The Dare

The three had been friends since primary school, which apparently meant that even in their mid-twenties they were still perfectly capable of making idiotic decisions when one of them said,

“I dare you.”

They were on vacation, driving through the mountains, when they stopped at a viewpoint overlooking an absurdly beautiful valley.

Deep below: forests, a river, a few tiny villages.

Above: blue sky.

Around: apparently nobody.

“Okay,” said Nina, leaning against the railing. “Pants down.”

Clara stared at her.

“What?”

“Come on.” Nina waved toward the empty landscape. “There’s no one around for miles.”

Sue immediately knew where this was going.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“We’re standing at a public viewpoint.”

“And?”

“And we are not dropping our pants at a public viewpoint.”

Nina folded her arms. “Chicken.”

That, naturally, was all it took.

Clara went first.

“Fine,” she said. “Five seconds.”

Sue started laughing. “Oh my God, you’re actually doing it.”

“Your turn.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Chicken.”

Two against one. Childhood friendship is a terrible thing.

So there they were: three supposedly grown women, on vacation, at a scenic mountain viewpoint, giggling like teenagers and proving absolutely nothing to anyone.

“See?” Nina said triumphantly. “Nobody.”

That's when Sue turned and froze.

Mounted on a pole above the viewpoint was a small black camera.

Under it was a sign.

LIVE PANORAMA WEBCAM
Enjoy the beatific view from anywhere in the world!

"Guys," she said.

Silence.

Nina blinked.

Clara blinked.

“Okay.”

Another pause.

“Technically,” Nina whispered, “those people watching online could be miles away.”

That was when they lost it.

So, if anyone happened to be watching the Valley Panorama Cam last Tuesday at 3:17 pm...

You're welcome.