CHAPTER 180
Seth and Kyra got up and bolted. Dianna took the taser gun and jammed it into the allosaur's thigh. A spark cracked against the carnivore's skin and the beast roared with pain. The allosaurus wavered and then toppled. As soon as it hit the ground it's limbs thrashed through the grass, and it arched its neck to snap at Dr. Johnson. Diving out of the way Dianna followed after Seth and Kyra. She could only see their heads bobbing above the grass as she ran after them. She knew that the allosaurus was only going to be down for a couple of seconds. It was not going to be much of a head start.
As Dr Johnson sprinted through the grass she kept her eyes on Seth and Kyra. It occurred to her now that velociraptors could be hiding anywhere in the field. For all she knew they might be running straight at them. With the allosaurus at her back all they could do was run for the tree line and hope for the best. Already she could hear the Jurassic beast charging toward her. As the thumping of its feet grew louder she ran harder.
Ahead of her Seth and Kyra were nearing the tree line. Dianna thought they might actually make it. As soon as she finished the thought her boot got snagged in a hole in the ground, and she tripped onto her face. The taser gun went flying out of her hands. Before she even pushed up onto her elbows she felt the ground shudder and the allosaur's hot breath on her back. There was a growl and then teeth dug into her boot.
Dianna was being drug backwards through the grass. The taser gun was gone. The world turned upside down as she was hoisted into the air. With her fingers grazing the dirt she looked through the grass at the allosaur's feet. The beast growled and then dropped her. Now she was laying on her back looking up at its chin. The carnivore was like a giant sleek iguana and a bit of an alligator. It's scaly hands reached for Dianna as it bent over to bite her.
"This is it," she thought. "I'm dead."
Before the allosaurus could sink it's teeth into her another figure jumped over her. It was Seth, and he had the taser gun.
He jammed the prongs straight into one of the allosaur's nostrils expecting the same crack of lightning that the weapon had yielded previously, but it did not happen. The allosaur paused, and it's eyes crossed as it tried to get a look at the rod that was currently shoved up its nose. The animal bore its teeth, shook its snout, and backed away. Seth looked down at the gun perplexed and found the blinking red light indicating a low battery.
"Crap." He dropped the gun.
Dianna had gotten to her feet. Together they watched the allosaurus rear back and bellow. Then it sneered and took a step toward them. Squatting it's haunches the allosaurus was about to lunge. Dianna gripped Seth's hand. She was prepared both to run or sacrifice herself to the carnivore if need be.
Something stopped the dinosaur though. A queer expression crossed its face. What at first seemed like a gasp ended up in an explosive sneeze that ejected all over Dianna and Seth. As they wiped dinosaur snot out of their eyes the allosaurus was dancing in place and shaking its head, rearing back for another sneeze.
"Come on!" Dianna yanked Seth's arm as she started off toward the tree line.
Cutting through the grass they heard the allosaurus relinquish another mighty sneeze followed by a lot of snorting and barking. A moment later the carnivore sneezed again.
Reaching the trees Dianna and Seth exited the tall grass and plunged into the shade of the jungle. They paused for a moment to gather their bearings, and Kyra sprang out from a nearby shrub.
"Hey!" She waved.
Dianna and Seth ran over to her.
Kyra said, "come on. I found a place to hide."
Behind them the allosaurus was roaring and charging through the grass.
Dianna said, "let's go," and they followed Kyra.