ISLA NUBLAR
120 Miles West of Costa Rica
Beep, boop . . .
Beep, boop . . .
Beep, boop . . .
Ka-CHUNK.
Ka-CHUNK.
Ka-CHUNK.
One by one, the submarine's lights ignited, illuminating the murky abyss that surrounded the sub-aquatic vehicle. Grains of algae and other particles glowed like fireflies, disappearing once they drifted out of the bright beams. One light settled on a partly-buried safe. A metal arm reached out and grabbed it. As the submarine began its ascent, the pilot turned to his assistant.
"I think we got it."
"We won't know until it's open."
He took a deep breath.
"I hope we can manage that . . ."
"I guess we'd better get some explosives."
"What? Bad idea! We can't damage the artifact! The Ocean's Anus is the most valuable rock on the continent, next to the Pink Star, the Moon Stone, and SUE!"
"Hey, why do they call it the 'Ocean's Anus', anyway?" the assistant asked, "Was 'The Fart of the Ocean' too on the nose?"
The pilot stared at him, unimpressed.
"They found it in a big crevice."
"Crev-iss or crev-ass?"
"Shut up, Toby."
The assistant pulled his finger out of his nose.
"Hey, Boss. Do you think it belongs here?"
"Huh?"
"The rock. It was found in the ocean, and it was lost in the ocean. What if it's trying to get back home?"
"You think a rock is trying to go home? Really?"
"Yeah! Or maybe it's cursed!"
"No rock is cursed . . . except engagement diamonds."
". . . Melvin, I know the divorce hit you hard, but lighten up a little."
He threw his hands in the air.
"Listen, the rock is not cursed!"
"Tell that to the victims of the sinking. Tell that to Eli Mills."
Melvin rolled his eyes.
"Listen, buddy, if you wanna get the full story, you should talk to Claire. We'll be getting the combination from her this afternoon, and I suggest you don't bring up Mills right away, since she's kinda torn up about it."
"Whatever you say, boss. Whatever you say."
***TSJWFKFEW***
"Word on the street is that you have information about the Ocean's Anus."
"Well, that depends."
"On what?"
"On what you want to know."
"How about the combination to this safe?"
"Well, if Moonwatcher set it up, it'll be 19-1-6-5."
"Hey! It worked!"
"Told you."
". . . Wait . . . where's the rock?"
"Oh, it's not in there."
"WHAT?!"
"I thought you were snooping through Eli's stuff to figure out what happened. Seems like everyone wants to hear my side of the story, since he . . . isn't able to talk about it, himself."
"Oh. Naw, we just wanted the pretty jewel. But if you got a story to tell-"
"It's been eighty-four hours-"
"Too soon?"
"It's been eighty-four hours, and I can still smell the fresh paint . . . and also every individual passenger, the contents of their luggage, and basically everything else within a mile of my person. I have a good nose."
***TSJWFKFEW***
We had just learned that Moonwatcher was behind Serena's murder. In hindsight, it was kind of obvious, but I digress. My friends and I were brought to a massive ship at the East Dock: one of Moonwatcher's passion projects. She called it the Titanosaur. It was a magnificent vessel, but to me, it may as well have been a slave ship.
***TSJWFKFEW***
"Can we maybe not use racially-charged language? It's weird and implication-y."
"Noted. Anyway, we boarded the vessel, and soon, we were chugging out to sea. I stood on the deck, watching as people waved goodbye from the shore. They couldn't have known what was going to happen. Below my feet, the crew was hard at work, shovelling coal into the-"
"Wait, how would you know that? You weren't there."
"It's a safe assumption, and it adds flavour to the story. Can you please stop interrupting me? It's painful enough to talk about this without your constant interruptions, and-"
"Fine, fine. We'll be quiet. Go on."
***TSJWFKFEW***
I was separated from most of my friends. Moonwatcher said that it was because of room availability, but I knew better. She was trying to divide us to prevent an uprising. She put Franklin and myself in Third Class, Zia and Gunnar in Second, and Eli, Owen, and Maisie in First. We were all allowed up on deck, but that didn't mean we were free to roam. Far from it. We were strongly encouraged to stay in our respective zones. By noon, however, I found a weakness in their security patrol, and sneaking past the crew, I left Steerage to track down Owen and Maisie. Instead, I found myself at Eli's door, having smelled his gasoline from the hall. I decided to ask him if he knew where my daughter and boyfriend were stationed, and maybe convince him to rise up against Moonwatcher with me. I was surprised to see him wearing a plush robe when he answered the door. I cocked my head with a puzzled expression.
"Hey, Claire."
He looked down.
"Oh . . . this . . . Yeah, Moonwatcher gave it to me. Had one just like it back home. I think she's trying to suck up to me. This is the best I've been treated in a while . . ."
"Eli, we need to escape."
He snorted.
"How? We're in the middle of the ocean."
"Well, we could take control of the ship, and-"
He groaned.
"Oh, not again. Listen, Claire, I don't want another crash-landing, and especially not on water. If I sink-"
"I won't let you sink, Eli. I saved you once, and I can do it again."
"I don't want to risk drowning. It's a nasty way to go."
I glared at him.
"Yes, Eli, I imagine that suffocation is rather unpleasant, and on that note, I think you still owe us a favour."
His eyes fell to the floor.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Find Owen and Maisie. I'll be headed to Second Class for the others. We'll meet on the deck, and plan our escape from there."
Eli exhaled slowly.
"What if they don't believe me?"
"What do you mean?"
He frowned.
"Hm, I don't know. Maybe it's a little suspicious to go up to people and say, 'Hey, let's all rise up against a tyrant, just like before, only it's Claire's idea this time, I swear!'"
I growled.
"Eli, I need your help."
He shook his head.
"I'm useless to you. Why not get Franklin or Zia to help you? You don't need me."
I crossed my arms.
"Eli, what's this really about?"
He tossed his head.
"Jesus Christ, Claire! I all but said 'I love you' this morning, and-"
"Eli! This is important! Whatever happened between us doesn't matter!"
He choked a little, eyes darting back and forth.
"It matters to me! You have no idea what I'm going through right now! Why didn't you stop me from saying what I said?!"
"Because it was awkward enough already!"
"So your solution was to make me a laughingstock?"
"Eli, that's completely unfair! You're the one who said-"
"I KNOW! I KNOW WHAT I SAID! CAN YOU JUST SHUT UP ABOUT IT!"
I pulled my head back, shrinking into the hallway. Eli caught his breath, then lowered his head.
"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Claire. I didn't mean to yell . . . Just go on without me."
"Eli-"
"I wish I could help, but you don't need me messing things up. You can do this alone. You're stronger than you think you are."
I began to reach out, but changed my mind and dug my claws into the carpet.
"So you're just gonna sit here in your little robe and let me deal with this alone?"
"You're not alone. You have your friends. What do you need me for?"
I swished my tail with irritation.
"Well, I'd like to have all of my friends with me. We'll figure a way out of this Jurassic Jumble, you'll see!"
Eli bit his lip.
"I'm sorry, Claire. I have to say 'no'."
"You're being a lousy friend!"
He sunk against the doorframe.
"I know. But it's not like I've been stellar before this, and truth be told, I'm only slowing you down."
I grabbed him by the collar of his robe.
"Don't you start with this self-pity routine! I'm asking for your help, and if you decline . . . God, just help me, please!"
He closed his eyes.
"Goodbye, Claire."
I let him go.
"Eli!"
"And good luck."
He closed the door. I didn't try to stop him. I stood motionless in the hallway for a long time. Eventually, I accepted that whatever friendship had sparked between us was over, and lumbered down the hall, tail dragging. I looked over my shoulder, wondering if Eli would come barreling out of his room at the last second, but I was out of luck. I churred sadly and made my way to a nearby stairwell.
***TSJWFKFEW***
I intended to sneak down to Second Class, but I got lost along the way. I eventually found myself near the captain's quarters. The dinosaur steering the vessel was a Baryonyx, and a very familiar one, at that. The Stygimoloch at their side was also ringing a bell.
"'Ello there!" said the Baryonyx, "I'll bet you're surprised to hear me talking, and such, but we was lifted out of our former state, and have subsequently gained some level of sentience. 'Pologies for attacking you, back on the island. I was hungry, see, and you seemed like an easy meal."
The Stygimoloch took a puff of his pipe.
"I'm NOT sorry for trying to smash you. Your whistling was quite irritating. Yes, indeed."
I hummed.
"I thought you were a girl."
"So did everyone else, but I knew better," he grumbled.
I looked to the Baryonyx, hoping to get a similar explanation, but they didn't pick up on the cue. I cleared my throat.
"What's your name?"
"Ed."
"Ah. And that's short for? . . ."
"Edward or Edwina."
I nodded, though I had no idea what was going on. I kept those thoughts to myself, of course.
"Well, it was nice meeting y- Hey, wait a minute. Did you come from my world?"
The Baryonyx pulled at their collar.
"Yes, something like that. Listen, I'm not happy about the current arrangement, but Moonwatcher says-"
"Would you kindly shut up?!" the Stygimoloch snapped, "You know what she said about talking to passengers!"
"Mr. Stygimoloch-"
"MY NAME IS MR. JELLYBEAN, GOOD SIR!"
"And I'm not a man right now, thank you very much!"
The Stygimoloch turned to me.
"She's probably hormonal."
"EXCUSE ME!"
The two continued bickering as I shambled off, unnoticed. Without a friend to help me, things were looking pretty dire. I perked up when I heard Franklin's voice echoing down the hall. I tumbled through the corridor and skidded to a halt in front of an open door.
"Zia! I don't care how fancy the toilet is! It's NOT a drinking fountain!"
I beamed.
"Franklin! You made it up here, too!"
Zia bounded into view, chin dripping with water.
"Claire, you're alive!"
I smiled.
"Of course I'm alive! You didn't think I'd leave my friends alone, did you?"
Zia wrapped her arms around my neck, and I gagged at the smell of toilet water. She nuzzled my cheek, then slipped to the floor.
"So, what's the plan? Are we busting out of here?"
"Yes. We're going to pull a heist."
"You mean a 'mutiny'," Franklin corrected.
"No, we're not crew."
"But a heist is when you steal something, and we're not stealing anything," Franklin pointed out.
We all turned as Gunnar cleared his throat.
"Actually, we might want to consider it. I overheard some crew members talking about a magic amulet on board."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Gunnar, why would we steal a necklace from someone?"
Franklin blinked.
"Oh, I thought he meant 'omelette' for a second. That makes more sense."
As I rolled my eyes, Gunnar's tail folded between his legs.
"Well, I figured the best way to get to Moonwatcher is to hit her where it hurts-"
"Her tatas?"
"No, Zia. Her wallet," Gunnar explained, "If we pocket the amulet and whatever else she has stored on this ship, we can use it against her, and if holding the items hostage doesn't work, we can sell them and fund that cure Owen is always talking about."
Despite the twinge in my heart that told me I didn't want said cure, I was touched that Gunnar was willing to share the money instead of keeping it for himself. He wasn't the same person he had been back at the Estate, that was for certain. I just wish he could sense my unease with the idea of a cure.
(Dangerous thoughts. Don't go down this road again.)
I gulped.
"Gunnar, why would Moonwatcher care about a piece of jewelry?"
"The stone in the necklace is magical. It will prevent whoever wears it from drowning."
"That could be useful, considering we're on a boat. Maybe one of us could use it to swim to shore."
Zia scoffed.
"He-llo? Part shark, here."
"Then why haven't you tried swimming away?"
"Oh, I guess I just didn't think of- BECAUSE THE WATER IS FREEZING, HOW ABOUT?!"
I blinked.
"Aren't we in a tropical climate?"
Gunnar shook his head.
"We sailed through a portal that spat us out in the Atlantic. It's pretty cold, here. Zia nearly died."
"Did not!"
"Well, she got very cold, and I was concerned."
"You started crying."
Gunnar's lip quivered.
"She was all blue and veiny and we had only just started being friends and-"
Zia slapped him on the back.
"Buddy, I'm okay. But he's right. Swimming is a no-go. Claire, on the other hand, can fly."
I scratched my neck awkwardly.
"I'm not that comfortable with flying. I'm sorry, Zia, but I don't even know where we are, much less how far my wings could take me. I might end up in the water, too."
"Won't your blubber protect you from the cold?"
I glared at her. She shrugged.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Claire. Plenty of people go for that body type, and as long as you love yourself-"
"Zia, enough with the 'thicc' stuff, okay? I feel bad enough about myself without your thoughtless remarks!"
She bit her lower beak.
"I'm sorry, Claire. I didn't know it made you uncomfortable."
I slapped my tail against the carpet.
"Doesn't matter. More important stuff to deal with. Gunnar, where is this necklace being stored?"
He shrugged.
"No idea. We could try the luggage bay, but I'm not sure something as important as this artifact would be kept with the other stuff."
"It is, but it's being guarded."
We turned to see Owen leaning against the door. Maisie was standing next to him. I rushed over to lick his face. He smiled and tickled my chin.
"Good to see you too."
"How did you find us?"
"I know my way around a ship."
He stepped into the room.
"Now, listen up. The Ocean's Anus is being stored in the cargo bay, but I heard there's a fierce dinosaur guarding it. I say we take down the dino and nab the jewel for ourselves."
"Just like that?"
He clicked his tongue.
"Well, there's one more thing . . ."
***TSJWFKFEW***
"I'm gonna need you to open this door for me."
I stared at the metal barrier, cocking my head with puzzlement.
"I don't know how."
Owen shrugged.
"Well, you know. You can just . . ."
He made a ramming motion. I sighed, staring up at the ceiling.
"Fine, but I need Gunnar to help."
He scooted up to me.
"Glad to."
I nodded.
"Ready? One . . . Two . . . THREE!"
We charged the door. Our heads made a dent, but nothing significant. I turned to Franklin.
"You're ceratopsian too."
He gulped, touching his chest nervously.
"Isn't there a theory that they used their heads for mating displays instead of fi-"
"FRANKLIN!"
"On it."
I nodded, pawing the ground.
"One . . . Two . . . THREE! . . . One . . . Two . . . THREE!"
When we finally managed to ram open the doors, I gasped. The cargo bay was filled with cages, stacked all the way up to the ceiling. They were filled with a wide assortment of dinosaurs. The creatures hooted and howled miserably as we passed, and I was surprised to hear a few voices among the roars. These weren't like the dinosaurs back on the island: they were like the dinosaurs back on . . . the island, but my island. The one from my world. I saw Ariel and Maribelle in a cramped cage near the roof, which suggested that this must be the case. They weren't the only dinosaurs who got an upgrade in sentience, apparently.
Okay, I know that pteranodons aren't dinosaurs. I was trying to make a point.
My gang wandered deeper into the room, eyes wide. We passed a carnotaurus with a broken horn, a scruffy-looking Rex, and a Sinoceratops with a large, gaping mouth who wouldn't stop screaming. She rushed up to the bars and pressed her face between them.
"Let me out! Let me out! I don't wanna go back!"
"Shut up!" shrilled a young Allosaurus, "You're so annoying! GAWD!"
The Sinoceratops started weeping dinosaur-sized tears. As Owen walked by, she lowed happily, suddenly blessed with high spirits.
"You came back for me!"
Owen quirked a brow.
"Huh?"
After a pause, her lip quivered.
"You . . . you don't remember me?"
Owen blinked.
"Um . . . Let me think . . . It's right on the tip of my tongue . . . Does your name start with a 'P'?"
"I don't have a name."
Owen gulped.
"Oh."
"But you can give me a name, since we're destined to be together."
Owen's eyes went wide.
"We're what now?"
She tried to kiss him through the bars.
"We're dinosaur-married. That means we'll be mates for life."
Owen held his hands together.
"Um, listen . . . uh . . . what did you say your name was?"
"I don't have-"
"Right, right. I'll just call you P- Perry? Is Perry okay?"
"It's fine, my love."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Uh, okay. The truth is, Perry, I don't remember you, and I'm pretty sure we've never m-"
She dragged her tongue across his face. He blinked.
"Oh. You're that Sinoceratops."
She smiled, cheeks round like dumplings.
"Uh-huh. And I saved you from Carter. Bastard deserved to get stepped on."
"You're welcome," the Tyrannosaur called from the other cage.
Fed up with this Owen-stealing ceratopsian, I butted into the conversation.
"What are you dinosaurs doing down here?" I asked.
"They're shipping us back to our homeworld," a Gallimimus with a seared leg piped up, "The one they call 'Moonwatcher' built a conversion facility in the middle of the Atlantic. Once we reach that point, she's gonna cut out our vocal cords and do brain surgery so that we act like animals again."
The tyrannosaur scoffed, and as she turned around, I noticed that she was sprouting hairs on her neck and horns from her head.
"They're gonna have to do a lot more than that to some of us."
The Galli swallowed, sending a lump down his long neck.
"They're gonna practice on the expendable dinosaurs until they get it right. Gallies are a dime a dozen, so this won't end well for me. I should've joined Ed and Mr. Jellybean. I thought it was better to hold to my principles, but that's a lot easier to do when you can't see what's coming. Now, I'm not so brave."
I curled my fingers around the bars.
"We're gonna get you out of here."
The Galli nuzzled my beak.
"I knew you'd save us, Claire. You're not like the others."
"The others?"
"The humans at the park. They never cared about us, but you do."
I turned away guiltily.
"Not always. For a while, I lost sight of what was important."
He lifted my chin with his finger.
"But that spark inside of you never died out. Of all the humans I've ever met, you're the most dinosaur."
I knew I shouldn't be proud, hearing his remark, but I couldn't help myself. For a moment, everything made sense. No matter what happened, I couldn't forget the dinosaurs. I had tried to harden my heart to advance my career, but no matter what, I refused to abandon the creatures who depended on me, whom I was destined to save. Every human instinct in me was wrong. The human Claire tried to suppress her emotions in the name of good business. The human Claire had listened to Owen when he told her to let the dinosaurs suffocate. The human Claire was so preoccupied with being human that she barely qualified as one, most of the time. She was really bad at it. But she was good at being a dinosaur.
I was good at being a dinosaur.
I was a dinosaur.
"Oh my god!" Owen shouted.
I jumped, afraid that we'd been discovered, but instead, I saw him standing in front of a cage across the room. Inside, a raptor paced back and forth.
"Blue . . ."
I cantered over to Owen, but along the way, I noticed something glimmering out of the corner of my eye. A necklace with a blue gemstone in the middle was sparkling from behind a set of bars. As I approached the cell, something shifted in the darkness. Golden scales glowed in the dim light, glistening like coins. It was the monster from the forest. Somehow, it had survived my attack, and it was locked away like the others.
I took a step forward, suddenly calm. The golden hybrid met my gaze, and we advanced towards each other. Taking in my scent, he snorted, then growled gently. He recognized me as his attacker. I kept moving forward, chirping gently. The creature's quills bristled with interest. I held out my paw, reaching through the bars. Cautiously, my double did the same. Our claws were almost touching when Owen ran over and yanked me away. The hybrid roared with surprise, then made a grab for him. I knocked Owen out of the way, then charged towards him, hissing with rage. He leaned back in his seated position, and although he tried to move his face away from my hunched figure, I was painfully aware of the fearful expression on his face, which still bore the scars from our last violent encounter. This time, however, I did not feel a crushing guilt. I was angry. Owen had come between me and my destiny, like he always did. He didn't understand. He would never understand. He wasn't attuned to my instincts. He had no concept of how powerful they were, how right they felt.
He was a human, and I was not.
I advanced towards him, beak curled in a fierce snarl, but Maisie suddenly darted forward and wrapped her arms around my neck. I jumped, but when she started petting my snout, I relaxed my claws. I leaned into her as she whispered in my ear.
"Don't hurt him, Mummy. It's not his fault. He doesn't know."
I looked down, panting slowly. Maisie squeezed me tenderly, and I gave in. I licked her cheek and turned away from Owen. He got to his feet slowly, anticipating another attack. I was done with him.
"Claire . . ."
I didn't turn to face him, but instead snuffed quietly.
"Claire, what the hell!"
I snarled over my shoulder.
"Leave me alone!"
Maisie circled my body. She knelt in front of me and pulled a dead rat out of her jacket. Owen lifted his hand.
"Maisie, no!"
I snapped at him, and he stumbled backwards. I turned back to Maisie and pinched the rat delicately in my beak before swallowing it whole. Owen clenched his fists.
"Maisie! We agreed no more rats!"
She stood up abruptly and stomped her foot.
"It was already dead! I found it in the hall!"
Owen reached forward to grab her arm, but I knocked him away with my horn.
"Stay away from my baby!"
He spread his arms with disbelief.
"She's my baby, too! You don't get to take ownership of her just because you're the 'fun parent'. Whether or not you care to admit it, you're a bad influence on her. She can't survive on cuddles and licks, especially not when her mother is slowly deteriorating and mutating into something abhorrent!"
I clawed the ground, making sparks.
"She loves me just the way I am!"
"Yeah, and that's the problem!" he snapped, "All this time, you've been normalizing this animalistic behaviour, while I try desperately to keep things under control. How the hell did I become the responsible one, Claire? How far have you fallen?"
I let out a feeble growl, then held Maisie protectively. I nuzzled the top of her head as Owen circled me.
"I don't even recognize you anymore! Either of you! You go off to play 'dinosaurs' for hours on end, and it's like you expect that to be your life! Well, it can't be! If you want to be a dinosaur, Claire, fine. But don't drag our little girl into your delusions. Do you want to raise her to be a killer? Do you want her to become a monster like you?"
I licked the top of Maisie's head, snaking my tail around her as Owen tried to pull her away from me. She buried her face in my chest. Owen crossed his arms.
"This isn't right, Claire. Maisie isn't a toy. She's just a girl, and she needs a mother. You can't be that mother while you're like this. She's a human being, and you have to be one too, or who knows what'll become of her!"
I looked down at Maisie, who stared at me with wet eyes. Slowly, I ran my paw over her head. A paw made for hunting. For killing. Her hair slipped between my claws.
"Don't hurt her like this, Claire. She doesn't deserve it," Owen pleaded.
Maisie squeaked quietly as my grip around her loosened. I stepped back, and she reached out for me, but I pushed her arm down gently.
"Maisie . . ."
"Mummy, I love you!"
I crawled backwards as she grabbed at my paw, eyes brimming with tears.
"No, Maisie. Stay."
She ignored my advice, rushing forward to hug my snout. I froze in place, then started shaking. Owen walked over calmly and pulled us apart. Maisie screamed and tried to clutch me, but I remained still. I watched as Owen carried her away.
'You're not gonna let him take her, are you?'
I jolted, snapping my head towards the cage. The golden hybrid sneered, baring its teeth.
'She's your child, after all. Why not keep her for yourself? . . .'
I batted my eyes. The animal started pacing back and forth.
'I wonder, is that why you tried to have me kill him? Did you intend to keep the girl for yourself? Seems like a big risk to take, pointing the gun at him like that . . .'
My jaw dropped.
'You . . .'
'Yes, me,' the creature hissed, 'You didn't think I was stalking you for no reason, back in the woods . . . I remember what you did to me. I remember.'
I swallowed.
'But . . . but you're-'
'The bones poisoned me, just like I poisoned you. My killer instincts were dulled by the transformation, but you? . . . No, you only became more vicious. But you were always a killer. You tried to kill me.'
I shook my head.
'I was trying to save Maisie and O-'
I realized that Owen was staring at me with confusion and worry. I took a shaky breath.
"Owen, did you hear what he said?"
He shook his head slowly.
"Neither of you have said anything. You've just been . . ."
I turned to the creature, who smiled cruelly.
'He doesn't understand us.'
I stumbled backwards.
'N-no. That's impossible. I don't speak-'
'You speak the language of our species.'
'How?'
'What do you mean, "how"? We're the same, you and I. We're born of the same blood. We're siblings, you and I . . .'
'No!'
'Don't try to deny it. I know you feel the same way. We're family.'
He reached through the bars.
'So let me out of this cage, my sister . . .'
I took a deep breath.
'I can't.'
'Why not?'
'You'll hurt Owen and Maisie.'
'I promise, I won't.'
Owen gulped.
"Claire, what's going on?"
"It's the Indoraptor. He wants me to set him free."
"Oh, god . . ."
'Let me out, Sister, and I promise no harm will come to anyone on this ship. They've hurt us, these people, but it doesn't have to be that way. We can escape together. Please, set me free . . .'
As I leaned towards the cage, Owen dashed across the room. I yanked my paw away from the lock.
"Claire, no!"
'Don't let him stop you. He doesn't understand. Only you can decide what's true. Do you really believe we're destined to be monsters?'
I hesitated. The hybrid's quills drooped.
'Very well. I'll-'
In the blink of an eye, I reached forward and unlocked the dinosaur's cage with Moonwatcher's original code, letting the door swing open. Aghast, Owen began to flee with Maisie in his arms, but thought better of it and let her run on her own, doubling back to save me. He turned just in time to see the former Indoraptor drop the necklace in my paws.
'We are more than what they see.'
I nodded, caressing the amulet. Owen ran his fingers through his hair, mouth agape.
"What the hell . . ."
"It's over, Owen. He won't hurt us."
His eyes went wide.
"But he's-"
I snapped my jaws.
"He's what? What is he, Owen? Is he like me? Do you think we're both monsters?"
He shrunk away.
"No, I-"
"Then shut up! I don't want to ever hear you call me a monster again!"
He looked up.
"But Claire-"
"Quiet!"
I turned to the Indoraptor-stegoceratops.
'Can you help me free the others?'
'My pleasure.'
We moved from cage to cage, unlatching the doors as we went. Maisie ran up to me, tugging on my arm.
"Claire, are you sure this is what you want?"
I smiled.
"Absolutely. You were right, Maisie. These dinosaurs are like us. They deserve to be free."
She beamed proudly and joined me in unlocking the enclosures. One by one, the dinosaurs burst from their prisons, roaring triumphantly.
***TSJWFKFEW***
Moonwatcher whipped around when a stampede of dinosaurs crashed through the bridge. She cowered as a family of Brachiosaurs stepped over her head, then danced around, trying to avoid a flock of Compsognathus. She barely had time to register what was happening before I pinned her to the wall. She yelped as I snorted in her face.
"This ends here."
The captain emerged from the cabin, swivelling her head from side to side like a snake. She caught sight of me and covered her mouth.
"Claire! You came back!"
The burned Galli scampered up to her with a sneer.
"Good thing she did, seeing how you left us to suffer under Moonwatcher's care!"
As the dinosaurs chewed each other out, I turned back to Moonwatcher.
"It's over."
She stopped kicking and let her legs dangle.
"I was just following orders! Elkay told me to set things right, and I thought-"
"Shut it. I know you're lying. Why would you bring me and the others on this ship, when we're not even close to the way we were before?"
Her eyes fell to the floor.
"I wanted to do a tropical island spin-off, and I thought if I smuggled you guys with the rest of the dinosaurs-"
She choked as I pressed her against the wall.
"Enough with your story! This is real life, not some convoluted narrative written by a hack author with too much time on her hands!"
"Actually-"
I growled menacingly.
"No more objections!"
Her eyes went wide. She was looking over my shoulder.
"Um . . . Claire?"
"I'm not falling for this overdone routine."
"No, I'm serious, Claire, there's a-"
"Moonwatcher, I'm not as gullible as you th-"
She pointed insistently.
"NOSE!"
Now, that remark was so odd that I couldn't help but glance over my shoulder, and when I did, I saw a giant chunk of ice floating dead ahead. Sure enough, it looked like it had been lopped off a giant face.
"Oh my god . . . is that from the Bryce sculpture?"
Moonwatcher covered her mouth.
"Oh, no! It's a BRYCEBERG!"
I let her drop, and she scampered over to warn the captain. When the danger became apparent, they rushed to the wheel, turning it frantically. Mr. Jellybean rang the alarm bell.
"Attention! Attention! Due to a glacial anomaly, we-"
He was knocked aside by Perry.
"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"
Chaos erupted on the deck. I dove for cover as a massive foot landed inches from my snout. The dinosaurs bellowed and wailed until they were interrupted by a loud foghorn. They fell silent and stood at attention, staring at the iceberg, which drifted to our right as we turned. They breathed a sigh of relief as the front of our vessel cleared it. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath, either.
Suddenly, the ship shuddered beneath my feet. Something was wrong.
"We've hit her beautifully angular cheekbone beneath the surface!" Moonwatcher cried, "Crew, get down there and assess the damage!"
A group of dinosaurs wove through the crowd. I followed Moonwatcher as she marched beside the railing.
"Moonwatcher! Moonwatcher!"
"Not now, Claire!"
"Moonwatcher, we need to deploy the lifeboats!"
She wheeled around.
"Not yet, we don't! My crew is perfectly capable of-"
"But Moonwatcher-"
Suddenly, she slapped me aside. It was like being hit by a sack of bricks. I had forgotten how strong she was.
"Listen up, Claire," she hissed, "There aren't enough lifeboats for all of us, much less the larger dinosaurs, so I recommend you shut your mouth and avoid whipping up a frenzy."
I rubbed my cheek.
"You didn't build enough lifeboats?"
She scoffed.
"When in the history of nautical disasters has a lack of lifeboats ever been a problem?"
I narrowed my eyes. She put her hands on her hips.
"Oh, come on. We're not even sure if this ship is sinking or not."
"And if it is?"
"We'd all be fucked."
A microraptor scuttled up to her nervously.
"Oh, boy. You're not gonna like the damage report, then."
She yanked a sheet of paper from his paws and scanned it furiously. After a beat, her face lost all color.
"Oh my god . . . we're going to sink . . . just like the Edmund Fitzgerald."
The microraptor lifted a claw.
"Might I suggest a more accessible reference?"
Moonwatcher threw the crumpled-up paper at his face.
"Fine! The Lusitania, then! Can't you fix this with ocean-science? You know, checking the winds or- m'kay, yeah, no, that'd be a waste of time. Start rounding up the crew. We're going to evacuate the vessel."
"Are you s-"
"NOW, DAMNIT, NOW!"
I watched as the tiny dino scampered away. I met Moonwatcher's gaze with worry.
"How many people will make it off this ship alive?"
She ran her fingers through her hair, then shook away the strands that came loose.
"There's room for more than half of us, if we let the small ones on board first. Follow me."
I trotted behind her as she descended into the hull, stomping rhythmically down the stairs. As we moved deeper and deeper into the ship, I sensed that something wasn't quite right. When we rounded a corner, I noticed water inching down the hall . . . or up the hall, since we were on an angle now. I brayed with fear.
"Moonwatcher, we can't go any further!"
She shrugged.
"Here's good."
Suddenly, she pulled a pair of handcuffs out of her jacket and clamped them around my arm. Before I could react, the other end was dangling neatly from a heater. Moonwatcher backed away slowly.
"Sorry, Claire, but you're a danger to us all. I'm not just saying that because you pulled an insurrection. I know what happened in the storage bay, and I don't think it's right to keep you in the protagonist slot. How about we kill you off in our season finale and be done with it?"
"Moonwatcher!"
"Don't forget to have a heart-wrenching monologue before you die!" she called over her shoulder.
I heard a door slam, then . . . silence. The sound of water was the only noise filling the dead air. I yanked on my cuffs, interrupting the quiet with a cacophony that echoed through alarmingly empty halls.
"HEY!"
No reply. I howled at the ceiling, hoping to get someone's attention.
"I'M IN HERE!"
I screamed and screamed and screamed. I screamed until my voice was hoarse and my throat was dry. Still, no one came. I sunk to my knees and wept. My sobs halted suddenly when I felt wetness on my heels. I gasped and stood upright, finding a cold puddle at my feet. The water had crept up to where I was chained. I whimpered as the icy liquid slithered through my toes, rising higher and higher with each passing second.
"Claire!"
I lifted my head.
"Owen? . . ."
"Claire!"
Although the voice was distant, there was no mistaking it. Owen was nearby. I rattled my cuffs against the furnace.
"Owen! Owen, I'm in here!"
I cried out for joy as he rounded the corner. He reached down to tug on my cuffs, then looked past me.
"Gimme a sec."
He made his way towards a fire-axe hanging from the wall, wading through the rising water. When he returned with the weapon in hand, I started shivering.
"Owen . . ."
"Claire, you need to trust me. Do you trust me?"
"I- I don't kn-"
Without warning, he leaned forward and kissed me. All of a sudden, I felt myself glowing from inside, warm despite the frosty fluid caressing my ankles. Owen pulled away and took aim.
"Do you trust me, Claire?"
"Yes."
"Then hold still."
I closed my eyes tight. There was a loud clang, followed by the hiss of steam, and my hands dropped to the floor . . . still attached to my arms, thank god. I rubbed my wrists and sobbed with relief. Owen kissed my cheek and nodded to the exit.
"We have a lot to talk about, but I think it can wait. We don't have much time left."
I followed him down the hall. After a pause, I inhaled unsteadily.
"I'm sorry for almost biting you."
"That's okay."
"No, it's not. I-"
He turned and put his finger on my beak.
"Claire, I know you wouldn't have done it."
"I-"
"No, Claire. I was wrong. About a lot of things. But we don't have time right now. We need to get out of here."
I nodded, then smiled sadly.
"If I had done it, would it have been 'A Bite to Remember?'"
He blinked.
"I don't get it."
I rolled my eyes.
"Nevermind. Let's go."
***TSJWFKFEW***
By the time we reached the deck, it was utter chaos again. Boats were being stocked with dinosaurs, some of whom were too large to fit in the vessels. Perry stepped into a boat on my right, causing the wires to snap. It landed in the water after a chorus of surprised screams.
"Where's Moonwatcher?" I asked.
Owen shook his head.
"When she came back without you, we started asking questions. She looked really nervous, then she pointed at the sky and said, 'Look! A tit-slug!' and when we turned back, she was rowing away in a lifeboat."
"Not surprised. Where's Maisie?"
"On a lifeboat with Zia and Franklin. Iris is on the boat next to theirs. I'm sure we can find one four ourselves."
I looked down at my portly figure.
"Owen . . ."
"They'll have room."
We jumped as an Ankylosaur bellowed on his hind legs.
"Women and children first!"
"Goddamn it!" Mr. Jellybean and Ed shouted in unison, before turning to look at each other with confusion.
"You know, Mr. Jellybean, I'm sure they'd let you on a lifeb-"
"NOPE."
"I'm not saying you're a woman. But it might be worth asking them if-"
"LISTEN HERE, MA'AM. I WAS BORN A MAN AND I'LL DIE A MAN."
"I'm a man too, you know."
"Right now?"
"Yes."
"Ah. Any chance you'll be able to switch back before the ship goes down?"
"No. Besides, I'm the captain, and you know how the old saying goes . . ."
Owen gestured to the left side of the ship.
"Come on."
We wove through the crowd, hoping to find a means of escape. There appeared to be only one lifeboat left, and it was looking rather full.
"Room for one more! Small dinosaurs and humans only!"
I turned to Owen. He shook his head.
"I won't leave you. We're in this together."
I bit my beak.
"Owen . . ."
"I've made up my mind."
"Maisie needs you."
"She needs us."
"But what if she ends up with neither? . . ."
"LAST CALL!"
I watched as they prepared to lower the boat. The look in Owen's eyes told me that he wouldn't go, not in a million years. I scanned the deck. We were out of options.
"Alright, men! Pull!"
The lifeboat creaked downwards slowly. I turned to Owen.
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
"I'm sorry, Owen."
"About wh-"
I cracked my horn over his head, knocking him unconscious. I caught him as he fell, then kissed him on the lips before dropping him into the lifeboat.
"Miss!"
I locked eyes with the crew member.
"Take good care of him, okay?"
He nodded slowly.
"We will, miss."
Beak quivering, I dashed away, unable to look at Owen, though I wouldn't be able to see him through my tears anyway. Dinosaurs ran past me in a blur, but I paid no attention to them. My ears were ringing, and my chest felt like it was about to implode. Gradually, I lost my balance. The ship was tilting upwards, held down by the weight of its sinking half. I spread my arms, letting them become wings, and took to the sky. I watched the sinking from there. It was the most horrifying sight I've ever witnessed, and the distant screams sent chills down my spine. Through the desperate voices, I managed to pick up the sound of a string quartet.
Not to get too meta, but they were playing the Jurassic Park theme.
***TSJWFKFEW***
When the last lights of the Titanosaur had dimmed beneath the water, my arms grew tired. I stayed in the air for as long as I could manage, but I eventually found myself gliding towards the shimmering ocean. Dinosaurs thrashed around within arm's reach, and a few nearly pulled me under. I distanced myself from the other survivors, shivering with fear and cold.
Gradually, the screams stopped. I wasn't sure if this was because the other dinosaurs had given up on calling for help, or worse, hadn't lasted as long as me. Eventually, though, I did hear a sound. It was a kind of put-put-put, and as it drew near, I heard bubbles as well. I shrieked as a bright set of blue lights blinded me for a few seconds. When I blinked away the flashing afterimage, I saw Eli making his way towards me on his back, supported by his airbag. He motorboated forward using his tailpipe, then came to a stop, rotating lazily.
"So. How did your revolution go?"
I let my face sink into the water. Eli smiled sadly and offered me his paw.
"Hop on."
My lip wobbled.
"You sure?"
"You'll freeze to death otherwise, and I could use the company."
I nodded and climbed onto his belly. When he dipped deeper into the water, I hesitated.
"Eli, am I too-"
"No, no! You're fine."
I settled myself on his chest.
"Can you feel the cold?"
"Yes. It's not the same as when I was human, but it's definitely not pleasant. I imagine I'll last about as long as a car in a snowstorm, and in the meantime, it's a very unpleasant sensation . . . which is why I'm glad I found you."
I smiled and rested my head between his arms. He patted me gently, then lay flat in the water.
"It's been an exciting day, hasn't it?"
"Yup."
"Did you see the octopus?"
"What?"
"A giant octopus tried to put the ship back together."
"You've got to be shitting me."
"Nope. But here's the weird part: the octopus was Céline Dion."
I rested my head against his chest and sighed.
"Nothing makes sense around here."
"No, it doesn't."
After a long silence, Eli started laughing. I frowned.
"What's so funny?"
He snorted.
"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about how my mother gave birth in a car, and now I'm going to die as a car."
"Is that ironic?"
"No, Claire. It's not ironic."
He twisted his mouth.
"Come to think of it, the first time I had sex was in a car, too."
"What does it mean, do you think?"
He let his head dip into the water.
"No idea . . . Hey, do you remember the day we first met?"
"Of course I do. I already told you I did."
"I know, but I wanted to ask you something. Were you mad at me, after that?"
"After that? No. I was . . ."
I was getting ready to meet the representative of Lockwood's foundation, and I was afraid. The two men hadn't parted on good terms, and now it was up to me to heal that wound. I would be the one to guide us into the future, to make two paths one.
But as I walked across the room, I ran into someone, and the coffee I had been saving for Eli Mills was crushed. Brown liquid gushed between our chests, and as I looked up to see who had gotten in my way, I realized that Mills would have his coffee after all . . . just not in the way I intended. I could tell by his face that he didn't know who I was. As he shook the hot droplets off his hands, he frowned and said-
"Well, I'd give you a month, if you're not fired immediately."
Without meaning to, I ran for the bathroom and locked myself in one of the stalls, breaking down in tears. I hadn't expected such an outburst, but there I was, wondering if I'd lose the support of the Lockwood crew AND my career in one fell swoop, but after a few minutes of wiping my runny nose, there was a knock at the door, and a man stepped into the room. He told me that he didn't realize who he was talking to, and that he was sorry, and-
". . . I was grateful. You could have had me fired right then and there, but you didn't."
"Over spilled coffee? Naw, that wouldn't have happened."
"No, it wouldn't have. Because you chose to let me off the hook. I messed up, and you forgave me."
"Everyone makes mistakes. It was an accident."
I lifted my head to look into his eyes.
"If it was on purpose, would you have forgiven me then?"
He laughed.
"Did you coffee-kazi me as an act of sabotage?"
"Answer the question."
"I would have forgiven you."
"Why?"
"Because it was no big deal."
"Why else?"
"Because . . . it was a long time ago?"
I crawled up his chest and stared down into his deep, blue eyes.
"Eli . . ."
"I don't know what you want me to say."
I took a deep breath.
"Say . . . say the thing you wanted to tell me before."
"What thing?"
"You know."
"Claire, I-"
I leaned forward and pressed my beak against his lips. He tensed up, then pulled away.
"Claire!"
"Eli."
"Claire, you're confused. It's cold and- and we just survived a traumatic event and-"
"I forgive you."
He fell silent. Slowly, he turned to look at me, afraid that he had misheard. I took a deep breath and splayed my palm on his chest.
"I forgive you."
He didn't move, but I could see tears welling up in his eyes.
"Claire . . ."
"I forgave you a long time ago, but you should know . . ."
"Claire, I love you."
I leaned forward to nuzzle him, and he closed his eyes, dripping windshield wiper fluid into the Atlantic. The blue droplets spread into rings as they sunk.
I don't remember when I fell asleep. Just that I did.
And when I woke up, Eli wasn't moving.
***TSJWFKFEW***
"That's the last time I saw him. After the rescue, I reunited with Owen and Maisie. I never told anyone what happened . . . until now."
"And the rest of the passengers?"
"Many of them were buried at sea. Mr. Jellybean lost the love of his life. He was still clinging to Ed when they found him. All of my friends made it out okay. So did Perry and Blue and the Indoraptor, though we don't call him that anymore, since he's part Stegoceratops. We decided on Dory."
"And Moonwatcher?"
"Well, a few hours ago, this message washed ashore in a bottle."
Dear Claire,
Sorry for chaining you to a furnace and leaving you for dead. No hard feelings, right? I'm currently stranded on a small island without food or water. I had to cannibalize Céline Dion to sustain myself, but the Dion-meat is running low, and I'd really appreciate a rescue. Again, I'm sorry about trying to murder you.
Here's to sinking an even bigger ship next season!
Moonwatcher XOXO
"Aw, man. What a bummer. So you really haven't seen Eli since then?"
"No, I haven't."
"Wait, I'm confused. Did he die or not?"
"No! Of course not! . . . Although I can see why my phrasing might have led you to that conclusion. No, Eli is alive, but we haven't spoken."
"How did he survive the water?"
"Well, you know that necklace you were looking for? . . ."
"You gave it to him . . ."
"Yes. But I lost it after that, I swear."
"Aw, bummer. You know, if it ever turns up, we promise to donate it to you so that you can fund a cure for your dinosaur-ness."
"Wait, we do?"
"Yeah, she needs it more than us."
"Fine."
***TSJWFKFEW***
After the interview, Claire lumbered away with a vacant, doleful stare. She made her way across the island until she reached the sandy cliffs, and peered over the edge.
"Don't jump."
She turned with surprise.
"Eli!"
He smiled warmly.
"Yeah, it's me. Nice to see you again."
"And you . . . I wasn't going to jump, you know."
"I know. I was kidding. But I'm glad you're not, because I'd have to go in after you, and we both know I don't do well in water."
"After what happened on the ship, I can't say I'm a fan of it either."
Eli chuckled softly. After a pause, he lifted his head.
"Hey. I know things have been weird between us, ever since . . ."
"Well, you haven't called."
"I know. I thought I should give you some space, but . . . Can we talk?"
"Sure."
He sat down beside her.
"You're very lucky, Claire. You have friends, family . . . everything you need. With my history, I'd only be getting in the way."
"Eli-"
"Come on, Claire. We both know it's true. The most important people in your life hate me, and with good reason. I can't be a part of this like you want me to be."
She reached up to stroke his cheek.
"Eli, all I'm asking for is a friend."
"And that's okay with me, just as long as you don't start . . . yeah."
"It was a one-time thing."
"I figured. Just so you know, the next time you have an emotional breakdown, we can work through it without locking lips, okay?"
She smiled guiltily.
"Okay."
He winked.
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."
He stood and turned to leave, but Claire cleared her throat, suddenly.
"Eli, was it good for you, too?"
He sucked on his bottom lip, then turned around and smiled casually.
"Naw, you're not that good at kissing. I don't blame you for swooning, though. I've been told I'm quite the charmer."
She laughed.
"Goodnight, Eli."
"Goodnight, Claire," he replied, failing to conceal the quaver in his voice.
He rolled into the night. When she was sure that he couldn't see her, Claire reached under her arm and pulled out a glimmering necklace. She eyed the blue gem for a moment, then extended her arm, holding the jewel above the crashing waves.
She let it drop.