Forces of Nature Read Online Free Page A

car.
    Everyone slowly turned around and watched as a massive brown bear squeezed itself into the front seat of the car.

New Friends
    D espite the bear that was growling at them from his family car, Zack still heard the splash loud and clear.
    It sounded like a giant boulder had been thrown into the water.
    But it was no boulder.
    Zack’s mom had fallen into the water, probably when she had turned to run away from the bear.
    Mom had a tendency to panic.
    Mrs. McGee also wasn’t much of a swimmer. She bobbed and gasped before getting hold of a log that was floating down the river along with her. She held on to it as she was swept along in water that could be no deeper than four or five feet.

    Zack’s dad now ran along the stream shouting at her as she was carried downstream. “Just stand up! Just stand up!”
    He had forgotten about the bear.
    And his car.
    And Zack, Taylor, and Olivia.
    Apparently, Zack’s dad wasn’t great in emergencies either.
    Really the McGees simply were not the outdoorsy type.
    Zack was about to mention this to Olivia, but before he could utter a word, another even larger bear stepped out from behind the passenger side.
    This bear looked surprised when it saw the three bug-eyed kids standing at the edge of the creek.
    It stopped and sniffed the air with interest. Its head swung back and forth. Then it pushed off its massive front paws, stood up, and made a growly, groaning noise.
    Zack was pretty sure this was the sound they had heard coming from the forest last night.
    No bear ever looked this big in the zoo, but that was probably because there was always anice, sturdy wall between you and those finger-size front fangs.
    â€œShould we run?” he whispered to Olivia without taking his eyes off the bear.
    â€œDon’t run,” Olivia said sharply. “Are you crazy? It’ll make you look like a snack in sneakers.”
    â€œShould we jump into the creek?”
    â€œThat will make you look like a delicious trout.”
    â€œOkay, how about if we just lie down and play dead?” Zack said, barely moving his lips.
    â€œWell, you may end up not playing dead, and actually become dead.”
    â€œOkay, Ranger Olivia, what do you think we should do?”
    Without answering, Olivia started to wave her arms and whistle as loud as she could. Zack watched her out of the corner of his eye.
    â€œWhat the—?”
    â€œDon’t you ever read, Zack?” she shouted at the bear, her arms continuing to flap. “The ranger’s sheet said to look big, make noise, and retreat only when it’s safe.”
    Zack started to wave his arms and jump upand down. “HEY, YOU BIG, FAT, UGLY BEAR! YOU STINK LIKE BEAR FARTS!”
    â€œDon’t insult the animal!” Olivia snapped.
    â€œI don’t think it speaks English,” Zack replied, his arms waving crazily above his head.
    Taylor hadn’t moved an inch since the appearance of the bear. “This is the best trip ever,” Zack heard him mumble.
    The bear seemed to lose interest in the kids. It dropped down heavily onto its front paws, turned around, and entered the front passenger door. The car rocked from the weight of the second bear.
    Zack could hear the bing-bong chiming of the alarm inside the car that signaled to the driver that the door was open and the key still in the ignition. The car engine was still on.
    â€œOkay, now run!” Olivia said and shot down the side of the creek in the opposite direction from where Zack’s parents had gone.
    â€œWhat if they steal our car?” Zack asked, instantly realizing it was a dumb question.
    Zack was stunned to see Taylor already a good seventy-five yards away from them, running along the stream in the same direction Zack’s dad had run. “WAIT!” Zack shouted. But Taylor was gone.

    The bears were now ripping off the top of a blue plastic cooler they had found in the car. The lid of the cooler and a few