Scenarios

Running

I dash through a jungle in the dead of night. Bursting through foliage, vaulting over logs and branches, swerving around rocks and trees. I dare a glance behind me and I see them, little pinpricks of light in the darkness. One could almost think they were stars, or even artificial lights. But stars don't move. These lights, moving in pairs, bounce up and down, and swerve around. They're eyes. Glowing eyes in the dark. I quickly turn forward again and dodge around a tree. They're not gaining on me, but I'm not loosing them either. As I approach a huge rock in the ground I look behind me again. The eyes are gone. I stop and press a hand against the boulder to catch my breath. I look back once more and still see nothing. When I look forward again my heart stops. I could ten pairs of lights closeting in on the clearing. They step out of the dark brush and into the moonlight. Troodons. Short, about the size of cats. Their bodies are mostly bare, but their backs are covered with razor sharp quills and spines. Their claws are short, and their mouths drip with purple tinged saliva. One bite and I'll be out like a light. That's when they start eating you alive. I know it's too late, but I don't give up. I start climbing the rock, without even looking for footholds. The second I turn my back I hear the little lizards rush to get me. My feet find holds and I start scaling the huge rock. I get out of their reach just as they get to the rock. I can hear their claws scraping against the stone as they try to get to me, and their shrieks of frustration. I can't believe I made it! They can't get up here! I just have to wait for morning, and I'm golden. I watch as the troodons keep trying, in vein, to climb the rock. Eventually they scream up at me and scatter into the dark forest. I don't dare climb down, though. Troodons are smart. I have no doubt their watching, just out of my view, waiting for me to come back down. I don't move until the sun is well above the trees the next day. Finally I climb down and am on my way.