Nakie Day
		      Somewhere in the upper East Coast in the early 1990s.

“UGH, It’s so hot!” Milly laid against the couch, stuck to the fabric with sweat, her tail swishing back and forth languidly along the edge of the couch cushions. This was one of the longest, and worst heatwaves in the history of this area. Over a hundred degrees every day for almost eighteen days straight, in a place where it should be only around eighty. 	
	“It’s so hot I think I might actually pass out.” Sun Mako sat up on the reclining chair, his long dark hair stuck to his face like spiderwebs as sweat trickled down his face and onto his bare chest. Milly sits up with him, her matted light fur and skin stuck to the couch and pulling away like Velcro.
	“We can’t even go to the creek to cool off, it’s super low and hot as bathwater. This sucks.” She twists off the couch, sitting at the just the edge, in little shorts and a camisole soaked with sweat, the discoloration of her soft pale nipples barely visible through the thin cotton fabric. “Ugh.” she continues.
	“Wanna go to the mall and sit in their air conditioning?” Sun sits forward in the chair, resting his sweat soaked head in his hands, pushing his long hair back behind his head and slicking it down. The inside of the living room was like a sauna. His eyes traced the outline of his cousin’s chest and shoulders, dripping with sweat, cotton stuck to her tiny body.
	“I don’t want to go sit there all day, and not even be able to buy anything!!” Milly protests, growing up in poverty was a lead vest, and while all the kids at the mall hung out and bought Icee’s and food, they would go without and possibly be the butt of ridicule. Not necessarily a worthwhile avenue for a few hours of cool temperatures.
	No pool, no air conditioning, in a small two bedroom house in the burbs, on a cul-de-sac not far from the city. HVAC was a luxury that few could afford, and cooling off consisted of going to the creek or eating popsicles, none of which would suffice in this weeks long heatwave. 
	Mako turned to watch as his mother, Lia, enters the room, fanning herself with a large magazine as she wipes sweat away from her face and neck. She gives the two young ones a stern look as her brow furrows. 
	“Go outside and play you two, I’m having company over.” She orders, a bit sternly, though no real bite behind her words. She moves to the table and begins setting up a spread of fruit and vegetables, with plastic cups for her company. How anyone could play cards in this heat was something the kids did not understand. Adults were more steeled, they had guessed.
	“But it’s sooo hot, Aunt Lia. There’s nothing to do!!” Milly whined, throwing herself back onto the couch again, in a soft tantrum. Her short pale hair falling to her face as the hem of her camisole was thrown up over her stomach, exposing her navel and hips.
	“When I was a kid, we were outside all the time. We played in the woods, and climbed trees, and made up games fantasy games.” Sun Lia continued to set up the table for her weekly game night with her lady friends as she lovingly chastised the children, as parents often do. 
	“But the creek is basically bone dry, and it’s too hot to even play hide and seek.” Mako replied, stretching his arms up and backward over his head, fighting off the exhaustion of the heat. His eyes fell on Milly, and her soft stomach, and the round swell of her tummy and hips, just barely able to make out the sliver of her orange panties sticking out from under the shorts she was wearing.
	“Well, go outside anyways. Because you’re not going to sit here and whine when I have company over. And don’t forget to take the trash out! They’re coming in the morning.” Lia pointed towards the door, outside, her word was absolute, though there was affection in her eyes. She could feel their plight, but inside lazing around was no place for children. Especially not with company on the way.
	Mako stood up first, having to peel himself away from the fabric of the chair, his dark fur sticking to the fabric as he stood, tail curled around his waist like a belt. He reached down and offered Milly a hand, taking her small delicate fingers into his own and pulling her up with some effort. 
	“Come on, let’s go find something to do, I guess.” He complained one last time, heaving his cousin up off the couch with a grumble. He took notice of how small she was, shorter and thinner in every way, with a flat stomach and chest, but a plump bottom and thighs. Her tail swished back and forth in protest to going outside into the heat, but she followed quietly, her little feet slapping against the hardwood.
	“Fine.” She grumbled, following Sun Mako outside into the blistering heat.

The Sun was like blinding spear of light from the sky, washing out everything in a white haze of heat that shimmered above the burning hot pavement, rippling the air around everything. Immediately, the intense heat and humidity dragged their bodies down like a winter jacket made of concrete, making it difficult to get a full breath of hair.
	“God damn it. It’s like a frying pan out here.” Mako looked down at the boiling pavement, his sandals just barely keeping from melting against the concrete of the sidewalk.
	“I can’t even breathe.” Milly protested, pinching her camisole and flapping it back and forth to try and generate a bit of a breeze into her clothing and chest. Her soft hair stuck to her neck and cheeks with sweat. She shifted back and forth on one leg, uncomfortable in such an overwhelming heat.
	The sun continued to burn down on them like the fury of the Egyptian Gods, painting the grass yellow with drought, and the leaves wilted and weak. Some other kids across the cul-de-sac were playing with water guns, simply sitting in their front yard and taking turns spraying each other, but it seemed to offer little reprieve from the heat.
	Mako dragged the trash can from the side of the house out to the center of the sidewalk, there was only a small bag inside, with some paper and cardboard. And he stood for a long, long moment. The heat on his head was not from the sun, but from the generation of an idea. An idea that might put a positive spin on an otherwise crumby day.
	“Hey, I just got an idea.” He beamed, looking towards Milly, who was using the tree in the yard for shade, envious of the kids across the way spraying each other with water guns. She turned to focus her attention on Mako upon hearing him speak.
	“Yeah? You gotta a plan to cool us off?? Cause I’m literally about to die.” She whined desperately, leaning against the tree, her breath coming in long drawn out pants. The sweat soaked cotton of her camisole stuck to her flesh like a second skin that she had to peel away like clingfilm. 
	“Yes!! What if we made our own swimming pool?” Mako turned to face Milly now, to him, the idea was brilliant, to her, it was a fantasy. Only a handful of the most wealthy people in the neighborhood had pools, and none of them would let any of these ragamuffins come over and swim in them. 
	“You’re insane!! What are we going to use to build a swimming pool? You don’t even know how to use a hammer!” Milly stood up off the tree, looking down at the trashcan Mako was holding, her tail flicking back and forth as she finally understood what he was suggesting.
	“You mean… The trash can??” She turned her face, twisting her lips and brow at the thought of swimming in a grimy disgusting trashcan. “Ew.” 
	“No, no, see! This is the paper trash can. For recycling!!. It doesn’t have any garbage in it. It’s perfectly clean and doesn’t smell, it just has a little dust in it!” Mako turned the trashcan over, inspecting the strong durable black plastic. It was thick and wide, and at least four feet deep. It might hold enough water to make a swimming pool, certainly. At least, enough to cool off in.
	“I don’t know… I am hot as hell. So I’ll probably try anything.” Milly, uncertain of the idea, approached the trashcan and began to inspect the inside. Much to her surprise, it was clean inside, with only a slip of paper or two at the bottom, and some dust from sitting in the garage. “It doesn’t smell like anything..” 
	Mako watched her lean over the trash can to inspect it, the strap of her camisole falling off her shoulder and down her arm, the damp fabric sticking to her skin fell away as she looked inside, inadvertently exposing the soft pale flesh of her one of her nipples. He watched  closely, as a tiny of warmth crept up his neck and face that had nothing to do with the heatwave. 
	“I only smell strawberries.” He whispered almost inaudibly. 
	“Do you really think this will work!?” Milly lifted her head, her soft pale hair falling into her eyes like tablespoons of honey. She beamed up at her older cousin, bouncing on her toes at the thought of having a real swimming pool. Well, not a real one. But something in the meantime to keep them cool.
	“I think it will. We just have to figure out a way for it to stay standing up and not fall over once we’re inside.” Mako looked around, contemplating how he was going to make this work. Standing a trashcan up full of water was a risk that could mean falling and losing precious cold water. Thankfully, there was a pile of junk wood, and parts and pieces next to the abandoned house that had been collecting for years.
	He knew just what to do, and set out quickly to do it. The sun continued to blaze on in the early afternoon as Mako and Milly began to gather boards and plywood to build a small brace that would hold up the trashcan. 
	When they had everything they needed, Mako went into the garage where his father kept his pools and nails, and gathered up the remaining items that he needed, and met Milly back outside of the house.
	“Alright, we’ll build it in the shade, next to the house. Since it’s the flattest place right here. And we’ll have some shade from the house and trees.” He was light a bee that had drank five cups of coffee that morning, quickly setting out and moving boards and plywood.
	“Oh my god, is this actually going to work!?” Milly zinged, watching him work with bright hopeful eyes, handing him tools and nails and wood as he continued to build the small brace.
	“I think so!!” The final nail went into the brace against the side of the house. It was makeshift, it was ugly, but it would work, and most of all, he was extremely careful not to puncture the side of the trashcan, or damage the house in any significant way. Just a small brace to hold it against the corner, with two nails. Nothing he couldn’t fix immediately.
	“Let’s get the hose.” Mako called out just as several cars pulled up to his home, Mom’s friends, who had come to play cards and gossip. They paid them no mind as they rushed to the back and retrieved the garden hose. 	
	Milly helped carry the bundled up hose in her arms, struggling to see over the coils as she stumbled eagerly towards their little makeshift pool. She let out a soft huff as it dropped to the ground in front of them, the feat even more exhausting in the heat of the afternoon summer sun.
	Mako was already dripping with sweat, his bare chest and fur matted with sweat, his hair stuck to his face, but his eyes burned with the intensity of a thousand heatwaves. He cranked the spigot in the back of the house and watched as the first bits of water began to trickle out of the hose, until it turned into a fresh torrent of warm water.
	“It’s coming out!!” Milly called from the front, as Mako came walking up to meet her again. He picked up the hose and began to test the water, letting it run for a few minutes to get cold.
	Thankfully, there home was fed by an underground spring, and their well always had fresh, clean, cool water. And after a few minutes, it began to pour out icy cold to the touch.
	“It’s getting cold. Oh thank God.” Mako leaned forward and let the cool spring water wash over his heat, and neck, and shoulders, feeling almost instant relief from the burning sun that had been beating down on him.
	“Do me next!” Milly called out, shutting her eyes and stepping forward, she clasped her hands in front of her chest and tilted her head back, in expectation of the cold water.
	Mako didn’t hesitate as he began to run the hose over her head, and shoulders, and neck. The cool water splashed down Milly’s tiny lithe body, and over her chest, soaking her camisole and shorts, and belly, causing her to shiver, and whimper with relief from the sensation.
	As she stood there, soaking wet now, her clothing completely transparent, her soft pink nipples stiffened to little peeks, Mako found a hard lump forming in his throat as he watched his little cousin enjoy the cool water.
	“Alright… Let’s fill her up!” Mako spoke nervously, shaking off the sight of Milly’s soaking wet body as he set the hose inside the trash can, filling the bottom with sound of a rushing ting of water hitting the plastic.
	“This is actually going to work!!!” Milly beamed, jumping excited, having to stand on her tippy toes to look down into the trashcan slowly filling with cold mountain spring water.
	“I can’t believe this is going to work!” Mako replied, watching as the water reached about the halfway mark now, filling quickly with cool rushing white water. 
	“Can I go first please!?” Milly turned to him now, looking up behind her soaking wet hair and clothing, pouting her bottom lip out, and her eyes soft and doughy, like a lost puppy. Her long tail swished back and forth, and she clasped her hands at her chest, genuflecting in prostration.
	“Aahh. I guess so. Since you’re the littlest.” Mako huffed, folding his arms over his chest, but his widen began to wide as he watched the little monkey begin to strip off her clothing.
	Milly had to peal her soaking wet camisole up off her stomach and flat chest, exposing her stiff cool nipples to the air, and slipped it over her head and down into her hand. She discarded it immediately to the wooden brace and began to do the same with her shorts.
	Mako stood frozen, watching his little cousin undress, as she slid her blue shorts down off her plump bottom, taking in the full sight of her adorable orange starfish panties, that clung to her soaking wet skin, revealing every detail of anatomy.
	“Uh.. What are you doing??” He asked, with a laugh, that got stuck in his throat. The gentlemanly thing to do instead of just gawking.
	“I’m getting in, stupid. I don’t have a bathing suit, and I don’t want to swim in my clothes.” Milly replied as she slipped her thumbs into the elastic of her panties and began to tug them down off her hips. The fabric was soaking wet, stuck to her flesh, and it pealed away like the skin of a fruit, sticking to the plump bright pink slit of her tiny pussy.
	“Well.. I guess.* Mako looked around, making sure no one was looking, as they were basically out in the open, hidden only by the brace of the wood, and the corner of the house it was resting against.
	“Help me.” Milly barked, standing up on the wooden platform and unable to get her body into the trashcan fully. Mako hesitated a moment, watching her try to lift her leg up over the lid of the trashcan, and her thighs and bottom basically spreading apart. “Here! Help me! I’m not big enough!” She whined, anxious to get in.
	“Alright, alright, jeez.” Mako gently pressed his hands up under her legs and thighs, against her bottom, sinking his fingers into the warm pliant flesh as he gave a gentle heave-ho, and pushed Milly up into the water that was now almost completely full. His heart began to pound in his chest like a bird trapped in a cage feeling the soft squish of her butt in his hands as he helped her.
	The water splashed out with the addition of Milly’s new volume, and Mako rushed to turn turn off the hose so it wouldn’t continue to spill over. 
	“Well, how is it?!” He asked, hurriedly, setting his hands to the edge of the trashcan to look down inside at Milly, almost neck deep in cool spring water. She didn’t say anything at first, only wiggled a little, shivering, her eyes closed tightly.
	“It’s amazing. It’s so cold and nice!!” She sank to her chin, enjoying the cooling water wash over her body, and then went completely down into the trashcan to submerge her head for a few brief seconds. “Phuah!!” Coming up with a gasp for air.
	“It looks like it feels so nice.” Mako commented, lower his arms down into the trashcan and swaying them back and forth in the cool water, pooling it over his face and head. He could feel the gentle brush of her bare hips and butt against his hands as he attempted to also enjoy the water.
	“I never want to get out… !!” Milly whined, swaying back and forth.
	“Well, you’re going to have to, cause it’s my turn next!” Mako barked.
	“Nah uh! You can just get in with me! There’s enough room!” Milly whined again, her voice a high pitched trill.
	“No way! We might break it and then no one will have any pool.” He replied, though she might be right. The trashcan was a large industrial one, made of strong black plastic, and wide base. It might fit them both if he was careful.
	“Please! I don’t want to get out! I was so hot I felt sick!” She whined again, her best puppy dog eyes and crocodile tears, with her hair sticking to her face, tiny and bare chested. She looked up at him, whimpering and pouting.
	“Ugh. Fine. I will try to get in… But if it breaks, my dad is going to KILL US!” Mako had no choice but to give in. She was adorable, and there might be enough room, it was a risk he was willing to take. Not only to cool off, but to feel the soft squish flesh of his little cousin against his body. He had to admit to himself, that the temptation to squeeze her against him was almost as overwhelming as wanting to swim in the cool water.
	“Scoot back into the corner.” He said, kicking his flip flops off and stepping up onto to the brace, being much taller and more athletic than Milly, had no trouble slipping into the trash can. 
	As ordered, the little monkey scooted herself back until she was as deep into the corner as she could get, and Mako lowered himself down into the water slowly, and carefully, trying not to break the trashcan or the brace itself as he settled in. The water was incredibly cool, and refreshing, washing over his legs, hips, and torso, up to his chest, as he was able to stand in the trashcan with enough room for them both to fit comfortably. 
	“Thank you. This was a great idea.” Milly whispered quietly, as she moved forward from the corner, sliding her arms around Mako’s ribs and sides, pulling herself close to him. He ran his hands around her as well, pulling in and squeezing her tightly in a warm and possessive hold. 
	“It was just an idea. No need for all that.” He smiled warmly, squeezing his little cousin tightly to his body, as they sat in the cool water.

They remained in the trashcan swimming pool for some time, mostly all afternoon and well into the evening, until the sun began to set, and all of the kids began to return home from what it was they were doing. On occasion, Mako would have to refill some of the water that splashed out, or if it became too tepid and lost the refreshing cool grip it had on them both.
	But it wasn’t until several kids from the cul-de-sac returned from their own expeditions to find cooler temperatures, that they noticed the makeshift pool, and the cousins, holding each other, in the crisp cool water.
	“Oh what, did you fill a trashcan with cold water and make a pool??” One of the other boys from the street, an African Painted Dog, with striped fur and large ears, who could tolerate the heat better, let out a bellowing laugh as he approached the house.
	“Yeah, so? It was hot as hell today.” Mako replied, turning his head to see the young man approach with several of his friends. They noticed also Milly, whose eyes and nose barely came above the rim of the trashcan. She watched them carefully, still fully naked.
	“Yeah, and we made a pool to cool off. Are you jealous??” Milly chirped, trying to stand on her tippy toes again to see.
	“Well, It’s a cool idea I guess. We don’t have a pool either.” Another one of the boys replied, walking past the young man who spoke early to inspect the pool. “Jeez, are you naked in there??” 
	“Yeah, what of it??” Milly barked, unashamed of her nudity. “Feels amazing when you’re naked. Like skinny dipping.” 
	Another of the young teens stepped forward, a young woman, a fox with purple fur and dark eyes. She ran her fingers into the cool water near Milly and began to splash some on her face and neck. “This is a cool idea. I’m gonna do this at my house.” She said.
	“H..hey yeah. I have one of these big trashcans, too!” The one boy replied. 
	“We can make a party of it!!” Milly bounced in the water, splashing a little, but excitedly beaming with energy. The other teens approached the trashcan, all sampling the cool crisp water inside.
	“This is an awesome idea. We could all just make our own swimming pools.” The fox girl spoke, letting Milly help cup water over her head and hair with her tiny hands. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of it washing down over her sweat soaked neck and chest, making her red bra visible under her shirt.
	“Yeah! And we can all get naked and swim together!” Milly laughed excitedly, the little monkey bouncing in the trashcan, splashing water everywhere.
	“Be careful, Milly! You’re letting the water.” Mako turned the hose on again, filling up the water that had washed out. “I don’t know about getting naked, but we could absolutely do this again tomorrow. They said it’s going to be the hottest day so far.” Mako sighed, sitting back in the trash can, hoping desperately that this heatwave would break soon.
	“Kids! Dinner!” A loud voice from inside called from the open kitchen window, over an electric fan that was on its last legs. They had to go, for now, but tomorrow was a brand new day.

The next morning was already blistering hot, and it was only a quarter past eleven. The record temperatures pushing well into triple digits. The very pavement and sidewalks shimmering with ripples of heat that warped the sight of all the cars and buildings.
	Even the wildlife was quiet, no birds or squirrels moving around, and only the droning sound of cicadas humming filled the air with a cacophonous orchestra of summer. 
	All of the cul-de-sac children had got together in one centralized area near the back of the house, where it was flat, and the trees were thick and shaded, and created a makeshift platform that held all of the dozens of trashcans and little boxes that would be filled with water.
	There was even a repurposed chest freezer with the inside metal lining sealed that was being filled with the ice cool spring water from the shared well. All of the children from the street were standing, waiting patiently for their trashcans to fill. 
	“God, it’s even hot in the shade. Is it almost full??” Milly asked, walking to the trashcan that they had shared yesterday, standing ready to jump in, wearing only a pair of bright blue panties with paw prints on them, and a fresh clean tank top. 
	“Almost. Everyone drawing on the water is making it flow a bit slowly. But it shouldn’t be much longer.” Mako replied, leaning against the brace of the makeshift platform that housed the cluster of trashcans filling with water. 
	Someone had brought a battery operated radio, and it was playing in the background, some rock song that was in the top ten hits that week. Another young teen had brought snacks, and was passing out those little jugs of brightly colored juice. Milly clutched hers to her chest watching the trashcan fill slowly.
	“Man, this is such an awesome idea. What if we did this every year????” Milly bounced up and down on her toes, looking up at her older cousin, her eyes full of wonder and excitement at the prospect of a blockwide pool party every summer.
	“Every year?? Well.. I guess we could.” Mako smiled, patting Milly’s soft hair that was already beginning to slick with sweat and stick to her cheeks and neck. He gently pushed it away from her face and eyes, as she smiled up at him.
	“Alright, it’s full enough to get in, Milly.” Mako turned he hose off to his trashcan and reached down to help Milly, who had already begun to peel away her clothing. Before he could even help her, she was butt naked, clambering to get inside the trash can.
	Mako set his hands against her soft bottom and thighs again, pushing her up and over the rim, so she could climb into the water, his eyes only lingering on the pudgy swell of her tiny slit for a moment as she flipped inside and submerged herself into the cool crisp water.
	As she did, all of the other cul-de-sac kids began to strip their own clothes off, as Mako looked around, his eyes widened a bit with shock. He couldn’t believe everyone else was going to get naked as well. His face tinted a bit with blush, as his heart began to race at the sight of everyone’s nudity.
	The incredibly attractive, and demure fox girl from down the street began to slip her clothes off. She was older than him, and her body was more filled out. Her ample breasts, though small, fell out and bounced free, and her curvy hips and butt wiggled free of her panties. He’d almost regretted not seeing between her legs as she climbed in. 
	Even the other boys were getting undressed, which made Mako feel as if he should also begin to strip, as not to be the odd one out, and he carefully stood between the trashcan and the others to hide himself. 
	“Aren’t you getting in?” Milly asked, as innocent as possible, tilting her head to the side as she watched her cousin get undressed. 
	“I am. I am…” He laughed, a little nervously, pushing his shorts down and off his legs, with his boxers at the same time, now completely nude aside from his sandals.
	The young monkey stood awkwardly against the trashcan, a bit body conscious and shy, though his unconscious mind was looking out at all of the flesh before him. The fox girl had already climbed into her makeshift pool, and several of the other boys were climbing into theirs. A curvy raccoon girl with nice hips was climbing over the rim into her makeshift chest freezer pool, her bottom sticking out and her tail up.
	“Are you shy, Mako? Hehe.. Don’t worry, no one will look at your peepee.” Milly giggled, though as she did, she tiptoed above the rim and looked down at Mako’s body, smiling with a soft laugh. His modestly sized flaccid penis was barely covered by his hands as she watched him.
	“Quit staring!!” He barked, moving to climb into the trashcan now. “And scoot over please.” He raised up onto the platform, and began to dip one of his lets into the cool refreshing water. The morning air was already over ninety degrees, and the rush of the cold mountain spring water hit him like a ton of bricks.
	“Aaaaahhh. That’s really cold.” He clutched his hands between his legs as he settled into the trashcan. Milly smirked, with her grin stretched across her face, ear to ear, as she looked up at her older cousin, swimming up to him and cuddling against his chest and legs.
	“I saw your peepee. Hehe...” He giggled quietly, nuzzling into the crook of Mako’s neck as she wrapped her arms around him. She curled up her body and shifted so that she was sitting in his lap, against his folded legs, and the soft squishy flesh of her thighs and bottom were rested against his slightly bent knees.
	“Eehhhh.. That’s okay, I guess.. I saw yours, too.” Mako replied, wrapping his arms around his little cousin, in a possessive cocoon, one of his hands slipping a bit too low, to brace her bottom, inadvertently sinking his fingers into the fleshy globes of her butt.
	“I don’t mind, because you made us this awesome pool.” Milly whispered, as comfortable as a bug in a rug, purring contentedly, in the cool water, embraced in her little ocean, where she felt as safe and cherished as any treasure of gold and jewels.
	“I wish summer could stay like this forever.” She whispered, her tiny voice barely audible in the makeshift pool, no one laughed, because everyone else had wished the same thing. No school, no homework, no chores, no worries, just naked friends in their trashcan pools. The words hang there for a few moments, in the silence.
	Then, a cool breeze blows through the trees, no one seems to notice at first, but after a few moments, Milly picks her her head up. “Did you feel that?” 
	“Feel what?” Mako asked, looking around the trees, unable to sense what she was feeling just yet.
	Then it started. Pit. Pat. Over and over again. Pit. Pat. The sound of little droplets of rain hitting the broad wilted leaves of the thirsty trees. Pit. Pat. Like the ticking of a clock, a few at first, and then more, and then more, until it was a steady thunderous roar as the sky breaks open.
	“IT’S RAINING!!” Milly jumped up, bouncing on her toes, barely able to see over the rim of the trashcan pool she was standing in. The wind picked up, a stiff cool breeze, finally breaking the weeks long heatwave as the rain came rushing in, followed by a tear of thunder that ripped through the cul-de-sac.
	“A thunderstorm!!” All of the children yelled out in unison, standing up from their pools and watching the sky darken. Now standing wet, naked, dripping, and under the trees behind the cul-de-sac. 
	“We have to get inside!” Mako yelled out as the wind picked up heavily, whipping all the branches and leaves around. He clambered out of the trashcan, too preoccupied with the storm to worry about being naked in front of all the other kids.
	He snatched up Milly under the arms and pulled her out of the trashcan as all of the other children scrambled out of their own pools. They scooped up their clothing and all began to make for Mako’s house.
	“Come on!” Mako called out, stumbling as he slipped his boxers on and leading the kids across the field to his back porch just as the lightning began to flicker. 
	The sky flashed and ripped with lightning and thunder, as if someone was standing over the area with a giant strobe light, and thunder shook the panels of glass in the windows. Mako ushered all the kids onto his back porch and into the kitchen, all half naked, wearing only boxers and panties, little Milly still naked in his arms.
	“Were you kids skinny dipping in this storm!? Get in here!! I can’t believe you all!” Lia called out from the dinning room, rushing to help the kids inside. She reached out and pulled the back door closed just before a gust of wind could rip it open.

The house shook with thunder, and the rain slanted against the walls and the glass, coming down in sheets. The horrible choking heatwave was gone, replaced by the sweet summer rains that left the area cool and breezy. 
	All of the pool children were crammed into the living room of Mako’s house, with the tv on low, and some cartoon playing in the background, as Milly curled up next to her older cousin.
	“Thank you again for inventing Nakie Day.” She cooed, affectionately nuzzling her cheek against Mako’s collarbone and shoulder, the soft wash of her breath against his fur and neck. She squeezed herself next to him until there was no more room between them.
	“Nakie Day??” Mako asked, lifting his arm and placing it over her shoulders and back.
	“Mhm. It’s a magical day where children can run around naked, and swim together, and wishes come true.” Milly explained, now pressed against Mako’s chest, her eyes shut, her breathing evening out to a slow and quiet pace. The still damp hair fell in her eyes and cheeks as she began to go limp.
	“You’re welcome…” Mako didn’t question it, the name, the setting, the cool water, the other naked children from the area all piled into their trashcans, and freezers, and makeshift pools, the sky breaking thunderstorm, the wish for summer to remain like this forever.

It was just a heatwave, maybe. The afternoon changes. The temperature drops. The rain continues for days afterwards. The creek fills in. 
	But in another sense, the wish comes true. That afternoon did last forever. Not literally.  But it becomes a tradition. For the next several years, they all get together and swim in their makeshift pools, and then the next street starts doing it. And then the next street, and so on and so forth, until Nakie Day spreads to the entire town.
	For the next thirty years, forty years, fifty years, people recreate that feeling every first day of summer. Children who weren't even born yet get to experience their own version of "Nake Day." Milly’s wish echoes through generations afterwards.
	The child asked for one, perfect summer day to last forever, and while time moved on as it always does, the neighborhood found a way to keep bringing that day back. It's not magic that freezes time, it's community, memory, and tradition. It’s Nakie Day.

That is how I feel, anyways. I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I hoped writing it. I will probably draw cute pictures of Milly now.

~Love and Peace
- Mako