Dancing With Killers

• Mathew Risos, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2020

On the outer edges of the city, Raedel, the day after its sudden attack. Connover, Jasmine and Bellamy were investigating how it had come to be.

Hidden from the monsters that screeched under the bright moon.

The infamous Albertosaurus.

Connover's uniform was a black as the night sky, his badge in his pocket and gun holstered to his side.

He stared at Jasmine and awaited her signal, she had rich chocolate-brown coloured hair with caramel highlights that shone brightly in the moonlight, placed all in a small, coiffed bun.

Jasmine raised her hand and flicked her wrist, pointing two fingers into the entrance.

She was the first to step forward, Bellamy and Connover just behind her. Facing opposite ends of her shoulders.

They reached a house just five meters from before.

The smell of death already filled their senses. Cries from an unknown voice echoed, at least thirty meters away.

Connnover held his breathe, Bellamy pushed forward. Heavy footsteps drew nearer.

Jasmine signaled to them both, to hold.

Something was up. Coming even.

Connover and the others weren't the first team to go out. Two had gone before them. None of them returned.

His fingers started to sweat on the trigger.

Whatever was coming, sure felt like it was taking its time.

From under the shadows. The figures became visible.

Albertosaurus, the second highest killer in Jimmadseni Region. The first being Phorusrhacos, local to the Diatryma region, which over the years found its way over to Jummadseni.

“I'm less likely to be missed." Bellamy said, cracking a small joke to hide his pain. Getting a death stare by Jasmine, as he pulled the trigger.

White and red coloured the sky like a child playing with paint.

They had a short window to get to the other house while the Albertosaurus were blinded by the flare.

Adrenaline coursed through his system.

Fight or flight instinct. In this case, run away with your tail between your legs.

But it didn't matter to Bellamy, this was life or death. He knew he would never out run them. He looked back. They were closing in. He had to make it to the house.

He saw out of the corner of his eyes, one of them was almost close enough to make a grab for him. In this case.

Razor sharp teeth.

All of their hearts beat in their chests, pounding, trying to get out.

Senses on high alert.

Bellamy legged it, every second barely escaping the jaws of death. His blood was on fire. His limbs had a mind of their own.

The three were disconnected from everything but the ever present sound of their own drumming heart.

Destined to repeat the misery.

Every shade was brighter, every fluctuation louder, every roaring step a cause to make Bellamy's heart beat more ferociously still.

Until it could beat no more.