Two Hungry Bears
By: Dorion Mills
"Yeah, get my paw out cha mouth." Lee growls at Roger. Roger thinks, "How did he know I was here?" Bears do bear things, but Roger now regrets what he did two years ago. He's been running ever since. Lee knew that Roger would slip one day, and he brought with him a hunger that salmon won't satisfy. The pangs of vengeance burn like fire.
Now, in this moment, standing in this river, Lee unleashes on Roger the fire of payback. This cold river can't put it out. Roger feels cold, but not from the water. The cold comes from realizing that he can't take back what's done, and he can't choose the reaction to his action. This deadly cold is dulling Roger's fighting spirit. He thinks, "I can't submit. Them chatty little seagulls over there watching will spread the word, fo sho. Come on then, Lee! Teeth and claw!"
He tries to make it look good, but it's no use. Lee rocks him with another right, and then clamps a bear hug on Roger that melts him even more. Lee body slams him in the river and holds him underwater, and in a split second, Lee sees visions. He sees his cub's mama emerge from the den with two cubs. He sees himself staying back because mama bears raise the cubs solo. Then he sees what Roger had done to one of his little ones. Snapping back to the present, Lee pulls roger's head from underwater. Roger sees the seagulls on the bank laughing at him, he yells "You told him where to find me, you snitches! If it wasn't salmon season, y'all fools wouldn't be here!" Lee jerks Roger's head around as he says "You're the fool. It's salmon season. Everybody's here! I missed you last year, but it's all gravy now. Speaking of gravy, its dinner time!" Lee pushes Roger's head underwater for good.
Lee sits down to gorge. But not on salmon, like the other bears that had gathered around. He feasts on Roger. After all, this is what bears do. This is what Roger did to one of Lee's cubs. Lee looks up from his meal to watch two younger cubs fight over a good spot in the river. The bear that won makes eye contact with Lee and nods. Lee nods back as he says to himself, "That's my boy!"