Page 13 of Maneater

Ex. Ex-girlfriend.

I don’t miss her as much as I feel I should. We were together for two years, with the first one being mostly good. The second year saw a gradual decline in interest in spending time together as we realized we had conflicting life goals. I often wonder if we somehow knew even while still in the honeymoon period that moving in together wasn’t a wise decision.

Beyond not having similar interests and goals, I longed for the wow factor. That’s never happened to me before. Why shouldn’t I have fireworks? I deserve fireworks. Big booming colorful rockets that knock me off my feet. Maybe it isn’t a big deal for some people, but it is for me. I need my stomach to swoop and my heart to pound.

I refocus my thoughts on my surroundings. I’m heading deeper into the park than I have before, and I plan to take a ton of pics. Kade keeps messaging me, wondering whether I’m as happy with my new home as I claim, and if maybe I’m considering coming back. Somehow, I think if I send him visual proof of how amazing the area is, he’ll realize I’m content with my decision.

I chuckle. He never understood my fascination with the great outdoors and medicinal plants. I’ve been known as the weed hugger since middle school, and not because of any recreational smoking activities.

After a twenty-minute drive, I reach the trail turn-off. Only two cars are parked in the large parking area, which is a good sign. Sure, it’s still early, and the trails will likely become more crowded as the afternoon wears on, but at least I can expect some peace and quiet for now. After all, these people are probably at the hot springs.

Slinging my day pack over my shoulder, I make my way to the trail entrance. I’ve been researching flowers and plants that are native to Arkansas and not found on the West Coast. My objective for the day is to find as many of them as I can.

Some only bloom in the winter, so it will be easy to miss those. If I can at least find some purple coneflower growing in the wild, it would be worth this entire excursion. I can’t wait until I’m ready to start cultivating and can make my own batch of echinacea.

The amount of excitement that fills me over the thought of seeing this plant is what many feel when they get to meet their favorite celebrity. Kade would mock me for hours if he knew.

After about twenty minutes of glorious solo hiking, I reach the sign that Virgil described. Hot springs to the right, solitude to the left. I go left.

The path narrows, gradually descending at a mild pitch. From the forest growth infringing on the trail, it’s clear this is the road less traveled, as it were. Or maybe it hasn’t been cleared yet. It doesn’t seem to be a high-traffic area, so I doubt it’s a priority.

I round a corner with a small pile of boulders and take the opportunity to rehydrate. I’ll save my snacks for later. Virgil mentioned a creek that leads to a mini waterfall, and that sounds like the perfect place to take an extended break.

As I rise to continue my journey, I spot my prize. I won’t touch it since I’m still working out park rules on gathering plants, but I pause to take a pic. With a satisfied sigh, I return my phone to my pack.

My thoughts return to my obsession with wildlife. There’s nothing wrong with loving what I do and wanting to make it my life’s work. It’s just that I hope it won’t be the only thing I enjoy for the rest of my days.

I carry on and redirect my focus to the beauty of my surroundings.

One thing at a time. Be in the moment. Don’t allow worry and regret to interrupt your enjoyment.

By the time I reach the creek, I’ve been trudging along for over an hour, most of it being downhill. Yup. It was the right decision to wait before I had my snacks. The trek back to the Jeep is all uphill, and I’ll need as many carbs as possible to power me.

I find the perfect boulder to perch on so I can dangle my feet in the water while I have my protein bar and apple. I’m wiggling my toes as I munch away, then freeze as something moves in my peripheral vision.

Aww. A bunny forages nearby, and I stay still so I won’t frighten them off. The furry brown guy nibbles some berries, twitching its little nose.

A loud rustling sound from behind me grabs my attention, and the rabbit stiffens as if it’s turned to stone. Probably a deer coming through the thick forest growth to drink from the creek. I glance over my shoulder, the apple dropping from my hand and landing in the water with a kerplunk.

Shit. Shit shit shit.

The mountain lion is fucking huge and only ten or so feet away. Outrunning a cougar is impossible in addition to being a really bad idea. The beast is so close that I won’t have time to either jump on top of the boulder and make a ruckus to scare him off or to retrieve my bear spray from my pack. While the big cat and I engage in a stare-off, the bunny takes the opportunity to bolt.

Smart rabbit.

The enormous cougar yowls, an ear-splitting shriek I’ve only heard once before in the wild. That time it was far away and still seemed loud. This one is terror-inducing.

My mouth seems as if it’s coated with a thick layer of dust, and I'm not sure if I’m still breathing. The lion’s gaze remains locked on me. The hissing increases, his tail swishing back and forth. He’s probably wondering if he should have me as a snack or save me for dinner.

Another loud rustle comes from a grove of trees behind the cat, taking his focus off of me. My heart drops in my stomach, my jaw falling open as I’m greeted by an enormous, hulking beast lurking in the shadows.

I’m so screwed. Never mind the cougar, what the fuck is that?

Scrambling backward with an awkward tangle of limbs, I tumble into the freezing creek water with a splash. The sound seems to trigger the mountain lion, and he charges at me. I push away from the boulder, arms and legs flailing, never taking my eyes off the bringer of my impending doom.

I gasp as the lion is hurled away from me by the massive shadow beast. Or is it a bear? I’ve never seen one this large or with such an elongated shape before. And is that a Viking hat on his head? Like, seriously, I wasn’t aware that bears were into cosplay.

Viking Bear flings Killer Cat to the ground, and they tumble together, teeth snapping, claws slicing, their battle cries echoing through the forest and chasing away nearby birds.