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FAKE NEWS (bears)

A young bear is caught and caged. 

It is ‘trained’ by its tormentor, a human, to ‘dance’ for the entertainment of the crowds. It is kept chained on concrete and let outside only to ‘dance’. The tormentor brings it raw steak and chickens to eat, and for this rare pleasure the bear comes to love its captor. 

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Years pass. 

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Then one day, I - a wild bear, glossy sided and fat-pawed, with the scent of wild salmon on my breath; - I saunter through town.  

The caged bear sees me, and the shock of the pain of recognising what has been lost is so great it rages and breaks free. It rampages, killing people in a frenzy on a bridge. Police with guns appear, having heard a wild bear is on the loose... 

The tormentor comes, bearing a piece of steak. The bear comes willingly to the tormentor, seeking solace. 

It is shot, and bleeds to death on the road.  

The tormentor stows the steak in a pocket, planning another trip to capture a bear. 

And I am in a river, wet fur glistening, catching leaping fish.

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Listen to the Fake News read by the author:

You can download and print this poster to find missing Bears. 

© Sarah Dixon

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