CHAPTER 13
We left the desert hours ago and as we drove I felt the faintest hint of a smile at the trees and vegetation when they came into view. Everything here was still alive, just as it had been on the drive up the mountain. Most of the Gravelands consisted of dry rocky ground or grassy fields. I felt like life flourished out here farther from Genesis and the governments’ reach.
Joshua pulled the car off the road as he spotted a stream to our right. “We don’t have any towels or a change of clothes,” he remarked. “But I think we should try and clean up a little.”
I stepped out of the car and stretched. My legs were sore from sitting for so long. Joshua dug through the backseat, finding the bottle of red dye tossing it to me.
“You want help?” he offered.
“Make sure I don’t miss a spot on the back of my head.” I didn’t have a mirror and knew I would be going blindly at it. I sat at the edge of the bank, getting ready to pour the contents on the back of my scalp.
“Wait!” Joshua screamed. My heart leapt into my throat.
“What’s wrong?” I looked around, afraid a wild animal was preparing to attack.
“Your clothes,” He gestured with a laugh. “How are you going to get into the water and wash your hair without getting dye on your dress?”
I muttered under my breath realizing he was right. “Okay. Just don’t look.” I narrowed my eyes as I removed my outfit.
“That’s better.” he smiled eyeing me in my bra and underwear.
“Quit staring!” I grumbled. “Get undressed and help me.” I sat at the edge of the bank, pouring the bottle over my roots at the center, trying to work my way down, careful not to miss any. Feeling around was easy enough, but making sure I’d left no dry spots proved challenging.
Joshua stripped down to his underwear, leaving his clothes with mine before coming toward me. “Here,” Joshua offered standing over me. He grabbed the bottle from my hands and knelt down to my level. Carefully, he squeezed and worked the dye through my hair, making sure every inch was covered. “I really hope this stuff washes off my hands.” He laughed showing me his bright red palms.
I grimaced knowing my own hands looked just as red. “No chance you brought any soap with you, too?”
“None.” Joshua shook his head. “There’s a plant we could use as soap.” His eyes glanced around our surroundings at the vegetation. “Or was it tree bark to make soap?” He frowned unable to remember. “We’ll make do. Stay in here all night if we have to.”
“Funny.” I rolled my eyes. “I wasn’t planning on sleeping in the river.”
Joshua laughed. “At least you don’t have dye all over your clothes.”
“Yeah, that would have been a mess. Thanks for stopping me.” I didn’t want to imagine what I would have had to wear into town. The last thing I wanted to do is raise suspicion. We needed to fit in.
“Anytime.” He nudged my shoulder. “Whoops!” Joshua laughed watching as a small drop of color splashed my shoulder. “I guess it’s good I’m smart.” He grinned working his hands through the back of my hair and underneath where it was still dry. He poured more dye into my hair, trying to get every bit covered.
“Smart? Sometimes I think you just like being a major pain,” I joked. I closed my eyes enjoying his touch for the briefest of moments. A smile spread across my lips as my hands found the ground beside me and he worked his fingers through my scalp.
“Oh, come on!” Joshua teased nudging my arm and leaving a red palm print on my skin. “You’re glad to have me here.”
I didn’t answer, but felt my cheeks redden. He was right. I did appreciate having him here. I also appreciated that he sat behind me and couldn’t see my skin flush. I tried to think of anything else, not wanting to imagine him half-naked, but he didn’t help matters when he stepped around to stand in front of me, clad only in his boxers. I took in a sharp breath.
“What’s wrong?” He frowned, checking me over to make sure I wasn’t hurt or upset about something. He always put others before himself.
“Just anxious to get this stuff off,” I lied.
Joshua smiled. “You’re not planning on wearing that into the water, are you?” He laughed, pointing at my attire. “You’ll be sitting in wet clothes the rest of the trip.”
I groaned in protest, and immediately Joshua turned toward the river, his back to me. It had grown dark and I smiled as the last bit of light had set and the moon showed off his features. He walked by the edge of the stream, dipping his hands in first. I didn’t say anything, just watched as he shucked his boxers and jumped right into the stream. “Stay there and watch my clothes,” Joshua called back to me.
“Where else am I going to go?” I smiled feeling a little more at ease.
Joshua dove beneath the surface of the stream. He turned around to face me. “Just don’t come in yet. Milo and Uma suggested the dye had to set a little while. Give it a few minutes.”
“I know. I was there,” I reminded him. I stood and walked to the edge of the bank, shoving my hands in. There was no sense in letting the dye linger any longer. Same for the marks he’d left on my shoulder. I did my best to scrub the red dye from my skin, but waited to strip down and jump in. I sat down on the bank and watched Joshua swim in the stream, ducking beneath the surface and breaking free repeatedly. “How’s the water?”
“Pretty warm.” Joshua smiled, staring back at me. The moon had risen and gave off a warm glow as he swam from bank-to-bank. “Come on in!” he shouted at me.
“Turn around!” I called towards him, so he couldn’t watch me undress. Although he swam around, I didn’t trust he wouldn’t stop when I dropped my clothes on the ground.
“Do I have to?” Joshua whined, jokingly. He turned his back and I quickly tossed my bra and panties onto our pile of clothes before jumping right into the stream with a splash.
“Oh!” I squealed. It was colder than he’d let on. I tipped my head back, rubbing at the dye trying to get the extra coloring out of my hair.
“You want a hand?” he offered.
Thankfully, the water was deep enough that my body was fully submerged without him seeing anything. Joshua swam over towards me. “Can you see if my skin is red from the dye?”
“I can’t really see much,” he confessed, swimming closer. I felt his warm hands in my hair and his body brush against mine beneath the surface. “Dip your head back,” he said, watching as my hair fanned out in the water. He ran his fingers through, watching the dye slowly seep away. “Yeah, I can see it’s working.”
“Is my hair still red?”
Joshua laughed. “It’s hard to tell, but it looks different.” He nodded. “Makes you look hotter,” he teased. I slapped his shoulder hard, and he moaned and grimaced in protest. “Oww!”
“I’m your sister now!” I remarked, “You don’t say something like that to your sister.”
Joshua laughed shaking his head, “That’s a disturbing thought, but if you’re Jacqueline then I’m Adam.” He smirked, leaning in, stealing a kiss and swimming away. “No longer are we related.” Joshua beamed proudly.
“Hey now!” I called after him.
“Come and get me!” Joshua teased, waving towards me.
“I would, but I’m trying to get out all the dye.”
He watched as I went under a few times, breaking the surface only to repeat the gesture. “What are you smiling about?” I retorted as I swam my way towards him.
“The dye’s been out for a while.” Joshua laughed, swimming backwards. “Can’t get me!” He taunted, moving further away and then turning back toward the direction we came from. I quickly swam after him.
“Says you.” I reached out as I swam, trying to grab Joshua only to see him slip from my grasp. “Get back here!” I demanded, finally grabbing ahold of his waist with a smile.