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Fossil Hills

By: Moondrift



Chapter 1.The Hills.

You will not find Fossil Hills on any normal map. The only maps that have it marked are those belonging to a few palaeontologists who have noted it on their maps with pencil or ball point.

In most other places Fossil Hills would hardly be rated as hills at all, but on the vast flat and arid plain that stretches from horizon to horizon they stand out and can be seen from many kilometres away. The nearest habitation, a pastoral cattle station, is sixty kilometres away. The nearest place that could be described as a “town” is over two hundred kilometres away.

The plain itself is of red earth and on it grows only blue and salt bush with the occasional stunted tree struggling to survive. One exception is the line of old gum trees seeming to march across the plain like weary soldiers on the march as they followed the edge of an old creek that once every few years, when torrential rain falls, is filled with water.

Another exception is a narrow strip of green that runs out from the base of the hills. Here a trickle of water runs out of the hills to form a small pool at their base. The pool overflows, its water oozing out onto the plain for about a hundred metres where the thirsty soil sucks up the last dribbles. 

Beside this little runnel of water grows some vegetation. Also near the pool there once stood Karina’s camp. This camp consisted of her four wheel drive vehicle and a tent. She was there because of something that had happened many years before.

A pastoralist at mustering time was in search of cattle that wandered over the plain. He had camped for the night beside the pool and looking around idly he had seen a curious looking rock that bore the imprint of what he thought looked like an over sized Slater with its many legs. 

Amused by this curiosity he had taken it back to the homestead with him and propped it up near the front door. There it remained for many years unrecognised for what it was until, during university vacation, a young student had come to work on the station to earn a bit of money. He saw immediately that it was the fossil of a trilobite and he contacted a palaeontologist to inform him of the find and the place where it had been found.

There was a brief flurry of activity round the hills. There was little money to spare for an extensive search for more fossils since there were a number of other and seemingly more exciting sites that were engaging the attention of palaeontologists. The cursory survey came up with nothing and what came to be called “Fossil Hills”, if not forgotten, was at least ignored, that was, until Karina had taken and interest.

Karina was a palaeontologist and in the fortunate position of having independent financial means. At the time of her birth her grandparents had invested a substantial sum of money for her, to be made available either when she was eighteen or if and when she entered university. With interest on the original capital when the time came for her to take control of the money, Karina found herself, not exactly rich, but with sufficient financial independence to enable her to choose a university course without having to be concerned with how much she would earn when she finished it. That course was palaeontology.

She began university when she was seventeen and six months of age and at twenty nine she had gained a doctorate in her subject.

She had noticed on a palaeontologist’s map the spot marked “Fossil Hills.” On enquiring about the place she was told of the original find and on asking what work had been done there the answer was a shrug and the statement, “Very little; it didn’t look too promising and there’s plenty of other work to be done.”

Karina’s interest was captured. A place where little had been done might give her the chance of doing some original work. When she expressed the wish to go to Fossil Hills to continue the search she was told there was no funding for such a venture. That was where her independent financial situation served her well. She would finance herself. So now she was hunting hopefully over the hills.

She had worked all morning, and after lunch had returned to the task. Now she paused and taking off her hat wiped the sweat from her brow and shaded her eyes. She had heard a distant sound. 

At first she thought it was a pastoralist’s aircraft flying to or from the town, but she could see no aircraft. Then she spotted a trail of dust along the track that led to Fossil Hills. The track itself was little more than tyre marks branching off from a road some forty kilometres away. The dust trail seemed to be about three kilometres away.

“Blast,” she thought, “the last thing I want is company. What the hell do they want right out here?”

The only thing she could think was that they were coming for the same purpose she was there for; fossils. There are people who, uncaring about the importance of fossils in 

Palaeontologic research, on hearing a rumour about fossil locations come and helped them selves. They then sell the fossils on an underground market for huge sums of money to those who like to have them to show off and serve as conversation pieces.

“Damn it,” she muttered, “I’d better get down there and find out what they want.”

Chapter 2.Karina has Visitors.

Karina made her way down the face of the rocks to the camp. The vehicle had not arrived so she sat on a camp stool waiting. She could hear it coming long before she could see it, its motor making hurrum, hurrum noises as it negotiated the rough track. 

“Sounds like they’re in a hurry,” thought Karina.

Then the vehicle arrived, or rather, burst upon the scene in a cloud of dust and the groaning of old suspension. Long ago the car had been metallic blue, but now it was a mixture of faded blue and rust. There were dents where it had been in collisions and one of the doors was obviously not an original.

It pulled up with a shriek of brakes and almost spun round in the direction it had just come from. For a few moments, with the dust settling, nothing happened, then the doors seems to fly open and the car disgorged four men.

They looked around in that slightly stunned manner people seem to experience when they have just ended a long drive over rough country.

Karina weighed them up. Clothing wise they seemed to be like peas out of the same pod. Black T-shirts with black jeans. She could see the patches of sweat under their armpits and their naked arms festooned with tattoos. 

They all sported shaven heads and straggly, greasy looking beards. Earrings, nose rings and one of them, no doubt the individualist of the group, had several rings through his lips. All of them had bulging biceps and two had ungainly bellies. They all looked to be in their early twenties but their beards and somehow ravaged faces made it hard to tell.

Karina had risen and said “Hello.” They stared at her for a moment, and then one of them said as if Karina was not there, “What the fuck is a woman doin’ ‘ere?”

“Fucked if I know,” said another. “Probably ‘avin’ a seaside ‘olliday.” They all seemed to think this was hilarious.

Karina tried to ignore these remarks and asked, “Can I help you?”

“Christ, she talks posh.”

“Must be a lady,” sneered one of them. “Want ter ‘elp us do yer, lady?”

“If you need help.” 

“What the fuck is this place?”

“It’s called ‘Fossil Hills’. Is there something you want?”

“Nothing in particular, lady; we just saw the track and thought we’d take a look. It was further than we thought; got any petrol?”

“I can spare you some if you’re running short.”

“Now ain’t that nice of ‘er; she can spare us some. Got any grub?”

“I can probably give you meal if you need it, but I haven’t got much to spare.”

“Yeh, it’s gettin’ too late ter fuck off back ter town ternight, so let’s crash ‘ere.”

“Got room in yer tent for us,” one of them asked suggestively.

“No I’m afraid I haven’t.”

“Fuck it. What about that grub?”

By this time Karina was thoroughly apprehensive. There was an aura of aggression, of savagery about these men. They looked as if at any moment and with the slightest provocation they could explode into violence. Anything offered to them would be taken as of right not as a favour. She tried to keep calm and not show her growing fear.

“I’ll get you some food,” she said, turning back to her tent.

“Right, we’ll just ‘ang around then. Got any grog?”

“No, I’m afraid I haven’t.”

“Fuck it; we’ll ‘ave ter drink our own.”

One of them opened the boot of the car and heaved out a portable ice box. He opened it and exclaimed,”Fuck it, it’ll be fuckin’ warm by now.” This however did not deter them, and they sat down on the ground and commenced ripping the tops off bottles of beer and drinking.

As Karina put together a meal there was much laughter and hilarity coming from the group which she tried to ignore. One of them came over to her and stood for a moment watching her. She smelt the odour of an unwashed body and sweat and when he came close to her and said, “You got a great arse lady,” she smelt his foul breath.

“I’m trying to get a meal ready for you,” she said, deciding not to react to his comment, “would you please let me get on with it?”

“Righto, lady, righto,” he said with a salacious leer as he tried to look down the top of her shirt.

He swaggered back to the group laughing. He said something and they looked across at her and then went into a whispering huddle.

Karina was now thoroughly frightened. She thought of the two-way radio in her vehicle, but if she tried to use it they must spot her. Even if she could call for help that help would take hours to arrive, and God knows what they might do before it got there. In any case, what could she tell a would-be helper? That she was camping at Fossil Hills and that four men had arrived? It might sound like the overreaction of a neurotic woman.

She decided she would have to ride out the situation and hope she didn’t give them any provocation. 

The meal ready she called them to come and get it. They ambled over and instead of taking the food and going back to where they had been sitting they sat in front of the tent.

“Whatcher doin’ ‘ere lady?” one of them inquired.

“I’m a palaeontologist and I’m looking for…”

“Yer a palaeo fuckin’ what?”

“I’m doing research on fossils.”

“Doin’ research! We got a professor ‘ere,” he jeered. “Wouldn’t mind doin’ a bit of research meself, but not on fossils.”

His remark seemed to strike the others as screamingly funny and they rolled about laughing.

When they had finished they made no effort to help clear up. Karina hoped that having eaten they would leave her alone, but they hung around touching and inspecting her possessions.

“Nice set-up yer got ‘ere lady,” one of them commented. “And yer all on yer own, eh?”

Avoiding the question Karina said, “There are people who know where I am.”

This didn’t seem to impress her questioner who gave a nasty smile and said, “But all a long way off, eh?”

Again avoiding the question Karina said, “If you don’t mind, I have some notes to write up.”

“Ah, okay lady, see yer later then.”

They wandered off, but at no great distance. She tried to calm down. “After all,” she thought, “They haven’t actually done anything to me. They’re just wild young men who don’t know about the finer points of human relations.” She wasn’t entirely convinced about that.

She got on with writing her notes. The men wandered about and climbed the rocks. By the time Karina had finished bringing her notes up to date the last of the sun was still shining on the tops of the hills, but down where she was on the plain darkness seemed to have taken over already. She would normally boil some water, strip off and have a wash, but that night she contented herself with washing her face and hands.

She saw the men pull out some blow up mattresses from the boot of the car together with some blankets. They seemed to be about to settle down for the night.

Ready for bed herself she pulled down the canvas flap of the tent. Again, having stripped off to wash she would normally go naked to bed, but now she decided to stay in her shorts and shirt.

She lay down on the bunk, but for a long time couldn’t go to sleep. She was alert for every sound. When she did finally doze off, it was to be awakened by the slightest noise.

Chapter 3.Violence Erupts.

Coming out of her final doze at dawn Karina told herself she’d been a fool. She’d distressed her self over nothing. 

She could hear laughter and splashing coming from coming from the pool. Angry she opened the flap of the tent and stepped outside. 

The pool being the only source of water, it was precious. Any disturbance of its bottom would stir up mud that would take hours to settle again. “The careless fools,” she thought, and made for the pool.

There as she had thought the four of them, fully dressed, were rioting about in the now muddy water.

“Look what you’ve done you stupid louts,” Karina yelled, “It’s the only source of clean water and it’ll take ages to clear again.”

“Oh, she’s got a temper boys,” one of them jeered. He waded out of the water and strode up to Karina. “Well, lady, you might be glad we’ve ‘ad a wash. P’raps you’d like ter take a dip yerself.” With that he picked her up bodily and dropped her in the water.

“Give ‘er good wash boys. Get ‘er gear off.”

The three in the pool began to tug at Karina’s shirt and shorts.

“Leave me alone you thugs,” she screamed, “let go of me.”

“We’ll let go of yer, yer fuckin’ snooty bitch, when we’ve done with yer. Let’s have a look at ‘er tits.”

Her shirt was ripped off followed by her shorts and panties. Karina fought and screamed but they were too strong for her.

“Get ‘er up ‘ere then," said the one on the edge of the pool.

She was dragged out of the water still kicking a screaming. One of them seized hold of her face and squeezing it said, “It’d be better if yer shut up and stopped strugglin’; yer might not get ‘urt that way.”

She was born down to the ground and her arms were pinioned and legs dragged apart.

“We’re goin’ ter do yer a favour lady,” one sneered, “Yer going ter find out what it’s like ter be fucked by real men, not bloody pansy fuckin’ professors.” 

Three of them were holding her down. She saw one of them unzip his wet jeans and pull out his penis. He came over her and began biting her breasts and nipples. His teeth dug into her and she screamed again. She knew it was hopeless to struggle and scream because no one would hear apart from these men, but the searing pain of the bites wrung cries of agony from her.

The biting stopped and revolted as she was by them, she tried to relax, knowing that her vagina was dry and penetration was going to be painful enough; she was thankful that she wasn’t a virgin. One of them came down between her legs and struggled to find the entrance to her vagina. After probing around he finally found it and pushed in. It felt like a rod with sandpaper wrapped round it; “You’re hurting me badly,” she wept.

One of those holding her down laughed and said; “Careful mate, yer ‘urtin ‘er,” and then he smashed her in the ribs with his fist. “Yer’ll get a lot more ‘urt if yer don’t shut up.”

Karina winced with the pain of the blow, and about the only good thing that could be said about it was that it took her mind off the pain in her vagina.

The first one finished to the cheers of the others, and he was replaced by the next one. The sperm now lying in her vaginal tunnel eased the penetration, as it did with the third and fourth.

The first one who had penetrated her asked, “Shall we ‘ang around ter fuck her again later?”

“Na,” said another, “let’s see what we can get and clear out.”

“Yeh,” said a third, “it ain’t likely, but someone could turn up.”

Karina, weeping and in pain whimpered, “You animals, you rotten animals.”

“Oh dear,” said one of them, “She thinks we’re fuckin’ animals, and after all we’ve done fer ‘er. I think she’s an ungrateful bitch and needs punishing.”

He kicked her in the ribs. She felt an excruciating pain in her vagina as if someone was squeezing her clitoris. She shrieked with agony but the pain did not stop until a boot was aimed at her head and the world went black.

Chapter 4.Dark Time.

How long she was unconscious for she did not know, but when she began to come to the sun was high and blazing down. At first she could not focus through the blinding ache in her head. Her body felt as if it had been run over by a train and there was a racking pain in her vagina. In the heat of the sun her naked body was covered with sweat, and as her vision gradually cleared a little she tried to move to the pool. 

The very first attempt sent tearing pains through her that made her cry out. She was now sufficiently aware and knew that if she laid out in the sun she might well get sunstroke, or even die. 

Despite the pain she forced herself to crawl to the edge of the pool, and then dropped in. The cool water brought relief for a moment, but she knew she couldn’t stop there. She had to get to the vehicle and call for help on the two-way.

With the pain increasing she dragged and crawled her way the short distance to the camp. She might just as well not have bothered. The place was in ruins; the two-way had gone; her equipment had either been stolen or wrecked. Her bag with some money in it and the keys to the vehicle had gone. Even if she did have the keys she could hardly have driven, and anyway, all the tyres had been slashed. She was naked and they had taken her clothes as well.

The tent was lying askew but Karina tried to crawl under it to get out of the sun. Given her injuries, the effort to get to the camp and her helpless situation she was in, it was too much for her. She dropped into unconsciousness again.

She came round at intervals, only to pass out again as she tried to move to find some water. Even her can of water and the jerry cans of petrol had been taken, and there was no hope that she could crawl back to the pool, for by now the true agony of her injuries was beginning to make itself felt with even greater intensity.

At some time, it may have been hours or days, she did not know, she felt something soft and wet pressed against her head. A voice that seemed to come from a long way off came to her in snatches.

“Fossil Downs…badly hurt…beaten up…no the flying doctor can’t get in here…ambulance…Okay…do what I can.”

The voice seemed to fade away. Her head was swimming. Someone was crying like a child that had fallen over and hurt itself. Who was it crying?

“Try and drink this.” The voice came from right beside her and something was being put to her lips. A searing pain seemed to scorch her as her head was raised. Something was in her mouth and trickling down her throat, something cool.

“Try to relax; help is on its way.”

There was physical pain. “Don’t hurt me anymore,” she said in a barely audible voice.

“You’ll be okay now, no one’s going to hurt you,” said the voice.

Her vision cleared a little. There was a face that seemed to swim over her…eyes…eyes that were…what? What was the word? Eyes that were…brown…that was it. 

The soft moist thing was pressed to her head again. Vision faded and the blackness came again.

There was a noise. People were talking and she was being lifted. The agony again.

“Sorry love, but we’ve got to get you onto the stretcher.”

Oblivion once more.

Why was the world bumping and swaying? Where was she? Two people sat beside her in the rocking world.

Something was put over her face and a woman’s voice said, “Breath deeply, love, it’ll help. We’ll soon be on the bitumen and it won’t be so bad.”

It was agony to speak but she managed to ask, “Where am I?”

“In the ambulance dear on your way to hospital.”


Fossil Hills



A violent bump.

“There, that’s the bitumen. Soon be there now, just try to lie still.”

“Am I…am I…?” 

“No dear, just some nasty bruises.”

Bruises? How did she get…”No, please don’t hurt me again…”

“Sssh, no one will hurt you. Just try to relax.”

Now there was a wailing noise and another voice said, “Nearly there, we’re in the town.”

Chapter 5.The Awakening.

She was being moved again and the pain was even worse. Her whole body seemed to be on fire, but now her vision had cleared and she was more aware. She was being lifted again and laid on a bed. People moved around her talking quietly.

A man came to stand beside her and said, “I’m Doctor Symonds, I’ve got to examine you. I’ll be as gentle as I can.”

He went on talking but to someone else. “Very badly sunburnt. Head and chest injuries. Badly bruised round the breasts. There were words she did not understand, then, “Probably raped…test for emissions, then get her to x-ray.”

She was lying on her back watching the ceiling move. Lifted again and laid on another bed…no…not a bed….

Try to lie still like that….click…buzz. Moved again…God the pain…click…buzz.

“Only one more”…click…buzz. 

“Okay nurse, she can go to her room now. Dr.Symonds will see her there.”

More movement. More voices. Another bed, then a sting in her buttocks. “A picture on the wall…a beautiful picture…trees…large trees…what are they…ah yes…gum trees by a creek…soft clouds sailing high in the sky and….” The picture faded, the room faded.

“Wake up dear, Dr. Symonds will be here soon.”

A nurse stood smiling at her. Beside the bed sat another woman…a woman in uniform.

“Is it okay if I ask her a few questions, nurse?” asked the woman in uniform.

“Only if Dr. Symonds says it’s all right, officer.”

“Okay,” said the officer resignedly.

“We cleaned you up a bit while you were asleep,” said the nurse; “but we might be able to give you a proper wash after doctor has seen you. How do you feel?”

“Terrible,” Karina mumbled, her mouth not seeming to work properly.

“Hmm, well we can’t give you another injection until after the doctor’s been.”

At that moment a man walked in and looking at Karina asked, “Do you remember me?”

“I’m… not sure.”

He smiled; “I examined you when you came in. How do you feel?”

“Hurt all over.”

“Not surprising. We don’t know your name; can you tell me what it is?”

“Karina Hart.”

“Well Karina, you’ve been very badly sunburnt. You’ve got a nasty bruise on your head, but fortunately no fracture. You do have three fractured ribs though and some bad bruising, some of them look like teeth marks, especially round and on your breasts. Your thighs are also very badly bruised and there is some tissue damage to your vagina, especially around the clitoral area. We also found traces of semen in your vagina. In all it looks as if you were raped and badly beaten. Can you recall it?”

The memory came flooding back…the men…the rape…the beating and abuse. “Yes… I can re…member.”

The doctor turned to the officer. “You can have five minutes, but then she must have another injection.”

The officer nodded. 

“I’ll be back later when you’re awake again. There are some more tests I want to have done, and we can talk again.” He smiled and left.

The officer leaned forward in her chair. “I’m Senior Constable Clark; you can call me Joan. I have to ask you some questions.”

“All…right,” said Karina.

“How much can you remember about what happened?”

“Four…”

“Four what, dear?”

“M…m…men.”

“Do you remember their names?”

“D…idn’t say.”

“Did you get the number of their car?”

The nurse entered ready to give an injection. “Sorry officer, but I have to give the injection now.”

“Didn’t see car number.”

A sting in the buttocks.

“Anything…anything at all about the car?”

“Blue… rusty…”

Joan’s face faded; the room faded.

“Blast,” cursed Joan.

When Karina woke again it was to find Joan still sitting beside the bed.

“Can you tell me anymore about what happened – anything you can remember about the men, Karina?”

The pain was still there but a trifle muted. Her mouth still didn’t want to work. “Try.”

“Anything at all about the men or the car, anything.”

As her head began to clear the full horror of the events came surging back. The evil smelling man; the way they spoke; the tattoos; their wet clothes against her naked body, and their grunts and moans as they raped her.

The pain was returning but she was sufficiently awake to experience anger and frustration at the violence that had been committed against her. It boiled over and she moaned, “Vicious bastards, they…they…”

“It’s okay,” said Joan, “we’ll get them. We think we know who they are, but at the moment not where they are, but they’ve got to surface some time. We’ve an idea that they’ve done this sort of thing before. Not always raping, but meeting up with people who are isolated and on their own and beating them up and robbing them.” 

“We also reckon we’ve worked out why they went to Fossil Downs. That track hadn’t been used for years, but they spotted your fresh wheel marks. They took a chance and followed them. If they’d have found a group of people they’d have cleared off again, but, unfortunately you were on your own.”

The doctor came into the room with a nurse. He asked Joan to leave them on their own, and Joan said, “Its okay, I got all I want for the time being. I’ll drop in and see how you’re going later, Karina. And anything you remember, let us know.”

“You’ve had a very bad time,” Dr. Symonds began, “but I’m pleased to be able to tell you that you’re going to be all right. One thing I can tell you that might put your mind at rest is, that should you be pregnant as a result of the rape, you can have the pregnancy terminated without any legal problems. Of course, it’s up to you to decide, but let me know if you do want termination.”

“On pill,” murmured Karina.

“Well, that’s one blessing. If you haven’t any questions you’d like to ask me, I’ll leave you to the nurse.” He paused for a moment. Karina tried to shake her head but a knife seemed to pierce it, so she whispered, “No.” He smiled and left.”

Chapter 5.The Samaritan.

“We’d like to have the names and contacts of any friends or relatives you’d like to inform about where you are. Is there anyone?” asked the nurse.

Karina gave the address and telephone number of her parents. Haltingly she tried to explain that her parents were old and would have a long way to come to visit her. They should be told that she’d had an accident but was on the mend, and not to mention rape. 

The nurse smiled and nodded and then asked, “Do you feel like having a visitor now. He’s been back and forth asking about you. I wish it was me he was visiting,” she said a trifle suggestively.

“Who?” asked Karina, puzzled as to how anyone would know she was in the hospital apart from the staff.

“The young man who found you; his name is Hull Charters. Do you feel like seeing him, he’s been waiting so long?”

Karina felt that men were not her favourite gender at that moment, and might never be again, but since the young man was her rescuer she’d better show some gratitude.

“Yes,” she said.

The nurse left, and after a couple of minutes a young man came into the room. Karina could see why the nurse wished she had him for a visitor. He was tall and slender in a lithe sort of way. His hair was brown and cut in a conservative manner, but it was his eyes that Karina recognised. Those were the eyes that had looked down at her while she lay on the ground; the eyes that had shown such compassion.

He stood a trifle self-consciously at the end of her bed. “I’m Hull Charters,” he said diffidently. “I just thought I’d like to see how you are and…”

“You… found me?”

“Er…yes, it was a bit…I mean…you don’t expect to find…well, it was your camp I noticed first, all smashed up and stuff everywhere. By the way, I found this along the track; they must have chucked it away.” He produced a slim brief case.

The case contained Karina’s research notes and making an effort she managed to whisper, “You’re a…a…angel.”

Hull gave a shy laugh; “Well, hardly that.”

Karina said. “S…S…Samaritan then. How find me?”

“Ah, well, that was almost by chance. You see I belong to what is called the ‘Inland School’.”

Karina looked at him blankly for a moment. “School at Fossil Hills?”

He laughed; “No, not that sort of school. It’s the Inland School of artists; people who paint inland scenes and characters. An old artist told me how he’d once visited Fossil Hills and that he’d always intended to go back there and paint, but somehow he never got around to it. So, I thought I’d take a look. That’s how I found you, it was sheer luck.”

“Could have died.”

The nurse came in to give yet another injection and Hull saw it was time to go.

“I’m told you’re going to mend all right,” he said. “I’m glad I was there to help. Goodbye.”

“Come tomorrow?” asked Karina.

“Well yes, if you’d like me to.”

“Yes.”

He left and the injection was given.

Chapter 6.Joan Triumphant and the Return of the Samaritan.

Next day Karina was feeling better and her mouth had started to work again. The first visitor was not Hull but Joan. “We got them,” she said triumphantly.

“How? When?”

“In the pub at Wingalapoo last night; do you know the fools were actually trying to sell some of the stuff they’d stolen, including your’s. What they didn’t know was that the local police sergeant was there in civvies having a drink. He recognised them from the description we’d circulated. He used his mobile and got half a dozen of the boys along and they arrested them.”

“Good,” said Karina, feeling a wave of relief pass over her. “Will I have to go to court?”

“That’ll be up to the prosecutor. He may need you as a witness, but where rape is involved they try to avoid bringing the victim to court.”

Joan laughed and said, “They warbled like magpies when we started to question them, trying to put the blame on each other. We’ve got them on grievous bodily harm, robbery with violence, rape, drug offences and a few other nasties. I expect their lawyers will tell them to plead guilty, and then take the poor misguided boys line. You know, from bad homes, abused as children, never had a chance, approach.”

“Thanks for coming to tell me,” said Karina.

“That’s okay. “Must go, I’m on duty.”

She left and Karina once more felt a little bereft. 

A lady arrived pushing a trolley with magazines and newspapers. Karina had no money since the four men had stolen all the cash she had with her. She explained this to the lady who said that they could include the purchases on the hospital bill. Karina bought a newspaper and magazine.

The magazine proved to be somewhat light weight, focusing as it did on the shenanigans of the British Royal Family and the sexual activities of sit-com actors. It was cast aside and the newspaper taken up. It was the sort of tabloid that, if the third world war broke out, it would appear somewhere on the back page in very small type. This too was set aside.

A nurse entered the room and Karina said, “If only I had some books to read.”

“We’ve got a hospital library,” said the nurse, “I could get you something from it if you like.”

Karina said she would like, and named some authors. The nurse commented, “I don’t think we’ve got any of those. I’ll bring you something though. There’s a young man waiting to see you; says his name is Hull. Okay if he comes in.”

“By all means,” said Karina, suddenly brightening up. “He’s my good Samaritan – the one who found me.”

“Ah, I wish he’d find me.”

She left and shortly after Hull, all smiles and a bunch of flowers entered.

“Thought these might brighten up the room.”

“Thanks, they’re lovely. Is there something to put them in?”

“I’ll see the nurse when I leave and find out if they’ve got any vases.”

Karina wanted to avoid talking about herself since that might lead to more talk about Fossil Hills; a subject she wanted to steer clear of. She said, “Tell me about this school of yours.”

Hull became very enthusiastic, telling of how while studying at Art School one of the painters from the Inland School had come to talk to his class. Hull had gone on from that to attend exhibitions of the School’s work, and then his decision to paint in that genre.

They had talked for an hour when the nurse came in and said to Hull, “I think you’d better go now, Karina needs to rest.”

Hull rose and said, “Well, goodbye Karina. I’m sorry about the way we met, but I’m glad I turned up when I did.”

“I’m glad you did,” said Karina softly. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

Hull looked embarrassed. “I can’t,” he said, “I’ve got to get back to the city. My first exhibition opens in a few days. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

Karina felt a pang of regret, but asked, “Samaritan, will you do something for me?”

“Of course, if I can.”

“Kiss me goodbye – but carefully, my face still hurts.”

Hull bent and kissed her gently on the lips; he stood looking at her for a moment, then saying, “Goodbye,” he left.

Karina felt as if something important had gone out of her life.

“I’ve got a book for you,” the nurse said, “the library lady brought it up.”

“Thank you,” said Karina wearily. Her ribs were hurting and there was a nasty soreness in her vagina.

The nurse put Hull’s flowers in a vase and left. Karina lay looking at the flowers as she drifted off into sleep.

Chapter 7.Descent into the Pit.

In the days that followed Karina had to telephone the university to let them know she had had an accident and was in hospital. She said nothing about the rape. Joan dropped in to see her and let her know what was happening about the four men. There was a telephone call from the prosecutor who told her she might not be called as a witness since it seemed that the men were going to plead guilty to a number of charges including their rape of her. If the full force of the law was applied they would get about twenty years each in prison.

The police were holding her vehicle and what was left of her other belongings, and there was much backing and forthing with the local agent for the insurance company. Arrangements with the bank gave her access to money, but all the petty annoyances of bureaucracy, both government and private, and the physical pain and discomfort, were as nothing compared to the psychological anguish Karina began to experience.

The more her physical pain diminished the more she felt the mental pain. 

The nightmares she experienced made her fearful to go to sleep. Her waking hours were plagued with flash backs to her rape. She might be reading a book and a single word would give rise to an image of herself helpless in the hands of pitiless men.

The hospital counsellor came to see her, letting her relate what had happened. She repeated the story over and over again as if she could never let it go. 

A psychiatrist was called in. He too listened, and then prescribed tranquillisers. These dulled the mental anguish, but did not take it away.

Her bruised swollen face returned to its normal shape and size. The bruises on her breasts and thighs faded, and one day the doctor declared her ribs mended. Her body had healed but her mind had not. 

The doctor decided she was ready to be discharged from hospital, there being nothing physically wrong with her. Her vehicle had been made road worthy, and she drove it, together with the remains of her other gear, back to the city.

Her psychological torment was brought to a climax when her lover, Robert, came to see her in her flat. She had told him nothing of the assault and the resultant injuries, and as far as Robert knew she had been at Fossil Hills all the time. 

Karina thought Robert would understand her pain and so as they lay in bed together and before they had made love, she told her story. 

Her mother had put her in the pill when she was sixteen; “Just in case,” she had said, and apart from the fumbling loss of her virginity at high school Karina had only experienced two lovers.

The first had been a shy and anxious young theological student. They had first met when Karina, in the first year at university, was doing philosophy as a minor subject. Michael had sat down beside her in the lecture theatre, and when at the end of the lecture he had timidly asked her about one of the notes he had taken down, they got talking.

He was a nice looking boy, and thereafter he made sure he always sat next to Karina in lectures. Karina was at the time looking around for someone to share her sexuality with, and this diffident young man appealed to her. She had her own flat near the university and she asked him to come over so they could discuss some philosophical topic.

It was Karina who had to make all the running in this relationship since the religious youth had been brought up to believe that sex should only take place within the bonds of marriage. But Karina was a very attractive and sensuous young woman and with her gentle persuasion nature eventually took its course.

At first Michael had insisted that they remain fully clothed while copulating, apart from Karina’s panties. “If ever we get found out,” he had said, “we can always say we were never undressed in each other’s presence.”

Karina won this battle eventually and nudity prevailed.

Michael had been brought up in a home where sexual feelings were supposed to be “controlled,” by which was really meant, “repressed.” Like many people who have repressed their sexuality, especially those of the religious type, once this ravenously hungry tiger was let out of the cage there was no holding it back.

In the early stages of their relationship the poor boy had often ejaculated almost as soon as he entered Karina, but time modified this and the patient Karina began to get her rewards. Michael was a very gentle lover and together they had explored many sexual possibilities, and since Karina was not the promiscuous type she stayed with Michael as her sole lover for three years. 

It was when they were both due to graduate that the separation came. Michael’s aim was to go out on the mission field. He was to undertake a course run by the Church that was supposed to prepare intending missionaries on how to “convert the heathen.” Wives and fiancées of these potential missionaries were pressed to attend this course with their partners, and Michael asked Karina to attend with him.

“After all,” he had said, “We may not be officially engaged, but since we shall be getting married I think you ought to go along with me.”

Karina was thunderstruck. Marriage to Michael, or any other man, was the furthest thing from her mind at that time. She was committed to the field work of palaeontology and not the Church mission field.

She tried as gently as possible to point this out to Michael, but he was adamant. His view was that once you had entered a sexual relationship with someone, marriage was the only possible outcome. 

In the end Karina found she had to put it bluntly. “Michael,” she had said, “I’m an agnostic and I don’t believe in what the Church does in its missionary work. If you want a wife you’d better find someone else.

That ended their relationship, but Michael took her advice. Three months after his separation from Karina he married a nurse called Prudence, homely of face but voluptuous of figure, especially in the area of her bosom. They departed for the mission field together and the Church shut its collective eyes to the fact that Prudence gave birth to a very healthy boy seven months after marriage. “Premature birth,” was the generally accepted reason, despite the robustness of the child.

Karina’s next lover, Robert, she met at a university social gathering. He was a very different type from Michael. A tutor in the History Department he was lively and attractive. He was one of those people of whom it is said, “They’re up and coming.”




Fossil Hills



He was very self assured to the point of arrogance but had that strange attractiveness such men seem to have for women. He was clearly smitten with Karina and within a week of their meeting he was occupying her bed. 

He brought to the relationship the sophistication of a well practiced lover and for a time Karina was well content with his ardour and the expert way in which her gave her oral sex. 

He began by spending several nights each week with her but with time this began to fall away. He was no less zealous in the sexual act itself, but once he had ejaculated he seemed to have an increasing number of reasons why he could not stay the night.

“Sorry sweetheart, got come essays to mark,” or “Got to do some preparations for the tutorial tomorrow.” There was always some reason why he could not stay. Karina began to get the idea that sex was all he wanted from her. 

Now as she told him what had happened to her two things became obvious; first, a look of horror came over Robert’s face; second, they had been lying on top of the bed naked and his erection was obvious. Now she saw that organ becoming flaccid.

Karina had looked for Robert to make gentle love with her to help restore her confidence and show that he cared. Instead he moved away from her, removing the hand that had been fondling her breast. His manner became cold and she sensed his physical revulsion even before he spoke.

He got off the bed and began to dress. “What are you doing? Where are you going?” pleaded Karina.

“Sorry lady,” he said nastily, “I don’t have sex with women who let cretins fuck them.”

“Robert, I didn’t let them, they raped me.”

“Oh yes, and I suppose you didn’t lead them on?”

“No, I bloody well didn’t,” Karina almost screamed. She had suspected that this was the sort of thing a lot of people would think and that was why she hadn’t spoken of rape outside her therapy sessions.

“Whether you did or not, I’m not getting into that thing of yours now those guys have been in there.”

“Then clear out and don’t ever come back,” Karina had yelled.

“You won’t need to worry on that score,” Robert sneered, “You’d better find some more apes to fuck you.”

With that he slammed out of the flat.

Karina had sought comfort and consolation from her lover, and had received rejection in the vilest way possible. She had felt dirty and defiled when she recalled what the men had done to her, and now Robert had reinforced that feeling, adding to the downward path and the collapse of self-respect and a worthy self-image.

No doubt Karina could have found another lover, one who would understand and heal her with his loving, but now Karina shut herself off from men. Even if they had never raped anyone they were potential rapists and just plain uncaring. 

Normally a very clean and organised person, over the following weeks and months Karina continued on the downward spiral. She resigned from her work; the flat became dirty and chaotic; her personal hygiene left much to be desired.

Prior to her rape life had gone along easily – some might say too easily – for Karina. She had loving parents and her high intelligence combined with a pleasure in working had made studies easy for her. She had many friends and financial independence, but now it all seemed to her worthless. 

She cut herself off from all her old friends and acquaintances and those who tried to keep up their friendship with her, calling at her flat, found them selves frozen out. 

Karina thought of returning home to her parents, but a last vestige or pride would not let them see what had become of their clever and beautiful daughter. She stayed on at her flat almost like a recluse, nursing her misery and self loathing as if it was some beloved thing.

She made the effort, on the recommendation of her psychiatrist, to join a therapy group consisting of other people who had been traumatised by some shocking event in their lives. Guided by a psychiatrist they told their stories – they told them repeatedly - but Karina felt no relief. It only seemed to reinforce her negative feelings about herself and the world around her.

Normally Karina was what in common parlance was referred to as “Well stacked.” Now she stopped eating properly and began to lose weight. Her normally neatly cut chestnut coloured hair became lank and uncared for. Her eyes, once so alive with health and eagerness had dark rings under them and took on a mournful look.

Karina reached the nadir of her life. She lived from day to day in a tranquillised haze and nursing deep inside her a fierce anger and self loathing.

Chapter 8.The Samaritan Again.

Normally taking no interest in what was happening in the world around her, one day she ventured out to a nearby park. She sat down to find someone had left a newspaper lying there. She picked it up and was idly scanning it when her eye was caught by an article in the arts section of the paper.

“Second exhibition by the brilliant young artist Hull Charters. His work has taken the art world by storm. This is a must for all those who are captured by the romance of the inland.”

Karina read no further. Something had sparked in the midst of her dreary existence. “Hull, my good Samaritan,” she thought. She looked for the address of the exhibition; “Arch Gallery, Eyre Street.”

“Hull!” Something good and clean in a world that seemed to Karina soiled. “I’ll go and see his exhibition,” she decided. “Perhaps I shall see something positive, something to drag me out of this dark hell I’m living in.”

Karina prepared herself carefully for her visit to Arch Gallery. She knew she was ravaged by her wretchedness; that she had neglected herself even to the point of failing to wash or shower herself properly. “If I’m a filthy unclean woman,” she had thought, “I might as well behave like one.” But for her Samaritan she made an effort.

On the day of her visit Karina had made herself look as neat and tidy as she could. She wanted her Good Samaritan to be proud of having saved her. “He might not be there,” she thought, “but just in case…”

She entered the gallery in the early afternoon. She was given a brochure that described the works on show. Two other artists were exhibiting, but almost instinctively, and without reference to the brochure, she knew Hull’s work. There was…what? Compassion? Love? What was it? 

The arid plains and distant blue grey hills gave her an insight, a new perspective on that harsh environment. There was beauty where she had seen only desolation; vibrant life where she had seen only barrenness. There was love here; love of a land that kept its secrets from the eyes of the casual observer.

A wedged tailed eagle soared high above a red plain; in the far distance a group of kangaroos looked curiously at the artist. The interminable line of old gums following a creek beds marched from horizon to horizon just as she had seen them from Fossil Hills. “They were old when the world was young,” she thought.

Karina could have wept with remorse for all that had been there before her that she had never seen. The artist, her Good Samaritan, showed her what she could not have seen without him. 

She moved to another room, and there he was. He was talking to a woman. The woman was standing in profile to Karina. She was almost as tall as Hull and the outline of her features showed her to be very attractive, perhaps even beautiful. 

For a moment she turned to face in Karina’s direction. Her beauty was confirmed. Her dark hair fell in waves to her shoulders and framed her face. Karina tried to determine her age but in appearance she seemed almost ageless. “Anywhere between thirty five and forty five,” conjectured Karina. The woman was in fact fifty one, but Karina was not to know this until much later. 

As she and Hull talked she constantly touched him giving the impression that they were intimate. Given her state of mind it came as a surprise to Karina that she felt a pang of envy spear through her. She wanted to touch her Samaritan like that, and she recalled the gentle kiss he had given her in the hospital.

Karina held back; wanting to speak to him, yet fearful of interrupting this apparently affectionate and private conversation.

The woman moved away for a moment idly looking at a painting. Hull glanced in Karina’s direction. “Can I help you?” he asked her.

“Hello Hull,” she said.

He looked at her blankly as if trying to recall. Finally he gave up and said, “I’m awfully sorry, but do I know you?”

Karina felt her heart sink. “In hospital…Fossil Hills…!”

He looked hard at her. “My God, Karina! You look so…so…”

“Different?” she completed his sentence.

“You were…your face was so…”

“Battered?”

“Yes. Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“That’s all right.”

They stared at each other for a few moments. Hull could see the misery etched upon Karina’s face. “She’s living with that nightmare at Fossil Hills,” he thought. 

The woman came back to Hull and smiled at Karina.

“Mother, I’d like you to meet Karina Hart, the girl…”

“You’re the Fossil Hills girl, aren’t you?” Said the woman, “I’ve heard so much about you from Hull; how delightful to meet you.” She extended her hand and as she shook Karina’s said, “Please, call me Jane.”

There was something about Jane that was warm and embracing, and now, standing there with her and Hull, she felt…she struggled to find the word, and finally said to herself, “Safe.”

“How are you now?” Jane asked, “Fully recovered?”

“All right I suppose.”

Jane could in fact see, or perhaps sensed, that Karina was not “all right.”

“I hear you’re a palaeontologist,” Jane said, trying to provoke some conversation.

“Yes…or at least…I was,” said Karina.

“Was?”

“I don’t do much these days, I’ve not been well.”

“Oh…er…you and Hull must have things you’d like to talk about. He’s often wondered what happened to you. I suppose we could have found your address, but thought that hearing from him might remind you of something you’d rather forget.”

Hull said, “Well, since you’re here why don’t we go into the office, we can be more private.

They went into a small room and sat down.

They had not seen each other for over a year and there now began an awkward silence between them, each striving to find something to say. 

Finally Karina said, “I…er…love your work.” 

“Oh, I’m glad, but I’m sorry to hear that your’s is not going ahead.

“It’s not that I… I can’t…can’t…I don’t….” Her voice trailed away.

“You haven’t gone back to Fo…to that place?”

Karina shrugged pathetically and muttered, “I can’t go back there.”

“Too many unpleasant memories?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve never been back there either. It’s strange isn’t it, how events and thoughts can mar beauty?” I mean, the landscape around Fossil Hills is arid and harsh, yet it has a beauty and…and the rocks rearing up out of that flat plain are so dramatic, but things happen and you see it differently.”

“Yes,” whispered Karina, “it’s odd but the more beautiful something is, the uglier it can become. Things that are good and wholesome can turn into the worst kinds of evil and filth.”

“I still want to go back there,” said Hull; “I want to paint there, but I’ve been avoiding going there.”

“Because of what you found there?”

“Yes, but of course, my experience was nowhere near as terrible as your’s. In a way I’m glad I was there to find you. If I hadn’t I don’t think we’d be sitting here talking now.”

“Yes, I’d probably be dead.”

Hull seemed to come to a decision and said, “Don’t you think that if you went back there you might exorcise those memories?”

“I...I...couldn’t.”

“My grandmother had a saying; ‘Always look your dragons in the face’. She said that when you did your dragons were not nearly as fearsome as you imagined them to be.”

“Perhaps your grandmother hadn’t been beaten and multiple raped.”

“No, she hadn’t been, but that doesn’t make what she said any the less true.”

Suddenly the whole weight of her misery; what had been done to her; the injuries and pain; the horrific nightmares and drugs, seemed to bear down on her. She burst into tears.

“Oh God, Hull, I want to die. Those bastards have ruined my life, there’s nothing left.”

“They’ll only ruin your life if you let them, Karina. Go back to Fossil Hills; look it straight in the eye; don’t let it haunt you for the rest of your life.”

Karina became angry. “That’s all very well for you to say, Hull, but you’ve admitted that you haven’t been back there, and with far less reason than I have.”

Hull did not react to her anger. He was sensitive enough to understand what Karina had gone through and what she was still going through. “Enough,” he thought, “another time, perhaps.” 

There was a soft tap on the door and Hull called, “Come in.” It was Jane.

“Hull, I didn’t want to disturb you but there are some people out here wanting a word with you, I think you should see them.”

“Excuse me, Karina, I’ll be back shortly. Mother, you talk to Karina.”

Chapter 9.A Little Light in the Dark

He left and Jane came to sit in his chair. 

“We did wonder about you, Karina. Hull seems to feel a special bond with you and often talks of you.”

“I suppose I feel that bond too,” said Karina slowly. “When someone’s saved your life there’s part of you that seems to belong to them.”

Jane smiled; “In some societies, if you save someone’s life then that life you’ve saved belongs to the rescuer.” She laughed and went on, “I don’t think Hull feels like that, but he has been concerned for you.”

As far as Karina was concerned the truth was, that in the depths of her misery she had hardly thought of Hull at all. It was not until she had read the article in the newspaper that his image had stood out in her mind clearly again. 

Now, having been once more in his physical presence, Karina felt something she had not experienced for a long time. She tried to define how she felt. “Is it gratitude?” she asked herself, “Or a kind of love?” She couldn’t answer her questions, but the experience was one of warmth.

Jane too was having an effect on her. Jane seemed to have an aura of compassion about her. Karina found this strange since in her experience women as beautiful as Jane often lacked the more sensitive aspects of humanity. She had a vague feeling that she would like Jane to put her arms round her and comfort her as a mother would a hurt child.

Jane had been talking but Karina had been so lost in her own thoughts she had not heard, until Jane said, “Perhaps you’d like to visit us? Why not come for lunch one day? Hull won’t be going to the inland for a few weeks, so let’s make a time.”

This came to Karina like a little light in a dark world. She had not wanted to be with friends or relatives, but now she felt she wanted to be with these two people. The time was made and the address given, and there now began a continuing relationship between Hull, Jane and Karina.

Chapter 10.Facing the Dragon.

As Karina spent more and more time with Jane and Hull life seemed to flow back into her. She began to eat properly, though this in part was due to the excellent meals Jane prepared. She began to take greater care of her personal appearance and her mind began to turn back to thoughts of work.

The relationship with Jane and Hull she told herself was like that of a mother and a brother, and she still longed to be held by Jane. 

Sometimes when Hull was working or gone to the bush she would be alone with Jane. Jane never raised the matter of the events at Fossil Hills, or even made those overly sentimental enquiries about Karina’s health and welfare. She accepted Karina just as she was, and was astute enough to work out for herself how the girl was physically and mentally.

Jane often accompanied Hull on his inland trips, as she said, “To act as cook and tidier-up for him.” At those times Karina missed them dreadfully.

There was in Karina a battle going on. She had felt secure behind the defences of her wretchedness. It had protected her from, as she saw it, an evil world. Now the presence of Jane and Hull in her life was challenging her to finally step away from those defences. It was her casually mentioning to Jane that she had thought about starting work again that brought matters to a head.

“You know, my dear,” Jane said, “There might be something you’ll need to face before you can get back onto and even keel.”

Karina knew exactly to what Jane referred. “Fossil Hills,” she whispered. She remembered what Hull had said about facing your dragons, and she went on, “I can’t…I just can’t go back there.”

“If Hull and I went with you, could you risk it? I know Hull wants to go back there but has been holding off. If he knew you wanted to go I’m sure he’d agree.”

“I don’t think…”

“Look my love, you’ve come along very well these last few months, but unless you go back to Fossil Hills, face the place and what happened to you, it will probably haunt you for the rest of your life.”

“Perhaps if you were there, Jane, I…”

“I’ll be there, darling, you won’t be alone I promise you.”

Karina took a deep breath and said, “All right, I’ll face the dragon.”

Jane laughed and said, “My mother used to say that.”

“Hull told me,” Karina replied.

Chapter 10.Journey to the Dragon’s Lair. 

It was agreed that they would travel in two vehicles, Hull’s and Karina’s. The drive would take two days and they would stop overnight at the motel in the small township of Bungawilli. This was a little over half way to Fossil Hills. They equipped themselves for a two week stay at Fossil Hills. Hull would start work on preliminary sketches of scenes he might want to make paintings of, and Karina, provided she came through the ordeal well, would commence the search she had been carrying out at the time of her rape.

At the motel Hull and Jane occupied one room and Karina another. Karina noted that Hull signed the motel register for him and his mother as Mr. and Mrs. Charters. While this was in fact true, Karina did think it odd that he had signed this way and that he shared a room with his mother. She thought it would have been more seemly if Jane had shared a room with her, but finally shrugged it off as “family.”

On the first day of the trip Karina had driven alone in her vehicle, but on the second day Jane asked if Karina would like her to be with her. Karina agreed, and they set out on the last leg of the journey.

They passed through a small town called Stornway and soon after the bitumen ended to become a dirt road. It was in fairly good condition, having been recently graded, but Hull, who was driving behind Karina, had to drop back to try and avoid the worst of the dust that swirled up from the vehicles leaving a fog of particles hanging in the hot air.

In mid-afternoon they came to the faint track that branched away from the road and leading to Fossil Hills. Karina felt sick and had to stop. She got out of the vehicle and began to vomit. Jane came to her, holding Karina’s forehead as she vomited.

Hull pulled up behind them and taking in the situation and seeing Jane now wiping Karina’s face with a damp clothe, said, “Look, it’s not too late, we can still turn back.”

Karina looked at him and said, “I’ve come here to face the dragon in its lair, I’m not turning back now.”

Hull looked at Jane who nodded, and finishing cleaning Karina she said to her, “I’ll drive the rest of the way, dear.”

Karina said weakly, “Thank you.”

They started off again, Hull letting the women get well ahead before he started. The vehicles bumped and heaved their way over the rough track that was often barely visible. The tops of Fossil Hills came into sight still many kilometres away, gradually rising from the plain as they drew nearer.

Karina lay back in the corner of the seat trying to stop her self quivering. The events that had taken place; the physical abuse, the humiliation and the feeling of helplessness, came pouring into her mind. She felt sick again but fought down her heaving stomach.




Fossil Hills



They pulled into the area where she had camped by the pool. There were no signs now of the devastation of her camp and equipment, and as Karina got out of the vehicle and feeling the ground beneath her feet, she wondered at the peace of the place. “Surely it should carry an atmosphere of evil, of hostility,” she thought. “Something to mark the deeds that had been done.” 

There was nothing but the quietness of the bush except for the sound of Hull driving into the area. 

She turned to Jane and said, “I’m going over to the pool.”

“Is that where…?”

“Yes.”

“Shouldn’t you leave it for a while, until you’ve settled in?”

“No, it will be dark in an hour, and if I’m going to do it I must do it now.”

“Do you want Hull or I to come with you, dear?”

“No, I must do it on my own.”

Karina walked the short distance to the pool watched by Hull and Jane. She stopped at the place where she had been raped and injured and stood staring at it.

“Nothing! Why do I not feel frightened? Why do I not see the shadow of the horrors I suffered here. It’s just a place, just red earth.”

She stood for a while longer contemplating, and then giving a shuddering sigh she turned away and went to where Hull and Jane stood looking at her. She went to them and said, “It’s all right, the dragon is slain, let’s make camp.”

Jane took her in her arms and Hull stroked her hair. “I’m so glad it’s over, my dear, so yes, let’s make camp.”

There were two tents, one for Karina and one to be shared by Jane and Hull. Darkness was beginning to close in, the last of the suns rays lingering on the tops of the hills. They worked quickly and once the tents were up and equipment in place Jane produced a cold meal. After that they were ready for bed.

Chapter 11.The New Beginning

Karina slept well and on waking felt as if a great load had been lifted from her. Jane was already up and preparing breakfast. They had not bothered to wash the night before, so after breakfast Jane began to boil water from the pool. 

Washing was a matter of using a large bowl and splashing water over oneself and rubbing down with a wet flannel. Karina was amazed to see that Jane and Hull were naked as they washed and Hull attended to Jane’s back.

Seeing Jane naked enhanced Karina’s appreciation of her beauty. Not being a male she had paid no particular attention to Jane’s breasts. Now, looking at them she wondered at their loveliness. They were large with a very narrow valley between them. Pink nipples with light brown aureoles stood out, and her hips swelled in graceful curves. Her legs were long and slender but with strong thighs. 

Karina had some time before learned Jane’s age of fifty one. “My God,” she thought, “if only I could look as lovely as that when I’m fifty one.”

Hull was equally impressive in his male way, with broad shoulders, and narrow hips. Karina could not help noticing that he seemed to have a partial erection as he washed Jane’s back.

Since they had washed naked Karina decided she had better conform and stripped off. Part way through her wash she noticed Jane and Hull looking at her. She felt somewhat embarrassed by this, partly because of the comparison that must be made between her and Jane she felt she must come off second best.

She was somewhat mollified when Jane came over to her saying, “Darling, you’re lovely and you’ll be even lovelier when you put on a bit more weight. Let me wash your back for you.”

Karina had heard all sorts of rumours about the ways in which artistic people behaved, and on the grounds that she supposed Hull and Jane were artistic, and not wanting to appear unsophisticated, she accepted Jane’s offer. The operation of washing Karina’s back was more like a gentle massage that she found very pleasant and relaxing.

When they had dressed Hull took his equipment and went up the nearest hill to begin his sketching. Jane announced that she would tidy up the camp and finish getting out the odds and ends that they had not had time for the previous evening.

After helping Jane for a while Karina decided that she would take a walk in the hills. She would not be exactly looking for fossils, just taking a walk, but she’d keep her eyes open. As it happened she saw nothing in the way of fossils, but at one stage going to the top of one of the hills she sat looking out across the plain. She tried to see it as Hull saw it and as he expressed it in his paintings. 

She found it difficult until she saw a wedged tailed eagle rise up into the blue sky. “That’s what Hull caught in one of his paintings,” she thought. She watched the eagle swoop and soar on its huge wings and she felt herself soaring with it. 

It was in that moment the arid landscape was transformed for her. It became as Hull painted it, the bare red earth; the salt and blue bush and even the few struggling trees took on a beauty she had never noticed before.

“Perhaps the beauty lies in the sheer survival in this landscape,” she thought, “for after all, there is beauty in endurance in the face of harsh realities.” Then she caught her own thoughts in mid-flight. Had she not survived in the arid environment of emotional and mental collapse? And now here she was, if not her old secure and optimistic self, at least on the way, beginning to rise up once more like that eagle out over the plain.

She came down from the hill and into the camp for lunch. Hull was already there and as she drew close Jane looked up at her from her preparations and said, “Good heavens, Karina, what’s happened to you? You look as if you’ve just struck a fossil goldmine.”

“I’ve struck something better than that,” replied Karina, but she didn’t elaborate and Hull and Jane wisely did not pursue the matter, but wondered at what they saw as Karina’s transformation.

Karina was indeed transformed and told herself that if there were fossils to be found in Fossil Hills she’d damned well find them and put her fellow palaeontologists to shame.

After lunch and clearing up, she set out once more, this time to begin a definite and systematic search, looking for the layers in which fossils might be found. Again she found nothing, but then, she knew how much time and effort it took to do this work.

Chapter 12.A Shock for Karina 

During the following days each of them went about their separate tasks; Hull his sketching; Karina her fossil hunt and Jane her camp tidying and cooking. Occasionally Jane would keep Hull company for a while. Karina saw her sometimes sitting with Hull under the large beach umbrella he used to keep out of the sun while working. For all that Karina got a great deal of affection from them, especially from Jane, she envied their close relationship.

Jane had said a few times that she had wanted a daughter, and that she and her late husband Jeff had been disappointed that they had not produced one. Karina thought the implication might be that she was a substitute daughter, but she also saw that she did not have the closeness that Jane and Hull had. 

It was on the fourth night of their stay that things took a new turn. At night they used gas lamps fuelled from bottled gas to light their tents. On that particular night Karina carelessly shattered the delicate mantle of her lamp. When she looked for a new one she discovered that spare mantles were something she had forgotten to bring.

Cursing because she wanted to bring her notes up to date, she decided to go and ask Jane if she had a spare one.

As she approached the tent she saw their gaslight was still burning. Along the side of the tent where she had to pass was a window of some transparent material. She glanced though this window, and became rooted to the spot, unable to tear her eyes from what she saw.

She had already noticed that the only air mattress she had seen in the tent was a double one. She had wondered where Hull slept or alternatively, Jane. Now she knew. Hull was lying on his back and Jane was straddling him with legs. 

What they were doing was obvious. Jane was lifting herself up, then dropping down again, sliding Hull’s penis in and out of her vagina. There was nothing hurried in her movements, and when she had received Hull’s full length she was pausing, staying there pressed down on him. Hull’s hands were exploring her breasts and they were whispering to each other.

Karina could not hear the actual words, but from the look of joy on their faces and the way they seemed to look into each other eyes, she gathered they were speaking words of love to each other. 

She was both shocked and fascinated. Shock because they were mother and son copulating and fascinated by the beauty of the scene. They were enjoying each other and seemed almost to be one. 

As she watched Jane began to move faster and their words became audible. Jane cried out, “Darling, I’m coming,” and Hull released her breasts and took hold of Jane’s hips and began to pull her down tight onto him. He responded to her cry, “Oh, mother,” and then gave a sighing moan. He was clearly ejaculating into Jane.

Still murmuring to each other they both appeared to climax together, Jane pressing down as Hull held her, his last ejection dragging a groan from him. After giving a gentle cry Jane began to sob, saying, “Oh my love…my love.” She continued to move on Hull as his hands returned to fondling her breasts.

As Jane finished her orgasm a wonderful peace seemed to descend over them. Jane, still with Hull’s penis inside her, leaned over him, her breasts brushing against his chest. Her last audible words were, “I love you so much, my darling.” Hull responded, “And I you.”

Karina tore herself away from the tent. She had looked on at a wonderful but very private moment in two people’s lives and felt ashamed of her spying on them. Emotionally she was in turmoil. One part of her was crying out, “How could they? How could they, mother and son?” Yet another part of her said, “You have seen a few moments of an act of love, and that’s what you want.”

She wondered if Hull behaved like Robert, and broke away as soon as he had finished ejaculating. From the few seconds she had seen of the aftermath of their coupling it seemed unlikely as both had seemed unwilling to end the union. 

In the midst of her confused reflections Karina was surprised to find her self sexually aroused. Aroused no doubt partially by what she had been witness to, and surprised because since the rejection by Robert her sexual self seemed to go into deep freeze. She had wanted nothing to do with men, or women for that matter, and had found no reason to relieve her self with masturbation.

Now she hastened back to her tent and stripping off and laying on her mattress, she sought release from the pressing sexual needs she was experiencing. With one hand she massaged her breasts and with the other she plunged her fingers into her vagina. She ended by circling her clitoris as she gasped her way through her orgasm. She fantasised, but instead of focussing on one sexual image she found both Jane and Hull looming over her at her climax.

Despite the immediate release from sexual tension she found it hard to go to sleep, and when she did it was to dream of Hull and Jane in the sexual act.

In the morning she was loath to leave her tent feeling unable to face Hull and Jane. She heard them washing and laughing together, then for some time there was quiet. Finally Jane came to her tent and called out, “Karina, are you awake?”

Short of feigning sickness Karina felt unable to justify hiding any longer. She answered, “I’ll be with you in a moment.” She hurriedly dressed and went outside. 

Jane was boiling water for Karina to wash with, and seeing her Jane smiled and said, “You’re up late this morning. Have a wash and then some breakfast. Would you like me to help you wash?”

“I…I…don’t think…I…”

Jane looked at her more closely.

“What’s wrong, darling, you look distressed?” Karina looked away without replying, so Jane went on after a pause, “What is it? Has something happened to upset you?”

Karina knew that the knowledge she now had about the relationship between Hull and Jane, had and would change her perception of them. At some time what she knew would come out if she continued to associate with them. “If it is going to come out,” she thought, “it might as well be now.”

“I…I…came over to your tent last night for something.”

Jane waited for her to go on, but when Karina remained silent she asked, “Then why didn’t you come in and ask?”

Karina sucked in a deep breath and said, “Because of what I saw.”

Jane looked at her quizzically for a moment and then she realised. “You saw Hull and I making love?”

“Yes.”

“I see, and you were shocked?”

“No…yes…I thought…”

“Mother and son?”

“Yes, its incest.”

“I know what it is, my love, but it’s also a way Hull and I have of expressing our love for each other.”

“But why like that, how could you ever do it?”

“There are many things that happen in our lives, as you should know, that we don’t expect to happen, that come upon us unexpectedly. That’s how it began with Hull and I.”

“How do you mean?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“If you want to tell me.”

“All right, let’s sit down and I’ll tell you.”

They sat, and Jane began. It was almost as if she was speaking to herself, talking very quietly and looking down at the ground.

“It began after my husband, Jeff’s death. His death was a tremendous shock to me – sudden heart attack. He had been not only my husband but my friend, companion and lover for twenty seven years. At first I couldn’t comprehend it – refused to accept it.”

She paused for a moment, and then went on, “I was brought up to face life’s problems and shocks stoically. I didn’t cry or make a fuss. People thought I was cold and heartless, but inside I was being torn apart. For about a year my life seemed to be hanging in a state of suspension. I needed healing but didn’t know how or where to find it. It was Hull who brought me back to life.”

Again she stopped speaking, but Karina was seeing some parallels with her own experiences, so she asked, “How?”

“One night Hull and I were watching a television documentary. It had to do with people who had suffered some great loss – who had felt great grief. Some of them cried during the interviews, and suddenly I felt the tears welling up in me.”

“I’m not clear now what I said or did, but it was something like, ‘Oh my God, I’m so unhappy, I miss him so much’.” I think Hull turned the TV off and came and sat beside me. He put his arms round me and held me to him. He said something like, ‘I know mother, I know’, and I knew he did.”

As I began to calm down I became aware of being in his arms, arms that had comforted me, but also awareness of being in the arms not only of my son, but of a man. It had its affect on me.” 

“You may think it terrible and wrong, but I started to get sexually aroused. I would have done nothing – said nothing – but I noticed the hard lump in Hulls groin. He had an erection. I’m sure like me he would have done nothing, but a woman’s arousal isn’t so obvious, is it?”

I wanted him – it’s not really so surprising because we had always been very close – I kissed him and said, ‘Love me properly, darling’. I suppose that kiss and the way I had spoken told him clearly what I wanted. He was very gentle with me. He had never seen me naked before, and I could see the look of wonder in his eyes as he undressed me.”

“’Mother’, he said, ‘you’re so beautiful’. With those words he could have done anything with me, but he only entered me and took me very lovingly.”

Jane looked up sharply at Karina. “Well, that’s the story of how it started and ever since Hull has shared my bed. If you are shocked, I’m sorry, but for us it is an act of great love.”

“Yes, I could see that,” whispered Karina. ”I wish I could find a love like that.”

Chapter 13.An Act of Love?

They remained silent for a while, and then Jane rose and said, “You’d better have your wash, I’ll set your breakfast out.”

What Jane had said had affected Karina deeply. She felt the need for some physical human contact; a touch that would span the void that had been her physical and emotional self. Speaking very quickly she asked, “Would you wash my back, Jane?”

Jane looked a little surprised, no doubt anticipating rejection after the telling of her story. “Yes, if you want me to, my love.”

As Jane poured the water out Karina undressed. As she began to wash Jane began on her back. Her touch was gentle and comforting and Karina leaned back against her say, “Oh Jane,” and began to cry. 

Jane turned her and took Karina in her arms. Karina felt Jane’s breasts pressing against own through Jane’s shirt. They were unbridled and Karina wanted to feel the warm flesh against her. With her hand she began to stroke Jane, moving ever nearer to her breasts. Jane understood her need and said, “It’s all right, my love, I understand, come into the tent.”

They went in together and lying on the double mattress Jane undid and removed her shirt to expose her breasts. Putting a hand under one breast she raised the nipple and brought Karina’s lips to it. Karina took the nipple into her mouth and Jane held her and suckled her as if she was a child, making soft crooning sounds.

Jane bent to kiss Karina on the lips and Karina felt Jane’s fingers exploring her vagina. She had never been with a woman like this before, but Jane’s embrace, her breasts and the kiss had melted her. She parted her legs in surrender to those exploring fingers. Jane found her clitoris and slowly circled it with a finger. Karina felt waves of love for Jane flow through her and she seemed to sink into a world of sensual delight. 

She felt the first stirrings of her orgasm and cried out, “Oh Jane…Jane…” 

Jane understanding the meaning of that cry moved her finger a little faster. Karina clung to her, weeping again, but this time with the delicious torment of her coming climax. As she reached the peak she gave a shrill cry and clung even more closely to Jane. Then the aftershocks came in gradually diminishing waves with Jane slowing the movement of her finger until they ceased.

Karina lay back and Jane hung over her, looking into Karina’s eyes just as Karina had seen her do with Hull. Then Jane bent and kissed her, long and deep, exploring her mouth with her tongue. When the kiss ceased Karina gasped, “Let me do something for you, Jane.”

Jane smiled down at her said said, “If you really want to, darling.”

“I do really want to.”

When Robert had been giving her oral sex Karina had often wondered what it was like for him. Now, with that curiosity and the desire to pleasure Jane, she decided to find out.

“Sit over me, Jane. Sit over my face.”

Jane removed her shorts and panties and moved over her, slowly lowering her sex organ to Karina’s mouth. Karina felt the touch of Jane’s vulva against her lips and she began to explore it, running her tongue over the outer lips and trying to push in to the soft inner lips. Jane helped her by using her fingers to part the outer lips. 

Karina smelt Jane’s musky woman fragrance and experienced the salt flavour of her lubricant. On occasions when she had masturbated Karina had sometime smelt and tasted her fingers afterwards, Jane smelt and tasted little different from herself.

Jane had put her hands under Karina’s head and began to give sharp little jerks of her vagina, gradually moving Karina’s stimulation to her clitoris. Karina felt Jane’s orgasm approaching and strove to increase the movements of her tongue. Jane made a sudden convulsion and cried out, “Karina, I love you.” Then it was as much as Karina could do to remain in contact with Jane. She had to hold on to her thighs as Jane thrashed back and forth in the anguish of her climax.

Understanding Jane’s female needs Karina kept licking her until all movement ceased. Jane dropped down beside her and they wrapped their arms round each other.




Fossil Hills



“I’ve never been with a woman before,” whispered Karina. “Neither have I,” responded Jane. “I took a terrible chance, didn’t I?”

“I’m glad you did, Jane. I may have slain the dragon, but you have buried it.”

Chapter 14.What is this thing Called Love?

Her suppressed sexuality released, Karina and Jane became regular lovers. They took the opportunity while Hull was absent from the camp to be together making love. 

It was perhaps for Jane an act of tenderness rather than sexual fervour and Karina knew that Jane got her true fulfilment with Hull at night. She felt envious, but when she thought about it, which she often did, she realised that she was not envious because of Jane giving herself to Hull, but because she, Karina, was not experiencing Hull’s penis inside her.

In the past they had talked about the bond between them, but neither she nor Hull had sought to carry the matter further. Hull had made no sexual approach and Karina had made no move to entice him.

There was honesty between Karina and Jane, and so one day, after they had finished making love she spoke out.

“You know, Jane,” Karina said, “I do envy you your relationship with Hull.”

“Why is that, darling?”

Karina hesitated. What could she say? That she wanted more than she had with Jane? That would surely denigrate their relationship, yet in a way it was true. Having set out to express her thoughts and feelings she said, “At night I imagine you with Hull, his penis in you and his sperm ejecting and…”

“And you want that too, eh.”

“Yes, I’m sorry Jane; it’s lovely what we have but…”

“You still need a man?”

“Yes, but not just any man.”

“You want Hull?”

“Yes…but I promise Jane I’ll never let him know…I…I…”

“Why won’t you let him know?”

“Well…well…I suppose because he’s your lover, and he probably wouldn’t want me anyway, he’s got you and you’re beautiful.”

“We’re lovers, darling, and I still want you and Hull. Had it occurred to you that Hull might want you?”

“No…no…of course not. What could I give him that he hasn’t got with you?”

“I can think of something you could give him that I can’t, Karina. But he hasn’t approached you because he thinks that what happened to you here might have turned from men, or perhaps it might raise the memories up again. Now you seem to have exorcised those memories I don’t see why he shouldn’t approach you, if you want him to.”

“But what is it I can give him that you can’t?”

“You must find that out for yourself.”

“But he doesn’t…couldn’t love me like he does you.”

“You think not? Let me tell you Karina, he loves you very dearly. Ever since he left you in that hospital he has talked about you constantly. I’ve told him he should talk to you, let you know how he feels, but he won’t.”

“Because he loves you?”

Jane gave a gentle laugh and putting her arms round Karina said, “Darling, I’ve told you how it is with Hull and I. Sex with us is an expression of our love for each other. It’s beautiful and it’s satisfying, so why, if he loves you and you love him, should you not express that love in the same way?”

“But wouldn’t you miss making love with him?”

Jane gave another laugh. “Karina, why would he have to stop making love with me any more than we should stop making love?”

“You mean we should share him?”

“If that’s how you care to put it. And after all, you’re sharing me with him and Hull doesn’t object.”

“My God, do mean he knows about us?”

“Well of course he does, darling. Even if we wanted to we couldn’t keep it secret for ever, so I told him.”

“And he didn’t mind?”

“Well, like you in relation to him he’s a little envious that he isn’t making love with you as well, but no, he didn’t object.”

Karina was bewildered. What she was hearing seemed to run against all the sexual attitudes she had known and heard of. To express one’s love for another through the sexual act, yes? But the arrangements defeated her. Who would sleep with whom and when? Would Hull have the sexual energy to satisfy both of them?

Indicating that she was beginning to think positively about the matter Karina gave voice to this last thought.

Once more Jane laughed and hugged Karina closer. “Darling, you’ve no idea of the sexual powers of this son of mine. As much as I love copulating with him at times he comes close to wearing me out.”

They fell silent for a while. Karina struggled to get her thoughts straight. Did she want to share Hull with Jane? Would eventually jealousy arise? Would Hull love her as much as he loved Jane, and how did you measure love anyway?

Jane finally broke the silence and said, “Come Karina, let’s go into the tent and make love, we can talk about all this later.”

They went together into the tent.

Chapter 15.Karina Takes a Chance

Love making with Jane always brought a feeling of peace to Karina. It was this that brought her to a conclusion about Hull. That she loved and wanted him was not in doubt. It was the idea of sharing him with Jane and the fear of comparisons that might be made by Hull that troubled her. 

As often seemed the case Jane somehow knew what she was thinking, and she said,”Darling, there’s going to come a time when I can’t satisfy Hull any longer. I was forty nine when we first started to make love and fifty one when I first met you. I’m fifty two now, nearly fifty three. I’m sure to start losing my sexual drive in the coming years, but Hull has many years of potency before him, just as you have. I won’t love him any the less, but the sexual aspect will probably decline. If you do love him, why not share that love with him while you’re still young and active?

“What can I do?” murmured Karina, “How can I approach him?”

“Would you like me to tell him…?”

“No…no…I must do it, I just wonder how.”

“You’ll find a way, my little love.”

For the next two days Karina puzzled about indicating to Hull how she felt. She remembered how she had needed to persuade Michael into making love with her, but realised that Hull was a very different personality. She recalled Robert and the way he had thrust himself into her life and vagina. For a moment she wished Hull was more like that. Then she recalled how Robert had used and abused her and how their affair had ended, and decided she didn’t want Hull to be like that.

It was almost by chance that the moment came. Karina was out on her fossil hunt near to where Hull was sketching. She went over to see what he was doing and sat down beside him under the beach umbrella. 

She sat quietly for a time, and then said, “I love your work Hull, and I love you, very much.”

He looked up from what he was doing and gazed at her silently for a moment.

“What did you say?” he asked.

“I said I love my Samaritan very much.”

He knelt down in front of her and put his hand under her chin. “I’ve loved you ever since I saw you in the hospital, but I didn’t dare say…”

“I know, but it’s all right now, but please, don’t say anything you don’t really mean.”

“I do mean it, Karina, I love you and want you, and I won’t ever hurt you.”

“I know, I’ve seen what a gentle lover you are.”

“Mother? Yes she told me you saw us. You know I won’t stop…give her up…?”

“I know, and I won’t give her up either…not until she wants me to.”

Hull kissed her, very gently at first, then with growing fervour. 

“Not here, darling,” Karina whispered, “Let’s go down to the camp.”

Jane saw them coming, and keeping a serious face but smiling inside she said, “I haven’t really had a chance to explore these hills since we arrived (she had in fact taken several walks and they all knew it), now that you’ve come back early I can leave the camp to you for a couple of hours.”

She wandered away and was quickly out of sight. Hull took Karina’s hand and drew her into the tent. As they stood there he kissed her again and Karina pressed herself against him, rotating her hips.

“Don’t wait darling,” she gasped, “We can do things later, just come into me now, I want you so badly.”

Hull stripped off her shirt and shorts and then took off his own. Karina lay down on the double mattress and spread her legs. “Please darling, come into me now.”

Hull came between her legs and she guided his penis to her vaginal entrance. She was very wet and he slid into her easily. For a moment she remembered the last time she had a man do this to her, the rapists, but the thought faded as she gave herself up to Hull.

He moved carefully in her and she had to say, “Darling, I won’t break.”

His movements quickened and began more urgent.

“Hull…darling…I’m coming…come with me.”

Hull must have been right on the verge and he gave the sighing moan she had heard when he had ejaculated into Jane. In that moment Karina knew what she could give Hull and Jane could not.

“Deep darling…put it deep into me…”

She made a soft mewing sound and clung to Hull as she climaxed. She knew what she could give…what she wanted to give…what she wanted to give to Hull.

“I love you Hull…I love you…don’t leave me…”

Hull was still ejaculating and did not reply then, but as the last ejection passed he said, “I’ll never leave as long as you want me.”

Karina, her orgasm over, lay back with Hull still inside her. She felt a deep contentment such as she had never experienced before. She knew she could trust Hull just as she could trust Jane. How they would experience each other in the future she did not know and at that moment did not care.

There was, however, one tiny deceit, or was it forgetfulness? It had only occurred to her during the act of love when she realised the thing she could give to Hull that Jane could not. Ever since her rape and after Robert and her renunciation of men, she had ceased taking the contraceptive pill. 

Would this first brief coupling make her fruitful, or if not, would subsequent unions do so? She understood that a child was what she could give to Hull and Jane could not. How would Hull feel if she got pregnant, or for that matter, how would Jane take it?

Wanting to be honest in their relationship she decided to tell Hull immediately.

“Hull, darling, I must tell you, I’m not on the pill or using any contraceptive device.”

He had still not withdrawn from her, and he smiled down at her and said, “Good, the chances are, you’ll get pregnant…you wouldn’t mind…would you?”

“No, not with you, darling.”

Chapter 16.Three is not a Crowd.

By silent consent Karina, Hull and Jane never made up a threesome when making love. Each of them seemed to want the act to be private. There time at Fossil Hills was drawing to and end and it was agreed that Karina would give up her flat and come to live with Jane and Hull. 

This done they settled down to their slightly complex sex life. Karina had still not returned to employed work, and this gave she and Jane opportunity for love making during the day. Much of the time Hull was still in the house working in his studio but he never interfered with Jane’s and Karina’s activity. 

Jane and Karina used Karina’s bed for love making and occasionally Hull we leave his work for an hour or so and make love with one of the women. At night, again by silent consent, Hull alternated between the women, although sometimes, after copulating with one of them he would go to the other and copulate with her.

Jane had been right about his potency, and if either Jane or Karina approached him for gratification he never declined.

When the inevitable happened and Karina announced that she was pregnant, there was much rejoicing and a marriage. In fact Jane had practised her own little bit of deceit. Unable to get pregnant herself, she saw Karina as the bringer, obviously not of children for her, but the next best thing, grandchildren.

Jane would have loved to have more children by her husband but had failed to do so. Even if the problem had been with her husband Hull had come too late into her life sexually speaking, to fertilise her. Now Karina was doing it for her.

This worked out very well because Karina produced three children in fairly quick succession; two girls and a boy. During the times she was sexually unavailable Jane held the sexual fort for her. Karina also discovered that she had a live-in baby sitter in Jane.

Having decided three was enough Karina began to take an interest in Fossil Hills again. For short periods she and Hull went back to the hills while Jane looked after the children.

Sad to say Karina never did find the fossils she searched for, but Hull did produce some magnificent paintings. Karina was able to console herself with the thought,”I found something better than fossils at Fossil Hills.”

As Jane had predicted, as the years went by her sexual drive diminished. It never quite faded, but the grandmother role came more to the fore.

Hull and Karina also were not so sexually driven as the years passed, but that seems to be lot of many couples. I hasten to add that they did not cease making love; it just wasn’t quite so often – well, no more than four or five times a week.