Conversation Camp [GxG]

Eight: The Bear

Never come anywhere close to a mama bear's cubs. Ever.

I step backward slowly and carefully.

"We have to get out of here," I say, turning to Chlo, my eyes wide.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the massive animal pounding after me with its powerful, muscular arms and legs.

I grab her arm and we rush out of the water, but the bear changes its direction and continues after us. Ah, sh*t. I say to myself as I remember the number-one rule about bears: "Whatever you do, Do. Not. Run. Bears chase fleeing animals."

"Quick, the trees!" Chlo says. We race into the forest and the bear slows down, and Chlo slips behind the first tree she sees. I remember the second rule: "If a bear is chasing you, climb upwards."

"Chlo, I think we should-" I turn around slowly and freeze. The bear pants behind me, saliva dripping from its mouth and I swear my heart stops beating. Oh no. The bear lunges towards me and shoves me to the ground with its powerful head, and I land hard on my shoulder. I try to stand up but it pounces on me, crushing me with its body. The bear sinks its teeth into my thigh and grazes over my exposed stomach, leaving a trail of my own blood all over me, and I close my eyes. I can't feel anything; the adrenaline blocks out what would have been excruciating torture. I silently wait there until the bear leaves.

"Vicky?" I hear Chlo say from a few feet away. "Vic, the bear's gone I think."

I don't answer. I can't.

"Vic? -Oh sh*t."

⚢

I wake up in a small cabin, not much bigger than the bunker we were in the day before. I'm on the bottom bunk of a bunk bed, the only one in the room. I sit up quickly, almost hitting my head on the bed above me. I look around, confused.

"Glad to see you awake." A voice says. My eyes adjust, and I see that it's Chlo, standing over me. I see Sam sitting at a small dining table on the other side of the room with some boy I don't recognize.

I rub my eyes. "What- "

Chlo hands me my shirt. "Here. I grabbed it after . . . you know."

"Th-thanks."

I put my shirt on quickly, trying to make sense of what was happening. The shirt brushes over my stomach as I pull it down and I wince in pain. I forgot the gash the bear left on my abdomen and the cuts on my legs are still there.

"Ooh, yeah we have to take care of those."

I blink. "So who's this?" I say, pointing to the boy. He's tall with dark brown hair, a cleft chin, and a slight mustache. He looks like a much younger, creepier, straight version of Chris Olsen. (No hate to Chris)

"I'm Carson."

He stands up and holds his hand out for me to shake it. I ignore his hand, and he tries to be smooth with it and scratches his head. "Sorry about your . . . leg." He says.

"Okay, Carson, let's leave her alone for a little while," Chlo says, leading him out the door. He reluctantly walks out, but not before turning around and giving me a quick wink. Chlo comes back in. She searches for something in the cabinet and pulls out a box labeled "first-aid", and Sam walks over to me.

"Damn, these are bad," Sam says, looking at my injuries.

"Yeah," I say. "But it's fine. I can handle it myself."