You see the beast.

Your panic ramps up higher than ever as you hear the heavy clicking footfalls ascending the stairs. After every step there is a pause, and then the dreadful feral snuffling. Your body is trembling and you're biting your fingers to keep from screaming in terror. You peer through the gap in the boxes, your eyes fixed on the dark shadow of the door.

Finally, the footfalls reach the top of the stairs, only a few feet from the door. You hear the snuffling again, and a low growl, then something scraping on the floor. Your frantic mind is begging whatever it is to go away, to leave you alone, to go back to feeding on Jack. Anything, as long as it doesn't hurt you.

Your straining eyes see movement in the darkness beyond the door, a deeper darkness in the dark of the hallway. You swallow the yelp you want to give and watch with dread as whatever it is moves closer. It's bulky and low to the ground, taking slow heavy steps as it moves and snuffles. For a moment it pauses at the doorway, it's head turning from side to side. You're willing it to leave, and for a moment think you got your wish as it turns and faces down the hallway. Then it turns again, with it's slow heavy movements, and starts to enter the room.

In the dim light you can't see much more of it than a silhouette, just a bulky moving shape that seems covered in hair. Then it turns its head and you see it in profile and fight down your screams again.

It's a bear.

The sight of it sends your ragged mind reeling into madness. Your flight instinct kicks in, unwilling to let this creature find your hiding spot and devour you, you throw the covering tarp off you and bold for the door, intending to slam it behind you as you flee.

For a moment you think you've succeeded, think you've outwitted the bear, think you're on your way to safety.

Then a great paw swipes out and catches your running legs, sweeping them out from under you, sending you crashing to the floor with enough **** to knock the wind out of you.

You don't even have the breath to scream before it's on you.