Jurassic Park Broken Lives
Chapter 18: The Mainland
Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park.
Author note: Please do not think for one moment that I will ever have a velociraptor and human "consummate" their love in my story, maybe as a raptor and raptor but no other way. Do not bring this topic up in a review again, please. I managed to get this last chapter typed out before I leave.
Amanda awoke. A constant beeping sounded not far from her head. Voices of people she could not recognize echoed around her and Amanda slowly opened her eyes. Above her, a smooth white ceiling with rails holding a curtain stood in place of the blue sky she last saw. She slowly looked over to her left to see she was in a hospital bed next to a large window overlooking the ocean.
Amanda continued to stare out the window, trying to remember how she ended up here and where here was. The last thing she remembered was hitting the ground and seeing the triceratops collapse next to her then waking up here. Amanda moaned.
Several tears ran down her cheek and she slowly sat up.
"Señor, she is awake." A deep voice called out.
Amanda looked to her right to see a darker skinned man, presumably a doctor, walk up to her. He was dressed in a white coat with a metal nametag over his left chest and a clipboard in his hand. He stopped next to her bed and looked at the monitor next to the bed then to her.
"My name is Diego," the man said in raspy voice and cleared his throat. "You are in a hospital in Costa Rica right now.
"How'd I get here?" Amanda asked in raptor.
"Can you speak English," Diego said with a raised voice.
"Yes," Amanda moaned. "How did I get here?"
"Señor Gomez found you on one of the Las Cinco Muertes," Diego said and pointed to a man standing in the window, holding a cap in front of his chest. "You're lucky he found you when he did, you were wounded severely and if not for him you could be dead right now."
"How long ago was that?" Amanda moaned and touched side, yelping in pain the instant she touched it.
"Careful, it was a very large wound that I had to do surgery on," Diego said. "He found you almost… a week a go if I remember correctly. You have been slipping in and out of consciousness for the last few days. Also, you were also screaming in growls and chirps."
"Oh yeah," Amanda said, unconcerned. She was more concerned about how Silver Claw was dealing with her not around for that long.
"Pardon my language but, you scared the shit out of us the first time you growled and chirped. We had to move all other patients out of this room even because you were scaring them." Diego said with a slight laugh. "If you want, Señor Gomez would like to talk with you."
"Yeah sure," Amanda moaned. Maybe he could get her back to Isla Sorna.
Diego walked out of the room and said something to the man holding his hat. Soon he walked into the room and pulled up a chair next to Amanda.
"How are you?" He asked in a soft voice.
"I've been better." Amanda sighed and looked at him.
He was dressed in a dark green vest with crimson under shirt and blue jeans. His face had a scraggly trimmed beard. Brown eyes sat under a heavy brow, hidden under long dark grey hair.
"How did you end up on that island?" Gomez asked.
"The ship my family was on sank off shore, I was one of two survivors out of about thirty," Amanda said and started crying.
"I'm sorry," he said. "Who were they? That is if you don't mind telling me."
"My friends and family," Amanda cried. "Where did you find me?"
"I found you next to two beasts," he said, "One dead and the other alive."
"What did you do to the living one?" Amanda said. She instantly stopped crying, praying he did not shoot Silver Claw.
"I fired several shots into the air but it stayed next to you," Gomez said. "It had your hand on its head."
"Did you kill him?" Amanda trembled.
"I pulled you out from under … him?" Gomez questioned.
"I know what that it was," Amanda said with increasing anxiety. "Did you kill him?"
"No, though I think I should have, it looked to be in a lot of pain," Gomez replied. "The thing was whimpering and shaking."
"Oh my god he's hurt." Amanda cried. "You have to take me back there."
"I'm sorry but I can not do that," Gomez said and put his cap back on. "It be best if were off for now."
"Please," Amanda pleaded. "I have to get back there."
Gomez tipped his hat and walked away. He walked out the door and down one of several halls. Diego walked back in the room.
"I'm afraid I forgot to ask your name." He said politely.
"It's Amanda," she replied and put her head back on the pillow, sobbing and looking at her arm. "What are all these needles for?"
"You had a bacterial infection," Diego said as he wrote her name on the clipboard. "We don't know what caused it. What have you been eating?"
"Raw meat and old candy bars," Amanda sobbed.
Diego gave her and awkward stare, "Raw meat?"
"I don't know how to start a fire."
"Well that's probably the cause of it," Diego sighed. "You should be well enough to move about today but I wouldn't recommend it."
"Maybe I will go for a walk." Amanda said, wiped away her tears, and slowly slipped out of the bed. Amanda staggered slightly but managed to stay up. "Can I have these things out of my arm?"
"Not just yet," he replied, ready to catch her if she fell. "After this drip is done, then I will remove it them."
"How long will that take?"
"Another two hours or so," Diego replied.
"Can I be left alone for a bit," Amanda asked.
"Sure, just push that button if you need anything." Diego said. "Is their any family I could contact?"
"No," Amanda said and started to cry again. "They all died."
"I'm sorry," he said and closed the blinds on his way out. Diego closed the door behind him as he left.
Amanda walked over to the window and looked at the horizon. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Where are you Silver Claw?"
Back on Isla Sorna, Silver Claw lay curled up in his nest, whimpering. The pack looked on.
"How long has he been like this?" Arthur asked.
"Since Amanda was taken by that man," Blaze replied.
"Has he eaten?" Sunayana asked.
"Once, and that was yesterday." Fang answered.
"What about his broken ribs?" Sunayana asked.
"If he stays put, they should heal in a few weeks but not if he doesn't eat." Fang said. "I have to say though, I have never seen a raptor take a fall like that and get up like he did."
"Yeah I know. It's going to be dark soon," Jack interrupted. "It would be best if you all get some sleep."
"I'll talk with Silver Claw," Sara said. "He could use some female reassurance right now." She slowly walked over to Silver Claw's nest and set down in front of it. "Hello Silver Claw," Sara said softly.
Silver Claw looked up briefly then tucked his head under the clothing at the bottom of the nest. The nest still smelled of Amanda, which made Silver Claw feel worse. He whimpered and pulled his head out and closed his eyes.
"Silver Claw, please talk to me." Sara said softly. "The pack is worried about you."
"I know," Silver Claw only said in reply and turned around.
"Silver Claw," Sara said, trying to ease his pain.
Silver Claw curled his tail by head and ignored her. Finally, Sara gave up and returned to her nest. Occasionally she or another member would try to talk to him but to no avail.
An hour pasted and soon, darkness covered the island. The air was cold and the jungle silent. Silver Claw waited until the pack was asleep. He staggered to his feet and grabbed the blue stone along with a shirt in his mouth. He quietly moved pass the nests until he reached the edge of the area. Silver Claw looked back and sighed.
"Goodbye."
Amanda slowly awoke and sat up. She rubbed her arms where the needles were the day before.
"Good morning Amanda," the night nurse, Tania, said in a soft sweet tone. "How are you this morning?"
"Fine, I think I'll go for a walk today." Amanda replied.
"I think you should have your breakfast first." Tania said and placed a tray of fruit and juice on the table next the bed. "It's grape juice this morning."
"Thank you." Amanda sighed and rubbed her side where a large six-inch line of stitches ran along. "What are some good places to see around the hospital?"
"I don't think you should go outside that far," Tania sighed.
"I'm going to explore the town a little, whether Diego says I can or not." Amanda said and picked up a piece of fruit.
"You're a determined little one, I'll give ya that." Tania sighed. "If you want, after my shift I can take you to see the town. I'm sure it would be better for someone to accompany you."
"That would be nice," Amanda said and drank some of her juice. "How long will that be?"
"Oh ten minutes." Tania smiled. "Can you wait that long?"
"Yeah I guess so." Amanda sighed.
Amanda sat facing the window. Down the coast from the hospital were the docks and a large number of fishing boats. Finally, after twenty minutes, Tania came and got her. Amanda looked to the door to see Tania holding a jacket in one hand and a bundle of cloths in the other.
"Your old cloths were in pretty rough shape," Tania said. "And these don't fit my daughter anymore so I thought you might like them because I didn't think you wanted to walk around the town in that medical gown."
"Thank you Tania," Amanda said with a smile. Amanda walked over to Tania and took the clothing, a baggy grey shirt and jeans. She closed the curtain and quickly slipped out of the gown and into the cloths. Amanda folded the gown and placed it on her bed. She stepped out from behind the curtain.
"You look great Amanda," Tania smiled. "Ready?"
"Did you tell Diego?" Amanda asked.
"Yes, and he said it was fine as long as I didn't loose you." Tania replied and gestured with her hands to the door. "Shall we?"
Amanda walked out the door and started down a hall but Tania stopped her.
"It's this way," Tania said and pointed to the large doors down the opposite hall.
"Oh…." Amanda said and turned around.
Soon they stepped out of the building and into the morning light. The passed under the shadows of several trees as the two made their way towards the sea. The walk was down hill and easy going for Amanda, though it was not as much legs that hurt as her side. A breeze blew off the sea, carrying the salty air with it.
Amanda breathed in heavily. She felt better breathing in fresh air rather than the stale hospital air. However, her thoughts wandered back to Silver Claw and how he must feel without her. Amanda sighed and looked to the sky. Within a few minutes, they reached the beach and turned down the boardwalk.
"What do you think about this place so far?" Tania asked.
"It's beautiful," Amanda replied. "I was wondering if you know anyone who could get me to that island I told you about."
"Again with this island," Tania sighed. "Most of the fisherman a scared of those five islands and I don't think I could convince any of them to do otherwise."
"Well thank you anyway," Amanda sighed. "Could we go to the docks?"
"You are still going to ask around anyway."
"Yeah," Amanda said and looked to her. "I am happy that you are helping me. I'm actually really thankful but that island is my home and I just want to go back."
"Alright, do you think you can make it to the docks and back?" Tania asked.
"Yes," Amanda answered. "I've been through a lot worse."
As they approached the docks, the smell of fish filled the air and Amanda tried to wave it away. Gulls fought amongst each other for scraps of fish and crab. Large groups of fisherman walked about the area.
"Not use to the smell of fish," Tania laughed. "You'll get used to it."
"I hope so," Amanda said as she continued to wave the smell. "It's terrible."
They soon reached the docks and started asking around. The men they asked either laughed at them or ignored them completely. An hour passed with out any success and Tania began to get tired.
"I think it would be best if I got you back to the hospital Amanda." Tania yawned before continuing. "I have to work again tonight."
"Alright," Amanda said and looked down. She slowly walked along the docks towards the hospital when she overheard something.
"I'll pay you five hundred dollars to take me to Isla Sorna," a female voice said.
Amanda turned to see a red-haired woman with a tan shirt and backpack. This woman continued to offer large amounts of money to the man but he still refused. Finally, she gave up and started to wonder off to another sailor.
Amanda quickly took this chance to walk up and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hello, I couldn't help but overhear you want to go to Isla Sorna."
"Do you know someone who could get me there?" The woman asked.
"No, but that is where I'm trying to get as well." Amanda said. "My name's Amanda by the way."
"Sarah Harding," she replied. "Why are you trying to get there?"
"Harding… you wouldn't be related to a Doctor Harding that works for Ingen would you?" Amanda asked.
"Maybe…. Why?" Sarah asked.
"I met him a few weeks ago on the island," Amanda said.
"Why do you want to go Isla Sorna?" Sarah asked once more.
"It's my home," Amanda said. "I'm only here because I was injured and someone found me."
"How were you injured?" Sarah questioned.
Amanda moved so only her and Sarah could hear, "Triceratops."
"Where are you staying?"
"At the hospital," Amanda replied. "If you want, you could come and stay there for a bit so we could talk."
"I'd like that," Sarah said. "I have a few questions for you."
"I'll walk you back," Tania said. "Then I'll be off."
"Alright," Amanda said.
Before long, Amanda and Sarah were back in Amanda's room. Amanda sat on the edge of the bed while Sarah closed the door and pulled up a chair. Amanda was about to say something but a nurse walked in a placed a tray of fruit and juice on the table. Soon the nurse walked out and closed the door.
"So Amanda, what do you know about Isla Sorna?" Sarah asked.
"I know it is inhabited by over twenty different kinds of dinosaurs," Amanda replied. "I particularly know about one type of raptor."
"Is that it?" Sarah questioned.
"No," Amanda said. "There is a lot more but I don't think you would believe me."
"Try me."
"I have lived on that island for about three months," Amanda said but before she could continue, Sarah started to talk.
"How could anyone live on that island for that long?"
"I was about to tell you," Amanda sighed. "I found a building and I hid there because my family was killed when the spinosaurus attacked our boat." Amanda took in a deep breath. "I was found by a male velociraptor."
"Ok, tell me the truth." Sarah said and crossed her legs.
"I am. His name is Silver Claw." Amanda replied. "He must be devastated right now."
"Why?"
"Don't laugh please." Amanda said and when Sarah nodded, she continued. "He asked me to be his mate about a month or so ago."
"That is a little disturbing," Sarah replied. "Please don't say you said yes."
"I did, he is my mate and he probably thinks I'm dead right now." Amanda said and several tears rolled down her cheek. "I miss him."
"Wait a minute, you can understand him?" Sarah questioned and leaned forward.
Amanda nodded and wiped away her tears. "He taught me words I asked him."
"So every noise he makes, you can understand it?"
"Just as easily as I can understand English, I also speak it too." Amanda said. "Would you like me to say some?"
"Sure, let's hear it," Sarah sighed and leaned back.
Amanda made several chirps and growls, frightening Sarah slightly.
"Ok…." Sarah could only say. "So…. hypothetically, if I did bring you with me and we did run into some raptor, you could talk to them and maybe convince them not to kill us."
"Maybe," Amanda said.
"I've been wonder how you ended up here?" Sarah asked. "What exactly happened?"
"The leader of the pack I belong to, Jack, said that I could come hunting with them that day but I had to hunt by myself to show I was able to." Amanda said. "The pack sat on a hill while I went to prove if I could. I found an adult triceratops sleeping so I walked up to it. It woke up and looked the other way so I stabbed two knifes into its neck. I didn't kill it." Amanda sighed. "It hooked my cloths on one horn so I grabbed on but it eventually it shook me off, dying anyway."
Sarah shook her head, not knowing whether to believe it or not. "What happened after?"
"I woke up here." Amanda sighed. "And I'm going to have one nasty scar too."
"What?" Sarah questioned and Amanda lifted up the side of her shirt, revealing the scar.
"So are you going to take me with you to Isla Sorna?" Amanda asked.
"I have a feeling you wouldn't go away if I said no, so yes I will." Sarah sighed, "What were all the drips for?"
"I had a bacterial infection, it's gone now." Amanda answered. "The doctor said it was because I was eating raw meat."
Sarah's eyes widened, "For how long?"
"Almost since the day I was found by the raptor." Amanda said. "I did have some fruit and old candy bars but mostly I had meat."
"You should have died from the bacteria after this long," Sarah said in disbelief. "Don't you know how to start a fire?"
"I came from a very rich family," Amanda said. "I had no reason to know how. The stove we found didn't work either so I didn't have a choice."
"Who's paying for your stay in the hospital?" Sarah asked.
Amanda got a puzzled expression on her face. She reached for the button and pressed it. Within a few minutes, Diego walked in with a chart.
"Hello Amanda," he said. "Did you want something?"
"Who's paying for me to be here?" Amanda asked.
"Gomez said he would if you didn't have anyone to contact." Diego said.
"How much is it?" Amanda asked, worried.
"Three thousand dollars so far," Diego said. "If you stay the night again, that will be another hundred."
"Oh my god," Amanda said.
"Don't worry about it," Diego said. "Gomez doesn't have to pay a thing."
"Who is paying then?" Amanda questioned.
"Your father," Diego said. "I ran your DNA through the computer to find out if you had anyone related to you didn't know about."
"My father's alive…." Amanda said and her lip started to tremble. "Where is he?"
"Outside," Diego said. "He just got here."
Amanda saw a man stop in front of the window to her room. He turned to her and rushed into the room.
"Amanda," he cried out and wrapped his arms around her.
Amanda winced in pain but wrapped her arms around her father. Amanda started to cry. "I thought you were dead dad."
"I thought you were." He cried and looked to Diego. "When can I take her home?"
Amanda's eyes widened. She had her dad to go back to their home but what about Silver Claw. If she went home, she could live her old life with her own room, her pets, and her father. However, there was Silver Claw, she loved him and he loved her. If she left with her father, she could never see Silver Claw again.
What if she could bring him with her… no, he would find himself in a cage or worse. He was her family now but so was her father. Amanda winced in pain. Sarah started to walk towards the door. She had to choose and fast.
Amanda's lip trembled, "No."
He father pulled away and Sarah stopped walking to look back. "What do you mean no?" He father asked.
"I'm not going home with you," Amanda cried. "I'm going back to Isla Sorna."
"No you are not going back to that hellhole of an island." He father blurted.
"Yes I am. I have friends there." Amanda said, "And a family."
"I'm your family," He father said in a more clam voice. "Unless your mother survived and is there."
Amanda burst into tears. "That creature grabbed her in font of me and she died in my hands."
"Oh my god," he said and pulled Amanda tight. "Why would you want to go back to such a place then?"
"I have a… husband there and he could be hurt." Amanda cried. Her father immediately released her, his face turned red.
"You have a husband," He father stuttered and with an angry voice. "How could you get married? Who is this bastard, I'll kill him."
"He's younger than me dad!" Amanda said and turned away. "I'm going back and that's final." Tears rolled down her cheeks and in a soft voice she said, "I love him." Amanda slowly stood up and to walk out the door but her father cut her off.
"I am suing the company that owns that island and I am trying to have it destroyed." He father said. "And I will not have my daughter there when it is."
"No!" Amanda screamed, though she made sure it was in raptor. It bought her enough time to get out of the room and out the front doors. Amanda made her way down towards the beach when she suddenly felt someone grab her arm.
"You don't plan to swim there do you?" Sarah asked and shifted her backpack.
"So you're going to help me?" Amanda said.
"Yes, I can't have that island destroy when Ingen is paying me to do a project." Sarah said. "Let's get going before your father catches up with us."
Amanda and Sarah ran down the boardwalk. As they finally reached the docks, Amanda's father reached the bottom of the hill and started down the boardwalk. Amanda and Sarah quickly rushed into a crowd of people and saw that a boat was about to launch. Sarah ran ahead and stopped the elderly captain.
"Can you take us to Isla Sorna?" Sarah asked. "It's urgent that I get there today."
"I was heading that way," he said and ran his fingers through his grey beard. "The trip isn't free though."
"How's five hundred dollars." Sarah asked.
"Welcome aboard miss," he said. "The name's James by the way."
"Thank you," Sarah said and turned to Amanda, "Hurry Amanda."
Amanda quickly jumped in with Sarah and the boat started to move. Sarah and Amanda sat along the port side of the boat. They reached the end of the docks and Amanda turned to look back at the docks, just to see her father stop at the end. Tears filled her eyes and Amanda started to cry.
"It took a lot of courage to do what you did," Sarah said and rubbed her shoulder. "Your friend must really be special. I hope I can meet him."
"If he wants to you can," Amanda said and brushed away her tears.
"How long until we get there James." Sarah asked and looked to her watch to see it was noon.
"Oh… a good four hours if the sea stays calm," He said and adjusted the wheel to clear the boat traffic. "Next stop Isla Sorna."
Silver Claw walked through the jungle, the stone in his mouth and the shirt in his claws. He had walked all night and the sun was just being to rise. He passed the old road a few hours back but continued through the jungle. Suddenly, he walked from the jungle and found himself on another road. He sighed and turned down the road. His body was too sore to continue walking through the jungle and this road was relatively smooth.
An hour passed as he walked down the jungle road, the faint buzz of insects called out from the surrounding jungle. In the distance he could hear the low calls of numerous creatures, so many that he could not tell how many types there were. Several more hours passed until the jungle thinned until he stood at the edge of a massive field.
Hundreds of herbivores covered the field. Silver Claw could barely see the far side of the field because of its distance from him. A pack would never starve if they hunted here, Silver Claw thought and continued down the road at the field's edge. Silver Claw looked to the sky to see the noon sun. Amanda, he thought and closed his eyes.
"So," Amanda started. "Why are you going to Isla Sorna?"
"I was asked by John Hammond to record the life on Isla Sorna," Sarah replied. "He wants me to document the different animals and find out how they're still alive."
"How they're still alive?" Amanda questioned.
"To stop the dinosaurs from getting off the island alive, the scientists put in a gene that makes them unable to make lysine. That's what John told me." Sarah said. "They should have died out long ago because of it but they're still alive."
"Well it's a good thing they didn't." Amanda sighed. 'What do you do as a normal job?"
"I study African predators," Sarah replied. "I also work a bit as a vet."
"That's cool," Amanda said.
"Yeah," Sarah said in a soft tone. "You have to let me meet your friend."
"Yeah, I think he would like to thank you for getting me back to him." Amanda said and started to laugh. "I'm going to need something to wipe the saliva off my face when he does see me."
"Why?" Sarah asked. "Is he going to be that happy?"
"Not just that. Raptor mates greet each other by licking their partners face." Amanda said, blushing red. "He has about a week to make up for."
"I feel sorry for you," Sarah said with a slight laugh.
"Why?"
"Because you're going to have to make it up to him as well," Sarah joked.
"I only kiss him," Amanda sighed and looked down. "I'm never going to get out of his sight again."
Sarah laughed slightly and moved with Amanda to the bow of the boat, looking at the horizon. Hours passed as they continued to talk about their lives and experiences. Before long, the dark outline of five island appeared in the distance. Another hour passed before the actual shape of each island was distinguishable from one another.
"I'm sorry but my memory isn't what it used to be. Which one was it you wanted to get to?" James shouted from the wheel.
"Isla Sorna," Amanda replied and pointed to the largest and center island.
For an hour, they watched the island grow large, from a silhouette to reveal the dense jungle and rocky coastline. To the south a massive rock protruded from the waters next to the island, dead trees covered it. They reached a protruded piece of land, though they could only see the large cliff face reaching at least a hundred meters into the air. Massive swells crashed against the rock in an almost rhythmical manner. Amanda looked down to the clear waters below. Dozens of hammerhead sharks swam in the waters just below the boat.
"Where would you like to be dropped off ladies?" James said as he slowed the boat.
"I have a spot already pick out." Sarah replied and pulled out a map. She unfolded it and dragged her finger along it. "Here it is." She showed it to James and he looked to his compass.
"That spot," James mumbled to himself and turned the boat northward. "It'll be a few moments before we can see it, it be best if you got ready."
"Do you have any large knives I could have?" Amanda asked, having nothing else to do.
"What would you need them for?" James asked and then coughed.
"To protect myself with," Amanda replied. "You've heard stories about this place."
"Yeah, I guess you could use some. Below deck in the kitchen, there is a large wooden box." James sighed. "Grab whichever you see fit."
"Thank you," Amanda said and opened the door to the stairs. In a few minutes, she returned with two large steak knives in a sheath. "These will do. How much did these cost you?"
"Nothing, I found them a few weeks ago," James said. "They were adrift at sea near here."
"Oh," Amanda said and looked to the bow. "Is that were you wanted to go inland?"
Sarah turned and looked to the area. Large rocks ran along ocean as a wall between the jungle and sea. A single area opened up to a river. The dense jungle obscured anything that could be hiding nearby.
"How close can you get?" Sarah asked.
"Not to much closer," James sighed as he looked over the edge of the boat. "There are some large rocks under the surface." James moved the boat as close as he could without endangering it and turned off the engine. "That's it."
"Looks like we're going to get a little wet," Amanda said.
"Yeah, I guess so." Sarah said and took off her pack. She swung it back and forth a few times before tossing it to shore. She looked around for a brief second and jumped off the edge of the boat and into the water.
"Thank you James," Amanda said and tucked the knives into the back of her pants. "Bye." Amanda said and jumped into the water. Amanda swam toward shore. The icy water stung but she could handle it. The water was unusually calm compared to the massive swells that she seen down the coast. As she reached shore, James started the engine on his boat and slowly steered away.
"Here," Sarah said. "Let me help you up." Amanda looked up to see Sarah holding out her hand.
Amanda grabbed her hand and soon was out of the water. "Thank you," Amanda sighed.
"No problem," Sarah said as she slipped her backpack on. "Where's your home?"
"Can I see that map?" Amanda asked. Sarah pulled the map out of her bag and handed it to Amanda. She opened it. "Here it is."
"That's on the other side of the island," Sarah said.
"Oh…" Amanda sighed. "That's at least a four day walk."
Suddenly a deep roar sounded from the jungle, though not as loud as that of the spinosaurus or rex. Amanda started running, soon followed by Sarah. They ran through the dense jungle and suddenly Sarah screamed. Amanda turned around to see a Sarah on the ground with a herrerasaurus on top of her. She watched as the herrerasaurus sank its teeth into Sarah's bag…