Primordial earth, p.57
Primordial Earth, page 57
“Do what?” Sandi asked.
“Let’s get our shit together,” Rogue replied. “We still have a plane to catch.”
“Haha, very funny,” Bruce said with a deadpan expression.
Sandi frowned. “How do you catch a plane?”
“Err,” Rogue stuttered, caught off-guard by the question. “I don’t really know. It’s just something I read in a book once. The guy said he was in a hurry because he had a plane to catch.”
Sandi stared at her. “I don’t get it.”
“Me neither,” Paul added.
Seth sighed and shook his head. “I’ll explain it to you later, but we’ve got more important stuff to worry about right now.”
“Right,” Rogue said. “Which brings me back to us. Who’s injured? Raise your hand if you’re hurt.”
One by one, everyone raised their hands. Bruce, Bear, Moran, Sandi, Paul, and Seth.
Rogue stared at them. “Seriously? All of you?”
“You’re hurt too,” Sandi said.
“No, I’m not,” Rogue said, shaking her head.
“Then, how come there’s blood running down your face?” Sandi asked.
“Blood? What blood?” Rogue raised her hand to her cheek, and it came away hot and sticky. She stared at the crimson fluid on her fingers and frowned. “This can’t be right.”
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over her, and she swayed like a reed in the wind. Her knees buckled, and the earth rushed up to meet her. With a thud, she hit the ground, and everything faded to black.
Chapter 4
“Come on, Rogue. Wake up.” The voice was familiar. Sharp, yet kind. It was followed by a light shake.
Rogue shook her head. “No, leave me alone.”
“Wake up,” the voice insisted. “You can’t sleep. You might have a concussion.”
“Go away,” Rogue said. Her body felt heavy, and her eyelids heavier. Nothing on earth could induce her to leave the peace and quiet of slumber behind.
“Oh, well. You asked for it,” the voice said with a deep sigh of regret.
“Wha—” A stinging slap set her cheek on fire, and Rogue shot upright with a gasp.
Moran’s amused face swam into view, and she groaned. “I should’ve known it’s you.”
“Call it payback for all the sleepless nights you caused me as a teenager,” Moran said with a broad grin.
“I honestly don’t know what you mean. I was nothing but a delight.”
“Yeah, right. Half the time, I didn’t even know where you were,” Moran said with a snort. “You were a pickpocket and a thief.”
“I learned from the best,” Rogue said with a snort.
“I know, and you did me proud,” Moran said, brushing her hand across Rogue’s forehead. “How do you feel now?”
“A bit groggy, but okay,” Rogue mumbled.
Seth reached over and squeezed her hand. “You had us worried there for a while.”
“I’m still worried. This isn’t the first head injury you’ve suffered, and the next one might very well be your last,” Moran said.
“I’m fine,” Rogue said.
“Hold still,” Moran said, shining a flashlight into her eyes.
“Hey, that hurts,” Rogue protested.
“Your pupils are dilating in a normal fashion,” Moran said, ignoring her protests. “That’s a good sign, at least.”
“I said, I’m fine,” Rogue repeated, shaking Moran off. “Now, leave me alone.”
“I’m just checking,” Moran said, her tone sharp. “You can’t blame me for caring.”
“I’m sorry,” Rogue said, her shoulders sagging. “You know I don’t mean it like that.”
“I know,” Moran said, getting to her feet. Before she left, she handed Rogue a damp cloth. “For the dust.”
“Er, thanks,” Rogue said, realizing for the first time that she was still covered in the fine white powder. She patted her clothes and promptly sneezed as a cloud enveloped her head. Her eyes watered as she wiped herself clean, even digging it out of her ears. “Ugh, I hate this stuff.”
“It’s annoying,” Seth agreed.
“Is everyone okay?” Rogue asked once she’d finished her ablutions. Her head throbbed, and she probed her injury with searching fingers. Three stitches crossed her scalp, and it was tender to the touch.
Seth shrugged. “Define okay. We’re all pretty banged up.”
He handed her a bottle of water and a couple of painkillers. She tossed them back with a pained grimace, hoping they would take effect soon. “It’s nothing serious, right? We can still carry on with the mission?”
When nobody answered, she looked around. Sandi lay with her back against a tree, her right ankle propped up on a rock. The limb was swathed in bandages until it looked like a mummy’s appendage.
Paul sat nearby trimming a long thick branch with his knife. One end was wrapped in cloth, and she presumed it was meant to be a crutch for Sandi. A gash ran from his hairline down to his jaw. Someone had stitched it up, and it looked like a row of black ants were crawling across his face.
Bruce sat in front of a tiny fire, his face pale. A pot of water boiled on the flames and Moran dipped a cloth into the hot liquid. She wadded it up once it cooled a bit and handed it to him. He pressed the warm compress to his head with a groan of relief.
Moran then dipped more cloth strips into the water and draped them over a shirtless Bear’s back and shoulders. His skin was mottled and bruised, much to Rogue’s dismay. She also noticed the way Moran favored her side, her movements stiff and jerky.
Finally, Rogue looked at Seth and saw that the fingers on his left hand were taped together. “What happened?”
Seth wiggled his hand. “A rock.”
“Is it serious?”
“Two broken fingers, I think.”
Rogue pulled a face. “So, how bad is it? How does our situation look?”
Seth sighed. “It’s bad. Sandi stepped into a pothole and twisted her ankle. I honestly don’t know if she’ll be able to walk. Bruce has a knot the size of my fist on his head, and I’m worried he has a concussion, same as you.”
“I don’t have a concussion,” Rogue protested. “It’s just a cut. Something must’ve whizzed past my head and gashed my scalp.”
“Then why did you faint?”
“I don’t know. I saw the blood on my hand and got all woozy,” Rogue said.
“Alright, fine. Maybe you don’t have a concussion, but I’m pretty sure Bruce does. Plus, Paul’s got that nasty laceration on his face, Moran has a bruised side, and Bear took a couple of serious hits, as you can see.”
“What does that mean for us?” Rogue asked with a sinking feeling.
“Mean?” Moran said. “It means we’re going home.”
“Home? But we can’t,” Rogue cried out. “What about the plane?”
Seth shook his head. “We can’t continue. Not in this condition. The best thing for us would be to return home.”
“What about the survivors?” Rogue said, fighting against the truth of his words. “We have to save them. We have to find out where they’re from.”
Silence fell across the clearing. Thick and suffocating. Six pairs of eyes looked at her with marked sympathy, and she swallowed hard on the sudden knot that lodged itself in her throat.
Seth reached out to take her hand. “Face it, love. It’s over. Even if there are survivors, and it’s unlikely, we can’t help them now. They’re on their own.”
“No,” Rogue cried, jumping to her feet. The action caused her head to swim, and she would’ve fallen if it wasn’t for Seth grabbing her elbow.
“Careful, love. You’re injured,” he said.
“I’m fine! How many times do I have to say it?” She stormed out of the clearing and stopped next to an old oak tree. She clung to its rough bark, hot tears burning her eyelids. This can’t be happening. It just can’t.
Seth followed, stopping a few feet away. “Rogue, please. Try to understand. This is an impossible situation.”
She dashed away the tears that threatened to spill over and sniffed. “Oh, I understand. I understand just fine. You’re all a bunch of cowards.”
“You know that’s not true. It’s too dangerous. Carrying on would be tantamount to suicide,” he said.
Rogue refused to look at him, folding her arms across her chest. “Whatever.”
“Now you’re acting childish,” Seth said with a stern look. “How are we supposed to continue? Sandi can hardly walk, and Bruce has a concussion, if not worse.”
“But it’s not that far,” Rogue said. “You and I can go. We can still make it today if we hurry.”
“And leave the rest behind?”
“They’ll be okay,” Rogue said.
“Your not being fair to them. What if they get attacked? What if we get attacked? I can’t use my crossbow with a gimpy hand,” Seth said, his logic irrefutable.
Rogue stared at the ground, fighting against the knowledge that welled up inside. She knew he was right but didn’t want to admit it. She couldn’t because that would mean giving up completely.
“Why is this so important to you?” Seth asked.
“I don’t know,” Rogue hedged. “It just is.”
“There has to be a reason,” Seth said, edging closer. He turned her around until they faced each other. “You can tell me what it is.”
Rogue shrugged. “The thought that there might be something more out there, something better.”
“What makes you think these people have it better than us?” he asked.
“Because it’s obvious. They’ve got a plane, Seth. A plane!” she cried. “That’s something I’ve only ever seen in books. A miracle.”
“Well, maybe not a miracle,” Seth said with a faint smile. “It’s not magic.”
“Don’t patronize me,” Rogue said, narrowing her eyes. “I might not know as much about the old world as you do, but I’m not stupid.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Seth said. “To be honest, I don’t know that much about the old world either. I was only twelve when the Shift occurred.”
“Well, if they have a plane, they must have other stuff too. Imagine what Prime and the Exiles could do with that kind of technology. It would change everything. Everything!”
“I get that, but is it really worth risking our lives for something that might or might not exist?” Seth said. “What happens if we get there, and they’re all dead? What then?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“And even if there are survivors, they’re in Utahraptor territory. You know what that means,” Seth said. “Those things are monsters. Clever monsters.”
Rogue shuddered, remembering their previous brushes with the viciously intelligent Utahraptors. “I… You’re right. I know you are.”
“Then you know that we have to go back. It’s the only way,” he said, taking her hand.
Rogue slumped, defeat weighing her down. “I guess so.”
“Come on back to the fire. You need to eat something,” Seth said, tugging on her arm. “And once we’ve rested up, we can head back.”
Rogue allowed him to lead her back to the clearing, her heart heavy. She didn’t reply, for what was there to say? The mission was over, and with it, her dreams of a brighter tomorrow.
Chapter 5
Once they reached the clearing, Rogue headed straight to Moran, who was still busy treating Bear. “Can I help you with that?”
“Sure,” Moran said, handing her a few strips of cloth.
Rogue hunkered down next to the pot of simmering water and dipped the strips into the liquid. She pulled them out and waited for them to cool a bit before approaching Bear. Up close, his back looked even worse than before. Blue and purple bruises mottled his skin, and the area felt hot and swollen to the touch. “Oh, wow. You really got hammered.”
Bear grunted in response, his shoulders tense.
Rogue draped the warm cloths over his bruised flesh, working with extreme care. “Is that better?”
“Much better, thanks,” he said.
Moran handed her a bottle of painkillers and water. “Give him a couple of these.”
“Sure thing,” Rogue replied, offering the items to Bear.
He eyed the capsules with suspicion then shook his head. “No, thanks.”
“Why not?” Rogue asked.
“I don’t like pills.”
“Doesn’t it hurt?”
“I can handle it.”
Rogue shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
She popped two more of the capsules into her mouth and swallowed. Her head still ached, and she felt woozy whenever she moved too fast. Not that she was prepared to admit it out loud. She didn’t like to complain, not when some of the others had it worse.
Moran spotted her taking the extra pills and snatched the bottle from her hands. “Don’t overdo it. This is strong stuff. At least, that’s what Kat said. She made these herself.”
“Sorry,” Rogue said, flashing Moran an apologetic look that was utterly insincere. Sorry, not sorry. My head hurts, damn it.
“Ten more minutes, everyone, then we’ve got to go,” Seth called out.
“Here, rub this on Bear’s back,” Moran said, handing Rogue a small pot of ointment.
She unscrewed the lid and sniffed the contents. The smell stung her nostrils, and her eyes watered. “What is this stuff?”
“Horseradish, among other things. It’ll help with the pain and inflammation,” Moran explained.
“She put some of that stuff on my ankle, and it’s wonderful,” Sandi said from her spot underneath a tree. “It makes your skin feel all warm and tingly.”
“Awesome,” Rogue said, taking another sniff. “Phew, that’s strong.”
She smoothed the ointment onto Bear’s back and shoulders, careful to use a light touch. As Sandi had said, the stuff had a warming effect, and after a while, the skin became numb. It must’ve worked for Bear because the tension faded from his posture, and he stopped grunting every few seconds.
“Thanks,” he said, pulling on his shirt.
“Don’t mention it,” Rogue said, wiping her hands on her pantlegs.
Paul had finished working on Sandi’s crutch in the meantime and coaxed her to her feet. Rogue watched the operation with dubious concern. Can she do it? Can she walk?
She wasn’t the only one who was worried, and the entire group heaved a collective sigh of relief when Sandi managed to hobble around the clearing. Her brilliant smile was blinding. “I can walk!”
“Great. That means we can go,” Seth said, getting to his feet. He slung his backpack over his shoulders and added. “It’s getting late, and we need to find shelter before nightfall.”
Rogue knew he was right, but she still felt a deep sense of regret as they left the clearing. To her mind, the day was a complete and utter disaster.
She fell into place behind Seth, and they struck out for the far side of the park. They couldn’t go back the way they’d come and would have to circle around instead. Nor would they make it to Prime before nightfall which meant spending a night out in the ruins. Yay, what fun.
Rogue trudged through the tall grass without paying much attention to their surroundings. While she knew she should be on her guard, it was hard when all she wanted to do was wallow in self-pity. If it wasn’t for those stupid dinosaurs, we’d still be on our way to the airplane. Pea brains!
However, it didn’t take long for her to forget about the failed mission when nature decided to add to her misery. The thick grass made it hard to walk, and every step sent up a cloud of midges. The tiny bloodsuckers enveloped her form, stinging any open patch of skin they could find. Within minutes, she’d scratched herself raw.
The heat didn’t help either. Despite it being so late in the season, it was unbearably hot. The sun bore down on the earth with ferocious intensity, intensified by the thick growth around them. The humid air created a sauna effect, and sweat burst from her pores with the slightest movement. The sting of salt aggravated her raw skin, and she soon prayed for night time even if it meant being hunted by nocturnal predators.
“Come on, guys. Pick up the pace,” Seth said, clearly frustrated by their slow progress.
The group groaned in response, and Sandi replied with more than a touch of irritation. “Um, hello! Injured lady over here. I’m going as fast as I can.”
“Whatever,” Seth grumbled beneath his breath.
The heat and insects were making them all testy, and Rogue prayed for an end to the sea of grass. Suddenly, a sharp pain radiated up her calf, and she yelped. “Ow, what was that?”
Seth turned to look. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I think something bit me,” Rogue said, rubbing the affected area.
“Bit you?” Seth asked with more than just a hint of disbelief. “I don’t see anything.”
“I’m telling you, something bit me,” Rogue insisted, staring into the thick grass.
“Well, let’s just keep goi—” Seth said, but a cry from Sandi interrupted him.
“Ouch! What was that?” she said.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Paul asked, hovering over her. Before she could answer, he jumped. “What the effin’ hell?”
“What’s going on over there?” Seth said.
“There’s something in the grass,” Paul said.
“Like what?” Seth asked but got no answers as everyone froze to the spot.
Rogue turned in a slow circle, scanning the ocean of green. When the grass rustled, she whirled around and stared at the spot. To her amazement, the tall strands rippled around their group in a wide arc. First this way, then that, changing direction in the blink of an eye. “Um, Seth.”
“Yeah?” he said.
“The grass is moving.”
“So? It’s probably the wind,” he replied.
“Maybe, except…” she trailed off as one of the ripples headed straight for her, moving fast. Her heart jumped into her throat, and alarm bells jangled in her head.
“Except what? Spit it out,” he replied, his tone brisk and impatient.
“There is no wind.”
