Looking up at the sun now getting low in the sky to the west, Michelle wondered how much distance they had managed to cover. Sighing, she thought it wasn\u2019t as much as she would have liked. They had set out shortly after the sun came up, but the broken landscape around the river made for slow going. Managing only a couple of miles an hour, they might have covered twenty miles. Her leg muscles were burning like they had walked a hundred. Her whole body ached, really. Climbing over deadfall trees and jagged rock formations was a brutal workout. The shoulder straps of their increasingly heavy packs digging into their shoulders only made it worse.<\/p>\n
With the day beginning to wane, she thought it was time to start looking for a spot to camp. She steered them away from the rocky river bank and into the wooded area that flanked it. When she started picking up sticks for a fire, Samantha began doing the same without her needed to say a word. Michelle smiled, thinking they were on the same page about today\u2019s trek being over.<\/p>\n
Finding a small clearing among the dense forest, they set up their tent and got a fire going. The last of the day slipped away as they put some of the bear meat on to cook and a thermos full of water to boil. Both girls ate with gusto, having burned through a lot of calories as they navigated the river bank.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a long day,\u201d Samantha said, snuggling against Michelle next to the fire.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrutal,\u201d Michelle agreed, putting her arm around her girlfriend.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was thinking,\u201d Samantha said, looking around, \u201cmaybe it would be easier if we stayed a little ways away from the river.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWalk through the woods?\u201d Michelle said, thinking about it. The terrain did seem much tamer just a little ways away from the river. As long as they didn\u2019t stray too far away from their source of fresh water, it would be a good idea.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you think, Blue? Up for a walk in the woods tomorrow?\u201d Michelle asked.<\/p>\n
Blue lifted her head for a second, then yawned and rested her head on her paws again. The wolf looked as tired as Michelle felt. Blue\u2019s eyes closed and Michelle thought the wolf had slipped off to sleep. One of the logs on the fire popped, and her eyes sprang open, again. Michelle smiled, amused by the battle between the wolf\u2019s distrust of the fire and her sense of loyalty. Michelle was pretty sure if not for her and Samantha, Blue wouldn\u2019t be anywhere near the flickering flames.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll give it a try,\u201d Michelle said, smiling at Samantha, \u201ccan\u2019t be any worse than the river bank.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did you say that?\u201d Samantha said, groaning, \u201cyou just jinxed us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry,\u201d Michelle said, laughing and giving Samantha a kiss.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t apologize to me,\u201d Samantha said, shaking her head, \u201capologize to Mother Nature before she decides to show us how much worse it can be.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry Mother Nature. You are the baddest bitch of them all,\u201d Michelle said, amused.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s better,\u201d Samantha said, kissing her.<\/p>\n
There was a little heat behind the kiss, and Michelle wondered if the girl might be interested in turning in early and fooling around in the tent. As tired and sore as she was, Michelle still wanted the girl. As long as she was still breathing, she thought she would.<\/p>\n
Pulling back, she met Samantha\u2019s eyes and saw desire in them. Standing up, she put a couple of logs on the fire, then offered her hand to Samantha. The girl was smiling as she came to her feet and she moved against Michelle. This time, when their lips met, there was some real heat behind the kiss. Not even the arduous trek could dampen the passion between them, and it burned even hotter than the fire beside them.<\/p>\n
When Samantha started to take her shirt off, Michelle glanced at Blue. Her eyes were still closed, but it felt weird doing this in front of the wolf. Giving Samantha a sheepish smile, she said, \u201cLet\u2019s move this to the tent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laughing, Samantha said, \u201cI have a better idea. Take a walk, Blue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blue looked up at her, tilting her head to one side.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are relieved of guard duty,\u201d Samantha said, smiling at the wolf, \u201cwe need some privacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Getting to her feet, Blue came over to them. Michelle sank to her knees and scratched the wolf behind her ears, said, \u201cYou have the night off. Go do whatever it is wolves do. Howl at the moon, or something. We\u2019ll be okay here by ourselves for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blue nuzzled Michelle\u2019s neck, then glanced up at Samantha. When Samantha smiled and nodded, Blue turned and ran into the dark woods. Watching her go, Michelle shook her head. The peculiar wolf made her do that a lot.<\/p>\n
Standing up, Michelle moved back into Samantha\u2019s arms. Alone now, Michelle didn\u2019t stop Samantha from removing her shirt. With the heat of the fire on one flank and the cool night air on the other, Michelle shivered. Then Samantha was kissing her again, and she stopped noticing the cold. Michelle pulled Samantha\u2019s shirt up and off, and it joined hers on the ground beside them. Their lips met, again, as Michelle fumbled with the button of Samantha\u2019s jeans. Managing to work it loose, she slipped her hand into Samantha\u2019s panties. The girl moaned into her kiss, her fingers tightening on her shoulder.<\/p>\n
Michelle sank to her knees, again. Kissing Samantha\u2019s taut stomach, she hooked her fingers in Samantha\u2019s jeans and panties. Samantha helped her wriggle them off her hips, then down her long legs. Michelle helped her out of her shoes, then the pants.<\/p>\n
Smiling up at Samantha, she ran her hands up the outsides of her thighs and onto her hips, then around to grab her buttocks. Pressing her mouth to Samantha\u2019s girlhood, she tasted the salty sweat on her bud. The flick of her tongue drew a moan from the girl, one that was almost lost to the sounds of the forest. The second one was louder, her body pushing against Michelle\u2019s mouth eagerly. Soon, her little noises of excitement were drowning out the chirping of crickets and the crackling of the fire.<\/p>\n
When Michelle thought Samantha was ready, she eased her fingers inside of her. Samantha\u2019s hot, slick core took them deep, and the girl moaned thickly as Michelle found the sweet spot. Teasing it with her fingertips, Michelle had Samantha swaying unsteadily on her feet. Michelle smiled when Samantha widened her stance for better balance and put her hands on Michelle\u2019s shoulders for support as her knees grew weak. Her fingers dug in painfully as her cries became louder and Michelle knew just how excited she was making the girl. She pressed her mouth to Samantha\u2019s bud, again. The caress of her tongue and the thrust of her fingers had Samantha in danger of drawing blood.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are going to make me come,\u201d Samantha said, a new urgency creeping into her voice, \u201cOh God, don\u2019t stop!\u201d<\/p>\n
Michelle didn\u2019t stop, kept pushing Samantha towards a climax. She could feel it building up inside of the girl like helium filling a balloon. Her pleasure swelled until she reached her limit and Michelle took her just a little further. Samantha cried out as that ecstasy exploded through her trembling body. Her orgasm took her legs out from under her and Samantha went to her knees in front of Michelle. Suddenly eye to eye, Samantha favored Michelle with a dazed smile, her gaze a little unfocused in her post-climax haze.<\/p>\n
Smiling, Michelle kissed her. She laughed as the girl leaned into her and tumbled her onto her back. Samantha ended up on top of her, grinning down at her. The look in the girl\u2019s eyes made her breath catch in her throat and her heart race in her breast. That look promised great returns on the pleasure she had given the girl. Michelle knew Samantha had the skill to make good on that promise.<\/p>\n
Samantha gave her a toe-curling kiss, then moved lower. Michelle sighed every time Samantha\u2019s lips touch her skin. When Samantha\u2019s fingers were fumbling with the button on her jeans, Michelle lifted her backside off the ground so she could wriggle them off her hips. Her heart was racing as Samantha kissed the inside of her thigh, just above her knee. She was holding her breath as Samantha moved higher, her lips just brushing Michelle\u2019s skin. It sent little shivers up Michelle\u2019s spine.<\/p>\n
When Samantha\u2019s mouth found her bud, she was more than ready for the caress of her tongue. Her pent up breath rushed out of her in a moan as pleasure coursed through her. After the struggle of navigating the river bank, she needed this. Her nerve endings were screaming at her for a whole new reason. The pain of the day faded under the flood of pleasure, washed away by the lovely things Samantha was doing to her.<\/p>\n
Samantha suddenly sat back on her haunches. Michelle propped up on her elbows, wondering why the girl had stopped. She was a little frustrated until she saw her reaching for her backpack, Michelle thought she knew what the girl was looking for. Her heart started beating faster when Samantha pulled her improvised strap-on out of the pack.<\/p>\n
I knew we were going to need this, again<\/em>, Michelle thought, watching Samantha set the backpack aside.<\/p>\n She thought the girl was going to slip into the bikini bottom, but she just balled the garment up in the palm of her hand. Samantha smiled down at her as she ran the tip of the handle up the inside of Michelle\u2019s thigh. She moaned as the firm rubber grip slipped deep inside of her. The second thrust forced another moan from her. Samantha kept it nice and slow, pushing the homemade dildo in and out. It felt good, but Michelle wanted more. Samantha must have sensed it because the thrusts started coming faster, deeper. It from feeling good to holy shit in a hurry. It only got better when Samantha\u2019s mouth found her bud, again. The dildo and Samantha\u2019s talented tongue had her writhing in pleasure, her young body pushing against both of them eagerly.<\/p>\n Her orgasm wasn\u2019t long in the making with so many wonderful things happening to her at once. Her body just couldn\u2019t handle it all, and she cried out as she climaxed. It left her breathless and trembling, but wanting more.<\/p>\n When Samantha crawled up to give her a kiss, Michelle pulled her down atop her. Without so much as a word, Samantha moved between Michelle\u2019s spread legs. As their bodies came together, Michelle wrapped her legs around Samantha\u2019s waist and her arms around her neck. Samantha never broke the kiss as she began to slowly grind against Michelle. Still sensitive from her orgasm, the pressure on her bud was delicious, the tantalizing roll of Samantha\u2019s hips just what she needed.<\/p>\n They took their time, kissing and exploring each other\u2019s body as they tribbed. It was only when their excitement got away from them that their pace grew frantic. Michelle\u2019s fingers were digging into Samantha\u2019s shoulders as the girl really ground against her. They were taking each other higher and higher, the pleasure building up inside of them. When the ecstasy came, they surrendered themselves to it, their cries of excitement startling the birds resting in the trees to flight.<\/p>\n Gasping for air, Samantha smiled down at Michelle, said, \u201cWe are scaring the wildlife.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t care,\u201d Michelle said, kissing her. It was a tender kiss, the desire temporarily burned out of her. Right now, she just wanted the closeness of Samantha\u2019s body. When Samantha moved from between her legs and stretched out beside her, Michelle snuggled against her. She smiled contentedly.<\/p>\n It took her a minute, but eventually, Michelle realized she was lying naked on the cold ground. She glanced at the tent, said, \u201cDo you want to move this to the tent?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot really,\u201d Samantha said, then went on when Michelle looked at her, \u201cthe stars are so beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle gave her a kiss, then got up. She grabbed the sleeping bag out of the tent, spreading it out next to the fire. It wouldn\u2019t do anything for the creepy crawlies, but at least it was insulation from the cold ground. She stretched out, and Samantha joined her. On their backs, they stared up at the starry sky. Samantha\u2019s hand found hers and their fingers intertwined.<\/p>\n ———————————————<\/p>\n Shivering herself awake, Michelle sat up. She glanced at the dying fire, then down at her naked body. Rubbing her arms to generate some warmth, she grabbed a stick and poked the fire. When she saw some red coals still glowing, she threw a few logs on top. As the fire came back to life, Michelle looked down at Samantha. They had fallen asleep without getting dressed last night, and Samantha looked lovely in the early morning light, naked and tempting.<\/p>\n Being naked in the wild had a primal draw to it, a freedom she had never experienced before. Society had certain expectations and restrictions, rules to keep order in a chaotic world. Those didn\u2019t apply out here in the middle of nowhere. Away from her parents and those who enforced those rigid laws, Michelle felt those binds loosening their grip on her. With no one to see and no one to judge, the inhibitions instilled in her by societal norms were beginning to lift.<\/p>\n Michelle really didn\u2019t want to put her clothes back on, again. Shaking her head, she thought, we need to get back to society, soon<\/em>.<\/p>\n Still looking down at her girlfriend, Michelle smiled. Even after the punishing trek south along the river bank, they had found the energy to make love for hours last night. Their coupling had been almost as strenuous as the twenty-mile walk and Michelle expected to wake up sore, but it had left her feeling buoyed. Her smile widening, she thought she was ready for whatever Mother Nature could throw at her today.<\/p>\n Leaving Samantha to sleep off yesterday, Michelle got to her feet and walked a little ways away from the fire to answer the call of nature. She grabbed her spear on the way, having learned her lesson. She didn\u2019t leave the fire\u2019s side without it.<\/p>\n Without bothering to get dressed, she scooped up the thermos and walked carefully to the river. The early morning air was crisp, but she was getting used to the chill. She hardly noticed as she filled the thermos.<\/p>\n With fresh water to boil, she paused to look out at the river. This place was so beautiful, peaceful. Back in the real world, life was so hectic that the beauty of a moment was often missed in the constant blur of motion. Out here, the tick of the second hand seemed to slow down, and she had time to take it all in, to appreciate every nuance.<\/p>\n Her spirits lifted even more, she made her way back to camp. Putting the thermos on the coals, she saw Blue had returned. She went to the wolf, hunching down to scratch her head. Smiling, she asked, \u201cDid you have a good night off from guard duty?\u201d<\/p>\n Blue favored her with a tongue lulled out grin, which Michelle took as a yes. Michelle wondered what the wolf had gotten up to in her free time.<\/p>\n Straightening up, she went to the tree where they had hoisted Michelle\u2019s backpack ladened with bear and boar meat. Up in the air, it was out of the reach of bears and other scavengers. She untied the knot, then lowered the pack to the ground. Taking out enough meat for a hearty breakfast, she ran the backpack back up into the tree.<\/p>\n With the metal pan they had pilfered from the cabin, Michelle got the meat on the fire. Feeling eyes on her, she turned and saw Samantha favoring her with an amused smile.<\/p>\n \u201cMorning,\u201d Michelle said, going to her for a quick kiss.<\/p>\n \u201cMorning,\u201d Samantha said, still smiling at her, \u201chave you been walking around naked all morning?\u201d<\/p>\n A little sheepishly, Michelle said, \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStill working on your ‘we\u2019ll get rescued if we are naked’ theory?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNot exactly,\u201d Michelle said, laughing, \u201cI\u2026 I just didn\u2019t feel like getting dressed.\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha nodded, looking at the pile of discard clothing from last night, \u201cIt kind of feels like clothing is optional out here, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle said, giving Samantha a curious look.<\/p>\n Seeing it, Samantha said, \u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026 With no one to see us, it\u2019s easier to be\u2026 Free. Do you know what I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle nodded, sitting down beside her. Samantha had pretty much summed up her own feelings on this place. She was still getting used to how in tuned hers and Samantha\u2019s thoughts were. Back in school, she had thought they were polar opposites, but she had been wrong. The more she got to know Samantha, the more she understood why they fit together so well.<\/p>\n Samantha took Michelle\u2019s hand and smiled at her, said, \u201cLove you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLove you, too,\u201d Michelle said, those words coming so natural to her now, \u201chow are you feeling this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSurprisingly good,\u201d Samantha said, laughing, \u201call things considered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo think we can cover more ground today?\u201d Michelle asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope so,\u201d Samantha said, looking around, \u201cI think it\u2019ll be a little easier walking through the woods than along the river.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe, too,\u201d Michelle said, then got up to stir their breakfast, \u201clet\u2019s get some breakfast in us, then we\u2019ll break camp.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n —————————————–<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a lot better.\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling at Samantha, Michelle said, \u201cYeah. You were right.\u201d<\/p>\n After packing up their camp, they had set out walking parallel to the river. The going was much easier, as different as night and day from yesterday. So much so that this stroll through the woods was almost pleasant. They were nearly doubling their pace, chewing up almost four miles an hour and barely breaking a sweat. If their luck held, they would have passed the distance they covered yesterday by six o\u2019clock, leaving a couple of hours of daylight to either make camp and look for supplies or push on a little further.<\/p>\n They walked hand in hand, talking. Michelle learned a good bit about Samantha\u2019s family and thought she was going to like her dad. She wasn\u2019t too sure about Samantha\u2019s mother, though. The woman sounded a bit like the snobbish cheerleader Samantha had only pretended to be. Michelle had been wrong about a LaRose woman- or whatever her mother\u2019s maiden name was- before, so she would wait to meet the woman before forming an opinion of her.<\/p>\n Michelle told Samantha about summers with her dad, tagging along on his survival training excursions. She had Samantha in stitches, laughing at the crazy things rich people were willing to pay to eat. Her father was very thorough in his list of things that wouldn\u2019t kill you to eat but might make you wish you had a toothbrush and a whole bottle of mouthwash.<\/p>\n \u201cYour dad sounds like a trip,\u201d Samantha said, smiling at her.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is,\u201d Michelle said, feeling a stab in her heart. Talking about her family made her miss them more, and her spirits sank. When Samantha sensed the change in her mood and put an around her waist to pull her close, it helped, but Michelle still couldn\u2019t wait to give her dad a huge hug.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll be home soon,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Michelle said, kissing her, \u201cit\u2019s just\u2026 talking about them\u2026 It kind of sneaked up on me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s okay,\u201d Samantha said, squeezing her tighter, \u201cwe\u2019ve been busy just staying alive. It\u2019s only when you have a little time to think that it hurts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle said, favoring her with a sad smile.<\/p>\n They walked in silence for awhile, lost in thoughts of home. Michelle eventually found herself wondering what it was going to be like introducing her girlfriend to her parents. At least they knew she was interested in girls, so it wouldn\u2019t be too much of a shock. Samantha\u2019s parents, on the other hand, would in for a surprise. Michelle\u2019s mom and dad had taken it in stride, which proved they really were the coolest parents ever, but she knew she had gotten lucky. Would Samantha\u2019s parents be as accepting and supportive of her sexuality and by extension Michelle, or was there drama heading their way?<\/p>\n Michelle didn\u2019t think either set of parents could keep them apart- even if they had to sneak around to be together. She hoped it didn\u2019t come to that, but she found herself thinking of places they could meet if they needed to.<\/p>\n She was brought back from her thoughts, when Samantha asked, \u201cDo you hear that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHear what?\u201d Michelle asked, then she heard it, too. It was at a distance, but it sounded like a motorcycle or an ATV. The trees made it hard to pinpoint the source of the sound, but she thought it was coming from the east.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that\u2026 That\u2019s an engine, right?\u201d Samantha asked, meeting Michelle\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI think so,\u201d Michelle said, holding her breath and listening. The sound was definitely coming from the east but was fading fast like the bike or four-wheeler was moving away from them. Her lungs were burning by the time she finally let out her pent-up breath. Sucking in another, she said, \u201cSounded like an ATV\u2026 Heading away from us in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you sure?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cPretty sure,\u201d Michelle said, looking in the direction she thought the sound had come from.<\/p>\n \u201cShould we try to follow them?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Michelle said, glancing back at her girlfriend, \u201cthey are moving faster than we can walk. If they turn somewhere, we\u2019d never find them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess you are right,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe good news is,\u201d Michelle said, smiling at her, \u201cwe should cross their path if we keep walking south. If they are leaving good tracks, I might reconsider trying to follow them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo think that\u2019s possible?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThey sounded like they were moving fast,\u201d Michelle said, shrugging, \u201cI don\u2019t know if that makes a difference or not in tire tracks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Samantha said, laughing.<\/p>\n With a sheepish grin, Michelle said, \u201cI never claimed to know everything.\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha gave her a kiss, said, \u201cLet\u2019s find those tracks.\u201d<\/p>\n ——————————————————-<\/p>\n \u201cWe should have crossed them by now, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle glanced at Samantha, nodded. They had been walking for two hours since hearing the engine noises, and they hadn\u2019t seen anything that looked like tire tracks. The sound couldn\u2019t have traveled more than the seven or so miles they had covered. Somehow they had missed them, Michelle was almost certain.<\/p>\n \u201cShit,\u201d Samantha said, sighing.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t get it,\u201d Michelle said, looking around, \u201cnot seeing tire tracks, okay\u2026 But there wasn\u2019t even a trail they could have been following.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d Samantha asked, giving her a curious look.<\/p>\n \u201cDid you see any trails since we heard the noise?\u201d Michelle asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, no. I really wasn\u2019t paying attention though,\u201d Samantha said, still giving her that look, \u201cis that important?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Michelle said, frowning, \u201cjust strikes me as odd, is all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Samantha said, looking around, \u201care we giving up on finding tracks?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n \u201cShit,\u201d Samantha said, again, \u201cI was really hoping to catch a ride out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, Babe,\u201d Michelle said, putting her arm around her waist, \u201cwe are still hoofing it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s keep walking then,\u201d Samantha said, moving closer, \u201cat least for a little while longer before we make camp.\u201d<\/p>\n Both girls chest fallen from not finding any sign of the ATV they had heard, they walked in silence. The engine noises had been a tease, nothing more. Michelle had known it would be a long shot to actually find the rider, but it still stung a little.<\/p>\n They crested a small hill, then started down it when Michelle thought she heard voices. Coming to an abrupt halt, she grabbed Samantha\u2019s arm to get her to stop moving. Samantha began to ask a question, but Michelle shook her head and put her finger to her lips. Michelle listened intently, but she couldn\u2019t hear anything other than the usual forest noises. When the pause threatened to stretch on indefinitely, Michelle sighed and said, \u201cI thought I heard something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cVoices,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n \u201cVoices? Really?\u201d Samantha said, looking around.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were faint\u2026 I don\u2019t know, I guess I just imag-\u201d she said, cutting herself off when she thought she heard it, again. When she saw Samantha\u2019s eyes get big, she realized she wasn\u2019t going crazy, after all. She held her breath and strained her ears to follow the sound. She thought it was coming from somewhere to her left. Pointing, she said, \u201cThat way.\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha nodded.<\/p>\n Walking as quietly as they could, they moved toward where Michelle thought the voices were coming from. As the voices started to get louder, she was pretty sure they were walking in the right direction. Michelle\u2019s pace slowed as she realized the voices she was hearing were raised in anger. She thought there were at least three of them, all shouting over each other. The wind and distance still garbled the dialog, but she was sure they were fighting about something, even if she didn\u2019t know what.<\/p>\n Her pace slowed even more. Something about the half-heard argument had the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. She glanced at Blue, and she seemed tense, too. Michelle didn\u2019t know if it was just a wolf\u2019s distrust of humans or if the wolf sensed the same thing that had her nerves on edge. Either way, it didn\u2019t do anything for Michelle unease.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are you slowing down?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n Moving closer so she could whisper, Michelle said, \u201cI think they are having an argument.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think so, too,\u201d Samantha whispered, meeting her eyes, \u201cwhy are we whispering?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Michelle said, looking around, \u201cmaybe\u2026 maybe we shouldn\u2019t just approach them outright.\u201d<\/p>\n Samantha held her eyes for a long moment, then said, \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust okay?\u201d Michelle asked, giving the girl a curious look.<\/p>\n \u201cBabe, I trust your instincts,\u201d Samantha said, kissing her, \u201cif you think we need to be careful, we\u2019ll be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n They started walking again, moving as quietly as they could. As they got closer, they began to pick up bits of the argument:<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Why did you buy this…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…You said to get lighter fluid…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…Is this the brand we use…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…Lighter fluid is lighter fluid. It\u2019s the same\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…It\u2019s not the same. We\u2019ve been making the same recipe for three years! Three fucking years! They keep coming back for our shit because it\u2019s always the same…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The girls were so intent on being quiet that they almost missed the tree line and the clearing just beyond it. At the last second, Samantha grabbed Michelle\u2019s arm and pulled her down behind a stump before she could walk out in the open. Michelle gave her an appreciative nod.<\/p>\n Samantha pointed at something and Michelle followed her finger with her eyes. At first, she didn\u2019t see anything, then her eyes picked up on an oddly geometric shape among the trees on the other side of the clearing. It took her a second to realized she was looking at a half dozen camouflaged tents tucked in among the trees. Someone had gone to great lengths to be hard to find. She was surprised Samantha had seen them, but Michelle was glad she had.<\/p>\n \u201c…They won\u2019t know the difference…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…I\u2019ll know the difference! Show some fucking pride in your work…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026You know what, fuck you. If you want your stupid fucking special lighter fluid, you can make the five-hour trip back to town to get it yourself…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Michelle and Samantha came to a stop, glanced at each other. When Samantha mouthed \u2018lighter fluid\u2019, Michelle could only shrug. She didn\u2019t know what the two men were arguing over, either. The word \u2018recipe\u2019 stuck out though. Why would having the wrong brand of lighter fluid make a difference to a recipe? Something told her they weren\u2019t talking about bar-b-que.<\/p>\n A third voice spoke up, said, \u201c…It\u2019s late. No one is going anywhere tonight. I\u2019ll make a supply run in the morning, get what we need\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…You are taking his side? Jesus, it\u2019s the same thing…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…You know that stuffing Mom makes at Thanksgiving? The one you love? Do you know why it is always delicious? She uses the same chicken stock every year…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…Oh God, don\u2019t give me the stuffing speech, again…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Fine. Are you a chemist, then…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…What? No, I\u2019m not a fucking chemist…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201c…Well, neither am I. I don\u2019t know why this recipe works, but it does. We cook it the way Uncle Jim taught us because we want to keep our customers happy and don\u2019t want to blow ourselves up. So, in the morning, I\u2019m going to run this last batch into town, then I\u2019m going to fix your fuck up so we can get back to business. Now, I don\u2019t want to hear any more horseshit from either of you about this…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Michelle saw movement near the furthest tent, then someone stepped into view. He was muttering to himself as he moved behind the tent to relieve himself. Michelle gasped when she saw the AR-15 on his back. She recognized the civilian version of the M16 because her father had let her fire one a couple of times. Her father\u2019s was the semi-automatic variety, legal to own and use. Michelle doubted the man behind the tent could say the same.<\/p>\n \u201cJesus, who are these people?\u201d Samantha whispered, her eyes on the assault rifle.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one who\u2019d be happy to see us. We need to get out of here,\u201d Michelle said, waiting for the man to leave. When he finished watering the grass behind the tent, he disappeared between them, again. Grabbing Samantha\u2019s hand, she said, \u201cLet\u2019s go. Come on, Blue.\u201d<\/p>\n They backtracked the way they had come, slow at first to keep quiet, then breaking out in a run when they thought it was safe to do so. Only when they put a little distance between them and the men at the hidden camp, did they pause to catch their breath.<\/p>\n \u201cGlad I trusted your instincts,\u201d Samantha said, with a breathless little laugh.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad you saw the tents,\u201d Michelle said, holding her side, \u201cI would have walked right up on them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you think they were doing back there?\u201d Samantha said, shrugging out of her pack.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething illegal,\u201d Michelle said, without a doubt she was right.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Samantha agreed.<\/p>\n In the distance, they heard a four-wheeler grumble to life. Michelle looked at Samantha, said, \u201cI thought they weren\u2019t going anywhere tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what he said,\u201d Samantha said, looking back toward the camp.<\/p>\n The pitch of the engine changed as it was put in gear and revved up. Michelle\u2019s heart skipped a beat as the noise grew louder and she said, \u201cShit! He’s coming this way!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid they see us?\u201d Samantha said, picking up her backpack. She shrugged into it in a hurry.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Michelle said, grabbing her hand, \u201ccome on. Head toward the river… More places to hide.\u201d<\/p>\n They took off and running toward the river, adrenaline helping them coax a little more out of their tired muscles. Even if the guy from the camp wasn\u2019t looking for them, was coming this way by pure coincidence, he would still react badly to seeing them so close to his secret spot. Michelle thought about the AR-15 on the pisser\u2019s back, and she found a little more speed in her burning calves.<\/p>\n They had to be losing ground to the ATV, so they needed a hiding place in a hurry. There was a clock ticking in Michelle\u2019s head, and she knew they were running out of time. Any second now, they would in the line of sight of the ATV rider.<\/p>\n Spotting the root ball of a fallen tree, Michelle pulled Samantha in that direction. It was big enough for them to crouch behind but not an ideal hiding place. She didn\u2019t think they had time to find a better one.<\/p>\n She squeezed Samantha\u2019s hand as the engine noise swelled louder. Time had flown by as they were sprinting for cover but slowed to a crawl as she waited to see if they had been discovered. She had to fight the urge to peek over the log, had to force herself to stay in her hiding spot and hope for the best.<\/p>\n When the four-wheeler blew by them without slowing, she almost jumped up and celebrated. It felt like a victory, not being seen.<\/p>\n With her nerves jangling, she looked after the ATV. It was traveling faster than they could walk, but not moving flat out. The rider\u2019s head was on a swivel, turning left and right as he rode. Michelle\u2019s heart sank when she realized he was looking for something.<\/p>\n \u201cShit,\u201d Samantha said, drawing her attention, \u201cthey saw us!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow did they see us?\u201d Michelle asked, frowning. If someone had seen them at the camp, the alarm would have gone up immediately, but a good fifteen-twenty minutes had passed before the four-wheeler had started up. It didn\u2019t make any sense. Her frown deepening, she said, \u201cI don\u2019t think they saw us. They would have come right after us, not wait twenty minutes first.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why is he looking for us?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Michelle said, looking around, \u201che is<\/em> looking for us, though. We need a better hiding spot.\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle figured the river was still their best bet at finding a suitable place to hole up for a while, so they headed that way. Coming out on the rocky bank, she looked downstream and had to laugh. The bank was flat, no dead trees or jutting rock formations in sight. When she glanced back upstream, she saw the bank had been clear for a good stretch of the way. They had walked through the woods for nothing. Worse than that, if they had stuck to the riverside, they would have walked right by the men in the woods.<\/p>\n \u201cSeriously?\u201d Samantha said, shaking her head.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had no way of knowing,\u201d Michelle said, laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is nowhere to hide here,\u201d Samantha said, looking around.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s head downstream,\u201d Michelle said, offering her hand, \u201cmaybe we\u2019ll get lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n They stuck close to the tree line as they followed the river south. The trees didn\u2019t make very good cover, but it was all they had. The river bank was utterly flat, the biggest rocks the size of bowling balls. Samantha was right- there was nowhere to hide.<\/p>\n The light began to fade as the day drew closer to its end. There hadn\u2019t been a lot of daylight left by the time they stumbled upon the men in the woods, and they had spent most of the rest of it running and hiding. As Michelle looked at the lengthening shadows, she knew they were in for a rough night. They hadn\u2019t put enough distance between themselves and their pursuers to risk a fire, which meant no food or water or warmth to hold off the cold of night.<\/p>\n Michelle started looking for somewhere they could tuck in, her eyes scanning just beyond the tree line. She was so absorbed with the task, that she jumped in surprise when she heard the pop of static from a radio maybe thirty feet away. Freezing, Michelle looked around for the source of the noise. She spotted one of the men kneeling by the river, filling up jugs of water. She quickly pushed Samantha into the woods, and they hid behind a tree.<\/p>\n The pop of static was followed by a tinny voice saying, \u201cThere\u2019s nothing out here.\u201d<\/p>\n The kneeling man pulled a radio off his hip, said, \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI rode out further than anyone could have run, then did a bunch of zigzags looking for tracks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis ground is lousy for tracking,\u201d the kneeling man said, putting a cap on his water jug, \u201cit\u2019s getting dark, so come back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Bobby,\u201d the kneeling man said, standing up, \u201ccollect the game cameras on your way back. It was probably just a deer or something, but we better make sure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust the ones on the north side, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d the kneeling man said, putting his radio back on his hip. Turning back toward the woods, he said, \u201cBobby didn\u2019t see anything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho knows how long the motion sensors were going off before we saw them, thanks to you two fucking yelling at each other. If someone had been there, they had time to get away,\u201d A voice said, from twenty feet away.<\/p>\n Michelle\u2019s eyes snapped in that direction, and she hunkered down even more. The failing light helped, but she and Samantha were still painfully exposed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s probably just a deer,\u201d the kneeling man said, walking toward him, \u201cif it was the Feds, we\u2019d already be in zip ties.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s hope you are right.\u201d<\/p>\n With their water, the two men retreated into the woods, again. Michelle watched them go for a while, then whispered to Samantha, \u201cThat was too close.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did they mean by game cameras?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cHunters use them to spy on animals. Dad says it\u2019s cheating,\u201d Michelle said, then had a sinking feeling in her stomach, \u201cif they check their cameras, they\u2019ll know we were at their camp. They\u2019ll be looking for us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShit,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t stay here,\u201d Michelle said, not liking the idea of walking around in the dark. They didn\u2019t have a choice, though. They needed to put some distance between them and the camp before the men started searching.<\/p>\n The moon was three-quarters full, casting just enough silver light on the landscape for them to follow the river south. Even with the light from the heavens, it was slow going. They had barely gone a quarter of a mile before engines turned over at the camp. Michelle counted three separate ATVs starting up. They were going to empty the camp, looking for them.<\/p>\n Searchlights blinked to life, stabbing through the dark. Michelle ducked even though they weren\u2019t pointed their way. She watched as the ATVs headed north in a search pattern, the beams of their lights overlapping.<\/p>\n With a sigh of relief, Michelle thought the game cameras hadn\u2019t caught her and Samantha doubling back on their tracks. The men appeared to be concentrating their search efforts to the north, while they were south of the camp. At night and with the ground conditions underfoot, it would be extremely hard for the search party to spot their tracks.<\/p>\n Turning to Samantha, she said, \u201cThey don\u2019t know we doubled back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d Samantha said, starting to walk south, again. She stopped when she realized Michelle wasn\u2019t following her. Turning back, she asked, \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI want to look around their camp,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Are you serious?\u201d Samantha asked, laughing, \u201cdon\u2019t you watch scary movies? That\u2019s a horrible idea.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith the four-wheelers, they have a huge advantage over us,\u201d Michelle said, looking in the general direction of the camp.<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Samantha said, coming back to Michelle, \u201cthat\u2019s why we need to get as far ahead of them as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTomorrow morning- or maybe even tonight- they are going to realize they are looking in the wrong place and start looking in other directions. If they find our tracks, they\u2019ll know we headed south. It won\u2019t matter how much distance we put between us. They\u2019ll run us down with the four-wheelers,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, what are you thinking?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThe guy said it was a five-hour trip back into town,\u201d Michelle said, thinking.<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Samantha said, looking at her. She suddenly straightened up, said, \u201cYou want to take their gasoline.\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling, Michelle said, \u201cIf they have to search on foot…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll slow them down,\u201d Samantha said, then snorted, \u201cI still think it\u2019s a bad idea. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle laughed and took Samantha\u2019s hand. They made their way toward where Michelle had placed the camp. Finding the tents in daylight had been a challenge- at night, she fully expected to run into them before she saw them. They lucked out, though. When they got close to the camp, they saw light under one of the tents.<\/p>\n She tried the tent with the light in it first. Inside were three folding cots and a small battery powered space heater. The source of light was an open laptop sitting on one of the beds. One of the game cameras was still plugged into it, and Michelle\u2019s stomach sank when she saw her and Samantha\u2019s face on the screen. She didn\u2019t like the fact these guys knew what she looked like. Glancing at Samantha, she saw the girl looked a little sick, too.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to take these,\u201d Michelle said. The men had already seen their faces, so she could only hope they had a bad memory. She grabbed the pillow off the cot, pulled it out of its case. The laptop and game cameras went into the pillowcase. She glanced at Samantha, said, \u201cLet\u2019s hope they don\u2019t remember what we look like.\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle was turning to leave when she saw a flashlight on the ground next to the cot. Stooping, she picked it up. Turning it on, she blinked in the sudden glare. Covering the lens with her fingers, she managed to cut the light down to a narrow shaft, which would be hard to see at a distance. Not impossible to see, just harder. She thought it was worth the risk. They\u2019d be able to find the gasoline a lot easier if they weren\u2019t feeling around the camp like a bunch of blind girls. They could do what they came to do and get out a whole lot faster.<\/p>\n Sweeping the light around the tent, she saw a box of food. There were cans of soup, beef jerky, bags of chips and boxes of snack cakes. Her stomach grumbled, and she realized she hadn\u2019t eaten since they took a lunch about one.<\/p>\n Next to the boxes of food were gallon jugs of water, presumably the ones they had gathered from the river. Michelle hoped they intended to boil them before they drank any of the water. She reconsidered, hoped they got the shits from drinking it.<\/p>\n That would slow them down<\/em>, Michelle thought, smiling.<\/p>\n That thought led to another that maybe they could do more to slow down the men down than just dump out their fuel supply. She jabbed the point of her spear into the water jugs, gashing a hole in each one. When she felt Samantha looking at her, she said, \u201cThey can\u2019t store water anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe could have taken the jugs,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n A little sheepish, Michelle said, \u201cTrue. I didn\u2019t think it through.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are taking the food though, right?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Michelle said, thinking the processed food would last a lot longer than their cured meat. That and the bag of Doritos had her almost drooling on herself.<\/p>\n Handing Michelle her spear, Samantha grabbed the box of food, tossing the pillowcase with the electronics in it. Leaving the tent, they went in search of the gasoline. Spotting a plastic twenty-gallon barrel, Michelle turned the flashlight on it. It had a tap in the top, one with a hand pump and a short hose. Picking up the tube, she sniffed.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is it,\u201d Michelle said, setting the spears and flashlight on the ground. She tried twisting the tap off, but it was too tight. With Samantha\u2019s help, they managed to loosen it enough that Michelle could spin it off. The smell of gasoline filled the night, and Blue sneezed four or five times before backing away. It took both of them pushing to topple the barrel on its side. There was the glug-glug sound of the fuel soaking the ground.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a lot of gas,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey could have spent days looking for us,\u201d Michelle said.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think they have any spare gasoline on them?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n Michelle thought about it, then said, \u201cMaybe one of the ATVs. The one that they use to make trips into town with. They\u2019d need more than one tank of gas to make it, I\u2019d think. Or maybe all of them, since they had to get them out here somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted you to say no,\u201d Samantha said.<\/p>\n \u201cWith this barrel, they might not have separate cans of gas,\u201d Michelle said, meeting her eyes, \u201cwe might get lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFingers crossed,\u201d Samantha said, looking around the camp, \u201care we done here?\u201d<\/p>\n Michelle tried to think of anything else they could do to slow down their pursuers. They had trashed their water containers and stole their food, which meant they would have to hunt or scavenge for food. Just trying to survive would divide their attention and slow them down. Hopefully, an empty fuel barrel will put them on foot before long.<\/p>\n Setting a fire popped into her head, but she didn\u2019t think starting a forest fire was a very good idea. Besides, it would draw the men back to the camp too quickly. Michelle wanted them riding around in circles up north as long as possible, burning gasoline.<\/p>\n \u201cI think so,\u201d Michelle said, picking up hers and Samantha\u2019s spears, \u201clet\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n They headed south, again. Michelle had the flashlight on, all but a little sliver of the lens covered with her fingers. It wasn\u2019t much light, but she felt a lot better than if she had to navigate the forest with just moonlight. They were walking as fast as they dared.<\/p>\n \u201cHow long do you think they\u2019ll search for us tonight?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever they are up to, they have to think we know something\u2026 Where their camp is, if nothing else,\u201d Michelle said, thinking about it, \u201cI\u2019d say they won\u2019t return to camp until they are low on fuel.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs that your real answer or just wishful thinking?\u201d Samantha asked.<\/p>\n \u201cMostly \u2018a\u2019 with a little of \u2018b\u2019 mixed in,\u201d Michelle said, smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think they\u2019ll find our tracks?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTonight\u2026 Probably not. Tomorrow, when the sun comes up…\u201d Michelle said, meeting Samantha\u2019s eyes, \u201cwe\u2019ll just have wait and see if luck is on our side.\u201d<\/p>\n Continue to Part Ten<\/a><\/p>\n Looking up at the sun now getting low in the sky to the west, Michelle wondered how much distance they had managed to cover. Sighing, she thought it wasn\u2019t as much as she would have liked. They had set out … Continue reading