Return To Primordial Island by Rick Poldark (namjoon book recommendations TXT) 📗

ground in the crop area, knocking it over. It turned and sniffed the stick before continuing on. Another investigated a crudely fashioned scarecrow designed to scare off birds and evil spirits from picking at the crops. It chirped and barked a couple of times, shrinking back as it expected a response. When it realized the scarecrow was no threat, it nudged it with its snout and continued advancing on the line of humans.

The middle raptors crept forward, heads lowered and teeth bared, claws splayed out in front of them. They walked in small, measured steps, leg muscles taut, primed for a sudden, explosive strike.

“Here we go.” Jason took a shot at one of the center ones, striking it in the neck. It cried out, shaking its head. The other one sprung forward, dashing at him.

Mary saw one of the velociraptors running from around a thatched hut, becoming tangled in a clothesline Susan had erected. It writhed about, trying to shake the cord, pulling the stakes out of the ground in the process. Mary shot at it twice, hitting it once in the chest and then in its side.

The other velociraptor rushed out from two huts over, lowering its head and opening its jaws.

*

The two velociraptors from the farming area lunged at Hiu and his partner, a man named Ryo. Hiu hurled a spear at one, glancing its shoulder as it dodged. As he knelt to snatch another spear off the ground, Ryo swung around and launched a spear, striking one of the raptors in its open mouth. The wounded velociraptor veered off, shaking its head and swatting at the spear with its clawed hands. The other lurched forward, opening its mouth, targeting Hiu.

Hiu stayed in a kneeling position, pointed his spear at the advancing raptor, and braced the other end into the ground. The raptor shot forward, snapping its jaws. However, Hiu timed it just right, and it impaled itself on his spear with such force that it knocked the spear out of Hiu’s hands. The raptor overshot and missed Hiu with its teeth. Its back leg, however, lashed out at Ryo, its curved claw slicing the man’s thigh.

Ryo cried out and dropped his spear as blood spurted out of the gash. The raptor turned and latched its jaws onto his torso, sinking its teeth into his flesh between his ribs.

Hiu grabbed another spear and drove it into the raptor’s side. It wheeled around, still gripping Ryo, the spear sticking up into the air. Ryo screamed as blood oozed from his mouth and down his chin.

The raptor slashed at Hiu with its foot, but the chieftain side-stepped it and grabbed another spear. He waited as the velociraptor wheeled around, trying to fend him off while it held onto Ryo. When the raptor stopped for a brief moment, Hiu lunged with his spear, hitting it in its right eye. He thrust it in, pushing with all of his body weight.

*

The raptor Jason shot dashed forward, somewhat unsteadily, as Jason fired another shot into its head, dropping it. The other rushed forward, teeth and claws out, moving too fast for Jason. Unfortunately for him, Mary was preoccupied with the right flank and couldn’t back him up.

Jason struggled to aim, but it was too late. It snapped at him, but he staggered backwards, tripping over Mary. He fell on his back as the raptor pounced, pinning him down. It stood on his rifle, which he held horizontally across his chest, pressing it into him with its body weight. Its curved claws on its feet dug into his sides, and he groaned as they pierced his flesh. He felt his shirt mat up with his warm blood.

Mary took aim at the second raptor, missing it. She, too, lost her balance, tripping over the raptor squatting over Jason. She fell to the ground as the raptor lunging at her missed, colliding with the raptor pinning Jason.

The two raptors rolled around in a ball, and Jason wailed as the curved claws released him. He clutched his sides and rolled over to Mary, who was already getting to her feet.

Balled up and tangled, the raptors presented an easier target. She fired at them repeatedly, her shots finding purchase. As they wriggled to stand, they took fire, the bullets tearing into their flesh. Jason, from the ground, fired his rifle. When the smoke cleared, both raptors lay dead, bleeding into the dirt.

*

The third pair of Umazoan hunters broke formation and ran at the raptor assaulting Hiu and Ryo. They thrust spears at it, piercing its vital organs, until it fell to the ground, its tongue dangling limp from its jaws. The second raptor that had the spear lodged in its mouth ran off.

Ryo lay on the ground, clutching his chest. Blood pooled around him as his eyes grew dim. Hiu knelt beside him, clutching him, his expression desperate. He rocked the hunter in his arms as he died, the others watching in a mix of pity and horror.

*

Mary helped Jason up as he winced from the sharp pain in his sides. He struggled to stand, but she threw his arm around her shoulders to steady him.

“You’re going to be okay,” she said. “I’m sure you’ve suffered worse.”

He remembered the time the wolves had cornered him. He remembered the sensation of being mauled, teeth tearing through his coat and sinking into his soft, young flesh. “Yeah, I’ll be all right.”

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Mary.

Jason nodded. “Those velociraptors were sent.” He and Mary traded looks, and then their eyes widened. “The tribe,” they said in unison.

Hiu, covered in Ryo’s blood, and the remaining two hunters joined them as Jason and Mary ran to the other side of the plateau.

“Wait,” cried Jason. “Wait!”

Susan, sending the Umazoans down in small groups, looked at Jason. “What? What is it?” As he approached,