The new world (Zavaya & MsBloom)

[Zavaya]

"Even if it holds water, it needs cleaning first. God knows what else has been left in there."

Eryn was right about it being a promising site but Robin also knew it would need a lot of work before it would be suitable for any kind of habitation. She had her ideas on how to use the grain carts. Leaving the top open would be fine in Arizona as it hardly ever rained. That notion though had been seriously shaken overnight. And there was another thing that worried her. Something she shared with Eryn, hoping she'd follow.

"Look..."

She patted her foot into a puddle.

"This isn't normal. No matter how much it rains, the sand absorbs it. Like... Well you're from California right? If the sand is wet, it changes colour but it doesn't create puddles on the beach. The same thing should be happening here. The fact that we got puddles, means the soil is saturated and that leaves the question... how in the fuck is that possible?"

They were lower in elevation than the actual camp and Robin looked further south.

"Hang on... There is a river bed down there."

She pointed across the tracks to where the terrain lowered even more.

"It never had any actual water in it since I was here though."

A little hesitant she looked both ways and crossed the tracks. Almost immediately she could hear the water and with her jaw nearly in the sand she frantically waved Eryn over. Down in the usually dried up riverbed, there was now a raging torrent of water. Robin was hardly able to keep her excitement in check as she gave Eryn a cheeky smile.

"Race you down there!"

And then she began to ran towards the water. At the edge, she quickly began to take off her shoes, then her socks and then, looking at Eryn, she took off her top and trousers and in just her underwear, walked into the river, gasping at how cool the water was.

 

[MsBloom]

Eryn Flint

"And cleaning them will be a lot easier if they are filled with water. It softens the what else has been left in there. I'm going to take a look," Eryn said and was just about to start the climb when Robin commented on the puddles.
It was certainly true that sand merely changed colour but didn't allow puddles to form, no matter how much it rained. Then again Eryn had never seen rain like last night before. They nodded and splashed their left foot in the puddle as if to assess the depth and it was enough to get their entire foot wet.

They shook their foot in the air and then followed Robin as she set off across the tracks. It was almost funny the way she checked that it was clear before doing so. Eryn couldn't imagine any trains having passed through for at least a year, perhaps longer. She had been right though. There was actually water in the river bed and lots of it. Almost as if it was a spring flood in some colder Northern region.
"What the bloody fuck," Eryn said as she saw the water rage westwards.
They had never really lived in the desert before but knew enough that this was in no way normal. It must really have rained cats, dogs and grand-fucking-pianos over a much larger area than they had thought.

"Race you there," Robin said and set off towards the river.
It couldn't be much more than 200 yards away, 150 maybe after they crossed the tracks. Eryn had perhaps never been much of an athlete but she was explosive and had caught up enough with Robin to almost be able to grab onto her by the time they reached the edge of the river.

When Robin began to undress Eryn did the same, trying their best not to look at Robin as more an more of her skin was revealed. A bath was something they hadn't really had since forever just the occasional sparse shower that only just barely got rid of the collected dust. It would also mean a chance to actually wash their clothes. Alys would love that. She had been complaining about it since last they had a chance to.

A bit disappointed that Robin had kept her underwear on Eryn stripped down to just their boxers and hesitated before following her into the water which was cool against the skin as it had not yet been still enough to be heated by the sun. They submerged themself momentarily and then removed their boxers as well wrung them out and tossed them onto the river bank next to the rest of their clothes.
"Holy fuck," they said and leaned back into a casual floating position, their arms stretched out and legs spread.
"I didn't know how much I had missed a bath until just now."

 

[Zavaya]

Robin was a little taken aback by Eryn taking off all of the clothing and felt a little unsure how to proceed. It did feel good to have a bath though, despite the heavy current and the fact the water was a little bit too chilly to be really comfortable. Which caused a problem under Robin's bra. The cold caused her nipples to harden, which soon became really uncomfortable under the fabric. So she smiled at Eryn and then took her top off as well.

It felt weird being topless so public. Robin couldn't actually remember when her modest breasts had felt and seen fresh air. As she dipped under the water, trying to keep her balance, she too took off her panties and threw them on the river bank.

Immediately she realised that they had both made a little cock-up as they now had to either leave the underpants off, or wear them while wet, neither of which really interested Robin. Still, they were both naked in a refreshing river. First things first. She slowly moved against the current to get closer to Eryn and wrapped an arm around their naked waist, instantly sending an almost electrifying jolt through her body.

"I've missed a lot more than just a bath..."

She then planted her lips briefly and quickly on Eryn's, hoping she had read the signs correctly that Eryn had been giving off earlier.

"... until now."

Then she fully pulled Eryn closer against her, their breasts touching and their bodies exchanging heat.

 

[MsBloom]

Eryn Flint

Eryn did a few backstrokes and smiled as Robin took off her bra and revealed her breasts, modest in size perhaps but absolutely gorgeous. They only managed to catch a quick glimpse of them though before Robin dove under the water. Was she being shy, trying to hide her bared breasts? That seemed odd to Eryn because; why then had she removed her bra. Was it perhaps an issue with wet fabric against hardened nipples? It could be, but why dive completely under if that was all it was?

The answer came mere moments later when Robin resurfaced with her panties in her hand, which she then tossed onto the bank. Knowing they were now both as naked as the day they were born Eryn bit their bottom lip, nervously but also excited at what it might mean. When Robin approached them, talking about what else they had missed, Eryn let her legs drop back into the water and nodded. There was not much room in the apocalypse for dating, at least not the way dating used to be before.

Sure. Eryn had had the occasional, casual, sexual relation, but nothing that could be called dating. It had little more than a substitute for masturbation if they were honest. And living in a modified truck with their sister did not exactly make having sex easier. Back when they had shared an apartment with Alys they had at least had a door to close for privacy.

As Robin wrapped her arms around their waist Eryn welcomed her, placing their hands on her hips and for the time being leaving them to rest there. To be touched by another and to touch another's naked skin certainly awakened something deep within and Eryn only just barely stopped themself from moaning as they accepted the brief, clearly exploratory, kiss. Instead they smiled and nodded.

When Robin then pulled them closer, close enough that their breasts not only touched but were pressed against the other's. Eryn pushed their hips forward so that their pubic bone also touched Robin's pubic bone as an invitation to so much more than the hungry, passionate kiss they then planted on Robin's lips while letting their hands slide from her hips to her ass.

 

[Zavaya]

Robin had been bluffing a little. She hadn't missed a kiss or intimacy. You can't miss what you never had. Truth was, Robin had no idea what she was doing and it would probably soon became apparent to Eryn. The confident, survival camp leader, seemed to have shed more than just her clothes. She was trembling even, something Eryn could feel when their bodies touched and the way she kissed was clearly showing her lack of experience.

Helplessness.

Robin felt lost and helpless. A feeling she hadn't often had and one she certainly didn't prefer. Though now in the water with Eryn, she figured she would be in safe hands. It felt really good to be this close and intimate with somebody.

"I... don't really know how this works Eryn..."

It felt like a stupid thing to say. Especially at that moment but Robin didn't like feeling lost. Either she led, or she followed. And right now, she needed to follow. She tried to lead, by pulling Eryn in, by kissing but that was all there was. Robin dug inside her brain to get her body to react and do something but her arms and legs just wouldn't move. They just held Eryn's warm naked body against her own, as if it was enough for Robin.

And maybe it was. Maybe this was all the intimacy Robin was ready for at this moment but deep down inside she also knew she wanted more. To have that explosion of lust and arousal and to let go. She'd been on top of things ever since the shit hit the fan, always turned on to the max. Feeling it was her duty to keep her family safe. Then the house and the ranch and then Houck.

And in come these two. Autistic Alys and her Mechanic Sibling. Both completely out of place in Houck but both completely disarming and endearing, each in their own way. Everybody who'd ever pass or join the camp had been up for discussion. Could they stay or should they go and every time there had been a heated debate. Not this time. Almost nobody wanted to let these two go. In fact there had only been one vote not to accept them. It was a risk. It could be bait. Spies. A trick to learn more about Houck. Surely two young people like these wouldn't have survived all this time.

One voice against them staying. The same voice that was now asking Eryn for help as she relished the cold water and the warm bare skin of Eryn.

 

[MsBloom]

Eryn Flint

I... don't really know how this works Eryn...

Eryn's eyes found Robin's and looked into them, searching, taking in the unexpected insecurity and inexperience of this beautiful woman. Surely with all the confidence Robin had shown so far they had expected her to know what she was doing. She had made the first move and it had been bold. No, that wasn't true. Eryn had made the first move back at Robin's place before going back to get Alys. They had then left it to Robin since there had been no immediate or definite response to that kiss. But just now, when they were alone, and naked on top of that, it had been Robin who made the first move, and quite confidently. Or so it had seemed.
"It's alright. I do," they said and softly kissed Robin's trembling lips.
"But also. If this is as far as you feel you are ready for things to go, for now, then that's fine."
They knew from having grown up with Alys as a big sister that sometimes slowly was the only way forward. They didn't pull back from Robin though, they kept her close, their breasts pressed against the other's, their pubes touching. They just stood there enjoying the intimate embrace.

It was perhaps not what they had hoped would come of this impromptu skinny dipping but for the moment it was quite enough just to feel Robin's muscular body close against their own.
"We don't have to do anything more than just stand her holding each other and sharing the occasional kiss but if you want to I can tell you how it works."
They planted another soft kiss on Robin's lips and then pulled their head back a little, tilting it to the side and looking at Robin's face again. Those words: I... don't really know how this works Eryn... still echoing in their head. Could it be that Robin, a confident and strong woman in her what mid twenties, if that., could still be a virgin? Of course that for a long time been the case with Alys but then ... Alys was on the spectrum and as such had issues with intimacy in general. Robin didn't strike Eryn as being on the spectrum, or any other kind of neurodivergent that might explain it. Had she really been that isolated growing up, perhaps home-schooled on a remote farm?

It would of course be very impolite to ask so instead Eryn gave Robin another kiss and began to explain.
"We both have female bodies so that means that all and any penetration we might share in the future will be entirely artificial, fingers probably being the most likely, but also toys, if we can find any. But it's not all about penetration. There is so much more. Other than your fingers you can also use your tongue and lips for oral stimulation.

It tastes absolutely ... like of course to some it might be something of an acquired taste ... but I just loved it right from the first time my tongue touched another woman's sex. That's perhaps the most obvious way to imagine two female bodies pleasuring one another, that and of course also teasing the nipples, maybe licking and sucking on them. Like you can feel how hard mine are right now as they press up against you, right. That's partly the cold water of course but not entirely. They are very sensitive at the moment, in a good way.

Then there is of course also tribbing, which is one of my favourites. It is basically like fucking but without penetration. Like if we were to do it we would be grinding our sexes against each other, our clits rubbing the other's to create the same kind of friction as if you were masturbating, only much much better. Or one of us might thrust against the other. Or we could just grind against the other's thigh."

Eryn stopped talking to let all the information they had just thrown at Robin sink in.

 

[Zavaya]

Robin wasn't expecting a full disclosure on what the options were and how the options were called, completely with a description. In fact, it didn't help at all. All she had wanted was for Eryn to take control. Now, Robin still felt as lost as she had done before. Maybe Eryn had more in common with their sister than they knew. She just smiled and pulled Eryn closer, enjoying the sensation of feeling Eryn's breasts agains her own.

She let her hands explore a bit, the sensation of warm skin that wasn't her own sent a shiver through her body. It already felt good just being this close to somebody. In a mutual consensual way. The blonde took a deep breath and just closed her eyes.

A week ago Houck was a lonely, dusty and barren desert. Now it had been transformed into what felt like an oasis. And the reason was not only the water.

"That was an elaborate explanation Eryn... But not entirely what I meant."

She smiled and kissed Eryn again. It was alright. For Robin, this was all she needed right now. Her hands continued to explore, feeling Eryn's skin on their back, their neck and then down, over their breasts again, spending some extra attention to them before going down to their stomach and eventually resting on their thighs. Robin knew what lay down there. Obviously she knew how to treat that. She had it herself but at the same time, she wasn't sure how she would react if somebody other than herself were to touch it.

So instead of being the bold and brave character she had always been, instead of exploring the unknown, Robin's hands continued to move down over Eryn's legs, pushing them onto their butt into the water as Robin pulled their leg out of the water and began to kiss it, down to the feet and then back up again, her eyes locked on Eryn, hoping for clues as to what she was doing was good or not.

 

[MsBloom]

Eryn Flint

Eryn had of course realised their misinterpretation of Robin's statement, which was in parts why they had stopped talking. It was not only their sister who was on the spectrum after all. They were too, even if not nearly to the same degree as Alys. Most of the time it was barely noticeable, some general awkwardness in social situations and a tendency to talk too much and over-explain even the simplest of things. What Eryn also realised was in a sense what Robin had meant, that she had asked them to take the lead, to show rather than tell but somehow the moment had gone and like Robin they simply enjoyed the warmth of another human body, skin against skin, a warm embrace and a tingling sensation of general arousal.

They let Robin explore on her own while also exploring Robin's body in much the same way, feeling the firm roundness of her buttocks, the muscles of her back that indeed suggested having grown up on a farm. They allowed their hands to linger on the sides of her breasts, pressing their own up against them. Like Robin they too stopped short of exploring the secret garden hidden between her thighs. As it was it was close enough to their own that a small push forward of the hips would bring them together. It was far from Eryn's first time being this intimate with a woman but there was something about Robin that made them nervous and their mouth was suddenly bone dry.

They were very aware that Robin probably still wanted them to take the lead but they were unsure of just how to begin to guide this surprisingly innocent and inexperienced woman into the world of sapphic pleasures and tried to think back at their own first time, back in Texas, how awkwardly clumsy they had both been having had no one to guide them, just what they had been able to find on the internet and they didn't want their first time with Robin to be like that. They wanted it to be exactly what Robin wanted, needed, it to be.

They were just about to kiss Robin again, softly and then let their lips begin a slow exploratory journey down to her breasts, when Robin surprised them by pushing them backwards onto their but and then lifting their left leg out of the water to start kissing it. And while it was certainly nice it was also not the most comfortable position to be in as they had to prop themselves up on hands rather than their elbows to keep their head above water. Still though they did let out a low moan as Robin's lips neared their sex.

"Why don't we move back to solid ground," they suggested realising that their moment to take the lead had reappeared.
They took Robin by the hand and, quite unnecessarily, led her back to the shore, laid her down on her back and kissed her. Their bodies once again pressed against each other Eryn now guided Robin's left hand to their own right breast and placed their own right hand on Robin's left breast. They poked their tongue gently at Robin's lips, parting them until their tongues met. They let their left thigh slide between Robin's so that it rested against her sex with just a hint of pressure applied as an invitation for Robin to rub herself against it. Their own sex resting just as softly against Robin's left thigh.
"We have all the time in the world Robin," They said in a brief pause between kisses.
"We can do this at whatever pace you feel comfortable with. I am more than happy to just lay here, kissing you, touching you, being touched by you, if that's what you want for now."

 

[Zavaya]

Laying in the sun, on the banks of a river, albeit a small one, brought back memories Robin could have done without. Instead of her father telling her about the stars, it was Eryn, wanting something from her she wasn't sure she was willing or ready to give. She returned the kisses and enjoyed the warmth of Eryn's skin against her own, knowing the only warmth they would soon feel would come from the sun.

The sun that had Arizona a desert and could be so hot and crippling.

Robin rolled on her back, pulled her hand back and gently pushing Eryn's leg from between hers.

"I..."

She didn't know what to say. Well she did, but now how. They had to get to work and she was uncomfortable. The latter mostly the feeling she couldn't really deal with.

"It's not you... but.. we probably should get some work done while it's still reasonably cool. And if it rains again soon, we want those silos clean and ready."




Back in the shelter Alys had need been asleep again since her sibling told her they were going out with Robin. She knew what that meant, she has autism, she wasn't stupid. Alys also knew, more than any one realised, how much she had relied on Eryn to get here and how much Eryn had been taking care of her. So Alys had been lying awake and had come a conclusion. She was going to try her best to be able to blend in and act like a normal sociable person.

So when Katie woke up, Alys wished her a good morning. Without looking her in the eyes, that was still weird but saying those words to a relative stranger felt good. It almost empowered her. And then she even said more.

"Robin and Eryn are at the gravel pit to check out the damage the rain has done. Or something else."

She wasn't sure if that was a normal thing to say but she had said it anyway. She knew her sibling and saw how they had looked at Robin, almost right from the moment they got to Houck.

"They said you could take me to the canteen."

Even to Alys those last words didn't seem right and although Katie didn't seem to take any offence to them, Alys felt strangely obliged to apologise or correct them at least.

"When you're ready.. and if you want. I can also just stay here until Robin and Eryn return."

 

[MsBloom]

Eryn Flint

It would be a lie for Eryn to say they weren't a little disappointed when Robin gently pushed their leg off of her but rather than voicing that disappointment they nodded and rolled onto their back next to Robin rather than on top of her. Disappointment aside they had after all meant what they had said. They had time and as much as their sex ached in that moment the ball had to be in Robin's court. Only she could know when she was ready to explore their intimacy further.

After having basked in the sun for a while they re-dressed themself and without another word about what had just happened between them they headed back to the silos and began to climb up to inspect the contents inside. It took some effort to open the valve but they got it done and as they looked down it was indeed as Robin had suggested filled with a lot more than water. It would take time and hard work to clean it out but it wasn't like there was a whole lot else to do around Houck anyway so ...

Robin climbed back down and gave Robin an update.
"I think it's safe to assume that the other two are in a similar state," they said.
"But I think we may only need one to begin with. I could build a larger version of the condenser Alys and I have on our truck. All it really requires is a large tarp and some basic engineering. That way we don't have to wait for it to rain but can catch water from the air itself."

They then walked over to the tool shed they had explored on their first trip there and found a couple of shovels.
"It would probably be easier to drain the water from the silo first and then shovel out all the crap inside," they suggested and found the exit valve which again resisted their attempts at opening it but with the help of a lever and the combined efforts themself and Robin they got it open causing dirty water to rush out and form a small creek leading down towards the river.
"In the words of Archimedes: Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world," Eryn said with a hint of a smile on their face as they watched the water do what water does, find its way to the lowest available point.

Katie Miller

"Good morning to you too," Katie said and stretched her body out while also not trying to make eye contact as she had realised that Alys found it uncomfortable.
It was also quite obvious to her that Alys was a bit like a fish out of water without Eryn around. The two siblings seemed to have an almost symbiotic need for one another. On the surface it might perhaps seem like Alys needed Eryn more than the other way around but even though Eryn was probably a lot more independent than Alys they too needed their sister, for emotional comfort.

It had also become clear to Katie over the little time the two newcomers had been in Houck that there was also something between the two that was not like it had once been. She assumed this might have a lot to do with Eryn's gender neutral pronouns.
"Robin has been talking about that gravel pit a bit before but I don't think anyone here has taken her vision of what it could be seriously. Martin and Alison certainly haven't. They seem quite content with how things are back at the truckstop," she said in response to the information that Robin and Eryn had gone there and then a soft smile graced her face when Alys stated that Eryn and Robin had said that she could take her to the canteen.
It was obvious that the poor girl was trying her best to act normal but her autism still shone through.
"Tell you what Alys," she said, adding an even bigger, friendlier, smile.
"Let's go back to the canteen and pick up breakfast for the four of us and join them. I'm quite curious what your sibling think about Robin's plans and ideas. We'll make a picnic of it. Sound good?"

 

[Zavaya]

Robin had a brief and slight rethink on the silo's. If they had a river here, why would they need the silo's full of water. She quickly discarded the thought again though as there was no guarantee that the river would stay full. So she helped open the drainage tab and watch the muddy water drain out of the silo.

"Short and little but chock full of surprises. You sound like a candybar commercial."

Robin smiled, took a shovel and began to clear out the silo. The idea Eryn had didn't yet made much sense. Why collect water out of the air when there was so much water around them but she didn't question Eryn, something that Robin wasn't used to. She was used to knowing it better and wanting things done her way but given how far these two siblings had come alone, she figured they'd know best.

With the sun out in a blue sky again, the weather had at least reverted to type but with so much water in the ground now, the usually bone dry desert was quickly becoming a bit of a sweat box, especially for Robin who had volunteered to go into the silo to shovel the crap out, so that Eryn could then shovel it into the ground or away. She knew they had a massive task ahead if they wanted to get this place up and running but having a reliable water supply and storage was a huge first step.

---

Alys chuckled at Katie's words about Martin and Alison.

"They are murderers. I wouldn't expect them to have any vision at all."

Yesterday's events hadn't been forgotten by Alys and probably would never. She trusted her sibling but that didn't mean she had to like everybody in the camp. She listened to the idea and nodded.

"Yeah. I'm quite hungry I think."

She followed Katie towards the canteen, explaining to her why she already knew Eryn agreed with Robin's plans so that Katie didn't have to be curious anymore.

"If Eryn wouldn't agree with Robin's plans, they wouldn't have gone down there. I think they really liked the idea of building something out of nothing. A place to stay. They're very good at building things and they like doing it so, yeah, they agree with Robin."

She bit her tongue as she wanted to add that Eryn liked more than just Robin's idea but she figured that either Katie already knew that or wouldn't be interested. Besides, the moment they entered the canteen, she had bigger issues to deal with. Much, much bigger.

The room was buzzing but fell a little quiet when she and Katie walked in, eyes on her as the new one. Automatically she lowered her head, trying to disappear and trying to hide behind Katie, who was quite a bit shorter than Alys was. Was she really that hungry? Maybe breakfast could wait. Yes. It probably could. Eryn and Robin probably just wanted to continue their work and eat after that. Okay. No breakfast. Now all she needed was a reason to get out of this room again. They had come into the canteen to eat. Obviously. Why else would somebody be in a canteen if not for food. So leaving without food would be weird. Alys desperately began to think of reasons to leave but Katie had already gestured her to sit down on a quiet corner of a table. Alys looked at her skittishly, nervously fiddling with her hair and fingers, clearly distressed and uncomfortable.

 

[MsBloom]

Katie Miller

Katie almost took Alys by the hand as if she needed to be led to the canteen. It was something about her choice of words: They said you could take me to the canteen.
As if Alys was somehow unable to navigate the now soaked desert to the truck stop on her own. She didn't though as she also suspected it might set the seemingly lost and frightened young woman off, trigger something that might render her incapacitated, and that was certainly not something Katie wanted to have to deal with. The best course of action was to just take her at face value and treat her attempts at normality as ... normal.
"I will admit that what happened yesterday was a bit ... much ... but ... at the same time I get it. A preemptive strike to avoid having to defend themselves later."
She paused and looked at Alys who was clearly horrified for real and she wondered just how much Eryn had protected their sister from the reality of a world where there are no laws other than what each make unto themself. Where you can't just pick up the phone and dial 911 and moments later (at best) a police cruiser, an ambulance or a fire truck appears.
"That doesn't mean I think it was right. Personally I think they should have tried a parley first, make a deal. That's how you rebuild society, by making deals not with weapons and violence. At least not unless you desire a fascist dictatorship where the physically strongest will always prevail."

As they entered the canteen Katie shut up and suggested that Alys should sit down rather than pace nervously because she was unsettling everyone else who was there for their breakfast.
"I'll gather up what we need and then we'll be on our way."
She smiled reassuringly at Alys and then went up to the counter.
"Breakfast for four," she said.
"Robin and Eryn have gone to the gravel pit to have a look and probably start to clear out whatever last night's deluge left behind."
Allison didn't look too happy to hear why Katie wanted a packed breakfast for four but she nodded and packed up bread, some tinned meat and even brewed a fresh pot of coffee.
"I assume you will be needing a big can of water as well. At least that's something we have plenty of now. Will five gallons do?"
Katie nodded and once everything was packed she waved at Alys to help her carry it all.
"Considering the water I think we should take your truck rather than have to carry it all the way down there."

---

Eryn Flint

"Does that mean I'm sweet as well?" Eryn asked when Robin compared them to a candy bar and chuckled as they felt there had been a romantic innuendo from both of them, especially in the light of recent events.

The sun was only just up but it was already hot and Eryn stripped down to just their underwear, which was as good as being in shorts and a top they figured, and who was there to see them anyway, other than Robin and she could certainly look all she wanted, if she wanted.

It was hard work but little by little they began to see results in the form of deeply dug pits, in the gravel pit, into which the mostly unidentifiable muck was shovelled by Eryn.
"This is going to take all day," they said and stretched their back, wiping the sweat off of their face.
"I could use a drink of water. We should have brought bottles. Not that we could have predicted that ..."
They tossed their head towards the river that was still flowing rapidly, still rising.

It was at that moment she saw their truck coming down the slope.
"Oy, look. I think we are getting some help. That must be Alys and Katie."

 

[Zavaya]

Alys immediately felt all eyes upon her as she and Katie went inside of the canteen. The murmurings were also not lost on her and she felt everybody was talking about her. So when Katie suggested she'd sit down, she quickly did and focussed on a piece of empty wall across from her so she could still see Katie in her sight but wasn't focussing on anybody in particular. So when Katie had everything she needed, Alys was quick to get back on her feet and help Katie haul the water out of the canteen and down to the overpass where the truck was parked.

Initially it felt like a waste of precious fuel to take the truck for that short distance but after hauling the water she quickly realised there was no other way. So then, instead of trying to find reasons why not to take the truck she now began to think of reasons why they should. The main one was that it could be handy and useful down in the pit. So she drove with breakfast, coffee and water... and Katie, towards her sibling down in the pit.

When they came down, she immediately saw Eryn, in her underwear, at the base of a silo with a shovel. Moving sand in a desert.

She parked the car and got out and looked around for something resembling a table or something clean enough to put the breakfast on. Without anything like that in sight, she decided to use the bonnet of the car as a table and began to lay out the breakfast onto it, calling her sibling when she was done.



Robin had heard the big engine of the car before Eryn but hadn't said anything. There was a mixed emotion going through her mind that she was struggling with. She was hungry and thirsty as well but also didn't really want to be around Alys yet. She felt Eryn was being held down by their sibling because they felt they had to take care of her. Robin appreciated that but also felt that Alys was taking some advantage of that. And even if she didn't, this was a new world now. Pampering somebody into believing things were alright definitely wasn't the way to go. She'd talk about it with Eryn later. For now, she enjoyed watching the back of Eryn from the top of the silo and couldn't help but feel an urge to slap that pert cute little ass.

After climbing down she walked up to the car and the three other women and took a big sip of water before grabbing coffee.

"Did you all sleep well?"

 

[MsBloom]

Eryn Flint

As soon as Eryn heard the engine approaching they recognised it. They had after all spent quite a lot of time listening to its well trimmed noise, and spent enough time maintaining it to know every nuance of its purr as well as its roar. They had perhaps not exactly expected Alys to waste fuel on such a relatively short distance as it was between Robin's lair and the gravel pit.

It all became clear though when they saw Alys and Katie start to unload food and a large container of water. It was a bit much to haul all that way by hand.

They watched Robin start to climb down, stretched out their back and stuck the shovel into the ground. They had made som real progress in the short time they had been working. With four more hands to help they might be done well before nightfall.

As they came up to the truck they immediately grabbed a mug, filled it with water and gulped it down almost without stopping to breathe. They then filled another but now only took a few controlled mouthfuls.
"Water won't be an issue here, at least not for some time," they said and pointed to the river, which now flowed much more calmly than it had just an hour before.
They then grabbed some bread, and finishing their second mug of water refilled it with coffee, and leaned up against the front of the truck.
"It will take some work but this place has some real potential, especially now with the river being an actual river and not just a dried out riverbed. If it doesn't dry up again you might even be able to grow stuff on the bank."
They looked at Alys, knowing that was her real talent. To make things grow in the most unlikely of places. She could have made it work at Camp Houck as well with some imaginative irrigation but it would have been more difficult.
"And if we decide to make it more permanent we can dig out a small irrigation system. Who knows. If we should happen to come across some clear plastic or better yet, glass, we could even build a greenhouse."
They stopped themselves before getting way too far ahead of what was even possible with what they had to work with.

---

Katie Miller

Katie had half expected to further argue the case for wasting fuel on transporting the food and water but it seemed that Alys had come to the same conclusion. It was simply too much for the two of them to carry all the way down to the gravel pit.

There was no conversation between the two of them as Alys navigated the large vehicle down to what had become known around Camp Houck as Robin's Folly, at least behind Robin's back, and Katie had to admit that she too had had her doubts about it. Whatever it was Robin had seen in that abandoned gravel pit no one else had seen the same thing. Until now that was. It was obvious that Eryn had at least been intrigued by it and if they were honest about it most of the inhabitants at Camp Houck had been somewhat impressed when the two had brought back a front loader. Of course no one had admitted it but Katie had sensed a shift in attitude towards the idea of it being a viable camp.

If they could make it habitable it did have a few advantages over the current Camp Houck. It was out of sight from the highway and probably a lot more easily defended should it be necessary. And now ... with a flowing river on top of that Katie was convinced that it could work. Assuming of course that the river was not just a fluke due to the storm. Then again, who knew. With all the seismic and geological activity that had been going on since the apocalypse hit them it was just possible that the river would stay.

It would of course take some time before it turned the soil along its banks into arable land but having seen what Eryn had done with the truck and hearing them talk about building a larger more effective water catcher she was relatively confident that if anyone could make it work it was Eryn.

"Like a baby," Katie said when Robin asked if they had slept well.
"I don't know but ever since I was a kid I always slept through all kinds of bad weather. I even slept through a minor earthquake once."

 

[Zavaya]

Alys tried to show a bit more emotion than she normally would towards her sibling but struggled after a thank you. She had planned to hug but something, like usual, blocked and she just smiled. Eryn was right about it being a nice place. Or potentially nice at least. Water was life and with some water here somethings would at least grow. Of course with the sandy soil, it would take a while to adapt, like a few seasons and Alys just wasn't sure if they had that much food left.

"I think to start we should rely on hydroponics. Plastic pipes, cut open, that kind of stuff. Sand's no good to grow things in."

They needed containers with soil to grow stuff like root crops but simple things like berries and lettuce could basically grow in the small tubes.

"It will take time for this water to bring nutrients from wherever it springs. Unless this is all rainwater, in which case, it holds no nutrients and all we get here is the downwash from whatever is upstream."

She hated to be negative but she was above all a realist. If this river was pure rainwater, it was good for drinking and all but it held little value to the sandy soil. So she had to focus on the hydroponics system.

"Do we have seeds or something?"

Alys looked at Eryn, knowing full well they didn't know the answer either but asking Katie, or worse, Robin just wasn't an option yet.



Robin too came to breakfast feeling the tension between herself and Alys. Although she figured there would be tension between Alys and everybody. She had made a plan though last night, one she could now share with the future founders of their little camp.

"So.. Eryn and I will clear out this silo so it can hold water. That's the first step for survival. Once that is done, we can dismantle my shelter and bring it here. We can use the vehicle shed as a shelter for now. We may not need those vehicles at all ever but that's for later concern."

Her plan relied on the next step, which she knew wouldn't be easy.

"Then we need supplies from Houck. All those containers stacked in the parking lot are rammed full with materials. If we would get access to those, we can definitely start a small farm for Alys."

She looked at Katie, knowing Katie was in good standing with everybody in Houck. Robin herself wasn't. She was seen as a bit of a rebel. So if she would ask, some people might object, which could give the leaders reason to reject the request. If Katie would ask, she figured they'd have more chance. No point asking Alys to go and ask and Eryn was probably already seen as Robin's right hand.

"Could you... ask them?"

She asked Katie as she took a sip from the coffee.

"Obviously, once we got stuff going, we'll be more than happy to supply Houck with food."

 

[MsBloom]

Katie Miller/

Eryn Flint

Eryn watched their sibling take in the pit they now knew to be ironically referred to as Robin's Paradise, (which in their mind wasn't the worst name in the world for it). They could see the wheels start turning in her head as she evaluated the potential of the immediate area, naturally taking the river and its possibly temporary nature, into account. Eryn had thought the same thing. It could certainly be that all the geological activity the Earth had been subjected to in the last year had permanent opened up a new flow of water but it could also be as simple as a dam having broken, or overflowed from the rain. If the latter was the case then the water would simply flow through on its way to the Pacific Ocean and leave the river bed as dry as it had been before the storm.
"We could make a supply run into Albuquerque once we've got a water storage in place," they said and took a large bite of bread, that could have been softer had Allison only had better ingredients, like maybe fresh milk, and viable yeast.
Still it was nutrition and as such no worse than some of the things they and Alys had eaten over the last year.
"Actually," Katie interjected.
"There is this small community just south of Albie that Allie trade with from time to time. I've been there with here a few times and i think they might have a lot of what you need."
She looked at Alys and smiled hoping she had solved some of the issues for her.

Katie then turned her attention to Robin as she began to talk about what they might need from Camp Houck. She knew exactly what Robin was referring to. Martin's and Allie's Just In Case storage. It was several large containers of random crap, as Katie had often concluded it to be, that someone on scavenging duty had thought might be useful for something or other at some time or other. As they heard mention of what might be hidden inside those containers Eryn perked up and paid close attention. It was exactly the kind of supplies they would love to get their hands on. Random Crap was what they had used to modify the truck. Random Crap (clear plastic film, old drain pipes and a large number of large plastic bottles) was what they had used to build a greenhouse with an irrigation system that used recycled rainwater for Alys when they were 12. Random Crap was what they did best, and it was a lot more fun than to build things out of traditional materials.
"That sounds like a plan for sure," they agreed after Robin had stated her case.
"I also think that Robin is probably right in her assumption that it won't land well if she, or I, come asking for it."
They were then quiet for a moment and glanced at Robin.
"I mean, like Robin already said, once we've got this place up and running we will of course share any surplus we produce with Camp Houck, even if it might take a while to get there."

Katie looked at them both and then glanced sideways at Alys to see how she was reacting to this. She would of course know better than anyone else at Camp Houck what her sibling was capable of when it came to MacGyvering. If the truck they had driven in with was anything to go by Eryn was a more than capable engineer with a mind for non-traditional solutions.
"Alright," she said after having thought about it for a while.
"I'll talk to Allie. She's more likely to listen to reason but I'm not promising anything."

 

[Zavaya]

Robin just wanted Katie and Alys out of here. She liked them, well, Katie, but she felt these two weren't exactly helping yet. They had plans and ideas but Robin and Eryn weren't short of those themselves. Right now, nothing was being done and of there was anything Robin disliked, it was unfinished business. And right now, boy did they have a lot of that.

"Alright.."

She said while finishing her coffee and stuffing her mouth with the last bits of breakfast.

"You two go do that. Talk to Allie, take this bad boy to that settlement and see what you can get? Might want to bring some protection with you? Martin might want to join?"

Alys immediately perked up at Robin's plan. There was no way in hell she was going to drive out there with two strangers in the car with her. Katie seemed nice enough and so far hadn't done anything wrong but still.

"I.. I can drive with Eryn? She can be the protection."

"I need Eryn here. We gotta get this silo cleaned up and ready for when it rains again. Sorry."

Robin wasn't sorry. Not at all in fact. She had started to feel a little resentment towards Alys as she felt she was holding Eryn down so much. What could Eryn have achieved if they weren't burdened with constantly pampering and looking after Alys?

Alys wasn't one to speak out, especially not to Robin, but she did look at her sibling for help. She wasn't against helping out, especially not if that meant she could have a bit of a garden and something to actually do but driving God knows for how long with strangers was asking a lot.

 

[MsBloom]

Eryn Flint

Eryn had hoped that Katie and Alys would have stayed to help clear out the silo, divide up the work but it was also obvious to them that Robin didn't want them to help. She probably thought as everyone always seemed to think, that Alys couldn't carry her weight, that she was bagage that Eryn had to drag along with them wherever they went. And while it was not an entirely incorrect assumption under the current circumstances. Alys might not be much good for shovelling muck from a silo, or as back up in a fight (she had in fact only touched either Thunder or Rumble once, to kill a rattlesnake, or at least try to. In the end Eryn had had to fire the kill shot after Alys had missed three times. She might not be the best back up while travelling, or living as scavengers, but once you settled, that was when she could truly shine. Alys had time and again proven her worth with her gardening skills, even on a larger scale. At the last place they had stayed Alys had almost built up a small farm that was actually capable of growing corn and Eryn knew that Alys would eventually prove her worth to Robin as well.

Eryn didn't say anything though, but they knew why their sibling didn't want Martin to go with them as protection. She considered him a murderer for having killed the people that had followed them back from Eryn's first scavenging trip. On some level Eryn was sure that she knew it was a necessary evil in this new world but they also knew that Alys would have wanted Martin and Allie to first try negotiating, maybe make a deal that could benefit both settlements. And in the end it was not a bad idea. It was just that it so rarely worked. They had both seen the results of such negotiations failing. They had even almost been traded to another settlement during such negotiations. Alys did not know this because the moment Eryn was warned they had taken the two of them the hell out of there as fast as they could.

Eryn had never felt as if Alys was holding them back. It was perhaps true that they had left a few good settlements and camps because Alys had felt uncomfortable with the people there and their actions, the things they did to survive. But that was also, in the grander scheme of things, what had led them here, to Houck, to Robin, to ... this abandoned gravel pit.

They didn't say anything about any of this to Robin but rather kept working to clear the silo before it began to get dark, until Katie and Alys returned with dinner, or at least some semblance thereof.

Katie Miller

After finishing their lunch Katie and Alys went back to Camp Houck to talk to Allie about the unused supplies stored in three large containers on the parking lot in front of the diner. Katie had a vague idea about their contents and realised that much of it could probably be used as building materials, not only for rebuilding train carts into housing but also and more importantly, to build a hydroponic farm the way Alys was imagining it. The more she had listened to Eryn and Robin talk about their plans for the gravel pit the more she had become convinced it was actually a really good plan, at least it was now that Robin had Eryn to help her realise it. And Alys as well, even if Robin perhaps could not see it at the moment.

Allie had been hesitant at first when Katie told her about what Robin and Eryn was up to but in the end she had realised that if their plan worked and they managed to pull off what they had set out to do then perhaps ... Houck too could benefit from it. She of course had to talk to Martin first, and the others, but before it was time to make dinner it had been decided that they would allow Eryn to go through the junk (as some of the settlers at Camp Houck called it) and if she ... (They, Katie corrected him) ... could do something useful with it then he wasn't going to stand in her ... their ... way.

It was also decided that they would make a trip to the Anderson farm south of Albuquerque for soil and seeds and whatever else Alys might need though as it was already getting to be late in the afternoon and the dark came quickly in the desert it was decided that they would leave at first light.
"You can take James and Owen along for protection but I'd rather you left the semi here. It can't be that big a haul anyway," Martin had said as he yielded to the majority.

After the meeting Katie helped Allie prep dinner in return for four packed meals and another container of water. She and Alys then returned to the gravel pit where Eryn and Robin were done clearing out the silo and was now busy making the vehicle shed fit for sleeping in.

 

[Zavaya]

The silo was clear enough a little after lunch but Robin enjoyed the sight of Eryn toiling away at the bottom so she continued to make the silo as spotless as she could. She jumped down then, helped Eryn with the last bits of the gravel underneath and then made sure the silo was closed at the bottom so that when next it would rain, the silo would fill up and hold the water. Tomorrow they'd do the other silo for maximum storage.

For now though, they needed shelter. She wasn't keen on dismantling her shelter under the overpass. It was a very personal space with lots of things she wasn't ready to explain yet but none of that would even matter if they couldn't get this shed done. It was large. Too large to be cosy and snug so hopefully, with some of the supplies they could make a few smaller compartments in the large shed so that each would have a private bedroom. It was a nice idea, one that, size wise at least, was perfectly doable. Material wise? She wasn't sure.

She turned to Eryn.

"Four bedrooms? Should fit right? If we put walls here... and here... we get small rooms but it should be enough for a bed or mattress at least and some privacy. Two rooms on either side and a corridor in the middle."

Robin just hoped Eryn wasn't expecting to share a room with her already. Although, she probably wanted to share a room with their sister?

"Or... two rooms on this side for me and Katie and one room on the other side for you and your sister? Doesn't have to be full height walls. Two and a half meters or something, maybe three, just to get some privacy. Then, if we get there ever, we can use less fans for cooling down and keep the place aired. Small, fully closed rooms will get hot and damp."

Then she looked at the digger in the shed and had an idea.

"You know how to use that right? Why not use it to dig out the river a little bit. Create a bit of a bathing area? If we can find some tarps or something, we line the bottom and the sides with that, hold it down with some stones and we'll have a rudimentary bath. All we need then is a couple of candles and a good bottle of wine and we can have a romantic pool evening."

She smiled, knowing that the latter bit at least was probably a bit pretentious. The whole idea definitely wasn't a priority yet but she realised that in order to make this place feel like a home, they needed to hide and camouflage the industrial aspect of it all. And since a mine with a railyard is about as industrial as it gets, Robin figured they had some work ahead of themselves.

 

[MsBloom]

Eryn Flint

"Or two smaller ones here, just by the entrance and a slightly larger one at the back. I have a feeling Alys won't quite be ready to sleep separated from me just yet. This whole apocalypse thing has really done a number on her. She was fragile before but at least she was independent. I mean she actually lived on her own for a whole year before I joined her in San Fransisco, and did quite well. I think the main issue now is that she see danger everywhere. That's why she wants to leave Camp Houck, the whole incident when we came back from our scavenging trip. I'm sure that once we find somewhere she can feel safe and that she has at least some semblance of control over her situation she will get better."
Eryn paused and measured the shed by pacing back and forth, nodding to themself as they did, stopping every once in a while to look at the ceiling with a look on their face as if they were making mental notes or solving some practical problem.
"That way we could actually use the side door as well and make it into two small apartments, if that is even the right word for it."
They walked out of the shed and continued towards the railroad tracks with its many abandoned carts, followed it East and sticking their head into each train cart they passed to give it a quick examination, to see if there was anything useful inside.

They had walked just over half a mile down the gravelly road, past a larger building than the shed, past the two smaller buildings that seemed to mark the end of the gravel pit (they had stopped there briefly to examine them) and occasionally, quite often in fact, had stopped to take measurements with their stride. To a casual observer their behaviour might perhaps seem erratic and peculiar, but to another, more initiated, observer it might perhaps look like they were planning a small settlement in their head. Eventually though they found one large and two smaller pieces of tarp, that would be just perfect for making a water collector at some point but for now they would have to serve as drapes to divide the the shed in the layout they had suggested to Robin, and to build Robin's bathing area.
"This will do temporarily, until we know what's in those containers of stuff back at Camp Houck," they said and handed Robin the two smaller ones while dragging the larger one back themself.

"I also think that once we get a hydroponic garden set up, assuming the people Katie will take her to meet share some soil and seeds, and she has something else to focus on, other than the destruction you can see almost everywhere around you in this new world, something that appears permanent, something that suggests settling down, on her own terms, or at least on terms where she doesn't have to bend entirely to someone else's ideas and directives," they resumed their previous speech when they got back to the shed and started solving the problem of hanging the tarp from the ceiling. (A power drill and some four inch screws that they used a hammer and a large rock to bend into hooks helped with the problem.)
"You'll see a whole new side to her, the old Alys from before everything went to hell. One that is actually useful in a longer perspective, in the sort of things you need to build a working settlement, maybe not just for a handful of people either."

At this point Eryn, having already confirmed that Robin's idea of a dug out pool to bathe in was a good idea, got into the digger and while the sun began its slow descent across the Arizona desert began to dig out an area of fifteen by fifteen feet to a depth of five feet at the deepest end and a foot and three quarters at the shallow end, before starting a ditch down to the river. While she dug out a ditch to connect the pool to the river she had instructed Robin to lay down the remaining tarp and gather stones to hold it down. All in all it was about two hours of work and by the time the water diverted from the river was starting to fill up the pool Alys and Katie returned, with dinner and more water. At this point the sun hung rather low over the desert and it would soon be dark.

 

[Zavaya]

Alys managed to get persuaded by Eryn to take the trip to the Anderson farm with Katie. They even managed to fill the tank of the pickup with fuel from Houck. She was nervous and uncomfortable but she had been around Katie for a few days now and felt comfortable enough. At the Anderson farm, which they had arrived at safely, they were welcomed and greeted and after telling them about her plans for Houck, one of the sons, managed to convince their father to give Alys some supplies, like soil and seeds. Upon showing the car and what Eryn had done with it, they all felt comfortable enough to know the seeds and soil would be put to good use and began to collect some of the supplies.

Back at Houck Eryn and Robin had a good day and managed to make some good progress on the rooms in the shed. One larger room and two smaller rooms to start with. Walls that didn't reach all the way up, for ventilation and some of Robin's sheets and fabric, taken from her old shelter to cover the ceilings of the rooms and give the place a bit more of a homely feeling. When Martin came to check up on them with some of the others, carrying a few mattresses and a tin of coffee, they were impressed by what had already been achieved.

Robin was working to finish the pool with some rocks, tarp and boulders. Martin had always believed in her spirit and ability to survive and even thrive and he felt good she finally managed to show it. Allison had always been a lot more conservative and Martin knew it was holding Robin back. Seeing her blossom with a likeminded soul was good to see.

He also complimented her on the sleeping accomodations they had made in just a day with some of the stuff scavenged from Robin's old shelter. Robin then explained the rest of the plans for the train cars in an attempt to get him and Allison to open up some of the containers they had collected of building materials and furniture and other stuff. Martin knew it would be a big ask but he knew that this new camp, if working as Robin and Eryn said it would, could be a valuable asset to Houck, so he promised he would try.

After he left, Robin and Eryn finished the very rudimentary pool with the tarp, a few rocks to keep it in place and even a few large boulders that they could easily roll out of the water. The idea behind them being they would warm up in the hot desert sun at day and then, when the sun gone down, they'd still give off a little warmth in the otherwise chilly water. This system for heating could also be used inside the shelter. Robin had told Eryn that she and her dad used this system often when they went out hiking in the desert.

The pool was shallow but it was cool enough in the heat and probably warm enough in the chillnes of the night. Finally, after the sun had gone down she finally sat down in the water next to Eryn. Robin had made a campfire just behind them to keep them warm and lit. It felt good finally sitting down with Eryn, the events of her trying to kiss Robin not forgotten by the latter.

They talked about the work they'd had and inevitably about Alys and Katie. Robin admired Eryn for at least acting sort of cool with it but she knew that Eryn would be worried about their sibling out in the world alone. Even though Katie was with them, Robin knew that Katie wasn't a fighter either. She tried to keep Eryn's mind occupied and even went as far as taking her top off, hoping to both distract Eryn and maybe give her some right vibes. She was ready for it to happen tonight, whatever 'it' would be and managed to sneak closer and closer to Eryn until they were probably close and touching. Just as she wanted to lay her head on Eryn's shoulder to whisper in their ear that she was ready for it, she heard the familiar sound of a V8 diesel engine and then spotted the lights coming closer.

For a moment she thought about ignoring it, hoping it would go away but the short double hoot on the horn dashed all her hopes on that. She quickly reached for her top and put it on and rose from the pool.

Alys quickly climbed out of the car once she had turned it off, leaving the headlights on for now.

And then, to Robin's surprise, Katie got out and somebody else. A young guy. And to top it off, as the guy walked towards Eryn and Robin, Alys walked to the back of the car where there was a small trailer, seemingly laden with supplies.

 

[MsBloom]

Katie Miller

Katie had been to the Anderson farm once or twice before with either Nell, Claire or Owen to trade for fresh produce and materials to keep Allie's rather poor farm alive, soil, fertiliser, and knew the family who owned the farm fairly well. She introduced Alys and explained the situation. They needed quite a bit of supplies to start a working hydroponic farm, mainly fresh soil, fertiliser (the stuff she was usually there for to bring back to Houck), but also seeds, cuttings of berry bushes, and pre-cultivated vegetables.
"An apple tree would be nice too," she added with a giggle because she knew that while the Anderson family had a small apple orchard they were usually not willing to part with any cuttings from it. For some reason apples were in this new world almost as valuable as fuel and the Andersons traded them for that and other expensive things they could not produce themselves. And Mrs Anderson made the most delicious (if not the only) apple pies in all of New Mexico.

After making the introductions and explaining why they were there and that it was for a new settlement South of Camp Houck, Katie let Alys do the talking to explain more in detail what they needed, what seeds and plants she wanted and the more she had talked the more interested Mrs Anderson had become. It was truly an ambitious project to build a farm in the middle of the desert, hydroponic or not but then Alys had begun talking about Eryn, her sibling, and showed the Andersons all the modifications they had made to the pick up.
"If anyone can build a farm in the middle of the desert," Katie interjected.
"It is those two."

That had settled it and soon Dean, the youngest of the Andersons' sons also approached after having watched the two visitors from some distance, mostly the new girl. He offered to accompany them back to Houck to help with the supplies and whatever else might be need doing. He told his mum that he might not be back again for a few days, maybe as much as a week, and for her not to worry. He had then attached a small trailer to the back of Alys' and Eryn's pick up and together with his brother loaded up almost everything the peculiar girl had asked for.

Eryn Flint

Eryn had walked up to the pick up once it had stopped, curious sto see what (if anything) Alys and Katie had managed to negotiate from the Anderson Farm. And then they first saw the unknown guy walking towards them. They raised an eyebrow and glanced at their sister.
"Hello," they said, wiped their hands on their jeans and extended a hand towards him.
"I'm Eryn, Alys' sibling," they said and then jerked their head in Robin's direction.
"That's Robin ..."
They hesitated slightly an bit their bottom lip.
"My ... ummm ... partner. We're building this thing together, sort of."
"Dean," the guy said and took Eryn's extended hand.
"I'm here to help with whatever needs doing to get this hydroponic farm up and running."
Even as he spoke to Eryn he couldn't help but glance over at Alys.

Eryn pretended not to notice as they also saw Alys having difficulties looking directly at the guy while at the same time her eyes were constantly drawn to him, a clear sign that she liked him. Instead they suggested that they should start to unload the supplies and then perhaps, after sharing something to eat, inaugurate the pool they and Robin had built.
"We might also have to find you somewhere to sleep."
The division they and Robin had made of the shed had only been intended for four people, all of which were anatomically female.
"I suppose myself and Alys could sleep in the pick up."
They glanced at Robin who had now joined them.

 

[Zavaya]

Alys did like Dean. Or at least, she liked his looks. Being on the spectrum didn't mean she was completely numb to emotions, erotic ones as well. She had seen people do 'it' in previous camps and she couldn't deny having had some fantasies herself. Not wanting to share them with her sibling, they sometimes went pretty deep and dark. But in this new world there was a more basic reason for sex, reproduction.
Her sibling was into women, which was just one of the reasons why Eryn was unlikely to ever produce a child but Alys saw no reason why she herself couldn't. And Dean was good enough material for that. But not yet. It was hard though to keep her eyes off of him and as they drove back, she was a little relieved he sat in the back. Now that they were back, she kept looking at him and her sibling, knowing they would know how Alys felt. She could definitely feel or see the sparks between Eryn and Robin. So with it being obvious for her even, she could only imagine how clear it was for Katie.

It had been a long day of driving and she was starving. Food did sound really good at the moment but the pool probably even better. Despite the weather chance the last day, it had been hot and dry again in the desert, making the car feel like a small furnace, especially with three people in it.

The food wasn't much special. Conserved and dry food was basically all there was left in the world unless you lived on a farm. Alys' suggestion of starting an insect farm for protein was met with mixed reactions but Dean was quick to point out that if all worked out well here, they could probably have some lifestock from the Andersons as well.

After dinner she gave him a quick tour of the place and explained her ideas to him again, this time with the location and then she showed him and herself the new shelter. Immediately she wondered why there were four rooms and who would get the bigger one. Had Eryn designed that for the two of them? Or for her and Robin?

When she got to the pool, or the setting that was named as such, Robin, Eryn and Katie were already in and again the chemistry between Robin and her sibling was noticable. Katie was a beautiful woman and wearing just a bra now really showed her features. Alys thought back on what she had been told had happened to Katie before she got to Houck and couldn't help but admire her for it.

But then came the moment she had to decide to get in the pool. Normally she'd reject, find a quiet place and read or something. But she didn't want that. She was still hot and sweaty and found herself pulling her shirt off, revealing her stomach to people not her sibling for the first time since the apocalypse. A slight blush appeared on her face and then she pulled her pants down and quickly got in the pool, sitting next to Katie, surprised at how warm the rocks still where, despite the sun having already set.


------


Robin was surprised to see a stranger coming out of the car as well as a little annoyed. A few days ago everything was fine and nothing had changed and now here she was. Three new people and a new location. It was strange but it also felt good. She blamed it all on Eryn, who had completely lowered her shield and wall. Dean was from the Anderson farm, she had seen him before so he wasn't a real stranger as such. It was also good to have some extra hands on site for the heavy work. It meant tomorrow they could hopefully get the farm set up and she and Eryn could work on whatever project Eryn had next. Scavenging the containers at Houck perhaps.

She sat close to Eryn in the pool, the intimacy no longer bothering her. They'd been interrupted a few times and now she really wanted it. In the darkness of the night, nobody else would see it but Robin had her hand placed on Eryn's upper leg as they sat too close to each other to not be intimate.