JURASSIC NATION

Saver

Zach stared after her for a few minutes. The excitement in him drained with each step she took running away. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he told himself not to be disappointed. He backed off the roof and headed downstairs. The stairway echoed as he walked down. Everything was dark, except for the beaming movie posters. But in the distance he saw a small bookshop. In the window of it, he caught the reflective silver writing of a book called 'LVOE' by the poet Atticus. Seemed pretty applicable. Love but all complex. Complicated. Zach walked into the shadow of the bookstore, pushing the dusty glass door open. He leaned forward, taking the book off the wooden stand and tucked it under his arm as he walked off to Pottery Barn. He would probably flip a few pages, then fall asleep thinking of how he would react if she came back. Or how he would react if she didn't. 

"Alan. Are you sure this is a... good idea?" Claire was incredibly cautious. The group had stopped for the night in an old camping sight. There were tall fences that surrounded an area roughly the size of a football field. Seemed safe enough. The gates were closed together with a rickety chain, but not locked. They drove in. The area had flat grass and some rubble and rough patches of bare ground.
"Sure it is. 'Bout the safest place we can get." Alan said grouchily. "We sleep in the car tonight, we'll be fine."
They wrapped the chain firmly around the gates, securing their security. There was a crusty looking metallic sign there, that maybe they should have read. But they did not. The letters were warped and paint was peeling.
The car's headlights stayed on for a while. Then Alan turned the key off and the car went silent. The moonlight was incredibly bright and lit every leaf and branch that surrounded them in the forest. Everything became illuminated in shadow and light. Ellie gazed up at the sky.
"Hey, have you guys noticed how the stars are so much more visible since people started moving underground?" Ellie asked.
"Yeah. It's been nice." Owen remarked.
All four of them looked up at the dark navy sky with dotted twinkling stars. It seemed to surreal to be true. The moon, the stars. It all became a whimsical moment. Claire shifted her gaze down to the trees, then the forest floor. She squinted a little and focused more. A large turtle shell with spear-head spikes shuffled.
"What did that sign say again?" She whimpered as she saw another back with spikes catching the light.
"Couldn't read it." Owen grunted.
"We should have." She admitted then gulped. Owen crossed his brow and looked at her. She pointed out the window with her right index finger. A third cumbersome leather-back arched.
"Ankylosauruses." Alan widened his eyes. He never saw these herbivores so close. They lumbered about 15 feet away. His heart beat raised. With all of them looking at the three hobbling about, they did not notice a baby waddle up and rub itself against the side of the car. A ear-peircing screech came as the spikes rubbed on the side. The car's side lifted, everyone ferociously grabbed whatever they could to secure themselves. Alan's hand slipped and pressed the hooter accidentally. The small ankylosaurus immediately darted off into the darkness back to it's mothers safety.
"Bad idea." Ellie whispered.
"Well, it's not like I did it on purpose!" Alan angrily whispered back.
A trembling yowl came from the darkness and then a constent thud-thud-thud.
"That's one angry mamma." Owen said.
A diamond shaped head appeared. It fully caught the brightness of the moon. It had beady black eyes and a sharp beak. More than 6 feet tall. It hovered and inspected the vehicle with it's eyes. Then it let out a brutal call and whipped the car with its anvil-ended tail. The car acted like a ping pong ball and rolled for a few seconds. It landed upside down with its passengers dangling. There were some bellows and grunts. Alan realized what happened. The car had rolled over to the other three that they initially saw.
"Watch out!" Alan cried.
One of them headbutted the car back into an upright position. The bellows grumbled. A shriek pitch was let out as the windshield shattered. Ellie had smashed glass in her head and neck. She remained unconscious and flopped about as the car was turned. Alan stabbed the clutch with his foot and attempted to get the car running. With each try, the dinosaurs became more curious. They encroached upon the car. The car jolted to life, temporarily frightening off the dinosaurs.
"Get us out of here!" Claire yelled.
Alan shifted the gear in reverse and sped off as fast as he could backwards, busting the gates open as he reversed through. But he lost control and the car rammed against a tree.
There was a low hum. A grumble shifting in the camp. Then the thundering. A herd of ankylosauruses pounded towards them. All with their heads low, rumbling through the dark. Claire catch the shifting shadows in her eye and let out a shriek. But they all heard it, a scratch on the ceiling like a bird landing on the roof. A violent honking sound came from above them. As the herd approached with speed, the leader diverted into a different direction. As soon as the dinosaurs reached the open gates, they took a sharp right and trampled the wild bush. Just like that they disappeared. Into the night and away from sight. The scratching on the ceiling didn't go away though. It shuffled, stirred. Owen raised a hand to his mouth indicating silence. They heard the shuffle lean to the left of the car – near the shotgun seat. Then a flicker of light, the thing had landed on the floor with a thud. Suddenly, Ellie's door opened and she was whipped out. It was all a blur.
"Hey!" Alan yelled. He reached under his seat and handled a pistol. He raced out the car the where Ellie lay in the lights in front.
"Wait." Claire whispered as she and Owen proceeded to get out after him.
There she was. That weird mutant girl standing over Ellie like a murderer over a corpse. Alan fiercely aiming the gun directly at her.
"Get your hands off my wife." Alan grunted.
"What if she's here to help?" Claire said. She stood on the other side of the lights. Why did Claire trust her? The girl crouched down, Alan tracking her to the floor. The girl was positioned near Ellie's head. Slowly, she reached for the most obvious glass shard. Owen, behind Alan, gently placed a hand on Alan's shoulder. Claire rushed to help the girl. Alan had tears balling up in his eyes but darent let them fall. He dropped the gun.