Ruth and Ryan 10

Stripped For Florida: Ruth and Ryan 10

* * * * *
This work is intended for ADULTS ONLY. It may contain depictions of sexual activity involving minors. If you are not of a legal age in your locality to view such material or if such material does not appeal to you, do not read further, and do not save this story.
* * * * *

PART TEN

"I'm going to call again," Tanya was explaining to Ruth and Ryan. "They seemed really nice. Ready to help. They needed to find one of their volunteers to pick us up. I told them we could keep walking and we'd check in periodically until they could get us, but now our situation is more urgent. The police are going to be looking for us now. Please wait here, I have an idea."

The two teens nodded. The real estate woman's phone call and the police showing up had put them in a fright. If Tanya had a solution, the sooner the better.

"Hello," Tanya had dialed the hotline number. She was in the entrance foyer of Publix and was conscious of the eavesdropping old ladies arriving to do their shopping in the morning hours when the store was emptier. She decided to follow through on her idea. "Hello, yes, this is Tanya -- I know I called yesterday, but you've got to come help. Mom! The boys are being so silly. They took off all their clothes to go swimming in the pond and now they're all muddy, their clothes got muddy -- everything is a mess. . . . Sure! I don't care. strip them!!!"

Two old ladies lingering by the shopping carts grinned at one another.

"Sure, put them on the pills, keep them hard all the time." Tanya couldn't help providing extra entertainment for the leering old ladies, but she also had to get to the point. "We're in the same place as when I called yesterday. It's me and my friend and the two boys. . . . Yes, the Publix on US-90, just by I-75. . . . Yup, that's right. . . . Well, the boys are naked," she giggled for effect. I'm in my green blouse and khaki shorts. You'll recognize me. . . . Okay, very good. Love you, 'bye."

Tanya put down the receiver and stared at the phone while she slowed her breath and gathered her thoughts. Thank goodness that was a toll-free call. She would never have had enough coins to keep feeding the machine. Seeing that there was going to be no more entertainment, the two old ladies switched to some gossipy conversation and wheeled their buggies into the store. Tanya looked around. Everything seemed so peaceful in the quiet of the morning. Why did Mike have to run into hat busybody's office? Why in the world did she insist on calling the police? Were these people really going to show up? Were they legit, or was it a police undercover operation to catch stripped runaways? Worrying over this idea, she wandered back to their hiding place, doing her best to look nonchalant. Sure, I always take tours of parking lot retention ponds. I wonder if there's a pretty bird over here. Checking that nobody was looking, she ducked down and rolled into the grass. Mike and Ruth and Ryan looked at her expectantly.

"We have to stay right here. They think they have a volunteer who's going to come pick us up."

"How will we know it's them?" Mike asked.

Good question little bro', thought Ryan.

"They say they'll put a red teddy bear on the front dashboard of the car!" laughed Tanya, "because right now they don't even know who they're sending or what kind of car it will be."

The day dragged on. The sun beat down on the asphalt and waves of heat crossed over the patch of grass where the four of them waited. They watched car after car pull into the parking lot. The time crawled by. One or two people would get out, enter the supermarket or one of the smaller stores. A small white Nissan circled the lot several times. The children held their breath, wondering whether to reveal themselves. But when it finally passed their hiding place they could see no red teddy bear.

"Maybe they didn't have a red teddy bear," suggested Mike. "Didn't they just make that up when you called?"

Tanya shrugged. She didn't know. "Best to stay hidden, Mike. We could be in a lot of trouble this time if we get caught." As the only adult among the group, she would be held liable for aiding and abetting the runaways. She might even be prosecuted for kidnapping. That truck driver got, what, twenty years in prison? She didn't want to imagine what Ruth's family would do if they got hold of her again. She shuddered.

A teal-colored Dodge Caravan with tinted windows pulled up right in front of Publix. Tanya noticed it because the driver didn't park the vehicle, but left it running in the loading zone directly in front of the entrance. A middle aged woman got out and wedged a large red teddy bear under the windshield wiper and then stepped around to the side and opened the sliding door on the passenger side.

Tanya giggled at the sight of the red bear perched on the front of the vehicle, the color a bright contrast to the green-blue of the caravan. "Come on everyone, it's our 'mom'."

They pulled themselves out of hiding and walked across the parking lot. When they were within earshot the woman called out to them. "There you are, kids. Whatever have you gotten yourselves into. Boys, you're getting stripped this instant! Oh my, you didn't tell me your friend did the same! You're getting stripped, too, young lady."

Tanya admired the woman's acting ability. Anyone within earshot would not have doubted for a moment that they were all in "big" trouble with their mother. Sensors, microchips, all were moot if a parent was on the scene taking charge of stripping her own children. Florida law gave great powers to parents and here was a mom exercising them! It was all a great disguise for the actual big trouble they were in.

Their "mom" gave each of the boys a swat on the butt. "I'll give you a hug when you're cleaned up!" she said loudly for any eavesdroppers. She hustled them all into the car, slid the door closed and grabbed the teddy bear on her way around to the driver's side.

Inside, the van was cool and air conditioned. Ryan felt bad sitting on the clean seats after spending the day in a miniature swamp. The woman put the van in gear and glided it smoothly out of the parking lot.

"I'm Amanda Sue," she said, introducing herself while looking at them in the rearview mirror. "I'm a volunteer with the hotline and will be taking you to our facility. You don't have to tell me your names if you don't want to. That is part of our procedure, to maintain your anonymity if you need to. I'm sure all of you have been through something horrendous or you wouldn't be calling us."

"I'm Tanya, I'm the one who called."

"Um, I'm Ryan. Tanya's my sister."

"I'm their brother. Mike."

"I'm Ruth. Thank you for coming to get us."

"You are most welcome. What charming and polite people. While we drive I want to reassure you that you are safe. Nobody will be stopping us to check on your status. This van is quite ordinary looking and that is quite purposeful. We'll be going to our organization's facility about two hours from here. It is in a remote wooded area and the GPS signals don't transmit through the trees. You'll be interviewed when you arrive and our Director will help you decide your next course of action."

"Our next course of action?" Tanya asked in a worried tone. "We don't really have much choice. At this point we can't go home. At least, Ruth definitely can't go home."

"I understand. The Director will explain all of your options. You will not be forced to go home, or even to leave our facility if you choose not to. There is nothing to worry about."

Tanya nodded. Amanda Sue had turned up the curving entrance ramp of I-75 and was driving north. Within 20 minutes they were on their way west on I-10. Ruth and Ryan looked at one another, wordlessly exchanging the memory of the last horrible experience they'd had on I-10. This time felt very different. They couldn't imagine Amanda Sue pulling off into the dark and attacking them. Nevertheless, when they did exit the interstate they were soon threading their way through deep forest along rutted clay roads. The similarity was frightening.

"Um, where are we going?" Ryan ventured to ask. He wasn't able to keep the fear out of his voice.

"Our facility is quite remote in order to keep you safe. Nearly everyone there needs to hide from the GPS monitors used by the SFF and police to track missing persons. We can't do anything to remove the microchip-embedded GPS markers in your body, but we can live where they can't be tracked."

Ryan nodded, not quite sure about this explanation. The woods looked dark and spooky and the van lurched and bumped on the rutted track. Amanda Sue pulled sharply off to the right. Ryan realized he'd never have noticed the slight, unmarked opening that the van passed through. In a few minutes the trees opened out and he could see farther than just a few yards. They pulled up in front of a small wooden building with a front porch. Two pickup trucks were parked to one side and there was a small shed and two smaller outbuildings. Other than that there were no other buildings or facilities to be seen.

Amanda Sue slid the door open with a squeak of the bearings. "Got to get some oil on that," she remarked. "Please come meet our director."

The four of them followed Amanda Sue up rough wooden steps and across the porch. She pulled open a screen door and ushered them into a dark central hallway. As their eyes adjusted they realized there was an open door to the left. The room inside was piled with books, papers, a stuffed owl, a tortoise shell and myriads of other objects that might be curios or simply junk. A man behind the desk rose and greeted them, "Come in, come in. Believe it or not there are chairs in here. Look around, find somewhere to sit. Amanda Sue, do these young people need anything to eat or drink? You haven't been starving them have you?"

"Well, you know we couldn't stop anywhere, Bruce. What would you like? Ice tea, water, lemonade? Tell you what, I'll bring a pitcher of each and you can have whatever you like." She bustled from the room and they could hear her clattering away farther back in the building.

"Please sit down, welcome." The man was tall and appeared tanned and muscular. He wore Khaki shorts and a dark green shirt that might have been an old park ranger's uniform. His hair was thinning, but still fully covered his head. He sat down behind his desk.

"Before you tell me your stories," he said, "I want to tell you ours. I believe in full disclosure because you have to decide how much of yourselves and your information to entrust with me. The basis of our organization is that each of you is ultimately responsible for yourself. That is a very different situation than you have probably had in your life until now. The state of Florida places you in the complete ownership of your parents. Basically, they can do almost anything they want for you or to you, for good or for ill. The power of the state, including its schools, police, social service agencies, medical care, you name it, is all geared toward allowing your parents control over your lives, in particular your bodies. I am sure this is not news to any of you or you wouldn't be here. I state it clearly and up front. Does everyone here understand what I am saying?"

The four of them nodded their heads.

"This organization was founded by my self and others because we believe that nobody is the property of another person, not even the youngest baby. Parents and other adults are entrusted with the care of children, but do not own them. When adults forget this distinction it becomes easy to neglect those in their charge. Unfortunately, abuse -- and serious abuse -- often follows. For those in extreme circumstances we have created this refuge. We go out of our way to do as little as possible that could be construed as illegal. We do not help anyone run away. We do not kidnap children. We do not claim to be your guardians. We do not change your SFF status or remove any of the microchips embedded when you were stripped. If you come to us stripped, you must remain naked, just as you would be required to be anywhere else in the state of Florida. If you have not been stripped, we have no right to strip you. We do not actively block any search the authorities may be making for you. Simply by careful accident we happen to be in a location where the GPS sensors do not penetrate, therefore it is unlikely that any authorities will come here looking for you. Because we are not your guardians, we are not responsible for your whereabouts. Therefore, when you leave this office, we will not know exactly where you are. Therefore, we cannot inform the authorities." He held up a hand at the questioning looks on their faces. "All in good time. I state all of this so that you will know what type of group we are, and what we are not. Our goal is to help you to help yourself to be safe. That is all. If you wish to contact your families you can do so. We can advise you on how to do that safely and without being tracked. If you wish to remain here, we will advise you on how to survive and be your own persons. If you wish to leave, you have absolute freedom to do so at any time. Now, before you tell me your stories, your names, where you are from or anything else you must make a solemn pledge. Indeed, it is the only thing you must promise. If you cannot make this promise Amanda Sue will drive you to any reasonable location, leave you food and money for three days and our acquaintance is a thing of the past."

Bruce looked into the faces of each of them. Silence filled the room. Ryan tried to imagine being left at some highway intersection with three days food supply. What was he being asked to pledge?

"I ask each of you to stand and pledge that you will never, under any circumstances or for any reason, reveal the whereabouts or location of this camp -- to anyone, even if they need and ask for assistance. We will always offer aid, but nobody must know the location of this place."

The four stared at him.

Bruce laughed, "I know that you have no idea where you are! But that is right now. As you explore and if you choose to leave, you may very well have a good idea of where you are. I ask that you leave it to our few volunteers to bring people here according to the procedures we have developed to keep all of us safe and sound."

Ruth, Ryan, Tanya and Mike each pledged to keep the secret.

"Excellent. Amanda Sue has brought our beverages. Let's hydrate. You speak and I'll listen."

* * *

Epilogue

Tanya, Ruth, Ryan and Mike were introduced to another inhabitant of the sanctuary, who guided them to their new home, a cabin deep in the woods. Over the next few days they met the residents of other cabins, connected by trails through the woods.

What they found was a community of children and young adults, all survivors of abuse related to the SFF program--as well as family members and friends--like Tanya--who had given up normal lives to help these children escape. They lived collectively by tending small gardens, fishing in streams and ponds, and caring for chickens and goats for their eggs and milk. The older ones homeschooled the younger ones.

Most of the inhabitants of this forest refuge were stripped and lived naked. Some had scars from physical abuse, but far more common were the hidden scars of abuse that was sexual, psychological, and emotional -- as it was for Ruth. Ruth and Ryan began to sleep together from the beginning of their time in refuge. Indeed, none of the three children felt safe alone. Ruth could not fall into sleep without Ryan's arms around her. Volunteer counselors came to the refuge to provide individual and group sessions once a week.

At the children's request, the organization used anonymous channels to inform all of their parents that their children were alive, well and somewhere far, far away--implying somewhere far from Florida! After a year Tanya, Ryan and Mike made the decision to send and receive letters from their parents, again by the same circuitous anonymous channel. The first letter they received from their parents was full of apologies, attesting their love, and begging to see them again. They also wrote that they had cut off seeing Ruth's parents after the children ran away. Ruth's mother and father were now running a full time consulting group called Strip for Christ, the main purpose of which was to promote longterm orgasmic treatments for young, preteen and adolescent girls. The envelope included a full color brochure outlining the program with the testimonial that "our daughter was an early success of this program and now lives independently as a strong disciple of Christ." Ruth burned the brochure in the backyard and informed Ryan that she never wanted news about her parents again, even indirectly.

It took Ruth and Ryan three years before they were ready to have sex with one another. They were married at the age of 18 by a visiting volunteer, with Mike and Tanya as attendants and every inhabitant of the refuge as witnesses. At the time of this writing their daughter is one year old.

END

(The End)