The creature stared curiously at me, swinging its head and flapping its ears. The baby trumpeted a small cry. The mother mammoth rubbed her trunk on the baby’s back, caressing her frightened calf.
Jack’s voice pierced through the air, “C’mon, Casey! Please turn around.”
“Casey, I’m going to say to you, what you and Jack have said to me a million times on this vacation—you’re going to get yourself killed. Now forget Dumbo here, and let’s go find the river. This isn’t a petting zoo.”
Despite their escalating alarm, I couldn’t peel my gaze off the animal. “Listen guys, she’s not dangerous. She’s just a good mother.”
“Did I forget to mention how dangerous their trunks can be?” called out Jack.
Out of nowhere, muscular arms wrapped around my chest and tackled me to the ground. My eyes widened as Jack rolled me over. “What’re you doing?” I shouted.
Jack had me pinned to the grass, water dripping down his face and hair, his eyes frantic. His hot breath tickled my chin as he lowered down and talked quietly. “I can’t let you do this! You’ve no idea what you’re doing, and I’d never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you.”
“Get off me, Jack! She’s friendly, and you’ve no right to hold me down like this. Do you hear me?” I struggled against his iron grip, my leg brushing against his as I tried to kick him off me.
He grabbed my arms tighter, his gaze boring into me, imploring. “Please, Casey. Listen. Don’t act like Mike. We have to get off this crazy island…alive.”
Mike swung a fist into Jack’s side and then tried to pull him off. “Let her go!”
“I’m not letting her go anywhere near that thing,” yelled Jack.
A trumpet-like sound deafened me. Something wasn’t right, and the sooner I got Jack off me, the better, because I had the nagging feeling I might need my legs.
Jack softened his grip, and his eyes bulged. “Nobody move.”
* * *
I gave Jack a shove and pushed him aside. I scrambled to my feet. The woolly mammoth now stood inches away—so close I could have touched it if I wanted. My mouth dropped open as the beast’s furry trunk swung on top of my head and gently tousled my hair. When I lifted my arm, a layer of mud slid off my body like hot fudge down the side of a sundae, falling to the ground in wet globs. I was sure the creature wouldn’t hurt me, not after it had chased the tiger away, but I couldn’t believe it was caring for me like one of its own.
With shaking fingers, I brushed the tip of its trunk gently, then with a little more pressure so it wouldn’t mistake me for an irritating fly. The mammoth was friendly. I knew it. Mike’s white smile gleamed as he gingerly touched the animal’s fur. “I guess elephants aren’t so bad after all. I don’t know why I was always so scared of ‘em, but I’m not anymore—at least not this one. I’m completely okay with being around her. I mean she’s cool, and we should call her Shaggy.”
“That’s the perfect name for her.” I placed a palm on the mammoth’s pillar-like leg and stroked its coarse hair that dangled like fringe on the bottom of an old pair of jeans. My gaze drifted lower, and I marveled at its humongous feet. Each one had to be the size of two Frisbees.
I ran my hands across the baby mammoth’s woolly fur. I couldn’t stop staring at the beautiful baby and stroked its trunk. It flapped its ears and blinked at me with curious eyes. The baby raised its trunk and opened its mouth so I was able to see its pink tongue, and then softly blew a puff of warm air into my face. I giggled. “Was that a kiss?” Whatever it was, it was still the cutest thing I’d ever seen. I felt a tug and laughed as the baby pulled on my shoelaces with its trunk.
Jack patted the baby’s head, too, and then turned to face me. “I’m so sorry I knocked you down like that. I panicked. I want to get off this island alive, with both of my best friends, all in one piece.”
I sighed, not quite ready to forgive and forget. My gaze locked with his, and I saw something—a glint that I couldn’t quite pinpoint. Something dropped in the pit of my stomach. “I understand, but you didn’t have to sack me like a quarterback at one of your football games. A little warning might have been nice so I could’ve at least worn a helmet and some shoulder pads. But I guess if the situation were reversed, I would’ve done the same thing—”
Something wrapped around my waist and squeezed. Looking down, my eyes widened at my new furry belt—a fashion accessory I didn’t expect. It was Shaggy’s trunk. I felt a jerk as my feet left the ground. I flailed my arms and legs, but the mammoth lifted me higher. What was I thinking? I shoulda run away when I had the chance. I pounded on the creature’s trunk, shrieking in the process. “She won’t let go of me!” My pulse started to race, and my body shook. I’d wanted to touch it, but a King Kong-style meeting wasn’t quite what I’d bargained for. “Please don’t tell me you’re not just a good mama after all.”
“Casey!” Jack and Mike shouted in unison.
“We have to help her,” I heard Mike say as he shuffled across the ground beneath me.
Whoa! How high in the air am I? I wanted to take just a tiny peek from the corner of my eyes, but I shook my head. No, don’t look. Just a tiny peek. Oh, what the heck? I opened my eyes wide and looked, letting out a tiny yelp when I realized it was far more than a few inches—more like a whole story.
“Hold on tight,” said Mike. “We’ll get you down.”
“Don’t move, Casey,” shouted Jack.
Hyperventilating, I felt the hysteria bubble up inside.
“C’mon, Jack! Grab something like a stick or rock,” I heard Mike’s voice call.
“Don’t!” said Jack. “Stay calm, Mike, or you’ll spook it.”
I sucked in a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them again. Any minute now, the thing could drop me, or worse, throw me like a javelin. I’d never quite understood people’s fascination with flying, let alone playing human cannonball. Unfortunately, no one had given me an option in this little circus performance.
The creature let out a soft grunt. Gentle, green eyes slowly blinked, flashing long eyelashes. I smiled as a breeze ruffled a patch of brown, fuzzy hair on the top of the mammoth’s head. It didn’t look like a predator to me. But then again, aren’t the cute, fluffy ones always the deadliest in the animal world?
“I don’t think it’s going to hurt you,” said Mike. “Otherwise, it’d be stomping on you by now. Hey, while you’re up there, could you check whether we’re getting closer to the city?”
He didn’t seem too concerned about my safety, but I knew he was trying to calm my nerves with humor and distraction.
“Sounds like a good idea. If you hand me a pen and paper, I could draw us a map.”
“Good. My stomach’s grumbling like a bear,” said Mike. “How far are we?”
I spun slightly to glance down at him. “It’s right over there. And do you know what else I see? A McDonald’s. I’ll just jot down the address and throw it in the GPS.”
Turning carefully, I focused my attention back on the prehistoric animal. Should I…touch it? Ah, why not? If it wanted to bite my head off, it would have done so already. Stretching my arm, I caressed the fur on its trunk, marveling at how soft it was. “Hello there, girl. You sure are beautiful.” It wasn’t just some lie to mellow the mammoth’s mood; I did think it was absolutely amazing and gorgeous. “Don’t worry, guys.” I let out a laugh. “I guess you were right, Jack. Wild animals are unpredictable.” I reached out and touched a swirling ivory tusk. The surface was creamy white and smooth.
“I wish I were up there instead of you,” said Mike.
I ran my hand across the tusk one last time. “You’d trade places with a lion tamer if it would get you another adrenaline rush.”
“You betcha! So how can she even pick you up like that?”
“Elephants have over 100,000 muscles in their trunks alone,” said Jack. “Just imagine how many a mammoth has.”
Stepping closer, Mike patted the creat
ure’s fur. “You think if I wave my hands around, Shaggy will dopt me too?”
Jack chuckled. “Don’t even think about it. I can’t catch you both once she decides she’s had enough.”
I reached for the top of the mammoth’s head and grabbed its fur, pulling myself upward until I sat on its neck with my legs tucked behind its ears. The mammoth’s woolly locks felt gritty to the touch, as if it had taken a bath in sand. I grinned down at Mike’s and Jack’s speechless faces.
“You didn’t just…” Jack’s voice trailed off.
I grinned. “Yep. Sure did.”
Mike whistled. “Sweet.”
Jack’s loud voice suddenly rang through the air. “What the heck?” The mammoth wrapped her trunk around Jack, lifting him up.
I laughed as I watched his face turning from surprise to confusion as the mammoth placed him on her huge head. “I’ll move back.” I reached and gave his hand a brief squeeze as he scooted in front of me, struggling to breathe. “Remember…deep breaths.” My tone was soft and gentle.
Jack nodded. Pearls of sweat gathered across his brows as he breathed in. “I can do this.”
“I’m coming up!” Mike shouted, peering around like he was looking for a ladder or rope.
He was always finding new and exciting ways to break his neck. No one was as inventive as he was when it came to turning a perfectly harmless situation into a full-blown disaster. Before I could say a word, he jumped up, holding onto Shaggy’s fur as he climbed higher. Suddenly, Mike began to crawl awkwardly past Jack. “I’m joining the party, too, invited or not.”
Jack clutched the mammoth’s fur with a death grip. “Watch it, Mike! You’re going to knock me off.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m trying to be careful, but it’s kind of hard, you know?”
“You just elbowed me!” said Jack. “Why didn’t you get on near the back?”
I sighed as Mike maneuvered past me. “Because that’d be too easy for Mike.”
“Sorry,” he said. “Everyone comfy? Because she’s taking off, and I sure hope it’s going to be a fast ride.”
Should I shimmy back down? I wondered. Probably. But it was too good to pass up—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interact with a creature scientists had long ago declared as extinct from the face of the Earth. Curiosity got the best of me, and I had to at least go for a short ride. How could I possibly resist? Besides, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t just jump down from such a height; I had no interest in breaking a leg or an arm…or my neck. So, I hung on as tightly as I could, gripping the mammoth’s sides firmly with my knees. It felt very similar to riding a camel in Egypt—minus the camel’s stinky breath and constant irritable bowel syndrome. If only I had a saddle.
The mammoth started to move, gaining in speed. The baby mammoth stayed right at her mother’s side and kept pace on its much shorter hairy legs.
With each giant step, we swaggered from side to side. I continued to hold on tightly as Mike cheered in my ear. Of course he had nothing to fear. Riding waves had literally prepared him for all of this, but height and rocking motions were not exactly my forte. “Oh my gosh!” The trees became blurred, my hands began to shake, and my stomach began to churn. “Guys, I think I might fall off.”
“Geesh!” Mike huffed. “I don’t even want to hear it. Jack gets to hang on to Shaggy’s cone head, you get to hang on to the big hump on her shoulders, and I have nothing to hang on to except her long hair. Did I mention her back slopes down, like really low?”
I chuckled. Again, he had a point. Hopefully, Shaggy had visited the restroom before she decided to take us on a sightseeing tour.
The twin suns peeked out while clouds wisped across a blue sky. A cool breeze, carrying the chirping of birds, stirred the leaves. Words couldn’t describe how awesome this was. Swaying along at a leisurely pace was a wonderful ride indeed.
Mike cleared his throat and said, “You know, I’ve been thinking. I’ve come up with three explanations for why we’re here. Numero uno—time travel. Numero dos—another dimension. And numero…hey, what’s three in Spanish again?”
“Tres,” said Jack.
“Right, thanks bro. Numero, uh, whatever you just said—genetic experiments. Let’s talk about theory uno. We could’ve landed here through some kind of time warp—you know, like going back millions of years to prehistoric times.”
I stared down at the forest floor, covered with Jurassic-sized ferns and flowers. I had studied in class that ferns were one of the world’s oldest forms of plant life, dating all the way back to the dinosaurs. When I thought about it, gazing at those huge ferns, Mike’s first theory didn’t seem so ridiculous. It explained the ancient forest and the outdated species of animals, but it didn’t explain the glass city.
“Not buying it,” Jack shot back.
“Of course not.” Mike let out an exasperated sigh. “But I’d like to remind you I’m hanging onto the back of a woolly mammoth.”
He had a great point this time. I bit my lip as I pondered. “Hey, Jack, I read in school that sharks are from prehistoric times too.”
“Yeah, they were here a million years before the dinosaur age.”
“See? It’s all adding up,” said Mike. “We went back in time! We could be the only humans on Earth. You know what that means, don’t you?” he asked, casting a flirty grin toward me.
“What?”
“Well, it’d be our duty to make sure humanity doesn’t die out. You know…that whole ‘be fruitful and multiply’ thing.”
“You wish.” I snorted when I felt muscular arms wrap around me, even though it felt wonderful. “Mike, have you forgotten about that city already?”
Mike inched closer. “Oh, yeah. Glasstropolis. I know it’s stupid, but at least I’m throwing ideas out there.”
I threw a glance over my shoulder. “Let’s stick to one theory at a time.”
He nodded. “So we might be the only humans on Earth. In that case, will you marry me, Casey Smith? You know, for the sake of humanity?”
“You want to marry her for the sake of humanity? How romantic,” said Jack.
I had to admit the sound of “Mrs. Pierce” had a nice ring to it. Just the two of us on a tropical island sounded like a slice of heaven—no beach bunnies, screaming girls, or snapping cameras. “At least I wouldn’t have to fight off your fan club.”
Having Mike all to myself was a nice idea, but at what price? What would life be like if we were stuck in this crazy place? Would the people in the city even accept us? Would we live in our very own glass castle? Maybe we’d be outcasts and have to survive in the jungle like the natives in the rainforest I’d read about.
Thoughts flashed through my mind of wild animals using our small, shaky hut as a scratching post—if they weren’t too big to see it and mistook it for a stone. Not all of them feasted on berries and leaves. The saber-tooth tiger’s fangs flashed in my mind. Yeah, it might take a few hundred years to domesticate that beast. And I had a strong feeling a few leaves acting as a door wouldn’t keep it out. Every day would be a battle for survival. I wondered how the people of ancient times fought off such deadly and powerful predators.
I swore I’d spend the rest of my life searching for a way to get back home. Saying goodbye to my parents, running around in a fur outfit, and holding a spear against a savage flesh-eater were things I refused to accept. A tiny skirt barely covering our modesty might suit Mike, but I sure didn’t fancy trying a new look. He’d probably love the idea of waving a club around while wearing a loincloth, yelling, “Me Mike. Casey mine.”
Jack’s voice cut into my thoughts. “Why would Casey want to marry you, Mike? She has other choices, you know.”
Oh gosh. Are they still bickering over that?
“Where? Oh! You’re talking about yourself? Mr. Perfect?” Mike snuggled up against me. “Yeah, bro. I’m so worried I’m almost laughing my pants off.” Mike had been on one too many magazine covers for his ego to be in check.
“Jack
would make an awesome husband,” I said. “He’s just as hot as you are, only in a less-in-your-face kind of way. And you know what? The fact that he hasn’t dated every single girl in California and bragged about it like you have makes him even hotter.”
“Ouch! Boy, that hurt. I guess Jack would be your man if you’re into that preppy jock thing.” He gave me a squeeze. “But I know you like your men wild and free spirited.”
I giggled as I pictured Mike surfing, the wind blowing through his blond hair, the sun glistening on his golden muscular frame. Most people who saw waves as tall as Mount Everest would run in the other direction, but not Mike. He lived to ride them, and it was downright cool to watch Mike perform his best moves and every trick he knew on his board in the face of a wave. I never missed one of his competitions—ever. “Well, you know I have a thing for surfers.”
Jack sighed. “How about you two save your flirting for another time?”
“Sorry, Jack,” said Mike. “I’ll try and focus.” He cleared his throat. “So…tell us more about prehistoric times.”
Jack pointed down. “There was no grass or flowering plants or even crickets. They all came later.”
“Well, we have all those, so I guess we can rule out time travel,” I said.
Mike slapped my shoulder. “Okay, so let’s move to theory dos. Number two. Maybe we entered another dimension through that whirlpool.”
My stomach fluttered. “Like a gateway or portal? How would we get home? We can’t go back the way we came.” It sounded ridiculous, but at the same time, nothing was making sense anyway. “It’s something I didn’t want to face, but the idea has crossed my mind.”
Jack called over his shoulder, “I’m not jumping to any conclusions just yet.”
“Let’s go to theory tros,” said Mike.
I laughed. “Tres.”
“Okay, tres. Number three, genetic experiments,” said Mike. “Maybe some loony scientist actually did it.”
“Did what?” asked Jack.
“Took DNA from old dinosaur bones, worked his magic, and—poof!—modern-day dinos.”
Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series Omnibus Edition (Books 1 - 4) Page 18
