Primitive Man

Chapter 229: A real stampede

As the truck went away, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake, the villagers returned to the quietness of their village they still had no idea what happened to the beacon of light that was guiding them, their hearts heavy with the weight of uncertainty.

Upon returning back everyone felt guilty that they left Garnt, but at the same time, they knew the option of helping him was not something they could do, especially when their enemy had so many guns that they used to kill dinosaurs.

Rona and Unami leading the crowd noticed Gundo waiting for their arrival, but they didn't know how she would take the news that they were about to drop on her.

After Unami and Rona told everything to her, Gundo stood at the edge of the village, her hands trembling as she listened to the news of Garnt's departure. Her eyes widened in shock, disbelief etched into her features. "No... Garnt wouldn't just leave us like this," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the murmurs of the gathered crowd. "He won't like that-"

"He didn't leave, he had to go with them in exchange for our lives, but- but he promised he would come back," Rona said that last part without any confidence in her voice.

Beside her, Guni's eyes blazed with determination as she attempted to dart after the leaving truck. "I have to go after him! I can't just let them take my father like this!" she cried out, her voice filled with desperation.

But Ayra, ever the voice of reason, stepped in front of Guni, her expression firm yet gentle. "Wait, Guni. We can't act in haste. Garnt made his decision, and we have to trust that he'll find a way back to us," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil brewing within her.

"Even if we wanted to help him, you're not the person suitable for this job. Leave this to us adults," She said and looked at Thora hoping she would control Guni.

Rona nodded in agreement, though her gaze remained troubled. "Ayra's right. Garnt wouldn't abandon us without a plan. We just have to believe in him," she said, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

The villagers exchanged wary glances, their hearts heavy with the absence of their leader. But amidst the uncertainty, there lingered a flicker of hope – hope that Garnt would return to them, that he would find a way to overcome whatever obstacles lay in his path because he had done it all this time no matter what challenge they experienced.

As the villagers dispersed, each retreating to their ordinary work to process the events of the day, the former village fell into a deadly silence, broken only by the distant rustle of leaves and the occasional whispered conversation.

Gundo kept looking at the forest hoping that Garnt would return anytime, while his women remained strong and supported the village believing their man to return.

But even in the midst of uncertainty, one thing remained certain – the bond that united the villagers, the unwavering belief in their leader, and the hope that one day, Garnt would return to them, his head held high and his spirit unbroken.

***

Garnt's gaze remained fixed on his brother, Baktou, whose once vibrant and familiar spirit seemed diminished, replaced by a haunting silence from time to time disturbed by a small growl. Oswald, seated beside Garnt, observed the scene with a detached air, seemingly unfazed by the turmoil unfolding before him.

He didn't really care about letting Garnt see Baktou because he knew it would be the most effective way to tame Garnt, since he knew that his brother was under their captive.

"You must understand, Garnt," Oswald began, his voice carrying a tone of practised diplomacy. "Our objectives align, but through different means. We both seek stability, through different methods."

"You seek the stability of this land, and I seek the stability of my motherland. I know we can come to a conclusion that will satisfy both of us, but tell me...what does Eva need? What did she ask from you?'

Garnt remained silent, his thoughts consumed by a storm of conflicting emotions. How could he reconcile his allegiance to his people with the situation he now found himself entangled in? Could he really escape this place leaving Baktou to die like an orphan.

"So you don't want to tell...fine with me. I don't really care but you will have to open your mouth to tell us about the things we want to know, if you don't do that when the time comes, I can always send back two military trucks to your village and wipe out that place."

Garnt stared at Oswald hearing his threatening words. "You don't know where my people are. You're just lying."

"I'm not! I already know the place I captured you and It won't take me long to search the whole perimeter of that area to find where you were hiding. Your first mistake was using loud guns and that's exactly how we found you."

Garnt sighed, as he looked away from Oswald his anger increasing, but for now, he decided to let the future decide his fate. He knew with his women Rona, Unami, Ayra and others, the people of the village who were supposed to depend on him would be safe.

But things didn't remain the same for them, as Garnt started to feel something different as the journey continued.

A sense of foreboding settled over the truck, casting a shadow over the already tense atmosphere. Baktou stirred beside Garnt, his instincts honed by years of survival in the unforgiving wilderness.

Suddenly, both Garnt and Baktou tensed, their senses heightened as they detected the approach of something ominous. The air crackled with an unsettling energy, and Garnt's grip tightened on the edge of the truck.

"Impossible! It wasn't supposed to come this close. Yesterday..."

Oswald, sensing the shift in their demeanour, leaned forward with a furrowed brow. "What is it?"

Garnt's gaze narrowed, his instincts screaming a warning as the danger drew nearer. "Trouble," he muttered, his voice low but laced with urgency.

"What trouble?"

Garnt looked at Oswald, but he didn't answer instead he squinted his eyes at the edge of the truck to see something horrifying.

Before Oswald could question him again, a deafening roar shattered the tranquillity of the surrounding landscape, sending shockwaves through the air. Garnt's heart pounded in his chest as he braced himself for the confrontation that lay ahead, knowing that whatever awaited them would test the limits of his resolve like never before.

"All the dinosaurs are going crazy because it got close to the earth. They are trying to escape, but they don't have anywhere to escape, so they are running like their lives depend on it. In a way, they are like us." Garnt commented, but he didn't act because he got closer to Baktou and kept looking at his struggling self.

"Using him as a tool for your direction...Eva, I didn't think people in your time were this cruel." Garnt made a quick remark, while Oswald was looking at the forest waiting to see what was approaching them, even though everyone in the truck already had an idea what it was.

[Humans have always been cruel Garnt. I was cruel too. It's just in our blood and it won't change no matter how different the times are. you just have to accept it and move on Garnt.]

"..." Garnt didn't answer Eva, instead he went back to Oswald and before they could even talk, Garnt managed to see what was approaching them.

It was not one or two dinosaurs, rather a whole bunch of them were running in their direction almost as if they were chasing the trucks, which wasn't the case because these creatures were trying to escape their destined death.

Oswald's eyes widened as he spotted the stampede of dinosaurs thundering towards them. Without a moment to spare, he barked orders at the truck driver, "Step on it! We need to outrun them!"

The driver nodded frantically, pushing the accelerator to its limits as the truck surged forward. Behind them, chaos ensued as one of the trailing trucks fell prey to the relentless onslaught of the dinosaurs, its metal frame crumpling like paper under their immense weight.

As they approached the rickety wooden bridge spanning the river, Oswald's heart raced with adrenaline-fueled determination. He knew they had to make it across before the dinosaurs caught up or risk being trapped.

"Prepare to destroy the bridge!" Oswald commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. With a steady hand, he aimed the rocket launcher, his finger hovering over the trigger.

The truck lurched as they raced onto the bridge, the structure groaning under the strain. With a deafening blast, Oswald fired the rocket, sending a shower of debris into the air as the bridge collapsed behind them, cutting off the path for the relentless horde of dinosaurs.

As they emerged on the other side, the tension in the air was palpable. But Oswald knew they weren't out of danger yet. With a grim determination, he glanced back at the devastation left in their wake, the reality of their precarious situation sinking in.

"We need to keep moving," Oswald said, his voice heavy with the weight of their predicament. "There's no telling what else lies ahead." And with that, they pressed on into the unknown, their journey fraught with peril but fueled by the relentless drive to survive against all odds.