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.