Evelyn barely had time to stand before she saw them—two hulking shapes closing in. One from behind the bench. The other emerging from the trees across the street.
Her pulse spiked. People screamed and scattered, but she couldn’t move. The bears circled, claws scraping the pavement, golden eyes locked on her. Every sound faded but their heavy breathing.
One pawed the ground. The other didn’t blink. The space between fear and fate was gone.
The air felt wrong—thick, frozen. The bears didn’t rush; their slow, deliberate steps were worse. They were playing with her.
Evelyn’s mind raced. No options. No help. She turned to run—only for the larger bear to slide into her path, blocking it with terrifying precision.
Her breath caught. The smaller one closed in from behind, sealing the last escape. This is how it ends, she thought. There’s no way out.