TITLE: CURIOSITY

When the bear was first spotted, it was nothing more than a dark speck against the endless Arctic Ocean—just a dot moving steadily through the vastness. The bear was swimming from one remote island to another, driven by instinct, scavenging for the next meal in a world where survival is never guaranteed.

As the distance closed, it became clear that hunger wasn’t the only force at work. Curiosity began to outweigh the search for food. The massive vessel, silent and foreign, drew attention—an unfamiliar presence worth investigating.

The bear circled the cruise ship several times, dark eyes observing, nose testing the air, before seemingly deciding it offered no answers. Then, just as quietly as the encounter began, the bear turned away and slipped back into the Arctic expanse—heading toward another island, another mystery, and another adventure in the frozen wild.

AUTHOR: Srimanth Srinivasan (United States)