I was expecting another dead thing—maybe a horse or a person—but what charged out of the bushes was no corpse. It was the biggest damn lizard I’d ever seen. It stood on its hind legs, towering over the horses, about fifteen feet long from head to tail and probably weighing a ton. Despite its size, the thing moved fast. Arms outstretched, it ran on two legs towards Janelle and the Reverend. Each hand had three fingers. The middle fingers were equipped with claws the size and shape of a grain sickle. It had a big head and an even bigger mouth full of arrowhead-sized teeth. Its tongue flicked the air as it made a hissing, throaty sort of roar.
Shrieking, Janelle dove into the stream. The Reverend ran after her. I noticed that he’d pissed his pants. He paused, glancing back and forth from the water to the lizard, as if trying to decide which one he feared the most.
The creature slashed the throat of Terry’s mount. The poor beast took two faltering steps and then fell over. The other horses scattered. As they did, three more giant lizards emerged from the bushes and attacked them. The cries the horses made as they were slaughtered was one of the worst sounds I’ve ever heard.
We hurried to the far side of the stream while the lizards busied themselves with their kills, tearing and ripping, sticking their snouts into the horses’ abdomens and rooting around. I glanced back and noticed that the Reverend had waded into the water up to his knees. He stood there trembling, watching in horror as the lizards feasted.
“Come on,” I shouted. “While they’re distracted!”
He shook his head.
“Somebody has to help him,” Janelle said. “One of you get back over there.”
“The hell with that,” Deke said, wading onto the shore. “I ain’t even going back for my gear. You think I’d go back for him?”
Janelle gasped. “He is a man of God.”
“Then I reckon God will keep him safe,” Deke replied. “Either that, or he’ll meet God real soon.”
“I’ll get him.” Terry splashed into the stream.
Cursing, I jumped in after him.
“Hogan,” Deke yelled. “Where the hell are you going? Get back here!”
“Our guns are over there,” I told him. “We’re going to need them.”
That was my excuse, anyway. Deep down inside, I wondered if I was doing it for Janelle, instead. I waded after Terry. We made it about halfway across the stream before pausing. The lizards were still eating. So far, they’d ignored the Reverend. He stood there, glancing back and forth between them and us. His chin quivered and his legs shook.
“Come on, Reverend.” I waved at him, trying to keep my voice low. The movement attracted the attention of one of the lizards. It raised its bloody snout and snorted, cocking its head sideways and studying Terry and me. I’d been charged by a bull once, while crossing a pasture. The lizard had the same look in its eyes as the bull right before it charged.
“Terry,” I whispered, “don’t move. Just stay still.”
He nodded. The color drained from his face.
“Reverend,” I said, keeping my voice calm and steady. “You need to get in this creek right now. It don’t matter if you can’t swim. Terry and I will carry you. But get your ass over here.”
Nodding, he inched forward. The water rippled around his knees. His lips moved in silent prayer. His eyes were closed.
“That’s it,” I whispered. “Easy now. Nice and slow.”
I glanced at the lizards. All four of them watched us now. They stood stiff and tense, ready to spring. One of them was missing an eye. The left side of its face was a mass of scar tissue left over from some long-ago fight.
“Giants in the Earth,” the Reverend muttered. “Leviathan.”
It was hard to hear him over the churning water. “What?”
“It’s a Bible verse, Mr. Hogan. There were giants in the Earth in those days.”
“Only verse I know is ‘Jesus saves’. Reckon I’ll take your word for it.”
He stopped, gasping as the water reached his crotch. One of the lizards crept towards the stream.
“C-cold,” the Reverend stammered. “It’s so cold.”
“That’s okay. We’ve got you. Terry, give him a hand.”
“Hogan,” Deke called.
“Little busy right now,” I said.
The lizard on the bank lowered its head and sniffed the spot where the Reverend had been standing. The other three turned away from us and stared into the forest. I followed their gaze and saw why. The three dead coyotes I’d noticed earlier had followed us into the canyon. Now they stood under the tree line, watching us with blank, lifeless eyes. One of them was missing an ear. Another’s broken ribs were sticking through its fur. They didn’t pant. Didn’t growl. They just stared. Flies hovered around them in clouds.
“Oh hell,” Terry said.
The Reverend’s eyes grew wider. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
He started to turn around, but I stopped him.
“Never you mind. Just give Terry your hand. Let’s get out of here before they decide to have us for dessert.”