The Extinction Series | Book 8 | Primordial Earth 8

by Higgins, Baileigh

He jabbed his heels into Goliath’s ribs, and the horse shot forward like a bullet from a gun. Paul, Terri, and the rest followed, urging their horses on to greater speed. There was no need, though. The frightened horses wanted nothing more than to get away, but their momentum was lacking. Behind them, the stampeding dinosaurs gained ground. The earth shook and shuddered as thousands of pounds of flesh battered the ground. It was utter chaos.

  Callum leaned across his horse’s withers, praying they’d be able to outrun the herd. No such luck. A gust of warm air washed across his back, and he dared a look over his shoulder. The sight turned his bowels to water, and he almost pissed his pants.

  A Triceratops loomed over him, so close he could see the wrinkles in its thick, leathery hide. Its beady eyes glared at him, just a minor obstacle in its path. Each stride brought it closer, and Callum yanked on the reins.

  Goliath veered sideways, and the Triceratops charged past them. Two more followed, and a cloud of dust rose into the air. Callum’s vision turned hazy, and he coughed as the stuff filled his lungs. Caught in the yellow fog, he had to rely on Goliath’s instincts to navigate.

  A man screamed, and Callum looked over in time to see an Ankylosaurus hit one of the guards with its tail. The strike crushed the man’s chest and swept him off his horse. Crimson blood misted the air before he disappeared beneath the thundering hooves of the herd, ground to a pulp.

  Callum gritted his teeth and focused on his predicament. He was caught in the middle of the herd, surrounded by beasts that weighed hundreds and thousands of pounds. One mistake, and he was a goner, just like the unfortunate guard.

  As one creature, he and Goliath raced across the field. Their bodies melded together, and each powerful stride of the horse vibrated up his spine. The wind whistled through his hair, and grit stuck in his eyes. Through a teary haze, they wove in and around the terrified dinosaurs. All sound seemed muffled, his brain shutting down to avoid sensory overload.

  In the distance, he heard a roar, and his heart skipped a beat. It had to be the Albertosaurus. One thought dominated his mind, and he cast a fearful look around. Where is it? Where is the carnivore?

  He didn’t have to wonder for long. It roared again, and the herd shifted course. An Achelousaurus appeared out of nowhere, its eyes wild. It charged straight for them, and Callum braced himself for impact. There was nowhere to go, and the distance was too narrow to do anything. They were caught on an unavoidable collision course, destined to clash.

  As the distance between them shrank, time slowed. Kat’s face flashed before him, and he knew he’d never see her again. Not her or their unborn child. Grief as sharp as a knife cut into his heart, but fate intervened.

  The Albertosaurus appeared out of nowhere, its jaws gaping wide. It latched onto the Achelousaurus and tore into its flesh with its razor-sharp teeth. Clawed talons fastened onto its back, and the unfortunate victim squealed in agony. The duo struggled on the spot, locked in a battle of life and death.

  Callum and Goliath veered away, putting the vicious carnivore and its prey in rear view, but they were not in the clear. Far from it. They were still surrounded by a herd of stampeding herbivores and in imminent danger of being squashed.

  Still, Callum felt hopeful and steered his horse toward the edge of the herd. If he could reach it, they might make it out alive. Another scream turned his blood to ice, and he prayed whoever it was, was okay. Or at least, that he died quickly.

  Something kicked up a stone. It flew through the air and hit Callum on the cheek. “Ah, shit!”

  Holding onto the saddle horn with one hand, he clamped his other hand onto the gash. The cut burned like it was doused in acid, and hot blood poured from the wound. He had to clench his teeth to keep from yelling out loud. Instead, he swore like a trooper.

  Distracted, he looked up in time to see four tree trunks straight ahead. Only, they were moving and attached to the torso of an Alamosaurus. The freakishly large dinosaur galloped across the field, its long neck looming far above them all.

  Unable to react, Callum closed his eyes and hoped for the best. An audible whoosh sounded in his ears, and a gust of wind tugged at his collar. He opened his eyes and looked up, straight at the belly of the Alamosaurus.

  The world slowed around him, and he could make out the tiniest of details: every wrinkle, every line, even bits and pieces of moss that clung to the hide. Suspended between the legs of the largest creature that ever walked the earth felt surreal, and he knew it was a memory he’d carry forever. If he got to live that long, which seemed doubtful at the moment.

  The moment passed, and his horse sprinted out from underneath the beast. Callum glimpsed the edge of the herd. Beyond it, the open field beckoned to him like a shining light. Determined to reach it, he urged the stallion toward the gap. Come on, come on. We can make it out of this. We have to.

  The opening grew closer and closer as they edged toward it. Somehow, Goliath stayed both on course and on his feet. He never slowed down or faltered. Each step was a battle, and the outcome was unknown. A smile grew on his face, and a whoop of joy broke loose from his lips. “Yes, Goliath. We made it!”

  Something hit him a terrific blow in the side. He left the saddle and flew through the air faster than the eye could blink. Callum hit the ground with a thump and rolled for several feet before he came to a stop. Blood filled his mouth, and every bone in his body hurt.

  He groaned and lifted his head, but it was impossible to see anything through the dust. His teeth chattered as the vibrations of the herd traveled through his spine, and his head throbbed.

  Something crashed past him, missing him by mere inches. Curling into a tiny ball, he waited for the rest of the herd to run past, praying he wouldn’t get trampled. The world faded away as he lay there exposed and vulnerable. He’d never felt so helpless in his life, utterly powerless to lift a finger.

  All he could do was wait.

  And wait.

  And wait.

  Chapter 14 - Terri

  Terri clung to his saddle with every ounce of strength he possessed. He didn’t try to steer the horse or exert any type of control. He simply let the animal have its head. Around him, it was utter chaos. The moment the Albertosaurus attacked, all hell broke loose.

  An Ankylosaurus charged past him, trumpeting its fright. Its tail swung wildly, the bony knob on the end whistling past his head. He ducked, but the guard a few yards ahead wasn’t so lucky. The man went down in an explosion of blood and bone and disappeared underfoot.

  With a grimace, Terri focused on the way ahead. He had to get out of the herd. It was his only chance. He spotted a gap between a group of Triceratops and Parksosaurus. The small herbivores lagged behind the rest, and he veered in their direction.

  They parted before him with frightened bleats, and he had a clear shot to freedom. Wasting no time, he took it. His horse galloped across the grass until they reached the dubious shelter of a rocky outcrop covered in brush.

  He reined in behind the rocks and patted his horse on the neck. The animal pawed at the ground and snorted. Its hide was damp with sweat, and its muscles trembled. “It’s okay. Calm down. We’re safe here.”

  It wasn’t exactly true. The herd had scattered to hell and gone while the Albertosaurus ravaged the corpse of its latest victim. He scanned the field for signs of his friends. Anyone really.

  He spotted a couple at the other end of the field. They’d reached the safety of the trees, and he dismissed them for the moment. He knew for a fact that at least one of the men was dead, and the rest had to be somewhere on the field. Either dead or still trapped within the charging herd. That’s when he spotted the body. It lay curled into a ball a few hundred yards away.

  Terri eyed the Albertosaurus. For the moment, it was occupied with its meal. Even so, it took everything he had to move out into the open, exposing his position. Keeping his gaze on the predator, he walked his horse toward the man on the ground. He recognized the bright red hair as he drew closer, and his he
art leaped in his throat. “Callum?”

  The man’s head lifted, and Callum blinked up at him, his face streaked with dirt. “Terri? Is that you?”

  “It’s me. Are you hurt?” Terri asked, casting furtive glances at the Albertosaurus. He froze when the carnivore ripped off a leg, chomping on it like it was a chicken bone.

  “Tis not too bad,” Callum said.

  “Can you get up?” Terri asked. “We need to get off this field before that monster spots us.”

  “Where is it?” Callum asked.

  “Not far enough away for my liking,” Terri said.

  “Tell me when it’s not looking,” Callum said.

  “Okay,” Terri said, sitting stock-still. He waited until the Albertosaurus lowered its head for a bite. With its head turned away, he decided to chance it. “Now, Callum.”

  Callum got up with a stifled groan and shuffled toward them. With Terri lending a hand, he climbed onto the back of the horse. After a final look at the carnivore, Terri urged his mount toward the trees, where four men now waited for them. He hoped Paul was one of them.

  He kept up a steady pace, aware that the horse couldn’t run with both of them on its back. It was a nerve-wracking experience. His nerves tingled with every second that passed. “Are you okay, Callum?”

  “I think so. No broken bones.”

  “You always were a lucky one.”

  “Define lucky,” Callum answered wryly.

  “Your alive, aren’t you.”

  “For now.”

  “What do you mean?” Terri asked, afraid to look.

  “It’s looking at us,” Callum said, his voice muffled.

  “Shit,” Terri muttered. “What should I do? Stop?”

  “No, keep going. Every step closer to the trees is a win,” Callum said.

  “If you say so.”

  “No sudden moves, okay?”

  Terri snorted. “I’m not about to do an Irish jig here.”

  “Thank God for that. I’ve seen ye dance, and tis not a pretty sight.”

  Terri smothered a grin. “Remind me not to dance at your wedding.”

  “I could never subject Kat to such horror,” Callum said.

  Silence fell over the pair, broken only by the rhythmic sound of the horse’s hooves on the ground. By now, the field was empty. The remains of the herd had gone, looking for safer pastures. Underneath the trees, their friends stood, the distance shrinking by the minute.

  “How far?” Callum asked in a whisper.

  “Not too far,” Terri said. “Why?”

  “Because it’s moving.”

  “What?” The word came out as a squeak, and Terri cleared his throat. “What?”

  “It’s looking at us, and now it’s moving,” Callum said.

  “Oh, shit.”

  “It’s picking up speed,” Callum said, his tone urgent. “We’d better go faster.”

  “Damn it all to hell,” Terri cried, kicking the horse in the ribs.

  It broke into a forced run, its breath wheezing in and out of its lungs. The trees beckoned, though they offered no real safety. The Albertosaurus would smash through its flimsy protection.

  “Faster, faster!” Callum cried.

  Terri lashed the horse with the reins, but it was going as fast as it could. “This is as fast as we can go.”

  “Are ye the praying type?” Callum asked.

  “Not really.”

  “Now might be a good time to start learning.”

  And that’s exactly what Terri did. He prayed.

  Beneath them, the earth shook as the Albertosaurus picked up steam. The two-and-a-half-ton beast thundered toward them, drawn by their movement. It was a hunter, trained by instinct to chase down prey. While its current target was tiny, hardly worth the bother, it was running away, and it liked that.

  “Shit, shit, shit,” Terri cried. The distance between them and the trees had narrowed, but to his eyes, it still seemed like an impossible span of ground to cover.

  “Are we going to make it?” Callum asked, peering over his shoulder.

  Terri did the same. Only he looked in the other direction, and the Albertosaurus was much too close for comfort. His heart picked up speed until it raced inside his chest like a freight train that had gone off the rails.

  “Well, are we?” Callum repeated.

  “That depends,” Terri replied.

  “On what?”

  “On whether or not we can grow wings.”

  “Comforting,” Callum said, sagging in his seat.

  “You’re telling me,” Terri muttered, urging his horse onward.

  The poor animal gave its all, streamers of foam streaming from its lips. At that moment, Terri knew it was hopeless. They’d never make it. Each massive stride brought the Albertosaurus closer and closer. Soon, it would snap them up in its vicious jaws, and they’d be nothing more than a spot of blood on the grass.

  The crash of gunfire tore him from his morbid thoughts, and he jerked upright. The men waiting for them in the treeline were urging them on. They’d taken shelter behind a shelf of rock, their horses hidden from sight. Even better, they provided cover with their rifles. It was an attempt to scare the predator off, and he hoped it would work. It had to. If not… well, he wouldn’t live long enough to worry about it.

  He squinted at the four figures ahead and whooped with joy when he spotted Paul. He might not have known the young man for very long, but he liked the kid. Him and his spunky girlfriend. They were the kind of people Prime needed if they wanted to navigate the future with any sort of success.

  Men like him and Callum, they were fine for now. But their era was almost done, and soon it would be time for them to step aside and hand over the reins to the next generation. It brightened his heart to know that there were youngsters out there like Paul and Sandi.

  Paul waved at him, his expression frantic. “Move, damn it. Move!”

  “We’re trying,” Terri shouted back. “Shoot straighter, will you!”

  “Shut up, and get your ass over here,” Paul replied, aiming his rifle.

  He let loose another volley of shots, aided by the remaining guards. An angry bellow sounded from behind as the bullets found their mark. He chanced a look over his shoulder and almost crapped himself.

  The Albertosaurus was almost on top of them, so close he could smell its rancid stink. The stench of rotting offal and flesh. On the bright side, its thick hide was bleeding in several places, and the monstrous beast had stopped in its tracks. It roared with anger, scratching at its snout and face with its clawed front legs.

  A gap opened between them, rapidly growing wider. Hope filled Terri’s chest, and he turned back to the front. With his attention focused entirely on Paul and the rest, he urged his mount onward. “Come on, boy. We’re almost there, and then you can rest.”

  With bullets flying overhead, they crossed the final stretch of field. The horse slowed as it rounded the rocky shelf, each movement labored. Willing hands waited to help Terri and Callum off the animal’s back, and the horse was hustled to safety.

  Terri grinned at Paul. “I’ve never been so happy to see your ugly mug as I am right now.”

  “It’s good to see you too,” Paul said. He grabbed Terri by the shoulder. “Time to use that gun on your back.”

  “What gun?” Terri’s eyes widened when he realized he’d completely forgotten about his carbine. Not that it mattered. It wouldn’t have been any use during the stampede. But now, it was precisely what they needed.

  Standing shoulder to shoulder with Paul, he opened fire. The Albertosaurus had not moved from its previous position, but that was no comfort. They needed to chase the beast away for good.

  Callum joined in after a few seconds, adding his rifle to the mix. Faced with a barrage of bullets, the carnivore decided that this particular prey was more trouble than it was worth. After a last defiant roar, it stomped off in the opposite direction.

  Terri slumped with relief and lowered his rifle. Bef
ore he could forget, he reloaded and slung it across his back again. Who knew when he might need it again? A look around the clearing revealed a total of six people. Six out of nine. “Is this all of us?”

  “I’m afraid so,” Paul said, looking around.

  “We lost three people back there?” Callum asked, his expression grim.

  “Yes, we did,” Paul replied. “I’m surprised we made it, to be honest. That was crazy stuff back there.”

  “Agreed,” Terri said, looking back over the now empty field. It looked nothing like it had before. The ground was churned up in places, and two corpses littered the space—both victims of the carnivore. There was no sign of the three lost men, but he hadn’t expected there to be. Not with a stampede.

  “What do we do now?” Paul asked, looking at Callum.

  Callum shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  Terri eyed his friend, noting the trickle of blood that ran down Callum’s temple. The man looked battered and bruised. They all did.

  “Now, we recoup and regroup,” Terri said, stepping up. “We rest and water the horses, and we treat our injuries. After that, we continue on our way.”

  “We just carry on as if nothing happened?” one of the guards asked.

  “Yeah, we lost three of our own out there,” another protested.

  “What about their bodies?” Paul asked.

  “There won’t be enough left to bury,” Terri said, waving a hand over the field. “Do you see anything out there? Any bodies?”

  Silence fell across the space.

  “Besides, we dare not hang around with that monster still out there. It could come back at any time,” Terri said.

  “Terri’s right,” Paul said after a few seconds. “We need to get out of here as soon as the horses are rested.”

  “We could go back,” one of the guards said. “We’re closer to the convoy than we are to Prime.”

  “Do you want to go back there? Seriously?” Terri asked. “The same way the big-assed predator just went?”

  “It’s better than being out here alone. Just a few of us,” the guard protested. “There’s safety in numbers.”