A Very Jurassic Christmas by Corinna Turner

Author:Corinna Turner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: scifi, adventure, action, christmas, teen, catholic, western, christian, dinosaurs, dystopian
Publisher: Corinna Turner

JOSHUA

“Okay.” Rubbing his hands and stamping his feet to get warm, Uncle Z goes to the winch control again. “Let’s do this.”

“I’ve said five chaplets to Saint Des while you were hacking,” I tell him, wanting him to know I’ve been doing all I can.

“Good. Let’s see if he’s listening.”

Yeah. I head down the ladder again. Surely he is, though? I mean, he don’t want Star put out in the cold to be et, right? Guess it’s not up to him, though. He’s only a saint, not God. Dad always made a point about that when other hunters talked like they’d forgot.

Uncle Z starts the winch again once I’ve got the engine running. Shudder. Cable’s taut. Not much sound of ice, now, ’cos it’s all loose already, though it’ll freeze up again fast enough in this temperature. Grinding and creaking from the front. Cracking. The ice is breaking as the winch pulls the ’Vi into it. Hopefully it’ll build up until the wheels can get a grip on it and haul us out... Come on...

Saint Des?

Yep, we are moving. Very slowly. I can see the ice bunching up in front of us. Some is getting driven down, under the wheels. Good. More shuddering. Selecting the very lowest combination of gears, very gently I press the gas pedal. A lurch. Are the wheels gripping something?

“I think we’ve got some traction.”

“Take it slow,” Uncle Z says from my earpiece.

“Yep.” I keep the revs low, just enough to keep the wheels biting and take some strain off the cable. If I apply excessive force and the ice crumples it won’t help.

We’re coming out. We are. Inch by inch we’re creeping up, the vehicle coming back onto an even keel as the front wheels emerge. We’re not out of the woods yet. The rear wheels have to go into the same pit. But the front wheels will drag them out more easily than the back ones could push our front out. And we’ve still got the winch cable helping.

Yep. In it goes. Jolt, shudder, thud. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Star’s tail twitch. Outage! No time to think about it now. We can’t stop yet.

Slowly, the rear wheels come out again. I drive steadily forwards until the first winch cable is all wound up, then I have to stop. Up to the turret again—ow—while Uncle Z jumps out to change the winch drum. The piranha’saurs are still there, watching, but they’re getting smarter, and I don’t have to shoot any this time, which my chest is especially glad of. Uncle Z drives this time, while I operate the winch, to save me going up and down extra times.

Once all the cables are wound, we head straight on to firm ground. Only once we’ve all four wheels on rock do I say, “Star needs tranquing again ASAP. I saw her move.”

“So did I, just now. Come down and make us a hot drink and a sandwich while I deal with her.”

I obey.

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