Prey

Mick kept them moving slowly and stealthily toward the end of the path. It forked again twice, but Julia let Mick lead them as best his instinct could. He took them left once and then right.

They heard the low growl a split second before all hell broke loose.

Nung actually fired first, but the dinosaur had come at him through the palm shrubs. The M16 sounded like a continuous explosion as Nung's rounds ripped through the air and into the green shrub.

The half-breed beaklike face snapped at Nung. Nung staggered back and loosed another volley from his gun.

Another shout and Wilkins began firing at another one of the creatures who had come streaking at them for the left. Wilkins' bullets found their mark and splanged into the scaly chest of the dinosaur. Bright red blood exploded and the creature dropped.

More growls.

More shouts.

More gunfire.

Mick was firing one shot at a time at two more creatures charging them from the front. Julia saw that Nung had managed to bring down his attacker.

Darren had shot one of the creatures that had attempted to come at them from behind.

Julia hadn't fired a single shot.

"Look out!"

She wheeled and saw the needle-sharp teeth snap at her neck. She leaned back and brought the barrel of the gun up. Her finger squeezed the trigger and the gun kicked. The sudden noise made her wince.

The dinosaur leaned back avoiding the bullets.

Two more shots exploded close by and the rounds tore through the leaves close to Julia. She spun and saw Mick aiming at the creature that had just attacked her.

Then it was over.

Nung sat down, clutching his right arm. It was bright red with his own blood. His face had contorted in pain. Wilkins rushed to him and examined the wound.

Mick prodded one of the dead dinosaur half-breeds with his gun. He looked at Julia. "What the hell?"

She came over. The corpse resembled part of a dinosaur. So, it was true. But the arms and legs looked…humanoid. And the eyes. Julia shook her head. So pitch black. Big, dilated pupils with hardly any lids.

The back of the head was elongated and almost flattened.

Darren came over. "Looks like a Camptosaurus."

"A what?"

"Type of dinosaur. Plant eater, though. I can't imagine them being interested in eating us."

"Says you," Nung grunted. Wilkins was busy slapping a pressure dressing on the wound. Nung frowned. "Damn thing tried to rip my arm clean off."

"You're lucky you were able to get those rounds off," said Wilkins.

Nung sniffed. "Yeah, lucky me."

Mick turned back to the corpse. "What about the arms and legs, though? Nothing prehistoric about them."

Darren leaned down. "No. No there isn't. Weird stuff. Looks like it's part dinosaur and well," he sighed, "part something else."

"Human?"

He shrugged. "Humanoid perhaps."

"Nifty," said Julia. "What the hell are we on to here?"

Mick shook his head. "I don't know. But we've got a bigger problem right now."

"What's that?"

"All that gunfire. It was loud. Shouting. Screeching? It's probably alerted everyone or everything close by that we're here."

"Which would mean?"

"We're going to have a lot more company than I'd be comfortable with in a very quick time. We need to find some shelter in here and watch what happens. I don't want us moving around when they send reinforcements. We'd get slaughtered."

"Where can we hide in here?"

Mick pointed. "They used the shrubs to attack us. I say we use them to hide in."

"You don't think they'd look there?"

"Not much choice, Julia. It's either that or we stay here and fight." He frowned. "And die."

Julia nodded. "Everyone into the shrubs. Now!"

They scrambled off the main path. The leaves enveloped them. Julia found a place to squat and felt her butt touch the soft earth. She hadn't realized how much she'd been sweating during the battle. Now her clothes felt hot. Sticky. She wanted to go to the bathroom again, too.

She could see the others crouching in the undergrowth. At least they'd all managed to find bushes close together.

Mick kept the barrel of his gun aimed out toward the path.

Julia eyed him. Thank God for his presence. Whoever the hell he is.

Movement sounded close by.

Footsteps.

More growls.

Julia's throat felt tight. Her stomach ached.

She saw the feet go past her hiding spot. Inches away from her nose. She clutched the M16 and felt how slippery the grip had become.

On the path she could see there were maybe ten of the dinosaur creatures. They examined the scene carefully, but didn't touch their fallen comrades.

What's going on? Julia wanted to know. Part of her wanted to go out there and approach them. Some stupid sense of curiosity she supposed.

She felt Mick's hand on her arm. How had he gotten so close?

He pointed.

Julia looked.

More feet.

But different.

Another creature?

She could see the legs were incredibly thin. She could hear the growls and chirps coming from the dinocreatures. But she heard nothing in return communication.