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31DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MARVEL OR THEIR CHARACTERS. I ONLY OWN MY OWN CHARACTERS AND THIS STORY. I MAKE NO MONEY FOR THIS AND THAT SUCKS.
ISLAND DREAMS REALLY
Ororo Munroe could not believe she was in this predicament. This could not be happening to her. This stuff only happened in very old movies or on bad made for TV movies for has been actors. She looked around the island. How could she have listened to Betsey. Why didn't she just say no like a person with common sense would have done. Never listen to Betsey.
Betsey always gave her the worst advice. That should have woken Ororo up. Through the years Betsey was always wrong. Like she was wrong about T'challa being a good man to date. He dumped her after six months for his ex Monica.
Or Luke being a stand up guy. He cheated on Ororo with Jessica and to make matters worse knocked Jessica up. Date Pietro he's a straight arrow. Until he decided to come out of the closet after just two dates. The kisses on her cheek should have been a clue. That was awkward. Ororo shook her head. Why the hell did she ever listen to Betsey?
She looked around at the island she was now stranded on. Around her was some of the debris of the small sailing ship she had gone on with that captain whom she really didn't like. Well not really dislike. He just had a wild look about him that she really didn't care for. Those mutton chops were kind of odd in this day and age. They could've been trimmed down some. Hairy men were always a turn off for Ororo.
Her best friend Betsey had insisted Ororo take the two hour trip around the islands while she and her beau Warren went on their drawn out shopping tour. Ororo hated those. Besides she didn't want to be a third wheel. So she agreed to go on that 'looks a little rundown ship' on a tour around the islands with the gruff faced hairy sea captain. Didn't surprise her she was the only one taking the tour. This was the lull before the tourist season began. Best discount air and hotel prices ever.
Ororo made out her oversized shoulder bag and some trunks that were on the ship. Luckily she recalled tying the rope Captain Howlett gave her to the trunks. That freak storm came out of nowhere. It was weird and strange. The winds just picked up like the devil himself was chasing them. Ororo was so frightened that she'd tied all the trunks together and tied herself to them when through. Even her bag. Ororo was shocked they had all made it to this island with her.
She noted that the locks were simple. One of her 'listened to Betsey and dated him' ex's Remy had taught her how to pick a lock. Small wonder he'd robbed her after their break-up. Her small TV and brand new Bose stereo were gone. Her locks picked by an expert. He was long gone from NY city by the time NYPD knocked down his door. Ororo opened the trunks. Inside was everything you would need to survive if stranded. She grinned.
In a little over six and a half hours. Ororo had put up the large pop tent and even made a fire pit following the instructions in the survival book. She managed to make a fire with dry wood using her old lighter she still had in her bag and dry leaves of all things. The dry leaves ate the fire from them and lit the wood. She even built a lean-to with the rope and more dry wood to dry out her clothes.
She found some fresh clothes still in packs. Tee shirts and light pants really too large for her. She had to use some of the rope to hold them up. She had bottles of water and dehydrated food. It stunned her. In the other trunks was more. Ororo set up her camp following the advice from the book. She had just finished off making some spike ended poles to stick in the ground. This was supposed to ward off wild animals.
Ororo hadn't seen any wild animals on this island so far. But she hadn't explored it either. So being a city girl she was following the book. One trunk had knifes, tools, even axes and a flare gun in it. Ororo sat by her fire where she had already heated up one of the dehydrated meals. She found some pots and pans and some sealed utensils. There were bowels, plates and cups too. Ororo made a small meal of rehydrated turkey meat with some Boston baked beans and found some dough in one packet and baked it in a covered pot next to her meal.
She thanked the heavens that there were spices and condiments in sealed packets that she added. She looked in her snap top and zippered bag. Amazingly the contents were pretty dry. Since dating a thief Ororo always brought bags that had super secure closures on them. Remy had been an amazing pickpocket. She smiled as she checked them out. Ororo always had her seed samples. Never left home without them. She would see about planting them in the morning. There was no telling how long she would be on this island.
She was stunned that the large trunks held so much. But she read some of the book. It was huge. The author knew his stuff. Tomorrow her first priority would be to find fresh water and to see how big this place was. She smelled her food. It was done. Ororo checked the dough. She had a nice hunk of bread. She set her food out in a bowel and placed the hot bread on a plate. Ororo used one of the trunks as her table. She found an old log to use as a seat.
She cut a hunk of bread and sliced it like a pita. She tasted her turkey and bean meal. It needed a little more seasoning. She added some more spices and more condiments. Thank God for sealed catsup and brown mustard. Not too mention the garlic, onion, cayenne, salt and pepper. It tasted better. She placed some of it into her bread pocket and ate it. It was like a five star meal. Ororo hadn't eaten since breakfast. She sat finishing her meal when she heard a sound.
Ororo grabbed the large knife she found in one of the trunks. A figure appeared beyond the trees. It looked familiar. The figure stepped closer. Lurching a little like it was hurt. Ororo picked up a piece of wood from the fire. She used the light from the fire to see better. The figure moved closer. It was Captain Howlett. The Captain from the ship.
He passed out as Ororo approached him. She planted the wooden stick deep in the sand and went to check him out. Luckily the fire from her stick let her see him better in the dark. He was hurt. He had a bad gash on his right side. She noticed he must have tried to treat himself. He had various plants on the wound. She went to the lean-to and pulled off her drying clothes. He was heavy and she needed to get him inside the tent to treat him. Ororo managed to get the ropes around the wooden slants she had put together for the lean-to and pushed Logan on to it. She then pulled him to the tent and got him inside after some time struggling. He was a dead weight.
She washed him up using the bottled water and cleaned his wound. There was of course a first aid kit and Ororo used that to treat and bind his wound. She reheated her meal and feed him when he woke up off and on as he lay in the other blow-up bed in the tent. She even managed to get some bottled water into him between feeding him. Ororo fed him mainly to get some painkillers into him. She'd broken the pills into the food. After feeding him and getting some water into him then she let him sleep.
Logan finally awoke in the morning. Shocked to find himself in a tent and clean. His wound cleaned and treated as well. He felt better then he did last night. The pain in his side was nearly gone. He smelled fish cooking. He slowly tried to get up. But had some problems. He saw that by his side was a heavy piece of wood. It looked like a walking stick only a lot thicker. He could use it. He lifted himself up from the bed. Really a blow-up sleeping bag that was made out of extreme heavy duty plastic. Really uncomfortable. Logan made his way outside slowly and found the woman who he took on the tour yesterday cooking fresh fish.
He was shocked. He looked around her little camp. She'd made quite a set-up. There was a lean-to. On it hung the outfit she'd worn on his ship. Long poles covering the camp with spiked heads were dug into the ground. She had some food up high and it was covered by thick netting. It appeared to be more fish. The water bottles he saw bobbing in the sea, she had them on a thin fishing line keeping cool in the ocean water. He was impressed. She read the book.
Ororo looked up as she finished cooking six of the fish she'd caught. Thank goodness her father had insisted on teaching her how to fish. Ororo even set a net for crabs. She found of all things several cases of beer that washed up on shore this morning along with five more trunks. All with more stuff they could use. She had the beers in the ocean cooling as well. She heard once that hot beers could explode. Like the canned ones that washed ashore. She doled out the fish on two plates and placed more fresh bread on each plate as she turned to see Logan. He was leaning heavily on the wooden pole. Ororo smiled at him.
"Good morning. I made breakfast." Logan grinned back. This woman was amazing. He walked slowly over to where Ororo had set up two small chairs. He stared. Ororo explained with a smile. She gestured to the chairs.
"I found these in the second set of trunks that washed up this morning. They're great for sitting by the fire and to use to eat at the trunks." Logan laughed.
"Lady you are amazing. Most people would be crying and having fits about being stranded. You seem to have adapted like it was just another day." Logan sat down stiffly beside her. Ororo grinned.
"Buddy if you had my life you'd learn to adapt fast too. I never had a charmed life. Ever." She passed him a plate and pulled out two cool bottles of water.
Logan grunted a thanks. As the two began to eat Logan realized the fish was seasoned and it tasted good.
"I have to say this fish is great. How did you do that with the old seasonings in those trunks." Ororo grinned as she ate.
"Those seasonings were dried before they were flash sealed. I know a little about that. I worked at a nursery as a kid. Still do sometimes. If you seal them that way they stay fresh until you open them." Logan nodded as he ate more of his fish.
She had given him three pieces of what was largely big fish. He looked up at some netted fish in the tree. This woman had caught about twenty fish? He looked at her in awe. She seemed too refined to ever even gut a fish.
"Are you military? I never met a woman who could do all this?"
"Military me? You would never want me in the military. Nope I just grew up with parents who believed their only daughter should know how to do things for herself and this book helps." She held up the survival book that was on the trunk. Logan smirked. That book was a bible to some.
"That book was written by my old man." Ororo looked at the author's name. Sure enough there was the name Howlett. First name James. Ororo smiled.
"Smart man your father. He knew his stuff." Logan smiled.
"Ya don't have to tell me. He taught me everything since I could crawl. My old man believed that you should be able to rough it anywhere." Ororo grinned.
"By the way my name's Ororo. Ororo Munroe." She stuck out her hand after wiping it on the cloth napkin. Those were in one of the trunks too. Logan smiled.
"Well ya know I am or was Captain Howlett. But the first names Logan." He wiped his hand and shook hers. Both grinned.
By mid-day the two managed to enlarge the camp. Luckily one trunk had a sealed and pretty heavy axe. That would come in handy. Logan hated that pop-up sleeping bag bed in the tent though. But Ororo had found several bulks of fabric in another trunk and that made the two beds more comfortable thanks to the makeshift beds made from the fabrics. Then Logan told Ororo he had found a water source where he had washed up on the island. They both explored that stretch of the island after making sure no animals or critters could get into their camp and they secured the food better as well.
The water source was great. The water was drinkable and Logan felt it would be better to move over to it rather then stay where they were. Ororo agreed. She also noticed the bulk of Logan's ship had washed ashore on this side of the island. They would have to clear away the debris and find out what they could save. There might be usable items from it. Ororo and Logan looked at the sails and rope still attached to the broken mast pole. They would move the camp over here tomorrow. Logan needed more rest. His wound was healing.
It took them all day to move everything. Logan was not in tip-top shape yet. The trunks were heavy. But both pulled the lean-to like a pulley by attaching rounded wood logs to the bottom and dragging the trunks that way. The water source was more inland and on grass. The island was a lot bigger then Ororo though. There was a mountain several miles away. They set up camp and much to Ororo's delight discovered a small water fall by the water source. Behind it was a hot springs. Ororo stunned Logan by grabbing a bar of soap, a small bottle of shampoo, some clean fresh clothes and running for the hot springs. Logan laughed.
He went back out to sit by the fire and pull out one of his, cooling in the smaller rock enclosed water source, beers. He was yearning for one since he had been shocked when Ororo pulled them out of the ocean along with the bottled waters. He had bought the cases of canned beer just four days ago and had stored them below deck in the large cooler. He did forget to lock it though. Amazing to him that they had made it to the island. Along with all the damn trunks his ex bought. He looked at the cooking pots. This woman was making dinner.
She had even netted some crabs. They weren't alone in the net. They both had a hell of a time getting the jelly fish and the baby shark out of there. But they got the crabs. She had found the large iron pot in one trunk and then put in water, a lot of seasonings and two cans of beer. She even pulled out two dehydrated meals of beans to go with them. Placing them in another pot with seasonings and condiments. Thank God those cans all came with pop open lids. Logan grinned. Ororo had shaken some cocoanuts from a tree and then found another tree bearing fresh banana and another with a fruit that tasted like tangerines. She had them all cooling to make a fruit drink and mashed fruit for dessert tonight. He grinned.
When she was through he would bathe. He had his fresh tee and pants. His ex-wife Surie was a kook about packing those survival trunks. Drove him to the brink of madness the way she got so crazy over the damn things. After reading his dad's book she had gone all loony about surviving a ship wreck. He knew then that she was nuts. But looking at where he was now maybe not. She did buy a lot of them and they were huge. She overdid everything. Bless her cheating heart.
Ororo soon emerged looking refreshed and clean. Logan stopped mid-drink. She was a knock-out. He knew that when she had boarded his ship. She was stunning. He assumed she was a model. She was beautiful. Her features were out of this world. She was a deep chocolate color. Her hair was pure white. You could see her roots no dye job. She had the bluest eyes he ever saw. She had a figure too. Not too thin but fit and amazing. He liked those thick but shapely legs. No pin sticks.
It made him sick to see these clotheslines thin women who paraded around the islands in the shortest shorts they could find to give you a view of the worst legs ever seen on earth. Most of them looked like stick figures that a good strong wind would blow away. But Ororo had a women's figure. Shapely hips and an ass men drooled over. She had the smallest waist he'd ever seen and her bust was sent from heaven. He thanked God she wasn't some pasty looking tourist either. Nothing worse then a pale ghostly looking woman. Very unattractive. He grinned as he stood up. His wound was healing. He used the stick less.
She handed him the soap and shampoo. She was grinning.
"The water is divine. It's like a little piece of heaven." Logan smiled as he headed behind the water fall.
At least it gave them privacy to bath. Ororo had noticed there was a smaller enclosed hot springs right next to the bigger one. She could wash the dishes and clothes in that one. She set about making the fruit drinks and dessert. The crabs were cooked and the beans were done. She found that there was a lot of dehydrated dough and made some small biscuits. Thank goodness there was even dehydrated butter in the trunk. That shocked Ororo. There seemed to be everything dehydrated.
But she noted there was a company label on all of the dehydrated food. It all came from one company. They made a lot of dehydrated products and who ever packed these trunks had packed them full of their products. She would need to find good soil to plant her seeds tomorrow. Ororo finished up the meal and pulled out her seed pack. It looked more like a book it was so stacked with so many seeds. People usually assumed it was loose-leaf notebook. Logan came out refreshed and clean clothed at just that time.
"Woe! What's that?" He was pointing at the seed pack. Ororo grinned.
"I told you I worked in a nursery. I just worked for my parents who own a pretty big organic nursery. It's in Long Island. I still help out part time. I figure we'll need fresher food and veggies. Dehydrated is all right but fresher is better." Logan grunted. He looked at the large pack. It had every seed known to man in it and some Logan didn't know.
"Ya think we're gonna be here long enough for them seeds to grow?"
"I have no idea. But what could it hurt? We're here on this island which I've never seen before. Have you?" Logan grunted.
"Nope and I've sailed the islands with my tour boat for a number of years now." Ororo raised an eyebrow. Logan smirked. She was cute doing that.
"Well then I think I'll see about finding soil that works for my seeds tomorrow and set up a waste area for us to use. That will help to provide plant food for the plants and trees." Logan stared. Brows creased.
"Waste area?" Ororo nodded as she prepared the plates. She was using a large spoon to get the crabs out. Then doled out the beans and bread.
"Yes a waste area. That way we don't ruin the island with our waste and we can instead use it to help grow our vegetables and fruit. I even have some wheat seeds in here. Your father's book shows how to make mills, shacks and pulleys that can elevate things." Logan laughed. Then they heard it. Logan pulled up the big knife as Ororo pulled up another one.
The sound was familiar to both as they saw two Billy goats come running around the far side of the green. The two upfront were running with a herd of goats that followed them. They stirred clear of the spiked poles near the camp. Logan and Ororo grinned. Fresh meat, milk, butter and cheese. Then they heard another sound. Chickens were pecking near where the goats had gathered farther down wind from them.
It appeared the two groups were fussing. No doubt this was the best green to eat on the island. Logan laughed. Best island to be stranded on ever. Eggs for breakfast sounded like heaven. He and Ororo sat down to eat. The crab meat was great. He could taste the favor better with the seasonings. The beer helped too. And with the beans even better. The biscuits were mouth watering and the fruit drinks with the fruit dessert amazing. He grinned.
Week eight found Ororo and Logan pretty much resigned to the fact that they were not going to be rescued. They saw no planes or boats. Just clear blue sky. Logan figured out that the searches were aimed in areas that the coast guard knew about. But by now the two had gone from the pop-up tent to a shack. Logan made it with Ororo helping him. It enclosed the water fall and had an elevated second floor with a small balcony and large flat roof.
Logan had been a carpenter years before taking over his father's tour boat. He did quite a job. It was impressive. They even had a goat enclosure and a chicken coop. Ororo's seeded plants and trees were enclosed as well. Logan didn't want any critters getting to them. Ororo planted some peppermint seeds. They were growing so soon they could be planted to keep the critters out.
They even had a waste spot. Ororo had Logan build an out house where the heavy waste could be removed and used to make a plant food when mixed with any food waste and dead plants. She even had a large spot near the outhouse for the waste and dead plants and leaves. Logan built the outhouse as far away from the camp as could be. Really just a good forty-nine paces away. He thought of the woman stranded with him. But he made sure it sat downwind from the camp. Ororo planted some strange plants near it. They supposedly took away the smell. They were one of the plants that had grown fast from her seed pack. They were odd looking too. Logan didn't argue with her. He figured she knew her stuff. The garden growing the many plants like mad was proof of that.
Ororo was delighted to find she had her toothbrush in her bag weeks earlier but her toothpaste was running low. Logan rummaged through one of the trunks and found sealed paste and toothbrushes. Ororo was elated. He even build a rock trail for the out house and the front of the shack. The camp was getting a huge gated fence placed around it. The goats were kind of angry about their captured brother and sister as were the chickens. They had actually bagged one of the roosters and his brothers were pissed.
They both saw how the herd of goats would stop within a few feet of the camp and stare. The chickens would peck closer to them day by day until Logan would scare them away growling. Logan had even put up spikes to cover the out house. Fencing would come later. He wanted to fence the trail as well. He had the spikes down already. With the fence up he would simply place the spikes outside them.
By week ten the peppermint was planted all around the camp. It made the camp smell great and worked to keep all critters away. That stunned Logan to see how well those plants worked. The tomato plants were growing. Even the lettuce, peach tree, apple tree, peanut, orange and several kinds of potatoes. Ororo even had several legumes growing along with sweet corn. Her spice plants were both in the shack and in the plant enclosure. All the trees were dwarf. Ororo had a host of other plants and trees.
Logan just focused on what was growing fastest. The corn was ready and Logan loved the sugar cane. The wheat was growing as well. It amazed him how she could grow just about anything. They really did feel like the Swiss family Robertson on this island. Logan had just finished the fencing. He made it wider then before. Giving him and Ororo a lot more room to move about. She even had soybeans and was grinding some to make cooking oil. Ororo longed for some chips. So did Logan.
He was drinking his beer sparingly. Then Ororo gave Logan great news. Ororo knew how to home brew. She'd watched her father do so since she was nineteen. The man was obsessed with beers. Her Father was a lover of home brew for years. Logan jumped for joy as he and Ororo set about making his mill for the beer to brew in. He was skilled with the axes and the tools from the trunks. His woodworking skills were coming back.
Then when the potatoes were picked he helped Ororo peel and clean them. Then cut them into chips which wasn't easy. He figured out how to make a slicer from wood. By using one of the many knifes they had and by removing it's blade he fitted it into the wooden slicer. Ororo was elated. It sliced a clean smooth and thin chip. Ororo was glad that they had spice plants and onions. She used more dough and made pretzels. Salt was plentiful. His ex had packed sacks of it along with pepper all sealed as well. Logan beamed.
He had built using big smooth rocks, a make shift stone oven. Much like the pizza ovens. A small fire pit lay underneath. There Ororo baked large bread, biscuits and pitas even baked chicken. Now she baked the pretzels, she fried the chips and even French fries in the large iron pot she had put the hard squeezed soy bean oil in. Logan had carved her a wooden mortar and pestle. Ororo had a surprise for Logan. She found in one trunk bleached flour, sealed tight. She used it with some spices, eggs and goat milk to make some blooming onions. Logan was over the moon. He pulled out the beer for that.
Since they'd been on the island they had been talking. Ororo knew Logan had been married for three years about five years back. His wife Suri left him for some billionaire who came to the island in a massive yacht. Logan couldn't blame her. They never really got along. She wanted more then he had. His father had died a year into the marriage and Logan admitted he just wasn't into trying to keep her happy after that. So the marriage ended fast and easy. He had worked prior to coming to the islands, ten years ago as a carpenter and mechanic back in the states. Even doing some furniture making.
Ororo was grateful for that. Logan had made some crude but comfortable beds for them. Ororo now had her own room. They even had a real table. Thanks to a large tree that had fallen in the woods. Logan had smoothed down the large trunk then just hollowed out some holes and fitted some carved down sturdy legs to fit them. He even used tree sap as a glue. He had done that with the bed too and even bound the beds with tree twine that they thinned out together. He was pretty good with that axe and the various tools that they had found in the trunks.
Logan knew Ororo had never married. She came close three times but ran like the devil was behind her. The guys really scared her from walking down the aisle. One was too pushy, another too disinterested like he would marry her just to marry her and the last was too into his work and treated Ororo like she was arm candy that would look good on his resume. She just couldn't see herself married. Really she just felt none of the men was the one that she wanted to spend her life with. She was a gardener at heart but worked for the government as a bookkeeper.
But she took extensive cooking lessons, sewing and even pottery classes. Just a lot of classes period. Many in the most diverse things. Her parents were big on self-reliance. She was taught to fish by her father. No not just with poles, but with nets too thus the crab catching. Her father taught her how to build a spinning wheel as well. Why? Ororo couldn't say. He wanted her to know how to spin cotton since they grew that at the nursery as well. Mainly as a teaching tool to tell the young people and children about the history of slavery in America and how it was tied to the economy of the world at that time. Thus the need for slaves.
Logan was impressed. Ororo's fruit and veggies were ripening. She wished she had some jars to preserve them in. That got Logan thinking. They had sand. The soil and rocks on this island had other materials needed for glass making. He'd found a rock with iron ore in it. He could build a forge and make glass. Maybe even make better tools from the iron ore.
He started the project just a few feet from the camp. Thankful that he had made a wider opening for their camp. He liked the idea that they would have room to expand if needed. He had already made an old fashioned butter churner for her. The goat milk and soy milk made great tasting butter. Ororo was trying to draw out what the spinning wheel looked like. They could both use cotton products. Ororo knew she needed them badly at least once a month. Her supply in her oversized bag was nearly gone.
It took Logan about three weeks. By then Ororo was going to town with the food. She had made, pizza, egg plant parmesan, and spaghetti all in the past week. Those dehydrated products actually had cheese that just needed water. She even cooked jerk chicken with all those spices she grew. That was great even the jerk goat meat. The products carried a load of goods with them as well. Not to mention a lot of pasta. That was a shocker to Logan. The meatballs tasted better with the fresh spices and tomato sauce for the spaghetti. How she made rehydrated beef taste good was a testament to how good a cook she really was.
He was stunned she never saw herself as a wife. She would be perfect. Why wasn't the toon he'd married like her. She nearly bankrupted him. All he recalled was that it had cost him over nine grand when his then wife ordered the supreme package of these dehydrated products. They had arrived on a large freight ship and it took three trips to load them all on to his boat. It was like three small mountains the way they were packaged. Logan had built a small flour mill for the wheat and Ororo stunned him knowing how to make fresh pasta and bread from scratch.
It was going on month three nearly and Logan noted no planes ever flew overhead. Ororo did too. It struck the two strange that they'd seen no ships, boats or planes since washing ashore on this island. They went on as they could. Ororo reread some of the book Logan's father wrote. She never read the whole thing. It was almost the size of a massive dictionary. She learned how to thin out certain plants for cloth.
She even found plants and trees that she didn't know about. Some that had medicinal properties. Logan had his forge built. Ororo had her spinning wheel and even two large chairs and a long sofa. Logan wanted to made cleaner furniture and better beds and improve the shack. It was summer now but the storm season started soon in the islands. Ororo was thankful she had her cotton and spun out a large amount. She would see about making a weaver later for making cloth.
Logan's first attempts at glass making were not good. But Ororo helped him. Soon Logan had the first jar made. It was big but sturdy. Logan figured he'd try his hand at metal as well. The island had the rocks and soil for Iron. Ororo grinned. By month five they had improved the cabin. It was no longer a shack. It sported glass windows and heavy wooden shutters. Even the animal enclosures were gone. There was now a small version of a barn. That was reinforced as well. Logan even build up rock walls around the barn and cabin. Ororo had progressed in her cotton products.
Logan had worked with her on making a weaver. She now had several cloths through out the cabin. Sheets for the beds. Tablecloths, pot holders, aprons and towels for the kitchen and bath. Logan had his tools and had made improvements on the beds and chairs. He even made rocking chairs and Ororo sat in hers in the evening usually hand sewing sheets for the feather and cotton filled beds and even making curtains for the windows. She had cushions for all the chairs and pillows for their beds.
She had even made dye from the new flowers that lined the cabin. Ororo had planted quite a few to make the cabin look pretty. Logan just smiled. Ororo was a girly girl. The oven was improved as well. Logan made a large iron stove sporting a large flat iron grill. Now flapjacks were cooked. The syrup was made from a tree that was a dwarf of the maple. Ro knew how to refine the syrup and even add several different fruit favors to it. Logan loved those. He and Ro even made up a fireplace. The winter nights would not be warm come winter. Both seemed resigned to never being rescued.
Ororo was even making new clothes for them. They still had a few packets of the tees and pants but she found herself mending them more and more. Logan was looking at how to work leather. His father wrote a few chapters on it and it was detailed. He wanted to make shoes for them and to make heavy coats in case they were needed. The shoes they had were getting pretty worn down.
Ororo cooked some popcorn to go with the fruit drinks and chips. Logan's home brew was cooling in the cool water fall. The jars he made were great. Ororo even had lids now and with the super large iron pot he made she had preserved a lot of the fruit and veggies. Ororo had pickled some and made jams and jellies with others. Now they had sauerkraut, pickles, even relish. She even made peanut butter when the nuts matured. Thank goodness she had her seed packet. Some business slash vacation trip.
She never dreamed she'd be on an island stranded with a perfect stranger. She was thankful for Logan. He was nothing but a perfect gentleman. They got along great and he was a huge help. So she never did get to sale the nursery idea to the land owner on the main island. It didn't matter now. Her parents no doubt thought she was dead. Besides she hadn't wanted to come anyway to these islands for a vacation. It was another one of Betsey's idea. Just do your parents little request and have the rest of the time to relax. Right.
Ororo cut up the cleaned chicken. Good thing Logan had built the small barn. The chickens were numerous now and she made a lot of egg dishes for breakfast and lunch. Bless his heart. Logan never complained about the various ways she cooked eggs. He seemed to enjoy the deviled eggs. He even loved the eggs scrambled with cheese, poached, boiled and over easy or sunny side up. Now she was making chicken and asparagus with spicy tomato sauce.
She would serve a green salad on the side and for dessert the popcorn, chips and pretzels. Thank God she could make a ranch dressing. It sat in a sealed jar in the water keeping cool. Ororo had a knack for seasoning the chips with onion and garlic. She caramelized some sugar. She would make caramel popcorn for Logan. Add in some peanuts too. He was always hard at work on fixing things for the cabin and the barn. Even the forge was improved upon. Now he was trying leathering.
Logan had made huge large glass squares. It was a surprise for Ro. He was going to make her a bigger and better green house. One that could be enclosed when the storm season came. He was also going to make an enclosed tunnel so that when the rains came and the winds howled they would not have to venture outside to get eggs, milk, a chicken or a goat. Logan wanted to see about digging underground to store things that needed cooling. The water was okay but cooler was better for other things. He finished the last piece. He was sweating up stormy weather and needed to bath. Ororo was a genius. She even knew how to make soaps from certain plants. He loved that. He stunk.
He entered the cabin. The wooden floors he had put down looked good. The bamboo seeds Ororo planted had grown so fast it stunned Logan. He used them to cover the harder wooden floors on the ground level and even put them down over the harder wood on the second floor. All the walls were now lined with bamboo too. The stairs were now lined with them as well. They made the cabin smell fresh and like the outdoors. They looked good too brightening up the cabin.
Ororo even had several plants in the cabin now. Glass pots held them. Those jars Logan made held everything. There was ground sugar, milled flour, preserved foods and even liquid soap that Ororo made for washing clothes and washing themselves. It was peppermint smelling and good. It cleaned his body like no soap he'd ever used. He loved the smell of it in his clothes too. Logan grinned. Ro was always cooking something good as well. He inhaled. Caramel corn? Damn she was a great cook.
He made his way to the bathing area. It now sported a heavy wooden door and latch. Several handmade white cotton towels were in the room. They sat on shelves on the wall. Ororo had make a lot of them. There were stacks of them now. There was even hooks for their bathrobes she made. There was a small basket with two hand made brushes in it for scrubbing their bodies clean. They were made with different colored and shaped wooden handles.
Ororo had placed sweet smelling plants in here too. Logan had made a covered trail to the outhouse now. It made any late night runs easier but he was still looking to make it better. Ororo had several sweets plants in there now as well and made paper from the palm tree bark by thinning it to a soft sliver. Now even cotton sat in there also. Logan helped to make a toilet seat and cover with latch. He had enlarged the outhouse. It didn't feel so confining any more. It was damn near as big as the cabin.
He'd done that because Ro admitted she hated small spaces. He made sure to reinforce the outhouse as well. No animals or critters could get in. It had a window at the top with shutters and he had covered it midway with rock walls that covered the entire structure save for the newer heavier door. There were even thin vents now at the top. They were covered with netting. Ororo had placed several peppermint plants in there as well. They helped a lot.
Shelves lined the walls and Ororo even did some art work made with her plant dye and on bamboo paper. Another class she took was on how to make paper. Logan did a heavy glass bowel where water was poured for washing their hands. Ororo figured they could hook up a pipe of some sort to make the water easier to have. Logan snorted as he bathed. The two of them would make his father proud.
Ororo had weaved a large bamboo basket where Logan placed his dirty clothes. He was glad she could sew. Boxers were a God sent. Ororo made them copying his old ones. That was a bit uneasy for him. But the cotton ones she made felt good. A complete sewing kit was in those trunks. His ex had everything in those damn trunks. Small wonder he was nearly broke after her survivor kick. The trunks alone were over ten grand. Logan had flipped his lid. No surprise he wasn't put out about the billionaire. Now she could suck his bank account dry.
Logan adjusted his clean new boxers. Ororo could sew just about anything. She claimed that her parents always stated she was a busy bee. She couldn't keep still. Therefore the many classes she took in her spare time in everything. Ororo was a New Yorker and went to the new school and various other places where people could take classes like a bee took to honey. She had been going for over ten years. Logan was stunned at that. She said it took her mind off her awful love life. It made her feel like she was worth something.
Cooking, weaving, fabric making, sewing, bookmaking, candle making, pottery classes and fabric screening were just some of the classes she took because she said it kept her from feeling like Love hated her. She was happy to be busy. Thus gardening too. She grew up doing that since she was a baby. Planting seeds with her mama at six months old. Her parents had made her an expert at it. Logan smiled. Thank the sweet Lord for her parents.
He also thanked the Lord for whatever dumb assholes who had burned her. They made her into who she was. He emerged from his bath refreshed and clean. They had been keeping a record of how long they were stranded by a calendar Logan made out of wood. It was the kind where you could change out the days and months by taking out one piece and putting in the right one. Ororo had painted on the months, days, and years. She could even make paint or dye really from flowers.
Ororo was taking the chicken out of the oven. The food was done and she had already set the table. It now sported a cloth cover and the chairs had cushioned backs and seats. All stuffed with chicken feathers and cotton. Logan smiled as he helped Ororo set the dishes down on the table. The cabin looked like a home. The smell of her chicken dish and the fresh bread she made filled the place. The salad looked good. Ororo even knew how to make a creamy ranch dressing.
Making glass was also good for making glass dishes, bowels and drinking glasses. Ororo even had pitchers now. Simple in design but functional. There were even flowers on the table in a vase. Logan held Ororo's chair for her as they sat down to eat. He always did that. Ororo placed some chicken and asparagus on Logan's plate along with some fresh buttered bread and salad. He grinned as he sat it down in front of him. It smelled wonderful as they ate silently for a while. Then Ororo spoke.
"Logan do you think they all believe that we're dead?" Logan had heard this before. Both of them thought that.
"Too be honest Ro, I don't know. Maybe or maybe not. I guess it all depends on whose in charge of the search. It's been months now and I'm sure there's still somebody who has hope that we're alive." Ororo frowned.
"I remember that Tom Hanks movie where he was stranded for over two years." Logan stopped mid fork to mouth.
"Don't think about that movie. Just think good positive thoughts. What we put out we get back. That's how Karma works." Ororo grinned.
She got up and pulled out the snack treats from the stone cabinet Logan had made her. It kept cooked food from anything trying to get to it. The plants worked, but flies were right outside hovering to get in. Ororo had put more peppermint plants on the wooden sills Logan made.
"And because you work so hard I made some treats." She put them down on the table. Logan's eyes lit up. He loved Caramel corn. He really loved it with the nuts too.
"Ro you're a chef even if ya won't call yourself one or not. You can cook anything and make it taste great." Ororo smiled.
"Thank you. But you're no slouch yourself. Those steaks you grilled with the corn on the cob last week were great." Logan grinned.
Killing and skinning the wild goat he'd trapped was tough but worth it. It took Logan using a long sword type weapon he'd made and it was bloody. They ate steaks, hamburgers, after grinding the meat by hand, meat loaf, even a hamburger helper type meal with the pasta Ororo made with soy and goat cheese. It was like a macaroni and cheese hamburger thing. It was good though. Not too mention her jerk goat. He had loved it even if it took hours to cook.
Logan had loved it all. Ro was a wonder when it came to cooking. There were huge glass jars filled with all kinds of pasta. Ro even made the flavored kind that was colorful. Another reason Logan wanted an underground cooler for meats. They had to eat the meat all last week. It was hard to keep fresh. Ororo figured out out how to make jerky with the remainder and even smoked it by reading his father's book. The old animal enclosure made a great smoke house.
Another month went by and Logan shocked Ororo with the green house's much expanded new enclosure. She was thrilled. The soil plants were in a tier system with a winding stairwell and a dumbwaiter. All the plants were now in large glass pots. They all sat on sturdy heavy wooden platforms. Ororo was overcome. Logan really did know his stuff. It was amazing. Then the winds hit them. They both noticed the winds picked up as the days went by. Logan could smell the storm season coming. He made several shovels and began digging in the back of the cabin a large hole.
By the end of the month he had it big enough and built a stairwell to go down into it. He even lined the walls with bamboo and made shelves and a lantern light source. Ororo liked it. The stairwell led from the kitchen. He even put a heavy door at the bottom. The ice would be loaded from the top. Logan placed a huge iron bowel in the hole once he lined it with bamboo. The bowel was large enough to seat five robust men. Then he set to see about going to the large mountain top where he had spotted what looked like ice. Ororo though he was crazy. Logan wanted to see if they could get ice down in the hole. Ororo pointed out they really had no shoes or clothes for that.
Logan worked on making the leather. By the end of three weeks he had made a crude leather long coat with Ororo's help and some rough boots. She lined it with a long doubled cotton type bathrobe. She did the boots the same as well. Ororo told him they should see about making a shoot system of some kind. That would make it easier. Logan agreed. They worked on that together. Ororo insisting that she help to make it go faster. The weather would be changing soon. They finished the crude but sturdy wooden with iron ties shoot by week four. The winds were picking up more and the clear skies were getting cloudy.
Logan used the rope he and Ro had made to climb the mountain where his footing no longer allowed him to walk. It took him most of the day to get to the midway point and it was a lot colder then down on the ground. He ate some of the sandwich Ro had made him before going on. This was harder then he thought. He made it to the top by the late afternoon. The shoot system was on the ropes that he had attached as he walked and then climbed up here.
Up here it was colder and much to Logan's delight there was snow and thick ice. He had made himself a tool belt and had his crude ice pick. He secured the shoot after pulling up the reminder. Ororo had suggested that they make a ladder type shoot. One that could be expended and they did. She was at the bottom and had secured that end. Logan had taken a straight line up. Making his trip harder but worth it. He had secured the shoot with his iron nails. Now he picked at the hard ice and broke off several large pieces. His hands were becoming numb and he was cold. He pushed them down the shoot.
Alerting Ororo via the bell they had attached to the bottom. Ororo had the crude four wheel barrel that Logan had made weeks ago for hauling things easier. When it was full. Ororo pulled the bell. Logan would be coming down but it was growing dark. Ororo lid the lanterns that he made months ago. She had her long knife and had made a fire to help ward off any wild animals. They had lite camp before they left. They knew this would be a long day.
By the time Logan got to the bottom he was exhausted. Ororo had a small meal waiting for him and some of his beer. A large chicken pita sandwich with vegetables awaited him. Logan ate and drink gratefully. Ororo helped him as he helped her push the ice to the cabin. Once there they pushed the ice into another shoot that placed it in the bowel. It was huge and Logan covered the hole with the secured Iron top.
He was too tired to get undressed. Ororo helped him out of his wet now coat and boots and made him comfortable on the long sofa he'd made sometime ago. She covered him with a thick blanket she made. She was working on several quilts. Then she went to shutter the windows and the door. The weather was picking up. Ororo peeked out the window before pulling the shutters closed. The sky was darker.
A storm was coming. She went out to double check the barn and greenhouse. They had placed the heavy wood and iron covers onto both before the sun was up this morning. Ororo made sure the animals were alright. She secured the door. She was thankful that Logan had made rock walls around the barn. He even put in a Iron door. The animals had fresh hay, food and fresh water. The barn was warm.
The greenhouse was warm and Ororo had harvested all the ripened food yesterday. She made sure to secure the door. Then put out the iron lanterns Logan had made. Ororo's love of classes had worked wonders. She knew how to make candles too. She blew the two large lanterns out and brought them inside. No sense in having the winds throw them around. She had a feeling that the storm was going to be rough tonight. Ororo made sure she fed the fire and put another blanket on Logan before going to bed. She made sure first to secure his rooms windows and her own.
The winds were rough that night and it was loud thunder and lightening that awoke Ororo. She pulled on her long cotton shawl over her robe and walked down stairs. Logan was seated in one of the rocking chairs by the fireplace. He had made a rug from three goat skins by the fire. He was smoking one of his rare cigars. He looked up as Ororo came down the stairs.
"It's really a strong storm." Ororo spoke approaching the fire. Logan nodded.
"Similar to the one that stranded us here." Ororo nodded.
"That one was a dozzie. I never expected that we would be stranded on an island. I just expected a tour of the islands for two hours and then back to my hotel and my two shopping crazy friends." Logan exhaled.
"Hell I just expected to make some grub money that day to keep me afloat before the cruise ships came in the next day. That storm came out of nowhere." Ororo sighed.
"Sometimes I miss my life. Do you Logan?" Logan shrugged.
"To be quite honest Ro I didn't really have one. I mean I did in a way. But really I was just going through the motions. Living day by day in a tropical paradise. It's how I'd been living since my ex left and my Dad died." Ororo was speechless at hearing that.
Both sat watching the fire. The winds howled louder and the storm raged. Ororo wrapped her shawl around her tighter. Thankful that Logan had reinforced the walls and cabin when he made his tools. They sat up like that for most of the night before falling asleep on the sofa. Ororo awoke first. She was stunned by the quiet outside. She got up slowly to see that the storm had passed but it had left some damage. Several trees were down and as she looked down at the beach there appeared to be several large crates on the sand. Two were broken and there were what looked like pigs and turkeys roaming around. Some of the animals were dead. Drowned.
Logan awoke shortly after and both realized they would have to get dressed and see about herding some of the pigs and turkeys' for the barn. Logan knew he was going to have to make a bigger barn. They got three pigs and caught four turkeys. The rest of the animals ran into the heavy wooded area. In all Ororo saw about twenty pigs and turkeys. The ones that ran lose into the wild that is.
The turkeys took off like the wind when Logan and Ororo tried to catch them. They were mean birds. The pigs not so much but they could run. They were afraid of the meaner wild Billy goats though so that worked in their favor. Logan and Ororo managed to tie the pigs they caught to the barn and herded the turkeys they caught into a makeshift enclosure. They set about burning the drowned animals on the beach and cleaning what debris they could move.
Logan went to check on the outhouse and found it was still intact. Ororo had secured the barn and greenhouse. He and Ororo then checked the five crates that had washed ashore. The size indicated that they came from a large freight ship. No humans had washed ashore. Logan and Ororo walked the island to see. The island was pretty big though. No other crates or debris were found. They opened the five crates one by one. No more animals but there were clothes in one.
Ororo recognized them as stock clothes like for some department store. Male and female winter and fall wear. Coats, sweaters, heavy pants, skirts, jackets, etc. That made them stare at each other and smile. The second crate had shoes, slippers, dress shoes, sneakers, flip-flops, work shoes even boots. Logan and Ororo stared at each other. This was weird. They had all sizes for men and women even kids. The third crate had of all things books and paper products. Ororo hooted.
Among them were female products. Cases of them. She was overjoyed. The crate was sent from Heaven. No more cotton batting. That was uncomfortable. Then there were pens, pencils, notebooks and paper. Logan grinned. Even art supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, paper napkins and books. The books were good to. Several best sellers and classics. Even how-to books. A lot of books.
The fourth crate had snack foods and breakfast stuff. Like cereal, oatmeal, yeast, coffee, tea, grits, cookies, candies. Ororo screamed when she found chocolate. Logan laughed. There was even cigars among the bounty. Logan couldn't wipe the grin off his face. The fifth and last crate had nothing but men and women's underwear. Boxers, panty and bra sets along with socks, tights, long johns, hats and gloves for both men and women. Logan grinned. Ororo did too.
It took them all day to get everything put away. Logan went to work making bamboo dressers and wardrobe's for the clothes. That took several weeks. He made bamboo cabinets for the kitchen area. Basically he used a heavier wood and covered them with the bamboo. Ororo was overwhelmed. She had overhead cabinets like a real kitchen. It made the cabin look like a home. He made book shelves too and a desk for them both to use. The books were greatly loved the two could read now after dinner and relax. The pigs were great Logan gutted one and cut up the meat after they fattened him up. Ororo smoked it in the reused old animal enclosure.
She and Logan had made it stronger and thicker and placed in several plants, woods and flowers that made smoking meat taste better. They had so much meat from fattening up the pig that they put most of it in the cooler below ground. Even one of the turkey's was huge. He could barely walk. He had been fattened up so well. The animals never turned down fresh fruit and veggies. His meat was smoked as well. The cooler stayed cool. Logan was pleased. The hard ice was still hard. It would melt slowly so Logan wanted to get more and load up the hole.
Ororo agreed. They did that two days later. Ororo had the idea of putting foot and hand holes in the spots where Logan had climbed before. He made them out of iron and embedded them in the same route he took before. He also put in iron rail holds to pull himself up faster and get down quicker. It took less time then last time but the wheeled barrel had more ice. It took the two of them to haul it slowly. It went down into the hole. They would get more in two more days. Logan and Ororo arranged it into several more large bowels Logan had made to fill up their new cooler. Already Logan's beer and Ororo's milk, eggs, fruit juice and water bottles sat down there.
Before the end of the month they had the ice filled down there. You had to don one of the winter coats to enter it and Ororo loved it. She stored extra bread wrapped in clean boiled palm leaves down there. She had ice cold milk for the large amount of cereal they had now. Ororo even made ice cream. She had shown Logan how to make a spinning churner. It was great for making ice cream.
He even did a large model to help with washing the clothes. That one Ororo didn't have to spin as hard. It had two ways to spin. She loved that. No more hand washing clothes. While Logan was over the moon when she made chocolate ice cream with nuts. He was in seventh heaven eating bowels of it each night. Both of them enjoyed it with some cookies. The crate had Oreo's, Chipperoos, and several other brands. They even had snack cakes. Ororo and Logan loved those. Logan found out Ro's birthday was coming up. It was around the seventh month mark they were on the island.
He made her a large mirror from the glass and coated it with a paint mixture that his father described in the book. He even made a frame for it from iron. He then told her he was cooking tonight. Ororo was stunned but sat in her chair and finished sewing some more quilts. Instead of burning the rags that they used to have for clothes she made them and the older sheets into quilts. The turkey, cotton, and chicken feathers helped to stuff them. Logan had expanded the greenhouse and the barn. Ororo had quite a garden and the animals were growing too.
Logan made a baked ham with tangerine and orange slices on it with cloves. Ororo's spices were through out the kitchen area on the long shelves Logan had made for her. He cooked some macaroni and cheese. He used the product cheese. He liked the taste of cheddar. He noted Ororo did too. She loved to snack on the cheese snacks that came from the crate. He also made a big pantry for them to store all the store products that came from the crate. In there were some canned goods too.
Logan pulled out some beans that were cooked slowly on the stove in a large iron pot. He put in the spices his late mother had taught him. He loved it that Ro made catsup and put some in with the sugar. He let it simmer and checked on the macaroni and cheese. Then he began to make the biscuits. Logan had made a smooth glass counter top big and huge for Ororo to make her baked goods on. It was perfect for making them. Logan rolled out his biscuits. Luckily yeast packets in a large cellophane wrapped package were in that crate as well. Not surprising considering they were walk in crates. Huge. Logan made yeast biscuits. Placing the unused dough in the cooler.
He checked on the ham basting it with a large spoon. His mac and cheese was done. He pulled it out. He was proud of the thick tempered glass cookware he made as well as the iron pots, pans and the deep roasting pan and cover. The glass cookware was perfect for cooking the mac. and cheese. Ororo peeked up from her sewing and smiled. Logan's dinner smelled great. Logan went to the cooler and broke off some ice. He had hidden some packets of Kool-Aid from Ororo and made a cherry one with the cane sugar they had ground into a refined powder via the small mill. The large glass pitchers he had made came in handy. He placed it on the table making Ro look up.
"What's That?" She asked from her chair. Logan grinned.
"Cherry Kool-aide." Ororo frowned.
"I didn't see any of that in any of the crates." Logan grinned. Ro smiled.
"You are devious Logan." Ororo smirked as she walked over. Logan poured her a glass.
"Happy birthday Ro." Ororo grinned. She saluted him as they drink together.
They ate the meal Logan made happily telling jokes about how many times Ororo fell in the mud trying to get the male pig away from the female so she could change out the hay. Ororo had tried four times to get the male out of the pen. He was big and stubborn. The female was pregnant. The turkeys even made Logan crazy. Proud and mean birds. The gobbled at him flapping their wings when he tried to change out their hay. They pecked at him non-stop. The goats and the chickens just stared at them. It was like Ororo and Logan were the show. Ororo had to bathe three times to get clean. Logan had to follow her.
They could laugh about it now. But earlier today not so much. Logan was making iron pipes to extend to the barn and greenhouse. Both had noticed the air was cooler. They were thankful for the coats, shoes, socks, underwear and clothes from the crates. Ororo even altered any clothes that were too big or small for them both. She couldn't do the shoes. Logan put those that were too big or small like for kids in the now empty trunks.
They were stacked in the back of the cabin. They made great storage places. Logan still did his leather work. The skin from the killed pig made for great aprons for the forge. There were still wild turkeys and pigs roaming the island. They were getting bigger. Even meaner. They both had to carry the long knifes Logan had forged when leaving the camp. Logan remembered the wild hogs in Alberta and started making iron fences to enclose the camp. As well as for the trail to the out house.
Ororo had to help him place them. They were heavy and thick. He beat them into the ground so that it would take a lot to knock them down. The pipes had taken another three weeks. The air got even cooler which shocked both Ororo and Logan. They hooked up the pipes and contacted them to an extension to the main fireplace. Logan had built two smaller fireplaces for their bedrooms upstairs. The chimney was a large tall iron pipe.
They even managed to place the last pipe to the out house to keep it warm. That pipe they buried. The ones for the barn and greenhouse they had placed along the ground by the cabin. They were placed in such a way that you would not notice them. They were hooked up to a cut opening sealed at he bottom of both the barn and greenhouse. They used cotton fabric, left over fabric from the trunks and Iron to seal the openings. It took Ororo and Logan three days to finish. They did a lot of work on this island.
Logan had the idea to kill more meat. He had an uneasy feeling about a cold front coming. Ororo was silent at first then agreed. She felt like she did as a child right before it snowed. Logan smirked. It didn't snow in this area of the world. But right after the two had trapped and killed two goats, five chickens, three turkeys and one large mean male pig. They didn't want to do that ever again. It took two days to trap and kill him. A whole week for all the kills plus plucking and skinning. It snowed. Ororo was dumbfounded. Logan was shocked. They stared out the window of the cabin. It was snowing.
Light at first then heavier as the day wore on. The wildlife on the island had retreated to caves to escape the cold and wet snow. It was as if it shocked them too. Even the birds took cover and left the trees. All the wildlife left for cover from the cold and wet snow. Ororo sat amazed. Logan went to check on the barn and the fence. He had left up the old wooden fence and used the Iron one to cover the front of it. The iron one was taller and would provide more security. The spikes remained. He made it to come up to at least six feet. He wasn't taking any chances with wild animals on the island.
Then he checked on the outhouse and the trail. It would turn to ice tonight if this kept up. Logan adjusted the enclosure that covered the trail and put down sand. The wooden poles and the iron ties were holding. The bamboo and wood he used was okay. He needed to coat the trail now with sand. He had a mass of it in the forge and had bagged it in pillow cases that Ororo made reinforced for him.
Logan had shoveled most of the snow that had come through cracks in the wood enclosure and packed them with cotton stuffing. He then cleared the front of the cabin and the trails to the barn and greenhouse. Ororo was making sure enough food and water was there for the animals and made sure the fruit and veggies could survive the colder night. Luckily she and Logan had plugged all cracks in the wood. They'd used the vast amount of cotton batting they had. Logan checked the glass which was now covered by reinforced wood covers.
The greenhouse was warm. They kept the fire going in the cabin. That warmed them and the three structures getting the extra heat from the pipe system. Even the out house, thanks to Ororo putting up blankets on the walls tacked to them, was warmer. She even covered her mulch pit. Logan had made a big enclosed wooden structure on a spit that Ororo could crank with little effort. It too was in a secured area and enclosed. The fencing and spiked poles protected it too. The wild pigs and other animals were a danger. Ororo made sure it didn't freeze. It was covered with heavy blankets and some old tarp that was in the crates. They had learned to waste nothing.
Logan covered the smoke house. It was cold now. He covered it in additional tarp that they had and wrapped it tight. The forge was okay. It had Iron and rock walls covering most of it. Logan made sure to seal it tight. He came back to the cabin with Ro following. She had a basket of eggs. Logan helped her inside. He'd cleared and sanded the steps and porch again.
Ororo fed the fire when they came inside. Logan kept extra wood in the back near the trunks. They had more then enough for this storm to pass. The cooler had additional ice. Logan had placed three large bowels of water outside to freeze and then slide them into the bowels in the cooler. The eggs he put in there save for a few. He grabbed some bacon, bread, and milk. Bringing them back up the stairway to the kitchen. Ororo was drying off their coats by the fire. Their boots by the front door in a shoe cubby he'd made. She went to her spinning wheel and spun more cotton after washing up.
Logan washed his hands and cut up the bacon, bread and cracked the eggs into a bowel. Ororo had vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg spices growing. He even loved how she made cooking oil from soybean. The butter, milk and cheese wasn't bad either. He found he liked soybean burgers especially when mixed with fruit and vegetables. They tasted great. He set about making French toast with bacon. He loved it that they had a whole case of Hershey's pure chocolate. He put up a pot and poured more milk in. He pulled out two thick glass mugs he made. They were big and thick with iron handles and rims. He fashioned them after beer mugs.
He added sugar, a touch of cinnamon, the powdered chocolate, some vanilla and mixed them together. He had the thick slices of bread soaking in his French toast mixture. He placed them on the buttered grill along side the bacon. Ororo looked up from her spinning. Logan was becoming very good at cooking. She grinned. She had even weaved some thick but crude rugs for the cabin. Some covered the walls making the place warmer. Ororo looked around at the cabin. This was more home to her now then the apartment she owned in New York. No doubt her parents were resigned to the fact that she was dead or just MIA. Ororo sighed deeply. There was nothing she could do.
Logan heard the sigh Ororo let out. He had one more surprise for her. He finished off the meal. Then went to the stone cabinet and pulled out a birthday cake. He placed in the three skinny candles that he made and lit them. Ororo looked up gasping when she saw Logan walk over to the table to set down the birthday cake.
"Logan. You made me a cake. My birthday passed already." Logan grinned.
"I know but I forgot the cake. Hope you like it. It's just vanilla with a cream filling and I made the icing from reading the cookbooks that are on the shelf." Ororo grinned.
Logan helped her to her seat at the table. He had already set the table. He brought over the food that was set on one of the heavy glass platters he had made. He covered the meal with it's glass cover. He wanted Ro to make her wish first.
"Go on now. Make your wish." Ororo smiled. Then she closed her eyes and blew out the candles.
"Now we eat our meal first, then some cake and ice cream." Logan grinned. Ororo smiled.
They served up the French toast and bacon. Digging into them with the syrup. Logan was improving with his cooking. The food was amazing to Ororo. He did an excellent job. She loved the mirror he'd made her. He had attached it to the wall above her dresser and with the small chair in front. Ororo had a vanity to fix her hair and clothes by. She loved it. The frame was very elaborate. More so then anything Logan had built so far. He had really gone all out for her. That flattered her feminine side.
"You know I'm kinda glad to be stranded with you." Logan nearly choked on his bacon.
"Ro ya feeling alright?" Ororo smiled.
"I feel fine." She kissed him on the cheek. Logan actually blushed.
"Ro." Was all he managed to get out as Ororo hugged him.
"Thank you. Thank you for being such a wonderful person. Without you I would have lost my mind." Logan hugged her back.
"I could say the same for you too Ro. You're a God sent. You have no idea how much you're worth. You're priceless." Ororo hugged him tighter.
The two embraced and kissed each others cheeks like that for a while. Then they finished their meal and even ate some cake and ice cream later on. Ororo and Logan both rested by the fire as the snow and cold continued. Logan sat reading a book on solar energy. Ororo sat comfortably near him leaning on his broad shoulders reading another book on art work. After a while Ororo felt asleep. Logan grabbed one of the quilts that Ororo had as a throw on the sofa and wrapped it around her. Logan grinned. Ro was happy to be with him. He was glad for her too. He threw more wood on the fire. Then he sat happily watching the snow through one opened shutter. Then he fell asleep too.
When Ororo awoke she was amazed to see that she was laying on top of Logan. He was stretched out on the sofa. He slept soundly. She smiled. He was sleeping peacefully. She looked at the fireplace. Logan had remembered to put more wood in the fire. Ororo got up slowly. She did not want to wake him. She placed the quilt on him and went to add more wood. Ororo peeked out the glass enclosed window. Logan had left one shutter open. She looked at the white covered island. The barn and the greenhouse had little snow on them. No doubt the heat was melting the snow. Even the ground where the pipes were placed was snow free. Everything around it was snow covered through. It looked and felt cold.
Ororo figured it had to be about four inches. She looked out at the out house. It too looked like less snow then on the forge and smokehouse. Ororo grinned. She was happy that she had gone fishing several days ago. Bagging fish, shrimp and crabs with her nets. Ororo had all the seafood frozen in the cooler. It was quiet and peaceful. In truth it almost reminded her of Christmas in New York. Halloween was coming up. Ororo wanted her and Logan to have a Thanksgiving feast and a Christmas. She was already thinking what to make him for a present. She went to her room to get clean clothes and then bathe.
Logan awoke sometime later to find the quilts on him. He heard Ororo in the hot springs and went to go up stairs. He needed to bathe after her. He grabbed clean clothes and his shaving kit. He liked having a smooth face since he'd been stranded on the island. His formerly unruly mutton chops were now kept trim and neat. He liked them this way. He now made his replacement blades from iron. Besides he wanted to feel it if Ororo kissed him again.
Soon enough Logan heard Ororo leaving the bath. He headed down and went inside. He heard Ororo in the storage area in the back of the cabin. Logan went to bathe. Ororo turned her head as she came out of the storage area. Logan went to bathe she figured. She then headed upstairs with the package she took out of one of the many trunks. This one she had dismissed earlier now she needed to use it. Ororo sat at her vanity and rolled her hair with the curlers.
At least while wet her hair should dry with some curl. She wanted to look a little different. She had been wearing her hair in a ponytail for to long. It had grown down to her waist and she wanted a different look. Ororo wanted a change. She stood back from her mirror and checked out her figure. She had merely grabbed fresh underwear and her robe to change into after bathing. Thank God she knew how to sew a bra. She was busty but always wore bust reducing bras. She luckily had been able to copy her bra and make copies. All with reinforced cotton batting.
They were comfortable if not that attractive. Ororo would work on them. The bras in the crate were too small. She had put on her coconut butter, shea butter and aloe Vera cream mixture. She studied herself in the mirror now. She looked younger, healthier, and a lot more toned and fit. She had muscle definition where she didn't before. All these months on the island working with Logan had done wonders for her shape. Eating well and working like they had was a boon to her already fit figure. Ororo smiled. Her skin was darker and healthier looking as well.
She even noticed Logan looked better too. When she had first seen him he had a slight beer belly. He had a three week old beard. It made him look rough and gruff, mean almost. Those mutton chops looked wild. He also looked slightly unkempt and half asleep. His skin looked very uneven, muddy and unhealthy. Now he was trim, lean and very muscled.
His already tanned skin was darker now. It made Logan appear more robust. His face was always clean shaven with the mutton chops trimmed. He was also bright eyed and bushy tailed. He was very attractive without the hair all over his face. Ororo knew he was looking good when she saw him three months ago chopping fire wood. He was without a shirt on and she'd stopped what she was doing to watch him open mouthed from her garden.
The muscles just rippled on his board back and huge developed arms. He had muscles that were cut and smooth across his broad back that stood out. She actually stood still for some time with her mouth open like some teenager. Ororo had to make herself stop staring and get back to her garden. It was getting harder and harder not to notice how Logan looked damn good now. He had been chopping wood for hours that day. He had filled up half the storage room with cut wood all in that one day. It was as if he were frustrated and needed to keep busy.
Ororo hadn't been in a relationship for a while. It was hard not to notice him but she didn't want to upset the relationship they had. Things were running smoothly between them. No sense messing things up. She had to keep busy herself to prevent any problems between them. He was good looking she knew that. She went back to her gardening, cooking, sewing, weaving and other things. Ororo sighed. Hell even Betsey would be trying to get to him. She shook her head and fanned her hair trying to dry it faster and forget how muscled Logan's body was.
