Dinosaurs Before Dark (5 page)

The Pteranodon coasted down to the ground.

He stared at Jack with his bright, alert eyes.

What was Jack supposed to do? Climb on? “But I'm too heavy,” thought Jack.

Don't think. Just do it.

Jack looked at the Tyrannosaurus.

He was starting up the hill. His giant teeth were flashing in the sunlight.

Okay. Don't think. Just do it!

Jack put his book in his pack. Then he eased down onto the Pteranodon's back.

He held on tightly.

The creature moved forward. He spread out his wings—and lifted off the ground!

They teetered this way. Then that.

Jack nearly fell off.

The Pteranodon steadied himself, then rose into the sky.

Jack looked down. The Tyrannosaurus was chomping the air and staring up at him.

The Pteranodon glided away.

He sailed over the hilltop.

He circled over the valley. Over all the nests filled with babies. Over all the giant duck-billed dinosaurs.

Then the Pteranodon soared out over the plain—over the Triceratops who was grazing in the high grass.

It was amazing! It was a miracle!

Jack felt like a bird. As light as a feather.

The wind was rushing through his hair. The air smelled sweet and fresh.

He whooped. He laughed.

Jack couldn't believe it. He was riding on the back of an ancient flying reptile!

The Pteranodon sailed over the stream, over the ferns and bushes.

Then he carried Jack down to the base of the oak tree.

When they came to a stop, Jack slid off the creature's back. And landed on the ground.

Then the Pteranodon took off again and glided into the sky.

“Bye, Henry,” whispered Jack.

“Are you okay?” Annie shouted from the tree house.

Jack pushed his glasses into place. He kept staring up at the Pteranodon.

“Jack, are you okay?” Annie called.

Jack looked up at Annie. He smiled.

“Thanks for saving my life,” he said. “That was really fun.”

“Climb up!” said Annie.

Jack tried to stand. His legs were wobbly.

He felt a bit dizzy.

“Hurry!” shouted Annie. “He's coming!”

Jack looked around. The Tyrannosaurus was heading straight toward him!

Jack bolted to the ladder. He grabbed the sides and started up.

“Hurry! Hurry!” screamed Annie.

Jack scrambled into the tree house.

“He's coming toward the tree!” Annie cried.

Suddenly something slammed against the oak tree. The tree house shook like a leaf.

Jack and Annie tumbled into the books.

“Make a wish!” cried Annie.

“We need the book! The one with the picture of Frog Creek!” said Jack. “Where is it?”

He pushed some books aside. He had to find that book about Pennsylvania.

There it was!

He grabbed it and tore through it, looking for the photograph of the Frog Creek woods.

He found it! Jack pointed to the picture.

“I wish we could go home!” he shouted.

The wind began to moan. Softly at first.

“Hurry!” Jack yelled.

The wind picked up. It was whistling now.

The tree house started to spin.

It spun faster and faster.

Jack closed his eyes. He held on tightly to Annie.

Then everything was still.

Absolutely still.

A bird began to sing.

Jack opened his eyes. He was still pointing at the picture of the Frog Creek woods.

He peeked out the tree house window. Outside he saw the exact same view.

“We're home,” whispered Annie.

The woods were lit with a golden late-afternoon light. The sun was about to set.

No time had passed since they'd left.

“Ja-ack! An-nie!” a voice called from the distance.

“That's Mom,” said Annie, pointing.

Jack saw their mother far away. She was standing in front of their house. She looked very tiny.

“An-nie! Ja-ack!” she called.

Annie stuck her head out the window and shouted, “Come-ing!”

Jack still felt dazed. He just stared at Annie.

“What happened to us?” he said.

“We took a trip in a magic tree house,” said Annie simply.

“But it's the same time as when we left,” said Jack.

Annie shrugged.

“And how did it take us so far away?” said Jack. “And so long ago?”

“You just looked at a book and said you wished we could go there,” said Annie. “And the magic tree house took us there.”

“But
how?
” said Jack. “And who built this magic tree house? Who put all these books here?”

“A magic person, I guess,” said Annie.

A magic person?

“Oh, look,” said Jack. “I almost forgot about this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold medallion. “Someone lost
this back there … in dinosaur land. Look, there's a letter M on it.”

Annie's eyes got round. “You think
M
stands for
magic person?
” she said.

“I don't know,” said Jack. “I just know someone went to that place before us.”

“Ja-ack! An-nie!” came the distant cry again.

Annie poked her head out the window. “Come-ing!” she shouted.

Jack put the gold medallion back in his pocket.

He pulled the dinosaur book out of his pack. And put it back with all the other books.

Then he and Annie took one last look around the tree house.

“Good-bye, house,” whispered Annie.

Jack slung his backpack over his shoulder. He pointed at the ladder.

Annie started down. Jack followed.

Seconds later they hopped onto the ground and started walking out of the woods.

“No one's going to believe our story,” said Jack.

“So let's not tell anyone,” said Annie.

“Dad won't believe it,” said Jack.

“He'll say it was a dream,” said Annie.

“Mom won't believe it,” said Jack.

“She'll say it was pretend.”

“My teacher won't believe it,” said Jack.

“She'll say you're nuts,” said Annie.

“We better not tell anyone,” said Jack.

“I already said that,” said Annie.

Jack sighed. “I think I'm starting to not believe it myself,” he said.

They left the woods and started up the road toward their house.

As they walked past all the houses on their street, the trip to dinosaur time
did
seem more and more like a dream.

Only
this
world and
this
time seemed real.

Jack reached into his pocket. He clasped the gold medallion.

He felt the engraving of the letter M. It made Jack's fingers tingle.

Jack laughed. Suddenly he felt very happy.

He couldn't explain what had happened today. But he knew for sure that their trip in the magic tree house had been real.

Absolutely real.

“Tomorrow,” Jack said softly, “we'll go back to the woods.”

“Of course,” said Annie.

“And we'll climb up to the tree house,” said Jack.

“Of course,” said Annie.

“And we'll see what happens next,” said Jack.

“Of course,” said Annie. “Race you!”

And they took off together, running for home.

Jack couldn't sleep.

He put his glasses on. He looked at the clock. 5:30.

Too early to get up.

Yesterday so many strange things had happened. Now he was trying to figure them out.

He turned on the light. He picked up his notebook. He looked at the list he'd made before going to bed.