The Mane Squeeze
Page 12
Youre being ridiculous, he called up to her.
Im not going back there to die. I can do that just as well out here, in the fresh air. With all her organs intact in her decaying body.
If you go back to the medical center youre not going to die.
Like Ill believe that lie for two seconds.
And what about when the fever hits? Youre going to fall out of that tree eventually.
Gwen couldnt help but get kind of smug. The ONeills dont get the fever.
Dont even try it.
We dont. My brother got shot three times two months ago, and he didnt get the fever.
I bet your family gets shot at a lot, huh?
Hey, hey! Gwen said excitedly. Look at this! Look at this! She extended her arm and gave him the finger.
I should leave your Philly ass up there! he snarled.
Like Id ever need help from some Jersey rich boy!
Look, Mr. Mittens and Gwen didnt think she could explain how much she hated when he called her that either you get your ass down here or Im getting you out of that tree the hard way.
You have an enormous head, Gwen taunted, enjoying the way his entire body tensed. Its like a giant kumquat. Then she giggled hysterically, liking the word kumquat way more than she should.
You want it that way, he said low, youve got it. He stepped back and pulled off the hospital scrubs hed been wearing. She only had a moment to wonder why he was getting nakedand enjoying that astounding view for all it was worthbefore he shifted to bear. His height increased considerably once he did, going from his nearly not-quite seven feet to a full ten, but she was still too high for him to reach.
Leaning over, she taunted, Nice try but no
Gwen squealed, gripping the branch she was on. He didnt try and climb up to her, he simply took firm hold of the old tree and began to shake it. Christ, how much did she guess he weighed as bear? Fifteen hundred pounds? Maybe more? And all of it pure muscle. With his claws gripping the trunk, he simply shoved the tree back and forth. It was an old treesturdy, strong, and disease freebut it still wasnt strong enough to stand up to the grizzly, the roots beginning to tear from the ground as he relentlessly kept up his actions.
Stop it! Gwen yelped, but he ignored her.
The tree, loose from its anchor in the ground, swung forward, Gwens lower half flying free of the branch and dangling in midair. She yelped again, and the tree came swinging back. Her body already weak, her hands lost their grip on thetree and she went headfirst toward the ground.
She closed her eyes, not wanting to see that last second of her life. Yet the bear again showed how fast he was for his size, plucking her out of the air and pulling her in tight against his body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands resting on the giant lump of muscle between his shoulder blades.
Gasping for breath, she clung to him, burying her face against his neck. She felt his fur recede, his body straightening as it shrunk down to its only slightly less freakishly tall height, while the dramatic hump between his shoulder blades grew smaller and smaller until she could only feel it as several extra layers of muscle. He began walking, briefly stopping to pick up the scrubs.
I cant go back, she whispered against his neck, horrified she couldnt stop the shaking of her body.
He stopped, the tree hed taken her from crashing to the ground behind them, and gently asked, What are you afraid of?
Dying.
He stroked her side with his fingertips and she was surprised at how gentle his hands were. How gentle he was, considering hed torn an eighty-year-old tree out of the ground and shed told him he had a kumquat head.
Youll be fine.
You cant promise that. Theyre going to get me on that table and theyre going to start cutting me open and theyre going to
Hey, hey. He leaned back a bit, trying to catch a glimpse of her face. Wait a minute. Wheres my tough Philly girl?
Dead, if you take me back there.
Do you really think Id let anything happen to you? That Id let anyone hurt you? After everything Ive done today to keep you breathing?
Ill be alone with those sadists and youll be in the waiting room.
Ill stay with you.
They wont let you.
His smile was so warm and soft, she found herself wanting to trust him when she barely trusted anyone.
Do you really think anybody can force me to do anything?
Another bear?
Youd have to find one who cares, he whispered. Most of us dont. But we do keep our word. Its the MacRyrie bear way.
You promise you wont leave me?
I promise.
With her free hand, she clutched his shoulder with what was left of her strength. Tell me something about yourself. So I know I can trust you.
UmI was a Marine.
No. Not that. Something else. Somethingjust about you.
I do a little woodworking.
Im not going back there to die. I can do that just as well out here, in the fresh air. With all her organs intact in her decaying body.
If you go back to the medical center youre not going to die.
Like Ill believe that lie for two seconds.
And what about when the fever hits? Youre going to fall out of that tree eventually.
Gwen couldnt help but get kind of smug. The ONeills dont get the fever.
Dont even try it.
We dont. My brother got shot three times two months ago, and he didnt get the fever.
I bet your family gets shot at a lot, huh?
Hey, hey! Gwen said excitedly. Look at this! Look at this! She extended her arm and gave him the finger.
I should leave your Philly ass up there! he snarled.
Like Id ever need help from some Jersey rich boy!
Look, Mr. Mittens and Gwen didnt think she could explain how much she hated when he called her that either you get your ass down here or Im getting you out of that tree the hard way.
You have an enormous head, Gwen taunted, enjoying the way his entire body tensed. Its like a giant kumquat. Then she giggled hysterically, liking the word kumquat way more than she should.
You want it that way, he said low, youve got it. He stepped back and pulled off the hospital scrubs hed been wearing. She only had a moment to wonder why he was getting nakedand enjoying that astounding view for all it was worthbefore he shifted to bear. His height increased considerably once he did, going from his nearly not-quite seven feet to a full ten, but she was still too high for him to reach.
Leaning over, she taunted, Nice try but no
Gwen squealed, gripping the branch she was on. He didnt try and climb up to her, he simply took firm hold of the old tree and began to shake it. Christ, how much did she guess he weighed as bear? Fifteen hundred pounds? Maybe more? And all of it pure muscle. With his claws gripping the trunk, he simply shoved the tree back and forth. It was an old treesturdy, strong, and disease freebut it still wasnt strong enough to stand up to the grizzly, the roots beginning to tear from the ground as he relentlessly kept up his actions.
Stop it! Gwen yelped, but he ignored her.
The tree, loose from its anchor in the ground, swung forward, Gwens lower half flying free of the branch and dangling in midair. She yelped again, and the tree came swinging back. Her body already weak, her hands lost their grip on thetree and she went headfirst toward the ground.
She closed her eyes, not wanting to see that last second of her life. Yet the bear again showed how fast he was for his size, plucking her out of the air and pulling her in tight against his body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands resting on the giant lump of muscle between his shoulder blades.
Gasping for breath, she clung to him, burying her face against his neck. She felt his fur recede, his body straightening as it shrunk down to its only slightly less freakishly tall height, while the dramatic hump between his shoulder blades grew smaller and smaller until she could only feel it as several extra layers of muscle. He began walking, briefly stopping to pick up the scrubs.
I cant go back, she whispered against his neck, horrified she couldnt stop the shaking of her body.
He stopped, the tree hed taken her from crashing to the ground behind them, and gently asked, What are you afraid of?
Dying.
He stroked her side with his fingertips and she was surprised at how gentle his hands were. How gentle he was, considering hed torn an eighty-year-old tree out of the ground and shed told him he had a kumquat head.
Youll be fine.
You cant promise that. Theyre going to get me on that table and theyre going to start cutting me open and theyre going to
Hey, hey. He leaned back a bit, trying to catch a glimpse of her face. Wait a minute. Wheres my tough Philly girl?
Dead, if you take me back there.
Do you really think Id let anything happen to you? That Id let anyone hurt you? After everything Ive done today to keep you breathing?
Ill be alone with those sadists and youll be in the waiting room.
Ill stay with you.
They wont let you.
His smile was so warm and soft, she found herself wanting to trust him when she barely trusted anyone.
Do you really think anybody can force me to do anything?
Another bear?
Youd have to find one who cares, he whispered. Most of us dont. But we do keep our word. Its the MacRyrie bear way.
You promise you wont leave me?
I promise.
With her free hand, she clutched his shoulder with what was left of her strength. Tell me something about yourself. So I know I can trust you.
UmI was a Marine.
No. Not that. Something else. Somethingjust about you.
I do a little woodworking.
