“Hello again,” he said, walking over to her and extending his hand. She was wearing gloves, but still, the physical contact shot a bolt of electricity through her body as her hand was enveloped in his large, firm grip .
“Hey,” she said brightly .
“How’s the tree doing ?”
“Oh, great. It looks incredible in my living room .”
“I’m glad to hear that. Once I sell the trees, I never get to see the finished product .”
“You should come take a look at it –” she broke off, her cheeks warming .
“That would be real nice,” he said with a dazzling smile, but instead of replying to him, Madison stared at him dumbstruck. Oh my God, what did I just say? He’s going to think I just gave him the cheesiest line ever !
“Madison, I still can’t get ahold of Sophia,” Karen interrupted .
“Is the signal back?” Madison said, a little shakily .
“It’s still at one bar, but the call won’t connect. I’m surprised that she hasn’t come to join us by now .”
“Abbey, you didn’t see her anywhere while you were in the parade, did you?” Madison asked her niece .
“No,” she said, but there was something in her expression .
“What is it, Abbey ?”
“Nothing.”
“Abbey, do you know where she is?” The little girl shook her head, lips pressed tightly together. Karen squeezed her small hand .
“Come on, honey. You’re not in trouble, but you’ve got that look on your face that means you’re hiding something. Did Sophia tell you something and make you promise not to tell us?” Abbey nodded .
“Well, that probably means that it’s something we need to know, especially as it’s started to snow again –” Everyone looked up as snowflakes began to fall from the sky, slowly, lazily at first, but in less than a minute, they’d already gathered pace. “And the forecast is for heavy snow later this evening .”
“It’s important to keep secrets, but sometimes it’s more important to be safe,” Madison added. Abbie’s lips formed a tight O .
“Sometimes Sophia hangs out with Marina and two boys,” she said at last .
“And? Where do they go ?”
“I’ve seen them heading out of town, on the mountain track before .”
“And she told you she was going today ?”
“No. When I saw her going before, I asked her about it, and she made me promise not to tell you.” The sisters stared at each other .
“Sophia’s been keeping things from me? I can’t believe it. My own daughter !”
“Hey, she’s 14. All kids are like that at that age,” Madison said .
“She told me it wasn’t a big deal, but you’d freak if you knew, so I shouldn’t tell you in case it made your blood pressure high.” Karen gasped .
“What? That naughty little minx!” she exclaimed .
“Full marks for cunning,” Madison said .
“What’s going on?” Brock cut in, his deep baritone startling everyone .
“My teenage daughter seems to have run off into the woods with two guys and another girl,” Karen said .
“Hey, hold on, we don’t know that’s what’s happened,” Madison said. Just then, a gust of wind hit them, and the snow began to fall at an oblique angle .
“I’m guessing you don’t have phone contact now, if your reception is anything like mine?” Brock said .
“No.” Karen looked at her phone yet again and tried to dial .
“What network are you all on?” Brock asked each of them. “Ok, let’s all try, one at a time.” Everyone had the same result – a fuzzy connection that couldn’t hold out long enough to connect the call .
Madison looked around. The heavier snowfall had encouraged people to disperse, and their group was now standing by themselves on the frozen road, beneath the orange streetlights .
“Let’s not start to panic, but we should try and find out exactly where she is right now,” Brock said. “How about we go and speak to everyone out here and see if anyone’s seen her. In the meantime, maybe one of you guys can go home and check whether she’s there, and we all meet back here in ten minutes?” Even in the dark, Madison could see Karen’s face paling .
“Hey, it’s ok,” she said, squeezing her arm. “It’s not a search party, we’re just making sure. She’s probably at a friend’s house or something.” She turned to Brock. “Thanks for your help. This sounds like a good plan.” He inclined his head .
“Do you have a photo ?”
“Yes.” Madison scrolled through her camera roll and picked out a close-up of Sophia’s face. “She’s about 115 pounds and 5’3’’ tall .”
“We can share via Bluetooth, even if there’s no signal, right ?”
“I think so.” She and Brock switched on their Bluetooth connection, and before long, the photo was shared onto Brock’s phone. His uncle and cousin gathered around and took a careful look at it .
“Ok, let’s go,” Grayson said, immediately heading off towards a park that eventually led to the mountains .
Everyone else spread out, walking in different directions .
“You stay with your mom, kiddo,” Madison said to Abbey. “I think she’d benefit from your laser eyesight .”
Madison spoke to a lot of people. Her lawyer’s experience helped a lot as she asked people very direct questions, trying to get them to remember, as efficiently as possible. But she heard the same thing over and over: almost everyone knew Sophia, but no-one had seen her that day .
Fifteen minutes later, everyone was back, with no good news .
“There’s no sign of her at home,” Karen said, her eyes wide with worry. The snow was settling on people’s clothes and it had become noticeably colder .
“Abbey, did Sophia tell you anything about what she does when she goes up the mountain?” Madison said .
“She says she goes to the ravine,” Abbey replied .
“The ravine? Oh my God, that’s so dangerous!” Karen yelled .
“I don’t know if she goes there in winter though.” Karen was breathing hard, on the verge of hyperventilation. Brock laid a large, gentle hand on her shoulder .
“It’s ok. We’ll go and look for her,” he said .
“But –” Everyone looked around, all having the same thought. The snowstorm was minutes away. Before long there would be a blizzard .
“It’s fine. We’ll be safe. We’re adapted to this weather.” He paused, as if figuring out how to phrase what he had to say. “You know about us, right?” he said at last, close to Madison’s ear, his breath warm in her hair. She nodded, grasping his meaning .
“I do .”
“It would help a lot if we had something that carries her scent,” his cousin Riley said .
“We can get you something from home. Is that ok ?”
“Yes, let’s go together to save time .”
They all ran to Karen’s house. As Karen opened the front door, Madison desperately hoped that Sophia would be lying on the sofa, regarding them nonchalantly. But she wasn’t. There was only Elsbeth, sitting in an armchair .
“Has Sophia gone missing?” she demanded as they piled through the door .
“We can’t get ahold of her right now, but we’re sure she’s not far away,” Karen said in a strained voice .
“Oh god!” she said, trying to get up and then remembering that her leg was in plaster .
“It’s ok, mom. We’re going to find her, and we’ve got these three gentlemen here who’ve kindly agreed to help us,” Madison said, sitting down next to her and taking her hand as Karen ran upstairs .
Karen was back moments later with a nightshirt of Sophia’s .
“Will this do?” Madison said .
“Perfectly,” Brock said, taking it from her. Then he stepped close and lowered his voice. “Is there a garage here, or an outhouse? We could do with a little privacy to get prepared .”
“Sure, there’s a garage just thro
ugh the kitchen. Abbey, I need you to stay right here with grandma and take care of her, okay? Can you please stay on the sofa and not go wandering off anywhere ?”
“Yes, mom,” Abbey replied, her eyes wide, as she absorbed the fact of her sister’s disappearance .
“It’s this way,” Madison said, leading the three men out to the garage .
Just then, Karen’s phone rang. She snatched it up .
“Sophia? Where are you? Where exactly?” She dropped her arm and burst into tears .
“It was her. She says she’s on the mountain, but the call cut off again.” They all looked at their phones, but the signal had completely disappeared .
“It’s probably the blizzard this time,” Brock said .
“It happens every damn time!” Karen yelled, her eyes flashing. Madison took her arm .
“It’s okay. It’s good news. She has her phone with her and she’s on the mountain .”
“But it’s so cold up there!” Karen wailed .
“We can find her, right?” Madison said, directing the question to the guys .
“Shouldn’t be a problem, ma’am,” Grayson said. “Now, we just need to shift and take on our animal forms, so you might want to avert your eyes.” He immediately began to unbutton his shirt .
“Hold on – what about when you find her? She’s going to completely freak out when she sees three bears coming up to her.” The men exchanged glances .
“We can take our clothes with us and change back into our human forms before she catches sight of us?” Riley suggested .
“But she might be scared when three guys appear out of nowhere. And we still have the problem of bringing her back. We might not have the easiest time explaining to her that we’re shapeshifters,” Grayson said .
“What if you came with us?” Brock said to Madison .
“Sure, but how?” Brock threw a glance over his shoulder .
“On my back,” he said simply. Madison’s mouth fell open .
“But – won’t I be heavy for you?” He laughed .
“Not at all. I’m pretty big when I’m in my bear form .”
“Okay,” she said slowly .
“It’s fine, I promise. You’ll be comfortable and safe.” Madison nodded. Her only concern right now was finding her niece, and she’d do whatever it took to make that happen .
“Right, averting our eyes,” she said, as she turned her back on the three bears, and Karen did the same .
“Can you put our clothes into a small bag and bring it with you ?”
“Sure,” Madison said .
Madison’s ears became super-focused as she listened to them stripping their clothes off. The sound of fabric being dropped was followed by a series of loud cracking sounds and several crunches, and then there was a soft purr, a little like a cat’s but much deeper. Cautiously, Madison turned around again. She gave a loud gasp. The garage was practically filled with three huge bears. They looked absolutely terrifying, except for the fact that their eyes were soft, and somehow, recognizable as the three men. Two of them had black fur, while Brock’s was glossy brown. They had huge paws, with long, razor-sharp claws, and long, narrow muzzles. Brock dipped his head, as if to say “don’t be scared”, and her heartbeat slowed a little. Their clothes were neatly folded on the ground. Karen ran into the house and returned with a small rucksack. She lined it with a plastic bag and bundled the clothes in numbly as if she was doing household chores. Madison realized that she was in shock. She took the bag from her and put it on her back .
“I should be the one going with the bears,” Karen said .
“No, it’s better if you stay here with the phone, in case she manages to call, and look after the other two .”
“Okay,” Karen agreed, unusually compliantly .
The bears went over to Sophia’s nightshirt, which was lying on the tumble dryer, and took a deep sniff of it. It struck Madison that they’d waited to do that until they were in their bear forms. They must get more benefit from their bear sense of smell , she thought to herself. Madison stepped towards Brock and paused, still unable to believe that she should ride on his back. He crouched down, so his body was low to the ground, and she awkwardly lifted a leg and straddled his back. Trying not to kick him in the sides, she shuffled until her weight was dead center. Wow, it feels really comfortable to sit like this , she thought. And she did actually feel small in comparison to him. Her hands fluttered above his fur, before she dared to allow them to sink in and get a grip. His fur was so thick and luxuriant. He gave another purr, which she instinctively knew meant, “are you ready?” She fastened up all the buttons on her coat and pulled her hood over her head, tucking it in as best she could .
“Ready,” she murmured. Karen opened the garage door .
“Be careful!” she called, and they went out into the night .
The wind was howling, blowing the snow back and forth. It was freezing, bitterly cold, and there wasn’t another living soul on the streets. At least there was no chance of the bears being seen. Trying to protect her face from the cold, she leaned forward until the bear’s soft fur tickled her nostrils. What the heck, she thought, and pushed her nose right into it. It was wonderfully warming, and suddenly she couldn’t feel the cold at all .
4
T he bears ran through the small town and headed straight for the mountain, running in single file with Grayson and Riley at the front, and Brock bringing up the rear, moving more cautiously with Madison on his back .
Brock was confident they’d find Sophia if she was there, but he urged the other two on with calls, worried that she might catch hypothermia before they got to her. He wished that the situation wasn’t so urgent, so he could enjoy the experience of having Madison on his back. She felt so light, her sweet limbs wrapped around him and her soft breath tickling his neck. He wanted to be in his human form so he could flip around and pull her into his arms. Maybe I’ll have another chance to speak to her later , he thought. Although, he still had no idea whether she liked him or not, whether she was available. Things had been so chaotic since he’d plucked up the courage to walk across the road and speak to her. But at least getting over his bearish bashfulness had given him the opportunity to help find her niece .
Grayson and Riley reached the foot of the mountain and passed onto a narrow footpath that led right up to the summit. Brock didn’t know this part of the mountain too well, never having needed to ascend it from this side before. Grayson and Riley began to sniff now, trying hard to pick up Sophia’s scent. The snow made things very difficult, but it wasn’t long before they found it, and Grayson gave a loud call .
“They’ve picked up the scent, right?” Madison said, speaking right into his ear. He purred as reassuringly as he could .
Brock followed the other two as they galloped up the mountain. They came to a small plateau and then they veered off the path, turning onto an even narrower side track. Brock picked up the sound of running water from far off. It must be a waterfall in the ravine. And then he picked up a much stronger smell. It wasn’t just Sophia’s trail, it was the actual scent of her, along with three other humans. He followed Grayson and Riley around a bend, and they all came to a halt in front of a beat-up wooden cabin. There were two windows at the front and it looked to be almost dark inside .
Grayson walked right up to it and sniffed. Then he purred. Brock crouched down low, and he felt Madison’s weight shifting as she figured out that she could get off his back. She climbed off and started towards the door, and he jumped towards her and tugged on the backpack .
“Oops, sorry. Shall I wait for you to shift?” she said. The three bears looked at each other. They had no idea what was going on behind that door. If there was any danger, it would be much better for them to be in their bear forms. But, otherwise, it would be more convenient for them to be in their human forms. He nodded to the other two. Having no way of telling Madison to avert her eyes, he just began to shift. As his muscles contracted and his bones snap
ped, she took the hint, rummaging in the backpack and pulling out some clothes. By the time he stood naked before her, she was handing him the items that she’d correctly identified as his. He dressed quickly, shivering in his human form .
“Madison, can you stay back, behind that tree, until we know what’s going on?” he said .
“Sure,” she said, doing as he asked. Then he ran towards the door. There was some light coming from underneath it, but it was very weak. His nostrils told him that a fire had been lit in there. Grayson and Riley came up behind him, and he twisted the door handle and eased the door open .
The door swung wide open on rotten hinges, revealing a very dilapidated room with a small stove in the center, and four terrified children sitting around it, huddled into tiny balls. He gave a laugh of relief .
“Madison! They’re here!” he yelled. She rushed in and let out a cry when she saw Sophia .
“Sophia, honey!” she yelled, and one of the two girls stood up and threw herself into Madison’s arms. Madison squeezed her tight, then held her at arms’ length .
“Are you hurt? Has anything happened to you?” she demanded .
“No,” Sophia said, in between sobs. “We just came up here, as we often do, and then it started to snow a lot and we couldn’t get back. It’s so cold up here and we all got really scared .”
“Why would you think it was a good idea to hang out in a crappy old shack when the forecast was saying there was going to be a blizzard?” Madison said .
“I didn’t realize. We just wanted to hang out. Marshall said it would be okay.” Madison swung around to face the two boys .
“Which one of you is Marshall?” she yelled. One of them raised a trembling hand. “You! You could have got these girls – and yourself – killed. Do you realize that?” Brock stared at her, in awe of the passion that raged inside her; at her protective instincts towards her niece. “You’ve been so irresponsible!” she continued, stepping towards the boy, fists clenched. But then she stopped herself and took a long, deep breath. “We can talk about this later, and I’ll be speaking to each of your parents, you can guarantee that. But for now, let’s figure out how we’re going to get you home .”
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