Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22169 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Fox clearly didn’t do this as much as I did, but he’s settling into the hiking and outdoorsmanship hobby quite well. “Me and the boys used to do a lot of running around in the forests, but you take it to a whole new level, Tabitha.”
“I don’t expect many people to embrace being a bit of a flower child like I am. This was just my world through my teenage years and something I kept coming back to.”
We go deeper into the forests. It’s a bit past where the rangers say it’s safe for people to go, but I’ve always thought it’s more of a mark of ‘we don’t want to bother patrolling this far’ than any actual warning of its actual safety. Most people do obey such things though, and this means that I come across a whole lot of spots most folks would have never heard about before.
There’s no rush for either of us. We take our time, making sure to watch for any sudden branches that could trip us up, or poison ivy ready to punish us for daring to wear shorts today.
“Ah, there’s the stream,” I note aloud, and start using it as a marker for our path.
“Oh, we’re following the water today? Where could you be leading me, my dear Tabitha?”
Most of our destinations have been little clearings in the forest, or little hills that give us some fantastic views. Water usually isn’t involved.
Today, I lead him along this stream. A crystal clear one, the water fresh and with a unique taste I’d never been able to replicate. Soon, its sibling stream appears in my sight, letting me know I’m going the right direction. All until we finally reach our destination, a beautiful, secluded pool that I wholeheartedly believe hasn’t been seen by more than a hundred people in the past hundred years.
“Welcome to Old Gold Sifter’s Pond,” I say, my arms stretched out like I’m an overenthusiastic tour guide.
He cocks his head to the side. “Never heard of this place.”
“No one has. Someone found gold here once a hundred and fifty years ago. A bunch of people tried to find more. It wasn’t much of a gold rush, but it’s the most interesting historical thing about this little pond, so that’s how it got its name.”
He walks along to one of the smoother rocks perched along the creek. “Something tells me that you’re not here for the off chance of finding a gold nugget.”
“I mean, that’d be nice. I’d like to make a piece of jewelry with some raw gold,” I say, setting my bag down and perching on the rock beside him. “But this place? It doesn’t need gold to be beautiful.”
The moon is high in the sky. We’d been hiking for awhile, and the chill of the area is still nice and lovely. Just that point where it’s hard to break a sweat but you’re nowhere near thinking you ought to get a jacket.
It’s also bright enough tonight that we barely need anything else to see. It’s just the two of us, and no one else for miles.
“This is a pretty clean looking pond,” Fox says, looking down into it. He scoops some of the water into his hand and sips it. “You’d think it’d be tainted by one of the local factories.”
“It’s far away enough to escape that fate,” I reply, stretching out. “Nature as it is, and nature as it should be.”
“Just us two humans here being all unnatural. We’re ruining it,” he jokes.
“Hey, we’re animals. Mammals. Adaptable ones. We can enjoy and relish this place as much as any bear or beaver or bird.”
“I’d like to see some beavers,” he looks away from me, feigning innocence.
“You would, wouldn't you?” I swirl some of his hair in my finger, which has been getting longer. “Maybe I could do with some getting closer to nature too. Really sell that we’re nothing but mammals.”
“Oh?” He perks up.
I unbutton my shirt, and let it fall to the smooth rock, and let my bra follow. I’m a bit practiced at getting naked in a hurry here, so my boots, socks, shorts, and panties soon follow in swift succession.
“Ah, there’s the beaver I wanted to see.”
I roll my eyes. “You really are a dork, you know that?”
I lead by example. I dive into the pond, knowing how deep it is and showing that the water is fine.
Well, eventually. At first, the water is freezing cold. Powerful. Potent.
I love the feeling, the intensity of the coldness, and how my body adapts to the sudden shift of temperature. It wakes me up completely, it rejuvenates me, it’s just so absolutely amazing. I surface back to the top of the pond, and see Fox hastily following my lead. He’s by no means as trained at speed stripping as I am, as I watch him hop around on one boot and try to get those pants down, but I’m sure that in time he’ll learn.