Primitive War

by Ethan Pettus

Ryan looked over his shoulder and saw that the T. rex had reclaimed its bearings. It slid through the water like an enormous crocodile, water glittering on its feathers like crystal beads. “Oh, of course it can swim!” Ryan screamed.

“Cause Jericho’s a liar, that’s why,” Gerald said. “Open your eyes, man, he’s leading us astray. You need to quit being a sheep led by wolves dressed as shepherds. Quit being the lamb and be the lion.” “That was…eloquent,” Miller said, “But fuck off.”

“Whatever. Either way, they’re gonna be bronto burgers,” Eli grunted. “Extinct.”

“Don’t worry, guys. We’re going to be okay. Everything’s going to be fine.”

Bro I fear that everything is in fact not going to be fine.

He was nearly delirious from the pain and rush of adrenaline, but he didn’t care. He would kill them with his bare hands if he had to, kill every goddamn animal in the valley if need be. He wasn’t scared of some overgrown chickens.

The shotgun boomed twice and the utahraptors yowled like feral cats. Miller leaned his head out of the window and saw Eli lying on his back, waving his shotgun with a bloody arm. “Yipee-kay-yay, motherfuckers!” Eli shouted. “It’s turkey season!”

“That’s the problem,” Andrei muttered coldly. “I’m never wrong.”

Birds rode on the backs of the triceratops, pecking at parasites. Monkeys climbed over their horns, hooting and shrieking gleefully at each other.

The grenade in Miller’s hands swelled. “I’m sor—”

Mother crouching to sniff the body of her chick. The massive beast nudged the frail corpse, trying to make it wake up, and her chest started to heave with mounting panic. The Mother Tyrannosaurus moaned loudly, shaking the air of the clearing.

Rip to literally everyone in the vicinity 💀

The Father Tyrannosaurus had finally found his family.

The Mother released an ear-splitting cry, raising her head to the storm clouds above. A powerful rumbling emanated from the Father Tyrannosaurus as he nuzzled his mate. Sergei paused to watch, briefly stunned by the sight. The pair of leviathan predators stopped their vocalizations and turned to face Sergei. With a unanimous bellow, the behemoths charged.

The two tyrannosaurs were nuzzling their surviving chick in the center of the compound, near the front gate.

Sergei watched as Borodin sprinted downhill and the Father Tyrannosaurus plowed through the forest after him. The Mother Tyrannosaurus followed them out with the chick trotting like a dog beside her.

We are stronger than our mistakes and failures.

“Yeah, only four,” Andrei said. The flash of lightning subsided, and the golden eyes were suspended in darkness. The predators were silent as they stared at the small group of men. A dozen more pairs of eyes suddenly blinked open throughout the compound. Ryan’s jaw fell open and he nearly dropped his rifle. Eli choked on his chewing tobacco. “…But I’ve been wrong before,” Andrei muttered.

“I’m not a communist, you drunk,” Andrei said. “You bicker like children,” Sergei said. “Shut up, commie,” Eli grunted. “Everybody, shut up,” Ryan said.

Sergei took the grenade and looked up to see Leon staring down at him. Leon nodded, and climbed the ladder to the roof. Sergei yelled after him. “In another life, comrade!”

won’t forget you, Captain,” Eli shouted.

Dozens of utahraptors filled the basin. Some were performing elaborate mating rituals; their feathers above their heads flexing like headdresses as they ducked and weaved and fanned their forearms at each other.

Leon was sent back to the United States with a scholarship, courtesy of Jericho’s connections.