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

“It won’t get us in here,” repeated Nielsen, sounding panicked now. “It can’t get us in here.”

The Tyrannosaurus nipped at the metal a few more times and then backed off, releasing the truck. It stepped away from the metal box, lowering its head so it could sniff it.

“We can’t move,” said the driver from up front, grabbing his rifle. “We’re sitting ducks.”

“Maybe it’ll lose interest after a while and go away,” offered Tracey.

The T. rex stomped around the vehicle, viewing it from all sides, calculating how to get at the tasty morsels inside. It roared at it in frustration, the sound deafening at close range. Marcy crouched on the floor, covering her ears, the roar drowning out her cries.

Tracey noticed Marcy was in distress and sat on the floor next to her. She placed an arm around her. “It’s all right. He can’t get to us in here. We’re safe.”

“For the moment,” added Collins.

Tracey shot him a stern look, but she softened as she stroked Marcy’s hair. “It’s okay. He can’t get us.”

The poor girl had tears streaming down her face. “We’re all going to die.”

“No,” said Tracey. “No, we’re not. We’re safe in here.”

Marcy looked up at Tracey, her eyes big and wet. “What if it doesn’t go away?”

“It’ll go away,” said Nielsen, panting from terror. “It has to.”

Collins glowered and looked out the side window at the circling thunder lizard. “It doesn’t have to do anything.”

“We can wait him out,” said Peter. “We have provisions on this rig, right?”

“We have a dozen go bags,” said Collins. “I hope you like jerky and granola bars.”

“Dehydration will get to us before hunger,” said Peter.

“We have water,” said Collins. “But what we need right now is a plan.”

“We’ll wait it out,” said Nielsen. “Like we said.”

“What if our friend out there doesn’t get bored?” said Collins. “We need a plan.”

“I’m not going outside,” said Marcy, trembling. “No way. Not me.”

Tracey stroked her hair. “Not until it leaves. I promise.”

“Well, I suppose we have to wait,” said Nielsen, turning his back on the pacing predator outside and sinking to the floor. “Dr. Albanese, why don’t you tell us about what prompted the evacuation of the village?”

Peter turned away from the tyrannosaur and leveled his gaze at the Poseidon Tech team leader. “There are things on this island other than dinosaurs. I appeared to have…awakened a race of reptilian humanoids, who proceeded to wage war with the Umazoa.”

Nielsen squinted. “The Umazoa?”

“That’s what we call the indigenous tribe we’re staying with.”

Nielsen nodded. “How did you reawaken this race?”

Peter shrugged. “The lizard men, who reside in a subterranean temple, communicate and store information for historical purposes via these crystal orbs. Mike Deluca had stumbled upon an orb that merged with him, allowing him to control death.”

Collins grimaced. “Merged?”

Peter nodded and pointed at his chest. “Yeah, I merged with an orb that allows me to control life. I can heal myself and others. In some cases, I can even reverse death.”

“Did you…revive any of your team?” asked Nielsen.

“Only those that were still bodily intact. Those eaten by carnivores or totally dismembered weren’t salvageable.”

Collins shook his head. “I don’t believe this. I don’t believe any of this.”

Tracey ignored Collins’ commentary. “Peter, tell him about what was controlling Mike Deluca.”

Peter nodded. “There was something…supernatural that was guiding Mike Deluca, tricking him, influencing him. It wanted off the island. It posed as his deceased wife.”

Nielsen traded knowing looks with Tracey. “The voice on the flight recorder.” He shook his head. “Jesus. That poor man. Mike was devasted by her passing. Cancer.”

Peter hesitated a moment. “It made contact with me.”

Tracey looked startled. “When?”

“Right before you found me inside that Titanoboa. As the snake was swallowing me whole, it offered to help me.”

“Why would it do that?” asked Tracy.

“Because I have something it wants…the death orb. I absorbed it after I killed Mike.”

Nielsen shook his head, struggling to keep up. “Wait a minute. You killed Mike Deluca?”

“He had to,” blurted Tracey. “Mike was murdering everyone.”

“He was barely human anymore,” said Peter, his tone pensive. “He had become a monster. He created living dead out of the Umazoa and even members of our team. Cannibals. It was a nightmare.”

“So, now you have the death orb?” asked Collins.

Peter nodded. “I have both inside me. That’s what you see glowing.”

“How do we know he won’t use it on us?” asked Collins.

“That’s just it,” said Peter. “I don’t know how to use it. That was what that…demon was offering me—the knowledge needed to tap into its power. It saved my life.”

“To what purpose?” asked Nielsen.

“I don’t know,” said Peter. “There’s something else.”

“Oh, this’ll be good,” said Collins.

Peter explained how he entered the temple to attempt to negotiate with the lizard men, to strike a peace accord or truce. “I ran into a particular one who was different than all the others. He was their historian. He was more intelligent than the others I’d encountered. He showed me something, visions of their past. As it ends up, there’s another species on this island, or at least there was. A simian species of ape-like men.”

“Have you ever encountered one?” asked Nielsen.

Peter shook his head. “No, I haven’t. I’ve never felt their presence on the island, so I think they’re also extinct.”

“Why do you think he showed you that?” asked Tracey.

Peter shrugged. “I have no idea.”

“So, let me get this straight,” said Marcy, following the conversation. Her voice sounded mousey. “Not only do we have to contend with dinosaurs, but there are also murderous lizard and ape men out there?”

Collins looked out the window. “Hey, looks like our friend is getting bored.”

They all stood up and looked out the windows. The