Loupin reaches us before the T-Rex does and he continues his frantic screeching as he wildly waves his staff in the air. “Loupin is the true leader of the Drandroka!” he screams with wide, rage-filled eyes. “Remove this deceptive pink Sandroka from our land! She is a false Saku!”
The T-Rex walks over slowly, tilting her head curiously as she watches Loupin’s little temper tantrum. “Loupin is the true Saku! He is the true leader,” he shouts.
I gasp as the T-Rex walks up to us and stops, casting us in a gigantic, heart-stopping shadow. Big fat drops of blood fall from her jaws and smack onto the ground in front of us. I wipe the splatter from my face as I try to focus on Turic. His love will get me through this. It will be over quickly and then we will meet again in the afterlife to continue our amazing adventure which is ending way too fast.
“Yes!” Stupid Smurf screams as he thrusts his staff over his head. “Obey the true Saku, Loupin!”
The dinosaur slowly pulls her head back and then jerks it forward, opening her jaws as her head lunges down. She snaps up Scrumptious Smurf in one bite, staff and all.
“Holy fuck!” I scream as the T-Rex whips her head from side to side with only Loupin’s tiny blue feet hanging out. She crunches her jaws up and down and a spray of blood shoots out of the sides of her mouth ending Loupin’s rule once and for all.
Shredded Smurf is not even down her throat when she turns to us with fiery eyes. I swallow hard as I hold up my fist with my old apartment key still sticking out.
The T-Rex pulls her head back just like she did before she snapped up Loupin and I close my eyes, waiting for the dreaded teeth to sink into my body.
A deafening cough, then a whimper rings out and my eyes whip open. The T-Rex is shaking her head wildly as she steps back and claws the air with her tiny arms.
“What the hell?”
She throws her head back with her mouth wide open and it’s right there that I see the problem. Loupin’s staff is wedged in her throat and she can’t breathe.
The bitch falls to her side with a thunderous wham and she kicks out her hind legs into the air like she’s riding an imaginary bicycle.
It’s over fast. Her massive legs slow to a stop and her gigantic tail stops its violent thrashing as she chokes to death on Loupin’s staff.
I flop back against Turic’s body and stare at the stiff beast with a gaping mouth. Maybe I am the Saku.
The thought flashes through my mind for a second but is quickly dismissed. I am still the same girl who tripped down the stairs at her high school graduation and the same girl who spilled a tray of drinks on a customer on her first day working as a waitress.
But the army of cheering blueberries racing up behind me don’t know that. They all gather around me with wide eyes as they reach out to me in awe.
They surround us in a sea of blue and the chants begin. “Saku! Saku! Saku!”
I climb to my feet clutching my hard stomach. I start to get dizzy and lean on Tin Tom for support as I stand up. The crowd of eager Drandroka hush before me. They’re all leaning forward, staring at me with wide glowing eyes as they give me their rapt attention.
They’re waiting for their Saku to speak.
I’m feeling so nauseous and the smell of Loupin’s blood splattered on my chest and arms is too much. I puke all over my feet.
I chuckle as the crowd of Drandroka all jump back as one.
Two things are clear to me now: I’m not the Saku. The Saku wouldn’t vomit all over herself in her most glorious moment. And two, I’m definitely pregnant.
fifteen
“Do you think they’ll be okay?” I ask, biting my fingernails as I watch the proud Drandroka leave the village with large sacks filled with supplies strapped to their backs.
“Yes,” Turic answers without hesitation. “Turic sent the fiercest warriors and wisest trackers.”
I was talking about my girls. I keep wondering if Mandy and Rolanda are okay. They’ve been out there, alone for days and every time I think about them, it breaks my heart. They must be so alone. So scared.
The first order that I gave upon returning to the village as the new Chief (that’s right, I’m the new Chief!) was to send out hunting parties to search for my friends. Turic said that if Mandy and Rolanda are still alive, they will find them.
But that’s a big if.
Mandy is as hopeless as me in the wilderness and although Rolanda is tough, she’s not tougher than a dinosaur.
I push the stomach-turning thought out of my mind as Turic scoops me up in his muscular arms. I’ve done all I could for them. Let’s hope it’s enough.
My love carries me through the village as he whispers what he’s going to do to me once he gets me home. I won’t share here but I can tell you that my cheeks are burning red.