𝙷𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝙾𝚏 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚂𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚜 | ✏️

ℑ // 𝔟𝔢𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔢

    I'm 17, and I'm going to die. That's the thought flying through my mind as I sprint headlong into the forest. In my wake, I can hear the oh-so-loud crashes of the bear thundering after me.
    It wasn't really my fault; I fully blame the bear. But I'm not ready to become a hunter-sacrifice just yet. Usually bears are no problem, but of course it was a protective mama bear. And of course I accidentally shot her cub while attempting to hit the deer it was chasing. Not badly, but as soon as her cub experienced the slightest bit of pain she came charging at me. Oh, what fun.
    "Help! A little help here?" My cries fall on deaf ears; I had wandered so far from the main group that there's no one around to hear me. I can't outrun a bear. I'm not stupid, for the most part (except for that time when I provoked an angry mother bear). So I know when I'm officially toast.
    Still, I run, hoping to avoid death for just a tiny bit longer. Finally my luck changes - I can see a raging river ahead of me. And across it, a large branch. Definitely large enough to hold me, but small enough that either the bear can't climb on it or I can cut it before the bear can climb on it. Either option is much preferred to running aimlessly through the woods until I get mauled, so I shift course towards the river. I chance a look behind me, and my odds are not looking good.
    "Crudcrudcrudcrud," I mutter as I redouble my efforts and sprint. I make it to the river and with only the slightest hesitation I clamber onto the log. I don't bother looking back, since I know the bear is staring me down. Keep moving, I tell myself. And then with a sickening crunch, I hear the bear test the sturdiness of my little bridge. Which, as I find out in a terrifying second, is not very sturdy at all. This seems to deter mama bear, but it doesn't help alleviate my worries - focused on not falling into the river and drowning more than the bear now - as the branch gives another creak. And swings, slowly but very, very noticeably.
    "No, nononono," I yelp as my movement causes the branch to sway more. I exhale slowly as I finally inch my way off, collapsing onto the blessed solid ground.
    The bear watches me for a bit longer before ambling off, as if saying, You're lucky, kid. I really can't believe you're alive.
    Me neither mama bear, me neither.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Written June 24, 2023

Word count: 439

Note: this is a newly written chapter (since Rheid wasn't in the original) so I hope you enjoy the 'before' sections as it is something I have never tried before :)