The Big Bear
by Jethro Chau
“The Big Bear” is a short fantasy story about a young boy who decides to try to defeat a bear that has been terrorizing the village he lives in. I made this story to show that when kids make dumb decisions, they often get dumb consequences. I originally wrote this story as part of a larger setting but toned it way down here after I realized that it was too complex. I really hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Moonlight cast a dim glow on the dark forest and illuminated a small boy who lay on a small bundle of blankets and clothes. This boy, called Tebrium, had no care for the animals that lurked in the forest. Rather, he was more interested in armor and magic. Tebrium wore basic “adventuring clothes” as described by his parents. Some light pants, a white undershirt, and a faded blue vest were his choice for the day. His shoes were halfway between sandals and boots. Next to him was a small sword made of oakwood. This, along with the magic he had learned, would come in handy if he needed to defend himself. His half-full leather pack rested underneath his head, where he used it as a pillow. It was a rather uncomfortable pillow however, since it contained many books and writing utensils. Tebrium yawned, setting his book down beside him, making sure the pages didn’t bend when he closed it. His parents surely wouldn’t find him here. His father yelled at him the day before. He had been very upset with Tebrium for all the pranks he had pulled on the townspeople. Killing a wild bear would show the village he was worth something. He was strong enough to fight a bear, he was sure of it. After all, they were basically just big dogs.
This obsession with taking down a bear was not a new occurrence. Rather, it infected most of the children in the village because a large bear had attacked the town a few years before. All the adults would’ve killed this bear on the spot, but all the capable adults were off at war at the time. The thought of killing a bear excited all of the children in the village.
Tebrium awoke, having fallen asleep for some time. How long had he been asleep? He hadn’t meant to fall asleep while waiting for the bear to show up. He grabbed his sword and stood up, trying to see if there was anything different. As he looked around, he saw two reflective beady eyes watching him. Hovering about four and a half feet up from the ground, those eyes were in line with his eye level. Slowly, he watched as those dark pools got higher and higher. Tebrium’s heart
rate spiked. Adrenaline brought a surge of energy to his body and heightened his senses. He analyzed the creature in horror as the beast stepped into the light. The thirteen-foot-tall monster towered over Tebrium. Tebrium slowly crouched down and picked up a rock in his left hand while keeping a tight grip on his sword. The rock burst into flames as he picked it up. The flames comforted him rather than harmed him. He tossed it towards the bear, shining a orange-red-yellow light on the creature’s body. Tebrium straightened, noticing a deep maroon bloodstain around the claws and mouth of the bear. Full of fear, he fought to keep himself from running away. He held his sword closer to his body, passing his left hand over the blade. Fire appeared over the blade as his hand moved across it .
The bear grunted, stepping closer to Tebrium. Tebrium widened his stance, lowering his sword and pointing it at the bear. There was no sound, for the animals had gone quiet. Tebrium and the bear both stared at each other. Tebrium lowered his stance and ran at the bear, like he had practiced before. He slid under the bear’s legs as it tried to take a swing at him with its claws. Tebrium jumped up, grabbing onto its brown fur with his left hand, and thrusting his sword into the bear with his right. The bear roared, swiping at its back with its great claws. Tebrium shuddered, struggling to take his sword back out of the bear’s thick hide. Finally, it slipped out. The bear rushed backwards, slamming Tebrium into a tree. He tried and failed to maintain his grip and was thrown to the ground. The bear clawed at him, cutting a deep gouge in his right arm. He cried out in pain and dodged to the side. Blood painted the dirt as he gripped his wound with his left hand, trying to stop the blood flow.
Tebrium immediately tried to maneuver the bear back into the clearing where they had started. He eyed the hilt of his sword, peeking out from the back of the great bear. As he maneuvered, he tripped on the root of a tree. The bear struck him with its claws, which hit Tebrium’s armor. Blood sprayed from his ankles where they were struck, which stopped his escape. His vision swam
as he saw a bright yellow glow from behind the bear. He heard his dad roar at the bear, getting its attention. Flash. His dad’s sword cut through the bear in one strike.
His dad rushed to his side, that same yellow glow shifting from his sword and to his hands. He held Tebrium’s wounds, sealing them and healing them. “Why on Avirna were you out here?” his dad yelled, picking Tebrium up.
“I just wanted to be a hero like you,” Tebrium said weakly.
“We have to get you to a more experienced healer!” his dad said, as he carried Tebrium towards the town.
He was welcomed not as a hero, but as some idiot kid. All those faces showed concern or disdain at his gamble. He had failed. He was weak. He would never be a hero.