Page 1 of Driven Wild By The Grizzly

1

Jessica

Whine… rattle… grrrr!

I’ve been sitting on this poor old bus for an hour already, and I’ll be lucky if it makes it up the mountain in one piece. The driver keeps grinding the gears, but it’s going slower and slower, like some ancient beast on its last legs—uh, wheels.

I puff out my cheeks and stare through the window at a bunch of gnarly-looking pine trees. Truly, it’d be faster to walk right now. Maybe I should do that. Take a little of the load off, anyway.

No, Jessica, that’s a ridiculous idea. What if it takes off without you?

You’ll be screwed, that’s what.

I just need to stay put and deal with it. This is what happens when you don’t have a car. You take the public, hundred-year-old bus service and hope for the best. It’s already stopped a bunch of times to let people off, and now I’m alone on the back seat. Just me and the driver, hauling ass up the mountainside.

I don’t think the bus driver is too happy about being here, either. He keeps growling out a bunch of what I’m pretty sure are NSFW cusswords, and rolling his shoulders—which are massive and tattooed, by the way. I’ve only seen his back view so far, because I entered via the rear doors, but he’s kind of scary-looking. He’s wearing a wife beater, and his dark hair is swept up in a man bun. Nothing like a typical bus driver. Not that I’m an expert on bus drivers.

Well, as long as he gets me back to Twin Falls some time before midnight, that’s the main thing.

To be honest, I’m not in a big hurry to get home and give my brother the ‘good news’.

I let out a loud groan. I can do that, since I’m all alone back here. And it makes me feel a little better.

Seriously, do I have a sign on my forehead saying,weirdos, losers and psychopaths welcome here?

This morning, I woke up all excited. I was about to start my dream apprenticeship, working for this guy who’s basically a god in the jewelry-design world. But let’s just say, he’s not the person I thought he’d be. I wound up hightailing it out of his workshop, all the way back to the darn bus stop. And now I’ll have to tell my brother what happened, and he’s going to be so mad. We already had to move towns after a guy I was dating turned into a crazed stalker, and got all,if I can’t have you, no one will.

My brother, Ricky, is a great guy, but he’s been struggling to get his auto repair business started up again in a new town and it’s stressing him out. We were so relieved when I landed this paid apprenticeship. But now I’ll have to find some other work, A-sap. And probably give up on my dream of being a jewelry designer.

I press my forehead to the cold windowpane, replaying this morning’s episode. Wondering if it was something I did, or said. Ricky told me it wasn’t my fault that my ex went psycho. But what’s that old saying?Once is unlucky, twice is…

Grrr!The bus’s engine gets even louder and suddenly, we’re above the tree line. Until now, we’d been passing through an area of dense forest, but now daylight floods the interior of the bus, and…wow.

We’re up high on a mountain peak, and the view is incredible. Little wisps of cloud are floating past the windows, while down below, the valley unfolds in a patchwork of fields and vegetation. I can just make out a cluster of houses far, far away, which might be Twin Falls.

It’s so cool being so high up. So beautiful and liberating. I feel so free. Who cares about sleazy men and stupid jobs?

The bus quits making awful noises, and sails through a flat section of road. My heart soars along with it. This must be how birds feel, I think as it gathers some speed, and—

Oh,holy cow.We’re right on the mountaintop and the road ahead looks awful steep. Like, all I can see in front of us is clouds and blue sky. We’re rushing toward a precipice. My stomach lurches and I get that sick, weightless feeling of being at the top of a rollercoaster before it begins its plunge into sheer hell.

I’m not good with heights. Seriously, I’m gonna need a sickbag.

Crap.What If I puke on this bus?

It’ll besooembarrassing. And gross. And the driver will probably kick me off.

The bus advances closer and closer to the edge.

Somebody starts squeaking like a terrified mouse.

Oh, no,it’s me.

The bus stops.

“Come up front!” a voice booms.

Thatwas not me. I lean out from my seat and crane my neck. Guess it was the driver. Unless it was some god, bellowing down from the heavens.

---