Chapter 9
The children will be there today, Melinda thought hopefully as she left the house the next morning.
But as she approached the school, she could see it was deserted. Her heart sank. Standing in the doorway, she surveyed the empty classroom and debated whether to get in touch with the school superintendent and report her utter failure on the job. That would be a bitter step, but Melinda felt she couldn't draw her salary if she had no children to teach.
As her gaze swept the room, it came to rest on the table in the corner where she had left her filtration experiment spread out. The table was empty. Someone had taken everything, including her notes.
Melinda decided it was a prank, just one more way to bedevil her so she would leave town. Well, you people might get your wish! she thought spitefully.
But she had made Ed a promise and would have to discuss the situation with him before she did anything definite. She sat at her desk, deciding it would be better to remain there than to go home and fall into the preacher's lustful clutches.
As Melinda busied herself preparing assignments for classes that might never be held, she hoped Ed would drop in to see her. She longed to kiss him and feel his caress. Her nipples tingled at the thought of his hand brushing across them.
But Ed had his work to do, she realized. A farm didn't run itself.
Melinda returned home that night more tired than if she had done a regular day's work. The tension under which she was living was having its effect on her nerves. She kept glancing at her watch, counting the minutes until she would see Ed.
Perkins and his wife and son hardly spoke to her. Mrs. Perkins kept giving her dirty looks, as if to say, When are you going to move out?
When Ed arrived, Melinda ran outdoors to meet him. Again he refused to kiss her until they were away from the house.
His brother was visiting at a friend's house that evening, Ed said, and they could have his place to themselves if Melinda wanted to go there. She jumped at the chance.
As they drove along, she told him that the children had failed to come to school again and that someone had stolen her experiment.
"That don't surprise me," Ed said. "I got the word that the stills are being shut down."
"What do you mean?"
"You sold the men on the idea of filtering their hootch," Ed replied, grinning. "But I reckon they were too proud to tell you. They must have taken your experiment to use as a model."
"How silly!" Melinda said, but she felt a great deal better. "I would have given them the whole thing if they'd asked me."
"That isn't their way," Ed explained. "Anyhow, they still think you're a Lesbian. They would have been lowering themselves to ask you for that filter."
"So they stole it! Oh, Ed, I'll never understand these people."
"Sure, you will," he said, and cuddled her close to him. "I'm one of them, and you understand me. I'll help you out with the others when the time is right. Just now we've got to be patient, like you said. Things are coming around."
Melinda wished she could believe it. Her whole idea in building the experiment had been to win the people over, but instead of that they had stolen her idea and still refused to accept her. They and their ridiculous pride! she thought.
But at least she was with Ed now and could forget her troubles for a little while. As soon as they arrived at his house, they went into the bedroom and undressed. They made love by the dim glow of a coal oil lamp, and Melinda found the atmosphere highly erotic.
But she would have enjoyed fucking with Ed on Charlotte Avenue in Nashville at high noon, if it weren't for the riot it would cause.
Melinda and Ed tried something different this evening. At his suggestion, she knelt in the center of the bed, resting her shoulders against the mattress, and Ed knelt behind her upthrust buttocks. He plunged his prick into the soft pink mouth that nestled in her golden curls. Ed twisted as he stroked, slapping his straight, firm belly against Melinda's springy buttocks. His thick cock stroked like a ramrod in her narrow cuntal passage.
After a short time, he drew her backward on top of him and he stretched out on his back. She knelt facing his feet. With her thighs spread wide apart, Melinda rotated her hips and pumped up and down.
Ed had the pleasure of watching his shaft stroking in and out of her rosy cunt mouth. Melinda's pink, puckered anus winked at him from between the white, quivering globes of her ass.
She leaned forward, pressing her clit more firmly against his cock. In this position she also was able to watch the action. Her juice dribbled down his rod, making it very slick. Ed's balls shook each time he drove his long, thick column up into her.
The sight complimented the voluptuous tactile sensations which they both enjoyed. Their passion mounted, stroke by stoke.
They climaxed, shuddering together. This brought blissful calm, and they relaxed in each other's arms. The rest of the world seemed far away.
As soon as it became clear that the students weren't going to show up the next morning, Melinda returned home. She drafted a letter to the county school superintendent, read it over, and tore it up. She paced her room.
Perkins was away from the house all day, and that was a relief. But Mrs. Perkins hardly spoke to Melinda. The atmosphere was tense.
That evening, when Melinda met Ed, he had news that troubled her even more. The whole county was being flooded by bad liquor, he reported. One or two moonshiners apparently were taking advantage of the shutdown of the other stills.
Melinda feared she would be blamed for this. On top of everything else, it was simply too much for her to take. She decided to leave Horner's Hollow.
She didn't tell Ed her decision, because she didn't want him to insist on coming with her and sacrificing all he had worked for. This meant she was breaking her promise. But she would write him as soon as she got home, and perhaps he could drive to Nashville and meet her. She would try to explain things to him then. There would be less pressure on both of them by that time, and she hoped they could work out a sensible solution to their problem.
Deciding to phone the school superintendent from Nashville rather than to write him, Melinda quickly packed her belongings. The only transportation available to her was the preacher's mule, which he kept in a shed behind the house. Melinda didn't relish the idea of riding the animal thirty-five miles through the dark woods to Tolliver, where she hoped to be able to arrange for a car. But this would be better than asking Ed to drive her and upsetting him before she got away from Horner's Hollow.
Another slight problem was that Melinda hadn't brought any slacks or shorts with her, feeling that a teacher in a small town wouldn't be expected to wear such things. Consequently she would have to ride the mule in a miniskirt, with only her thin panties to protect her from the mule's hard, hairy back. But she decided she could tolerate even this.
Anything was preferable to remaining in Horner's Hollow for even another day.
It was ten-thirty when Melinda sneaked out the back door of the house, carrying her suitcases. She intended to strap these over the neck of the mule. As she approached the stable which was bathed in the glow of a full moon, a sound from behind her made her dodge quickly around the corner of the shed.
Peeking, Melinda saw Preacher Perkins emerge from the house. At first she feared he was looking for her. But the tall man walked directly to the stable door and opened it without glancing around. He lit a lantern inside the shed.
Melinda waited nervously for Perkins to complete whatever he was doing and return to the house. When the light in the shed was turned out, Melinda anticipated that she would soon be able to begin her journey. But Perkins emerged from the stable riding the mule. He tugged a rein, and the animal turned toward the woods.
Shit! Melinda said to herself, employing the vulgar expletive for the first time in her life. She was bitterly disappointed over the disruption of her plans.
She wondered where the preacher was going at that hour and in apparent secrecy. Curiosity impelled her to leave her suitcases on the ground beside the mule shed and to follow Perkins on foot. The bright moonlight would help her find her way through the woods. She intended to follow the preacher only far enough to gain an idea of where he was going, then return to the house.
Perkins guided the mule up the slope behind his house, leisurely threading his way through the trees. Melinda followed just closely enough to keep him in sight. The hoot of an owl made her shiver. She glanced back to satisfy herself that she would be able to find her way back to the house.
After topping the crest of the hill, Perkins's swaying form sank from view. Melinda walked faster, telling herself that she would go only as far as the summit. From there she hoped to see the direction Perkins was taking.
But when she reached the high point, Melinda's curiosity took a sudden surge. On the floor of the next valley, lanterns glowed among the trees. Two figures moved about a strange-looking apparatus from which smoke curled. It was evident that Perkins was headed in that direction.
Melinda hesitated and glanced back toward Horner's Hollow. She could make out several lights, and this convinced her it would be safe to follow Perkins down the slope. To find her way back to the house, she reasoned, she would only have to climb the hill and look for the lights. - "Who's that?" a gruff voice called from the lighted spot in the woods. Melinda still wasn't close enough to identify the men.
"It's me," Perkins answered more softly. "Keep your voice down."
The preacher rode his mule into the circle of light, and a man stepped up to greet him. The fellow stood directly under a suspended lantern, and Melinda recognized him as Josiah Banes. The other figure stepped forward. He was the preacher's son, Matt. Perkins dismounted from his mule and spoke quietly to the others.
Melinda wasn't close enough to make out what they said, but she had an excellent view of the location. Two large tubs of murky fluid rested on the ground. Nearby, a fire burned under a boiler which looked like an oil drum elevated on three legs. A crude pipe emerged from its top and was connected to an automobile radiator propped upright on a table. Fluid trickled from the bottom of the radiator into a bucket resting on the ground. Empty bottles stood on another table, and on the ground nearby were several wooden crates.
Matt picked up an empty bucket and quickly substituted it for the full one below the radiator. Josiah moved over to help him, holding a funnel over an empty bottle which Matt filled with clear fluid from the bucket. They moved from bottle to bottle, filling several. Perkins corked them and placed them in a wood crate.
It was clear to Melinda that Perkins's wealth, about which he had bragged, came from distilling moonshine. He was continuing with the illicit operation, not bothering to install a filter, in order to turn an extra profit while the other stills were shut down. He obviously didn't care about the health of his customers.
Melinda crept closer, wanting to hear what the men were saying. She stood behind a large tree, just out of the pool of light from the lanterns suspended between tree limbs.
"Stoke up that fire," Perkins snapped. "We've got to finish this batch before sunup."
Josiah growled, "I don't see why we can't stay here another night. Moving this fucking still every goddamned night is a pain in the ass."
"My dear Josiah," Perkins said, "we can't trust the local citizens at this particular time. The young teacher has convinced them that their whiskey should be filtered. If they found out we were continuing to produce unfiltered stump-hole, they would most likely shut us down. Worse yet, one of the other moonshiners might tip the T-men."
"I thought you were fixing to ride that sassy-assed teacher out of town," Josiah said.
"All in good time, Josiah. All in good time. Matthew, gather some more wood for the fire like a good lad."
Saying nothing, the youth turned and walked directly toward the spot where Melinda was standing. Fear gripped her. She didn't know what to do. If she were to run, she would surely be seen or heard.
Matt moved closer. Melinda drew herself more snugly against the tree. Cold shivers raced up and down her spine.
A few feet from her, Matt paused and looked around, squinting through the darkness to locate some fallen branches. Melinda held her breath.
Matt look directly at her and froze. Then he took a forward step.
Panic overcame the frightened girl and she ran, her shoes crushing twigs and dried leaves.
"What was that?" she heard Perkins ask in alarm.
"It's the teacher!" Matt yelled right behind her. He was running fast. "I've got her!"
Strong arms encircled Melinda's waist, lifting her off the ground. Matt swung her around, her bottom pressing firmly against his cock and balls. He gave her a push, and she stumbled into the circle of lantern light where she fell to the ground, bruising her knees. Her hair swung before her eyes. She pushed it back and gazed fearfully up at Perkins and Josiah.
"Well, well," Perkins said, his eyes glinting, a smug smile twisting his lips.
"Hellfire!" Josiah exclaimed.
"Stand up, Melinda," Perkins ordered.
Matt moved around to stand beside his father. Melinda stared at them.
"I ... I won't tell anyone what I saw," she said tremulously, and stood on shaky legs.
Perkins laughed.
Josiah's whiskery face glowered. He wore no shirt. A gray union suit covered his large belly which protruded over the low-slung belt of his blue jeans.
"What the fuck are we gonna do with her?" he growled.
"That's an interesting question," Perkins said, studying Melinda with faint amusement.
"You hadn't better touch me!" she warned. "If you do, I'll tell everybody what's been going on here."
"You'll tell them anyway if we give you the chance," Perkins replied. "Or rather, you'll tell Ed Tackett and he will tip the others. I've noticed how friendly you've been with that deputy."
"Shit, she's a girl lover," Josiah scoffed.
"Don't be too sure," Perkins said.
Melinda was trembling. "Please . . . just let me go back to the house. I'll keep quiet."
"My dear, that's impossible," Perkins said, adopting a gentler tone. "You will remain here until the truck arrives to pick up the whiskey and our equipment. My friend Elmer will drive us to Nashville after he has delivered the supplies to our distribution point."
"You're fixing to hightail it already?" Josiah asked.
"Necessity has altered my plans," Perkins told him. "You and Matthew can take over this operation and split the profits two ways. I have enough."
He stepped forward and grasped Melinda's arm. She cringed. He led her a few paces away from the other men.
"My money is in a Nashville bank," he said softly, speaking close to Melinda's ear. His breath was strong with whiskey. "I'll withdraw the entire boodle and we will take a plane to Miami."
"No!" Melinda exclaimed.
"But you have no choice, my dear. Fate has sealed the bargain for you."
Melinda jerked free of the preacher's grasp and ran for the woods.
"Matt!" Perkins bellowed. "Nail her!"
The long-legged youth was right behind Melinda, and she realized she couldn't get away. Matt crashed against her thighs, his arms encircling them in a football-style tackle. Melinda sprawled to the ground, Matt landing heavily atop her.
She was stunned. Matt rolled her over and picked her up. Melinda's skirt bunched at her middle. Her pink polka-dotted panties were exposed to the other men as Matt carried her to the center of the lighted area and dropped her onto the ground.
Josiah licked his fat lips as he stood over her. Perkins moved up.
"Take off her clothes," the preacher ordered.
Josiah asked eagerly, "Are we all gonna get to screw her?"
"I am going to screw her, my dear Josiah, while you and Matthew watch."
"Hellfire, that ain't fair!" Josiah said. "We oughta have a crack at her, too."
"She's mine," Perkins said as he took off his coat. "I'm giving you a half-share of the business. That should be enough."
Josiah hesitated, leering down at the terrified girl.
"You heard what Paw said," Matt told the bewhiskered man. "Let's strip the snooty bitch."
Matt sank to his knees beside Melinda. She knew it would be futile to try again to escape. Her knees and bottom were already sore from being tackled and dropped onto the ground. Next time she might be severely hurt.
Josiah clumsily lowered himself to his knees at her opposite side. "She's a cute little package," he said, "even if she is a woman-lover."
"She's going to be a man-lover tonight," Perkins announced, and tossed his shirt aside.
Staring up at him, Melinda was forced to submit to the rough treatment of Matt and Josiah. The latter's fat hands moved over her breasts and belly, caressing more than undressing her, while Matt unzipped her dress and slid it off. The teen-ager then rolled her roughly onto her belly and unhooked her brassiere. Josiah shimmied her panty-clad butt.
"She's real firm and bouncy," he said, chuckling lewdly.
"Quit mauling her," Perkins ordered. "Just pull her pants off."
Josiah grasped Melinda's panties at both sides and pulled them down. The flickering lantern light played over the perfect white hemispheres of her ass, which trembled as Josiah jostled her, roughly yanking her panties down her legs and off.
He and Matt rolled her onto her back on the leafy grass. A perverse thrill went through Melinda as her naked breasts and pussy were exposed to the three lustful males.
Perkins pushed his pants and shorts down, and his long prick curved forward from his dangling balls. His cock was impressive even when only semi-erect, but the hose of flesh with the bald, round nozzle repelled Melinda.
Loving Ed as she did, she wanted no one's penis but his. The prospect of Perkins shoving his brutal prick into her revolted her nearly to the point of nausea.
"You can force me," Melinda said bitterly, her blue eyes hurling condemnation at the three males who held her captive, "but you can't make me like it. I'll hate all of you every minute!"
"See there?" Josiah snorted. "I told you she's a goddamned cunt-lover."
"We will see what she likes," Perkins replied, his eyes shining confidently as he stepped forward, totally nude. "Matt, hold her arms. . . Josiah, her legs."
His lengthy prick swaying lewdly, the lustful preacher mounted Melinda's waist. She realized with a shock that she was in for the same degrading treatment she had once watched his wife receive. Melinda feared she might not be able to endure it.