Boy, who would have thought Mike’s theories could get that deep? Maybe I should don a wet suit, strap on an oxygen tank, throw on some flippers, and dive in all the craziness.
“You’ve gotta let go of all that Jurassic Park craziness. I have a much more reasonable theory quatro for you.”
“Quatro?” asked Mike.
“That’s four in Spanish. Okay, so here’s theory number four.” Jack cleared his throat and paused for effect. “What if those creatures somehow survived extinction, and the people in the city protect them?”
I bit my lip hard. At this point, anything could be a possibility. However, all our theories still had a big gaping hole. “Not bad, guys, but none of your theories explain the UFOs.”
“Theory number two explains all of it,” Mike’s voice called from behind. “Another dimension could have spaceships.”
“Unless they were military,” I retorted.
Mike huffed. “You feel free to go with that theory if you want, but I’m going with aliens.”
Jack squirmed, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. “Are you sure it was a UFO? Could’ve been a new type of plane developed by—”
“The mad scientist who cloned the animals,” Mike interrupted.
Jack let out a frustrated sigh. “What you just said is beyond crazy. I only believe what science can prove, and cloning dinosaurs isn’t possible in our day and age. Anyway, speculating is pointless.”
Mike blew out a long breath. “Ironic that you’d say that now that your theory makes no sense and you’re losing the argument.”
“Honestly, time travel?” He let out a puff of air. “Sounds like someone has spent too much time watching Syfy.”
“And your theory sounds like…” Mike looked around, his forehead creased in concentration as Jack laughed.
I knew if I didn’t step in soon, a fight was gonna break out right there on the back of the woolly mammoth. “Yo, cut it back a notch, guys. Jack’s right. We could be debating this all day, and nobody would ever win, just like in tic-tac-toe.”
Mike let out a huff, but at least he dropped the subject.
The smell of damp wood, earth, and fish wafted past. Somewhere to my right, the sound of trickling water echoed in my ears. I pressed a finger against my lips and shushed Mike and Jack, scanning the area. Craning my neck, I caught a glimpse of the river sparkling in the bright light. “Hey, guys. We’re back on track. Look!”
“The river!” said Jack.
Mike gave her a squeeze. “Awesome!”
Shaggy sped up through the trees until we reached the rocky shore. Along the water’s edge were giant nests of dead grass, hanging from gnarled tree limbs. The shrill sound of squawking birds filled the air all around us. I knew if we followed the river, it would lead us to the city, but what I didn’t know was how to give a mammoth directions.
Without warning, our huge furry taxi jumped right in the river, and the baby followed.
“She’s taking us across to the other side!” Drops of water splashed on my face, arms, and legs. I wiped the moisture across my burning skin, enjoying the cooling sensation. Now all I needed was an ice-cold bottle of water.
Shaggy came to an abrupt stop, like a stubborn mule.
I jolted forward and grabbed Jack’s shoulders. “What the heck is she doing?”
Slurping filled the air, as the beast sucked up water through her trunk like a straw. The mammoth lifted her trunk high in the air, and a huge plume of spray shot skyward. The water streamed down on us like rain.
I giggled. “I know she’s hot, but has she forgotten we’re up here too?” I blinked and wiped my soaking-wet hair out of my eyes.
We all laughed.
The large animal took a few more steps, slowly submerging below the surface of the water. I wondered how deep the river was. From the shore, it had seemed wide and shallow. I could only hope this wasn’t Shaggy’s first time around the block. “Please tell me you’ve crossed this river before,” I said to the mammoth’s huge ear. As much as I liked to feed my competitive nature, I didn’t fancy a race against an anaconda or anything else that might be hiding in the depths.
A log swept past and grazed my legs. I glanced down. More floating logs, wood debris, and branches passed us, not to mention all the silver-colored fish. The river was like some kind of fisherman’s paradise.
Water seeped into my socks and tennis shoes. Oh no! Not the soggy feet again. First my knees sank in, then my stomach. A shiver ran down my spine. With a splash, Shaggy’s entire head plopped just a few inches under the surface of the water.
“Abandon ship!” came Mike’s sharp response. “We’re sinking like a big, giant rock.”
I clung on to the animal’s fur as water swirled past my hips. “Wait! I want to make sure Shaggy’s okay.” I knew elephants had excellent swimming skills, and I hoped our mammoth ancestors did too. In India, I’d seen elephants swim in deep water with trainers on their backs. My soaked clothes clung to my body, dragging me down. I shivered as the cold water bit into my skin, and I put my arms around Jack to hold him close. His skin emanated more heat than an oven. Resting my chin on his shoulder, I noticed hundreds of bubbles rising to the surface. Shaggy’s trunk popped up as she used it as a snorkel, then she began swimming, dog-paddling underwater. “Look at that! She’s a natural.” The big animal was a better swimmer than any canine splasher I’d ever seen. Shaggy’s baby tried to keep up and was learning fast.
Could this day get any weirder? I shook my head. I was riding across the river on my very own personal giant raft—a woolly mammoth. It was fun, but it was definitely time to get off. I nudged Jack’s arm. “What do you think about getting off and swimming to the other side? ’Cause Shaggy could take us miles off course, and there’s nothing we can do to stop her.”
“You know I was thinking that myself,” said Jack.
Mike tapped my shoulder and pointed. “Hey, I’ve got a better idea. We could catch a ride on the next log coming this way. The current’s perfect and will take us straight to Glasstropolis.” Up ahead, tree stumps floated toward us. “That one over there’s big enough to carry all three of us.”
Jack glanced back. “Not sure I’m keen on the idea of rafting in unknown waters.”
“Look, it’ll get us past the wild animals.” Mike’s tone conveyed his frustration. “If you have a better idea, I’m all ears.”
I sighed. “Listen, the logs are a good idea, but there’s just one flaw, Mike.”
“And what’s that?”
“Well, the current might get rough. What if we hit rapids? I say we hike it.” Whitewater rafting, minus the inflatable boat and experienced guide, wasn’t my idea of the perfect adrenaline rush. I’d rather swim to the other side—or better, enjoy some chocolate while watching it all on TV.
Mike let out a huff. “Listen, I want to raft. We have no weapons against these beasts that are lurking around every corner.”
“He has a good point,” said Jack.
Of course Mike wanted to live life like some kind of Huckleberry Finn adventure, but how he got Jack to go along with it was beyond me. “Ahem. Earth to Mike, the last time I checked, that log wasn’t a raft, and this isn’t the Mississippi river.” I glanced over my shoulder. “And I mean that in the nicest way, babe.”
“Let’s just ride for a bit to catch up on the lost time you wasted befriending a mammoth.” Mike nudged me with a chuckle. “And I mean that in the nicest way, babe.”
Jack cleared his throat. “Babe? You two call each other that now?”
I laughed. “We’re just having fun, but maybe Mike’s right about the river ride.”
“I think it’s a good idea,” said Jack. “We’ll catch up on time, rest our feet, and be off the radar of hungry animals.”
“I really don’t want to run into one of those saber-tooth tigers again. Let’s go for it.” I leaned over. I couldn’t talk into Shaggy’s ear because the animal was submerged in the river like a submarine, her trunk raised up l
ike a periscope. Still, I hoped she could hear me. “Thanks for the great ride and for saving us from that tiger. We’ll never forget you.” I gave Shaggy a pat on her side, and then reached out my hand for the nearest log. “I’m gonna catch this one.”
“No, not that one,” said Mike. “We’ll never fit. Wait for that big slab of wood. See it? It’s coming from upstream.”
I squeezed my eyes against the blinding suns. Something seemed odd about the long, bumpy piece of wood—and it wasn’t just that it was covered in scales. The so-called “log” opened its eyes, and I found myself staring intently at golden irises around slit pupils. The cold eyes just stared right back at me.
* * *
My mouth gaped open, the breath caught in my throat. The bumpy piece of wood covered in scales was definitely no log. It looked more like a cold-blooded creature I’d once seen in Florida, with long, tapering jaws and yellow reptilian eyes peeking out of the river. Two teeth jutted out of the reptile’s bottom jaw. “It’s a freaking alligator! Right there, blending in with all those logs.” With shaking, fingers I gripped Shaggy’s wet fur so hard my knuckles turned white.
“No, I don’t think so. Gators usually have a wide, U-shaped snout. That one’s more slender, pointed, and V-shaped.” Jack’s voice grew tight and strained. “It’s a…”
“What?” I panicked. “What is it?”
“That’s no alligator. That’s a…a croc!”
“Who cares? They both eat people, right?” I peered at the water and gulped. The marine predator emerged, exposing its entire armored body. I wondered what kind of fish, turtles, or dinos it had been snacking on, because it was huge. The rigid, brown, horn-like scales on its back and along its tail glistened under the suns. I wiped the sweat off my brows. “Oh my gosh! That thing’s as big as a city bus.”
“Its jaws are bigger than my whole body!” shouted Mike. Of course he had to chime in and top me.
My heart pounded. “Oh, man. Let’s swim to shore! We have to get out of this river!”
Jack threw a glance over his shoulder. “No. Right now, it’s only curious. If you swim off, you’re inviting it to have a taste. It’ll snap you up before you could even set one foot on land. Listen…we’ll be out of the water any minute. The croc won’t be able to move as fast on land as good ol’ Shaggy here.” He patted the mammoth’s side, trying to downplay the situation and calm me, probably so I wouldn’t make a quick dash to shore.
He had a point. There was no need to panic…yet. I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart. The croc swam further away and then just seemed to watch from a distance, but I still didn’t feel any safer—not for a second.
Jack pointed, his voice calm, as if he was trying to put my mind at ease. “We can’t let our guard down, but look…it’s over there minding its own business.”
“Or it’s stalking us!” I retorted.
Of course Jack was smart enough to know that; he just didn’t want to freak me out.
“Doesn’t matter. We’ll be out of the water any minute,” called Mike. “So, Einstein, is this thing prehistoric too?”
“It lived millions of years ago. It was called sarco-something-or-other, but I think they called it SuperCroc for short.” He let out a long breath. “How’s this even possible?”
“I dunno.” An awkward pause ensued. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “But I’ve had it with extinct animals.”
Jack cleared his throat. “You know what? The croc never became extinct. It even outlasted the dinosaurs, and it hasn’t changed much.”
I let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Hasn’t changed much? I’ve been to the zoo. IF nothing else, they’ve shrunk, because I’ve never seen one like the one I’m looking at right now.”
“Exactly.” Mike’s voice chimed through the air. “Want to hear my mutant theory?”
“That’s NOT a mutant,” said Jack. “It’s the real deal.”
A splash and a blur of brown caught my attention. Ripples shot across the slow current as the SuperCroc slithered through in the water, slowly swimming past us until it was only about fifteen feet away. My stomach clenched. The creature’s long snout and eyes barely broke the surface of the river. It was so close to us that I could see the thin membrane slide over its eyes as it blinked and disappeared into the river. It was beyond creepy. A few moments passed when Mike suddenly pointed at more huge ripples in the river. I gulped as the SuperCroc’s body slightly rose out of the water. “It’s so freaking huge…and it’s getting closer!” I swore the forty-foot thing could easily tow a 5,000-ton submarine.
Mike grabbed my middle and pulled me closer. “Don’t worry. I have a cunning plan.”
“Why do I have the strong feeling it involves you croc-surfing or something stupid like that?” I asked.
“Oh, come on. Don’t be ridiculous.” He reached in the water and caught a twelve-inch squirming fish with his bare hands. Its tail slapped against my back as a gush of water sprayed up. The thrashing fish wiggled in Mike’s hands. “Okay. So I’ll distract SuperCroc by feeding this fish to it while you guys swim to shore.”
I frowned. “Feed it a fish? It’s not going to spin a ball on its nose like some kind of trained seal, you know.”
“Distraction’s the key. I’m telling you, it’ll work.” The fish squirmed out of Mike’s hands, making a quick dash to freedom.
“Feeding a croc fish a few inches away is like letting a lion choose between stinky dog food and fresh pork chops,” said Jack. “You’ll be croc-bait.” Shaggy let out a big snort as her head popped above the surface.
“See? Even she agrees with me,” said Jack.
The ground leveled, and I could feel a glimmer of hope. With each step the mammoth took, we rose higher out of the treacherous water. I scanned the surface as the water receded to my waist, then my knees, and lastly, my ankles. Relief swept through me. I’d come face to face with the largest reptile on the entire planet—and lived to tell about it.
I scanned the water one last time. “It’s gone.”
We all seemed calmer as we moved closer to the riverbank, assuming that if Mr. SuperCroc wanted to make a meal out of us, he’d already be picking what was left of us out of his nasty old teeth.
As Shaggy walked, the water behind her began to churn. A crashing splash erupted, and streams of water rose into the air and slapped against us. The humongous croc leapt out, snapping its bone-crushing jaws together and missing Shaggy Jr. by mere inches. The tiny mammoth squealed, and Shaggy roared, the ear-splitting cry echoing in the distance. The message was loud and clear: “You’re messing with the wrong momzilla.
I held on tightly as the woolly mammoth reared up. Digging my feet into the animal’s sides, I screamed and weaved the fingers of both fists into Shaggy’s fur. My hair swayed around me, whipping into my face, while I clung to Shaggy like a cowboy atop a wild bull in a rodeo. My hands slipped around Jack, and I held onto him tightly as the creature bucked again. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, and we were all catapulted into the air, landing with a giant splash.
Groaning, I scrambled up, spitting out dirty water as my heartbeat spiked. I was in the river up to my waist, and the crocodile was there too—definitely not a good thing. Shaggy continued to buck like a spooked horse, and I moved back, knowing that getting turned into a pancake by a mammoth wasn’t going to help me one bit. Shaggy was too busy to hand out any more free piggy-back rides, and it looked like we were on our own.
During my brief stay on that odd island (or wherever or whenever we were), I’d learned three important lessons: 1) Silence may be a good thing in yoga class, but not in the wilderness; 2) Don’t judge a book by its cover because cute doesn’t equal harmless—but neither does big and ugly; and 3) Don’t think. Just run, because you may not get a second chance.
I pushed my wet hair out of my eyes. I blinked as I wiped the water from my lashes. “Get to the riverbank!” If we could get there, it would increase our odds because the river was the SuperCroc’s turf, giv
ing it home-field advantage. I craned my neck to peer behind me. I saw the monster gliding in the water next to Shaggy, its black eyes open and closing as they fixed on me, its cruel jaws snapping in my direction. I gasped and yelled, “RUN!”
“It’s coming! And all three of us…w-we’ll never make it to shore,” yelled Jack. “Get outta here. I’ll hold it off.”
Mike yanked his arm. “That’s a horrible idea, Boy Genius. Get your butt on land!”
“Either we’re all running or we all play gladiator.” Sure, it was as cliché as your average slasher movie, but I wasn’t about to let either of my best friends be eaten alive.
“Get to safety, Mike! And take Casey with you!” Jack glanced over his shoulder, his lips pressed into grim lines. “I’ll be right behind you, I swear. NOW go!”
Mike grabbed my hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “C’mon!” I could hear the tremor of fear in his voice.
I followed Mike for a few feet before jerking my hand away. “No! I’m not leaving him.” How could I? Jack had always been there for me—always. I’d die trying to save him if that was what it would come down to.
The croc lunged at Jack with snapping jaws as its tail shot up in the air, sending droplets spraying everywhere. For a second, watching in horror, I just held in my breath. Jack grunted and lurched backward. How could he fight a beast that was nothing but thousands of pounds of muscle and bad attitude? Jack sure might resemble Superman with his dark hair and blue eyes, but he sure didn’t have his powers.
I yelled, “Jack! Get outta there!”
He took a step back, but his foot became lodged under something. A rock? An underwater tree from the river bottom? I couldn’t see. Whatever it was, it caused him to lose his footing and fall backward into the waist-deep water. The croc powered toward him, ready to move in to kill its prey. Think fast, Casey, I told myself. What can I do? Hit it with a branch? Right. It’ll probably feel like a feather on that thing’s thick skin. Maybe I can hit it with a rock. Nope. That’ll feel like nothing more than a pesky fly. And then I saw it: mud. Maybe I can blind it somehow!
Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series Omnibus Edition (Books 1 - 4) Page 19
