Bear Story

Now Claude and his gang ran until they arrived back in the town where they lived, and to cover his embarrassment went to the police and told the others they had to go along with what he said. Through fear they all agreed. The story he told was a pack of lies. He told them that the bear had attacked them and taken the little girl. With this information, as well as the lies the bears at the circus had given, they were more convinced that the bear was dangerous. The bear and the children were unaware of all this and had decided to walk until daylight and then sleep in the day time, where hopefully they would not be seen. Just then, they heard a lot of noise ahead and there was an awful commotion as what appeared was that someone was slipping down the hillside and into the bushes. The bear ran to see if whoever it was needed help. Suddenly a face appeared through the bushes, a rather nice face thought the bear.
“Hello - my names Angel”
“Hello “ said the bear “this is Sydney and Helen”
“Haven’t you got a name?” said Angel.
“No-one has ever given me a name” he replied. “That’s sad - we have been hearing about you on the news and I have been so wanting to meet you”.
“Where have you come from?” asked the bear.
“The next valley” answered Angel.
“My owners forgot and left my cage open”.
“Are they cruel to you?”
“No they are very kind to me”, she said.
“I wouldn’t have left them but I felt you needed help”.
“We do”, said Sydney “All these hills and mountains look very beautiful, but we are a little lost and we are trying to get to the coast where we have been told there is a Sanctuary on an island just off the coast.”
“There is “ said Angel, “The people from the house where I live took us for a holiday there, it is a very special place and I know the way I can show you”.
They all started again, the two children riding in the bear’s back and Angel walking by his side. As they walked, they talked. The bear asked Angel all about herself and where she had come from, and what she liked doing. It was wonderful as he had never had another bear to talk to. He told her about their escape and of the people they had met. He tried to leave out the bad bits which wasn’t too difficult because in her company he felt so good. As they walked, the children slept on his back.
“When we reach the Sanctuary, will you stay with us?”
“May be” she said.
“It would be great if you could, there is so much I would like to share with you”.
She smiled, but I think inside she thought it was a good idea too. They walked like this for two days, apart from stopping to pick berries to eat, and to have an occasional sleep. It was one of these times that Angel found herself picking berries along side Sydney, “Tell me about the bear” Angel asked Sydney.
“Well there is not a lot to say other than he has been a friend to me since we both met. He has been hurt for most of the time since I have known him, and sometimes as when the bears were trying to hurt me, and when the bullies were hurting him, he can become quite angry, but I do not think he ever wants to hurt anyone."
“He never told me this, only that he had had a bit of a bad time” said Angel.
“Believe me”, said Sydney “It was a lot worse than you could imagine, but one thing I know he would not ever hurt us and to be honest I do not believe that he would hurt anyone unless forced into doing so. Another thing I know, when it is cold at night it is really good having him to sleep along side. He makes you feel safe and warm.”
They spent another day and night travelling side by side, becoming closer each step. The bear didn’t realise but he was falling in love, and it seemed that Angel was as well. All the bear knew was that he felt strange with her around, and when she went off on her own he felt really good when she re-appeared. Everything was going well, the bear had forgotten all the bad things that had happened to him, and it was starting to get dark, when in the distance the first figure appeared. Then there was another and then four of them. Sydney was the first to see them. Angel and the bear were too involved with each other and Helen was rather sleepy.