Barry and the Dinosaur King

By Tracey Meredith

Left at home alone for the first time, Elian is looking forward to a lazy morning, with nothing more strenuous than reading a book. That is, until he finds a stranded alien sitting on his bed.
Ever the reluctant hero, Elian agrees to help Barry (not his real name. Even the Welsh would find Barry's full name difficult) get past the soldiers who are searching Bordeaux for him. Easy, you might think. Bordeaux is quite big, while an alien being and a thirteen year old boy are relatively small. But Captain Arman Durant is on their trail, desperate to make his mark and leave his boring office job behind him. Little does he realize he's about to see the action he's always wished for. But not with the United Nations or the French army. When Captain Durant finally catches up with Elian and Barry, he finds a lot of the action he's about to see involves rather large lizards with rather large teeth. And significantly larger brains.
Barry, Elian and Captain Durant are now in Bordeaux in another dimension—a dimension where dinosaurs still rule and revolution is in the air.
King Annax is having trouble with the Raptors and the Raptors are having trouble with the king. They don't want to be civilized and are quite content to eat the king's subjects. Barry, Elian and Captain Durant arrive just as things are about to get very nasty indeed.
Contains some violent scenes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tracey Meredith
• Release date: Apr 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370835935

Tracey Meredith

Tracey lives in the west of England and has done so for the last 30 years or so. She started writing to encourage her son to read something other than train magazines- the idea being that he would tell her what would happen next and then she would write it for him, ready to read at bed time. Yes, you're quite right- it never happened.. The unfinished manuscripts were found during a decorating session and determinedly finished over a four year period- four in all. Growned was the first one finished and edited. Others now published are The Angel in Towerhouse Wood and (as Beryl C Jones) a token Romantic adventure called A Foreign Land, which seems to have gone down quite well. Finding Richard was the last of the four to be published.New stuff is on the way, and this time she is determined to finish it in less than 8 years. She has done the final edits to Barry & the Dinosaur King, which is released 6th April 2017. There are, as you will see, also a couple of free short stories on her Smashwords page. You can also read the first part of Barry at http://traceygb1.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page_8.html .

Book preview

BARRY

&

the Dinosaur King

by

Tracey Meredith

Copyright 2017 Tracey Meredith

For Elian,

with love.

May you never be

too old for stories.

Chapter 1

A Close Encounter

Elian sat in bed reading his book, an ear cocked, conscious of the rain battering the window pane. He really ought to get up and close the window. He could see raindrops settling on his bedside table.

It was late morning and he was still in bed. His parents and younger siblings had gone into town to do some shopping, and Elian had been allowed to stay home on his own for the first time. He smiled smugly. He could think of nothing better than being snuggled up in bed while the rain hammered down. He wondered how wet the rest of his family was getting.

He settled back into his book, and started suddenly at the sound of knocking on the front door. He sat frozen for a moment. His mother and father had been at pains to tell him not to open the front door. The knocking continued. They'll go away in a minute, Elian told himself. They'll realise no one's here and go away.

But they didn't go away, and the knocking became louder and more urgent. Elian frowned. What could be that important? Anyone would think the house was on fire or something. Elian thought for a moment. It wasn't on fire, was it? He sniffed the air. He couldn't smell anything burning.

He slipped out of bed and checked all the rooms in the house, sniffing as he went, but there was nothing to indicate a fire. And still the knocking persisted. It was getting on Elian's nerves.

He reached the front door. It was visibly shaking with every blow. Should he open it? Elian stood hesitantly. No, he thought. This wasn't normal behaviour. Normal people knocked on the door and then went away when they didn't get an answer. Perhaps he should find his mobile phone and call his dad. This might be someone dangerous trying to get in, someone with several counts of murder to his name, who was getting angrier and angrier with every knock on the door.

Elian tried to think back to yesterday evening's news. He hadn't really been paying much attention to it, but he was pretty certain there hadn't been anything about a murderer or a dangerous convict being at large. There had been something about an explosion in the sky and the possibility of some light aircraft blowing up mid-flight. Elian remembered that, because they had heard the explosion a couple of hours before, and Elian's dad had commented they were lucky it hadn't blown up over the house, or anyone else's house, for that matter.

The knocking stopped. Elian stood tensed for a few minutes, waiting for it to resume. But it didn't. Of course not, thought Elian. They've gone away at last. He suddenly realized he had been holding his breath. He let out a long sigh. Back to his bed then. Mum and Dad wouldn't be home for a while yet. He could snuggle into bed and finish the book off before they got back.

He padded back to his room and pushed the door open. And stopped. There was something—someone—on his bed. Elian's stomach lurched. The creature was lying curled up on its side. It looked up at Elian and raised a hand. Help... me, it said.

Elian's jaw dropped. Wha—? was all he could manage, as his mouth caught up with his brain and stopped working in disbelief.

Help... me, came the plaintive voice.

Elian's heart was beginning to hammer inside his chest. Help me, it had said. Unconsciously, Elian took a step closer to his bed. The creature struggled to sit up. Elian stopped. The creature had managed to get onto its knees. It held its hands out as if in supplication. Help! it gasped and keeled over onto its side. It lay there, panting, looking at him with large, green, catlike eyes.

Still Elian remained rooted to the spot. Do something, his brain urged him. You can't just stand here. Do something. He cleared his throat and tried to speak. What? he began hoarsely. He cleared his throat again. What, he resumed, can I do? To help?

The creature half sat up, pulled up its trouser and pointed to its leg. There was a long gash along its calf and Elian now noticed the bloodstains on the cover of his duvet. First aid box, his brain told him. Go and get the first aid box. I'm just—just going to get... something. Elian's voice trailed off as he backed out of the door. He rushed into the bathroom and grabbed the box off the top of the cabinet. He hurried back to the bedroom, but the creature was no longer on his bed. Where—? began Elian.

Help me, came a barely audible whisper. Elian looked down. The creature was on the floor, by his feet. Elian had almost trodden on it.

The boy knelt down and hurriedly opened the box. The first thing he saw was a pack of disposable gloves. Yes, that would be a good idea. He vaguely remembered something about always wearing gloves when dealing with body fluids, particularly when they weren't your own. And as he wasn't too certain about the origins of the creature before him, it would probably be a very good idea to put the gloves on.

He shook out a pair with a flourish. The creature gave Elian a worried look as it watched him struggle to put the gloves on properly. Suddenly, it spoke. You could try putting some talcum powder on your hands first, it said. Elian stared at the creature and then back at his gloves. Or, continued the creature, you could try blowing them up at the cuffs. Elian still stared. Then again, said the creature, you can just carry on as you are and let me bleed to death. It sighed. Shall I do it myself? it suggested. It pulled the box over to itself and began rummaging. Poor, it muttered. This is really poor. There doesn't appear to be... well, they're obviously not expecting more than a paper cut here. And only on their fingers, apparently. Oh—that'll do. It pulled out a folded wad of material and a box of lint dressings. The creature examined the ends of the box, tutting. Two years out of date. You guys really take this stuff seriously.

It pulled a couple of the lint sheets out of the box and examined them before looking down at the wound on its leg. A bit late to shave the hair off, do you think? Elian opened his mouth to reply. It's a rhetorical question, said the creature. It doesn't require a response.

It rummaged in the box again and this time found some antiseptic wipes. It pulled one out of the packet and expressed surprise. Hey! They're still wet! it said. It wiped the blood away from the wound and carefully applied the lint dressing.

It turned its attention back to Elian. I think you can dispense with those, it said, nodding to the gloves that were still half on Elian's hands. I appreciate the effort, but really. It wasn't much use, was it?

Elian looked down at the gloves and peeled them off. He threw them petulantly back into the first aid box. The creature wagged an admonishing finger at him. Strictly speaking, it said, they should go in the bin. I mean, did you wash your hands before you tried to put them on? Elian shook his head. Then definitely in the bin, instructed the creature.

It picked up a wad of material which became a sling of some sort when the creature shook it out. It folded the point of the triangle back up to the edge opposite, and used it to make a bandage over the top of the dressing. As it tied the knot to secure the bandage, it examined its work critically. Hmm, it said. Not bad. Given the tools. It glanced back up at Elian. You need to upgrade that, it said nodding towards the first aid box. It really isn't good enough.

Right, said Elian, I'll speak to Mum about it. Erm—

Yes?

You suddenly seem a lot better. Given how pathetic you were to start with.

Just a little psychology, said the creature carelessly. To engage your sympathy. And to disarm you.

Elian nodded to show the creature he understood what he meant. And—er—

Yes?

What are you?

"That's a little rude, don't you think? Surely the question should be, who are you?"

Elian thought for a moment and then said, "No. What are you? The creature sighed and tentatively stood up. It tried the injured leg and winced. Well, it said, climbing with some difficulty onto the bedroom chair, would you like to hazard a guess? What do you think I am?"

Elian shrugged. You're a bit like a monkey, he said. The creature looked offended. Or possibly a bear, continued Elian. Though the eyes are definitely cat.

Monkey! the creature spat out. Monkey? I have a bigger brain in my little finger than you have in your whole head. Monkey, indeed!

Well, you asked me to guess, Elian reminded it.

Yes—well, okay, the creature conceded. Perhaps I should introduce myself. My name is Peryzactle-ogam-dijkhamngon-barricomptzk, and as you've probably already guessed, I am not from this planet.

Where are you from then? asked Elian. The creature told him. Elian had never heard of it. And your name? said Elian. Could you say it again? I didn't quite catch it the first time around. The creature told him again. Nope, said Elian. I still didn't get it all. Just the Barricomptzk bit. Do you think I can call you Barry? For short? I mean, it's ridiculously long, isn't it?

The creature sighed. Very well, it said with exaggerated patience. You humans, it continued, you have such poor brains. It's probably not your fault you can't hold on to any information longer than five letters.

And, said Elian. Barry raised a substantial eyebrow. Um, if you don't mind me asking—are you a him or a her?

Barry thought for a moment. Probably a him, he said.

"Probably a him? Don't you know?"

Barry paused. It's complicated, he said slowly. And a little embarrassing.

Oh? said Elian, suddenly very interested.

That's all you need to know, said Barry firmly.

Oh, said Elian, disappointed.

Now, said Barry, making himself comfortable, down to business. How are we going to get me home?

Chapter 2

The Plan

There was a rattling of keys in the lock and then the front door slammed open. Mum! Dad! gasped Elian. They're back! You're going to have to hide.

Am I ? said Barry.

Well... Elian paused. I'm not sure how they'll react, he said.

"Oh? You think badly might be a realistic possibility?" Barry suggested.

Not sure, admitted Elian. But if my brother and sister see you, it'll be all over the street by tea time.

Barry frowned. Yes, that could be a bit of a problem, he agreed. So where...?

There was a thudding of approaching feet out in the corridor. Quick! Under the bed, hissed Elian, giving the creature a helpful push in the right direction. You might be able to hide behind the toy boxes, he said as he turned over the duvet to hide the blood stains.

Barry's feet had barely disappeared under the bed when the bedroom door burst open and Elian's young brother tumbled in. Elian eyed him coldly. Get out, he said flatly. I'm busy.

The boy ignored him. Hey, guess what? he almost shouted. We saw soldiers! Soldiers with dogs! And they stopped us and searched our car!

Oh? said Elian, suddenly taking an interest. And did they say what or who they were looking for?

They said an escaped convict. A very dangerous escaped convict.

Escaped from where? The boy shrugged. And they hoped to find him in our car? continued Elian.

Maybe they thought he had a gun and he was making us take him somewhere. The child was breathless with excitement.

Where did they stop the car? asked Elian. His brother told him. So not that far away, said Elian thoughtfully. And which way were they heading? This way or back to the river?

His brother thought this over. This way, he said uncertainly. Dad said they would be searching our house soon.

Oh. Now, go away.

There was a shout from the kitchen, calling Elian's brother to come and hang up his raincoat. The boy stuck his tongue out at his older brother and left the room with a slam of the door.

Quickly, Elian got down on his knees. Did you hear that? he called to Barry. The army—the army, mind—are doing house to house searches to find an escape convict!

A dust-covered Barry crawled from under the bed and sneezed violently. Except, he said, wiping his nose with the back of his hand, there is no escaped convict.

There isn't?

No, there isn't.

How—? Oh! It's you, isn't it? They're looking for you.

Barry nodded. I guess they picked up the signals from my craft, or maybe the escape pod, he said.

Craft? Escape pod?

Yeah. Pod. Or vehicle. Or whatever you want to call it. Or did you think I just floated down to this planet on some freak solar flare, and then fell to earth, landing with a gentle bump despite a thirty kilometre drop?

Well, yes, duh! snapped Elian. What I mean is, what craft? What happened to it?

I believe it was what is termed an electrical fault, only this one resulted in me screaming through the atmosphere, then blowing up, mid air, a few miles from here. Luckily, I'd got out in the escape pod before it all went bang.

So that's what we heard earlier—your spaceship blowing up?

Probably. Now, what are we going to do about the immediate problem of keeping me hidden from your soldiers?

Elian got up and looked out of the bedroom window. It was still raining, and heavily at that. Don't much fancy going out in this weather, he commented.

It's just water, replied Barry. Hardly deadly in that form.

I suppose, suggested Elian, the water will wash away your tracks and the dogs won't be able to follow your scent.

I doubt the dogs are following me at all, replied Barry. Their handlers are probably hoping the animals will get excited by my unusual smell, and alert them to my whereabouts.

He dragged the chair over to the window and climbed up to take a look.

Careful, said