CHAPTERSIX
Joy woke to the crackling of the radio. Adam rushed around the cabin, pulling on his boots. “They tried coming in this morning by boat. But they ran into a problem, just offshore. I’m going out there to see what I can do to help.”
“But the storm. And how are you going to help them without a boat?” she asked, seriously confused about what the hell was happening.
“The storm is over. Just promise me you’ll stay here where it’s warm. I just stoked the fire,” he said.
Joy didn’t answer. Instead, she pulled the blankets up to her neck, realizing she was naked. Before she could say another thing, he gave her a quick peck on her forehead and bolted out the door.
She jumped out of bed and ran to the window. Unfortunately, the window was covered in snow and ice, and she was unable to see a damn thing. “Shit! Shit! What is happening?” She paced back and forth for a few minutes before searching for her clothes. She couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. What if something happened? What if Adam needed help?
Despite Adam’s pleading, she dressed, put on her coat, and opened the door. Trudging out into the snow, she looked toward the water. She couldn’t see Adam, but she did spot a boat bobbing in the waves offshore. The boat appeared to be dead in the water. Running toward the shore, she saw something that made her freeze in her tracks. Adam’s boots and clothes sat in a small heap, and he was nowhere in sight.
“Adam! Adam!” She couldn’t believe he’d strip down and jump into the freezing water, but that’d exactly what appeared to have happened. She became frantic, waving to the men on the boat.
Then she saw something in the water ... a monstrous white polar bear. It was swimming close to the boat. To her surprise, the men on the boat had dropped a rope down to the bear.
“What in the ever-loving hell are they doing?” she asked herself, wondering if they had lost their damn minds.
The big white beast of a bear caught the rope with his mouth.
“What the actual fuck is going on?” she asked, completely dumbfounded by what she was witnessing. Just when she thought she had seen it all, the huge bear effortlessly towed the boat to the shore via the rope in his mouth.
“Adam!” She continued to shout, praying he was somewhere on the boat.
Once the bear had completely pulled the boat onto the shore, it spotted Joy. Staring for a few seconds, it slowly stepped toward her.
“Oh, shit!” she gasped, suddenly wondering if she was about to be the bear’s breakfast.
She quickly gathered Adam’s clothes and bolted for the cabin. The bear was in hot pursuit. By the time she reached the cabin door, she could hear it breathing and felt its hot breath on her back.
She screamed and turned to see Adam standing there stark naked.
“What? What the fuck just happened? Where is the bear? Where were you?” she panted.
“Can you let me in now? It’s freezing out here.”
Joy stumbled inside, wondering if the wine they drank had somehow been tampered with. Maybe she was suffering from some fucked up hallucinations.
“I’m losing my mind. I know I just saw a polar bear pulling that boat ashore. And it was right behind me. I saw it. It was real. And where the hell were you? You’re all wet. You were in the water with that bear!”
“I can explain everything. I am that bear.”
“You’re what? What kind of bullshit thing is that to say? You are a bear? I knew you were too good to be true. You’re just a fucking nutjob.”
“Then I’ll show you.”
Adam stretched his arms out and slightly grimaced. His body twisted, and he fell to his hands and knees. Snow white fur replaced his naked skin. He had become the giant polar bear she had seen moments ago.
Joy’s mouth dropped open. Struggling to catch her breath, she couldn’t even scream, only making a little squeaking sound. Then she fainted.
* * *
“You’re back,”Adam said, speaking over the steady hum of the airplane’s engines.
Joy shifted in her seat, spotting the familiar sight of Polar Point below. She would’ve jumped right out of the plane if she had a parachute. After considering her situation, she decided it was best not to say a word until she was safely on the ground.
“That bad, huh?” Adam said.