H e r s m e ll f ille d it s no s t rils, the scent a po t e nt c o c k t a il c o m p r is e d of equal par ts fear a n d s w e a t . T ha t t a nt a lizing ar oma s welled w it hin t he b e a r ’ s he a d , but the gir l w as no lo nge r t he r e . Sa r a ha d t a k e n ho ld o f the pic kup’ s under p inn ing, a nd t he blo w had pulled her along t he g r o und w it h t he v e hic le. Ne ver befor e ha d s he b e e n s o t ha nk f ul that she had put o n ex t r a c lo t hing, but t hat didn’ t c hange the f a c t t ha t t he b e a r w a s coming for her. It w a s n’ t go ing t o lo s e inter est until she w as d e a d . Wo r s e ye t , s he had just lear ned that it c o ul d m ov e t he t r uc k. She had to do s o m e t hing, but w ha t w a s ther e to do? She w o n d e r e d if s o m e one would ar ri ve on t he s c e ne , a nyo ne but her mother, w ho w o uld b e t he m o s t lik e ly candidate for suc h a n a p p e a r a nc e . Wa s t her e something in the b a c k o f t he t r uc k t ha t s he could use? Did it m a t t e r ? T he b e a r w a s bac k ther e.
FI N A L E
by J a m e s Way la nd I llus t r a t io n by Ad a m Jur e s k o
She ha d t o d o s o m e t hing. Sar a quic kly r o lle d t o t he d r i v e r ’ s side of the tr uc k, r e m e m b e r ing t ha t t he window had been s ha t t e r e d . She s lid f r ee and jumped up,