Suddenly, Seth raised his crossbow and let loose a bolt. An enraged roar ripped through the air, and people shrieked with fright. Rogue scrambled backward, dragging Olivia with her. Within seconds, the ordered walk had turned into chaos.
“Over here,” Seth cried to Ric and the guards, firing another bolt.
It lodged in the carnivore’s snout, and the creature snarled with fury. The Dryptosaurus shook its head from side to side, clawing at the offending missile. Ric and the others ran closer, hurling spears at the beast. Several pierced its thick brown hide, and it screamed with pain. Blood flowed from the numerous wounds, the metallic scent heavy in the dense atmosphere.
Enraged, the Dryptosaurus charged its attackers. Men and women spat in all directions as the crazed dinosaur went on a mad rampage. It swerved toward Rogue and Olivia, each thunderous step causing the ground to vibrate.
Seth shot off a hasty bolt, but it glanced off the dino’s back and zinged into the distance. The two women stood frozen in its path, and the closest guards were too far away to help.
“Lillian, run,” Olivia cried, but there was nowhere to run to.
Rogue glanced at her mother’s frightened face, and a wave of protectiveness washed over her. I’ve got to do something!
Rogue yanked the machete from her belt and turned to face the carnivore. At the last possible moment, she shoved Olivia to the side. The woman went tumbling across the ground, out of the creature’s path. “Lillian, no!”
The Dryptosaurus snapped at Rogue. She dropped to her knees, and its jaws slammed shut mere inches above her head. Thick legs wooshed past her on either side, its terrifying claws as sharp as razors.
With a loud yell, Rogue swung the machete at one meaty ankle. The blade hacked into the heel, and the Dryptosaurus crashed to the ground with an agonized squeal.
Rogue rolled forward to get away from the downed beast. Unable to regain its footing, it thrashed on the ground until a lucky spear pierced its eye and penetrated the brain. With a final defiant roar, the Dryptosaurus sagged to the earth and breathed its last.
Silence descended on the group as each stared at the dead creature. Finally, one guard let out a wild yell of triumph, brandishing his spear in the air. The rest followed suit, all except for Ric.
He rushed to Olivia’s side and raised her to her feet. After a quick examination, he dusted her off. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. What about the others?” Olivia asked. “Where’s Lillian? Lillian!”
Rogue raised a hand. “I’m okay, Mom.”
Olivia sagged with relief. “Thank goodness.”
Ric addressed the others. “Is anyone injured?”
Heads shook, and it soon became clear that the group had been lucky to escape harm. Apart from a couple of scrapes and bruises, no one was hurt.
Rogue leaned forward with her hands resting on her knees, struggling to catch her breath. Blood dripped from her machete’s blade, and she wiped it clean on a clump of moss. Straightening up, she noticed Ric walking over with Olivia in tow.
His voice was gruff when he spoke. “You saved Olivia’s life. I owe you for that.”
“Of course, I saved her. She’s my mother,” Rogue said with a hint of indignation. “And you don’t owe me anything.”
“Now, now,” Olivia said, raising a hand. “He didn’t mean it like that, I’m sure.”
“No, I didn’t,” Ric said, his face turning red. “I meant, thank you.”
He sounded sincere, and Rogue nodded. “I’m just glad it all worked out.”
Ric grunted. “This is some mess, however. It’s been years since we’ve been attacked on this trail. I’d better get everyone sorted out.”
He hurried away, and Olivia followed. Between them, they got the group back onto its feet with a defensive perimeter set up. A couple of runners were dispatched to the Zoo while two more guards offered to stay with the carcass. A team of volunteers would come out to butcher and transport the meat and hide back to the settlement. In this world, nothing was wasted.
Rogue stared at her feet. Her blood was still up, and her every sense was on high alert. It would take a few minutes for the adrenalin rush to fade away. She concentrated on her breathing, seeking the calm in the storm. In and out. Repeat.
“Are you okay?”
The question broke her focus, and Rogue whirled around to find Seth standing behind her. “I…I’m okay.”
His dark eyes searched hers for a long moment. “Don’t ever do that to me again. I thought you were dead for sure.”
“It was a close one,” she admitted.
“Too close.” He gazed around the group. ‘You’ve won a few fans, however. It seems these people admire suicidal acts of bravery.”
“Hey,” Rogue protested. “It wasn’t like I had a choice, you know?”
“Maybe not, but be more careful next time. I couldn’t stand to lose you,” he said before striding away.
She stared at his retreating back with some confusion before calling out, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Figure it out,” he replied over his shoulder.
“Ugh,” Rogue said, rolling her eyes. “I don’t have time for this right now.”
At that moment, Ric shouted, “Come on, people. Gather around. We need to hurry up if we still hope to accomplish our goals.”
Rogue retrieved her backpack and slung it over her shoulders. After facing the Dyptosaurus head-on, the egg hunt no longer seemed like such a big deal, and she wanted to get it over with. One thing was clear, however. She had won some admirers. It was obvious in the nods and smiles directed her way.
She fell into line behind the rest, her heart swelling beneath the proud look Olivia bestowed upon her. It felt good to be accepted, and she faced the
