Forbidden Fruit Read online

  Renate jumped. “Tamara, is that really you?”

  Tamara ran to her and helped her to her feet. They hugged briefly and Tamara pushed her away. “Why are you here?”

  Renate sobbed. “They called me an abomination because I have a yonis. They think it’s a man part.”

  Tamara grabbed her hand. “There is no time for crying. We must run or the wolves will catch us and tear us apart.”

  Renate’s sobs grew even louder and Tamara slapped her cheek. “Stop it or you’ll fall into hysterics. We have each other. You’re not alone. I will protect you.”

  “I hate the woods.”

  Tamara hushed her. “It’s all we have.” She grabbed her friend’s hand and took off into the thick bushes. “We must find the stream. It’s our only hope.”

  They ran as fast as the underbrush would allow, racing through clearings and pushing through the scrubby undergrowth. When they found the stream, the wolves began yipping and howling again, this time very close.

  “They’re right on our heels.” Renate panted, out of breath, her sides heaving. With tiny nipples, her small breasts contracted into the flat muscles of her chest. She rested her hands on her knees, bent over, working hard to breath.

  “I know this,” Tamara snapped. “Come on.”

  She towed Renate into the center of the stream. The water was icy and Renate complained. “It’s too cold.”

  “It’s our only hope of escape. The water will help wash away our scent. The wolves are great trackers. Water is the only thing we can use to throw them off.”

  They plowed downstream, being careful never to touch dry land or put even one foot on the bank. Tamara was shivering and Renate was barely able to put one foot in front of the other when the sound of the tracking animals died away.

  Tamara dragged Renate another kilometer. The stream had widened into a small river. She pulled Renate into the swiftly flowing stream and dragged her for another kilometer before she relented and allowed her to climb out of the water. “I know you’re cold and exhausted,” she said. “But we have to continue.”

  Renate’s beautiful pale green eyes were dull. Her long brown hair wet and matted with sticks and leaves and dirt. But she nodded. “You’re right,” she whispered as she shuddered and shook. “Must get away.”

  They trudged until the first glow of Planet 4328’s dwarf sun peaked between the tall tree trunks. They had entered a section of the forest the Ender’s saws had never touched. There was little undergrowth, the crowns of the trees so thick they blocked all sunlight. When Renate stumbled and fell to her knees, Tamara relented. “Let’s climb one of these trees and sleep in the top.”

  Renate gasped. “I couldn’t. I don’t know how.”

  Tamara groaned. Where could they hope to find a safe resting place in all this open space?

  Renate pointed. “There’s a small hole in that tree. Maybe we could sleep inside it.”

  Tamara saw the hole and ran to the tree, the circumference of which had to be thirty feet. There was a small opening at the base. She stuck her head inside. If she hadn’t known there were no inhabitants on this planet, she would have sworn the chamber inside the tree had been lived in. Renate pushed by her into the interior of the tree. “This looks like it’s been used before.”

  “I agree” Tamara crawled into the center of the hollow tree. Two piles of soft, dead leaves lay neatly against the outer wall. There was a log rolled into the middle and what appeared to be a fire pit. “Maybe there are other escapees or runaways like us and they stayed here,” she said to Renate.

  Her friend was already lying on one of the leaf beds. “Don’t care,” she mumbled. “So tired.”

  After sleeping for several hours, Tamara woke Renate and made her get up. “I can’t,” the golden woman complained. “I’m too sore and tired.”

  “We’re still too close to the Ender’s compound. We have to leave.”

  She took Renate’s hand and dragged her to the river bank. They quickly washed their faces and Tamara shucked her baggy pants. “Here, put these on. The tunic is long enough to cover most of me. You can pull these up over your breasts.”

  “Thank you so much.” Renate pulled the loose pants high and tied the drawstring. With each wearing half of one set of clothes, they waded back into the river and headed further downstream.

  * * * *

  Two days later, Renate balked. “I can’t go on anymore,” she said. “We have to find food. I’m weak from hunger.”

  Tamara didn’t know what to say. She was hungry, too, and there was nothing to eat anywhere. They had no way to catch the aquatic creatures they could see flitting through the sunlight or light a fire to cook one if they did manage to catch it. Neither of them knew what plants were edible. There was only the poison fruit.

  One of the trees of poisonous fruit hung over the river dangling tempting red fruit close enough to touch. The trees grew everywhere. A heavily-laden branch was so close to Renate, all she had to do was reach up to pick one. “I don’t care if this kills me,” she said plucking a juicy red fruit. “I’m eating it.”

  Horrified, Tamara tried to stop her. It was too late. Renate had already sunk her small, white teeth into the succulent fruit. Juice squirted out and ran down her chin. “Mmmmm, this tastes so wonderful.” She picked another and ate that one. Each ripe fruit had a ball of strange seeds in the center. Renate ate one and nodded. “Even the seeds are good. They taste like nuts.”

  The smell of the fruit was so enticing, Tamara relented. “If you’re going to die, then I’m dying with you,” she said as she plucked a particularly large bright red globe. “At least we will die on a full stomach.” When she bit into it, throwing caution to the wind, the sticky juice ran down her chin and dripped onto the tops of her breasts. “This tastes too good to be poisonous. The Enders just wanted to keep them for themselves. It’s like a klarberry or a Cardarian peach.”

  “No,” Renate said her voice muffled by another large mouthful. “It’s like a Zinti yopa fruit, only better. The Enders always kept everything good for themselves. All the slaves get to eat is slop.”

  They ate the red fruit until they were stuffed and could eat no more. “I think we are far enough away from the Enders’ compound to feel safe,” Tamara said. She burped and grinned. “Let’s find somewhere close to the stream to sleep tonight. Somewhere close to the fruit trees.”

  They searched the banks and found another one of the tree houses. This was the third one they’d found. This one contained shelves with small bowls and cups. One of the bowls contained a pile of the seeds of the red fruit. They were dried and roasted. “Look, Renate, there has to be more of us out here. And see, they eat the fruit as well. It can’t be poisonous.”

  Renate sat on a chair made from a section of log. “I feel fine. Wouldn’t we be sick by now?”

  “I think you’re right, Renate. The fruit was being hoarded by the Enders. It’s so like them to keep something this yummy and delicious all to themselves.”

  Renate yawned. “I’m so sleepy. I can barely keep my eyes open.” She crawled to a leaf bed against the trunk of the tree and lay down. Tamara yawned. Her eyes felt like weights were hanging on her lids. She lay down next to Renate, pulled the golden woman into her embrace and fell asleep.

  Chapter 3

  Strange dreams rolled across Tamara’s unconscious mind as she slept. In the dreams, Planet 4328 was populated. Short people with enormous pointed ears, green skin and large hairy feet lived in cities built right into the tops of the trees. They had bright yellow eyes, laughed a lot and made love in the leaf bowers of their homes.

  When she woke up, the inside of the tree they occupied had changed drastically. Her vision seemed a little out of focus at first, but when she squinted, she saw she and Renate were not alone. Two of the people from her dreams sat on a log watching them. She leaped to her feet and backed against the wall. Fear seemed like the natural emotion. She should be terrified, but the small people only smiled at her
and offered her a sparkling green necklace. They chattered at her in musical tones that sounded like the wind through tree tops or water running over rocks. She took the piece of jewelry with a trembling hand. The shining emerald-like gems glowed with inner fire. Hands still shaking, she put it around her neck.

  “Tall one, can you now hear us and understand our speech?”

  Tamara nodded. “Who are you?”

  “We are Gelfs. This is our planet. Your people have come here and cut down the towers, the forest giants we worship and need to sustain our lives. This is against our laws. Your people are unable to view our cities or our persons unless you eat of the Kum Kum tree. It is the only thing that saves us from them. All of these people must be punished. They are evil and worship an angry god not of our world.”

  Tamara poked Renate with one toe. Her friend woke up, screamed when she saw the two Gelfs and flung herself into Tamara’s arms. “What are they?”

  Tamara ignored her and spoke to the Gelfs. “I am only a slave of the Enders. Renate as well. They brought us here to work for them and to breed children from our bodies. We ran away.”

  “There are others like you here. Some go crazy when they eat of the Kum Kum tree. Others adapt and live with us. We welcome them as long as they are peaceful. The Gelfs do not destroy or kill any living things; not the trees, the swimmers in the water or the animals of the forest. Great Ost has given us the Kum Kum and the giant trees. Ost showed us how to use the green stones to communicate with him and other races. He brought us freedom from work and drudgery. Why would we need anything else?”

  Renate reached out her hand and touched one gently. “Are they talking, Tamara? I can hear sounds but no words. Their skin is as soft as vervet fur. And look at their clothes. Are they made of flowers?”

  “Do you have another of these devices?” Tamara pointed to her necklace. “My friend cannot understand your words.”

  “Follow us and we will give your friend one when we return to our home.”

  “Come on, Renate, they’re friendly and want to take us to their home.” She pointed to her necklace. “They have another one of these translation devices there to give you.”

  Renate hung back. “I don’t think we should, Tamara. It could be a trap.”

  Tamara took her friend’s shoulders in both hands. “Renate, they said there are others like us, escapees from the Enders. I think they truly want to help us.”

  Renate’s pupils were dilated. She shook her head. “I’m so afraid.”

  “Truly, Renate, could they treat us any worse than the Enders? If what they tell me is true, we will be safe with them.”

  Renate nodded and allowed Tamara to take her hand and lead her out of their tree refuge to follow the small green people.

  The two women trailed behind the small Gelfs deep into the forest. The trees looked so different and the woods were populated with small climbing animals, brightly-colored flying creatures and flowers bloomed everywhere. One of the Gelfs plucked a violet flower and munched as they walked. Even the floor of the forest looked different. The leaves were iridescent and the rocks sparkled with more of the green gems. No wonder the Enders didn’t want anyone eating the fruit. They probably thought they’d gone insane. This world was so beautiful and all the Enders wished to see was what they destroyed and the crude civilization they’d built.

  They reached a spot in the trees where ladders and climbing ropes hung from all the high branches. There were homes in the base of many of the larger trees with doors, windows, porches and planted flowers. Smoke billowed from a nearby chimney. It smelled like burning incense. When Tamara looked up, she saw walkways suspended from the branches connecting homes built into the tree crowns. It was like a fairy village.

  “This is so beautiful.” Renate’s voice held awe and wonder.

  One of the Gelfs stopped beside a winding set of stairs that circled the trunk of a towering tree. “At the top, you will find a small home you may use. Dress yourself in the clothes you find there. We will welcome you as soon as you are dressed.”

  They climbed the stairs. At the top a small door led into a round chamber. It was filled with ornate furniture carved from the local wood. The room was redolent with the fragrance of it. On a small bed, two dresses lay waiting for them. They seemed to have been made to fit their bigger forms, but when Tamara pulled one on she realized it was transparent. Her breasts and the line between the lips of her sex were clearly visible. When she looked at Renate, she gasped. Renate’s yonis had grown and protruded like a man’s sex organ. Her breasts had flattened and looked like those of a man.

  Renate had put on one of the necklaces. It wrapped around her neck, gold and green leaves dangled from it like leaves on a tree branch. In the center hung one of the giant green gems. Renate’s eyes were wide. “What’s happening to me?”

  She reached between her legs and gasped. “My yonis! It’s enormous.” Then she moaned. “Touching it has made me so excited.”

  She pulled Tamara close. Her hands wrapped around Tamara’s face drawing her lips near. Tamara, unable to resist, thrust her long tongue into Renate’s mouth. The kiss was so hot, Tamara began trembling with need. There was something in the atmosphere of this village, something in the air, or maybe it was the fruit they’d eaten, but she desired pleasure as never before.

  She lifted the hem of Renate’s gossamer gown and squeezed her yonis. It was as hard as any aroused man’s sex organ. The opening was smaller, but it moved, seeking her hand. She dropped to her knees and took the swollen yonis into her mouth. Renate’s moans grew even louder. She grabbed the back of Tamara’s head and held a handful of hair as she thrust her hips against Tamara’s sucking lips.

  Tamara pulled Renate to the floor and fell back with her, legs spread wide. “What’s wrong with us?” She gasped.

  “Shhhh,” Renate hushed her, pushed her gown up and thrust the hard yonis into her aching sex. It filled Tamara as no man’s organ ever had. She felt an orgasmic spasm approach and arched her back. Renate pinched both of her nipples hard and Tamara’s spasm rippled through her sex. A flood of liquid gushed from the tip of the yonis into Tamara. It was hot and the smell of it quickly reached her nostrils. The scent was so intoxicating, she rolled Renate beneath her and pulled her heated sex off the yonis to look at it. The organ was bright red and pulsing.

  It pulsed to the beat of her heart…the rhythm mesmerized her. She slid down and put the yonis into her mouth again. It tasted like the red fruit, delicious and sweet. As she sucked, more of the liquid flowed into her mouth and Renate began keening, a high song filled with longing and ecstasy. The sound of Renate’s song and the feel of the yonis in her mouth filled Tamara with a need so great she could barely contain it. When the door opened and two of the Gelfs appeared, she leaped up, horrified.

  “You are ready to be welcomed now. Come with me.” The Gelf held out his hand as Renate scrambled to her feet and stood shaking beside Tamara.

  Tamara was so embarrassed. To be caught like this, on the floor, her mouth on her friend’s sex, it was awful.

  The Gelf seemed to read her mind. “Do not feel embarrassed. My name is G’fang. In our culture, we enjoy each other’s bodies as much as we can. Great Ost has given us everything we need and encourages us to enjoy the pleasures offered by uniting with others. Come.”

  Tamara took his hand and followed him. He chose to go up, not down. They arrived in the crown of the tree where many Gelfs gathered along with a small number of women from other races, obviously more escapees, and two men who looked to be young Enders. So there had been some who ate of the fruit before they became aware of its properties and forbade it to all in their compounds.

  Two of the green people began beating a slow rhythm as the Gelfs surrounded the taller aliens. They joined hands and swayed to the sound of the drums. One sang a haunting melody in time to the music. The drum beats sped up and two of the green people took Tamara’s hands. Two more took Renate’s. Each of the outworlders had two Ge
lfs.

  When all the aliens had partners, the drum beats changed rhythm and a flute player added a sensuous melody that went straight to Tamara’s already aching sex. The two Gelfs led her to a nest hanging between two branches. When they pushed she fell back into the nest. Both Gelfs joined her, their hands touching her everywhere.

  The biggest one said, “Do not be afraid, outworlder, relax and enjoy the gifts of Ost. My name is G’trell.” He indicated his companion. “G’pearl and I will introduce you now to the way of the Gelf.”

  He slipped off his flower-like tunic of purple and red. Tamara gasped. His male sex organ had two branches. Both were moving in time to the music still ringing below. The two stalks of his organ grew and twined with each other. G’trell gently spread Tamara’s legs and knelt between them while G’Pearl stroked her face.

  G’pearl kissed her. Tamara’s long tongue entwined with G’pearl’s and her entire body burned with need. G’pearl took Tamara’s hands and placed them on her huge ears. “Stroke them here,” she said.

  When Tamara softly stroked the backs of the velvety ears, G’pearl crooned and closed her multi-colored eyes. She swayed back and forth as she removed her clothing. G’pearl was an obvious female. Her sex organ was as red as the fruit of the Kum Kum tree.

  The petals of her sex opened on their own to reveal a golden core. Tamara stopped stroking G’pearl’s ears. She wanted nothing more than to taste the sweet golden core of G’pearl’s sex. Her buttocks were round like the globes of a fruit. She grasped them and pulled G’pearl onto her face as G’trell took each of her legs and lifted them high. He inserted his double pronged organ into her sex and her anus at the same time. The double penetration stretched her openings to their limit. The additional burning of the stretching just added to her pleasure. She gasped and shook, literally rigid with excitement.