{"id":17891,"date":"2023-12-20T06:27:26","date_gmt":"2023-12-20T13:27:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/?p=17891"},"modified":"2023-12-20T06:27:26","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T13:27:26","slug":"she-didnt-go-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/?p=17891","title":{"rendered":"She didn’t go back"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was out in the forest in my buckboard taking photos with my new photo machine when I saw her. She was crouched low in the thicket. Part of her tattered garment was exposed enough to give away her location.<\/p>\n

When I approached, I heard a whimper followed by the rustling of shrubs. I thought for sure she was going to bolt. She seemed frightened about something.<\/p>\n

I was curious enough to take my equipment back to the buckboard. I returned with my lunch basket. Then I sat down a short distance away and spread out a blanket on the ground.<\/p>\n

I said out loud, \u201cMighty fine day for a picnic in the woods, wouldn\u2019t you say? It\u2019d be a shame not to be able to enjoy it with someone. Besides, I certainly brought more than enough to eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

I pulled out a drumstick and started to eat. Charlotte always did make mighty fine fried chicken. She was kind of sweet on me.<\/p>\n

She was still in the thicket. So I put a piece of chicken on a piece of newspaper. Then I got up, walked over and placed it down in front of the shrub before walking back to my picnic basket. When I turned to look, the paper and chicken were gone.<\/p>\n

I thought I heard the sound of someone ravenously devouring that drumstick. \u201cThere\u2019s more out here if you want. But you\u2019ll have to come out to eat it. Afterwards, you can go back to your thicket if you prefer.\u201d<\/p>\n

A head slowly emerged. Right away I understood the situation. It almost broke my heart.<\/p>\n

She looked young enough to be my daughter. But Mary had gotten married and moved back East, leaving me alone. I couldn\u2019t blame her, as the hills of Kentucky were no place for a woman who preferred city life.<\/p>\n

Her tattered garments disguised her dark, physical features. I motioned her to come over and have another piece of chicken. I told her I wasn\u2019t the least bit interested in who she was or where she\u2019d come from. I just had plenty of chicken because Charlotte wanted to make sure I didn\u2019t go hungry.<\/p>\n

She hesitantly came out of the thicket. She wandered over and sat down. I pulled out the rest of the chicken and set it right in front of her.<\/p>\n

She ravenously attacked it. Charlotte had certainly done well. This time there was nothing left over.<\/p>\n

I finally said, \u201cSomebody\u2019s looking for you, aren\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

She stiffened as though preparing to bolt. She didn\u2019t nod her head, nor did she give a yay or nay. But I thought I saw her start to tremble.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want to go back, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

I thought I saw a tear in her eye. Then her head shook as though indicating, \u201cNo, I don\u2019t.\u201d I nodded in understanding.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk. I hope you don\u2019t mind my being around your thicket. I just came out here to try my hand at being a photographer. You can watch me or you can return to your thicket. I don\u2019t mind either way.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was nice to see she did not return to her thicket.<\/p>\n

I retrieved my equipment from the buckboard and set up the tripod. But I only took half a dozen photos. I was careful with the shots I chose. After all, film is expensive and hard to come by.<\/p>\n

She watched me the whole time. I offered to take a photo of her. But she seemed frightened of that, so I didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

When I was done, I told her I was headed back home. I told her I lived on the outskirts of a small village. If she wanted to come along, she could duck down in my buckboard so she wouldn\u2019t be seen. Or she could stay out here in her thicket. But I couldn\u2019t promise I would return.<\/p>\n

She looked at me for a long moment. Then she helped me put my equipment back into the buckboard. When we were done, she crawled into the back under a canvas as I took my seat. A flick of the reins, and Winnie headed us home at a leisurely trot.
\n—
\nShe started speaking when I fed her stew for supper. She said her name was Phibe. She\u2019d run away with her two brothers.<\/p>\n

When their pursuers had gotten close, she\u2019d jumped into the river. Her brothers had stayed on the bank to distract the men from finding her. She heard cries as well as the sound of whipping. Then they all disappeared.<\/p>\n

I fully understood her dilemma. And I was sympathetic. I told her I wasn\u2019t the least bit interested in reporting her. She reminded me too much of my daughter Mary, despite the color of her skin. I was happy for the company.<\/p>\n

She stayed the night. More nights were to follow. She seemed shy and innocent. But looks were deceiving. I was all but certain of the abuse she\u2019d no doubt received where she\u2019d come from\u2026 and would receive again were she ever to go back.
\n—
\nThings changed when three Southerners stopped by. They said they were looking for escaped slaves. I told them I hadn\u2019t seen any. Besides, I was too eccentric, what with my equipment and all.<\/p>\n

Half the village thought I was a loon. I told them any slaves who came around here would take one look at me and run. That seemed to satisfy them.<\/p>\n

I waited until they were long gone before fetching Phibe from her hiding place. She looked very sad. Then she told me, \u201cThey\u2019ll keep coming back until they find me\u2026 or others like me. Then they\u2019ll hurt you. They always do.\u201d<\/p>\n

I told her I could help her keep running. There were places farther north she could go. But she told me she was tired of running.<\/p>\n

She asked me about the photos I took. She remarked how long they might last. I told her I didn\u2019t know\u2026 months\u2026 years\u2026 maybe even decades. Photography was still in its infancy. But newspaper lasted a long time if it was well kept. I figured photographs would last even longer.<\/p>\n

She hesitated a moment. Then she carefully asked, \u201cHiram? Would you\u2026 take a photograph of me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you didn\u2019t want any photographs taken. I thought you were afraid of them falling into the wrong hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll be around a long time, won\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLonger than I will, child.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said please. I didn\u2019t want them to fall into the wrong hands. But how could I say no to her?
\n—
\nCharlotte gave me permission to film in one of her rooms. I thought it would be better than in any of mine. After all, my wallpaper was falling apart.<\/p>\n

I told Charlotte I needed to be alone. I had a model who was just passing through. She was shy and wanted me to take photos without anyone present.<\/p>\n

Charlotte saw right through me, just as I\u2019d anticipated. But she accepted my conditions anyway. Charlotte always was kind of sweet on me.<\/p>\n

I made sure Phibe kept out of sight in the back of my buckboard. Charlotte lived on a lane without a lot of neighbors. But I still wanted to be careful.<\/p>\n

Once we got inside, I set up the equipment on my tripod in Charlotte\u2019s drawing room. She even offered to let me use a couple of her dresses for my model. When Phibe put one on, she looked lovely. It made her come alive as the young woman she was rapidly becoming.<\/p>\n

For the first time in many years, I began to get a rise down below. Normally I would have been embarrassed. But losing my wife to the sickness so many years ago had made that area inactive. That\u2019s why Charlotte and I had never married.<\/p>\n

I took three photos of Phibe. I told her I couldn\u2019t promise how they would turn out. I think she saw the reaction she was having on me. It embarrassed me.<\/p>\n

She asked if she could remove the dress she was wearing for a couple more photos. I told her I was old enough to be her father and didn\u2019t want to shame her. She said it was no shame, considering what she\u2019d already endured where she\u2019d come from.<\/p>\n

She sensuously removed the dress. I snapped another photo with trembling hands. I couldn\u2019t believe the effect she was having on me.<\/p>\n

She smiled shyly at me. Then she got sad again. \u201cHiram, do you have enough film to take a few more photos of me?\u201d<\/p>\n

I told her I did. She told me to wait where I was. Then she left the room.<\/p>\n

At first I wondered what she was doing. She wasn\u2019t robbing Charlotte, was she? I couldn\u2019t allow that, no matter how I may have felt about her.<\/p>\n

When she returned, I was shocked at what was in her hand. She was carrying a length of rope. One end had been formed into a noose.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhibe, what\u2019s the meaning of this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it ok if it\u2019s in the photo? That way if anybody sees it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

I was beginning to understand. \u201cThey\u2019ll think that\u2019s what happened to you?\u201d She nodded her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhibe, I can\u2019t take a photo of you with a thing like that hanging in view!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, Hiram?\u201d<\/p>\n

I shook my head. I didn\u2019t like where this was going. Yet a part of me understood what she was thinking. Maybe if the photos did fall into the wrong hands, they would assume she\u2019d been hanged. Maybe they would stop looking for her.<\/p>\n

I reluctantly agreed. She used one of Charlotte\u2019s dresses as a prop. I took two photos. Her naked image with the noose in the background had a profound effect on me. I was shamefully embarrassed again.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I told her it was getting late. We needed to leave before Charlotte returned. I wanted to be off the lane in case any of the neighbors might be out.<\/p>\n

She helped me pack the buckboard. Then I took her home. She seemed unusually quiet and sad.<\/p>\n

I fed her some stew. Then I put her to bed. As usual, I slept on the floor in the kitchen.
\n—
\nPart 2<\/p>\n

The next day Charlotte showed up with some fried chicken and apple pie. I asked her what the occasion was. She told me she wanted to fix extra in case I had a visitor for lunch.<\/p>\n

I gave her a look of concern. She just gave me a dismissive wave. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Hiram. If you don\u2019t eat it all today, you\u2019ll finish it tomorrow. I know how much you like my fried chicken. You won\u2019t let it go to waste.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was sure she knew something. She just smiled and wished me a good day. Then she was gone.<\/p>\n

Phibe came out of hiding. She smiled as she remarked, \u201cShe\u2019s a nice lady; isn\u2019t she, Hiram?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Phibe; she certainly is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we go on a picnic in the woods today\u2026 out where you found me? Could you bring your photo equipment?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWant to make a day of it, Phibe?\u201d She smiled and nodded.<\/p>\n

We packed everything into the buckboard. She ducked in back to hide under some canvas. Then I directed Winnie off to the forest.<\/p>\n

After we arrived, Phibe and I went for a little walk. We found a different spot where she wanted to lay out the blanket for lunch. It was in a small, earthen clearing.<\/p>\n

Lunch was bittersweet. I sensed something was wrong. I had the feeling Phibe was about to leave me. But I decided not to bring it up. I didn\u2019t want to spoil the meal, nor the pleasant afternoon we were sharing together.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, she helped me set up the equipment. Then she revealed a couple of additional items under the tarp she\u2019d snuck in without my noticing. One was a spade.<\/p>\n

The other was Charlotte\u2019s rope, still fashioned into a noose\u2026<\/p>\n

I looked at her in shock. That\u2019s when Phibe told me, \u201cI\u2019m not going back, Hiram. But I\u2019m not leaving either. So I want to know if you would take a couple more photos of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

I felt a lump in my throat as I started to protest. \u201cPhibe, we\u2019re not doing this!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going back, Hiram. But I don\u2019t want to hide anymore. And I\u2019m not going to run. This is the only way out for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sounded adamant\u2026 resolute. But so was I. \u201cPhibe, I\u2019m not going to hang you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll hang myself, Hiram. I only want you to help me. And I want you to take a couple of photos\u2026 so people will know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Her voice broke. Then she paused to compose herself before finishing her thought\u2026 \u201c\u2026so that people will know I was\u2026 that I was alive and free\u2026 if only for a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPhibe, I\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t do this, Hiram, you know that eventually I\u2019ll be captured. You know what they\u2019ll do to me, don\u2019t you? I might not even make it all the way back.\u201d<\/p>\n

I nodded. I could only imagine what might happen to her. I didn\u2019t want to dwell on it.<\/p>\n

We went back to that little clearing. She\u2019d already picked out a tree. I guess I shouldn\u2019t have been all that surprised.<\/p>\n

I dug a little grave nearby. When I was done, we ate the rest of the chicken and the pie. Then Phibe got naked. She wanted to be nude when I took the last of her photos.<\/p>\n

I got one of her standing there in the clearing. Then she wrapped the noose around her neck and posed. She held her arms behind her back until I snapped off another photo.<\/p>\n

Afterwards we stretched out on the blanket together. She was still naked. I was amazingly stirred by her beauty\u2026 shamefully stirred.<\/p>\n

She quietly said, \u201cAll I ask is you take one more photo of me, Hiram. Please wait until I\u2019m dangling from the noose, ok?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPhibe, I can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you can.\u201d Then she kissed me.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know where it came from or what came over me. Even Charlotte had not brought it out of me. But that\u2019s when my passions unexpectedly overwhelmed me.<\/p>\n

I took her right there on the blanket. It was shameful. When we were done and panting for breath, I profusely apologized.<\/p>\n

She told me it was all right. She figured she would be taken like that and much worse once she was caught and on her way back. She was glad I had acted that way as she figured she deserved it for running away.<\/p>\n

I told her she deserved nothing of the sort. In response she kissed me hard. Then she begged me to make love to my condemned runaway one last time before I hanged her.<\/p>\n

Taking her the first time had come as a shock\u2026 a surprise\u2026 even a miracle of sorts. The second time was even more unexpected. I don\u2019t know if it was her nudity, the solemnness of the moment, or the fact she would soon be dangling from the noose. All I know is that I ravished her.<\/p>\n

She responded willingly\u2026<\/p>\n

Afterwards, we rested on the blanket in the afterglow of our coupling. That\u2019s when sadness filled her features. She paused to compose herself. Then she stood resolute with a determined look on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow hang me, Hiram. Hang me and bury me. You have the photos of my existence. It is enough for me to know that someday people will know I existed and that I had to be hanged for running away.\u201d<\/p>\n

I sighed heavily. Then I took a length of cord from the basket I\u2019d brought with us. She wanted me to bind her arms behind her back.<\/p>\n

She said she\u2019d witnessed other hangings back where she\u2019d come from. She wanted to be hanged the very same way. She did not want my sympathy or pity. She only wanted my help\u2026 and my lust.<\/p>\n

I hesitated, and for a moment I almost backed out. Then I decided to grant her final request. In our last moments together, I could only try to give her what she wished for.<\/p>\n

I noosed her up with her arms behind her back. Unbelievably, I began to stiffen again in my nudity as she wanted me naked for the task at hand. She saw my excitement and smiled as though she approved.<\/p>\n

She looked at me calmly. Then she told me, \u201cI\u2019m not going back, Hiram\u201d<\/p>\n

I told her, \u201cNo, you\u2019re not, Phibe.\u201d<\/p>\n

I gave her a moment to catch her breath. Then I pulled on the rope, taking her up into the air. I tied off the loose end and then watched her kick.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m ashamed to report how stiff I became at observing her suffering. Inside, my heart was breaking. It was Mary leaving all over again\u2026 and losing my wife to that sickness. But Mary had to go back East to be happy. Phibe was seeking happiness in her own way.<\/p>\n

She kicked and suffered for several minutes. Her breasts were full and swollen, evidence she\u2019d become a fine, young woman. She leaked from between her legs, evidence of our recent coupling. I was sad she would never know what it was like to become a mother.<\/p>\n

While she was still conscious, I went over to my equipment and prepared to take another photo. It looked like she was really suffering as she strangled in the noose. But I thought I saw a flash of something appreciative in her eyes the moment I took the photo.<\/p>\n

She began to settle down. Then she soiled herself. I took one last photo. Then I took her down.<\/p>\n

I redressed her before burying her. I wept the entire time. When I was done I collected all my belongings before heading back to the buckboard.<\/p>\n

EPILOGUE<\/p>\n

I returned a few days later. I buried a couple of pictures in the ground close to her body to say my final goodbyes. That was the last I ever saw of her grave. I never went back.<\/p>\n

I had to buy another rope for Charlotte. I could not risk letting her see the one I\u2019d used on Phibe. I had left that one in the ground with her as I could not bring myself to haul it back.<\/p>\n

After a week, I paid my respects to Charlotte. I presented her the new rope and made my apologies. She thought she\u2019s misplaced it and was appreciative of my consideration.<\/p>\n

We sat and talked for the longest time until she asked about my recent boarder. I told her the young lady had moved on. I was sure I would never see her again. That\u2019s when I broke down and cried.<\/p>\n

Charlotte was tender and understanding. She consoled me until I strangely found myself becoming stiff. When she offered her usual kiss of kindness and concern, I was more than a little ardent in returning it.<\/p>\n

My passion caught her by surprise, although it was a welcome one. That evening I stayed with her. We spent the entire night making love.<\/p>\n

Within three months, we were wed.<\/p>\n

2019 (written Oct 28 \u201919 by riwa. Inspired by the manip I found on the Internet.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A photographer finds a runaway that he tries to hide. Then she makes a fateful decision. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[28],"class_list":["post-17891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-asphyxiastories","tag-nudity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17891","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17891"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17891\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17893,"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17891\/revisions\/17893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riwaslibrary.com\/story\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}