Julia walked gingerly on her sore feet.
Emotionally, she wanted to stay with Lara for as long as she could. But she doubted that it could last. She wanted to be with Lara, but still didn't see herself as someone who could live nude forever, or at least live the kind of continuous wanderlust that Lara was seeking. In the back of her mind, she still herself as going to college, marrying a man, and raising babies.
As the two walked along the cliff, searching for a place to climb down, Julia wondered if she could give herself up to the detectives, tell them the whole story, and that would relieve Lara from having to be on the run. But she didn't want it to end this quickly.
Julia picked up the pace and walked past Lara, while Lara followed behind. The breeze blowing up the face of the cliff blew Julia's long auburn hair, while she raised her hands tip-toeing over rocks and fallen tree branches. Lara admired Julia's natural beauty, her youthful slim figure, and her determination to keep going under pain.
They continued to walk along the ledge for another half-mile until they found it slowly descending towards the valley. The ground became less rocky, and trees became more thick, providing a carpet of leaves that made it more comfortable to walk on.
Julia turned her head around and held her hand out. "Hey!" She spoke.
Lara took her hand, folded her fingers into Julia's, and walked by her side.
"You know what?" Julia said. "No matter what happens, this is going to be the best summer I've ever had."
Lara chuckled. "Yeah, me too!"
"You?" Julia asked.
"Yeah!" Lara answered.
"But you got to do all kinds of things in other summers."
"But this is the first time I've ever felt free! I can just go anywhere and not have to worry about anything. Just live!"
Julia smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
"But it's a lot more special with you" Lara answered.
Julia blushed a little. "Yeah?" She spoke quietly.
"Yeah!" Lara replied.
The ledge they were walking along had finally descended down far enough that it all but disappeared, and the two girls found themselves practically in the valley already. The tree canopy was getting more thick, and the light had become more dim, with just spots of sunlight breaking down here and there.
But not too long after, they found a place with a bit more sunlight beaming down, and to their delight, found dozens of large blackberry bushes.
Lara took in a deep breath of amazement. "Oh my God, blackberries!"
She began plucking them right away, popping them into her mouth as quickly as possible. Julia began plucking them too, but was uncertain considering what they done to her digestion last night. Nevertheless, she was hungry.
"Oh my God, these are SO good!" Julia exclaimed.
In their haste, they found themselves getting too close to the vines and getting pricked by the thorns. "Ouch!" Lara said.
They spent perhaps twenty minutes feasting on blackberries and still found more available.
"Too bad we can't take all these with us!" Lara said, leaning up against a tree with her hand on her belly.
"We're going to have to find another lake or something." Julia added. "I just know what these are going to do to me!"
Lara couldn't help but chuckle.
"Yeah! But we have to find shelter. It's going to get dark soon."
