Chapter 40: dinosaur dream #2

The tree ferns grow thinly on the edge of the forest, fronds uncoiling over the tops of the narrow trunks. Placing my triceratops head against the trunk of a tree fern, resting it between my brow horns, I plant all four feet and flex and push until it topples over with a crash. Nudging the trunk into a more accessible position with my nose horn, I begin to chew on the soft fronds. Buzzing insects flit past my eyes and settle on my back. I twitch my triceratops hide to keep them off. My head is heavy and it is difficult to turn from side to side. I try to see everything by moving my eyes instead, rolling them in their sockets. This makes me feel nauseous and I stop, and concentrate on eating the fern instead. The leafy texture contains a taste like smoked cheese with a hint of cardboard. Finishing the fern, I push over another and eat that one as well. The quiet of the forest is disturbed by the occasional bellow from deeper within its boundaries.

Shooting stars streak the evening sky, flaring lines lasting no more than a tenth of a second. They come every few seconds, some thin and fading, others in bright, searing flashes. I lie on my belly and watch the show. One star lasts longer than the others, getting brighter and closer, it is brighter than the moon and the sun combined. It disappears over the hills to the east, the ground shaking at the impact. The glow of the star slowly fades to a bearable level. Pushing myself to my feet, I head in the direction of the hills and the fallen star.