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“What if they’re not asking ransom for me? Have you considered they have no reason to keep me alive? Have you?” He raised his voice and narrowed his gaze.
“I’m scared as hell, too, but let’s not waste time arguing.” Along with his antagonism, she detected a frantic tone to his speech. His sudden anger stung her like a hornet, and a pit formed in her stomach. She couldn’t believe they’d slept together mere hours ago. The sweet afterglow drained away, replaced by something unstable. Uncertain whether she should soothe his anxiety or confront his attitude, she stood motionless.
Growling and muttering, Mark tromped over to a tall maple tree. He kicked the dirt at the tree’s base, swiped a sizeable rock from the ground, and hurled it at a nearby cedar tree. The stone ricocheted and tumbled into neighboring bushes. Hands on his hips, he stomped on a pile of dead branches while pacing and cursing.
Dumbfounded at the strange break in his demeanor, Tess remained at the clearing’s edge, a safe distance from his outburst. This couldn't be the same man who woke up beside her, and she grew more alarmed every second. Had she truly misjudged his character so greatly? Nothing made sense, and she decided to count to ten before taking slow, tentative steps toward him. “Are you done?” She used a measured, non-threatening voice, hoping not to startle him.
Mark reeled to face her. “Yes.”
“Let’s head for the road.” Tess took charge and waved for him to follow. Trying to read his mood, she saw his stern expression soften several degrees, like a toppled sandcastle dissolving back into the sea. For a moment, he seemed on the verge of crying. While the uncomfortable silence unsettled her, she kept forging forward. Dependent on each other to survive, she couldn’t afford to add personal conflict to an already staggering list of obstacles.
As she swatted away bushes and tall grass blocking their way, she tried to empathize with his terror, anger, or whatever set him off. No doubt, they faced grave danger, but his outburst hinted at something lurking below the surface that she couldn’t identify. Given her own meltdown yesterday, she considered whether he was overdue to let off some steam, especially after how calmly he handled the Cedarcliff attack.
The terrain became more forest-like, and the trees grew thicker, offering them much-needed cover. As the minutes passed, Tess stole quick glances at Mark and judged his outburst was over. She longed for water, anything to quench her thirst and relieve her dry mouth. Without stopping, she plodded ahead for another hour, but eventually, she needed to relieve herself and ducked behind a clump of trees. “I need a minute—bio break. Be right back.”
When she returned, rustling sounded nearby, but its source wasn’t visible. Twenty yards ahead, she spotted Mark’s blue shirt, yet hesitated to shout and reveal their location. The noise persisted. She peeked over her shoulder, and nothing appeared. The wind had calmed, and the tree branches remained still. She hiked several more steps but stopped when another tree branch broke. Could Yuri and his men have found them?
“You coming?” Mark called.
He waited about ten yards beyond where she stood. So much for keeping quiet. “Something’s in the bushes, but I can’t see it.” Rotating a full circle, she rechecked the foliage for any movement.
“Let’s move closer to the trees—more cover, if we need it.” He shifted his trajectory to align with the thickly wooded ridgeline ahead.
Concerned about noise and Mark’s state of mind, she checked their surroundings for threats. He seemed to have reverted to his usual demeanor, and she questioned whether she’d overreacted to his outburst. “Look.” Tess gestured several yards ahead toward a broken line of railway ties. “An old railroad. We’re getting closer to civilization.”
The rustling sound repeated. Whipping around, she searched in every direction but detected nothing. A cluster of evergreen trees swayed in gentle arcs from the western wind, and the scent of fragrant fir branches filled the breeze.
Continuing to hike through the dense woodland, Mark trudged a few yards ahead and kept one hand on his left rib cage.
The crackle of leaves sounded behind her, and she turned to find herself face-to-face with a black bear the size of a two-seater car.
The animal lurked closer.
Calling out for Mark, she couldn’t keep panic from rising in her voice and backed away one step at a time, careful not to provoke the wild animal. Play dead, or make noise? Not knowing which approach to take with this bear species, she cursed under her breath.
The bear roared and stood on its back legs, reaching its full height, high above her.
“Go away!” Instinct trumped memory, and she screamed.
The black bear plunked onto all fours but approached again to nudge her legs.
She stared at its shiny fur coat and pointy ears, but when the bear’s nose sniffed her with interest, she froze.
The bear headed in the opposite direction but spun without warning and charged.
In an instant, she broke away and sprinted. Despite its furry bulk, the bear lumbered lightning-fast and swiped at her right leg, missing it by inches.
Finally, it scurried away, and its woolly mass disappeared into a thicket of trees and crashed through the bushes.
“Shit, the damn thing almost attacked me.” Breathless from the near miss, Tess pressed her hands against her knees and attempted to calm herself.
Mark hustled back to rejoin her. “Lucky…break.” Out of breath, he wheezed between each word, and his chest rose and fell.
“Lucky? You’re kidding, right?” His words hit her like a lit match sparking dry, brittle kindling. Snap.
“I meant, you’re lucky it ran away. Bear attacks are often fatal. I’ve never treated one.”
She gawked. His expression remained flat, like a worn stone, and something imploded inside her. How could he be so emotionless? “Well, sorry I deprived you the chance to see one up close. I’m sick of being hunted and want out of this fucking forest.” She lashed out with uncharacteristic sarcasm.
