Page 73 of Play With Me

“But he won’t survive on his own.” Sophie grabbed my arm and pulled it for attention, her eyes begging me. “We can’t let him out into the big, dark forest. He’s small.”

“Sophie, you survived out here on your own before we found you, and you’re about his size. I’m sure he’ll be fine. This is his home. He’ll probably smell his mother once we take him out there, and then he can reunite with her.”

“You’re wrong. His mommy wouldn’t leave him like this.”

My heart was breaking for her, and I didn’t know why. It was just a bear, but the care in her voice tore at every single heartstring I had.

“A mommy would never leave her baby like that,” she added, and I felt weak in the knees.

Brook cleared his throat, grabbed a backpack with supplies, and swung it over his shoulder. “Anna, if we go, can you please not leave the camp? There’s enough food and water until we return.”

Sophie left me and ran to her uncle, pulling on his arm. “Boo won’t follow you. He’ll only follow me.”

This time it was Brook who crouched to the ground. “Honey, I know that having a bear has been your dream, but it’s just not a realistic dream. Please say goodbye to Boo because we’re heading out right now. You need to trust us that this is better for him. Bears don’t live with people. Bears live in forests.”

Her eyes filled with tears, and she pulled in a long sniffle. “Okay. You can use my favorite cookies I packed in my backpack. He’ll like that.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary.”

“No, please. It’s the least I can do for Boo.”

Without waiting for our reply she quickly ran into the tent and returned with a plastic bag that she handed to Brook. She shouldn’t have had those there in the first place.

I grabbed my gear as Sophie said her goodbyes to the cub, and the next thing I knew, we were luring Boo behind us. He followed without fail, munching on the cookie crumbs we left behind. It wasn’t until about an hour into our walk that we stopped feeding him and went onto the track Brook had made that morning. Hopefully Boo’s mother could find her cub, and all would be well.

“I must tell you, this is not the kind of adventure I thought we’d be having out here.” Brook tracked uphill, and my quads bunched tighter with each step.

“What were you thinking would happen?”

“Well, for one, I thought there’d be more nakedness involved.”

I laughed. “Of course you did. I guess Sophie’s like a natural contraceptive.”

“You have no idea.”

Oh, I had an idea all right. Watching Brook’s muscles twist as he trailed ahead was giving me the urge to use what Mother Nature had provided for all our dirty deeds. I shook the lust off and focused on the path ahead. “You said you found a settlement this morning. What kind?”

My breaths felt heavier again, and my heart pounded with adrenaline.

“Three men went between the rock cliffs beyond the next hilltop. I watched the entrance for over an hour. According to my father’s map, there should be an illegal moonshining operation there.”

“Which means they’ll do everything to protect their secret location.”

“Exactly. I doubt we’ll get a chance to tell them that we don’t care about their booze.”

“Do you think that’s where Xavier’s been?”

“I can’t be sure, but listen to this. I read one of the pamphlets at the motel, and someone’s been fooling around with the moonshiners’ liquor for the past two years, spilling it all. Last year alone they lost about a million’s worth when someone tipped over some of their barrels. There’s a fifty thousand dollar reward to anyone who catches the perpetrator.”

“Xavier?”

“That’s what I think; but if we’re seen, they’ll assume it’s us. We need to be careful. I overheard the men say it’s a ghost,” he chuckled.

“Ha! Then I’m a saint!”

“You’re not?”

“Funny, Brook. It’s gotta be Xavier, don’t you think?”

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