The Bear, The Black Book, and The Gold

My name is Mila, When I was about 10 years old my grandfather, who had scars on his face, arm and leg, asked me if I knew how he got his scars. I told him that mommy said it was because he got in a fight. He laughed and said

“I did get in a fight, but not with a man I got in a fight with a bear.”

I asked how big the bear was, and he said

“It was a great big grizzly bear.”

“Many years ago when I was about your mothers age, I was an adventurer. I was always seeking beautiful places to explore. It was on my last expedition when I encountered the bear. The rainforest was humid and hot, but somehow so beautiful. The birds were singing and the sun was shining. I could hear the forest echo with the sounds of foraging animals. In the midst of exploring this beautiful scene, I stepped on a twig and it snapped under my foot. Suddenly all the birds around flew away and all of the wildlife seemed to run from my presence. Then the forest grew quiet and cold. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand in its place. A shadow overcame me, and I was paralyzed in fear. I turned my head slowly and saw it, the bear. It was standing with its head above me about 3 feet. It let out a fearsome roar that echoed in the forest. I saw almost in slow motion it’s paw coming towards my face. I lifted my hands to protect my face, and that’s all I remembered. The next thing I remembered was waking up in a dark, damp, and cold cave. My arm hurt too bad to move, as well as my left leg. I felt my leg and it was wet, but it didn't feel like water. I could tell my arm was broken, and I could taste the blood dripping from my face. I looked around me and I could see a glimmer of light that looked to be the way out of the cave.

I dragged myself towards the light and as I schooted along I felt a little book. Thinking it was my notebook, I took it and put it in my shirt and continued on. I was looking over my shoulder as I dragged myself towards the light, now within spitting distance. I looked forward again and the bear was right in front of me. It attempted to grab my leg, but I kicked it in the snout. It swatted me in the leg and I spun around, then it bit into my shoulder and tried to drag me back into the cave. I picked up a rock and smashed its snout, I grasped that rock so hard it hurt. It was my only defence. The bear swatted me again, and I was pushed down a steep hill. I rolled down the hill hitting almost every branch, rock, tree, and stump on the way down. When I reached the bottom I couldn't move. I was halfway in a river that was now red with my blood. The pain was so intense that I passed out. When I came to, I found myself clinging to that rock, only it was not a rock, it was solid gold!

I set it aside, and mustered up the strength to assess my wounds. Other than several broken bones, puncture wounds from the bear's teeth and deep lacerations from its claws, I was not in as bad of shape as I ought to have been considering the ordeal. My present challenge was to make a fire to ward off hungry predators, for the nightfall was approaching. I sought wisdom from my little notepad I called a journal. In it I wrote how to make a fire from materials found locally; techniques taught to me by my river guide who brought me into the forest. I opened the book and found the record, but the day was off, it should have been my third day entry but it read second.

“How did I make that mistake?” I wondered to myself. Nonetheless the instructions, and drawings were precise, though I didn't remember my drawing to be as good. I followed the instructions, made fire for the night and fell asleep. I could not sleep for long periods of time, as the noises of hungry predators stalking my camp kept me awake. I used that time to add sticks that lay around me, into the fire.

The morning came and it was time to improve the bandages that I put on my wounds. I was still unable to walk but I could crawl short distances. I looked in my journal to see if I had written what my guide said about medicinal plants here. I not only wrote about medicinal plants, but also where to find natural pain killing sap that could be eaten, or applied topically. I had no memory of my guide telling me these things, but I was so glad to have recorded it. I made it back to camp, set down my book, and bandaged up my wounds. That's when I noticed the cover of this journal was Black, not Brown. I know I bought a brown one, I specifically picked it out. Was this not my journal? I read through it and found journal entries that perfectly described my last two days, but I did not write in my journal since the attack, yet here it was in vivid detail. It was like I had traveled in time. I thought I must have hit my head so hard I was seeing things. I bandaged my head and rested the rest of the day.

I woke up as the sun started to go down. I prepared for another night here by the river. As the pain went down my appetite came back. I tied some thread that I pulled from my clothes to a stick, and twisted it to make a twine. I made a hook from a dead fish, tied it to the twine that I tied to a stick and used the meat from the dead fish to try and catch myself some fish. After a few minutes I suprisingly caught one, a small river trout. I roasted my catch over the fire and had a much needed dinner.

As I lay by the fire, I looked at the gold that I found in the cave, and wondered how it got there. I read in the journal, considering the thought that it may not be mine. I was curious to read what was in it. I skipped to the last page and read the following.”

“I have found treasure, gold enough to make me rich! The problem I face currently is the bear that resides in the cave. I’ve been watching it for two days learning it’s patterns. I’ve observed when it enters and exits the cave. I’ve made markings of a shadow on the walls near the cave, indicating the times that it’s safe to enter. When the top of the shadow hits the first line, it is safe to enter. When the top of the shadow hits the second line, it is not safe to enter. I’ve decided that I am going to make an attempt to get that gold tomorrow. I know that I must only take what I can carry, so that I can move quickly. I only hope my greed doesn’t get the best of me.”

“That was the last entry in the journal I found. It became apparent to me that this was not my journal, yet this stranger has had an experience so mysteriously similar to mine. I wanted to know more about this person, so I skipped back a page and read.”

“I woke up halfway in a river that was red with my blood, still clinging to that journal I found. I read through its pages and found writings on how to make a fire using the materials found locally. I found instructions on medicinal plants and where to find them and pain killing sap from trees found nearby.

After several days of recovery I decided to travel back up stream to try to see a way out of this forest.

It's been weeks now and my journey has been long and tiresome, but it has somehow expedited my recovery. I came across a cave and found shelter deep within. It was apparent I was not alone. I found bones and evidence of a bear, as I looked around that’s when I found the gold!”

“For the next several weeks I hiked up the river resting every night. Finally I found the mouth of the river that led me to the cave. It was the cave I just fought to get out of, and I knew that I could not take on that bear again and live. I hid myself near the cave, covered myself with mud and dung, to mask my scent, as I observed the bear. I learned when it came into the cave and when it left. Finally the time came to take my treasure and leave this place. I explored the cave, found the gold, and carried what I could to get out alive. I was all set to go home but then, I did it again. Nothing in the book said that I couldn’t do it twice or three times. I did this day after day, week after week, until finally I felt I had a sufficient amount of gold. There was still much more gold in the cave but I felt I had enough.

With my treasure safely hidden, I went to a nearby Village to ask for help. They weren’t very helpful, but when I offered a small piece of gold, they were eager to help. I was able to have a good meal, and have my wounds taken care of by the local medicine man. I was also told of someone with a plane who could fly me back home. I hired a couple of local men to help me on my expedition to attain the gold. It took a small bit of gold for the men, and substantial compensation to the pilot, to get the gold back home.”

That’s when my Grandpa told me he wanted to show me something. He brought me to his room where he opened up a drawer that was locked. He showed me the mysterious black book, and told me everything that he said was true. He then took me to a storage unit. It had all the gold he spoke of. He said he had been trying to take only what he needed but life is more expensive the older you get. He said the worth of the gold would last him a bit longer, but he won't need any more. He would not go through it all in his lifetime. He told me it's valued at approximately twenty thousand dollars, and if I promise that I would not abuse this gold, it could be mine. I promised, and he told me he would give me all of the remaining gold as inheritance before he passed away.

Years later on the eve before my 15th birthday, my Grandpa passed away. On his bed stand I found his journal and it mysteriously read,

“Dear journal, Today is my 15th birthday and Grandpa passed away last night. On his bed stand he left a key to his storage unit.”

As I turned the page the key fell out.

“His gold is now mine to inherit. I just hope my greed doesn't get the best of me….”

I thumbed through the pages and discovered a map to the rest of the gold, and a note that read.

“Should the gold run low and you seek an adventure, then here lies the treasure”