The crack of thunder was something Mark barely paid any attention to as he moved through the woods. Veronica had a hard time keeping the pace, the young man looked possessed. With barely any sleep and refusing to eat or drink more than the bare minimum, his condition was deteriorating. It had been several days walking through the woods. Their westward direction was almost as meaningless as any other, but it was better to move than to stay still and die.

The forest had only appeared darker and more threatening as they moved through it. Even in his altered state of mind, Mark was aware they’d yet to escape the threats that lived between these wooden behemoths.

Day cast a permanent gloom through the trees, and strange noises kept making them look every which direction. Twice they’d hidden when something had felt too close for comfort. From what? They couldn’t tell, only that they would not dare continue until they were sure the threat had passed.

“This is meaningless.”

It had been the first proper words out of Mark that hadn’t been grunts since Barry had been taken.

Veronica sat next to him, huddling closely between the roots of the tree as they made sure it was a nice, secluded spot that was well out of sight. “Surviving is meaningless?”

With a grunt, he clenched the backpack close against his chest. “We were always together.”

She nodded a little at his words, thankful that the darkness hid the roll of her eyes. “Tough family situation?”

“Something like that.” Snorting, he shook his head. “The bitch didn’t help.”

“If it’s any consolation, she’s probably dead by now.”

“Haha, good one.” His smile was sour. “That woman lives from the suffering of others. Pretty sure she’s the reason dad blew his head off.”

“Geesh, why don’t you talk about something less dark, like strangling puppies?” She bumped his shoulder with hers. “Come on, there’s plenty to live for. If nothing else to spite the hag.”

“I guess there’s that.” Mark looked straight ahead. His laugh was humorless, empty.

The young woman glanced at him for the longest second. She realized where things might lead if left untouched. The thought brought a grimace to her face. Her eyes turned to his own. A slight frown emerged. Opening her backpack, she picked out the zip-log bag they’d used to store the purple fruit they’d picked out of some bushes. With a sigh, she opened it and pulled one out.

“What’re you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” She quirked her brow at him. “Food’s almost out, water’s kinda out the window, and you’re thinking of suicide. If you’re gonna die, we might as well go out seeing if these fucking things are edible or not.”

She placed one on his lap and sat back down next to him. Veronica toyed with her own between her fingers, watching as Mark picked it up and looked.

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“Fuck it.” He bit down, a gush of purple fluid exploding from his mouth and drenching his jaw and shirt. “Oh fuck.”

“How is it?” She wondered, now looking more carefully.

“Tastes like cough medicine.” He replied, gagging a little but taking another bite. “And…” A little shudder ran through him, a pleasant sigh escaping his lips. “It’s not bad. I feel… light.”

“Mhm.” She twirled the fruit in her fingers, keeping her focus on him. “Tell me if things tingle.”

“There’s… some tingling.” Grunting, he closed his legs tighter together. It was hard to see in the darkness, but she was rather certain he was blushing. A sharp breath followed and a groan. “Oh shit, that…”

“What is it? Maybe you should puke it.”

“No, it’s…” His gaze turned to her. There was something there she recognized quite well, she’d seen it on the face of dozens of frat boys in parties. A slight unfocused edge to his vision, a dilation of the pupils.

Before she had a chance to react, he’d turned to kiss her. It was rough and tasted of raspberry syrup. She was half of a mind to let him continue. A sense of panic bloomed as her mouth tingled as his saliva spread down her throat and through her body. It ran through her in a shudder that left her warm and hazy.

“Oh wow, this…” There was a pooling, gooey sensation in the pit of her stomach. She was aroused? “This is intense.”

“Want a bite?”

“Fuck it.”

She took the offered half-eaten fruit, biting down and swallowing it. The taste was thick, intense. It turned everything up ten notches. It was like she’d been plugged into an electric socket. Her whole body lit up. The young woman became intensely aware of every inch of skin. From the roughness of her socks to the tightness of her belt and the constriction of her shirt. This time, she dove back in and kissed Mark.

There was some concern about being seen or heard, but it was like a flag in a storm. It wasn’t possible to hold on any longer, ripped out, lost in the swirl of wind and fire. She couldn’t get her shirt off fast enough. Mark was eager to help. In the darkness of the forest they made out each other’s silhouettes. Lips mashed together in effervescent desire.

More and more they lost the ability to keep coherent thought. There was just barely enough for them to fumble against each other’s bodies. Mark reached down between her thighs and found her ready without needing any preamble. Veronica found the same between his legs. They throbbed for one another.

The woman didn’t hesitate, lowering herself on his lap and feeling him stretch her out. A whimper escaped her. The sensation was driving her wild, his hands finding their way to her breasts. “Rougher.” She pleaded, and he obliged, the kneading turning into pinching. “More.”

Mark mauled her with his mouth and fingers. All she could do was thrust herself down into his erection. The pressure of his shaft pumping into her once more knocked the air out of her. She’d never been this sensitive before. It was as if the whole of the universe had boiled down to one thing and one thing only: sex.

She couldn’t get enough of it. When the young man moved his hands to force her to move faster, she moved her own hands to keep up the assault on her tits. Her small size had often left her lovers focusing on other parts of her anatomy, but today it was the only thing she was able to think of. She needed to get off harder, more.

Their pace quickened, turning into a furious blur between his rough hands moving her whole body and her helping with every thrust. Mark came. She could feel the hot seed spilling into her. And yet, all Veronica could do was to keep going. He wasn’t softening, and she’d yet to get off. He groaned and squirmed as she rode him hard.

Orgasm tumbled through her, a fiery tsunami that shattered her thoughts and left her devoid of everything but the sensation. Nothing but sex. Nothing but wanting more. She wrapped her arms around her lover and ground her pussy slowly, pressing her clit into his pubic hair, enjoying every shuddering, thundering jolt of sensation.

“More,” she whispered into his ear, locking his lips and muffling their voices as they became further lost in each other’s bodies.

At the same time, in another area of the forest, Barry Dodson woke up and screamed.