The Long Dark- A Journey Through Frozen Hell

Spence

Spence shows up with his claim shanty, with young family in tow. For generations, the family had been traders in the Hudson's Bay company. Old "Voyagure" stock, they say. Hard people. Survivors. One day, a bear shows up and menaces the homestead. Spence takes a shot at the bear, but it seems not to do anything. Bear wanders off, but Spence's wife... she takes a turn. Slips into a fever. For days, delirious. She screams about the bear. The local doctor can't do anything for her. Neither can the priest. A week later, hired hand goes missing. They find him. Just a body. Ravaged. Spence fears for his wife and kids. He's convinced so.e evil bear spirit is trying to kill them. Revenge for some... slight in the past maybe? Something in the family history. Spence gets some men together for a hunting party. They go out into the muskeg and track something big for days. Eventually corner it. It's a big sonofabitch. Biggest bear they ever seen. Manville. Story goes they emptied their rifles into the bear and it just walks away. Like its made of stone. They call it "Demon Bear" after that. Wife's dying now. Spence believes the bears evil spirit is killing her... Eating her soul. He can't get anyone to join him in a hunting party. They know rifles don't work. So he forges a spear. Like a boar spear but bigger. Some old Hudson's Bay Trapper wisdom apparently. He goes out into the Muskeg. Dissappear for days. Then one morning, the wife's fever breaks, but nothing from Spence. Some men go out looking for him. They find him, half dead, blood all over him. Body torn almost in two. The bears work. The last thing he says is "Spear stole the bear's soul, my wife is now free." And then he's gone.

Miho stared at Jeremiah, stunned by the story.

"So did he kill the bear?" She asked.

"Nobody knows. Never found a carcass. They buried Spence, took the spear back and hung it over the mantelpiece in the Spence homestead. Never saw the bear, or any other, again."

Jeremiah leaned forward.

"Years later, after the Spence family faded into obscurity, wealthy land baron bought the spear to hang in his hunting lodge. Just so he could tell that story I imagine."

"So do you believe the story?"

"Wha? No! Of course not." Jeremiah said, chuckling.

"I may spend all my time alone in the wilderness but I'm not crazy. But the old stories still have some truth to them. Spence might have been superstitious but he had the right idea. Ten inches of cold hard steel might do what a bullet can't. I'm convinced a appears the way to kill that bear. And you need to get Spence's bear killing spear if we're gonna survive the winter."

"The hunting lodge is still there. A couple days journey South. Follow the tracks thebother way, through the Muskeg, and you'll find it. I'd the spears there, get it. It might be our best hope."

"And the radio?"

"You deal with the bear. I'll deal with the radio."

Jeremiah coughed, causing him to grab his wounds.

"Be careful out there. Watch outbfor our demon." He said.

Miho stood up, packing some supplies.

Her lantern, bedroll, rifle, and some extra food and drinks while leaving some for Jeremiah.

Right as Miho was about to leave, she reached for the handle.

"Miho." Jeremiah said.

Miho turned to the man.