Any Port in a Storm

Chapter 3

Trisha put her hands on her hips and with a deep breath and a resigned sigh, looked around. Tilting her head back she could see high above her through the rigging was the modeled crows nest. With a deep breath, she looked down at the drunken Claire. "I guess we need to try and escape. Have you been up there?" She pointed.

Claire tilted her head back and rested it against the mast, then shook her wobbly head and giggled "Nose." Then swung the mug towards her lips and then using her tongue to locate the mug finally slurped. "I'se just been heres a months. Drinking..." She giggled, her arm moving unsteadily around in an arc.

"Are you actually, okay?"

Claire nodded and brought the mug to her lips. "Yesh." Then gulped more.

"Where did you find the drink?"

Claire pointed to the side of the boat. "Hic. Eshwere."

Alarm crossed Trisha's face as she processed the information, she could not survive here for a month with a drunk. She took a deep breath and looked around herself once more. She needed to sober up and take control. She really needed to get home for Christmas. "Okay, let me see if I can find a way off this thing."

With that she walked over to the side of the boat. Peering over the edge and looking down at the sea of dark red liquid. The smell of strong liquor was overpowering. Both the height of the drop and the smell of the fortified wine made her feel rather queasy. She tucked her red hair behind her ears the best she could. Her hair band had disappeared along with her clothes.

Trisha sighed deeply and then did her best to reach out for the rigging. Holding it firmly in her grasp. It had been years since she had climbed anything steeper than her husband. More recently for ease she made him go on top. This was certainly the first time she had climbed anything rope based naked.

Wishing even though she was full of seasonal spirit that she had not had all of the second glass of wine with the third that was still sitting at the corner table near the bar, with the intention of getting to drink it when she was back from the toilets. She nervously and slowly swung her legs out over the side of the boat and after moaning and stretching finally got her rather chipped red painted toes resting on what was in reality only a thin piece of string. It was art, not a real boat. It was not designed to take her body. With a groan her knees started wobbling too with nerves before she moaned, and she started to pull herself up. The string dug into both her hands and was painful against her feet. It was as if the whole rigging creaked and was sagging under her weight. As she pushed down on her knees and pulled up, she was holding on so tight keeping herself close to the strings that her bare breasts and protruding nipples kept catching on the rigging with every labored climb.

As she reached halfway up, she slowly looked down and through the rigging she could see that Claire was now sprawled out on her back, potentially passed out on the deck below. She would be no use to her. Trisha stretched her hand out and pulled again grimacing as her erect nipples twanged with each step on the string once again, her whole body jiggled as she unsteadily and slowly made her way up.

It took two attempts to haul herself up into the Crowsnest. It was a gymnastic twist that was needed to get herself up there. A move that surprised herself with. As she again lifted her knees up onto the matchstick thin Crowsnest she really wished that she could have put a safety harness on.

Taking several deep breaths holding on to the fragile wooden toy barrel, she looked out over the glass horizon. She could see the glass roof inches from the top of the mast. Climbing further up there would be useless. There was literally nothing to see other than what was clearly the neck of the bottle. There was a dark opening far out past the bowsprit. The possibility of freedom. But at that point it was miles away. To the sides one was dark, the wall side, the other, there was movement and light, along with a continuous hum that sounded almost tinny through the glass. She tried waving frantically. Shouting out was a fruitless exercise, but she tried it. She had to do something. Deep down she already knew no one could see or hear her. She was far too small, far too quiet amongst hundreds of glass bottles and full-size adults talking outside.

Looking forwards she knew that had climbed the wrong way, up was not the solution, forwards was. Trisha was now desperate for a drink. It was thirsty work climbing up the rigging.

***

Pam sniffed, then gently coughed to clear her throat. As a smoker, she did it hundreds of times a day as she focused as she picked up the cold glass of coke. She guzzled it quickly, washing her throat clean, almost wincing at the sickly-sweet cola as it flowed down her throat. She normally only drank diet cola, with at least double vodka in it. Like her cigarettes it was often never just one.

"So, we need to investigate the ladies?"

Nelly wiped the fried potato crumbs from her lips. "Yes, I thought that would be the best place to start." She smiled as she finished off her drink with one fell gulp.

Pam nodded in agreement and swirled her drink, the half-melted ice cubes twanging against the side of the glass. She scanned the room as she chewed on the inside of her mouth. "Yes, unfortunately there is only one place to look." She tilted her head back and gulped the cola down in one. Licking her lips and then burping almost triumphantly afterwards.

With that she hopped off the stool, and marched past the bar, towards the brightly painted green on the wooden beam on the ceiling that said toilets with a swirly looking arrow. Nelly scrunched up the empty packet leaving it on the bar and with a deep sigh, followed.

Contrasting to the tinsel decorated bar it was a plain outpost. A bowl of twenty-year-old pot Poruri was the limit of style. The women's toilets were a small two strip light lit affair. Whilst clearly clean they were not looked after. The cool air from the open little window blew in. The old white paint on the walls was wrinkled and peeling off everywhere. There was a small open window above the two sink white sinks. Along with two gray doored cubicles. The sinks shared a single bottle of pump soap. The gap between the two frosted glass panes was small, unless you were a cat burglar or a size zero there was no way of climbing through.

The two police officers jumped in surprise as the toilet flushed and the loud hiss of the cistern refilling echoed and filled the small space before the door lock finally clunked. The two women shuffled slightly to the side as a patron opened the door and then as she looked around the corner loudly screamed as she was mid doing up her button of her jeans. Clearly thinking that there were two officers peering back into her cubicle ready to arrest her. Her hands instantly rose in the air. "I didn't do anything!" She whined.

"We are not here for you, don't worry." Pam tried to placate her. "Do remember to wash your hands though before going back out." She informed doing her public duty to the best she could then beamed a smile, as the women shuffled apologetically back to the sink.

With a small dance the three women in the small space moved out of the way to allow the lady to escape the toilets. "Merry Christmas!' Pam called out as the door opened. Once it was clear they opened both cubicle doors wide. There were two toilet bowls, a toilet roll, and a sanitary bin in each corner. It was a mirror image of each other. There was nothing out of the ordinary. A couple sheets of discarded toilet rolls were left squished in a puddle on the floor. Above the single bare strip light ran above them both. There was no dark corner to obviously hide or escape.

Nelly took the left-hand one, Pam the right. They systematically banged the wall and the partition. Shouting out for both Claire and Trisha. Everything was solid. Out of hope and desperation, they even tried peering into the bins.

"There is no escape route." Nelly huffed almost out of breath as she climbed up off the floor wiping her now damp knees.

"I have to agree with you." Pam winced with concern.

Chapter 4

"Claire, there is no easy way out." Trisha announced once she was firmly back on solid ground. It took a shorter time getting down than up. But her arms and legs were aching. She could not help but caress her own bare breasts, belly, and knees as they were red raw from being tangled by the rope as she slowly made her may down. She had been holding on to the string for dear life and had dug into her fingers. It was noticeable that her shipmate had fallen asleep and was not listening. "Claire, wake up." She prodded her shoulder. Being passed out was probably the easiest way to get through the day.

Claire groaned, coughed, and spluttered, and opened one bloodshot eye, "Eh...Ish knows." She slurred as she unsteadily looked up from her slumped position next to the mast.

"Claire, I am also really thirsty. What is there to drink?" She stuck her tongue out panting like a dog. She was still sweating from climbing. It was then that she looked down at the wet floor beneath her feet, hissing was loud and the puddle spreading out from under Claire, before stepping to the side slightly to the drier floor.

"Share is port esheywhere!" She giggled and pointed to the side of the boat and then leaned and further slumped to the side with an outstretched arm to the small tub beside her which had a bit of string tied off around the metallic handle.

Trisha peered in, smelling first and then seeing the sloshing red liquid swirling around. She looked up as Claire swung in her direction another wooden mug.

"I guess as it's Christmas, I will have to join you, but I am only having one."

***

Pam huffed and stood up straight and with a glance towards the bathroom mirror. She glowered at her face as she straightened her blue shirt and tie, then looked behind her in the reflection. "Nelly, they are right, there is no hiding hole here. We pushed every lever and twiddled every bolt. There is no escaping this bathroom."

"What do we do next?"

"I was thinking about another drink. This is thirsty work. When in Rome and all that."

"I can't see that..."

It was then that their radios crackled into life. "Burglary in action at Mr. Bruce's Corner shop, Acacia Avenue, can anyone respond?"

Pam looked at Nelly and sighed then nodded "It will have to wait" and moved towards the door, it was literally around the corner as she spoke into her radio.

***

"What have you done for a month?" Trisha asked as she sipped the warm Port. She too was leaning, sitting legs spread wide with her back against the mast.

"Drunk." Claire giggled as she started to caress her own plump sagging breast.

"Have you not tried to escape?"

Claire's head wobbled as she tried to nod. "Yesh but can't" Her other hand waved around in a circle.

"So. you sat here and drank?"

"Yesh!" Claire giggled as she slowly shuffled her now unshaven hairy legs and thighs wider apart, her hand moved down between her crotch, and she moaned as she started stroking. Trisha could not help but watch. Then feel herself responding.

"Maybe we can find a way out in the morning?"

Claire shrugged her shoulders. "Maybesh, drink now?" She giggled as pushed her head back against the mast and moaned as her fingers played faster between her crotch.

"I will do it in a minute. Is there anyone else here?"

Claire drunkenly giggled. "You? But I do wish there was a man to play with here!" She laughed and took a deep breath and groaned as she thrusted her fingers deeper into herself. Her spare hand landed on Trisha's bare knee for support.

Trisha looked down at the hand, and followed the arm back to the naked body, and the panting as her other fingers thrusted deeper.

Chapter 5

Pam stood there bent over with her hands on her knees breathing hard. "Fuck I haven't run that fast since training." She hacked a cough then groaned as straightened up as she smiled and waved as the police car drove off.

"I couldn't even think about starting to run, let alone be that fast!" Nelly chuckled as she unwrapped another chocolate bar and started eating.

"I was just lucky that PC Ashbeck was there, that was all."

"Well, the idiot did run at full speed into the parked police car." Nelly grinned.

"It saved me catching him. I was too far back." She took another deep labored breath.

"We got him, that's what counts."

"True...successfully ruined his holiday season." Pam chuckled as she shook her head at the situation and patted her trousers as she looked around. "I used to do this as a teenager, stand about here and sneakily smoke my cigarette. I had to smoke it here, before walking home, otherwise my mum would smell it on me." Pam laughed as they stood ten paces down the side street from the corner shop as she hurriedly flicked her lighter and lit her cigarette.

Nelly continued chewing on her large bar of Dairy Milk "He was running very quickly." She chuckled, ignoring the history lesson as she took another bite on the new bar she had bought whilst watching Pam run off trying to apprehend the teenager who had just threatened Mr Bruce.

Pam forced the exhale. "He was, do you want to drop me off back at the pub, and you go back to the office and file the report?"

Nelly chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess, so, will you be okay alone in the bar?"

Pam smiled confidently. "I feel some late evening research is required." She closed her eyes as she tilted her head back and pulled hard on her cigarette.

"On duty?"

Pam forced her exhale up to the night sky. "I won't say anything, if you don't?"

Nelly wiped her hand across her lips smearing brown chocolate on the back of her hand. She grizzled when she noticed it then furiously rubbed it clean on her trousers. "I guess so."

"Great, could you pick me up and take me home at closing time?" She looked to the dark sky as the wind gusted, she adjusted the collar on her shirt as the rain started to fall. Pam took a final drag on her cigarette and flicked it towards the wall as they both made a run to the car as the rain got heavier and poured down.

***

"Have you eaten anything in the last month?" Trisha asked, cupping her wooden mug in her hand, she took a long gulp and after licking her lips sighed afterwards, concerned that it was now empty. She slowly stood up.

Claire giggled as she looked up at Trisha as she continued playing with herself. "Nosh."

"You've just been drinking Port?"

"Oh yesh!" Claire giggled.

"What do you do all day?"

"Ohhh, yeah, I enjoy myself..." She moaned.

"Surely there must be something to eat here, I am starving. I was meant to go home for dinner about now." She held her bare belly and jiggled it firmly in her hands.

"Nope!" Claire responded. "Just drink!" She chuckled.

"I am going to have a look." With that Trisha set off across the deck. "And a pee."

***

"Hello, back again officer?" The barmaid grinned as she stood her ground behind the beer pump handles.

"Guilty as charged!" Pam said as she put her hat on the bar and untied the hair band and let her hair down, she then got her cigarettes and lighter out then shuffled herself on the stool. She ran her fingers through the strands a couple of times before grinning at the barmaid,

"Found anything?"

"No, the only thing I can think of is I have got to try and see if I can recreate the mystery." She smiled.

"Oh?"

"What were they drinking?"

"Oh, both women were on large red wines."

Pam nodded in agreement, licking her lips in anticipation. "Great, in that case, I better have one for now."

"Coming right up!" The redhead barmaid turned and squatted down, her pink thong riding high along her tattoo on her back as she brought out a red bottle from the shelf and then in a practiced maneuver, picked up a large glass and measuring cup on her way back to the counter.

Chapter 6

Pam sat there gulping her wine, between sips she was continuously looking around. Her eyes scanned the room. Something must give her a clue as to what was going on. It was very nice wine; the bar was relatively busy. People were double checking that a police officer at the bar was drinking. Several asked if she was a stripper; they couldn't see any tinsel. She laughed that off as a compliment and gulped more wine. It was going down very easily. The contents were finished far too quickly. She soon asked for a top up. As the barmaid was filling it up, she made her excuses and popped back outside for another cigarette.

Instantly regretting not taking her hat and coat. With the rain still beating down, Pam took the opportunity to carry on doing some detective work. Once it was lit and the smoke was in her lungs, she took the time with the rain falling to walk around the back of the pub, nosing up to the back of the toilets easily competing with the wind and the rain. Using the burning cherry from the cigarette lighting her way she walked around checking all the walls. She could look up towards the open window. The weeds growing on the side of the building were definitely not squashed. No one had escaped through there. Shivering as her blue blouse got wetter and wetter as she stood there dragging hard, she then made her way back to the front of the pub. With one last heave of smoke in her lungs she stubbed it out and headed inside.

She offered the barmaid her card to pay for the drink, briefly settled on the stool and took a gulp of the fresh drink. It really should have been coffee. But she was experimenting and investigating, not that she could now clearly say those words as it was rather nice wine.

A smile crossed her lips. Needs must.

Pam acknowledged that she was going to spend a penny and would be back in a second. Leaving her cigarettes, lighter and practically full drink. She took the route across the pub that she had earlier in the day.

***

"You are right, there is nothing to eat, every room is empty. There is nothing secretly stashed away." A despondent Trisha announced as she came back around to Claire who was still sitting there with her legs wide apart playing with herself. She was glowing in sweat, and she moaned as her fingers disappeared inside her overly hairy unshaved vagina.

"Uhhh."

"I am not entirely sure what I am meant to do now?" Trisha pondered out loud, looking around before looking back at her naked companion in front of her. It was getting more and more surreal at every moment.

"If you're hungry, please just eat me?" Claire moaned as she panted.

"Pardon?" Trisha looked on with concern, her evening was quickly getting out of control. She had been enjoying a nice glass of red wine only a few minutes ago.

"Just don't stand there." She panted.

Trisha looked around, it was empty, there was no one else there. With a deep breath she knelt down.

***

Pam closed the cubicle door and twisted the overly worn chrome lock until it locked tight. With a resigned sigh of anticipation. She undid her belt and the button, then dropped her work issued trousers around her knees, holding her blue shirt up, she sat down on the toilet seat. She did her business, everything was normal. She jumped a little as she heard the toilet flush beside her, she almost held her breath and waited to see if anything happened. Nothing did. The cubicle door eventually opened. She followed the sound of the heels on the linoleum floor with her eyes through the closed cubicle wall and door. She waited for the other person to wash their hands, they spent ages in front of the mirror, presumably applying makeup, then she could hear the tap, tap, tap of her clearly fake nails clattering against her phone screen. Pam's heart was thumping hard, she definitely needed that next glass of wine and another cigarette. When the door finally opened there was the brief sound of the chatter from the bar before it clanged automatically shut. She stood up, grabbed a wodge of toilet paper, and wiped. Checking behind her that it had landed in the water she pulled up her red sparkly cotton panties and work pants, did her button up and then turned around and reached for the handle.