Jurassic War

Eight

Tanaka watched the soldiers on bicycles race down the desolate lane, as the troop transport barreled along at speed with headlights shining on the closest infantrymen.

Soldiers had rifles slung over their backs and would take a moment to move into action before they could fend off an American attack. Tanaka didn’t like the minor level of preparedness the Imperial Japanese Army had utilized on the atoll. Movement from the roadside disrupted his thoughts.

A stout creature bolted from the jungle and collided with a soldier on a bicycle.

The bike fell over and the private toppled to the ground, as the beast chomped madly at the soldier’s side with ferocious teeth. Horns protruded from above its eyes like a bull, and the creature stood about eight meters, resembling a Carnotaurus, which Tanaka had studied in grade school. It likely weighed over a ton and a half.

Wails of pain and fright echoed over the rumbling truck engine. The driver braked hard and swerved to the left in an attempt to avoid the creature. Tanaka braced for an impact, placing his hands on the dashboard.

The dinosaur spurred into a frenzy. It chomped at the exposed flesh on the soldier’s neck, tearing meat and feasting upon the raw corpse.

Wheeling to the side, the right front of the truck collided with the beast, and a large tire crushed the fallen soldier’s chest. The truck lurched to a stop, thrusting the occupants forward and back. Tanaka flew into the windshield, cracking the glass into a spiderweb, then he jostled back into the seat, landing askew with his rifle dropping to the floorboards.

Shaking off the impact, he reached for the Sanpachi 38, and opened the door.

The meat-eating bull rose from the ground and staggered, then regained its balance and turned towards the truck. Rain pelted off its green scales. Tanaka jumped down from the cab and landed in mud. He raised his Arisaka rifle, firing at the dinosaur’s massive hide. A bullet dug into its scales and caused the beast to pause, like reacting to a bee sting and nothing more.

Firing off another round, the bullet’s impact had a similar effect. A futile effort.

Impervious, the dinosaur charged like a stampeding bull. Rage fueled its pursuit. The creature’s heavy feet pounded into the muddy lane.

Left with few options, Tanaka dropped to the ground and rolled under the truck. Wet muck saturated his uniform. The Carnotaurus plowed into the passenger side door. A massive ding resounded down the lane, and the truck rocked up on two wheels, then dropped back into place, as the dinosaur bounced off the truck, stumbling backward from the blow.

Soldiers in the rear of the transport hollered in confusion. The dinosaur shook its head and let out a massive sneeze. It stepped back, as though contemplating the situation. Then, it sniffed the air and lowered its head, spying Tanaka under the truck.

Rolling further away, Tanaka sought to put some distance between himself and the creature. His pulse raced with dread.

A moment later, it sniffed the air again, as a cacophony emanated from the covered transport. Soldiers grumbled in confusion. Then, the distinct sound of an infantryman working the latch to the truck bed was followed by the clang of the gate dropping open. Boots slapped the muddy roadway as infantrymen alighted from the truck, ready to fight the enemy.

Tanaka rolled out from under the transport. “Get back in the truck!”

A volley of rifle fire erupted from Osamu and the other soldiers. The dinosaur winced, then stepped toward them. Tanaka ordered the infantrymen back into the transport. Rifle fire muffled his commands. It was already too late for the superior private closest to the creature.

The meat-eating bull pounced on him, tearing his guts loose; innards dropped to the ground like sausage links cast onto a butcher’s block table. Blood doused his khaki trousers and splattered on his boots.

The dinosaur feeding greedily was the only thing keeping the private standing.

Everyone froze in terror and confusion.

Tanaka ran toward the infantrymen, waving. “Back in the truck!”

A moment later, they piled into the transport and the truck rolled away from the scene. Tanaka ran along the driver’s side and hopped onto a running board. He looked back and saw the soldier lying prostrate while the Carnotaurus devoured him.

Tanaka scanned the roadside for more predators, as the truck rumbled closer toward the invaders along the coastline. He wondered what other monsters lurked in the jungle.

After the transport arrived at its destination near the lagoon, Tanaka ordered his troops to disembark from the truck. He trudged through the bush and spotted the Americans’ fortifying positions on the beachhead. Snipers quietly scaled the palm trees ready to fire upon the intruders. Then, he radioed the Gocho, and reported the situation.

Kneeling beside a machinegun set on a tripod, he helped the gunner by feeding an ammunition belt into the weapon. Two makeshift machinegun nests were situated along the tree line, where they could riddle the Americans with 7.7 mm rounds, fired from copies of the infamous Lewis machinegun used by the allies. Superior Private Sato oversaw a machinegun nest, and Superior Private Hirano commanded another.

The conflict was about to erupt. And Tanaka braced himself for the engagement with the American invaders.