Randomly selecting a classroom, they climbed into a cupboard set into the wall. It was cramped and dark and far from comfortable. Down the corridor they heard doors slamming open and a rough masculine voice called to them. "Come out come out you freakish science experiments."
Each time a door slammed open, Ellie gripped Sienna's knee ever tighter. It seemed in her impending danger that she didn't notice the bumpy, smooth scales.
"I'm pretty impressed with what you did to my predon. Impressed. Angry."
"This guy can open all the doors," Ethan hissed. "He's got human hands."
"What do you think?" Sienna replied. "We should try a window? We're on the first floor."
"It's gotta be safer than in here-"
"Why don't we take the tunnels?" Ellie spoke up. Both Sienna and Ethan looked at her in surprise.
"Every year we do a drill where we have to take the tunnel. We all practise opening it - you know, in case a dinosaur gets into the school."
"'Show us!" Sienna had to clamp down on yelling in her excitement. She shifted so that Ellie could reach the door of the closet. Instead of slipping out into the classroom, she switched on a light overhead. She then slid the back of the cupboard aside to reveal a metal access panel. Next she slid open a small side panel to remove a bolt key and used it to release the panel. It slid open easily. Turning out the light, they stepped through and sealed it back up again.
"I guess this escape route wasn't designed for running from people," Ethan commented, morosely. "He's going to see that access hatch as soon as he opens the cupboard doors."
"Hopefully he doesn't carry around one of these." Ellie held up three vaguely rectangular shapes which they could just make out in the phosphorescent strip lights on the floor. "I grabbed the spares too, so I hope no-one else needs to come down here."
"The bolt keys!" Sienna exclaimed, giving Ellie an approving squeeze around the shoulders.
"That'll slow him down for sure!" Ethan cried. "But let's not waste our advantage." The three of them sprinted as quietly as possible down the long, dim tunnel.
The heavy darkness made the run through the tunnel feel eternal. The sight of the lights making a different pattern made all three of the kids want to cry in relief. Instead of two diagonal lines almost joining together in the distance, they now reached vertically with a horizontal line connecting them.
They slowed as they neared, then halted. It had become apparent that the structure being outlined by lights was actually a door. Ethan took a step forward, his eyes catching sight of a podium holding a panel. As he approached it, it lit up so the others were able to see it too.
There was an outline of a handprint. All they needed to do was place their palm on it and they would be outside again.
"Or we could wait here. Where there are no dinosaurs." Sienna knew exactly what Ethan was thinking. "We really could." He continued. "I haven't heard our hunter behind us. We at least have some time."
"Or they're tracing us and they'll come at us from there." Sienna pointed at the door.
"They did seem to be targeting our tree." The hope that was echoing in his voice had disappeared.
"And they had no trouble following us through the school."
"So you're thinking it'd be better to have more than one escape route?"
Sienna considered a moment longer. She had been merely discussing options without an opinion, but it was time to make a decision.
"Let's keep our options open."
Ethan didn't wait for her to change her mind. He slapped his hand against the panel and the door slid upwards, stunning them with bright daylight.
They squinted and stumbled forwards.
As their vision cleared, they found themselves surrounded by chaotic adults. They were in a part of the town they didn't recognise - even so, they knew it was a mess. Cars were crumpled or flipped on their roofs, trees and fences were strewn across roads, walls of building lay in rubble piles and people were running, seemingly in no particular direction.
"Did you just come from the school?" A woman demanded as she grabbed Sienna's shoulders. "Are the other kids coming?" She didn't even give Sienna time to answer. "Have you seen my son? Darian. He's -."
"Back off, Meredith," another lady interrupted. This one wore a red sweater. "They're clearly upset. Give them space."
"We did come from the school," Sienna told them. "Things aren't good there. There's a lot of dinosaurs loose."
Sienna didn't soften the news. Her world had been filled with scientists who were only interested in the stark truth. That was just how she spoke to adults. Meredith's face crumpled as she let out a loud wail before darting away.
"We thought as much," Red sweater said. "It looked like the dinos were headed towards the school. Did they go right on past?"
Ethan and Sienna exchanged a look - more proof that they were being traced. "No," Sienna continued being blunt. "The school was their target."
The woman's face paled. "Why go after the kids?" She flipped out her phone and scrolled for a second, before lowering it, dejectedly. "I guess I should head there to help."
"Or-" Sienna spoke up. "Can you help our friend here get home?"
The lady looked at them in surprise - maybe wondering why they didn't take her themselves. Ellie did her part by looking up at the lady with pleading eyes.
"We need to get home too," Ethan jumped in. "It's just we're heading in the opposite direction."
"I guess. I can do that." The lady's tone was filled with relief. It was understandable that she wouldn't want to head into the dinosaur zone.
"What are you thinking now?" Ethan asked Sienna as they watched the woman disappear with Ellie.
"I hadn't got further than making sure Ellie got far away from us."
"Well, we left the tunnel so we'd have more than one escape route…"
"But without having an escape plan." Sienna caught the idea and started thinking aloud. "And with gashes knows what tracking us."
"Do you remember what Santos said about how far they can track us?"
"About a kilometre, I think."
"So if we can put some distance between us and them?"
"The transports?"
"What are the chances there'd be a transport waiting when we get there? Not to mention they'll probably intercept us before we get to the terminal…"
"We could steal a car?"
"Did they teach you how to do that?"
Sienna ignored the scorn in Ethan's voice. "No." It wouldn't help to get annoyed at him.
"Well, standing here is not a plan. I vote we take our chances with the transporter."
Sienna considered a moment more, but as no other options came to mind, she shrugged and started jogging. It didn't occur to Ethan as he started to follow that she had no idea where the transit terminal actually was.
They had been running a while when they finally recognised where they were. The street was one they had taken to school - except it was Aunty Ruth's tourist route, so recognition didn't help locate themselves.
"This way!" Ethan heaved out. He was out of breath but pressed on. Sienna nodded and followed him, angling more to the left than they had been running.
Ethan skidded to a stop.
"What's wrong?" Sienna asked. He didn't need to answer as an australovenator stepped towards them. "Oh." She pulled her can of caps spray from her pocket.