THE CHOSEN ONES ( PART THIRTY FIVE )

Evelyne and Meradith were walking through the forest, they weren't really sure where they were
going, but they knew they had to keep searching.

Meradith thought, 'if only it had not rained, there
would be footprints,' but the footprints were all
washed away.

They were both so hungry, so Meradith thought she
would have another go at fishing. She found a stick, then took the flint from her purse and used
it to sharpen the stick.

She stripped off her clothes, then went down to the
river and waded in, her fear of the open space...
was nothing compared to the hunger she felt.

As she stood in the water, which was quite shallow,
she saw a fish, but it was too quick for her, she
thought, 'I will have to be quicker than that next
time!'

Instead of hesitating, this time Meradith was really quick, "yes!...yes!" she said, as she speared the fish.

Forgetting where she was, she shouted, "Evelyne! I
have a fish...I have a fish, look!"

"Shhhh!" said Evelyne, waving at Meradith.

Meradith put her hand to her lips, realising what
a mistake she had made by shouting. "Oops! I was so
excited, I forgot where I was."

Meradith walked back to Evelyne, then she put her
clothes back on. As she got dressed...Evelyne found
some kindling...then Meradith took her flints and
started a fire.

"Do you think this is such a good idea, to start a
fire?" enquired Evelyne.

"We have to eat, it won't take long to cook one fish," said Meradith, "then I will put the fire out
straight away."

As they cooked their fish, they were suddenly aware
of being watched.

"Quick put the fire out!" whispered Meradith...in
a panic.

Evelyne started to stamp out the fire, then Meradith said, "let's keep going, we can eat as we
walk."

As they made their way, they were still aware of not only being watched, but also of being followed.
Suddenly they stopped, then from out of a tree,
jumped a man, right in front of them.

"Please don't hurt us!" cried Evelyne.

"Then give us some fish, I'm half starved," said
the stranger.

"Well," said Meradith, "so are we, there's hardly
enough for two, leave alone three people."

"Please!" said the stranger, "I've been on the run
for two days."

"Can't you find your own food?" asked Meradith.

"I will once I've eaten, I just need some energy,
then I will hunt."

As the three stood, discussing the fish, little did
they know, there were a family of bears making their way towards them, the bears had smelt the fish cooking, they had a keen sense of smell.

The stranger spotted something moving, "what's
that?" he said.

"What's what?" said Evelyne.

The man pointed, "over there!"

"Don't look," said Meradith, "it's a trick, as soon
as we look, he will steal our fish."

"No!" said the stranger, "I speak the truth." Then
he saw the family of bears. "Looks like I got here
just in time, quickly climb up some trees."

They clambered up the into the trees as fast as they could, Evelyne was still clutching the fish.

The bears followed the smell towards the cooked food, fish was one of their favourite diets. Meradith shouted to Evelyne, "throw him the fish!"

"But then we will be starving again," said Evelyne.

The biggest of the bears stood up on his hind legs
and started to shake the tree, growling as he shook
its branches.

"Woe!" poor Evelyne was being thrown all over the
place, she held on for dear life.

The stranger shouted, "you could have picked a stronger tree!"

"Throw them the fish Evelyne!" Meradith shouted once again.

At that moment Evelyne threw the fish on the ground. The bear ate it and looked up at poor
Evelyne, stuck in the tree, as if to say, "come on then, where's the rest of the fish?"

"They're not going," said Evelyne.

"That's because he's looking at you as food, you
still have the smell of fish on you." said the stranger.

Evelyne froze, when she realised, she could be the
bears' next meal.

Now on this new earth, people did not pray to gods,
as on the old earth, instead they looked to what
they saw, felt, heard and tasted.

Evelyne asked the tree to protect her, she touched
its branches, this was only a baby tree, from what
she could see. "Please tree, don't let that bear get me." She looked at the bear, then closed her
eyes.

To be continued .........THE CHOSEN ONES ( PART THIRTY SIX ) | ABCtales