by Kirbi Fagan
Kelly recalled a movie where she’d seen where escaping prisoners had hidden in water to mask their scents. The police dogs chasing them couldn’t smell them when they were in the water.
It was following me even when it couldn’t see me, Kelly thought. Maybe that’s why it’s still on my tail.
Kelly dashed to the edge of the stream. Small rocks poked up through the surface, providing a natural walkway across. Without hesitation, she leapt from one stone to another, doing her best to keep her balance.
Halfway through the stream, Kelly turned to look. The bear reached the edge of the water and paused. Then it bounded into the water and continued after her.
Kelly turned to run but the slick soles of her shoes made her slip. She managed to catch herself before she fell, but now one of her shoes was waterlogged. Great, she thought. Now I’ll run even slower.
Kelly was desperate. Perched precariously on top of two rocks, she shifted one foot to get them closer together. As she did, she felt a squish in her pocket.
Her eyes went wide. That’s it! she realized. That’s why he’s following me . . . the sandwich!
Without another thought, Kelly reached into her shorts pocket, pulled out the sticky sandwich in its bag, and threw it as hard as she could at the bear.
The bag landed with a splat on the bear’s head, exploding in a mess of hot peanut butter and jelly.
CHAPTER 7
THE CURRENT
Kelly remembered what had happened the first time she’d visited the Jorgensens’ cabin. She’d left a plate of half-finished chicken wings on a picnic table, and Sasha’s mom had yelled at her for leaving it out. “You want bears?” she’d said, half joking but still serious. “Because that’s how you get bears!”
As Kelly watched the bear splash its way out of the stream and turn its attention to the sandwich on its face, it all began to make sense. The dumb bear just wanted my food, Kelly thought. It didn’t want to eat me at all! Well, probably not.
At that moment, Kelly’s balancing act ended — and she fell with a splash into the stream.
Kelly kicked and swam until she broke the surface of the cold water. The stream was a lot deeper than she’d thought. She treaded water until she regained her orientation. She looked up and saw the bear was farther away from her already. Everything was. The current was pulling her away.
Kelly realized she lost her jar in the fall, but she didn’t have the time or energy to think about her lost jar of bugs. Sure, her collection was one bug short of being complete. But if she died, it wouldn’t matter what grade she got. The stream’s surprisingly strong current was pulling her downstream — fast.
At least it’s taking me away from the bear, Kelly thought. The next moment, the current pulled her underwater. She thrashed her legs and felt a few more rocks scratch her. With a quick foot plant, Kelly pushed herself up and broke the water’s surface once again.
The bear was the least of her worries now.
There was nothing to hold on to and the current was growing stronger. If she couldn’t keep her head above water, she’d drown.
Kelly flipped over onto her back and pointed her feet downstream. She managed to keep her head up somehow while floating on her back. Her head constantly ducked beneath the water, then emerged again. She inhaled mouthfuls of water despite her best efforts to save her breaths for when her head was above the surface.
Farther ahead, she heard the sound of water crashing. Struggling to lean forward, Kelly saw that the stream dropped off ahead.
In a matter of seconds, she’d be going over the edge of a waterfall. And from the sounds and speed of the water, it was a large one.
Kelly flipped onto her stomach and struggled to swim to either side of the shore, but she couldn’t fight the current. Still clutching the insect net, she swung it out, hoping to snag one of the rocks on the bank.
As luck would have it, the metal ring caught one on her second swing. She stopped moving downstream! She placed one hand over the other, slowly pulling herself closer . . . until the rock came loose.
Kelly knew she had precious seconds to act. As her leg struck another rock, she dove below the surface. She held the net underwater, gripping each end of the stick as tightly as she could. She felt the stick strike several rocks on the stream’s floor. Kelly kicked her feet and swung the net around, hoping to slow herself down and snag one of the rocks.
The rumble of the water grew louder with each passing second. Her lungs burned. The water around her moved even more quickly. She was being swept closer and closer to the waterfall’s edge.
Then Kelly felt her legs slip over the edge.
CHAPTER 8
THE EDGE
Kelly felt a strong tug at her arms, and her body stopped moving. She raised her head and broke the surface of the stream, gasping for air. The sound around her was almost deafening. She had managed to hook her net on a giant rock at the end of the stream. The rod kept her in place, dangling at the top of the waterfall.
Gathering what remained of her courage, she looked below. It was at least a thirty-foot drop, and the stream below was riddled with even more stones. There was no way she’d survive the drop.
Kelly clenched her fingers around the rod even tighter. She turned her head to avoid being pelted in the eyes and mouth with water, trying to find a way up and out of the stream before her arms gave out or the stick broke.
Using her feet, Kelly found footholds in the rocky wall beneath her. With a mighty push, she was able to shove her way back up the edge.
As the water slammed into her face, her hand found another rock embedded into the ground. She grabbed it and then pulled herself a little closer to the shore.
Despite every instinct screaming for her to hurry, hurry, hurry, Kelly moved slowly and carefully, testing each rock for stability before placing any weight on it.
Slowly, inch by inch, she edged her way onto the stream’s bank.
When she was able to finally stand up, Kelly nearly collapsed from exhaustion. And hunger.
“Stupid bear . . . even got . . . my sandwich,” Kelly said between gasps. She glanced back to where the bear was. He was wiping PB&J off his face with his long tongue. The bear gave her one final glance, then sauntered away.
Kelly let out a sigh of relief. She shook the insect net dry, reminding herself to thank Sasha’s parents for not buying a cheap one.
She spent the next hour slowly making her way down the hill. She was careful not to let the stream leave her sight. When Kelly was on lower ground, she walked along the shore and netted a few bugs. She even caught herself a dragonfly.
After what seemed like hours, she finally found the bridge that the Jorgensens’ truck had driven over to get to their cabin. Just below the bridge, something glinted in the sunlight.
Kelly almost exploded into a fit of laughter. Banging against one of the wooden posts and bobbing in the water was her insect jar. By some miracle the jar had not shattered.
Kelly picked it up and unscrewed the cap. She dumped in the five extra bugs she’d found on her way back, adding them to the collection.
“Thanks for waiting, Legs,” Kelly said. “Here’s the rest of the party.”
Sealing up her collection, Kelly rested the insect net on her shoulder. She climbed out of the ditch and onto the gravel road. Despite the day’s events, she was grinning from ear to ear.
* * *
When Kelly finally reached the Jorgensens’ cabin, Sasha’s little sister Margo saw her first.
“Holy cow, Kelly!” Margo cried. “What happened to you?”
Kelly limped her way toward the cabin’s deck. “Oh, nothing serious,” she said flatly. “Got lost in the woods, chased by a bear, and nearly went over the edge of a waterfall. Found all my bugs, though.”
Kelly picked up her cell phone she’d left behind. She took a few photos of all the bugs in the jar.
With proof of her finished homework safely in her photo gallery on her phone, Kelly let out a sigh of
relief.
Kelly lifted the jar off the table, opened the lid, and lay it on its side in the grass. “There,” she said, smiling. “You’re free, fellas.”
Legs was the last one to crawl to freedom. For a moment, it seemed to Kelly that the little bug was waving goodbye. “Later, Legs,” she said.
“Ew!” Margo squealed, lifting her dangling feet up from her chair.
Kelly laughed. “Don’t worry,” she said, making a funny face at Margo. “I’ll protect you from the creepy-crawlies.”
Margo giggled — but kept her feet tucked underneath her. “So . . . did the bear attack you?” she asked.
“Nope,” Kelly said, collapsing in a deck chair next to Margo. “The hungry jerk just followed me for a few miles.”
“Oh. That must be Reggie,” Margo said. “Reggie’s super friendly. He loves people food. Most bears won’t bother people, you know.” Margo delivered the last line like a squeaky version of her mother, Mrs. Jorgensen.
Kelly smirked and playfully rustled Margo’s curls. “Now you tell me,” she said.
WILDERNESS SURVIVAL
The best way to survive the wilderness is to not get lost! Proper preparation for your woodland adventures is absolutely vital for survival — and avoiding areas with bears is necessary; at best, bears are unpredictable and dangerous.
Clothing: Staying warm and dry is vital. Thick-soled boots, waterproof clothing, and clothes that cover your skin will go a long way to shield you from poisonous plants and bug bites. (Don’t forget the bug spray.)
Fluids: Staying hydrated is crucial, especially during long trips in warm weather. It is not safe to depend on streams or lakes for drinking water, so make sure to bring plenty of water in bottles or canteens.
Compass or GPS: A compass will point you in the right direction as long as you know where you need to go. A GPS is better — as long as you’re sure it’ll work where you’ll be traveling.
Flashlight: If night falls, you’ll be in bad shape without a flashlight (and no, the one on your cell phone isn’t going to cut it). Make sure you have the correct type of batteries — and some spares.
Shelter: In case of inclement weather, be sure you know where to find shelter. And if you plan on camping, make sure you know how to set up your tent!
Cell Phone: Make sure you check your cell phone carrier’s coverage areas beforehand if you plan to depend on it in the wilderness. While some people think cell phones “ruin” the wilderness experience, it’s better to have one (even if it’s turned off ) in case you need it. With that said, rescue teams often take quite a bit of time to arrive after a call, so be sure to follow the previously mentioned precautions in case you end up having to wait for a while.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Thomas Kingsley Troupe has written more than thirty children’s books. His book Legend of the Werewolf (Picture Window Books, 2011) received a bronze medal for the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award. Thomas lives in Woodbury, Minnesota, with his wife and two boys.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Kirbi Fagan is a vintage-inspired artist living in the Detroit, Michigan, area. She is an award-winning illustrator who specializes in creating art for young readers. Her work is known for magical themes, vintage textures, bright colors, and powerful characterization. She received her bachelor’s degree in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design. Kirbi lives by two words: “Spread joy.” She is known to say, “I’m in it with my whole heart.” When not illustrating, Kirbi enjoys writing stories, spending time with her family, and rollerblading with her dog, Sophie.
GLOSSARY
antennae (an-TEN-uh)—
thin, sensitive organs on the head of an insect
crook (KROOK)—
a curved or hooked part of something
emerged (i-MERJD)—
rose up or out from something, or appeared
flora (FLOHR-uh)—
plants
jutted (JUT-id)—
stuck up, out, or forward
inadvertently (in-ad-VER-tuhnt-lee)—
not intended or planned
landmark (LAND-mark)—
an object or structure on land that is easy to see and recognize
maul (MAWL)—
attack or injure in a violent way
specimen (SPESS-uh-muhn)—
something that is collected for studying, like an animal or plant
WRITING PROMPTS
Based on what you’ve learned from the survival tips after the end of this story, create a list of things Kelly could have done differently to stay safer on her wilderness adventure.
Rewrite a page of this story from the bear’s perspective. Knowing what you learned about Reggie the bear at the end of the story, explain what he’s thinking as he follows Kelly through the woods.
Write a short story about surviving a difficult situation of some kind. How will you make it out alive? Describe your adventure.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What would you do if you came in contact with a bear? Discuss your answers. Afterward, compare them to the National Park Service’s information on bear safety at: http://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/safety.htm
Why did Kelly get lost? Explain your answers.
Why do you think Kelly left her cell phone behind when she entered the woods?
SURVIVE! is published by Stone Arch Books
A Capstone Imprint
1710 Roe Crest Drive
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
www.mycapstone.com
© 2016 Stone Arch Books
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.
Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available at the Library of Congress website.
ISBN: 978-1-4965-2557-4 (library binding)
ISBN: 978-1-4965-2563-5 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-4965-2567-3 (eBook pdf)
ISBN: 978-1-4965-8896-8 (eBook)
Designer: Hilary Wacholz
Design Elements: Shutterstock: Brothers Good, vladis.studio, frikota, zelimirz, Epsicons, Macrovector
Summary: Kelly roams the outskirts of the forest with her friends while they attempt to collect various bugs for a science assignment. Soon, a particularly rare butterfly catches her eye and she wanders into the woods in hot pursuit until it suddenly disappears. When Kelly turns back, she realizes she is completely turned around with no idea how to get back to her friends. Armed with only a mason jar, a butterfly net, and a small lunch, Kelly is forced to contend with the dangers of the wilderness . . .
