By sunrise, the storm had drifted east, leaving Pine Valley washed clean and quiet. The bear was still there, sitting inside the fenced bay, nose occasionally lifting toward the hospital’s exhaust vents. “He hasn’t moved all night,” Parker reported. “Tried the fish, ignored it. He’s watching that door like it owes him.”
Inside, Dr. Anika Sorel reviewed Evan’s chart again—around six years old, core temperature now stable, and shallow punctures along wrists from rope fibers. The tox screen flagged benzodiazepine, a common sedative. “Administered via food or drinks,” she guessed. The child’s eyelids fluttered briefly before closing again.