Chapter 5 - the Third Challenge

There was a handwritten message waiting on the kitchen bench for me when I got home from school. Mom had made dinner and left it in the fridge. It just needed to be reheated. It was Friday, and she'd gone in for the evening shift, so I had the house to myself.

I stripped off my clothes and pranced about the house in only skin-tight panties. Though it was a big house, I mainly kept to my room as I worked on my English Lit assignment between fielding a few questions from Taylor on today's classes.

My mind was numb with poetry analysis when my phone pinged. I'd changed the tones on my phone, so I knew it was JR without even having to look. I was ready to burn some books in retaliation for having the teacher torture me with poetry, so I was actually glad for the distraction.

J0LLy-R0g3R: What are you doing?

ZoemiLightBringer: home work. The poetry of Robert Frost sucks. What's the challenge?

I was a little eager to be doing some other author, or something else entirely. Even if it was a challenge with JR. I felt more alive than I had for the past 7 years.

J0LLy-R0g3R: It's too early for your challenge

That was disappointing. I rolled over and checked the window and saw it was still light out. I guess they were waiting until it was darker.

J0LLy-R0g3R: What did you eat for dinner?

JR seemed to be in a talkative mood. I was bored from studying, so I obliged them.

ZoemiLightBringer: Meatloaf. Cajun style

J0LLy-R0g3R: Did you know that Roger Egerton was kicked off the football team?

ZoemiLightBringer: My Mom told me last night. I didn't know

J0LLy-R0g3R: You're not sorry that he was kicked off the team?

ZoemiLightBringer: Maybe he deserved it

Roger was a decent player, but as a receiver, he was easily replaceable by any number of other brainless boys waiting to take to the field in that jersey and helmet. A few more knocks on their head would make little difference to their personalities.

Jolly Roger didn't respond for a while. I almost went back to reading soulless, depressive poetry when the reply came through.

J0LLy-R0g3R: What did he do to deserve that?

What didn't he do? I stared at the small screen as a dozen angry thoughts started to buzz in my head. Seven years I'd had to live with his shadow constantly hovering over me, from elementary school to middle school, and then to the same high school. The pain I felt from it all was like a yoke about my neck. I was no Robert Frost, but I could not hold back on my words.

ZoemiLightBringer: He was a dick to me from the day we first met in elementary school

ZoemiLightBringer: You can't understand how mean he has been to me

ZoemiLightBringer: He's called me so many things

ZoemiLightBringer: The hurt and the pain

ZoemiLightBringer: He turned everyone against me

ZoemiLightBringer: There aren't enough words to describe how much I hate him

I was so bitter and angry that I tossed the phone away from me and stared at it. I almost wished I could cause it to combust with the intensity of my stare like some superhero or villain. But then I realized it would probably set my bedroom on fire.

I turned to the poetry text, picked it up and read the page I was on, then tossed it down too. I didn't feel like being there, so I went downstairs and looked for some ice cream in the kitchen to eat instead. I ended up sitting in front of the TV watching some old pointless reality show about couples dating naked. Okay, it wasn't that pointless. It was kind of hot but boring as fuck. Everything important was pixelated. The show and the ice cream were a pleasant distraction to let me forget about earlier.

I eventually went back to my room and checked my phone. There weren't any messages from JR, so I spent my time playing around with some video tools that could generate content based on prompts.

It was late when a message arrived. It was from Mom. Work wanted her to stay on for a double shift. There was some emergency at the hospital. Which meant she'd be coming home at some ungodly hour.

When my phone pinged again, it was just after midnight. If JR waited any longer, I was starting to think of turning in for the night. I had no idea what to expect when I read the message.

J0LLy-R0g3R: Are you ready for your next challenge? 😜

ZoemiLightBringer: What do I have to do?

J0LLy-R0g3R: take all your clothes off

For some reason, I felt really excited by the prospect. Would I be going out the back door again? Or somewhere else?

J0LLy-R0g3R: find something to wear that you can take off easily, like the T-shirt from last night

That wasn't hard. There was an entire wardrobe of clothing like that. I slipped out of my underwear and walked through the house naked to my sister Devin's room. She'd left a lot of clothes here when she went to university, which I sometimes borrowed when I felt like it.

I started digging through her wardrobe before finding something that worked. I pulled on a hoodie that was a little oversized when I slipped it on my shoulders. I was completely exposed in front until I drew the zipper up. Standing in front of the mirror, all you could see exposed were my thighs.

You couldn't tell I had nothing on underneath, even when I lifted my arms over my head.

I headed back to my bedroom and grabbed my phone to see a message waiting.

J0LLy-R0g3R: Do you know The Broadwater Street Bridge?

I did. You could see it from the dock out back. If someone had stopped their car on it the night before and looked over the side, they might have been able to make out a naked girl in the distance sitting out on a dock. It was a 15-minute walk unless I took the shortcut at the end of my street through a park.

ZoemiLightBringer: yes

J0LLy-R0g3R: walk out onto the bridge until you find the orange marker tied to the railing.

So, I was going for a walk. I had no idea what to expect when I got there, but I was imagining losing my clothes somehow, which excited me. I grabbed my flip-flops and my keys and locked the door as I stepped out.

I was a little worried about losing my clothes after last night, so I found a small hidden hole in the front garden and stashed my keys in there. Satisfied they wouldn't be found without digging up the garden, I walked down the driveway.

My street was a quiet backstreet most of the time, so it was dead this time of the night. The only time it wouldn't be is if someone was having a party, but there was nothing happening tonight.

There wasn't anyone about as I walked down the footpath in the near darkness. There were streetlights along the street, but they were dispersed too far apart to be useful, leaving most of the street in near darkness. The only other light came from the occasional residence that had all their security lights turned on, and even then, they barely reached the end of the driveway. When I wasn't bathing directly in the light, there was just enough light to see the footpath and not much else.

If I stayed away from the overly bright lights that stood out like islands in the darkness, I think I could have walked along there naked and wouldn't have been seen, but there were too few trees to hide behind if a car did come. I'd have to run across the road in some places just to find cover. It was too risky.

At the end of the street, I turned my phone light on and cut through a grassy, forested area. There was a worn path that people often trekked through there to reach a park that sat at the edge of the river.

It was dark and a little scary if you weren't familiar with it like I was. As parks go, it was pretty nice in the daylight. There were swings, slides, and picnic tables. Families would use it during the weekends, while teenagers sometimes hung out there after school.

The other side of the park was a footpath that led straight to Broadwater Street, a wide 4-lane divided roadway.

I turned onto the Broadwater Street footpath and headed just a little further along to where the bridge started.

The roadway could become busy during the day, but seeing it at night reminded me of how dead this part of town could become. All the real action happened downtown at the stadium on Saturday and Sunday, which I avoided at all costs. Football wasn't my thing after all.

As I walked towards the bridge, a single car went past on the other side of the road, and then it was empty again for at least half a mile in each direction.

I found a bright fluorescent orange shoelace tied to the railing, right at the start of the bridge.

ZoemiLightBringer: I found it. Now what?

J0LLy-R0g3R: take all your clothes off and walk to the other end of the bridge.

What? It had to be a quarter of a mile to the other end! There wasn't any cover in sight, except for the low concrete barriers that separated the road traffic from the pedestrians.

This wasn't like in the back of the cinema. It was wide open. If someone else happened to be out for a late walk, there was no place I could hide. I looked over the edge of the railing and saw only the dark water below. That way was out of the question unless I felt like swimming with the alligators. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

My phone pinged again, and I looked down at it.

J0LLy-R0g3R: walk across the bridge. Do not run. Do not cover yourself. Do not duck down

I stood there transfixed as I looked towards the far end of the bridge. I barely made an effort to look around. It was like a compulsion. My body wanted to do this. I moved as if I was on autopilot as my trembling hand reached for the zipper and slowly drew it down. I could feel the warm night air on my body as soon as I opened the front.

Gripping my phone in one hand, I slid the hoodie off. I squirmed a little, squeezing my thighs together as I imagined how wet I was starting to feel. My heart was already racing with exhilaration.

Turning about, I found a place to put my hoodie on the bottom rail and hung it there. I kicked off my flip-flops and left them on the ground.

Idly, I ran a hand down my bare hip, reminding myself that I had nothing on. I was completely naked now on Broadwater Bridge.

To the other end, JR had said. It wasn't going to happen unless I put one foot in front of the other. I swallowed nervously and stepped forward. One barefoot in front of the other, slowly putting distance between myself and my clothes. I couldn't believe how excited I felt.

I was starting to realize that I should be paying attention to any traffic on the road. I looked all the way down the bridge, then turned to look behind me, but only saw empty streets. The longer I was on the bridge, the greater the chance of getting seen. But I couldn't just run to the other end. JR had said I needed to walk.

I was so full of nervous energy, my eyes darting everywhere at every little sound, even if it didn't sound like a car engine. If my coach asked me to run sprints right now, I think I would have broken my personal best.

My empty hand brushed across my bare pubic mound, then slid up my bare stomach where I ran it around my tits, before running it over the bumpy part of my areolae. My fingers encountered the stiff nipple protruding out, sending a delightful pulse through my body. Oh god, I felt so horny.

I had to force myself to put my hand down before looking at the phone in my other.

Why not, I figured. I opened the camera app and centered the lens on my body. The light was terrible, but there was no denying that I was naked on a public street. I started recording and slowly panned it about my body, showing the dark, empty roadway in both directions.

Turning about, I kept moving forward. Now and then, I'd spot a set of car lights off in the distance heading my way, making me think I was going to be seen, but they turned off before they reached the bridge. I wasn't sure if I was feeling happy or displeased.

All too soon, I found myself playing with my nipples again. It was hard to resist the stiff nubs protruding out of my breasts. They were a little bigger than pencil erasers, making them easy targets for my idle fingers to play with.

A ping on my phone made me look at the message that hovered over my camera display.

J0LLy-R0g3R: A car is coming. Just act normal

My heart raced as I heard the engine sound from behind. That meant it was on the other side of the carriageway. There was a gap between the two sides with tit high railing. Because it wasn't going to drive right next to me, there was a good chance whoever was inside would not even see me.

Still, I was nervous and excited as the engine got louder and louder until it suddenly went past with a whoosh. The drone of the engine quickly faded along with the red taillights in the distance.

By some miracle, they didn't even see the naked girl.

Was it true that I could just walk around out here in public, completely naked? The idea seemed to arouse me.

I must have been halfway across the bridge now. I wished I had been counting how many steps I'd taken away from my clothes, but it was too late now. Maybe on the way back. Was I coming back? JR hadn't said anything about coming back. But my clothes were back there, behind me.

My phone pinged again. JR warned me of another car.

The engine sound came again from behind but was accompanied by something else. I couldn't tell what it was until it got closer and heard the loud whirring of the knobby truck tires. There was a splash of bright light spreading along the handrail beside me before the pickup truck went past, the tires louder than the engine somehow. The lights of the truck disappeared down the road, disappearing from view, leaving me aroused and wet.

Another minute and I finally reached the end of the bridge. I turned and looked around before turning the camera off.

As I stood there, I realized the JR wasn't sending me any messages. Could it be that they couldn't see me here? I was so horny right now that I just wanted to touch myself. I slid a hand down to my bare mound and found my labia so drenched that it was running down my thighs.

My phone pinged, making me jump.

J0LLy-R0g3R: Are you at the end yet?

ZoemiLightBringer: Just got here

J0LLy-R0g3R: walk back across the bridge. Same as before

It felt like they were just trying to get me seen at this point, but I was so wet with arousal that I didn't care. I turned about and headed back. I barely felt the cool concrete under my bare feet at this stage.

I was so exhilarated that I'd already forgotten to count my steps. The ping of a new message came before I got very far.

J0LLy-R0g3R: A car is coming

I could see the lights now in the distance, coming up the opposite side very fast. It felt very different now as I was facing the vehicle as it approached, the sound of its engine growing rapidly. It was a high-speed sports car. Its engine screaming as it blew past. I glanced back, and it was already past the bridge, heading off into the distance.

I doubt they would have even had time to see me.

There wasn't any more traffic until I was about halfway back.

JR's message pinged to warn me.

J0LLy-R0g3R: A car is coming. Just act normal

I was looking ahead of me trying to see the oncoming car, when I realized the engine sound was coming from behind me.

I glanced back and saw it approaching on my side of the road.

Oh my God. They were going to see me! JR says to act normal. How the fuck do I act normal when I'm naked?

I forced myself to turn and face forward. My chest felt like it was going to burst as the engine got louder. The roadway and bridge surrounding me lit up as the car was suddenly alongside. I turned my eyes to glance towards the car that went past, but the driver was obscured in the darkness.

For a moment I thought that hadn't seen me, but the car seemed to slow and wander towards the concrete barrier before suddenly swerving back into its lane.

I felt a pulse in my crotch.

Oh God.

I stopped and reached my hand down, touching my throbbing clit, and let out a moan. I felt like I was on the edge of having a climax, and I'd barely done anything except walk around naked. I was in bliss.

The car straightened and sped up, disappearing in the distance. I had no idea who had seen me, or how much. Could they identify my face later?

My phone pinged.

J0LLy-R0g3R: 😱 ROFL almost caused a traffic accident

Yeah, that would have been funny as hell and difficult to explain to the insurance company.

JR's moment of levity allowed me a moment to remember exactly where I was. I pulled my hand back from my crotch, and held it to my side, gripping my bare thigh, and continued forward.

The end of the bridge was getting closer now. It was almost in sight.

My phone pinged.

J0LLy-R0g3R: Another car is coming

I heard the low-throttled engine and glanced back to see headlights approaching. I kept walking, hoping to reach the end first, but I heard the deep rumble of a large engine coming up behind as the roadway was awash with the light from their headlights.

A large black muscle car sped past me. For a couple of seconds, I imagined it was going to keep traveling, but the brake lights lit up, blanketing the roadway in the crimson light as the tires screeched. The car wobbled before it came to a halt. Then a small white light lit up on the back. It started to back up.

Oh God,

I worried.

The whine of the engine as it backed up was loud. It almost shot past me again, the driver pumping hard on the brakes. The car sidled up next to the concrete barrier, forcing me to glance over as the passenger window wound down.

"Hey, what's a cute thing like you doing out here all alone?"

It was a woman's voice. She sounded black, perhaps from west of here.

I glanced again and saw that the only person inside was the driver. Their dark face was hard to make out inside the darkened interior. It was hard to tell how old they were.

I didn't really want to engage with anyone, and JR had repeatedly told me to act normal. My 'normal' would have been to just ignore a stranger trying to chat me up from the road, which is what I did.

"You in trouble, honey, or just a little too shy to talk?" called the woman.

Okay, maybe she was just worried about me. I mean, a naked girl walking the streets in the dark after midnight would raise questions.

I stopped, so I didn't have to keep trying to watch where I was walking and worry about her smashing her car into the barrier next to me at the same time. She stopped her car beside me and leaned across the passenger seat, allowing me to see her African-American features.

"I'm sorry, but I don't do stranger talk with people in cars."

"I understand. Anyone would be a little wary of a black woman in a black car driving up beside them. But I have family, and if someone found them wandering the streets as you are right now, I'd hope someone would have the sense to stop and ask if they were okay."

"I'm good, thanks. I'm just out for a walk."

"You sure you're fine, honey?"

"I'm really fine. Okay?" I tried to sound sincere. "You don't need to worry about me."

She seemed to stare at me with her dark eyes as a smile appeared on her face.

"Ah, I see. I guess I'll leave you be. I'd say try to enjoy yourself, but it looks like you are already."

Her eyes seemed to have dipped lower.

I looked down and saw that I'd unconsciously turned full frontal to her, as if I wanted her to see me. I'd also unconsciously slid my hand down. For some reason I had been thinking I was scratching at some itch, but I was actually rubbing my wet pussy.

I yanked my hand away as if I'd touched something hot, and looked back up at her in embarrassment. How was she able to even see that over the edge of the door, unless the movement of my arm was enough?

"Well, have fun, honey. Try not to get into trouble."

She laughed with that rich voice that some African Americans have and dropped the car into gear. She pulled away slowly, thankfully leaving me alone to my humiliation.