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ged legs spurting blood。
With more terror than she'd ever felt； Petra turned away when the dinosaur bent and clamped its jaws over Dr。 Piltcher's head and shoulders。 She closed her eyes； but knew that if she lived she'd spend her life seeing that image every day。 As the dinosaur worked at its meal； tearing the body and crunching the bones； Petra saw her chance and carefully dropped onto a lower limb on the other side。
Then she climbed down recklessly。 She'd rather die from a fall than in the jaws of that monster。 A rumbling sound brought her head around to see that the monster was back； and its head sniffing the tree where she had been。 Now she dropped； barely looking to check her footing before moving to the next limb。 Another rumbling above her； this time closer…she didn't bother to look but swung out and dropped to the ground。 Her knees buckled…she crumpled； looking up to see the legs of the monster move toward her。 She didn't have to look to know the jaws were ing down。
When Petra stood to run the monster roared； its hot fetid breath knocked her to the ground。 Petra rolled over to see the monster's towering head swing away toward something behind it…Colter； running through the trees； holding his spear； the tip bloody。 Petra was on her feet when he reached her and they ran through the trees side by side。 Futilely； the monster tried to follow。 Branches snapped and bent； but the trees proved too much for the awkward behemoth。 Finally； it turned and moved to the edge of the woods； trying to catch them when they entered the clearing。
Colter； running on Petra's right； reached out； pushing on her shoulder。 Petra stumbled left； turning to glare at Colter； thinking his push might cost her life。 But he reached out pointing left and he shouted； between gasps； 〃Run for the lake。〃
Petra didn't bother to answer。 Dodging bushes and trees； she headed where he'd directed her。 Colter ran abreast of her。 When they reached the treeline they stopped to catch their breaths； trying to spot the dinosaur。 They could hear the dinosaur bulldozing through the brush； but it was nowhere in sight。 Colter kicked off his shoes； pulled off his shirt； and began unbuttoning his pants； Petra； exhausted； followed suit but kept her bra on。
Glancing at Colter's body； she saw it was cut in a dozen places with dried blood covering his chest and legs。 His white underpants were stained with blood too。 As Petra watched bewildered； he took her pants and zipped them up and buttoned them； then tied the legs in knots。 Colter looked up； his forehead creasing in concern。
〃Are you all right？〃 he asked。
〃What do you think？〃 she snapped。
Then Colter wiped a finger across her forehead。 When he pulled it away it was covered with blood。 Petra started to check her head for wounds； but then realized that when the monster blasted her with its breath； it misted her with Dr。 Piltcher's blood。
〃I'm okay；〃 she whispered。 〃It's not my blood。〃
Colter didn't ask whose blood it was。
〃I'm ready；〃 he said instead。 〃Let's go。〃
Colter got up； holding their pants in one hand and trotted toward the lake。 It was a warm autumn day； but they were wearing nothing but their underwear； and their sweat…coated bodies cooled rapidly in the breeze。 Halfway to the lake the monster came around the treeline。 It spotted them instantly and charged。 They sprinted the rest of the way to the lake across rock and weed； unmindful of the little creatures skitter' ing away from their feet。 Petra and Colter hit the water full speed； but the water slowed them。 Waist high and barely moving； they saw the monster was turning into the lake； splashing toward them。
Colter and Petra began stroking as fast as they could； pulling for deep water； realizing the lake would have to be thirty feet deep to force the monster to swim。 They heard it splashing behind them； creating deep waves that rolled Petra； making it difficult to swim。 She turned her head back with the next stroke to see the dinosaur behind them； very close to Colter who dove； disappearing beneath the waves。 Bellowing； the monster turned toward Petra。 She too dove； kicking and stroking furiously； holding her breath until her lungs were ready to explode。 Then she surfaced； blowing out the stale air； and breathing in new。
She heard the monster roar behind her and dove again； now angling away from her last position。 This time she couldn't stay down as long； but when she came up again she found the monster turned away from her and looking down into the water。 She took several quiet breaths and then dove again； stroking away from the beast。 When she came up the dinosaur was staring helplessly into the lake。
Now she breaststroked away from the beast； looking back frequently to make sure it wasn't following。 Well out into the lake； safe from the dinosaur； she was tiring quickly。 The monster watched her from shore but still didn't move to follow… she hoped it couldn't swim。 Colter was struggling through the water； swimming with one hand。 Petra worried that one of his arms had been injured but then realized he was still dragging the jeans。 When Colter splashed up close to her he reached out and thrust a pair of jeans at her。
〃Here； hold these。〃
〃What for？〃
〃Just do it；〃 Colter yelled breathlessly。
Petra took the jeans and found her arm immediately pulled toward the bottom of the lake。 Colter was struggling to stay afloat by using only his legs； while he fiddled with the jeans。 Then he took the pants by the waist and swung them up and then down into the water； inflating the legs。 Petra grabbed them at the waist and held it in the water and found the makeshift float supported her。 Colter inflated the other pair； then side by side he and Petra floated。
The lake was silent now。 The bellows of the frustrated carnivore retreated into the distance and then faded away。 The only sound was the sound of the air slowly leaking through the fabric of the jeans； which they had to reinflate every few minutes。 Small ripples in the water caught Petra's eye。 Still watching the surface of the water； she saw dozens of bumps appear on the surface of the lake。 When the closest set of bumps blinked； she screamed and smacked the water。
〃Petra； stop； stop。 Here； look at this。〃 Colter held out his hand。
Something was sitting in his palm： a little brown fish with huge bulging eyes。 It had two fins and four little legs。
〃What is it； Colter？〃
〃I don't know； but it's breathing。 It's kind of a fish and kind of a frog or something。 I don't think it's dangerous。〃
Colter dropped the little creature in the water and swam closer to Petra； then floated by her side。 They rested together until they began to shiver； then they knew it was time to move。 Kicking through the water； across the lake and away from where they entered； they reached the middle of the lake and turned toward shore。 They moved slowly； not wanting to attract attention。 The monster was gone； but as tired as they were； even the three…footers would be more challenge that they could handle。 The shore remained empty though； and they gained confidence as they neared。 Then something brushed Petra's leg。 Something big。
Whatever it was； was armored with bony scales and scraped a few inches of skin off of her calf。 She yelped when it hit and Colter immediately swam closer。
〃My leg！ Something hit my leg。 I think I'm bleeding。〃
〃That's bad。 Trailing blood is like ringing the dinner bell。 Make for shore as fast as you can。〃
Petra frog kicked herself forward； keeping both hands wrapped around her jeans float。 Colter settled in behind her； zigzagging across her wake。 The shore crept closer at a painfully slow pace。
〃Petra； to your left。 In the water。〃
Petra turned following Colter's instructions。 There was something swimming alongside of them； matching its pace to theirs…a dark mass six or eight feet long。 It looked like a fish to Petra； but without putting her head in the water there was no way to tell what kind。 If only Dr。 Coombs or Dr。 Piltcher were here； they could tell her what kind of fish to expect in a prehistoric lake。
Petra sifted through her own memories； but the only image that came to mind all had long thin necks and huge flippers。 This mass didn't look like