The larger bear, noticing her, paused mid-stride. Its gaze locked with hers, intense and knowing. For a moment, it felt like time had stopped. The bus station, the noise, the people—everything faded away, leaving only her and the two bears.
The world seemed to shrink into that single moment. The smaller bear shifted its weight, then took a step forward, its eyes moving between Evelyn and the larger one. Evelyn’s breath quickened as she instinctively took a step back, her hand reaching for her phone again, though she had no idea what she would do with it.