04:00:06 AM

“Climb!”

Randall scrambled up the nearest tree. Had he been anyone else, Randall believed he would have thought this was karma for what happened to Edgar. That weird kid in second period was always babbling about karma. What was his name? Earl?

No time to harp on that though. Randall hoisted Sara to the first branch, and together they laddered up to the higher boughs. The cougar leapt after them. It was a good climber, but Randall figured they held the advantage as long as they stayed above it.

He hoped.

The cougar lunged and snagged the cuff of Sara’s jeans in its jaws. It snapped its head back and pulled Sara off her feet. She caught a branch and held on for her life.

“Randall!” she screamed.

Randall climbed down and kicked at the cougar’s head, but it clamped down on the pant leg. Finally the cloth itself gave way and tore off. Another kick and the cougar dropped to the ground. It rolled to its feet and paced the tree, snarling up at Randall and Sara before retreating into the forest.