“Okay, so…” Nova posited. “What would you advise? I mean, what kind of advice would you give someone who felt a little lost and out of place, like you did?” Piggy looked over at Nova, who knew exactly where Piggy’s question was coming from.
“I would say… to thine own self be true,” Guru quoted. “People can interpret that in many ways, but I think the way it was meant by Shakespeare at the time and in that particular scene of Hamlet was you have to look out for yourself first and foremost. You can’t help others if you can’t help yourself. You can’t love others if you can’t love yourself. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself, to love yourself, to do good by yourself. You’ve got to be you, even if it upsets or disappoints others. Because you’re doing everybody a greater disservice, including yourself, if you’re faking it or living a false life.”
Guru paused for a moment and looked skyward. Then a smile curled over his lips.
“Yeah,” he said with finality. “I think that all sounds right.”
“Thank you,” Nova said, feeling weightless and buoyant, letting Guru’s words sink in. “That makes a lot of sense.”
“I hope so,” replied Guru. “Hey. This must be Crescent Pond we’re coming upon and I should really pick up the pace if I want to finish by midnight. Lovely meeting you two, and I wish you all the best in your hike.”
“Thanks,” Piggy said with an easy smile. “It was nice meeting you.”
“Nice meeting you,” Nova agreed. “And thanks again for the words of wisdom. I see why they call you Guru.”
“Yeah,” said Guru, waving his hand with a hint of embarrassment. “I act like a fool when I’m drunk, just like everyone else. Take it easy!” With that, Guru’s pace increased and he very quickly broke away from Piggy and Nova. Soon enough, his pace was a steady run and he disappeared around a turn in the trail.
Piggy and Nova hiked together for a few moments in silence as they considered what Guru had said. To Nova, he had made a lot of sense and he only reenforced the kind of thoughts she had been having for some time. But his advice also hit home for Piggy, as well. She found herself meditating on Guru’s nomadic lifestyle, as it was something she had considered in the past. It was enticing, surely, but there was also something lonely about it that Piggy just couldn’t see herself enduring.
The Crescent Pond campsite was now in front of them, and although they looked around for Guru he was nowhere to be found. Locating a comfortable spot at the site and taking off their packs, the girls began settling in for yet another night of camping. They sat together as they ate dinner, they kissed, and they spoke of what the following day—the last day of the hike and Piggy’s birthday—might entail. It was exciting and energizing, and it was all turning out to be something far greater than either had expected.
When Piggy opened her eyes, a sleep-tired smile on her face, she found the tent unzipped, the early morning sunlight shining in, and no Nova next to her. She squirmed a bit, feeling the tightness in her calves that she knew would subside after a mile or so of hiking, and she tried to remember where she had last put her bottle of aspirin. Then it hit her. There was an aroma in the air, something she knew well but just couldn’t place, something flavorful and tasty. Piggy’s mouth began to water and she quickly shimmied out of the tent and into the light outside.
And that’s where she found Nova, grinning as she worked over the camp stove and a small skillet. Nova was cooking something good, something that seemed so far removed from what they had been eating for the last week. The smell was so good, Piggy almost thought she was dreaming.
“What is that?” she remarked as she closed in on Nova.
“Happy birthday!” Nova called out with a smile, lifting a spatula in the air. “We’re having a bacon and cheese omelette for breakfast.”
“What?” Piggy said, still in shock. “How?”
“How what?”
“How did you get any of that?” asked Piggy. “Bacon? Cheese? Eggs?”
“See that group of hikers over there?” said Nova, pointing with the spatula across the campsite. “I sold my body to them in exchange for all this.”
“Nova!” protested Piggy, giving Nova a big laugh.
“Just kidding,” Nova continued, still grinning. “They’re reverse hiking the 100 Mile Wilderness,” she clarified. “It’s their second day, and they found out they were a little overzealous in their packing. They had a few eggs break yesterday in one of their packs, and they just wanted to use them up. So I traded some of our extra packaged food for their eggs. They also gave me some cheese. And the bacon is just bacon bits, but it does the trick!”
“That’s amazing!” said Piggy. “It all smells so good.”
“It’s your birthday breakfast,” Nova beamed. “You’re thirty!”
“I’m thirty,” Piggy replied with a laugh. “And I’m hungry.”
“Well, I’ve got some warm coffee for you,” said Nova. “Grab your mug, have a seat on that log, and get ready for the best omelette you’ve ever eaten.”
“Gladly,” said Piggy. She still couldn’t tell if she was dreaming, but if she was, Piggy only wanted to wake up after eating.
The girls ate together on the log, looking out at Crescent Pond in the growing light of the rising sun. The omelette really was the best one Piggy had ever eaten. That was probably because it was their sixth day on the trail and it was the freshest, most home-cooked style food they had had. But also because it was made with love by Nova. Nova smiled as she watched Piggy eat, and it was obvious from the looks on their faces that the two had fallen hard for each other out there in the wilderness.
They happily packed up their camp for the last time of the trip, their spirits high, and their energy rising. After returning the skillet and spatula to the group Nova had borrowed it from, and sharing with them a little trail knowledge, the girls once more donned their packs and hit the road. It was a beautifully clear morning, with a nice crispness in the air that they knew would soon give way to the summer heat. But they felt good, ready to tackle their last day on the trail.
The miles and the hours flew by easily. There was a bit of a climb up Rainbow Ledges, but the view of Katahdin framed between pine trees they received made it worth the ascent. They talked of the logistics of getting back home, and how eager they both were to return to civilization. And they also talked about what kind of adventure they might go on for Nova’s thirtieth birthday, just a few months down the line.
The final six miles of their hike was downhill and easy. It was probably a mix of adrenaline and an eagerness to finish the hike that gave Piggy and Nova their energy. The day had been a happy blur, and by the time the sun was starting to begin its descent, they finally emerged from the woods and came upon a road. Their welcome back to civilization was from a big logging truck flying by.
“So where do we go from here?” Nova asked, looking left to right on the paved road.
“Well,” Piggy said, taking out a map. “This is Golden Road. So I think we just walk a little ways down here and we should get to Abol Bridge.”
“All right,” said Nova, taking a deep breath and holding tightly to her backpack. “Let’s soldier on.”
“This way,” Piggy said, motioning with a finger.
Not long after, they indeed came upon Abol Bridge, spanning across the Penobscot River. Off in the distance was Mount Katahdin once again, towering over them and closer than ever. It almost didn’t seem real that this was the end, and they both lamented that they weren’t actually continuing on to Katahdin and climbing to its summit. But as they traversed Abol Bridge, the river rushing underneath them, it was obvious that they had left the deep wilderness. A white van towing rafting tubes sped by them, possibly heading to the very same campground they were headed for.
There was no fanfare as they ambled into the Abol Bridge Campground, though one might expect streamers and noisemakers and a fistful of cake after hiking a hundred miles in the remote woods. Piggy joked that she might have paid extr
a had they been greeted as such, though Nova mused that eating cake might make her throw up after such a strenuous week. There was a general store in the campground, and that was where they were to meet whoever was picking them up from the Hiker Hostel. But seeing as they had arrived before the van, they went into the store to see what they had to offer.
It was closing in on seven, and it was starting to get dark. As Piggy and Nova sipped a couple of beers they had bought from the store, they waited on a picnic table for their ride to arrive. They sat in silence, the tiredness finally beginning to set in. Still cradling her beer in one hand, Nova reached out for Piggy, and Piggy took her hand. Their silence continued, as the cold beer rejuvenated them and brought them back to reality.
Just a few minutes after seven, that familiar silver van rolled up to the now closed general store and the girls’ eyes lit up. They both bolted upright from their seats and grabbed their packs, tossing their empty beer cans into a recycle bin and then speed-walked over to their ride home.
Stepping out of the driver’s side was a short woman, a woman they quickly recognized as Chickie. She greeted them with a tender smile.
“I hope I’m not late,” Chickie said with empathy. “How long have you ladies been waiting?”
“Just a half hour or so,” said Piggy. “You’re fine. Not late at all.”
“Oh good,” said Chickie. “So how was it? Everything you had hoped?”
The girls looked to one another and smiled warmly.
“Definitely,” said Nova.
“It was intense,” said Piggy. “But amazing. I can’t believe it’s over.”
“It’s too bad we’re not pushing on to Katahdin,” said Nova. Piggy laughed.
“Oh, do you want to?” Chickie asked. “Do you have enough food?”
“No!” said Piggy, laughing once again. “We’re done.”
“Yeah, I think we’re done,” Nova agreed with relief.
“Well, you’re my only pickup,” said Chickie. “So whenever you’re ready.” She opened the side door of the van, and the girls began loading in.
“How long does it take to get back to Monson?” Piggy asked after tossing her pack in the back of the van.
“About two hours,” Chickie revealed.
“Wow,” mused Piggy. “Two hours. It took us six days.”
“We’ve got hot showers back at the hostel just waiting to rejuvenate you,” Chickie said, standing to the side as both Piggy and Nova now climbed in and took their seats. “Feel free to sleep on the ride if you like. I’m pretty deep into a podcast I’m listening to.” She laughed at herself.
“Yeah, I could use a nap,” remarked Nova. She locked her seatbelt and kicked out of her sandals.
“I could sleep for a week,” said Piggy.
“Buckle up,” Chickie said, now slamming the van door closed and walking around to the driver’s side.
The ride back was comfortable and relaxing, the road flanked by the very wilderness that the girls had just spent so long making their way through. The lull of the drive mixed with the gentle timbre of the voices on Chickie’s podcast quickly put both Piggy and Nova to sleep. They rested easy in their sense of accomplishment. They had tackled a hike that very few people dared. And on the other side of that hike, they were both permanently changed. They were now truly adventurers and risk-takers, women who lived life with vim and vigor.
Nova’s head rested on Piggy’s shoulder. They were both smiling in their slumber.
When they got back to the Hiker Hostel, Piggy and Nova immediately hit the showers in separate bathrooms just down the hall from each other. It was closing in on ten at night, and the hostel was mostly quiet. The girls stepped out of their respective bathrooms at the same time and met up in the hallway, both of them smiling wide and looking refreshed, dressed in more casual shorts and shirts that they had left with their duffel in a locker.
“That was the best shower of my life,” Piggy said, running her hand overtop of her damp hair. “I feel like a million bucks.”
“Oh my God,” Nova exclaimed. “Magic. Just absolute magic. I almost feel like I could go hike another hundred miles.” They both laughed.
“Yeah,” said Piggy skeptically. “I think I’ll leave you to it.”
“You have to come with me,” Nova replied, keeping her tease going. “I only want to go back out there if you’re with me.”
“Okay,” Piggy said, now leaning in and planting a sweet kiss on Nova’s lips. “Let’s get our backpacks on and head out.” Nova laughed and then she pushed up against Piggy, giving her a big, loving hug.
For a moment, they discussed heading outside to sit by a bonfire with a few other people who were in the backyard. But they decided against it. They had, after all, just spent six full days outdoors, and it felt much more comfortable to be back inside with running water, and walls, and a bed. They shut the door behind them as they entered their bedroom and after ditching their dirty clothes and bathroom items, they ended up in one of the two beds together.
“I almost don’t want to go home,” said Nova, speaking between kisses as she and Piggy lounged with one another. “I’m not ready to go back to reality.”
“Why not?” Piggy asked, punctuating her question with another kiss.
“I’m just not,” Nova replied, a subtle malaise moving over her.
“Hey,” said Piggy empathetically. “Don’t worry about things. You just did something incredible. You’re a total beast. If you can do a hundred mile hike, you can do anything.”
“Yeah?” Nova replied. She paused, and then she smiled. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right,” said Piggy. “When we get home, things are going to change for you. For us. And for the better. I promise.”
“I sure hope so,” Nova mused.
Nova’s plaintive wishing soon dissolved into more kissing, and the two of them ended up lying down next to one another on the bed, in each other’s arms, exploring each other’s tired bodies with eager hands. It all came naturally for Nova, and as they grew more fervent and impassioned, she felt something switch inside of her. At first, this was just an indolent make out session with her best friend, but it suddenly dawned on Nova that she was lying in bed, kissing and groping her new lover.
Piggy began tugging on Nova’s shorts, trying to pull them down over her ass, and Nova felt her heart begin to race.
“Take these off,” Piggy implored softly, as her lips moved from Nova’s lips down to her neck.
“My shorts?”
“Mm hmm.”
“Okay,” Nova said, her heart throbbing more still. She pushed her hands into the elastic band of her shorts and guided them down her hips and along her legs. Underneath, she wasn’t wearing anything else.
Piggy sat up a bit and helped her, grabbing for the shorts and taking them off of Nova’s feet, tossing them aside. Then, sitting on her knees on the bed, Piggy reached down to her own t-shirt and pulled it up over her head. Her pale breasts tumbled out, showing off her noticeable tan lines. Nova then excitedly scrambled, and she removed her shirt just as Piggy slipped out of her shorts. Both of them were more than eager to get naked for one another.
“You’re so hot, Piggy,” intoned Nova, looking her up and down. “You’re beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Piggy replied with a grin. “And I should extend the compliment back to you. I think you’re absolutely gorgeous.”
Nova smiled and blushed, shying back a bit. But she loved the attention. And she loved Piggy.
“You’ve never had a girl go down on you before, have you?” Piggy said, her hand rubbing up and down Nova’s thigh.
“Nope.”
“Well, you’re in for a treat,” Piggy said with an excited sparkle in her blue eyes. Leaning in, she placed a single, delicate kiss on Nova’s pussy lips. “We’re actually good at it.”
Nova laughed and covered her eyes for a moment in a tickled embarrassment. But it was all just a cover for her burning red excitement
. It felt like her heart was about to rip out of her chest. And when she felt Piggy dive in, releasing her tongue and pushing it firmly through Nova’s lips, it all became very real. Letting out a low, achy moan, Nova uncovered her eyes and stared down the length of her own body, watching Piggy eat her out.
And immediately Nova found Piggy’s words to ring true. She had a few lovers over the course of her young life, but none of them women and none of them as good as Piggy at her current charge. Piggy licked up and down slowly, enjoying and reveling in the act. She parted Nova’s lips with her fingers and licked deeper still, until she found Nova’s clit and offered it her attentions. Wrapping her mouth around it, Piggy lightly sucked as her tongue flicked back and forth on Nova’s pink little on-switch.
“Oh my God,” Nova let ooze out of her mouth, pressing a hand to her now sweaty chest. “That’s so good, Piggy. That’s so good.”
“Mmm,” hummed Piggy, pulling back for a moment and looking up to Nova, as she rubbed her fingers back and forth over her lover’s wet flesh. “Makes you forget all about the foot pain, huh?”
“What?” said Nova, as though she had no idea what Piggy was even talking about. Piggy just laughed and leaned back down, attacking Nova’s pussy with a revitalized sense of desire. Nova dropped her head back and moaned once again.
Nova felt her temperature rising, along with her arousal. What was happening between her legs was a dream come true, something she had always imagined but never acted on. And now this was her real life. This was exactly what she wanted, had forever wanted, and there would be no going back. Opening her eyes, she watched Piggy work. Her blonde hair framing her beautiful tan face, Piggy’s own eyes were closed but her mouth was open and her tongue was loose. Nova watched Piggy lick her, and never had she felt more loved in her life.
Without warning, something changed inside of Nova and her excitement increased tenfold. Her breathing got heavy, and she could feel her toes beginning to twinkle. Propped up on her elbows now, she couldn’t take her eyes off of Piggy. And Piggy, still lapping up Nova’s sex, looked upward for a moment only to see the intense longing on Nova’s face. It was obvious that she had unlocked the passion deep inside of Nova.
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