Avant was massaging his temples when the plan was thunderously shattered by a panicked dinosaur. Clearing land rarely went to plan, but it was rare that it went off course so soon.
The vegetation deeper in the forest was the first sign of trouble. The commotion started with cracking trees as a large animal thumped out of the nearby forest. As if being saddled in a giant rodeo, the brontosaurus kicked and bucked with its back legs. The beast kept jumping from left to right as if something were riding it. Our simple plan gave way to my bellowing commands between the bleating roar of the long-necked dinosaur.
“Re-group point! Re-group point!” I yelled to my crew, pointing down the fence line. This order would cause a lot of noise, but a quiet operation was no longer an option. We also had to continue the plan. Solomon was still preparing for our sweep, though I couldn’t imagine a better crier than a loud, pained dinosaur. Were there ants on its back? No. Those were zombies. The brontosaurus must have been foolish to stop for vegetation or bed down nearby.
It took me a few moments of staring to realize that I hadn’t been moving. Instead, I was transfixed on the scene slowly coming up closer and closer to me. When I realized how near the dinosaur was, I kicked my ride into action and got away. The others had already left long ago. They needed little prompting when a crazed dinosaur was involved.
I followed the broken trail of bushes and trees to where the others in my crew had gone. I stopped up near the center of the group, who looked even more nervous than before.
“Did anyone see a flare?” I asked a little more shrill than I wanted. A darting of eyes told me that we had all forgot to keep an eye out for it during the dinosaur rampage. “Let’s keep an eye out for it. Solomon is counting on us.”
Had we missed the flare? Was Solomon being slowly suffocated in a swarm of hungry blue zombies? Why had there been a brontosaurus out here? Something wasn’t feeling right. Something about the way the dinosaur panicked just didn’t feel right. Clearing land gives you a sixth sense for an expired situation, and this felt downright sour. With each passing brainstorm, I grew more and more queasy. I almost missed the small bloom of light, a little off from where I had been looking. I realized I forgot to calibrate for the new location.
“Alright. Time to work gentlemen.” I told the group as I grasped the reigns.
We kept pace together going through the brush toward the source of the flare. As expected we saw crowds of blue brain zombies trying to swarm a tree. Our crier almost appeared bored. He made a show of yawning as if getting chased up a tree by blues were an everyday occasion. Perhaps for him it was.
The blue brains crunched and flew apart as the dinosaurs ripped through. They had been taught to swing their heads as they plowed a field, giving them a dual advantage. Not only would blues find it harder to cling, but it would clear more blues from the path. The group broke apart to complete another pass through the pale flesh. I was surprised we hadn’t found more of the blue brains. Maybe this crier survived by being soft spoken.
“Solomon!” I yelled at the man in the tree. “Is this all the zombies you could find? I am used to doing several dozen passes, not just two.”
“I did my part, Pale Rider.” Solomon spun the words with contempt down at me. “Maybe you got a good deal on the land?”
“Maybe” I replied half-heartedly. I was looking around for more blues to clear. Sometimes they come in herds or flocks. Perhaps this group was just the start of the full assault. When I didn’t see anything moving I mumbled to myself. “Maybe too good.”
“Solomon!” I yelled up to the tree. “Come down, let’s try again further down. Maybe we just picked a bad spot.”
“You didn’t pick the wrong spot, Pale Rider.” Solomon was leaning forward, trying to catch a glimpse of something. “Here comes some company now. I can see the trees moving. Best prepare yourself!”
I looked the direction he had been leaning towards. Nothing came to view. I was holding my breath, though out of instinct. As if preparing to drown myself in the next few upcoming moments. The mind had to be clear and ready. I tightened the reigns in my hands, making sure they wouldn’t fall to the ground. I have to be clear and ready… clear and ready… clear and ready.