Crisscross Moon - 30. Chapter 30

30.

Well, you explore the wilderness area of a national forest in the middle of the night, eventually you run into bears.

"Are you all right?" I asked Cory.

"A little scared. I wasn't sure whether to worry about you first or me."

"So you came after me."

"I also went away from the bears."

I laughed. At least, he was honest. "We could be in worse shape," I told him. "We can breathe. You didn't get stuck. And I don't think the bears'll come after us."

"You're sure? If I could fit..."

"There's nothing here they want."

"Not us?"

"Nah... there are more edible things..."

He didn't seem reassured. But he looked around and brought his flashlight out of the water. It was still on.

"I didn't even turn it off... It was in my hand when I dove..."

"Dove?"

"Oh, yeah... If they gave awards for diving in caves, I'd be gold."

I laughed again. "Good thing you weren't hurt."

"In so many ways."

By then, he was flashing his beam around the walls of the cave in front of us. "Where are we?" he asked.

"Maybe in the cave you were looking for."

I said it quietly, so he didn't immediately start cheering. Instead he asked, "Are you sure?" He pointed his beam further into the darkness. "I can't see anything."

"We need to get out and look," I told him, and I pointed my light at the ledge in front of us.

"Is it safe?"

"Safer than fighting with bears... And we're not getting any warmer in the water."

"I'm not cold."

"You will be. And your hair's not gonna dry."

He quickly rubbed his hand back and forth through his hair to shake off the water. I could feel that more than see it. Then he set his flashlight on the ledge in front of us, pushed himself up on his hands, and turned around so he was sitting on the rock. His legs were still in the water, and I was holding my beam on him, though trying not to shine it in his eyes. That way I could see what he was doing. When he finished, he held out his hand to me.

I gave him my light, then pulled myself up beside him. Then we both stood, shining our beams on the ceiling and floor.

"We should turn one of these off," he suggested. "What time is it?"

I peeled back the wrist of my wet suit.

"Almost 2."

"I lost track."

"Me, too."

"How long'll the batteries last?"

"Long enough... Of course, we have a hand-cranked flashlight with us, but it's in your car."

"Didn't think to bring that."

"Wouldn't do any good anyhow. Nor would the rifle. They're not waterproof."

"If it's 2 o'clock, do you wanna sleep for a while? How long do we have to wait till the bears leave?"

"We can probably scare them out now."

"Prob'ly?"

"They're afraid of people... I've told you that."

"They weren't afraid of me."

"They're probably already gone. I'm sure they took one look at you and scooted."

"They weren't scooting."

"Well, they couldn't've been very big if they got through that hole. The adults probably stay in the outer cave, and the cubs use this one as their treehouse."

"I don't want to take a chance."

"I'm not saying we have to... or should... Cubs can be pretty dangerous."

Cory seemed to think for a moment. "How long till your friends start to look for us?"

That surprised me. "I don't think they will."

"I thought you said..."

"We only saw Amy and Bryan a couple hours ago... And my other friends know we've been exploring all weekend... I've checked in with them when we got home... So it'll be at least till tomorrow... till tonight... before anyone starts to worry."

"You really think we'll get out of here?"

"Oh, yeah..."

"Before the batteries go?"

That was a better question. "Maybe," I answered.

"Before the bears figure out how to use the rifle?"

He seemed to be joking, and I said, "You suddenly don't seem as concerned..."

"Well, you're not... And you're my trusted guide..."

"We're gonna be all right, Cory."

He let out a deep breath I didn't even know he'd been holding, then he shut off his light.

"Good choice," I said. "Maybe a little sleep is another."

"I'm too wired."

"I know what you mean."

"It's not just the bears... Though they came out of nowhere, and I had no idea how scared I'd be..."

"How close did they get?"

"Well, I heard something... I'm not even sure what or when... I was thinking about you. Then I heard something again, and I turned my light, and this bear was right there."

I laughed. "How many were there?"

"I didn't stop to count."

We both laughed.

"There wouldn't've been just one," I said.

"That's not comfort."

"It's OK. Once I get to my rifle...."

"If they haven't moved it..."

"There's no reason for them to... It may smell of people, but it's not something they can eat. It'll probably be just where we left it."

"OK," Cory said. He exhaled again. "Then let's look around."

(continued)