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"Stay behindwhether to follow, and they are soon behind us,as much noise as thetoward the tents is overloud in s break Leaves crunch We head around a tree that e of the campsite Our tents are all spread apart, some of them closer to the river, some closer to the woods The first one is Lennon’s Mine is just to the left, near a big boulder We creep between the two tents, watching each step I hear noise, but the dull roar of the waterfall is confusing er, when Lennon blindly reaches back a hand to halt e Then I spot it near the river

Several yards ahead, the navy-blue silhouettes of Reagan and Brett’s tents stand in thefroht It’s iant, half-deflated soccer ball And when Lennon’s headlamp shines over it, an enorht

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Black bear

Big black bear

Big black bear tearing up Brett’s tent

The group catches up to us as shock winds through an runs into my back, and I nearly topple over Summer makes a terrified sound

"Oh, Jesus," Brett whispers, spotting the bear "Oh Jesus, oh Jesus!"

My s

As if he can hear hts, the bear lifts his head to sniff the air His s the light

"Don’t ht chase you"

What the hell are we supposed to do, then? The wind blows the bear’s musky scent in our direction, and

We all stand silently Staring The bear stares back He sniffs the air again, and a huge pink tongue licks the side of his muzzle He’s curious about us, and completely unafraid In fact, whatever he smells in the air hasthe fabric as his leg swings around

He’s going to charge us

We’re going to die If I was scared during Lennon’s story, I’m petrified now I inhale a shaky breath I really wish Andromeda were here She would bark this bear into submission

Or she’d tuck tail and run, which is exactly what I want to do

"Hey!" Lennon shouts in a boo voice that makeshis hands over his head as if he’s dressed up like a va to scare little kids Only, he sounds absolutely furious And because his big voice is so deep, it carries over the river and bounces back in a thundering echo

The bear is now paying attention He pauses midstep, one enores forward--just one long stride But he bellows oncehi Horror I see it all unfolding, and I’et out!" Lennon shouts, clapping his hands loudly several tiround and throws it at the bear A rock? I can’t tell But it hits the bear on the nose

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?

The bear shakes off the projectile My body prepares to flee And then--

His big, furry body slowly turns around The bear sha the tent beneath hi toward it, slowly, casually Shouting as if he’s trying to get a horse to gallop And then the bear picks up speed and runs into the dark woods

Gone

I stare at the edge of the forest untilus out, only to turn around and race toward us on his hind legs? Wait, do black bears stand on their hind legs? Or is it just grizzly bears? I don’t know Why don’t I know?