The Seven Swords of Diya: An Indiana Jones Fan Fiction - Part 2

Chapter 285: Kamchatka Wilderness, Soviet Union, 1960

 Kamchatka Wilderness

Soviet Union

1960

"BEAR! BEAR!" Indy pointed behind him rasping and trying to run as fast as he possibly could.

Emily and Lizavet were idly chatting and smiling, watching from the rise of the hill.

"BEAR!" Indy shouted, trying to run faster. "BEAR! RUN! RUN FASTER!"

The ladies didn't move.

Indy glanced back at Shorty. The kid had both fish wrapped in his arms like priceless artifacts and he was running for his life.

"Shorty! Drop the fish!" Indy ordered.

"Drop the fish?!? Are you crazy?!?!" Shorty clutched the fish tighter as he ran up beside Indy.

The bear charged after them, gaining ground.

"It can smell the fish, Shorty! Drop the fish! Its hungry! Give it what it wants!"

"All the survival manuals say, 'Don't feed the bears!'" Shorty blurted.

"Let the fish go! It's not a priceless artifact!"

"Of course its a priceless artifact! It's our breakfast! I won't let go!" Shorty got the crazy troublemaking gleam followed by his adopted dad's adventurous crooked grin. "Don't worry! I'll save us, Dad!"

Horror filled Indy's eyes. "Shorty - that is the most terrifying thing I've heard in my entire life! I'm so glad Marion and I only had daughters!"

Shorty reached in his jacket pocket, turned around and threw something.

An unidentified flying object shot by Indy's vision. "What was that?!"

DOINK!

A plastic sandwich container hit the bear on the head. The creature looked confused for a moment...

Shorty grinned in triumph. "My emergency sandwich! Told you it would come in handy!"

Deep rage filled the bear's eyes.

"YOU HAD FOOD?" Indy yelled, still running, his shout nearly drowned out by the bear's furious roar.

"Yeah. Bacon lettuce and tomato!" Shorty grinned. "I always carry an emergency sandwich! So glad I got to use it! Been carrying that one for two years now!" He glanced behind them. "Why is the bear still chasing us?"

"Its Tupperware, Shorty! Its sealed plastic! The bear can't smell food through it! There's a reason why Em calls Tupperware food sarcophagi!"

Shorty looked down. "I guess I should throw the fish now? Right, Dad?"

"Well we can't wait for the bear to die of food poisoning from your outdated sandwich!" Indy retorted.

Shorty pulled up one of the fish and threw it.

It slapped the bear across the face.

Indy stared at Shorty as they both continued running. "You fish-slapped the bear?"

The bear roared and charged after them.

"Sorry, Dad! I threw the fish like you told me!" He held the second fish. "Should I throw this one too?"

There was an ear splitting whistle.

Both men looked up.

Lizavet stood at the top of the hill, a small bone flute in her mouth. It sounded like a shriek.

The bear snarled and moved off.

Indy and Shorty fell in the grass with relief.

Indy looked at Shorty as Emily came forward, her pistol drawn, still watching the bear gallop away. "Dad, you ok?"

Indy grinned up at his daughter, trying to catch his breath. "Hello my beautiful girl... I'm so glad you weren't a boy. I wouldn't have lived this long with a son. My heart... and lungs... and legs... can't handle running from the stupid chaos my son would have created." He took a wheezing gasping breath. "...I need to apologize to Dad."

Lizavet stood over Shorty, a gentle smile on her face.

Shorty grinned up at her, helplessly smitten. "Have a fish. I'm sorry there's no chips."

Lizavet took the fish, and walked up the hill with Emily toward their small fire.

Indy turned, staring incredulously at Shorty and gently whacked the boy with his dusty fedora hat. "And Em thinks I'm terrible at romance. I have never said to a beautiful woman - 'Have a fish.'"

Shorty glanced at Indy. "There's always a first time, Dad."