"So, uh. These are...?" One of the staff said as he watched the five dinosaurs sniff around their new enclosure.
"These are Herrerasaurus. Herrera's Lizard is what the name means, didn't I tell you that already Marcus?" Dr. York said.
"Well, maybe... So what else is there to know about 'em?" He said and rolled his eyes at her.
"They're from the Triassic period, an early theropod." She said. "Hammond had them engineered as a safer variation to the Velociraptors."
"Thank goodness. I don't want anymore of those things around here." Marcus shivered as he remembered witnessing what had happened not too many weeks ago. He still didn't know how a rookie like him ended up on such an important task. "They're coloring is cooler than the Raptors, anyway. Kinda like a red tiger."
"I am quite confused though. Like the Dilophosaurus these guys aren't as large as the fossil records show. Odd." Dr. York tilted her head as the Herrera she was watching scratched it's stomach with it's foot, somewhat dog like. "Maybe it's the frog DNA...?"
"They seem friendlier too. Come here, Hairy-saurus!" Marcus clapped his hands catching one of their attention. He scratched it's chin and cooed at it. "Reminds me of my Lab, Bella. I wonder..." He picked up a stick[1] and threw it. "Go fetch!"
Dr. York gave a chuckle as all five Herrera raced for the stick. "These guys haven't showed any sign of aggression towards us, so we presume it's pretty safe." She said. The Herrera huddled around the stick as it fell to the ground. They nudged it a bit, but when it didn't move they ignored it and walked away.
"That's weird." He walked to the stick and threw it again. They all ran after it, but grew disinterested when it fell and didn't move again. "C'mon! Do I need to show you guys how this works? Look." He threw it and ran after it. He grabbed the stick off the ground and looked behind him. All five were there, but they were still not looking at the stick. They were now staring at him. Dr. York not noticing this simply stood and watched her younger colleague.
"Maybe you guys are more of a tag-type of dino. Catch me if you can!" He ran and looked over his shoulder to find them running after him. "Why don't you join us, Sabrina?!"
Dr. York simply rolled her eyes.
"Is that all you got? I'm not even running at my fas-!" Marcus tripped and fell[2]. He playfully pushed the Herreras off as they pounced on him. "Okay, you got me! Let me up! Hey!" He quickly kicked one of them as it grabbed his leg in its mouth. Marcus pushed them off and scrambled upright. He pulled out his stun gun and zapped it in warning. "No biting!"
One Herrera hissed at him in stalked a bit closer. "Hey!" He zapped it with his stunner and then backed away. "A little help here!"
Dr. York was completely taken off guard. They had never acted so predatorily towards people before. The running...! "Mark! Back away slowly, and keep eye contact!" She instructed and made her way to the exit as well.
Marcus did so and gave a sigh as relief when he saw them not following, but the laps in concentration was a mistake. Seeing him letting his guard down slightly, the Herrerasaurus started to advance. They tripped him up and leaped on his chest as he fell on the ground. The force of the fall made his stun gun fall out of his hand. As he reached for it another Herrera grabbed his wrist in her jaws. The other grabbed his other wrist and the other two bit his ankles. His heart pounded as the one on his chest looked him in the eyes. She saw his weakness and latched onto his neck. He screamed.
Dr. York who had froze as soon as Marcus had fallen came to her senses when she heard him scream. His scream which was lathered in pain and the sound of gurgling blood made her spine tingle and the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She sprinted to the door of the enclosure, but was quickly caught and pinned down in the same way as Marcus although she had fallen face first. She closed her eyes as she could hear the Herrera's hiss in her ear. But then the ones pinning her down weren't there anymore and out of the corner of her eye she saw Marcus weakly find his footing, but was swarmed by the Herreras. Only the one on Dr. York's back remained. But she was trembling too much to push herself up and she felt the helplessness the Herrerasaurus' Triassic prey must have.
A tear rolled down here eye as she felt hot breath on her neck.
[1] That stick has a wonderful sense of timing.
[2] What did he trip over? I dunno... Maybe another stick with a sense of timeing (and irony), maybe his own feet, maybe a small tapdancing penguin. You can use your imagination. :\
