Woman Shelters Old Man In Her House Unaware Of Who He Truly Is

Wanting To Do Something Nice

Mandy had just intended to assist a destitute person caught in the terrifying December blizzard when she chose to allow the man into her home.

But as night fell, she became aware of a loud noise coming from her cabin. Even though she knew she ought to have closed her door after phoning the police, she nonetheless left her room. Her blood began to curdle at what she witnessed.

She Kept To Herself

A typical twenty-seven-year-old woman, Mindy Harris Sheeran, lived on the outskirts of a small Alaskan town. She was a Ph.D. student in botany who had established a reputation for being an introvert who only left her cabin when absolutely necessary.

But Mindy was far from a hermit. She came from Miami, Florida, and simply wasn’t used to the harsh December weather in Alaska. She will learn that evening that she had reasons to be afraid other than the weather.

A Big Move

In order to do studies on indigenous plant species in North America, Mindy relocated to Alaska. She decided receiving everything directly from the source would be preferable because she was gathering information for her paper.

Before the environment affected her, she lived in the state for five months. She at first found the snowstorms and subzero temps charming. But as the months passed and she started to miss home, everything started irritating her. That is, up until she met him.

A Snow Storm

She was reading the day’s newspaper and sipping hot chocolate on her porch when she spotted the elderly guy stumble across the street. The snow was high because it had been snowing all day heavily.

However, the man continued on, appearing to be deep in contemplation. Thanks to the morning’s weather report, Mindy knew a blizzard was already developing, so she made a decision she had never made since moving to Alaska.

Being Friendly

With a lift of her cup, Mindy waved hello to the man and shouted out to him. She waved back, telling him he shouldn’t be going outside in the bad weather, and extended an invitation to come inside.

Klaus was a stranger to the area as well. Even though he got along well with Mindy throughout the evening, what happened that night would give him nightmares for years.

Staying The Night

According to Mindy, Klaus was only supposed to seek refuge from the storm during the evening. She instructed him to settle in, but now that night had overtaken the town, and the storm was still pouring. She set up a spot for Klaus on the couch as her cottage only had one bedroom.

After dinner, the two continued their conversation for several hours as Klaus related his experiences as a military officer while Mindy discussed her work. Even though Mindy would go to bed, she would merely be starting her night.

A Loud Noise

A few hours after midnight, she was startled out of her slumber by a tremendous thud. She jerked to her feet and pulled her blankets up to her chest, wondering what was going on.

She quickly checked the security cameras on her laptop. She had never anticipated using them. She was now standing there, gazing at them and hoping everything was fine.

Something Strange

While seeing something move on the front door video, she tilted her head to the side. Mindy struggled with the controls as she rewinded the video and noticed an elderly guy rushing past the porch.

That Klaus, right? Mindy questioned. Her heartbeat was accelerating. She jumped for her baseball bat as something even more terrifying happened after that.

Watching Him

Klaus once more approached the camera, paused, and looked directly into the camera. The subsequent camera captured him running to Mindy’s room as he entered the house.

Mindy fought back the tears. Despite not understanding what was going on, she realized she needed to lock her door and phone the police. Was the earlier man she had aided out to harm her?

She Was Confused

Mindy sprinted for her phone and dialed 911. When Klaus shouted from the other side of the door, she was still going through everything with the communicator.

The man’s cry was Mindy’s most agonizing thing ever heard, and she assumed he was harmed. He was seen creeping around the living room as she checked the feed from her webcam. He was making a quick exit from something.

Going Out

Mindy opened her door against every nerve in her body and sneaked out of her room. She slipped through the darkness of her cabin’s corridor, making it to her living room door.

But she didn’t find Klaus there, only the front door opened ajar and the rowdy winds blowing into the house. Not knowing what to make of the situation, Mindy gripped her bat tighter. She was about to take another step when she heard it.

A Deep Growl

The growl was deep, reverberating through Mindy’s body with a crippling command. She let out a cry as a dark figure came through the open door, snarling louder than the winds outside.

Mindy froze in place as she realized what was in her living room. The creature had white fur, massive fangs, and claws as long as the knives in her kitchen. It roared, and she knew she’d never see the light of day again.

Cold Terror

A Polar bear. Cold terror rushed through Mindy’s body, flash-freezing her veins before settling in the pits of her stomach. She was about to scream when Klaus charged back into the room, spraying an orange canister into the bear’s snout.

The beast reeled back, bellowing as it turned tail and stormed out of the cabin. Klaus sprayed after it, banging the door and locking it tight. But the night was far from over.

He Comes To Help

Klaus rushed to the kitchen, spraying the door before locking it. It took Mindy a few minutes to recover before realizing the man had a bleeding gash on his shoulder.

She ran for her first aid kit and sat to help him. She’d seen several movies and documentaries about polar bears. She never thought she’d live to be attacked by one. As she dressed Klaus’s wound, he explained everything to her.

An Experience To Remember

Klaus revealed that he was part of Alaska’s wildlife service. He was in town tracking a polar bear that the locals had reported before the blizzard forced him to take a break. What were the chances that the same beast snuck into Mindy’s kitchen and woke him up?

He’d lured it out of the house before it mauled his shoulder, almost killing him. The police soon came, and although the wildlife service would catch the bear, the incident would be forever etched in Mindy’s brain. She’d need to acquaint herself with the Alaskan wild before venturing back out there.

Learn All You Can

Mindy began extensive research about bears in the region. Even though she was a biologist, her study had never sent her down this path. It was time that changed.

The more she uncovered, the more scared and calm she got. Although terrifying at some junctures, her findings were eye-opening and entertaining. She found herself relaxing when she truly understood how each bear species operates.

The Bears Of North America

There are eight bear species globally, three native to North America. These are fuzzy and cuddly at first sight, with the thickest build anyone can wish for.

But they will tear you into shreds in mere seconds, especially when agitated. But some, like the polar bear, which Mindy encountered, will throw down even without being provoked.

Where Are They Found?

Polar bears are unique to the Arctic circle but can be found wandering south toward the wilds of Alaska. Their numbers are dwindling, mainly owing to global warming destroying their habitats.

Bears live on the ice caps up north, but with the constant temperature rise, these habitats are melting, resulting in them losing their home.

The Statistics

Their number is currently between twenty and thirty-one thousand worldwide, a genuine far cry from how many they were before the industrial revolution and the onset of global warming.

Most polar bears are migrating south to escape the rising ocean levels in the cold north. It is no surprise that Mindy and Klaus found one lurking inside the house.

How To Deal With Them

Common knowledge among the community members where Mindy lives is that black and brown bears, the other two species of North American native bears, can be dealt with if one is knowledgable enough.

For black bears, don’t try to play dead. You will be delivering them a free win. Flee to a secure place. If that’s not an option, fight. Focus your kicks and blows on the animal’s muzzle and face. This is different for brown bears.

Grizzlies

Brown bears, also known as grizzlies, are usually bigger than black and polar bears. But their size does not mean they are not fast or great climbers and swimmers.

The best way to win against such a massive fiend, with claws that can easily transport your insides to your outsides, is to do nothing. Yes, play dead, and play it as if your life depends on it because it does.

Faster Than A Cat At 3 AM

Brown bears are very fast, so running away from them is ill-advised. They also love the chase and will not stop until they have you.

By playing dead, with your backpack on and your hands protecting your neck, you’ll be able to stave it off. A few miles south of where Mindy’s polar bear scare took place, a similar event occurred. But this one involved a grizzly and a very unlucky mountain biker.

It’s All About Speed

The average speed for a mountain biker is 10 miles per hour. A grizzly bear can run five times faster than this when highly motivated.

The cyclist in this story was a tourist looking to take in the forest sights in the wee hours of the morning before joining his friends for breakfast. What he found in the woods was enough to give him many sleepless nights.

His Trade

Pierre had been cycling for more than a decade before he found himself racing for his life in that forest. A professional biker across numerous biking sports, he loved cross-country biking.

But as he and his friends were visiting the wild, remote corners of Alaska, they packed mountain bikes, ready to see what the great outdoors offered.

A Different Morning

The morning of the incident was a different one for Pierre. Most of his friends insisted on taking their bicycle ride after breakfast.

Given that Pierre had formed a habit of going out to ride before breakfast, he bade them goodbye and cycled off. He had no idea what awaited him in the green Alaskan forest.

Enjoying The Wild

Thirty minutes into his ride, Pierre decided to take a slight breather and enjoy the rolling green hills in the vista ahead. He took off his helmet and stepped off his peddle.

The sun was already up, and the air was fresh. Pierre closed his eyes to enjoy the mellowing quiet around him. But what his ears caught made him jump back on his bike.

The Chase Begins

The roar was ground shaking, gripping through Pierre with a ferocity he never thought possible. His first instinct was to jump back on his bike and begin pedaling.

Without a wasted thought, Pierre flew back on the path he had been taking before stopping. Glancing back as he pedaled, he saw a massive brown bear barreling toward him, inching closer by the second.

Only A Matter Of Time

Knowing how fast brown bears were, it was only a matter of time before the big ball of fuzz and ferociousness caught up to him.

He leaned forward on his bike, tightening his fingers around the grip as he raced down the dirt path. The bear continued coming after him, the gap between them reducing. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the worst happened.

He Stops

A large felled tree trunk appeared before Pierre. One look at it, and he knew he couldn’t jump over it. Stopping would mean the bear would have a field day with him.

Knowing he couldn’t jump the felled tree, Pierre braked before it, hoping to pick up his bike and hop back on. But it was too late.

I Count Six Shots

The bear had caught on to him. But as it pounced, a gunshot rang, startling the creature. Pierre took that as a sign and ran toward the sound of the gun.

The bear didn’t pursue as more gunshots sounded. The hunters who had saved Pierre took him to their safety, getting him home without a scratch. If only he lay down and pretended to be dead in the first place.

Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.