Through the Woods

"You think?" said Lara, "Seeing how I literally spent two hours telling you all about my anxiety?"

"Yeah. Should've trusted you. It's just... I would have told you later if anything went anywhere. Except they never do. Girls tend to head for the hills when they find out you're a crybaby."

"So? Guys run screaming down the street first time they see a panic attack. Depression isn't being a 'crybaby'. Anymore than anxiety makes me... well, guys have called me psycho, loon, nutjob..."

"Nutjob?" Scott asked. "I got 'nutbar' a lot. How about 'headcase'? Ever get that one?"

"Practically my nickname in high school."

Scott nodded. "Yeah. That one never sounded like much of an insult to me. If you're gonna insult someone, make it hurt."

They stared at each other, then Scott thumped the table and stood. "Anyway, I'll get going. Sorry for letting you down."

He turned, but Lara grabbed his hand. "Not going to make it up to me?"

Scott spun with an audible gasp. "Wha—what?"

"Make it up to me," she said. "You promised to take me hiking. Don't you keep your promises?"

"You don't want anything to do with me."

"Typical guy," said Lara. "Always telling women what to do. How about you let me decide for myself?"

Lara thought Scott looked cute struggling for words. She said, "Normally, I'd tell you to get lost. Or at least make you do a lot of begging. But all six of my dates for the weekend backed out at the last minute, so I'll give you a chance. Tomorrow. Pick me up at nine, just like before. Okay?"

Scott ran his fingers through his hair again, then smiled. "Yeah. Okay! You sure? Great! I'll go get everything ready."

He turned to leave, but Lara held onto his hand.

"Not going to walk me home?" she said.

Scott looked bewildered, then shy. "Just like that? I better not. I gotta get things ready. Besides, things will happen."

"Just because you walk me home doesn't mean I'll jump you."

Lara's heart thumped when he gave her a feral once-over. "Oh, it's not you I'm worried about," he said. "I already ruined things once. Best take it slow."

She released his hand, nodding. "Okay, fine," she said. "But, Scott? If you stand me up one more time without saying anything, I'll gut you with your fountain pen."

~~~~

The trail head was a gap in the trees at the side of a decaying rural road. A small weathered sign marked it, but no one would spot it unless they knew it was there.

Lara watched Scott don his rucksack and adjust the straps. It figured he'd have an old-style canvas one with straps and buckles.

"Can I hold the bells?" she said.

"Bells?"

"You know. The jingly bells. You're supposed to have jingle bells to scare bears away, right? And use pepper spray."

Scott chuckled. "There's only black bears around here. They're wimps. If we run into one, yell and wave your arms and back away. With grizzly bears... well, they don't scare. Pepper spray right in the face might help a little."

Lara felt disappointed. "So no bells. Guess you didn't bring a gun, either?"

"Not safe. If I get depressed, I might shoot myself. If you get all panicky, you might shoot me."

Lara elbowed him in the ribs.

"But," Scott said, "it's a good idea to keep an eye peeled for signs a bear is around. Look on the trail for bear poop."

"Are you serious? How would I know bear poop from squirrel shit?"

"Well, depends on the bear. Black bear poop is round and has berries and bits of squirrel fur in it. Grizzly bear poop is bigger, wetter, has jingle bells in it and smells like pepper."

Eventually Lara stopped laughing and wiped her eyes. Scott waited, wearing a satisfied smile. Then he took her hand and together they entered the forest.

Searing summer heat became cool dryness as the aromas of wild plants and decaying leaves filled Lara's senses. The trail meandered between tall trees and was so overgrown and narrow they had to walk single-file. Scott led the way up the gentle slope.

Lara felt out of place and scared to make a fool of herself with Scott. She thought she'd need to do breathing exercises and meditate, but didn't feel anxious at all. Except for the low-level dread that had been her companion since she was a girl.

Scott kept looking back, asking if she was okay. Soon, the canopy of trees arching high overhead, sounds of insects and birds and the ever-shifting fragrances of the woods had their effect. The lush abundance of the forest seeped into Lara's senses, overpowering everything else.

Lara could hardly believe he wanted to be with her after seeing her in full anxiety mode. Still, he had refused to sleep with her. She understood his reasons. Hopefully that wouldn't last long.

She then realized she was in the woods with a guy she just met. She had told Megan they were going hiking, but not where, exactly.

Yet somehow, she knew she could trust Scott. He was so earnest about everything. Just watching his solid frame as he strode up the trail gave her a sense of security and well-being.

"This is amazing," she said. "I haven't been in a forest since my last grade school field trip."

"It's the best trail around," said Scott. "Never any people. I try to walk it every week. More, when I need it."

"You need to walk in the woods, country boy?"

Scott smiled back. "Beats sitting inside drinking tea and scribbling in a journal, city girl. If I'm in the city too long, I start getting down. Too much noise and too many people... no space to breathe. I come here to stretch my legs. Works better than any meds."

The trail crossed a narrow stream, burbling and sparkling in the filtered sunlight. Scott helped Lara step across.

"That's what happened last week," he said. "This summer has been crazy at work. Guess I waited too long getting out here then everything just... fell apart."

They walked on, Lara slowly relaxing as the serenity of the forest mixed with the exertion of the hike seeped into her. She was so lost in thought she almost plowed into Scott when he stopped.

She said, "Scott, What—"

"Shh!" Scott held up a hand, cocking an ear. "Hear anything?"

Lara heard only the breeze in the trees overhead.

Scott swiveled his head, straining, then shrugged. "Nothing. Thought I might've heard voices."

"Hearing voices, huh?" Lara said, teasing. "So you're schizophrenic too?"

Scott gave her a arm a playful punch, then bent to rummage in his pack. He pulled out water bottles and handed her one.

Lara sipped, then tipped her head back to look through the canopy to the blue sky far above. The upper branches swayed, leaves trembling with the breeze.

Scott said, "How're you holding up? There's another hour to go to the end. It's a good time to turn back if you want."

"Hey, I work out. I'm strong. And I never skip leg day. If you can make it, I can make it."

"All right then!" Scott smiled. "Want to lead for a bit? Bet you're tired of seeing my ass by now."

Lara grinned. "Oh, I could stand seeing it a bit more. Besides, I don't know where the trail goes. It keeps disappearing."

Scott turned her and pointed. "See that birch up ahead? The yellow patch on it is the trail marker. They're spaced so when you get to one, you should be able to see the next."

"Okay," said Lara. "I can do that." She handed Scott her water bottle. "So that's a 'birch' is it? I only know it by its scientific name: treeus leafius."

Scott laughed. Still with his arm around her, he pointed again: "That's birch. That one's maple. That's red oak. Those real tall fellas are spruce."

Lara leaned against him as he showed off, enjoying the solidity of his arm around her and the masculine scent of his skin.

"Okay, mister forest ranger," she said. "So you know trees. Well, I know what that is." Lara pointed to a cluster of leafy fronds beside the trail. "That's a fern. A primitive foliage, unchanged since the days of the dinosaur. They used to eat them."

Scott nodded, looking impressed. "Wow. A fern, is it? That's really something. How'd a city girl get to know so much about the woods?"

"I have one growing in a pot in my apartment. The tag that came with it said that stuff about the dinosaurs."

Scott laughed, then tucked the water bottles back into his pack. "C'mon. Better get going."

Lara teetered along the trail, carefully following each mark. At first she suspected Scott wanted her to lead so he could watch her own ass. Glancing back, she felt a twinge of satisfaction to find he was indeed enjoying the view.

Leading the way somehow made the woods seem more real. Timeless. She could imagine her and Scott as ancient hunter-gatherers, mated for life, trekking through the woods in search of deer.

As she trekked on, Lara's hateful companion of dread was drowned out by the surge of her heartbeat, the scuffing and crunch of Scott's footfalls behind her, and the vitality of the green life all around.

~~~~

Scott had figured Lara would give up about halfway along the trail and was happy to be wrong. She was stronger than he first thought and very determined.

He watched her picking along the trail, looking around at everything, stopping to ask what this thing was or that, or to take a photo. He worried being in the wild would stress her out, but she seemed completely at ease. Things couldn't last long with such a smart, beautiful city girl, he thought, especially now she knew how messed up he was. He didn't let himself hope maybe he'd be wrong about that too.

The trail opened onto a narrow grassy clearing beside a wide pond. Scott winced and shielded his eyes as the blazing sun and heated air hit him.

Lara gasped, "Scott, you didn't say there was a lake!"

"Oh, it's just an old beaver pond." He gestured to the collapsed mounds of two ancient beaver lodges at the far end, guarded by mournful gray stalks of long-drowned trees.

"Where are the beavers?" Lara shielded her eyes, peering around.

Scott shucked off his rucksack and set it down. "Long, long gone. You hungry yet?"

He pulled out the water bottles and a container of sandwiches. He handed Lara an additional bottle.

Lara examined the label. "Caffeine-free iced tea," she said. "Really?"

"Thought it might make you feel more at home, seeing how you drink gallons of it at the cafe. And I tried getting some of those sawdust circles Megan keeps serving us, but she was out."

"They're oatcakes and Megan makes them herself! They're good."

"They taste like chalk. Anyway, I brought some of my mom's brownies. She sends a care package every couple of weeks."

Scott shared the sandwiches as they sat cross-legged by the pond. Lara talked and flirted.

"Why would beavers build a house and a dam, then just leave it? So what kind of tree is that one, Mr. know-it-all? Did you bring your journal? Ever camped out here? Can you fish here? Has your pen exploded on you yet? Fuck, it's hot today. If we had a solar panel how long would it take to charge my phone? Oh, shit—there's no signal out here! Are you going to finish that brownie?"

Suddenly, Lara stopped talking and fixed Scott with an odd stare. Without warning, she leaned over to kiss him lovingly on the lips.

It was the last thing Scott expected, but he went with it. Her lips were soft but insistent, and he fought to keep his heart and the rest of himself under control.

Lara pulled back to study his face with her lively dark eyes. "Okay?" she said.

Scott nodded. "Yeah. Real okay."

"Thanks for bringing me here," she said. "You're right—it is peaceful. I would never do this on my own in a million years."

Scott saw her thinking about something, then without warning she stood and peeled off her top in one fluid motion. She posed for a moment, smiling, letting Scott take in her perky, flawless breasts, then doffed her shorts and underwear.

Lara stood gloriously naked in the summer sun, posing as Scott drank in every inch of her. Her long smooth legs led to a carefully trimmed triangle of fur. She was slim but beautifully shaped, the flare of her hips curving to a narrow waist.

"Nope," Scott said, his mouth suddenly dry. "You're not shy at all. God, you're beautiful."

Lara grinned, then began wading into the pond.

"Eeww! It's all muddy."

"I bet it is," said Scott. "It's a beaver pond. Not the best place to swim."

He watched her wade deeper, surprised, amused and delighted, until the water was mid-thigh. Lara stretch forward, swam out a few strokes, then stood and turned, still just waist-deep. She squinted in the burning sun, water on her skin shimmering like jewels.

"It's pretty shallow," she called. "But nice and cool. C'mon! What are you waiting for?"

Scott laughed and stripped off his own clothes, tossing them haphazardly beside hers. With a running splash, soon he was beside Lara, toes sinking in the muddy bottom.

Lara smiled then surprised him with a splash to the face. He got her back with a volley of water that sprayed her head to bellybutton. They laughed and played and wrestled like children, dunking each other, chasing each other, until they paused for breath.

When Scott put his arms around her, Lara tongued her lip then said, "So... still too soon?"

Scott wanted the spark between them to grow, not get sidelined by sex. But Lara pleading with her mischievous dark eyes, her beautiful breasts bare and inviting, had their effect.

"It sure is," Scott said, "but right now I don't care."

Her eyes widened, then Lara beamed and broke from his embrace. Turning, she looked over her shoulder then said "Gotta catch me first." She launched herself towards the opposite shore.

Scott caught her before she reached the bank. Lara giggled and struggled when he lifted her into his arms and waded out to lay her down onto a grassy gap between the trees.

~~~~

Scott lay beside Lara, watching her breasts rise and fall with her excited breathing before she pulled him down into a kiss. When he moved to nuzzle her neck. Lara gasped and ran her fingers through his hair.

She pulled his hand to her breast, and he ran the back of his hand across her nipple before cupping it to feel the smooth firmness.

Lara sighed then said, "So it's too soon, but we're doing it, anyway?"

"Only if that's all right with you."

"Aren't you afraid you'll wreck things?" she teased.

"I am." He slid lower. Still massaging one breast, he licked up and across the other as he looked into her eyes.

Lara's voice was hoarse. "So... ooo, that's nice... then shouldn't we stop?"

"Just say when." Lara gasped when he took her nipple into his mouth.

She held Scott's head to her as he explored her breasts, arching her back and writhing.

From across the pond, a sound. Scott froze and lifted his head.

Lara looked down at him, puzzled. "What—"

Holding up a hand, he whispered, "Listen." Propping up, he peered across the pond.

Four men were emerging from the forest. They looked to be around 20, hooting and swearing, pushing each other and carrying on. One swigged from a bottle then passed it to another.

Each one carried a rifle slung on a shoulder or carried in the crook of their arm.

Scott motioned for Lara to lay still. He whispered, "They probably can't see us here in the shade."

"Well, what we got here?" said the tallest one, his loud voice carrying across the water. He kicked their clothes with the toe of his boot. "Some litter bugs dumped a bunch of clothes and gear."

The others laughed.

"Damn inconsiderate," said one, just as loud. "Messing up our woods." He yelled, "Ever heard about conservation?"

They all thought that was hilarious.

He then upended Scott's rucksack, dumping the contents on the ground.

Three of them squatted over the contents while the tall one held his rifle ready, scanning the surrounding trees, occasionally directing his friends as they bickered over the loot.

Scott stood. "All right. Leave that alone, boys. Hear?"

The leader raised his rifle, then laughed and lowered it.

"Well, look at you," he said. "Naked as a jaybird. You a nudist? Got a girl there with ya?"

"Just went for a little swim to cool off," Scott said. "You know how it is on a hot day. Now leave our stuff alone."

The leader looked down at his friends squabbling over who got what. "Naw. I could use a couple new cell phones. And some money." He held up Scott's wallet.

Scott squatted and looked at Lara. "Don't worry," he said, "It's just some kids goofing around. Will you be okay here while I deal with them?"

Lara swallowed. "I'll be fine. Go."

The group jeered and laughed as Scott swam towards them. When he was half-way, the leader shoved everything into the rucksack, clothes included, and strolled further along the edge of the water, eyes on Scott, making a show of taking his time. Two of his buddies followed.

The fourth one lingered. With a laugh, he unzipped and pissed loudly into the water, sneering, then hurried to catch up with the rest.

Scott reached the shore just as the group was stomping back into the woods, some distance from the trail. Scott ran, but when he reached the spot, they had disappeared into the forest. He heard them in the distance, hooting and laughing. Scott followed as far as he could, hoping the idiots had dropped the pack, but couldn't go far with the underbrush slashing and scraping his bare feet and legs.

Lara was emerging from the water when Scott returned. She approached him, hands wrapped across her breasts.

"They took everything?" she asked.

Scott eyed her warily. "Yeah."

Lara's eyes were darting. She sat down hard on the ground, tucking her legs under her chin.

"It's okay, Lara. We can—"

"Shh!"

Scott crouched beside her, watching as she closed her eyes, her breathing deep and purposeful. Moments later she opened them and looked at the pond, mouthing words before closing her eyes again. She repeated this until she opened her eyes and looked at Scott.

"I'm okay," she said. "I'm grounded. I won't freak out on you."

"Well, you're entitled to. I might freak out myself. Goddamn bunch of children."

"Children with guns," said Lara. "You scared me when you went after them."

"They weren't gonna shoot anyone. Bunch of coward tough-guy wannabees, that's all."

"So, what are we going to do?" asked Lara.

Scott reached over to fluff Lara's damp curly hair with his fingers. "We'll head back to the truck. There's a spare key under the bumper. And a pair of coveralls behind the seat you can wear."

"What about you?"

"Well, there might be an old t-shirt back there too. For sure there's a hard hat."

Lara pictured Scott driving back into the city with a hard hat covering his dick.

"What if those assholes catch us on the trail?"

"Hope they do. They'll think there were ten of me. But they'll stay way off the trails if they're jacking deer."

"What's that mean?"

"Some guys don't care about hunting season. They get liquored up and head out ready to shoot anything. Doesn't happen as much as it used to, but there are always idiots. Ranger might catch them. I'll report it when we get back to town."

"So we're going to hike two hours on the trail buck naked?"

"Got a better idea? Are you... are you going to be all right? This is kinda a stressful situation."

"I've got it under control. How about you? Are you going to get depressed? Maybe go drown yourself in the lake?"

Scott looked at the water, stroking his chin. "Naw. It's not deep enough."

"I could hold you under. It'll be excellent for my stress relief."

Laughing, Scott hugged Lara to his side.

"Okay," she said, "so we hike. What if someone else comes? They might be a little startled by two naked people coming at them down the trail."

"Guess I can't say no one ever comes around here anymore, can I?" He stood and walked to the edge of the forest then returned with two large leafy fronds.

"Hear ya go," he said, grinning. "Apparently, these are called ferns."