Primeval

Chapter 9 ~ Permian Poison

"No, no!" Jess' voice came through Anna's earpiece.

Anna burst through the door, the gym was silent, nothing moved and it was dim. In fact, it was that dark, she needed the torch on her EMD to see where she was going.

"Where is she Jess," But Anna could sense the worst.

"The stand....." Jess stammered, ".....It dragged her underneath the stands,"

Anna ran over quickly, standing beside the seating so she had a good view under it. Shining her torch into the darkness revealed the most horrific sight. At first her eyes met the torn denim clothing, but them she saw the blood and the flesh that had been hacked at and half eaten. She knelt looking further for any signs of the creature, yet nothing moved apart from the dripping blood.

"I'm sorry Jess, it's too late..."
~
Jess stared at the screen unaware of what to do next, it wasn't something she was used to; seeing innocent people torn to pieces.

"Jess, evacuate the loading bay. I'm going to start bringing the creatures out." Abby told her via the earpieces. Anna had called Abby when she was on her way to the gym, before Beth was killed. Their plan was simple, in a way. Abby had placed Rex in a small cage and put him in a car. The rest of the creatures were to be tranquilised and loaded onto the back of the truck. Abby had contacts at a private zoo where she knew the creatures would be safe from Philip's grasp.

"Jess, Jess? Are you there," Abby tried.

Jess was still in shock from the footage she had seen, "Sorry, Abby. These creatures are too dangerous. I've just been handed a major reality check. I'm sorry."

"I'll just have to do it on my own then!"
~
Resting her head against the stand, Anna tried to steady her shaking breath, until she turned around with her back to the metal, resting her head on her knees. The girl was too young, nobody deserved to die in that way.

The door at other side of the gym opened and two sets of footsteps ran in, "Anna," she heard Matt say.

Becker helped Anna to her feet and the three of them stared at the remains of the schoolgirl, that was until a clatter made them all turn, guns raised. They separated, following the noise, moving closer to the shriek. Their torches were still needed and they searched the gym for the creature.

Matt soon found himself in the store room. It was stacked with sports equipment and the white lights flickered. Scanning the room, he cautiously stepped over balls and hockey sticks. With the lights switching on and off, Matt struggled to she where her was going and when the creature jumped out, it sent him flying into a wall. Still blind to his surroundings he stood again and felt a sudden weight on his chest, pushing him out of the room and back into the gym. It was as if the creature was wrestling him; it clung to his chest until he managed to throw it off of himself and quickly shoot it. But he missed and the animal tried again. But all that filled his ears was the sound of an almighty crash and he saw the creature flung against the stands.

"Matt!" Anna stood beside him with a hockey stick in her hand. As the creature went for a final attempt she shot it with the EMD and it collapsed dead. She had clearly shot it too many times. Either that or the hit from the hockey stick was fatal.

"Thanks," Matt breathed, knowing that Anna would hate herself for killing it.

"What the hell was it?" Becker asked, staring at the dead creature.

Anna moved closer into the light and she could finally see what it was, "Therocephalian. Mid Permian to Mid Triassic. Half Reptile, half Mammal,"

"All ugly," Becker commented.