Message-ID: <44404asstr$1064185810@assm.asstr-mirror.org> X-Original-Message-ID: <20030921174157.81258.qmail@web20509.mail.yahoo.com> From: Lazlo Zalezac X-ASSTR-Original-Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 10:41:57 -0700 (PDT) Subject: {ASSM} John Carter I 05 (mf mmf ffm ff mm sci-fi) Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 19:10:10 -0400 Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail Approved: Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d X-Archived-At: X-Moderator-Contact: ASSTR ASSM moderation X-Story-Submission: X-Moderator-ID: dennyw, hecate __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com <1st attachment, "JC05.txt" begin> DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. If you are offended by sexually explicit material or are under the age of 18, stop reading now. This material cannot be reproduced for commercial purposes without the consent of the author. John Carter By Lazlo Zalezac Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezak, 2003 Part 1: Shield, Staff, and Compass Chapter 5 The walls of the room were bare except for a handful of posters showing Ansel Adams photographs. The accordion doors of the closet were open allowing the contents to be viewed. There was a handful of shirts hanging from clothes hangers. The shelf along the top of the closet contained camping equipment such as, tents, sleeping bags, canteens, knives, axes, and similar gear; souvenirs of a youth spent camping. Everything in the closet, including the equipment, was too small for him or too worn to be used. In the corner of the room was the backpack he had been using on his last hike. It was open and contained one shirt and two pairs of pants. His other shirt had been cut apart when he had been taken to the hospital. There were the spare socks and underwear. Every other day, he had to wash his clothes to have clean clothes available. He knew he would have to buy more clothes soon. Next to the backpack was the walking stick. There were only three pieces of furniture in the room, a bed, a chest of drawers, and a bookcase. The first shelf of the bookcase held books about hiking and survival, including a complete set of Foxfire books. The rest of the shelves contained science books covering mathematics, electronics, biology, chemistry, and physics. Everything was just as he had left it, years ago when he had gone off to college. It was a Spartan room. As he often told visitors, he liked to live simply and be able to take off on a moments notice for the great outdoors. All of his college possessions fit in three boxes. One box of clothes, one box of books, and one box of hiking gear. He had mailed them to himself in care of the university's department of physics. His roommates had laughed when they had seen him move. They had rented U-Haul trucks to carry their stuff away. Lying upon the bed with his hands clasped behind his head, John Carter stared up at the ceiling. He was restless and felt like something was pulling him from the house. He had been at his parent's house for ten days. He felt fully healed although he had been shot two weeks ago. He'd rather be hiking, but his shoulder was still sore and couldn't carry much weight. He wouldn't have a chance for an extended hike until next summer. Between now and then, all he would be able to do is take short weekend hikes. Giving into the pull, he grabbed his walking stick and left the house. He ambled randomly down various streets, but headed in a direction that was generally towards the center of town. He took his normal hiking pace, stopping occasionally to observe his surroundings. He passed by trees that he had climbed as a child, houses where his classmates had lived, and other places that were special. Everything looked a little older, a lot smaller, and more worn down than he remembered. As he passed one house, he remembered Jenny. She had lived here when he was in high school. He smiled with his recollection of her. He had lost his virginity to her one afternoon in the woods behind the high school. She was a popular girl in school and he was the lone wolf - a wanderer even at that time. He never understood why she had decided to take him into the woods that day. His experience, in hindsight, was not particularly great, but at the time he was ecstatic and couldn't have imagined better. Yes, he had fumbled through getting out of his clothes with fingers that no longer seemed his own. Yes, he had climbed on her in the missionary position without much foreplay at all. It had taken him longer to get his cock into her than he spent actually fucking. However, her expectations didn't seem to be much beyond what she had experienced. That afternoon, and for years afterwards, she was the most beautiful woman that he knew. They had never repeated the experience, but she had always acted kindly towards him. Losing his virginity had opened some sort of door within him. He spent hours reading everything about sex that he could find. For a time, it seemed like his hand was always wrapped around his cock. Then one day, he realized that he had been a rather lousy lover. It was an amazing revelation to him and one that he knew he had to correct as quickly as possible. His reading changed from getting off to learning how to be better in bed. It was a couple of years later before he had sex with his second lover. That time he had been much better. There had been lots of foreplay and it had been good for her. She had come before he even entered her. However, his personal performance still was bad. Again, it had taken him longer to get his cock inside her than he had spent in her. This was his second great sexual revelation. Not only did he need to learn what actions to perform, but he also had to learn out to control himself. His masturbation took a different direction. Now instead of trying to get off as quickly as possible, he tried to see how long he could make it last. It was a difficult habit to break. He had years of furtive masturbation where his goal had been to get off before someone might discover what he was doing. Now he had to plan his activities where he could expect to be alone for a significant amount of time. His efforts paid off. It took a while, but the time came when he was able to last for more than fifteen minutes with his girlfriend. She seemed to enjoy the experience much more. She broke up with him a couple of months later. Her reason for leaving him crushed his self-esteem. During a fight involving some minor difference of opinion about the color of a rug, she had launched the salvo that killed the relationship. She had stated that his lovemaking was mechanical and he did the same thing every time. In effect, she had told him he was a lousy lover. He had walked away and never saw her again. It wasn't until several months later, when circumstances had forced him to take the same hiking trail four weekends in a row that he understood. The first time along the trail was exciting. Every corner lead to a new view. The second time was just as good as the first. That time he noticed things that he hadn't seen the first time through. The third time, the trail seemed comfortable. No surprises, nothing new, and somewhat boring. Still, the simple act of hiking had relaxed him and put him in a nice state of mind. The fourth time had been horrible. There was nothing new and his hike had seemed mechanical. He walked, but his step carried an air of impatience. He hardly looked around at the sights around him. When he had reached the end of the trail, he didn't really remember how he had gotten there. Variety was just as important as performance. One time it could be slow and sensual. The next time it could be wild abandon. Another time, maybe fast, furious and powerful was appropriate. Since sex didn't involve him alone, it was something that had to be right for both of them. From that time to the present, no woman had ever complained about his lovemaking. As he stood outside of Jenny's house, he wondered what it would be like to sleep with her now. In a way, it saddened him that his first time had been so poor. It was true that he had been ignorant, but it was a lost opportunity for a much greater shared mutual pleasure. He shook his head and returned to the reality of his surroundings. His stomach rumbled and he glanced at his watch. He had been wandering for an hour now and was just a block from downtown. He decided to walk into town and get a bite to eat. When he reached downtown, he was shocked at how much it had changed and then realized that six years had passed since he had been there. He looked around at the stores and noted that there were three places to eat. The old hamburger joint that had served root beer in frosty mugs was gone. He felt drawn to the little cafe that announced its presence with a dainty little sign proclaiming it to be the 'Soup Shoppe.' As he entered the cafe, he stopped and looked around. It was a cozy little place with small tables covered with red and white plaid tablecloths. There were little vases with a single flower on each table. A white board covered with feminine handwriting presented the dishes served. The soup de jour was Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup, which happened to be his favorite. He noticed they had sandwiches listed and decided upon a roast beef sandwich. His stomach announced its' concurrence with his decision by emitting a long low rumble. He selected a table next to the wall and leaned his walking stick against the wall where it would be out of the way. He had just seated himself when he heard a choking sound from one of the other people in the dinner. He looked around and noticed a portly old man gesturing frantically. His companion and other diners in the cafe started to panic. No one moved. John stood and walked calmly to the man. Lifting him out of the chair, he performed the Heimlich Maneuver. On the second attempt, the guy ejected a piece of breadstick and his breathing returned to normal. Satisfied that the guy was okay; he patted him on the back. "Better watch out for those breadsticks, they can be killers." The guy turned around to see his savior. "Thanks so much." At the sound of the man talking, the other diners broke out into a momentary applause and then returned to their meals. A common topic was the choking incident. The applause brought the waitress from back where she was informed by one of the other patrons of the events that had just occurred. It took a moment for John to recognize the man he had just saved. "Mr. Means! How are you doing?" "Much better now." He reached down and took a sip of water. The coolness eased a little of the irritation in his throat. "I'm John Carter. You were the principal at the high school when I was a student. It is so nice to see you again." Mr. Means was still in the process of recovering from his experience. He vaguely recalled the young man. Then he remembered the incident that had brought this student some notoriety. John had been somewhat of a loner and troublemaker. Then one night, his brother, the Wilkins boy, and him had been drinking and probably doing drugs. The boys had a fight and his brother had driven away leaving the other two several miles outside of town. The brother had wrapped the car around a tree and died. Afterwards, John remained a loner, but he was no longer a troublemaker. His grades improved and he disappeared into the background. "Your timing is impeccable. So what are you doing here?" "Oh, I'm recovering from a minor injury. I'll be going to the University of Texas in a couple of weeks to work on my doctorate in Physics." "Really?" "Yes. Are you still the principal?" "Yes, but this is my last year. I'm retiring." "Wow, that's great. Tell me, what are you planning on doing?" "Oh, I'll play some golf, work in my woodshop, and putter about the house. I'm looking forward to it." Mr. Means was not too concerned with his retirement. Years teaching school had taught him how to fill his summers with activity and live with his wife. He had known many people that had retired and died from boredom shortly afterwards. John nodded to Mr. Means and his dining companion. She was probably his wife by the way she was acting. He smiled, "Well that sounds great. Now, I'll leave you to finish your meal with companion here. Just watch out for those breadsticks." Taken off guard, Mr. Means replied, "Thanks. Take care of yourself." The waitress came over to John's table and stated, "Thanks for saving him. Your lunch is on the house." John shook his head, "No need. I was just the first one there. I'm sure someone else would have stepped in if I hadn't been here." He stopped a moment and looked at the waitress. His mouth slowly opened as he recognized her. Time had not been exactly kind to her. She was still an attractive woman, but when she was younger, she had been amazingly beautiful. He exclaimed, "Jenny, is that you?" She started and looked again at the customer. She realized who he was. "Well, I'll be. John Carter?" "Oh, this is amazing. I was out walking and passed by your house. It brought back so many memories." Jenny blushed as she remembered her high school days. She had been so popular then. Every guy was trying to sleep with her. The only one who treated her like a human had been John. He just nodded to her when she walked past with her followers. He'd stop and talk to her when she was alone and upset. He never put any pressure on her. She'd even slept with him once, but learned that he was like everyone else in bed. Afterwards, he was still the same old John. He wasn't possessive and didn't stalk. He still nodded to her or stopped to talk. He also didn't tell stories and that was important to her. Now she was a single mother raising a five-year-old boy on the little money that the cafe brought. The father didn't even know he was a father. Truth to tell, she didn't know who the father was. Too much booze at her first college party and her life was changed forever. She decided that memories weren't very great to have. "Are you back here for good?" "No, I'm just visiting for a couple more weeks. Then it's back to school for me." The mention of school made her flinch. Her answer suggested the lack of enthusiasm for the topic. "Oh, that's nice." John examined her for a moment. He noticed there wasn't a wedding ring on her finger. He suggested, "How about you have dinner with me tonight after you close up the shop instead of buying me lunch?" Jenny licked her lips and blurted out, "I can't. I have a son and I really have to go home and take care of him." Without hesitation, John answered, "No problem. How's this? You get your son and I'll find a place that all three of us will enjoy." Jenny hesitated. This was the first offer to get out of the house since her son had been born. In a way, she needed this very much. She whispered, "Okay." John replied, "Great! I'll walk around and find the perfect place. How old is your son?" "Five." "Oh, that's a great age. So much of the world is still new to them. It's fun exploring the world with someone that age." Jenny stepped back in surprise, "What do you know about kids that age?" "Oh, I babysat a lot when I was an undergraduate," he replied. His stomach growled loudly impatient at the delay in being filled. Jenny laughed aloud. It was a genuine laugh and not the kind she often used when customers told bad jokes. Her hand went up to fiddle with her hair, "I think your stomach is trying to tell us something. What can I get you to eat?" They went through the ordering procedure typical of all restaurants. She disappeared for a moment and returned with a bowl of soup. Other customers demanded her attention and she was busy while he ate his soup. He watched her move around the room interacting with people. She would occasionally glance in his direction and smile. As soon as he finished the soup, she returned to the table with his sandwich. With a roll of her eyes, she stepped away from the table to serve a customer that had snapped his fingers to get her attention. Mr. Means stopped by his table and gave thanks again. He also introduced his wife, who spent a few minutes thanking him for his heroism. John shrugged it off as though he had done nothing. The couple left arm in arm. He had just finished his sandwich when Jenny arrived at the table. He noticed that he was the last customer in the cafe. She sat in the chair across from him with a smile, "Now that we've fed that animal in your tummy, maybe we can talk a little." John smiled appreciatively. In the half an hour since he had entered the cafe, it seemed as though five years had dropped from her face. He reached across the table and touched her hand, "That would be great. It's so nice to see you again." Jenny sat up a little straighter and pulled her shoulders back. It had the effect of emphasizing her breasts. "I was always comfortable talking with you. Do you know that you were the only guy in school that treated me like a human being and not a sex object?" John shrugged, "I was still in a state of shock over my brother's death. I appreciated being able to talk to you on occasion. You were very nice and didn't treat me like a pariah. So what has life after high school been like for you?" Jenny frowned and stated, "Well, I went off to college and got pregnant. Came back here and had Davie. Then I opened this place. For the last five years, I work here from the morning to the afternoon and then go home to take care of the kid." His reaction surprised Jenny, "Wow, you are so ... so brave and independent. I can't imagine raising a kid and running a business at the same time. That's amazing!" Jenny sat back and stared at John. She viewed her life as a deeply entrenched rut. Everyday seemed to blend into the next without distinction. Yet, when she looked at it from his perspective, it did seem to have a little more meaning. She hesitated, "I never really saw it that way before." He smiled and patted her hand, "You're just being modest." A confused look passed over her face. She stuttered, "Not really." John looked around the cafe and noticed the dirty plates on tables. Realizing that she was uncomfortable with the topic, he chose to change it. "How about I bus the tables while you straighten up here? Then I'll go and find a place for our date tonight giving you a chance to finish up your work here without trying to entertain me." Jenny smiled, relived at the suggestion and thankful for the help. She answered, "That would be great." True to his word, he bused the tables with his normal efficiency. After finishing that minor chore, he learned when and where to pick her up that evening. Grabbing his walking stick, he left the restaurant while waving goodbye to Jenny. Behind him, a very happy Jenny returned to her work. At five o'clock John knocked on the door of the address that Jenny had given him. The door was opened by a five year old boy. John knelt down so that he was at eye level with the child. Without extending his hand, he greeted the boy, "Hello. I'm John. You must be Davie." The child nodded solemnly. The man in front of him looked strange with part of his beard white and the rest brown. He held a staff in his hand. Davie finally stuttered, "Are you a wizard?" John scrunched up his features as if he was thinking hard, "No! Were you going to challenge me to a wizards' duel?" "No." "Oh, that's good, cause I know you would have beaten me. I'm not good at magic." "Really?" "Yeah, really!" Davie relaxed a little. This was the first time that a man had come to their house and he was a little unsure what he was supposed to think. He asked, "Are you the guy taking mom and me somewhere tonight?" "Yep!" "Where are you taking us?" Davie asked. "That's a surprise. I'm sure you'll like it, though!" Jenny appeared behind Davie and greeted John, "Hello. You're right on time!" "I try to be prompt. Are you guys ready?" Jenny inspected Davie making sure that he was wearing his shoes. Satisfied that Davie was ready she answered, "Yes we are. Where are we going?" "It's a surprise, mommy!" "Really?" John answered, "Yes, really. Now let's get in the car and I'll take you there!" They piled into the car with the giddiness of kids. Jenny felt years younger and John just was young. Davie was the only one acting his age. After a little hassle over him wanting to sit in the front seat, John was able to convince him that it was hard to be a Chauffeur when the important person was seated in the front seat. John took the walking stick apart and set it on the seat between him and Jenny. Turning to face the back seat, he asked, "Is the Master ready to leave?" "Yes! Let's go! Follow that car!" giggled Davie. Jenny smiled at the easy banter between John and Davie. She had worried about Davies' reaction to having a man show up at the house. She guessed she was lucky that it was John. He had a very disarming way about him. It was a short drive to the place that John had picked for the date. It was a combined miniature golf course and go-cart racetrack. She looked at John in surprise, "Here?" Davie uttered one word in an awed voice, "Cool!" John smiled and only stated, "Let's go guys!" For the next three hours, they played miniature golf, ate, and drove go-carts. Davie won the prize for high score in miniature golf. The prize was Cotton Candy on a paper cone. The prize quickly disappeared. He was delighted. John and Davie had gone on the go-cart racing Jenny. John drove while Davie encouraged him to go faster and faster. They tied and had to share the first-place prize of Nachos. They had a little racetrack with electric cars that went about as fast as a walk. Davie drove his car on the track against four other kids. John and Jenny were jumping up and down along side the track cheering him on. He came in second place and was flushed with excitement. The only negative of the evening was when one kid swung a putter at the head of another. The blow, which would have been very damaging, had been blocked by John who had inserted his putter in the path. The mothers of the two children were frantic and thanked John profusely, but he just shrugged it off. He was fortunate that Jenny and Davie were in the bathroom at the time, so it didn't spoil the evening. Davie was tired by the time they headed back to the car. He offered no resistance to getting in the back seat or buckling his seat belt. He fell asleep after uttering a weak, "Follow that car." On arriving at Jenny's house, John carried Davie into the house. He followed Jenny to Davies' bedroom and laid him on the bed. He stepped back and whispered to Jenny, "They're so cute when they fall asleep like that." She smiled and went to get Davie dressed for bed. John discretely stepped out of the room and retraced his steps to the living room. He looked around the room at the toys scattered on the floor, most of them in front of the television. It looked like any other living room that was occupied by a five year old kid. He sat on the couch to wait for Jenny. He continued his examination of the room from his position. There were very few pictures or items of a personal nature reflecting Jenny. Most of the pictures were of Davie. Despite the apparent chaos due to scattered toys, the room was neat. There wasn't any dust or empty plates scattered about. Things that were out of Davies' reach were in their place. Despite her circumstances, she still managed to keep track of the important details. Jenny entered the room and immediately began to apologize, "I'm sorry the house is such a ..." John interrupted, "Your house looks like every house that has children. I think that if I ever went into a house that was spotless and had children, I wouldn't like the children and I'd hate the parents that forced their kids to live that way. Kids are messy and to pretend otherwise is wrong." Jenny laughed, "You always did know the right thing to say to me." John smiled as she joined him on the couch. She leaned her head against his good shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. They sat there quietly just enjoying each other's company. After a while, John noticed the deep regular breathing that indicated Jenny had fallen asleep. He carefully got up and laid her down on the sofa. Looking around, he spotted a blanket. He got it and laid it over her. Kissing her on the forehead, he went to the door and turned to take one last look at her. She was beautiful again. He left the house, locking the door behind him. <1st attachment end> ----- ASSM Moderation System Notice------ Notice: This post has been modified from its original format. 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