Lastlife,SierraKane,aself-proclaimed“toughgirl,”secretlyopenedabearcageforalivestream.
Thebearwentberserkafterbeingprovokedbyher,breakingoutofitscageandmaulingseveralonlookingvisitorstodeath.
Irushedtogetthetranquilizergunandmanagedtoshootit,butnotbeforeittoreoffoneofmyarms.

Myboyfriendarrived—
YetinsteadofsavingmeasIscreamedforhelp,heheldSierraKaneinhisarms,comfortingher:
“Don’tbeafraid.It’snotyourfault.Youjustwantedtoconnectwiththebear.”
Iwasleftbleedingontheground,forgotten.
Thewoundbecameinfected,andeventually,theyamputatedmyarm.
Whenthefamiliesofthevictimscamedemandingjustice,SierraKaneteamedupwithmyboyfriendandthemanagertopushalltheblameontome.

Theytwistedthestory,fabricatedevidence—
AndIwasbrutallyhackedtodeathbythefuriousrelatives.
WhenIopenedmyeyesagain—
Ihadbeenreborn.

BackatCrestwoodZoo.
“Natalie,Sierra’salreadytakenthecagekeys.Why’reyougrabbinganotherset?”
Thesoundofmycoworker'svoicesentashiverdownmyspine.
IrealizedI'dbeenreborn.
Memoriesofthechaotic,blood-drenchedscenefrommypastlife—theseveredlimbs,thescreams—camefloodingback.Ignoringhim,Idashedtothesecurityoffice,grabbedatranquilizergun,andtookoff.
Securitystaff,seeinghowmyurgency,chasedafterme.
WhenIreachedthebearenclosure,Sierrawasthere,phoneinhand,havingalreadyunlockedthegate.Shewasstreaminglivewithherfake,husky“bigsis”voice:
“Don’tcallmeSierra—callmeSis.Naughtylittlebros,todayI’mtakingyouupclosewiththefiercestbeast!”
Herarrogantandshow-offattitudemademybloodboil.Withoutasecondthought,IIpointedthegunatthecage.
“SierraKane,whogaveyoutheauthoritytoopenthatcage?”
Startled,Sierrajumpedup,turningaroundwithascowl.“Oh,it’sNatalie.Unlikeyoudelicateprincesses,Ithinkbearsarecute,notscary.”
“Badasschickslikeme?We’remeanttohangwithbeasts…”
Beforeshecouldfinish,theawakenedbearrosebehindher,towering.
Alargeshadowloomed.Sierraturned,lockingeyeswiththebear’sgapingmaw.
Theso-called“tough”internetinfluencercollapsedtotheground,screaming,“No…don’tcomecloser!You’refed,right?”
“What’reyoustaringat?Sitdown!”
Herstupidityalmostmademedropthegun.
“Shutup!Getdownlowandbackoutslowly!”
Thebear,curious,sniffedSierra’sscent.
Myheartsank.Inmypastlife,herblood-scentedperfumetriggeredthebear’srampage.
Ilookedoveratthesecurityteambehindmeandshouted,“Evacuateallvisitors—quietly.”
Theynoddedandquicklystartedguidingthetouristsaway.
Insidethecage,Sierrawasfrozenwithfear,wetherself,ayellowpuddleforming.Thebear,nosetwitching,shookitshead,irritated.
Icreptforward,whisperingforhertoretreat,keepingthegunaimedatthebear’sback.
AssoonasSierrawasoutoftheway,I’dfire.
Ididn’twanttosavemyenemy,butaragingbearcouldkilldozensofpeopleinseconds.Icouldn’tletthathappen.
Then,achild’scrycutthroughthesilence.
Ispunaroundandsawatremblinggirlhiddennearthecage.
Myheartstartedpounding.Sierra,takingadvantageofthemoment,scrambledtoherfeet,pushedthegirldown,andfled.
Inthatinstant,Ifired,hittingthebear’sback.
Itlungedatthegirlbutcollapsedmid-stride,sedated.
Ithrewtheguntothesecuritystaff,lockedthecage,scoopedupthegirl,andrantosafety.