Locked Down: A Family Matters Story

It began as a whisper, a rumor that a surprise order was announced for everyone to shelter in place. Some people said there’d been a terrorist attack or some sort of natural disaster, but no one knew the truth.

People were completely unprepared when the military showed up to force everyone back into their homes. No one was permitted to go out; convoys rolled along the streets, day and night, enforcing a twenty-four curfew. Some supplies were delivered to the isolated residents, offering a much-needed lifeline, but the citizens were trapped, completely cut off from the world.

There were protests, of course—some people were brave enough to gather and march in the streets, demanding answers for their fate. The first gathering was countered with a frightening show of military might as protesters were arrested or taken away with no explanation. The rest were forcibly returned to their homes, trapped, left to wonder…and to wait.

Ashley heard the sound of loudspeakers and rolled over in bed to look out the window of the small guest room of her father’s apartment. There was a tree outside, dark and tall with thick, green leaves, and she could see the street outside if she squinted and stared through the branches.

The two-lane road in front of the apartment building was a narrow strip of pale gray and, after a few moments, she spotted several vehicles roll past. A soldier in fatigues was visible, seated in a gunner’s nest on top; Ashley couldn’t see his face, but caught a glimpse of his helmet and a thick gas mask over his face.

More vehicles passed by, loaded with soldiers. A loud voice broke the quiet of the morning over a loudspeaker, a recording she’d heard dozens of times before: “REMAIN IN YOUR HOMES. A QUARANTINE HAS BEEN ORDERED FOR THIS AREA. DO NOT OPEN YOUR WINDOWS. A DELIVERY OF SUPPLIES WILL ARRIVE AT APPROXIMATELY…” The voice became distorted as the convoy rolled further away and out of sight.

She sighed and sat up, pushing the thin sheet off. It was only morning, but the heat was oppressive, enough that sweat beaded on her brow and slid down her bare back. Ashley swiped her hands under her breasts, wicking the moisture away. She felt sticky all over, from head to toe.

It’d been three weeks since she found herself stuck at her Dad’s place. She was only there for a visit when the curfew order was announced, and ever since then, they’d been locked in his apartment with no way to leave. No one was permitted to go in or come out; anyone who broke curfew would be arrested. Electricity was intermittent, but at least they still had running water. The boxed food delivered to the front door was bland and tasteless, but at least they weren’t starving.

Ashley’s twenty-third birthday was coming. It was the most depressing lead up to a birthday that she could ever remember.

After rubbing her moist face with both hands, Ashley stood up. The tree outside shook and shuddered in a strong breeze, but she didn’t dare to open the window. Instead, she rummaged through a drawer by the bed and pulled out a thin chemise, then slipped it over her head. The cloth was short, a bit of lace and cotton with thin straps over her shoulders and that only stopped at her thighs, but any covering had to compromise with comfort in that stuffy place. Ashley checked herself in the bedroom mirror, gave a slight tug to the hem of her garment, fluffed her chestnut hair. Then she went to find Daddy.

She passed down a narrow hallway past the front door. It was locked, but several papers lay on the floor that had been pushed through the letter slot, all of them repeating the convoy’s message: it was forbidden to go outside, and further instructions would be coming soon. No instructions ever came, however.

Daddy was in the living room, looking out the window. The side yard was lush and green, with overgrown grass and hedges badly in need of a trimming. That wasn’t the first thing Ashley noticed, however: her father was dressed in a pair of loose shorts, and his neck and shoulders were already gleaming with a thin sheen of sweat. The shorts hung low over his hips; the topmost crack of his ass was visible.

Ashley hesitated in the doorway. Being trapped indoors together for so long was starting to take a toll on both of them. Her parents had divorced after Ashley graduated high school, which meant she could visit him as she pleased—before the emergency, anyway. Now father and daughter were stuck living together, and it appeared that they would be stuck with each other for a long time to come.

“Did you sleep well?” Daddy asked, still staring out the window. He didn’t turn around, and Ashley could see his face in the reflection.

“Yes, thank you.” Ashley lingered for a moment, then came up with a soft peck on his cheek. “Good morning,” she said with a smile.

“Morning.” Daddy smiled, then turned back to the window with a sigh. “The poor lawn.”

“Aw, I’m sorry.” Ashley reached out to squeeze his arm. “I’m sure they’ll get it all cleaned up when this is all over.”

“Whenever that is.” Daddy shook his head. “I’m sorry you ended up stuck here with me.”

“Dad, you don’t have to keep apologizing, honest!” Ashley took a step back as he turned to look at her. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Have you heard from anyone?”

“Have you?” Ashley shook her head, tried to ignore another line of sweat that trickled down her back. “My phone hasn’t worked since I got here. I stopped bothering to check. Everyone must be worried sick.”

“Mm-hm.” He sniffed and ran a hand through his sweat-damp, graying hair. “What shall we do today, then? Another board game?”

Ashley rolled her eyes. “Oh, please Dad, we’ve been through them all twice already.”

“That’s fair. Well…how about we wash up before an early lunch?” Daddy motioned towards his bedroom.

Something warm and prickly woke up from where it resided in Ashley’s lower tummy. Ever since electricity service had gone out, the air conditioning was down, too. Water service was spotty and rationed, so it made logical sense to bathe together…but logic mattered very little when other distractions arose.

“I think…that sounds nice.” Ashley swallowed when Daddy took her hand and followed him through the apartment. With only natural light to brighten the house, they passed by hot, bright windows and into cool, deep pools of shade. It was already eerily quiet at that hour of the day, but her father’s breathing was louder and deeper than normal.

The master bedroom was the biggest room in the apartment, and rather messy after weeks of them being locked up inside. The bed was clean but unkempt; clothes were in piles, most too warm to wear on those hot, steamy days. A tall mirror hung on the wall behind the bed, and Ashley stared at her reflection as they passed through.

The apartment’s only bathroom was dark. It had a wide window, but a heavy curtain blocked out most of the light, leaving the room in a hazy twilight. Ashley watched Daddy untie his shorts and drop them to the floor, then he opened the glass door and gestured her to step in. He made no effort to cover himself, and his cock hung down, swollen and thick between his legs. He kept the curls between his legs cut very short, just like Ashley—they were two parts of a matching pair.

Showering together had been Ashley’s idea, since there was only so much water to go around. But as their time together lengthened, it got harder and harder to share the shower without a touch here or a glimpse there. It also got harder to resist what was becoming a very tantalizing temptation. They soon came to an arrangement, a way to handle having to share a hot, cramped apartment and a small shower stall without going too far…at least, that was what Ashley told herself.

Ashley’s belly was hot by that point, and the prickly pressure trapped between her legs was strong enough to leave an ache. She held Daddy’s eyes while pulling the chemise up over her head, then left it in a damp pile atop his shorts as she stepped into the shower with him. The shower was just large enough for two people, but still cramped enough that it was impossible not to touch each other. Ashley set her hands on Daddy’s back and rested her cheek there, soaking in his presence as he turned the water on. It came out cool and she shivered, but not from the chill.

“Daddy?” Her voice came out softer than she’d intended. Smaller. Uncertain.

“Yes?” Daddy’s voice changed too, the same way it always did when they were showering—it got darker, heavier. Hungrier. “What is it?” he asked as he turned around, devouring her with his eyes, shining in the dark.

It took Ashley a moment to find her voice. While she searched for it, she watched Daddy aim the shower head away, then take one of the small bottles labeled LIQUID SOAP in his hands, squeezing out a thick glob before rubbing the suds across his naked body. “Are… Are you still okay with us doing this?”

“Us doing what?” Daddy asked as he stared down at her. The soap turned to fluffy suds, thick and white, and smelled faintly of vanilla as he smeared them across his arms and chest and belly. The sight made Ashley’s mouth go dry.

“This, Daddy: dressing like this, bathing like this, being together…like this…” Ashley’s voice became warmer, softer as her father reached out and began to slide his slippery hands across her neck and shoulders, then further down over more of her moist flesh. His fingers slid across her breasts and tight nipples; they rubbed over her soft tummy, her wide hips, her clenched thighs.

“Sweetie, like you said: it’s too hot inside to wear proper clothes. Until the electricity comes back, there’s no A/C or hot water. We also need to conserve the water we have…so what we’re doing is just common sense.”