Lost In The Woods

Bernice beat me to answering Sasha, "Roger's right you are a stupid cunt! He's going to feed us and give us at least half a happy pill, I hope, and you're trying to antagonize him!" She turned to me. "Master Seth, I'd like to know the reason if it isn't too much trouble."

I smiled at her, "I hang the food in a tree to keep the bears from getting to it. It also keeps them out of our camp so they don't try to make a meal of us."

Sasha sneered, "That's wooey! There aren't any bears up here."

Just then there came a loud whuff from the edge of the woods. Sasha said, "What's that?"

With a perfectly straight face Kim said, "A bear. It hasn't bothered us yet but with Lenny dead his body might be attracting it." Both Sasha and Bernice blanched and stared out at the black of the night. It wasn't really that dark, the moon was waxing. It was almost a full moon.

Soon Kim served up two servings of beef stroganoff. Bernice ate hers with relish but Sasha was agitated and just picked at her food. I guessed that she really needed the pain pill.

I said, "Sasha, clean your plate and then it's time for your pills."

She looked at me hungrily and started shoveling her food into her mouth."

"Sasha! Slow down and eat like a lady or there's no pill for you."

She watched Bernice and took a spoonful every time Bernice did watching my face for any sign of displeasure. When they'd finished I took them to the toilet. Bernice was a little bothered by me watching but Sasha didn't flinch, she lifted her dress and sat down. When she'd finished she wiped herself only once and dropped her dress back in place.

She stood and looked at me. "Did you enjoy the show? You know I can rock your world. I'll fuck you much better than Kim or even Bernie. All I want is my two happy pills."

Bernice finished and wiped herself clean. She stood and said, "I'm ready to go, Sir." She watched the woods as she spoke.

I almost laughed and took them back to camp. Kim had already done the dishes and filled the pots with water. Two were setting on the fire heating. I relented and gave each of the women half a pill.

Bernice said, "Thank you. I'm really starting to hurt."

Sasha whined, "This'll barely take the edge off. Please I need more!"

I said, "No, not tonight. Now Kim will supervise you washing for bed and she'll have you wash your clothes." I looked at Kim, "Don't take any sass off these two. Any trouble and they'll get no pill tomorrow morning. Make sure Sasha washes her ass really well." I turned and went into the tent.

Kim said, "You heard the master. Strip and start washing. She handed each of them a wash rag and some soap."

Sasha complained, "He's just mean! So what if my ass is a little dirty!"

Bernice asked, "Is this really necessary?"

Kim said, "Bernie, he's my master. He's given me an order. He must think it's necessary and that's good enough for me."

In the tent, I unzipped the sleeping bags and made two individual bags. I took everything except one bag out of the tent. When I finished the girls were washing their clothes. When they finished I had them hang the clothes over a line and put the two of girls to bed in the bag in the tent. The other bag I put on some grass about three yards from the tent.

Kim and I washed separately. When we finished I put her in clean clothes and put her in the bag. "Kim," I said, "We need to sleep in shifts. I want you to go first because of your wound. Do you want half a pill?"

She looked at me and said, "No. No pill but I'll take a couple of aspirin if you have some. Why do you want me to sleep dressed? Won't I be cold?"

"You shouldn't be. All the clothing is clean and dry. I don't want something to catch us by surprise and have you naked and defenseless. Keep the Beretta handy. I'll wake you at about three. I need some sleep too." I kissed her goodnight and tucked her into the bag.

After tucking Kim in I moved Roger to the dirt half way between the tent and the fire. I sat on the far side of the fire to watch. I did wander down to the lake and fill all the pots. I put one on the fire and made myself a strong cup of coffee.

At three in the morning I woke Kim and switched places with her. She insisted that I wash and put on clean clothes. "I slept so well in the clean clothes. I want you to sleep as good as I did. I showed her where to watch from and how to make extra strong coffee before I went to bed. She didn't wake me until eight and I felt pretty good. I noticed that she was limping a little so I had her take down her pants and re-dressed her wound. It looked alright so I gave her some Advil, knowing it would last longer than the aspirin.

After redressing Kim's wound I fired off the first of three flares over the lake. That done I rousted Bernice and Sasha. Kim cooked oatmeal with raisins for breakfast. I had Bernice feed Roger. After breakfast I gave each of them half a pill.

I was just about to have Bernice start washing dishes when I heard a horse on the trail. A few minutes later Ranger Stevens came riding over the hill followed by four mules. He stepped down and looked at Roger and the two women. "You again he said. You're not too bright. Where's the other one, Lenny?"

Kim stepped forward, "I shot him. His body is down by the lake."

Stevens asked, "Wasn't there any other way?"

Kim answered, "No, there wasn't. He followed me all the way to the lake saying he was going to gut me like a cat. Seth was being held by Roger. I had nowhere else to go so I shot him. Not quite fast enough, he stabbed me before he died." She looked him straight in the eye and waited.

Sasha blurted out, "She murdered Lenny. Shot him in cold blood."

Bernice said, "We don't really know. We were lost in the woods over there until Master Seth came and got us." She pointed roughly to the pine thicket.

Stevens got on his radio. After an extended discussion he said, "We wait here. They are sending a crime team up."

Kim asked, "Can I go get some more water. I'm sure everyone would like some coffee or tea."

Stevens said, "I'll go with you. You can explain on the way. He pulled out a pocket tape recorder and started it running, saying, "This is Ranger Kent Stevens. It's about nine-fifteen on the morning of the second of August twenty fourteen. This is the statement of Kimberly..." He looked at Kim. She said, "Noland." They left for the lake with two pots for water.

~~~~~

On the way to the lake Kim told Ranger Stevens her tale.

She showed him where she first encountered Lenny.

She showed him her footsteps backing up.

She showed him where Lenny tripped over the cord and fell on his face.

She showed him where she stood with her back to the lake when she shot him.

Kim said, "Seth told me to keep firing until he was dead. That's what I did."

"Where was Seth?"

She looked him in the eye. "He was back in camp dealing with Roger."

"So when did he tell you to keep firing?"

"When we were practicing. He said that once I started firing I should keep firing until he was all the way down. Seth was worried that someone in the DA's office had told Roger and Lenny where we were going to be. He wanted to teach me how to protect myself."

"So did Lenny go down on the first shot?"

"No. He looked surprised and said, 'You shot me you bitch!' then he lunged at me. It all happened really fast."

Stevens looked at Lenny's corpse careful not to disturb anything. He let Kim get the water and they walked back together. Just before he got to camp he said, "I believe you. You backed up a long way before you were trapped. What happened when you got back to camp?"

"Roger was already down with burns on his back. He was out cold. Seth tended to my wound then he tied Roger up and put ointment on his back. He left me to watch Roger while he went out to get Sasha and Bernice. That's about all. He gave each of them half a happy pill last night and then another half this morning."

~~~~~

They walked back into camp and Stevens immediately asked me to take a walk with him. We walked out toward the slit trench toilet.

"Where did they come from" he asked.

I showed him the path Roger took from the thicket in. "You know I think Roger took the same path in and made a bunch of noise to distract us from Lenny's approach."

He nodded, "Where did Lenny approach from."

"From the other side of the trail. He was pretty quiet."

"So, how did you notice him?"

"As soon as we couldn't see him with Roger we started looking around. Kim saw him just as he hit the tripwire."

"So you set the tripwires as warnings?"

"Yes, I expected them to try again. As I said, I had a feeling that someone in the Klamath Falls DA's office leaked our intention to come back to the lakes."

"So why not tell the police?"

"I didn't know who to trust. They made bail before the police were finished with our interrogations."

"Where did you find the other girls?"

I walked him around the thicket to approximately where I found them. "I can't be sure but they were somewhere around here. It was pretty dark when I found them."

"Tell me how did you take Roger? He had the drop on you if what Kim told me is right."

"He did have the drop on me. I might have been able to take him when he tripped over the wire but Kim was in his line of fire so I let him come on in. His mistake was getting too close to me. He had his pistol to my forehead when Kim started firing. That distracted him. I took the pistol from him and kicked his knee. It collapsed and he fell into the fire. He rolled out and tried to run. I pistol whipped him and rolled him over to put out the flames. Then I doused him with the water I had heating. I was going to tie him up but Kim came back to camp with that knife wound in her thigh. I treated her before tying Roger up and putting ointment on his back. When that was finished I had Kim reload her pistol and began looking for Sasha and Bernice."

He nodded, "I hope the crime scene guys aren't too upset with me recording your statements. I really shouldn't have. ... One more question; how do we know that they weren't just up here to camp and you and Kim attacked them?"

I smiled, "Just look at their clothes. Not for hiking in the woods. If they just wanted a quiet place to boff Sasha and Bernice there are places a lot closer to the trailhead. Look at the clothes of the girls. It's cruel and unusual punishment to make them hike the six plus miles up here in spiked heels. If they were camping where is their gear? Did they file a plan at the Ranger Station like I did? No. They weren't up here for the ambiance. They came up here to kill us."

He paused for a minute and said, "All very good arguments. Let's go back."

~~~~~

We got back to camp and found Bernice sitting on Sasha's back. She was holding a towel to her hand, it had blood on it. A lot of blood. Kim was holding another towel to her shoulder. With her left hand she had her Beretta in her other hand.

Stevens beat me to the questions. "What happened here!"

Bernice answered, "This stupid bitch attacked Kim. I pulled her off and took the knife away from her. I didn't know what to do so I just sat on her. Kim got me this towel and we just waited for you and Seth to return."

Sasha screamed, "Lies! All lies! These two attacked me! I just used the knife to defend myself! They were holding out on the happy pills! I need my happy pills!" She was almost incoherent.

I knelt down in front of her and picked her head up by the hair. "Sasha, they don't have your happy pills. You saw me give them to Ranger Stevens this morning. I'm going to tie you up too, unless Ranger Stevens has a better idea." I looked at him.

Stevens said, "I don't have a better idea. Go ahead and tie her up."

I quickly tied her with her hands behind her back and her ankles and knees tied together. I leaned her against a tree. I searched her pockets under Stevens supervision and found another knife.

Then I got the first aid kit and went to tend to Kim's shoulder. She made sure the Beretta was safe and handed it to me. I handed it to Stevens and he expertly cleared the weapon.

He made an 'ahem' sound and asked, "Do you have another gun?"

I was focused on Kim. I answered, "Yes in a holster at my back. Here I'll get it for you." I reached behind me slowly and extracted the forty-five. I handed it to him grip first then turned my attention back to Kim.

I was trying to figure out how to get to her wound when she said, "Here Seth and started unbuttoning her shirt."

I started to say, "Kim you don't have..."

She kissed me. "I know. It may shock Ranger Stevens but I don't want the shirt ruined."

"But it's already ruined."

She peeled it off her wounded shoulder, exposing her breast. "It's not ruined. With a little thread I can fix the tear."

Stevens blushed furiously and turned away. Kim grinned. "Two knights in shining armor." She called, "Ranger Stevens, it's alright. Seth needs to get to the wound. I've been a whore for Roger. Exposing my breast is nothing. ... I didn't mean to shock you."

He didn't say anything, instead he knelt facing Bernice and started unwrapping the towel from her hand. "I'm sorry for staring at you. It's just that you're beautiful."

Bernice looked at him with doe eyes as he carefully tended to her wound. She whispered, "Thank you."

Kim's cut had almost stopped bleeding. It wasn't very deep and was on the outside of her arm. "Well, at least her aim was way off, thank God!" I said.

"No she was aiming for my chest. Bernice grabbed her by the hair and yanked her sideways or I'd be in serious trouble. I never should have trusted her. I let her inside my protective bubble."

Stevens asked, "What's this about a protective bubble and could I have some antiseptic?"

I handed him the alcohol pads. Kim answered, "When Seth was teaching me to defend myself he said to never let anyone inside a distance where they could take the gun away from me. We practiced with the Beretta unloaded until I knew how close he had to be to take it away from me before I could shoot him. It saved my life with Lenny, I let Sasha get too close."

Sasha yelled, "Bernice, you stupid slut. Why did you have to interfere?"

Bernice answered, "I'm not the stupid slut? Both times we've come up here Roger and Lenny have left us lost in the woods with no food, no water and no happy pills..."

Sasha yelled, "I need my happy pill! NOW! I need it now."

Bernice yelled back, "Shut up you cunt! Both times Seth came and led us out of the woods. Both times he and Kim fed us. Both times they washed us and treated our wounds. Both times they let us sleep in a warm dry sleeping bag. They've never hurt us. Roger and Lenny have done nothing but hurt us. I interfered because I don't want to be a whore any more. I want to find a man to care for me and help me and not hurt me." She looked directly at Stevens, "I want a man who'll take care of me up when I get hurt."

Stevens didn't say anything but we all heard him draw in a big breath.

I cleaned Kim's wound as much as I could. I held it open and dribbled alcohol from the pad inside. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

"Sorry," I said, "I had to get it clean." I pressed a gauze bandage over the wound and made sure it stuck all around the edges.

She started to pull her shirt back on. I stopped her and went into the clothes bag and got out her last clean shirt.

I stood directly in front of her as she slipped off the old shirt and put the new one on. She whispered, "Thank you, Seth."

In the meantime Kent Stevens had cleaned and dressed Bernice's wound. When I turned around she was totally focused on him. He was pretty focused on her too.

Sasha whimpered, "I hurt! I need a happy pill. It's past time for a happy pill. Roger can't I have one now? Please!"

Roger growled, "You stupid cunt. Can't you see I'm tied up. I don't have your happy pills. You're at the mercy of Seth and his Ranger friend. Now shut up or I'll see to it that you never get another happy pill.

"Please Roger, don't be mad! I just need a pill so bad! I ache! Please Roger help me!" she pleaded with him.

Stevens looked at me. I asked, "Bernice how often was she getting the pills?"

"They were giving us four pills a day. I was trying to break myself so I only took two of them. I'm beginning to really hurt too and it's not just the knife wound."

I said, "They could be going thru withdrawal. I'd give each of them half a pill."

Sasha plead, "Yes please! Even half a pill will help. I need a whole pill but I'll take anything.

Bernice said, "I'll wait. I still hurt but I'm afraid of the pills. Sasha almost died a couple of months ago. She took her pills, my pills and Kim's pills and took them all at once. I'm afraid of that. When Kim escaped I figured out how she did it. I was trying to do it too."

Curious, I asked, "What did Roger and Lenny do when Sasha overdosed?"

Bitterly, Bernice said, "They packed everything in the car and just waited to see if she'd live or die. When she came back around we all left for another gang bang. They really gave it to her good. She was so out of it she wouldn't have felt an elephant fucking her up the ass. She really hurt when the pills wore off. Roger wouldn't let her have any for a whole day and made her promise never to take our pills again. Then he gave her one and she blissed out."

Stevens cut a pill in half and gave it to Sasha. She promised him anything he wanted for the half pill. He turned away and looked disgusted. Sasha shut up. She'd whimper once in awhile but she sort of dozed.

Shortly another party of rangers and federal officers came up the trail on horses and dismounted. The leader was Kent's boss and he introduced the rest of the officers. After the introductions Kim was hauled off to be interviewed by one officer and I was hauled off by another. Interestingly, Kent Stevens was also interviewed by the head of the investigation team. I learned later that he turned over the tape of his interviews with both Kim and me.

After an exhausting two hours of interrogation I asked if we could cook some lunch. They were all shamefaced when they realized that they hadn't brought any food. Kim and I took all the food we had left and made a lot of different meals for lunch.

One of the investigators asked why Sasha was tied up. Bernice held up her hand and Kim opened her shirt enough so they could see the bandage.

Kim said, "She attacked me with a knife and she cut Bernice when Bernie helped me hold her off."

He said, "I can understand that." He looked at Bernice and asked, "Your clothes are great for hiking, why do you have those high heels?"

Bernice blushed, "These clothes aren't mine. They're Kim's. She and Seth gave them to us because our clothes are for a whore house not the woods." She pointed to the clothes hanging on a line.

He said, "Uh uh. So what happened here? How did Roger get burned?"

Bernice said, "I don't know. Roger and Lenny left us in the woods. They told us not to ..."

Roger yelled, "Shut up slut! Not another word!"

Bernice cleared her throat, "Roger and Lenny told us not to move or the mountain lions would get us. Sasha tried to brain Seth when he came looking for us. I was already getting cold. Last time it was raining and much worse..."

He interrupted her, "Last time. What last time."

Bernice sighed, "This is the second time Roger and Lenny have come up here to get Kim. The first time I think Roger wanted to get her back, this time he wanted to kill both of them so they couldn't testify against him. Anyway, the first time we came up here it was raining. I've never been so cold. Seth made us strip then he and Kim washed us and gave us warm clothes and put us in the sleeping bag in the tent. He and Kim sat up all night watching Roger and Lenny. ..."

Sasha wailed, "They killed Lenny! I need another happy pill! I hurt, I need a pill! Lenny was always gave me a pill when I needed it."