Dinosaur Fallout: Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Showdown

Led was running out of tricks. The pack was still chasing them and the others were starting to run out of ammo too. He made a sharp turn and started to head straight for Reactor 4. Maybe the location would deter the raptors. The closer they got, the more he realized it was a foolish idea. The raptors didn’t even slow down.

“I don’t know how much more I can keep this up,” Led said.

“Man do I wish extinct animals would just stay extinct,” John muttered.

“Maybe we can,-” Colt was saying before being cut off. A raptor had gotten close enough to the truck to slash open a tire. The truck veered left and right. Led was having trouble keeping it under control. Another raptor came in and slashed another tire.

“Everyone hold on,” Led yelled.

The truck rolled. John, Matt, and Sarah were thrown from the bed and hit the ground hard. They watched as the truck rolled over again and again. Finally it came to rest at the base of Reactor 4. Led and Colt stumbled out, guns in hand. The group huddled together as the raptors closed in. They created a rough circle around their trapped prey and tightened it like a noose.

“Guess this is it,” Colt said flatly.

“Hell of a hunt, I’ll say that,” Led said sarcastically.

“Sorry I got you all wrapped up in this,” Matt said.

“We all die sooner or later,” John said.

“I wish it was later,” Matt whispered to himself.

They all closed their eyes and awaited the first strike. The alpha snarled a leapt straight for Matt. But he never reached him. The alpha was caught in mid-air by the jaws of the male Tarascosaurus. The group opened their eyes as the giant predator shook his rival in his jaws. Another raptor prepared to leap at the abelisaur, but was snatched up by the female. The pack snarled and hissed at the bigger predators. The Tarascosaurus pair roared and charged into battle against the pack of raptors. The group took the chance to escape undetected. The raptor pack was decimated by the bigger carnivores. The last raptor stood and hissed defiantly at the female Tarascosaurus before being crushed by the foot of the male. The pair roared in victory, a roar powerful enough to shake the Earth.

The team made it to the military perimeter by the time the sun set. The soldiers took them in and gave them all food and medical treatment. After reporting the losses of Zach and Vasyl to the authorities, Matt found a bunk in the makeshift barracks. For the first time in two days, he could sleep peacefully.