Risk getting to the main trail

Jen turned around and decided to backtrack a hair before emerging from the trees. She’d decided to take her chances with the clearing and pray that the couple tending to their dogs wouldn’t notice her. It was the fastest way to get back to her car and her clothes.

Once she made it a few yards away she stepped back onto the trail and quickly hustled to the opposite side. More trees lined the clearing, a thin strip here but getting thicker further east. Jen stepped into this and moved up through these trees so she could fully look over the clearing. As she had suspected it was completely empty.

Jen considered moving west, to the edge of these trees, so she could visually check the trail and the dog park, but knew she would be tempted to move back to this position so she would be out of sight of the couple for a few yards once she started across the clearing. She was **** enough for clothing that she felt warranted in sparing those few extra minutes.

She closed her eyes and listened as carefully as she could. She could still hear the two dogs tromping around and barking, and was confident the couple wasn’t leaving the park very soon. Otherwise she didn’t hear the tell-tale thumps of rubber sneakers landing on the ground at a jogging pace, nor the hum of bicycle tires in motion. She re-opened her eyes and left the trees.

Immediately every muscle in her body grew tense. Jen looked around quickly and couldn’t see anyone, but this didn’t make her feel any calmer. She settled into a brisk pace, about as quickly as she could walk without breaking into a jog. She feared that once she would be in view of the couple that moving too quickly might draw their eyes. Walking this fast might still carry some risk but Jen wasn’t going to sacrifice too much speed.

She aimed towards the trees north of her, shortly to the side of where they met the main trail. If she was still unseen after all this time, she could adjust her course and step over to the path itself. She knew that if she ended up being seen she would be running for the trees regardless.

After a minute of walking Jen knew she had to be in view of the couple at the dog park by now. She refused to look back to verify. If they saw her she’d likely find out from any change in volume, sudden shouting or going completely silent. And if they saw her but didn’t make it known that they had, well Jen felt she could live with that.

Just keep walking, she thought. Don’t turn around, don’t slow down. Steady pace. Listen carefully for anything.

The only noise she could hear was the occasional barking of the dogs and chatter from the couple. She had some concern that someone simply walking might come upon her without her hearing- she could only see so far up the main trail once the trees re-started leaving some measure of a blind spot, and she wasn’t looking behind herself at all. The further she walked the more she began to doubt that this was a good decision.

Too late now. Keep moving.

Jen realized she’d been holding her breath, and **** herself to start taking deep breaths. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she felt her body slightly trembling with fear. She was just over halfway through the clearing, but the complete, total exposure kept her incredibly on edge.

You’re fine, no one has seen you. Keep walking and no one will see you.

Jen abandoned the idea of moving onto the trail if she remained undiscovered. After this she would have to stop for a minute and regain whatever composure she possibly could.

Almost there, don’t stop. Only a few more yards to go.

Jen kept moving forward, trying to concentrate on her breathing and anything else to take her mind off of her nudity, even if only for a second. She focused on the grass under her bare feet. On the sunlight hitting her face and shoulders. On the slight breeze cooling the perspiration on her neck.

Once Jen was less than three yards from the trees she couldn’t stop herself from breaking into a run. It was only a short distance but she was dying to get back into hiding. Once she was between the trees she moved a ways away from the clearing before she leaned back against a tree and worked to catch her breath. It wasn’t a far enough run to exhaust her, but rather her heart’s relentless pounding demanding more oxygen.

After a full minute she pushed off of the tree trunk and looked back behind her. She had to lean over to see anything through the trees but it seemed the couple was still engaging with their dogs. Somehow Jen had managed to go undetected across that whole clearing.

She gave herself another moment to breathe. She crossed her arms in front of her chest to try to stretch out some of the tension from her back. She worked on her neck after this, looking at the ground and gently pulling down on her head. After this she started moving back towards the main trail.

With a quick look around to make sure no one was approaching from either direction, Jen stepped onto the cement and started quickly walking north. She was a five-to-ten minute walk away from the parking lot, closer to five if she didn’t have to take cover again.

Her nerves had improved since her streak across the clearing but she still felt tense. She knew that wouldn’t really start easing up until she was dressed again.

She found herself making decent time on the path. Surprisingly she had not encountered anyone while walking and didn’t have to divert back into hiding while they passed. Soon she turned the last bend and saw the beginning of the parking lot up ahead.

Jen picked her pace up a little more as she got closer, knowing that she would have to hide in the trees again before entering the parking lot to make sure the coast was clear. The yards passed by quickly and soon Jen found herself stepping into concealment once again, then edging forward to get a good view of things without giving her presence away to anyone who might be there.

Straight ahead of her was her own sedan. Beyond that in the back row were two other vehicles, both empty. Some yards to her left was the green steel trashcan where her clothing was waiting for her. There was no one in sight.

Quickly Jen stepped between trees, onto the asphalt and made a mad dash for her car. She felt the blacktop lightly burning the soles of her feet with each step but ignored the discomfort. She was able to duck and grab the key she’d left on her tire with barely a pause. Triggering the “unlock” button repeatedly, she yanked the car door open and dropped into the seat.

Without a moment’s hesitation Jen fired the engine up and pulled out of the parking space. She swung the car around, driving parallel with the trees bordering the southern end of the parking lot. The trees came to an abrupt end and two yards further was the trashcan. Jen put the car in park, glanced around to make sure no one else had shown up, then opened the car door. Leaving the engine running, she stepped out and slid her hand into the trash can.

Once she had the bag in hand she immediately pulled it open and dropped it on the driver’s seat into her car. She knew she should get dressed in the car but that would take too long. She was more concerned with wearing clothes again, as quickly as she could manage.

On the top of the bag was Jen’s panties so these went on first. Once her butt and vagina was covered with the thin cotton she grabbed her bra. This went up and over her shoulders. It took her a few moments to get the clasp hooked. Her hands were shaking, still feeling intensely nervous. She used the extra seconds to look around again. She was still alone.

Eventually she got the bra properly fastened and grabbed her jeans from the bag next. She was able to get these on relatively easily, her determination overcoming her less than steady balancing. Next her t-shirt went on, over her head and arms through the sleeves. She finished by dropping her sandals on the blacktop and wriggling her feet into them.

Jen finally closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Clothes.

She tossed the plastic bag back into the trash can and sat back down in her car. She took another breath, then another. Some of the stress began to creep out of her muscles and she felt her anxiety lessen. Finally she felt that she was ready to drive.

As Jen shifted into drive she saw two trucks coming into the parking lot, both hauling trailers. Once she saw the city logo inscribed on the trailers she realized they were lawn mowers. The field behind and around the trash can was usually left alone and kept overgrown. The city seemed to feel it gave a sense of “untouched nature” to the area. But they still felt the need to take the grass down two or three times a year, and this must have been the day.

Jen realized that she should be thankful she got back to her clothes before they showed up. With one last deep breath, she pulled away and began heading home.