𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 - camp cretaceous

Hostilities

"What's option C?"

"There is no option C! We just have to... Look, I promised I'd get us all back home, no matter what it takes!"

"But what if it takes more than we can give? How can we trust them to keep their word after all they've done? How can we be sure they'll help us find my brother – help us find Brooklynn?" I asked dismally.

"We still have to try. I have to take them to the watering hole. Once they... after they do what they need to do, we can go home," Darius replied, frowning dejectedly.

"But Darius—"

"Shhh..." Mitch suddenly appeared behind us, his hand finding Darius' shoulder again. When Darius tried to shrug him off, Mitch's grip tightened, and he pressed his finger on his lips.

"Babe, you hear that?" he asked quietly, walking forward.

We all looked around in silence, but nothing was there. Nothing... Nothing but the loud stomps that shook the ground we sat on.

Tiff crouched beside us and removed her long, narrow bag. Unzipping it, she took out a black rifle. Mitch did the same, the two cocking their weapons as they aimed at the space before us.

The stomping became louder, and we quickly heard snarling and deep growling. A lone stegosaur left the bushes and stepped to the centre of the clearing, basking in the moonlight while Mitch's eyes sparkled.

You'd think he was admiring the poor thing if you didn't know he was here to hunt all the dinosaurs. But we all knew he wasn't. At least, not for the same reasons as any typical person would.

Tiff seemed enchanted by the dino as she sighed, "Just perfect. Look at those plates."

"She's beautiful, isn't she, babe? Just stay clear of its thagomiser," Mitch said.

"It's what?"

Mitch rolled his eyes and turned to Darius with a snide smile. "The pointy spikes on its tail, eh, bud?" He took Darius by the shoulder and pulled him closer, but Darius stayed silent, avoiding eye contact.

"Whatever. Just take the shot before it gets away," Tiff muttered, raising her rifle and aiming at the stegosaur.

"Don't worry. It won't feel a thing," Mitch said quietly to Darius, loosening his grip on his shoulders.

Darius immediately pulled away, giving Mitch more space to bring up his gun. We were unnervingly silent as we watched the stegosaur that grazed calmy, oblivious to the immediate danger. I felt terrible! How could Mitch and Tiff be so okay with murdering animals whose only infliction on us was their existence? It made me sick...

The wind picked up, and the air became colder as it swirled around us. Nobody dared move a muscle as Mitch touched the rifle's trigger.

He slowly pulled the trigger when Darius whistled piercingly. Mitch shot a tree branch in a startled move, and we jumped. The branch hit the floor with a thud, dropping before the thankfully unharmed herbivore. But we weren't safe. The stegosaur spotted us crouched by the log, and it bellowed in anger!

Shrieking, Tiff and Mitch stood up, and we quickly did the same. The stego charged! It swung its thagomiser, ready to deal long-lasting damage, and we screamed.

Leaping out of the way, we narrowly avoided our heads being impaled by the herbivore's spikes. We glanced at Mitch and Tiff, who was on the ground by the theropod's feet. When Mitch locked eyes with Darius, he said furiously.

"You!"

The couple were thrown back as the thagomiser slammed onto the ground beside them. It's funny how Mitch told Tiff to watch out for it while hunting it, yet they couldn't avoid it as the stego attacked. Regardless, we took that chance to run.

We took off, unfortunately catching the stegosaur's attention. It rose on its hind legs and tried to pound us into the earth! We shook on the shaky ground but ran off once our balance was regained.

Somehow, Tiff managed to get around the angered dinosaur! She ran towards the four of us, arms wide open, and almost grabbed us! Failing to get us into her grasp, Tiff ultimately served herself to the stego on a shining silver platter. She fell to the floor as the spiked tail swung by her face, avoiding decapitation.

When the stegosaur turned onto Mitch, we ran deeper into the jungle.

"Keep going!" Darius yelled, "And don't look back!"

We never looked at the discord we abandoned, but we should have. I screamed as a large bag flew by my face.

Yas and I dropped to the ground, alarmed. The bag collided with Sammy's side, and she shrieked as she hit the floor heavily. She closed her eyes in pain and didn't try to get up.

I ran to her side but was sharply pulled back. Glancing over my shoulder, I stared into Tiff's eyes, and she was enraged!

"Sammy!" I exclaimed, running to help her before my arm was sharply tugged back. Looking over my shoulder, I locked eyes with Tiff, who was enraged. She was holding Yas by her collar with her other hand.

"I told you they were trouble!" Tiff yelled.

"Not the time, babe," Mitch snapped. He had captured Darius and dragged him over. He held him in a death grip, but that grip wasn't enough.

Darius shoved Tiff to the ground, freeing myself and Yas. We stared between him, Mitch and Tiff worriedly. We couldn't just run and leave him and Sammy, so what were we meant to do!?

Grabbing Yasmina's hand, Darius gave her a balled-up piece of paper. Mitch yanked Darius back and tried to snatch the piece away, but Yas stepped back. I pushed Mitch away, and Darius grabbed him by the torso.

"Go!" Darius exclaimed.

Yas nodded and took off, but she screamed almost immediately! Tiff grabbed her ankles and pulled her to the floor. Yas tried to kick the woman away, but Tiff was unyielding.

"You brats!" Tiff hissed as she dragged Yasmina back.

That was it. I've had enough of Tiff! Yas finally had a chance to get to safety, and I knew she could reach Kenji and Brooklynn! But Tiff was getting in the way and...

"...You witch! Let go of her," I screamed.

I charged at Tiff and roughly elbowed her in the ribs. She was forced off Yas, but she went for me. Grabbing my arm, she threw me to the floor! I was down, and Yas was starting to stand, but Tiff grabbed her by the ankles again!

"Get off of me!" Yasmina yelled, kicking her away.

Sammy, whose pain had finally subsided, threw herself onto Tiff. Yelling out, Tiff released Yas.

"Go, go!" I yelled.

"Run, Yas!" Sammy screamed.

Yasmina glanced at us worriedly, but she ran hard and far. I couldn't help but laugh. She was free! And, now, Yas could take whatever was on the paper to Kenji and Brooklynn once we found them!

But... Sammy, Darius and I weren't out of the bag yet. We had pushed Mitch and Tiff to the edge, and the only thing whose anger could match theirs was a raging bull...

Ignoring our grunts of pain, Tiff dragged Sammy and me to Mitch and Darius. Mitch stared at Darius with cold eyes, yet his face was full of disappointment. He released Darius' arm, causing him to stumble back.

"I trusted you, Darius, and you betrayed me! You had a simple choice, and you chose to save dinosaurs over your friends," he said harshly.

"No, I didn't. I chose option C," Darius replied with a slight shrug, glancing at Sammy and me before staring at Mitch innocently.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean!?"

Tiff pushed Sammy and me forward, and we crashed into Darius, landing on the floor in a heap.

"It doesn't matter," she said, walking closer to Mitch. She put on her hat as her smile grew wide. Glowing blue lights and hot sparks flew by our faces as she switched on her taser. It was menacingly close to us; one hit and we'd be out...

"He's taking us to the watering hole because now I'm in charge...."