Follow the highway.

Still uncertain of where she was, Jen felt it was safest to follow the highway. She felt she was at the part of the road that ran from north to south but if she was wrong and went straight left, she’d be heading south and further away from the parking lot.

Keeping the thoroughfare barely within sight Jen resumed walking through the forest. The land was practically untouched by people and she had to take extra care to avoid stepping on rocks or fallen branches. She was certain the ground was rife with tiny insects but she was moving too quickly to see any.

The constant hum of vehicles remained to her right. After covering a good amount of ground she didn’t feel like the road was curving like she had expected it to. Maybe I’m at the north end of the woods and I’m heading west right now, she thought. Let’s go a bit further and see if this changes.

She kept weaving between trees, trying to keep as fast a pace as she could manage without injuring her feet. Another thirty yards passed and the highway wasn’t curving.

Maybe I’m changing course with it and not realizing it.

She took several steps towards the highway. Reaching a point where she could survey her surroundings without being seen she glanced through the trees and looked around.

Just more office buildings across from me… Maybe some of the ones I noticed before. I probably haven’t gone as far as I thought… Oh, the Breakfast King Diner is up ahead!

Jen knew where she was now. This was still the section of highway running north and south, but she was nearing the area where it curved. She’d gotten badly off track going through the woods, and now wondered if she might have gone slightly south before reaching the highway.

She put the highway to her back and got moving once again. Jen moved as quickly as she could manage. She knew the chances of being seen here were practically nonexistent and she didn’t bother covering herself with her hands, instead touching the trees as she passed them in case she lost her balance stepping over the countless twigs and branches.

The sound of cars faded away behind her. Her feet were getting sore from the constant abrasions of cement and dirt. After hiking what felt like a few hundred yards the sound of engines began getting louder, again on her right side.

There’s no way I got turned around, she thought. If I did then I’ll just follow the road, but that has to be the highway after it curved.

Still moving at a good clip Jen began to see more light through the trees ahead of her. It was the end of the forest. Her pace quickened further, anxious to get clear of the trees and that much closer to her car.

Nearing the end of the trees she began to see water ahead. The pond, a large pond in the northern area of the park that Jen was vaguely familiar with. Almost large enough to qualify as a lake, some people would swim there, occasionally someone would try their luck at fishing. Jen knew a few boats were kept around the park for public use but she didn’t know how many.

Reaching the edge of the trees she looked around and saw no one. No swimmers or boaters, no one walking on her side of the pond or the far side. She would be leaving the tree line well to the north end of the pond and knew she’d be going that direction. The trees ran a distance to the north but ended when a large barren field took residence. Some clumps of overgrown grass littered the land but it was largely empty. She knew the parking lot lay to the west of the field, where a copse of trees lined the eastern side of the lot and part of the southern side. The path around the park ran past the northern end of the pond and back south. Going through the field directly to the parking lot was her fastest route.

She stepped out of the trees and immediately turned north, looking around quickly to ensure she was still alone and covering her nude body with her hands once more. Setting into a rapid pace, Jen was anxious to get off the trail, into the field and head straight towards the parking lot. She realized sky was slightly darker than when she’d entered the woods. It must be getting a little late.

The trail circling the pond began to turn around the border of the body of water and Jen followed it. The end of the trees and beginning of the field soon approached and Jen stepped off the pathway and onto the bare dirt. She kept looking around, verifying no one had entered the region since the last looked around. As she made distance into the field she was able to look backwards, towards where the highway ran. She’d been concerned that she would be too close for comfort but realized the cars were a safe distance away. With this gap she would be little bigger than a speck and the cars were all moving fast enough they likely wouldn’t have enough time to realize the details about her lacking wardrobe.

Thank goodness there are no traffic jams right now.

She remained vigilant looking for people but no one was around. It seemed that everyone had vacated the park to leave for dinner. Eventually Jen relaxed to the point where she lowered her hands, allowing her to settle into a more natural motion and walk faster, but not relaxed enough for the constant tension to leave her neck and back.

She could make out the northeastern corner of the parking lot now, peeking out from the last of the standing trees ahead. Jen made trees just south of the parking lot her target. She could briefly cut through there, check out the parking lot and then make the final run to her car.

Looking around once more she saw someone riding a bike on the trail encircling the pond, on the far opposite side of the water. Despite the distance Jen felt suddenly very exposed. She clamped her hands back in front of herself and jogged the last several yards into the trees.

Picking her way through the thin woods it didn’t take Jen long to reach the parking lot. She hid herself as she saw two pickup trucks hauling trailers leaving the parking lot, the city logo decorating the sides of the trailers. Another field ran alongside the main path of the park and Jen assumed they had just mowed the grass there. Otherwise the parking lot was empty save for her car. Past the main path entering the park Jen saw the trash can where Eve left her clothes, or at least claimed that she would.

Don’t even think that, Jen thought. They’re there.

Once the trucks moved out of the lot Jen waited for them to gain distance away before she slipped out of the trees. Once her foot touched the blacktop she broke into the fastest sprint she’d run in her adult life. Hands covering her breasts and crotch, she kept glancing towards the path in the hopes that no one would pick this moment to enter the parking. The trail remained vacant and Jen reached her car without a soul to see her.

She snapped the key up off of the rear tire and triggered the ‘unlock’ button. Swinging the door open she practically dumped herself into the seat and slammed the door behind her. The key slipped into the ignition and the car fired up without hesitation. Looking around once more, she shifted into drive and pulled up next to the trash can.

Your clothes will be there. Your clothes will be there.

Jen stepped out of the car and crammed her hand into the mouth of the trash can. After pushing something made from paper out of the way she felt a plastic bag and pulled it out. A quick glimpse confirmed that it held her clothes. She hucked it onto the passenger seat and enclosed herself back in the vehicle.

The bag untied and opened easily and Jen tossed her sandals aside, grabbing the panties laying directly underneath. She half bent and half twisted around the steering wheel, looping the underwear under her feet. It was a slight struggle to pull them up over her hips but she managed. Her bra came out of the bag next. She tossed it on but didn’t bother clasping it yet, wanting to finish dressing first. She reached under her jeans and pulled her shirt out of the bag. She leaned back and forth while she pulled the hem of the shirt down over torso, inch by inch. Then she grabbed her jeans. After a minute of struggling to put them on underneath the steering wheel her patience gave out. She verified that she was alone once more and re-opened the car door. Twisting sideways in her seat she was easily able to get her feet through the legs of her jeans and pulled up to knee level before she stood up and jerked them up and over her hips. She sat back down in the car, reaching behind herself to fasten her bra before she turned back towards the steering wheel. Finally she tossed her sandals on the floor of the car and wiggled her feet into them.

Only then did she glance at the clock.

Three hours, she said to herself. I was stuck naked in that park for three hours.

She turned the air conditioner on high, took a deep breath and put the car back into drive. The sun was nearly fully set and the sky was getting darker by the minute. She slowly drove through the parking lot towards the exit, and started wondering what she’d tell her husband why she’s so late in getting home.