Hannibal Enemy of Rome by Ben Kane Page A

bear’s reach was prodigious. He could think of only one way. He’d seen pigs slaughtered many times in the farmyard, had even wielded the knife himself on occasion. With their tough skin and thick layer of subcutaneous fat, they were difficult animals to kill, quite unlike sheep or oxen. The best way was to run the blade into their flesh directly under the chin, cutting the major vessels that exited the heart. Quintus prayed that bears’ anatomy was similar, and that the gods granted him a chance to finish the matter like this.
    Before he could carry out his plan, the animal lunged forward on all fours, catching Quintus off guard. He backed away hastily, forgetting his damaged sandal. Within a few steps, the studded sole snagged on a protruding root. They pulled the straps attached to his calf taut, in the process unbalancing him. Quintus fell heavily, landing this time on his backside. Somehow, he hung on to his spear, which landed flat on the glade floor beside him. That didn’t stop his heart from shrivelling with fear. Thebear’s attention focused in on him and, moving incredibly fast, it swarmed in his direction.
    Quintus’ eyes flickered to one side. The shocked expression on his father’s face said it all. He was about to die.
    Despite his horror, Fabricius kept his oath. He did not budge from his position.
    Quintus’ gaze returned to the bear. Its gaping mouth was no more than a handsbreadth from his feet. He had but the briefest instant to react before it ripped one of his legs off. Fortunately, the end of his spear protruded beyond his sandals. Gripping the shaft, he raised it off the ground. Sunlight flashed off the polished iron tip, and bounced into the bear’s eyes, distracting it, and causing it to snap irritably at the blade. Swiftly, Quintus pulled his legs to one side. At the same time, he jammed the weapon’s butt into the earth by his elbow and gripped it fiercely with both hands.
    When the bear closed in, he aimed the sharp point at the flesh below its wide-open jaws. Intent on seizing him, it paid no attention. Lowering its head, it lunged at his legs. Desperately, Quintus slid them away as fast as he could. The movement brought the animal right on to his spear, and its momentum was great enough for the razor-sharp iron to slice through the skin. There was a grating feeling as it pushed over the larynx before running onwards into the deeper, softer tissues. Fully capable of tearing him apart yet, the bear bucked and reared, its immense strength threatening to rip Quintus’ weapon from his hands. He hung on for dear life as, half suspended above him, the animal clawed furiously at the thick wooden shaft. It was so close that his nostrils were filled with its pungent odour. He could almost touch the fangs that had torn apart the Gaul and three of the dogs.
    It was utterly terrifying.
    The animal’s immense weight eventually worked against it, forcing the deadly blade further into its flesh. Quintus was far from happy, however. The bear was very much alive, and it was drawing ever nearer. It filled his entire range of vision - a great angry mass of teeth and claws. Any closer and it would rip him to shreds. Could the protruding spikes at the base of the iron shank take the strain? Quintus’ mouth was bone dry with fear.
Die, you whoreson. Just die
.
    It lurched a further handsbreadth down the spear shaft.
    He thought his heart would stop.
    Abruptly, the bear gagged, and a bright red tide of blood sprayed from its mouth, covering the ground beyond Quintus. He had sliced through a large artery! Jupiter, let its heart be next, he prayed. Before it reaches me. The shaft juddered as the iron spikes slammed against the creature’s neck, and it came to an abrupt stop. It snarled in Quintus’ face, and he closed his eyes. There was no more he could do.
    To his immense relief, the bear stopped struggling. Another torrent of blood poured from its gaping jaws, covering Quintus’ face and shoulders.