by Logan Jacobs
It would only be a banquet to someone who had an appetite for fish.
Becka was hissing something at me now, but when I squinted to try and make out what words she was mouthing, I couldn’t be sure.
“I think she’s asking what to do,” Hae-won whispered. “Do you really think they’ll pass by?”
“I doubt it,” I sighed as I watched one of the pterodactyls swoop down close to the fort with a ravenous scream.
We pressed our backs up against the bikes and made ourselves as small as possible. Hae-won’s short frame was easily hidden, but my limbs were a lot longer, and I felt like some kind of contortionist trying to disappear.
One of the creatures dove down low into the empty space under the bridge, and I saw the flash of its orange eyes as it scoped out the riverbed. Then it flew back up to its flock and made a loud clicking noise before it screeched.
The others in the group immediately swooped down to the empty part of the river, too, and they flew under the bridge one after another.
There was no denying they were communicating, and I wondered if they were discussing the lack of water in whatever creepy, dino language they used.
Either way, I knew it wouldn’t be long until they caught our scent or spotted our hiding attempts. They already seemed to have noticed the fortress on the bridge, and as they swooped up from beneath the bridge, they circled back to hover above the manmade structure. Luckily, the rise of the main cables and their wingspans prevented them from being able to reach it easily, but they seemed to be testing their options as they swooped in ominously low circles.
There was one pterodactyl that was much larger than the others, and I noticed it always flew at the front of the flock. As the group soared closer and closer, I could feel the gusts of wind kicking up from their wings, and they were getting too close for us to go unnoticed for much longer. The leader of the flock hovered only twenty feet above the roof of the fort, and I knew the people inside must be able to hear the leather beat of the beast’s wings.
Then I peeked over the motorcycle, and I saw Larry raise his gun and shoot at the lead dino.
All hell broke loose as the bullet hit the pterodactyl’s wing. The bullet only grazed the tissue, but it was enough for it to let out an earth-shattering shriek and alert the rest of the herd.
Their long necks snapped to face Larry, and he started to shoot randomly as the flock sped toward him. Then one of the flying dinos dove, and Larry screamed as he pulled the trigger one last time.
The final bullet was enough to make the dino swerve back up toward the sky, but its long talons caught on Larry’s arm as it went. The man screamed as blood wept from the slash, and he bolted for the fortress while he fumbled to keep a hold on both his gun and his slashed arm.
“Let me innnn!” Larry yowled, and the metal sheet at the entrance way was hurriedly scraped a few inches open. The bleeding man shoved his huge body inside as fast as he could, and he slammed the makeshift entryway back in place before I could blink.
“Thanks for the help,” I snorted as I eyed the five pterodactyls above us.
I knew the man had only been trying to protect his people, but his timing and execution was so shit-poor, we were all worse off for the effort. The flock didn’t seem to like the fact that their prey had vanished directly into the structure they’d been after, and they circled back to close in on the fort once more.
“We need to do something,” I whispered to Hae-won. “Let’s get to the others.”
“We need to be fast,” Hae-won said.
The flock was focused on the ceiling of the fortress, and one by one, they tried to dive at it through the cables of the suspension bridge. The wingspan of the dinos was too huge to fit through the gaps, and each of the creatures screamed as their attacks were blocked.
The largest of the flock repeatedly rammed into one of the cables on the left side, and I watched in horror as the dino used its sharp talons to saw into it. The others in the flock followed suit, and they dove into the same section of the bridge while their huge bodies made the cable shudder with every blow. A few of the pterodactyls tried again to reach the fort below, and their wings bled as they cut themselves on the sharp impact of the metal cables.
I could see their anger grow with each dive, and with one last scream, the largest of the flock knocked into the weakened cable, and the top of it disconnected from the bridge. There was a loud, shuddering clang as the metal dropped and bashed against the side of the bridge, and the fort shook with the impact.
The dinos cried out as their pathway to the steel roof widened, and although they still couldn’t quite fit, the fallen cable seemed to have given them encouragement. They started to dive at the other metal rods, and it wouldn’t be long before they had a clear shot at the fort.
The sound of talons on steel rang out across the open road, and I knew this would be the only chance we might have to make a run for the jeep.
“Ready?” I hissed.
“Go,” Hae-won replied, and we sprinted over to the Jeep while we crouched as low as possible.
Then we dove behind the vehicle and waited a beat to make sure we hadn’t been spotted. There was no flurry of leathery wings above us, and it looked like we had made it safely. We laid down on the ground to check on the other two girls, and Becka and Kat shuffled around to face us. They were lying on their bellies and stared out at me with wide eyes, but I could tell they were as determined as I was to end this shit fast.
“We need to help,” I said. “We can’t let all those people die.”
“And if they destroy the bridge, we’ll never get across.” Hae-won whispered.
“Exactly.” I nodded. “We need these flying bastards dead as soon as possible.”
“But we’ve met these dinos before,” Becka hissed. “Their hide is too thick for our rifles.”
“Maybe you guys need some new weapons.” Kat grinned as she crawled out from the vehicle and jumped up behind it. “Follow me.”
Becka rolled out to the side and scurried behind the car, and Hae-won and I got to our feet for a better look.
The Corporal threw open the storage box attached to the back of the Jeep, and she wasn’t kidding when she said she had supplies.
The box was crammed full of firearms, ammo, and other equipment I didn’t even recognize, and of course, it was all packed with militaristic precision. Every item was carefully placed and stacked so no room was wasted.
“Holy shit,” I managed to say.
“Is that another grenade launcher?” Hae-won asked.
“Sure is.” Kat nodded as she picked up a black device. “This is the L123A2. Forty millimeter. Jason’s already sorted there, but you girls can get one each.”
I stared at the beautiful soldier while these words left her mouth so casually, and she grinned back.
“It’s a UGL, so you just attach it under your rifle the same way,” Kat explained. “It clips on like so and gives you two weapons in one. It’s like an add on. Here.”
The curly-haired soldier handed Hae-won the grenade launcher attachment, and the Korean’s jaw dropped as she greedily clutched the device. Kat handed Becka another of the launchers, and the blonde grinned.
“That means we all have grenades ready to fuck up some dinos,” Kat said. “And don’t worry, everything is already loaded up and ready to play with.”
“Play with,” I half-groaned, and my knees actually went a little weak. “Kat, I am so happy you came here to join us.”
“I also have a machine gun, night vision equipment, and a fuck ton of grenades,” Kat assured me while the girls clicked their new additions onto their trusty rifles.
“So, what is the plan exactly?” Hae-won asked as another shriek rang through the air.
“We’ll draw them away and damage their wings first thing,” I decided.
“Oh, fuck, I know where you’re going with this,” Becka groaned. “We’re letting those giant bastards chase us down, aren’t we?”
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��How can we shoot our rifles one handed?” Hae-won asked. “I haven’t tried before, but it doesn’t seem easy.”
“It isn’t, and we’re not,” I told her, but then I heard a couple wings tangle with the cables of the bridge, and I started to speak faster. “Use the Glocks, first. Everyone make sure you’re fully loaded with ammo.”
Becka, Hae-won, and I pulled our Glocks from our hips and checked the magazines, and Kat nodded in approval as I confirmed I was locked and loaded with seventeen rounds.
“So, we slow them down first by damaging the wings,” the Corporal concluded.
“Yeah, and then we finish them off with a grenade each,” I added.
“Now we have the launchers, too,” Hae-won said excitedly while she clutched her pistol and watched the pterodactyls tear at the cables with their beaks.
“We need to move fast,” Kat added. “So, I suggest we use these.”
The Corporal handed me a steel-colored radio, and it was slightly bulky but had a strong clip to attach it onto my belt. She quickly handed one to each of the girls as well, and I noticed she already had one strapped to her hip.
“Couldn’t be easier to use,” Kat said hurriedly. “Press the big button on the right and hold it down to talk. Always say over so we know you’re done and not just dead. You have to let go of the button to hear responses, got it?”
We all nodded, and as Kat shut the box again, we peered around the Jeep at the flying dinos.
The leader of the herd had started to use its giant talons on another of the remaining cables, and the others followed suit one at a time. The scraping noise of their claws on metal was ear piercing, and Hae-won shivered beside me at the sound.
“More dinos taking it in turns to attack,” Becka noted. “Organizing themselves, just like the videos, the smart little bastards.”
“Yeah, well, we’re organized, too,” I muttered as I shifted the strap of my rifle on my back. “We should get on our bikes as quickly as possible.”
“And break up the flock as quickly as possible,” Kat added. “We should all take different directions. There’s five of them and four of us, so someone is going to end up with two.”
“As long as they’re away from the bridge.” I nodded. “And remember that being hit by their wings can cause as much damage as any claws. They’re powerful, but if we injure their wings enough, they’ll end up grounded.”
“Make sure to only use that launcher at a good distance,” Kat warned. “The blast radius is six meters, but honestly, you want to be at least ten away. Don’t go blowing yourselves up. Like Jason said, slow them down with the Glocks first. If you can kill them with just bullets, then do so.”
“Understood,” I replied, and the girls nodded in agreement.
“My bike’s furthest away,” Becka said. “I’ll go first, you guys keep an eye out for me?”
“I’ll wait to start the Jeep until you all start your bikes,” Kat said, and she jumped into her car with one swift movement.
Hae-won’s bike was right next to the Jeep, and she made sure her newly upgraded rifle was securely strapped over her shoulder and her Glock at her side before she jumped onto the seat. My bike was a little closer than Becka’s and masked from the view of the dinos by Larry’s van.
“Okay, Becka,” I said as the two of us got ready to run. “Let’s go, I’m right behind you.”
The blonde sprinted out without another word and raced toward her vehicle with her long legs covering the distance quickly. I reached my bike first, and I kept my eyes on the flock ahead of us while I climbed on.
The pterodactyls had started to take it in turns to jump on the remaining cables as they circled, and I swear the sound they made almost sounded like laughter.
A second cable had started to dent badly, and it looked like it wouldn’t be long until it also fell down and weakened the structure even more. The cables were thick, too, and I worried too many of them falling across the road might make it impossible for us to pass. The fort itself definitely wouldn’t last long once the dinos had enough room to maneuver their huge wings toward it.
I shook the thought out of my head and kept my weapon aimed at the pterodactyls while Becka got onto her bike.
The blonde quickly mounted her vehicle, and she looked over at me with a nod.
We all started our engines at the same time, and the pterodactyls immediately noticed.
The huge leader let out a scream, and it wasted no time in soaring toward us with the others close behind. Becka sped off to the right, and so I swerved my bike around and headed back in the direction of the town. I looked across the road and saw Hae-won tear over to the other side of the road, and Kat’s jeep had taken a diagonal left, so we were all sprawling out as fast as possible.
It only took a few moments for us all to be far enough apart to split up the flock.
I heard the flap of enormous, leathery wings behind me, and I checked my side mirror to see the leader of the pack gaining on me quickly.
Its orange eyes were locked on my bike, and I could see it had a scar on the underside of the left wing.
Kat’s Jeep had attracted two of the dinos to my left, and she tore across the open field as they followed in close pursuit. It looked like my other two girls were holding out with the last two pterodactyls shrieking after them, but I tried to focus on my own mission rather than the sight of enormous dino birds closing in on the women I loved.
All of us had our own jobs to do this time, and we sure as hell had the weapons to manage it.
I was nearing the edge of the field and coming up on the start of the housing estates, and as the sound of the giant wings drew closer, I pointed my Glock behind me and prayed I made some shots.
Then I fired three rounds off, and I must have managed to hit something back there twice, because the creature screamed. I glanced in my side mirror to see its left wing bleeding from two tears in the middle, and I grinned as I sped into the town outskirts.
The dinosaur had already slowed down from the injury.
The first house that led into the town had its door shut, and I wasn’t going to risk using precious time just to find out it was locked. I remembered seeing plenty of open doors from the drive over, and I sped past the town welcome signs to find one.
I heard the scream of the other dinos in the distance, and five shots rang out from the girls in the distance. I didn’t have time to check who had fired, but I silently cheered my girls on because I knew they were out there kicking dino ass right now.
Then I fired three more rounds into my pursuer’s left wing just before I saw an open garage door, which was attached to an upcoming house to the left. I steadied the heel of my palm on the handlebar while I tried not to drop my pistol, and then I swerved past an upturned car, and I looked over my shoulder just in time to see the flying dino take a dive straight toward my bike. I steadied my course and crossed my arm over and fired two more rounds into the bird’s already damaged wing.
The dino screeched while the low rumble of its voice echoed off the red brick walls around me, and I holstered my Glock with a chuckle.
Then I reached the driveway to the open garage and sped inside as the dino tried to recover from the shot. As soon as my bike skidded to a stop inside the building, I leapt off the saddle and jumped up for the handle of the garage door. The pterodactyl screeched as it finally caught up and dove toward me, and I pulled the hatch door down with all the strength I could muster just as the dino reached the driveway.
The creature slammed into the closed door and screamed as I took a moment to steady myself. Sweat dripped down my forehead as the flock leader shrieked with rage, and it continued ramming itself against the garage door while the metal warped in front of me.
I checked my surroundings, but there wasn’t very much in the garage other than an old hose and some children’s toys. If I could get a good angle from one of the windows of the adjoined house, I could take the dino down easily and still stay out of range of the blast.
“That’s the first bastard shot down, over.” Kat’s voice rang over the radio at my hip. I grabbed the device and held it up to my ear. “I repeat, the first dino is down, over.”
“I’ve got the leader distracted,” I reported. “He’s after me right now, but I’m in one of the houses to get a good shot from a window, over.”
There was no reply, and I knew the girls were perfectly capable of fighting alone, but I wanted to get back to them as quickly as possible. No matter how fast or smart you were, all it would take was one wrong step to end up as dino chow.
I pulled my rifle around from my back as I left my bike near the far back corner of the garage, and I raced over to the beige door that would take me into the house. I grabbed the doorknob and carefully opened it, fully aware that I could have just walked into a whole other nesting spot.
My rifle stayed aimed and at the ready while I stepped into the hallway of the house, but the house was quiet aside from the screams of the creature outside. From the looks of things, it had remained untouched by dinos, and there was no sign of claw marks on the hardwood floor, or feces lying about. The hall was painted a warm red that had not a single drop of blood on it, and it was lined with wedding pictures of a young couple and a framed sonogram.
It felt strangely invasive to be in someone else's home, where they had built their life, but hearing the giant pterodactyl scream as it bashed into various walls of the house snapped me back to attention.
I needed to get to a window before it realized it might be able to fit its massive beak through one.
I raced upstairs, and another smashing sound made me jump. There was a scurry above my head, and more smashing. It must have been tiles falling from the roof as the dino scraped its giant talons down, and I had a horrible image of the pterodactyl forcing its way down the chimney like some sort of bloodthirsty Santa.
