Chapter Six
The Flight
Grant shifted in his seat and glanced out the window of the Beechcraft Kingair 200 Turboprop as it cruised smoothly through the clear blue sky. He resettled himself and peered over at his younger comrade. Billy was across from him cleaning the lenses of his camera. The paleontologist eyed the tattered pack on his lap. "Even with what I pay you, can't you afford a better bag?"
Billy gingerly replaced his equipment in the ragged bag. "No way. This is my lucky pack. Couple years ago some buddies and I went hang gliding off these cliffs in New Zealand when an updraft sent me right into the side. Boom!"
"That does sound lucky," Grant griped sarcastically, eyeing the younger man strangely.
Billy ignored his mockery. "It was this trap along that saved my life. Got caught on a rock as I was falling."
"Reverse-Darwinism," Grant snorted. "Survival of the most idiotic." He risked another look out the window and found himself wishing he had a cell phone to call Ellie. Wouldn't she love to hear that? Grant: wanting anything to do with technology. She wouldn't believe it.
Billy cleared his throat nervously. "Listen Alan, I really appreciate you bringing me along."
"The bones will be there when we get back," Grant responded, brushing off the kid's gratitude. "That's the nice thing about them. They never run away. Or try to eat you." He paused then leaned across the aisle. "And besides, you got me into this mess. I don't intend to be alone with these people."
Billy smirked.
Grant settled back, finally getting comfortable, drawing his hat over his eyes. "Wake me when we get there," he ordered intend on drifting off to sleep. He could hear Billy conversing with another member of their group as he fell into oblivion.
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Groggy, Grant gradually pried open his eyes and glanced around. To his horror, he was alone on the plane. He turned to his right, barely holding back his scream. A raptor sat where Billy used to be, its eyes gazing at him curiously before opening his mouth: "Alan."
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Grant jolted awake, his disorientation causing him to jerk at the sound of Billy's voice announcing that they were almost there. Grant stared out the window to see the island rising gracefully from the water. Maybe he shouldn't have come. Oh Ellie, I should've listened to you. He could feel his heart racing as they swooped down directly over the island. Could he handle being this close?
Then he saw them. "My God, I had forgotten," he exclaimed in an awed whisper, amazed by the sight of the prehistoric animals. His doubts evaporated at the spectacle of the herds. Oh Ellie, if only you could see this.
Excited, he then proceeded to point out the various dinosaurs, but was deterred when the Kirbys ignored him.
"We'll circle around once before landing," Paul Kirby told the pilot.
Grant was instantly out of his seat. "What? You can't land here! This plane can not land!" As the Kirbys tried to calm him, Grant frantically headed for the cockpit. He would rather place his life in his own hands at the foreign controls then step a foot on the island.
Cooper leaped up, grabbing Grant's arm to stop him.
"Mr. Grant," Paul soothed. "If you just give us a minute, I'll explain everything in a…" He winced as Cooper slammed the butt of his gun into Grant's head.
End Chapter Six
Autumn Darkness: I don't know, Autumn. I never was a huge fan of Eric…/ducks/ Ok, ok, ok, I'm sorry! I surrender! I swear I won't kill him off! Anyway, I did check out your leaps in reviews and am impressed. I'll have to read your story, Return to Jurassic, even though I'm not an Eric-fan. It must be great if you have so many reviews!