Raelynn for her post doctoral research on massive millipedes, was looking for fossils in the mountain range. It was getting dark after hours of work and finding nothing, Raelynn went back to area with tents and entered hers. Inside she saw her colleague Jenifer typing something on laptop
- Do you know how to position image in LaTeX? - asked Jenifer.
- I don’t know. Just google it – replied Raelynn.
- I always have some problems whenever I write, I spend more time searching how to do something than actually writing.
- Anyway I didn’t find anything on dig site. I’m going to sleep.
- Alright, I’m getting tired too, I will finish soon.
Raelynn took off her necklace, changed to pajama and went to sleep.
In the morning after she woke up and ate breakfast Raelynn went with others to dig site. After some time of working Tom came up to her with dissatisfied look on his face
- So far we didn’t find anything – he said.
- The more we dig up the more we find out… maybe – Raelynn replied.
- Maybe we should move somewhere else?
- But there’s no guarantee we will find something somewhere else and if we actually find fossil here the fun will begin.
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Their conversation was interrupted by scream. When they turned their heads they saw other colleague, short distance away, with arms spread wide slowly walking back. Man loudly said
- EVERYBODY SLOWLY GET BACK! THERE’S MOUNTAIN LION
Raelynn’s heart started beating faster, cougar was hissing aggressively and heading towards group. Before she realized others backed away, maintaining eye contact with cougar she tried to back away but mountain lion started sprinting. Startled Raelynn tried to run backwards, because of that tripped and fell on the back. Before she could even pick herself up cougar was already on top of her and bit on her throat. Raelynn tried to scream but no sound came out, she felt warm blood running down. Raelynn could no longer breathe, desperate to catch some air she squirmed but to no avail. It felt like minutes, cougar was still holding her with powerful jaws, Raelynn didn’t know what to do, she tried to use all her strength to get up however laying on back and with big cat on top she failed. Just now she vaguely heard someone yelling
- RAELYNN!
In corner of her eyes she saw some shapes coming closer. The hold on her throat loosened, finally, she tried to gasp for air but only felt a liquid pouring into lungs. Everything around became hazy, there were sounds of yelling and hisses. Her chest started burning, she couldn’t cough blood out of lungs. In pain, afraid, Raelynn was helpless. Then she felt pressure put on her throat and again sharp pain of teeth piercing neck. Cougar started dragging her away. Raelynn was worn out but with what remained of her strength tried to fight back. World became darker and darker, the only thing she felt now was pain and burning in her chest for more oxygen. The world went black.
…
Raelynn suddenly woke up with tears in her eyes breathing heavily, she grabbed her throat to check on it. There was no blood or pain, after calming down Raelynn looked around, she was outside in dark forest. What quickly caught her attention was that leaves on shrubs and ferns were almost black with violet hue
- Am I going blind? - she asked herself.
- Tom? Jenifer? Alex? Anybody? - Raelynn called but no one answered.
She started wandering in unknown place. As she walked she noticed more and more weird things. The plants she have never seen before, weird structures as wide as tree trunks and in a distance a millipede that not only she didn’t know but also one of the biggest she ever saw around 50cm long.