Dinosaur Lake 3: Infestation (12 page)

The Chief Ranger of Redwood National Park, Steven
thought observing the man as he finished his steak, couldn’t have been more
different from Chief Ranger Henry Shore if he’d been from another planet. Having
come from work, he was in his ranger uniform. It was too tight, a little
wrinkled. The man was short, sturdily-built and his brownish hair was shaved tight
to his head making him practically bald. His eyes were a flat shade of coffee
with heavy bushy eyebrows above them. Kind of reminded Steven of a short,
chubby brown bear with a bad attitude. When the ranger spoke his voice was low,
barely a gruff whisper, and you had to strain to hear him. But he was a
no-nonsense kind of guy who rarely smiled, only stared at you as if he expected
you to break park law any second. But then, he didn’t have much to smile about
at the moment, did he?

But there was something else odd about the ranger. He
wasn’t telling them everything he knew. Steven could feel it. There were
unspoken words floating in the air between them.

“Will you take us to where the remains are?” Justin
had barely eaten half his supper and was concentrating on what the ranger was
saying and what he said back to him. The two men seemed to be sizing each other
up, jockeying for control, and Steven was getting a kick out of it. Seeing
Justin in his element, strong in his conviction of what needed to be done, was
a new experience for him. His friend could sure hold his own all right.

Witter sighed, pushed himself away from the table
and stood up. He’d told them when he first arrived he had something else work
related he had to attend to and after a quick bite to eat he’d be returning to
the office. “I’ll do that. No trouble. I’ll take you to where one of my
rangers, Ranger Stricklin, was led to the dead creature last week. As I told
you on the phone before you came, it isn’t easy to get to. Way out in the back
woods in a hard to find cave. The carcass is at the bottom of a pit in that
cave. It’d be hell to retrieve so that’s why we haven’t pulled it up and gotten
a closer look at it. I’ll leave that to you and your team of scientists, Dr.
Maltin, if you’d want to claim it for research. We only discovered it because
some crazy spelunker decided to explore the cave and stumbled upon it. Came
running to us to blab about it. He wanted to know if he could take away
souvenirs if he could get down to it. I told him no.

“Now, excuse me you two, I have to get back to the
office. I’ll meet you at seven a.m. tomorrow morning at park headquarters and
take you out to the cave. Come dressed warmly, prepared for deep woods and a
wet, chilly cave climb. You can use our climbing equipment if you like. We’ll
share. Expect to be gone most of the day.

“See you both in the morning.” And the ranger was
out the door and into the faint light of a dying day, one much cooler than the
one they’d left that morning in Oregon. But night was coming. Along the coast
it would get much chillier when the sun went down.

“What a friendly fellow,” Steven huffed
sarcastically, taking another sip of coffee and making a grouchy face above its
rim.

“About what I expected. Henry warned me he was a
difficult man to get to know. A loner. He has trust issues. So I wasn’t
disappointed. But we don’t have to be great friends to accomplish what has to
be done.”

“If you say so.

“What do we do now? The evening is young and we are
in California. Just miles away from the coast and the ocean. And I’ve never
been here before.” Steven grinned at his friend across the table. “Let’s go see
it.”

“Why not? We can drive along the coast and see the
sights until the light is gone.”

And after paying their dinner tab, that’s just what
they did.

Chapter
6

Steven

Steven woke before Justin, eager for their trek
into the Redwood’s deep forests to see what was waiting for them at the bottom
of that cave pit. He’d charged his Smart Phone, dug out his new camera, and was
dressed in warmer clothes as Justin was just dragging himself from bed. The
room they’d shared to save cost for the night wasn’t luxurious, no frills, but it’d
been quiet and the beds had been comfortable.

“Up already, I see,” Justin grumbled as he drifted
past him towards the bathroom. “Impatient aren’t you?”

“I can’t help it. I want to see what’s in the cave.
Don’t you?” He was sitting on the end of his bed. Tapping his foot on the floor.
Fiddling with his camera. His eyes smiling.

“Oh, I can wait. Whatever it is, it’s probably
trouble.” Justin closed the bathroom door. “I’ll be ready in a few,” his words
came through the closed door. “Don’t leave without me.” Chuckles.

“I won’t,” Steven bantered back. Strolling to the
windows, he pushed the curtain away to reveal the outside world. “Going to be a
nice day. Sun’s shining. No clouds in the sky except those wispy white ones.
Great day for exploring caves.”

Justin didn’t answer, probably couldn’t hear him.

They left the motel, drove through a McDonald’s for
a speedy breakfast and met Witter in his office at five minutes to seven.

“You can ride with us,” Witter announced and strode
past them outside to where a four-wheel drive park truck waited. “This is
Ranger Stricklin–who the spelunker led to the cave–and Ranger Jefferies.” On
the way, he did introductions with a flick of his hand as he mentioned each
ranger. Stricklin grinned from his tall height, his mustache partially hiding
his smile, and tapped the brim of his hat that held down his long blond hair. Jefferies,
much shorter than the other Stricklin, nodded, and his keen brown eyes matched
the color of his skin.

As he and Justin hurried to catch up with the rangers
Steven thought again how different Witter was from Ranger Shore. Shore inspired
confidence whereas Witter didn’t seem to care if he did or not. Wasn’t very friendly,
either. All business.

It was cool in the deep woods as the five men, with
Ranger Stricklin at the wheel, drove the roads through the Redwood forest. Steven
had to admit the trees were magnificent. Set amongst spruce, hemlock,
Douglas-fir, berry bushes, and sword ferns which created a multiple canopied
understory, they were a sight to behold. They rose to the sky around them.
Wooden titans. It was good to know they were now protected from being harmed or
logged. In 1850 old-growth redwood forest had covered over two million acres of
the California coast, then after a minor gold rush brought miners to the area
and the gold ran out, the gold diggers became lumberman and, uncontrolled, harvested
the trees until there hadn’t been many left. So in 1920 conservationists,
seeing the urgent need, established a collection of California parklands to
preserve and protect the ancient towering trees. Good thing. Looking up at
their height, he thought what a shame it would have been if there’d been no
more. If the lumberjacks had cut them all down for wooden tables and wardrobes.
They were amazing. Ha, people. They needed to learn to cherish the planet, not
plunder its natural resources until its surface resembled the moon. After all,
nothing was infinite. Certainly not the earth and the gifts it gave humanity.
When its treasures were gone, they were gone forever.

They drove for hours, he and Justin talking between
themselves or with Ranger Jefferies or Stricklin. Justin wanted to know
everything Stricklin had seen when he’d entered the cave the week before
because he wanted to know what to expect.

“The cave’s a huge mother,” Ranger Stricklin revealed
when Justin asked him about it. “To be truthful, I never knew it was there. Of
course, the park’s lands are vast. The man who stumbled upon the cave said he
only explored a short stretch before he found the, er, remains. He didn’t know
what the carcass was because he didn’t actually go deep enough into the pit he discovered
it in to find out. All he said was it was massive. Stunk to high heaven, too.
So he thought it might have been dead for a while.”

“Are any of you coming into the cave with us?”
Justin asked their companions.

All eyes went to Witter. He nodded. “Stricklin and I
are. Jefferies will stay with the truck. Keep an eye out.”

For what, Steven wondered to himself but didn’t
ask.

But Witter answered it for him. “Bears. There’s loads
of black bears in these parts. Big ones. They can be really mean if they
stumble on you.”

Okay. Bears.

By the time they got to the cave around noon Steven
decided he liked both Stricklin and Jefferies. They’d been helpful and sociable.
Talkative once they’d gotten them started.

Witter eventually thawed out, answering their
questions and joining in the conversations. Once he’d seen they weren’t
crackpots or fame-seekers he questioned Justin about his dinosaur experiences
and listened thoughtfully to what the scientist had to say. “These creatures
have been extinct for millions of years so why is this happening now?”

“I wish I had the definitive answer to that, Chief
Ranger, but I don’t. I can only speculate what, in my opinion, is happening. I
think it’s the earthquakes. Crater Lake has been having a series of extremely
destructive subterranean earthquakes the last decade, as has your California
coastal region. And combined with the effects of the
ring of fire
, which
includes seventy-five percent of the world’s volcanic activity, that travels up
through and into Canada and the heating up of the underlying magma meeting with
long-buried dinosaur eggs…voila, live dinosaurs. I know it sounds unbelievable,
but there you have it. That’s why I’ve been making contact with all the
National Parks along or close to the
ring of fire’s
path. I want to know
if other parks are infested like Crater Lake.

“If we find what I think we will in the cave, then
my theories the dinosaur unearthing and birthing isn’t entirely contained to
Crater Lake National Park will be confirmed. And that it could be a nationwide
event.”

Witter studied the woods as if he’d never seen it
before. “I hope you’re not correct in that particular hypothesis, Dr. Maltin. I
truly do. This forest is dangerous enough with its native wildlife so we don’t
need breathing dinosaurs skulking around also eating the visitors. And I
wouldn’t relish hunting the anachronisms down, either. I’m not much of a big-game
hunter of any kind. I wouldn’t want to have to hunt real dinosaurs.”

“You wouldn’t like it, no, if your park was overrun
with the creatures. I’ve lived through that numerous times and, trust me, it’s
no fun. Some of this new breed is quite clever and they have species
adaptations that are sometimes hard to believe.”

“Species adaptations?”

“Oh, you know…mutants…bigger than the average known
dinosaurs. Bigger teeth. Bigger bodies. Bigger brains. Wings.”

Witter flashed Justin a strange look after that and
fell silent. Probably still didn’t believe in Justin’s prehistoric beasts, yet
Steven had to give the guy credit, he didn’t look one bit scared. Ha, if he
only would have seen what he’d seen, gone through what he’d gone through, two
days before on Crater Lake with those battling Nessies. He wouldn’t be so complacent,
so sure he and Justin were the crazy ones.

Well, perhaps they were crazy and had hallucinated
the whole Crater Lake water battle. Hmm. Uh, uh, he had an imagination, but not
that much of an imagination.

The forest around them was thick with undergrowth beneath
the tall trees and it felt more claustrophobic than Crater Lake’s lands. Like a
giant leafy hand closing down on them. The sun was pulsating above but the
layers of branches and leaves transformed its light into dappled lace. Shadows
rippled everywhere and Steven could almost imagine primeval phantoms skittering
around and behind them in the vegetation. Shivering, he wondered if Justin was
thinking the same thing. Were they really alone?

“We’re about there,” Witter announced, as Stricklin
brought the truck to a halt. “We have to walk in the rest of the way. Hope
you’re wearing your hiking boots and have plenty of water bottles.”

“We did and we have,” Justin assured him. “We brought
our own climbing equipment, as well, that we can use to descend into the pit
and examine the dead creature. Whatever it is.”

Steven caught the approving look Witter tossed
Justin’s way. “Good. You came prepared. Though, as I said yesterday we have
climbing ropes and stuff with us, too.”

Getting out of the vehicle, Steven accepted coils
of rope and a backpack of supplies like what  Justin had taken and their hike
began.

They spent the next hour trudging through dense
forest over compressed leaves, decimated limbs, brambles and rocks so closely
packed together a car couldn’t have gotten through. Steven was glad he
exercised most mornings by walking or hiking wherever he was and that he kept
in shape. Even then, with all the stuff he was carrying and how heavy it was
proving to be, he was hard pressed to keep up with the rangers. Justin seemed
to have no difficulty. Of course in his line of work he was always wandering or
climbing around somewhere rocky, steep or wet and getting strenuous exercise. A
couple minutes into their journey, Rangers Witter and Stricklin offered to
carry some of the equipment and Justin and he gratefully agreed.

“Wow, now that’s a cave. It’s huge,” he muttered as
they stood before a jagged hillside hole surrounded by trees which partially
hid it. The entrance was at least twenty feet in diameter. He made his way to
the black hole opening and gazed in. “Looks really, er, dark in there. Smells
awful, though.
Whoo-ie
. Something has definably went feet up down there.
It stinks. What we should have brought along was gas masks.” He covered his
nose with his fingers.

Witter actually let out a chuckle.

“Well, no time like now. Stink or no stink, I’m
going in.” Justin had pulled a flashlight from his jacket, and a handkerchief
he tied over his nose and mouth, and entered the cave. Ranger Witter and
Stricklin fell into line behind him. Flashlight also out and on, Steven was
last. He’d had to pull out his handkerchief and cover his face as well or he
would have been gagging the minute he entered the cave. The rangers had nothing
over their faces. Apparently they were used to the stench of dead things. Good
for them. Show offs.

Steven had never cared much for caves and he knew
Justin felt the same way. Any place dark, confining, slippery and wet, or full
of wild animals like bears, snakes and bats, had never appealed to him. Justin also
hated being on large bodies of water and he was afraid of heights. Those two
things didn’t bother him, just slimy caves. So he was impressed his friend was
so brave about exploring it. But then if there was dinosaur at the end, or
bottom, of anywhere, Justin would be gun ho to get there. That’s one thing
Steven admired about him, he was devoted to his profession. Loved it and
everything to do with it. Just as he was about his. Music had always been and
always would be his life, his obsession and greatest love. His calling. They
had those passions in common. Probably why the two were such good friends. They
were alike in that way, among others.

A short distance into the cave, Ranger Stricklin
took the lead and within minutes the four men were entering a great cavern.
Steven couldn’t believe the cave was so big inside. “You have a lot of these humongous
caves in your park?” he asked Witter as they stared around, sweeping their
flashlight beams over the high walls and ceilings.

The stench was stronger now, just about unbearable.
Steven hoped he wouldn’t throw up and make a fool of himself. Something in his
throat was trying to make him gag. God, what a disgusting smell. His hand was
now clasped over the handkerchief tied around his face. Even that didn’t help
much. The odor was seeping in through his pores.

“I didn’t know we had this one. Smaller caves,
sure. The park is riddled with them. But I’m as surprised as you at the size of
this mother.”

Steven’s flashlight beam found and tracked a tunnel
that branched off from the main cavern, then another and another one. “Wonder
where those lead?”

“They probably burrow for miles under and through
the park,” Justin said.

“And you’d be right,” Witter answered.

Justin posed a question to Stricklin, “Where’s the
pit?”

“This way. Not far in.” Ranger Stricklin led them
across the open cavern towards one of the tunnel off shoots.

“I’m not a true cave expert, but this cave seems
unusually large. Even the entrance.” Justin directed light into corners and along
walls as they struggled through the cave. His eyes roamed. Probably looking for
cave dinosaurs. Afraid he’d see one.

“You’re right, it is unusually roomy,” Witter agreed
evasively, yet offered nothing more.

Stricklin stopped and directed his flashlight into
a deep hole. “The guy who showed me this said when he found it, a week ago, he
thought he heard strange noises–from below. Growling or something. But real
faint. That’s what made him think it was some kind of animal. He wasn’t sure
what it was so he played it safe and didn’t investigate up close. Said he
looked down as best he could, saw something, something huge that wasn’t
supposed to be there, got spooked, and got the hell out of there. Reported his
finding to us.”