LAYLA'S POV

"Are you alone?" The woman asked me. I didn't know what to say, I didn't want to say anything, but there was something about her. Something about this woman that made me want to trust her. She was scary, and had a cold look to her face, and yet, I trusted her.

"My brother was just killed." I told her. I instantly regretted it, because her cold eyes flew right to mine and I wanted to run. I wanted to pretend that this was a dream, and in a few seconds Emmett would be shaking me awake and would hold me until I felt safe again, but it wasn't going to happen. Emmett was dead. And as for me? I was as good as gone too. At this point, I had to try my hardest to get away. Five minutes ago, I wanted to die. Now, I want to go home. So, I screamed.

Startled, the woman let go of me, but she recovered much to fast for me to notice and grabbed me from behind. She flipped me around so we were face to face, and she looked at me with those cold eyes.

"What's your name?" She asked me. She was going to kill me. I knew there was no way I was going to live; she was much stronger and faster than I was.

"L-Layla." I managed to get out. I don't want to die anymore god, I'm so sorry please I beg of you, please don't kill me. I begged god. Why couldn't he hear me?

"I really hope you don't die, Layla." She said, and before I could even understand what she meant, the fire overwhelmed me, and I blacked out.

YESTERDAY

"Ma, she'll be fine, I know how to take care of my own sister!" Emmett complained as Mother was giving him yet another lecture on why taking me up to the mountains this weekend was a bad idea.

"Emmett Dale McCarty! Do not make me repeat myself! There is no way you are taking your baby sister into the mountains! You heard Gordy the other day, there is a serious bear problem, and until they sort that out no one is going near there, do you understand me?"

"Yes, ma, but-"

"No buts!" She interrupted him. This was not going to end well, so I stepped in.

"Look Emmett, as much as I would love to go, mother said no, and we need to respect her decision. Plus, I don't really want to be eaten by a grizzly anytime soon." I added on.

"I could take on any grizzly." Emmett mumbled, but we all heard him.

Mother just shook her head and said, "No one is going into the mountains, and that is my final word on the matter." Then, she walked out of the den and started to prepare dinner.

"You know, shorty, sometimes I wish she wasn't so strict about you. If it was only me, or Frank, or Rudy, she wouldn't have no problems, nope, it's only when we add you to the mix. Then, she gets all strict and doesn't let us have any fun." Emmett mused to himself. I honestly didn't think that going into the mountains was a big deal, but if it's getting Emmett down like this, it must be something special.

"Don't you wanna see the mountains Lay? They've got the prettiest view your eyes will ever see. You out of any of us would love it. You're into that sunset stuff."

"I would like to go see it I guess, but you heard what mother said, it's too dangerous."

"She's just filling you with propaganda. I've been up there every weekend checking it out, making sure it's safe for you and I haven't seen one sign of a grizzly, or any other kind of bear. We all know Gordy's gone mad, I don't know why all of a sudden ma's believing him."

"Maybe, but I don't really want to be up there alone if for once he is right."

"Hey, I got an idea." Emmett whispered to me, "Maybe we could sneak up there for a night. Just long enough for you to see the sunset, and we'd come home the next day. It'll be an easy hike for you, so I'm not worried too much on time. I can have Frankie cover for me if I need to, he won't care."

"Yeah, as long as Rudy doesn't find out." I said, jokingly. I thought he was kidding, I guess I was wrong.

"Alright, so we'll leave early on Saturday, so make sure you do extra chores Friday, okay? And don't let ma in on anything either." Wow, I was actually going to go into the mountains. I wasn't sure whether I should be happy or not, but for right now, I didn't really care.

"It's a plan." I said, confirming.

Friday went by fast. Mother woke me up early and we made breakfast for Frank, Emmett, and Rudy before they headed off to work. After that, we cleaned most of the house and even got to patch up some of the wholes in the boy's clothing. By the time dinner came around, I still thought it was early morning.

To say I was excited was an understatement. I had warmed up to the idea of going into the mountains, and even though we were going behind mother's back, I thought back to the stories that Emmett and Frank and Rudy told of the view and the fresh air, and everything went back to normal. No more fear, no more regret.

EARLIER THIS MORNING

That Saturday, Emmett woke me up when it was still dark out. He said we were going to try and make it before the sunrise, so I could see that instead. We went outside, and he had a lantern, and a backpack full of tents and food for us if we needed to stop. I also noticed a hunting knife, even though I don't think I was supposed to. I didn't say anything about it though.

Emmett was right, the hike wasn't that bad. We made it in about three hour's time. Perfect timing to see the sunrise. All of the colors were just so beautiful, and the way the sun shone, it was indescribable.

"Wow, that is, something." I finally said when it was light out. We had to start heading back soon, mother was going to be mad, but she'd get over herself.

"Yeah, I told you so." Emmett said, and smiled, "Well, we should get going, ma's gonna get worried about you."

"She worries about you too." I said.

"Not nearly as much. I get it; I'm a man now. We don't need out mother's looking out for us, but hell, Layla. You're still a kid. You need someone to tell you what to do."

"I am not a child anymore, either! I am fifteen, and that makes me a woman! In two years, I'm gonna get married!" I said in my defense.

"Yeah, okay." Emmett said, and got up. When he did, he just stopped. Nothing moved, no one said anything.

"Emmett, are you-" I cut myself off. Right in front of us was the biggest grizzly bear I had ever seen in my life.

"Shh" he said, and after a minute, possibly the longest minute of my life, he spoke again, "When I count to three, I want to you run. I want you to run fast, and I want you to run far, do you understand me?"

"You can't honestly expect me to leave you here alone with a giant grizzly do you?" I wasn't going to leave him. If I ran, the bear would come after me. Emmett would get in the way, and he would die in the process. NO, that wasn't going to happen.

"That's exactly what you're going to do. And then you are going to tell Ma that I'm so sorry, and that I love her. Then, you are going to give her a big hug for me. "

"No." I said, starting to cry a little. I wasn't going to loose Emmett. I wasn't going to loose my big brother.

"Layla, I love you. You need to be brave for me, okay? This is the only way I know how to get you out of here safely. I need you to do this. I love you so much, but I need you to go."

"I can't." I cried. "I can't go on without you."

"You have to, Layla." He said, strictly. It's the strictest he's ever been to me. I didn't want to leave him, but he was right. This was the only way.

"Okay, I love you, Emmett. I love you so much and I'll never forget you. I'll remember always how you used to protect me from the monsters in my bedroom and how you would always stick up for me. You are my favorite brother, and I will never forget you. I love you."

"I love you too, Layla. Are you ready?" He hadn't taken his eyes off of the bear that was inching closer to us with every minute. I was balling at this point, even though I hadn't made a sound. The tears just wouldn't stop.

"No, but when will I ever be? If now is the time I need to go, then I will go." I responded. I would never be ready to watch my brother die, but I had to go sometime, and I guess it was now.

"One."

"Emmett, I love you." I said.

"Two."

"Emmett, I'll never forget you." I said.

"Three!" He yelled and I took off. I ran faster than I ever had in my life, and I swerved in and out of the trees. I tried not to hear anything; I tried to block out the pain in my chest, the aching of my heart. I knew my brother was suffering right now, and it took everything I had not to go back. Not to go see his dead body.

After about five minutes of running, the pain was unbearable. I stopped running. I hadn't made it very far, but I had made it far enough. I didn't think the bear would come looking for me here. I couldn't help myself. I felt like I was going to die. I wanted to die. I didn't want to be the person to go home and face mother, just to tell her that her youngest son had died saving my life. I didn't want to see Rudy and Frank when I told them that their baby brother had been killed by a grizzly bear. I didn't want to see them cry. I didn't want to see them like me. Because then I would have to be the strong one, and I couldn't be that.

WHERE WE BEGAN

I heard footsteps, and I started walking away, in fear that it was the bear again. I knew that I probably wouldn't be so lucky this time with escaping. If it was the bear, it would catch me and I would die. That is why I dropped down.

"I give up!" I shouted, even though no one could hear me. No one would ever hear me again.

"Just take me you stupid bear! Take me like you took my brother! Rip me to pieces like you did him, and think nothing of it you sadistic beast!" Why I was yelling this, I didn't know. I just needed to get it out.

While I was having my rampage, I hadn't noticed that a woman was standing beside a tree watching me. She ran up to me at a remarkable speed, and although I was scared, I didn't run. I wanted to die. So just kill me.