Almost Human

Dinner time and everyone is back for the night, including that hot blond. If I was a cat, I would be rolling over onto my back to let him rub my belly.

"Who's the blond," ask Susan as I sit down with her and Terry to eat dinner.

"I don't know," responds Terry, "but I think I'm in love."

"What do you think, Eli," Susan asks me.

"I think I'm going to keep my mouth and my legs closed before I get myself in trouble," is my answer.

"Hi," says a woman I don't know as she sits next to me with her tray, "I'm Vala."

"I'm Susan."

"I'm Terry."

"And I'm Eli."

"It's nice to meet you," says Vala with a big beautiful smile. There are some subtle features that tell me Vala's an advanced chimp. She's very pretty. She has big brown eyes, but her irises are unusually large. She has black curly hair. But it's the thin black sideburns that catch my eye. But the best way to tell if someone is an advanced chimp are their feet. They still have an opposable big toe. I glance down at Vala's feet. She's wearing sandals so I can see her opposable big toes.

"You guys are new," states Vala.

Susan nods confirmation, "Yep, we all trained together. Terry and I are just heavy equipment operators. But Eli's a regular Jack of All Trades."

"Really," Vala says looking at me expectantly.

"I get to wear three hats," I share, "Truck driver, medical assistant and bulldozer operator."

"Wow," Vala is clearly impressed, "I'm just a Service Maiden. No real brain power or talent required, but it pays very well. Service Maidens are just as important as Gorilla Guards when it comes to keeping the peace. But pretty much everyone here is very nice and out going."

"Even that blond," ask Susan.

Vala glances back at the hot blond guy. She smiles, "That's Xan. He's just as smart as he is cute. But he's kind of a loner. He's a floater."

"Floater," ask Terry.

"Yeah," Vala explains for us, "floaters work for the company when they feel like it or the company calls them when they need their particular skill. Xan comes on his motorcycle, sets up his own tent, works, then he goes back home when his part is done."

"I don't think I could do what you do," Susan tells Vala. "I've got to like a guy to sleep with him."

"I don't have to do anything with anybody I don't like," shares Vala, "You're not going to have chemistry with everyone. That's why there's always several Service Maidens or more. But you don't have to be an official Service Maiden to provide service. If you meet a couple of guys you have good chemistry with, you could earn some extra money. You don't have to report anything yourself, the men report it and the company pays you. No one else ever has to know."

"Well, looks like we have a few new girls," says a long legged man as he steps up buy us. There's a big gorilla guard with him, as if advanced gorillas were ever small. The females are smaller than the males, but even they're usually at least six feet tall. Advanced male gorillas usually range between seven to eight feet tall.

"I'm Barlow, and this is Gary."

Gary the advanced gorilla sniffs in our direction. A gorilla named Gary? If he wasn't the size of a mountain, I would laugh out loud.

"What do you say to a little game of human or chimp," Barlow asks Gary.

Gary smiles, "Sounds like fun. You want to go first?"

"You go first," says Barlow.

Gary the gorilla steps behind Susan and Terry. He touches their hair and inhales each of their scents deeply. "These two are human," he tells Barlow. Then he steps around the end of the table to me. I'm barely five feet tall and there's nothing like an advanced gorilla standing over you to make you feel microscopic.

He sniffs me and touches my hair like he did Susan and Terry. He looks at me perplexed for a moment and sniffs me again. He finally tells Barlow, "I'm not sure."

"Really," says Barlow intrigued, "Well, we know Vala's a chimp and a great lay." He looks Terry and Susan over carefully turning their faces from side to side and running his thumb along their cheeks.

No sniffing involved for Barlow because he's obviously human like me, Terry and Susan.

"These two are definitely human," proclaims Barlow. Then he steps over to me. He straddles the bench sitting next to me and all I can think is I don't like this man.

"If you weren't wearing shoes this would be easier," Barlow complains. He turns my face from side to side, "You're a cute little thing."

I roll my eyes and he runs his thumb along my cheek which has always had a thin covering of barely noticeable very soft baby-fine black hair. He proclaims me, "Chimp."

I'm a bit surprised that he's decided I'm a chimp, but it's okay with me if they think I'm a chimp. It'll make it easier for me to interact with them and observe them.

"What's your name cutie," Barlow asks me.

"Eli," I answer flatly.

"She's the wonder girl they were talking about, Gary," says Barlow. "You're the super chic that has aced everything with 100 percents. I thought you'ld be taller."

Gary laughs. He enjoyed Barlow's joke. I really don't have anything to say and I don't think he's funny.

"You don't say much, do you," Barlow asks me.

I shrug, "I don't know ya... I'm kind of slow warming up to new people," especially when I don't like them.

"Well, I'm the lead foreman, ladies, let me know if you need anything," Barlow says as he gets up. "Let's get some grub, Gary."

I watch them shake hands with some of the other men as they get in the dinner line. I hope they don't decide to eat with us.

"What an ass," is my official assessment of Barlow.

"Yeah," agrees Vala, "but he's a foreman so I get paid more for servicing him. The best pay comes from servicing the gorillas."

"Eli," Susan asks me curious, "Are you really a chimp?"

"Does it matter," I ask, "Are you not going to be my friend if I am?"

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that," says Susan. "It doesn't really matter. I was just curious, that's all."

I smile. It can be fun to watch people squirm.

"You're not going to tell us, are you," ask Terry.

"Nope," I answer. "If it doesn't matter, I don't need to answer."

"Hey, Vala," calls a dark skinned advanced chimp man waving a condom packet at her, "I've got a little tension to work off."

Vala smiles at us as she says, "Duty calls."

We watch as Vala walks away with the man, but they don't leave the mess tent. He holds her hand up in the air like he's leading a queen or displaying some prize he's won. His face clearly displays his excitement, attraction and arousal for her as he looks her up and down. The other men hoot and holler and bang the tables as some other women arrive that are obviously Service Maidens. They're dressed too scantily and sexy to be anything else. The female gorilla cooks serving dinner are dressed in white.

He sits Vala on the end of a table and unzips his pants, which at this point it becomes obvious they are going to have sex right there. I do my best not to look shocked. But I am very intrigued, being into zoology, I knew that male chimps in the zoo and wild, normal male chimpanzees, only have about a three inch penis. Except this guy is well hung like a human male. I actually know a couple of human guys that would be envious.

"Eli," Susan asks me in a whisper, "is this normal?"

I shrug, "How should I know? I've never worked for a construction company before."

"I just don't know what to think," says Terry wide eyed. "Is it rude to walk out? I don't want to offend anyone."

"Eli, you look so serious," observes Susan, "What are you thinking?"

My serious straight face answer is, "I'm thinking I hope they use bleach when they wash these tables."

Terry starts laughing, "Oh my, I hope they do too."

"If we're finished eating, I don't think it's rude for us to dump our trays and leave," is my conclusion.

"That makes sense," says Terry, "if we're finished and not interested in the party, it should be okay for us to leave."

We get up together, dump our trays and head for the door. I notice the blond doesn't seem interested in the party. He's just quietly eating his dinner alone.

Barlow gets me by the forearm and asks me, "Don't you party?"

I glance over at several pairs having sex as other men root them on and wait their turn. I shake my head, "I don't party like that. I'm just not a party girl, never have been," which is true.

"You must be from common chimp stock," assumes Barlow. "Common chimps are more reserved and uptight. Women from Bonobo chimp stock are always ready, willing and eager to have sex."

I shrug, "Everybody's different."

"I need you to come by my tent," Barlow informs me, "I have some last minute paper work for you to sign."

No one actually signs anything anymore. You just scan your right thumb, usually, unless another digit has been designated your signature.

"Fine," is my reply, "I'll be hanging out with Susan and Terry. Just hurry up, I've been up since four a.m. I drove the bus of guys in this morning," I remind him.

"And then they had ya working all day setting things up around camp," adds Barlow still holding my forearm.

I give him a confirmation nod with a demure smile.

"I'll finish my dinner quick," says Barlow.

I pull my arm from his hand and leave the mess tent with Terry and Susan. Barlow gives me the creeps. And I can't help glancing at the blond guy eating alone as I step out. He looks indifferent to what's happening around him. Then he makes eye contact with me, and I wink at him and smile, naughty me. But he smiles back.

"That hot blond smiled at you," Susan teases me after we're outside.

"Of course he smiled at her," says Terry, "She's gorgeous."

"You are so gorgeous," Susan disagrees with me and agrees with Terry. "You've got great skin with a perfect year round tan that never fades, big brown eyes, long luxurious thick wavy black hair, big boobs, guys love big boobs, and a great can. Guys like cans like yours, not flat nonexistent ones like mine."

"What I am is too short," I counter, "which I don't get because yeah my mom is on the short side but she's still a good four inches taller than me and my dad is tall. He's six two. "And most men can't see past my boobs, or they think my butt is too big. Plus, I'm consistently 15 to 25 pounds over the suggested weight for my height. There's no such thing as a bikini model built like me."

"We still think you're gorgeous," insist Terry, "And the average man is dumb as a post. You haven't met your genius yet."

"My genius," I question.

"Yeah," Terry explains, "You are beautiful and smart, and the guy smart enough to see how valuable you are and commit himself to you, is a genius."

"Or crazy," I add with a grin. Then I yawn, "I hope Barlow doesn't take too long. I'm so tired."

"I've got a deck of card," shares Susan, "We can play a couple of hands of Rummy while you're waiting."

Sounds like a plan to me so I agree to that. And we're in the middle of our second hand at a picnic table when Barlow accompanied by Gary, shows up.

"I'll be right back," I tell Susan and Terry, "And no peaking at my cards."

I follow Barlow and I'm a little uneasy because Gary is just a few steps behind me or one step in his case.

"Here we are," says Barlow holding his tent door open for me. I step inside. He has a generous tent to himself. His cot sits in a back corner and has a nice thick mattress. In the corner to my immediate left is a dinette style table and chairs with a laptop and small scanner sitting on the table. In another corner he has three totes stacked atop one another. They probably contain clothes, perhaps some tools.

Barlow sits down in front of the laptop. Gary comes in and the top of his head is brushing the roof of Barlow's tent.

Barlow pulls up the documents, "Here we go. As someone who wears more than one hat for the company, you're going to be well paid. But this is just to ensure that you understand that your primary responsibility is medical assistant. You'll only be required to run a dozer if Susan and Terry are both too ill to run it or something, but we may need you to drive for supplies. You just put your thumb on the pad.

"I'ld like to read what I'm signing first if you don't mind," I inform Barlow.

"Fine," responds Barlow turning the laptop toward me, "Have a seat."

I sit down and quickly read through the forms. My father is an attorney, and taught me to read documents carefully before I sign them. Satisfied with what I read, I scan my right thumb.

"There you go," I say as I stand to leave.

Barlow glances at Gary as he grabs my wrist, "Gary and I would like you to hang out with us for a while, keep us company."

"I'm really tired," is my nervous and scared response, "I just want to go to bed."

"Well, we certainly don't want to keep you on your feet," Barlow retaining my wrist as he stands. One of Gary's huge black hair covered hands comes to rest heavily on my shoulder.

"I'm gonna go now," I say as I try to lean away from both Barlow and Gary, but Barlow won't let go of my wrist, "Please... let me go."

"Just be a good girl and play nice with me and Gary," Barlow tells me as he starts to pull me toward his cot, "I'm a head foreman and Gary is obviously a gorilla, so you're going to get compensated very well for servicing us."

I shake my head, "No," and I try to pull away.

"Don't be uncooperative," Barlow says smoothly, "We just want to be the first to have fun with you before you get comfortable and start sleeping around."

"I don't sleep around," I respond. Then I shout, "No!" I yank my wrist from Barlow's grip and open my mouth to scream for help, but Gary's large hand clamps down over my mouth.

Advanced chimps are ten times stronger than human beings. Advanced gorillas are three times stronger than advanced chimps. So if you have something a gorilla wants, you let him have it. Problem is, what's wanted is me. I know trying to get away from a gorilla is impossible, but I still try. I doubt the jaws-of-life could break a gorilla's grip.

Gary holds me down on Barlow's cot and keeps one hand over my mouth as Barlow wrestles my pants to my ankles and forces himself between my legs. He takes his time, telling Gary how good I feel and how tight I am. And when Barlow is finally finished, I learn something about advanced male gorilla's that I hadn't known. An ordinary gorilla like you would see at the zoo only has about a one inch penis. But apparently, advanced male gorillas are extremely well hung, which might be nice if I wanted it. Except I don't want it, so it just hurts like hell.

Tears are streaming from my eyes as I stare up at the ceiling of Barlow's tent not really seeing it. I'm not moving. I'm in too much pain to move. I had tried to scream, technically was screaming, but Gary's hand has been over my mouth the whole time. He finally slowly lifts his hand from my mouth as he climbs off of me.

"She doesn't look good, Barlow," says Gary concerned.

I inhale a deep raged breath and scream. The only time in my life I've ever been this distressed was when I got knocked down in that stampeding crowd of people and that woman's stiletto heel went through my little hand. Except then, there were so many people screaming, I couldn't hear myself screaming. Now, I can hear myself and I don't sound entirely human to my own ears.

"Holy shit," exclaims Barlow.

"Barlow," Gary sounds worried, "I think we really hurt her. She sounds wounded."

Wounded? As far as I'm concerned, I am wounded.

"Shit, I never heard nothing like that before in my life," states Barlow. "We've got to shut her up somehow. Everyone will hear her."

"They've already heard her," responds Gary, "I hear them coming."

Then I feel someone rush into the tent. I am screaming and crying too hard to see who it is.

"What in the hell did you do to her," a man's voice demands.

"We were just having a little fun," insist Barlow. "There's just been a misunderstanding."

The man scoops me up into his arms. He shouts at Barlow, "Misunderstanding my ass."

I cling to him as he carries me out. There's something familiar about the way he smells, something that's comforting, something that makes me feel safe.

"Get the doctor," he orders someone as he carries me into the medical trailer.

"You're safe now," he tells me softly, "You're safe," he says as he lays me on an exam table.

I see his face, his beautiful face. It's the hot motorcycle blond, Xan. I don't want him to see me, not like this. So I cover my face with my hands like a child, hoping that if I can't see him, he can't see me.

He gently takes my left hand. He looks at it carefully as he gently turns it back and forth in his large competent hands. He touches the scar left behind by the woman's stiletto heel. He looks at me with his hypnotic blue eyes and says, "Eleanor?"

Did someone tell him my name?

The doctor rushes in. "What happened," he ask.

"They raped her," answers Xan.

The doctor picks up a syringe and loads it with a sedative. I look at the beautiful blond man, Xan, and shake my head, "No drugs. I don't want any drugs."

"It's alright," the beautiful blond Xan assures me, "I'm not going to leave you. I'm going to keep you safe."

I feel the sting of the needle in my arm, and he's there holding my hands, looking into my eyes with his hypnotic blue eyes as I am dragged into a deep sleep by the sedative.