When the shaking got worse, she paused, pressing one hand to her forehead. A dizzy sensation caused her to sway, and a gray mist marred her vision. “What the hell?”
Before she could take another step, her legs wobbled, and she pitched face-first into the river. Panic set in, and she fought to get out of the water, but her strength leeched away in a rush. Bubbles streamed from her mouth, and fluid stole into her lungs. Her last thought before she lost consciousness was of her mother, and the knowledge that she’d never see her again. I’m sorry, Mom.
Chapter 9
Rogue pushed through a thick stand of trees. A wall of vines blocked her way, and she tore at them with her bare hands. A sharp pain in one finger caused her to yelp. “Ow, damn it.”
She’d ripped off a fingernail, and the raw flesh throbbed to the beat of her heart. She sucked on the painful digit, swallowing the metallic blood.
With her free hand, she continued onward, desperate to reach her friends. Seconds later, she stumbled into a clearing. The water gleamed on the other side, and she broke into a run. “Seth! Brittany! Is anyone there?”
Her headlong rush brought her to a sandy beach, but an enormous bulk blocked her way. She stopped so suddenly, she fell flat on her ass. “Holy shit.”
Sand sprayed in every direction as she struggled to get away from the creature in front of her. It took a few moments for her to realize the thing wasn’t moving.
Frozen to the spot, Rogue stared at the dinosaur. The rising sun broke out above the treeline, and the growing light illuminated the monstrosity in front of her. “I can’t believe it. It’s a Spinosaurus.”
The smell of burning flesh filled her nostrils, and she gagged. On her hands and knees, she crawled forward.
The beast’s jaws gaped open, and a singed hole marred the back of its throat. One eye was nothing but a bloody pit, and bullet wounds covered its face and body.
Rogue sagged with relief. “It’s dead.”
She rose to her feet and edged around the dinosaur. Its wicked teeth gleamed in the light, and one yellow eye seemed to watch her every move. At any moment, she expected it to rear up and crush her with its fearsome teeth. Nothing happened.
Swallowing her fear, she turned her back on the creature and ran to the water’s edge.
The Water Lily lay in the shallows, one side submerged, the other sticking up in the air. Debris floated on the surface, and she splashed into the water. “Seth? Where are you?”
“Over here,” he cried, emerging from the cabin. “Thank God, you’re safe. I was on my way to look for you. Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine. Where are the others?” she asked, knee-deep in the river.
“I’m okay,” Jessica called out with Bear at her side.
A clump of reeds quivered, and David appeared, walking with a limp. Paul and Tony shadowed him.
Seth jumped across the railing and splashed toward her. The moment he reached her, he crushed her to his chest. “I’m so sorry. I almost had you, and then you were gone.”
“It’s not your fault,” she said. “But, the Spinosaurus. It’s dead. How?”
“Brittany saved us,” Seth said. “It kept attacking, over and over again. We tried to stop it, but nothing seemed to work until Brittany shot it with a flare.”
“She killed it?” Rogue asked, filled with admiration.
“The first shot distracted it, and the second went down its throat. It trashed about before storming off. Next thing I know, it collapsed on the beach.”
“Wow. Brittany really saved the day, huh?” Rogue looked around. “Where is she?”
Seth frowned. “She was here just a few minutes ago.”
“I don’t see her anywhere,” Rogue said with a frown.
“She got swept overboard when the Spinosaurus hit her with its tail.”
“Is she okay?” Rogue asked, worry gnawing at her gut.
“I checked up on her, and she seemed fine. We were supposed to meet up here on the beach,” Seth replied, his expression strained.
“Yeah, but where is she now? Brittany?” Rogue called. “Brittany, where are you?”
Silence. Thick and heavy.
“Brittany!” Rogue tried again. When she still got no answer, she said, “We need to look for her. Something’s wrong.”
She turned this way and that, searching for her friend. The others joined in, calling out Brittany’s name and wading through the shallows.
Rogue ran down the beach and combed the reeds next to shore. Her eyes picked up on a flash of color, and she sprinted toward it. “Guys, she’s over here.”
Brittany floated face down in the river, wearing her favorite purple t-shirt. Her body bobbed up and down in the water, lifeless.
“No,” Rogue cried.
She grabbed Brittany’s arm and hauled her onto the sand. A quick check revealed her friend wasn’t breathing, and she tipped Brittany onto her left side. With the flat of her hand, she pummeled her back without mercy. “Breathe, damn it. Breathe.”
Brittany spasmed, and water poured from her mouth. She coughed and flopped about before sucking in a couple of lungfuls of air. Color returned to her lips, and she groaned.
Rogue slapped her wrist twice. “Brittany. Talk to me. Say something. Anything.”
Brittany’s eyes fluttered open, but her gaze remained unfocused. She clutched her midriff with both arms. “It hurts. It hurts so much.”
“What hurts?” Rogue asked, searching for signs of blood or injuries. When she found none, she sat back on her heels, perplexed. “I don’t understand.”
“Please, it hurts,” Brittany repeated. She grabbed Rogue’s hand in a painful grip. “Make it stop. Make it stop!”
“I don’t know what to do,” Rogue said, at a complete loss.
“Let me have a look,” Jessica said, shoving her aside.
She lifted Brittany’s shirt and gasped. Purple bruising mottled the skin, covering most of her torso.
“What’s wrong?” Rogue asked with bated breath.
“She’s bleeding internally,” Jessica said.
“What?” Shock reverberated through Rogue’s system. “Do something.”
“There’s nothing to
