Beastly Little Boy

Chapter 25

Bernard was only aware of Orson's voice in the darkness. "I didn't mean for things to go this far."

"Mom should be safe now. That's all that matters."

"Hey, that fight was mostly your doing. I just helped you out a little. Besides, that's not what I'm talking about." Orson sighed. "This whole mess is all my fault. If it weren't for me, you'd still be a human. Safe and happy." His voice grew fainter with every word.

"Yes, but I never would have been able to understand bears the way I do now. Before you turned me into a bear, I thought your mom and all other grizzlies were monsters because of what happened to Dad. I'll always miss my dad, but now I understand why your mom acted the way she did. Honestly, after everything I've seen this past year, I'm surprised most bears aren't as nasty as Arturo."

Orson chuckled quietly. "It's about time you got the message. You know, you humans aren't so bad either. I'm the only real monster."

"Don't say that! If it weren't for you, I don't think I could have lasted this long. You could have let the hunter kill me, but you didn't. You could have let me fight Arturo without your help and without letting Mom know who I was, but you didn't. Do you really think a monster would have done that?"

"No, but I did hurt you. You didn't have anything to do with what happened to Mom or my brother, but I hurt you anyway. I'm worse than Thorburn."

"Orson-"

"Hinrik knew better," Orson said, sobbing. "When he died, he joined the spirits without even trying to latch onto a human. I should have gone too, but I was just so angry..." His voice shook. "You must hate me after everything I've done to you."

"Not at all. Orson, after all we've been through together, you aren't just a bear to me anymore. You're my friend."

"Do you really mean that?" Orson sounded as if he was whispering to Bernard from across a room.

"Of course I do. Are you okay? I can barely hear you." He paused. "I'm not dying, am I?"

"No. In fact, it's about time for you to wake up." Warmth spread through the blackness. "Goodbye, Bernard. Try not to forget me once you're a human again, okay?"

"Orson?" A faint light began to illuminate the darkness. "Orson!"

Bernard opened his eyes. His shoulder was aching so badly that he soon developed a headache that throbbed along with it. The rest of his body fared little better. A blanket lay draped across his back and shoulders. It smelled like home.

"Is it really you?" his mother asked hoarsely. She stood several feet away from Bernard. It was amazing what one year could do to a person. She looked much older than she had when he had last seen her, and that wasn't just because of the gray strands that now bordered her black hair. She looked tired, as if she had spent the last year running from her grief but never quite outpacing it.

"Have you seen any other talking bears around here?"

"No, I just can't believe I've found you." She laughed. The horribly broken sound made Bernard's fur stand on end. "Maybe I've finally lost it. None of the other grizzlies I've found ever said a word to me, so it was only a matter of time before I started hallucinating one that talked."

"I can prove who I am if you want. Give me a minute." Bernard heaved himself onto his feet with the blanket clinging to his back. The world rocked beneath him. Bile filled his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the nausea to pass.

As soon as he no longer felt like vomiting half-digested salmon all over the campsite, Bernard opened his eyes wrote his name in the dirt with the tip of his claw. "I hope you can read that. I haven't had much practice writing out here."