Primordial earth, p.118
Primordial Earth, page 118
“There you go,” she said, sitting back on her heels. “Time to go.”
“Do I have to?” he groaned. “The grass is so nice and soft.”
“You’re welcome to stay if you want. You’ll have company soon enough,” she said, looking at the sky.
“Err, I’d rather not,” he said, struggling to his feet.
“That’s the spirit,” she said with a mocking smile.
Ronan pulled a face, and they began the long trek back home.
They hadn’t gone far when he stopped and turned to face her. “Just one thing, Jessica.”
“Yes?” she replied with wary caution.
“You’re one hell of a shot, and you can shoot by my side any day,” Ronan said, his tone light but sincere.
Jessica eyed him for a few seconds. Finally, she nodded. “You can call me Jess.”
***
“We made it to Frodo’s fire, come hell or high water. He fetched help, and Ronan was saved. Even better, he kept his arm which was a miracle on its own,” Jessica said. “You always were a tough sonofabitch, weren’t you?”
Jessica’s gaze dropped to Ronan, a fond smile on her lips. But the man lay unmoving, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Only a shell remained of the man he’d been: Charismatic, charming, sarcastic, but most of all, loyal.
“He’s gone. He’s really gone,” Jessica said, her heart broken. Ronan had been a good man, an excellent leader, and an even better friend despite his flaws.
Bear placed one ham fist on her shoulder. “Let’s bury him and pay our respects. The man was a warrior.”
An hour later, they buried Ronan next to Lila and Daniel. The graves were shallow, but they piled rocks and brush on top to deter scavengers.
Afterward, Jessica looked around. “What do we do now?”
“We finish what we started,” Seth said.
“Seriously? Half of us are dead, and the other half injured.” She gestured at Rogue. “Some of us are seriously hurt.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that Prime needs us. There are people back home who depend on us,” Seth said. “I’ll keep a close eye on Rogue, and she can stay in the truck from now on.”
Jessica sighed. “Alright. If you’re sure.”
“We’ve come this far. We might as well go all the way,” Rogue said, moving to stand next to Seth.
“Let’s get a move on then. It’s almost dawn,” Jessica said, gathering her things.
They broke camp and set off for the research facility in a single vehicle. It made no sense to divide their numbers into separate trucks. They were stronger together, and they’d make it to the end that way.
Chapter 17 - Lt. Cummings
“Lead the way, Sergeant,” Lieutenant Cummings said, waving a hand at the field. “Stick as far right as you can, and head for that rocky shelf.”
“Yes, Sir,” Sergeant Horton said, heading straight for danger. The second Humvee followed, sticking close to their tail.
Tomi’s throat closed when they hit the grass, and his stomach turned into a ball of knotted tension. He clutched the binoculars with sweaty palms and stared at the herd until he thought his eyes would shrivel and dry up.
“How are we doing?” James asked, tossing the lieutenant a nervous look.
“So far, so good,” Tomi replied. “The herd is quiet.”
“For now,” Linda muttered, her expression taut.
“Don’t jinx it,” James scolded, wrapping and rewrapping his fingers around the wheel.
Tomi blew out a nervous breath and raised the binoculars once more. He swept the field, looking for any signs of restlessness. “Just take it nice and easy.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” James replied, but the joke fell flat in the stiff atmosphere.
The herd remained calm as they drove by. The wind was in their favor, and they kept to a low speed to not startle the dinosaurs. A Lambeosaurus stared at them, chewing on a mouthful of leaves and twigs, and an Ankylosaurus snorted through its nose. An Alamosaurus lumbered past, each step sending a shock of vibrations through the earth. It was scary but also awe-inspiring.
Lieutenant Cummings relaxed as the minutes ticked by without any mishaps. Maybe they’d catch a break for once. James kept the Humvees to a nice even pace across the field, and they drew closer and closer to the stony shelf with its promise of safety.
The moment they drove past the rocks, Tomi sagged into his chair. He felt much safer with the wall between them and the herd. “Nice job, everyone. But don’t let your guard down. We’re not out of the woods yet.”
Suddenly, a giant shadow swept overhead, blotting out the sun. Tomi stiffened in his chair and looked at Sonja in the turret. “What the hell was that?”
“I… I….” Sonja stuttered.
“Spit it out, private!”
“It’s a Quetzalcoatlus, Sir, and it’s coming right at us,” Sonja cried.
“Holy shit,” Tomi yelled, a vision of the flyer flashing through his mind.
With a wingspan of over thirty feet, and a beak capable of running through a grown man, the pterosaur was a terrifying adversary. There was no fighting it. Only surviving it, and he calculated fast. “Open fire, Private Barnes. Keep that thing off us.”
“Yes, Sir,” Sonja said, obeying the command.
“Sergeant, step on it. Get us out of this damn field,” Tomi added.
James jammed his foot on the gas and floored it across the clearing. The second Humvee sped up to keep pace and Private Chiang, their gunner, opened fire as well. With both trucks racing at full speed and the fifty calibers providing cover, he prayed they’d make it to cover in time.
“How’s it looking, Private Barnes?”
“It’s still with us, Lieutenant,” she replied, shouting to be heard.
“Damn it!” Lieutenant Cummings hung out of the window and looked up.
The Quetzalcoatlus soared above the Humvees, its attention fixed on them with evil intent. Bullets whizzed past its form, but none hit the creature. Then a second volley tore through the membranes of one wing, and the flyer shrieked.
“Yes, that’s it!” Tomi yelled, but his triumph was short-lived.
The Quetzalcoatlus folded its wings and dive-bombed the second Humvee. It plummeted to the earth faster than Lieutenant Cummings would’ve thought possible. The fifty calibers ran through ammunition faster than the speed of light, but through sheer shitty luck, missed the mark. Bullets trailed behind the monstrous bird like fiery streamers, each shot one millisecond too slow.
At the last possible moment, the Quetzalcoatlus opened its wings. It plucked gunner Chiang from his seat in the turret as if it were plucking fish from a barrel. Chiang screamed, the cry of a man lost before he even realized it. The flyer soared across the open field with a flap of its powerful wings, following the stampeding herd.
Stunned, Tomi stared after the retreating Quetzalcoatlus and its prey. Bitter knowledge welled up within his chest. The knowledge that not every battle could be won, and not every soldier would return home to their family. With a heavy heart, he reached for the radio. “Sergeant O’Brian. Over.”
“Yes, Sir. Over,” came the somber reply.
“As soon as we reach the safety of the trees, pull over. We’ll have a vigil for Private Chiang. Over.”
“Yes, Sir. Over,” Irene replied.
“And Sergeant? I’m sorry for the loss of your man. Over,” Tomi added.
“Thank you, Sir. Over and out.”
Silence settled over the cab and Lieutenant Cummings sank into a brooding despair. It always hit him hard when he lost someone, but at that moment, it seemed even harder than usual. I’m getting too old for this shit. It’s about damn time I retired.
Chapter 18 - Sandi
With her father leading the way, Sandi entered the Shanghai tunnels for the first time in months. The place was much as she remembered it, just quieter. The only traffic was caused by the convoy she’d arrived in, which soon died down. The animals were taken to the stables, the supplies were put in storage, the guards and workers returned to their posts, and peace was restored. Or was it something else?
The place had a derelict feel, devoid of the life and laughter she remembered. The tunnels echoed with the sounds of their footsteps, and yellow light bulbs flickered overhead. A few establishments showed signs of life: A blacksmith created tools in the molten glow of his forge. A group of seamstresses sewed new garments from bolts of cotton. Leatherworkers tanned the fresh hides of slaughtered animals and dinosaurs, while a shoemaker crafted boots from cured leather.
Guards were stationed at intervals, and the common room revealed a couple of senior citizens playing chess. A young lady herded a gaggle of pre-school kids into the schoolroom, and a couple of people shopped for necessities in the trade store.
Surprised by the lack of people, Sandi asked, “Where is everyone?”
Her dad faltered mid-step, his expression grave. “I’m not sure this is the right time to discuss it.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to spoil your homecoming. It’s unfortunate.”
“What do you mean, unfortunate?” Sandi asked, growing more and more perplexed. “Did something happen here?”
“Well, yes. The Red Flux happened.”
“Yes, I know about that,” Sandi said, still confused. Then it hit her. “Wait a minute, are you saying they’re all… dead?”
“Dead or still recovering in the infirmary,” her father said, his cheeks pale.
“How is that possible? So many people?” Sandi cried.
As if he were on autopilot, her father rambled off an explanation. “The Red Flux hit us right after it hit Prime. Despite the warnings, we had no time to prepare, and the disease decimated the population.”
“Decimated? How many?”
“We lost almost forty percent of the population, especially among the women, children, and the elderly.”
“Forty percent!” Sandi said with a gasp.
“That’s right. It would’ve been more if it wasn’t for that shipment of antibiotics from Vancouver.”
“But forty percent?” she repeated, horrified to the core of her being.
“What about Prime?” he asked with a frown. “It stands to reason they would’ve lost as much if not more than we did. The population is larger, the city bigger and more crowded. Control would’ve been difficult, and quarantining nearly impossible.”
“I know, but….” Sandi trailed off, thinking back to the height of the pandemic. The packed hallways of the infirmary with the sick spilling over into the hotel itself. The lack of treatment, the desperation as the daily body count grew, and the mass cremations.
“I suppose we did lose as many as you did. Maybe more,” she whispered, a shudder running down her spine. For the first time, she allowed the devastation of the past few months to hit her. To truly sink in.
“You saw it?” her father asked in a gentle tone of voice. “I heard you volunteered as a nurse.”
Sandi nodded. “I wanted to help. I wanted to become a doctor. I wanted… I wanted so many things.”
“We all did, sweetheart. We all did,” he said, taking her hand.
“What do we do now?” Sandi asked, feeling a little lost.
“We start over,” her father said. “We did it after the Shift. We did it after the great famine of ten years ago, and we’ll do it again.”
“Thanks, Dad. I needed to hear that.”
“I’ll always be here for you, sweetheart. Remember that,” he said.
“I will,” she said, making a silent vow in her heart.
“But right now, I want you to forget all of that,” her father said, waving a hand at a closed wooden door.
“Huh?” Sandi asked, confused.
He opened the door and ushered her in with a broad smile. The moment she entered, a row of happy faces greeted her with a chorus, “Surprise! Welcome home, Sandi.”
Sandi gasped, a frisson of delight replacing the chill of earlier. “What is this? What’s going on?”
“It’s your surprise party,” her dad said. “Your mom arranged it.”
“A party for me?”
“Not just for you,” her mother said, appearing at her side. “You, Paul, and David are the guests of honor today. They’re already here waiting for you.”
“Mom! I’m so happy to see you,” Sandi cried, throwing her arms around her mother.
“I’m happy to see you too, sweetie. You look well.”
“I feel wonderful,” Sandi said, glowing with happiness.
“What about you and Paul? Are you still together?”
“Very much so, Mrs. Green,” Paul said, popping up next to them.
“I’m happy to hear that,” Sandi’s mom said with a broad smile.
“Could I steal your daughter for a dance?” Paul asked.
“Of course, you can as long as I can have her all to myself later on. Deal?”
“It’s a deal, Mom,” Sandi said, allowing Paul to usher her away.
He led her to Aret and David, who stood in a corner. Aret squealed and threw her arms around Sandi, babbling about everything she’d missed while she was gone. Sandi responded in kind, and it became a war of words which the boys watched with some amusement.
“Do you think they’ll remember all of that tomorrow?” David asked.
“Definitely. Sandi never forgets a thing. It doesn’t matter how long ago I did something wrong; she’ll always bring it up when we fight,” Paul said with a laugh.
“Well, someone has to remember the important stuff,” Sandi said, chucking him on the arm.
“Exactly,” Aret said, flipping her hair like she always did when she made a point. “It’s up to us women to keep order in all of this chaos.”
“Pfft, whatever,” David said, flapping a hand through the air.
Aret pouted, and the two started bickering like old while Sandi and Paul were forced to pick sides.
For a brief moment, it felt as if nothing had changed. They were still together, and still friends, just older and wiser. Then Sandi spotted Jamie, Britanny’s mom, and the world came crashing down around her ears.
“Have you spoken to her yet?” Sandi asked of David.
He nodded. “It was not easy, but she needed to know the whole story.”
“Are you going to talk to her?” Paul asked.
“I have to.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“I’ll be okay,” Sandi said, sucking in a deep breath. As much as she wanted to avoid the situation, she knew she couldn’t and made her way across the room.
“Sandi? Is that you?” Jamie exclaimed.
“It’s me. Alive and kicking,” Sandi said. Then the smile on her face froze when she realized what she’d said. Appalled, a stream of words tumbled from her mouth, and she was powerless to prevent it. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I miss Britanny so much, and I’m so scared you’ll blame David and me for her death. She was so brave. The best of us. We —”
“Sandi, it’s okay,” Jamie said, gripping her hands tightly.
“It is? Are you sure? I —”
“I’m sure, Sandi. I miss Brittany more than words can say, and I wish she’d never left, but it was her decision. Not yours. Not David’s. She did what she thought was right, and in the end, she saved her friends’ lives. I can’t ask for more than that. I’m just thankful I had her for as long as I did.”
Jamie’s words released a floodgate of grief within Sandi, and her face crumpled like wet tissue paper. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m sorry too, my dear. But we have to celebrate Brittany’s life, not mourn it,” Jamie said, pulling Sandi into a fierce hug.
“I know, and I’ll try,” Sandi said.
Jamie released Sandi and handed her a handkerchief. “I know you will.”
Sandi wiped her tears away and managed a shaky smile. “Thank you for everything.”
“It’s nothing, dear. Now enjoy your party. You are young and strong and healthy. Your whole life is ahead of you. Live it.”
For the rest of the night, Sandi remembered Jamie’s words and tried to do them justice. She caught up with old friends, made dinner plans with her parents, and made shopping plans with Aret. She enjoyed the good food, even better company, and danced until her feet hurt.
Most of all, she basked in the glow of Paul’s love. He was the linchpin around which her life revolved, and who knew how long she’d get to have him? All she could do was to be thankful for every moment they had together, and that would be enough.
Chapter 19
Rogue clung to her seatbelt as the truck rumbled across the final stretch of open ground. Dead leaves, twigs, and mulch squelched beneath the tires, and the worn shocks hit every rocky outcrop with the force of a hammer blow.
Imogen lay curled up on the seat next to her, her head resting on Rogue’s shoulder. She was fast asleep, too exhausted to stay awake even with the bumpy ride. Seth sat on the other side, his expression somber as he stared out the grimy window.
He wasn’t the only one. They were all shell-shocked and worn to the bone, their nerve-endings exposed to the cold touch of their grim reality. Half of their party was gone. Dead. Lost in the blink of an eye. Worst of all, some of them had deserved it.
Bear yanked the wheel to the right, swerving around a hole in the ground, and Rogue hit the window hard enough to set her teeth on edge. She didn’t complain, though. The sooner they got to their destination, the better. Hopefully, they’d be able to rest, recoup, and lick their wounds.
Disturbed by the sudden change in direction, Imogen shot awake with a gasp. She sat upright and stared around her in shock. Her hair had escaped from its bonds and curled around her head like a fiery halo. “What’s happening? What’s going on?”
“It’s okay. You can relax,” Rogue said in a soothing voice. “We just hit a pothole.”
“No, we didn’t,” Bear disagreed, speaking for the first time that day. “We missed it.”
“You know what I mean,” Rogue said, waving him off.
Imogen sank back against her seat with a gasp of relief. “Thank goodness. I don’t think my heart could handle any more stress today.”
