3 Years Before Jurassic World…
A whole year. That's how long I've been waiting for this trip. Of course, I'm taking it with my journalism class. But it's exciting none of the less. I pulled my duffel bag strap higher on my shoulder, trying to ignore Johnny and Brock's argument over who would win in a fight—superman or batman. In a time like this, I'd just send a text to my friend Jen. But she's off on her own expedition, taking the summer trip to Haiti. Take journalism, Maddie. It'll be so much fun, and you'll meet so many new people. Right. I've only met a small handful of other students in the class.
And not to mention I only have fun when I get to actually go somewhere. Mr. Blac, the journalism teacher, tells Johnny and Brock to quiet down and wait in line patiently. Mr. Blac stepped up to the woman taking tickets and handed her his plane ticket. After him, Brittany, our resident class diva, hands in her ticket.
Mr. Blac waits for all of us to hand in our tickets before continuing into the plane. I don't necessarily hate planes. But I don't like them either. I read through my ticket to find my seat, and followed the seat numbers. Thankfully, it seems I'm sitting alone. I shoved my duffel bag into the overhead storage—only after taking out a few accentual items—and slid into my seat, next to the window. As the flight attendant said a few words over the speaker, I flicked open the notebook I'd designated my 'Journalism Book'. It was filled with all of my articles and news pieces for class.
I had everything backed up on a laptop I'd been given for the class. But I preferred writing things out by hand. "Passengers, please buckle your seatbelts and put your trays in the upright position," the attendant said, over the speakers. I clasped my belt over my lap. The last time I was on a plane, I was going back home for mom's funeral.
It was two years ago, but it's still burned in the back of my mind. As if it happened just yesterday. I can recall the feeling that overtook me when I stood in front of her headstone. After that, I hardly went back home for vacation or for holidays. I hate myself for that. I haven't seen my dad since thanksgiving, last year. Just then, someone sat in the seat beside me, closest to the aisle.
I inwardly sighed and glanced up. Mr. Blac clipped on his seat belt across his lap with a sigh. "Everything okay?" I asked. He nods with a disgruntled expression. "Yes. But it would be better had the school sent a babysitter along," he said. I chuckled and he sighed again. I turned back to my notebook, turning the pages of old stories.
The flight was short lived. After landing, Mr. Blac started directing all of us journalism kids to just outside the plane. I grappled with my duffel for a minute, but it eventually came free from the overhead. I pulled it onto my shoulder and followed the flow of traffic out to the group. "Alright, is everyone here?" Mr. Blac looked over our tiny group, then nodded. "Okay. Everyone follow me." Our group consists of five students and one teacher. Johnny, Brock, Brittany, and the oddly nicknamed Pepto, are all students.
I'm not really close with any of them, but they were the only ones that volunteered for the trip. Oh yeah, the trip. This year, the journalism class has elected to go to Isla Nublar for a group story on the new Jurassic World theme park. Technically it isn't new, but you get the gist. After a quick bus ride, our group is ready to board the fairy that will take us to the island, where well be staying for the weekend. As we walked up the ramp to board, Mr. Blac started his annual trip monologue. Telling us what and where we're allowed to do and go.
"You can go as you wish, but always keep your cell phones on and charged, and off of vibrate. Make sure I know where you are going before you go there. Do not leave the hotel after hours…"
He continued his speech until the boat was almost fully boarded. Our group was crammed in like sardines on the far left side of the boat. Just barely over Mr. Blac's speech and the rustle and bustle of excited tourists, I heard Johnny and Brock's conversation. "Dude, who do you think would win if a T-Rex and a Spinosaurus got into a fight?" Johnny asked.
"Probably the T-Rex," Brock answered. "'Cause it's got really big teeth and stuff?" As the boat began departing, I sighed and moved over next to them. "My money's on the Spinosaurus," I said. They looked at me sideways for a second. Then Brock asked, "Why?" I took in a deep breath. Then answered. "Well, not only is the Spinosaurus bigger, but, in my opinion, he's smarter," I said. Johnny nodded, like he got it. But Brock paused, obviously thinking hard. "Who would win in a fight: Superman or Batman?" Brock asked.
"Batman, probably," I said.
"Nuh-uh. Superman, hands down," Johnny said.
"Batman could just use Kryptonite to weaken Superman, and then kick his butt," I said.
"Right!" Brock said, turning to Johnny with a finger pointed skyward. "I told you I was RIGHT!"
"What are you knuckle-heads talking about now?" Brittany asked, staring at her nails. She stepped in between our group and sat on the bench lining the inside of the boat. With a small sigh, I turned back to the front of the boat. At the halfway point, I could see the tip of the island above some heads. I hurried and unzipped my bag and pulled out my camera. I slipped past several tourists and families until I could get a good look at it, at the front of the boat. I snapped a few shots of the island as a whole. I wanted to get plenty of pictures to go with the story. Then I headed back to the rest of the group, on the far left side of the boat.
It didn't take long for the boat to cross the water and dock on the other side. The crowds pushed and pulled, slowly moving everyone off the boat. Eventually I got off and moved aside, waiting for the rest of the group. Brittany nearly leapt off the ramp, flailing her arms all about. She walked over, huffing and trying to flatten her shirt. "The nerve of some people. They're like animals!" she puffed.
"Oh calm down," Pepto said, walking over with Jonny and Brock in toe. "It wasn't that bad."
"Wasn't that bad?" Brittany repeated, agape. I sighed with a brief eye roll. I didn't even really understand why Brittany was on the trip, or in the journalism class, for that matter. Mr. Blac joined the group, holding his duffel bag in one hand and a notepad in the other. "Roll call," he said, looking over the notepad. "Johnny Dario?"
"Here," Johnny said.
Mr. Blac nodded. "Brittany Hopkins?"
"Here," Brittany sighed, still trying to fix her clothing.
"Brock Knight?"
"Here," Brock said, snapping his attention back from the park.
"Um…Pepto Stevenson?" Mr. Blac sounded uncertain about his name. Of course, it was a nickname, but an odd one at that. Pepto nodded. "Here, teacher man," he said. Mr. Blac sighed before continuing. "Madelyn Grady?"
"Here," I said, with a brief hand raise.
"Alright everyone. First we go to the hotel and get settled. Then you're free to leave the group for a short time if you'd like," Mr. Blac said. He started walking toward the main drag of the park and Johnny and Brock followed first. Pepto and I headed next, and Brittany dragged along behind. I made sure to get pictures of all the shops and restaurants along the way. The real reason I volunteered wasn't the dinosaurs. It was to visit my uncle. He actually works here at the park, and he'd said he could show me around 'backstage style', as he put it.
My aunt said she'd be at the park on Saturday—tomorrow afternoon—and we could meet up then, and fly home together. I agreed to it because, frankly, I haven't spent enough time with family recently. On either side of a cement road were wide sections of wall-to-wall stores and restaurants. I made a mental note to visit some of the stores before I left.
The hotel looked like a modern Caribbean cabaña. Medium dark woods and white chairs and couches in the lobby. Large, stand-alone-style posters for the park are stationed at the entrance and lobby bathrooms. You can't take your mind off the park, even when you pee. Mr. Blac gets our reservations in order and leads everyone into the elevator. During the short elevator ride, he told us about the sleeping arrangements.
There's one room for the boys, one for the girls, and one for the teacher. I nearly gagged. Sharing a room with Brittany sounded less than palpable. How could I enjoy a theme park full of dinosaurs when I have Brittany breathing down my neck? It would be hard, but I think I could bring myself to do it. Brittany snatches the room key before I can when Mr. Blac hands them out.
He almost looked sympathetic. I sighed and followed Brittany down the hall two doors to the room we'd share for the weekend. Once inside, Brittany drops her bag on the 'best looking' bed in the room, out of the two to choose from. I put my bag on the other bed, directly across from Brittany's, and pull out my cell phone.
Before I go anywhere, I tell Mr. Blac I'm going out to look around for a couple hours. "Alright. Here is my phone number, remember to call if you're going to be late getting back. And don't stay out past diner," he reminded. I nodded and he held out a post-it with his number jotted down on it. I took the post-it and slid my camera strap over my neck so that the camera rested on my chest. I hurried back into the room I shared with Brittany and went to my bed. I unzipped the top flap of my duffel and pulled out my leather satchel.
I stuffed my cell phone, pens, erasers and pencils, and my journalism book inside the satchel, then pulled it on my shoulder. I took the elevator to the lobby. I stopped off at the front desk and grabbed one of the park maps I saw earlier from the stand-up display. As I left the hotel, I unfolded the map. The park looked impossibly big. So I decided to work on my article as I went. First things first, I pulled out my cell phone and created a contact for Mr. Blac. Then I dialed my uncle's number. While the phone rang, I looked around in one of the souvenir shops.
The phone rang and rang and finally went to voicemail. I sighed and dialed again. He answered on the third ring. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's Maddie," I said, into the phone.
"Oh, hey. How close are you to the park?" he asked.
"Um, I'm actually here already," I said. "Where did you want me to meet you?" He hummed on the other end and I fingered a plush toy of the aquatic dinosaur at the park. The tag said it was a Mosasaurus. "How about I meet you at the Visitor Center?" he said, suddenly.
"Okay, that's fine. I'll see you soon, then?" I asked.
"Yep, see you soon, kiddo," he said. I rolled my eyes at the name. He's always called me kid or kiddo, no matter how old I was. It's endearing but also annoying at the same time. I hung up the phone and continued to look around the shop. This shop had a display of dinosaur necklaces. They had silvers chains and silver circle pendants with different dinosaur heads embossed on them. I looked through them for a minute, and then stopped on the only gold chain on the rack. It was all gold, like the silver ones, except this one had a Tyrannosaurus Rex head on it, while the others only had small dinosaurs on them.
I couldn't help myself; I had to buy it. It was only ten dollars, and I figured it wasn't a huge dent in the two hundred I'd saved up for the trip. I paid for the necklace, and then started for the Visitor Center. I put the necklace on while I walked. The Visitor Center was kind of crowded, but I was able to get a good look around. Straight back and slightly to the left of the door was a room labeled in gold "The Hammond Creation Lab". I turned on my camera and took a picture of the sign and the statue of the illustrious founder of Jurassic World.
Well, Richard Hammond founded the old park, entitled Jurassic Park. From what I've heard, that park didn't work out so well. It didn't even open to the public for safety reasons. A large hologram of an Apatosaurus filled the center of the room as little kids watched in awe. "Maddie!" I turned to the right, at the sound of my name. Just then, my uncle walked to me from a hallway to the right. I smiled and so did he. "Uncle Owen!" I said, as he moved to hug me, smiling. I hugged him back willingly. "Hey kiddo. How've you been?" he asked, stepping back.
I nodded a little. "Pretty well," I said.
"Great. So, you ready to see something cool?" he asked, seeming giddy. His excitement was curious, and I nodded. "Yeah, totally," I said. I felt much happier upon greeting my uncle. He was always the nice relative I actually enjoyed hanging out with. "Come on," he said, grabbing my hand. He pulled me along, down the hallway he'd come from. We went down the hallway and turned a sharp left, into a lab looking room. "Are we supposed to be in here?" I asked, glancing around at the scientists. It was only then I noticed we were behind the glass wall, where all the visitors were pressed, trying to see inside.
"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it," Owen waved it away. We reached a small, round, incubator-looking station where a couple of men in white lab coats stood. As we skidded to a stop beside the station, I noticed four cream colored eggs sitting in a straw-like nest. "Oh my goodness. Are those actual eggs?" I asked, glancing at my uncle. He nodded excitedly. "Yep. These are Velociraptors," he said. "They're about to hatch." I glanced up at the men in lab coats, watching the eggs. "Are we supposed to be here?" I asked.
"Yes. I've been cleared to be here during the hatching, that way they know me as the first thing they see. It makes the experiment flow smoothly," Owen said. Suddenly a loud ripping sound pulled me from my thoughts. The eggs twitched in their spots as little lines broke through the smooth outer shell. I turned my camera to the right setting, sure to turn off the flash. "Can I, um…?" I held up my camera a little, looking at the men in coats. One nodded. "Sure, go ahead," he said.
I bent down a little to get a better angle just as another large crack ripped through the egg closest to me. I took a picture or two, and then the side of the top of the egg broke open, revealing the small raptor inside. I gasped, standing upright. Owen chuckled and took a pair of latex gloves from one of the men in coats. He slid them on and then stepped closer to the station. He reached over and pulled a small piece of shell off the raptor's head, helping the little guy out a bit. I made sure to get pictures of that, as well.
If I get to see things like this on day one, what will I get to see on days two and three? And day one isn't even over yet. None of my classmates get to experience this; this lighthearted moment of excitement. I can only hope I get to make the most of it.