Imani pays close attention to the unconscious Cindi, makes sure she’s still breathing. I’m watching Deke’s legs and feet, ready to prop him up if he loses balance. Nobody talks much, nobody sings. We’re focused on our mission.

Despite being scared that we’ll fail, I feel better than I have since that first night on the beach, before the flood. We’re doing the right thing, working together to help someone else, and it feels good. That makes me stronger, more confident. Is it possible that getting picked for the leadership program wasn’t a mistake? Did some adult see something in me I didn’t know I had?

Daniel Redmayne, born leader. Ha!

“What’s so funny?” Imani asks as we hike along, bringing up the rear.

“Nothing. Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“I never thought I could do stuff like this.”

“Like what?”

“Survive in the wilderness.”

She grins. “Me neither. Maybe my father had the right idea. Not that he wanted terrible things to happen, or people to die! Just the part about me being on my own, and speaking up for myself, and making friends. That part has been good.”

The ground beside the river gets steeper and trickier as the Crazy dips through a series of rapids. Then it levels out for a while, and the river widens. All the while, Deke remains sure-footed and strong. He refuses to take a break. “She’s getting weaker. I can feel it. We have to keep going.”

“Oh no!” exclaims Mia, who is out ahead by ten yards or so.

I catch up to her. “What’s wrong?”

Then I see what has her spooked. A black bear with its front paws in the river. It stares at us with glittering black eyes, snorting and shaking its head from side to side.

Not a good sign. Not a good sign at all.

41. Never Play Dead

“What do we do?”

They’re asking me because of what I did with the mountain lion. “I’m not sure. Off the top of my head, all I really know about bears is you’re not supposed to run. Or get between a mother and her cubs.”

The bear starts making a huffing noise. Oof! Oof! Oof! It sounds ticked off, angry. And it shuffles around, directly facing us from about thirty yards away.

“Give me a hand! Quick!” Deke needs help lowering Cindi to the ground.

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. Something. The three of you keep her safe!”

Before I can think to stop him, he slips around Mia and takes a position between her and the bear. He raises his hands over his head, making himself as tall as possible, like we did with the mountain lion.

“Go away!” he shouts. “Leave us alone!”

The bear responds by standing up on its hind legs and baring its fangs. Making itself taller than Deke.

“Not good, Deke! Be careful!”