Jo stared at the beast as it slowly stood up to its full height. It was both utterly majestic and completely terrifying. Trying desperately to remember what you were meant to do, should you be faced with a bear, Jo tried not to move. The bear tipped its head a little to the side, as if it were contemplating her.
Slowly pulling her fingers from the steering wheel, Jo reached down to put on the handbrake just as the engine died, watching the bear give itself a shake. Managing to lock her doors, Jo tried to breathe normally, even though she knew that the locked doors meant very little to a mighty bear. It still gave her a slight sense of security, however ridiculous. Thankfully, the bear seemed completely disinterested in her now, meandering away on all four paws. It certainly was magnificent, the way the fur rippled as it walked away, the immense strength it held hidden under its dark coat. It had one long strip of gray fur on its right side, which glistened under the light. Hoping that her car was not too badly damaged, Jo mentally urged the bear to keep walking, so that she could at least get out to check. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck when there was a bear in the vicinity. If it didn't work, then she'd be stranded and completely without help. Hoping that her cell phone had some kind of signal, Jo breathed a sigh of relief as the bear continued to amble away from her car.
With a shriek, Jo saw another bear come hurtling out of the woods to her right, driving itself straight on top of the first bear. Her hand to her mouth, she watched with wide eyes as they began to pounce on one another. Rolling across the ground, they slammed into the front of her car again and again. “What do I do?” Jo whispered to herself in disbelief, her hand trembling slightly. Thinking that she was going to see the bears tear each other to pieces before her eyes, Jo couldn’t help but cringe with every swipe from a giant paw.
After a few minutes, Jo began to stop shaking. Studying the bears with slightly narrowed eyes, she realized that this wasn't a fight to the death. Do adult bears play fight? she thought, frowning. Frustration slowly began to replace her fear, the build-up of her long drive and Brian’s cheapskate ways bubbling to the surface. Now, on top of all that, her car was damaged and she was sitting, waiting for two bears to get out of the way! She’d have to get herself to the nearest town and get her car repaired, provided the car even started at all. This is getting ridiculous, she thought, the car jolting as the larger of the two bears slammed onto the bonnet. Never taking her eyes off them, Jo suddenly leaned heavily on her horn, completely surprising both herself and the bears.
The shock of what she’d done sank in immediately. It had been completely on impulse but it had also been a terrible mistake. The two bears turned towards her, their play stopping at once. Her hand at her throat, Jo stared at them both, waiting to see what they would do. She felt trapped.
To her complete surprise, the bears appeared to be very aware of her presence, rising to stand on their two feet as though looking over the damage they’d created. Then, the larger bear looked at the other, before dropping to its four paws and running off to the side of the road, disappearing out of sight. The slightly smaller bear followed after, giving her a final look over its shoulder. It all happened so quickly that Jo could hardly believe she was finally alone. Her heart still hammering, she sat completely still for a good few minutes, just to make sure they had really gone for good.
Unlocking her door, Jo slowly opened it carefully, looking all around her. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms to try to stay warm, she made her way to the front of the car, trying not to shiver. Her heart sank as she surveyed the damage. The front right wheel looked to be completely buckled, even though, thankfully, the tire was still on. There was a severe amount of damage to the bonnet and side of her car, and all the lights were smashed. “I’m going to have to find a mechanic now," she sighed to herself in frustration before getting back into the car. Beginning to worry that her trusty car wouldn't even start again, she turned the key, hearing it attempt to start for a few moments, before dying again. Putting her head on the steering wheel, Jo closed her eyes tightly. She needed the car to start. She had no idea where she was and if there were bears in the woods, Jo didn't exactly want to start walking. Waiting for another motorist wasn't exactly a bright idea either, given that she hadn't passed a single car for hours. "Please work," she muttered aloud. Turning the key in the ignition, again and again until she finally heard the engine suddenly spark to life. Hardly daring to touch the steering wheel, she waited for a few moments with baited breath, before grasping the wheel and attempting to drive down the road.
The drive had been difficult since the right side wheel was at a very strange angle. Various warning lights were on in her dashboard and Jo had prayed that she’d make it to the nearest mechanics. Thankfully, it hadn’t been too long until she’d seen signs for a place called Woodhaven, which was only a few miles further. The car had limped along the road, relief filling her as she arrived. Seeing a few passers by giving her strange glances, Jo rolled down the window to ask for directions to the nearest mechanic.
“Have you had an accident?” an older lady asked, peering into the car window with concern. “You’re not hurt, are you?”
“No, not at all,” Jo replied, reassuring her. “There were just two bears that managed to hit my car when I was driving through the forest back up the road.”
“Bears!” the lady gasped, her hand to her mouth. “There are quite a few in these woods, but we very rarely see them. They’ve done some terrible damage to your car, haven’t they? What bad luck!”
Jo grimaced. “Yes, it is. Is there a mechanic in town?”
“Oh, yes,” the lady replied. “Just down the road, take a left and then it’s on your right. Close to the edge of the woods. It’s run by Nick and Tom Brewer.” She paused for a moment. “We don’t see them much in town, but they’re friendly enough. You don’t need to worry about them ripping you off either, they’re always fair.”
“Thank you,” Jo said, gratefully. With a wave, she drove off, making the turns as the older lady had suggested. The road became a little uneven as she drove closer to the woods and further out of town. Jo began to wonder whether the lady had, in fact, given her the correct directions. Driving slowly, worrying that her car would just stop completely, Jo kept on looking, hoping desperately that she’d find the mechanics soon.
It turned out the lady had given her the right directions, for soon enough, tucked away among some trees, was the shop. It looked a little run-down but there was a big red sign at the front, labeled ‘Brewer Mechanics'. There were a few cars littered about, but no sign of anyone working. Hoping that they’d be able to get to her car straight away, Jo pulled up, put on the handbrake and turned off the engine. Sitting back in her seat with a sigh of relief, she closed her eyes for a moment, before getting out of the car.