On the Ridge by Jayda Marx

Chapter Two

Zane

 

I stuffed the trail mix back into my bag after eating a couple of handfuls. I hadn't made myself anything to eat at home because I wanted to leave and have as much time to search the woods as possible.

But thus far my search had been fruitless, just as it had been every time I ventured out with my dad. We'd spent years combing through the area without finding so much as a sign that the creatures were near. Maybe it was a lost cause, but I couldn't give up.

I'd been traveling south for a little over two hours, heading towards the foot of the mountains which sat deep within the forest. I figured that I'd choose a different direction to explore each day until I found what I was looking for.

I'd only walked about three miles because I was scouring the land around me. I found many prints in the dirt, but none that couldn't be identified as belonging to animals which lived in the area.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what I was looking for; I doubted that I'd be lucky enough to stumble upon the creatures and I was unsure what their habitat even looked like, but I had to keep searching.

I flinched when a snap came from my right - the unmistakable sound of a twig being stepped on. I held perfectly still and silently prayed that the noise was caused by another hiker, though I doubted it.

I was far from any worn paths or marked trails. I thought that I may have better luck finding the creatures if I ventured deeper into the woods. But in doing so, I opened myself up to all creatures.

I slowly turned, hoping to find a raccoon or squirrel, but the sight I found instead sent my pulse skyrocketing. Staring back at me was a huge, snarling black bear.

Oh shit. It must have been attracted to the scent of my trail mix. This was the time of year when animals foraged for food to fatten up for hibernation. I quickly searched my brain for any information on bears.

It wasn't a grizzly, so playing dead wasn't the answer. The best thing to do was find shelter, but I was in the middle of the forest with nothing but trees in sight.

The bear tilted its head and roared, blowing its putrid breath in my face and spraying my shirt with spittle. Oh god, I'm gonna die. I wasn't ready. There was so much that I hadn't experienced; true love, sex, my first kiss - even the touch of a man.

But the main man I was concerned about was my father. He needed me. If I didn't make it home, the loss would crush him, and he wouldn't be far behind.

I slowly eased the strap of my backpack down my arms and tossed the bag away, hoping the bear would chase the scent, but the way it stared at me and licked its lips told me it had found something more tempting to snack on - me.

Even though I knew I couldn't outrun the animal, I was out of options. I turned on my heel and bolted at top speed, but I only made it a few strides.

Heavy footsteps pounded the earth behind me, and I looked back in time to see the bear lunge forward. I cried out when searing pain bloomed in my calf as the animal sank its teeth into it.

With one shake of its head, the bear ripped a chunk of flesh from my leg and sent me crashing to the ground. I screamed again when its claws slashed across my back.

I grabbed a fallen branch and rolled over, hissing through my teeth when my tattered skin brushed against the dirt. I swung the limb at the animal's snout, but it knocked it out of my hand with its massive paw.

The bear roared at the sky before slicing its claws across my chest. My shirt instantly soaked red as blood spurted in every direction. It sprayed in time with my racing pulse; the bear had nicked an artery. There was no coming back from an injury like that.

My head swam with dizziness as I quickly lost fluid. The bear's nose twitched as it sniffed my blood and it licked its lips.

This is it. I'm so sorry, Dad.