#valcanoe

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Down by my feet small red and orange cracks of molten rock glowed, like a slow moving river. Smoldering ash began to fall from the sky, singeing the protective gear on my shoulders and head. I readjusted my gas mask that protected me from the noxious fumes, looking up just in time to see one of my men running towards me. “Dr. Z, we’ve spotted him. He’s just over the hill lying in a volcanic crater.” Anders panted, his breathing muffled by his gas mask. “Good, good. Where are the rest of the men?” “They went ahead with the gear to capture it.” “What!?” I exclaimed wildly, “The thick headed fools will all perish!” “Z, I think you’re over reacting. This is modern times we’re talking about, he poses no threat to us anymore.” Grabbing Anders by the collar I got my face close to his so he could see my rage. Anders froze with fear as I held him viciously. “Everyone who went to capture is going to die Anders! All of them, with only burnt ash and dust left.” A piercing roar ripped through the air like a knife, we both looked up. A jet of fire shot up thirty feet into the air from behind the grey hill. I turned my head back at Anders, who now was terrified at the gravity of the situation. “What equipment was left behind?” I shouted at him. “A… a tranquilizer gun, and… and a net.” He stuttered as quickly as he could. I looked up for a moment to think and saw another fire jet. “Where is the gear?” “On the far side of that rock.” Anders said pointing behind him to a large piece of obsidian. I let go of him with one hand, and dragged him with the other toward the obsidian rock. Another roar struck the air followed by a gale of ferocious wind. I slide the last yard which horribly burning my left leg, even though it was covered in protective gear. I made a yelp in my agony, but I limbed on toward the gear. “Z, are you okay? Your leg is…” Anders began. “It’s fine! Don’t worry about it know, just help me get this open.” I interrupted trying crack open a military grade ordinance crate. Eventually my leg became too much and I hand to leave Anders to it so I could tend to it. My leg had lines of scorched flesh that barely held onto the bone. I breathed out in pain, knowing I could do nothing about it now. Anders struggled to open the crate while I cleared my glasses from the sweat that had smudged them. “Got it!” Anders cheered. “Keep it down! He could hunting for more prey.” I hushed him. He nodded and handed me the tranquilizer gun. “You stay here with the net, once he’s down throw it on him quickly so he will become trapped.” I instructed him. He nodded tightly gripping the net. “I’m counting on you Anders.” I said carefully getting up and making my way away from the piece of obsidian. My arms shook uncontrollably as I waited for the beast in the open. A blast of hot air hit me, making me wince. A giant black figure began to rise from behind the hill. Its wings flapping causing hurricane like winds that surrounded me. I locked eyes with the dragon and took aim.