Temporal Adventures

Chapter 06: Prehistoric

Chapter 06: Prehistoric

The leaves thrashed as the Jenkins family raced madly to escape the tyrannosaur closing in on them. The ancient predator's pounding footsteps drew nearer every second, diminishing the distance between them with frightening speed.

The thick foliage broke away as they exited into a small clearing near the base of a towering mountain. The gray stone was weathered and cracked, topped by white snow on its uppermost reaches, but Mike saw something even better than the majestic view.

"Go left! Go left!" he shouted, increasing his speed to pass them and show his family where to go.

Slipping through a narrow crevice, Mike wedged himself as far back in the small pocket of stone as he could. Diving in after him, his family joined him in the confined space. The rock shook slightly as the tyrannosaur slammed into the exterior. Dust and loose pebbles rained down on the Jenkins family, causing them to cough and shield their eyes, but none of them dared move out of hiding.

Claws scratched against the stone, and the dinosaur growled and huffed in exertion as it tried to dig its prey out from where they'd taken refuge. Mike wrapped his arms around his loved ones, pulling them tightly against himself and away from the predator outside.

After several minutes of effort, the rex grew tired of its useless endeavors. Snorting once, it turned away and went to search for an easier meal, its ponderous steps shaking the ground.

The Jenkins family clung to each other, their breathing as fast as their heartbeats. The adrenaline pumping through their veins had kept them going during their run, but it began to wear off, leaving them exhausted. Mike settled to the ground, joined by his family. They huddled together, intent to stay in the safety of the mountain crevice for the time being.

***

Mike awoke suddenly, sharply inhaling as his dreams about being chased by dinosaurs brought him back to consciousness. In the dim light of the moon, he noticed a shape crouched by the edge of the crevice.

"Sean," Mike hissed, not wanting to wake Alison or Cassie. "What are you doing?"

"Looking around," Sean replied. He sat near the opening of the crack on the mountain side where they had found safety, his eyes taking in the scenery bathed in silvery moonlight. "We need to know which way to go."

"What do you mean?" Mike asked. "We seem to be safe here."

"We spent almost a full day in the Middle Ages," Sean explained, keeping his voice hushed. "It took that long for the device to recharge. If we have to spend a full day here, we're going to get hungry. We'll probably need to answer the call of nature, but there aren't any facilities around. It means we'll have to go out there, and I'd like to know which way."

Mike nodded as his sleep slowed mind comprehended his son's reasoning.

"We'll need food and water," Sean stated.

"I think we might need better shelter as well," Mike said, looking up. The rock walls were tight around them, but they lacked a covering over their heads. "If it rains, we're going to get soaked. We need to find something with a roof. A cave might do, but we'd need to make sure it doesn't already have current residents."

"Do you want me to do a little scouting?" Sean volunteered.

"Not tonight," Mike denied. "You can't see as good as these things can probably smell, so they'd find you first in the dark. In the morning, we'll both go. Until then, get some sleep. We're going to need to be fully rested if we intend to survive here."