𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 - 𝐄 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗘𝗗

𝐕

𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙 𝘍𝘐𝘝𝘌

(the cursed witch, act two)

"ARE YOU DOING OKAY?" Mike asked, his eyes focused on her. Nina wondered how long he had been watching her without her noticing.

"I'm fine," She answered, taking her eyes off of the register.

"Jess told me about last night... That was really stupid. You could have gotten hurt."

Nina nodded. "I know. Sorry. I just... I haven't really been conscious lately."

Mike glanced at the register. She had counted it six times in the last hour. "Yeah. I can see that. Why don't you take off?"

It was a slow afternoon at Newton's. At the moment, there were only two patrons in the store, dedicated backpackers from the sound of their conversation. Mike had spent the last hour going through the pros and cons of two brands of lightweight packs with them. But they'd taken a break from serious pricing to indulge in trying to one-up each other with their latest tales from the trail. Their distraction had given Mike a chance to escape.

"I don't mind staying," Nina said. She still hadn't been able to sink back into her protective shell of numbness, and everything seemed oddly close and loud today, like she'd taken cotton out of her ears. She tried to tune out the laughing hikers without success.

"I'm telling you," Said the thickset man with the orange beard that didn't match his dark brown hair. "I've seen grizzlies pretty close up in Yellowstone, but they had nothing on this brute." His hair was matted, and his clothes looked like they'd been on his back for more than a few days. Fresh from the mountains.

"Not a chance. Black bears don't get that big. The grizzlies you saw were probably cubs." The second man was tall and lean, his face tanned and wind-whipped into an impressive leathery crust.

"Seriously, Neens, as soon as these two give up, I'm closing the place down," Mike murmured.

"If you want me to go..." She shrugged. She didn't want to. Working with Mike was a good distraction.

"On all fours it was taller than you," The bearded man insisted while Nina gathered her things together. "Big as a house and pitch-black. I'm going to report it to the ranger here. People ought to be warned—this wasn't up on the mountain, mind you—this was only a few miles from the trailhead."

Leather-face laughed and rolled his eyes. "Let me guess—you were on your way in? Hadn't eaten actual food or slept off the ground in a week, right?"

"Hey, uh, Mike, right?" The bearded man called, looking toward them.

"See you Monday," Nina mumbled.

"Yes, sir," Mike replied, turning away.

"Say, have there been any warnings around here recently—about black bears?"