The Six Campers and The Soldier: A Camp Cretaceous Story (OC fanfiction)

At Least...

The sun had set and the stars were out. Kenji had set up a fire while I was on a rock. Everyone had agreed that I'd take first watch as everyone slept. I would watch for 2 hours before waking the next person. I look down and see everyone huddled around the fire with sad expression. Tired, hungry, alone. It's been a long six months and this desert hasn't helped anyone's mood. I notice Sammy stand up with a fierce look on her face. "Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!" She screams out to the high heavens. Everyone looks at her with surprised expressions. Yaz stands up and yells as well. Flooded by Darius, Brooklynn and finally Kenji. Sammy and Kenji help Ben up who seems to be withdrawn. I stand up on the rock and hold the harpoon with both hands above my head. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!"

Following our...... impromptu screaming rant. The others have fallen asleep, the fire has almost completely died out. My eyes are getting heavy but it hasn't been 2 hours yet. I hear I faint noise and my eyes widen as I point the harpoon in the direction of the noise. I notice that Ben has also awaken and is breathing life back into the fire. His torch brightens the area. I see the others awaken as Ben explains that he heard a noise. Darius questions him of if he is sure but Ben hesitates before saying yes. To back up Ben, the bushes begin rustling as the others jump back in fright. I hold the harpoon, ready to spear anything. A few more rustling and a large shape jumps out of the bushes. I notice that it's a cat like creature with oversized canines. "A Smilodon?" I question myself as the others back up from the prehistoric cat. I shake myself from my shock and throw the harpoon. The weapon misses but gets the cat to jump back before turning to me. "Come get me, you oversized, big toothed furball!" I yell out as the tiger begins charging me. "Ryan!" Yaz calls out to me. "I didn't think this through." I say as I back up. The cat gets closer and jumps at me. I roll back onto my back, kicking both my feet up at the tigers underside before pushing it over my head to the hard ground. I 'Chinese' kick up from the rock and run back to the others. "That was your plan, throw the harpoon at it!?" Yaz screams at me. "It was an impromptu plan. Don't hassle me!" I shout as I pull the harpoon free. I hear a growl and see the Smilodon stalking us.

"Hey, Toothy, over here!" Ben screams as he runs towards the rock faces. The Smilodon chases after him. "Ben!" I yell out as we all run after him. We trail along the top of the rocks as I notice Ben and the tiger slip and fall down. I notice a big rock that is sitting close to h edge a bit further ahead. "To that rock!" I yell out as the others follow. I look down and Ben is heading in the same direction that we are. We come to the rock but Kenji runs ahead and grabs a pile of rocks. Ben's torch goes out as the Smilodon stalks closer to him. A pile of rocks land near the tiger as I jumps back before sniffing it. I had Kenji scream as he jumps onto the tiger, almost wrestling it. "Get out of here!" Kenji screams as the tiger is bucking about and kicking up a cloud of dirt. Ben waits at the foot of the hill as Kenji makes his way out of the dirt. "Now what?" Ben questions. "I didn't plan anything beyond getting away from the teeth end of that thing!" Kenji fearfully yells out to Ben.

I run over to the boulder and help the others push it off. "Push harder!" Yaz screams out. I back up before driving the harpoon under the rock. "Help me." I say as the others crowd the harpoon and begin pushing down. The makeshift lever starts to tilt the rock into the ravine. "Now!" Brooklynn calls out as we push the rock off. The rock falls and just lands on from of the tiger. I throw the broken harpoon away as I pick up a large stone and throw at the animal. "Go on, get away!" I say as I throw another one. "Get lost!" Yaz screams out. The tiger roars in defiance but Kenji and Ben stand beside and on the boulder respectively. Ben screams as he throws two stones at the Smilodon, one of them hitting it in the head. The tiger roars before running off into the night. We all begin cheering in victory.

Kenji and Ben run up the slopes as the rest of us run down and meet them. Brooklynn barrels herself into Kenji's chest. "You idiots! What were you thinking?" Brooklynn asks as Ben and Kenji sheepishly chuckle. "'Thinking?' That wasn't a huge part of it." Kenji says out of breath. "Of course it wasn't. You wrestled a Smilodon. Who thinks about doing that?" I question but Kenji just laughs. Ben walks a short distance away with a downcast look on his face. "Ben, what's wrong?" Darius asks worriedly. "It's just.....I work hard not to be 'scared Ben' anymore. On Nublar, I wasn't afraid of anything, I knew what to do, but here, I'm worried about becoming 'scared Ben's again because I don't know what to do." He says. He's been having an identity crisis. Dude, you're fucking 14, you shouldn't be having an identity crisis right now.

"Dude, you drew a saber tooth tiger away so it wouldn't attack your friends." Yaz compliments to Ben. "Haha, saber tooth tiger!" Kenji followed up, remaining Ben of what he did against an ancient tiger. "You are brave, wise and loyal, Ben. We don't doubt you because we believe in you." I say which everyone nods. "You may not be 'fearless Ben's nor are you 'scared Ben'. Maybe you're just.....Ben." Darius says as Ben smiles. We are gather together around Ben and hug him. "So what now?" Yaz asks. "We keep going." Ben says confidently. "Let's see what else we can find. Also look out for saber tooth tigers, freak sandstorms and what else this place has." Darius points out. "Sounds like a plan." I say as we make our way up the slope.

The sun was starting to come up over the mountains. "Ugh. It's too hot." Kenji groans out. "It's hot, we're thirsty and in the middle of a desert and that is what you're complaining about?" Brooklynn asks sarcastically. "Uhh, yeah because at least we can do something about it." Kenji replies as he begins making sounds and doing weird poses. What does think he is? A peacock? I hear Kenji grunt in pain as he falls to the ground. Everyone turns and gathers around him. We all look down and see a.......metal leg. "What the fuck?" I question as we see tracks in front of the leg. The tracks match that of the foot on the leg.

Kenji trails the tracks and floors them when suddenly he clangs into something and falls back on his ass. I see that the distance has a hexagonal simmer. Kenji stands up and reaches forward, he's hand touches something that isn't there. "Am I tripping or is Kenji touching something invisible." I ask as Brooklynn presses her hand against whatever it is. I notice the hexagonal simmer again and hear a beep. The simmer shows as the environment slides across and reveals a high tech tunnel. "I'm getting some real 'Westworld' vibes from this." I say as we all look confused as we gaze down the futuristic tunnel. This place is seriously creeping me out.