When she did, we all gasped at once.
“Don’t anyone move,” I whispered.
Ari’s hand must have started shaking because the light was moving all over the place.
“This camping trip is cursed, I tell you,” Ari whispered.
Ellie grabbed onto my arm and tried to whisper, but her voice shook with fear. “Is … is that a mountain … mountain li … um …”
I stood slowly and pushed both girls behind me.
“Lion. Yes, it’s a mountain lion. Slowly get into the tent, both of you.”
“Gunner, no! You can’t stay out here alone,” Ellie pleaded.
I could hear Ari getting into the tent.
“Ells, baby, I can’t take my eyes off of her; I need you to get into the tent slowly. Please.”
“O-okay. I love you.”
My heart was pounding so loudly I could hardly hear her speak. “I love you too.”
Moving slowly, Ellie finally got into the tent.
I lifted my hands above my head and shouted, “Go on! Get the hell out of here!”
“Well hell dude, I’m only trying to see what is taking Ari so long.”
My head jerked to the right as I watched Jeff come walking up, a flashlight shining directly on me.
“Jeff, stop!”
He instantly stopped. “What’s wrong?”
I lifted the flashlight more to show him the mountain lion.
“Holy fuck!” he shouted as he jumped back. “There’s a mountain lion on the table.”
“No shit. I’m trying to get her to leave, but she’s just sitting there. Staring at me.”
“How do you know it’s a she?”
I rolled my eyes and let out a small sigh. “I don’t, Jeff. I’m just saying she.”
“What makes you say she though?”
I groaned. “I don’t know for fuck’s sake.”
“Lift your hands over your head and yell at her … or him.”
I choose to ignore Jeff as I attempted to intimidate the big cat again. “Go on! Get out of here! Ha!”
From the left side, I heard someone walking up. “What in the name of everything good in this world are you doing yelling out here, Gunner? Can we get one night of decent sleep?”
It was then the mountain lion decided she’d had enough.
“Josh, dude you better stop walking, there’s a mountain lion making her way over to you.”