19
With his hands held away from his side, Giancarlo glanced over his
shoulder. “Back away slowly.”
“And leave you there?”
The bear saw her and huffed, revealing long, sharp teeth.
“At least stop talking.” His voice shook, undermining his light tone.
Eva cursed under her breath. All of her supplies were sitting on the
table in her bag. She had her knife, a willow branch, which she had
miraculously held onto, and the clothes she was wearing. The willow
branch….
She focused all of her attention on the bear and did exactly what she
had been instructed not to do: Eva stared into the bear’s dark,
glistening eyes. She raised the willow branch, not like a weapon, but
like a tool. She put a hand on the knife at her side, gripping it so that
her nails bit into the leather handle.
Slowly at first, she moved the willow branch in small ovals. The