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I finished preparing the meal, my stomach growling in anticipation. But nature had other plans. The persistent dripping from the ceiling had turned into a full-fledged leak, and water pooled on the floor, soaking my socks with every step. The cabin was becoming even less of a retreat and more of a soggy nightmare.
"Great," I muttered, rolling my eyes at the universe's cruel sense of humor. "Just what I needed."
The rain outside fell relentlessly, battering against the windows as if to remind me that escape was not an option. It seemed like the storm would never let up, and my bladder was starting to feel the pressure—literally. I couldn’t wait any longer for the rain to slow.
"Fine," I grumbled, stomping over to the coat rack and grabbing a poncho. "You win this round, Mother Nature."
Zipping up the raincoat, I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the battle ahead. I threw open the door, and the onslaught of rain hit me like a thousand icy daggers. Squeezing my eyes shut, I pushed forward, my determination unwavering as I made my way to the outhouse.
Inside the outhouse, I sighed with relief as I found temporary respite from the downpour. Couldn’t make the cabin waterproof, but the outhouse was solid. I shook my head at the absurdity. Just as I began to relax, a rustling sound reached my ears, making my heart leap into my throat. What was that?
"Get a grip, Rebecca," I whispered to myself, trying to quell the rising panic. "It's probably just a squirrel or something."
But as the rustling continued, growing louder and closer, my vivid imagination took over. What if that poacher really was headed this way and looking for a place out of the rain? Sure, the cabin was slowly starting to flood, but it was at least out of the wind. A shiver slid down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold. I couldn’t even call anyone for help if I wanted to.
"Damn," I muttered, cursing my stubbornness for insisting on staying in this isolated shithole. "I can't believe I thought this was a good idea."
My thoughts darted to Connor, and a pang of longing for his strong presence struck my heart. As much as I hated to admit it, there was something comforting about knowing he was nearby, ready to protect me if needed.
"Ugh, stop it," I scolded myself, shaking off the unwelcome feelings. "You're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself."
The sound of the rustling grew even louder, and my heart pounded in my chest like a jackhammer. Bracing myself for whatever was about to happen, I flung open the outhouse door and stepped out into the storm.
"Fuck!" I screamed, coming face-to-face with the source of the noise—a massive male black bear. His dark eyes bore into mine as it stood on its hind legs, towering over me like a furry skyscraper. My breath caught in my throat, and the world seemed to slow down as we locked gazes. My hazel eyes on his massive black ones.
The rain pitter-pattered on my nose. My heart raced inside my chest, but my body was the most still it had ever been. The storm raging inside my body and all around me thundered in my ears. But I could still hear his growl. It reverberated throughout me. My throat began to close, unable to even form a scream as terror held me captive.
I was going to die here. All alone. Next to a fucking outhouse.
"Becca!" Connor's voice cut through my terror, snapping me back to reality. "Stay still! Don't run!"
I had never been more grateful to hear that stubborn man's voice. The bear let out a deep, guttural growl, and another shiver ran down my spine. My legs suddenly felt like they weighed fifty pounds each. He didn’t have to worry about me running, I could hardly move.
"Connor, what do I do?" I managed to choke out, my voice a mere whisper.
"Keep your eyes on the bear, but don't make any sudden movements," he instructed, his tone firm yet calming.
I did as he said, trying my best to keep my trembling body under control as Connor slowly made his way toward us. He grabbed a fallen branch from the ground and banged it against a nearby tree trunk.
"Hey, big boy! Get out of here!" he shouted, his booming voice echoing through the forest.
With every ounce of his strength, Connor hurled the branch at the bear. It hit the ground near the animal, causing it to flinch. He then clapped his hands together, creating a sharp, loud noise that startled the bear further.
"Go on, get out of here!" he continued, advancing toward the bear while maintaining a safe distance.
The big beast let out an earth-shattering roar that made my heart jump into my throat. Connor stood up even taller and yelled at him louder this time.
Oh God, what if Connor gets mauled because of me? My brother always joked that my stubborn ass would be the death of someone. Shit, I hated when he was right. Tears formed at the corners of my eyes, and I swallowed hard. I stood, frozen. This was it.
Miraculously, the bear began to back away, seemingly intimidated by Connor's display of bravery finally. The bear let out a displeased roar as it turned and retreated into the forest, and I let out a shaky breath.
"Are you okay?" Connor asked, his eyes filled with concern as he reached my side.
"Y-yeah," I stammered, my legs still trembling. "I think so."
"Let's get you back inside," he said softly, wrapping an arm around my waist and guiding me toward the cabin.
As we walked, my thoughts raced between relief that the bear was gone and gratitude for Connor's heroics. Despite our disagreements, he had put himself in danger to save me, and that wasn't something I could easily forget.
