Time became hard to track. She wasn’t sure how long they had been walking. The sun was still up, its rays slicing through the trees in long golden streaks. But the deeper they went, the denser the forest became, and the light began to fade. At one point, Evelyn slowed down, her legs aching and lungs burning.
The terrain changed subtly, rising and dipping beneath her feet. She stumbled a few times, grabbing onto low-hanging branches for support. The bears never stopped to wait, but they never left her behind either. Their pace was exacting, purposeful. And yet… they didn’t seem lost. That thought chilled her. They knew exactly where they were going.
After another stretch of silence, Evelyn summoned the courage to speak again—this time to the bears. “Where are you taking me?” she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Of course, she didn’t expect an answer. But the smaller bear—almost in response—paused, turned its head slightly, and gave a low grunt before continuing forward.
Evelyn looked around. Trees towered in every direction, and the path behind her had already vanished. She had no idea how to return to the bus station, no clear direction of home. Her only choice now was forward. She took a deep breath and kept walking.