We filled up water in a pocket of sand between some rocks, unbeknownst to us it would be our last water source for a while. We walked through Sunday and Navajo Canyon eventually coming across a dirt road that we would follow for a little while.
We took a break in the heat of the day, discussing hiking communities and tramilies. Naturally, I expressed how much I loved my tramily. He was adamant about basically saying fuck big tramily groups because they killed his mojo.
“It’s a huge turn off when I meet people who have big tramily groups,” he said.
I went completely silent as I always did when I could sense someone was trying to argue or when I felt my own self getting defensive. I let him have his opinion and didn’t bring it up again.
The energy started shifting as it grew hotter and Elbio was starting to run out of water. I still had a couple of liters left but it didn’t change the fact it was painstakingly hot and I was also getting thirsty. We made it to the top and took a break on the dirt road. We didn’t see any vehicles pass by so we pushed on down the mountain in hopes of finding water at Bubble Seep.
I stopped to take my first pee of the day at around 4:30pm. I casually commented on being dehydrated after seeing the color was nearly orange. Suddenly, Elbio began giving me a lecture about having to drink my water.
“Well I like to plan for the worst case scenario in case there isn’t any water,” I said.
“So, what, you think your 2 liters is going to last you all the way to Last Chance Creek?”
“Yes.”
“Ooookaaay,” he said in a condescending tone.
I knew Last Chance was only a few miles away and that I could push to the next water source if I needed to. The way it played out in my head was that the next two sources were only ‘possible’ water sources. It hasn’t been the first time in my thru-hiking career that I came across a source that was labeled as reliable only to find out it was dry. In case it were dry, what would I do? We wouldn’t be hitting a road until tomorrow and even then I couldn’t rely on hitching a ride or asking for water from a passing vehicle because we were still in the middle of nowhere and the chance of seeing someone was slim to none.
The pattern arose of me going silent again. I figured if I just didn’t say anything that maybe it would calm the energy down. I hated when I went quiet and disassociated from life. It seemed I did it often when I got too close to someone. All I really wanted to do was love up on people and be playful. I needed to be around people that didn’t take me seriously. Even the perception of me crying or getting riled up, I preferred that people would see I was just pretending and help me laugh it off.
Despite the silence, he continued to bring up the topic of how people die of dehydration with water still on them. I didn’t say anything and just let him voice anything he wanted to voice. I wasn’t going to argue. We arrived at the seep that had a bunch of cow shit next to it along with a freshly decaying cow.
“Ha!” he burst. “I told you so! I told you there would be water!”
I sat down and gave him a scoop cup I had, ignoring his emotional outburst. We filled up our water that took nearly an hour as it was barely even a stagnant trickle. Then we looked for a campsite. I walked ahead of him as my eyes got all teary. I felt really shitty.
We camped in Reese Canyon just about a mile after Bubble Seep, in the wash. Right when we got there, I walked a few feet away from him as I distracted myself by looking for pretty rocks. I took my socks off and laid down on a rock slab while I stared up at the sky. My eyes welled up and that fear of communicating came up again. I got into my head about barely knowing this man. I told myself it wasn’t my place to express my feelings.
Bats flew around us when we sat down next to each other. He asked if I had gotten upset when he was railing me about the water and I said yes.
He apologized. “I’m sorry. I really am sorry.”
I was silent for several seconds, but reminded myself I wanted to be more vocal. “I’m just really sensitive to tones.” What I really wanted to say was that I had really traumatic experiences with men and that the very slight raising of a tone sent me running for dear life.
He nodded. “I was genuinely just concerned for you.”
I kissed his thigh. I felt really grateful he was the first to say something. Then we made dinner. I had freeze dried curry which I had a hard time finishing so he helped me out then put the trash in his bag. I smiled, knowing it was an extra way of him apologizing.
After the fact, I became all cuddly, suddenly opening up again and feeling safe to be myself. He got into his sleeping bag and I cuddled into his chest as I listened to him speak. He looked at the stars while I looked at the way his lips moved. I felt the timber of his voice shudder through me.
I slowly traced my hands on his legs for several minutes, edging myself by not allowing myself to touch his warm sweaty balls for another 30 minutes. I was soaked just from restraining myself, throbbing with great intensity and he didn’t even know it.
When I finally let myself feel his bulge, cupping him slowly and pressing my two fingers into his scrotum, we both shuddered. He ceased to talk, which was my goal all along. His breathing grew heavy, nearly moaning. I let him pinch my nipples and fondle my breasts. Although I was soaking wet, I didn’t allow him near my pussy. I wanted him to relax, to let me touch him for as long as he would let me. I was enjoying myself too much by giving him all of the attention.
I jerked him over his boxers, I could feel there was some slight traction as if he were sticky from sweating the last few days of hiking. It made me go even more crazy, wondering what he might taste like. I couldn’t take it anymore so I went in for a taste. My mouth watered at the scent of piss that emanated off of him when he removed his boxers. Heat followed.
My throat opened up as I sucked him fully then spat on his rod for extra lubrication. He enjoyed that a lot, holding my head down waiting for me to gag.
“Goooood girrrrl,” he groaned.
I smiled and went in for his balls, sucking them off one by one then both at the same time as I continued to jerk him off. My nails teasingly dug into him as I slobbered all over his cock, giving the effect that I had just poured lube all over him. I mounted him and started riding him, pressing my hands into his chest as my head fell back from pleasure.
“Your sleeping pad isn’t going to pop, is it?” I asked.
“No. I don’t think so, but even if it did, it would be worth it.”
I smiled flirtatiously as he pounded me harder and I moaned into the starry sky above us. Our bodies were covered in dirt from the dry desert. He grabbed the sides of my ass, I could feel him filling me deeply and fully. He told me to get off and suck it because he was cumming.
“Oh yeah?” I asked, sitting on him further and allowing him a couple of spurts inside of me then finishing him off with my mouth. I licked him until he was flaccid again, I loved that he had such a sharp scent and taste. I nuzzled into his arms, feeling satisfied and clear of any stagnant energy.
“Ohhh baby,” he said as he pulled me in tight.
“I know right,” I said as I kissed his cheek lovingly.
Some more bats flew just a couple of feet above us as we fell soundly asleep under the bright Milky Way.