Ch. 61: Back On the Run

"Shit!" Lara whispered. "We gotta get out of here!"

Lara and Julia got and up and found the path up the rocks and up to the top of the waterfall, and hid behind a bush to get a better look at the men.

"You think it's those detectives?" Julia asked.

"I don't know, probably."

Once the men walked in front of the cabin, they got a better look at them. They were both wearing dark-colored button shirts and slacks. They both went into the cabin, and then minutes later emerged. They stood by the water's edge and scanned the area. One of them bent down to pick something up. It was a dandelion root that Lara had plucked and eaten off the leaves.

One man appeared to be talking into a cellphone, while the other man started walking towards the waterfall.

"I think we should go now!" Lara said.

And the two girls bent over and walked away, trying to keep a low profile, until they got enough distance that they righted themselves and sped up to a run.

"Oww!" Julia yelled, as she began hopping, and then stopped by a tree holding one of her feet.

Lara stopped and turned around. "Julia!" she said, running back to see what was the matter.

"I stepped on something sharp, I think it was a piece of wood".

Her foot looked OK.

"Can you walk on it?" Lara asked.

"Yeah, I'm OK." Julia answered. "Come on, let's go."

Lara led the way, but maintained a slower run.

About twenty minutes later, they found the area becoming less wooded, and the ground become more rocky. They had to slow down to a walk, carefully avoiding the jagged rocks. They came to the ledge of a cliff, and caught the view of a valley and saw endless miles of wooded forest and hills.

They continued to walk along the ledge at a more casual pace.

"Lara!" Julia spoke. "I think I need to stop and rest."

Lara stopped and waited for Julia. Julia hunched over and put her hands on her knees and looked down. Then she stood back up and showed an expression of exhaustion and weakness in her legs. They had ran and hiked for about forty minutes.

"I can't keep going!" Julia said. "My feet hurt!"

Lara stood by the ledge looking out across the miles of thick wooded forest below.

"I don't want to go those men, Julia." Lara spoke.

"I know that." Julia answered, opting to sit down. "But, what are we going to do? I mean, how long can we keep running?"

Lara crouched down beside Julia.

"We'll lose them. Don't worry." Lara assured. "We just have to get somewhere deep into the thick part of the woods."

"OK." Julia replied, starting to calm down from the exhaustion. "I'm not going to give up either!"

"Good, because I'm not leaving you Julia, ever!" Lara looked straight into Julia's eyes. "You hear me? I'm never leaving you ever! We are going to do this!"

Lara turned back around and looked at the valley. She stood up to get another good look.

"I think we should find a way down into that valley." She said. "The tree cover looks thick enough that I don't think they'll find us."

Lara waited for an answer from Julia, but Julia didn't respond.

"How are your feet?" Lara asked.

"They hurt."

"Let me look at them." Lara asked.

She crouched down.

"Your blisters are getting worse. We gotta find a place where we can rest for a few days and let these heal."

Julia squinted her eyes under the pain.

"We gotta down into that valley. They'll spot us up here easily."

Julia cried under the realization. But, she slowly lifted herself up.

Ch. 60: A Feeling Like No Other

It seemed the tables had been switched.

Julia now found herself in the driver's seat, at least when it came intimate moments with Lara. She had opened the Pandora's Box inside her, and now she was unable to close it. For the first time, she fully witnessed Lara's uncontrollable submission and need for sexual fulfillment in those moments.

For Lara, this felt much different, more intense, more hot. The touch of Julia's fingers against her clitoris, across her vagina, in that rhythmic motion, instantly lit her fuse. It was like an itch that when scratched, only wanted to be scratched more. Julia had offered a unique combination of a taller girl, though still slender, but clearly more passionate and driven, along with someone that Lara truly loved and cherished.

Julia was in utter amazement at Lara's reaction. For one, she had never touched a girl, or anyone for that matter. But she was in awe at how much power she could wield from her fingers. She was beginning to understand Teresa better. Watching Lara's movements and listening to her whines and cries, at her own touch, put her in disbelief that she could deliver so much sexual energy.

Up until now, Julia never considered love with another girl. She had always known Lara as a lesbian, but that didn't matter to her. It was because she knew Lara since kindergarten, she saw her as someone who was a part of her. Lara and Julia had been attracted to each other from the very beginning. In the last few years of high school, the hard Christian upbringing she received from her parents slowly chipped away through her visits with Lara. Lara routinely said "I love you" to her, often times in a humorous way, or in a casual way, but sometimes in a very intimate way. Eventually, Julia grew to accept those words, and eventually found herself reciting them to Lara.

Lara had never felt anything like this before either. Being touched by Julia in her most intimate place created a sensation that felt much more powerful than she ever felt with Teresa. It was a genuine feeling of love built over their years of friendship. Not only did Lara love Julia so genuinely, but she knew Julia loved her genuinely as well.

Lara looked at Julia's eyes while the two were huddled in the waterfall, seated in the pool. Julia reached in for a deep kiss, placing her hand on Lara's head. The two kissed for what seemed like minutes. When they finished, Lara looked into Julia's eyes again.

"I'm all yours Julia."

Julia smiled. "I'm all yours too!" She giggled.

Julia looked beyond Lara's face, beyond the other side of the lake, and noticed something moving in the distance. She kept her stare to see what it was. Lara turned her head in the same direction. They could see a couple of men walking through the trees, approaching the cabin from across the lake.

Ch. 59: A Waiting Game

Julia placed her hand on Lara's shoulder and pecked away at her lips. Lara giggled at every opportunity. But there was a sense of determination in Julia. She had never kissed anyone in such a lustful way.

Sexual tension had built itself up within Julia over the years when she spent time watching Lara's carefree nudity and listened to her accounts of sex with Teresa. Lara's hadn't realized that all this time, Julia was becoming sexually charged in her visits with her. Lara had been Julia's escape from the rigid Christian upbringing of her parents.

Julia pushed herself up against Lara, while Lara slowly back-stepped until her back was up against the moss-laden wall of the waterfall. Julia put both hands on Lara's shoulders and continued to dig into her mouth.

The feeling of aggression Lara felt from Julia stirred up the submission in her. She hadn't just brought out a little girl in Julia, but a hungry young woman who now wanted sex.

Lara lifted her right hand and placed it on Julia's side while Julia pressed her body up against hers. Lara could no longer match Julia's passion, nor her taller, more womanly looking body. Julia's mouth was as wide open she could make it, pressing it hard against Lara's mouth, and driving her tongue deep inside. Lara's began whining helplessly under Julia's heavy kissing, and found herself slipping away into submission.

All that Julia knew how to do was from what she saw in the several PG-rated movies her parents allowed to her to see. She kissed deeply and passionately, used her hands to squeeze Lara's breasts, and even run her fingers in between her labia.

Still, Julia didn't know how to read Lara's submission. She wasn't sure if Lara was no longer participating or still concerned about having sex together.

Julia pulled away for a moment, and looked at Lara for a reaction. Lara looked into Julia's eyes and made an expression suggesting she wanted more. The two held their stares for a few seconds, then Lara giggled slightly. Julia giggled as well.

The two waited for each other, breathing heavily, trying to catch their breaths. But Lara was just as much waiting for Julia to continue. Julia smiled and giggled again, then reclined against the mossy green rock wall of the waterfall with Lara.

"Hey!" Lara replied, and reached for Julia's hand, to pull her closer.

Julia turned her body towards her. Lara placed Julia's hand to her labia.

Julia felt a prickly growth of stubble from the past week, but against a very soft, delicate, and wet clitoris. Julia found herself overwhelmed, and in utter amazement at what Lara was wanting.

Lara looked into Julia's eyes with a smile, and nodded her head in approval.

"Uhh!" Lara gasped, as Julia explored her clitoris.

The intensity level was much higher than what she had ever felt before, even more than with Teresa. Just from the initial touches of Julia's fingers, Lara was caught off guard.

"Ahh!" Lara whined and cried. 

Julia removed her hand out of concern, but Lara quickly grabbed it and placed it back on her clitoris. Julia began rubbing, in the same way that she had often done on herself.

Lara drew her legs in closer, anticipating an orgasm. Julia continued to rub, amazed at what she was witnessing. 

And just like that, Lara began tightening up, pulling her legs closed and heaving forward. 

"Ohh!" She began to wail and cry.

Lara finally had to move Julia's hand away. She continued to buck and heave against the moss-laden rock of the waterfall. Her legs trembled and she slowly crouched down, all the way down into a seated position. Julia sat down with her.

Breathing heavily, Lara leaned her head into Julia. Julia responded by wrapping her arms around her.

Ch. 58: A Morning Shower

Julia opened her eyes and found herself laying on her side, looking at a covering of branches and leaves. She cast them aside and allowed the cool morning air to awaken her senses.

Lara awoke amidst the rumbling of branches and leaves, and found herself on her side facing the opposite direction.

Julia began to feel itchy all over. The branches and leaves and oozed tiny amounts of sap and moisture that settled on her skin. As she rubbed, it felt sticky, like molasses.

"Eww!" she exlaimined. "I'm sticky all over!"

Lara opened her eyes for moments, then closed them again, and repeated the process, trying to collect herself.

Julia stood up, trying to rub the stickiness off of her. "Gross!" she sounded. "This stiff is all over me!"

Lara finally cast aside the branches and leaves, slowly sat up and held her head. "What time is it?"

"I don't know!" Julia answered, more concerned about the stickiness on her skin.

"Eww. I'm sticky all over too." Lara remarked.

"Uhh! Tell me about it!" Julia answered.

Several minutes later, the girls had wandered out to the waterfall and managed to brave the cold water for a morning shower. Julia's skin was pocked with goose bumps as she stood by the waterfall with her arms folded while Lara rubbed the stickiness off her back.

"I think I got it all off now." She remarked.

"Here, let me do your back." Julia asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Lara said, taking another douse under the waterfall and pulling her hair back.

Lara stood in the shallow pool about a foot away from the falling water, while Julia rubbed her hand over her back, feeling for any little piece of stickiness. When she found something, she rubbed it and scraped it with her fingernail.

Julia knelt down and rubbed her fingers across Lara's bare butt, moving them up and down, left and right, searching for something to clean off.

"Here's another one." Julia remarked. She placed one hand on Lara's waist, while the other hand rubbed and scraped at her butt cheek. Lara smiled and laughed, which made Julia giggle.

"Did you get it off?" Lara asked.

"I think it's coming off." Julia answered.

Julia continued to rub her hands down the backs of Lara's left thigh and calf, slowly, carefully, feeling for anything bit of stickiness to remove. Then she moved them back up at the same pace. Lara closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side.

Julia moved her hands to Lara's right thigh, and ran them upwards and inside, noticing a tiny stream of water dripping off from her labia. She casually brushed it with her hand, and then moved it back down her thigh, down her calf, and then moved them back up to the top again.

Julia stood back up. "I think I got them all off." she said.

Lara turned around, and smiled. But before she could thank her, Julia reached to kiss her on the lips.

"Mmmph!" Lara sounded.

Ch. 57: A Friendship Defined

"Hey." Lara whispered ever so softly.

Julia was breathing heavily, clutching Lara's body from behind, and rubbing her leg against Lara's feet. She had all but given in to her fantasies, and all but admitted that she was ready.

"Hey." Lara whispered once more.

Julia came to, and whispered back, "Yeah?"

"How do you feel?"

"Good", Julia giggled quietly.

Lara resumed stroking Julia's hands clutching her belly. She tried reaching behind herself to touch Julia's body, being careful not to bump off the branches of leaves that were helping to keep them warm.

Julia giggled every so quietly.

"Julia?" Lara asked.

"Yeah?" She whispered.

Lara broke free of Julia's clutches and carefully turned over to her other side, now facing Julia, practically touching nose to nose.

"I really love the time we spend together." Lara started. "I love being nude with you, and I love holding you. But... I just can't... go any further."

"OK." Julia whispered.

"I mean, a part of me wants to, but another part feels like I can't. I love you, I want to, but it just doesn't feel... right for me. At least not right now."

"I know." Julia whispered again.

Lara's hand touched Julia's breast. She leaned in for a kiss on her lips. Julia kissed back. The two smiled at each other in the pitch black dark of the cabin and giggled. They kissed again, not deep open mouthed kisses, but short, sweet, kisses on each other's lips.

Julia's hand rested on Lara's side, stroking her slowly up and down. Lara instinctively submitted, just as she would often do with Teresa or anyone else taller than she. Julia wanted to keep kissing, and did so on Lara's lips. Lara began slipping into a submissive state, unable to stop herself. 

However, Julia had never been with anyone before, not even with boys. She didn't know exactly what to do. She understood what Lara said about not being able to continue this with her, but didn't quite know how to read Lara at this point. She continued to kiss Lara until finally Julia realized Lara was no longer taking lead, and then stopped.

Lara opened her eyes.

"Hey..." She whispered. "I mean what I said today about never leaving you."

Julia smiled.

"I know."

Julia leaned her face in to find Lara's lips once more, kissing them softly, but holding it for several seconds.

Lara giggled ever so quietly, then returned a kiss back, even pinching Julia's nipple in the process. Julia instinctively pulled back.

The two girls giggled.

"You think the cops will find us here?" Julia asked.

"No. They'll never find us!"

Ch. 56: Staying Warm Under the Leaves

"Lara?" Julia whispered out.

"Yeah?" Lara answered.

"I'm sorry, but I think I need to poop."

"Oh." Lara replied, trying to think after they had carefully covered themselves up for the night.

"Yeah, I think the blackberries did it to me."

The two girls carefully lifted themselves up from the blanket of branches and leaves. It was dark inside the cabin.

Lara walked to the door and opened it. The night sky still had a dim shade of light from the sun having already set below the horizon. Julia walked out, trotting to find someplace to go. She finally found a patch of dirt inside a stand of trees.

"Oh my God!" Julia commented, clearly disgusted.

Lara waited outside, several yards away.

"Lara? I need to something to wipe with."

"Use the lake!" Lara answered.

"What do you mean!" Julia asked.

"Just walk all the way into the lake and wash yourself off!"

"Oh my God! Are you serious?"

"Yes! I mean what else is there?"

Julia carefully lifted herself from a crouched position, and gingerly walked to the water. Lara met her, held her hand, and the two walked in. Lara finally let her go. Julia walked further in until the water covered her waist. She began washing herself.

"Uhh!" Julia sounded with more disgust. "I think I just pooped some more."

Lara smiled and quietly giggled to herself.

Julia had finally walked out of the lake when she felt everything had finished. Lara was there by the shoreline, seated on the beach, waiting swatting at mosquitoes. She stood up.

"Come on, the bugs are eating me alive!" Lara said.

Back inside the cabin, they had once again nestled themselves under the branches and leaves. The two girls laid on their sides, this time with Julia clutching Lara from behind.

"It's not very comfortable is it?" Lara asked.

"Well, it's what we got." Julia whispered.

"I guess if we can get through tonight, tomorrow will be another day." Lara added.

Julia giggled. "Right?"

Since Julia left home, she had been going through a conflict, with one side of her wanting her mother and father to take care of her, and the other side wanting to be her own adult. But the weight of her mother and father's influence was just too much for her. She feared their disapproval, so much that she convinced herself that she would be happy under their auspices. Lara, who only knew of open horizons, and nothing about parental guidance, was weighing heavily on Julia's mind.

Throughout her years in high school Julia would visit Lara at home, watch her carry about in the nude, and talk of her sexual affairs with Teresa. She marveled at how Lara could casually touch herself in her company. Lara never seemed ashamed or embarrassed, only acting as if it were natural and normal. Just the idea that one could masturbate in front of others blew Julia's mind away. 

Julia knew it was odd for her, as a Christian, to be intrigued at such sight. She even felt she had sinned for continuing to visit Lara and indulging in her nakedness and erotic stories. But yet, she recognized she liked it.

These past few days with Lara, particularly now that the two were on their own, was starting to change the way Julia saw her life.

"So," Julia started with slight chuckle. "Does this really remind you of being in the bushes with Teresa?"

Lara giggled and rolled her eyes. "Yes!" She said, and clutched Julia's hands wrapped around her tummy.

Julia giggled, and rubbed her legs against Lara's feet.

"Tell me what it was like." She said.

 Lara giggled again. "I've told you a hundred times already!"

"Well I know, but tell me again."

"Oh, I see." Lara answered with curiosity.

"It was like electricity! You know? I was just really into Teresa, and I just couldn't stop thinking about her. After school we would go into the park and wait until no one was looking, and then crawl into those bushes. No one could see us in there."

"You had a lot of sex with her." Julia commented.

"Oh my God... Tons! She was way taller than me, and she had muscles. She would pull all my clothes off, and I would feel so vulnerable. We would sit on our knees on that mattress and she'd dwarf me. She would, like, grab me with both hands and muscle me around. It got to where I just didn't resist and let her move me around as much as she wanted.

Julia couldn't help but keep rubbing her leg against Lara's feet, while Lara continued rubbing her fingers against Julia's hands.

Lara continued.

"I didn't really know anything, and she would do everything. She would make me feel helpless and vulnerable. My heart would beat really fast, and it was like I always trying to catch my breath. My body would tremble the whole time. It was like I was ready to erupt."

Julia took in a deep breath.

"I would moan and cry because it was so much, but also because I knew she liked hearing me. And the more I moaned, the more intense she got. I would just tremble! I literally could not get up, I was shaking so bad!"

Julia kept rubbing her Lara's toes.

Lara was starting to realize what was going on.

Ch. 55: A Temporary Residence For The Night

"We're miles from nowhere. I don't think we're going to find any food!" Julia remarked, as Lara wandered out of the cabin.

"We can forage!" Lara replied. "We're next to a lake, there's gotta be something."

"Forage?" Julia said with a disgusted look. "For what?"

"Plants, berries, roots..." Lara went on. "The nudist resort Teresa and I used to go had hiking trails, and they would teach us about edible plants and berries. You can eat dandelions, cleavers, cattails, I'm sure we can find something."

Lara had spotted a dandelion growing, and plucked it out of the ground.

"Here, see!" She said. She pulled off the leaves and ate some. "You can eat these."

She handed the rest to Julia. Julia put a leaf in her mouth and chewed carefully. She made a face, but kept chewing. "It's OK I guess".

Both Lara and Julia searched for dandelions, finding small ones and eating off the leaves.

"Hey Lara!" Julia yelled out. "Come here!"

Lara wandered over to Julia. "There's some berries over here." Julia said.

"Oh my God! Those are blackberries!"

The two girls plucked off the blackberries and ate them one by one. The more they plucked, the more blackberry bushes they found.

"Ow!" Julia yelled. There's thorns all over these things!"

The continued eating until their bellies were full and their fingers turned purple.

Twenty minutes later, Lara and Julia were inside the cabin clearing out the trash, and evaluating its potential. It was early evening, with the sun descending on the horizon, and it wouldn't be long before darkness set in.

"It's going to cool off tonight." Lara said. "We have to find something to keep us warm"

"Like what?" Julia answered.

Lara stepped outside and looked around. She spotted several smaller trees, ash, cottonwoods, and elms with smaller branches and plumes of leaves.

"Maybe we can break off those branches and use the leaves to cover us up." Lara remarked.

Julia look at her with doubts. But Lara found a thin branch with a lot of leaves, and with some twisting and pulling, was able to break it off.

"If we can just get bunches of these, we can sleep on the floor and cover ourselves with them." Lara advised.

"Oh my God!" Julia muttered.

The girls worked quickly and tirelessly. As soon as Julia thought she had collected enough, Lara would tell her she needed more. The sun had just fell below the horizon when Lara stopped. The girls had managed to gather up enough branches and leaves to fill the floor of the cabin.

They closed the door, and in what light was still remaining outside, Lara and Julia laid themselves down on the floor, and used their sense of touch to find the branches and leaves and drag them over themselves.

"Julia?"

"Yeah?"

"Lay down next to me."

Julia carefully scooted herself another foot until she was pressed up against Lara. Branches she had carefully positioned over her had fallen off. She re-positioned them again and covered herself under. The two continued to find more branches and leaves to pile on themselves. Lara turned on to her side and clutched on to Julia's body from behind.

Lara giggled.

"What's so funny?" Julia asked.

"This reminds me of when Teresa and I used to go inside the bushes!"

Julia giggled. "Oh my God!"

The two girls, still fully nude, nestled themselves in for a long night.

Ch. 54: Deeper Into the Woods

As Lara slowly turned away from Julia and started walking, Julia relented, and followed Lara.

"I can't believe I'm doing this!" Julia said. "I mean... I can't believe this!"

Lara smiled, and then held out her hand. "Here." She said.

Julia took her hand and the two continued walking deeper into the oak forest.

About an hour later, the two came to a stream, smaller than the one near the farm house, but still had a decent amount of running water. Lara knelt down and lowered her head to sip some water.

"Ahh! that's good!" She said.

"Eww! Is that even safe?" Julia asked.

"Well, it's all we got right now." Lara said, taking another sip.

 Julia did the same, getting down on her hands and knees, lowering her head, holding hair back in the process, and taking several sips.

"Well, I guess I we're miles away from those men by now." Lara remarked.

"Yeah, I guess so." Julia answered, making a face of disgust at the thought of what could be in that water.

Lara looked upstream and then turned her attention downstream, hoping to find something, anything.

"I'm getting hungry" said Julia.

"Yeah, me too" Lara replied.

"Maybe we should follow this stream" Lara continued. "I bet it'll lead us to something".

"OK, but which direction?" Julia asked.

"Downstream. If we go upstream, I think the water is only going to thin out as we gain elevation. We're likely to find something downstream."

After a moments rest, Lara wanted to get going. "Come on, if we're going to find food we gotta move on."

Julia got up, though with hesitation. "Uhh!" She moaned. "My feet ache!"

The girls had followed the stream for close to two hours, and had probably traveled six miles, when the terrain had changed considerably. There were far more rocks and boulders, and they found themselves climbing down hills and canyons. Meanwhile the stream had grown slightly more wide and carried a bit more water.

Eventually they came to a waterfall where the stream poured into a small lake.

Julia took in a breath. "Oh how beautiful!" She said looking at the lake.

The girls found a path down from the waterfall to the lake's level. At the bottom of the waterfall were several large rocks and boulders that had been worn smooth. From there, one could wade into the lake. Lara wandered into the water until she got up to her knees.

"Julia!" She exclaimed. "I think I see something."

On the other side of the lake she saw what looked like a structure.

"What is it?" Julia answered. "I don't know, it might be a house."

Lara walked out of the water and the two girls followed the shoreline until they got to the other side of the lake. There they found a small cabin, no bigger than eight-feet by eight-feet. It had a door, which was unlocked. There was a window, but no glass.

Inside they found trash, old paper cups, some bottles. It was unfurnished, just a wooden floor.

"I don't think anyone lives here." Lara remarked.

"It must have been nice place by the lake." Julia added.

"Yeah, we gotta find some food though."

Ch. 53: Running Naked Through The Woods

Lara and Julia walked deeper into the grove of oak trees. But this time they were on the opposite side of the farm from the stream. They got to where they could still catch a glimpse of the farm house and barn from behind a large tree, and stopped to watch.

"Hey I just saw one of them." Lara whispered.

"Where?" Julia asked as she looked.

"He went into the barn. I think they're all going into the barn, they probably found where I was sleeping."

"What would they want with us anyways?" Julia asked.

"I bet they asked Nan about your car, and she probably told them about us. And they probably found your purse and your car keys, and probably even searched your car by now."

"Yeah, but what would they want with us?" Julia asked again.

"I don't know. Whatever it is that Nan and her old lady got in trouble for, the police probably suspect we're part of it too."

"Shhh, I see something!" Lara whispered.

They could barely see the three detectives standing outside the barn looking at each other as if they were discussing something. One of the detectives raised his arm and pointed in the direction of the stream. Then it looked as if he pulled something from his coat.

"It looks like he's calling on his cellphone." Lara observed.

The detective could then be seen turning to face Lara & Julia's direction and pointing his arm. Soon after, the three split up.

"I think they're looking for us." Lara whispered. "I bet they called for more help!"

Lara began walking deeper into the woods, looking back at Julia to follow her. The two girls walked quickly, further away from the farm."

"Where are we going?" Julia asked.

"We have to get out of here!" Lara replied.

"But we don't have any clothes! I don't have my things!"

"Yeah?" Lara answered. "Like that's been a problem for me?"

"Uhh!" Julia exclaimed in frustration. "But I can't leave my car or my things!"

"Well I don't think you can get them back at this point." Lara answered. "Unless you want the police to arrest you too."

The two girls continued to walk quickly deeper into the oak forest. The thick canopy of leaves created dim lighting and made it difficult to figure exactly where they were headed. Moreover, the terrain began rising, increasing elevation up to a mountain ridge. There were no trails, just a thick carpet of oak leaves on the ground.

Julia stopped.

"Lara!"

Lara stopped and turned around to look.

"What?"

"Maybe it's just better to talk to those guys. If we didn't do anything, then nothing's going to happen to us."

In her heart, Lara knew Julia was probably right. But Lara didn't want to cooperate. She knew the two would get arrested and taken into jail just for being suspects, and that of course meant being forced to wear clothes and confined for however long it would take the police to feel convinced that she and Julia are innocent.

Lara was also feeling a new part of her she hadn't discovered before. A fight or flight response had kicked in without a stronger protector to hide behind. She was using her cognitive thinking to protect herself with a determination to not give up. This situation was different in that there weren't any people laughing at her or making feel embarrassed.

"If you want to, then go." Lara said. "I think I'm just going to keep going."

"But Lara! I can't go back by myself, you know that!"

Lara walked over to Julia.

"Julia, you have to start doing things for yourself. If you want to come with me, then come with me. But I can't go back there with you."

Lara remained looking at Julia, waiting.

Julia took a look behind her. There was no sign of detectives. The two girls were still well ahead of them.

Lara turned her body in the direction she had been headed and made some small steps, but still looked at Julia. Julia looked flustered.

Ch. 52: On The Run

Lara and Julia had walked about a mile down the stream until they found the point at which they turned in towards the farm house.

It didn't take along until they could see flashing red and blue lights up ahead through the thick growth of trees. They walked a bit closer and stopped behind a large boulder, and then watched from behind.

"Do you see Nan or the old lady?" Julia whispered.

"I don't see anyone right now." Lara answered.

There wasn't much activity from their vantage point. The two girls didn't dare make their presence known to the police.

Several minutes went by and neither Lara nor Julia spotted anyone walking about, until finally a policeman was seen walking out of the house and into one of the cars.

"There's goes someone!" whispered Julia.

"Yeah, I saw him!" Lara replied.

"Hey, did you leave your purse in the car, or did you take it into the farm house?" Lara asked.

"I took it with me to the farm house."

If the police are searching the house they probably found it, and know you're around. They probably know that's your car."

Julia put her hands to her face. "Shit! What am I going to do?"

"I hope they don't search for us!" Lara whispered.

Another forty-five minutes went by, and both Lara and Julia were sitting on the ground behind the boulder waiting for the police to leave. They would take turns peeking from behind the boulder to see if the police cars were still there, and every time they looked, they were still there.

"How much longer!" Julia asked. "We can't stay here all day and night!"

"Hey, I think I heard something." Lara replied.

The two peeked out from behind boulder and saw one of the cars drive away. Moments later they saw a few police officers walk out of the house escorting both Nan and her mother in handcuffs. They put them into separate police cars, and a few minutes later the remaining cars had driven away.

When they lost sight of the police cars, Lara and Julia emerged from behind the boulder and walked towards the farm house.

They got to the house and found yellow tape marked with the words, "Do Not Cross" placed over the back door. Lara was about to walk up to the door to try the door knob, when she stopped and looked up.

"Shh!" she said. "I think I hear a car coming!"

The two girls scampered off behind the farm house, behind the barn, and into another set of oak trees to hide. Two unmarked police cars arrived, and out stepped a few detectives who began looking around the house.

"No! I can't believe this!" Julia whispered. "I can't get to my clothes, or my car keys. My cellphone is in there too!"

Lara spotted one of the detectives approaching the barn.

"I think we better get going" whispered Lara. "I think those guys are going to look all over this place."

Ch. 51: An Uncertain Trouble Awaits

Lara and Julia headed back down the road towards the farm house where Nan lived with her mother. The sun was directly above, the morning had turned into afternoon.

About a half-hour later, Lara slowed down and stopped. She looked at the road in front of her. Julia stopped and turned around to look at Lara.

"What is it Lara?" she asked.

"I think I hear a car coming." Lara replied.

"What?"

Julia finally heard the rumble in the distance behind them. The two girls walked briskly off the road and into the cover of oak trees. They got about a hundred feet into the growth and found a wide tree trunk to hide behind.

No sooner than that they saw four police cars speed down the road towards the farm house.

"Oh my God!" Julia whispered.

Once the cars were out of sight, the two emerged from behind the trees and followed the road but stayed within the thick grove of oaks, continuing towards the house.

"I just hope I can get my clothes and my keys." Julia remarked.

"Yeah!" Lara said. "I wondered what's going on?"

When they finally reached the bridge at the stream, the two girls waded in. The water felt even more cold than earlier before now that their bodies had been warmed by the sun and the time spent walking. Lara only needed to wash the mud off her feet and ankles. But Julia needed to submerge herself, still having mud on her hair.

Her bodied tightened and stiffened as she waded in and lowered herself. She moaned with anxiety, nearly shrieking at the chilly feeling. She quickly rubbed the dried mud off of her. Then she got on her knees, leaned her head forward and dipped it into the water, using her fingers to scrub her hair and scalp clean.

"Oh my God that was cold!" Julia exclaimed, as she shook her hands and arms to get the water off.

The two girls found a sunny, grassy spot by the bank and sat to let the water dry off and the sun to warm themselves back up.

"Here..." Lara said, as she turned to face Julia and reached for Julia's long auburn hair. Lara grabbed handfuls of her hair and squeezed as much water out.

"Do you suppose the police will search my car?" Julia wondered.

"They probably already did before we saw them go by." Lara answered.

Julia leaned up against Lara, and rested her head on her shoulder as they sat on bank. Lara put her arm around Julia and leaned her head over to hers.

"I think we should follow the stream back to the farm house instead of the road" Lara said. "Just to play it safe."

"Yeah." Julia replied, solemnly.

Ch. 50: Adding Insult to Injury

An hour of walking down the dirt road, in the nude, brought both girls close to reaching Julia's car. Julia's bare feet began to feel sore. She tried to keep her eyes focused on the road to avoid rocks and pebbles. The only solace she found was in certain sections of the road that were damp and muddied from last night's rains.

Meanwhile Lara was back in her element, enjoying the warm rays of sunshine on her bare skin, the song of birds in the trees, the breeze blowing through the leaves, and the majesty of old growth oak trees flanking both sides of the road.

Minutes later, the two finally saw the car up ahead.

When they approached, it seemed to have sunk further into the mud. There was no way to reach the car without having to step through thick mud.

"I don't think that car's coming out of there by itself." Lara said.

"If I can just open the trunk and get to my clothes..." Julia answered. Julia stepped carefully into the mud towards the car. The mud squirmed up through between her toes and her feet sunk up to her ankles. Parts of the mud was actually covered over with water making it difficult to determine how soft or firm the footing was.

"Ohh!" Julia yelled out, and then slipped and fell on her side. Her naked body splattered with mud. Lara lunged forward out of reaction, but stopped.

"Damn it!" Julia yelled.

She lifted herself up on her knees, held her arms out, and then moaned in frustration.

"Look at me!" She said.

Lara took a step into the mud to help her up, then took a few more steps to the car. Lara tried to open the driver side door.

"It's locked." She said.

"What?" Julia replied, sounded confused.

"It won't open."

Lara walked to the passenger door, and found it locked too.

"Same here." She said.

"No!" Julia cried.

"Do you remember locking the car when we left it?" Lara asked.

"I guess I must have. I don't remember. But obviously I don't have my keys."

"They're still with your clothes at the house right?"

"Yes!" Julia said sounding defeated and frustrated.

Julia carefully walked back out of the mud and back on to a more firm section of road. She tried to rub most of the mud off her body.

"When we get back to the stream, we can wash off there." Lara said as she walked out of the mud as well.

"It figures it would be locked!" Julia complained. "Here I walk back to the car when I don't have my keys."

"Well then, I guess we should just get back to the house." Lara concluded.

"OK, but can we wait for a bit? My feet are getting sore."

"Yeah, sure. Can I look?"

Julia lifted her foot in the air, trying to balance herself on the road with one foot. Lara held her foot and crouched down to look her sole. She touched it in various places.

"Yeah, right there!" Julia said, responding to the ball of her big toe.

"You're probably getting a blister there." Lara noted.

Lara couldn't help but to look up Julia's extended leg, towards her tuft of auburn hair, outer labia, and her breasts above them. Julia stared down at Lara. Lara returned the stare with a smile.

"I guess we can just walk more slowly." Lara advised.

"That would probably be better, thanks!"

Ch. 49: A Ghost of the Future

A half hour later, Lara opened her eyes, and then seconds later lifted her head. Julia opened her eyes too. 

Both Julia and Lara sat up. Julia's head felt dizzy, and she put her hands to her face, and then yawned. Julia laid down again, turning on her side towards Lara.

"That was a nice little nap!" She said.

Lara stretched her arms up and then yawned again. Meanwhile Julia reached out and touched Lara's knee. Lara smiled and laid down on her back next to Julia. Julia scooted herself closer to Lara and this time rested her head on Lara's shoulder.

Lara began stroking Julia's back, brushing her fingers along her side, then up and over her hip. Julia took in a deep breath and then sounded an "Mmm" and giggled.

"I think I could sleep here all day long." She said.

Lara used her other hand to brush Julia's hair.

"Maybe you can skip college for awhile and stay with me?" Lara said with humor.

Julia didn't answer. But she caught something moving off in the distance, and raised her head for a better look.

"Hey!" Look over there!"

The two girls sat up and looked.

"It's a deer." Lara noted.

A doe had appeared from the oak trees from the other side of the stream. It stopped when the two girls sat up to look.

"Oh how pretty!" Julia remarked.

It walked forward towards the stream bank to look at the girls, and then put its head down to smell the grasses and flowers. It lifted its head and smelled the air, then turned back towards the oak trees and disappeared.

"You see!" Julia tapped Lara air. "That's kinda like you."

"A deer?" Lara asked, as she stood up, brushing the grasses and debris from her butt.

"Well, it represents you I think." Julia answered, standing up also. "All naked, and living in the woods."

"I'm not saying I have to live in the woods." Lara explained. "I'm just trying to get by without creating trouble."

"Well, that was kinda weird how that deer walked up and looked at you."

"I think we ought to walk to your to your car." Lara said.

"OK." Julia answered, feeling more secure about walking nude up the road.

They walked on to the bridge and crossed the stream, continuing up the dirt road. Julia reached for Lara's hand. 

"Hey!" she spoke, clutching it and weaving her fingers into Lara's.

Lara glanced at Julia and gave her a smile.

Ch. 48: Warmth of the Sun

After several minutes spent laying in the stream and splashing water on each other, Lara and Julia laid down on a patch of tall grass and flowers above the banks, drying their nude bodies under the sunshine.

The sun radiated a glow from Julia's fair skin and contrasted by Lara's lightly tanned body. The bright whites and yellows of the wildflowers caught the rays and created sparkles of light against the green grasses while dragonflies hovered by.

"Who, Daniel? I never had a crush on him!" Julia remarked.

"It was like you were always talking about him." Lara answered.

"That's because we had three classes together!"

"Well, if your parents had let you go to the Prom, and he asked you, would you have gone?

Julia paused for a moment, "Um, probably. He's kinda cute anyways."

The two giggled.

Lara turned on to her side and facing Julia. She reached out for a tall flower stem growing up from the grasses and plucked it out, and then twirled the stem in her fingers.

"Hey." She whispered. "Thanks for going nude with me."

Julia opened her eyes, and squinted as she tried to look at Lara, and then smiled.

"Doesn't it feel great to wander free and not care about anything?" Lara asked.

"Yeah, it's nice."

Lara held the flower stem in her fingers and looked at the flower closely.

"I guess it's different for you though." Julia continued. "I mean, I'm going to college. I still have to think about that. But, you don't have to be anywhere. Freedom is more a permanent thing for you."

Lara held the flower out over Julia's neck and brushed its petals down her chest and belly, and then brought it back up to her neck. Julia giggled. Lara brushed the flower against her skin again, this time drawing all the way down across her pubis.

Julia giggled again. "Hey!" she spoke, wiggling her body.

Lara giggled too, then put the flower down and scooted herself closer to Julia's body and then rested her head on Julia's shoulder. Julia giggled slightly, but quieted when Lara placed her hand on Julia's belly.

"It's not like I have don't have to worry about anything." Lara spoke. "I still have to find something to eat. I still have to find a place to sleep."

Julia used her one free hand to brush Lara's hair.

"Yeah, but you're kinda the wildlife. You can find food anywhere and sleep anywhere."

"Like Bambi, right?" Lara replied with amusement.

"Yeah, Bambi!"

"I keep thinking one day when I'm older someone will spot me in the woods and capture me, and the newspapers will call me Wolf Girl because I've been living in the wild."

"But you're not wild though." Julia explained. "You went to school. You just choose to be free, that's all."

Lara smiled and closed her eyes.

"You know who's wild..." Julia continued. "Nan. That woman creeps me out. She and her mom are like hillbillies. She looks strange, and acts strange. She wandered into the basement where I was sleeping and took my clothes, and made me wear that nightie all around the house. There's something going on with her."

Julia paused for a few seconds, and continued.

"And her mom, she's liable to kill someone. And what kind of family doesn't have a telephone, or television, or a second car to get around with?"

Lara just kept her eyes closed and didn't answer.

"I just wonder what her father is going be like!" Julia continued. "I don't want to be around when he comes home!"

Julia looked up into the sky and thought for a moment. "I just hope he's nice enough to get my car out."

Lara remained quiet. The sunshine made her drowsy, and she slowly drifted off to sleep with her head on Julia's shoulder. Julia could hear Lara's breathing, and realized she was taking a nap.

Julia closed her eyes and listened to the water rushing through the stream.

Ch. 47: Just Like in the Paintings

Julia stood on the porch fully nude, looking uncertain, fearful, but exhilarated.

"Yeah!" Lara exclaimed. "Wooo!"

"Oh my God!" Julia said, folding her arms. "Let go, hurry!"

Lara grabbed Julia's hand. The two girls ran and skipped towards the grove of oaks. They passed through  through tall grasses and stems of flowers across the property until they disappeared into the trees.

The stream was still flowing with an abundance of rushing water in the direction of the bridge. It's rush echoed through the oak trees.

Tiptoeing along the water's edge, the two stopped to listen to its rush collaborating with the sound of leaves blowing in the breeze. 

"Come on!" Lara invited.

The two followed the stream down towards the bridge.

"Isn't is beautiful in here?" Lara asked.

"Yeah!" Julia answered

Lara held out her hand again, Julia took it once more. The two girls continued walking on, towards the bridge

"I love the sound of the water! I could just live right here." Lara exclaimed, clutching Julia's hand and swinging it to and fro. Julia laughed.

When the bridge came into view, they spotted a beam of sunshine breaking through an opening in the tree canopy. They walked towards it.

"Ahh! The sun feels nice!" Julia remarked as the two stood by the bridge.

Lara let go of Julia's hand and tiptoed towards the water to feel. It was chilly. But yet she dared to walk into the flowing water, walking carefully on the smoothed rocks below.

"Hey, come on in!" Lara yelled out.

"Isn't it cold?" Julia answered.

"It's OK. Come on!"

Julia walked down to the edge of the stream, when Lara reached into the water and threw a handful of water at her.

"Ahh!" Julia screamed out. "It's cold!"

"Come on! Let's go into the water!" Lara beckoned.

Lara walked into the middle of the stream, and crouched down until the water was up to her belly. She felt cold, but she didn't want to show it. She leaned back and put her hands into the water behind her, and then kicked her feet out to sit down in the water. The heavy flow of water splashed itself against her back and got her hair wet. Lara leaned back some more until the top of her head was completely wet. 

Julia remained on the bank, watching her, admiring Lara's carefree attitude. Despite all that Lara had been through in her life, Lara still seemed more innocent than she. Julia wandered into the water, balancing herself carefully on the smooth rocks below until she reached Lara's side. Lara looked up at her and giggled, and then touched Julia's calf. Julia lowered herself just as Lara had done, but couldn't help muttering out a shriek when the water touched her butt.

"You gotta just do it in one motion. It's the only way." Lara said.

"It's cold!"

"Just sit right down, and you'll get used to it."

It took a couple of attempts, but Julia finally lowered herself as Lara suggested, and then took in a deep breath as the cold water rose up to her belly.

"Ahh!" Julia shrieked again. 

Several minutes later, Julia finally found herself sitting down in the stream next to Lara, under the sunshine and fully nude. It was unlike anything she had ever done. But she felt excited. 

"This reminds me of those paintings of nymphs bathing in the forests." Julia noted.

"Yeah!" Lara answered. "I guess that's what we are now!"