She tried to hold her breath, but it was coming so quick and fast she was pretty sure she was going to pass out. Maybe that was okay. If she was going to die at least she’d be blacked out when the bear swiped her head off. Her entire body shook uncontrollably. She cowered against the fence, wanting to bury her head and not see the monster that was coming, but she couldn’t do it. Her eyes stayed peeled open, staring into the expanse of white.
A huge brown shape appeared. Maryn bit down so she wouldn’t scream and alert the bear to her presence. As the animal loomed ever closer, Maryn gasped and then started laughing uncontrollably. It was a dog, a huge dog, but still not a bear. A dog she could handle. Even if it wasn’t a friendly sort and bit her, it wouldn’t shred her to bits.
The dog cocked his head to the side when he noticed Maryn then trotted over to her with tail a wagging and licked her face. Maryn wrapped her arms around his neck and burrowed into his warmth. “Hey there, buddy. You are a sight for sore eyes. Can you help me get to the gate?”
The dog barked as if to say yes. Maryn chuckled and forced herself to stand, luckily her feet held her up even though she couldn’t feel them anymore.
This dog was a gift from above. She said a quick prayer of gratitude, but then stiffened. The thumping and breathing was still coming from her left. She swung around to face whatever was coming, clinging to the dog’s collar for support.Please, no. She’d felt safe for half a minute before that illusion was ripped away. Cold sweat trickled down her chest as she backed away, tugging on the dog who had started barking.
“Quiet, buddy. Let’s just find some trees to hide behind or… something.” She was a city girl, no clue what to do to protect herself and her new friend.
The bear lumbered into view and all the fear and terror of knowing he was coming didn’t compare with the real life horror of staring at an eight-foot grizzly. His paws were immense and nothing in any movie could have prepared her for the claws on the end of those paws. Drool came from his open mouth with teeth that didn’t seem to stop. He zeroed in on her and Maryn couldn’t even formulate a prayer, all she could hope for was a quick end as her body quivered in fear.
Maryn did the only thing she could possibly do at that moment. She opened her mouth and screamed and screamed and screamed.
The bear seemed to regard her for a moment. The pause stretched her already thin nerves to the breaking point. The dog bared his teeth, growled fearlessly and then leapt at the bear.
“No!” Maryn yelled, reaching out, but only grasping air.
The bear knocked the dog out of the way, batting him like a toy. The dog slammed into the fence and whimpered. His beautiful brown coat shredded and blood dripping down into the white snow.
“Oh, no,” Maryn whispered. The poor animal. She ran toward him, but saw the bear raising his paw again. Maryn turned and dove, but she was too slow. The bear’s claws lifted her higher off the ground as he swatted her. White-hot pain sliced through her lower back. She could feel every one of those claws as they raked along her skin. Her screaming didn’t stop as she hit the ground and splayed there in shock for half a second.
She forced herself to roll over and scamper on hands and knees away from the bear, trying to find somewhere, anywhere to hide. Her back was on fire, the warm blood oozing down her skin in stark contrast to how chilled the rest of her body was.
She glanced back. The bear was moving her direction with his paw raised again. “No!” Maryn shrieked, pushing to her feet and running. She prayed for some hope of safety that may never come. The bear’s claws dug into her side and threw her against the fence. She slid down to the ground, a cry of anguish ripping from her body. Curling into a tighter ball, she returned to prayer, but really had no hope of deliverance. Now it was a prayer of,Please forgive me and take me to be with Thee. Please make this pain stop and get this over quick.She didn’t feel fear of leaving this world, but she didn’t want the bear to hit her again. Anything but that.
A blur of red shot out of the forest along with the loud retort of a gun. Maryn glanced up through bleary eyes. Tucker jumped off a four-wheeler and ran, placing himself between her and the bear.
“No,” she whimpered. No matter how grumpy Tucker had been with her, she couldn’t stand to see another human be battered like she was.
The bear reared up and let loose a roar that Maryn felt in every inch of her body. Tears streamed down her face, a mixture of the pain she was enduring and dreading Tucker being hurt. The bear would kill him then finish her off and there was nothing she could do.
Tucker stood there so courageous and tall, like no man or animal could challenge him. Maryn momentarily forgot her agony as she stared. His hair blew back from his face and his dark eyes were full of determination. Tucker was stronger than Superman to her in that moment and braver than an unarmed warrior against the entire army. Time seemed to freeze as the bear faced off against her personal Beast.
The bear raised his paw and Maryn could hardly stand to watch. Tucker’s jaw hardened as he levelled the gun and pulled the trigger. The bear was thrown back toward the trees. The retort of the rifle thundered through the forest and seemed to pulse in Maryn’s head.
Tucker fired again. The bear collapsed into a heap of fur and didn’t move. Tucker fired one more time then walked over and pushed at the bear with his boot. Seemingly satisfied, he strode back to her. Maryn glanced up and whimpered.
“Oh, Maryn.” Tucker set the gun down and lifted her into his arms. His touch on her back sent more pain firing through her body. She buried her head in his chest, not wanting to look at that awful bear. Johnson was calling out to them, but it was coming through a tunnel. Tucker settled onto the four-wheeler and cradled her between his legs as he accelerated away from the carnage.
Maryn glanced up into his handsome face and whispered, “Thank you.”
His face was hard as stone until he glanced down at her and his dark eyes softened. “I’m sorry, Maryn.”
Maryn tried to smile to reassure him, but the pain was too intense. The cold became unbearable as the four-wheeler picked up speed. Everything grew blurry, but she could still feel warm blood trickling down her side. Darkness filled her mind and she welcomed it with relief.
ChapterFive
Tucker burst through the front door, carrying Maryn in his arms and hoping he wasn’t exacerbating her injuries. There was so much blood. Her back and side were both ripped open and he just prayed the claws hadn’t penetrated deeply enough to hurt internal organs. The way the snow was pounding outside, he doubted they could make it through the storm to the closest medical center in West Yellowstone before she bled out. Maybe Braxton or Tucker had been able to get through to the emergency dispatcher and help was on its way. He could hope.
“Oh, no!” Mama Porter shrieked when she arrived in the foyer with powdered sugar dusting her apron. Tuck could smell sugar cookies baking and thought how odd it was that something so simple as baking cookies could be happening while a woman’s life was on the line. Mama let out another scream then finally managed a coherent, “What on earth happened?”
“Bear,” he muttered before turning and barking, “Brax!” He took the stairs two at a time, planning to put her in his bed. Yes, there were seven other bedrooms, but this was his fault and he wanted her close.
Braxton came rushing to his side. His mouth dropped open as he saw Maryn, but he schooled his features quickly. “I’ll get the supplies,” he murmured and rushed for the basement storage room.
Mama Porter gasped for air as she pumped up the stairs behind Tuck. “Where are you taking her?” she managed to get out.