Virtual Jurassic Park
By
Rob Astor ©1993 - 1998 by Rob Astor
"Prehistoric times," John said, running a hand back over his thick black hair. He replaced his cap, his rich brown eyes taking in the sight of incredibly tall trees. The forest floor was carpeted by clay-like brown dirt and lush, green foliage. Golden sunlight filtered down in translucent, wavering shafts. He was overwhelmed by the fresh air, intoxicatingly laced with nitrogen and oxygen. There were also dinosaurs.
Up ahead, behind the trees, was the motionless form of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Its reddish-brown body was well camouflaged by tree trunks. Grotesque, its head swung lazily in John's direction. Long, dagger-like teeth protruded from under its thin upper lip. Cold, reptilian eyes watched John and his group. It wasn't without a lack of interest that kept it from approaching. Also in the woods was a herd of feeding Sauropods. Long, graceful necks almost looked like liquid trees, leading up from brown bodies supported on front legs slightly longer than back ones. "Brachiosaurs," John mumbled. "Wow, we're really here."
"Yeah, so, Brainiac, what'd you expect?" chimed his closest female companion.
With echoing thuds, the Brachiosaurs walked. Their legs vibrated flesh along ribs and abdomens. "Margo, it's so real," John stressed, smiling with a complete sense of wonder, facing the young woman with fluffy red hair.
"The InGen guys said it would be," Margo reminded John flatly.
Watching the herd of massive dinosaurs, a lump form in John's throat. "I'm totally blown away." He shifted his gaze to the patient Tyrannosaurus. It seemed more interested in getting away from the area for fear of being trampled. At about eighteen feet tall, the T-Rex was a much smaller animal when compared to one whose legs were as thick as tree trunks, whose bodies were as massive as houses and whose necks reached way up into the sky, knobbed heads sometimes soaring over the tops of the tallest trees. Brachiosaurus was easily one of the largest land animals that ever lived.
"So, John, why isn't Rexy doing a slice and dice on these guys?" Margo asked, seeing the predator keeping a safe distance.
"Carnivores stayed away from huge Sauropods," John explained quietly.
"They're gentle plant eaters, right?" Margo commented.
"Yeah, but, not completely helpless. Sauropods could crush their enemies under their bulk," John remarked, pulling Margo closer, wrapping his right arm around her waist, constantly watching the mammoth dinosaurs. Margo chuckled warmly. "They could also swing their tails around like whips and snap a hunter's spinal column."
"Deadly weapons, I like that," Margo teased seductively.
John looked into her green eyes. "You like anything that puts a man in pain." Stronger vibrations in the ground brought John's attention back to the Brachiosaurus herd. Seeing the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Sauropods together triggered a memory. "Something's not right here," he said softly.
"What?" Margo asked, scanning the area visually.
"Brachiosaurs lived in the Jurassic period--"
"So that's where InGen got the name," Margo interrupted. "Virtual Jurassic Park; so cool."
"But, Tyrannosaurus Rex lived in the Cretaceous period, millions of years later," John finished.
"Didn't the InGen guys say they sorta lumped all the dinosaurs together in this simulation?" Margo asked. "Something about being able to see them all was more interesting than only a handful." John simply nodded.
The ground vibrated with the intensity of an earthquake as the titanic herd of brown hides moved closer. Trees swayed. Necks poked over the tops of the trees, legs shifting like moving trees between trunks. Leaves and branches were pulled from so high above, sticks and bark raining downward. When their bodies brushed against trees close to them, the trees were sometimes left tilted, roots pulling up, encased in rich soil. Others snapped like twigs, falling over.
"Um, aren't they getting a little close?" Margo asked, a flash of concern crossing her expression.
"Yeah," John agreed, uneasy. "Hey Max, Julie!" he called to the pair on his far right. "Time to clear out."
Backing, the animals only drew closer, their much larger forms covering more ground. Leaves, tree bark and chunks of wood the size of a person fell while the Brachiosaurs ate everything in sight. Several more trees snapped clear with loud cracks while they chompped on all the high altitude greenery. Feeling a sense of urgency, John jogged, holding Margo's hand. They hurdled a fallen log, their companions close behind. Small fragments of wood rained down on them.
"These guys are messy eaters," Julie remarked.
"Sauropods commonly clear cut their way through a forest, leaving a wide sloth of destruction," John explained. "They swallowed their food whole and then swallowed stones to grind up vegetation in their stomachs."
The behemoths moved closer still. John tried to watch to see in which direction they'd go by glancing over his shoulder. He almost looked straight up at them. Debris fell. John covered his head, however, the worst he was struck with were a few twigs.
Eventually, the Brachiosaurs changed directions. A huge path was left in the forest, flattened trees and trampled foliage mashed into the ground. "That was close," Max said, pausing, catching his breath. He watched the unimaginably large creatures relentlessly eat a trail to their left. Trees continued to bend and snap. Some toppled in the wake of the indifferent herd.
The Tyrannosaurus wasn't the only hunter out that day. Shifting her gaze from the massive brown forms lumbering away, Julie's eyes enlarged, her face a mask of terror as she took in a quick, sharp breath. Standing approximately six feet tall, there was another dinosaur to her right, watching her carefully through vertically slit eyes. It wore a devilish grin, a slight squeal issuing from its throat. Its aquamarine hide blended well with brush and other plant life.
Jerking his head to the side, John gasped in terror. "Holy shit, Velociraptors! Run!" He pulled Margo's arm, sprinting forward.
Squealing with delight, the Raptor charged forward. Two others joined the chase, closing distance to prey easily on thick, muscular legs. Each hind foot sported a six inch sickle claw capable of separating and tearing flesh from bones without trouble. The lead hunter sprang forward with a spectacular bound, sailing with ease above John and Margo, landing in front of them, sliding some on loose soil. Turning, it hissed, smiling, holding its forearms out with claws ready to grip the human figures.
Knowing if he didn't act first the Velociraptor would, John pulled his arms up into a Tae Kwon Do defensive block. He brought his right leg up, catching the Raptor on the hip before delivering a second, stronger blow to the right side of its muzzle.
Confused, the Raptor shifted to the side, studying its prey. It didn't act like prey. John scored a series of fists to its torso, taking another kick at the Raptor's sexual organ, pulling himself behind the animal. With a shriek of pain, the Raptor dropped forward, bracing its weight on its front arms. It made a sickening coughing noise, turning toward John, feeling nothing but malice.
Hiding that he was intimidated, John quickly went to work battering the animal's head with a series of kicks. Disoriented and overpowered, the Raptor backed on all fours, skittering away into the trees. Its companions followed, startled by the deafening explosion of a gun. Max held a weapon out, keeping a bead on the largest dinosaur.
"Hey, that was pretty good work," Margo offered John, patting his shoulder. John relaxed, blowing out a tense breath of relief. "You can be my knight in shining armor anytime."
"Let's go see if we can find a place to set up camp," Max suggested once he was certain the Raptors cleared the area. He lowered his rifle, taking Julie's hand.
"This is almost more excitement than I bargained for," John said as they trekked up a hill.
"Hell, with the prices these InGen people are charging, I'd expect to get a lot more for my money," Margo punted.
At the top of the hill, the group found a run-down wooden house. "This is odd," Julie said, a quizzical expression crossing her features. She pulled a long strand of blond hair from the corner of her mouth.
"Who thought to build us shelter?" Max asked, looking to John for answers. John gave a shrug. The area below resembled a roadway, a path where herds passed quite frequently. Taking a seat on the porch for no more than a few seconds, the young quartet heard an intensifying rumbling noise.
Standing, not knowing what to expect, they saw a herd of Parasaurolophus running down the cleared path. Fifteen to eighteen feet tall, their hides were bluish with silver patches along their backs. A long, bony appendage arcing back from the top of their heads created a cacophony of desperate sounds. They ran, hooting and honking. Countless bodies raced along, making a spread out stampede. "Parasaurolophus," John mumbled. He knew they were being chased. But, by what?
The leaders of the pack turned, running down a hill. Those in back kept coming and coming. At the tail, there was a small space before three Velociraptors appeared, eyes wild with the excitement of the chase. They hunted the Hadrosaurs.
While passing, one looked directly at John. John knew that meant trouble. "Oh no," he whispered.
"Oh no what, John?" Margo echoed fearfully.
"Velociraptors were highly intelligent and hunted in packs," he sputtered. "They ambushed their prey and hunted for the pleasure of killing. Not only are Raptors problem solvers, they remember." By this Raptor's expression of surprise, John felt gut wrenching fear. "It's going to tell the others in its pack about us," John quickly added. "If they don't bring down a larger beast, they'll be back."
"Great," Julie said with an angered tone. "I didn't pay for this simulation to kill me."
"The sign said it offered the thrill of a lifetime, Julie," Max returned.
Sure enough, the Velociraptors didn't catch a large animal and came back for some easy prey. They charged the humans, racing with frightening speed up the hill. John kicked one away before it leaped up and, kicked it again. Max grabbed his weapon, slicing bullets through the torso of the second Raptor in mid-air. It crashed with a thud under a noise like breaking dishes. Dark red blood trickled from wounds, the animal laboriously breathing, dying.
Without warning, John's attacker and the third Raptor sprinted for the cover of the trees, their faces showing an expression of panic. Curious, John waited until they'd disappeared before stealing a glance at the dying dinosaur.
Margo screamed, a blood curdling sound tearing from her throat like a person acting in a cheap horror movie. Julie's jaw dropped, her eyes fixed on the same thing Margo saw. John took a few steps backward in shock, Max dropping his weapon.
The ground shook from the footfalls of a massive form approaching them. Blocking the afternoon sunlight, the Tyrannosaurus Rex towered above, hot, fetid breath signaling its arrival. It was the stench of decay; the reek of death.
"Run!" John bellowed, pivoting around, charging for the cover of the trees. Margo acted at the sound of his voice while Julie needed Max's firm grip. He paused long enough to recover his weapon.
Roaring its victory, the Tyrannosaurus stopped at the fallen body of the Velociraptor. Gaping jaws closed around its smaller form while the T- Rex's right foot stepped down on the hips, ripping the Raptor unceremoniously in half, devouring its first bite in nothing more than a quick swallow.
Racing through the woods in a blind panic, none of the quartet saw the grizzly spectacle. They half-ran, half-slid down an embankment leading to a river. Further ahead than his companions, John quickly scanned for a safe place to cross. He stole a glance to the right and stopped, backing, slipping in dark mud while another form lunged at him.
Moving with the agility of a crocodile, the ground hugging animal brightly patterned in yellow with brown splotches growled, snapping its teeth, missing John's leg by a matter of centimeters. A large sail on the creature's back acted like a Japanese fan, spreading and folding with the snake-like motions of movement.
Backing, clawing for footing, John avoided a second snap from the Dimetrodon. He swung his legs around, quickly pulling himself up by his hands, racing as fast as he could move. The reptilian creature from a nightmare long dead followed, waddling through greenery with little difficulty. It moved with a frighteningly fast pace. John spotted a second Dimetrodon to his left, closing the distance to the river. "Watch out for Dimetrodons," he called to his friends.
At the water's edge, a third animal with a sail on its back snapped at Julie who screamed. Max pulled her through the shallow water to the other side. Margo followed. They stirred up a school of Trilobites, their bodies undulating through the water like Manta Rays, quickly diving for the safety of the bottom. John paused long enough to give a quick downward kick to the neck of the Dimetrodon closest him. Squealing, the lizard-like reptile coiled on itself like a snake. John crossed the water, seeing Trilobites scatter. At least three other Dimetrodons approached from the swampy banks on the opposite side.
Without looking back, John gathered all his strength, running up the incline. They continued into the forest for several minutes, fearing the vicious predators had followed. When they finally stopped, doubled over and breathless, Max looked over at John, his face ashen. "Why does Virtual Jurassic Park has so many dangerous dinosaurs? Why didn't somebody think to put in a few that aren't out to kill everything in sight?"
"Don't ask me, man," John replied. "All we have to do is stay one step ahead of the Rex. In less than twenty-four hours, the asteroid collides with Earth and brings an end to the age of the dinosaurs."
"I take back what I said before," Margo spoke.
"What's that, Margo?" Julie asked.
"About expecting more for my money," Margo elaborated. "I can stand a little less excitement."
The Tyrannosaurus Rex's distant call made them stand at attention. Staring back into the woods, "Doesn't look like we're going to get it any time soon," John remarked. "We better get moving." The roar sounded again.
Clearing the edge of the forest, the group saw a series of rocky hills. Trees and green plant life stubbornly worked at the rigid edges. Low pitched vibrating noises to the right caught their attention. Tall, blue-gray dinosaurs stood at the trees, using huge pointed thumb bones to pull themselves up to the inviting new shoots of leaves. With the gentleness of Pandas or Koala Bears, they feasted on the abundance of ginkgoes and conifers. "What are those, John?" Max asked softly, hoping to not disturb them and bring unwanted attention to themselves.
"Iguanadons," John responded, fascinated. One placed its bony claw into the bark higher up and began pulling itself up, like a body builder doing pull-ups. Its hind legs grasped at the trees, helping support its weight by clawing into the bark.
A loud cracking sound made the four thrill seekers turn instantly to a group of reddish dinosaurs near the jagged base of some rocks. Their yellow heads sported domes of solid bone. Two backed from each other, facing off. As if an invisible cue were given, their heads lowered. They charged like rams, smacking their bony domes with a loud crack again. Others in the herd bobbed up and down, the sparring partners again backing.
"Aren't those Pachycephalosaurs?" Margo asked, shifting her head toward John.
"Yeah. I'm glad you know at least one name." He flashed her a cocky grin.
"Some of your brains are rubbing off on me."
The distant bellow of the Tyrannosaurus Rex again caught their attention. However, this time, it also caught the attention of the Iguanadons and Pachycephalosaurs. Almost instantly, chaos reigned. Loud, alarming sounds issued from both saurian species. The Pachys charged into the cover of the rocks, finding paths in crevices John and his companions hadn't seen. The Iguanadons frantically began scaling the trees, getting themselves up into the high reaches, out of range of the approaching danger.
"Looks like we'd better take their cue," John said and started jogging along a path to the left. Around a cleft, they came to a grassy clearing. Along the edge was a road. On it was parked a Jeep. "It's about time we found something that can help us," John said dryly. He climbed in, taking his place behind the wheel. When his friends were settled, he sped forward, following the gravel road.
Hours later, as the sun slowly faded, they traveled along the road, searching for a safe place to make a campsite. To the right, another herd of dinosaurs burst from a forested area, squealing bird-like calls, running very much the way an ostrich would. "What the hell's the matter with them?" Max asked, his face quizzical. Brown bodies charged parallel to road, ripping up grass, limber legs easily clearing fallen trees.
"Something tells me we better get our asses out of here," Margo said urgently from John's right.
"I agree," John sputtered, torn between watching the dinosaurs frantically flee and keeping his eyes on the road. "Gallimimus was a hunter. If the hunter's scared...."
"It can only mean one thing," Julie finished, her face flushed with panic.
Several meters behind the last animal in the panicked pack, trees exploded forward, torn clear by something much more massive, much more powerful. A screeching bellow of rage echoed across the field, sending white hot fear up the collective spines of the Gallimimus and the humans. Charging at full speed, the Tyrannosaurus Rex closed the distance behind the smaller animals. As it did, the Gallimimus crossed in front of John's path, angling like a flock of birds, all changing directions at once.
Instinctively, John gripped the wheel, pulling to the left, hoping to veer away and avoid a collision. His heart raced, his eyes never blinking. His stomach knotted. Squealing ostrich-like bodies darted around the Jeep, some leaping over it, desperate to escape certain death. One took its move a fraction of a second too late. The right fender slammed into its legs. Margo screamed in terror, bracing against the roll bar, pushing her body toward John. The Gallimimus went into a crazed spiral, tossed into a messy roll along the side of the path.
Pleased, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, broke away from the herd, instantly attacking the fallen Gallimimus. Huge jaws opened, snapping with a bone- shattering crunch around the Gallimimus' neck. The Rex scooped it up, shaking its massive head from side-to-side violently, like a dog playing with an old rag. Then the smaller animal was slammed to the ground, the Tyrannosaur ripping flesh away.
"Is Rexy supposed to chase us through the whole simulation?" Margo asked, facing John, her face pale, etched with fear.
"I don't know," John replied honestly.
"Looks that way," Max called, watching the Rex finish its meal with Julie.
The forest to the right stopped, bringing John and his friends to a vast, open field dotted with bushes and other shrubbery. The road became nothing more than a well traveled path, eventually fading completely. Massive, turtle-like bodies of grazing animals formed small clusters. They chewed on the green plants, ignorant of the Jeep and its strange passengers. Mustard-green backs sported lumps of bony armor, short legs making bodily motions reminiscent of giant turtles. Tails drug across the ground, ending in club-like lumps of solid bone.
"Turtle guys, how cute," Julie remarked, a smile on her face.
"Ankylosaurs," John corrected her. "They might leave us alone, providing we don't bother any of them." He watched their passing bodies, dimmed by the twilight.
"We might not disturb them, but, I think he will!" Max called, pointing to the right.
"Oh no," John moaned. Without looking, he knew what that meant.
Sprinting across the field, full-throttle, Tyrannosaurus Rex chose the Jeep as his next target of attack. Its shrill, metallic roar preceded him, fraying the nerves of John and his companions.
All around them, Ankylosaurs began dropping, protecting their bodies and legs with heavy armor. One, grazing behind the false security of a bush, dropped as it felt the Rex's footfalls, swinging it massive tail in the air over its curled up body to ward off attack.
Uninterested, the T-Rex passed the Ankylosaurus by, keeping a bead on the racing Jeep. Leaping past another hump on the ground, one of Rex's hind claws hooked under the armor of a third. Without pause, the Ankylosaurus was lifted up. It curled its body into a tight ball, rolling from the force of Rex's powerful leg and built up kinetic energy. It came to rest on its legs unharmed at the edge of another series of bushes.
Racing down an incline, John maneuvered to another forested growth. Searching for a space in the trees wide enough to drive through, John found the answer to a prayer next to a shallow river. Taking the left turn a little slower, so the top-heavy Jeep wouldn't flip, John drove next to the shore, ducking into the dim foliage.
At the edge of the forest, the Tyrannosaurus took a quick second to survey its options. Then it followed, gaining as long strides brought its massive body thundering up behind the vehicle. Cursing, John stomped on the accelerator, keeping his eye on the dinosaur in the rearview mirror. Margo turned around, her mouth gaping. Max and Julie wordlessly saw Rex edging up to them fast.
"Oh my God!" Margo screamed, the T-Rex running beside them on John's side. With great restraint, John fought down his welling panic. Leaning down, the Tyrannosaur swung its massive body at the Jeep, clipping it along the left fender. Fortunately, it didn't detour John's path. Ahead, a tree had fallen and formed a bridge across the water. "Everybody duck," John called, unsure if there was enough clearance for them to pass beneath.
Roaring under the massive trunk, John rose, looking backward, keeping his attention on their purser. T-Rex slammed into the tree like nothing was there. It's trunk shattered, splintered into thousands of shards of wood. Rex continued the chase. "Damn," John muttered.
To the left side of a denser growth of trees, a series of new bodies blocked their path. "Oh God," Margo whispered, "Stegosaurs."
"Hey, you got another one right," John smiled approvingly.
"This isn't the time to be a smart ass, John," Max yelled from the back. "Get us the hell outta here!"
As massive as tanks, the plated dinosaurs sauntered toward the water. Giant plates on top of yellowish bodies displayed a wide variety of colors including greens, oranges and reds. Behind the Jeep, T-Rex let off an annoyed shriek, gaining the Stegosaurus' attention. Acting quickly, they grunted, taking up a defensive perimeter around their young. Spiked tails swung outward, aimed toward the approaching chase.
Quickly turning right, John plowed through the water, clearing the Stegosaurs. Almost wisely, Rex decided not to tangle with them either, keeping his pursuit of the strange metal animal. John had to admire the dinosaur.
The path on this side of the water was blocked by a fallen log laying across the ground, forcing John to drive through smaller bushes, back out into the open. With no hesitation, the T-Rex followed, calling after the puny creatures in a long bellow.
Seeking escape in this direction, however, John realized was equally as futile. Scattered across the twilight field were two other breeds of incredibly dangerous dinosaurs, even if they were herbivores. Reminiscent of a rhinoceros herd, Triceratops grazed peacefully, deceptively sluggish in appearance. Tank-sized bodies supported a head a full third of the body's length. A single, long horn was placed over each eye; a third, shorter one on the tip of its muzzle. A huge frill of bone curved back, protecting necks. Orange along their tops, their undersides were dull brown. The horns and frills were bone color.
Near them, dinosaurs equally as large with a single long horn on the nose and horns protruding from its frill, grazed side-by-side. The Styracosaurs sported a dull brown color. Like content cousins, neither the Triceratops or the Styracosaurs bothered the other. They co-existed harmoniously.
Keeping a safe distance, John stared in amazement at the massive animals. "Triceratops was my favorite dinosaur as a kid," he said, diverting his attention momentarily from a more pressing danger behind them.
"What are the other ones called, John?" Margo asked, scanning them.
"Styracosaurus."
Covering more ground in the clearing, the T-Rex gave no indication of interest in the larger dinosaurs. But, the presence of the newcomers and the predator signaled a stampede. Orange bodies charged, mothers and children taking a heading away from danger while herd leaders formed a barrier along side the Jeep and the Rex. Watching with cold calculation, the herd leader eyed the vehicle's passengers. It's left horn was missing, snapped clean near the base, just above the eye socket. Triceratops running next to the Tyrannosaurus made threatening snarls and snaps at its legs.
Margo pressed close to John, gasping, terrified as the huge, reptilian eye watched her. Growling, the Tric swung its head toward the Jeep, it sharp, bony frill slicing through metal with an unnatural groan. "Shit!" Max backed against Julie who was already plastered to the side of the vehicle's wall. "It'll open us like a tin can!" Max observed, the frill making a second slice through thin metal.
Defending the herd and preventing an attack, the Triceratops closest to the Tyrannosaurs' legs darted sideways, taking the bipedal hunter off balance. Squealing with surprise, the taller dinosaur tripped, sprawling forward, clashing with a second Triceratops. The pair rolled over one another, stopping, shaking themselves, regaining balance.
A confrontation now unavoidable, the Tyrannosaurs blew off a call of rage, slowly stalking forward. The Triceratops again charged full speed, hooking its head fully under the Rex, lifting him, throwing him off his feet. Unable to snap at the Tric, the T-Rex slammed against the ground with a tremendous thud.
Regaining its footing for a second time, still unscathed, the Tyrannosaurus turned toward the Triceratops. And, for a second time, the Tric charged like a tank, wiping the Rex completely out. As it rolled away from the herd, the tyrant king stood on wobbly legs, somewhat shaken by the warning blows. It roared at the bulky animals, pressing forward, searching for the prey it had originally been chasing.
"Looks like Rexy's detained for a few minutes," Margo said, looking behind the Jeep, watching the commotion.
"Helluva lot a good it does us!" Max yelled, a long gash ripped into the Jeep's unprotective shell.
"It's forcing me back toward the trees," John called frantically, fighting the wheel. The mammoth Triceratops was immobile next to him.
"What're we gonna do?" Julie asked.
"We'll hafta make a jump for it," John called back. Margo's eyes were wide. "It's gonna hurt, though." As the trees got closer, John rammed into the Triceratops, hoping to force it back. His tactic was unsuccessful. "Better do it now," he suggested, easing the speed.
"Go, go!" Max yelled at Julie, standing. Julie stood, easing out the window. She held her breath and leaped, remembering to roll when she hit the ground. Max went next.
"Get moving before he makes us hit a tree," John said to Margo. Margo paused. "Hurry!"
Crawling into the back, Margo eased herself to the window, leaping as the Jeep continued to slow. John took one last ram against the Triceratops' body before he opened the door. There was a tree directly ahead. John leaped clear, rolling in soft grass. When he stopped, he watched the Triceratops force the Jeep into the woods. It smacked with a crunching jolt against the trunk of a large tree, crushing the hood and motor. The Triceratops doubled back, lowering its head as it rammed the side of the vehicle, tossing it deeper into the trees. The dinosaur stopped, gave a satisfied snort and returned to its herd.
"Everyone okay?" John asked as his companions caught up to him.
Margo tightly wrapped her arms around John's neck. "I didn't see you jump," she said. "I thought you were still in the Jeep when the Triceratops hit it."
"I'm okay," John assured her, giving a tight squeeze. "We better get moving."
Far down along the edge of the trees, the Tyrannosaurus Rex headed in their direction, keeping a careful watch of the Triceratops. "Doesn't this guy ever give up?" Margo asked.
The light was nearly gone now, night settling in. Strange noises emanated from the shroud of trees. Looking ahead at the total blackness and then back at the approaching nightmare, John gave a slight shove forward. "Let's go." The quartet ran into the forest.
For several minutes, nothing but trees seemed to be their company. From behind, vibrating footfalls of the Rex echoed toward them. Tree branches snapped as its massive form, menacingly determined, cleared its own path. Rushing water to the left gave John another thought. He led his friends deeper into the unknown.
At the bank of the river, water rushed by, deeper than where they'd crossed near the Stegosaurus herd. "We gotta cross," John said before anyone spoke. Margo, Max and Julie flashed him a questioning gaze. "We gotta loose our scent so he looses it," John explained breathlessly. He stood at the very edge. "Don't fight the current. Swim across. It'll push you downstream. Pull yourself out on the other side." With his instructions complete, John stepped in, eventually diving forward. He was swept along, but, swam like he'd told the others to do.
Margo looked at Max who gave a nod. She went next, gasping from the cold, swimming with all her strength. Max and Julie went together.
On the opposite side, John stood, straining against the darkness to see his friends. Margo was a few meters to the left. He rushed to her side, helping her from the suction of the unrelenting water. Max and Julie came over to them together. "We did it," Margo said, smiling with joy.
"Let's move quickly and quietly," John said, picking their path through thinning trees. In the vast distance, the frustrated Tyrannosaurus Rex made noises, trying to flush his prey out.
Making their way to another open area, they were met with an agricultural compound. Rows of tomato plants, corn and fruit trees stretched as far as they could see. "Food," Margo said softly. "Man, am I hungry." She plucked a few ripe tomatoes, walking with John to the left toward a bright white light.
John took a small selection of fruit from the nearest trees as Margo took the first bite of her tomato. "I wonder what's over there," Margo said, referring to the light.
"I don't know," John replied. The Tyrannosaur's calls drew nearer. "We'd better figure it out fast," he added, gazing back into the forest. They jogged, approaching a small series of buildings. A huge silo filled with corn had the white light raised high over the compound's structures.
"Think we can wait out the night in one of those?" Max asked.
"I hope so," John returned. To the far end, there was a house. John turned the door knob when they climbed up the stairs. The door opened. "Thank God," he smiled, walking in, sitting on a couch at the far end of the wall. "Don't turn any lights on." He then took a bite of a pear, his stomach aching. Margo ate her tomatoes, sitting with him.
At the window, finished with an ear of corn, Max watched the T-Rex slowly scan over the fields, searching for them. "Shit, here it comes again."
John walked over to Max, looking out the window. The dinosaur searched methodically, its head moving slowly around. "It's confused by all the vegetable scents," John deduced. "We'll stay here and see if we can wait it out till morning. As long as we don't make any noise or try to leave, we should be safe."
Margo was at his left side. "What's that bright star up there, John?" she asked, taking another snippet of tomato, pointing to the sky.
"Enyo," John replied. Margo gave him an inquisitive glance. "That's the asteroid that hits tomorrow," he explained.
"Strange name," Margo said.
"Not really. It's poetic justice. Enyo was the ancient Greek goddess of destruction."
"In that case, I agree," Margo said, her eyes drifting back to the brilliant point of white light. "How'd it get here?"
"Astronomers think there's a very large area beyond the solar system where comets and asteroids lurk," John began a soft dissertation. "They also think our sun has a dark companion they've called Nemesis which passes through this ring of debris, sending some of the objects hurtling into the inner solar system."
"Nemesis?" Margo echoed.
"Another Greek goddess," John explained. "She constantly persecuted the rich, proud and powerful." Margo looked at him as if annoyed. "It's interesting the Greeks had goddesses doing so many terrible things." Margo gave a playful grin. "Even Nyx was the goddess of night."
"That's okay," Margo chided. "Christianity blamed the fall of man on a woman. Poetic justice is that, women are the cause for the persecution of men." She smiled, her eyebrows raising.
John simply grinned. Then, overpowered by their condition, he yawned. "We'd better get some sleep," he said. "We don't know when Enyo's supposed to impact and we don't know how far from ground zero we are. Besides, we still may have to out-smart and out-run the T-Rex tomorrow." Standing, returning to the couch, John finished his fruit. Laying back, stretching his weary muscles, John realized he was physically and mentally exhausted. The space of a few seconds passed before he was sound asleep.
Returning from the peaceful blackness was like waking into a nightmare. At the edge of consciousness, John heard screams and thuds. When his couch moved, John's eyes opened fully, squinting against brilliant sunlight. Margo backed into him, desperately clutching at his right arm. She was wailing in fear.
Sitting upright, John quickly surveyed the situation. A portion of the roof was missing, having been smashed inward. Windows were broken, the walls cracked and buckling. Fully awake, John bolted backward against the sofa when he saw the Tyrannosaur's head through the opening. Narrow eyes peered down at the cornered victims, the Rex almost grinning.
"This way!" Max called from behind, Julie at his side. "I think there's some passages leading from the basement." Margo pulled John up, the pair racing through a doorway and down ancient wooden stairs. Bare light bulbs provided the only light down, swinging on suspended wires.
Outside, the T-Rex sounded a mighty roar, arcing its head backward. It lunged down, snapping at the roof, pulling up another section between dagger teeth. Tossing it to the side, the Rex raised its back leg, slashing forward, slamming claws through the corner wall. It shattered, falling inward, the forward wall lazily toppling to the ground. With another solid kick, the king of the dinosaurs managed to bring the rest of the roof down, neatly folding it in the middle. Plaster and wooden walls were no match for the animal's fury, fragmenting, ripping away.
"It's in!" Margo screamed at the bottom of the stairs. She bolted to the side where Max fondled the controls to a door. Cursing, Max aimed his gun, shredding the locking mechanism with hot lead. Prying it back, he managed to give them enough space to flee down a passage.
Running blindly, none of them noted the walls were lined with pipes and wires. Red light cast a dim glow. At various intervals, computer control panels blinked at them. From far behind, dinosaur bellows rumbled through the narrow corridor. "What the hell happened back there?" John asked.
"The Rex waited in the fields all night," Max called back. "It started checking things out and spotted us. Then it attacked."
Ahead, the passage angled to their right, ending with an adjacent corridor, going in opposite directions. Without taking time to vote, they all ran to their right. At a point where the corridor seemed to form a joint, Max sealed the passage. Running up a gradual incline, they were faced with another danger.
A score of juvenile Velociraptors lingered about, staring at the humans curiously. A squeal came from the throat of one with pale blue flesh, its head decorated with feather-like plumage. Instantly, they hopped toward the stalled group of four, taking an attack stance.
A reddish hued demon pounced at John. He blocked a fatal blow with his leg, bringing himself around, kicking as hard as he could at the snake- like face. Stunned, the Raptor paused, taking a new course of action. Leaping straight up, it held onto pipes, seeking a position where it could drop down on John. Keeping his eye on the raptor overhead, John also tried to kick away a smaller infant.
Pulling back, Max opened fire, neatly taking down about half of the attackers. Julie held her hands pressed to her ears, the deafening echo in the corridor thundering with inhuman power.
Picking its chance to score, the Raptor overhead swung down at John, it's claws out-stretched. At the last possible instant, John side-stepped it, slamming its leathery body with a powerful round-house kick. While it struggled for balance, Max turned his weapon to it, pelting it with at least half a dozen bullets. Turning back to fleeing Raptors, Max pressed his advantage, firing up the corridor.
Spraying bullets punctured pipes, severed hoses and created sparkling firestorms as equipment was destroyed. Hissing steam billowed into the dim red, obscuring visibility. An explosion further ahead sent an orange ball of fire rocketing toward them. "Hit the dirt!" John commanded, falling on his abdomen. His companions followed his lead, the fire swirling angrily by, doing nothing more than singing them.
"Do you think you can cut the Rambo act for five minutes?" Julie demanded of her partner, scrambling back to her feet. "Are you trying to get us killed?"
"'Scuse me for trying to save our asses," Max returned bluntly.
"That explosion probably cleared the way," John hypothesized quickly. "Let's move." He jogged, avoiding hot steam. When he reached the breach in the tunnel, John found there was a masonry wall beyond, separated by a gravel roadway. Jagged metal and sparking wires hung in the opening. Without warning, the awful smell of a thousand dead things wafted to him. "Move!" John bellowed frantically.
Max and Julie, several meters behind, were cut off when the skull of the Tyrannosaurus Rex burst inward, jaws snapping, seeking anything to kill. Backing for a second, it's massive head smashed inward again, pulling apart the framework of the tunnel. It bellowed a long roar, biting at tubes along the opposite wall. Fortunately, the dinosaur's head was too large to fit fully inside.
"Max! Julie!" Margo screamed, looking back as she and John sprinted forward.
"Keep moving!" John shouted above the T-Rex's earthquake-like roar. "We'll have to regroup later. Right now, we gotta get outta here." Rex pulled a section of the tunnel's other wall apart, determined agility and size lending it the power to gradually rip the metal walls loose.
Further up, John brought he and Margo into a factory-like area. The huge complex, its concrete block walls lined with pipes and catwalks, not the refuge he'd hoped to find. Picking a reluctant path around machinery, John ascended metal stairs, leading Margo into storage areas.
Heading deep into the facility, John stopped along side another door, doubling over, his breathing quick. Margo, catching her breath first, peered into the room. "John, look," she said softly, tugging at the arm of his shirt.
He turned around, catching the rare glimpse of a Velociraptor making a nest. The female sniffed the ground, circling an area. She used hind legs to scratch and throw dirt away, like a dog digging a hole with its front feet. She lay in the hole, burrowing around to make it the correct size. "I don't think this'll be safe enough to stay in either," John considered upon seeing the Raptor. He started walking toward a series of doors, trying several before one opened.
Outside, John and Margo found themselves at the edge of a forest, a vast beach along a blue ocean shore to their left. A volcano spurted small ash clouds into an unobscured sky straight ahead. Reptilian birds soared through the skies like bats accustomed to daylight. Herds of Sauropods lazily stepped into the water. Parasaurolophus herds ambled their way along the beach.
In the ocean, past the shallow water shelf, Plesiosaurs snapped at circling Pterodactyls, their long necks almost easy enough to mistake for Sauropod necks. They stalked the waters in small pods, pulling nearby fish into their jaws. Huge fins in place of legs reminded John of whale fins.
Walking forward, staying at the edge of the trees, John and Margo gawked in wonder, for the first time, taking in the beauty of a world long dead. Sunlight created beams of golden rays pouring down through tree tops stretching up into the blue sky. Chattering insect sounds filled their perceptions. Sticks crunched underfoot, hoots and howls of forest creatures ever present.
Blurred movement to the right was noticed by John. He saw a smaller dinosaur running. Its scarlet hide was thick and callused, dry. Feather- like head plumage blew back as it ran. Other scrambling sounds came from behind. John and Margo turned, expecting the worst. However, a scarlet Velociraptor pack hunted, preparing to ambush some unsuspecting dinosaur headed toward the forest.
The hunters stopped by a grouping of trees having low hanging branches. They crouched down and began leaping upward. Perfectly, they landed on branches, ducking behind others. Some used a hand to bend a branch back to keep an eye on the path. Their hissing stopped, the forest becoming still.
A taller animal lumbered along on hind legs toward the trees. Its mouth was crudely shaped like a duck's bill. The dinosaur trumpeted through its nostrils, eyes scanning the area. It appeared timid. The Velociraptors waited like statues as the beast came closer. Their eyes narrowed like gun fighters in Grade-B movies. Their stance was steel framed. The Hadrosaur took another step. One of the pack hunters made the subtlest of eye movements.
The attack came fast. Smaller animals leaped from the trees onto the larger dinosaur's back, hissing, squealing. Sickle claws ripped flesh open, the Hadrosaur rearing violently, trying to swing them away. Its tail lashed out like a whip, slammed into one, breaking its neck. The hunter clattered to the ground, groaning with an unearthly sound, taking several moments to die.
Others leaped up, making quick cuts with claws, jumping back, repeating the maneuvers. The large animal yelped in pain, driven to madness. It spasmodically thrashed around, tail convulsing until it toppled over with a loud thud. Sickened, John and Margo watched in horror as the blood bath feast commenced.
A roar unlike anything John ever head came from behind, making him jump. Turning, he saw the Tyrannosaurus Rex charging in their direction. The Velociraptors ate, undaunted by the Rex's sudden appearance. The fiercest hunter the world ever knew was after the humans.
Running forward, everything seemed to move in slow motion. Thumping footfalls of the T-Rex drew closer and closer. Neither John or Margo looked back. They didn't want to face certain death and stare it down. It'd be terrible enough to die in the maw of the hunter without having to see it.
John heard a sound reminding him of a jet flying overhead. All activity ceased. Even the enraged Tyrannosaurus paused with question, looking upward. John stared into the sky. "Enyo," he whispered.
A brilliant yellow fireball left a white trail of smoke as it fell. The growing point split into two segments. The smaller disappeared over the horizon while the larger impacted much closer, landing in the ocean, near the horizon.
The thermal pulse turned everything into a photographic negative for a split second. An orange ball of fire rose into the sky, swelling into a beautifully surreal mushroom cloud. A slight breeze gusted, the ground trembling. An impossibly huge wall of water raced toward them.
The Rex may have sensed danger, as awe-struck as John and Margo, but, it was already too late to act. Everything around them caught on fire. A crackling sound slammed into the forest, blowing John backward. Margo was no longer at his side. The shock wave flattened every tree, lifting dirt and rock, sending all sailing. The T-Rex, the dead Hadrosaur and the Velociraptors were lifted, carried on the violent breeze. Everything around John exploded with fire, bursting into flames, igniting as if doused in gasoline.
The process reversed itself. Flattened trees were pulled to the opposite side, some snapping clean. Blowing fires seared everything a second time. Debris was sucked back toward the mushroom cloud in a gigantic vacuum. Tyrannosaurus Rex was included, floating through the air like a helpless bird caught in a storm.
The mushroom cloud blackened, rains of fire falling like a melting umbrella. Shooting higher, spreading out, a black disk spilled like ink across the blue canvas of sky. The first tsunami slammed into the coastline, pulling John into its hellish grasp, taking every living creature with it several miles inland, washing bedrock clean of soil and life.
Behind the wheel of his car later that night, John paused behind another when the railroad crossing gates lowered, blocking the road, blinking red lights and bells suddenly coming to life. "Man, that was so good," Margo was saying, still raving about their experience in Virtual Reality. Max and Julie agreed from the back seat.
"Was it worth the money?" John asked, smiling. "Did you get all the thrills you paid for?"
"Damn right. All that, plus more," she confirmed.
Four diesel locomotives rumbled by, the InGen logo painted on their sides. "Hey lookit there," John pointed. "Talk about coincidence."
The train gradually slowed, lines of boxcars clattering by. One, approximately a half size larger than all the others was supported on quadruple axles, its height twice as high. It was also wider. The InGen train halted, this boxcar sat in front of the crossing, blocking traffic in both directions.
"Oh, c'mon," John grumbled, frustrated. From his rearview mirror, John saw vehicles behind him, pinning him in line. He slapped the palms of his hands against the steering wheel, his attention drawn back to the oversized railroad car.
A low-pitched rumbling reached John's ears. Squealing metal followed. John's adrenaline rushed. He sensed danger, his heart hammering against his ribs. He blew the horn, looking backward, motioning to the car behind him to back away.
Margo screamed. John snapped around, his face going pale.
The side of the boxcar ripped from the inside out, night black claws tearing an opening through thick steel. The entire side exploded from a powerful blow, the roof lifting. John's eyes bulged as the Tyrannosaurus Rex raised to his full eighteen foot height, calling out with a metallic shriek.
Stepping forward, the T-Rex got its foot under the car in front of John, lifting it up and backward, sending it flying into cars behind him. It lunged downward, ripping the roof off John's car effortlessly. Spitting it to the side, Earth's worst nightmare bent forward a second time, enclosing its teeth around John's body.
With the simulation concluding, John stood inside the spherical configuration, his eyes wide once the visor was removed. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his breathing ragged. InGen Virtual Reality Technicians unfastened his arms and legs, helping pull wires away. Stepping down, John looked at faces waiting in line to spend large amounts of money for the thrill of a lifetime.
Margo, Max and Julie all wore John's flabbergasted expression. They were disconnected, feeling the strange sense of having actually left one reality for another. "Dudes, was it as cool as they say?" someone in line asked. John flashed him a blank look. "Must be," the waiting patron concluded. "They're zoning like zombies. Man, I hope my fifteen minutes is as good as their's."
"Fifteen minutes," Margo softly repeated. "It felt like days."
"It's the best Virtual Reality Program I've ever done," Max said, smiling weakly. Julie, unsure of her footing, held his hand.
"The programming and everything stimulating the brain makes it feel longer," John offered his explanation to Margo's statement. He looked back, four more people being connected to the equipment.
The young quartet passed under a huge wooden gate, the doors thrown back. Two torches flanked the opening, fires lit to give it an aboriginal feel. The sign above read, "Welcome to Virtual Jurassic Park. Experience The Thrill of a Lifetime."
By
Rob Astor ©1993 - 1998 by Rob Astor
"Prehistoric times," John said, running a hand back over his thick black hair. He replaced his cap, his rich brown eyes taking in the sight of incredibly tall trees. The forest floor was carpeted by clay-like brown dirt and lush, green foliage. Golden sunlight filtered down in translucent, wavering shafts. He was overwhelmed by the fresh air, intoxicatingly laced with nitrogen and oxygen. There were also dinosaurs.
Up ahead, behind the trees, was the motionless form of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Its reddish-brown body was well camouflaged by tree trunks. Grotesque, its head swung lazily in John's direction. Long, dagger-like teeth protruded from under its thin upper lip. Cold, reptilian eyes watched John and his group. It wasn't without a lack of interest that kept it from approaching. Also in the woods was a herd of feeding Sauropods. Long, graceful necks almost looked like liquid trees, leading up from brown bodies supported on front legs slightly longer than back ones. "Brachiosaurs," John mumbled. "Wow, we're really here."
"Yeah, so, Brainiac, what'd you expect?" chimed his closest female companion.
With echoing thuds, the Brachiosaurs walked. Their legs vibrated flesh along ribs and abdomens. "Margo, it's so real," John stressed, smiling with a complete sense of wonder, facing the young woman with fluffy red hair.
"The InGen guys said it would be," Margo reminded John flatly.
Watching the herd of massive dinosaurs, a lump form in John's throat. "I'm totally blown away." He shifted his gaze to the patient Tyrannosaurus. It seemed more interested in getting away from the area for fear of being trampled. At about eighteen feet tall, the T-Rex was a much smaller animal when compared to one whose legs were as thick as tree trunks, whose bodies were as massive as houses and whose necks reached way up into the sky, knobbed heads sometimes soaring over the tops of the tallest trees. Brachiosaurus was easily one of the largest land animals that ever lived.
"So, John, why isn't Rexy doing a slice and dice on these guys?" Margo asked, seeing the predator keeping a safe distance.
"Carnivores stayed away from huge Sauropods," John explained quietly.
"They're gentle plant eaters, right?" Margo commented.
"Yeah, but, not completely helpless. Sauropods could crush their enemies under their bulk," John remarked, pulling Margo closer, wrapping his right arm around her waist, constantly watching the mammoth dinosaurs. Margo chuckled warmly. "They could also swing their tails around like whips and snap a hunter's spinal column."
"Deadly weapons, I like that," Margo teased seductively.
John looked into her green eyes. "You like anything that puts a man in pain." Stronger vibrations in the ground brought John's attention back to the Brachiosaurus herd. Seeing the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Sauropods together triggered a memory. "Something's not right here," he said softly.
"What?" Margo asked, scanning the area visually.
"Brachiosaurs lived in the Jurassic period--"
"So that's where InGen got the name," Margo interrupted. "Virtual Jurassic Park; so cool."
"But, Tyrannosaurus Rex lived in the Cretaceous period, millions of years later," John finished.
"Didn't the InGen guys say they sorta lumped all the dinosaurs together in this simulation?" Margo asked. "Something about being able to see them all was more interesting than only a handful." John simply nodded.
The ground vibrated with the intensity of an earthquake as the titanic herd of brown hides moved closer. Trees swayed. Necks poked over the tops of the trees, legs shifting like moving trees between trunks. Leaves and branches were pulled from so high above, sticks and bark raining downward. When their bodies brushed against trees close to them, the trees were sometimes left tilted, roots pulling up, encased in rich soil. Others snapped like twigs, falling over.
"Um, aren't they getting a little close?" Margo asked, a flash of concern crossing her expression.
"Yeah," John agreed, uneasy. "Hey Max, Julie!" he called to the pair on his far right. "Time to clear out."
Backing, the animals only drew closer, their much larger forms covering more ground. Leaves, tree bark and chunks of wood the size of a person fell while the Brachiosaurs ate everything in sight. Several more trees snapped clear with loud cracks while they chompped on all the high altitude greenery. Feeling a sense of urgency, John jogged, holding Margo's hand. They hurdled a fallen log, their companions close behind. Small fragments of wood rained down on them.
"These guys are messy eaters," Julie remarked.
"Sauropods commonly clear cut their way through a forest, leaving a wide sloth of destruction," John explained. "They swallowed their food whole and then swallowed stones to grind up vegetation in their stomachs."
The behemoths moved closer still. John tried to watch to see in which direction they'd go by glancing over his shoulder. He almost looked straight up at them. Debris fell. John covered his head, however, the worst he was struck with were a few twigs.
Eventually, the Brachiosaurs changed directions. A huge path was left in the forest, flattened trees and trampled foliage mashed into the ground. "That was close," Max said, pausing, catching his breath. He watched the unimaginably large creatures relentlessly eat a trail to their left. Trees continued to bend and snap. Some toppled in the wake of the indifferent herd.
The Tyrannosaurus wasn't the only hunter out that day. Shifting her gaze from the massive brown forms lumbering away, Julie's eyes enlarged, her face a mask of terror as she took in a quick, sharp breath. Standing approximately six feet tall, there was another dinosaur to her right, watching her carefully through vertically slit eyes. It wore a devilish grin, a slight squeal issuing from its throat. Its aquamarine hide blended well with brush and other plant life.
Jerking his head to the side, John gasped in terror. "Holy shit, Velociraptors! Run!" He pulled Margo's arm, sprinting forward.
Squealing with delight, the Raptor charged forward. Two others joined the chase, closing distance to prey easily on thick, muscular legs. Each hind foot sported a six inch sickle claw capable of separating and tearing flesh from bones without trouble. The lead hunter sprang forward with a spectacular bound, sailing with ease above John and Margo, landing in front of them, sliding some on loose soil. Turning, it hissed, smiling, holding its forearms out with claws ready to grip the human figures.
Knowing if he didn't act first the Velociraptor would, John pulled his arms up into a Tae Kwon Do defensive block. He brought his right leg up, catching the Raptor on the hip before delivering a second, stronger blow to the right side of its muzzle.
Confused, the Raptor shifted to the side, studying its prey. It didn't act like prey. John scored a series of fists to its torso, taking another kick at the Raptor's sexual organ, pulling himself behind the animal. With a shriek of pain, the Raptor dropped forward, bracing its weight on its front arms. It made a sickening coughing noise, turning toward John, feeling nothing but malice.
Hiding that he was intimidated, John quickly went to work battering the animal's head with a series of kicks. Disoriented and overpowered, the Raptor backed on all fours, skittering away into the trees. Its companions followed, startled by the deafening explosion of a gun. Max held a weapon out, keeping a bead on the largest dinosaur.
"Hey, that was pretty good work," Margo offered John, patting his shoulder. John relaxed, blowing out a tense breath of relief. "You can be my knight in shining armor anytime."
"Let's go see if we can find a place to set up camp," Max suggested once he was certain the Raptors cleared the area. He lowered his rifle, taking Julie's hand.
"This is almost more excitement than I bargained for," John said as they trekked up a hill.
"Hell, with the prices these InGen people are charging, I'd expect to get a lot more for my money," Margo punted.
At the top of the hill, the group found a run-down wooden house. "This is odd," Julie said, a quizzical expression crossing her features. She pulled a long strand of blond hair from the corner of her mouth.
"Who thought to build us shelter?" Max asked, looking to John for answers. John gave a shrug. The area below resembled a roadway, a path where herds passed quite frequently. Taking a seat on the porch for no more than a few seconds, the young quartet heard an intensifying rumbling noise.
Standing, not knowing what to expect, they saw a herd of Parasaurolophus running down the cleared path. Fifteen to eighteen feet tall, their hides were bluish with silver patches along their backs. A long, bony appendage arcing back from the top of their heads created a cacophony of desperate sounds. They ran, hooting and honking. Countless bodies raced along, making a spread out stampede. "Parasaurolophus," John mumbled. He knew they were being chased. But, by what?
The leaders of the pack turned, running down a hill. Those in back kept coming and coming. At the tail, there was a small space before three Velociraptors appeared, eyes wild with the excitement of the chase. They hunted the Hadrosaurs.
While passing, one looked directly at John. John knew that meant trouble. "Oh no," he whispered.
"Oh no what, John?" Margo echoed fearfully.
"Velociraptors were highly intelligent and hunted in packs," he sputtered. "They ambushed their prey and hunted for the pleasure of killing. Not only are Raptors problem solvers, they remember." By this Raptor's expression of surprise, John felt gut wrenching fear. "It's going to tell the others in its pack about us," John quickly added. "If they don't bring down a larger beast, they'll be back."
"Great," Julie said with an angered tone. "I didn't pay for this simulation to kill me."
"The sign said it offered the thrill of a lifetime, Julie," Max returned.
Sure enough, the Velociraptors didn't catch a large animal and came back for some easy prey. They charged the humans, racing with frightening speed up the hill. John kicked one away before it leaped up and, kicked it again. Max grabbed his weapon, slicing bullets through the torso of the second Raptor in mid-air. It crashed with a thud under a noise like breaking dishes. Dark red blood trickled from wounds, the animal laboriously breathing, dying.
Without warning, John's attacker and the third Raptor sprinted for the cover of the trees, their faces showing an expression of panic. Curious, John waited until they'd disappeared before stealing a glance at the dying dinosaur.
Margo screamed, a blood curdling sound tearing from her throat like a person acting in a cheap horror movie. Julie's jaw dropped, her eyes fixed on the same thing Margo saw. John took a few steps backward in shock, Max dropping his weapon.
The ground shook from the footfalls of a massive form approaching them. Blocking the afternoon sunlight, the Tyrannosaurus Rex towered above, hot, fetid breath signaling its arrival. It was the stench of decay; the reek of death.
"Run!" John bellowed, pivoting around, charging for the cover of the trees. Margo acted at the sound of his voice while Julie needed Max's firm grip. He paused long enough to recover his weapon.
Roaring its victory, the Tyrannosaurus stopped at the fallen body of the Velociraptor. Gaping jaws closed around its smaller form while the T- Rex's right foot stepped down on the hips, ripping the Raptor unceremoniously in half, devouring its first bite in nothing more than a quick swallow.
Racing through the woods in a blind panic, none of the quartet saw the grizzly spectacle. They half-ran, half-slid down an embankment leading to a river. Further ahead than his companions, John quickly scanned for a safe place to cross. He stole a glance to the right and stopped, backing, slipping in dark mud while another form lunged at him.
Moving with the agility of a crocodile, the ground hugging animal brightly patterned in yellow with brown splotches growled, snapping its teeth, missing John's leg by a matter of centimeters. A large sail on the creature's back acted like a Japanese fan, spreading and folding with the snake-like motions of movement.
Backing, clawing for footing, John avoided a second snap from the Dimetrodon. He swung his legs around, quickly pulling himself up by his hands, racing as fast as he could move. The reptilian creature from a nightmare long dead followed, waddling through greenery with little difficulty. It moved with a frighteningly fast pace. John spotted a second Dimetrodon to his left, closing the distance to the river. "Watch out for Dimetrodons," he called to his friends.
At the water's edge, a third animal with a sail on its back snapped at Julie who screamed. Max pulled her through the shallow water to the other side. Margo followed. They stirred up a school of Trilobites, their bodies undulating through the water like Manta Rays, quickly diving for the safety of the bottom. John paused long enough to give a quick downward kick to the neck of the Dimetrodon closest him. Squealing, the lizard-like reptile coiled on itself like a snake. John crossed the water, seeing Trilobites scatter. At least three other Dimetrodons approached from the swampy banks on the opposite side.
Without looking back, John gathered all his strength, running up the incline. They continued into the forest for several minutes, fearing the vicious predators had followed. When they finally stopped, doubled over and breathless, Max looked over at John, his face ashen. "Why does Virtual Jurassic Park has so many dangerous dinosaurs? Why didn't somebody think to put in a few that aren't out to kill everything in sight?"
"Don't ask me, man," John replied. "All we have to do is stay one step ahead of the Rex. In less than twenty-four hours, the asteroid collides with Earth and brings an end to the age of the dinosaurs."
"I take back what I said before," Margo spoke.
"What's that, Margo?" Julie asked.
"About expecting more for my money," Margo elaborated. "I can stand a little less excitement."
The Tyrannosaurus Rex's distant call made them stand at attention. Staring back into the woods, "Doesn't look like we're going to get it any time soon," John remarked. "We better get moving." The roar sounded again.
Clearing the edge of the forest, the group saw a series of rocky hills. Trees and green plant life stubbornly worked at the rigid edges. Low pitched vibrating noises to the right caught their attention. Tall, blue-gray dinosaurs stood at the trees, using huge pointed thumb bones to pull themselves up to the inviting new shoots of leaves. With the gentleness of Pandas or Koala Bears, they feasted on the abundance of ginkgoes and conifers. "What are those, John?" Max asked softly, hoping to not disturb them and bring unwanted attention to themselves.
"Iguanadons," John responded, fascinated. One placed its bony claw into the bark higher up and began pulling itself up, like a body builder doing pull-ups. Its hind legs grasped at the trees, helping support its weight by clawing into the bark.
A loud cracking sound made the four thrill seekers turn instantly to a group of reddish dinosaurs near the jagged base of some rocks. Their yellow heads sported domes of solid bone. Two backed from each other, facing off. As if an invisible cue were given, their heads lowered. They charged like rams, smacking their bony domes with a loud crack again. Others in the herd bobbed up and down, the sparring partners again backing.
"Aren't those Pachycephalosaurs?" Margo asked, shifting her head toward John.
"Yeah. I'm glad you know at least one name." He flashed her a cocky grin.
"Some of your brains are rubbing off on me."
The distant bellow of the Tyrannosaurus Rex again caught their attention. However, this time, it also caught the attention of the Iguanadons and Pachycephalosaurs. Almost instantly, chaos reigned. Loud, alarming sounds issued from both saurian species. The Pachys charged into the cover of the rocks, finding paths in crevices John and his companions hadn't seen. The Iguanadons frantically began scaling the trees, getting themselves up into the high reaches, out of range of the approaching danger.
"Looks like we'd better take their cue," John said and started jogging along a path to the left. Around a cleft, they came to a grassy clearing. Along the edge was a road. On it was parked a Jeep. "It's about time we found something that can help us," John said dryly. He climbed in, taking his place behind the wheel. When his friends were settled, he sped forward, following the gravel road.
Hours later, as the sun slowly faded, they traveled along the road, searching for a safe place to make a campsite. To the right, another herd of dinosaurs burst from a forested area, squealing bird-like calls, running very much the way an ostrich would. "What the hell's the matter with them?" Max asked, his face quizzical. Brown bodies charged parallel to road, ripping up grass, limber legs easily clearing fallen trees.
"Something tells me we better get our asses out of here," Margo said urgently from John's right.
"I agree," John sputtered, torn between watching the dinosaurs frantically flee and keeping his eyes on the road. "Gallimimus was a hunter. If the hunter's scared...."
"It can only mean one thing," Julie finished, her face flushed with panic.
Several meters behind the last animal in the panicked pack, trees exploded forward, torn clear by something much more massive, much more powerful. A screeching bellow of rage echoed across the field, sending white hot fear up the collective spines of the Gallimimus and the humans. Charging at full speed, the Tyrannosaurus Rex closed the distance behind the smaller animals. As it did, the Gallimimus crossed in front of John's path, angling like a flock of birds, all changing directions at once.
Instinctively, John gripped the wheel, pulling to the left, hoping to veer away and avoid a collision. His heart raced, his eyes never blinking. His stomach knotted. Squealing ostrich-like bodies darted around the Jeep, some leaping over it, desperate to escape certain death. One took its move a fraction of a second too late. The right fender slammed into its legs. Margo screamed in terror, bracing against the roll bar, pushing her body toward John. The Gallimimus went into a crazed spiral, tossed into a messy roll along the side of the path.
Pleased, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, broke away from the herd, instantly attacking the fallen Gallimimus. Huge jaws opened, snapping with a bone- shattering crunch around the Gallimimus' neck. The Rex scooped it up, shaking its massive head from side-to-side violently, like a dog playing with an old rag. Then the smaller animal was slammed to the ground, the Tyrannosaur ripping flesh away.
"Is Rexy supposed to chase us through the whole simulation?" Margo asked, facing John, her face pale, etched with fear.
"I don't know," John replied honestly.
"Looks that way," Max called, watching the Rex finish its meal with Julie.
The forest to the right stopped, bringing John and his friends to a vast, open field dotted with bushes and other shrubbery. The road became nothing more than a well traveled path, eventually fading completely. Massive, turtle-like bodies of grazing animals formed small clusters. They chewed on the green plants, ignorant of the Jeep and its strange passengers. Mustard-green backs sported lumps of bony armor, short legs making bodily motions reminiscent of giant turtles. Tails drug across the ground, ending in club-like lumps of solid bone.
"Turtle guys, how cute," Julie remarked, a smile on her face.
"Ankylosaurs," John corrected her. "They might leave us alone, providing we don't bother any of them." He watched their passing bodies, dimmed by the twilight.
"We might not disturb them, but, I think he will!" Max called, pointing to the right.
"Oh no," John moaned. Without looking, he knew what that meant.
Sprinting across the field, full-throttle, Tyrannosaurus Rex chose the Jeep as his next target of attack. Its shrill, metallic roar preceded him, fraying the nerves of John and his companions.
All around them, Ankylosaurs began dropping, protecting their bodies and legs with heavy armor. One, grazing behind the false security of a bush, dropped as it felt the Rex's footfalls, swinging it massive tail in the air over its curled up body to ward off attack.
Uninterested, the T-Rex passed the Ankylosaurus by, keeping a bead on the racing Jeep. Leaping past another hump on the ground, one of Rex's hind claws hooked under the armor of a third. Without pause, the Ankylosaurus was lifted up. It curled its body into a tight ball, rolling from the force of Rex's powerful leg and built up kinetic energy. It came to rest on its legs unharmed at the edge of another series of bushes.
Racing down an incline, John maneuvered to another forested growth. Searching for a space in the trees wide enough to drive through, John found the answer to a prayer next to a shallow river. Taking the left turn a little slower, so the top-heavy Jeep wouldn't flip, John drove next to the shore, ducking into the dim foliage.
At the edge of the forest, the Tyrannosaurus took a quick second to survey its options. Then it followed, gaining as long strides brought its massive body thundering up behind the vehicle. Cursing, John stomped on the accelerator, keeping his eye on the dinosaur in the rearview mirror. Margo turned around, her mouth gaping. Max and Julie wordlessly saw Rex edging up to them fast.
"Oh my God!" Margo screamed, the T-Rex running beside them on John's side. With great restraint, John fought down his welling panic. Leaning down, the Tyrannosaur swung its massive body at the Jeep, clipping it along the left fender. Fortunately, it didn't detour John's path. Ahead, a tree had fallen and formed a bridge across the water. "Everybody duck," John called, unsure if there was enough clearance for them to pass beneath.
Roaring under the massive trunk, John rose, looking backward, keeping his attention on their purser. T-Rex slammed into the tree like nothing was there. It's trunk shattered, splintered into thousands of shards of wood. Rex continued the chase. "Damn," John muttered.
To the left side of a denser growth of trees, a series of new bodies blocked their path. "Oh God," Margo whispered, "Stegosaurs."
"Hey, you got another one right," John smiled approvingly.
"This isn't the time to be a smart ass, John," Max yelled from the back. "Get us the hell outta here!"
As massive as tanks, the plated dinosaurs sauntered toward the water. Giant plates on top of yellowish bodies displayed a wide variety of colors including greens, oranges and reds. Behind the Jeep, T-Rex let off an annoyed shriek, gaining the Stegosaurus' attention. Acting quickly, they grunted, taking up a defensive perimeter around their young. Spiked tails swung outward, aimed toward the approaching chase.
Quickly turning right, John plowed through the water, clearing the Stegosaurs. Almost wisely, Rex decided not to tangle with them either, keeping his pursuit of the strange metal animal. John had to admire the dinosaur.
The path on this side of the water was blocked by a fallen log laying across the ground, forcing John to drive through smaller bushes, back out into the open. With no hesitation, the T-Rex followed, calling after the puny creatures in a long bellow.
Seeking escape in this direction, however, John realized was equally as futile. Scattered across the twilight field were two other breeds of incredibly dangerous dinosaurs, even if they were herbivores. Reminiscent of a rhinoceros herd, Triceratops grazed peacefully, deceptively sluggish in appearance. Tank-sized bodies supported a head a full third of the body's length. A single, long horn was placed over each eye; a third, shorter one on the tip of its muzzle. A huge frill of bone curved back, protecting necks. Orange along their tops, their undersides were dull brown. The horns and frills were bone color.
Near them, dinosaurs equally as large with a single long horn on the nose and horns protruding from its frill, grazed side-by-side. The Styracosaurs sported a dull brown color. Like content cousins, neither the Triceratops or the Styracosaurs bothered the other. They co-existed harmoniously.
Keeping a safe distance, John stared in amazement at the massive animals. "Triceratops was my favorite dinosaur as a kid," he said, diverting his attention momentarily from a more pressing danger behind them.
"What are the other ones called, John?" Margo asked, scanning them.
"Styracosaurus."
Covering more ground in the clearing, the T-Rex gave no indication of interest in the larger dinosaurs. But, the presence of the newcomers and the predator signaled a stampede. Orange bodies charged, mothers and children taking a heading away from danger while herd leaders formed a barrier along side the Jeep and the Rex. Watching with cold calculation, the herd leader eyed the vehicle's passengers. It's left horn was missing, snapped clean near the base, just above the eye socket. Triceratops running next to the Tyrannosaurus made threatening snarls and snaps at its legs.
Margo pressed close to John, gasping, terrified as the huge, reptilian eye watched her. Growling, the Tric swung its head toward the Jeep, it sharp, bony frill slicing through metal with an unnatural groan. "Shit!" Max backed against Julie who was already plastered to the side of the vehicle's wall. "It'll open us like a tin can!" Max observed, the frill making a second slice through thin metal.
Defending the herd and preventing an attack, the Triceratops closest to the Tyrannosaurs' legs darted sideways, taking the bipedal hunter off balance. Squealing with surprise, the taller dinosaur tripped, sprawling forward, clashing with a second Triceratops. The pair rolled over one another, stopping, shaking themselves, regaining balance.
A confrontation now unavoidable, the Tyrannosaurs blew off a call of rage, slowly stalking forward. The Triceratops again charged full speed, hooking its head fully under the Rex, lifting him, throwing him off his feet. Unable to snap at the Tric, the T-Rex slammed against the ground with a tremendous thud.
Regaining its footing for a second time, still unscathed, the Tyrannosaurus turned toward the Triceratops. And, for a second time, the Tric charged like a tank, wiping the Rex completely out. As it rolled away from the herd, the tyrant king stood on wobbly legs, somewhat shaken by the warning blows. It roared at the bulky animals, pressing forward, searching for the prey it had originally been chasing.
"Looks like Rexy's detained for a few minutes," Margo said, looking behind the Jeep, watching the commotion.
"Helluva lot a good it does us!" Max yelled, a long gash ripped into the Jeep's unprotective shell.
"It's forcing me back toward the trees," John called frantically, fighting the wheel. The mammoth Triceratops was immobile next to him.
"What're we gonna do?" Julie asked.
"We'll hafta make a jump for it," John called back. Margo's eyes were wide. "It's gonna hurt, though." As the trees got closer, John rammed into the Triceratops, hoping to force it back. His tactic was unsuccessful. "Better do it now," he suggested, easing the speed.
"Go, go!" Max yelled at Julie, standing. Julie stood, easing out the window. She held her breath and leaped, remembering to roll when she hit the ground. Max went next.
"Get moving before he makes us hit a tree," John said to Margo. Margo paused. "Hurry!"
Crawling into the back, Margo eased herself to the window, leaping as the Jeep continued to slow. John took one last ram against the Triceratops' body before he opened the door. There was a tree directly ahead. John leaped clear, rolling in soft grass. When he stopped, he watched the Triceratops force the Jeep into the woods. It smacked with a crunching jolt against the trunk of a large tree, crushing the hood and motor. The Triceratops doubled back, lowering its head as it rammed the side of the vehicle, tossing it deeper into the trees. The dinosaur stopped, gave a satisfied snort and returned to its herd.
"Everyone okay?" John asked as his companions caught up to him.
Margo tightly wrapped her arms around John's neck. "I didn't see you jump," she said. "I thought you were still in the Jeep when the Triceratops hit it."
"I'm okay," John assured her, giving a tight squeeze. "We better get moving."
Far down along the edge of the trees, the Tyrannosaurus Rex headed in their direction, keeping a careful watch of the Triceratops. "Doesn't this guy ever give up?" Margo asked.
The light was nearly gone now, night settling in. Strange noises emanated from the shroud of trees. Looking ahead at the total blackness and then back at the approaching nightmare, John gave a slight shove forward. "Let's go." The quartet ran into the forest.
For several minutes, nothing but trees seemed to be their company. From behind, vibrating footfalls of the Rex echoed toward them. Tree branches snapped as its massive form, menacingly determined, cleared its own path. Rushing water to the left gave John another thought. He led his friends deeper into the unknown.
At the bank of the river, water rushed by, deeper than where they'd crossed near the Stegosaurus herd. "We gotta cross," John said before anyone spoke. Margo, Max and Julie flashed him a questioning gaze. "We gotta loose our scent so he looses it," John explained breathlessly. He stood at the very edge. "Don't fight the current. Swim across. It'll push you downstream. Pull yourself out on the other side." With his instructions complete, John stepped in, eventually diving forward. He was swept along, but, swam like he'd told the others to do.
Margo looked at Max who gave a nod. She went next, gasping from the cold, swimming with all her strength. Max and Julie went together.
On the opposite side, John stood, straining against the darkness to see his friends. Margo was a few meters to the left. He rushed to her side, helping her from the suction of the unrelenting water. Max and Julie came over to them together. "We did it," Margo said, smiling with joy.
"Let's move quickly and quietly," John said, picking their path through thinning trees. In the vast distance, the frustrated Tyrannosaurus Rex made noises, trying to flush his prey out.
Making their way to another open area, they were met with an agricultural compound. Rows of tomato plants, corn and fruit trees stretched as far as they could see. "Food," Margo said softly. "Man, am I hungry." She plucked a few ripe tomatoes, walking with John to the left toward a bright white light.
John took a small selection of fruit from the nearest trees as Margo took the first bite of her tomato. "I wonder what's over there," Margo said, referring to the light.
"I don't know," John replied. The Tyrannosaur's calls drew nearer. "We'd better figure it out fast," he added, gazing back into the forest. They jogged, approaching a small series of buildings. A huge silo filled with corn had the white light raised high over the compound's structures.
"Think we can wait out the night in one of those?" Max asked.
"I hope so," John returned. To the far end, there was a house. John turned the door knob when they climbed up the stairs. The door opened. "Thank God," he smiled, walking in, sitting on a couch at the far end of the wall. "Don't turn any lights on." He then took a bite of a pear, his stomach aching. Margo ate her tomatoes, sitting with him.
At the window, finished with an ear of corn, Max watched the T-Rex slowly scan over the fields, searching for them. "Shit, here it comes again."
John walked over to Max, looking out the window. The dinosaur searched methodically, its head moving slowly around. "It's confused by all the vegetable scents," John deduced. "We'll stay here and see if we can wait it out till morning. As long as we don't make any noise or try to leave, we should be safe."
Margo was at his left side. "What's that bright star up there, John?" she asked, taking another snippet of tomato, pointing to the sky.
"Enyo," John replied. Margo gave him an inquisitive glance. "That's the asteroid that hits tomorrow," he explained.
"Strange name," Margo said.
"Not really. It's poetic justice. Enyo was the ancient Greek goddess of destruction."
"In that case, I agree," Margo said, her eyes drifting back to the brilliant point of white light. "How'd it get here?"
"Astronomers think there's a very large area beyond the solar system where comets and asteroids lurk," John began a soft dissertation. "They also think our sun has a dark companion they've called Nemesis which passes through this ring of debris, sending some of the objects hurtling into the inner solar system."
"Nemesis?" Margo echoed.
"Another Greek goddess," John explained. "She constantly persecuted the rich, proud and powerful." Margo looked at him as if annoyed. "It's interesting the Greeks had goddesses doing so many terrible things." Margo gave a playful grin. "Even Nyx was the goddess of night."
"That's okay," Margo chided. "Christianity blamed the fall of man on a woman. Poetic justice is that, women are the cause for the persecution of men." She smiled, her eyebrows raising.
John simply grinned. Then, overpowered by their condition, he yawned. "We'd better get some sleep," he said. "We don't know when Enyo's supposed to impact and we don't know how far from ground zero we are. Besides, we still may have to out-smart and out-run the T-Rex tomorrow." Standing, returning to the couch, John finished his fruit. Laying back, stretching his weary muscles, John realized he was physically and mentally exhausted. The space of a few seconds passed before he was sound asleep.
Returning from the peaceful blackness was like waking into a nightmare. At the edge of consciousness, John heard screams and thuds. When his couch moved, John's eyes opened fully, squinting against brilliant sunlight. Margo backed into him, desperately clutching at his right arm. She was wailing in fear.
Sitting upright, John quickly surveyed the situation. A portion of the roof was missing, having been smashed inward. Windows were broken, the walls cracked and buckling. Fully awake, John bolted backward against the sofa when he saw the Tyrannosaur's head through the opening. Narrow eyes peered down at the cornered victims, the Rex almost grinning.
"This way!" Max called from behind, Julie at his side. "I think there's some passages leading from the basement." Margo pulled John up, the pair racing through a doorway and down ancient wooden stairs. Bare light bulbs provided the only light down, swinging on suspended wires.
Outside, the T-Rex sounded a mighty roar, arcing its head backward. It lunged down, snapping at the roof, pulling up another section between dagger teeth. Tossing it to the side, the Rex raised its back leg, slashing forward, slamming claws through the corner wall. It shattered, falling inward, the forward wall lazily toppling to the ground. With another solid kick, the king of the dinosaurs managed to bring the rest of the roof down, neatly folding it in the middle. Plaster and wooden walls were no match for the animal's fury, fragmenting, ripping away.
"It's in!" Margo screamed at the bottom of the stairs. She bolted to the side where Max fondled the controls to a door. Cursing, Max aimed his gun, shredding the locking mechanism with hot lead. Prying it back, he managed to give them enough space to flee down a passage.
Running blindly, none of them noted the walls were lined with pipes and wires. Red light cast a dim glow. At various intervals, computer control panels blinked at them. From far behind, dinosaur bellows rumbled through the narrow corridor. "What the hell happened back there?" John asked.
"The Rex waited in the fields all night," Max called back. "It started checking things out and spotted us. Then it attacked."
Ahead, the passage angled to their right, ending with an adjacent corridor, going in opposite directions. Without taking time to vote, they all ran to their right. At a point where the corridor seemed to form a joint, Max sealed the passage. Running up a gradual incline, they were faced with another danger.
A score of juvenile Velociraptors lingered about, staring at the humans curiously. A squeal came from the throat of one with pale blue flesh, its head decorated with feather-like plumage. Instantly, they hopped toward the stalled group of four, taking an attack stance.
A reddish hued demon pounced at John. He blocked a fatal blow with his leg, bringing himself around, kicking as hard as he could at the snake- like face. Stunned, the Raptor paused, taking a new course of action. Leaping straight up, it held onto pipes, seeking a position where it could drop down on John. Keeping his eye on the raptor overhead, John also tried to kick away a smaller infant.
Pulling back, Max opened fire, neatly taking down about half of the attackers. Julie held her hands pressed to her ears, the deafening echo in the corridor thundering with inhuman power.
Picking its chance to score, the Raptor overhead swung down at John, it's claws out-stretched. At the last possible instant, John side-stepped it, slamming its leathery body with a powerful round-house kick. While it struggled for balance, Max turned his weapon to it, pelting it with at least half a dozen bullets. Turning back to fleeing Raptors, Max pressed his advantage, firing up the corridor.
Spraying bullets punctured pipes, severed hoses and created sparkling firestorms as equipment was destroyed. Hissing steam billowed into the dim red, obscuring visibility. An explosion further ahead sent an orange ball of fire rocketing toward them. "Hit the dirt!" John commanded, falling on his abdomen. His companions followed his lead, the fire swirling angrily by, doing nothing more than singing them.
"Do you think you can cut the Rambo act for five minutes?" Julie demanded of her partner, scrambling back to her feet. "Are you trying to get us killed?"
"'Scuse me for trying to save our asses," Max returned bluntly.
"That explosion probably cleared the way," John hypothesized quickly. "Let's move." He jogged, avoiding hot steam. When he reached the breach in the tunnel, John found there was a masonry wall beyond, separated by a gravel roadway. Jagged metal and sparking wires hung in the opening. Without warning, the awful smell of a thousand dead things wafted to him. "Move!" John bellowed frantically.
Max and Julie, several meters behind, were cut off when the skull of the Tyrannosaurus Rex burst inward, jaws snapping, seeking anything to kill. Backing for a second, it's massive head smashed inward again, pulling apart the framework of the tunnel. It bellowed a long roar, biting at tubes along the opposite wall. Fortunately, the dinosaur's head was too large to fit fully inside.
"Max! Julie!" Margo screamed, looking back as she and John sprinted forward.
"Keep moving!" John shouted above the T-Rex's earthquake-like roar. "We'll have to regroup later. Right now, we gotta get outta here." Rex pulled a section of the tunnel's other wall apart, determined agility and size lending it the power to gradually rip the metal walls loose.
Further up, John brought he and Margo into a factory-like area. The huge complex, its concrete block walls lined with pipes and catwalks, not the refuge he'd hoped to find. Picking a reluctant path around machinery, John ascended metal stairs, leading Margo into storage areas.
Heading deep into the facility, John stopped along side another door, doubling over, his breathing quick. Margo, catching her breath first, peered into the room. "John, look," she said softly, tugging at the arm of his shirt.
He turned around, catching the rare glimpse of a Velociraptor making a nest. The female sniffed the ground, circling an area. She used hind legs to scratch and throw dirt away, like a dog digging a hole with its front feet. She lay in the hole, burrowing around to make it the correct size. "I don't think this'll be safe enough to stay in either," John considered upon seeing the Raptor. He started walking toward a series of doors, trying several before one opened.
Outside, John and Margo found themselves at the edge of a forest, a vast beach along a blue ocean shore to their left. A volcano spurted small ash clouds into an unobscured sky straight ahead. Reptilian birds soared through the skies like bats accustomed to daylight. Herds of Sauropods lazily stepped into the water. Parasaurolophus herds ambled their way along the beach.
In the ocean, past the shallow water shelf, Plesiosaurs snapped at circling Pterodactyls, their long necks almost easy enough to mistake for Sauropod necks. They stalked the waters in small pods, pulling nearby fish into their jaws. Huge fins in place of legs reminded John of whale fins.
Walking forward, staying at the edge of the trees, John and Margo gawked in wonder, for the first time, taking in the beauty of a world long dead. Sunlight created beams of golden rays pouring down through tree tops stretching up into the blue sky. Chattering insect sounds filled their perceptions. Sticks crunched underfoot, hoots and howls of forest creatures ever present.
Blurred movement to the right was noticed by John. He saw a smaller dinosaur running. Its scarlet hide was thick and callused, dry. Feather- like head plumage blew back as it ran. Other scrambling sounds came from behind. John and Margo turned, expecting the worst. However, a scarlet Velociraptor pack hunted, preparing to ambush some unsuspecting dinosaur headed toward the forest.
The hunters stopped by a grouping of trees having low hanging branches. They crouched down and began leaping upward. Perfectly, they landed on branches, ducking behind others. Some used a hand to bend a branch back to keep an eye on the path. Their hissing stopped, the forest becoming still.
A taller animal lumbered along on hind legs toward the trees. Its mouth was crudely shaped like a duck's bill. The dinosaur trumpeted through its nostrils, eyes scanning the area. It appeared timid. The Velociraptors waited like statues as the beast came closer. Their eyes narrowed like gun fighters in Grade-B movies. Their stance was steel framed. The Hadrosaur took another step. One of the pack hunters made the subtlest of eye movements.
The attack came fast. Smaller animals leaped from the trees onto the larger dinosaur's back, hissing, squealing. Sickle claws ripped flesh open, the Hadrosaur rearing violently, trying to swing them away. Its tail lashed out like a whip, slammed into one, breaking its neck. The hunter clattered to the ground, groaning with an unearthly sound, taking several moments to die.
Others leaped up, making quick cuts with claws, jumping back, repeating the maneuvers. The large animal yelped in pain, driven to madness. It spasmodically thrashed around, tail convulsing until it toppled over with a loud thud. Sickened, John and Margo watched in horror as the blood bath feast commenced.
A roar unlike anything John ever head came from behind, making him jump. Turning, he saw the Tyrannosaurus Rex charging in their direction. The Velociraptors ate, undaunted by the Rex's sudden appearance. The fiercest hunter the world ever knew was after the humans.
Running forward, everything seemed to move in slow motion. Thumping footfalls of the T-Rex drew closer and closer. Neither John or Margo looked back. They didn't want to face certain death and stare it down. It'd be terrible enough to die in the maw of the hunter without having to see it.
John heard a sound reminding him of a jet flying overhead. All activity ceased. Even the enraged Tyrannosaurus paused with question, looking upward. John stared into the sky. "Enyo," he whispered.
A brilliant yellow fireball left a white trail of smoke as it fell. The growing point split into two segments. The smaller disappeared over the horizon while the larger impacted much closer, landing in the ocean, near the horizon.
The thermal pulse turned everything into a photographic negative for a split second. An orange ball of fire rose into the sky, swelling into a beautifully surreal mushroom cloud. A slight breeze gusted, the ground trembling. An impossibly huge wall of water raced toward them.
The Rex may have sensed danger, as awe-struck as John and Margo, but, it was already too late to act. Everything around them caught on fire. A crackling sound slammed into the forest, blowing John backward. Margo was no longer at his side. The shock wave flattened every tree, lifting dirt and rock, sending all sailing. The T-Rex, the dead Hadrosaur and the Velociraptors were lifted, carried on the violent breeze. Everything around John exploded with fire, bursting into flames, igniting as if doused in gasoline.
The process reversed itself. Flattened trees were pulled to the opposite side, some snapping clean. Blowing fires seared everything a second time. Debris was sucked back toward the mushroom cloud in a gigantic vacuum. Tyrannosaurus Rex was included, floating through the air like a helpless bird caught in a storm.
The mushroom cloud blackened, rains of fire falling like a melting umbrella. Shooting higher, spreading out, a black disk spilled like ink across the blue canvas of sky. The first tsunami slammed into the coastline, pulling John into its hellish grasp, taking every living creature with it several miles inland, washing bedrock clean of soil and life.
Behind the wheel of his car later that night, John paused behind another when the railroad crossing gates lowered, blocking the road, blinking red lights and bells suddenly coming to life. "Man, that was so good," Margo was saying, still raving about their experience in Virtual Reality. Max and Julie agreed from the back seat.
"Was it worth the money?" John asked, smiling. "Did you get all the thrills you paid for?"
"Damn right. All that, plus more," she confirmed.
Four diesel locomotives rumbled by, the InGen logo painted on their sides. "Hey lookit there," John pointed. "Talk about coincidence."
The train gradually slowed, lines of boxcars clattering by. One, approximately a half size larger than all the others was supported on quadruple axles, its height twice as high. It was also wider. The InGen train halted, this boxcar sat in front of the crossing, blocking traffic in both directions.
"Oh, c'mon," John grumbled, frustrated. From his rearview mirror, John saw vehicles behind him, pinning him in line. He slapped the palms of his hands against the steering wheel, his attention drawn back to the oversized railroad car.
A low-pitched rumbling reached John's ears. Squealing metal followed. John's adrenaline rushed. He sensed danger, his heart hammering against his ribs. He blew the horn, looking backward, motioning to the car behind him to back away.
Margo screamed. John snapped around, his face going pale.
The side of the boxcar ripped from the inside out, night black claws tearing an opening through thick steel. The entire side exploded from a powerful blow, the roof lifting. John's eyes bulged as the Tyrannosaurus Rex raised to his full eighteen foot height, calling out with a metallic shriek.
Stepping forward, the T-Rex got its foot under the car in front of John, lifting it up and backward, sending it flying into cars behind him. It lunged downward, ripping the roof off John's car effortlessly. Spitting it to the side, Earth's worst nightmare bent forward a second time, enclosing its teeth around John's body.
With the simulation concluding, John stood inside the spherical configuration, his eyes wide once the visor was removed. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his breathing ragged. InGen Virtual Reality Technicians unfastened his arms and legs, helping pull wires away. Stepping down, John looked at faces waiting in line to spend large amounts of money for the thrill of a lifetime.
Margo, Max and Julie all wore John's flabbergasted expression. They were disconnected, feeling the strange sense of having actually left one reality for another. "Dudes, was it as cool as they say?" someone in line asked. John flashed him a blank look. "Must be," the waiting patron concluded. "They're zoning like zombies. Man, I hope my fifteen minutes is as good as their's."
"Fifteen minutes," Margo softly repeated. "It felt like days."
"It's the best Virtual Reality Program I've ever done," Max said, smiling weakly. Julie, unsure of her footing, held his hand.
"The programming and everything stimulating the brain makes it feel longer," John offered his explanation to Margo's statement. He looked back, four more people being connected to the equipment.
The young quartet passed under a huge wooden gate, the doors thrown back. Two torches flanked the opening, fires lit to give it an aboriginal feel. The sign above read, "Welcome to Virtual Jurassic Park. Experience The Thrill of a Lifetime."