The Photo Shop Last Chapter

(The eleventh in a weekly series)

Luna woke when there was just a shimmer of morning light in the sky, bursting for the bathroom.

"Hey," she prodded Raymond. "Where did you put the toilet tissue?"

No response.

"Do you want an early swim before those others are up?"

"Time?" Raymond grumbled.

"Five-thirty."

That was the end of any response Luna got from Raymond. She crawled out of the tent naked, zipping it up behind her. Grabbing the small beach towel off the chair, she held it in front and picked her way through the soft spots of undergrowth in the opposite direction to the other campers, hoping she wouldn't walk in any of the places she peed in the dark the evening before. In the evening she'd used toilet tissue, and brought it back to put in the bin, which made the forest clean but left no signs of where she may have already done it.

"This will do," she finally said to herself. As an amateur bush-peeer, Luna made a rotten mess. With no toilet tissue, she looked at the towel and thought, 'no better not'. Instead, Luna picked her way down to the water hole in the creek with the idea to rinse, swim, towel, and dry off - perfect.

"Good morning," Raj said, making her jump. He'd been sitting on the sand by the reeds, fully dressed in similar gear to when they first met.

"Oh thank goodness it's you," Luna said, shaking. Raj was openly staring at her bare ass.

"I'm glad it's me, too," he smiled. Luna didn't attempt to cover her nudity as she looked back at him. What was the point?

"Why are you up so early?" she asked.

"It's the only reason I come camping," Raj told her. "This time of day, it's special. Before dawn. When the sun rises all the crap in the world starts, but in this morning twilight, there is peace."

For a time Luna looked out over the water silently. She could feel it.

"I'm going in," Luna told him. "Will it disturb your peace?"

Raj laughed. "If it did, it would be a happy disruption."

Luna turned to him and dropped her towel, feeling him soak in her full frontal nudity.

"You are beautiful," Raj said quietly.

Luna held out a hand.

"Come on. You're doing this with me," Luna grinned.

"What?" Raj asked warily.

"Swim."

"In what?"

"In the same as me," Luna said clearly.

Raj hesitated, his head spinning with all the good and bad that might come from undressing with Luna and following her into the water.

"Your boyfriend. My wife," he stuttered.

"They are not part of the pre-dawn club, and therefore do not get to know anything about it. At least, I won't be telling mine. Come on, it's sneaky, that's half the fun."

"But...," Raj said looking down, embarrassed by his erection.

Luna came closer and whispered, "I know you're hard. I would be a little bit disappointed if you weren't. Come on!"

Luna turned and walked slowly toward the water, going in up to her knees.

"Oh shit," Raj muttered. "How can I not?"

Raj undressed and blushed red when Luna saw just how hard he was for her. Regardless, he followed her into the water. It was freezing cold, but he pushed on quickly so that he could hide his embarrassing boner from the girl.

"How is it?" Luna whispered, conscious that sound travels easily across the water. They probably wouldn't be in terminal trouble if they were caught being naked in the water this early in the morning, but it would be simpler if nobody else woke up.

"It's beautiful," Raj said, meaning everything in sight including Luna. She laughed each time she bumped into his erection and he was clearly embarrassed by it.

"Okay. You need to relax. Let me help," Luna said.

"What?"

Luna came in close and faced him. She reached out and grabbed his erection, making Raj jump. He may have been forty-something and Luna the teen, but he felt like a junior high school kid. Luna pulled his erection down between her thighs, lifted a leg, found the right spot, and pushed her vagina onto his cock.

"What are you doing?" Raj gasped, uncertain where to put his hands.

"You can cum in me. I'm protected," Luna said, arms around his neck, humping her hips at him underwater. "Hold me properly. That's it."

"Oh my god," Raj whispered as he gripped her ass and fucked back at her.

"Enjoy," Luna whispered, "But be careful to finish quickly if you hear anyone."

"I cannot last long," he admitted stressfully.

"Go as long as you can," Luna said sweetly. "But feel free to cum in me when you're ready."

Raj did alright for himself. He would have preferred to have that stunning girl hanging off the end of his dick for an hour, but two positions and nine minutes was admirable given how badly he wanted to ejaculate from the first second inside her. Luna was facing away from Raj when he finally exploded his load, one hand around gripping her bare pussy mound, the other up squeezing her throat tightly.

"Oh god, I could feel that was a big one," Luna spluttered when she could finally breathe again. Raj was puffing, his head in a spin.

"How do you feel?" Luna asked him.

"Unbelievable," Raj panted. "I'm so sorry, I choked you. It wasn't on purpose I swear."

"I'm fine, I can breathe now," Luna said, taking in a deep breath. Hopefully, there wouldn't be bruises to explain. "Now we can have a relaxed swim."

"Yes," Raj agreed, nodding as he caught his own breath.

Luna let him stay in until he softened and fell out naturally, then swam around like a woman who had just won a prize, happy with herself for a job well done.

"Success," Luna grinned across the pond. "Feel better?"

"Like I never have."

"Hmm, I'll take that rating."

As they both drifted around in the water silently, a short distance away from each other, the peace and tranquility of the morning returned. When the sun finally glimmered above the trees for the first time, and the pressure of civilization was officially awake, Luna and Raj left their temporary bliss, dried off with Luna's towel, and returned secretly to their respective camp. With everyone still asleep, they had safely gotten away with their unplanned tryst.

Luna sat out on the chair with the towel under her, enjoying the sun on her body. She could see the other camp waking up one by one, some of them waving at her, undoubtedly discussing the state of her undress.

"I'm sitting all the way over here in a chair," she said to herself. "It's fine."

A little after eight, she heard a voice from her own tent.

"Luna? Are you out there?"

"Yeah!" she yelled back.

"Morning wood!"

"Coming," Luna said, scrambling in and closing the tent behind her, then dutifully bouncing up and down on her man's morning erection.

"That's how to wake up," he groaned, losing his cum deep inside her, not knowing it was swimming in around Raj's semen, too.

"I love it, too," Luna said happily. "It's a beautiful day out there."

"How long have you been up?"

"Dawn."

"Jesus Christ woman, don't ever wake me up that early."

"We're out in the woods," Luna said in defense.

"Exactly. No rush for anything. Except for the bathroom, lift your cunt up baby, I need to get out or I'll pee in you."

Raymond went out in his shorts, walking deep into the woods to take a leak. With just a short singlet on, and still dripping cum, Luna moved things around to prep breakfast. Raymond came back and lit a small fire. Hot water, eggs, sausage. Luna's job was to cook toast with a long fork over the fire. With nothing else planned for the day, cooking a rudimentary meal was the day's activity.

They saw the group of six with backpacks all set off upstream along the creek for a hike. It gave Raymond and Luna the confidence to swim naked for an hour or so in and around the waterhole - but they came back to the tent to fuck. And none too soon, a group of three guys came down the path just as Luna had finished screaming out her own blissful orgasm. Raymond had brought Luna a Soraya 2 double-action vibrator. It wasn't as big as the massive rabbit she had from Sue, but on her elbows and knees being penetrated violently from behind - that thing had been designed by a genius, and the orgasm it gave was superb.

"More campers," Raymond said, sticking his head out.

"Did they hear me squealing?" Luna worried.

"They don't seem to be paying attention this way," Raymond shrugged. "Anyway, it was nice to get the time at the stream that we did. I don't mind having you like that in here."

Luna was still on her knees, cleaning the vibrator with her mouth.

"This tent is bigger than my bedroom," she said.

"I know, it's a beauty for sure. Bugger to get up and down though."

After a lunch of cheeses and salami, cold roast chicken, and cut-up carrots and cucumbers that Raymond had brought with them, they decided to go for a walk themselves. Luna put on her hiking pants and socks and boots, but no underwear, and just a little crop top singlet with nothing under. She was of course, stunningly beautiful in that get-up. They went over to ask the six parents that had come back what the track was like upriver. They said it was great until they got stuck at a bigger waterfall an hour up that they dare not climb, it was too slippery. Although, they also admitted they were not very brave, and that perhaps other people could keep going quite easily.

"Great waterhole there," Raj told Luna privately. "Not as big as this one, but gorgeous, crystal clean. I don't think anyone would disturb you. If they did you'd hear them coming up the creek."

"You should have taken Clara in?"

Raj laughed at that.

"Go take a look," he said.

"Just a look?" Luna quietly teased.

"Go away. You make me hard just standing near me, you'll get me in trouble."

"Early swim tomorrow?" she cheekily asked.

"Let's see," he said. "Seems more campers are coming in."

It was true. As Luna and Raymond made their start upriver, they could see another group of people hiking into camp with backpacks.

"Why a Monday?" she asked, though any answer would be a guess.

Once they got out of sight of the campground, Luna voluntarily took her top off and put it in her pocket, walking along in only her hiking pants. Raymond had paid her a lot of money, right? She felt obliged to give him as much of her as she could.

"Nice tits," he smiled back at her.

Luna nodded thanks.

"If you can find that waterhole, you can have more than that."

It wasn't easy walking up, there wasn't a trail so Luna did have to avoid some scratchy shrubbery, wishing she had a sturdy shirt to put on. The group of six said an hour, but Raymond and Luna found the spot in forty-five minutes.

"It is beautiful," Raymond said, even before Luna took off her shoes and socks, and pants.

"Take photos of me?" she asked, standing on a rock by the water.

"I'm not very good with still shots."

"Take a video on your phone, then?" Luna suggested.

Raymond pulled it out. There was no signal, but you don't need a signal to take videos. Raymond made his own little mini documentary following Luna around as she explained where they were, how they got there, and what the highlights of the place were - finally pointing out the crystal clear water before diving in and swimming on her back, so her tits were still in shot.

"Come on, I've never had sex at this waterhole. Come on in, and then... come on in."

That time Luna and Raymond's sex was not interrupted. They were able to be freely naked together until it was time to go if they were to get back in daylight. Luna went topless again, with a mind to pull the short singlet back on as they neared the campground.

"Shit," Luna said as they got close to camp.

"What?"

"I lost the top. It's fallen out of my pocket."

"If you need one, I'll give you mine," Raymond said, pushing on.

Luna didn't need it, though.

When they got to the campground, no one was there.

"It's completely cleared out," Raymond said, puzzled. No people, no gear, nothing. Even the groups that had just come in to set up were all gone, not a single piece of equipment left behind.

"What the fuck...? This doesn't make sense."

Raymond pulled out his phone. No signal. That was strange. Of the three mobile carriers in the region, he used this company specifically because that campground had a strong signal, while the other two cariers had none.

"There's a note," Luna said. "From Raj."

"Says what?"

"Luna and boyfriend...," Luna started.

"He forgot my fucking name already," Raymond laughed.

"Luna and boyfriend," Luna repeated. "After you left, rangers came and gave us ninety minutes to pack up and clear out. Forest fire potentially coming through here from the north just after nightfall. We told them where you went, they said they'd come back to recheck you were notified. Suggest you pack up and get out of the forest as soon as you get back. Or if near dark, just get out. Raj. And he left his number."

"Hmm," Raymond groaned, not wanting to let Luna know he was worried.

"Is it just me or can you smell smoke?" Luna asked.

"It's your subconscious, after reading about a forest fire."

"You can't smell it?" Luna asked.

"I don't know," Raymond said, his mind ticking over. "Maybe."

"We should call Raj," Luna said. "Or Wilson to come get us."

"No signal."

"But why?" she asked. "Your phone has been great here."

"I know."

Running through Raymond's mind was whether the mobile tower was burned, or disabled. It wasn't too far off dark already.

"What do you think?" Luna asked.

"I don't know," he said, "Could be nothing. Could be everything."

"What do we do?"

"Nothing for now. With no comms, the only thing we know is it's potentially coming from the north."

"The stream will help?" Luna said.

"Nah. If it's a proper fire, that stream is too small. Fire would jump it, take all the air, smoke everywhere. We'd need a proper big river to get away from it, not that creek."

"The path Sammy and I came on? The main river is there."

"Dunno. Maybe. Heads southwest. I'm a bit reluctant to head into the woods not knowing exactly where there is and isn't a fire. Sometimes the best thing to do is sit tight."

"I'm nervous," Luna admitted.

Raymond decided that until they knew something more, he'd act relaxed and help Luna to do the same.

"Who knows, maybe a ploy by Wilson to clear everyone out, give us time alone. Now you don't need to worry about anyone frowning at those tits being out like that."

"So, we stay?"

"For a little while. Keep a keen eye. Walk around the camp, and see if we can get a signal."

Despite her high anxiety, Luna was uncomfortable wearing long bottoms with no underwear for so long. She took off her boots and her socks and her hiking pants, following Raymond around the corners of the grounds and the stream looking for a signal. If anything, trying to tiptoe in nature naked with bare feet without getting a splinter or cut kept her mind occupied.

They ate without cooking before darkness set in, keeping their noses raised like meerkats, trying to sense if the smoke was a phantom smell or not.

Luna saw the flash of red first.

"Raymond, Raymond, there!"

A tongue of red that didn't belong in the twilight streaked up above the tree line.

"Phones. Torch. Shoes. Nothing else. Let's go," he simply replied. Luna's socks, pants, and boots were within reach, but Raymond wouldn't let her take any more time to dig around for more clothes.

"People can't outrun fire. We need every minute of head-start."

"But it might be down that path, too, we might be running into it," Luna fretted, thinking of what Raymond had said earlier.

"Better than waiting for that over there to surely come here."

He grabbed her hand and pulled Luna running in the half-light toward the path, her breasts hurting as they bounced freely. For the first time in her life, Luna thought thank goodness her breasts weren't bigger.

The last time they came down this path together, Sammy was concerned with reaching the other end quickly because of his wallet and keys, and Raymond was paying attention to the girl. This time it was Raymond that had in mind reaching the other end as fast as possible, and much faster than Sammy had gone. He prayed they didn't lose the track in the dark.

"Come on, come on," he kept pushing Luna. Worrying about scratches was the least of their concerns. Looking behind, Raymond could see more red than ever. He felt the wind pick up at their back. Firestorms can create their own gale, self-generating speed until they run out of fuel. Raymond prayed the big river was wide enough to stop that.

"Come on, come on," he yelled again.

"I can feel the heat," Luna shrieked.

The glow was covering the horizon behind them. They could hear wood and bark crackling like fireworks in all directions behind them.

"We've still got air," Raymond told her. "Keep running, we've still got air."

Without the motivation, both would have been exhausted, but their adrenaline had never run higher. By the time they burst into the clearing near the rotunda, a red sea was approaching from behind.

"Keep going!" Raymond yelled.

"But we're here, we're out of the woods."

"No. Both that way, and that way, the forest grows down to the water, we'll be surrounded, and suffocated. Go! To the water!"

"In the river?" Luna asked, running.

"Houseboat!" Raymond yelled back.

"We'll be safe there?" Luna screamed.

"Not there, we need to get out into the middle. At least. Get to the other side if we can."

"Can't we jump in the water?"

"Big river? At night? And we're exhausted from the run? No, that has to be the absolute last resort. Super dangerous. Go, that houseboat on the end."

There were only a few boats compared to when he was last at the marina. Raymond suspected they'd had time to clear out the best ones, but not all. It didn't matter, they only needed one. The one he directed them was relatively small, a six-berth on the downstream side. It was locked of course but Raymond used his hand in his boot to smash a bedroom window, a bit surprised it was normal glass, not marine glass. He unlocked the window to slide it across, then climbed in on the side that didn't have shrapnel.

"Go round the front, I'll unlock."

Luckily, a small old boat like that didn't have a deadlock, and he was able to slide open the front glass door to let Luna in.

"How does it work?" Luna worried.

"With a key, like a car," Raymond said, using his torch to look at the setup. "It basically drives like a car, except different."

"You've been on one of these before?"

"Thirty years ago...," Raymond admitted.

"But we don't have the key."

"If I can jack a car, I can jack a houseboat."

"Huh?" Luna said, shocked. "You steal cars?"

"Not recently, obviously!" Raymond answered. "Though if I can't get it started, we'll have to jump in the water. See if you can find some lifejackets or something that floats that we can hang onto. And get your boots off, they'll pull you down. And those hiking pants, you don't wanna go in the water in them, all those side pockets full of water will weigh you down, too."

Luna scrambled off her boots and pants and helped Raymond untie his own boots as he fiddled under the dash of the boat with his torch. Luna looked ridiculous, naked but for socks, as she scrambled around looking for something that floated.

"There have to be life jackets somewhere, legally," Raymond yelled out.

After a spark, the starter motor ground, and the engines started but spluttered. Raymond got up and ran to the motors out the back, fiddled about, and came back to the dash.

"Will it work?" Luna asked nervously.

"Yes, if I turn the fuel on first," Raymond scolded himself.

This time when he sparked it the grinding turned into nicely screaming outboard engines turning over, one on each side at the back. Luna instinctively cheered.

"Come here," Raymond directed her. "These two levers, keep them held forward, just on slow. I'm going to go out and pull those ropes off the mooring. Two ropes from the back and two from the front, one in each corner connect to those two poles on shore. As soon as I take them off, the boat might start moving with the water, so I need you to hold the power to keep it against the shore until I get back on. Got it?"