The Trap

He looked up and spotted a small deer grazing among the trees, its sleek body dappled with patches of sunlight filtering through the canopy. His eyes gleamed with excitement.

'Perfect.'

The deer, oblivious to his presence, tore another mouthful of leaves from a low-hanging branch, its ears twitching slightly as it listened to the sounds of the forest. Ezra stayed low, careful with his steps as he trailed behind it, watching its every move.

He wasn't sure how he was going to take it down—he didn't have a proper weapon, and his archery skills were clearly lacking. But he had to try. If he brought back something this big, the professor would have no choice but to acknowledge him.

The deer paused, lifting its head as if sensing something. Ezra held his breath, pressing himself lower behind the thick foliage.

'Don't run. Stay there. Just a little closer.'

For a brief moment, it hesitated, ears twitching, before continuing deeper into the forest.

'Nooo, why?'

Ezra sighed, dragging a hand down his face before carefully stepping forward to follow. The minutes stretched on as he trailed behind, watching, waiting—his patience thinning as he searched for the perfect moment to strike.

But then he noticed something odd.

The deer sniffed at something on the ground before plucking it up with its mouth. Ezra squinted, trying to see what it was. Scattered across the forest floor were fruits—small, ripe, and strangely arranged in an intricate pattern. Almost like…

A trap.

Before Ezra could process the thought, a deep, guttural growl rumbled from within the burrow.

The deer's ears flicked back, its body tensing. It took a hesitant step away, but it was too late.

A massive shape lunged from the darkness.

A bear.

It was huge—its fur a dark, matted brown, its body thick with muscle. Its massive paw swiped at the deer in a blur of motion, claws gleaming as they tore through the air.

The deer barely had time to react before the force of the attack slammed into its side. It let out a sharp, desperate cry, its legs scrambling against the dirt as it tried to flee.

"Oh, fuck."

Ezra watched, frozen, as the bear overpowered the deer with terrifying ease. The sheer size of the beast dwarfed its prey, its massive claws digging into the deer's flesh as it thrashed beneath the weight.

The deer let out one last desperate struggle, hooves kicking wildly, but it was no match. With a final, vicious bite, the bear silenced it.

Blood splattered against the dirt.

The bear huffed, its large head lifting slightly as if sensing something. Its dark eyes scanned the surroundings, nostrils flaring.

Ezra didn't dare move.

'Shit, does it know I'm here?'

He stood slowly, trying to back away, every movement careful and measured. But as luck would have it—

Crack.

His foot landed squarely on a dry branch, the sharp snap echoing through the forest like a gunshot.

Ezra froze.

The bear's massive head whipped toward him, its dark eyes locking onto his.

'Fuck. Why does this happen to me? I thought this only happened in movies.'

Then, the worst thing imaginable—

The bear charged.

Ezra didn't think. He turned and sprinted, his legs moving before his brain even caught up. The ground blurred beneath him, trees whipping past as he ran blindly in any direction—anywhere but here.

Behind him, the bear thundered forward, the earth shaking beneath its massive weight. The sound of heavy paws slamming against the dirt was getting closer—too close.

Ezra wasn't dumb enough to believe he could outrun a bear, but right now, running was the only option that came to mind. Survival first. Thinking later.

His breath came in ragged gasps as he sprinted through the forest, dodging low-hanging branches and leaping over roots—until his foot snagged on something.

A vine.

'Shit.'

He barely had time to register what happened before he was hurtling toward the ground.

"Fuck me." He crashed face-first into the dirt, pain jolting up his arms.

Before he could even push himself up, the bear was right there.

Towering over him, saliva dripping from its mouth, hot breath steaming against his face.

Ezra rolled over quickly, heart hammering in his chest as he stared up at the beast.

"Okay," he wheezed, blinking up at the bear. "I get it now. This is karma. I'll shut my mouth next time I watch a horror movie."