Primeval: Second Anomaly to the Right, and Straight on 'til Morning

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Three – A Fiery Goodbye

It was in the middle of the night, when Connor woke up due to the animals roaring and trumpeting in fear. The sharp leaves in the tree were jingling from a strong wind blowing through it. Looking up Connor could see dark clouds flowing above them. He remembered that it was theorized that the storms from the past were more violent than in his time. He didn't want to find out if this was true tonight of all nights. But something deep inside told him he needed to get ready to run. "Abby, we got to leave," he shouted. She was about to ask him why, until she was interrupted by a large crack in the skies. Several feet from the tree they saw a bright flash of light hit the ground. A deafening thunder filled their ears after it hit.

Connor hurried to his backpack. He tried to stuff everything they had in it. Abby quickly did the same. They grabbed two long stakes that were poison tipped. As he was checking to make sure he had the anomaly device, their home they created within this primitive world was suddenly taken from them. A lightening flash so bright and loud it deafened them came crashing down from the skies into the main trunk of the monkey puzzle tree. They were flung to the side as the bolts power soared through the tree into the ground. It was immediately set in flames. A loud ringing filled their ears as they picked themselves up. They had to quickly climb down from the burning tree.

The Maiasaura's were trumpeting and screaming in fear of the fire. They scooped up their babies and moved them away from the tree. Connor climbed down from the tree first, Abby was right behind her. Slinging their backpacks on they sprinted towards the waterfall. Jumping in the water, they wadded through the stream towards the waterfall. They knew there was a small cave just behind the falls. They could safely stay here while the fire blazed.

Soaked to the skin, they sadly watched through the falling waters their sanctuary burn to the ground. It was the nearest thing they had to a home, and now it was gone. Here even nature battled against them. Abby began to curse herself. "It's all my fault, I shouldn't have been so smug. I jinxed us."

"Nonsense," Connor said. "It's just me bad luck finally found me." He was panting hard, he forced a smile to try to calm her down.

Abby nervously laughed, "Guess going back in time had its perks."

Connor looked out, another tree was now on fire. "Abby, this is bad. Most of the trees here are conifer. Pine trees, they burn up like kindling, they can even explode, especially with the dry weather we've been havin'. The whole forest could go up."

Connor knew if the entire forest burned down, there would be no place left for them to hide from the predators. "I think the time to go home is now, Abby. We should go now." She looked up at him, her eyes told him she was frightened, but she would never let him know. For a long second Connor thought, she was so beautiful right now, just as beautiful as the first time he saw her in Forest of Dean. He instantly fell in love with her then. That love now grew deeper. He saw her nod her head in approval.

"Think we should use the one close by?" she asked him.

After thinking hard, Connor shook his head. "This isn't the way Danny went, if we want to catch up to him, we need to go the way Helen ran off."

Abby knew he was right, "Let's go then."

Without another word, he clutched her hand tightly and they ran out from under the waterfall into the direction they knew that Danny and Helen went. Pulling out the anomaly device, Connor shouted, "Show me the nearest ten anomalies."

Immediately the device came alive, he saw ten spots light up. They headed towards the one that lead in the direction that Danny and Helen went. The forest was filled with the sounds of panicking animals. It seemed as if their tree was not the only one set on fire. Above them the ancient lightening crackled in the skies, lighting up the landscape.

They ran through the forest, watching for any predators. They soon found that it was not the predators that was a danger to them, but the plant eaters. With lightening flashing above it caused them to panic. Abby and Connor had to fight to keep from being trampled by the frightened dinosaurs. They stopped on the other side of a large tree, hoping it would shield them long enough to catch their breaths. Connor checked the device again. "Not to far," he told Abby. "I'd say ten more minutes and we're there."

Abby worriedly shook her head, "I don't know if we have that long, Connor. The storm is getting worse, with this wind blowing hard it's going to force the fire ahead of us. We have to get to the site before we become trapped."

Connor searched around, he saw a small herd of triceratops lumbering their way. Normally he would have been excited about seeing one of his favorite dinosaurs, but this time he was not. They were the dino version of a Rhinoceros, big, dumb and nearly blind. Their only defense against predators was their three very large, very sharp horns.

"Abby, I think if we can stay ahead of them, we may have a good chance of reaching the site. No predator is going to get in their way." He pointed to the triceratops. Taking in a deep breath Abby nodded that she was ready. Holding hands, they ran ahead of the huge four legged dinosaurs. Every so often Connor would check the device to make sure they were going the right way. Their dangerous trick paid off, the predators avoided the crazed triceratops. Staying just ahead of them the plant eaters were to anxious to get away from the fires to bother spearing the funny creatures running in front of them.

Connor's hope grew that they would be able to get there in time, "Almost there," he shouted to Abby. The site was just ahead of them, unfortunately Connor realized that his bad luck once again found him. A large tree up ahead was in flames, it suddenly exploded. Frightened, the triceratops turned and went another way, leaving them alone and unprotected against the predators. Connor sprinted to where the anomaly was located. He could just make out an opening in a group of trees. It lay to the left of what looked like a nesting sight.

"Almost there," Connor shouted to Abby, the lightening strikes were now hitting in front of them. Hearing a crack from above Connor saw a streak of lightening coming down towards them. Dropping the device he grabbed Abby and shoved her to the side. The bolt landed just in front of them. Connor was flipped in the air and landed half inside one of the nests. Abby shook her head, as she tried to get the ringing out of her ears. Looking up, she saw Connor lying in a huge nest. Dragging herself up, she ran to him. On the way her heart nearly sunk, for on the forest floor was the anomaly device. The lightening struck it dead center, destroying it. Abby had to fight her tears back as she ran to see how Connor was. She found him unconscious, she shook his head, he groaned and opened his eyes.

"I'm alive?"

"Yes," Abby laughed with relief. "Very much."

"How did I end up here?" He really had no idea what happened after the bolt struck.

"Apparently lightening bolts like anomaly devices." She pointed behind her. Connor sat up, he saw what was left of the device smoldering on the ground. He lay his head in his hands. This was it, he was out of tricks, with the device destroyed they were stuck in this time period forever. He looked at Abby, he had no idea what to say to her. "I'm sorry," he softly said. He wanted to cry.

Abby sat down next to him, "Not your fault really, guess we had a good run, right?" Her head turned around as she heard the hunting cry of a raptor.

Connor sat up, his eyes twisted in pain, "Did you hurt something?" Abby asked him. She gently squeezed his arm, he shook his head.

"Not there, I'm sitting on something." He rummaged under his leg and felt something hard. Pulling it out his face froze in shock, he couldn't believe what he was holding. It was another anomaly device. It had to be Helen's device, though for the life of him he could not imagine how it ended up here.

"Oh my god Abby, you have to tell me I'm not dreaming."

Abby quickly pinched him on the arm. "Ow," he cried out. "Did you have to pinch me so hard."

Abby stood up, "Connor, if that thing is working then you'd better start doing something now." Her eyes stayed trained down the trail, in the distance she could see with the flashes of lightening, four adult raptors sprinting towards them.

Connor had no idea how the device was left behind, but he did have an idea why it was found in the nest. In the future many birds would line their nests with shinny things. Whatever was nesting here must have found the device and decided to use it as part of its nesting material.

Connor immediately turned the device on, it was taking time for it to warm up. He looked down the trail, the raptors were getting dangerously close. "Come on!" Connor shouted to the device. "Hurry up." It was taking to long they would never make it in time, the raptors were getting to close.

"YES! The Calvary has arrived," he heard Abby shout. Looking up he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Old Methuselah was tramping just behind the Raptors. Hearing a beep and the device vibrating he babbled, "Show me the nearest anomaly." Shinning brightly it showed the nearest gate was just a few feet ahead of them. "Open the anomaly," he frantically ordered the device. In seconds an anomaly opened up before them. Grinning widely he said, "Abby, our taxi has arrived."

"Good, can you make it bigger?" she asked him.

He immediately knew what she meant. "Oh no Abby, we can't take him with us, he's to big," he shot back.

"We have to Connor, our savior is going to need saving." She pointed behind them. Turning around Connor saw the four raptors being trampled by the huge, lumbering Methuselah.

"Yeah!" Abby shouted. "Get them, old man." She turned around, and pleaded with Connor, "Please, make it bigger. We just can't leave him behind." She ran to a tree and pulled down several large branches. Connor knew there was no talking her out of this, once she made a decision it was nearly impossible to change her mind. He aimed the device at the gate, "Make it larger, please." He was happy to see the gate growing larger, until it was big enough for even Methuselah to walk through. "Stop there," he ordered the device.

Spinning around, Connor saw Methuselah slowly ambling towards them. Abby held several branches in her hand. The old dinosaur saw her and walked towards her. Connor pulled out Abby's stick from her backpack. Tipped with poison he waited to see if any of the raptors followed the old dinosaur. He soon found he was right, two of them were injured, but well enough to continue their hunt.

Connor ran behind Methuselah, he jabbed one of the raptors with the stick, it felt a coldness with the jab, and fell to the ground. Connor wasn't quick enough for the second raptor. It snapped viciously at him. The fires now caught up with them. They were surrounded by roaring flames, trapped, their only way out now was the anomaly. "Get him through the anomaly!" Connor shouted to Abby. He swung his poison tipped stake at the raptor, keeping it away. Suddenly he heard Abby shout, "DUCK!" Falling to the ground he heard a whooshing sound, as Methuselah's great tail swung over him, hitting the raptor in the stomach it was flung into the fires.

"Come on Connor, we're leaving," Abby said.

Connor jumped up and ran behind Methuselah. Abby sprinted towards the gate waving the branches behind her. The giant dinosaur followed her right into the anomaly. Connor was the last through. Once they were through he quickly turned around and used the device to close the opening. The anomaly quickly closed, leaving the past behind. Connor and Abby couldn't believe they made it, they actually made it.

Looking up at Methuselah, he squinted his eyes, "Abby Maitland, what were you thinking?"

"I couldn't leave him behind, could I?" For the first time they looked around. They saw lush green forests, and grass. They knew they were no longer in the cretaceous period, grass did not come until after.

Abby fed Methuselah the last bit of the branch, she gently rubbed his head. "I think you'll be happy here. No Raptors biting at your heals. You're going to live the rest of your life in peace here."

Connor had to chuckle, "I'd like to see the looks on the archeologist face when he finds dinosaur bones in this valley and does a carbon date on how old they are."

Abby fed the last of the branch to the old dinosaur. "It's a new world for you Methuselah, you saved our lives, go and enjoy what life you have left."

Picking up his head, the Alamosaurus slowly walked towards the huge green forest.

It was only then that they realized what has just happened. "Abby, we made it!" Connor happily squeaked. Grabbing her he hugged her and spun her in a circle. "We made it!" she shouted. They were no longer stuck in the dangerous cretaceous period, and now had a working device that would take them home.

Connor tightly clutched the device, "It may take us a few tries, but I'll get us home Abby, I promise."

Abby tightened her backpack, "I never doubted you for a second." Taking his arm, she held it tight, "Let's go."

Captain Becker was getting ready to leave his car. Earlier he had received a warning of the opening of an anomaly. Danny, Connor, and Abby took the same one in search of Helen Cutter. But when he arrived, there was no anomaly, and no sign that anyone had been there for months. He had just barely gotten out of his car when a soldier ran up to him. "Sir," the soldier snapped to attention. "We have just received a warning from A.R.C. of a second anomaly opening."

"Where, Sergeant Ashton?" Becker asked the man.

"That's the strange part, sir; it's in a restricted area, Johnson's HQ." The sergeant showed Becker where the gate opened. "I'll need some extra men, yesterday sergeant!" Becker snapped.

"Yes sir!" Sergeant Ashton saluted him and ran off.

Twenty minutes later Captain Becker's car came upon the closed facility that he never thought he would be coming back to. Last time he was here, he was fighting off giant insects with Sarah Page. That had been months ago. In that time Danny, Connor, and Abby never returned from their quest to find Helen and stop her. Exiting his car he pulled out his rifle. He had no idea if it would be Helen returning, if it was her he would first ask her what happened to his friends, then he would have a hard time finding an excuse not to shoot her. He always put on a façade that he was the loyal, unfeeling soldier boy, but deep inside he had grown to like the people he worked with at A.R.C.

And when someone crossed him, or hurt a friend of his. Well that was when they would find out just how dangerous Mrs. Becker's little boy could be.

Captain Becker ordered his men to spread out. The anomaly was no longer open, but he had no idea what came through while it was. Coming to a locked gate, one of his men pulled out a large pair of pliers and cut the lock keeping the gate closed. Sliding it open, they slowly walked towards the abandoned facility. "Spread out," he ordered his men. "Keep an eye out for anything, and I mean anything. Don't try to be a hero, if it's to big call for help."

They split up, Sergeant Ashton led a group of six men. They headed quietly towards the left side of the building. Two rows of locked trucks were lined up on this side of the building. Hearing a banging, Sergeant Ashton motioned his men to be quiet. Slowly they crept towards the sound. Suddenly there was several loud bangs followed by a crash. In the distance they could see a steel door on the side of the building swing open. Sergeant Ashton and his men quickly split up. Three ran to a large truck that was parked in the second row. Ashton and the three remaining men stood behind a truck in the first row.

Taking off his backpack Sergeant Ashton placed it on a rear view mirror of one of the trucks. Slamming the butt of his gun in the rearview mirror he broke it, the backpack muffling the noise of the breaking. Slowly laying the backpack down he picked up a large shard of mirror and moved to the end of the truck. Holding it up, he looked into the mirror. He saw two people walking towards him. One was a blond haired woman, the other was a dark haired man with a full beard. They appeared to be looking for a way out.

As they came closer Sergeant Ashton held five fingers up. The other group watched him as he counted down his fingers. Once he brought the last one down both groups of men jumped out from behind the trucks with their guns poised to shoot the trespassers.