7

Your hands sweat as you load high-caliber ammo.

The bigger triceratops growls and paws the earth, kicking up fine debris. A breeze sweeps the detritus toward you, stinging your eyes and sending you into a coughing fit. The massive horned head swings around to glare at you. No matter—or so you think. The ground quakes with every step it takes toward you. The behemoth lets loose a bellow of pure rage.

"I've got it, Brett," you say. Drawing upon reserves that you didn't know you possessed, you sight between its hate-filled eyes and fire, then fire again at its snout. The great beast shrieks and jerks. You keep shooting until you've emptied the magazine. As you do so, the triceratops goes down on its knees, blood pouring from its mouth. Moaning and convulsing, it collapses. Its final agony will stay with you a very long time.

The other dinosaur has edged back. Now it struts off as though responsible for taking down its rival. This one is so magnificent that you lower your rifle in tribute.

You turn your attention once more to the possibility of going home. You race to the Way Way Wayback Machine and jump in.

"Yes!" you shout. "We're outta here."

Even before Brett plops down in the passenger seat, your fingers dance over the controls as you switch over from regular driving mode to time-travel mode and activate the flux navigator. There's nothing more welcome than those glowing green lights and that reassuring hum as it springs to life. You key in the command sequence to enable the time window to open. Once again, an orange shimmer engulfs the Way Way Wayback Machine.

That was one too many close encounters. You've had enough. Everything is in order. You reach to stab the dual launch buttons, and…

Too Late