? “Go on,” he encouraged her gently, smiling. She glanced at him and smiled back, perking up again.

“Zakat is sort of like… Charity? But it’s one of the big important things about Islam. Along with the Shadada and the Salah…It’s about giving a portion of your money to others, or for good causes. You don’t have to do it if you’re poor though. But when I was little my parents gave me an allowance and told me how much of it was Zakat. Teaching me while I was young, I guess…But I really liked giving that money to people that needed it!” And Zarina smiled as she remembered. “Animal shelters, I gave some to homeless people, and everyone seemed so happy when I gave them something, even a bunch of loose change. I think it’s what made me realize how nice it feels to help other people!”

“Huh. Never head of that before,” said Ethan, and he immediately winced. Was he being too nosy? Asking too many questions? “I, umm… Never talked to a muslim that much before.”

“I was the only muslim in my class so I get it,” she chuckled softly, a touch of self-deprication. “Used to get so many questions! Hey, guess what? Muslims are people too! Surprise, surprise…!”

“I Honestly have never been religious, confessed Ethan. “My parents couldn’t be bothered with that, so I… Never even thought about it.”

Zarina leaned on the table, her expression growing somber. “Yeah… This claiming stuff has tested it, to be honest.” She blinked, looking away. Her expression grew wistful. “But every day, at least once, I end up praying anyway. Hoping that… That things get better. Or that at least I find a good place for me, in this world.” She turned and smiled, although there was pain in there, tinging the edges of that smile with bitterness. “Silly, isn’t it?”

“I don’t think so,” said Ethan, his voice quiet. “Makes perfect sense to me.”

He meant it too. Maybe he did not pray, but deep down he empathized with her so much it hurt.

“Well, you two seem to be really enjoying the chance to talk!” Said Carmen as she suddenly spoke behind Ethan, a smile on her lips. Both were caught off-guard by her interruption, Nadia and Anna had been so quiet recently. But when they looked around, both noticed that most other people had retired back to the bunkhouses and the only ones eating now were the ones that worked late or kitchen staff.

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t notice the time!” Zarina got up, looking embarrassed. “You must all be so tired!”

“Don’t worry about it!” Said Anna with a soft laugh. “Always good to talk with my old roomie. I’m not the jealous type,” she added with a playful wink.

Zarina nodded, blushing slightly. Nadia then pressed her further. “You know, if you want you can both ask Oliver for permission, and then join us in our Bunkhouse room to talk more? If you want, of course! But it doesn’t have to be only in the cafeteria!”

It was Ethan’s turn to grow embarrassed. “I… I mean, only if she wants to! No pressuring her! Or…”

He looked her way and saw that, despite her face being very red, Zarina seemed deep in thought. Then slowly her lips quirked into a small smile.

“I’ll think about it,” she said. “Nice talk, Ethan! Anna! And Nadia and Carmen too, of course!” And she waved goodbye at them as she left.

“Wouldn’t it be fun if she could join us one evening?” Asked Nadia playfully in his ear. And he felt himself getting hard at the thought, despite himself. Damn! Nadia really knew how to mess with him when she wanted to!

-

They were back in the bunkhouse now, and all women surrounded him in a blanket of warm caresses and licks, Nadia behind him as she pressed her bare breasts against his back and licked his neck. Beside him, Carmen pressed her plump breasts against his arm as she kissed and licked his ear. And with a free hand she gently rubbed her daughter’s head, as Anna dutifully licked Ethan’s shaft and balls, looking up at him eagerly for approval. And with every groan of pleasure, every shiver of satisfaction, the three women moaned as they redoubled their efforts, their mouths fully focused on him.

“Someone’s more excited than usual,” teased Nadia, whispering into his ear. “Did my suggestion earlier of bringing Zarina back here turn you on?”

He felt himself throb on Anna’s lips. “She’s not… It’s not going to happen. Doesn’t matter,” he replied.

“You could claim her, if you want,” Nadia whispered again, nibbling on him playfully.

“Not going to happen. I’m not… I won’t do that kind of thing,” he replied, a touch of irritation in his voice.

“What if she wants you to claim her?” Asked Nadia, the devil on his shoulder. “What if she secretly dreams of getting taken by you, of serving you as best she can? With her skills. With her body.” And her hand began massaging the base of his cock as Anna redoubled her efforts on the head, making him gasp with excitement. “Hmm… Can you imagine? Her down on her knees, servicing you beside Anna? The two roomies, teasing you until you cum all over their faces?”

“Stop… Stop!” And in an uncharacteristic surge of anger he pushed Anna away from him and actually turned and glared at Nadia. “Don’t talk about her like that! Don’t… Don’t treat her like an object!”

But Nadia just smiled back, eyes gleaming with mischief. “I’m not hurting anyone, am I?”

“Don’t mention Zarina in a sexual way again. That’s an order!” He said, firmly, and he saw a thrill in her eyes, even as she nodded.

“As you wish, Ethan,” said Nadia, although her smile remained as playful and unrepentant as ever, as if taunting him. “But you know the best way to shut me up, don’t you?”

His anger and his sexual excitement burned him from the inside, tangling into each other as she smiled at him, daring him to do something. Challenging him with her eyes. “I know you want to do it,” she teased.

“Get on your knees, Nadia” he growled.

Nadia’s eyes flashed with joy and she eagerly complied. She wanted this, he knew. Nadia wanted to be punished. Treated like an object, to be taken by him.

Well, if that’s what the bitch wanted, she was going to get it.

“Anna, Carmen” he said out loud. “Grab hold of Nadia, one on each side, and **** her to throat my cock. You two can be as rough as you want, so long as she can recover from it by morning. And you, Nadia?” He glared down at her. “You’re going to struggle against it as hard as you can, but without hurting any one of us. You’ll try your best to not blow me… But you’re going to be **** into it.”

He saw the surge in pleasure of Anna and Carmen’s eyes as they immediately obeyed him, grabbing each one of Nadia’s arms and securing them behind her back as she begun to struggle. She moved her head away from his cock, only for the other two women to grab and push her back down. Nadia cringed, trying to turn away and closing her mouth as the head brushed against her face.

Carmen then slapped Nadia, hard enough to leave a red mark on her face. “Take your punishment like a good girl!” She hissed, before moving down to her jaw and squeezing it until Nadia whimpered in pain and opened it. Anna took advantage of that moment and pushed her head down as hard as she could, forcing Nadia all the way to the base.

Ethan grunted, but looked down in triumph as Nadia was **** into the roughest throat-fuck he had ever been a part of. Anna and Carmen were relentless, slapping Nadia’s face, her tits and her ass and relishing in her punishment.

“Think you have it all figured out, bitch?” Hissed Anna, yanking Nadia back by her hair before pushing her back down.

“Uppity whore!” Said Carmen. “Take your punishment! Take it!”

“Quiet, all three of you!” Said Ethan. “You… You can still punish her, just don’t raise your voices too loud…” And a hint of guilt sparked in his mind as he wondered what the other men would think if they heard what was happening…

But the guilt was quickly consumed by pleasure and satisfaction as Nadia gagged and coughed on his cock, a mixture of spit and his juices dribbling and spilling from her mouth and down her chin. There were tears in her eyes now and she was gasping for breath, struggling and inhaling desperately every time she came up, only for the women to push her down again.

“Serves you right if you pass out,” he grunted, glaring down at her. “If you want air, you’ll have to fight for it.”

But even as she struggled and gasped, her eyes did not leave his, burning with the devotion and desire only a claimed woman could have. And he heard the other woman moan, in sync with his own grunts and gasps of pleasure, and saw that they were also glancing his way, drinking his pleasure as much as they could. Anna tried figuring out the best way to push Nadia down, and when she found that he gasped whenever Nadia gagged, her throat squeezing around his shaft, she did her best to make Nadia gag again and again, her throat making obscene, wet noises every time.

It was incredibly fucked, but at the moment all he felt was an overwhelming pleasure, the thrill of power, of domination, mingling with the physical ecstasy of the act. And soon he reached his climax, forcibly pulling out of her and cumming on her as she gasped for air, her face a complete mess of sweat, spit, tears and now cum. But even as she struggled for air he saw her orgasm as well, following his own, and Anna and Carmen followed suit, their eyes rolling in their heads, even as they **** Nadia back down and choked her again. He had to finally recover from his climax and tell them to stop, before they relented.

The post-climax realization of what he had just done came slowly, creeping in like blood under a door. But as he saw Nadia, gasping for breath and coughing, but still looking at him with slavish devotion, the guiltier he felt.

“Want us to punish her some more?” Asked Carmen, still smiling as she looked at him, eager for more. “Or maybe you want to punish my daughter next?”

“Ooh! I’ll do it!” Anna nodded enthusiastically. “Or I can help punish anyone else. Whatever you want, Ethan.”

“No,” he replied. There were other words burning in his throat. Apologies. Regrets. But was there even any point? “Nadia you’re… You can do whatever you want.”

“I want you to use me as you wish,” she said, her voice hoarse, but still firm. And she smiled, her eyes still burning feverishly with desire. “And this? What you did here right now? Was the best thing to ever happen to me.”

His heart skipped a beat when he heard her words, and he felt himself getting harder again.

But he dismissed those thoughts. “Clean yourself up then all of you go to your beds. I’ll… I’ll sleep alone tonight,” he ordered them. And he saw it, the hint of disappointment in all of their eyes even as they nodded and felt the surge of pleasure when they obeyed his orders.

But when he lay down and turned his back towards them, he couldn’t help but feel he had failed, in some fundamental way, what he had set out to do. He hadn’t just let them take control… He had actively used them for his own pleasure. He had even been cruel while doing it.

And what’s worse? He enjoyed it.

-

“Oh, Ethan. Thanks for coming in early,” said Kaitlyn, giving him a small smile. But as she gave him a second glance her smile faltered slightly. Ethan had slept little, and the guilt from what had happened night before burrowed into him like a worm into a tree, bringing with it rot and sickness. “Are you ok?” She asked.

He couldn’t even meet Kaitlyn’s eyes as he replied. “I’m fine. Tired.”

“Alright.” She hesitated. “I wanted to ask something from you… But if it’s too much you don’t have to do it, ok?”

“How can I help?” He glanced briefly at her, then looked away. Helping people. Zarina’s conversation from earlier floated in his mind, how helping people felt good. Zakat. Maybe there was something to that.

“We need more intel on what’s going on around us. The different farms nearby, and Ridgesburg. Who are the people in power, and how do they feel about each other. Anything we can use.” Kaitlyn leaned in. “We need to know who we can trust, and who is going to be a problem. Who’s our allies, who’s our enemies. That kind of stuff.”

“Ok,” he replied.

“So I want you to go to Ridgesburg and talk to the people over there. Ostensibly you’ll be going there to buy some things. But really, you’re there to learn what you can. Also I want you to not tell them you’re from our farm, keep it quiet. And if possible act a little more… Like a guy that has no problem claiming women.” She hesitated once again. “You know the type. A regular claim day asshole. Maybe bring one or two of your… Of the women in your bunk with you. Maybe Anna? And you can… You can pretend to be one of those assholes that use women. Get other guys like that to trust you.”

Assholes that use women. That could describe him as well, he realized. And his guilt got even worse. “I can do that,” he replied.

“Thanks,” Kaitlyn smiled, grateful. “You have experience acting and you’ve claimed women. For different reasons, of course! But still… If you could gather some intel for us, that would be amazing!”

‘They need an actor after all,’ he thought. ‘But if I go there and act like an asshole… Will I be even acting? Am I that different from them, in the end?’

And the irony of that question bit him deep, deep as an arrow, deep as a bullet. He could almost laugh.

“No problem,” he replied, hiding his regrets and his guilt, forcing himself to sound confident, certain, putting on an act. He looked straight into Kaitlyn’s eyes. “I’ll get the info you need.”

Maybe he could at least pretend to still be a good person. For the sake of Kaitlyn and everyone in the farm.