Chapter 25
Chase
Dodgson was terrified. He sprinted through the jungle, tearing at the underbrush in front of him, casting aside ferns and vines. Sunlight streamed through the tree canopy high above him, creating intermittent shafts of golden light. He ducked low branches, and tripped on the dense rooting on the ground. He was panting hard, and sweat streamed down his face as he ran.
Behind him he could hear the pursuing Tyrannosaur, which had chased him ever since he had escaped from the nest. Whatever had happened to his gun, he didn't know. The researchers had promised that it would work at least as long as he would be on the island. He had no idea what had happened to Edgar, he must have run in another direction. In which case, Dodgson wasn't going to wait for him. He would be stuck here. Not that Dodgson cared. The bastard had been as unreliable as Nedry had ever been, always acting like a coward, unwilling to take risks.
All he could think of now was getting back to the car. Once he was inside, he would be safe. He had made sure of that. He had ensured that the engineers can built it properly. Once he was inside, he could get back to the ship, and they could go home. They still had the Gallimimus anyway.
The ground shook with each of the Tyrannosaur's steps, reverberating through the enclosed space. The trees loomed out of nowhere, and he swerved and dived erratically. Dodgson was confused and dazed, his feet splattered in the mud as he dashed through the trees. The jungle was darker than before; the day was wearing on. He guessed that up above the sun was beginning to set. And there was no way in hell that he was going to end up being on this island during the nighttime. It was spooky enough during the day.
He lost all track of time; he just ran. All he could think of was running. The Tyrannosaur roared from somewhere behind him, and under the canopy the sound was amplified. It sounded dangerously close, and he put on a spurt, leaping over a fallen log and splashing down in a muddy puddle.
His lungs ached with the effort of dragging in the warm air, and bits of dirt and leaves clung to the sweat on his skin. He could feel his body overheating in the tropical climate. His head pulsed with pain, and he became dazed, his vision swaying, becoming unfocused.
The Tyrannosaur roared again, and he gave a jump of fright, and sprinted for all he was worth through the trees. He was sure that he was getting near the road; they hadn't had to travel that far in before to reach the nest. But the trees were far too thick to see clearly, and there were so signs of the jungle thinning.
The Tyrannosaur was gaining on him, he could tell, by the increased intensity with which the ground shook. The ferns and bushes were now shuddering with each massive foot fall, and the heavily leaves branches swayed from side to side.
With a gasp of relief he flew from the jungle and into the daylight, the confines of the trees opening up suddenly and giving way to the main road.
On the other side of the road, he saw the tattered remains of the electric fence, gleaming in the yellow glow of the late afternoon sun. The wires hung loose, drooping down towards the floor, the concrete bases falling apart. He had a fleeting wonder of how those spindly fences had ever held back the monster that pursued him.
The tarmac beneath his feet felt reassuringly firm as he turned on the spot wildly and searched for the car.
Squinting in the sudden brightness, he spotted it parked neatly at the side of the road twenty feet away to his left. The black paint gave off a high shine in the dying light, and he was immensely happy to see it, safe.
He ran towards it, his limbs feeling like rubber after his dash through the jungle. The colder air hit his lungs, and he clutched a stitch in his side as he reached the driver's door of the car, panting.
The Tyrannosaur roared in the jungle to the right, and the trees shook violently, causing a flock of birds to explode upwards from the canopy.
Behind the car, the trailer rocked on its hinges as the infant Gallimimus threw itself against the side, trying to escape. It squealed in fright, and Dodgson could hear it scratching desperately at the metal inside its cage.
In a panicked frenzy Dodgson threw his hands into his pocket and dug around for his keys. His fingers closed around the cold metal, and he wrenched them from his trousers, and with a glance to the right saw the trees shaking even more violently.
The Tyrannosaur gave a growl of fury, and there was the sound of splintering wood.
It must be snagged or tangles in the trees, he thought.
He tried to insert the key into the lock in the car door, but his hand shook so much that the key merely vibrated against the metal around the keyhole. With a whimper of panic he used his other hand to steady himself, and rammed the key into the lock.
He pulled the door open and threw himself inside. Sitting up and casting aside the laptop that was leaning against the dashboard, he put the key into the ignition, and he slammed the door shut behind him.
He twisted the key with a flourish, and the engine grumbled to life just as the Tyrannosaur burst from the jungle sixty feet in front of him, covered in vines and detritus. It looked gave a snarl, and turned its head, looking for him. As soon as its eyes came into contact with him, it turned its whole body to face the Jeep and roared, baring its massive fangs. Slowly, it hissed, and then, bending its head low, charged.
Dodgson threw the Jeep into reverse, and stamped on the accelerator.
The wheels spun on the broken ground, and smoke billowed copiously from the tires. Dust flew up into the air as they bit, and the engine roared, and the Jeep flew backwards.
The Tyrannosaur rushed forwards with surprising speed, no longer restrained by the dense jungle. The Jeep shuddered with each step, and the trailer bounced around behind him, the screams of the Gallimimus muffled by the thick windows of the Jeep.
The reverse gear of the Jeep was desperately slow and the Tyrannosaur advanced easily. Dodgson's eyes were wide as he kept his foot down as far as it would go, watching as the massive animal ran towards him.
He span the wheel in his hands, and the Jeep swerved off to the side. Skidding on the tarmac, Dodgson watched as the Tyrannosaur disappeared from the windshield and appeared in the passenger windows as the world swirled around him.
There was a startling impact, slamming Dodgson sideways in his seat. Panting, he sat up quickly, expecting to see the Tyrannosaur looking down at him.
But it was still well over thirty feet away. Looking around, Dodgson realized that he had forgotten about the trailer, which had swung around and slammed into the side of the Jeep. He could faintly hear the infant Gallimimus screaming inside. Checking quickly, he saw that the Jeep was almost completely undamaged.
He slammed the Jeep into first gear, and gunned the engine. It shot forward, and he span the wheel rapidly.
The Tyrannosaur roared in fury at the sight of him escaping, and he saw in the rear-view mirror that it had bared its fangs once more.
There was a metallic squeal, and then a crunch. Looking back, he saw that the trailer had broken loose of its fixings. As he changed gear he watched it tumbled backwards, towards the Tyrannosaur, and slowly fell over, onto its side.
He drove hard, hoping that the trailer would provide a distraction. Perhaps the Tyrannosaur would pause to inspect it, and he would be able to get away.
He watched through the mirror as the Tyrannosaur ran full pelt towards the trailer, covering ten feet with each stride. Without a fault in its step, it lowered its head, and bit down on the trailer. Its jaws encompassed the entire width of it, the teeth penetrating both sides. It lifted the trailer into the air as if it were a paper bag, and ran with it. Twisting its head, it threw the whole thing, releasing it from its jaws. The trailer soared through the air, and he heard a muffled crash as it disappeared into the tree tops of the jungle.
Dodgson watched in horror at the power and fluidity with which the Tyrannosaur dispatched the trailer. He wasn't so sure of how the Jeep would fare against the Tyrannosaur anymore.
He changed into third gear, his fingers slipping on the gearshift. Sweat ran down the ridge of his nose, dripping from his chin. The Tyrannosaur rushed towards him, its jaws wide.
Dodgson was amazed at how fast it could run out in the open. He wasn't accustomed to seeing large animals moving so fast. It didn't seem possible, especially for a lizard.
The engine whined from the effort of being pushed so hard, and he watched the speedometer anxiously as the needle slowly crawled from left to right.
The Jeep jumped on the uneven ground, and he gripped the wheel grimly as the wheel tried to spin out of control. Potholes loomed out of nowhere. The late afternoon light was causing shadows that messed his perception. Mere grooves in the road looked like large holes, and chassis breaking gouges didn't show up until the last second.
He glanced in the mirror once more, and gave a yell at the sight of a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth met his eyes. The Tyrannosaur was right behind him, and the Jeep was now leaping off the ground with every step.
Even through the thick metal and glass of the Jeep he could hear the deep rasping breaths as air was dragged into the massive chest cavity of the animal. Glancing once more into the mirror he saw the deep golden eye of the Tyrannosaur. He was reminded of a lion, the relentless predator instinct. But the Tyrannosaur eye was somehow more sinister, and the vertical slit-like pupils conveyed a distinct air of reptilian menace.
Dodgson gave a grunt, and shifted the Jeep into forth. But in the split second that it took the car to change gears, it ceased acceleration, and the Tyrannosaur pulled level with the Jeep, on the driver's side.
He looked out of his window in horror at the heavily muscled thighs of the Rex, and the heaving chest, glistening in the sun.
He watched the head bend down into view, and swung sideways towards him.
He gave a yell of fright, and spun the wheel, but the Tyrannosaur simply sidestepped to keep up with him. The massive skull impacted the side of the Jeep near the rear of the chassis, and Dodgson's head slammed against the ceiling as the suspension squealed. The Jeep momentarily lifted off the ground, before the Tyrannosaur lifted its head and it came crashing back down again.
The Rex gave a deafening scream of rage, and Dodgson shivered as the sound cut through him like a hot knife through butter.
The Tyrannosaur ducked its head again, and this time Dodgson couldn't think of anything else to do, and so simply braced himself.
The Jeep gave a metallic bang, and the boot space behind him caved in, the metal creaking as it bent inwards. Boxes and supplies rummaged around. The Jeep lifted onto two wheels, and the Rex growled. Dodgson span the wheel doggedly, and the Jeep shot along, balanced on two wheels for a few seconds. Then the Rex lifted its head, and growled again. The Jeep swayed precariously, and then fell back down onto four wheels.
Dodgson sighed, breathing spasmodically. He jerked his head to look out of the window, but was surprised that all he saw was the dull grey of the fence, and the greenery of the jungle behind it. The Tyrannosaur wasn't there. Glancing in the rear-view mirror, he saw that it had dropped back, and was slowing down.
He frowned.
Why would it stop chasing him now? Perhaps it only wanted to drive him off to a safe distance. Or maybe it didn't want to leave the nest unattended for too long.
But as he turned to look out of the windshield he saw why it had slowed. The road seemed to end a hundred feet ahead, and the fence cut across the road. But as he continued onwards, he saw that it was a sharp corner.
He splashed through a puddle, and realized that he was going far too fast to make the corner. But he couldn't slow down; if he stopped now he was dead. The way the boot had crushed inwards proved that if the Tyrannosaur got a firm grip on the car he wouldn't stand a chance.
He'd have to brake at the last moment and hope for the best. He glanced in the rear-view mirror once more, and gasped. The Rex was gone. It hadn't simply slowed down, or stopped. It had simply disappeared. He sincerely hoped that it had gone back to the nest. But there was no way in hell that he was going to stop to find out.
The corner rushed up, and with an aggressive grunt Dodgson stood on the brakes, and span the wheel as far as it would go.
The Wrangler made a loud screech on the old tarmac, and bits of gravel flew into the air as it slid sideways along the road. The Jeep flew blasted around the corner, and the fence on the other side of the road loomed forwards.
Dodgson took his foot off the brakes, and slammed his foot back on the accelerator. The Jeep slowly ceased its sideways movement, and shot off again, forward along the stretch of road.
Dodgson guessed that he had a few miles to go before he could find the boat again. And then there was the question of finding his way through the patch of jungle back to the dock. He would have to ditch the Jeep and run the rest of the way.
This piece of road was in a graver state, and the tarmac was crumbling away, patches of red earth showing through in gaping holes. The Jeep bounced along, and the suspension squeaked as Dodgson spun the wheel back and forth, dodging in between the largest of the holes. He sped forwards, pushing the engine as hard as he could.
Suddenly the Rex erupted from the jungle ahead of him, and gave a massive shriek of anger. It had cut through the jungle, to cut him off. It turned towards him, standing in the middle of the road, blocking his path. It bent low, and roared at him menacingly.
"Holy fuck!" Dodgson shouted.
He had no idea what to do; his mind was blank. There was nothing for it. He gunned the engine, and sped towards it, aiming for the space in between its legs. It looked large enough for him to fit through.
The Tyrannosaur roared again, and took a bounding step forwards.
Dodgson gave a long yell, and zoomed in between its legs, and underneath it. Dodgson glimpsed the eyes of the Rex grow wide in fury for an instant before he passed under the Rex. The sunlight was blocked out, and he came so close to the Rex that he could have touched it, and saw the pebbly texture of the upper leg. There was a loud scraping sound that echoed inside the cab of the Wrangler as the passenger side of the Jeep brushed against the powerful hind limb of the Rex, which gave a howl of pain.
For a single wonderful moment he thought he had made it as the shadow passed and the Rex gave way to the open road once more, before the thick tail of the dinosaur came swinging down from above. It struck the passenger side of the windshield with astonishing force, and the strengthened glass splintered into a spider-web pattern. The metal framing of the Wrangler buckled inwards, and the roof came down several inches.
"Jesus Christ!" yelped Dodgson, and gunned the engine as the Rex lifted its tail and brought it down again on the rear of the Wrangler. There was the sound of breaking glass, and Dodgson glanced back, and saw that the back of the Jeep was now also dented inwards, and a small chunk of the back window had come away.
Through the back window he saw the Rex whirl around to face him, and leaned forwards, lunging at him, its jaws snapping closed where the Jeep had been a second before.
Dodgson swung around to face forwards, and once again concentrated on swerving in between the potholes. If he broke the axle now, he was done for.
This proved to be desperately ineffective after a few seconds, as he still shuddered up and down, and the Tyrannosaur gained on him easily, not having to follow his zigzagging route.
The Rex was now within biting distance again, and Dodgson could see its chest heaving in and out, the ribcage rising and falling rapidly.
"Screw this," Dodgson muttered, and spun the wheel to face straight; he was going to have to ride over the potholes and hope for the best. He wasn't going to get away if he kept this up.
Just as the Wrangler straightened out, the Rex rushed forwards, and clamped its teeth into the spare tire that hung from the back of the Jeep. It stopped in its tracks, keeping its jaws clamped tightly on the wheel. Dodgson felt a sudden jolt as the car was pulled to a stop.
The Rex lifted its head upwards, taking the tire with it. The back of the Jeep was lifted into the air, the wheels spinning uselessly in the air. The engine whined as he gunned the accelerator, but nothing happened.
The back wheel gave a high whine as the Rex's teeth penetrated the thick rubber, and gas whistled out from the punctures.
The Tyrannosaur gave a growl, and Dodgson whimpered in fright. The Rex gave a great shake of its head, and with a crunch the rear tire broke free.
The back of the Jeep fell back to the floor, and Dodgson slammed on the accelerator again. The wheels spun, creating a cloud of dirt around him, and then he shot forwards.
He shot forward, and with a jerk of his hand clicked on the GPS display on the dashboard beside him. The screen gave an electronic beep, and slowly faded to life.
Glancing back through the rear window, he saw the Rex growling and shaking the tire in its mouth like a bulldog would play with a bone. Then it noticed him speeding away, and with a shake of its snout threw the spare tire into the jungle.
The ground began to shake again as Dodgson glanced at the GPS display screen.
The screen showed him moving slowly north, along the main road. The smaller dirt track back to the boat was just up ahead, perhaps a quarter of a mile.
He gunned the engine, and shot forwards. Behind him the Tyrannosaur roared in anger, and he noticed that this time he was gaining ground. If he could get far enough ahead, then perhaps he could ditch the Jeep and get into the jungle before the Rex caught up with him.
The turn-off to the dirt track appeared ahead, and Dodgson span the wheel, turning the Jeep. The wheel screeched on the tarmac, and he flew under the canopy of the trees.
He squinted in the sudden darkness, and he rubbed sweat out of his eyes impatiently as he soared across the dirt.
He glanced back, and saw that the Tyrannosaur had disappeared again.
But he wasn't fooled this time; it had probably cut through the jungle again. He guessed he had mere seconds before it reappeared. And he knew that he didn't stand a chance of outrunning it on the dirt road; the Tyrannosaur was far better suited for off-road. His only chance was to get out now and escape before it found him again.
He hit the brakes, and as the Jeep screeched to a stop he kicked the door open. He stood up, panting, his legs burning, and was just about to dash for the trees when a low growl ran through the air.
Dodgson froze, and his bottom lip quivered as he slowly, ever so slowly looked over his shoulder.
The Tyrannosaur stood behind him, half hidden in the foliage. The jaws worked slowly, the massive fangs moving silently. The reddish skin of the Rex glistened with moisture, and the heavy torso moved in and out as the Rex panted. It was staring right at him, the cold pair of eyes seemingly penetrating his very soul.
Dodgson gave a cry of panic and made to run.
With a roar the Rex rushed forwards, straight at him. The ground shook violently, and the jungle around him shook. Dodgson screamed, and his heart gave a jolt.
He was about to die, he was sure of it.
But as the Rex came forward it clipped its right leg on the grate of the Jeep. With a roar, the Rex spun around, off-balance, and began to topple. It pulled its other leg underneath it swiftly, and righted itself as it completed the turn.
Dodgson was just about to use this moment's distraction to sprint into the jungle when the Rex's tail soared from the sky and struck him in the chest.
He felt a searing pain, and then he was flying. He felt wind flap against his clothes, rush through his hair. Branches snagged at his face and his hands, ripping his shirt. He had a sense of being high up, and tried to look around when his head crashed into the trunk of a thick tree. And now he was falling. And as everything grew dark Dodgson stared lazily at the ground as a heavy branch rushed upwards to strike him in the face.