It squealed loudly and shoved its head forward, pushing the door open on its own. The metal creaked and clattered to the ground with a bang. The calf’s squeal rang out as it slipped free of the cage, clattering the metal door behind it.
Shouts echoed across the camp as men scrambled to see what had happened. Flashlights danced wildly. Caleb ducked low, heart racing, and bolted toward a nearby worktable stacked with gear. The adult walrus appeared seconds later, bursting into the camp with a deep, rumbling bellow.
It barreled forward, scattering crates and knocking over a supply tent as it charged. One man tripped and fell trying to get out of the way, yelling something Caleb couldn’t hear over the noise. Amid the chaos, Caleb spotted a radio on the table—its signal light blinking faintly.
He grabbed it and ran. Snow kicked up behind his boots as he sprinted behind a large drift just outside the camp. His chest heaved as he dropped to his knees and fumbled with the dial, clearing the static.