The change in hair and new clothes just wasn't doing the trick this time. She lie awake at night, tossing and turning, on the verge of tears, questions floating through her mind. The answers always seeming to be just out of reach. A burning desire deep within her to be loved and accepted for who she was inside. If she ever mentioned these thoughts to family and friends, they'd look at her strange, as if she's really lost it this time. Therefore, she remains quiet, closing her inner self off, pasting that smile on for the world, as if all is that fairy tale perfect.
A light goes on, maybe a trip, a cruise or something. Get away from her everyday life, boring mundane job, friends, and family. She wonders if they will even miss her at all or just when they need something and decides she doesn't really care anymore. She finds herself driving down to the older part of town where all the little shops open up onto sidewalks edged in flower pots bursting with brilliantly colored flowers and neatly aligned trees. She quickly parallel parks and takes a deep breath as she turns the engine off. Glancing at the shop window fronts, then at the people smiling as they walk past.
She turns back and looks at the clock on the dash, filtering through all the reasons she can't go anywhere. Looking down realizes her hands are shaking and berates herself for being silly. Quickly taking the keys out of the ignition and dropping them into her purse before she looses her nerve. She stops in front of several shops, stalling, then continue on down the sidewalk counting slowly in her head trying to calm down. She steps into the travel agency office, point of no turning back, pasting on the ever handy smile.
She's greeted by a very friendly older lady and offered a seat. Immediately she feels more relaxed, and they begin discussing options. Finally, she settled on a two-week camping/canoeing trip in the West Virginia Mountains. It sounded perfect. All the arrangements and forms were completed before she could blink an eye, finding herself back out on the sidewalk in a daze. Wondering how she was going to explain this to everyone. She finished the remainder of the day and week on autopilot, doing all the things she's supposed to do. Her mind goes over all the possible reasons she can give her family and friends for the upcoming trip, discarding them one by one. Finally, feed up with the whole thing with the realization she owes them no explanation. Squaring her shoulders, straightening her back, lifting her chin she prepares to break the news to her family.
The day finally arrives, tossing her bag in the car and heading out; a great weight is magically lifted off her chest. She smiles for the first time in ages. The breeze from the open window sends her hair flying about her head like a golden halo as she glances at the map again. Her adventure has begun.
After a few wrong turns, back tracking, and getting directions from a little old man rocking on his front porch she finally arrives at the Ranger's station to check in. Tired and hungry only to find out the regular guide has had a family emergency and the trip is being canceled. Standing in the mists of other frustrated campers, she notices a gentleman quietly standing off to the side. He is listening to the other camper's irate requests for refunds and complaints of not being notified sooner.
She sinks back into the crowd and finds a bench against the wall, settling down quietly to think. Her eyes keep wondering back to the quiet stranger, then quickly back to the crowd when he turns his head towards her. The crowd slowly disperses as one by one they complete the paperwork for their refunds. She gasps softly as she glances again at the stranger to find him staring at her with a knowing twinkle in his eyes and a smirk upon his firm lips. With a frustrated jerk of her head, she jumps up to take her turn with the Ranger.
She wonders to herself what is he all about. Is he just another one of the campers? Does he work here? She feels the little hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention, shivers race down her spine as he comes up beside her and starts talking to the Ranger. She stops filling out the form and lifts her head when she realizes they are discussing the possibility of using part of the refund to rent camping gear to complete at least that part of the vacation.
She asks if she can also rent the necessary equipment and buy supplies for a two-week period. At first, the Ranger doesn't appear to notice she has spoken, but the stranger did as she smiles down at her. The Ranger turns asking her to repeat what she said when he notices he no longer has the stranger's attention. She blushes, gliding her tongue across her suddenly dry pink lips, dropping the pen onto the uncompleted form she asks again.
She begins to fume as she listens to the speech on the frailties of women and the need for them to stay close to the Ranger's station. About how hard camping can be, and o0o0o all the wild creatures that might get her in the night. She assures the Ranger she is quiet capable of taking care of herself and sets about completing the necessary forms ignoring any further remarks about women alone in the wilderness.
With a second burst of energy of the day, she wiggles her arms into the now packed backpack carefully lifting and straightening. She peeks to see if they are looking as she sways slightly under the weight, turns up her perky little nose and marching off, heading down one of the trails. She stops just out of sight to get her bearings, checking the map and her surrounds before heading out again.
After what seems like hours, all sweaty and worn out she stops at the most perfect of spots, a small clearing beside a creek. She stumbles under the weight of the backpack as she tries to lower it to the ground. Finally, just dropping it and collapsing into a heap beside it. Her arms and legs feel like rubber as she lifts a shaky hand to wipe the sweat off her forehead. After a few moments of rest, watching the cool water gurgle past down the little creek she begins stripping down.
With her arms wrapped around her breasts, she carefully steps over the slick moss covered rocks entering the water. Shivering slightly she takes a few more steps until she is about waist deep. She jumps with a little squeal as a fish nibbles on her right leg, then giggles as she tells it she might very well have it for dinner soon if it doesn't behave. Splashing about rinsing all the sweat and grim from her soft pink flesh, she dunks under running her fingers through her hair before resurfacing.
She turns around to get out and a scream of surprise catches in her throat. She wraps her arms over her breasts, mouth still hanging open, unable to utter a sound as she looks up into the twinkling eyes of the stranger. She blinks several times thinking it is just her imagination, but he does not disappear. She closes her mouth and swallows as she begins to shiver from the cold water. He doesn't move a muscle, just lounges there quietly watching. She does not know how long they remain like this before he finally speaks.
His voice is deep and strong as he commands her to get out before her entire body turns as blue as her lips. She steps back in surprise, stutters a little before her voice grows stronger as she asks him to turn around so she can get out. He chuckles deep within his chest, a comforting rumbling sound that almost makes her smile. He moves with surprising speed and agility for a man of his size as he gets to his feet walking to the edge of the creek holding out a towel.
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