never camped, out before, nothing to worry about.
'Tell you what, tomorrow night we'll see if we can get rooms at a motel close by. Give you a chance to…'
'Oh, Daddy, that costs a lot of money. You don't have to do that,' she countered with an angelic smile, showing off her perfect white teeth.
'Okay, a deal. We'll go have dinner at that place that serves Shrimp Creole.' Unexpectedly he rose to his feet, brushed off his sand-covered pants and offered a hand. 'Let's get the beds laid out. I'm bushed… too much rowing and sun today.' Reaching up to touch his sun charred nose, he winced.
Reaching for his hand, she strained to her feet and once near the camping gear, unzipped the side pouch of her backpack and delved within for, the Vaseline. 'Here, use some of this. Doesn't smell so good, but it'll help your sunburn. Your nose looks like a cherry tomato.'
He accepted the blue two-toned plastic jar, wondering again why in hell with those hot tits she had to be his daughter, and twisted the cap.
A sound of yokes, not the water this time, alerted him to the fact that they were not alone. In the far distance, he could see two, three, or was it four figures rowing in a boat in their direction. He raised his hand to shade his eyes from the glow of the fire.
Sally noticed his sudden watchfulness. 'What is it?' she asked.
'Your prayers are answered, my sweet. We have company.'
With mixed relief and fear at the sudden intrusion, Sally joined him in his vigilance. Suddenly stories of campers in the swamps, grizzly alligator hunters with knives, and bodies dumped into the bayous reeled through her mind. Impetuously, she grabbed her father's arm and held tight, a tit pressing into him.
'Come on, honey, nothing to worry about. It's just a bunch of people like us trying to get away from the crowded campsites.' Brad drained his wine and threw the paper cup in the small garbage pile accumulating near their camper.
'Hey!' boomed a voice from the rapidly approaching boat. 'Want some company?' The voice was less muffled with each approaching slap of the oars, hardly leaving time for consideration, not to mention choice. What could he say, no?
Brad could sense his daughter tensing at his side.
The four shadows revealed themselves to be three men, all between the ages of 35 and 70 from what Sally could approximate. All were sun-weathered and very rough looking, as if they spent a great deal of their time outdoors. The fourth figure was a female, a few years older than Sally's age. The knowledge that she was not the only female seemed to encourage Sally into being more friendly and accepting the uninvited guests.
'Sure is getting cold,' shivered one man, holding his hands, palms-up to the warming fire, when they had slipped from the boat and tied it to a tree. 'You been camping here long?'
'Nah, tonight's the first night. We're from New Orleans,' offered Brad. 'Parked in the woods because the camper sites are too crowded and noisy.'
'Good thinking,' chime the wizened 70 year old. 'They get real loud sometimes. Not like being out in the bayous at all.'
Sally suppressed a gasp of uneasiness as the thin, red-haired man who'd introduced himself as Pete took a step in her direction.
'That's my daughter,' smiled Brad freely.
'Campin' with you daughter?' guffawed Pete. He had a dull and not-too-bright expression on his face that leered when his eyes came to meet Sally's tits. She flinched as he continued to gape at her huge tits. His mouth hanging open in curiosity and his eyes flickering lewdly. Sally glanced at her father, and saw a startled and confused look cross his usually relaxed face.
'My name is Brad and this is Sally.' Sally noticed a slightly guarded intonation in her father's voice, unusual for his husky relaxed nature.
Obviously, he too felt uneasy.
'Glad to meet ya,' the weathery, gray-haired one nodded, offering a callused hand. 'I'm Sam. You met Pete, that's Luke back there and Sissy beside him.'
Sally tried to focus on the two shadows lingering near the trees ten yards away.
Sam, the older of the three, wasted no time making himself comfortable on a stump beside the fire. Burly headed and weather leathered skin, his eyes glistened in the flames. 'Good fire you got here,' he complimented. Then, turning, he waved toward Luke and Sissy who stood embracing, leaning against a tree in a lifeless silhouette.
'Them two's at it again,' chortled Sam. 'Fuck, fight and make up, fuck… all they do. Betcha my bottle of moonshine,' he said, delving into his red-checked flannel shirt chest pocket, 'they'll be fightin' like alley cats in a second.'
Turning, he gestured toward the couple who'd separated now, arms flying in the air. 'Say, what'd I tell ya?' Grinding a secure hole in the ground with the butt of the re-used whiskey bottle, Sam cupped his hands and bellowed. 'Hey, come on and meet some nice folks! Quit fightin'!' And then in apology to Sally and Brad: 'Ain't too many pussies in these woods. Man's gotta put up with a lot to get a good fuck in now and then.'
The girl jerked at the lewd remark, but ignored it. Judging from the uncouth appearance and language of these two men, shivered Sally, a woman had to put up with a heck of a lot more. Their gritty, unwashed faces were dirty, tattered cuffs made her shirk in repugnance. Involuntarily, her shoulders shuddered visibly.
'You cold, honey,' the one named Pete leered.
'Why don't ya come and sit next to the fire. We won't hurt you none.'
Closing her suitcase and locking it, Sally took two cautious steps in the direction of the fire, her eyes locked on her father. God, if anything would happen to him, leaving her with these two thugs, she'd die! Closer now, Sally noticed the bearded face of Pete who continued to gaze at her as though he were half-witted in some way.
Sam unscrewed the cap of the re-filled whiskey bottle, took a hearty gulp, smacked his lips and passed it to Pete. 'Don't be shy folks. Got plenty more if we can get that little bitch Sissy over here with it.'
Four heads turned in the direction of the road, watching two bodies struggling from the distance. They looked like two shadow boxers tugging and pulling at each other's bodies in a last desperate attempt at winning or losing. From so far away, nobody could tell.
'Hey, Sissy!' bellowed Sam a second time. 'Leave that fucker alone and get over here with that whiskey. We got some thirsty people here!'
Huddled near the fire, eight eyes watched as a black figure tromped off and got into the boat, rowing off into the darkness. Sally and her father exchanged disconcerting glances while the other two voyeurs guffawed and slapped their knees. 'By Jesus, if Luke didn't split,' chuckled Pete. 'Least ways that means we got the moonshine!' He and Sam slapped each other on the back and drained the bottle, each wiping their mouths on the dirty plaid flannel of their sleeves.
'You guys live around her?' Brad wanted to know.
'Nah, just here for a few months alligator skinning. Pitched ourselves a little tent back up the bayou a piece.' Sam leaned forward, one elbow on his knee. 'Ain't legal, alligator skinning, you know,' he laughed and touched the knife on his belt. 'But trust you can keep a secret. We swamp men's touchy about squeallers.'
Before Sally had time to assess the situation, a pretty girl of about eighteen had pranced to the campfire, shoes in her hand. Probably one of the most sensuous and almost savagely beautiful women Sally had ever seen. The girl collapsed to the ground, panting. Her violet eyes flickered in the fire light, her nostrils flared and a hateful look crossed her otherwise perfect features.
'That fuckin' son of a bitch,' she spat, turning her head to see if he had followed her. 'Look at this!' She lifted her skirt. 'That bastard damned near killed me!' Her thigh was naked up to her pussy and bruised so that the skin looked drawn and swollen in its pre-bruise tenderness. 'That sonofa… ooohhh,' she grunted hatefully.
'Come on, you know Luke's temper. Ain't news to us!' Sam and Pete exchanged laughing glances, while Sally stared, mouth open at the girl.
'That creep ain't got no class,' she spit again, after a second's pause to catch her breath.
'Meet our friends, Brad and Sally… father and daughter…' gestured Sam, obviously the mote polite of the strangers.
'Ain't that cute?' Sissy fluttered her eyelashes, sending shadows of light over her fair skin. 'Now him… he don't seem to be so crude. You ain't from around here, are ya?'
