Chapter Eight - Isla Sorna

I saw Eric's face go deathly pale while everyone else began talking excitedly.

"Did - did you just say we're going to Isla Sorna?" he asked shakily. A couple people laughed

"That's right, Mr. Kirby," Mr. Polycarp said, grinning. "Since we have been studying dinosaurs, I figured this would be a great chance to see them up close and personal."

"But - but we can't - we can't," Eric stuttered.

"Don't worry, Mr. Kirby. Everything will be fine. Considering how much I know about dinosaurs, I wouldn't be stupid enough to allow for us to land, now would I?"

"But the Pteranadons..." Eric tried.

"Eric, please. There is nothing to worry about. We will be perfectly safe. Don't you worry," Mr. Polycarp said, trying to reassure him. I could tell that Eric did not look convinced, however.

Then it hit me.

It was true. Either Eric had a very odd fear of dinosaurs (even though he used to love them like anything) or he had actually been on Isla Sorna before. I was going to go for the latter. How could anyone be so frightened of dinosaurs if you hadn't seen them in the flesh? Why was Eric so frightened of loud noises if the dinosaurs Ingen had created weren't real? It all made sense and for some odd reason, I felt that I had to say something in Eric's defense.

So, I took a deep breath and stood up. "Mr. Polycarp?" I said. Tina tugged on my sleeve but I shrugged her off. Everyone was looking at me, even Eric.

"Yes, Miss. Martin," Mr. Polycarp said turning towards me.

"Uh..." I didn't feel so brave anymore. "You know, maybe if... since Eric has been on the island before, we should take his advice and do something else."

Now everyone's mouths were hanging to the floor. I was standing up for Eric! They couldn't believe it, I could tell. I didn't dare look at Eric.

"As I said to Eric," Mr. Polycarp said, looking a little flustered. "We will be plenty safe. Nothing is going to go wrong; trust me. Besides, we're going whether you like it or not. End of discussion."

Costa Rica slowly grew smaller and smaller as we flew into the clouds. For a few seconds all you could see out the window was whitish-grayish stuff and then, we burst through their masses into the sunshine. Through small breaks in the clouds I could see the ocean below and once in a while I would see a barge or a cruise ship. There wasn't that much to see.

Tina and Hannah pretty much refused to talk to me and I couldn't turn my disappointed face towards the window as I had an isle seat. So, instead, I either looked ahead into space or down at my lap. Every once in a while I would hear someone whisper some rude comment about me but I just ignored it.

All I could really think about was the fact that Eric still wasn't talking to me. I had caught up to him before we boarded the plane and tried to talk to him, but all he had done was look right through me. It made me feel so alone! First Eric wasn't talking to me, now Tina and Hannah, and the rest of this trip would probably be horrible seeing as how people liked me even less now.

Before I had spoken up for Eric a few hours before, I had actually caught a couple of guys taking sideways glances at me (I was wearing my short skirt and one of my shirts that barely covered my shoulders) but now, it was almost as if they were afraid to look at me. Almost as though if they did, they would become social outcasts for life.

The next half hour was so boring you would not be able to believe it even if I did tell you in detail. But finally, down below, we could see an island. Mist wrapped around the mountains, spiraling their way to the top. Foamy waves crashed against the rock cliffs in white spurts. It looked like it would have made a wonderful resort island.

A voice came over the loud speaker. "Now don't get too excited, kids. This isn't the island we're headed for. This one is Isla Nublar, sight A. The weather and the densities of the foliage make it pretty much impossible for us to have a comfortable tour, so we're going to be heading to the second island, Isla Sorna. On this island we will be able to see the Pteranadons and the Spinosaurus, which are two of the dinosaurs that are not on Isla Nublar."

I heard someone let out a long breath and I turned around in my seat to see Eric looking even paler than before. I tried to smile at him but he only looked away. I figured he would rather go to Isla Nublar because there were less dinosaurs but I wasn't sure. I hadn't really learned how to read his face that well in the last few days.

Another long half hour later, we could see Isla Sorna looming out of the mist. This island was notably different than the first. A few jutting rocks were sticking out of the water around the small island and the mountains didn't seem to be as closely packed together. But it also looked at though it was smaller than Isla Nublar.

We flew over a couple steeply sided mountains covered in green trees and then swooped down low over a valley.

The sight was far better than I could have ever imagined. A heard of fifty feet tall Brachiosauruses were standing up on their hind legs to pull leaves off of trees; waddling Ankylosauruses were eating the long grasses by a river; strange looking Parasaurolophuses were clumped together with a heard of Corythosauruses standing nearby; then who could forget the ever so famous Stegosauruses and Triceratops. It all looked so.

Everyone forgot the thoughts of the day and crammed together to look out the windows as the mister annoying science teacher rambled on about their eating habits and anything else he found fascinating. No one was listening to him. Even Eric was looking out his window with great enthusiasm. I figured he did like this one particular part that the island had to offer.

But what beautiful and strange creatures! Over and over again I had to remind myself that they were real animals and not digitally animated. How could anyone have not wanted to come and see these animals? Why had I attempted to change Mr. Polycarp's mind?

We must have circled and re-circled the island two dozen times before the pilot announced that we must turn back. A loud groan came from everyone but Eric, who breathed what seemed to be a sigh of relief. We all looked out our windows for one last glance at the animals before we flew back.

"Well that was far better than I had expected," Tina said.

"Yeah," I muttered. And to think I had ruined my reputation over this!

"Hey, look!" one of the freshmen cried. We all looked out of the window and saw, flying along beside us, a Pteranadon. Another one joined him, then another, and then another.

"My gosh!" a girl cried. "What are they doing? Bidding us farewell?" A lot of people laughed, including me. It did seem as though they were doing just that.

I was amazed at how big they were. They must have had wingspans of thirty feet or more!

But that was pretty much the most pleasant thought I had before one of the Pteranadons swooped in and hit the side of the plane with its beak, leaving behind a huge dint in the wall. Most of us girls screamed and jumped out of our seats. Another Pteranadon came in and hit the wing. The plane wobbled and a couple people fell down.

Eric was gripping his seat tightly and his face looked like death. He was muttering something under his breath that I couldn't hear.

Another hit, then another, and another. The Pteranadons seemed to be going mainly after the wings. "Everyone sit down in you seats and buckle up." The pilot yelled over the speaker. Though it was difficult, his orders were carried through.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! CRUNCH! RIP! BANG! CRUNCH! THUMP!

The plane began to wobble uncontrollably, then, we were headed straight for the ground. Most of it went too fast for me to notice. We were jerked around a lot and swerved every which-way before we were stopped by a sickening CRUNCH.

Author's Note: And your line is, "Well it's about time!" What can I say? I had to set up the story and all. Well, at least they're on the island now. Please review!