It took thirteen minutes in line to get a ticket. It was the same atmosphere as any other theme park. Long lines, overpriced foods and commodities, and rides that only last a few minutes. Each theme park had its own niche. Something to stand out from the others. This one was based on the subterranean creatures known as Graboids.
The sign at the entrance was bolded lettering against a shadowy mountain type backdrop. Monster World. The ticket takers, game, and kiosks staff were dressed in khaki pants and hunter green polos. Khaki name tags with white lettering.
The exterior buildings all looked haunted or run down, like that in horror movies. Horror movie posters were framed with plexiglass on the bare outside walls. One part of the park was dedicated to movie monster legends. It had its classical depictions of haunted house rides, roller coaster rides of sorts with names similar to the monster movie legends, and museums to showcase the facts and movie props used.
The other side of the park was the founding monster of the park, graboids. The first part of the entrance has a sign of a graboid with its tentacles protruding out. There are informational boards on both sides of the walkway that give over a general overview of graboids, their lifecycle, and where they were found on Earth.
The first ride had the seats in the back of what look liked truck beds with different license plates that had the shortened words of graboids, shriekers, assblasters, and such. Each truck bed was a different color. The ride started out with the passengers going backwards as they faced the tailgate. There was a voice overhead with a green screen in front of them showing them the grassy hills of Mexico. The clinks of metal being taken, a voice explaining a graboid had hooked onto them and warned about holding on tight.
The tailgate seating jerked a bit. The voice overhead explained that the graboid is taking them for a ride. The tailgate turned slowly with a few jerks as the voice overhead said they were applying the brakes trying to counteract. The tailgate moved ninety degrees, jerking the passengers forward. The doors opened up letting the tailgate outside to go through different turns and side winders. The tailgate came to rumbling halt as the ending of the ride had them on an angle. The graboid had taken the chain deep underground. The voice warned about keeping on solid rock and to watch out for tentacles.
The second ride next to it was like a haunted house but it was full of graboids, shriekers, and ass blasters jumping out and popping up in different places. There were some depictions of animatronics trying to survive by being on boulders, roofs, trucks, and other areas with one of the creatures trying to snatch them up. At the end of the ride, a voice spoke about how they survived. Lots of screaming from that ride.
The third ride was taking a ride with the creatures. Starting off underground with only noise and not much light. From there it went to screens with infrared and lastly it went to screens with flying above the skies from there it opened up to the usual roller coaster track.
There was a ride in development. Just an information board depicting of what is going to be there. Not lot of information as the need for curiosity and mystery kept others coming back. The games and kiosks on this side all were based on the creatures. There were plushies based on them as well as the food and drinks. The posters were now depictions of the creatures.
There was a long museum with dioramas of places like Perfection, Mexico, and Argentina. It had some of the scenes described in the reports about the incidents. There were giant informational boards of the timeline of the events with images of the people and places in the encounters.
Continuing on through the museum, the next exhibits were fossils taken from the Mexico incident. Glass and velvet ropes kept the exhibits safe from being overly touched. It was fascinating with all the information and research upon the creatures.
On the pathways back to the other side of the park, there was an arcade with both movie monsters and the creatures. On the path through the center was a children's area where kids could learn about movie monsters and not be afraid of them. The rides there were more whimsical instead of terrifying. The kids had their own haunted house type which wasn't as scary either. Some jump scares but nothing to really scary for the children.
There is one path that leads to a haunted house that houses the employees, storage, and offices. A passcode was needed on a door to get into the main offices to by pass going through security. It was the easiest way for the owners. Climbing the stairs to an open area with a few closed offices. This half was the owner's half. There was a secretary outside the wall cutting the top floor in half. One half to the owners, the other half for the accountants, web and media designers, human resources, etc.
"If you can describe the incident pertaining to the Mexico graboid infestation and how you believe the graboids looked and acted," a voice with an academic air to it asked.
"It's the same as it was when I was back in Perfection," a husky voice sighed. "Like the last time, graboids came up from the ground, eating people. Nothing out of the ordinary beside them."
"I understand that Mr. Bassett, but I need more information," the voice tried not to sound annoyed. "I just need information on the graboids in Mexico and if there were any difference compared to the graboids you first encountered in Nevada."
"Didn't see much of a difference besides them having those shrieker-things coming out of them," Earl Bassett looked away. He heard the door opening. He jolted up. "Here, this would be the main person to talk to-my wife and the esteemed Dr. Kate Riley." Earl introduced. "Oh-ugh this is-uh-um-what-was-your-name-again?"
The person stood up with a hand out. "I am Dr. Lewis Thorpe, nice to finally meet your Dr. Riley." The two shook hands before all three sat back down.
"Nice to meet you," Riley didn't know what she was getting herself in to. "What are you here for?"
"I was discussing with your husband about the graboid incident in Mexico," Lewis explained. "He was the only one to be in both incidents and I am trying to get information on those events, mostly on the graboids."
"I told him to look through the graboid side of the theme park," Earl mentioned.
"I have already gone through that," Lewis repeated. "It is a fine establishment. Great information to the public. Nothing I have not read before. However, I am wanting to recount those who were there for the incidents. I have already spoke with a mister Valentine McKee and his wife Rhonda LaBeck in New York about the first noted graboid incident."
"You spoke with Val?" Earl straightened up.
"Yes, I am going through a system of outwards to in," Lewis explained. "I have spoke with those in Argentina, moved in next to Mexico, made my way back to the states in New York. Now here with both of you."
"What are you wanting to gain from speaking with everyone?" Riley was curious.
"I am studying the graboid and its life cycle. There are several published materials on them but as any good scientist knows, retracing all the steps and getting a recount of information never hurts," Lewis continued.
"So then is your next stop Perfection?" Earl raised an eyebrow.
Lewis nodded. "Yes, but I will be stopping to speak with miss Sterngood before heading into town. I am trying to get much information as I can."
Grady finally made his debut as he had been listening near the top of the stairs. He liked to walk around the park to check how it doing since Earl let him have total control as long as he approved and could split the profits.
"This is Grady Hoover," Earl introduced. "He was with me on the Mexico graboid incident."
"Hi, I overheard," Grady nodded. "Nice to meet you. So, you're recounting everyone's story?"
Lewis nodded. He was getting tired of repeating himself but he must endure, he must remember to have patience. "Yes. Now Mr. Bassett, back to the question. Were there any differences in graboids? Their movement? Anything like that?"
Earl looked up for a moment. "Nope, not that I recall. Similar graboids as the ones we fought in Nevada. They get smarter by the minute but they're still stupid."
Grady snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah! That was one of my famous sayings. We have it on t-shirt. 'You mean they've been acting so smart because they're so stupid.'"
Lewis faked a smile. "Ah yes. I am familiar with that quote." He jotted down a few notes. "Similar tactics from the first attack. High learning curve." He brought out a few photos, placing them on the table. "Could you please tell me which ones were in the Nevada incident and which ones were in the Mexico incident."
The three looked over the pictures.
"This one is obviously from the first incident," Earl tapped on the picture.
"How can you tell?" Lewis perked up.
"Uh, by the background, I think Rhonda took a picture of it," Earl explained. Lewis jotted down some notes. "This one is the Mexico incident."
"How can you tell?" Lewis repeated himself.
"Background again," Earl leaned back.
Lewis kept his emotions hidden as he continued to jot down notes. This was so far the hardest interviews he has had. He thought he could be a dentist since it seemed easier to pull teeth than get information from this group.
"Are the any differences from these graboids?" Lewis glanced at the photos.
"Nope," Earl shook his head. "Looks the same to me."
"And do you both Mr. Hoover and Dr. Riley believe they are similar?" Lewis asked.
"Yeah, I don't see any differences besides location," Grady picked up both of the pictures, going back and forth between them.
Kate looked at the pictures, leaning over Fred. "By the coloring, placement of spikes, and structure it looks like it's the same graboid species, if there were any different ones."
"Not that we know of," Lewis interjected. "This is why I am asking these questions. Seeing if there could be different species. Different anything really. That is why I am going through these interviews. I am getting from all of you that there is not any difference from the graboids in Nevada and the graboids in Mexico, correct?" All three nodded. "Okay. Is there anything any of you want to add that may have not been added through all of the publishing?"
"Did you read Rhonda's book?" Earl asked.
"Books, but yes, I did," Lewis nodded. "Much of the tracking devices is based off of her findings and research. Nothing else to add?" The three glanced at one another before looking back at Lewis, shaking their heads. "Okay. Thank you for your time." He started to pack the files back up and place them into his bag. "If you have any information that you remember after this, please contact me, here is my business card." He gave it to Earl. "Thank you again." He saw himself out.
"That was weird," Earl muttered placing the business in card in Grady's shirt pocket. "How was your vacation?"
"It was good-good," Grady nodded.
"Where did you go again?" Kate tilted her head.
Grady was about to speak with a smile but hesitated. "Vegas. I went to Vegas. It was good."
"You went to Perfection, didn't you?" Earl looked him straight in the eyes with disappointment. "Was it everything you expected." He crossed his arms.
"You went without me?" Kate accused him. Earl jerked his head to look at her. "I thought we agreed to go together."
"That would look so weird, that you and I-Earl's wife going on a-a trip together!" Grady tried to fix the situation. "I mean why would someone do that." Kate was bummed. She looked at Grady trying to pry out how the trip was. Grady caved as Earl looked back over to him. "It-it was amazing. The tour was incredible. They are doing similar things that we are, getting their niche. Which is fine since that's the first incident and they can't have a theme park since they still live with one of them. They did the whole tour of the first incident. Wished I was there when they had El Blanco Day. I guess they have many other days. I like that. We should help celebrate that. A guy named Larry gave me the website to his running blog about the town. I spoke with Jodi, Walter Chang's niece, who now runs Chang's Market, she has great business strategies. Her and I exchanged information so that we could somewhat partner since her and Rosalita-who is a niece to Miguel Sanchez-she owns the ranch and came up with some good ideas as well. Like graboid theme spirits!"
"Sounds like things are keeping within the family, that's good," Earl was happy to hear that. "Burt still there?"
"Yes!" Grady beamed. "You're never going to believe what I heard?"
"What did you hear?" Earl was interested.
"Get this," Grady prepared them. "Burt has a son!"
Earl and Kate gaped. "He-he has a son?!" Kate stood up in surprise.
"Him and Heather had a kid?" Earl stood up as well.
"Yes," Grady nodded. "He stops by from time to time. Larry and Tyler-oh Tyler is the one who does the tours-anyways told me that it was an interesting moment when he introduced himself to Burt."
"Wow," Earl looked over to Kate who nodded in agreement. "Him and Heather huh? They're not back together are they?"
"Nooo," Grady's smile faded. "Still not together. We should all visit one time." He continued to explain the business opportunities and new ideas that could become reality.
Dr. Lewis Thorpe made it to his vehicle without trying to get bumped by too many people. He placed his belongings on the passenger seat. His phone rang when he clicked his seatbelt in.
"Dr. Lewis Thorpe speaking," he answered. He listened to the voice. "Yes, I just got done speaking with Mr. Bassett, Dr. Riley, and Mr. Hoover. Will head back to the airport to fly out for my next appointment." The voice on the other line spoke for a bit. "Good to know I will be meeting up with a government official who will escort me to Perfection." He glanced around while listening to the voice. "No one has been following me. I will keep a lookout. Yes, goodbye."
Back in Perfection, Rose was reading through report before sending it when a new email popped up. She read it over. Wes was lounging in the chair next to her, cleaning his gun.
"Anything interesting?" He saw how focused she was staring at her computer.
"We will have another field scientist staying in Perfection," Rose moved the email a folder. She looked over her report again. Wes froze. He glanced over to Rose. She didn't notice him. He placed his gun down to stare at her more. Leaning over a bit. Rose sat straight up before turning to him. "What?"
"Another field scientist is coming to Perfection?" Wes questioned.
"Yes," Rose went back to her report.
"Care to elaborate?" Wes waved his hand. Rose looked over to him. "Another scientist, besides you and Dr. Mathews? Is this above my pay grade?" Wes crossed his arms.
Rose let out a sigh. "This is not above your pay grade. Like Dr. Mathews, this scientist does not do anything with us. Just have to know they are here. Hence why no elaboration."
"O-kay," Wes looked back to his gun. "Sooo, what will this scientist be doing?"
"Researching graboid behavior and the like," Rose answered. "Nothing to do with Mixmaster. Two different fields of study. They won't be interfering with our work and we won't be interfering with theirs unless necessary. They may need backup from time to time when the situation becomes dire while following El Blanco."
"They're going to be following El Blanco? Did this scientist read about the Assblaster incident that happened not to long ago, where the scientists that died followed a graboid?" Wes argued.
"El Blanco cannot reproduce as its albino," Rose corrected. "There is that factor where the scientist could be eaten by it but that's mostly the highest danger the scientist faces. Nothing out of the ordinary risk factors with a predator."
"If this scientist does get eaten by El Blanco, are they going to send another one?" Wes put his gun back together.
"Yes, as with any of us scientist, just expandable, just like the guards they give us," she gave him a cheeky grin.