Jurassic Park Broken Lives

Chapter 42: Shades of Green

Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park

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Author Note: Sorry for the delays in updating but I am back in school, grade twelve at last, and I've been really busy with homework and tests just about every day for the last few weeks. I hope I can update more quickly in the future but there are no guarantees. I have also posted another short story about the game Trespasser if anyone is interested.

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Kari looked at the human with an expression of on confusion and wonder. She assumed that the human was upset about something and that she was, as her elders told her humans would do, 'crying'. Kari didn't know anything about how human's solved their problems when they were upset so what could she do? She hoped that it was similar to what velociraptors would do but she couldn't be sure unless she tried. If she were wrong about her, then she would have to think about different ways to solve her problem.

With a slow and unthreatening pace, Kari moved to lie beside the human and began to nuzzle her softly. She didn't know why but she felt some feelings of pity and remorse for this creature. It could not be explained but she felt a connection, one buried deeply within her instincts, one that she doubted she would ever have felt unless getting close to a human like this. The human seemed to ease up in her tears and looked at Kari with almost a smile. And Kari showed her teeth in a kind of smile back.

"I guess it's obvious that you understand emotions better than most dumb animals," The human said softly but then added in a more hesitant tone, "Not that I think you're dumb or anything, I'm just saying… It's just… I've been alone so long that it's not even funny." A tear rolled down her cheek and he face paled slightly as she remembered what had brought her to the island. "Three months, that's how long I've been alone on this forsaken island. My boat was attacked north of here and a few of us escaped on small rafts but couldn't head out to sea so we headed inland hoping that there were buildings and there were. We should have tried our chances out at sea but that creature was in our way. I don't know why I'm telling you this, you probably don't care even." Kari nodded. "Oh, you do want to know, if that's what you meant by that nod. I guess it's just nice to have some…thing to talk to even it you are just an animal. My name's Cassandra by the way, just in case you wanted to know."

"Cassandra," Kari mumbled to herself. This proved it without a doubt, the human was a female. Kari couldn't help but wonder why this one looked and was alone however. She looked old enough to take a mate but seemed like she didn't have one, unless humans had to wait longer to take a mate. Kari couldn't tell the age of this human however. Perhaps she lost hers and that is why she was upset or she hadn't found a strong one yet that would be worth to be the father of her hatchlings? And where were the others she had talked about there had been none around when they came in and she could smell none? Maybe that creature in the pool that tried to eat Kari had gotten them. Kari looked at her and said, "My name is Kari."

"I really wish I understood you. That would make things so much easier." With a sighed, Cassandra wiped the tears from her eyes and leaned back. "At least it would be nice to be talked to for once." She then looked at the raptor next to her and slowly raised her hand. "May I pet you?" Kari cocked her head and then nodded a little. Cassandra smiled at the raptor as it purred when she gently rubbed the back of its neck. "I hope you stay like this. That is being nice to me. Not like those other animals that live on this island. They're the reason I'm alone." When she received a questioning look from the raptor she decided she might as well tell all since she had nothing left to hide.

"Several of the rafts made it here after a large sail back creature attacked us. It came out of the water when we were going into the inlet to dock for the night and hopefully go ashore the next day to have a party. It destroyed the main area where the radio was so we couldn't call for help. Most of the people were killed and not eaten. Eight of us sought refuge in the buildings above ground but only found more monsters. They killed my father and my mother in front of me but the six of us left managed to escape into a building. Eventually hunger drove us out and a different creature attacked us with some kind of black substance that it spit at you. It burned the skin and blinded you before it paralyzed so that you died soon after if it didn't wear off I guess. Three more of us died that day but we had their bodies to bury at least. Two more of my best friends disappeared during that night and I was alone." She looked down and tears began to trickle down her face once more. "I found their bodies in another building the next day. They chose to kill themselves rather than live another day on this island. I buried them and the remains of the others near the edge of the jungle the day after that when it was safe and then I found this place by chance. It was the only place that was safe enough that I could stay without fearing for my life. If we had only found it sooner…none of them would have died. I should have known that this was an odd shape and size for a building and that there had to be more to it."

Cassandra pulled her knees to her chest and began to cry. "They never even told me what they were going to do. I wouldn't have done it but maybe I could have talked them out of it or something. I was so scared and I was alone. I've been alone for so long and it's so cold down here at nights that I nearly freeze every day even with the blanket I found. There is nothing left for me back home now. My parents were my only family and now they're dead. I don't even have a pet to go back to, she died two weeks before all of this happened." Cassandra looked at the raptor and asked if she had a family and when the raptor shook its head she continued. "I guess we might be alike then. I have no family and I'm guessing since I haven't seen you around before and that you're alone that you don't have a home either to go back to either. Maybe…" Cassandra trailed off and fell into silence but her tears continued.

Kari felt truly sorry for this human. She could think of few things worse than being alone because the people close to you killed themselves so that they would not have to live on the island anymore or died by the teeth and claws of one of many carnivores. That was truly tragic. Another feeling stirred within Kari, a maternal instinct, one to protect. She might as well consider Cassandra her friend from now on. How could she even consider eating her now that she knew what had happened to her? Not even to end her pain would Kari consider it. Maybe they could form a pack together though in Kari's mind it seemed a bit strange to have a mixed species pack like the human lover. She was alone with out a family just like Cassandra. They were so much alike that it seemed only fair to join together. Alone they may be weak but together they might be able to survive much longer. Hunting would be easier on Kari if the human knew how but she doubted it.

There was one problem above all else that plagued any friendship between them and that was language. Kari couldn't think of any way that she could teach the human knowingly how to understand her and it seemed that she wouldn't be able to without the help of the human lover. Maybe she could find him. No she couldn't, remembering what had happened, it was too dangerous to head back the way she had come. If the human lover was going the way she though and ended up at the herrerasaurus grounds he might as well be dead. From the stories no one could have survived such a place long. Maybe the best thing she could do for Cassandra was get her to a human that would take her home even if she didn't want to go. She was bound to have friends back home, where ever that was.

With that decision made, Kari decided that she would just protect this human until she was able to go home. Kari gently placed her head against the human's shoulder and began to hum a soft tone that drew the human's attention to her. When Kari felt the soft touch of the human against her neck, she moved her body so that it acted as a kind of brace for her if she wanted it. It had been a trying day so far, the least they could do was rest for a while. Together they sat quietly in the cool of the room just staring at nothing in particular.

A sound began to resonate around then, it was long and deep and full sorrow and joy. It had a calming effect to it and immediately drew Kari's attention. She looked around but could not find its source but then she realized that it was coming from the other side of the window and so she slowly stood up and walk to it. Below her by the pool of water, several of the creatures had dragged themselves out of the water and they were making the sounds that seemed more like songs than anything. Even though they had attacked her, she couldn't help but feel good while listening to the tune.

"They sound like whales singing," Cassandra said as leaned against the railing, a smile gracing her face. "It's beautiful isn't it? This is why I choose to stay down here rather than near the surface. It's the one thing that truly eases my mind and helps me forget everything that happened to me. There's about eight of them, but I can't be sure. I've never seen all of them on the surface."

Kari couldn't help but agree. It did seem to take your worries away and at least it was pleasant to listen to. Her gaze however turned from the creatures and to the clear material encasing the place. She wondered what it was and why it was holding still. When she had visited the old human structure, the clear material always seemed to be broken. She noticed something however on the surface of the water. It was a green shape and it seemed to be swimming. She cocked her head but then realized the only creature she knew that was that size and green was the liar and traitor. She hissed.

Cassandra looked with weary eyes at the raptor but soon followed its gaze up. "Oh, my god is that another like you?" Kari nodded slightly. "Is it friendly?" This time Kari shook her head vigorously. "Oh, I hope it doesn't come down here then." It was not long however before the shape was distorted and out of sight completely. Kari settled down slightly but couldn't help but wonder why he was swimming across the water and if it was the one she had known or if more had survived.

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Sophia stood with a mind racing more than it had ever been. She was with hatchling but not any hatchlings. Those of Zenith, who she considered very close to a mate until the moment Tessa had told them that Zenith was the son of Tyrannous, her enemy, the traitor, the one above all others who deserved death. She was carrying the grandchildren of Tyrannous. What could she do? It was against on of her highest morals and that of her old pack to kill hatchlings, unless if was a matter of life or death for the pack. What if they turned out like Tyrannous? And what about her relationship with Zenith, could she truly trust him now that she had found out the most dreadful of secrets.

Sophia's breathing became heavy and labored. She began to feel light headed and blinked several times trying to fix her eyesight as it blurred. With a sudden turn, she bolted to the cave entrance and raced across the road. She couldn't bare the thought of carrying Tyrannous's grandchildren. She couldn't. Let alone, she could never let the others find out. Zenith knew to keep quiet but Tessa may have figured it out. She couldn't bear to be with them not after what she had done. How could they accept her as their friend anymore?

Deeper into the jungle she continued until at last dizziness overwhelmed her and she collapsed against a tree. Sophia lay their in the darkness of the jungle floor panting and gasping for air. She couldn't carry these hatchlings, not now. Maybe death was her only solution. That would allow her to be free of the burden of this size but she couldn't kill herself. That was worse than most things amongst her old pack. Plus she didn't know what was waiting for her on the other side. And she didn't want to know just yet. Her worst fear was that, being unable to be sure of the afterlife if there was one.

Slowly, she dragged herself around the tree until she was out of sight within a tangle of roots and vines. Sophia closed her eyes and whimpered. In the distance she could hear the others calling for her and it grew louder as they got closer. Soon they would be close enough that they would know where she was but she did not have the strength to run any more. She didn't know why but it was as if the strength she had used up when running was, all that she had. A scent hit her and she began to question running. It was of the other humans and they were getting close. Sophia called out and it was not long before she was found but by the wrong group. Her heart raced as a man stepped over her with a rifle aimed at her neck. She felt scared, she was going to die.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here boys." The leader of the group said. With that he fired a single shot and Sophia fell limp. "Hurry up and bring it with us, the others are bound to be nearby." He turned away as the two men under his command grabbed the body and dragged it behind them towards their new camp…

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Tom slowly descended with Mr. Glendale by his side. The creature had left them half and hour ago when it heard voices some ways away he guessed. For now it seemed they were alone. The climb down was long and slow. Mr. Glendale had lost enough blood that it was affecting him negatively and he was breathing irregularly. "I know of some caves we could hide in for a while and a road I think nearby that leads to it," Tom suggested but only received a blank stare from Mr. Glendale. He didn't seem to care anymore. The full realization that his daughter was in love with an animal had sank in and that if anyone were to find out it would be the end of so many of his business connections not to mention that his daughter was lost to him now.

They reached the ground and Tom help Mr. Glendale as he hobbled along. Several minutes passed until they were close to the road and it was within sight but movement on it caused Tom to duck into the bushes with Mr. Glendale being dragged behind. Tom looked cautiously out a small opening in the foliage and saw two raptors walking along the road. They looked similar to Zenith and Tessa but were different. Tom realized that they must be the ones after Amanda and Silver Claw. One of them stopped and sniffed the air.

Tom froze and realized that the wind was blowing towards the raptors at that moment. If they were found they would not escape. The two raptors talked to one another in a series of chirps and growls and then moved into the jungle towards Tom. Sweat poured off Tom's face and he began to tremble. The raptors were only a few meters away when a gunshot sounded in the distance. The two raptors looked at one another and dashed past Tom and disappeared away towards the sound.

Birds began to sing in the trees after a while and the insects came alive. The raptors had gone and it was safe once more. Tom gasped and then sighed with relief. That was the second time he had come that close to death, it wasn't ever something he'd like to repeat. He left Mr. Glendale where he was and moved to the road to scout it out. There was nothing in sight so he waved Mr. Glendale over. Together, they trekked down the road at a slow pace, but at least they were moving slightly faster than in the jungle. Tom hoped that they would find somewhere safe and soon.

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Thrascar looked at himself from the reflection in a polished stone. The blood of the latest attempt at a mate stained the black of his lips. The metallic taste was fresh in his mouth and his anger was at an all time high. His body trembled with rage. He was never to have children and killing his own pack would not slake his anger. He needed more.

His cared not for the human loving reject anymore but had his attention on the other packs of the island. A memory entered his mind of his mother, a brown female. He had no true father. The humans had used a machine to impregnate her and she carried him until his live birth upon which, she died after cleaning him and telling him how he was born.

Another, larger tremor rocked his body and he clenched his jaws. She was weak. To die in child birth was the ultimate disgrace to him. At last he could hold it in no longer and tossed back his head. He roared so loud and soon long that the pack outside his home collapsed to the ground hoping not to feel his anger upon them. It did not come however. This time, he was going to find a challenge worthy of him to bring his anger to an end but it was not within his pack.

He kicked a rope near to him holding several barrels and it broke. The barrels fell and several cracks formed allowing a bright liquid to ooze out towards a small fracture leading to the molten rock below. In a fury, Thrascar marched out of the building and stood on the raised steps. "Come to me all who wish a warrior's death!" He roared. The pack was quick to gather around him. Once they had settled, he spoke again. "Today I have come to realize that we are not to stay down here! We are rulers and fighters, we are death itself. Today we march and we run and we will slay all those who oppose us! Today we go to WAR!"

He let out a deep bellow that stirred the crowd. They all gathered in. "Gather your strength for we march today to reclaim that land that is ours and they shall know what it feels like to be inferior. We feast on the flesh of our enemies tonight and they shall know fear, to WAR!" A large pocket of molten rock exploded, flinging the heated substance onto the building and surrounding area. The metal glowed as it began to melt before cooling again and solidifying in an odd arch behind the raptor.

Thrascar hopped off the stairs and ran through the crowd which soon followed behind him at a slower pace. The pack thundered into the tunnels with thirty strong. None would stay behind for the penalty they knew was death. The newborns were scooped by their mothers and held between their jaws in a vice-like grip.

Thrascar felt the full power that he and he alone held as leader. It was intoxicating and only fueled his rage more and made him more bloodthirsty than ever. His black hide blended with the darkness of the caves and all but his eyes and the label on his side could be seen as the light faded into the distance but even then it was almost not existent. A low rumble shook the cave and there was an explosion from the place where they had left. Thrascar smiled, the chemicals had blown and there was no returning now.

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Amanda walked quietly though the jungle with Ellie. They were looking for Sophia and so the group had split up to have a better chance of finding her. Silver Claw, Tessa and Zenith were on their own searching by the road and near the jungle's edge. Since the tyrannosaurus rex was not within what they considered a danger zone, Ellie and Amanda had gone in straight, walking in a line from where Sophia had gone in.

"You know you've changed a lot," Ellie said softly. "You look more haggard than before but also more muscular I think." She laughed a little. "I guess it isn't much for you but then again, it has been a while since we last saw each other."

"I know but look at you," Amanda replied with a chuckle of her own. "It looks like your some kind of spy or something. I mean when did you learn to use a gun? Better yet, when did you learn to ride a motorcycle or have any real experience in the outdoors? What's happed to you since you left?"

"It's a long story but I guess it started with the bombing at the building I was at. John offered me a job a little after that and I took it." She sighed heavily, her eyes fixed on the ground looking for traces that Sophia may have left behind. "I was only a kind of secretary type of person, getting people what they needed and typing things up some times. My boss seemed to take a liking to me however and she taught me how to use different guns and we were on a camping trip when I got called here. That's the shortest I could make it."

"Wow, you've been busy." Amanda sighed. "Do you know who bombed the building?" Ellie quickly explained what had happened that day and Amanda nodded in agreement but yet was concerned. "I'd be careful if I were you. It sounds like these people could be very bad and what if they caught you? You could spend a while in prison or worse if they didn't want it coming out, about what was going on between them and InGen."

"It's nothing I can't handle," Ellie sighed and crouched suddenly. "I think these are her tracks and it looks like she fell or something about here." Ellie pointed out where the leaves had been scattered. She looked at Amanda who seemed to have a lot on her mind but soon was crouched beside her.

"I think so," Amanda said lightly. "I have another question to ask, what do your parents think about this?" She received only a slight shake in response but knew exactly what it meant. "You haven't told them yet? I know your parents well enough that they would be calling almost every hour, what did you tell them?"

"I told them that I was getting test done in somewhere with InGen and that they wouldn't be able to contact me until I got back." Ellie's expression turned to one a deepening sadness. "They love me, I know that. But I needed time to myself, I didn't get a moment of peace while I was with them and to tell you the truth, much of the time I was wishing I was back her with you and Silver Claw. I miss the freedom that comes with this life." She noticed an impression in the dirt. "Oh no, they got to her first."

"What!" Amanda blurted and looked to where Ellie had pointed out. "They dragged her away but it doesn't look like they killed her." Amanda said optimistically. "If we can find them, maybe you could scare them off with that gun of yours."

Ellie looked at her gun and was wondering why it had locked up on her. "I think I got some sand in it or something when I came onto the beach. It locked up after I shot and killed one of those greens. I hope they don't get here any time soon."

"I hope that too," Amanda said and stretched up. She started to follow the tracks. "We should check if it is Sophia before we call the others, that way if we're wrong they might find her," Ellie said and Amanda agreed.

The followed the tracks for some ways until they heard a single gunshot in the distance. Amanda and Ellie looked at each other and started to run toward it. They crashed through the jungle noisily without concern of being found. They had to know if it was Sophia. There was no way that if Sophia was alive that they would let her die. She was all that was left of Silver Claw's pack and Amanda would not let him feel the total loss of his family.

Thoughts entered Amanda's mind and she realized Sophia was kind of a part of her family now. A smile broke the fear of not knowing her fate. Sophia was family. No matter how much they were fighting, she was still part of their family. After what had happened on the boat, she would not give let her family be harmed without giving a fight to stop it.

They emerged into a small glade and Amanda stopped Ellie. Before them a lay a large area of disturbed grasses and at its heart a dark figure curled and bleeding. It was too hard to tell what it was from the distance but it was obvious that it was dead. Amanda looked around, the men had come from this direction but it seemed they had left on the far side without dragging what it was they had. She feared the worst.

Slowly, Amanda crept forward and looked upon the body. She brushed the grasses out of her way and sighed. It was not Sophia but an ornitholestes. They had not killed her, maybe they didn't find her at all and this was all they had. A single bullet wound marked its head. "It's not her," Amanda said and looked back to see Ellie running up to her.

"Something's around us!" Ellie said and stood back to back with Amanda. She had her gun drawn but Amanda had only a small knife with her. They scanned the surrounding trees but the brush was thick and it was hard to tell what lay beyond its dense borders. A flash of moment however caught Ellie's attention. "Who's there?"

"What did you see?" Amanda asked but before Ellie could answer, she saw movement and then a head peer out of the bush. She recognized it as a female raptor, one like Tessa but the colors were in a different pattern. "Who are you and what do you want?" Amanda shouted but received only a snarl in return.

A click sound but nothing else and Ellie stood with fear gripping her heart. A green, tall and muscular with his teeth showing stood before her at the edge of the glade. "Amanda!" Ellie said and glanced back to see the female approaching from the other side. They were trapped.