Black Sun by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 50

The walk to Rotterdam seemed longer than the map indicated. Perhaps, it was nothing more than exhaustion, but they had to keep moving. The risk of being out in daylight was too high, and the eastern sky was beginning to glow a slight orange. “Jesus Christ,” Abby said. “Morning already? Didn't we just leave the 'Dunkin' Donuts'?”

Maybe due to a lack of sleep, they had been walking too slowly and time was beginning to catch up to them. Either way, beating the rising sun meant quickening their steps and try as she might, Abby was barely able to keep up. But hope raised a helping hand as the Belvedere Inn came into view, standing as a divinely delivered beacon of sanctuary. Further down was a Stewart's shop. Its location seemed ideal, leaving Ryan and Abby with the idea that they could stay in the hotel for any length of time they chose, going out periodically for food and water.

Up to this point, they had seen no one. Occasionally, they would pass a car that had swerved off to the side of the highway, the deceased passenger still in the driver's seat – hands glued to the wheel by the thickened fluids of decomposition. Of course, Abby was curious but Ryan, knowing she had taken ill, pulled her back with a warning.

“I want to stay away from the cars,” he said. “You're not going to like what you see.”

Abby took him at his word, having briefly caught a whiff of rotting flesh. She had all she could do to avoid vomiting at the sickening smell of a corpse melting in the sun, the car acting as an oven of sorts, roasting the leftovers of what remained of a human life. “Oh my fucking God,” she said. “That is so gross. You don't have to remind me again.”

Some lessons are best learned the hard way.

Arriving at the Belvedere Inn, Ryan tried the doors leading to the lobby. As expected, it was locked. The magnets holding them in place seemed to release only when electricity was applied. Again, Ryan would have to smash the glass and crawl through. Investigating the area, he found a rock he believed to be big enough to turn the plate glass into gravel-sized shards. One throw was enough to bring down the glass that blocked their entry, creating a safe passage into the hotel. Once inside, Ryan guided Abby through the sharp edges left around the inside of the door frame. Standing in the entrance to the hotel lobby, Ryan took a few moments to listen for any sounds of activity – anything that could be trouble. By this time, Abby had caught on to a few things she saw Ryan do and stood silently with him, listening.

Both stood, taking in the sound of nothing. It was heavy, almost painful, and left a slight ringing in the ears. In the absence of sound, the mind will sometimes fill in the blanks by creating things that aren't real. At a funeral, some may the eyes of the dead flutter slightly or the chest may be seen to faintly rise – all in the absence of the things we normally see; the things we deem real. But such was not the case for Ryan and Abby, being consumed by the uncomfortable feeling that they may not be alone. “Fuck,” Abby whispered. “It's just too damn quiet.” Ryan agreed.

“Let's just find a room we can stay in. We'll get some food later.” Ryan knew that trying to use the elevators was a waste of time, so they decided to take the stairs. Fortunately, the doors were unlocked, allowing easy access to the floors above. Exiting on the second floor, they searched for a room with an open door. Without power, the locks, normally opened with a key card, would not function, leaving most of the rooms inaccessible. Ryan's frustration was quick to rise.

“Shit,” he began. “There's got to be something.” With Abby walking silently behind him, they went back to the door leading up to the third floor. There, as before, they searched the hallway for an open room. With none available, they turned back to the other side of the building and continuing their search discovered an open door, left ajar by a house-keeper's cart. Pushing it aside, they entered the spacious room. It had only been partially cleaned, but that was not an issue. Ryan and Abby had finally found a place to stay, but it was decided that they would only be there for a couple of days.

Looking around the room, they were amazed at its size—with a large dresser and king-sized bed. Abby was quick to crawl onto the bed and motioned Ryan to join her. The mattress was a bit firm, but they were willing to take what they could get. The only obvious issue was how to open the door again should they leave to look for food. It would either have to be left ajar or something would need to be placed between the door and its locking mechanism. Ryan decided that the illusion of a locked door would be easier to accomplish than leaving it slightly open. For now, what they needed was sleep and closing the door, both disrobed and slipped between the cool sheets of the hotel bed. But sleep would not come easily, as Abby had become aroused by Ryan's unclothed body. Making a sudden advance, Ryan was unable to resist and quickly gave in to her sexual appetite.

Pulling him onto the bed, Abby wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately on the mouth. As they became intertwined, Abby reached down and firmly wrapped her hand around him, providing a gentle stroke. This only deepened his arousal and brought his craving for her body to the surface. Although they were both exhausted, the anticipated release of sexual tension drove them to discover a reservoir of energy that would not go to waste. At the same time, Ryan slipped his hand down below her waist and, unfolding the fleshy doors that covered her vagina, slid a finger into her warm moist body. Taking a sudden gasp of arousal, Abby pushed him over and onto his back.

With sweat building up on their naked bodies, Abby straddled Ryan's hips and with her fingers guided him into her body. When she felt him completely buried in her, she gently raised and lowered herself in place, almost bouncing on his hips. As she quickened this motion, Abby began to feel her release rising up from her soul while Ryan repeatedly forced his hips up, stimulating his own impending release. Within a few minutes, both had achieved their release together. This only strengthened the bond they shared from the beginning, as their passion for each other sparked into an unquenchable fire. Soon after, both were overtaken by fatigue and drifted off in each other's arms.