The Nest

The Nest


By Dominic Herrmann




As Eva walked through the forest, she could slowly but surely feel the world change all around her.
Dozens of ancient eyes watched her like a hawk from all directions.
They were watching in silence, too. Not silent like a library, but the kind of prolonged silence where the mind feels like it's walking a tightrope.
The slightest sound would knock things off balance and cause chaos.
Eventually, one of the animals emerged from the underbrush and approached. It was one of the thickheaded ones.
Pachy… Pachycephala, Pachycephalosaurus?
Strange name, and an even strange looking animal!
It stood on two legs, and its body was covered in dark green, pebbly skin like that of an alligator or crocodile. On the tip of its mouth was a dark, parrot - like beak and on top of its head was a large bony dome that was a light red color. The dinosaur's arms hung from beneath its body and ended in four or five fingers.
Its bird - like pupils gave off a very dull, almost cow-like gaze.
It mumbled a small roar towards Eva and took a step forward. The silence amplifies each step like the slow Ratta tat of a machine gun. After sniffing her clothes for a bit, the Pachycephalosaur had to have deduced that she wasn’t a threat and walked away to join the rest of its species.
And once again, Eva stood alone.
Completely isolated in the last vestige of the Cretaceous wilderness.
She inhaled and exhaled deeply.
Eva thought back on what Hathaway had said.
Hundreds of species, reduced to four by time. They once dominated every environment on Earth…
Now their domain had been reduced to a small pocket of forested land.
They were no longer the sovereign rulers of the world.
Something under a tree caught Eva’s eye, a large cluster of white circular shapes.
Eggs.
They were laying in a dug-out patch of dirt next to a tree root. That’s why they were so suspicious of her.
This area was their nesting grounds.
She felt their eyes shift back to her.
The dull, cow like gaze had changed to a series of quick, suspicious glances.
Suddenly a light cracking sound caught her ears. She gasped and stepped away, hoping she hadn’t stepped on an egg.
One particular egg near the center of the cluster was twitching slightly, a small, cracked section was bulging outward.
Eva leaned forward, fascinated.
Then, as if on cue, two small bird-like feet broke through the bottom of the shell. Followed by a tail and eventually the head.
A baby dinosaur.
She had just witnessed the birth of a baby dinosaur.
Something that hadn’t been seen by living eyes for over 65 million years.
Eva couldn’t help but smile.
Once free from the egg, the tiny hatchling stumbled around the nest, its small eyes adjusting to the light of the midday sun. As Eva tried to get a closer look, the hatching stumbled on the edge of the nest nearly falling.
Eva reached forward to grab it. It was barely bigger than a kitten. It squeaked curiously at her, the dome on its head would take time to develop. For now it was only a tiny red spot on the head, and it still felt soggy from the egg-
Suddenly Eva felt something hard shove her to the ground. She nearly lost a grip on the hatchling as she landed on her stomach.
Eva cringed audibly as she felt her ribcage, she could already tell her chest was bruised and possibly swollen.
The forest around her erupted in violent growls and animal roars, followed by what sounded like sprinting…
Then everything froze.
As Eva turned, there was a Pachycephalosaurus standing above her. Its face was mere inches from her own.
Eva shifted her body back and towards the tree.
The dinosaur angrily snorted in her face, its warm breath condensating on her nose and forehead.
Whatever dull, cow - like gaze had been there before had been replaced with the narrow eyed, brazen stare of an angry bull.
No, worse.
An angry parent.
Eva was cursing herself for such a stupid mistake. Not knowing what else to do, she slowly outstretched her hand which still contained the wriggling hatchling.
The adult Pachycephalosaurus growled in rage and started kicking up the dirt like a bull ready to charge a matador.
Eva closed her eyes, near tears.
The hatchling blinked and squeaked repeatedly at the adult dinosaur. The adult looked down and examined the juvenile thoroughly, Eva could feel its skin rubbing against her own. Eventually, the adult opened its mouth and grabbed the hatchling by the midsection and walked back towards the nest.
It roared at the other Pachycephalosaurs, who seemed to calm themselves, but still harbored some suspicions towards Eva.
Once again, Hathaway's warning crawled back into her mind.
The world might not belong to us anymore.
Sooner or later the roles may reverse themselves along with the food chain.
Eva picked herself up and walked away from the nest. Further and further, leaving behind the last remnant of the Cretaceous wilderness.