Dinosaur Armageddon Vol. 1: Vengeful Promise

Chapter 14

Jessie and Tash looked at him with a hint of concern. "Okay," Tash said. "But Josh, for the love of God... just be careful."

"And try not to get eaten," Jessie added.

Josh smiled warmly and then trekked further into the forest.

As Josh made his way cautiously through the terrain, he looked around. Everywhere he could see tall trees with thick brown trunks, small bright green bushes, and some briars. Sunlight shone through gaps in the canopy above.

This scene reminded him of his past life: back when dinosaurs were not a problem. He used to love traveling through the forests, hearing the sound of birds in the trees, the suspense of hunting wild game, the times he had with his friends and family. Those were the good times.

But, unfortunately, it all came to a devastating end. An ending he could have prevented. Something he regretted.

It started more than five years ago, some time after the security footage of a live dinosaur was leaked and made headline news. To some of the world, this footage, called "Garbage Dino", affectionately named because it was caught eating in a garbage can, was a monumental find; no one had ever seen a living dinosaur, let alone catch it on camera. That was something totally explosive.

But to most of the rest of the world, the Garbage Dino was an elaborate hoax. A good, masterfully planned hoax, but a hoax none of the less. Look at the facts: dinosaurs have been dead for millions of years. Their reign came to a sudden and mysterious end long before our primate ancestors evolved. And even if there were survivors, they eventually died or, if you wanted to be scientific about it, evolved into birds. It was completely impossible that the world still had any living dinosaurs.

Josh and his father were within the huge number of people who believed that the footage was fake and that the idea of a living dinosaur could only be possible in movies and books like Jurassic Park or The Lost World.

But then, after the huge attacks and horrific deaths that took place in several of the world's major capitals and countries, it became clear that that so called hoax was a warning of a fearful future.

However, there had been no reports of dinosaur attacks in the United States, if you don't count Alaska and Hawaii. So why worry, right?

Anyway, it was late in the summer. It was late in the afternoon. The sun had nearly set. Josh and his father were quietly making their way through the trees and underbrush, their bodies bent low, doing everything they could to not give away their position. They had their rifles in their hands, ready to fire at any unsuspecting quarry stupid enough to come within their sights.

Josh's father, Marshall, took the lead. He looked a lot like Josh in most respects. His skin was the same shade of brown as his son's, like coffee with cream added into it. His hair was spiky and orange like Josh's except that his was a slightly darker shade. He was tall and his body was much like a wrestler on TV. His eyes were concentrated, his orange pupils searching through the dense growth ahead. His cheeks had striped green and black paint, to match the camo clothes he had on, just like Josh as well. The only thing that really made them look different was the pale scar on his father's right cheek from when a bad-tempered buck had cut him back when he was a teenager.

Josh loved hunting with his father. It was definitely a great bonding experience. And it was healthy: fresh air, lots of exercise, and plenty of sun. This was where he belonged. This was where he--

A rustle in the bushes made Josh and his father freeze. They looked around in the fading rays of sunlight that still shone in the forest. They knew that something was close by. Something definitely bigger than a bird or a squirrel.