Love on a Mountain
This story is the property of the co-authors and cannot be reproduced or distributed without specific consent of the authors. This work is Copyrighted. All Rights Reserved. It is written for your enjoyment only. This story about the love between two women and is fiction. Any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental.
Chapter Two
By Chrissy and Peyton
Harper and Rachel said their goodbyes the next morning not sure when they would be able to see each other the next time. Harper returned to school the following week looking at her situation at school and her relationship with Bailey differently. She was learning how to ignore most everyone's comments including Bailey's although some of them were very hurtful. She was learning to recognize the difference between comments made simply for show and those intended to hurt or were made to hurt. She knew Aunt Mary was right about Bailey. She needed to educate Bailey so they could understand each other and not hurt each other's feelings even if they couldn't agree on lifestyles.
It was almost the end of November and they received their schedules for the next orientation. Unfortunately it was scheduled for the middle of January the coldest part of the winter. But with the location of State from where they were located in the mountains, the temperatures would be ten to fifteen degrees warmer and the chances of snow would be less as it rarely snowed where they would be at State.
The time had arrived and despite the differences the girls had, they were excited about attending as it meant they were that much closer to being college students.
The trip over Sharon dominated the conversation not letting one moment of silence come between the three. She asked the other two about their majors and what they wanted to be when they graduated. She asked about clubs and sororities to become a member of and she even talked about which residence hall she hoped she had been assigned. By the time they arrived both Bailey and Harper were glad they could get out and away from her.
Harper gave Bailey a look that said it all when they got out of the car and after Sharon was out of earshot. "How could one person say so much and not take a break? I never thought silence felt so good!" Bailey said to Harper.
"My ears are still ringing. For as little as that girl is, she can talk," Harper said and laughed. "I think she is excited being here." Both Bailey and Harper looked at each other and laughed, both glad to be away from her.
With common ground Bailey and Harper found their tour guide and walked together around campus as their tour guide led them. The next day was more personal as they were broken up into groups by subject matter and toured where their major was going to be taught and learned more about the basics of that learning. At the end of this day they were brought back together as a unit and it was opened up to questions about the college and the surrounding area.
The final night the girls were all assigned to rooms in a dorm room like the one they would be in come the end of summer when they would be here for their freshman year. Bailey and Harper were able to pick their roommates and coming over together they chose each other since they knew no one, all their friends having come over the early session. They went out to eat in the dining hall as a group so they could experience what it was like eating there.
Afterwards they had free time until curfew which only applied to them since the university was responsible for them until the morning hour tomorrow. Bailey and Harper walked back to the dorm they shared to get ready for bed and to discuss the day's events.
"I really liked how they broke us up after the first day into smaller groups so we could see more of our major and not have us sitting through getting a quick overview of everyone's major," Bailey said.
"Yeah that was a nice touch. I thought orientation was a quick overview to include all majors so you didn't see much of any of them. Did you get to see enough of pharmacy to decide that is what you want to do?" Harper inquired.
"Yes I did. It was interesting and I believe I will love it. How about you with forestry, did you get to see all you wanted?" Bailey asked Harper trying to sound interested.
"To be honest with you it may take some doing before they get into the interesting things. Everything they touched on I already knew from camping with my dad," Harper replied.
"Maybe your dad is that smart or he is that good of an instructor?" Bailey offered.
"He's been doing this all his life so I guess he is that smart," Harper said.
"You know, having you as my roommate these past two days has been pretty nice," Bailey said.
"Does that mean you won't have to have your seats reupholstered when we get home from any disease you might catch coming in contact with a lesbian?" Harper stunned Bailey by saying. She had meant it as a joke but Bailey took it serious and once as said it the hurt those words came to Harper.
"Harper, where did you...I don't understand, I mean...." Bailey stuttered not knowing how to respond.
"I overheard you tell one of your cheerleader friends after we decided to ride over here," Harper told her.
They sat in silence which seemed like forever but was less than fifteen minutes.
"It's okay. I know you are just being nice to me while we are here. I'll take what I can get. Despite what you say and feel, I still like you as a friend. Ever since we were little, I considered you a friend. When we get home we can go back to the way we were and you can tell your friends I tried to put the moves on you and you were repulsed by it," Harper said as she finished getting ready for bed and crawled in turning her back to Bailey.
Bailey was stunned. She knew exactly what she had said and when. She knew she had said those things only for show as she wanted to keep the pretense up for her friends. She wished now she had not said those things and she felt bad for Harper because they came from her mouth.
She walked over to Harper's bed sitting on the edge and placing her hand on Harper's upper arm. She could tell Harper was sobbing and squeezed Harper's upper arm.
"Harper, I am sorry. I didn't realize until tonight how much those words affected you. They were mean, spiteful and inexcusable. You've never been anything but a friend to me and I don't deserve your forgiveness or friendship," Bailey pleaded with Harper.
Harper turned halfway to face Bailey to see if she was being sincere or not. "It's okay. Three- fourths of the student body says those same things about me. I'm getting used to it. Go back to bed, we have a long drive tomorrow and I hear the weather is going to be cold and rainy so it will be a stressful drive especially around the mountains," Harper said to Bailey. Harper then turned her back away from Bailey.
Bailey sat there a few more minutes lightly stroking Harper's arm. She wanted to apologize, but from the way Harper left it, she felt it wouldn't do any good. She went back to her bed, crawled in and thought about what Harper had said. Most of the class made snide remarks about her and though she had grown up with most of the student body, once Harper had come out they turned their backs to her. She felt bad for all the things she and the others had been saying about her because Bailey had not known if Harper had ever said anything bad about anyone at school. She simply took the remarks accepting them not offering any fight similar to like she did when her books had been scattered about the hall that day.
Bailey was caught in a quandary because tomorrow she would be back home and expected to act like she had before. She had left with the thought that everyone considered Harper a disease and Bailey in this short time had learned she was a person with feelings. To put it bluntly they had been treating Harper mean. She fell asleep wishing things would change and Harper would be liked again.
The next morning they were up and ate breakfast for the last time in the dining room as high school seniors. The next time they were here would be as college freshman embarking on the career choices in college. They weren't all that excited, both Bailey and Harper still with last night fresh on their minds.
They headed out with Harper calling her dad to tell him they were leaving. He told them of the winter storm that was expected to move in later that day and of the bad road conditions expected all day deteriorating as the day went on. Harper told him they would take it easy and since it was interstate the whole way they would be fine.
"Was that your dad on the phone?" Bailey asked making small talk.
"Yeah he was just saying the roads are expected to get worse later in the day with the winter storm approaching. I told him we would be home hours before it got too bad so we best be on our way," Harper replied.
Bailey and Harper got in Bailey's car to leave. Before Bailey started it she turned to Harper. "After we are home it will be back to school. I promise you that you won't hear those mean and hateful things come out of my mouth again Harper. I can't stop the others but you will not hear me say anything. I'm really sorry and I hope you will in time forgive me."
Harper turned to Bailey and said, "So you're saying I'm not so bad for a lesbian dyke?"
Bailey looked at Harper and saw she had a slight grin on her face and she knew Harper was pulling her leg. She couldn't help it and she burst out laughing. "Nope wait until they all know I rode over, slept with, and rode back with my new best friend, a lesbian dyke," Bailey laughed which Harper had to laugh at too.
They headed down the interstate singing songs from the radio to pass time with their four- hour journey home. They hadn't made it a half hour when traffic came to a complete stop. "What the hell? There must be an accident ahead to cause this much of a back-up," Bailey said as she hit the brakes hard to avoid the car in front of her.
Instinctively Harper used her foot to push on the imaginary brake. "Geez Louise," she said and put her hands out to steady her. They drove for almost another half hour only going about three or four miles. Bailey got off the interstate at the next rest stop so they both could use the restroom. Talking with a lady there they found out there had been a rock slide fifty or so miles ahead that had traffic down to one lane for all four lanes to use. They also found out there was an accident another seventy-five miles after that that had traffic detouring around it causing another delay.
They both calculated their four-hour trip home would be delayed and they wouldn't get home for another ten hours or more if they were lucky. Bailey and Harper debated what they should do.
"We could go back and get a motel room. That would allow the highway department time to either clear the road or clear more lanes allowing for more traffic to flow through," Harper said.
"Sure, you just want to get me in a motel room so you can brag about staying the night with the head cheerleader in some skank motel and having your way with her," Bailey kidded.
""Damn, and I thought you were some dumb blonde and wouldn't figure my ulterior motives up until I had you naked in bed," Harper quipped back.
"So what is your suggestion?" Harper asked more seriously.
"Sshhh! I'm thinking" Bailey said back. After she thought for awhile she said, "Every way I can think of won't cut any time off because they are too far out of the way." She thought some more then she came to an exit that read "Hwy two-twenty-nine," and below it another sign that read "may be closed in winter due to snow." Bailey took that exit.
"Wait, what are you doing? This goes over the mountain and the road maybe closed ahead if we've had any snow or ice" Harper asked showing concern.
"It's our only option. It's either this or you get to sleep with me and get your wish," Bailey joked. "Besides, may be closed. It doesn't say closed and the storm won't get here until tonight your dad said.
"The snow can be falling at that level already. I'd rather sleep with you and dream about getting my wish than this. It is much safer," Harper said. "Do you have enough gas to go this way after sitting in traffic so long?"
"I have enough to get us over two-twenty-nine to seventy-seven where there is a gas station," Bailey said although she didn't sound so sure.
They traveled another fifteen miles climbing up the mountain. "I don't know about this Bailey. I think we should turn around and go back," Harper said showing concern in her voice.
"I didn't take you for a scaredy-cat, Harper. I thought you were more adventurous than this?" Bailey asked.
"I am but on foot and not in icy conditions in a car. You feel your tires slipping on the curves? That's from the ice building up on the roads," Harper explained.
"Is that what that is? I just thought my car was out of whack and the tires were old," Bailey said.
"No, that's ice," Harper said as she held on every time the tires slipped.
"Well we only have about five or ten more miles and we are at the top then we go down," Bailey stated.
"Yes but you see it's starting to snow and it's getting harder with bigger flakes coming down," Harper voice sounding strained.
"We can make it, trust me. It's can't be much farther," Bailey said.
They traveled maybe a mile more until the snow came down so fast and hard they no longer could see more than a couple of feet in front of them.
"You need to stop and turn around. It getting way too dangerous and there is no way to see," Harper said.
"Turn around where? It's coming down too hard to see anything," Bailey said frantically.
"Find somewhere to pull over. Then we can turn around," Harper sounded more confident but still she sounded concern.
A few more miles going no more than ten miles per hour and they saw what looked like a road off to the right. Bailey turned to the right so she could turn around. It was so white outside from the snow it was hard to see where the road was and where it wasn't. Bailey stopped and put the car in reverse and slowly began to back up but she couldn't see where she was backing up because of the snow now covering her back window except the very top of it. As she was backing up they felt the car's tires spin for lack of traction. Bailey gave it some gas to try to go faster so the car would back up.
"No, don't give it more gas," Harper screamed to her but it was too late.
They felt the back end shoot to the right and then the tire dropped off the ledge next to the road. The back of the car dropped and Bailey squealed as the car slid farther to the right and lower. It was as if it was slow motion as the car dropped off to the right and continued to slide off the road down the slope. The car slid away from the road and Harper could see the road disappear out over the windshield. As it slid they felt the car begin to turn and roll over first on its right side then slowly onto its top then a little farther until it struck a group of trees and come to a rest again on its right side.
Bailey screamed as the car rolled and again when it hit the trees and stopped. Harper didn't scream as much, putting out her hands to brace herself first on the side then to the ceiling as the car rolled over then to the other side again as it did a complete three-sixty in slow motion.
In a matter of seconds the noise and car stopped and all that could be heard was the sound of the car scraping against the trees and the sound of snow being shaken out of the trees above the car and falling on them. Harper quickly undid her seat belt and pushed away from her door she was now standing on.
She asked how Bailey was and could see she was hanging partially upside down with her legs towards the floorboards. She started screaming, "Get me out! My leg! It's stuck and I think I broke it! Oh fuck! It hurts!"
Harper stood up using the door as the floor since the car was on its side and pushed Bailey up so she wasn't hanging. Before she unfastened Bailey's seatbelt she looked down towards Bailey's feet to see where she was caught. Sure enough when the car did a slow roll Bailey's foot had caught between the gas pedal and the brake pedal and from the angle of it Harper knew Bailey had broken it.
"Bailey, it's broken and it's caught between the gas and brake pedal. I'm going to lift you up enough to get it out but it is going to hurt like a son-of-a-bitch when I do." Harper didn't give her any chance to think about it because she knew how much it was going to hurt and she put her shoulder under Bailey's waist and lifted pulling her leg out using her hands wrapped around Bailey's calf.
"AWWWGGG,SHIT!" Bailey screamed tears rolling down her face.
"We have to immobilize it before I move you. It doesn't appear to be too bad as the bone is not sticking out and the ankle appears straight so it may be a fracture but we still have to immobilize it. When we pulled on to this road I noticed a cabin about a hundred yards away. I need to get you there to really look at it," Harper stated.
Harper looked to the back of the car and though not in the order they were in she could see their luggage from this week. She opened hers because she knew what was in it and pulled out a pair of jeans and a jacket. She took the pants, wrapping the one leg around Bailey's ankle and above it. With each coil Bailey winched with the pain. It was snug so Bailey would have a difficult time moving her ankle side to side. Then Harper did the same thing with the other pant leg. With the rest of the jeans she folded them over Bailey's ankle and foot. Harper took the jacket and zipped it up and wrapping it around the whole foot and ankle using hair clips she had brought for her hair but now they would have to be used to secure the jacket.
"This part is going to hurt the most but there is no way to avoid it so I'm going to apologize up front," Harper said to Bailey. "I'm going to roll your window down and climb out of the car. Then I want you to grab my arms and using your good leg push yourself up and out the window. You will be standing until you are out of the window then you will be lying on your back on the ground. Once I have you out of the car, I'll have to help you crawl up the slope until we are one the road. Then I can carry you to the cabin," Harper explained to Bailey.
"Isn't there another way? Can't we stay in the car until help arrives? Bailey pleaded.
"Unless you want to freeze to death we need to find shelter and unless you have some way of signaling for help, the last time I checked we have no bars on our phones. Up here they have no towers so we are out of luck. We can't call for help and that is not going to do any good anyways. The roads will all be closed by now and we didn't pass another car for last thirty minutes. Anyone with any sense is home by now," Harper said not realizing what she was saying.
Bailey started crying and saying Harper was blaming her for their situation.
"No, Bailey. I didn't mean it like that. It's not your fault. It's mine too." Harper then put her arms around Bailey to comfort her which was the first time she felt her and could smell her. She quickly came to her senses because it was getting late and they had a ways to go just to get to the cabin and there was no assurance they would be able to get in.
"Okay are you ready? This is the part that will hurt the worse," Harper told Bailey who just tentatively nodded her head.
Harper lowered the driver's side window brushing snow away as it lowered. She then crawled out of the car turning back towards the car and crouched down on her feet. She was on the driver's door from the outside and reaching back into the car to grab Bailey's arm. "Put your good foot on the center console and stand up so you are partially out of the car. Turn away from me so you come out with your back to me,"
"Why don't we just open the door and I can climb out that way," Bailey reasoned.
"Have you ever tried to open a car door by lifting it up? Both of us couldn't do it. It would be way too heavy and we wouldn't be able to keep it open if we could open it. Believe me, this will work," Harper explained.
After Bailey stood on the console she turned her back to Harper. "Ah, Bailey hun, I'm going to try to grab you under your armpits but my hands may slip and I might end up pulling you out with my hands on your boobs."
"Yeah sure, lesbian dyke. You just want an excuse to grab my boobs. If you had asked I would have let you as long as you don't tell anyone I let you feel me up," Bailey told Harper and giggled.
Bailey turned around with her back to Harper with Harper wrapping her arms and hands around Bailey's upper chest. "On three, one, two, three," Harper said and pushed with her legs pulling Bailey out of the car.
"AWWGGG, Fuck!" Bailey moaned as Harper lifted her out.
'I'm sorry, I know it hurts," Harper said panting. "Now we have to get you up to the road and out of this snow."
"What about our things? We can't leave them in the car?" Bailey pleaded.
"Once you are safe and secure in the cabin, I can come back for them. Your priority one," Harper said and then giggled a little.
"What's so funny?" Bailey said winching in pain.
"I've always thought you were pretty hot and you walked around school as if you were, and now I'm still treating you as priority one," Harper said.
"I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult," Bailey frowned at Harper.
"Take it as both. You are hot and you do know it. Don't ever let anyone tell you you're not," Harper stated.
"Thank you, Harper. That is the sweetest way anyone has said that to me," Bailey said and looked at Harper with a glimmer in her eye.
"Okay, ready for the next step? This one we're going to get wet and dirty. I'll lead the way and drag you up the hill to the road," Harper explained to Bailey.
On her stomach she clawed her way up pulling Bailey who could only use one leg, the other more or less dead weight. The way up to the top wasn't far maybe forty feet but at the angle and in the wet snow it was treacherous and slow going taking them a half hour or more to make it to the top. They made it and were exhausted, wet and dirty. They rested several minutes both feeling the cold from the wet snow that now soaked through their clothes to their skin.
Harper knew she had to get Bailey out of the wet and into something dry. Then she could assess her injury and come up with a plan. She stood and helped Bailey to her feet. Though it would be hard, Bailey was in no condition to walk the hundred or more yards to the cabin. Harper stooped down to grab Bailey under the knees and by her waist.
"What are you doing? Let me walk. You can help me," Bailey argued.
'You are in no condition to walk that far in wet cold clothes and a broken ankle. I can carry you in my arms and when I get tired, I'll carry you over my shoulder."
"Harper, no I'm too heavy," Bailey said as Harper bent over and instead picked Bailey up piggy back style. "You got scared I would say you were carrying me in your arms across the threshold," Bailey whispered in Harper's ear.
'Watch what you say. I'm not to the door yet," Harper joked back.
On the way to the cabin, Bailey whispered again, "Is it suppose to hurt this much? I'm getting sharp pains with each step."
"Your body is cold and wet. And I'm bouncing you every step I take. Once we get you dry and warm and I can lay you down it should let up some. Once a doctor sees it and sets it they can give you pain killers to ease the pain as it heals."
"Then I hope this cabin has a heater and a warm bath. We both could use a change of clothes," Bailey said to Harper.
"I wouldn't count on either. This looks more like an old hunting cabin. If we are lucking it will have a fireplace," Harper mumbled as they approached the cabin.
Once they reached the cabin Harper knew they at least had heat as there was firewood chopped and stacked on the side of the house. She walked to the cabin door and tried it to only find it apparently locked. As she jiggled it the door came open apparently the door warping enough to open on its own. Harper moved inside and looked around. The cabin wasn't big but it had a bed, a chair, and to Harper's surprise, an old wood burning stove. She walked over to the bed and gently put Bailey down on it.
Harper walked back closing the door, jiggling it until it would close. She surveyed the area then went back to Bailey to check on her.
"How's the foot?" she asked.
"Hurts like hell. You wouldn't have anything stronger than motrin would you?" Bailey said.
"I have to say Bailey. You have kept your humor up through all of this. Let me check it. Tell me if I touch or do something that hurts," Harper said.
"You mean more than it has been all afternoon?"
"Yeah more than what it has been hurting," Harper checked the color of Bailey's ankle and toes to see if Bailey had damaged more than breaking her ankle but her color seemed good.
Harper then started the stove after making sure it was in working order. "I'm going back to get our bags. Is there anything in your car you want me to bring back?"
"My purse, my cell phone are the only thing besides my overnight and makeup bag," Bailey responded.
"Like you'll need your makeup," Harper joked.
"You never know. A girl always has to look her best," Bailey quipped back.
As Harper walked out she said a little too loud as Bailey overheard her, "If you only knew how beautiful you are to me right now."
Bailey smiled the best she could and said after Harper had walked out, "You are beautiful to me Harper." Then after the door closed she called out, "Harper?"
As Harper came back and opened the door to see what Bailey wanted Bailey said," Don't be long dear, and please drive safely."
This made Harper burst out laughing. "I know, eggs and milk and steak for dinner." Then Harper closed the door and there was silence in the cabin except for the wood stove making noise as it warmed up.
With the silence Bailey had nothing to do but sit on the bed and look around the cabin taking in inventory of what there was. She was cold and getting wet hadn't helped that. As she folded her arms around her and shivered, she saw over to one side a couple of shelves that had several cans that appeared to be beans. She also saw a clear plastic container that look like it contained rice. She thought at least they wouldn't get hungry. Then she noticed next to them cans of spam. The gourmet dinner of hunter she laughed.
On the other shelve she noticed what appeared to be blankets folded and stacked. She thought about reaching for them but she had no way as she couldn't hop that far on one foot and she had no support. When Harper returned she would have her find something she could use as a crutch. Speaking of Harper, she had no way of knowing how long Harper had been gone but Harper should be back by now if not soon.
Bailey waited longer and not hearing anything of Harper she became concerned. Not having anything to do and not able to move about she had no comprehension of time. Time moved slowly for Bailey and had she known the actual time she would have worried even more. All she knew is when Harper left it was daylight and now it was almost dark outside. She became frantic and she started calling out Harper's name. She started crying afraid of being left alone but also that something had happened to Harper.
'Bailey, Bailey, are you alright?" Harper called out as she rushed through the door. She saw Bailey on the floor next to the bed instead of where Harper left her. She was on her side and had her good foot on the floor as if she were trying to stand.
Bailey turned her head as soon as she heard Harper's voice and had a look of fright on her face. "You were gone so long and I didn't know where you were," Bailey sobbed.
Harper rushed over to her and put her arms around her helping back up on the bed. "It's alright. I'm right here," she said and hugged Bailey. Then she helped Bailey to get situated and checked her foot for signs of discoloring. "You must have nodded off and lost track of time. I was only gone less than two hours," Harper told her. "I thought something had happened to you when I heard you calling out so I dropped our luggage and high-tailed it back here."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know how much time had gone by since you left," Bailey sobbed.
Well next time we'll have our phones. Right now they are lying out in the snow with the rest of our stuff. Are you alright if I go back out and get them?"
"Yeah, sorry. I didn't know," Bailey muttered.
Harper knew from experience she now had to hurry as Bailey was showing signs of exposure from being wet and cold and with her injury she could be going into delayed shock. She ran back out of the cabin to get their bags but with the snow still heavily falling and had been for the four or more hours they had been here, Harper was fighting knee high snow. She tried to walk in her foot steps that she made going to and retrieving their bags but they were almost snowed over as hard as it was coming down.
She got to where she had dropped their luggage and was able to find both of the bigger bags but had to search for Bailey's make-up kit. Finally finding it, she began the trek back to the cabin shuffling her legs the best she could in the snow. She made it back completely out of breathe and with her legs aching from exertion. Once inside the cabin she could feel the warmth from the wood stove so she went over to Bailey and told her to take her clothes off.
Bailey looked at her saying, "Are you crazy? It's freezing and I'm not going to strip so you can see me naked you lesbian dyke."
"That's why you have to get naked. You are wet, cold and your body temperature is dropping. With the temperature in here warming up, I need to get you dry so your body temperature can come back up. I'm going to strip too and we are going to get in bed under those blankets over there until we stop shaking and warm up. I'll rewrap your leg with dry clothes. So get busy and take everything off but your panties. I'll help you take off your pants so we don't move your leg," Harper explained.
"Are you sure it's not to see me naked?" Bailey asked.
"No it's so you don't go into hypothermia. You are showing signs of it, constantly shaking, disorientation and a loss of time. It's to save you, I promise you.
Bailey had taken her clothes off except her pants as Harper threw one of the blankets over Bailey to keep her warm as she pulled Bailey's jeans off. "Bailey, I'm sorry but I have to cut your pant leg so your pant leg is big enough to get off," Harper said.
"Are you saying I'm fat?" Bailey asked Harper.
"No but your pants are too tight below the knee and they aren't going to slide off your leg without you experiencing a tremendous amount of pain," Harper explained.
As Harper continued to cut Bailey's pant leg she looked up at Bailey, "Did you intend to call me that? I wasn't sure because just a minute ago you called me a lesbian in a non flattering way."
'I did didn't I? I'm sorry Harper, I shouldn't have. You have done everything for me and saved my life without concern for your own." Bailey then put her hand on Harper's hand and squeezed it, "Can you forgive me?"
"Well just because you're so cute, I guess this one time I can," Harper said joking at Bailey.
"Cute, just cute? Before I was beautiful," Bailey asked.
Harper stopped cutting Bailey's jeans and looked up, "You weren't supposed to hear that."
"Too late. You can't take it back," Bailey said softly to Harper.
Harper finished taking Bailey's jeans off and took her clothes off too grabbing the other blanket for her. Before she crawled in bed with Bailey she laid their wet clothes out by the wood stove so they would dry. Harper crawled in behind Bailey but not before Bailey got a good look at Harper as she put the blanket around her.
Harper moved up behind Bailey snuggling as close as she could get to Bailey, wrapping her blanket around the both of them to give Bailey extra warmth. She folded her arms hands together and brought them up to her chest.
Bailey could feel Harper's warm breath on her neck as she felt her breathe. Bailey reached behind her and took Harper's hand in hers bringing it around her back and over her chest placing it on her breast. Harper tried to pull it back or at least place it lower on Bailey but Bailey squeezed it to her breast.
"What are you doing?" Harper whispered in astonishment?"
"I'm cold and I know you have been wanting to. I'm also scared and I need you to hold me in an intimate way," Bailey told her.
"What are you afraid of?" Harper asked.
"We're lost and stranded out here and with my broken leg we have no way to walk for help. I'm sorry Harper, it's all my fault," Bailey said and started to cry.
Harper turned Bailey towards her and moved over on top of Bailey, "Listen, we're not lost. We know exactly where we are. We have shelter, heat, food, well some food. Once this snow stops they will be out to clear the roads and we will get someone to take us down the mountain and home, probably sometime tomorrow or the next day at the latest."
"You think so?" Bailey sobbed.
'Yes I do," Harper said trying to reassure Bailey. She then bent down giving Bailey a quick kiss to her lips.
"Now I was allowing you to cop a feel, but you had to take advantage and steal a kiss," Bailey joked.
"Sorry," Harper said and moved back over and took her hand away from Bailey' breast.
Bailey pulled Harper's hand back over her breast and whispered, "I didn't say I didn't like it." She then squeezed Harper's hand to her breast Harper feeling Bailey's nipple harden underneath her palm.
Then Bailey added, "Just don't tell anyone I let you feel me up."
"It'll be our secret," Harper said as she with her finger, crossed Bailey's heart which was actually Bailey's nipple which caused Bailey to give out a small moan. Harper then softly kissed Bailey behind her head on her back.
They lay there for hours, the only light a portable butane camping light that Harper had found on the shelf next to the blankets. Harper was awakened by Bailey moaning and calling to Harper. "My leg is killing me and I have to go pee," Bailey said.
With the cabin being so small it only had an outhouse for a toilet and it was outside next to the cabin. In order to go they both would have to get dressed and go outside about five feet to the side of the cabin. After they looked for a way to go pee without going outside Harper told Bailey to get dressed. Harper helped Bailey get her sweat suit pants on that luckily she had brought to sleep in so Bailey didn't have to move her foot or leg.
After they were dressed Harper handed Bailey the lamp then crouched down to pick Bailey up piggy back style again and carry her out to the outhouse so she could pee. Harper took advantage of the opportunity and peed while she was there too.
"Well that was totally embarrassing, not to mention fucking freezing cold," Bailey told Harper as Harper was carrying her into the cabin.
"Something tells me we are going to have more embarrassing issues to deal with until we are out of here. Once back inside Harper walked back out to get more wood for the rest of the night and well into the next day. She told Bailey she didn't want to make more trips than necessary as each time meant opening the door and letting the cold air inside. After looking at Bailey's leg they got back in bed this time dressed. They didn't need their body heat to warm them as much so cuddling naked wasn't needed anymore. They both were hungry as they hadn't had anything to eat since they stopped on the way at the rest stop but they decided they would wait until daylight so they could see better.
They laid there curled much like they had before, Bailey with her back against Harper. She took Harper's hand bringing it over her and placing it on her breast again this time over her shirt and bra. Then she removed it and unbuttoned her shirt and asked Harper to unfasten her bra.
"Why are you undoing everything?" Harper questioned her.
Bailey took Harper's hand and placed it over her bare breast again. "This feels better."
"I don't understand," Harper questioned Bailey more.
"I don't either. But I want you to touch me and caress me there. I can't explain it but if we were naked and my leg didn't ache so much we would be making love" Bailey said softly to Harper.
Harper not understanding or wanting to argue with Bailey leaned into Bailey giving her several light and quick kisses on her back and shoulder. Soon they were asleep.
Bailey's parents had been somewhat impatiently waiting for Bailey to get home. Her mom asked her dad if he had heard from her and had forgotten to say anything to her.
"No, I haven't heard from her since they were at the rest stop. She said it still would be three or four hours until they were home because of the weather and the rockslide. Give her a call on her phone and see how much longer she will be," George told his wife.
"That's just it. I've been calling and it goes straight to voice mail," Diane said.
"What was the name of the girl that Bailey was driving over there with? Call her parents and see if they have heard from them.
Sylvia was at same time talking to Jimmy if he had heard from Harper.
"No, but she called about four hours ago. They were at the rest stop by Hwy seven. She said they were debating going back and staying at a motel. Maybe they turned around with the weather and traffic. You want me to call her and see where they are?" Jimmy asked.
"Please, I'm sure they are safe but I'm a little worried we haven't heard from her. It's not like her to not check in," Sylvia commented.
"Hmm, goes directly to voice mail," Jimmy said. "Give her a few more hours then we will try again. The weather report says the interstate is down to one lane with the rockslide. They might be tied up in traffic."
Later that evening not hearing anything, both parents began to worry. They had called each other to see if they had heard from the girls and of course neither had. Bailey's parents had even called the state troopers to see if there had been a crash reported to them and they said all of them were fender benders weather related and neither their car nor their name came up in their computers. Harper's parents began calling the hospitals between here and there and no one by those names or descriptions had been brought in.
They talked on the phone and Jimmy assured them Harper was a responsible trustworthy adult who was able to take care of herself. Neither set of parents slept that night as they had not heard a word from either of their girls.
The next morning not hearing from either daughter they began to fear the worst.
Both Harper and Bailey were awake shortly after sunrise. Harper took Bailey out to the outhouse. "And I thought it couldn't get any more embarrassing. I never thought of having to do that in front of you and freezing to death at the same time. Good thing they had toilet paper to use," Bailey said. "What time is it?"
"I don't know. I don't have my cell phone with me. Its inside," Harper said.
Once inside they checked the time to see it was seven-thirty in the morning. "Do you think anyone is looking for us?" Bailey asked.
"Well considering they haven't heard from us since early yesterday afternoon and they have been trying our cell phones and getting no response, I would say yes," Harper replied. "Speaking of cell phones I'm down to fifty percent. What's yours?"
"I'm at sixty-five," Bailey said.
"Up here we are going to eat up battery life as long as they are searching for a tower. Let's turn them off and only turn them on for fifteen minutes every two hours and we'll alternate whose we turn on. That will give whoever is trying to reach us time to get their message every four hours yet save our battery life until we need it," Harper said.
"Now I know you will make an excellent ranger as you think of everything," Bailey said and smiled at Harper.
Harper sat Bailey in the only chair in the cabin which happened to be a rocker. She pulled their bags over and built a soft support for Bailey's leg then she started looking over their food and choices to eat. "Well we have enough food if we each eat two small meals a day to last us a week."
"Already knowing what we have, I can live with that," Bailey said.
"How do you know what we have?" Harper questioned Bailey.
"Yesterday when you went back to the car, I could see the cans and container on the shelf," Bailey responded.
"Okay well let's see, we have three cans of spam, what appears to be a container of rice but it must have been opened as it's in a plastic container. There are three cans of red beans and two cans of cannellini beans. Not exactly your balanced diet but enough protein and carbs to get us through for a week. Now let's see if I can find a pot and a fry pan too use. Ah, here, below the shelf," Harper said and pulled out a cast iron pan."
"Yummy, just what I wanted. A hunter's gourmet meal. I feel the farts coming on now and we haven't even eaten," Bailey said and laughed.
'I think for breakfast we can each have a slice of spam, and some cannellini beans," Harper said. She pulled out a multifunctional knife out of her bag and opened the can of beans. She used the opener on the can of spam to open it and cut off two slices placing them in the pan. She put the pan on the stove top but since it was a single top stove, the beans would have to wait until the spam was finished cooking before she put the beans on.
Over in the corner Harper noticed a five-gallon bucket. She went over to inspect it and it looked to be clean so she opened the door and scooped up a bucket full of snow.
"What is that for?" Bailey asked.
"When the snow melts it can be cool drinking water or we can use it for cooking the rice or we can heat it to use for washing the pot," Harper told her.
"You are Ms. Frontier's woman aren't you?"
"Aren't you glad you ended up with me to get stranded with instead of some sissy city girl who was still trying to figure out how to open the beans?"
"Yes I am," Bailey said but the way her voice trailed off Harper could tell there was more to it than Bailey was showing.
Harper checked the spam and it was hot enough to eat so she put both pieces on a plate she found on the shelf. Here, there's one for you and one for me. Take this while I heat up the beans," she said and handed the plate to Bailey along with her knife.
"Thank you," Bailey said as she took the knife and plate. "Do I eat it with the knife or my hands?"
"Oh, sorry. It opens up to a fork," Harper said and showed Bailey. "Here, like this. Sorry but we have to share the plate and utility knife. I can't seem to find any other plates or utensils."
"It's alright. I'm sure the owner didn't plan on us using his place or he would have stocked it better."
They each ate a slice of spam and once the beans were warm they shared them too though Bailey could have sworn Harper gave her a bigger helping.
Once they finished and Harper was cleaning up Bailey mentioned to Harper, "Harper, about last night."
Harper then stopped Bailey, "There is no need to say anything. I know you were feeling scared and alone and I filled that need. I won't say anything to anybody. When we get home we can go our separate ways and it will be like nothing happened between us. I know you could never be friends with someone like me."
Hearing those words, hurt Bailey because that is not what she was going to say, but if that is how Harper felt then she would respect what Harper wanted. "That isn't what I was going to say but...never mind," Bailey said to Harper and turned her head away so Harper wouldn't see the tears in her eyes.
"How's the leg? I can go out and get some small branches and whittle them flat and use them for a splint? That will help to secure your ankle but it won't help with the pain."
"Its fine but whatever you feel is best," Bailey said trying to be nonchalant as Harper's words had torn into her. Harper then noticed Bailey turn her head to avoid Harper from seeing her tears. Harper didn't know if Bailey was hiding her feelings because she was in pain or if she was hiding her feelings because of something Harper had said.
As the day wore on Harper kept refilling the bucket with snow allowing it to melt until they had almost a full bucket of water. She kept busy in the cabin searching for things they could use or things Harper could jury rigged and use. She wanted to go outside and search but she wouldn't leave Bailey and with the snow still coming down it was not safe to travel more than a dozen feet in this condition. She did go out once on a bathroom break and found four one inch diameter sticks she thought she could use for splints for Bailey's ankle. She spent the rest of the afternoon whittling until she had them the right length and smooth enough to go around Bailey's ankle. She used a t-shirt she had been sleeping in, cutting it up so she could individually wrap each one so they wouldn't scrape Bailey's leg.
They had tried both phones when they thought enough time had passed and had received no messages or as they suspected none were getting through as they still had no bars on their phones they turned back off.
"I'm not going to forget you when we get home. You will always be my friend. I won't turn my back on you," Bailey said after holding it in most of the day.
"I would like to believe you Bailey, but once we get back your friends will treat me like shit and in order to keep them, it won't take you long to do the same. Let's not worry about that now. We have to get out of here first. It's almost dinner time and I'd rather cook when we have some daylight to work with. I don't know how much gas we've used," Harper told Bailey much to Bailey's disappointment.
"What feast are you going to make us tonight?" Bailey asked not wanting to argue with Harper about when they get back or how things will be different between them.
"Tonight we'll have red beans and rice. I always liked those when my mom made them," Harper told Bailey. Harper poured some melted snow into her pot and set it on the wood stove to boil. She then opened a can of red beans with her utility knife.
After the water was boiling Harper, added the rice and brought it to boil for a few minutes then set it aside. After the rice was tender, she placed it on the plate and poured the beans into the pot to heat. Once they were warm, she poured them onto the plate covering the rice.
Bailey noticed like after breakfast, Harper gave her more than she took. After dinner Harper took the plate and pot outside and with the snow cleaned both.
By then the sun had almost completely set and it was getting dark in the cabin. Harper lit the camping light to give them some light before they slept.
"I'm worried how anyone will find us. No one came this way today," Bailey said.
"The road is not clear. In fact it is under two or three feet of snow. Until they are able to clear it, there won't be any one to come this way. And we are off the road another one hundred to one- hundred-fifty yards. When the snow melts or we see or hear traffic I will walk out to the road and put something up for them to see. Maybe that will be tomorrow. We still have heat and food to last for a few more days," Harper said.
That evening Bailey and Harper cuddled up in bed, pulling the blankets over them. For additional warmth kept their clothes on.
What's it like being a lesbian?" Bailey asked as they lay there.
Harper pulled back away not believing what Bailey had asked her. "What's it like being straight?"
"I mean I know how you are treated at school but what is it like being with someone like yourself?" Bailey asked as she to face Harper.
"I don't think we should be having this conversation now," Harper replied.
"Tell me, I want to know," Bailey persisted.
"Have you ever been with a guy going beyond kissing and hugging?" Harper asked Bailey.
"That's a very personal question?" Bailey asked Harper back.
"And you aren't asking a personal question?" Harper asked.
"Okay you aren't going to tell me whether you've had sex with a girl if I don't tell you if I've had sex with a guy."
Have you?" Harper asked.
"If I tell you will you tell me?" Bailey persisted.
"Why do want to know? Why is it so important for you to know? So you can tell all your friends and make fun of me?"
Bailey becoming bold and facing Harper put her hand to Harper's cheek lightly caressing it and looking from Harper's cheek to her eyes. She then leaned in and kissed Harper. Harper kept her eyes open as Bailey's closed and she could hear herself moan as Bailey's lips touched hers.
"Do I look like I'm the kiss and tell type?" Bailey softly said.
Harper pulled back from Bailey and said, "You have me all confused. I don't know if you're serious or you are just toying with me?"
"Would I let you touch and hold my boob if I was toying with you? Would I let you see me mostly but naked if I was toying with you? Would I kiss you like that if I was toying with you? Tell me what it is like to make love to another girl," Bailey asked as she continued to caress Harper's cheek moving her hand lower across Harper's neck then as she unbuttoned the top three buttons of Harper's flannel shirt she put her hand on the top swell of Harper's breast and pushed her hand under Harper's bra feeling Harper's breast and nipple.
Harper moaned then realizing what Bailey was doing both physically and emotionally to her she put her hand over Bailey's hand stopping her and said, "Please don't. I don't want to do this then you tell me it was just to see what it was like and tomorrow you say it wasn't for real."
Bailey turned back over facing away from Harper taking Harper's hand and placing it on her naked breast as she had already unbuttoned her blouse and unfastened her bra for Harper to touch her. "Good night Harper. One day you'll realize I'm serious."
....................
That night the parents of Harper and Bailey had moved past concern to near panic. Sylvia and Diane were the most concerned as Harper and Bailey were their only daughters. They met at Bailey's house and of course they hugged and cried.
"Where could they be? They couldn't have just disappeared?" Diane asked Jimmy and George.
"We know they were at exit seven because they called from there. George and I will start from there tomorrow and trace back to State College and forward from there to here and see if anybody has seen them. You two stay here and keep your phones with you. You could call both girls every once in a while to see if you can get them. If it goes directly to voice mail, don't waste the space leaving messages," Jimmy explained.
"The state troopers have been notified and every sheriff from here to exit seven has a description of both girls and their car," George added.
"I don't know what else we can do," Sylvia said.
"Honey, that is all we can do," Jimmy said comforting his wife.
Late that night both George and Jimmy returned having no such luck finding the girls or anyone who had seen them. It was if they had vanished into thin air.
"I'll never stop looking for Harper. I know she is out there somewhere and needs our help," Jimmy said and hugged his wife. "I can feel her reaching out to me saying she is okay, safe and sound.
Jimmy and Sylvia left Diane and George's to go home to get some much needed rest.
After they were home Sylvia remembered Rachel and though it was late she tried calling her on her cell phone.
"Is this Rachel McCarthy?" Sylvia asked when Rachel answered the phone from a dead sleep?
"Yes it is. Who is this?" Rachel asked feeling very sleepy.
"This is Sylvia Roland, Harpers's mom. I'm sorry to call you so late but have you seen or heard from Harper this week?" Sylvia asked in a panic.
"No why? Has something happened?" Rachel answered as she shot up in bed after hearing Harper's mom and the concern in her voice.
"She never returned from orientation and we have been looking everywhere," Sylvia told Rachel and began to cry.
"What, she didn't come home?" Shit!" she said forgetting who she was talking to. "I'll be over there fist thing in the morning." The next morning very early Rachel showed up at Harper's home. Even though Rachel knew who Sylvia was, they had never met and they certainly had never hugged or cried to each other like they were now.
Word got out about Bailey and Harper at school. The school principal made an announcement that the two hadn't returned from the orientation trip and if anyone had seen them or heard from either of them they were to call the local sheriff.
After the announcement was made everyone was talking about Bailey's disappearance but few mentioned Harper's name or if they did they blamed her for Bailey being missing saying it was Harper's fault if they got into a wreck or were kidnapped.
..........................
The next day Bailey woke up before Harper. She had to pee but before she told Harper she moved so her face was facing Harper. Seeing Harper sleep peacefully, she thought to herself, "If only I knew I was really into girls, I would tell everyone you were my girlfriend. You are so beautiful. " Then she looked down to see Harper looking up at her. "I didn't know you were awake."
"I felt you staring at me," Harper said as she sat up. "Do you need to pee?"
"Yes, please. Why is it I want you to hold my boob but having you to take me to go pee is embarrassing?" Bailey asked as Harper picked her up her piggy-back style to carry her out to the outhouse.
"I don't know. Holding your boob is erotic and sexual and going pee is not, I guess," Harper explained. At the same time she was thinking to herself "If only you knew how I've wanted to do that and more. You are so beautiful, Bailey Powell."
"Do you like to hold my boob?" Bailey asked.
"I need to get you out because I have to pee too and it's getting colder in here. The fire must have gone out," Harper said avoiding the topic. Harper walked Bailey to the door and they trudged their way out to the outhouse.
"Not that I don't mind you carrying me everywhere but this part I will not miss when we are out of here," Bailey said to Harper.
"Me either. If for nothing else the cold when I pull my pants down to go. It's definitely a wake- up call," Harper joked. "Now let's get you back in and get the fire going so we can fix something to eat. I'm in the mood for spam and beans this morning. How about you?" she asked Bailey as she turned to let Bailey get on her back.
"It's your kitchen and you're the cook so whatever you want to cook, surprise me" Bailey said and jokingly bit Harper's ear then kissed it."
"Ouch, what was that for?" Harper asked.
"Just because," Bailey said not telling Harper it was because she was having feelings for Harper. "Harper, do you see what I see?"
Harper turned in a circle to see what Bailey was looking at. "What, I don't see anything?"
"The snow stopped. That is sunshine coming out from behind those clouds. Maybe our vacation time is over?" Bailey happily said to Harper.
"Yeah maybe it is. I'll walk down to the end of the road later this morning and make a marker so anyone coming by will see it," Harper said knowing if they were going to be saved her time with Bailey was over and they would be going back to the way they were before orientation. For as much as she had resisted Bailey's inferences and advances she knew she enjoyed them.
Harper made them breakfast of Spam and rice which both girls jokingly said they enjoyed and would be the one meal they missed the most.
After breakfast Harper asked, "Let me move you back to the bed for a moment."
"Why?"
"I don't know about you but if we are going to be rescued I would prefer to not smell like something out of the wild. So we are going to take a bath."
"And how do you propose to do that without a tub?" Bailey asked.
"I'm going to move the rocking chair over for you to sit on, then I'll heat up the water and let you sponge bath. I'll help you with your leg. Then once you are done I'll use the water to wipe me down. It won't be the best bath not having any soap but having warm water to rinse off with will take the smell off of us," Harper said.
"Yeah, I didn't want to say anything but I was ready to ask you to sleep on the other side of the room. The smell was keeping me up at night," Bailey joked back.
"Then why did you want me up close to you every night?" Harper laughed at Bailey.
"I figured the closer I could get you the less the smell would be," Bailey joked.
"Like you don't smell?" Harper joked back." .
"Nope, I'm not doing anything to smell. I have you to carry me back and forth to the bed and chair and make my meals. I have you to clean up and wash the dishes. I even have you to carry me to and from the outhouse. All I do is sit on the bed or in the chair or on the shitter and look pretty," Bailey laughed.
"And that you do and you do it well too," Harper laughed back at Bailey.
"Well thank you Harper. I've been told I am good at doing nothing but sitting and looking pretty," Bailey said and puffed her chest out and put her hands on her hips flinging her hair back like she was posing.
"Do you have anything we could use for a washcloth?" Harper asked.
"It just so happens I do. In my make up kit there is a baggy with a washcloth in it. After three days though I don't know how clean it smells because I used it to wash with before we left," Bailey told Harper.
Harper finding the washcloth brought it up to her nose and smelled it before she would use it. "Smells like the soap you use. One or two more days is all the use we are going to get out of it before it will start to smell. Do you want to go first or me?"
"You go first. I would rather look at your naked body and have those images in my mind while you wash and caress me," Bailey said but both she and Harper shuttered a little at the thought Bailey had left in both of their minds.
Harper stood by the wood burning stove with a pot of water she had warmed up on the stove. She removed her clothes and dipped the washcloth in the pot then wiped her body down. She had turned around so her back side was to Bailey much to Bailey's disappointment. Once she had her entire body wiped down she put her clothes back on. At this point they were wearing clothes for the second and third time since they left home a week before.
Harper once dressed, approached Bailey and asked her if she was ready. Bailey acknowledged she was.
"It would be better if you were already undressed before I move you. That way you can get wet without your clothes getting wet too."
"You are just dying to see me naked, aren't you?" Bailey asked smiling at Harper.
"Once we are out of here and back home we'll see if you feel the same way," Harper said and picked Bailey up to carry her to the rocker next to the wood stove. As Harper sat Bailey down on the rocker, Bailey pulled Harper down to her and with her arms already around Harper's shoulders she leaned in and kissed Harper on the lips.
Harper didn't pull away but didn't stop Bailey either. She let Bailey kiss her though without kissing Bailey back. Harper held a shirt around Bailey leg until she was done washing so her leg wouldn't get wet.
"Did you see enough or do you want to see more?" Bailey asked.
"Why are you teasing me like this?" You already know I'm attracted to you. I told you that a couple of days ago. Now you are getting annoying enticing me when we both know you wouldn't go through with it," Harper pleaded with Bailey.
"Who said I was teasing you?" Bailey asked as Harper carried her back to the bed so she could put her clothes back on.
As Harper sat her down on the bed, Bailey pulled Harper to her kissing her on the lips. "Does that appear that I'm teasing you," Bailey asked as she broke the kiss. Not waiting for Harper to react or say anything she took Harper's hands and placed them over both of her breasts so Harper could cup them and feel her nipples. "Or this? Feel them Harper. See how they are getting excited from your touch. Does that look like I'm teasing you? Make love to me Harper. I've given you every opportunity except begging you. I want to feel you and feel what it is like to make love to you. Please, just this once and I'll leave you alone. Please,...just this once," Bailey pleaded as her voice trailed off at the end.
Harper leaned at the end of the bed her hands cupping Bailey's breasts then she allowed her thumbs to move back and forth across Bailey's nipples. She didn't realize she was doing it but as she did she was letting out a moan. Her eyes were glossy and her mouth and tongue were moving as if she were licking on and sucking on Bailey's nipples.
Harper allowed her eyes to look up at Bailey's only to see Bailey's eyes looking back at her half closed and a smile on her face. She repeated softly to Harper, "Please."
All of Harper's resistance had left her by then as she watched Bailey slowly unbuttoned her shirt exposing Harper's bra and breasts. She continued to watch Bailey as she moved her hands down and unfastened the jeans that Harper was wearing.
Harper's eyes closed and she moaned from Bailey's seduction of her. Bailey looked up at Harper pulling her face to hers and kissing her on the lips. Bailey wrapped her arms around Harper's neck, pulling her down on the bed and partially on top of her. Harper moaned as Bailey pulled her down, saying Bailey's name almost as if to be pleading not to be doing this, but by now she would have done anything Bailey wanted as her crush and attraction for the beautiful girl below her had consumed her desires and left her defenseless.
Their lips came together and Harper couldn't get her clothes off fast enough. She kissed Bailey with so much passion she thought she might have hurt Bailey. Bailey was hugging her tight, her hands around Harper's shoulders then to Harper's cheeks and face.
Harper could see tears dripping down Bailey's face and she stopped and pulled back to see why Bailey was crying. "Are you okay? I'm not hurting you am I? I thought this is what you wanted?" Harper asked confused.
"It is. This is what I wanted. I'm so happy. After all this time and I am going to make love to you," Bailey said and hugged Harper kissing her on the cheek and ear. "Thank you."
End of Chapter Two
To Be Continued...
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