TICKLE TOWERS (part one) Bethany Chamberlain placed her bag of groceries on the kitchen counter and answered her ringing telephone. "Hello?" "Bethany? It's Ash. Listen, I'm having a pool party to end all pool parties today. Why don't you come on by?" Bethany sighed. Her cousin, Ashleigh, had moved into a new condo, and she was always trying to get her to stop by. "I don't know, Ash, I have to clean the apartment..." Ashleigh cut in. "Oh, come on, Beth, I am beginning to get insulted. What, are you afraid to come by?" "Of course not, but..." "Good. See ya in 30 minutes! Toodles!" Bethany resigned herself to the fact that she couldn't win, so she took a quick shower, changed, and drove over to Templeman Towers, the condo Ashleigh lived in. When Ashleigh saw her cousin her eyes glared. "For goodness sakes, Beth, this is a *pool* party; where is your bathing suit?" Bethany stared at the floor, hemming and hawing, till Ashleigh said, "Here! Take this." She thrust a bikini at her. "It's all I have. Loosen up for just one day, ok? For me?" Bethany sighed and went to change into the scanty pink 2-piecer, regretting the night ahead. Little did she know what lay ahead! Ashleigh brought a bronzed adonis over to the chaize lounge Bethany lounged on. "Michael, this knockout is my cousin, Bethany. She's um, new here, so, uh, make her feel at home, ok?" Michael had a wicked gleam in his eye that gave Bethany the willys. "Nice to meet you, Michael, but, if you don't mind, I really would just like to lie here for awhile." Ashleigh winked at Michael. "No problem. Come on, Michael, let's let her rest." As the two walked away Bethany couldn't help but wonder what her cousin was up to. She pushed these thoughts aside and closed her eyes. After what seemed to be 5 minutes or so, Bethany felt 2 hands on her feet. She opened her eyes to see a handsome guy seated at the foot of the lounge. "Hi, there," he said devilishly. "My name's Jason. You looked so comfortable, yet you still have your flip-flops on." He gently removed them and said,"You have lovely feet, Bethany. They're so soft. Are you ticklish?" Bethany's mind raced. She knew Ashleigh had set her up. When they were kids, Ashleigh derived great delight in seeing her cousin tickled. She used to tell the other kids to hold Bethany while several others (Ashleigh especially) would tickle her till tears poured down her face. She had to think fast. "No, Jason, I'm not in the least bit ticklish, so please take your hands off my feet!" Jason grinned. "Funny, but I hear you are extremely ticklish!" He started to run his fingers under the soles of her feet. She stifled a giggle. "Please," the words were muffled. "Aww, is th baby ticklish?" He said mockingly. His fingers accelerated in rapid motions around her soles, insteps, all the way up to Bethany's knees, a very ticklish spot. She burst out laughing, her entire body a mass of quivers. "P-p-please, don't!" Ashleigh walked over and laughed. "Sorry cuz, but this is your coming out party. After this night is over, you will be tickle-tortured beyond your wildest dreams! Greg! Tony! Come on, let's take her inside!" Bethany kicked Jason's hands away and made a run for it. She heard Ashleigh scream, "Get her! Now she'll get DOUBLE the torture!" Bethany ran into the lobby. Seeing a door leading to the basement, she opened it and ran down the steps, to at a time, till she reached the boiler room. "Hi, Beth," a voice said. She turned around, horrified to see Max, Ashleigh's older brother, standing there. "Please, Max, pretend you didn't see me," she pleaded. He shook his head and grinned. "Sorry, Bethany, you might just as well accept it. Come with me," he held a hand out. "No!" she screamed. He sighed. "OK, have it your way. I guess we'll have to do this the hard way." He reached for her and whispered in her ear. "Are you still ticklish here?" and started tickling her under arms. She doubled over and squealed wth horror/ delight. "Now, I'll stop if you come along with me." "OK,OK, I'll go with you!" she gasped. As they reached the top of the steps, Ashleigh greeted them with a sneer. "Ready for a good laugh, cuz?" She pulled out several stiff feathers from behind her back. Will Bethany escape, or will she be tickle-tortured? Tune in for the next installment of TICKLE TOWERS!