The Extinction Series | Book 6 | Primordial Earth 6

think…” Kat pressed both hands to her womb with a sense of profound wonder. “I think I might be pregnant.”

Chapter 7
Rogue was running. Running as fast as she could. She wasn’t sure what she was running from, but she knew she was in danger. Suddenly, a raptor burst out of a bush on her right and lunged at her. Its jaws snapped shut mere inches from her face, and its hot, rancid breath washed over her nostrils. Rogue let out a strangled cry as she veered to the left. She could hear more raptors behind her, crashing through the forest. Her heart raced in time to their trilling cries.
Through the trees, she spotted a raptor running parallel to her on the left. Before the creature could act, Rogue skidded to a stop. As her feet slid across the ground, she spun on her heel, darting to the right. The raptors shrieked in protest as they flew past her, but it wouldn’t throw them off for long.
The sound of pounding feet filled her ears along with her own gasping breaths. Her legs grew heavier with each step, and her lungs were on fire. The heavy backpack cut into her shoulders and weighed her down. A high-pitched trill broke through her suffering. Instinctively, Rogue lurched sideways, barely managing to stay on her feet. A raptor slammed into a tree just past her shoulder.
They were right behind her. At any second, one would leap onto her back, its long claws sinking into her flesh as she fell to the ground. The vivid image brought forth a sob of despair. She was doomed, and she knew it.
She burst into a clearing and raced across the open field. A quick glance over her shoulder caused her to stumble. There were at least four raptors in pursuit. Probably more. She looked ahead in time to see the ground disappear into nothing and skidded to an abrupt stop. A ravine opened up before her feet, plunging down to a river far below, the water white and frothy as it whistled past.
Rogue whirled to face the raptors, holding the machete in front of her. The raptors hissed as they closed in. As she swiped at one, another lunged for her. The creature narrowly missed. Its teeth clacked together a hair’s breadth from her arm.
She couldn’t hold them at bay. The river was her only hope. Inching backward, Rogue glanced over the edge. The water looked deep, but looks could be deceiving. Rocks could lurk just below the surface, ready to shatter her bones. It was that or the raptors.
One of them leaped forward, its teeth snapping shut mere inches from Rogue’s throat. She swung the machete, nicking the creature across the chin. It screamed and reared back as blood sprayed from the wound.
Enraged, the other raptors closed in for the kill. It was now or never. Rogue jammed the machete back into its sheath and spun around. Without another thought, she jumped off the cliff. Just before she hit the surface, she looked up. The raptors peered down at her from the edge, seeming perplexed by her actions, but they weren’t dumb enough to follow.
Then the river closed in around her. The sudden icy cold made her gasp, sucking in a mouthful of liquid. Murky water swirled around her. Her vision blurred as the fierce current pulled her downstream.
***
Rogue woke up with a start, her heart pounding in her chest. Sweat beaded her forehead, and her breath came in rasps. It was just a nightmare. Yet, it had felt so real. As real as the day it happened.
Her groin twinged, and she noticed her full bladder. It was about to burst, and she shot out of the hammock like a bullet from a gun barrel. Squeezing her thighs together, she performed an awkward penguin shuffle to the edge of the boat.
She dropped her pants and sank down with seconds to spare. A deep sigh of relief escaped her lips as her bladder emptied. She’d made it, and she realized the dream about the river had been caused by her need to pee. Her subconscious probably dragged up the old memory because it was filled with water.
After a few moments, she became more aware of her surroundings. The sky had turned light grey, heralding the arrival of dawn. There was no point in going back to bed, and she decided to surprise everyone with a hot cup of coffee.
She pulled up a bucket of river water and washed her hands with a sliver of soap in the kitchen. Next, she stoked up the tiny wood-burning stove and filled the kettle with clean water from their bottled supply. Rummaging around in the cupboard, she pulled out the tin can filled with ground coffee beans. It was half-empty thanks to the poor harvest they’d had, and she hesitated. Tea, rather?
“Nah,” she muttered, ignoring the plastic bag filled with dried tea leaves. She hated tea and preferred coffee every time. Right then, she craved a cup of Joe.
Rogue frowned. “I wonder where that saying comes from? A cup of Joe? Who’s Joe?”
“I’ll tell you one day,” Seth said.
Rogue jumped, nearly dropping the coffee can. Her heart bounced around like a jackrabbit, and she smacked him on the arm. “Don’t sneak up on me like that. You scared the bejeezus out of me.”
Seth chuckled, unrepentant. “That’s the whole point.” He leaned down and kissed her on the lips. “Good morning, by the way.”
“Morning,” she said, still pouting.
“You’re up early,” he remarked.
“I had to pee,” she said, stirring the pot. “Coffee?”
“I’d love some,” he said.
Once the coffee was ready, she poured two cups and put the rest aside to keep warm. Cradling the mug in her hands, she wandered toward the edge of the boat. The hot brew warmed her belly, and she soaked in the beautiful sunrise on the horizon.
A ripple in the water caught her attention, and she squinted at the disturbance. It was some distance off, but it was getting