Daffodils and Dinosaurs
A new piece of fanfiction in the intertexual narrative of the Cyborg Mermaid! đ Published author Katelynn E. Koontz wrote this short story about the prehistoric world that was spoken about while the Cyborg Mermaid was in her spaceship towards earth. Thank you, Katelynn!
âItâs here again.â
Rivet looks up, extending her neck. There, in the sky, thereâs a light. Itâs a blinking, glinting thing. He sighs. âI see it.â
The small, many legged creature clacks its pincers together. Itâs half hidden by the daffodils that bloom around the brachiosaurus. âItâs not natural. Harder than stone. With a thing inside.â
âJust one thing?â
âJust one thing.â
âI donât like it,â announces Rivet. He turns back to the plants and takes a mouthful. The flowers are sweet against his massive tongue. âAnd I donât like that you know so much about it.â
The insect, Arach, clicks again. âI donât know why I know so much about it. I justâŠdo. I want to call it a Divina.â
âThat sounds stupid,â says Rivet. He nudges his insect friend with his snout. âCome on.â
Arach listens, clambering first up onto the brachiosaurâs snout, and then crawling down the very long neck to settle on Rivetâs back. âI know it does. But itâs true! And at night, I dream about â â
âA featherless creature, with fins made from shiny stone and arms too weak to carry itself. Youâve told me.â Rivet sighs, and the sound sends the yellow daffodil petals fluttering. âI know youâre worried, but I think we should just ignore it.â
Arach protests, âwhatâs ignoring it going to do?â
Rivet laughs. Itâs a deep, braying sound. âItâs going to make you worry less! And that, my friend, means that I will worry less!â
Brachiosaurâs have very long legs to match their very long necks. Rivet is able to cover more ground in a few strides than Arach could hope to cover in an entire day; theyâve been best friends for as long as theyâve been alive, and always take good care of each other.
But for once, Arach canât help but think that Rivet is wrong. As the brachiosaur moves away from the daffodil field, the insect canât help but turn around and stare up at the light. Whatever it is â whatever this Divina might be â Arach thinks that itâs very important. And he thinks, too, that it must be very important he knows these things.
âStop thinking so hard,â says Rivet, after a few quiet moments.
Arach clatters his pincers in nervous laughter. âI canât help it. Itâs just so strange!â
âExactly!â Rivet picks up his pace, until his running with a long lumbering stride that shakes the entire world. âAnd strange things are never good! The best we can do is leave now and hope that it leaves in the other direction!â
âMaybe,â says Arach, unconvinced but knowing he wonât get anywhere. âMaybe youâre right. Maybe itâs nothing.â
âIt is,â says Rivet firmly. âTrust me.â
And Arach tries very, very hard to do exactly that.
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