The End... As We Know It; Book 2

Still, Jem finished eating her two meals before Jack or Jenny could finish theirs. Jem begged them for more food, but this time neither of them felt very generous, though they did let Jem lick out the remaining food particles in both their boil bags. With meals finished and Jack's helmet once more cleaned, they headed back out into the hall. With their torches held high, they made their way through the killing room, into the waiting room and from there, into the natural cavern itself. As they walked along the dark passage, Jem alternated between growls and whimpers as Jack and Jenny both noticed the strong odors coming from the cave. They had covered almost a quarter mile and still hadn't seen the end, though there was a dim light coming from somewhere up ahead. Just as they were about to round a bend in the cavern, Jem stopped dead in her tracks and growled deeply again. When Jack tried to get her to move forward, she refused.

"What the hell is the matter with her?" Jenny asked, getting upset with Jem's behavior.

"Hell if I know." Jack snapped, losing his temper with Jem as he pulled on her and still he couldn't get her to budge.

"Damn it Jem!" Jack yelled at the top of his lungs. "What has gotten in to you?"

"Shit Jack!" Jenny screamed even louder. "Look out!"

Jack turned around and saw the biggest bear he had ever seen in his life charging right at him! Jack had his shotgun off his shoulder in blink of an eye and dropped his torch as he quickly pointed it at the bear that must have weighed over a thousand pounds. Jack fired shell after shell into the charging beast, each shot taking a chunk of fur off of the creature's head, neck or shoulders. Jenny's gun finally joined his after her initial shock had worn off and they both fired until their shotguns were empty. But it had been enough. The bear slid to a halt, just a few feet short of reaching Jack. The bear gave a final gasp before dying and they both nervously reloaded their weapons as they stared at the dead monster of a bear. Jack's fingers were shaking so badly, that he almost dropped each shell as he reloaded his auto shotgun.

"Damn, I'm glad that's over." Jack gulped. That was the mother of all bears!"

"No it wasn't!" Jenny screamed again. "Here come that baby's parents!"

Jack looked up again and sure enough, he saw more bears coming right at them, and each and every one of them were almost twice the size of the one they had already killed. "Son of a bitch!" Jack yelled as he quickly grabbed up his torch and started running down the cavern, and back towards the underground facility. "This place is their lair!"