A GRAND ADVENTURE
Chapter 9

It was late when they finally arrived at the main camp. Jess was hot and tired. A large black man approached them. "Albert! It's been a long time. How have you been?" Ron called out. The two shook hands, then embraced each other. "Albert, this is Jess. She will be my assistant this year. Jess, this is Albert. He is the best site manager in Africa," Ron introduced.

"Hello!" Albert smiled at Jess. "A young, pretty girl this year? That's not like you. You usually have an ugly graduate student," he said laughing at Ron.

"It was time for a change," Ron laughed. "Jess, Albert and I go back a long way. My first expedition to Africa I was only a freshman in college. Albert was one of the porters. Now we are both bosses. If you need anything at camp, he is the one to go to."

"Hi, Albert. It may be a dumb question, but how did you get the name Albert here in Africa?" Jess asked realizing he had an accent and seemed to be at home here.

"My father was English. He named me Albert in hopes I would move to England. I love Africa though. It is my home," Albert smiled and answered. Jess was pleased he spoke English. The porters and guards from their trip spoke no English at all.

Ron and Albert discussed the camp for the next half hour or so. Jess only half listened as she really didn't understand what was being said. Ron had told her she could wander around the camp, but to stay within sight of it and if she saw anything that might look dangerous or unusual to return to camp immediately.

She heard a group of men talking, so followed the voices. Right next to the camp was a stream and the men were in the water. She didn't think much of it until another man joined them. He immediately stripped down and went into the water. A few of the men looked up, saw her, and then ignored her. They seemed to be bathing and when finished, they just walked out of the water ignoring the fact Jess could see everything as they were entirely naked.

Even though they didn't seem to mind her watching, Jess started to feel awkward, so walked back to camp. It was starting to get dark and their evening meal was ready, so they ate. Jess talked to Albert as they ate. It was nice to have someone else to talk to besides Ron. He almost seemed fatherly towards her, asking if she needed anything and such.

Ron said something to one of the men in their language. He nodded, then left, returning in a short time carrying two buckets of water. Ron seemed to give him some instructions and he carried the buckets into a large tent. "What was that all about?" Jess asked Ron.

"That, my dear, is part of your duties here. The buckets are to wash clothes in. Every night you will be doing wash, at least our underwear and maybe shirts and shorts as needed," he explained. Jess nodded in agreement. It wasn't like she was overworked or asked to do a lot. She, Ron, and Albert talked a while longer, then Ron and Jess went to their tent to sleep. It had been a long day.

The tent was large, but still only had one bed. Jess and Ron would be sleeping together. The tent actually had two rooms. The front part, the largest, was set up like an office with desks, chairs, and files. The rear part was their sleeping area with a bed, their personal luggage, and a desk with a chair.

Ron led Jess into the sleeping area and proceeded to strip off all his clothes and handed them to Jess. She took them, but nervously just stood there. Ron sat down at the desk and started working, then looked up. "Take your clothes off then wash. There's a line hung up their to hang them on," he told her pointing out a rope hanging from the ceiling and running along the edge of the tent.

Jess had been naked with Ron many times, but this was new. It would be like living with him naked. She knew better than to argue or question him though. Slowly she undressed until she was naked, then began washing the clothes. He finished up what he was doing, then lay down on the bed and watched her. She finished the wash, wrung them out as best as she could, then hung them on the line.

She turned to see him laying down on his back, completely exposed, looking at her. "What?" she giggled.

"I like seeing you like that," he smiled.

"Naked?" she questioned and he nodded. She blushed and giggled. Initially she had been embarrassed being seen by him, but now things were different. It was still a little embarrassing, but it also made her feel good. She lay down next to him and he rolled on his side cuddling up to her. His arm went around her ribs and his hand came to rest on her breast.

Jess liked laying like this with him and it turned her on, but she was much to tired tonight. "I saw the men bathing in a stream tonight. Tomorrow can I take a bath in the stream when the men are working?" she asked.

"That shouldn't be a problem at all, as long as someone is with you," he answered, then seemed to relax. Both quickly fell asleep.

Jess awoke feeling more rested than she had been in the last few days. She stretched before really opening her eyes, then realized she was alone in the bed. Looking around she saw the flaps to the room divider opened and Ron was out in the front section already dressed. Albert was with him and Jess grabbed the sheet that had slipped down to her waist pulling it back up to her neck.

"You're awake," Ron smiled, looking back at her. Albert also smiled and nodded to her. "Just grab a towel and put it around you. It's pointless to get dressed just to get undressed again to bathe," he added.

The towels were in a chest some distance away from her and there was no way she could cover herself and get a towel at the same time. Fortunately Ron and Albert turned away from her and began discussing something while looking at some papers. Jess was reluctant, but knew she didn't have many choices. While watching the two men, she quickly climbed out of the bed and scrambled to the chest grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her then slipping her boots on. She was naked under the towel, but at least covered.

Nervously she went out to where Ron was sitting. "I'm ready," she mumbled. Ron kept working and informed her that Albert would take her to the stream. "You're not going to take me?" she gasped.

"I have too much to do here. Albert will go with you," he answered, then noticed the shocked look on her face. "Don't worry. You'll be fine. Albert knows more about the jungle than I do anyway. He won't do anything to you. I trust Albert with my life. He knows what a girl looks like already, so you have nothing he hasn't already seen," Ron added.

"You will be quite safe. I will watch out for you, Miss," Albert smiled. "Let's go."

He walked out of the tent, but Jess hesitated. "Go on. There's nothing to worry about. I've told you many times I'll watch out for you and let nothing bad happen to you. I trust Albert and you can too," Ron encouraged, then turned back to his work.

Jess was once more in a situation where she had limited choices. She didn't want to go with Albert and have him watch her bathe, but also knew if she didn't do as Ron said, she'd end up getting spanked, then probably be sent to bathe anyway. She walked out of the tent and followed Albert to the stream.

"Wait here," Albert told her when they reached the stream. He walked to the edge, then carefully looked over the water and along the banks. "OK," he smiled as he walked past her and sat on the ground. Jess walked to the water's edge. There was a branch that hung over the water. She walked to about knee deep, took a deep breath, then hung her towel on the branch quickly ducking down into the water.

Jess knew it was obvious to Albert that she was naked, but he had only gotten a glimpse of her bare ass when she squatted down in the water and she thought she could live with that. The water felt great. It was warm, but not too warm, so it was refreshing too. Jess washed off two days of grime then realized she would have to stand to reach her towel, letting Albert see her bare ass again. With no other option Jess stood, grabbed her towel, then wrapped it around her as quickly as she could.

Jess walked out of the water holding the towel tightly around her body barely covering her. "I need to see you. Remove your towel please," Albert told her. Jess's eyes widened and she adamantly shook her head. "You need to be checked. I need to see your body," Albert repeated.

"No!" she gasped and broke into a run, going around him and running to the tent, with Albert right behind her. Ron looked up as she ran into the tent and asked what happened. "He wants me to strip for him!" she yelled as Albert came into the tent.

Ron said something to him in a language Jess didn't understand and a brief conversation ensued. He then turned his attention to Jess again. "You remember I have told you that for your safety and well being, you need to do exactly as I say when I say it, right?" Jess nodded. "I want you to hand me your towel," he stated calmly.

Jess's eyes got wide and her jaw dropped. Ron, noticing her hesitation, held his hand out. Jess looked at his hand. It was his way of encouraging her. If she didn't do it she knew he would spank her and she'd end up naked anyway. Her face turned red as she unwrapped her towel and placed it in his hand, but tried to cover her nudity with her hands instinctively.

"You're OK. Nothing bad is going to happen to you. Just do as Albert says," Ron comforted, but it didn't calm her at all. She was the one who was naked and a man she only met the night before could see her naked body. Jess's knees were trembling.

"Raise your arms up. I need to move closer to you, but won't touch you," Albert told her. Reluctantly Jess lifted her arms up and out to her sides, exposing all she had been trying to cover. Her eyes closed trying to block out what was happening. "Keep your arms up, but turn around so I can see your back," Albert told her.

Jess did as he asked, still embarrassed because he was almost studying her naked body. Albert said something to Ron in a foreign language. "Jess, I want you to listen carefully and do exactly as I say. Open your legs," Ron ordered. He was scaring her and she did as he asked. "More... Good, now bend over and lean on that chair and don't move. This will hurt a bit, but not bad," he continued.

Jess saw Albert light a small candle, then hold the blade of a small knife in the flame. "What's he going to do?" Jess gasped.

"You have a leach on you. Don't panic. It's not really as big deal and not especially dangerous. They are actually used in medicine. He's going to take it off. They inject a chemical so blood doesn't clot because that's what they eat. To stop the bleeding he's going to cauterize the spot where the leach is. It will hurt for a minute or two. Try to stay still," he explained, then nodded to Albert.

Jess felt a slight prick on the skin where her thigh and ass met, then she screamed as the area suddenly was burned. It made her jump, but fortunately Albert was quick and had pulled the knife away before she did.

"Show her," Ron said. Albert held out his hand and Jess saw a small, worm like, black thing in his hand. "That's a leach. Had you let him check when you first got out of the stream it probably wouldn't have attached, but you didn't. I want you to understand, and I think you do now, you have to do exactly as I say when I say it. The only other one you need to listen to is Albert. If I send you with him, you are to do as he says just as you do with me. Understand?" Ron explained to her and she nodded. "Good. Go get dressed now."