The Blue Ridge Mountains, especially in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, were an idyllic place to camp, hike, and forget about life for a while.
That's just what Dana and Lisa were doing this particular weekend. They'd been college roommates for four years and graduated a few days ago from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. This was their last week together before they had to go their separate ways in the big bad world of responsible adulthood.
Huddling beside a pitiful campfire that struggled to live, they fed it scrawny pieces of wood that had been soaked by last night's rain. It didn't put out much in the way of heat, but it looked good.
"God, I'm beat," Dana said. She stretched her arms high, trying to ease the ache in her lower back. "I can't believe how far we hiked today."
"Me either. My thighs were screaming halfway back up the mountain, but the downhill was easy." Lisa massaged her thighs and stretched her legs out in front of her, wiggling her feet back and forth.
Dana snorted and settled the sleeping bag over her lap, trying to keep warm. Though it was summer, the elevation at the top of the mountain ridge made the evenings cool. "Did you see that couple? Bitching at each other the entire time up the mountain and back. I hope this wasn't supposed to be a reconciliation trip for them, because it obviously didn't work."
"Oh, I know. I hope I'm never in that position."
"Which position is that?" a deep voice spoke from the dark, startling both of them. They glanced at each other, wary of a man walking into their camp at night, though the campground was filled and help was just a few feet away if they needed it.
The large shadow merged into a large man, and he looked seven feet tall. But when he stepped into the ring of light cast by the fire, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm Ranger Richard Johnson. Don't be alarmed." He wore a Ranger hat that added a foot to his height.
Dana and Lisa shared a sigh of relief. Without them having to ask, Ranger Johnson unzipped a pouch on the outside of his buff colored vest and produced a park employee badge.
"Thanks for showing us the ID," Dana said. "As single women out here by ourselves, we can't be too careful."
The ranger returned the badge to his pocket. "You're right. Especially out in the wilderness areas women can be easily taken advantage of."
"Would you?" Lisa asked, her gaze raking him from head to toe, lingering on his crotch, but unable to see a glimmer of his package in the firelight.
"Would I what?" Ranger Dick asked and frowned.
"Take advantage of us?" she replied.
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