PANIC ROOM • KENJI KON

XXX. Eva Loses Control

Chapter Thirty:  Eva Loses Control

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"I know it wasn't easy, but you made the right choice, kid. Thanks to you, we'll be done in no time."

Tiff took up the rear, swatting away mosquitos and groaning. "Ugh! We better be! Oh, god. I told you I never wanted kids. Now we have four of them and no guide."

"We don't need a guide, babe! We have Darius. And he is taking us to... drumroll please?"

"The watering hole," he admitted bitterly.

"A one- stop dino-hunting shop! This kid is something. Didn't I tell you this kid is something, babe?"

Sammy coughed, and a moment later, Yasmina collapsed. "Ankle hurts. I need a break."

"Just for a little bit," Sammy pleaded. "She can't keep going this fast."

"Fine! It's exhausting keeping these— ugh! Bugs away!" Tiff swatted the air around her.

It was small, but it was the start to glorious revenge.

"Why are they only attacking me?" she shrieked.

Sammy and Darius helped Yaz to the ground beside a log.

"We can't just go along with this," Yaz said lowly. "We have to do something."

"We only have two choices," Darius said. "Help them and get back to our families, or don't and stay trapped here."

"Or option C," Eva offered.

"There is no option C."

"Um, yes there is. Option C is to fight them, take their guns, and run."

Darius shook his head. "Unless you can gurantee—"

"Have you ever been front kicked in the vagina?"

"I— uh, what—?"

"Because I promise it hurts just as much for girls as it does for boys."

Darius shook his head again. "I don't know, Eva. I promised I'd get everyone back home, no matter what it takes. But—"

"Shhh," Mitch crept up on them, finger to his lips. He stood as something rustled around them. "Babe, you hear that?"

The bushes continued to rustle and heavy footfalls came closer until a large, thirty foot long stegosaurus entered everyone's vision.

Tiff unzipped her gun case and removed her gun. Something about seeing the rifle right in front of her made everything so much more real to Eva. If she could just take the gun from her and run...

"Perfect. Look at those plates," Tiff whispered.

"She's beautiful, isn't she babe? Just stay clear of its thagomizer."

"What?"

Mitch nudged Darius. "The pointy spikes on its tail, eh, bud?"

"Whatever," Tiff quietly snapped. "Just take the shot before it gets away."

"Don't worry—" Mitch pushed Darius to the ground and raised his rifle. "It won't feel a thing."

Mitch lined up the shot, turned the elevation turret, and let his finger curl around the trigger.