Nicole answered on the third ring, sounding half-distracted. Mike teased her, saying he was braving the night alone. She laughed, reminding him not to linger too long since he’s got a shift to get back to. He let out a sigh, nodding his head while looking down at his shoes and that’s when something moved at the edge of his vision.
His eyes flicked toward the tree line. A dark shape emerged from the underbrush, massive and unmistakable. The breath caught in his throat. He froze mid-sentence, phone still against his ear. Standing scarcely fifteen yards away stood a bear, lumbering silently toward him.