I'm here, Aren't I?

A few grim moments of silence.

"You too, eh? Well, on the plus side, something seems to be happening here. I’m kinda fading out, if you know what I mean."

Looking down at his arm, John noticed that it was becoming mildly transparent.

"Yeah, I do. See you, man. Over and out."
"Over and out."

* * *

They winked into a field of green. In front of them was a stream. Behind them was a -

"Hey, Max."

"Hey, John."
"This look familiar to you, man? It sure does to me." John grinned.

"Nah - far more water where I was."

"Really? Want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly."
"Okay." John replied. "Assuming that this is the same place in which we started off, uhm, some things have changed."

"Probably." Max said.

Just then, a pterodactyl flew by overhead.

John and Max looked at it for a second, and then at each other. John spoke.

"What exactly did you do, man?"

Max blinked as a bright explosion flared up in the distance, followed by a white cloud.

"What did I do? What in the flaming hell did you do?"

John shrugged. "Well, I kinda had a meeting with - ".

Max cut him off. "Nevermind. Let’s try to find civilization. You wanna go north, south, east, or west?"

"I’ll opt for the tree."
"What?"

"South."
"Oh. All right."

* * *

"I’m sorry, Petri, I missed. They’re headed south."
Petri frowned.

"Never call me that. This is inexcusable, Vlad. Both your oversight and your failure." He pushed a button under his desk. "Guards, please take our good friend, Vlad, to have a visit with Rex."
Vlad was dragged away, kicking and screaming. He cringed as a roar echoed through the room.

"Sounds like he’s already expecting you."

He looked around, blinked, stretched, and grinned. His canines glinting in the soft fluorescent light.