Chapter Thirteen

“No!” Daniel yelled and kept running.
When he reached the spot where Pederson had disappeared, Daniel hurriedly drew copies of the two area maps out of his backpack. The wind lashed at them as he tried to figure out how he could join Pederson in the past without landing in the river. He didn’t want to be breakfast for meat-eating marine reptiles like the Mosasaurs or the three-metre crocodile Borealosuchus, nor did he want to be scooped up by an Ichthyornis – a powerful seabird with a lower jaw that held at least twenty teeth.

But if he didn’t hurry, Pederson might be swept far down the river and into the sea before he arrived. He decided he needed to be a few metres up the hill above Pederson’s shack, which he hoped would land him on the bank above the river. He pounded his way back uphill, slipping on the rain-soaked grass. Struggling against the wind, with the rain striking his face, he stuffed his maps into his backpack and then dove for his notebook.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he grasped his prehistoric leaf.

~

Daniel found himself standing on a crumbling piece of the riverbank in almost complete blackness, with wind-whipped hair in his face and raindrops dripping from his forehead. He scrambled for a better footing and clung to a pine tree, terrified he was exposed prey. He gasped, trying to catch his breath, but bits of something caught in his throat. He swiped his hand across his face to clear the moisture from his field of vision and scoured the dismal, dark location.

At first, he thought the sun had not yet risen.

Then he realized falling debris shrouded the whole environment. He was in the middle of some kind of geological fallout! He wrestled for his water bottle and took big gulps to wash out his mouth and throat. He shrugged out of his poncho and yanked off his t-shirt. Pulling his jacket out of his backpack, he put it on with the rain poncho overtop. Wrapping his t-shirt around his head, he covered his mouth and nose. Next, he pulled his cap down as far as it would go to shield his eyes from grit. The most important thing was to find Mr. Pederson and get back home!

He moved towards the river. There was a weird stillness in the air and he felt prickles creeping up the back of his neck. The atmosphere had changed rapidly since his last visit. Cloying heat made it difficult to breathe, and his entire body felt clammy. He wouldn’t last long without a proper mask with some oxygen. He couldn’t go back to the present and get one; it would take too long.

Suddenly, he remembered the masks and other equipment that Dr. Roost and Mr. Pederson had left behind during the Dromaeosaurus attack. If he could get to the spot, he’d be fine until he could locate Pederson. He surveyed his surroundings and compared them to the map he’d made, trying to work out where he was. He plotted a route he hoped would lead him to the equipment he needed. He’d have to brave the open meadow to shorten the jaunt both going and returning. And he’d have to be fast.

Daniel jogged through the jungle-like terrain, his t-shirt over his mouth, being careful not to trip over vines and large-leafed vegetation. Howling and shrieking surrounded him in the peculiar darkness. His lungs hurt and his heart pumped hard, but he carried on.

When he came to the edge of the meadow, he found Edmontosaurus, Stegoceras, Thescelosaurus and Stygimoloch rummaging for food. He paused for a moment to catch his breath, watching as they nibbled at dust-covered, crumbling leaves and other decayed plants. Some trees had turned black.

Daniel was astonished to see the creatures all at once turn on one other, nipping and biting, panicked by the rapid changes around them. Daniel heard their terrified screeches, saw the bleeding wounds on their bodies.

There was no way he was going to be able to go across the meadow.

He swerved to his left, figuring that was the closest way to the mask and other oxygen tanks. Underfoot, slight tremors made running difficult. He shut out his thoughts, concentrating on moving as fast as he could, yet watching for imminent danger.

Suddenly, a horrific roar resounded, followed by vicious snarling that made him go weak. He dived under a cycad to get his bearings, as the hideous sounds of two huge dinosaurs fighting grew louder.

Then there was a sudden moment of quiet.

He was about to venture over to the next giant fern, when a terrible crashing of trees and branches came from his right and two Tyrannosaurus flashed into sight. They lunged at each other, propelling themselves into the open meadow, gaining momentum as their fight intensified. Thrusting massive tails, they plunged forward, biting into one another’s leathery hides, leaving deep gashes streaming with blood. Snarling ferociously, one suddenly smashed his head against the other’s throat. With a loud snap, one T. rex sank to the ground with a final dreadful scream. The other gave a fierce roar of triumph.

Daniel stayed frozen, not knowing what to expect next. He’d forgotten to keep watch on the herbivores, but when he looked, they’d disappeared, more intent on saving themselves from the T. rex.

Cautiously, Daniel crept as quickly as he could away from the carrion meat-eater, which was already ripping flesh from its fallen opponent. He needed to give it as much distance as possible. Everywhere there was pandemonium. Creatures he’d seen previously were acting in peculiar ways and the sky turned ever darker, filling with tumultuous clouds of black particles and thick dust.

All of a sudden, a lump of glaring light sizzled towards the ground some distance away. When the burning object hit the ground, sparks flew many metres into the air and cinders rained over a huge area. Rumblings sounded in the distance like thunder, and the earth still rumbled beneath his feet. Daniel had no idea what was causing all the disruptions on the earth. All he knew was that he needed to find Pederson and get both of them home to safety!

He sprinted as fast as he could to the area where the masks should be. If he’d guessed right, he was close. And then he saw them. He grabbed one, then threw it away. It was damaged beyond repair. Some big creature must have stepped on it. He rummaged through the rest of the belongings, and finally uncovered the second mask. Pulling his t-shirt away from his face, he drew on the mask and adjusted it snugly, slung the small oxygen container in its carrying harness onto his back and plugged the hose into the mask. It worked! He took several deep breaths and felt his lungs ease. Without taking time to do up all the straps on the harness, he reversed direction and raced towards Pederson – or where he hoped he was.

He made it back to the riverbank unscathed, except for his horror at the devastation around him. He skirted an Ankylosaurus and a Triceratops, pawing for food in the blackened vegetation. He narrowly missed stepping on a cat-sized Purgatorius, but for the most part he tried not to dwell on the perplexing state of the animals or his own danger. Otherwise he would become paralyzed with fear. He concentrated on finding Pederson instead.

Struggling down the steep embankment, he searched for the edge of the river by following the sounds of lapping water. He tripped on something and almost fell. He looked down – it was the back end of a shell from some tortoise-like creature, probably a Basilemys. The thick, brown-spotted casing was one and a half metres across, covered with a layer of silt. Daniel skirted the creature, avoiding the head in case it snapped at him. He wasn’t sure how fast it could move, so he gave it a wide berth.

Frantically, he tried to get his bearings, wiping moisture from his face. The temperature had risen and he was uncomfortably hot, but he didn’t dare take any of his clothing off. Was the heat caused by the descent of a burning meteorite shower, or the results of hot volcanic lava and ash spewing thousands of kilometres away?

At last, Daniel made it to the riverbank. Had he heard the sound of oars paddling in water? He listened intently, afraid to call to Pederson for fear of attracting some kind of menace. He peered through the dark haze and saw what looked like the shadowy form of Pederson floating along in his dinghy several metres to his right. But the image faded and he was sure he’d only imagined it.

Daniel could now see that a layer of black particles covered the entire river like melted cheese on a bowl of French onion soup. Debris from trees, plants and soil floated on the top like toasted croutons. Whether these substances came from volcanic ash or some kind of dust from a meteorite he didn’t know. Either way, a thick residue covered the entire landscape and there didn’t seem to be any end in sight to the particles cascading down.

Farther down the shore, he could see what looked like the shorebird Cimolopteryx, its brightly coloured body covered with a grey film of dust, cackling and flapping its wings as it tried to shake itself clear. Around a bend, on higher ground, a small group of Corythosaurus pawed at the layer of powder covering the dying vegetation, searching for food. Daniel knew it would only be a matter of time before the food became scarce and the landscape insufficient to sustain life as the plants died off.

As he stumbled along the river’s edge, Daniel found breathing difficult. A weird smell like rotten eggs filled the air, likely sulphur gas. His hands felt clammy and his eyes stung. He tried not to rub them and almost had to close them. His eyesight was limited to an area smaller than that of a vision slit on a medieval knight’s helmet with his visor pulled down ready for battle. He only wished he had a full suit of protective gear and infrared binoculars or a spotlight to find Ole Pederson.

Daniel continued along the riverbank, keeping a watchful eye for predators, including any Pterosaurs that might be invading the skies above him and meat-eaters trolling for quarry. He made his way slowly down the shore, still following what he thought was the sound of paddles rustling in water.

Over the river, a flock of Ichthyornis screamed their dismay, sounding more forceful than the present-day terns they resembled. On the bank, Cimolopteryx probed in the mud for food with their long, slender bills. And out on the river a lonely Hesperornis swam through the gunk covering the water, searching for tiny sea creatures.

Daniel figured the fierce-looking prehistoric shorebirds posed no more threat than those in current times, but he wasn’t sure if the giant bees that alighted on small flowers would attack him. He felt reasonably safe with
the dragonflies – they’d ignored him before and he didn’t have time to worry about tiny ground creatures.

He tried to shove down the panic rising from the pit of his stomach. His mind churned with questions about how his surrounding environment was affecting him. Who knew what lethal substances fell all around him or what harmful gases filled the air? He had no protection against anything floating in the air even though he wore an oxygen mask. Maybe he’d die along with everything else.

Hopelessness engulfed Daniel as he realized there was nothing he could do about the cycle of extinction. Eighty to ninety per cent of the Cretaceous life he had experienced would die. Not just the individuals in front of him, but whole animal species and most of the plant life. He had no way to influence or stop the devastating horror.

All he could hope to do was locate Pederson and bring him home.

Ahead, Daniel caught sight of an unusually large mound along the riverbank. As he moved closer, he realized this was the place where he’d found the injured Edmontosaurus on his other trips. Now a mound of earth covered her, the result of the embankment collapsing when two T. rex fought to their death above her. He could almost make out the outlines of her body, curled protectively around a nest. He remembered her twisted hindquarter and broken forearm that made it impossible to survive or fend for her young.

But what had happened to her hatchling that Daniel had rescued? In the increasing darkness and swirling debris, Daniel searched for the grass and earth enclosure he’d fashioned for the baby Edmontosaurus. And then he saw it. A fine layer of dust particles covered the little body. Its leathery sides barely moved and the little pouches by its nose hardly expanded. Daniel knelt and tenderly brushed some of the debris off its body, but there was no movement beneath his hand. Sadness welled up when he realized it had stopped breathing. He covered it gently with earth.

Suddenly he heard coughing coming from some distance down the river. It had to be Pederson! He followed the sounds in the murkiness, sure now he was going in the right direction. The sound of oars pulling through water was stronger and Daniel started to run.

He lifted his mask and called cautiously, “Mr. Pederson?”

The rowing stopped. The coughing continued.

Cupping his hands to his mouth, he called louder. “Mr. Pederson.”

“Daniel?” said a rough, rasping voice.

“Yes.” Daniel moved closer. “Mr. Pederson, I’m over here.”

A loud bellowing came from somewhere behind Daniel, and then a tortured squeal.

“Over here,” Daniel yelled, guiding Pederson to him. “Come quick.” He pulled his mask back over his mouth.

He had never been in the past when it was dark before. He had no idea what was out there beyond his field of vision, which wasn’t more than a few metres. The thought of a huge Triceratops or an Edmontosaurus stepping on him by accident almost made him faint. Flying reptiles circled closer. Although many were fish-eating, the sharp teeth in their beaks still made his legs feel weak.

Then he reached Mr. Pederson.

With the swirling mass of debris in the dark foreign landscape, Daniel felt like he was on some other planet staring at an astronaut in a pressure suit. Pederson wore some kind of environmental overalls with a full-face oxygen mask and protective headgear. He pulled the dinghy closer to shore.

“What are you doing here?” Pederson demanded, briefly removing his oxygen mask.

“What are you doing here?” Daniel challenged.

Daniel stepped towards the water’s edge, replacing his mask. His boots were instantly sucked into the gooey mud. Grabbing the rope that Pederson threw him, Daniel tugged on it, dragging the dinghy onto the beach. On wobbly legs, Pederson stepped out and Daniel helped him manoeuvre through the muck.

“Why did you come?” Daniel demanded.

“I wanted to do further research on the Stygimoloch and its environment,” Pederson answered innocently.

“But why, when you knew the fossils had been recovered?”

“You found them?” Pederson seemed stunned by the news.

“You didn’t know? But Dr. Roost left you a note on your door.”

Pederson shook his head. “I didn’t see it.”

Daniel groaned.

Pederson shrugged. “Well, it’s been an interesting adventure. I’m glad I came.”

Obviously holding back a tickling cough in his throat, Pederson motioned to Daniel to pull the dinghy farther onto the shore.

“We may need the other equipment,” he wheezed, beneath his mask.

“It’s too dangerous to stay here,” Daniel warned, but he did Pederson’s bidding.

“It certainly is for you without any proper protective gear!” Pederson cleared his throat.

As Daniel turned back to Mr. Pederson, he froze.

“Don’t move,” he mouthed.

Pederson stood stock still. Lurking in a stand of trees over the riverbank was a huge, vicious head with glaring yellow eyes. As it swung around, Daniel saw dozens of razor-sharp teeth in its mouth. Another Tyrannosaurus! Their only hope was to keep still.

As he waited for the T. rex to leave, the blood rushed into Daniel’s head until the pulsating was so loud, he almost couldn’t stand it. When the T. rex gave a deafening roar, Daniel wanted to cover his ears but didn’t dare move a muscle. He had no idea how long the ferocious meat-eater had been watching them. He hadn’t heard it arrive. Maybe it had been there all the time and the two of them had disturbed its sleep.

After several tortuous minutes, the humungous creature gave another terrifying swivel of its massive head and gargantuan jaws and lumbered off. Trees and branches cracked and snapped under the weight of its body.

Ole Pederson sat heavily on the ground. Daniel walked over and sank down beside him.

“Can we go home now?” Daniel asked.

“Well, I do have some marvellous specimens,” Pederson said hesitantly.

Daniel suddenly found breathing difficult. He sucked harder on his oxygen line, then began to gasp. He realized he was out of air!

Pederson noticed instantly, plucked his oxygen mask off, and passed it to Daniel. Daniel took several deep breaths, then returned it to Pederson, who sucked on the mouthpiece and inhaled between sputtering coughs. Daniel removed his useless mask and tank, discarding them on the blackened riverbank.

“We need to get you back into air that’s safe to breath.” Pederson took another deep breath, then handed it back to Daniel.

“Okay, let’s go,” Daniel agreed, fearing for Pederson’s health. He also worried about his own safety, especially as they had to share the oxygen. They continued to pass it back and forth as they talked.

“You go, Daniel,” said Pederson, patting his arm and stifling a cough. “I want to do a couple more things.”

“Like what?” Daniel asked in dismay.

“I’ve been investigating the aquatic life, floating down the river and getting a quick overview of this location, but now I’d like a higher perspective.” He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and held it over his mouth.

“Don’t tell me you want to climb a tree?” Daniel stared at the tall trees surrounding them. Their lowest branches were several metres off the ground.

“It will be a perfect vantage point,” Pederson said. “Besides, I have the equipment to do it.”

“Equipment?”

“Drag that dinghy over here. I have all kinds of gear in it,” said Pederson.

Daniel pulled his t-shirt over the bottom half of his face and dragged an armload of ropes and pulleys out of the rubber raft.

“See?” Pederson said, coughing. “Now you can go home and I’ll be along in a bit.”

“I’m not leaving without you. Besides, you can’t do it on your own.”

“Yes, I can. I’ll pull myself up.” As they shared the oxygen mask, Pederson outlined his plan to hoist himself up with a pulley and harness.

“How are you going to get the rope up to a high enough branch, even if you could pull yourself up?” Daniel pointed to a stand of tall pine and redwood with massive trunks.

“Throw it.” Pederson shrugged.

Daniel stared, incredulous. Pederson was pale and wheezing, and obviously too weak to throw the rope to any height.

Daniel shook his head. “There’s no way you can do it. And I’m not strong enough either. Those trees are impossible for me to climb too.”

“I’d really like to accomplish this. It’s the last thing I’ll do.” Pederson said half-serious and half-joking.

“It might be, if we don’t get you home,” retorted Daniel.

“This is the chance of a lifetime.” He looked from Daniel to the trees and back again.

“Don’t you want to live to enjoy what you’ve already accomplished?” Daniel asked, wiping the sweat from his face, accepting another round of oxygen. “We can’t stay here any longer. You’re already worn out.”

“I’m fine, lad,” said Pederson, but he couldn’t hide his trembling limbs or shaky hands.

“We need to go home.” Daniel begged. “Please!”

All of a sudden Pederson’s eyes widened as he stared at something behind Daniel.

“Look,” Pederson whispered.

Daniel turned to see a swelling grey-black cloud in the distance. Beside him, Pederson began clicking away with his camera. Daniel watched, mesmerized as the billowing dust and debris expanded over the landscape. Then the rising wind caught the massive swirl and it rolled and boiled towards them. A twisting funnel-shaped cloud appeared.

“Let’s get out of here!” Daniel yelled, grabbing Pederson’s arm with one hand, while he pulled the prehistoric leaf out of his pocket with the other.

As they took turns sucking on the oxygen, Pederson struggled to find his piece of vegetation in one of the pockets of his overalls. Daniel’s body vibrated with desperate terror as he helped Pederson search. The old man seemed to become disoriented, moving slowly between bouts of coughing. Sweat ran down both their faces.

At last, Pederson drew out his large leaf with trembling hands. He nodded at Daniel, then grabbed for his backpack. They took one last look at the swirling mass of dark debris, heard the horrible shrieks of the wind and the terror of the creatures, then they stared into each other’s eyes. Together they dropped the bits of plant material that had brought them so far into the past.