Page 9 of Should I Fall
“I have to see if my phone?—”
“Blaze, stay,” he orders his dog, ignorning me. His voice is calm but firm. I seem to register the low growl from Blaze up on the balcony for the first time since my phone went flying over the side of the railing.
“Another squirrel?”
“No.” Dash tosses the wood, pushing me behind him. He’s on high alert, and it’s starting to freak me out.
“Dash, what’s going on?”
“Go up the stairs, slowly. Take Blaze and get inside.”
“Dash—”
I’ve seen grizzly bears at the zoo, and once in a bear habitat while on a family road trip as a kid, when my parents were still married. But I’ve never seen one as big as the bear rounding the corner of the lookout tower.
He’sgiant.
Oh fuck.
“Get out of here!” Dash yells at the bear, stomping forward. He continues shouting at who I am most certain is Brutus. What thefuckis Dash doing? He’s built like a brick house, but Brutus is built like a fucking fortified castle. He’s no match for the massive bear. “You can’t have my fucking cupcakes,” he continues, shouting as though the bear had actually stolen them.
“This is about cupcakes?”
Dash snaps his head back at me the same moment Brutus seems to notice me for the first time.
Shit.
“Do what I told you,” Dash growls at me.
Slowly, I start to walk up the stairs backward, my backside glued to the tower so I can keep an eye on Brutus. What the fuck is Dash doing? What the fuck will I do if BrutuseatsDash? I’m suddenly regretting not being bold enough to kiss the grumpy mountain man when I had the chance. If he survives this attack?—
Blaze lets out a sharp series of barks, and I barely catch him by the collar before he barrels down the stairs.
“No, Blaze,” I plead, holding onto him with both hands. The shepherd dog is incredibly strong, and I’m incredibly not. But I’ll be damned if I let him get attacked by a bear. “Stay with me, okay? I need you.”
Blaze flicks his gaze to me for one quick moment, understanding seeming to linger in those big brown eyes. Foras quick as his attention returns to the bear and his dad, I’m convinced I imagined it.
Dash continues yelling at Brutus, marching toward him, and waving his arms. Blaze continues barking.
Brutus stands up, and I cry out. “Dash!”
Dash doesn’t back down.
He’s either incredibly stupid or incredibly brave.
Me?
I’m incredibly stupid.
How did I ever think nature could berelaxing? I never thought I’d actually get eaten by a bear. That’s just something people say to be funny when they are out of shape and the idea of hiking nine point six miles sounds about as appealing as sleeping on a mattress made of nails.
Just as I think Brutus is going to strike Dash, the bear drops back to all fours.
I hear a very distinct crunch.
My phone.
Double shit.
