“Oh. No. I didn't” replied Bill with some confusion.
“Well then?” said Helen smiling and stroking her hand down his arm.
“I guess I should kiss you then” said Bill smiling at the ridiculousness of the situation.
“Yes”, said Helen as she laughed, “you should!”
David sat at the top of the rocks, high above his friends. He watched as they shared their first kiss before stepping out of the water to lie on the grass together.
“Give him one from me!” he shouted down as the top of his voice, holding one thumb up in the air. He laughed as he heard the good natured profanities throw back at him by his friends before heading back to the camp. Drying himself off he thought briefly of Helen. They were good friends, they had been for years, and Bill was a good man, they'd go well together.
He pulled his trousers on and sat by his tent, taking the whisky and having a mouthful. It burnt as it went down, the rich peaty taste making his head swim.
His t-shirt proved something of a challenge, as his wet back made it stick to him as he pulled it over his head. That together with the effects of the whisky left him struggling to get his head free, like a confused dog with a blanket over its head. In his struggle he overbalanced and fell over, and he burst out laughing as he lay there, flat out, a little drunk and trapped by his t-shirt.
Helen and Bill lay in the grass, facing each other side by side. Their naked bodies slightly touching, they were enjoying slow, lingering kisses as their hands ran over each other's bodies. Helen especially was shivering with the anticipation as she felt his skin against hers. Her mind was going blank as his fingers gently caressed her skin, the pleasure beginning to take over her.
Both were awoken from their dream-like trance by the screams, the like of which they had never heard before.
“That's David!” said Helen, suddenly jumping to her feet.
“Oh my god, what's wrong with him!” shouted Bill as he sprung up and began to run up the slope to the camp.
Neither of them could have been prepared for the site they saw. David was on his back, screaming in agony as a naked man crouched over him, pining him down and tearing out the contents of his abdomen. It clawed at him like a wild animal, ripping his body apart as David screamed his last, weakened, gurgled screams.
Helen stood, frozen in terror, but Bill moved like lightning. He threw his body at the man and pulled him off the still twitching body of David, sending them both tumbling. He punched the man in the stomach as they grappled, but the man just took hold of Bill's arm and bit into it.
Bill rolled off, screaming in agony as the bite burned like fire, his whole body shaking helplessly at the sheer intensity of the pain. As Bill knelt face down, holding his wounded arm, the man released his grip and stood up, instantly losing interest in him, turning his attention now to Helen.
As he walked towards her, Helen realised she had never felt so vulnerable in her life. Naked and without anything to protect her, she felt this man, this thing approach her.
“What do you want?” she said as the man stared straight at her without moving.
As she stepped back she felt a t-shirt, the one Bill had been wearing, under her feet. She crouched down to pick it up, desperately needing something to cover herself up with. Without taking her eyes off the man she pulled it over her arms and then quickly over her head.
As her head emerged from the t-shirt, she saw the creature lunging at her. It knocked her to the ground as she screamed in terror, screams that only stopped when the creature began to feast on her lungs.
Bill cowered behind a rock as he heard Helen's screams slowly die. The pain in his arm was spreading now, as his shoulder began to burn with the same intensity as the rest of his arm. He knew he should go and help Helen, but as the pain spread he found he cared less and less about her and more about his own survival and the gnawing sense of hunger that was growing within him.
And so he stayed hidden, hoping that thing, whatever or whoever it was would be gone. He waited hours, at which point he could barely even remember his friends. Emerging from behind the rocks he looked at the remains of his friends, caring little for them.
But it was dark. He wanted sleep. He'd get food in the morning.
Chapter 6
The early morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, filling the room with a soft light and a gentle warmth. John began to stir as the light shone softly on his face. A familiar smell hung in the air like an old friend and he began to come to life. As he opened his eyes he saw a blurred figure sitting on the bed and as he rubbed his eyes to help himself wake up, a familiar and wonderful voice filled the room.
“Good morning sleepyhead!” It was Heather, who was far too wide awake and full of energy for this time of morning. “I’ve got some coffee for you, it's just by your head.”
“Oh thanks”, said John as he drowsily sat up. Heather just giggled and jumped on the bed, lying on her front beside John on top of the covers. John took the opportunity to steal a glance at her flawless nude body and let out a soft and happy sigh.
“So, how are you this morning?” Heather asked. “You had quite a day yesterday!”
“Yesterday was amazing” John replied, “but I was really worried about you going away by yourself last night.”
“Oh, I was okay”, replied Heather, sitting up beside John and giving his hair a quick playful tussle, “besides, it was a lovely warm evening.”
“I wish you’d stayed here last night”, John said as he began drinking his coffee.
“We agreed friends only, remember?” came Heather’s response.
“I didn’t mean like that, well maybe a little like that” said John, as a little smile crossed the faces of both of them, “what I mean is I just wish you hadn't been alone last night. I didn’t want you to be lonely.”
“Oh, you’re such a sweetie” said Heather, putting her arm around John. “You come all this way for a holiday and you’re more concerned with my well being than with enjoying yourself” she continued, finishing off by planting a big kiss on John’s forehead. “I can see why Annie said you’re such a good friend.”
“I just worry about people” John replied, leaning his head slightly on Heather’s shoulder, “I worried about you being all alone last night.” Heather sat up and turned to stare at John with a smile on her face.
“But I was never alone” she said. “I was surrounded by nature.” John looked at her with puzzlement, but before he could inquire further, Heather leapt off the bed and pulled away the covers. “C’mon, grab a towel and let's go swimming!” she said with a sudden and unexpected enthusiasm.
John yelled in panic as she pulled the covers back. He grabbed them and pulled them over himself, his face like a rabbit started in a car's headlights.
“What's wrong?” asked Heather.
“Oh, nothing” he replied unconvincingly, “just give me a minute.” Heather stared at him, at first confused, but then a sudden realisation come over her and she just giggled before sitting back down on the bed beside him.
“It's first thing in the morning, isn't it?” she asked with a smile, “and is a bit of you is a little more awake than the rest?” John looked nervous and embarrassed at her realisation.
“I'm sorry” was John's subdued reply, but Heather just smiled.
“Oh, don't worry”, she said, “its perfectly normal. And its not like you're waving it around, is it?” John just nodded slightly in agreement “You're embarrassed”, she continued “which means you don't mean anything bad by it.” She stood up. “Look, it doesn't bother me, but if you want I can wait outside for you. Shall I wait outside?”
“Please, yes” was John's very brief reply.
“Okay”, she said, and turned round to leave.
She was about to step out the door when she realised that he just needed one little boost to his self esteem again. She quickly spun round to face him. “You can trust me not to laugh, or stare, or do anything like that, y
ou know that, don't you?” she asked him as she slowly walked, almost panther-like to the edge of the bed..
“Yes, yes I do” he replied. “I'm just still a bit...” His voice tailed off as her struggled to find the word.
“Shy?” asked Heather. “That's okay.”
“No”, he replied quickly, “not shy.”
“Then what?” asked Heather as she reached back to the edge of the bed and sat down.
“Silly, I'm just feeling a bit silly” he replied.
“I don't think you're being silly” she said.
“I feel silly” he replied.
“ I take it you don't want to feel silly then?” she said as she took the covers in her hand.
“No, no I don't” he said.
“Look at me” Heather said in a soft voice. “You're not silly” she began as she slowly began to pull the covers back. “You're just a little nervous, that's all”, she continued, her eyes fixed on his. Suddenly, she pulled the covers right off the bed. She quickly looked down across his body and then turned back to face him.
“Oh look, I've seen it”, she said with a giggle, “nothing you can do about that now!”
John stammered, trying to find words for how he felt. The only problem was, he didn't know how he felt. He was relieved, embarrassed, shocked and slightly scared all at once. Heather could see exactly how he felt, and knew exactly what to say to make him feel better.
“Oh, and for the record, I'm impressed!” she said with a huge grin, her eyes bulging slightly as she said it.
“Oh!” replied John, stunned by what he had just heard. “Really?” he asked.
“I'm very impressed” said Heather, as she leaned slightly closer to him.
“Oh” he replied again. Heather decided to go for broke.
“So, a naked woman has just said she's impressed with the size of your penis” she said, “are you really feeling silly now?”
“No, not silly, no...no” was his stammered reply.
“Feeling a little bit good about yourself?” she asked, leaning slightly closer to him.
“Yes” he replied, nervously laughing, and beginning to relax a bit.
“Want to go swimming then? The others will be asleep for ages yet” she continued
“Okay, let's go” he replied.
“C'mon then” she said before she gestured downwards with her head and giggling, “both of you!”
John felt a bit awkward about running naked past Annie and Chris’s tent, especially in the state he was still in, but if Heather said they’d still be asleep he was willing to go for it. Besides, he had a towel to wrap round himself if they emerged. Before he knew it they had run past the tent and in a few seconds they were by the water. Heather just ran on in and John, after dropping his towel, dived straight on in after her. He had braced himself for the water to be cold, but it was strangely warm and it was a perfect way to start the day. Within a few minutes he was clean and refreshed, ready for whatever the day would bring.
Lying on the grass afterwards to dry off, the two had time to reflect together on yesterday’s events.
“I’m so proud of you”, said Heather. “When you arrived yesterday you were so full of promise, yet you were holding back so much.”
“I know”, replied John, “I’ve always hated the way I’ve been, having no self confidence and hiding from the world.”
“So what changed yesterday?” asked Heather.
“I met someone who put me at ease” John replied, smiling at Heather. “I met someone who didn’t expect anything from me, but encouraged me to go as far as I was able to.”
“I wonder who that was” said Heather, laughing. John laughed as well, by now feeling very at ease with everything.
“You know, my cousin won't arrive until later tonight” said Heather, “and Annie will probably want some time alone with Chris. We could go for a walk, maybe climb one of the hills around here, just the two of us.”
“Sounds nice” said John.
“It'd be nice to spend some more time alone, wouldn't it?” said Heather. “We'd be miles from anywhere, all alone. And I know the loveliest little mountain top loch for swimming in, you'll love it.”
“I think you might just have sold me on that idea” John said as he rolled onto his back and spread his arms and legs wide as if to hug the sky.
“Ooooooh, this feels so nice” he said, “it just feels so right.”
“It does, doesn't it?” said Heather. “You think you can get used to this?”
“Yes” he replied. “I understand what its all about now. There's nothing between me and nature, nothing artificial or unnatural to get in the way. It's just right.”
“Now you get it” said Heather. “Now, tell me what you feel, I mean physically. Describe it.”
“I feel everything.” was his reply. “Every blade of grass under me as I lie here, the air flowing over every inch of my skin, the sun beating down evenly all over me. I feel everything.”
“Do you feel your senses heightened?”
“Yes, I'm so much more aware of my surroundings. Like this is how my body's supposed to work.”
“This is how your body's supposed to work” laughed Heather, giving him a playful slap on the shoulder. “Your body's just spent its life wrapped up and hidden from the world it wants to be in.”
“Well, it's out now and free” John replied, “and it feels very comfortable.”
“How comfortable?” asked Heather.
“Very comfortable” John replied.
“How comfortable is very comfortable?” Heather persisted.
“How do you mean?” asked John, feeling confused.
“Well, I just heard a tent unzipping” she replied.
John sat up with a start and looked round. He could see Annie emerging from the tent in the distance and a sudden wave of panic took him. He looked around for his towel, but it was over a hundred yards away, and there was no way he could get to it without being seen.
“It's okay, just relax” said Heather at John's sudden panic. “Roll onto your front if it helps.”
He immediately rolled over and clung to the grass as if hanging on to it for dear life. But panic gave way to a sense of relief when he realised he felt less exposed on his front and he quickly relaxed when he realised Annie was still half asleep and hadn't noticed him as she walked away into the house.
“That was close” he said as Annie disappeared into the house.
“What was?” asked Heather.
“She almost saw me” was his reply, but by the time he finished speaking he realised how ridiculous he felt. He looked up at Heather feeling shamed by his comment.
“That was a silly thing of me to say, wasn't it” he said.
“A bit” replied Heather, “you want to get rid of the silliness forever?”
“How do I do that?”
“You do something brave” was her reply as she stood up. “Now stand up and take my hand.”
John stood up, and did as he was told, taking her hand in his. He looked at her and knew what they were about to do.
“She won't mind us doing this will she?” he said nervously.
“Mind?” said Heather with astonishment, “she'll be delighted to see you joining in like this.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely. You ready?”
“Not in the slightest” was John's response, “so let's do it before I chicken out.”
The pair of them started to walk up the slope to the house, but Heather began to pick up the pace, and before they knew it they were both running up to the house. As they reached the door Heather pulled ahead of John and ran in first, opening the door with a bang as she did.
“Annie, where are you?” she shouted playfully, “I've got a naked man here for you.”
John ran in, his mind torn between sheer terror and a wonderful exciting liberation. He had no idea how this was going to work out, but the darker parts of his mind, the part with no self esteem expected t
he worst. And when he saw Annie, for one brief moment, he thought the worst was inevitable.
Annie was standing in the middle of the kitchen, with Heather standing beside her. Like Heather, she was completely naked.
He immediately began to blurt out an apology, but Annie's eyes lit up when she saw him and she threw her arms open and ran at him. In a moment he would have described as horribly awkward yet wonderfully fulfilling, she threw her body at his and hugged him tightly.
“Yay!” she shouted as she hugged him, “You've joined us!”
Naturist, Red in Tooth & Claw Page 4