Dangers - Grizzy Bear
This is the next part of the chapter 'Dangers', continuing on from the discussions between Lantashi and Lee. This scene is called 'Grizzly Bear'. This is the start of where things will get very exciting for two the friends going forward in the story!
Grizzly Bear
Lantashi got a very disappointed and pouty look on her face, which Lee was trying not to laugh at. It was adorable. But then her expression changed to one of confusion, and she was no longer looking at Lee, but over his shoulder, at the large window looking out at the forest. Lee turned to see at what had caught her attention.
The snow was still coming down in flurries, and the edge of the woods seemed strange. Mist began to creep out of it, stretching its tendrils toward his home like long ghostly fingers.
A large bear appeared walking out of the forest, out of the mist. It was the largest bear Lantashi had ever seen. Its fur was a deep shade of brown, and each step it took was one of power.
"Um, Lee," Lantashi said. "You, you have to see, I've never seen a bear that big!"
Lee and Lantashi walked up to the window to get a better look. His expression went from one of interest and amusement to one of concern.
Lee stood there in shock, not believing his eyes.
"Ursus arctos horribilis. That's a grizzly bear!" he mumbled, his mind racing. "The Upper Peninsula of Michigan doesn't have grizzlies though. That can't be real," he added. "We're hallucinating. Maybe it is all this talk of ghosts and stuff, it's tricking out our brains."
The bear turned its attention toward the house, and the large window. It slowly strolled toward the house, acting as though it owned the world.
"Lee," Lantashi said, her voice quivering. "Can it see us? And can it get in here?"
"We're close enough to the window that it might see us. It can't reach the window though," Lee replied. "But it might be able to walk up the stairs to the back deck, if the stairs can hold its weight, and then it would get through the glass doors."
Lee looked to the left and right, toward the neighbors' yards. The mist was reaching out toward all the houses. They were faint, shadowy, but Lee could also see a number of animals were appearing on the edge of the mists as well - elk, moose, and wolves. He knew the situation was wrong in all sorts of ways, not the least of which these animals would not be hanging around the grizzly. These animals would not all be seen together. It was like everything emerging at once, maybe from different places, or different times.
He heard a faint woman's cry from outside, and figured one of his neighbors saw the animals as well.
"This has to be reported," Lantashi said. "The police, or whoever, animal control, has to do something about that beast out there." She pulled her phone out of her pocket, and punched in 911, but then the phone disconnected, a signal unavailable.
A moment later a gunshot rang out, a rifle, somewhere to the east of Lee's house. One of the wolves went down howling.
"That probably is Jack," Lee said. "He has a good gun collection, and is very proud of his Remington Model 700."
There were a couple more shots. An elk and another wolf collapsed. But more unusual animals appeared in their place. The grizzly looked in the direction of the gunshots, raised is maw and let out a powerful and menacing roar.
But the mists quickly advanced, and a minute later the animals became mere shadows, hard to see. The deck vanished from sight, and then the unnatural fog was right up agains the windows of the house.
The house went silent, the furnace and fridge shutting down. The living room lamp then flickered, and went out.
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