Dino Island 2

by J R Hogan

  I wanted to say something. Anything. But as I stared, my jaw went completely limp. I commanded it to move. I thought of the lectures I’d given, the colleagues I’d impressed, the papers I’d published. The English language had always bent to serve me when I needed to persuade a captive audience.

  But the words didn’t come.

  She smiled wider and walked away.

  I turned to the ocean and sat down again, my mind racing with nothing but hot emotion, all frustration and lust and redness. For several minutes, I could only examine my own failure to sort my feelings.

  Clarity finally broke when I accepted that I was falling for Sarah as more than an infatuation. I was falling hard.

  I wanted to chase her, but there was something else distracting me. Daisy was still hurt by what I’d done, and it terrified me to think that I might not win her back, because I couldn’t imagine being happy without her.

  I put my head between my knees. I hated this vulnerability. It was like being sick.

  Ling had talked to them both; perhaps she could help me figure out my emotions.

  Nausea hit me as I realized how much I admired Ling, depended on her, and was constantly, constantly unable to understand her dark complexities. I couldn’t be whole without her, either.

  I didn’t want to turn my thoughts toward Jessica, but I had to. A quick introspection was the only thing needed to confirm what I already knew: she was my rock, the support that would have left me unanchored if she hadn’t guided my return to this world. I needed to provide strength, but she knew that was possible only when I received it back.

  I had fallen for these four women more than any other before them. They made me weak.

  I thought back to the moment when Sarah told me that I had taken her virginity. It was such a vulnerable position, and its effects were impossible to undo. That moment had cracked us both wide open and left us broken before a world that didn’t care about our emotions.

  We had the ability to hurt each other because we needed to feel something. Loss would be inevitable, because life is experienced when we love mortal things.

  That’s when the dinosaurs screamed.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  TOC

  We all have dreams of running hopelessly through unforgiving sand that slows our legs to an agonizing crawl. That must come from some ancient, genuine fear that our earliest ancestors experienced in the most painful moments of their lives. Nothing can compare to knowing someone you care for is in danger while running through actual sand.

  The world blurred to a haze as I raced toward the weapon bag, sliding like I was stealing home. I didn’t have time to load the shotgun, so I dove my hands in and grabbed what I could. I pulled out a Glock and pistol clip, let out a tiny sigh of relief that the ammunition matched the gun, and loaded it. Then I turned and raced toward the jungle.

  Dinosaur screams mixed with human shrieks as I vaulted a small boulder, rolled under a log, and headed toward a nearby clearing. I noticed that Chastity was running in front of me. The knowledge rolled through my mind with clinical detachment as I closed the gap on her.

  Then I saw Ling and Sarah just ahead, and I no longer felt emotionally detached. Heat and panic raced through me as I sprinted past Chastity and burst into the clearing. My stomach dropped as I found myself crouching in front of a dinosaur we hadn’t seen before. Shaped like a bird but nearly as tall as a man, its enormous eyes bulged like orbs. I could instantly feel the intelligence behind its gaze.

  It was a hunter. This was a trap.

  I pulled out the Glock as it dropped its jaw, revealing rows of jagged teeth.

  POP POP

  I felt a single moment of triumph as the dino fell before me, my bullet holes running cleanly through its neck and torso.

  Then two more burst from their hiding places and ran towards us. I fired at one, which is how I learned just how difficult it is to hit a moving target. I emptied round after round into empty space, missing every time, suddenly sure that I was going to die when a lucky shot blew off the top of its feathery head. The dinosaur collapsed at slid toward my feet, the beak thumping against my shoes.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw the second one collide with Chastity as she followed me into the clearing. She yelped before face-planting onto the dirt, her pistol clattering before her. The dinosaur wheeled around, gazed hungrily at her, and opened its jaw wider than I thought possible.

  Sarah dove for the pistol, grabbed its barrel, and tossed it to Ling in one fluid motion. Ling caught it between her palms, the muzzle aimed at her chest. For a terrifying moment, I was sure that it was going to fire and accidentally kill her.

  But she calmly turned the pistol around and raised it, aiming for the dino as it lunged at Chastity.

  I would have fired first, but Ling stood between the dinosaur and me. “Ling! Be sure that the clip is-”

  POP

  She didn’t need a second shot.

  I could only hear my own pulse.

  Then I ran past Sarah and Ling to find one dead dino and one live Chastity. I was so relieved that I wanted to cry.

  Ling helped Sarah to her feet, and the two of them moved next to me as we looked down at Chastity. “That white lab coat was a poor choice for the jungle. You’re never going to get those bloodstains out,” Ling explained with an eerie calm.

  Chastity peeked up at us. Ling was right; her entire outfit was sprinkled with crimson dots, making her look more like a butcher than an academic.

  I wondered if the changed appearance was more authentic.

  “So what are you going to do now?” Chastity asked in a low voice. “You’ve disarmed me. You won. If you’re going to kill me, girl, just get it over with.”

  Ling stepped forward, looking down at a defiant Chastity. “You live in a very cynical world.”

  Chastity was speechless.

  “Stand up,” Ling ordered.

  She did as instructed, never taking her eyes off Ling.

  It was an odd sight. Chastity towered over the much shorter Ling, who looked perpetually unimposing in only a bra and panties. Of course, I understood long ago just how dangerous that made her, and it seemed Chastity was quickly learning that fact as well.

  “Do you think she planned on killing us, Professor?” Ling asked without turning toward me.

  “No,” I responded, “she would have done it by now if that was her intent. Chastity just wanted to abandon us, because she thinks that’s what the world will do to her whenever the chance is offered.”

  Chastity looked like she’d been punched in the kidney, but she didn’t say a word.

  “You can give her that pistol, Ling. I’ve got something for the four of you that will make her .45 obsolete, and Chastity’s going to need something to protect herself.”

  Both Ling and Sarah stared at me, mouths slightly agape.

  “Trust me,” I pressed.

  Ling hesitated just a moment longer. Then she turned and walked softly toward Chastity, her socks completely silent on the jungle floor, and offered the gun without a word. Chastity stared at me as though she expected a trick to be revealed at any second. She looked from one dead dino to the next, over at Sarah and Ling, and then back to me.

  “Welcome to our world,” I said as she took the weapon. “This might come as a shock to you, but not everyone is an asshole. It’s time to adapt.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  TOC

  “That was a Troodon pack,” Sarah explained in a trembling voice as we walked back toward camp. “We haven’t seen those before. In fact, at 77 million years old, they’re not contemporaneous with anything we’ve seen before.”

  I slipped my finger between hers and kissed her knuckles. I didn’t release her fingers afterward, testing to see if she would continue to hold me.

  She did. We walked back toward the fire pit hand-in-hand. Chastity stayed ahead of us, alone.

  Jessica met us as she wandered fr
om the water’s edge, drying her wet hair with one of the towels I’d brought. “Hey y’all,” she greeted. “What’d I miss?”

  • • •

  Daisy joined us last, sitting in front of the fire pit with her arms wrapped around her knees as she stared out at the waves. I wondered if I should say something to her.

  A sharp, painful pinch on my ass jolted my thoughts. I spun around to see Ling walk past me, one eyebrow raised. The look said everything: don’t press Daisy quite yet. Give her space.

  I obeyed.

  Standing aside was painful. Daisy was hurting, and I was too emotionally connected to turn off the shared pain.

  But I trusted Ling completely. And so I waited.

  The other three joined Daisy around the pit. Chastity stood to the side, arms folded once again, briefcase still clutched tight.

  “A new species of dinosaur attacked Sarah and Ling not too long ago,” I began. “It’s called ‘Troodon.’ It’s small, but there’s reason to believe it’s extremely intelligent – far smarter than any we’ve seen before – and that it hunts in packs.” I pursed my lips. “My brief trip back home was solely to pick up supplies. You’ve already seem most of that haul; we’ve got a much more sophisticated kitchen and bathroom setup because of it. But that obviously won’t mean much if we’re ambushed. That’s why my final shopping trip was to acquire these.”

  For the first time, I opened the weapons bag in front of them. All of them – even Daisy – leaned in to get a closer look.

  “I haven’t had a chance to go over this until now, but we can’t wait any longer.” I pulled out the AR-15. “Welcome to Dino Hunting 101.”

  Sarah visibly recoiled at the sight of the weapon, but Jessica’s eyes grew excited. “Jessica, I’m assuming you know how to load a magazine into this weapon?”

  “I thought everyone learned when they were ten,” she replied, taken aback.

  “Right. Okay, this is yours,” I continued, handing it to her.

  She gaped. “Wait, we’re not going to share it?”

  I released my grip and stepped back. “There are enough weapons to go around, so I think it would be best for everyone to have her own. This is the most reliable combat weapon, and you have the most experience – so if everyone is okay with this, I’d like you to have it.”

  Sarah still seemed shocked, and I couldn’t read Daisy, but neither seemed to take issue with Jessica owning the assault rifle.

  “It makes sense for Jessica to take it – I guess – if she already knows how to use it. But you better have something special in there for the rest of us,” Ling answered, her expression cloudy.

  I locked eyes with her for a moment before bending down. “Different guns have different purposes. Sometimes, we’ll need a wide blast at short range.” I pulled the black Model 870 from the bag and offered it to her. “Have you ever fired a shotgun, Ling?”

  She stood and took it from me with a grin. “No, but I’m about to.” She pumped the gun once and smiled wider.

  A thrill of fear ran through me as I stared at her. With nothing but black panties, black socks, a black bra, and black shotgun, Ling seemed downright dangerous.

  I shocked myself with how appealing that realization was.

  I rested my hands on my hips. “Daisy,” I called softly.

  She turned toward me without saying a word.

  I produced the Glock I’d brought into the jungle, then reached down and pulled an identical one from the bag. “These will be crucial for surprise attacks. They’re the smallest weapons we have, and you’ll be the only one with two guns. Take good care of them, and they’ll protect you at a moment’s notice.” I looked at Ling. “I’m sure Jessica would be happy teach both of you the basics of your respective weapons as soon as possible.”

  Ling pinched Jessica’s waist and smiled.

  Jessica gasped and giggled. “Sure, Hon,” she answered me, looking over at Daisy’s weapons. “I’ve been using pistols and shotguns since I was old enough to ride a bike.”

  Daisy stood and approached me silently. I handed the pistols to her, and she took one in each hand.

  “There’s something more,” I added, reaching for the bag. I revealed two holsters. “Keep these nearby, Daisy. You deserve to feel safe.”

  “Thank you. But I don’t have a belt.”

  I realized that they were the first words she’d spoken to me since…

  I couldn’t remember.

  My mind raced for just a second before my hands went to my pants. I unbuckled my own belt, slid it through the loops of my jeans, and held it out to her.

  She balked.

  “Take it. Please. It’s the only way I’ll know you’re safe.”

  She looked up at me. Her piercing blue eyes cut right through to the back of my mind.

  I closed my eyes as she took the belt. Our fingers grazed in the exchange, sending a coulomb of electric excitement through my arms.

  Then she turned away from me. I felt like I was deep underwater; it took several seconds to realize that I was holding my breath. I let it out slowly and looked to Sarah.

  “Professor, I’m not-”

  “Very comfortable around guns, and are worried about the effect you’ll have on others if you’re pressured into using one?”

  She crinkled her eyebrows and frowned.

  I folded my arms and looked into the cobalt sky. “Guns aren’t always the answer. They’re so often glorified that people forget the emotional toll they can elicit.” I faced her once more. “Plus they’re noisy enough to alert all potential predators to our presence and precise location, and they have finite ammunition that requires reloading breaks.” I looked at the nearly empty bag. “But you still need protection, Sarah, and we need to diversify our weaponry.” I knelt down and withdrew the last item. “The Japanese katana is considered the finest sword ever made.” I pulled the blade and its scabbard out before stepping toward her. “You’ve seen it save us once already. It will take care of you if you take care of it, and we will be safest if one of our number is quiet, unsuspecting, and overlooked by those who would hurt us.”

  She stood and walked toward me, eyes wide. “I’m not sure about this, Professor.”

  I handed it to her. “But I am. Keep it nearby, and get used to it.”

  She held it afar, like it might explode, and took her seat once again.

  “I’ve used my best judgment based on what I thought would work for each of you. But if anyone would prefer a different choice, please let me know.”

  They were silent.

  “What are you going to use, Professor?” Jessica asked, eyes still on her AR-15.

  “Ah. I’ve got something else going for me.”

  Ling raised an eyebrow.

  “There was only so much room in the bag. These are all of the weapons I was able to buy.” I shuffled my feet in the sand. “I’m going to rely on my overwhelming need to keep you safe as my weapon. All we have – and all we need – is our ability to protect each other.”

  Ling guffawed. “Professor, that’s both cheesy and adorable.” She stood. “Come on, Jessica, let’s go play with our new toys.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  TOC

  “You can have one of the pistols,” Daisy said. Her voice was soft and flat.

  I looked around. The others had dispersed; we were alone.

  “But I want you to have them,” I responded.

  She shrugged. “This way, we can both be safe.” She lifted one of the Glocks.

  I didn’t take it. “These guns aren’t as powerful individually, Daisy, but double-arming a person makes them incredibly dangerous. This is the best way to maximize your protection, even at the expense of my own.” I shrugged. “I don’t want to live in a world where you aren’t safe.”

  She looked down, smiled, and drew the gun back toward herself. Without another word, Daisy walked away from me.

  • • •

&nbs
p; “Just what the hell are you thinking, Mark?” Chastity asked once we were alone.