That’s about the point in time that I thought…maybe I should run.
This bear didn’t look right. Didn’t act right. And…
Before I could do much more than have the thought cross my mind, the bear attacked.
I curled up into a fetal position, closed my eyes, and prayed.
The bites, swipes of claws, and overall brute force shocked my body to the core.
I knew with the first swipe of the powerful paw against my left arm—which happened to be covering my face—that my arm was broken.
I didn’t open my eyes to see, but there was no doubt in my mind.
The attack continued for what felt like hours, until suddenly, the bear just wasn’t attacking anymore.
I could hear him snarling and snuffling, but I didn’t so much as make a move to look around and see.
I could feel hot blood seeping into my clothing and dripping into my ear, letting me know that I was really hurt.
The adrenaline was pumping now, so I wasn’t hurting, but I knew without a doubt in my mind that I was probably mangled.
The bear roared somewhere near me, and I felt something hot drip down onto my head.
Probably my own blood dripping from his teeth.
The bear roared again, and this time, it sounded from farther away.
I lay there, perfectly still, for so long that the pain started to make itself known.
I was hurt.
Badly.
I chanced a move of my left arm, likely the only thing that didn’t hurt on me right now, and depressed the button on the side of my watch with my nose.
Then, Siri, the loud ass bitch, said, “How can I help you?”
I breathed out a shocked breath before saying, “Call 9-1-1.”
Thankfully, the watch worked, and within seconds, I could hear a female’s voice say, “Jesper County Sheriff’s Department.”
I swallowed hard and whispered, “I was just attacked by a bear.”
The “bear” was drowned out by the bear roaring again.
Thankfully still as far away as it’d been earlier.
“Can you repeat that?”
“A bear. I was attacked by a bear.”
I knew my voice was trembling.
I could hear the terror in my own voice as it shook like a leaf.
“A bear?”
“A fuckin’ bear!” I hissed.
