A Golden Apple Logo

The phone buzzed at me urgently. I must have... I had to have put it in my pocket while I was getting ready. **** of habit. I tossed the phone back onto the seat and slammed the door.

"Nope, I'm going for a walk. I'm not dealing with the phone right now," I remarked, spinning to see that the imagined fear in Joan's presence was gone. Again, it had to have been my imagination, for she had raced up to Carla and hugged her tightly, and was... holy shit she kissed her. Fuck they hadn't been kidding about the orgy, had they?

"Kaila, this is exactly what it looks like, isn't it?"

My wife didn't answer, merely taking the opportunity to kiss me and blow a mouthful of sweet smoke into my lungs. I couldn't help but laugh around her lips, followed by a quick sputter, which she quickly silenced by sliding her tongue into my mouth.

"Yes," She whispered after a few more seconds. "And no. But that's getting complicated and we need to be walking. Trust me on this one, just... walk with us for a bit."

Somehow, I managed to stumble onwards, despite the whirl that was going on in my head at the time. Honestly, I think I couldn't have been happier. Even the dogs were nice, and I usually can't stand animals. They usually like me fine, but the feeling isn't mutual.

Our path led us down another small embankment at the edge of the parking lot, and across a small wooden footbridge that crossed what officially was called a river, but in any respectable circles would have been called a larger than average horse taking a leak. Well, maybe not respectable, but some of my old friends would have laughed at it. The present company, probably not as much.

The lush green willows that lined the wooden bridge led to an open field, and as we walked I noted that the conversation had become muted. We all seemed to be just enjoying the moment, enjoying the company. I can't remember when I had just, enjoyed company. I had no idea who this Joan was, but she seemed, at ease with everyone... well, everyone except Helen, who kept flashing slightly jealous looks at her girlfriend.

"Just wish she would have told me. I mean... who it was. I would have been fine with it but... wow, really surprised on that one. Never would have expected her."

"Joan? I uhm... do you know her?" I asked as we continued to walk. The soft path had former wheel marks on occasion, with a green median where the path had not been worn in. It was interesting, how people tended to stay to the wheel marks, and ignore the grass as it popped up.

"Brent, just... you don't want to be asking questions today. Things have gotten, strange. Really strange."

"I noticed that. I mean with the people, and the fog, then the clear day, and where are we going?" I asked as we began to move up a slight incline into the hills. The path now bore stones that jutted out from the ground almost like steps. It was interesting, to say the least, and I kept glancing back to see the dogs in Joans hand playfully snapping his three heads... their three heads... dammit, eyes playing tricks on me again. Gotta lay off the weed.