Beyond The Wall
Beatrice Goh

(711 words)
I woke up in the middle of the night bathed in sweat. My head was throbbing in pain and my muscles ached. Pieces of memory drifted into my head. It was that nightmare again. The same dream that leaves me afraid to go to sleep at night. I have had it since that particular incident that entirely changed my life.

It happened a few years ago. There was a park in my neighborhood that was situated near a hillside. Many people frequented it, whether it was just for an evening walk or for a ballgame. It had also become a routine for me to take my dog there for a walk, usually after dinner.

There was, however, an area that ignited my curiosity. It was a restricted area, located south of the park. It was surrounded by a high wall made of steel and a few meters high. I was sure that not even dynamite could dent it. I often wondered what was beyond those walls. What was concealed behind the intimidating structure?

One day, while I was walking my dog, I decided to take a closer look at the barrier. My dog ran off into the distance as I cautiously approached the enclosure. I noticed that the threshold, equipped with surveillance cameras, was also made of the same indestructible metal. Suddenly, I heard my dog yelp. I followed its bark and found it sniffing at something in the wall. I saw that it was a crack, wide enough for a man to crawl through. My curiosity aroused, I resolved to take my chances. I took a deep breath and hoped that I wouldn't get into any trouble.

I managed to squeeze through it without being bruised. My dog followed close behind me. To my surprise, I discovered that the place was overgrown with trees. The air was humid. Something was tingling at the back of my mind but I couldn't put my finger on it. All of a sudden, I stumbled upon a mound of sand. It was about 2 feet high and there was a cavity in the middle of it. A clutch of brown-speckled eggs sat in it. They could have belonged to an ostrich but they were each larger than a football.

As I stood there gawking at the eggs, there was a deep growl from my dog. It usually growled when there was danger but everything seemed calm. It was unusually quiet.

The earth shook. I tried to keep my balance by grasping onto a branch. Leaves rustled and trees fell. I thought that it was a herd of elephants on a stampede, but something unexpected happened. The ground stopped trembling and a large head appeared from the treetops. It was a Tyrannosaurus Rex! I was so shocked that I stood rooted to the spot while the 'tyrant-reptile' sniffed the air.

I suddenly realized that my dog was barking at the giant lizard. I tried to pacify it with hushed words but it was all a futile attempt. The T-Rex scrutinized me with its hungry eyes. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead. Then, it shifted its gaze towards my dog. The carnivorous dinosaur was obviously annoyed, for what it did next almost stopped my heart beating.

Its enormous jaws were clamped tight around my dog in one swift movement. The poor animal didn't even have a chance to struggle. The reptile threw its mangled body into the air and caught it again with its knifelike teeth. My dog's head was ripped from its neck. The bloodied head fell with a splat to the ground. Its grey matter was splattered all over the place.

Waves of nausea swept over me but I had to stop myself from throwing up. I had to get out of there quickly before I became the lizard's next meal. I spun on my heels and fled. The T-Rex sensed my departure and took chase. I raced through the undergrowth and tripped several times over the protruding tree roots.

The reptile was gaining on me. As the wall came into view, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I scrambled out of the crack with deep relief. My lungs felt like collapsing. I heard the muffled roar of the angry reptile. Not wanting to be near it, I swiftly walked away.

However, the reptile's hot breath down my neck and my dog's bloody head echoed in my head all the way home. And now, it even haunts me in my sleep.