Page 31 of Busted String

They edged back, never turning their backs on the bear. After what felt like an eternity, the bear lost interest, turning back into the underbrush. Jace let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, his shoulders relaxing as the immediate danger faded.

“Fuck! It’s a damn good thing he didn’t come around when we were fucking.”

“Yeah, it was,” Nico replied. “But you handled it well. Just stay close, okay?”

Jace nodded. “I can’t believe we just faced a bear and lived through it.”

Nico smirked. “Just remember who kept you safe.”

“Of course. My personal bear guard.”

As they continued their hike, the earlier thrill transformed into a shared bond, their laughter echoing amidst the giants, a reminder of the wildness they had faced together. This was more than a hike; it was a memory etched in the forest’s heart; one they would carry with them long after the trees whispered their secrets away.

“My ass is sore now,” Jace said.

“Then I think it’s a good time to get home and soak in the tub.”

After the bear incident, they walked closer together, their footsteps synchronized.

“Do you think my voice will hold up in the desert?”

“Of course. I’ll make sure you’re hydrated. And on the drive there, you’re going to stay silent to save your voice.”

“That’s a good idea.”

When they reached the cabin, Mark and Sammie were sitting outside on the rocking chairs and drinking Cokes.

“I thought you guys would never get home,” Sammie said.

“We saw a bear. He was really close,” Jace said.

“Did Nico save you?” Mark asked.

“He did. I’d be dead if it weren’t for him.”

“I’m going to the kitchen. Dinner will be ready in an hour,” Sammie said.

“Okay. We’re going to clean up before dinner,” Nico said.

Jace followed Nico upstairs to their bedroom.

“I need to make a call,” Jace said.

“Okay. I’ll wait for you so I can give you a nice bath.”

Jace sat down on the edge of the bed and dialed his aunt’s number where his mother was staying, his heart pounding with a mix of hope and anxiety. Erin had told him that their mother wanted to talk to him after leaving their father, and he clung to that small glimmer of hope.

“Hi, it’s Jace. Is my mother there?”

“No, Jace. She went back home. Try her cell phone,” his aunt said.

“Okay. Thanks.”

Jace’s heart dropped when his aunt said she had returned home. He dialed her cell.

His mother answered on the first ring. “Jace, don’t call here anymore,” his mother said with a coldness that cut through his heart.

“I thought you told Erin for me to call you.”

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