big dinosaur and it was coming.
The…the…the….rex one! The T-Rex!
My body trembled. Olli shook in my arms. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. And then a huge dark shadow passed over us. I cursed and lunged out from under the shadow — and a massive foot stomped into the mud. Trees were flattened across from me.
This dinosaur towered over me. I barely even reached its knees. It had teeny tiny little arms that just dangled in the air, but I was fairly certain even those were bigger than me.
My breath left me in shaky puffs. My teeth rattled. Every muscle in my body tensed.
It lifted its snout in the air and sniffed – then opened its mouth and roared. The ground shook. Trees swayed and trembled. It smelled me. My stomach turned. Quick, Saffie. THINK. What do I do? You watched those movies. What do I do? I replayed the scenes in my head. The man with the blue eyes and cool hat, Dr. Grant, he told the other characters if they didn’t move the T-Rex couldn’t see them.
That was my plan, my only plan.
I pressed my mouth to Olli’s ear and whispered, “Stay.”
The T-Rex bent down and stuck its nose to the ground right in front of me… my heart stopped. My stomach plummeted. It exhaled and its breath pushed my hair back behind me. I squinted and squeezed Olli for dear life.
Don’t move. Don’t move. Don’t move.
It turned its head and a big yellow eye stared at me.
It can’t see you. That’s what Dr. Grant said. Just stay still.
I held my breath, not willing to even trust that chance. I stood there frozen like a statue. Please Goddess, help me. I thought about using my magic or summoning the dead, but if I was too weak it would only trigger the beast.
My knees wobbled. Nausea bubbled up my throat.
A bird squawked behind it and the T-Rex spun around. I ducked under its tail and then sprinted away. Behind me, it roared and the ground shook. The sound pierced my ears and I hissed. Olli whimpered. I ducked behind a large tree and knelt down. My whole body was trembling wildly. Tears stung my eyes.
Where the hell am I?
Then the bush beside me rustled and my heart sank. I braced myself, locking my body in place — and a bright green dinosaur leapt out in front of me. It wasn’t the T-Rex. This one was shorter and smaller, just a bit taller than me. It had weird ridges on its snout, and eyes that definitely saw me standing there.
My mouth watered.
And then my wings popped out of my back.
This dinosaur screeched. My gaze latched onto its long, sharp teeth as it roared in my face. Olli cried. Big flaps like wings popped out from both sides of its face. I remember th — oh no! I pulled Olli’s face into my chest and spun around just as hot liquid splashed into my back. I hissed as it stung my skin through my dress. My body tingled everywhere it hit me. It roared again and more of that liquid slammed into me.
I screamed and pushed with my magic.
Gold glitter exploded out of me.
The spitting dinosaur screeched. I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see it slam into the tree behind us. But it snarled and lunged back for me without hesitation. I raised my hand and summoned my magic to my palm — the T-Rex lunged forward and caught the spitter mid-air.
Thick red blood splattered everywhere.
I gasped and scurried backwards until I slammed into something hard. My stomach dropped. I turned expecting another dinosaur but it was a mountain that towered high into the sky. I sighed and tears stung my eyes. My body quaked. My pulse skipped. Olli whimpered against my chest.
Think, Saffie, think. We have to get out of here…we have to find somewhere safe first.
Light flashed in my face. I gasped and stood up straight. Tegan! But then little specks of light floated right in front of my eyes. I frowned and shook my head – then my jaw dropped. Fairyflies?!
It was. A whole swarm of gold, sparkling fairyflies. Just like the ones from Salem. I cried out and smiled. Some people probably thought I was crazy, but I’d always talked to the fairyflies back home. I licked my dry lips and then whispered, “We need somewhere safe to hide.”
The swarm circled around my head, then shot in a straight line to my right.