By Kaol, art by Wayne

Lauri felt the rough boards of the pier hard against the soles of her feet. There was the slightest of creaking sounds as she walked over them, and on most occasions she might not have even noticed something so small. Today, however, she seemed to be hypersensitive to all that was going on around her. It was a beautiful day, a nice mid-June day when the summer sun had not yet grown into the dragon it would become by August, but was nice enough to keep her warm and smile down on her.

Stopping, Lauri leaned against the weather-beaten railing and looked about her. There was no one else in the area that she could see, which was, of course, exactly how she wanted it. The owner of this land, who was not even living on the property any longer, had built this pier. From where she stood, Lauri was unable to even see the house through the trees. In fact, the first twenty feet of the pier were almost swallowed by cattails and swamp grass, so it was nearly impossible to view the path she had used to get here. Ahead, the pier ended another thirty feet away, jutting out into the river. Across the river was more swamp grass and cattails. She was peacefully, blissfully, isolated.

Lauri's pupils dilated as she looked down directly beneath her, however. Her personal grail resided in that location. About five feet below her was an expanse of flat, dark brown, mud. It stretched out away from her for at least one hundred yards, and was probably 20 yards wide from the cattails to the water. Her heartbeat accelerated, moving from normal to arousal mode very rapidly. She looked up quickly, blushing, almost feeling as if she was being observed. She gave a guilty and embarrassed smile. There was no one there. Of course there was no one there. And even if someone was there, all they would see was a young woman in a bikini, clearly out to catch a little sun on the pier. That's all they would see.

It would be wrong, completely wrong, of course, but that would be the assumption they would make. How could they possibly guess the truth?

Her best friend, Abby, had shown her this pier several weeks ago. It was Abby's father who owned this property, and Abby had been working for her father this summer between sophomore and junior year at college. She had invited Lauri to come over and hang with her one day while she was checking on the property for her dad. They had come out to the pier and had lunch, sitting on the side, feet dangling a tantalizing distance from the mud below. Lauri had been as excited as a prospector uncovering a gold nugget. She hadn't mentioned her excitement to Abby, of course. How could she? Who would believe that she was actually aroused by the idea of sinking into that mud? It was crazy, lunacy.

Yet for as long as Lauri could remember she had been fascinated, hypnotized by deep mud and quicksand on TV and movies. She had spent countless hours trying to puzzle out why she found the idea so erotic. It didn't make sense. Lauri had checked out the expressions of others when such a scene would appear in a show, but no one else seemed to give any hint that they might feel similarly. Lauri had almost broached the topic with Abby, but had restrained herself. Even Lauri had to admit it was just too weird. Sometimes she even wondered if she had some brain tumor pressing on something that was causing this fascination.

However, whatever the reason, Lauri couldn't deny that she was turned on by the thought of quicksand. She was probably alone in this odd fetish, but she wasn't about to deny it or give it up. Of course, she never thought she'd be able to do anything but observe it and have fun vicariously through films. If quicksand was out there, Lauri didn't have clue one on how to find it.

Yet when Abby invited her out to this pier, Lauri's heart had begun a jackhammer dance in her chest. She had no experience to draw from, but something about that mud looked inviting. It looked deep. It looked like she had a date.

Now here she was, two weeks later, garbed in only a pink bikini, carrying a towel that she could use to clean off with later. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this. Anticipation mixed with, yes, fear, as she gazed down. Lauri had read up extensively on quicksand, and she knew that it wasn't like in the movies. There was no danger involved in what she was about to attempt. Yet it was hard to put her faith in some article when she was out here alone.

Then, of course, there was the other terrible possibility that the mud below would be no more than knee deep, or worse yet, ankle deep. What a let down that would be! Oh, she would try to make the best of it, but it wouldn't be the same, would it? No, she wanted to go deep. Very deep. How deep, she wasn't sure. As she had laid in bed thinking about it last night, she fantasized about going up to her eyes, maybe even bobbing under completely for a moment. Now, however, her courage swayed back and forth and she knew she would just have to see how it went.

Draping the towel over the rail, Lauri ducked under the rail so that she was now leaning forward over the mud, arms holding on behind her, making her look like the figurehead on the prow of a ship. The wind tussled her hair back behind her and her eyes squinted as she enjoyed the sensation, her breasts thrust out proudly by her position.

Blood pounding, Lauri glanced down again at the mud, no, let's say, QUICKSAND, beneath her. How would she enter it? It was a nice little drop, but the mud looked soft and would welcome her gently she felt certain. Should she lower herself down over the railing, tentatively feeling the mud swallow her inch by inch? Or should she leap as far out as she could, throwing caution to the wind and seeing how far she might disappear on impact? Both had definite arousal appeal, and her upturned nipples exclaimed the truth of that.

It was hard to swallow, Lauri was so excited. In for a penny, in for a pound, she thought, and laughed quietly at that expression. Yes, she would be in, wouldn't she? She made the decision then. She would leap as far out into that beckoning mud as her tanned thighs could carry her. Hunching down to give herself more spring, Lauri gathered up her courage. This is crazy, she thought to herself. This is nuts. This is crazy. I love this.

"NOW!" Lauri cried out loud as she launched herself upward and outward. There was a momentary sensation of flight, and her eyes widened as she watched her bare feet approaching the mud below. How deep? How deep? How deep?

There was an indescribable sound as her feet impacted the mud together. It was wet, hungry, and almost alive. Without hesitation, both feet entered the mud and continued going down, her momentum carrying her deeper. In the blink of an eye, her shins and knees disappeared. There was a scary moment when Lauri imagined her entire body would be instantly swallowed, and the quicksand would cover her up, leaving no trace of her folly. Yet even this image did not completely terrify. There was something oddly erotic about that as well.

Her fears were unfounded, however. She stopped her immediate descent at mid-thigh. Lauri tottered back and forth with arms outstretched to the sides, trying to maintain her balance. Instinctively her toes reached out, looking for a solid surface to grip, but there was none to be had. Lauri had guessed correctly that this mire was deep, as she could feel nothing but a glutinous mud beneath her feet, and as she shifted her weight it became immediately apparent that she was continuing to sink down into the stuff.

Lauri looked down in fascination as the mud continued to swallow her alive. It was a dark brown in color, and even darker as she stirred up the mixture with her movements. At the same time it was silky smooth in texture, almost like pudding, though she was not so caught up in the experience that she wanted to taste it. Her heart continued to pound in her chest and she found herself wet with arousal. Experimentally, she began moving her legs up and down, wondering what would happen next.

She found, just as the movies suggested, it made her sink more quickly. The tidal flat about her quivered and rolled slowly about her as her movements caused it to respond in turn. She tore her eyes away from the mud immediately touching her and watched the mire ripple and shudder as she moved. It made it seem almost alive, once more. This illusion was made all the more real by the physical sensation of it on her naked skin. It felt as though hundreds of lips and tongues were lavishing her legs and feet with attention.

Lauri glanced about, still worried that she might be spotted. Nope. She was totally on her own. Looking back down, she watched with rapt attention at her pink bikini bottom eased slowly towards the surface. Her tongue licked her lips in anticipation. What would it feel like when it kissed her down there? She wondered if she should have tried this naked, but it was too late now. There was no way she would be able to lift her thighs up enough at this point to pull off her bikini bottom. That could wait until next time. She feared direct contact with her there might cause her to have a stroke or something anyway, as there was only so much stimulation she could stand, surely.

Lauri's head arched back and her hands ran through her hair as the quicksand gently lapped at her crotch. Without even being aware that she was doing so, she began rocking her hips back and forth, causing the mud to go squishing through the narrowing gap of her thighs. It squelched and burped, making rude noises of which she was only nominally aware. The mud was giving her some of the best oral sex she'd ever had. Sweat beaded on her bouncing breasts and on her forehead as she humped the mud with vigor, splattering all over her bare abdomen. Sounds, nowhere near comprehensible, emerged from her lips as she felt herself losing control.

"Unh unh unh," she grunted, one hair knotted in her hair, the other cupped around a breast. Her eyes were closed and she fought frantically against the quicksand which was now up to her hips but continued its incessant licking of her wet cleft. She was almost there, almo...

And then she climaxed, breath hitching in her throat with a tight squeal, her hips almost a blur now. This was far beyond her expectations, far beyond anything she could have dreamed. Trembling, sighing, face red, she looked down at the mire now up to her waist. She was coated with sweat and would have collapsed were it not for the mire holding her upright.

Once again she scanned the area, hoping no one had stopped by just then. She could explain being caught in this mud easily enough; she had just misjudged the depth and got caught. But it would have been hard to explain to anyone why she was fucking the mud. That didn't have an easy explanation.

Her hands could now easily reach the mud, and her fingernails traced patterns in the surface alongside of her. She felt deliciously warm and infatuated, although her intellect realized that was ridiculous. Still, how could she not feel some affection for anything that had given her some of the best sex she had yet to experience?

To her delight, she was still sinking as well. Her questing toes could find no bottom beneath her. The mire was cooler the deeper she went as well, though nowhere near cool enough to chill her ardor. Scooping up a handful of the mud, she smoothed it over her belly. It was warm on the surface and felt very relaxing as she massaged it in. Lauri continued to rock forwards and backwards, side to side, encouraging the mud to continue taking her in. She was beginning to think that this was indeed not mud after all, but indeed quicksand. After all, it was right on the side of a river, and she knew that quicksand could be found along shorelines. The thought, just the mere thought, that this was quicksand and not just mud caused her nipples to tighten again. Real quicksand. What a rush!

Slowly, ever so slowly, the quicksand continued to enfold Lauri within its embrace. Soon it was just below her breasts. Looking around and finding she was still completely on her own, Lauri reached behind and unfastened the top of her bikini. As long as no one could see, she wanted to feel the mud on her bare breasts. They swayed gently downward as she took off the top, setting it lightly on the mud beside her. The breeze on her dark nipples tickled and Lauri pursed her lips appreciatively. The quicksand was just beneath her breasts and she leaned gently forward, allowing the bottoms to be kissed tenderly by the rolling bog. Lauri's eyes closed dreamily at the sensation. This was just far better than she dreamed, and she silently cursed herself for waiting so long to try this out for real. Movies did this no justice.

Lauri took her arms, which had been resting on the surface, and slid them down, vertically along the sides of her body. The suction of the mud tended to press them against her, and as she tried to raise an arm, she found it difficult. She could do it, but not easily. Getting out was going to be a challenge later, no doubt. She could do it, she was sure, but it would take some time. Still, getting out was not something she was seriously contemplating yet.

The quicksand wriggled about her breasts, cupping them before beginning to devour them. Again, without conscious thought, almost as if they were guided by the quicksand itself, her hands slid to the joining of her thighs, and her right hand slid between her bikini and her belly. She was totally lubricated there, the quicksand enhancing her own excitement.

Once more, Lauri began rocking back and forth in the mire. She did so slowly, wanting to gradually work her excitement up. The quicksand jiggled in conjunction with her breasts, her dark nipples now dripping sweat. Mud splattered up over her chest as her breasts bounced heavily in the quicksand. Lauri's hand did a dance of its own between her legs, ring and index fingers spreading her lips as her middle finger slid home. Head tilted back so that she was staring straight up at the wisps of clouds overhead, a soporific smile transfixed her features.

Time was lost to her then. Her entire body tingled as if she was a giant sparkler, and she lost herself to the sensations enfolding and enlivening her. Her arousal built and built and built like a tsunami approaching a coastline. When it broke, she had no choice but to ride it out, a scream bursting from her lips and startling a group of birds feeding at the edge of the stream.

Lauri wasn't sure, but she suspected she might have passed out or dozed off following that orgasm. Or perhaps she simply lost track of time. The next coherent thought she had, however, was that the quicksand was now under her chin. She grinned lazily down at it, the earthy smell drifting easily into her nostrils. With a giggle, she pursed her lips and blew a kiss at this most accomplished paramour.

The sun was no longer directly overhead, but it was still pleasantly warm, and Lauri allowed herself to simply float in her current position for awhile, held in the womb of the earth. She could still not feel any solid earth beneath her, and wondered if she should get much deeper or not. It was so tempting to work her way down deeper still, to feel the mud on her face, on her lips, on her eyelids...

But common sense overrode her emotions at last, and she decided that would best wait for another occasion. She still had to climb out of this mire, and that would take a little time she suspected.

The quicksand still felt cool and enticing on her skin, and her mouth formed a moue as she considered having to leave her new lover. Yet she feared she might have pressed her luck already, and it was always possible some boaters might come by on this stream and see her, and she really didn't want to be discovered this way, especially with her top lying several feet away.

Sighing, Lauri stretched her fingers and wiggled her arms to loosen the hold of the quicksand on her. It worked, slightly, but during her moments of rest, the quicksand had seemed to begin solidifying about her, holding her tightly. It had felt good then, but now she wanted out.

Frowning, Lauri concentrated on freeing her left arm. Patience, she remembered, was the key. It would do no good to panic after having the time of her life and spoiling it all. Quicksand or not, she knew how to get free. Slow, controlled movements were the answer.

Now someone needs to inform the quicksand of this, she thought to herself. A cool sweat coated her skin as she fought to get her arm free. It was coming loose, but not without heavy effort on her part. A slick, sucking sound came from the earth as she at last pulled it free. With a sigh, Lauri let it rest flat on the quicksand's surface. The effort had not only tired her, but forced her deeper into the mire at the same time, and now her chin was beneath the bog. Still, that was fine. At least one arm was out.

Breathing heavily, Lauri spread her fingers and pressed down on the quicksand to try and work her other arm free. To her dismay, however, as she pushed down, she found little to no resistance in the quicksand, and instead of her right side lifting up, her left arm simply plunged beneath the surface again.

"Dammit," Lauri mumbled under her breath and chuckled to herself. This was not going to be as easy as she thought. Still, she was not really afraid. She was not sinking and would be in no danger of sinking if she didn't squirm around too much. The quicksand was comfortable. If worst came to worst she would have to call for help or wait for help to come by. Not an attractive notion, granted, but it would do in a pinch. Even if no one had come by in the past hour or so, she knew the odds were someone would sometime in the next day, and if that had to be, she could wait that long.

Glancing at the river as if seeking that help, Lauri felt her heart seem to stop beating in her chest. The river was not where it had been earlier this afternoon. When she had stepped in to this mire, she had been about 30 feet from the edge of the river. Now, somehow, it seemed she was only five. Eyes wide with incomprehension, Lauri tried to pull back, but was held fast by the quicksand.

What had happened? Why was the river so close to her now?

The answer came to her immediately. The tides had happened. This was the coast, after all, and the tides affected the rivers here. It had not even occurred to her before. By chance she must have visited this locale at high tide before with Abby, and so it had not even entered her head that this stream was affected.

Clearly, the tides were coming in.

"Oh shit," Lauri whimpered as she worked on pulling her left arm free once more. Calm and control were no longer in her vocabulary. The tides could come in fast, she knew, and this was not where she wanted to be. Of course, it was possible they would come no higher than they were now. But what if the place she was stuck was normally under two feet of water? Shit, what then?

Lauri spluttered as mud splashed over her bottom lip. In her frantic exertions, she had worked her way down further once more. Glancing frantically to the side, she saw the water was coming closer still. It was still on the rise.

"Help me!" Lauri cried out, no longer concerned in the least about what story she would tell when discovered. All she wanted now was to be discovered. She pulled her left arm free, but it plunged in again just as before when she tried to push herself out. It was now necessary to tilt her head back to keep her mouth free of the quicksand. Her eyes rolled madly in their sockets now as she faced an unexpected peril. "Help!" she cried, her throat raw from the sheer force she used.

Lauri had been sure the quicksand would not hurt her. She had been sure. She looked over at the water, now only a foot or so from her face. There was the danger. There was the trouble. Lauri whimpered at seeing her silent assailant with its relentless approach. "No," she said. "No."

The quicksand rolled and heaved as Lauri squirmed within its embrace. "Help me!" she screamed. She prayed fervently that someone would hear! Prayed that the tide was nearly at its peak. Her lips trembled as she cried out once more.

The quicksand heaved.

The water rippled.

Lauri screamed.

Copyright Kaol-1998