End of The Line
"Ahh, Ryan...RYAN!" Ben screams in terror. I try to pull him up but my anchor is giving way. I lay on my stomach and fix my grip. I get in a couching position and pull with all my strength. "Haaaahhhh." I pull him up into the cart but the axe gives way and we both fall down onto the jungle. "BEN!" "RYAN!" The others call out in futile. I slam the axe into the edge of the train as I hold on. I see Ben fall into the darkness. No. "Ryan, hold on!" I hear Yaz scream out to me, coming to the edge. "Grab my hand!" She says as she holds out her hand. I reach to grab but out of the corner of my eye, I see a branch coming. I look at Yaz with a remorseful gaze. I let go of the axe. "NO! RYAN!"
I miss the branch by the edge of my teeth and slam into large ferns that bring me into the darkness of the jungle and...hard ground.
"Why do I have to go?" I ask my mum who is on a FaceTime call with me. "You know why." I turn my eyes downcast. "I'm scared." I say unafraid to admit my fear. "I know...is it the idea of the camp or the nightmares?" My mother, Kate Johnson, asks. "Both." "Ryan, you are a strong, capable and brave young man, you will accomplish great things, I know that you can do this." I nod at her praise. "I know that what happened has left you scarred, I see your pain in your eyes everyday. I hate seeing you like that...you are scared because you feel lost. You are not lost, Ryan. Your father will always be with you. Always."
I begin to wake up. Ugh, that hurt. I sit up and glance at my surroundings. I'm lost. I stand up and look at the monorail track above me. I remembered that the train changed tracks meaning that everyone else was heading back to the park. I had two choices in front of me. Abandon them and run to the dock. Or find my way back to them. I'm lost. Broken. Alone. I was in a place that many people don't see. I feel like a part of me is missing. Ever since my dad...passed, I feel empty, like nothing has meaning anymore , I dove into my training to forget the pain but the nightmares kept coming. I was alone. But then came everyone else. Darius, the nerd that made me happy. Brooklynn, the girl that made me appreciate small ironies. Ben, the guy that made me feel like a brother. Sammy, the girl that gave me acceptance. Kenji, the guy who made me laugh. Yasmina...the girl who gave me peace. I needed them as much as they needed me. They looked to me to protect them, to make sure that they see their families again. I would lay down my life for them. All of them. I straighten my back and clench my fist. I am not abandoning anyone on this godforsaken island. I run in the direction of the main park. Hang on guys, I'm coming.
Running through this jungle at night sucks. Everything looks the same but at night it's worst. This can't go on. They wouldn't have made it all the way back. Where would they go...the tunnels, Kenji knows this park like the back of his hand, only problem being the Protocol locking down the park. I find a tunnel hatch, I climb down into the red lit corridors. This feels like a scene out of a horror movie. Dinosaurs would have made their ways in here. I know that the old parks tunnels had a infestation of venomous Troodons, they are still there, rarely leaving the old parks boundaries. Horrid little things, those devils. I spot a vent next to me, big enough that I'll fit. The locker next to it had a flame kit and a dart rifle, I check the ammo, five rounds, good enough. I place the flare in my pocket while hanging the rifle around my neck. I see a convenient crowbar not sitting far from the locker. I use it to pry open the vent. I begin to crawl through the tight space. If the guys are in here, I'll find them.
I hear voices, either I'm going crazy that's the others. I crawl faster through the vents towards the voice.
"After all this time your still defending the dinosaurs."
I hear Kenji say. After all this time, they are still arguing. I come to a vent and look out to see the group as a dinosaur walks out into the light. Toro. This Carnotaur is fucking persistent. As he charges past, I break through the vent crate. I run after Toro as he falls turning the corner. I check the tranq rifle making sure everything is in order. I round the corner see Toro with his head in the vent, snapping. Smart, the vents are the safest place to hide. I aim the rifle and fire a shot into Toros neck. He pulls back and looks at me with rage. I begins to charge but I've already fired a second shot. Toro stumbles, feeling the tranqs effects. He falls to the side as he sleeps. Soon enough, everyone crawls out of the vent looking at me with shock. Yasmina with an electric rod as a waking stick, looks at me with tears forming. I see Darius carrying the axe I used on the monorail.
"Hey guys." I say with happiness, they were a sight for sore eyes. Yasmina dashes at me with as much speed as she can muster. She drops the rod as she flings her arms around my neck, hugging me close. Surprised, I wrap her in my arms, returning her hug. "I thought you...you fell...I couldn't-." She says while crying. "I'm still here Yaz, and I'm not going anywhere." I say as she lets go, she notices how close will are as she gives a bit of distance while...is she blushing? Everyone else charges forward , wrapping myself and Yaz into a massive group hug. "We thought you were dead." Sammy says excitedly. " Don't worry about me guys, just got some bumps on the way down." Everyone breaks from the hug. I look down at Toro as his foot twitches. "Hey guys, not to spoil the party but I only hit him with a horse tranq, he's going to be up in a few minutes. This vent can lead us to the south dock." I say as I point out the vent that they came from. "Alright, let's get home." Darius says as everyone starts to head into the vent.
"Turn left. There should be crate that comes out to a large tunnel. It should lead is to the dock." I say as Darius and Yaz break through the crate. We come out to the large tunnel. We are see a sign saying, 'south dock, 1000 ft', we are begin running in the direction of the light at the end. We come too a large loading bay with large concrete doors blocking our way through. "No no no no no nooo." Kenji says as he bangs his fist on the door. "This is the Mosasaurus loading bay, he was placed here when he arrived, checks ups, medication etc. The park must've closed the doors when he placed in the lagoon." I say. "Why can't anyone at this damn park make one good decision!" Yasmina shouts out in fury.
RROOAARR!
"Toros up." I say looking back down the dark tunnel. "What do we do now. Their must be a way out of here." Sammy says as she begins inspecting the walls. "The doors are controlled from the main control room and with most of the power out. We can't run to the control room, reboot power and get back to the dock in the time we have left." I reason to Sammy. It's pointless but...no, I won't give up likes this, I look through the crates looking for anything, something to try and get us through these doors. We hear another roar. "Darius, what do we do now?" Kenji asks. "I don't know." Darius replays with pain in his voice. He's breaking. "But you always know." Sammy interjects. "I DON'T KNOW!" He screams out. "I don't know what to do. I didn't with Ben or Bumpy, or when the Indominus attacked. I have no clue what to do. We are as good as dead." Darius says slumping against the wall. Everyone slumps in defeat, relucently accepting their fate. I look at them, their tired, in pain, in grief, everything that has happened has lead to this, every obstacle, we have overcome, every argument, we have pushed aside for the greater good. We bled, sweated and cried. I refuse to go out like this.
"Get up, the lot of you." I say with determination. Everyone looks at me in confusion. "I didn't survive every argument and dinosaur attack, to die here, at the end of the line. Now Toro is coming, we will not go out like we are weak and useless. Toro has been a thorn in our side and I will not cut and run. Now, you all can either sit there and weep about your failures or you can get off your asses and help me teach this fucking Carnotaur who the fucking boss is." I say as a lift some air compressed cannisters out of their box. Yasmina walks over to me and nod in dedication. She helps me lift a cannister. "Thank you." I say. She smiles. "A warrior can hoard his plunder." She repeats my own words back at me. I smile. "But cowers at the clash of thunder." Soon everyone comes over with a look of determination. "Let's fucking do this." I say as Darius hands me back my axe. I pass the dart rifle to Yasmina. She hands Kenji her electric rod. Darius begins to make a plan.
"Sammy, use those bandages and tape, to make a fuse. We just need something to light it with." Darius says as Kenji turns the rod on. I turn to him bringing my flare out. "I got a better one." I say smugly. He playfully glares at me. We begin loading a fiery cart of destruction, so when Toro comes, we will scare him off with the burning cannisters. The rumbling of footsteps alert us to the approaching Carnotaur. "Come on, hurry up." I say as I stack cannisters onto the cart. I see Sammy tieing a knot of the makeshift fuse.
We all hide as Toro backs through the light. He still is a bit wonky from the tranqs. He sniffs a box at the far end of the bay. We all gather behind the cart as Toro slowly approaches. "Light it up." Brooklynn says as I light the flare. The crack of ignition alerts Toro. But the damn fuse won't burn. "Come on!" I whisper loudly. "Here, hand sanitizer." Kenji says as he takes a bottle from Ben's pouch, dosing the fuse in sanitizer. "Thank you Ben." I say as the fuse. Sammy, Darius and myself push the cart towards the Carnotaur. Toro charges angrily at the cart before bashing his head against it, shattering it, sending cannisters and burning pieces of wood all over the bay. "Run!" I shout as Toro roars at us. "Where?" Brooklynn says. "Anywhere." We run in seperate directions as Toro tries to snap at us.
Kenji jumps to the floor as Toro snaps at him. I grip my axe before throwing it into the leg of the dinosaur. The axe sinks in deep into the meaty thigh. Toro roars in pain before grabbing the axe and ripping it out. He turns to me before charging. His momentum has slowed die to his leg. I dove behind some boxes creating distance between me and Toro. Darius throws a plank of wood at Toros head diverting his attention away from me. Toro chases after Darius and Yaz who falls. I run towards her as Darius avoids the snapping jaws of Toro. "You ok?" I ask quickly. "No, I slipped on my ankle." I lift her in a bridal carry, carrying her over to the rest of the group. I see Darius following me with the electric rod in hand. Toro misses his snap at us as he bangs his head on the concrete wall. We run to the other side of the tunnel. Darius notices that Toro has kicked a cannister open releasing the pressurized gas on the inside. I carry Yaz over to some crates for cover. We all brace when Darius javelin throws the rod into the cannister gas causing a rippling explosion.
BBBBOOOOOMMMMM!!!
We all look above the crates to see smoke and ruined crates all over, burning pieces lying around. I help Yaz to her feet as we all sigh in relief. "Whoo. We did it. We beat-." Kenji didn't finish as we hear crumbling noises. We prepare for the worst. Toro breaks out from the rumble, he has some serious burn marks all over his body. He whimpers in pain. Toro then turns to us, glaring with such anger. Sorry, mate, we are prepared for round 2. Toro holds our glare, he snorts as he turns away, walking with his head down in pain and defeat. I couldn't it believe. This angry, proud, and terrifying creature has backed down in fear of us. We defeated him. Together. Toro gives us a final glare before roaring. A final farewell then. We all begin to cheer in sheer amazement of what we just did. "Doesn't get much better than that." Darius says as I lay on the ground in relief. "Wanna bet." I look up to see Yaz pointing towards the doors. A massive hole has been blasted through. "Final stretch before the end." I say.
We all run towards the bright light through the trees, we're going home. I have Yaz arm around my shoulder carrying her through the jungle. We reach the dock and see...nothing. the ferries are gone. We were too late. "They're gone. All of them." Darius says as we gaze out to the horizon. "They will be back, won't they." Sammy asks sadly. "Of course we will, until then, we have each other." Darius says as he, Kenji and Brooklynn have a three person hug. "We'll survive guys." I say as Yaz replies. "And we will do it together." I look down and smile at her as she returns her own. We all gaze towards the risen sun. It's not escaping anymore, its surviving. We then head back into the jungle, and for the first time in a while. I don't feel alone anymore.
Elsewhere on the island: No P.O.V
A pack of compy's are chewing on a fences control rooms wiring. One of them pulls a particular wire, cutting the power out of the fence. A gate on the other end of the enclosure has its alarms blaring, while gate opens, freeing what is inside. A rumble is felt as a massive predator steps out of its enclosure. The predator stands tall, its muscular legs ready to pounce on anything. It's long three fingered hands are twitching in anger. The left side of its face has severe burns almost exposing its lower jaws teeth. This is Allison, a highly aggressive mature Allosaurus. She gazes hatefuly at everything around her. The only thing on her mind besides rage, hate and food, is the two leg that burnt nearly half her face off, she vows to make him suffer as she has suffered. Allison gives off a twisted, blood curdling and hateful roar, alerting the inhabitants of the island at her presence.
RRRRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRR!
