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Haven Hill: Chapter 19
by the Author of The Widow in the Woods
Here’s where the story left off last time.
The sound came again – a footstep on the littered terrain of the forest floor. Then she heard a low, huffing snort, followed by the unmistakable crack of a branch under weight.
Not Logan.
Something big.
Kate’s pulse spiked as her eyes caught movement—a hulking shape shifting through the trees, its dark fur blending with the night. A black bear, its broad head swinging as it sniffed the air.
Oh boy, thought Kate hysterically. We really are choosing between man and bear.
Ariel’s fingers dug into Kate’s sleeve, her eyes wide with terror. Kate leaned in, her whisper barely a breath. “It’s a bear. Don’t run. Stay close.”
Ariel nodded, her trembling hand clutching her trekking pole like a weapon. Kate’s mind raced.
Black bears in these mountains weren’t usually aggressive, but they were drawn to food. The peanut M&Ms. The crumbs on their hands, the wrappers in her pocket.
Damn it, she thought, cursing her carelessness. The bear’s snout lifted, its eyes glinting as it shuffled closer, maybe fifteen feet away, its bulk rustling the undergrowth.
“Raise your poles,” Kate whispered, her voice steady despite the fear clawing her chest. “Make yourself big. Move slow.”
They lifted their trekking poles high, arms spread to widen their silhouettes. Kate stepped in front of Ariel, using her body as a shield, though her legs felt like jelly.
The bear paused, its ears twitching, its heavy breathing audible in the still night. It took a step forward, its claws scraping against a rock, the sound sharp in the silence.
Kate’s thoughts whirled like a tornado. Black bears would usually back off if you made noise, but startling them could make things worse. And then there were Logan’s irate shouts. If he was close, his yelling might agitate the bear. If they made a racket, their shouts might lead Logan right to them.
They had to scare it off without giving away their position. But was it worth the risk?
“Get out your bear spray. Back up very slowly,” Kate murmured, guiding Ariel with a gentle push.
“Keep facing it. Don’t turn your back on it.”
They edged backward, Kate’s poles still raised, Ariel clutching the can of bearspray like it was a lifeline. The forest floor crunched faintly under their careful steps. The bear snorted again, its dark eyes tracking their movement.
Kate’s heart pounded so loudly she was surprised that the entire forest didn’t hear it. She could smell the bear’s musky scent now, carried on the breeze. This was entirely closer to a bear than she’d ever wanted to be. The M&M wrapper crinkled in her pocket, and she prayed the bear hadn’t caught the scent.
“We have to scare it,” Kate hissed. “There’s no choice. Yell, Ari. As loud as you can.”
Ariel’s voice shook, but came out strong. “Hey! Get out of here! Bad bear!” Kate joined in, her shout fierce despite the fear choking her. “Go on, bear! Get!” They stomped the ground, banging their poles together, their voices echoing off the trees.
The bear froze, its ears flattening. For a heart-stopping moment, it stood its ground, staring at them intenty.
From a distance, Logan’s voice cracked through the night again, raw and furious, calling their names. The bear’s head jerked toward the sound, its body tensing. Kate’s stomach dropped. Logan was closer than she’d thought, and his shouting was like a match in a powder keg. The bear huffed, taking another step toward them, its eyes flicking between Kate and Ariel and the direction of Logan.
They had chosen their course and continued their onslaught of noise. They would deal with Logan if they survived the bear encounter.
Finally, the beast let out a low woof and lumbered back, crashing through the brush. Its heavy steps faded into the forest, leaving only the crunch of leaves in its wake. Kate kept yelling until she was sure it was gone, her throat raw. She pulled Ariel into a quick, fierce hug, both of them shaking.
“Is it gone?” Ariel whispered, her voice small against Kate’s shoulder.
“Yeah, I think so,” Kate said, scanning the darkness. “But Logan’s out there and he probably got a good idea of where we are. We’ve got to move.”
“I hope it eats Logan,” declared Ariel in a less tremulous voice.
Kate laughed. “Me too. That would solve a lot of our problems.”
They hurried forward, their stealth sacrificed for speed. Kate’s mind spun. The bear was gone, but Logan was not. His shouts were louder now, his rage cutting through the night.
Now he knew for sure that they were out there.
Their beloved mountain had turned into a gauntlet, and they were far from the end of it. Everything felt too close to comfort, like the very trees were closing in on them. The forest they loved so much was different in the shadowy dusk. It was less inviting, more frightening. The hoot of an owl, the crack of a fallen branch – every sound made them jump. Kate tried to make light of the anxiety by laughing softly at their reactions.
But the truth was, they were both scared half to death.
Kate’s steps slowed. She had almost forgotten one of the most important survival lessons she’d ever learned:
Don’t run FROM danger. Run TO safety.
Despite their panic at Logan’s nearness, they had to be smart. They couldn’t just run aimlessly around the forest forever.
Kate raced through her options.
Logan would expect them to go to Mr. Slocum’s for help. He would cut them off on the trail.
The cave was too far back and all uphill, which would slow them down and wear them out.
The cabin could potentially be secured against Logan, but then they’d be trapped, at his mercy, unless he decided to leave.
There was nowhere to go that seemed like the best option.
But they could hide, bide their time in the forest, and let him run out of energy looking for them.
“We can’t go to Mr. Slocum’s,” Kate announced softly, stopping dead. Ariel bumped into her, her pole scraping a rock. The noise made Kate’s stomach twist, and she scanned the dark, half-expecting Logan to pop out.
Ariel’s voice was a shaky hiss. “What? Why not? It’s right there, Mom! We’re almost there!”
Kate leaned in, voice low. “Logan knows we’d head there. He’ll be waiting. We’re going to hide and wait him out. He can’t stay there forever staking out the neighbor forever.”
Ariel’s eyes went wide, and her jaw tightened, but she gave a quick nod. “Okay. Where do we go?” Ariel asked, barely audible, squaring her shoulders.
Kate looked around, her brain foggy from her recent panic. The trail curved around a steep slope, with thick bushes on one side and large rocks on the other. In the dim moonlight, she spotted a low overhang under a boulder. It was covered by ferns, the ever-present kudzu vines, and some gnarly roots. It was an indent, not an actual cave, and looked just big enough for them to squeeze into.
But it would do the trick and hide them from the trail.
“There,” Kate said in a low, steady voice, pointing. “We’ll sit tight, keep quiet, hide for a while, and rest. I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.”
They crept up the incline, poles poking for sticks that would give them away. Kate waited while Ariel crawled in first, then she followed, the dirt cold under her hands. Was there a better option? she wondered. It didn’t matter, she resolved. They were committing to this plan for now.
Ariel slid in deeper, her elbow knocking a fern loose. Kate shot her a look, fixing it quickly. They tucked their poles close and crammed together in the tight space, the local flora hiding them like the world’s flimsiest curtain.
The forest seemed noisy now that they were still – a chorus of crickets, rustling leaves, a creek in the distance. Kate listened hard for Logan – his steps, his voice, anything that would give her an early warning.
She drew her pistol, ready to blow him into the afterlife if she had to.
Ariel shivered, her shoulder pressed against Kate’s left side. “How long do we wait?” she whispered, her breath warm in the cool air.
“Till we’re sure he’s moved on,” Kate murmured. “If he’s at Mr. Slocum’s, he’ll get mad and start searching the trails. He’s not patient, and we can use it to our advantage. We just need to outlast him. We can do this, honey.”
Ariel curled up tighter, nodding. Kate kissed her on top of the head. It was too cold for August, the kind chill that got into your bones and made your teeth chatter. Or maybe that was just the adrenaline. Their legs ached, and Ariel looked utterly exhausted in the darkness. They shared a water, and when she moved, Kate heard that stupid M&M wrapper crinkling in her pocket. She wanted to kick herself for keeping it after the bear fiasco.
The time dragged on, making Kate feel like she was trapped in a slow-motion sequence in a movie. She dozed on and off. Ariel snored softly next to her.
Then, a crunch sounded somewhere down the trail. Kate grabbed Ariel’s arm, mouthing, Quiet. Another crunch, and this one was closer. Was it Logan? A deer? Another freaking bear? Ariel’s fingers tightened on her taser. Kate’s pulse hammered, her hands clutching her pistol.
Then she smelled it – an odor that absolutely did not belong. It was the acrid scent of a cigarette wafting through the freshness of the forest.
About Daisy
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging author and blogger who’s traded her air miles for a screen porch, having embraced a more homebody lifestyle after a serious injury. She’s the heart and mind behind The Organic Prepper, a top-tier website where she shares what she’s learned about preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty. With 17 books under her belt, Daisy’s insights on living frugally, surviving tough times, finding some happiness in the most difficult situations, and embracing independence have touched many lives. Her work doesn’t just stay on her site; it’s shared far and wide across alternative media, making her a familiar voice in the community.
Known for her adventurous spirit, she’s lived in five different countries and raised two wonderful daughters as a single mom. Now living in the beautiful state of North Carolina, Daisy has been spreading her knowledge through blogging for 15 years now.
She is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and X.
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