My partner and best friend, Milo

I'm running, well, more like stumbling as fast as I can. The forest is rushing past me. I look behind me and gasp. Fluffy is still bearing down on me. She roars and it makes my knees go weak. I feel a painful pinch on my foot but I pay no attention, I have more than enough things to worry about. As she gets closer my mind clears, I'm not sure why. Maybe because I knew there's no escaping her or maybe I know it's only a matter of time before I die. As I slow down I remember, there is no way anyone can outrun a grizzly bear. My brother arranged for us to go to the forest just 25 miles from our house and go with a guide to learn about the outdoors. The guide was saying that if you even see a bear cub, the mother with go on full momma rage mode, "Like my mother when I even walked in the same place the Cool Gang." the guide chuckled to himself for a good five minutes before continuing. No one had any idea what he was talking about. "If you ever encounter a grizzly bear never run, either try to fight them off or play dead." Everyone in the group had laughed but I could tell he was serious. And now I needed to see if he was right, and I just hoped he was. "Oh no!" I cried. The central town was coming up and I couldn't just lead Fluffy to the innocent town. I could see people scatter ahead and run. I stopped and turned around. Fluffy almost ran right over me but she stopped. She reared up on her hind legs and roared and I knew then that playing dead would not work right there and then. Her roar was almost deafening, but I knew what I had to do. I roared as loud as I could and it was terrifying. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the townspeople gasp and act surprised. The bear looked surprised too and dropped down on all four legs. She kind of bowed her head and scampered into the forest to join her cubs. The world suddenly started spinning and I had trouble breathing. Then everything went black.

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I woke up in a bright room. 'The hospital.' I thought. The events from that day came rushing back to me. When Fluffy ran lose with her cubs from the nature reserve, me accidentally tripping over her poor cubs when I was hiking by myself, and Fluffy chasing me through the forest of Montana. My older brother, Julian broke into my thoughts. "Hey, Julia. You're here 'cause you were, uh, bitten by a black widow. Ya feelin' ok?" he asked with his southern accent a bit hesitant. Yeah," I think I whispered. "Why can't I move?" I asked, suddenly realizing I couldn't move my legs or feet. I began to panic. Julian looked at the door like he wanted to get out. He sighed. "Oh, um, when you were bitten nobody knew where you were so, um, you might be uh, temporarily paralyzed." He cringed as though he said something wrong. "You're kidding." I sort of laughed. His face told me he wasn't. I stopped laughing and started crying. "Oh..." He went up to hug me and struggled out of his grasp. The doctor came in. "Julia?" He asked. "Yes." I looked up at him. I narrowed my eyes, I don't why I'm just mad at the world. "Since you weren't found after about an hour, you will be temporarily paralyzed. But, since you're 15 and growing teens are not affected as much as younger children, the paralysis will not last forever but there is no way to tell how long you will stay like this." he gestured to my legs. "You will be free to go today but you need some rest and we will give you a wheelchair." 'A wheelchair! No!' I thought. Julian started to pick me up so I could get on, I struggled out of Julian's grasp and landed on the floor. The doctor lifted me, and this time I didn't struggle, he put me in the wheelchair, and Julian wheeled me to his black Tahoe. When we got home, I cried. Julian made me a grilled cheese and I ate it, but just barely. I wasn't very hungry. The next day Julian went out and I stayed at home by myself. I turned on the TV and shuttered when I saw an animal. I couldn't even look outside and see a squirrel. For some reason I hate animals now even though I used to love them. As I waited for Julian I tried to reach for a book that was on the floor but I couldn't. Trying to look for something else to do I wheeled myself to my room and searched for my phone. It was charging on my desk, and I reached for it but couldn't reach it. I shouted in frustration. A few minutes later Julian came back with a tan UPS box. Julian tried to wheel me to the box but I wheeled myself. "I can do it by myself," I grumbled. I opened the box and saw what I thought ruined my life. A brown Dachshund looked up. It started panting and dribbling. "That thing is disgusting, Julian! I don't want that!" I cried. I wheeled myself away as the dog started whining. "Don't ya wanna know his name?" Julian asked, reaching towards me. "No!" I yelled wheeling myself to my room and trying to slam the door but it shut gently. "Augh!!!!" I shouted. "Why did you make me go to the stupid nature reserve, Julian!? This is all your fault!!!" Then I cried. I could hear Julian playing with the dog. "Hey!" he laughed. "That's my shoe! You want somethin' to eat? Come here Milo." There was a weird squeaky sound. 'Great. Julian already bought a squeaky toy and Milo, what a stupid name.' I thought. I could hear Julian walk up to my room he knocked on the door and came in. Milo was in his arms. "Hey Julia." he set down Milo on my lap and I cringed. I used to love animals but now they are disgusting. Milo looked up at me and licked my hand. I froze. I looked down and softly gasped. I looked at Julian and he smiled. I looked down again and started crying. This time from happy tears. Milo jumped up and licked my tears. His wheels squeaked as he did. It turns out Milo's also paralyzed on his back legs like me, only, unlike me, he is paralyzed permanently. His legs are held by a sort of like a hammock with wheels and he would walk with his front legs. Milo and I are best friends now even after ten years. He has helped me so much throughout my life as a paralyzed teen. I ended up being paralyzed for two years and Milo taught me to never give up.