Perils

We managed to find the Stone Zoo with no problems at all. We all darted into the place, finding this one open for access. But just in case, Christina and I got out our badges. We raced through the place searching for the Black Bear Exhibit.

We finally found it in the center of the reservation and skidded to a halt, hearing the terrified screams of a man below, coming from the direction of the cave. And they were muffled.

“Must he gag EVERYONE! Geez!” I hopped the railing, not even caring that I was jumping into a place where there was a vicious wild animal.

Jonathan, Patrick, and Christina were close behind. They kept their eyes peeled for any black bears. I snuck up to the entrance and peered around the stone side. I could see the massive furry body of an animal as it appeared to be feasting on something that was bound to ropes.

I cracked my knuckles and my neck and made to enter the cave, but I felt someone’s hand on my arm. It was my brother’s.

“What are you crazy? You’re not going in there...alone.”

I sighed and signaled to him to sneak over to the other side of the entrance. He did. Patrick and Christina remained on watch duty. We slipped in and Jonathan tackled the bear, as soon as he got a good headlock with the animal, I found myself staring in horror at the mess in front of me. Reilly Smith looked like a piece of raw meat in a butcher shop. He was bleed profusely from sickly looking cuts. I gazed into his pleading, yet relieved eyes. He needed medical attention BIG time.

I ripped off the tape from his mouth, allowing him to breathe. Then I untied the poor guy from his “Y” shape. He crashed, weakly to the ground, unable to move. He cried out in pain, as he remained bleeding on the ground. His skin was a pale white covering in crimson and I wasn’t sure if he was a ghost or not.

I walked over and helped him to stand up, but he couldn’t stand at all. I leaned him against the wall and unbound his legs. He was trembling mightly from head to foot and looked awful.

“Don’t worry Reils, you’re okay.”

“Don’t let that bear eat me!” He managed. His eyes were big and watery and fearful. He clutched onto my arms, tightly and I could feel how cold he was.

“KANER! CHRISTY! I NEED HELP!!” I screamed.

At once the two entered the cave and came inside. They sidestepped the Blackhawk captain who was wrestling with the bear, which roared and wasn’t happy. I could hear my brother’s grunts and groans as his efforts somehow overwhelmed the animal and he held on with success.

Christina knelt down. “He doesn’t look so good.”

“He needs medical attention,” I remarked. “Go call 9-1-1 and get an ambulance here ASAP!”

She stood up and streaked past her brother, who was looking sympathetically at the Bruin player. I looked at him. “Mind helping out and not just standing there like a child separated from his parents?”

He frowned, but came over and lifted one of the Boston winger’s arms up and draped it around his neck. I did the same with his other and together we got him to his feet and aided him out. I patted him on the head in comfort, only to draw back at the touch of something sticky. I put my fingers under my nose and took a whiff.

“Honey.” Shit, I realized what was going on. “That fucking son of a bitch!” I snapped, as we set Reilly down outside under a tree.

Patrick looked at me. He was taken aback by my sudden outburst. I knew I had a cussing problem in tense situations like this. I only cuss a lot when I was angry.

“Sorry. HE drenched you in honey?” I asked the poor man, who huddled against the tree.

“Sidney Crosby did.”

“What is wrong with that Penguin?” Patrick asked, shaking his head. “I never thought of him as a bad guy. I know he misbehaves on the ice, but this…” I tried to ignore the growing feeling inside of me that was entranced by those golden locks of his. His hair flopped around like a slow-motion movie capture.

No! I scolded myself, he’s a friend, almost a brother! You can’t fall in love with him, you love Val. You love Valeri Nichushkin and NO ONE else!

He finally stopped. And I shook my own head to clear it. Suddenly I remembered my brother, who was still fighting the bear. “Jonathan!” I gasped.

I whipped around, ordering Patrick to remain with Reilly and watch him. I took off for the cave and saw that the big animal had pinned my brother down on the floor. It was snarling at the Blackhawk.

“You left me in here alone with the bear!” he screamed at me.

“I’m sorry, I was trying to help Reilly out!” I pushed the black furball off of him. It roared as I mustered all of my strength into freeing my brother.

“Evelyna!” Jonathan gasped, as the bear reared up on its hind legs. He snatched my wrist in his hand and we bolted from the cave, nearly colliding with Christina, who had successfully called the police. She told us, before an ear-splitting roar cut through the air and heavy footsteps followed.

“RUN!!” I yowled.

We darted over to the safety of the tree. Reilly was freaking out and he had every right too, but he couldn’t alert the bear. I quickly clamped my hand over his mouth to silence him and stroked his hair. Now I realize that I wasn’t sure what I was doing. Was I calming a cat?

Reilly’s muffled whimpers and screams thankfully were not loud enough as the animal charged past the tree where we were. He sprinted toward the other side of the enclosure. Unfortunately he was getting his buddies it looked like. A group of four bears came into view, as they walked toward where we were.

“What are we going to do? Sooner or later they’ll smell the honey on Reilly?” Patrick whispered. His blue eyes were clouded with trepidation, as he glanced between me and the hoard of black bears.

With my hand still tightly over Reilly’s mouth, I hatched an idea. “Patrick and Christina get Reilly out of here as best as you can. Jonny and I can distract the bears. We’ll try to be careful and remain in one piece.”

Jonathan nodded his head. He patted Patrick on the shoulder. “Keep him safe. He may be a Boston Bruin, but he’s a human being and a friend off the ice.”

I removed my hand and Patrick and Christina rapidly grabbed him. They put either of his arms over their shoulders and walked him toward the railing and the rocky slope up to complete safety. Jonathan and I shared a look and walked into the path of the bears, who’d already spotted the escaping trio. We blocked their path however.

“We Blackhawks bested Bruins before, this should be no different!” the captain of Chicago snapped at the bears. “Bring it bears!” He raised his fists up, like he was about to get in a fight with them.

I rolled my eyes at him. One of the black bodies charged forward and jumped at Jonathan, but he dove to the side and it landed with a loud thud on the grass. But my brother had jumped into me. The three other bears charged forward now. I rolled to the side, but Jonathan hadn’t been quick enough to move, as he was still hurling remarks at the bear who had failed. They tackled him. Jonathan tried to fend himself, but the animals slashed angrily at him.

I jumped to my feet. “JONATHAN!!” I furiously stormed forward and punched one of the animals in the face, making it roar in pain. It retreated and vanished for sight. I turned and punched a second bear and it too retreated in agony.

The last two continued to battle it out with the weakening Blackhawk centre, who cowered on the ground protecting his head with his arms. One of the creatures raised it paw up ready to strike, but I saw it and shoved it to the side. It swiped only air, as its head hit one of the boulder rocks of the slope. It fell into a daze, whimpering and remained there. The last bear appeared to be more human-like.

I saw it seemingly mocking Jonathan and it….laughed. But I didn’t let it touch my brother, who was curled in a fetal position. I shoved this bear to the other side, into the rocky wall that lined the back of the enclosure, where the cave was attached a few feet from us. The tree we’d taken refuge under momentarily was in the center of the zoo habitat.

I watched as the wild animal hit the wall and fell to the ground dazed like the other. I didn’t want to kill them, as I knew it was just in their instinct and natural bear personality to attack any threats. I just wanted them to leave us alone, so we could escape. We didn’t exactly have a plan of being bear food today.

I grabbed Jonathan’s hands and we took off to the slope. Patrick, Christina and Reilly were on the other side of the rail watching us. We launched up and began to climb. I was about halfway when I heard my brother’s deafening screech.

“EVELYNA!!” he yelped.

I looked down to see him being pulled back down by one of the bears who’d come back to play. It had clamped its mouth on the pants cuff of my brother’s jeans and was yanking him down. I could see him fighting and straining to hold onto the rocks. I cursed and jumped down onto the bear, making it release my brother’s leg. But he wasn’t going to leave me, as I was slammed into the rocks by the angry bear.

Jonathan hopped down and found a large stick and brought it over the snarling creature’s head. It slumped forward, landing right before me. I signaled for Jonathan to climb up first and soon we managed to escape the bear habitat, just as the ambulance arrived and carried Reilly away.

Jonathan and I gasped for air, but laughed as we high-fived one another weakly. We’d survived another perilous situation and saved another hockey player from death.

But who was next and what did that peril entitle? Could we all get out of that one alive?

Notes

Whew! That was REALLY close, eh?
Good thing Reilly is okay. Maybe freaked out and scarred, but he's alive and in one piece! No thanks to that damn Pittsburgh Penguin!! :(
First of all, I consider my character to be extremely horrible at being a good sister and sibling. Since rescuing Johnny, I've left him alone TWICE!! That is UNACCEPTABLE!
I'm sincerely sorry about that and from now on Johnny is under my surveillance and at my side.
Second, there is no excuse that I can give for being attracted to Blackhawks. Do they just raise good-looking hockey players? Is there like a memo out that says if you are handsome, you must be a Chicago Blackhawk? But no, I like my baby Russian from the Dallas Stars. Screw Saader and Kaner! VALERI NICHUSHKIN FOR LIFE!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3

Okay, anyway....

Next up: We are going out West. Time to visit a ski resort and rescue Gabriel Landeskog!!