Dinosaur Thunder

by James F. David

  “Yes, but that substance came from a classified project developed after the Time Quilt that sent Portland to this time period. It shouldn’t be here.”

  “Who cares?” Carson asked. “Let’s get Jeanette and get out of here.”

  “What kind of project?” Reverend asked.

  Still surrounded by warriors, the Inhumans let them talk, seemingly interested.

  “It’s classified,” Nick said.

  “Classified,” Reverend repeated. “How many of our leaders have used that to cover a multitude of sins.”

  “All I can say is that that material lined the inside of a special structure,” Nick said. “That structure was destroyed.”

  “So how did it get here?” Reverend asked.

  “Jeanette, remember,” Carson said. “We’re here to find Jeanette.”

  The Inhuman with the pouch full of pebbles came close, listening.

  Nick then pointed at the knife on his belt. “Where did you get that?” Nick asked.

  The large eyes stared at Nick, and then followed his point to the knife. Looking back at Nick for a second, the Inhuman then took the knife from his belt and handed it to Nick. Warriors stiffened, pointing their spears at Nick. Nick felt the flat of the black blade. It was firmer than the original material, and holding up the knife, Nick pointed it in all directions, saying “Where? Where? Where?” Finishing, he carefully handed the knife back.

  “It looked like you were blessing the knife,” Reverend said.

  “It’s the best I could do,” Nick said.

  “Did you forget about the asteroid?” Carson asked, pointing up.

  Even in the bright sunlight, the onrushing asteroid could be clearly seen. The Inhuman stared at Nick, his expressionless face revealing nothing. Then he said something to the other Inhumans, and motioned Nick and the others to follow. Turning away from the building they were approaching, the Inhuman led them between two huts, to a path leading up a hill. Well worn, the path was easy to walk, and they climbed quickly, until they were breathing hard.

  “Why are we doing this?” Carson complained, but kept close.

  At the top they found a depression filled with debris. Large and small stones lay everywhere, grass growing from cracks in the rocks. They walked among waist-high stones.

  “These were quarried,” Reverend said, touching the grooved surface of a stone. “It’s too rough for power equipment. Someone cut this with hand tools.”

  “Mayans,” Nick said. “It’s possible these came from a Mayan pyramid.”

  “Then how did they get here?” Reverend asked. “Like we did?”

  “Not exactly,” Nick said.

  Walking farther, Nick came to circular depression twenty feet across filled with sandy material. Nick dragged a foot, seeing the gray sand turn dark. Scooping up a handful, Nick sifted it through his fingers, finding small chips of the orgonic material.

  “What happened?” Reverend asked.

  “The Time Quilt that brought you here was caused by a convergence of time waves created by nuclear testing. That convergence not only threw you into the past, but it also dragged pieces of the Cretaceous period into the present. After that catastrophe, we built a mathematical model to simulate and track the time waves, and found they were dissipating. With a freeze on nuclear testing, our predictions were that time and space would return to stability. Then, a decade after the catastrophe, a group of terrorists discovered a way to manipulate time waves using orgonic collectors. It’s complicated, but these black fragments are part of what’s left of a kind of capacitor that stored the energy. We used a nuclear weapon to destroy the structures used to manipulate time. It looks like some of it blew out here and showered their village. Now I’m convinced that the Time Quilt did more damage to time and space than we realized. It seems to have left cracks and weak spots that have been ripped open by the impact of that asteroid.”

  “But the asteroid hasn’t hit yet,” Carson said.

  “When it hits, it will condense matter, creating a transient black hole. That dark matter sends out time ripples through time, both forward and back.”

  “My explanation is so much simpler,” Reverend said. “God wrought all this.”

  “And this?” Nick said, holding up a chunk of orgonic material the size of his thumbnail.

  “If that is the tool God used to accomplish his purpose, that does not make God any less the workman,” Reverend said.

  “I just love all this science crapology, but let’s get Jeanette and get the hell out of here,” Carson said.

  “Carson’s right,” Nick said. “We don’t have much time.”

  Sensing they were finished, the Inhuman led them back down the hill into the village. Even more villagers had gathered, and again Reverend took most of the attention. Faces expressionless, the Inhumans’ body language screamed fear and loathing of Reverend.

  Six Inhumans waited shoulder to shoulder at the entrance of a large hut built up against the side of the hill. All of them stared malevolently at the reverend. Even Carson noticed.

  “Reverend, you’re as popular as the plague around here,” Carson said.

  “For every one of my flock they took, we took ten of theirs,” Reverend said.

  “Were they ever friendly?” Nick asked.

  “Perhaps,” Reverend said, “but I never knew them then. The war was going on before I saw my first Inhuman, and that one was being roasted on a spit.”

  “You ate one?” Carson asked. “That’s cannibalism.”

  “They’re animals,” Reverend said, “and no, I never ate one. They are unclean.”

  “They build villages,” Nick said.

  “We didn’t know that,” Reverend said, looking past the people at the structures and the tame dinosaurs. “We saw only demons throwing spears. Look at them. You can see why humans feared them.”

  “So you ate them?” Carson asked again, incredulous.

  “They ate our people too,” Reverend said. “I’ve held services when all there was to bury were gnawed bones.”

  “They may see us as animals too,” Nick said.

  “But we’re not,” Reverend said. “We were created in God’s image by God for this world, the world created by God.”

  “They may believe the same thing,” Nick said.

  “Then they are deluded,” Reverend said.

  “Then why are you here?” Nick asked.

  Reverend frowned, momentarily lost about what to say. Then he smiled, took off his sunglasses, and said, “I don’t know why God brought me here, but he will give me a sign and then I will know.”

  The musical background that was their speech was rising. Nick realized the crowd was agitated, surging. A warrior jabbed at Reverend, who held his ground, not flinching. Seemingly unperturbed, Reverend put his sunglasses back on. Another large-eyed creature jumped forward, poking Reverend with his spear, this time stinging Reverend in the side, but not hard enough to pierce. Again, Reverend held his ground, acting as if nothing had happened. As that warrior danced backwards, another stepped forward and lunged with his spear. Suddenly, Carson grabbed the spear, yanking it forward and sideways past Reverend, the warrior stumbling. Carson ripped it from the creature’s grip and then broke the spear over his knee, throwing the pieces to the side.

  “Knock it off!” Carson yelled. “Is everyone crazy but me? Where the hell is Jeanette?”

  “Easy, Carson,” Nick said, afraid the anxiety had pushed Carson over the edge.

  The musical speech died, the Inhumans now intent on Carson.

  “Why did I do that?” Carson said, stricken. “Crap. Do you think that was bad?”

  The Inhuman whose spear was broken got up slowly, big eyes on Carson, and then backed into the crowd. Surrounded by others, he was the center of attention, other warriors crowding around. Now the Inhumans standing in front of the building conferred, alternating between huddled conversation and glances at the humans. Finally, they parted, revealing a door covered with a flap, and motio
ned the humans inside.

  “Is that good or bad?” Carson asked.

  “We’re in God’s hands,” Reverend said.

  “I don’t do the church thing, Reverend. Is that good or bad?” Carson asked.

  “You can wait here,” Nick said, moving to the opening with Reverend right behind.

  “Forget that,” Carson said, keeping close.

  Inside, Nick found himself facing a large opening that looked out onto a bizarre landscape of waving, golden grasses and strange trees.

  “It’s another conjunction,” Nick said.

  Reverend took off his sunglasses, stepping close to the opening. “It’s beautiful,” Reverend said.

  “Where is that?” Carson asked. “Is that this time or is it our time?”

  “It’s not like anything in our time,” Nick said. “It could be another time, but I’ve never seen anything like those trees in the fossil record. It could be another dimension.”

  Now one of the Inhumans stepped forward and held up the Dinosaur Wrangler patch. Then he held out his left hand flat, and then used two of his three-clawed fingers to do a walking motion toward the opening.

  “No, no, no,” Carson moaned. “Tell me she didn’t.”

  “Afraid so,” Nick said. “Wherever and whenever that is, that’s where we need to go next.”

  38

  Attack

  The fact is that velociraptor attack is the third leading cause of death among the Community. Only disease and Inhumans kill more of my people.

  —Reverend to Nick Paulson

  Unknown Time

  Unknown Place

  Do attacked before Elizabeth and Jeanette sensed the danger. Me, Fa, and Ti launched as well, angling left and right. Re, So, and La held their ground, heads low, legs bunched. Nearly as slow as the human women, Sally snapped her jaws shut in surprise at the response of the velociraptors.

  Leaping out of the golden-topped grasses was a feline creature built like an emaciated lion, but with long bony legs that lifted it above the grasses. Covered with brown fur and marked with yellowish flame-shaped coloration around the neck, the creature bounded up the hill, mouth open in a silent roar, revealing a double row of needle teeth.

  Do leapt, meeting the attacking creature in midair, feetfirst, toe claws extended. As quick as Do, the feline creature twisted, Do striking its shoulder and bouncing off. The creature swiped at Do with an oversized clawed paw, missing, but then switched its tail, clubbing Do with the large knob on the tip.

  Fa and Ti struck next, toe claws drawing blood, raking the sides of the creature. Large square jaws snapping left and then right, the creature spun, keeping the attacking velociraptors in sight. Now Re, So, and La joined the melee, jumping high and long, striking the creature’s haunches. Attacked from all sides, the creature spun, snapping jaws, swiping at the velociraptors with wide paws, and whipping its tail club. Smart and quick, Jeanette’s chicks darted in and out, gashing and nipping, and then jumping out of range. The velociraptors were quick, but so was the creature, and chicks were clubbed and slashed. Despite their injuries, the chicks kept attacking. Suddenly, the creature bunched, then leapt high, disappearing into the grass, pink gashes in its brown fur.

  Jeanette and Elizabeth had their rifles at their shoulders, but had no shot with the velociraptors jumping and bouncing in and out, attacking and then chasing the creature away. Tenacious, the velociraptors followed the creature into the grass.

  “Do, Re, Me, Fa, So, La, Ti,” Jeanette sang out.

  The velociraptors did not return.

  “Put the kitten down,” Elizabeth said.

  “My velociraptors might kill it,” Jeanette said.

  “That thing was after the kitten,” Elizabeth said. “It could come back.”

  “I’ll put it over there,” Jeanette said. She walked to a large boulder with a crevice at its base and put the kitten in the crevice. “You’ll be safe here,” Jeanette said.

  “Let’s go,” Elizabeth said. “The velociraptors can catch up.”

  Jeanette called for them again, but then reluctantly followed Elizabeth down the hill, pausing for one look back for her chicks.

  “Elizabeth, you better look at this,” Jeanette said, lingering at the top of the hill.

  Reluctantly, Elizabeth walked back up the hill.

  “Ripples,” Jeanette said, pointing.

  A half dozen ripples in the sea of golden grass were converging on the hill where they stood. Looking closer, Jeanette realized there were even more smaller ripples moving away from the larger ripples.

  “It’s like an ocean,” Elizabeth said. “The grass is full of animals.”

  “We walked through it,” Jeanette said.

  “We still have to get back,” Elizabeth said.

  Turning to look for their exit, Elizabeth had just enough time to scream.

  “Jeanette!”

  Elizabeth shoved Jeanette aside, the pair tripping over each other and falling. With a snarl, Sally charged. The golden retriever was bowled over but managed to sink her teeth into the shoulder of the creature, three times her weight. Twisting violently, Sally broke free and then lunged. The feline raked Sally’s right side and then tore off her left ear. Sally squealed but continued the fight.

  Jeanette was up, rifle ready, trying to shoot the creature. “I can’t get a shot!” Jeanette shouted.

  Velociraptors raced over the hill, joining the fight. Ti, Fa, and Me slashed at the creature that was killing Sally, ripping its haunches, and clamped powerful jaws on bony legs. Pink blood flowed, and then like the other feline, it broke free and bounded down the hill, leaving bloody footsteps. This time the velociraptors did not give chase. Jeanette shot the creature just as it reached the beginning of the tall grass at the bottom. It collapsed, violently flopping and twisting. Then, whimpering, it crawled deeper into the grass. Just before it disappeared, Jeanette shot it again.

  Going to Sally, Jeanette squatted next to her dog. Sally’s left ear was gone, along with most of the flesh from that side of Sally’s head. Blood flowed from deep gashes in her side, and a chunk of flesh had been torn from her shoulder. Ti, Fa, and Me alternated between licking Sally’s wounds and their own. Sally seemed impervious to their attentions but whimpered when Jeanette stroked her head.

  “Good dog,” Jeanette said, voice quivering. “Good dog.”

  Tears running, Jeanette shrugged off her pack, dumping the contents and finding the first aid kit. Soaking a cotton swab with alcohol, she dabbed a bleeding wound. Sally whined. Jeanette hesitated, unsure whether to keep treating the dog.

  Elizabeth looked at the spreading pool of blood and knew there was no hope. “Jeanette, there’s nothing we can do for her,” Elizabeth said.

  Still holding the cotton ball, Jeanette was frozen with indecision. Sally’s breathing quickened, and she whined constantly now. Ti, Fa, and Me stopped the attentions, hovering but not touching the suffering dog.

  “Will you do it?” Jeanette asked.

  “Yes,” Elizabeth said, knowing it would be hard.

  Gently, Jeanette stroked Sally’s head one more time, then bent and kissed her forehead. Then she stood, and began walking away. “Ti, Fa, Me, come,” Jeanette said.

  Ti and Fa came at once, but Me hesitated, giving Sally one last lick. Then Me trotted after Jeanette.

  Quickly, so she wouldn’t have to think about it, Elizabeth shot Sally in the head, her own eyes tearing. As Elizabeth turned away, Ti, Fa, and Me trotted back to Sally, sniffing and nudging her. Elizabeth froze, worried the velociraptors would blame her for Sally’s death. After another couple of nudges, the velociraptors trotted back to where Jeanette sat, crying.

  “She saved my life,” Jeanette said.

  Elizabeth sat close, unsure of what to say.

  “You saved me too,” Jeanette said, pulling Elizabeth close, hugging her.

  Re, So, and Do came over the hill, nursing wounds, Do collapsing every few yards, and then resuming the climb. Re and So stayed wi
th Do, resting when he rested, licking their own wounds. Jeanette jumped up and ran for the first aid kit and then hurried to Do. Carefully, Jeanette cleaned Do’s wounds, the velociraptor’s breaths quick and shallow.

  The rest of the velociraptors formed a circle around Jeanette and Do, lying down and licking their wounds. Elizabeth walked from velociraptor to velociraptor, checking the severity of their wounds. Ti was hurt the worst, but Elizabeth dared not touch the wound, since the velociraptor watched her intently when she leaned in to get a better look. Elizabeth read warning in Ti’s green eyes. There was blood on Ti’s snout, and the chick licked it, still looking at her.

  Elizabeth took off her pack and dug out dog food and water, feeding and watering each of the velociraptors. They ate greedily. Elizabeth then put a pile of food in front of Do, but he did not eat.

  “He’s hurt bad,” Jeanette said.

  Do was bleeding in several places, but the worst wound was on his belly. Elizabeth could see intestines bulging from the gash.

  “I don’t know that we can help him,” Elizabeth said.

  “I can’t lose another one,” Jeanette said, lifting Do’s head and scooting underneath, so his head rested in her lap.

  Elizabeth had never been comfortable with the velociraptors. To her, the little horrors were vicious killers, different from the tyrannosaurs only in size, and in some ways worse. Velociraptors were intelligent, stealthy hunters, who coordinated their killing. Because Jeanette and Sally had been there since their birth, they accepted them as part of the pack, but Elizabeth was a latecomer. Elizabeth never felt more than tolerated, and if she put Do down, the others might not respond the same way as they did to Sally’s death.

  Looking down the hill, Elizabeth saw the dead feline’s body disappear into the grass. Ripples in the grass showed converging scavengers, followed by hissing and snapping. Occasionally Elizabeth glimpsed fur, alligator tails, and horns. Checking the other direction, Elizabeth saw nothing, but was certain one or more of the felines was waiting in the grass.

  “We’ve got to get away from the kitten,” Elizabeth said.

  “I can’t leave him,” Jeanette said.