It took a step closer to the teetering man. The ground trembled. Vibrations reverberated down the lane. Ratcheting its head around, the Carnotaurus glanced back toward the opening in the brush where it had entered the roadway, as if looking for something. And then, it reached down and snatched the wounded man from the ground. Latching onto the soldier, the creature made a break down the muddy lane, moving hastily around the back of the transport.
Something enormous burst from the jungle and stomped onto the roadway. A massive dinosaur roared, sounding its presence. Rain cascaded over its thick green hide, standing twelve feet tall at the hips and measuring forty feet from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. A piece of cloth was wedged between two front teeth. The olive drab scrap of Raider uniform. Dawson realized the unit landing on the eastern side of the island had not encountered Imperial troops, but rather met the creature standing before them. It had traversed the island swiftly.
The Tyrannosaurus ran after the smaller dinosaur, chasing it down the lane. It closed the distance in a few massive strides. By the time the Carnotaurus reached the truck’s front end, the larger beast had caught up to its prey.
Fleeing with its spoils, the Carnotaurus seemed to be protecting the carcass from the larger predator. It ducked its head low, placing its neck and body between the corpse and the larger dinosaur. Dawson understood the T-Rex meant to have the lesser beast and wasn’t concerned with the tasty morsel clamped in its maw.
It lowered its massive head and bucked into the side of the Carnotaurus. The blow sent the smaller dinosaur reeling into the transport. The truck teetered up on its left wheels, then jostled back down with a thump. Mud sprayed everywhere.
Then, the Tyrannosaurus repeated the same tactic, knocking the smaller dinosaur into the truck again and again. Without losing its hold on the soldier, the Carnotaurus struggled to its feet and squirmed along the transport, desperately trying to escape. Another blow missed the Carnotaurus and jolted the truck high into the air.
Clanking steel resounded from the undercarriage. It dropped heavily to the ground and the suspension gave a metallic creak. The vehicle sunk into the mud. Lewis guns rattled bullets at the dinosaurs and riddled the truck. A rear tire exploded, and the truck sat askew in the gunk.
The Carnotaurus didn’t flee from its attacker. Instead, the bull wormed loose and turned to face the hulking carnivore. Never taking its eyes off the T-Rex, it flung the booty to the side to collect later. And then, it scraped the earth with a massive rear claw and snorted a warning. The bull lowered its head and charged the gigantic meat-eater.
Its head collided with the Tyrannosaurus and knocked it back a few feet, sending it reeling into the battered truck. The bull had gotten underneath the larger dinosaur and kept pushing it off balance. Stumbling back with a foot off the ground, the T-Rex leaned forward and bit into the bull’s back. Enormous teeth dug into the Carnotaurus’s hide, tearing into thick skin, peeling off layers of glistening meat. The bull yowled in pain.
Agony and rage incited the smaller beast. It pushed harder, driving the Tyrannosaurus upright, then tumbling it over onto its side. The massive creature landed on the roadway with a tenacious wallop. It squirmed to right itself, but the bull was at its underbelly.
The Carnotaurus bit into the softer flesh and violently jerked its head, cleaving an opening in the king of the jungle. Flailing madly to right itself, the T-Rex only served to tear the wound open wider.
Caterwauling pierced the night as the soldiers watched in awe. Firearms shooting had ceased, replaced by the screeching cries of the vanquished. The Carnotaurus latched onto entrails and backpedaled, sealing the assailant’s doom. As the bull disemboweled the fierce predator, the release of tension on the fallen creature’s underside allowed it to scramble onto its feet. The T-Rex stumbled.
An unsteady gait made pursuit difficult. It roared in fury.
Still, it towered over the other dinosaur. The Carnotaurus backed away, holding links of the larger beast’s viscera clamped tightly in its mouth. Gnashing its teeth caused the intestines to sever. Entrails split; a horrid stench permeated the damp air, and excreta slopped to the ground. But the cord was cut, and the Tyrannosaurus had broken loose.
It made two swift strides and bit the Carnotaurus on the back of the neck.
The bull shook to free itself of the Tyrannosaurus’s hold, but the larger creature locked its grip even tighter, clamping on the thick neck, while compressing its jaws. A squeal belched from the bull, nothing more. Clenching the bull’s neck, the Tyrannosaurus squeezed with all its might, until a loud snap resounded from the carnage. And then, the Carnotaurus went limp, dropping to the ground with a heavy thud.
The victor roared with its nose pointed to the sky. Rain poured over the creature and puddled in the roadway. It leaned over and tore a bite of flesh from the dead bull. Eating ravenously, the T-Rex fed like it was its last meal. Death lurked over the desolate lane.
Soldiers fired the Lewis guns, attempting to drive the beast away.
Efforts to send the beast into flight all failed miserably.
The creature lifted its head from the hefty carcass and sniffed. Its nostrils picked up a scent, almost as though it were remembering the smell. An odor of humankind.
It turned to face the volley of bullets and stomped toward the center Lewis gun.
Bullets dug into the dinosaur’s thick hide. It roared with fury and kept advancing toward the deadly gun. Soldiers scattered, but the machine gunner kept firing away. The T-Rex opened its massive jaws and snapped them onto the lone soldier. His screams were muffled by the brute’s muzzle.
Picking the man from the machinegun nest, the Tyrannosaurus wheeled around, while latching a tighter grip onto his prize.
The soldier kicked and squirmed to free himself from the creature’s grasp. It squeezed, and cracking emitted from its jaws. Blood oozed from its mouth. The thrashing lessened until the man’s legs dangled, limp from the predator’s maw.
Dawson gasped at the awful demise.
The T-Rex tilted its head back and gobbled the soldier down its gullet. Rain danced over the colossal skull and pelted its eyes. Shaking its head, the beast seemed to gather itself.
And something else; it appeared satisfied, as if savoring the fare.
Sniffing the air, the Tyrannosaurus picked up a pleasant aroma. Its mouth cracked open, like a sinister smile. The creature whetted its appetite, tasting the scent of its next delicacy.
The T-Rex snapped its head to the left and locked onto its next victim.
Twenty-Five
Tanaka awoke to a deluge pouring over his face. Rainwater washed into his mouth and choked him. Intense pain spiked in his shoulder. Another throbbing ache radiated from his arm, and his ribs hurt when he breathed. Sitting up, he spit water from his mouth, coughed, and caught his breath.