The trees flanking either side of the dirt road had become more dense and thick, and completely shaded the road, creating a spooky effect that made both Julia and Lara feel a little less comfortable.
"I don't like this." Julia said.
"I wonder how far we've walked?" Lara asked.
"I don't know. I hope we find something soon."
The ground was more wet and muddy through this area. The girls walked just off the road, over a more firm bed of oak leaves, though having to hop and jump over puddles of water. Another fifteen minutes of walking, the road turned into a small wooden bridge, about fifteen feet in length, crossing over a stream. They stopped to look up and down the stream to see what they could see, but in either direction there wasn't any sign of a residence or structure or anything.
At the other end of the bridge, Lara spotted a pathway that led down the stream bed. She walked towards it, and sat her bag of cookies on the ground. Then she climbed down to the stream bed, and dipped her toe into the running water.
"It's really cold!" She said.
Lara carefully brought both feet into the stream, balancing herself on some smooth, polished rocks below the water's surface. She reached down to wash the caked, and dried mud from her ankles.
Julia remained standing at the end of the bridge, watching.
Rays of sunlight broke through Lara's hair, giving it a golden glow, while a dragonfly hovered over her. The water was indeed cold, but it felt quite good, mostly because this is what Lara envisioned for herself, in Nature, in the way Nature intended her.
Julia saw the same free-spirited nymph back at the car. This time, frolicking in the water seemed more feminine. Lara looked like someone happy, radiating a kind spirit ready to love someone. Julia pulled out her cellphone to snap a photo of her reaching down to splash the cool water on her legs. Lara stood back up and looked upstream, while taking note of other stepping stones to balance herself on.
She walked further into the water, and took a few steps away from the bridge.
"Hey, where are you going?" Julia asked.
Lara spotted an area in the stream where she could sit herself down and bathe.
"Wouldn't it be nice to lay in the water?" She replied.
"Are you serious? It's freaking cold!" Julia answered.
Lara was cold too, but the thought of her being nude the woods, and bathing in a stream, seemed so idyllic. She wanted to try it.
"Come on! We have to get some help!" Julia reminded her.
Lara stopped and turned to look at Julia.
"OK", she answered, and carefully walked back out of the stream.
"This is so beautiful isn't it? Lara asked.
"Yeah, it is."
Lara picked up her bag of cookies, and the two girls continued down the road.
