Just a squirrel

Allison eased the light around the trees, brightening them up an eerie blue. She froze as something appeared in the light. Two dots of bright blue staring right at them, like eyes.

"What the hell?" Sami swore.

The thing turned it's head, and revealed itself to be... a squirrel. It bounded away, out of the light, but not before snapping another twig as it fled. The two girls let out the breaths they had been holding. Sami sagged against the fence.

"Wow." she said. "When I saw those eyes, I thought it was going to be like something out of a horror movie. You know?"

"Yeah," Allison replied. "And guess who's playing the part of the dumb bimbo who decides to skinny dip in **** Lake?"

Sami chuckled at that, while Allison scanned the forest once more. There really didn't seem to be anything else out there.

"Come on, the night's wasting." Allison said after a few moments. "Let's get your naked lap time."

"About that..."

"You're not trying to back out, are you Sami?"

"No! No, not at all! It's just that... you know I'm not the fastest girl on the team, Alli. I'm not a natural athlete like you. My running style is based on technique rather than raw physicality, like shifting my balance at the right time or adjusting my stride length... that sort of thing."

"And?"

"Well, running in an adrenaline fuelled panic... that's sort of counter-intuitive, isn't it?"

Although Sami couldn't see it in the dark, Allison's face was pained. She couldn't believe her friend was going to bail on her like this - and while Alli was still naked, for pity's sake! It felt like a betrayal.

"Maybe if we show the girls your improved times," Sami suggested as she began to walk away "Maybe some of them will be willing to give it a go?"

"I don't know if I can do this with them, Sami. It's only because we're such good friends that I feel... comfortable like this."

Sami stopped. "I... I don't know."

Allison's bosom heaved as she took a deep breath. She knew the adrenaline rush would improve Sami's time. She just had to do something drastic to prove it.