Author's Note: This is where things – other than Grant and Ellie's marriage, which I've already added – start to deviate from the movie, so don't freak out if you notice events happening differently from the film.
Chapter Seven
The Nightmare Begins
Part One
Ellie paced the cool wooden floor of the living room, her bare feet immune to the chill. Swirling like a vicious hurricane in the pit of her stomach the fear lurched up, clinging to her heart. Something's wrong, she thought desperately. He should never have gone. The idiot! She violently shoved the swinging door open, storming into the stylish kitchen. If he makes it out alive: I'm going to kill him!
She slammed her palms onto the marble tile of the counter, bending her head in defeat. How could he go? He's such a fool…an adorable, charming fool.
"Mommy," a timid, tired voice called out from the doorway. "You wake me up."
Ellie crouched down, extending her arms out. "Come here," she cradled his small body to her, inhaling his freshly bathed scent. "How about we go to the park tomorrow?"
Charlie's eyes lit up. "Will Daddy be there?"
"No. No, baby, Daddy's on a trip, remember?" Ellie smoothed her son's sandy blonde hair away from his chubby face. Alan rarely went to the park, but Charlie loved it when he did. His father was able to push him "up to the clouds"; and dug in the large sandbox with him. On occasion, Alan would even bury fossils in the sand and allow Charlie to "properly excavate" them.
His mouth in a pout, Charlie huffed. "He be back soon?"
Damn you, Alan. "Yes, in a couple days." Don't you dare make me a liar, Dr. Grant!
Part Two
Grumbling curses, Grant stumbled out of the plane not amused by the Kirby's deception. "Mrs. Kirby," he called out to the blonde woman screaming through a bullhorn. "I advise you to stop that. You'll attract unwanted attention."
"What," she yelled through the mouthpiece, turning in his direction. She jerked, tensing at the deep, vibrating roar that answered her. What frightened her more was Paul's horrified gaze. He was staring past her, his mouth and eyes gaping open. Her heart pounding Amanda glanced behind her and she choked on the air glued to her throat. A Spinosaurus peered at her hungrily, its teeth flashing in the sunlight.
"Holy shit," Nash muttered off to her right. He felt the weight of the perimeter equipment in his beefy hands, relieved he had hesitated instead of marching straight into the jungle – straight into the dinosaur's mouth.
Out of the corner of Billy's eye he saw a bright flash ignite in the distance. Grant had raced back into the plane and retrieved a flare gun, which he was now firing off toward the far left. The noise and light attracted the Spino and he took off after it, banging back through the trees.
"Quick," Grant ordered. "Back into the plane!" He ushered them onboard and took one leap up the stairs after them before halting. "Where's Cooper?"
Poking his head out the door, Udesky insisted: "He's a professional. He can take care of himself!"
"Like hell," Grant barked, refusing to climb up the remaining steps. "He's as good as dead if we leave him. That Spinosaurus will figure out we tricked him and he'll be back pissed!"
"More the reason for us to get out of here," Mr. Kirby argued deep inside the private jet. "We'll circle around once and then land to pick him up."
Torn, Grant peered behind him at the lush trees and clear blue sky. Cooper was nowhere in sight, but did that give them the right to fly off and leave Copper to certain death? "No," Grant growled. "We're not going anywhere."
"Then you can stay and wait for him," Nash snapped. "We'll swing by and pick you both up after we're sure the landing strip is clear."
The ground suddenly shook and Grant's head snapped over. The Spino was racing toward the plane, his scaly body rumbling with every movement as he bore down on them. The faces of his children flashed over his mind and Grant made his decision. Leaping up the last three steps in one bound, he screamed: "Get us in the air!"
Nash, already at the controls, switched the plane into life and taxed down the runway just as the large dinosaur's head smashed into the side of the plane, sending them into a tailspin, which sent Billy stumbling out of his chair and slamming his head against Amanda's armrest. Nash struggled with the controls, gaining speed and reverting the plane back into position.
Udesky, peering out of his window, screamed as the Spino charged once more, this time tearing his massive claws into the side of the aircraft, ripping away part of the wall. The carnivore dug his snot inside, his teeth crunching into a column of seats. The plane skidded, then rocked, teetering on the right wheels.
The Spino lurched and howled as a sharp pang pierced into his back. He withdrew his head, whipping around to glare at the man standing a few yards away armed with a tranquilizer dart gun. Cooper shot at the dinosaur again then quickly reloaded, firing once more. The giant animal roared, ignoring the plane that escaped down the runway to instead tear after his attacker.
The plane slid unevenly into the air, straining against its wounds. Grant bounced in his seat along with everyone else, the pressure in his ears building as the private jet soared higher and higher. Then suddenly: dear God, Ellie, forgive me, he begged as the plane plummeted toward earth, crashing into the thick forest.
End Chapter Seven
Pocket Jericho: Thank you for all six reviews. And thank you for helping me out with the Australia thing. I appreciate both gestures very much. And you're right about the dialogue thing, but I felt the beginning stuff was too important to change. I hope you liked this chapter, though, because it was slightly different from the movie script.
Aja Hannah: Jurassic Park will always remain one of favorites, but there are just some things about it that annoyed me: like Grant and Ellie not staying together! What can I say? Deep down inside I really am a romantic, but don't let the word get out. /smiles/
Autumn Darkness: First off, I will like to say that your story, Return to Jurassic, was a hit! I'm waiting for the sequel. Secondly, thank you for the uplifting reviews.