Primitive Man

A few minutes before Garnt noticed that Ganna was missing from the group, she was there, following along with an unusually heavy-looking baggage hanging on her back.

Since Garnt was injured and had to rely on Gundo to walk, he didn't have the luxury to give personal attention to everyone. So, Ganna acted on her own, thinking that if she wanted to be useful to Garnt, she had to carry the most amount of food, luggage, and other supplies that they could possibly need.

Because of this Ganna stumbled through the dense underbrush, her arms straining under the weight of the heavy bags slung over her shoulders. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she struggled to keep pace with the fleeing villagers. Her mind raced with worry and fear, but also with a deep-seated determination to be of use to Garnt, the boy she admired and respected.

He had become her whole reason to live, so she knew if she wanted to have any worth in her life, she had to be useful to him even though Garnt expected none of that from her.

"I have to be useful," she muttered to herself, her voice barely audible over the cacophony of the panicked crowd. "Garnt needs me. I can't let him down."

But despite her best efforts, Ganna found herself lagging behind, her progress slowed by the cumbersome burden she carried. As she trudged along, she felt a pang of loneliness and insignificance wash over her. The villagers surged ahead, oblivious to her struggles, their attention consumed by the urgent need to escape.

"I'm just a burden," Ganna thought bitterly, her heart sinking with despair. "No one even notices me."

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden sharp pain in her ankle as she tripped over a protruding tree root, sending her sprawling to the ground. Agony shot through her leg as she landed with a thud, her bags scattering around her in a chaotic heap.

For a moment, Ganna lay there, stunned and defeated, as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She watched helplessly as the crowd of fleeing villagers grew smaller and smaller in the distance until they were nothing more than a distant blur on the horizon.

"No one cares," she whispered, her voice trembling with self-pity. "I'm worthless."

As the realization of her own insignificance washed over her, Ganna felt an overwhelming sense of despair engulf her. She lay there in the dirt, tears streaming down her face, as the sounds of approaching danger grew louder and louder.

The breaking point for her was the screeching sound and the wood-breaking noise that came from the direction of the village. She felt warmth spreading down her legs as she involuntarily wet herself, adding to her already overwhelming sense of shame and despair.

Alone and broken, Ganna could only lie there in the darkness, her world crumbling around her as the echoes of the approaching dinosaurs filled her with dread.

"I might as well die! What's the point of living like this? Nobody cares about me, nobody loves me, nobody-" She kept thinking until she felt a warm hand on her shoulders and the familiar scent of a man that she quickly identified.

"What are you doing?"

Ganna blinked through her tears, turning to see Garnt kneeling beside her, his brow furrowed with concern.

"I... I'm sorry," she stammered, trying to wipe away her tears with the back of her hand. "I just... I couldn't keep up with everyone."

Garnt's expression softened as he gently helped her sit up. "You don't have to apologize," he said, his voice reassuring. "We're in this together, remember? We don't have time so let's go."

Ganna nodded, feeling a flicker of hope stir within her chest. "But I slowed everyone down," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I'm just a burden."

Garnt shook his head, his eyes meeting hers with unwavering intensity. "You're not a burden, Ganna. You're part of our group, and we need you. I need you. Didn't I tell you this already?"

Ganna's heart skipped a beat at his words, a warmth spreading through her despite the pain in her ankle. "But I couldn't even carry my own weight," she protested weakly.

Garnt reached out, gently lifting her so their eyes met. "It's not about how much you can carry," he said softly. "It's about being there for each other, no matter what. And right now, you need us. Let us help you."

Tears welled up in Ganna's eyes once more, but this time they were tears of gratitude. She reached out, grasping Garnt's hand tightly in hers.

Both of them got up, Garnt knew he would have to carry Ganna now that her ankle was injured but when he tried to lift her, Garnt felt his body shaking again unlike before but this time he started to feel exhausted as if the earlier energy wasn't there in his body anymore.

[It's the effect of your adrenaline Garnt. Now that you're calm, things are starting to get normal for your body. It was the effect of the DNA syringe that allowed you to run this fast.]

"What? Then-" Garnt looked at his own body and tried to move his legs but the stiffness he felt was unlike anything he had experienced before.

"It's not looking good," he murmured, more to himself than to Ganna, who looked at him with a mixture of confusion and concern. She didn't understand why Garnt also suddenly fell without anything happening.

"Ganna! It looks like the exhaustion had finally caught up with me. You might have to carry me now!" Garnt said in a tone that sounded more like a joke.

Ganna's eyes widened in realization, but before she could respond, a soft laugh bubbled up from her lips. "You shouldn't have come to rescue an unfortunate woman like me," she said, shaking her head in disappointment at her own unfortuanteness.

Garnt smiled, despite his exhaustion. "Maybe you're an unfortunate woman," he teased gently, "but I'd still come to rescue you."

Their moment of levity was short-lived as the sound of approaching dinosaurs grew louder, a stark reminder of the danger they faced. Garnt tried to move forward quickly, like a snake slithering through the grass, but his weakened state made it difficult.

Ganna's eyes widened in terror as she heard the unmistakable roar of the approaching dinosaurs, their thunderous footsteps echoing through the dense jungle.

But before they could take another step, a chorus of bloodcurdling shrieks filled the air, freezing them in their tracks. The sound was unlike anything they had ever heard before, a primal symphony of terror that sent chills down their spines.

Ganna clung to Garnt's arm, her heart pounding in her chest. "What do we do?!" she cried out, her voice barely audible over the cacophony of sounds.

Garnt's mind raced as he scanned their surroundings for any sign of safety. "Shit! Shit! Shit! This is not good. We will become fooder to them at this rate," Garnt shouted and Eva was also panicking, but she knew there was hope for these two as someone was following Garnt when he ran away from the original group.

Just then, Rona came running towards them, her expression filled with concern as she took in the scene before her. "What happened to you, Garnt?" she asked, her voice urgent but looking at the forest, she knew there time was running out. "We don't have time to talk, so I will carry both of you."

Garnt glanced at Rona, a silent understanding passing between them.

Rona wasted no time in springing into action, her strong arms reaching out to lift both Garnt and Ganna effortlessly. "My, my, you two are quite the heavy burden," she quipped with a smirk, her tone laced with playful sarcasm. "I hope you've show me plenty of love after all this, Garnt."

Garnt managed a weak chuckle, grateful for Rona's light-heartedness in such a dire situation. Ganna, too, smiled despite the fear gnawing at her insides.

With careful steps, Rona began to walk, her pace slow and steady, mindful of Garnt's weakened state. The voices of the approaching dinosaurs grew louder, their heavy footsteps reverberating through the air like thunder.

But before they could face the impending danger head-on, Rona spotted a small cave tucked away amidst the dense foliage, its entrance obscured by hanging mosses. With a quick decision, she veered towards it, guiding Garnt and Ganna inside with her.

As they huddled together in the darkness of the cave, peeking out through the veil of mosses, they watched in breathless silence as a procession of dinosaurs passed by, their massive forms casting eerie shadows in the fading light.

Ganna was about to pee herself for the second time because of how scared she was, but this time she had people she could rely on so she knew she had to stay strong.

Even Rona's heart pounded in her chest, the fear threatening to overwhelm her more than anyhting. But as she glanced at Garnt and Ganna beside her, she felt a sense of solidarity wash over her. They were in this together, and together, they would find a way to survive.

"Garnt muttered in a low tone, 'Our lives won't be the same anymore after this,'" to which both Rona and Ganna agreed with nods of their heads.