Page 108 of The Lottery

I glance up in time to see him.

Marek.

My Marek.

He’s come.

I’m crying.

Kicking.

Screaming.

A bear roars.

A man screams.

My leg pulls free.

* * *

MAREK

I see her.

She is injured. Blood everywhere. Feet and ankles bound. But she is there. Alive.

I push the gas harder, destroying everything in between me and Azalea as the rover climbs up the rocky wall.

Then he is there, grabbing her, trying to pull her back into the cave.

She screams.

I scream.

I throw myself out of the moving rover and toward Azalea as a giant white bear barrels toward them.

Teeth and claws gnashing and slashing.

It lands on Buddy, tearing open his intestines with one mighty swipe, spraying his blood over the snow.

Azalea screams but she cannot stand, cannot run.

The bear notices her.

She is too close.

It is coming for her.

I scream and I run.

Blood pumping.

Heart racing.

Legs burning.

I throw myself at the animal--and we fly.

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