The B Girls by Cari Cole

to be a hand-drawn map.
    "This has to be the map of the cave where Paul
hid the Declaration--at least I hope it's the Declaration," Lucy said as she
examined the map. She looked back across the narrow gorge to the rock
formation, even more convinced that Lover's Cave was there. "Do you think
we have time to check it out today?"
    Jane shook her head. "No way. If we try to
hike over there from here it could take hours and from the look of that map,
the cave is pretty big."
    "So, we come back tomorrow if Belle doesn't
turn up?" Lucy said.
    "Let's just pray she shows up. I'm not the
outdoor type," Jane said.
    "Well, I hope she shows up too but even if she
does I want to find that document," Mae said.
    "Then we're agreed," Lucy said. She
prayed Belle would turn up with some wild story by way of explanation but the
more time that passed, the less likely that seemed.
    "Yeah, if we make it back to the van in one piece
before dark," Jane said. "I don't like some of the sounds coming out
of the bushes around here. It's creepy."
    "But-" Mae started.
    "She's right. We-"
    "Shhh!" Jane cut them off.
    "What?" Lucy whispered.
    Jane gestured to the underbrush on the far side of the
clearing. "Listen."
    They all looked in the direction Jane pointed,
straining to hear.
    A rustling sounded and a laurel bush five yards
into the woods shivered.
    "Probably a squirrel," Mae kept her voice
low. "Chip says sometimes when he's hunting they sound like a whole herd
of deer."
    More rustling. The shivering underbrush was
rippling in their direction like a wave.
    "I don't think that's a squirrel," Jane
said.
    The wave of green rolled to the edge of the
clearing and a black nose appeared followed by a broad head.
    "Shit," Jane said.
    "Aw," Mae crooned. "It's just a bear
cub."
    "Exactly." Lucy could practically see the
light bulb flash above Mae's head as she put the rest together.
    A bigger wave and a louder rustling came in the
wake of the first.
    "Mama," Mae whispered. "What do we
do?"
    "Don't ask me," Jane said. "You're
the Girl Scout leader."
    "Brownie leader and we didn't get that far in
outdoor skills."
    "Ladies, now isn't the time," Lucy said.
    Mama bear stepped out of the brush, front legs
stiff, teeth bared.
    Lucy didn't think it was a smile.
    No one moved.
    The bear lifted her head, opened her mouth wide and
snapped her teeth together.
    "I think we should back up toward the trail.
Very slowly." Lucy kept her voice low.
    The bear snapped her teeth again.
    All three of them straightened out of their
crouches.
    They started inching backwards one cautious step at
a time, eyes glued to the bear.
    "Don't make eye-contact," Mae whispered.
"She'll think you're challenging her."
    "Now you remember something," Jane groused
but she dropped her gaze to the bear's chest.
    The bear bounced forward two steps snapping her
teeth again.
    Lucy balled her hands into fists and fought the
urge to turn and run, praying the others did the same. About the only thing she
could remember from hours of watching nature shows with Ryan was that running
could provoke a wild animal into an instinctive desire to chase down prey.
    Lucy didn't want to be prey.
    Mae and Jane held on and continued their slow,
measured retreat.
    The going was tough. Even though the clearing was
free of trees, it wasn't empty. The leaves were several inches deep and hid
half-buried rocks, downed tree limbs that threatened to roll under foot, and
the occasional small hole or depression. There were also laurels, briars, and other
assorted growing things snagging at their ankles.
    Mama bear did some more stiff-legged bouncing and
teeth snapping but she didn't advance any further into the clearing.
    Lucy hoped mama was content with their retreat.
    They backed into the opening in the trees.
    The bear seemed to relax her posture.
    Lucy was the last one to leave the clearing. As
they backed up the trail, she couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong
but she was too focused on the bear to put her finger on