To Live In a Factory, part two. Friday after breakfast Jonas received a call from Bruno in Verona. "Hello, Jonas. I've got two pieces of good news for you. Your equipment will arrive Saturday morning by special transport. If you want to, I could bring it to you Saturday before lunch, and if you want me to, I can hook up everything and give you the first instructions. Do you have special plans for Saturday?" "No. Nothing I know of, at least. That would be very kind of you." "Yeah, well, it's good for me too. It's easier for me to get away for several hours during the weekend. And it's easier for you to understand the software, if we can work on it for some hours." "We have a date. What's the next news?" "The opera is having their last rehearsal, in costumes, on Aida. It's tonight at six. I know that all the scheduled performances have been sold out for the last six months. If you want to see this Aida, I have an extra free card for the final rehearsal. These cards are reserved for journalists, critics, and special guests." "How wonderful! I'd love to come." "OK. Be at the shop at five, then we'll have plenty of time." "Thank you, Bruno. See you at five, then. Bye." Jonas went out on the terrace. He pulled a big armchair up to the fence, so he could sit comfortably watching the lake, while he tried to catch up with himself. His first three days in Italy had been such a blur of new experiences, that he could hardly contain them. Last night's orgy, for one. "I really fucked those five slaves, without knowing anything at all about them. They were never persons, women, human beings to me. They were just cunts to be fucked. I'm not sure I like myself very much for doing it," he thought. He had done his tours of the fleshpots, i.e. of singles' bars, and Heaven knows the conversations were never `high level'. But at least you had some idea of, what kind of girl you walked home, and contacts were always based on some level of mutual attraction. Never this `raw meat' experience. He should also have to figure out, which part of the social network in this commune, was going to be his. Arthur's part had been evident. Eight or ten times a year he would arrive, raise hell for a few days, charm them all, and then go back home. Jonas felt, that if he wanted to stay in his house for several months at a time, to work on his symphony, he would have to redefine that part, lest he wanted to wear himself down, or to make himself a burden on the small society. He should also have to decide, if he was going to have some kind of a social life outside the factory. When he walked the gravel path up to the factory for lunch, he would not say that he was much closer to an understanding, but at least he had opened the box of questions. He was very disappointed not to find Sarah in the cantina. "She left for Rome early in the morning. She and Rose have an important meeting with a nation-wide ring of supermarkets. They'll be back late tonight." "Fine. I can wait till tomorrow. It's not important." Gina sat down at his table for a short moment. "Jonas, I'm afraid I'll have to cancel your Italian lesson today. I'm supposed to baby-sit Sarah's phone while she's in Rome. Will that be OK?" "Sure. I'm going to Verona this afternoon, so I had thought of asking you for the same." "Good. Can I ask what you are going to do in Verona?" "I've been invited to the last rehearsal in the opera." "Oh, lucky you. Have a nice evening." As soon as he had eaten his lunch, Jonas got up and left. There were a couple of disappointed faces around his table, but he pretended not to notice. After a nice sleep and a shower he took off towards Verona. The afternoon was spent window-shopping, until he met Bruno at five. They stopped for coffee and wine on their way to the opera, and once again, like he had done a few years back on his first visit to the old open-air arena, he enjoyed the unique acoustics and the special mood of that stage. On top of that he was treated to the electrical excitement, which always surrounds a last rehearsal. After the superb performance he and Bruno had supper in a small restaurant. During their conversation over the meal he found the reason for Bruno's excellent English: He had studied composing in London for nearly three years, before he finished his education in Rome. It turned out they had a lot in common, so it was shortly after 11 before Jonas was back home. "Four days," he thought, "and I think of this place as home." He poured himself a glass of wine and settled down on the terrace to enjoy the romantic view. The moonlit lake was smooth as a mirror, framed by the dark mountains. There was a faint knocking on the front door. It was Sarah. "I heard your car. Gina said you wanted to see me, so I thought we might share a night cap." "Sure, Sarah, come on in. I'm having a glass of wine on the terrace. Care to join me?" She slumped down on the sofa while Jonas fetched the wine. "I could easily have waited until tomorrow," he said. "You must be exhausted; going to Rome and back in one day. But I'm happy sitting here, just you and me." "Ditto," she mumbled. For a little while she just relaxed with closed eyes, now and then looking up to take a sip of her glass. Then she got up and took her glass to the railing. She leaned on one elbow, while she let the beauty of the lake surround her. For the first time Jonas noticed that she was still wearing her business suit. The short skirt and the tailored coat did wonders to her body. She turned her head to look at him. "What did you want to talk about, dear?" He told her about the five slave girls, and how he did not like very much the way he had treated them as `meat', not as persons. Sarah smiled and placed her glass on the railing. Then she went up to his chair, caressed his hair with soft hands, and bent down to press a soft kiss on his forehead. "You're so sweet, Jonas. It would be just like you to feel that way." She hugged him and went back to the railing. "Relax, Jonas, you did just the right thing. Without knowing it, you must have sensed what those girls needed. They are true masochists all five. I bet you that you have a fan club, and right now they are having masturbatory dreams about you." Jonas got out of his chair and joined Sarah at the railing. For a while they just enjoyed the beautiful sight in silence. "Was that all, you wanted to ask me?" "No. But my second question will take too long for you to answer. I shouldn't ask it at midnight, when you've had a hard day." "Aaahhh. It wasn't that hard, and it had a very happy ending. We signed a deal which will secure us three very lucrative years, possibly more. Tell me what troubles you." Jonas told about his doubts concerning his place in the social structure, now that he had decided to stay on for a while. Sarah put her arm round his neck and kissed him. "Jonas, Jonas, don't worry. Relax and enjoy, have fun and give fun. Nobody knows what future will bring. But I'll make you a promise: If at any time your presence should threaten our social structure, I'll tell you in good time. For the time being I can assure you that we are all very happy that you have decided to stay." Jonas returned her kisses, and for a little while they stood very close. "I'd like to offer you a shoulder for a pillow, to rest your weary head." "Thank you for the offer, but....you know my period is not yet over, and secondly I AM tired, and I need a good rest more than anything." "That's OK, dear. I want you to know that your period is no problem to me, and it's no problem either, if you prefer your own bed to sleep in. I'll like you just as much." "OK, dear. You're so sweet I shall have to be careful. Have a nice night." Jonas fell asleep on the sofa, accompanied by tiny sounds of wavelets lapping at the rocks and the occasional splash, when a trout broke the surface to catch an insect. Saturday at breakfast Jonas needed to clarify a few things. How would he handle the question of lunch for Bruno, and what would he do with his laundry, as he had found no washing machine in his house. "Lunch is easy. You can either fetch for both of you, or if you are more like in a party mood, you can ask if someone would like to bring it." "I'll get it myself, then. I wouldn't want Bruno to have a heart attack." Luna turned towards him. "About the laundry. There is a big container where you enter the building from your place. That's for non-personal items like towels, sheets etc. Your personal laundry you'll have to put in a bag with your name on it." "Where do I find those?" "Oh, right, you have never delivered laundry before. Well, today it is my turn to gather laundry from all over the place. If you want to, I'll pick up yours and bring you some bags for future delivery." Jonas flashed her a smile. "Sure, that's very kind of you. Can you please put me in early on your round?" "Sure. I'll make you my first." This remark elicited little giggles all around the table. After breakfast Jonas went back to his house and gathered all laundry in a heap on the living room floor. He had barely finished when he heard Luna knock on the front door. "Hi, come on in." Luna flashed him a big smile when he locked the door. "Mmmm, I hoped you'd do that." She didn't look halfway as shy as she did the first time. She unbuttoned the top button of her working dress. "Do you want me to continue?" "I'd love you to continue. Are you sure, you're not too shy to do a strip tease?" "I'm not too shy for anything, Jonas. With you I'm not afraid of rejection or disappointment any more. In fact my pussy has been itching for you ever since." With deft fingers she opened all the buttons and let the dress fall off her shoulders, leaving her totally naked in the middle of the room. Jonas took her hand and guided her towards a low bench near the big window. "Don't you ever wear knickers?" "Oh, yes, all the time. But I took them off before I went down here. High hopes, you know." Jonas quickly got rid of his trousers and t-shirt. He held her narrow waist as he sat down on the low bench and buried his face in her flat belly. "God, Luna, you are such a lovely little woman, and I adore your smell and the taste of your skin." Luna grabbed his shoulders and pushed him down on his back. As soon as he had lifted his legs up on the bench, she straddled him and rubbed her cunt against his hardening cock. "Wow. This bench is perfect! I can stand with both feet on the floor and fuck you! I think I can do it for hours without getting tired. Not today, though." She bent her head to look down, while she grabbed his cock, which had by now reached sufficient strength, and guided it to her opening. With a long, erotic sigh she sank down on it in one, slow movement. "Ooohhh, Jonas, this is so good. Can I fuck you this way?" "Sure, dear. It's the only way you can come, isn't it?" "Yeah. I don't know. I think .. It is .. something .. psychic. But this is soo .. . wonderful. I think I could come with you ... in any position." By now her breathing had become very heavy and her speech was erratic. She had closed her eyes, but a happy smile covered her face as she humped up and down on him. Her small breasts were dancing on her chest, and like the last time, Jonas caught them in his hands. He caressed them for a while, enjoying their softness, and he was getting more and more excited by the feeling of her sopping wet cunt moving up and down on his cock. He could not just stay quiet on the bench. He began pushing upwards on each of Luna's down strokes. He pinched her nipples hard and groaned: "God, Luna, you're so good. I'm going to come soon." "Oh, yes, Jonas. Come in me. Your cock fills me so good. I'm coming too. Yessssssss. Oh, my God, you're wonderful." Halfway through her orgasm she collapsed on top of Jonas, and when his strong spurts hit the bottom of her cunt, she just managed a few, happy whimpers. After some time his dwindling cock fell out of her, followed by a steady treacle of juice and sperm. Happily she kissed his cheek and rolled off him, down onto the floor. "Wow, this is a wet one, isn't it?" She reached out for the heap of laundry on the floor, found a t-shirt, and with a sweet smile she wiped herself clean, and a little later she dried off Jonas, too. She reached out her hand and pulled Jonas up from the bench. They embraced, and Luna kissed his chest. "Jonas, you're the best medicine against my shyness, that anybody might invent. Whenever you feel like giving me another treatment, just tell. Will you?" "Of course, I will." He kissed the top of her head. Luna slipped out of his arms and put her dress back on. From one of her pockets she fetched her panties. "I've better wear these, or I'll spill down my thighs." She only took a few moments to sort his laundry in different bags, while she explained how he would use the `personal' bags. "I hope you don't think this is too `cool', Jonas. I'd love to stay here much longer, but I've got my round ahead of me, plus the other girls will make jokes on me, if I stay." "It's perfectly all right, Luna. You're a lovely girl. Give us a good bye kiss." When she had left, Jonas showered and got dressed for the second time. He had barely finished when his phone rang. "Hi, it's Bruno. Your gear just arrived. I can be at your place around 11, will that be all right?" "Sure, I'll be waiting for you." Jonas explained how Bruno would find the back entrance with the drive down to his house. It was only a few minutes past eleven when he heard a couple of loud honks from outside. "Hi, is that where you live? I couldn't see anything looking like a house. That is a boathouse, isn't it?" "Yes," Jonas laughed. "I know it doesn't look like much from the outside, but wait till you get inside. These girls have done a tremendous job of rebuilding. And welcome, I should say." Bruno was impressed as he should be, when he saw what the modest walls covered. "Wow. This is a wonderful place. I'm really glad I persuaded the owner to throw in an extra deal. You see, he has a policy of fixed prices, which he will never change, however big the trade may be. But he will often throw in an extra bargain. I told him he should give you a table on wheels, like the one I have for my gear in the shop. If you want to work on the terrace you can wheel the whole equipment out there in less than a minute." The two young men worked hard carrying all the gear inside, and Bruno turned out to be most efficient, connecting everything and getting it started up. By lunchtime everything was ready. "I'm sorry, I can't invite you for lunch in the cantina. I'm the only man allowed in there, but I'll go and fetch us a tray. Make yourself comfortable on the terrace." Over lunch they discussed possibilities and differences between Denmark and Italy, from the point of view of young composers. "I know I'm terribly lucky," said Jonas, "and I'm going to exploit it. My father's death made me financially independent. I'm not a rich man, but I don't have to spend my time composing jingles for commercials or teaching young brats to play. And I'm going to use it. I can spend the next two years concentrating on my first symphony." "That would be like a dream come true. Not that I can very well complain. I love my job at the opera. As a `repetitionist' I get to work with all levels of singers, from the choir to the international stars, and many contacts I've made there have resulted in various orders for small or big tunes. Then there's the advertising agencies. They put a lot of nice butter on my bread, while the music store lets me stay in touch with the latest development in electronic gear." The programmes Bruno had brought turned out to be very similar to the software, Jonas had tried in the academy in Copenhagen. Apart from a few new additions he had no trouble understanding how it worked. In fact these additions made it a lot easier to handle the big score of a symphony orchestra. So, a lot sooner than expected, Bruno packed up his stuff, and by 3 o'clock he had left, with promises of staying in touch, and all. Jonas had just mixed himself a wine cooler when the telephone rang. "Hello." "Hello, little brother! Happy birthday to you...." "Jonathan! How good to hear your voice. Heavens, is it really my birthday today? I forgot all about it." "Yes, little brother. 26 today. And how are you?" "I'm very fine, Jonathan. How on earth did you find me?" "All I had to start on was dad's will. I hired an Italian- speaking private detective. He found your number after three hours of hard work. You might have called us and told about your plans." "Yeah, I'm sorry, Jonathan. It's all been very exciting and very busy. I'm going to stay here for a while to work on my first symphony." "How lovely for you. How about the factory?" "I've done what dad wanted me to: I've told them they can continue as dad's experiment." "Well, what kind of an experiment is it, then? You can't blame me for being a bit curious." "Sure. I don't know how to describe it. I still own the buildings and most of the machinery, but they have free use of everything. It's run as kind of a commune, and they are single mothers all of them." "Ha. It would be, when dad was involved, wouldn't it?" "Yeah. He was the ladies' man." "Sure. You know, if you or they ever need some help, concerning the production, you are welcome to call me. I'll give you all the help I can." "That is very kind of you, Jonathan. For the time being there is no need. Dad must have taught them fairly well, because it seems to be a very well run business." "I'm glad to hear that. Well, I just called to say `happy birthday', so I'll be off again. But please stay in touch, will you? " "Sure. I'll call you now and then, to let you know. It was so nice of you to remember my birthday. Like I said: I'd forgotten it myself." While he got ready for a rest on the sofa, he couldn't help wondering. Actually he felt a little lonely, having his first birthday away from home and without his family. Ten minutes ago he had not felt lonely, but a call from his brother, and a reminder of his birthday, made him feel it. Strange! His last thoughts before he fell asleep were of his mother and father, the whole family gathered for Christmas dinner........ The afternoon must have exhausted him more than he had felt. It was almost seven o'clock when he woke up, all dizzy from sleep. "Happy birthday, sleepyhead." He looked up into Sarah's beautiful dark0 eyes. She bent down and kissed him softly, adding to his dizzy feeling. "Had you really intended to keep it a secret to us?" "No, not at all. I just hadn't remembered. Not until my brother called. But how do you know?" "I got a call from a private detective asking questions about you, and asking for your telephone number. He told me. Do you have a birthday wish?" "Only you." "Tsk, tsk, you flatterer." She bent down and kissed him again. "You will, you will, but not now. You've better get up and have a shower and then get dressed. When I told some of the girls that it's your birthday, they were all set on turning supper into a birthday party for you. Make sure you're in the cantina by eight. Right?" "Sure, pretty. If you give me one more kiss before you go." This time her lips lingered on his a lot longer, and she pressed her beautiful breasts against his chest. When he lifted his hands to cup them, she broke the kiss, got up and said: "Easy, Jonas, your time will come, but not now." When he finally entered the cantina shortly before eight, he was greeted by cheers, clapping of hands, and many `happy birthday's. The tables were decorated with Danish and Italian flags and lots of flowers. Most of the children were there too, and supper turned out to be almost like an oversized family affair. During the main course two of the women performed Vivaldi on guitar and flute, later a small choir sang Italian folk songs. A group of children performed a small play, of which Jonas understood absolutely nothing. After dinner half of the party moved to the terrace on the roof to have coffee and drinks. Sarah whispered to him: "If you leave now, I shall bring you a small birthday party. A few of the `girls' want to make you happy tonight." "I can't very well refuse such an offer, can I?" He got out of his chair and waved good-night to the rest of the party. At home he opened the doors to the terrace and sat down to relax in the warm spring night. It was close to eleven o'clock when he heard his front door open and close. There was a bit of whispering in the living room, and then a wonderful, small procession came out on the terrace. Five very different women, they were all dressed individually to please the eye and to enhance their erotic assets. He knew Sarah, who was dressed in an absolutely see through harem outfit, and Rose, her tall, slim figure emphasized by high heels, black stockings and suspenders, her tiny, firm breasts moving freely on her naked chest. The other three women he remembered to have seen at the meals, but he did not know them. "Hello, Jonas. We want to wish you a happy birthday." Sarah had stepped forward and pointed her hand towards the three women, he did not know. "Please, meet Maria." A full figured, tall and dark beauty, dressed in a pale, blue spandex jump-suit, smiled at him and blew him a kiss. "This is Olga." Sarah took the hand of another dark-haired beauty, dressed in a lacy corselet and shiny stockings. "And this is Anna, who has spent most of the day preparing your birthday present. Anna has never been over here." Anna stepped forward and handed him a parcel. "Happy birthday," she said, "I hope you'll like it." Anna was a small classical beauty with the innocent expression on her face, you may find in paintings from the twelfth century, but her innocence was contrasted by exotic clothes, almost like the ones you see in paintings of old Egyptian slave-girls. When Jonas opened the parcel he found a beautiful short coat for indoor use, made of white, shiny silk with red trimmings, a red belt of silk to be tied in front, and a very elaborate embroidery on the pocket. Two antique columns framing his initials JO. "This is beautiful," Jonas said. "You made it today?" Anna blushed. "No, I didn't make it, I made the embroidery. I hope you like it." "I certainly do." "And we want you to model it." Sarah and Maria undressed him with deft fingers. For a short moment he was naked in front of the five women, before they put the coat on him. It fit perfectly, reaching down to mid-thigh. It was very comfortable, too. It proved to be very revealing, because when Maria pressed her soft, spandex-clad body against his back, the coat opened willingly to let his hardening cock out. Maria reached round his body to fondle it. She pointed the cock towards Anna and said: "Don't you want to feel it?" Anna blushed becomingly. "I haven't touched one for two years. Yes. I think I want to! But it is so strange that you are all here. I've never done anything like it when other people were there." Rose stepped up behind her and gave her a little push. "Come on, girl, you are going to like it." Anna shivered when her hand touched the hard, silky cock, and slowly her fingers closed around it. Jonas stretched out a hand to touch her short, black hair. "Don't be intimidated by these women, just because you haven't been here before. They are a bunch of lovely, horny women, but over here you should only do what you feel like. Remember?" His hand moved down from her hair and stroked her rosy cheek. Anna looked up with a grateful look in her eyes. She whispered: "I really love to touch you, it's just so new, that they are here." She let go of his cock and threw her arms round his waist and pressed her small, slender body against his. Rose moved in closer, so Anna was almost sandwiched between her tall, skinny frame, and Jonas' solid chest. She let her hands rest on Anna's shoulders and turned to face the other women: "What do you say. Shouldn't we forget Jonas' birthday for a little while and concentrate on Anna and give her a really wonderful initiation?" Sarah's eyes looked a little weary when she said: "Rose, I think it's a lot better to let Anna get acquainted with Jonas first, and get used to our presence, too. Maybe later she'll like for us all to participate." Anna sent her a grateful glance and lifted her head to kiss Jonas. She was shivering with excitement and quite a bit of nervousness. Jonas broke the kiss and whispered into her ear: "Remember, dear, only do what you feel like." When he kissed her again he felt her grab for his cock, and he whisked her loose-fitting top down her shoulders. A moment later he lifted her up into his arms and carried her towards the bedroom. Olga got the idea and went to open the door for them. Jonas lowered Anna on to the big round bed. When he looked down on her, just before he joined her, she looked very vulnerable, but the kisses she lavished on him, when he lay down beside her, were hot and eager. Her small hands were all over his chest and his belly, and soon she grabbed his cock again. "It's been such a long time," she whispered. "I think that's why Rose scared me a little. They had made me quite horny with all their talk, and I thought I was ready to jump into it." Jonas sat up beside her frail figure and explored her beauties with both hands. He was really surprised when his right hand reached her pussy. She was sopping wet, and she willingly spread her thighs when she felt his hand there. "Oh, yes, they really made you horny, didn't they?" "Oh, my God, yes. I have missed this much more than I thought. Please, make love to me right now, please. Come into me." Of course Jonas willingly descended upon her, drilling his big cock deep into her. She groaned loudly, and only a couple of minutes later a scream announced her orgasm. She had not even come down from this first explosion, when Sarah and Rose lay down on either side of her. When Sarah started kissing her neck and caressing her breasts, while Rose pushed a hand in to touch her belly and her swollen lips, Anna opened her eyes wide and sighed: "Oh, my God, you're good. Oh, God, I'm going to come again." Once again she let out a loud wail, as the orgasm raked her small body. Jonas pulled out of her. She protested a little, but when Rose bent down to suck her swollen pussy, all protests died and were replaced by sighs and moans. Jonas turned towards Sarah and held her lovingly in his arms. "Now, may I finally make love to you again?" "Oh, yes, my dear, I can hardly wait." With strong hands Jonas tore her harem-pants to shreds, while she invitingly opened her legs, and once again Jonas was where he really wanted to be: Inside beautiful and hot Sarah. In his mind he created a bubble for them to hide in, and strangely the other women seemed to withdraw, allowing him to drink of Sarah's well, like a thirsty wanderer would. What they did was not just fucking, they made love. Passionate and wild love, sensual love, horny love; but lovemaking it was. Sarah had come twice when Jonas finally erupted inside her. For a moment she clung to him, while Jonas rested his head between her lovely breasts, but then she patted his shoulder and whispered: "That was so wonderful, Jonas, but I think we should return to the party, don't you?" "I guess you're right, Sarah. But I'd just as well stay here with you and send them away." "You're so sweet, Jonas, but remember what I told you: We can't fall in love. Do what you can to keep this as sex, not love. I know it's not easy for you, but you'll learn. Just look at Anna. Do you see how Rose has transformed her?" Jonas rolled over to look at Anna. She was not even remotely the shy woman who handed him his birthday gift. She was sweaty, her face was distorted, whimpers and groans poured out of her pretty mouth, while Rose and Olga were working on her body, taking turns licking, sucking and masturbating. "Oh, my God," she whimpered. "I can't take any more. Oh-o-o-o-o I'm coming again. Help, please stop, stop it!" The next two hours were a blur of arms, lips, breasts and pussies, and just before he fell asleep Jonas couldn't help wondering how it could be. How he could feel this growing love for Sarah, and she for him, as far as he knew, and then at the same time they could enjoy such lecherous sex with other people at the same time. The last image to pass his heavy eyelids was 5 naked women singing `Happy birthday to you....' Chapter two In the morning Jonas started work on his symphony. He was totally amazed at how fast the work flowed. After two days he was completely immersed in his work. His only contact with the outside world was Gina, who arrived every day to teach him Italian, and most often to fuck him. Rumours reached the `girls', and more often than not, someone would bring him a meal, some sandwiches and other vitals, when he simply forgot to go to the cantina. 6 weeks later, close to the end of June, Sarah came over to talk about his Italian lessons. "You have come to a point, Gina tells me, where you will need a period with grammar and extended vocabulary. The grammar is not Gina's favourite, so we're going to give you a new teacher. That is, if you still want to learn." "Certainly I want to continue, and if you say I need grammar, I'd love for you to find a grammar teacher for me." "We already have. Andrea is very good, and she's willing to take a turn with you. There is only one problem with Andrea: She is a hundred percent lesbian, and you should know that she doesn't take kindly to advances from men." Jonas laughed: "I've better keep my hands to myself, then, haven't I? You know, I've got used to a teacher who takes care of many needs." Now it was Sarah's turn to laugh. "I know, I know. And you've taken care of your teacher's needs. She's been so relaxed and easy-going, as we've never seen before." "We'll have to put that part on hold for a while, then, won't we?" Suddenly Sarah blushed and looked down. "Well, if you still think that your managing director is not too old, you might call and invite her for a drink on the terrace, now and then." Jonas got up from the keyboard and hugged her. He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face, so he could look into her beautiful, dark eyes. "Sarah, you know very well, that to my eyes and my mind, you are the most beautiful woman in the world. All my teenage years, when I dreamt or fantasized about women, I wish I could have made a print out of those images, because they were all the spitting image of you. Nothing could make me happier than for you to come over and share a drink and a little time with me." Sarah threw her arms round his neck and kissed him fiercely. "And I have missed you all these weeks, where you've been so busy. Just call me, will you?" "I'll be happy to. I'm changing my working hours sometime this week. I've almost finished the first part. The next part is planned to be an Andante Cantabile, and I feel sure that the warm and calm nights on the terrace will be very inspiring. So I plan on sleeping during the daytime and then get up around 5 to start working." "That sounds good to me," she smiled. "Then we can let Andrea skip the last hour at work, so she can be here to teach you, shortly after five. Will that be OK?" "That would be perfect. God, you beautiful woman. You can't imagine how lovely it is to hold you in my arms again. I wish you could stay a little." "I'm sorry, Jonas, I'm needed back at the office. But if you want to, I can visit you tonight." "I'll be happy to see you. Please, just come over when you feel like it. What I need to do on the first part of the symphony are only technical adjustments, and I can leave them any time." Later that week Jonas started working nights. He had been absolutely right: The quiet nights by the lake, sweet smells of flowers and trees drifting on to the balcony, and his growing love for sweet Sarah, all added to inspire him to some of the most beautiful music he had ever made. By the end of August he had finished the second part of the symphony, and together the first and second part had come out even better than he had imagined. Then he ran into trouble. His plans for the third part called for violence and confusion, but the inspiration left him, and he got nowhere with that part. One night he was in bed with Sarah, resting after some nice lovemaking, when he confided in her. "I can't get anywhere with the third part. I'm afraid my life here is a lot too easy and good, and the surroundings inspire me to something completely different. I'm afraid I shall have to go somewhere else for a while." "I'm sorry to hear that, but of course your work comes first. Have you thought of somewhere in particular?" "Not really. I've got a feeling for Cape Horn. It's winter now down there, the stormy season, you know. But I have no idea whether it's possible to find a suitable place there. I shall need at least electricity for my gear, you know. Apart from that I have no needs. Well, food, of course, and a room to live in." Although she was sorry to hear that he planned to leave for a while, Sarah took a great interest in his plans, and they talked late into the night. Next afternoon she called him on his phone and asked him to come to her office, where she introduced him to a small, wiry man in his fifties. "Meet senor Francini from Verona. He runs a very specialised travel agency, catering mostly to scientists and institutions, and he thinks he's found the right place for you." "Signora Mandelli has told me about your plans. Last year I sent a team of meteorologists down to Cape Horn. There's an old weather station there, which is no more used for that purpose, but the Chilean government has maintained it and rents it out to different people. It has a small airstrip, which can be used most days. There are generators for current, and kitchen facilities. Of course it has radio connection to the mainland. The meteorologists were most satisfied with the place and told me it was quite a rough environment." Senor Francini had laid out three colour photographs, showing a fairly large complex, tied to the ground by numerous steel ropes. "That sounds interesting. I had thought of the Faeroe Islands, but the stormy season is months away. How do I get there?" "If we pack your gear in a couple of small crates they can follow you by air freight. And if you can restrict you personal stuff to yet another small crate, it will all fit into the small plane, which can transport you to the camp. You can catch the international route to Santiago, and to Punta Arenas there is one flight a day. The rest of the way you'll fly with a local taxi-plane, which will also bring you necessities, when the weather allows." Images from TV-features, and stories he had read about Cape Horn, passed through Jonas' mind, and he only took a couple of minutes to make up his mind. "Let's give it a try." "3 Spanish oceanographers will be working there, but you'll have plenty of space, and to be honest, I'm not sure I'd like to stay down there all alone." Once the decision had been made, preparations went very fast, and in four days everything was packed into three small crates, the girls had thrown a farewell orgy, and Jonas was seated on the Rome-Santiago plane. Three days later he watched from the windows of the small plane, how huge waves hammered into imposing rocks only a short distance from the weather station, which looked very small and very lonely from half a mile above. Two of the Spaniards welcomed him when the plane had landed, and soon his crates were loaded on to their Land Rover truck, together with a fair supply of canned food. In the large, warm and cosy kitchen he was met with yet another "welcome", plus the smell of hot cocoa and freshly baked bread. Later he was shown the whole complex, and he easily found two rooms, which would serve his purpose well. "You are a good cook?" José asked. "Not really. Actually I haven't got much experience." "Well, we'll see. We want to invite you to share our schedule. We have one day of cooking for the others, which means we have two days where we don't have to worry about cooking. If you join our schedule it would mean that we have three days without worries." "I'd sure like to join that schedule, but I'm not so sure you'd like the food I can cook. Like I said: I've got no impressive experience." "Don't worry, neither have we. In fact only the bread may give you trouble. All our food is tinned, and there are cooking instructions on almost all the tins. But we bake our own bread every day, and you'll have to learn that." "I think I can do that, so I'd like very much to join you." "Fine. Then let's start the rounds tomorrow, which will give you three days to watch how we do it. You might even bring us a few new ideas." Three days of travel had exhausted Jonas. He excused himself and went to his room. He really didn't care about unpacking his gear. Two minutes later he was sleeping hard and without dreams. Chapter three. Cape Horn turned out to be the perfect choice for Jonas. The storms were violent, but the station itself was shielded from the predominant winds by the surrounding mountains. 45 steps were cut into the rock, which shielded the station from the worst onslaughts from southeast. The Spaniards showed him how to use a harness, which would hook up to a steel rope running along the steps. "Use it at all times, even on the rare days when there is not a storm. The weather may change into a fierce storm which will blow you off the rock, and the change may happen in just a few seconds." Often, through severe storms, Jonas was up there for hours, clinging to the rock and his steel rope, while the wild sounds and the power of the wind hammered into his brain and his body. Even inside the station the sounds of storms were most unusual. Howling, screaming and pounding, the high winds would attack the buildings, and more often than not, the enormous waves hitting the rocks behind the station would provide an ever-changing rhythm in the background. The Spaniards were busy men. They were there to register the intricate interplay between changing winds and changing currents. Jonas never really understood how they used underwater microphones, pressure sensors and radio-operated transmitters. They would only meet at the meals, which suited him well. The violence of the elements was most inspiring, and soon Jonas was completely absorbed in the third part of his symphony. Actually his `cooking-days' was a welcome break, because he worked so hard the other days. Between cooking duties he would use these days to listen to the music he had made the last three days, and to make small technical changes to his ever-growing score. The other days he worked like in a fever, sometimes 20 consecutive hours. Six weeks later he `woke up', like after a severe illness. He had finished his third part! And it was perfect. Just as wild, weird, rhythmic and flowing, as he had imagined, and like something he had never heard before. That evening at supper he told the Spaniards that he had finished his work. Of course they wanted to hear what he had made, and they arranged for a small evening concert on the next day, as it was Jonas' turn to cook. Jonas told them how the instruments were synthetic, and how the whole thing would sound a lot better when performed by a real symphony orchestra. On the other hand it was tempting for him to see how they would react to his music, and after all there was little chance that he would ever meet them again. That same day he remembered Italy for the first time. Italy, Sarah, Rose and all the others. Via the radio he sent a telegram to Sarah, saying that he had finished his work and that he would return as soon as traffic connections would allow. He also called the small airport in Punta Aires to book a plane out of Cape Horn. The weather forecast made it most unlikely that he should be able to leave the next two days, but that suited him well. Tuesday after supper he had hooked up his computer to the two loudspeakers in the kitchen, and with hot coffee and a most unusual glass of brandy, the four men sat down to listen to the first three parts of his symphony. Two of the Spaniards were deeply impressed after the first two parts. The third one really didn't like classical music. But when the wild, howling sounds of the third part attacked them, he was startled. "But..but... that's just as it is! This is wonderful!" Their reactions raised Jonas' hopes for a favourable reception of his work, once he managed to get it performed. Wednesday morning he packed his crates, and by 10 o'clock the airport in Punta Aires called on the radio to tell, that the plane would arrive at 11. The Spaniards helped him get to the landing strip, and soon he was in the air, on his way back to Italy. He was a lot luckier with the connections than he had been on the way out. Friday evening he was back in Verona, where a van from the factory picked him up. Anna and Sarah met him in the arrival lounge, and soon they and the driver had helped him get the crates into the back of the van. "You wouldn't believe how exciting it has been," Jonas told them, "but I love being back here with you. Pity I'm so exhausted from the long journey." He flashed them an inviting smile. "We counted on that," Sarah said. "A lot of the girls wanted to throw a `welcome-orgy', but I managed to get them to wait. Anna and I will help you get settled in and put you to bed." "How divine. I really could do with a Jacuzzi with the two of you." "Ha, ha. You know Gina. She accused us of wanting to take advantage of the fact, that you have had no pussy for 7 weeks." Anna added: "We asked her which she would prefer: A tired Jonas with jet-lag and all, or a rested and eager Jonas tomorrow. That stopped her." Once again Jonas wondered how Sarah was able to `tune in' on his real needs. They had filled up the Jacuzzi before they left for Verona, and it didn't take them two minutes to get him undressed and immersed into the swirling, warm water. The two beautiful naked women joined him, they soaped him, massaged him, made him relax to the point where he was close to falling asleep. Then they took him to the large circular bed and made slow and wonderful love to him. They kissed his eyes as he was falling asleep between their warm and pliant bodies, and a happy sigh was the last conscious sound they heard from him. To be continued......