A Sound of Terror
inspired by Ray Bradbury’s, “A Sound of Thunder”
image source: google images
Fabio landed hard on the ground with a sickening crunch. As his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the younger sun and a thinner ozone. Once able to find his bearings, Fabio looked around him to check on the rest of the team which had just landed; Angie, who was already out of the suit and taking photographs; Dilip, who was headfirst in a bush, examining its leaf patterns; Skova, who was charging up her beamgun; and finally Mateo, who had landed on his ass and was currently attempting to find his footing.
“Alright, team.” Fabio began, “As we’ve been warned, any of our actions in this plane can cause ripple effects leading back to where we came from, so let’s all keep in line, keep our heads out of bushes and avoid shooting organisms that might just be our ancestors, yes?”
A few grunts from most of the team and an enthusiastic “absolutely, sir, you got it!” from Mateo, and they were off. The land, which in their time was Montana, was flush with greenery, hills, monadnocks and waterfalls. The vegetation felt more alive - more a part of the ecosystem here. Fabio couldn’t remember the last time he’d even thought of a plant back home. Speaking of which, he turned to Dilip.
“How we lookin’ Dilip? Anything so far that might help?”
“Nothing so far, sir, just some normal vegetation for the dinosaurs.” he said, almost giggling with glee.
Angie jogged up to where they were marching, “So, you think we’ll see some actual dinosaurs today?” she asked, enthused, “Because that would make my entire career, if I can be totally honest.”
“We’re trekking through where scientists found the bones of Tyrannosaurus Rexes, so maybe let’s hope not, and you’ll be able to continue to have a career because you’ll still be alive,” grumbled Skova.
Angie rolled her eyes.
“Alright, let’s just get what we came here for,” barked Fabio, “Dilip needs to be able to concentrate and Mateo - where the hells Mateo?”
“Right here!” came a squeak of a voice from the stalks of the wheat looking plants. “Sorry, Fabio!” said Mateo, tumbling out from behind the stalks, zipping up his pants, “Just a pee break...aha.”
Skova shoved him forward and Fabio continued, “Our scientists are sure that some version of an entity with fully renewable energy exists here, and if we don’t get our hands on it before the thick hands of the Americans, we’re screwed. So everyone shut up, unless your name is Dilip! Mateo, up front now! Somehow, you’re our dinosaur expert, so if this is gonna work, you have to make sure we’re not walking into a situation we can’t walk out of in one piece, got it?”
But just before Mateo could let out the whimpering confirmation that he ‘got it,’ a loud bellow had the entire team on the shaking ground, watching in horror as the rocks around them began to jump up rhythmically.