Power Sabotaged : Part 5 : Meeting Bob Again

Power Sabotaged : A New Life For Sheila
Part 5 : Meeting Bob Again

It was time to do something about her desperate situation. She walked over the streets towards the man’s house. She observed the wary and less trusting, potentially dangerous city as she walked, aware of the dangers which might beset her in this time of darkness. Nonetheless she went in the dark, using it as her protection from the prying eyes of other citizens. Despite the circumstances pushing her towards this desperate course of action she was still dominated by the rules which had always held sway in her life until this point. She did not wish anyone to see her humiliation in any way. She did not wish to be seen entering the man’s house. She did not even wish her own neighbours to be aware she was leaving her own house at this strange time of the night. She feared their questions; she also feared that someone might realise her house was uninhabited and seek to break in while she was away. Such cases had been increasing as the food shortages and the power cut went on.

What would any people known to herself think of her if they knew what she was up to; what would the man’s near neighbours think. Perhaps she was one of many women brought low by these circumstances, who might have been seen parading into this man’s house in recent days. They might know by now, or at least be guessing what the man was up to with all these unattached ladies. Of course there might not be other women. Perhaps she only imagined the man’s behaviour. After all she hardly knew him.

As she walked she saw things, even in the dark. Young children stood in a garden in the dark. They were not playing! They seemed to be doing little else than staring with their eyes. Perhaps she was seeing the beginnings of malnourishment. Would the children be the first to go hungry? Would the adults decide to feed themselves before their children? Had that happened in African famines or periods of food shortage in the past? She thought so. Adults had to save themselves. That was human nature! Later she saw more young kids, in doorways, at dim candlelit windows. Sometimes they were with parents, but some appeared unsupervised; all of these were quiet.

There were signs of strife too, in the distance. She kept well away from the signs of any trouble, on one occasion taking a detour away from a street she had intended to walk down when she heard aggressive shouting, the sounds of banging on doors, a scream and the smash and flare of a cocktail or torch thrown in anger. She saw a couple of scurrying figures, youths, she thought. She did not know whether those were the hunters or the hunted. She turned away and increased her pace, in fear. She wanted nothing to do with gang fights over foodstocks, or the settling of other scores while the backs of the police and authorities were turned. (Probably the rogues who fought were youths, but adults were probably in charge of them, setting a bad example to the youngsters.)

She was nearing Bob’s home now. She was dressed up to look as nice as she could. She had not been out in quite a while. Evenings in front of the TV had been her recent pastime, before the crisis, and since the electricity went off she had no inclination or opportunity to go out for leisure.

Sheila looked around quickly as she stood in the dark. Most people had disappeared now. Without light there was little point in staying up in the evening. There was no one around now. As nervous excitement held her, she forced herself to take the plunge and approach the man’s front door. There was no reason to delay further. She felt more nervous than a grown woman of 35 should. Her mind still debated the pros and cons of the action she was embarked upon.

She knocked lightly, remembering there would be no electricity to drive the door bell, and waited. Was he in or out? Visiting other lady friends perhaps, or maybe there was someone else here? Competition and a potentially risky journey wasted.

She felt the suspense of waiting. There was no immediate sound within, but candlelight was discernable. Soon enough Bob came to the door. She had the impression he was just tucking his shirt in as the door opened.

“Hello my lovely! Decided to come and visit me after all then?” he joked pleasantly. She judged there was no real condescension in his words. “Look. Unfortunately I am a bit disposed at the moment, but I am really glad you’ve come. As I said before I’d really like to see you. Can we make a date for tomorrow night?”

“But I need food,” she complained. “I have come here for food, which you promised. It’s urgent. I have nothing left in the house.” Her eyes were suddenly tearful as she realised the import of his words. She had been relying on this man’s supplies as other options receded.

“Is it a definite date – to come tomorrow. Of course I want to see you Sheila.”

“But what am I going to do for food?”

“If you’re definitely coming over tomorrow I can give you some food in advance.”

She was grateful. She would surely return because he seemed to offer the prospect of regular food supplies. She could hardly believe the ease with which this man was able to control her. He was the best prospect for food at the moment. Therefore she was his to command. If he wanted to see her tomorrow then she would come tomorrow. It did not matter whether she had something else organised for tomorrow. This crudely minded ordinary man had the priority. In just a few days what had she become?

And yet he was an attractive enough man. The thought of what he offered as well as food did not repulse her. It had been a long time since she had taken a man up on such an offer. If her dignity was the price she had to pay for food then so be it. She was in no position to worry about dignity.

She knew that Bob must have another woman in there. How many women could he be playing in this way. A more mercenary part of her thought, ‘How much food has this guy got stashed away in there?’ If he had food for her she would definitely return tomorrow. But if he was only bluffing she would be forced to look elsewhere for food.

“Just wait,” he said, “I’ll go and get something for you. But you’d better come back tomorrow if you want any more.” He went back into the house, leaving the door ajar. She peeked into the kitchen, a nice tidy looking place. Bob kept a tidy house for sure, but the décor lacked a woman’s touch, she suspected.

Bob fetched something from his larder and returned to the door. “There you are, a loaf of bread, and there’s some ham in this silver foil.”

“Thanks Bob, that’s so good of you. Have you a bit more? I’ll soon need more. But I am grateful. I will give you what you want in return.” She said this with distaste. She disliked begging or beggars. She had never had to beg for anything before. She had never thought she would ever have to.

“Come around tomorrow evening. There will be more, I promise you. Don’t worry. This will keep you going for now.”

She suspected Bob must be with someone. His state of relative undress suggested it. His certain decision that she should go now and come back tomorrow seemed to confirm it. Was there another woman in there with him? She suspected it must be so. She had no claim on the man. It was she who had taken the decision to come here. She wanted his food or money. Why then should she feel the pang of jealousy. Was she a competitive creature after all, or was she feeling disappointment that she would not be experiencing the physical attentions she had not had for so long?

Bob seemed keen to see her nonetheless so she submerged her disappointment and accepted the food he gave her with genuine gratitude.

Sheila went to Bob’s house again the next night. She appreciated his earthy working class respectfulness and his forthright opinions. He did not keep her waiting long in conversation. He made it clear he would have shared a meal with her first if she preferred. She wanted food, but not urgently. Her own anticipation was such that she might prefer to plunge into the acts he intended.

“Whichever way you prefer Bob. I am at your disposal.”

It all seemed so strange, to be saying those words after years of sex equality and women feeling they were in the driving seat of their lives. She felt he was in the driving seat now. He had the food – she did not know how much, but he certainly had more than she.

But somehow she now realised he had something more than just food that she wanted. She actually wanted to trace his manly body and feel his hot breath on her. She was curious to explore his curves and muscles. She did not want him as a husband – like most men she had dated in the past, he fell short of the perfection she wished for, but sexual curiosity had been invoked by the possibility she had been offered. Only the dire circumstances so many were in made it likely that she could respond to such a lustful and despicable offer, but having been offered she felt drawn to the prospect.

“Perhaps we should play first, then we can relax with food,” suggested Bob, keen not to force the decision on her.

“Okay,” said Sheila shyly. It had been a few years since anything as exciting as this had happened to her. Above everything now she wanted his cock inside her.

“I suggest we sit on the couch for a while. Let us get to know one another a little better first,” Bob suggested, beckoning her as he moved to sit there.

Obediently she came and sat near him. Without much ado he placed his left hand upon her thigh and stroked it through her skirt. The electricity of touch, even through the fabric, shot up through her, to the sensuous part of her brain. He transferred his left hand around her shoulder and exchanged his right hand onto her knee. Pleasantly he caressed her shoulder and neck, trespassing onto her pure flesh. She nearly recoiled at the touch, but she did not wish to show anything which could be construed as reluctance.

He had a big penis, in her opinion, which she caressed at his behest. Bob produced a condom, placed it and pulled it over his penis, and encouraged her to put her mouth around it. Obligingly she did so and she sucked upon it generously. It seemed the biggest one she had yet come across, and she was excited by the thought of taking this large appendage into her mouth. He caressed her and made her wet, then he invaded her moist crevice. She orgasmed soon enough in a crescendo of sighs. She had been placed on the floor, on comfortable cushions. He took her with her legs held up high. She felt partly detached, as if observing from afar her own pleasure as the ache spread and intensified. Panting, she moaned and even screamed in excitement as he slid in and out of her. He also was able to squirt his seed into the condom, while he plunged within her.

She had forgotten the new hardships of Britain, at the mercy of terror campaigns and seemingly helpless to get society back on track. She had forgotten the hungers and the despair she had begun to feel. For tonight she had food aplenty and someone to take the hardships away. She was a comfortable citizen once again, if only for a few hours.

The sex was good for both of them. Later eating the delicious food at the sofa she found she did not need to pull herself away from Bob. She did however ask him, “Why could you not see me last night? You were with another woman! I am right, am I not?”

“Yes that’s true,” he admitted. “I had another woman.”

“Was she good?”

“Yes.”

“Was she, like me, doing it for food.”

“Yeah, but she enjoyed it too, I think.”

“Bet that makes you feel good, knowing that the ladies enjoy you as well.”

“Of course! I am flattered and pleased. Do you feel jealous?”

“Yes a little, although I know I have no right to expect loyalty.”

Sheila did not feel the need to ask him whether she had ‘passed’ in his estimation. It was pretty obvious that she had. The way he wanted to stay close, and was in no hurry to show her to the door spoke volumes. He talked in his pragmatic working class way. She found he had a keen sense of humour and enjoyed a provoking dig or a friendly cheekiness. His interests appeared simple enough, very male, often technical – quite dull in the depth of their technicality. He could laboriously explain simple things which she had already understood. He said he was interested in all sports, another reason why she might have avoided getting too close in the past. She loved TV, the soaps in particular, and could not cope with anyone who obliged her to watch boring football matches. He was far from being her perfect man, but she found she was drawn to him now, despite the prostitution of her body in return for food, which she held him responsible for.

“I must go now,” she said. “Will you escort me, for safety in the dark?”

“Do you have to go now?” asked Bob. “I feel we are just getting started. The evening is young yet. Besides I might just want to fuck you again later. Stay with me tonight and you can have breakfast with me in the morning. Then you can make your way back home yourself – in daylight.”

The promise of breakfast in the morning clinched it for her. She found the idea of staying here overnight appealing enough. She did not fancy the return journey in the darkness, with all the potential dangers she might encounter. She was still enjoying being with this man. She had not been flirted with, desired and bedded like this for a long time and enjoyed the attention greatly.

Sheila made her goodbyes in the morning. “What will you do today Bob?” she asked.

“The factory’s closed! Like most places,” he replied. “We can’t operate without electricity. We use it to drive everything.”

“Just like my job. I work with a computer network and a phone, but without electricity we’re totally unable to do our job. We’ve been put on a low ‘retention’ salary.” There was no point going to work. “The money’s meaningless, as there isn’t any food in the shops anyway! Are you still being paid?”

“Yeah, like yourself, we’re receiving a low basic salary, but there is little work being done,” he said. “Orders are drying up in the current climate where no one is operating,” he said.

“Electricity is the lifeblood of our economy!” she remarked.

“It seems so. I wonder how long all the businesses and operations can wait for electricity before some permanent damage is done to the economy,” he said.

“It has been a few weeks since the crisis began,” she said. “I think the economy must have been damaged already. As we have proved businesses are being asked to keep paying their workers a basic wage while their orders are not being fulfilled and their customers are not paying their bills. Everyone is getting short of cash. If they don’t sort out the damned terrorists soon the chaos will turn into collapse.”

She did not know exactly what that would mean or how it would work. A nation without electricity! That was taking a step back into a time before the simple switch and light bulb arrived. It would not be easy to return to those old ways. Nobody remembered how things were done in those days. Back to the Victorian times! Nobody had gas lamps any more. Nobody produced them. Factories were not geared up to steam or water power. Machines could not be run on human muscles any more. Everything would have to be started again, made from scratch.