Out on the Ranch

Author's Note: this is my first submission into this category. While the main subject does deal with a relationship between siblings, I wanted to create a story that had other layers that made this type of fetish "normal" in a way. While most of the stories that I have read in this category focus on the incestual relationship itself as the main driving plot of the narrative, I wanted it to be something that while present in the story itself it, it remains in the background as just another fact of life.

It has been a while since I have written anything; life and other projects have gotten in the way and this hobby unfortunately takes the least precedence in my life at this moment. I hope that new readers will look at my other stories and enjoy them, and that returning readers can give this story, and more importantly this category of stories, a chance. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Much love,

aka_Mike

...

The ranch's lands spread out as far as the eye could see, in all directions the greenery was lush. The sounds of animals are carried by slow, calm winds, along with the familiar smells of plants, decay, and excrement. The circle of life is in open display as a man walks toward a bloated calf carcass; vultures and other scavengers had not yet left their mark on the creature. William "Billy" Bonney solemnly looks down on the latest dead young of the season, he knew that his ranch would be unable to survive long with losses of that caliber. He removed his Cattleman and wiped the perspiration that revealed the demanding work that he had already completed before the sun had begun to peek its own tired face above the mountain range that stubbornly stood far in the distance.

For years, Billy had managed his land effectively, but over the last months he had noticed a rising number of dead animals. At first, he tried to find any signs of predators targeting his herds, he took great care to inspect the long-standing fence lines for any evidence of sabotage or gaps that would allow predators to enter. He found none. As he continued to wipe the sweat off his brow, Billy used his weather faded hat to fan some air toward his face; he was trying to both cool his head from the unusually hot temperatures and to clear some of the putrid air away from his nostrils.

"Damn it," Billy cursed to himself as he saw the long trail of dust moving in his direction. He recognized the vehicle from the sound of its engine alone; the old truck had been on the ranch almost as long as Billy. He fondly remembered riding along with his father on that truck as they inspected the fence lines, as they carried feed to the cattle, as they dug deep irrigation channels. He intimately remembered the number of times they had loaded their own share of carcasses onto the bed of that truck; even that memory brought him a warm smile and a fond sense of nostalgia.

...

Growing up, Billy had always resented his father's constant demands of his time, those demands prevented Billy from going to University like his cousins had done. Through them, Billy lived vicariously as they regaled him with stories of the multiple parties that they had attended, the number of women they each had bedded, and the number of various activities that they had taken part in experiencing. When Billy asked his father to allow him to go to University, his father looked at him with confusion and a hint of disappointment. Until the day he would die, Billy would be able to vividly remember that conversation and would often use it in times of personal conflict to find his own footing.

"Son," he remembered his father saying, "there is nothing wrong with you wanting to go to school, and if that's something you really want to do I will support you. Every man must choose their own path, and each of us will come across many a crossroads in life like that one. Any decision that you make, son, should be made because it is the right thing to do; once you make the decision you will need to see it to the end, for good or ill. I didn't go to school growing up, my Pa shipped out to war when I was younger than you are now. He is still out there, buried under a tree in a Dutch town where strangers leave fresh flowers every so often. They take care of my Pa's grave as if it was their own family, I guess in a way he is; they made the decision to take care of a man's final resting place out of their own idea of what is right.

"Son, those people owe me nothing, they owe our family nothing. Yet, every Memorial Day, I'll get a letter in the mail from Mr. Jansen and his children as they keep up my Pa's grave. I have seen their children grow through those pictures, I even cried and mourned with them when their Ma passed away two years ago. When Mr. Jansen got too up in his age to properly care for the grave, I proudly saw as his two sons willingly took up the role of caretakers for my Pa's grave. I have met their own wives and children as well, I have seen them grow up the same way: one picture at a time. They have met you all as well, and someday I hope to be able to travel to that far away land and shake their hands.

"I had to grow up quick, son, overnight I went from being a boy to needing to become a man. I didn't have time for school or games, I needed to take care of my Pa's lands and his animals. Your Nana, your aunts and uncles, they all looked to me to step up and fill Pa's role, and I willingly did. I did it because it was the right thing to do. When I die, son, I want you to step up like I did, and I want you to be ready and not have to depend on anyone to show you the ropes like I had to learn them. You do what is right for you, son, this is the first of your crossroads on the path to becoming a man, and if you feel that going to school is the right path for you then we'll get you there."

...

The truck pulled up next to Billy who was still lost in his nostalgic memories; the sound of the door closing broke him from that dreamland and brought him back onto the real world. Absentmindedly, Billy reached into his pocket for the circular container that had long ago made a permanent brand on his jeans. He withdrew a large amount of tobacco, and with a hand that had many years of practice, he placed the sweet substance inside of his mouth; the tobacco juices quickly filling in the patches of naked skin inside his gums.

"How many is that now?" Claire Bonney asked as she looked at the carcass, unlike her older brother Billy, she had attended university and even went on to receive her Veterinarian's license. After the town Veterinarian, Dr. Larson, retired she had become the only Veterinarian in the small town, a title she took immense pride in receiving. Both her father and brother had spoken highly of her, and their reputation among the ranchers in the area allowed her to quickly integrate into the small society within the town.

"Three this month," Billy replied after spitting a copious amount of tobacco juice, "just like the others. No sign of what got this one either." Billy again removed his hat and used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his brow once more, "but if this keeps up, I don't think we'll be able to cover the losses."

"Jenkins' ranch is having the same problem," Claire replied, "he is just as worried as we all are about the season."

"I've checked every pole along the fence line," Billy continued, "not a single wire is out of place. This calf," he pointed at the carcass, "I laid eyes on it not five days ago and it was doing just fine. Now, the rest of the animals are getting a bit antsy, they won't go too far from the house to graze." Billy rubbed his chin as he replaced the hat on his head, "gotta be honest with you, sis, and this is the damnest thing to even say out loud..."

"What is it?" She crept closer to her brother, in all the years she had laid eyes on him she had never seen the expression that was now etched on his face. It was a combination of self-doubt and worry, two emotions she had never expected to see from her brother. He looked around the field as if checking to make sure that no one could hear what he was about to say, she could not help but compare him to their father as she had so many times before. Both had the same stoic demeanor, the same short fuse to nonsense, both men were quick to anger, and even more quick to express their affection for those around them.

"Last couple of nights," Billy said, "could've sworn I heard scratching on the window. Like a branch or something, except last night. Last night, I remember thinking how dreadfully quiet it was out here, just like when a big storm is about to hit us. Not even the critters were out and about."

"You think it has something to do with the cattle deaths?" Claire moved closer to her brother, sharing in the secrecy of the moment, "you don't think..."

"What?" Billy leaned forward, pointing his ear at his sister to better hear whatever it was she would be saying, his eyes briefly left her.

"You think it might be..." she whispered softly, causing her brother to lean even closer to her, she could smell the sweat and tobacco on him. Had this been any other man, she would have felt disgust, instead all she felt was a small tinge of guilt at what she would be doing next. She quickly moved her left hand and dipped her index finger into her mouth, coating it with an exorbitant amount of saliva. As quick as a rattlesnake bite, she lunged her moistened finger into her brother's ear canal, "the Chupacabras!"

Billy's immediate reaction was as expected; he quickly moved his own finger into his ear to clear away the foreign substance while reaching out for her. Claire ran away from his attempts at grabbing her, her giggles were echoing as she climbed into her truck and quickly locked the door. As the engine came to life, she continued laughing at her brother while he stomped on the ground and cursed at her for her sneaky attack.

"Damn it, Claire," he screamed, more with mock indignation than out of anger, "just wait until I see you at home. I'm going to put the belt to you, ya hear?"

"You'll have to catch me first, William Bonney," she yelled out the driver's side window as she pulled away, "try not to get caught by the Chupacabras while you're out here all alone."

"I don't even know what the hell that is," Billy had no way to tell if she had heard his reply as the dust that her tires kicked up coated him with a fresh layer of muck. He had never been much for legends or superstitions, his ignorance on the fabled creature that allegedly would go on to kill hundreds of cattle across much of North America was well justified. At that moment, his mind was much more concerned with immediate retribution; the fact was that this had not been the first time that his sister had tricked him in that manner. It had happened many a times as children, and while he would be annoyed at the wet feeling in his ear for a few minutes, he understood that this was her own way at appeasing his fears and worries.

For her part, Claire cared for her brother very much; there was a tinge of sadness every time she remembered that he had spent so much time in the ranch, that he had gone for much of his life without much joy or happiness in it. When their father had begun to show signs that the years were beginning to get to him, Billy had stepped up to the responsibility and began to manage much of the day to day chores that allowed the ranch to function. When she graduated high school, her dreams of becoming a veterinarian seemed like a far distant dream until Billy stepped in. With his encouragement, she applied to the local college and began taking the necessary courses to be able to apply to Veterinarian school. Billy taught her much of what he knew regarding the care and handling of animals while she completed her pre-requisites in the local community college; those little lessons were a huge help to single her out in the highly competitive field.

...

Her test scores brought the attention of large animal hospitals throughout the United States, and while the salaries that she was offered were larger than anything she could imagine, she already knew her place in the world. Not for a second did she even give them any real consideration, she would be returning to her little hometown and help her community grow. She remembered her father's proud look when she walked across the stage to receive her certificate; Billy had not been able to attend the ceremony as he had to stay behind to care for the ranch. Claire understood the vastness of his responsibilities and held no ill feelings toward her brother. It would be a month after she had returned home that her father would pass away; as she spent her time comforting their mother, Billy once again rose to the occasion and took care of the funeral arrangements. A week after, their mother would follow her husband to the other world; except for that awful week they had been together every single day for more than 45 years.

It was during the agonizing wake that for the first time in her life Claire had seen Billy falter and lose his stoic demeaner. He was delivering the eulogy to both of their parents in front of over 300 attendees; their family had been well respected in the area and their parents had been loved by many. As Billy spoke, not a single dry eye could be found in the entire congregation, except for Billy's own. His voice was filled with thunder and authority, his proud words seemed to be masquerading as something that should have been spiteful. He called every single man, woman, and child that had gathered to help remember their parent's life by name, sharing with them a story or a memory or a lesson that they had helped him learn. Towards the end of his speech, she could see Billy's breathing become ragged, as if he had just finished running a marathon. As soon as the very last word had finished echoing in the large auditorium, the thunderclap of the people shook the walls inside the small chapel; it was as if an adoring fan club had just listened to their favorite artist instead of a man that had been torn neatly in half.

As the well-wishers left following the wake and burial, Billy and Claire found themselves alone for the first time in their lives. Billy sat on what used to be their father's couch, silently facing the blank television screen and holding a beer with an unsteady hand. She walked to her brother and sat on the chair's armrest while moving her arms to embrace him. As she pulled his face towards her chest, she felt all the strength leave her brother; his entire body began to shake. At that moment, in the first cool autumn evening of the season, Claire held her brother as he unleashed years of bottled up sadness. The spilled beer had long dried on the floor by the time Billy had regained his composure, Claire's dress was soaked with the salty residue from her brother's eyes.

Billy stood from the couch, wiped his face with the backside of his hand and bent over to pick up the now empty can that had managed to crawl under the small coffee table. "Pa would have whupped me if he had seen me spill his beer," he said.

"Ma would've made you fetch him another one," Claire replied, "after she gave you a whupping herself for spilling beer on her clean floors." The siblings shared a laugh at that moment, Billy moved toward her and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. Claire found herself blushing, she had never allowed a single boy or man to ever get that close to her, and except for her father she had never allowed any man to kiss her.

"Thanks, sis," he softly whispered to her as he wrapped his arms around her, she felt safe in his strong embrace. "Thanks for being here."

"Wouldn't want to be anywhere else, big brother," she replied, the blush on her face quickly spreading to the rest of her body. Feelings that she had never experienced before were surfacing; unconsciously, she took a deep breath of her brother's scent. An electrifying discharge spread throughout her body and focused directly on her more vital areas, she had to bite on her tongue to prevent any sounds from escaping her. As he withdrew his arms from her, she suddenly felt cold, as if she was facing the world on her own. That feeling had terrified her, and through those emotions she began to long for her brother's embrace.

Billy walked away from his sister with a sense of shame and guilt. As Claire had pulled him to her, he felt all the strength that he had developed over the years simply fade away. With a single motion, Claire had managed to crumble down years of emotional walls that he had carefully built on his mind in preparation for this day. When she had shared with their father her desire to leave for school, he had felt a pang of sadness. His sadness eventually turned into unmeasurable joy as they spent more and more time together while she completed her courses. Part of him hoped that she would not go through with her plans to go to school, but the other part of him knew she would.

He had regretted not being able to see her graduate, but he felt that seeing other men gawking at his sister would cause him to lash out in violence. He had missed her terribly from the moment she had left, and while they had exchanged letters and many phone calls while she was gone, Billy learned to live for those holiday trips when she would visit. When she reached out to him as he sat on the couch, lost in his own sorrow and hopelessness, Billy did not see her move close to him. He did not realize what she was doing until the first of his tears began to spill from his eyes. It was after his mind had settled that he realized where his head was resting, the soft mounds on her chest gently supported his head as they rose and fell with each breath she took.

It took every ounce of strength in his body to resist pulling her down on him, to resist reaching out and tearing her clothes apart and ravage her. The growing bulge in his pants agreed with his desires; the more primal parts of his being demanded that he pull her toward the ground and claim her as his own. But he somehow found the courage to pry himself away from her, however, the steel-like beam that was threatening to tear its way through his jeans demanded attention. As he bent down to kiss his sister on her forehead, those same animalistic feelings began to resurface. But Billy remained resolute, he walked away from her and embraced the cooling temperatures in the wide-open fields hoping that they would help soothe the raging emotions that threatened to consume him.

...

"Where are you hiding at, Claire?" She had heard him long before he had begun to shout after the front door had opened; there was no malice in his voice, just was a hint of annoyance. As he walked past the living room furniture, she could imagine him placing his hat on the hook just outside their kitchen entrance. The sounds of clothing being removed told her that he was taking off the dusty coat that gave him a small reprieve from the elements. He would not remove his boots yet, he would instead walk loudly around the house while looking for her.

As soon as Billy had entered the house, Claire had stopped breathing. The silence as he walked up the stairs was drowned out from her ears by the beating of her heart as it raced. The vegetables that she had been cutting helped disguise the smell that was certainly emanating from her; the sign of her ever-growing arousal. Any sign of guilt or shame had long ago disappeared as their closeness grew, the casual touches that she shared with him were less from a sister and more from a willing mate. She slowly allowed the breath she had been holding to escape and quickly replaced it with a fresh batch of oxygen just as Billy began his descent from the second floor. His heavy footsteps grew louder as he neared the kitchen, her breathing became shallower, and the pallor of her skin reddened.