Claudia
…
Chapter Four
Claudia Huston or just Claudia can't help the awe as she stares at Main street, the great centerpiece of Jurassic World where the guests congregate. There are shops of exquisite design of every kind. They are selling of course many things from toys of children, everything dinosaur themed, to clothes, hats, jackets and scarves for adults. Some are even selling wetsuits with different designs as guests can dive into the underground underwater lake where the plesiosaurs, elasmosaurs and Ichtyosaurus are separated into different sections. Food of every kind is also present as great and unique restaurants compete for the chance to be included in Jurassic World so long ago, now set up shop, from hot barbecues, to different grilling methods, pan-seared products and of course the ever present indoor specialized restaurants. Dozens upon dozens of coffee shops can be found also in the area, their outside tables standing out like beach-tables that one can find at any resort complete with a table, chairs and giant umbrella to protect from the sun.
Massive white hotels can be found all over also littering among the stores and enterprises. Each of them Claudia can see is packed to the brim with people coming in and going out of them in droves. It seems that Jurassic World does not look like they would be running out of business soon. It is easy to see which visitors are the rich ones and which are those who simply want to preserve as much money as possible. The ones who are keeping at the bigger hotels usually are the ones who is living a bit of life in the luxurious side.
Claudia to say the least is thrilled being here as she walks with her small group of friends at Main Street of Jurassic World. Everything is beautiful and looks new despite the Park already opening for a long while. The design team have done their work as Main Street is full of designs of amber clad glowing stones, beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, giant skeletons of dinosaurs looming over the crowd and of course, the countless banners of Jurassic World that can be found everywhere.
The cowgirl in her is filling extra thrilled to be in this new world while the Marksman in her is feeling that she would not be coming out to play anytime soon. She is no fool, she knows why Sophie included her on this little adventure of theirs alongside Pauline. According to Lex, this island had been a death trap before and Lex barely made it out alive. She and Pauline are reassurances to Lex that she would have capable hands ready in case shit hits the fan again.
Though judging by the mood of the guests of Jurassic World today, it looks like danger is not a concern of anyone at the island right now. Everyone is too carefree and too nonlachant for her to sense any kind of danger. Right now perhaps the real danger to any guest might be from overexcitement or overeating.
"Where are we staying in all this?" Claudia asks Lex after hauling an overexcited Pauline from flirting again to a group of tourists walking beside Sophie and Lex.
"That one, the John Hammond Cultural Center, the epicenter of Jurassic World and also where the main control room is located," points out Lex to the tent like building at the middle. It hosts the latest of Holographic Technology as soon you'll see. It's rooms are reserved only for those who come here at Jurassic World and have VIP status,"
It doesn't take long for the small group to see what Lex means as they enter. The entire place seems to be a nerd's wet dream as scientists and workers run back and fro while people with crisp business suits also mind their own business. It has the scent of a new building while the entire place seems to have been converted into an entire lab with crystal dividers set up so that people can watch the scientists work. At the heart of the center is a large circular space where the Holoscape is located, holographic technology that is able to project real dinosaurs that the park has and imitate them in a completely real life like manner. Claudia herself watches as the immense size of a Tyrannosaurus Rex is being projected into real being as it roars loudly making almost the Holoscape shake at its immense roar.
While the holoscape is fascinating, the labs through the dividers are also impressive. They can see literally the scientists that are responsible for bringing the dinosaurs back to life hard at work. There are eggs set on incubation tables, cool and pricey looking machineries that look like they cost more than an entire building. Computers and machineries are present everywhere spouting out data that a mundane man cannot understand. There are tables and tabloids full of genetic sequences where scientists can be seen taking notes. All in all it is a great setup. There at the top of the wall, it says: "Hammond Creation Lab," in bold blue letters.
"Follow me," says Lex as she strides forward following the sign named "VIP visitors" where a concierge accepts their VIP passes before registering them in free of charge.
"This is one epic room," whistles Claudia as one of the service women leads them to the guest wing where a room that looks more designed for an Arabian prince awaits with four beds, two bathtubs, a small dining room and a patio where they can relax. There is even incense burning at the table wafting through the air.
"And here I thought it is just a regular hotel room. This is great!" exclaims Pauline throwing her bag at the side before jumping into the bed and laughing as it bounces at her weight.
Claudia just laughs alongside Sophie as they place their bags neatly compared to Pauline at the assigned wardrobes before walking towards the patio in order to see the entirety of Main Street of Jurassic World.
"How much money do you think this place generates every month?" asks Sophie as they stare at the open view.
"Millions," Lex answers for them walking to join them as Pauline is still bouncing on the bed. At her hands however she hands over a glass of wine to Sophie and Claudia who accepts it with a questioning look.
"There is a refrigerator and it has some wine stashed into it. I thought we could make use of it," answers Lex at the silent question.
"Tastes great too," Claudia says smacking her lips after a taste before returning her attention to the view of the patio at Main Street. "That is a lot of visitors. This place seems kind of more of a vacation and completely far off from the horror stories that you use to tell Lex,"
"As Uncle Ian Malcolm used to say, first it's oooh and ahhhh then it would be followed later by running and screaming," she sniffs.
"Do you think that would really happen to this place?" asks Sophie at her girlfriend who simply shrugs at her question.
"I really hope not," Claudia answers for Sophie as the sound of dinosaurs hooting and calling fill the air.
"So where do we go first?" asks Sophie trying to steer the conversation from the doom and gloom when the sound of knocking makes the four women turn their attention at the door.
With a nod at Pauline, the long haired beauty opens it to see a man wearing a crisp suit awaiting at the other side.
"My apologies for the disturbance my ladies, but I am to inform you that you are included on the meet and greet of the investors tomorrow by Miss Claire Dearing operations director of the park," says the man. "Mister Massrani sends his regards and tells you that he will also meet you tomorrow after the occasion. For now, feel free to explore Jurassic World and it's all in the house, including your food and beverages," he bows before leaving making Pauline turn her attention at her friends.
"That means we get to explore today I guess. No need to waste our day today when we have a boring investor's meeting tomorrow to attend to,"
"Side Effect of having that VIP pass I'm afraid," says Lex downing her entire wine with one shot. "I've got a feeling that tomorrow's investor meeting would be more about that asset that my godfather wants me to endorse,"
"Can't you just you know, attend tomorrow's investor meeting alone while we go off to see the sights alone in the island tomorrow?" asks Pauline obviously not at all wanting to attend the boring investor's meeting that Lex would be forced to attend.
"Oh no you don't, you can't just enjoy the VIP pass while leaving me to grind through an entire boring meeting alone. Oh no, you are suffering with me whether you like it or not," sniffs Lex making not just Pauline groan unhappily.
"Let us forget about that investor's meeting however and let's enjoy ourselves today, shall we?" says Lex looking back outside the patio where the rest of Jurassic World awaits.
…
"You wanna watch dinosaur hatching?" asks Claudia at Pauline who nods vigorously. She frankly has not expected this from her rather active friend. She has expected her to go for the T-Rex show not the baby dinosaur hatching. It certainly is a big thing compared that aligns more to the bubbly and active personality of her friend.
"Yes, they are cute and they are certainly interesting to watch. More importantly they're safe. What are the chances of a baby dinosaur eating me? Zero," she laughs at her own joke before leading her friends to the Birthing Center below. Sophie and Lex merely shrugs before following her.
To be able to decide which part of the park they would go exploring at first. They have initiated a paper, rock, scissors contest which Pauline wins followed by Lex and Claudia. Thus they three have the say on where they are going today. Pauline goes first, so that is why they are following her right now to the Birthing Center without question.
It does not take long for their little group to reach their destination. The first sign that they are near is the squeals and the honks of the baby dinosaurs. While the juvenile dinosaurs are being put out front on the Jurassic World petting zoo; here at the nursery, the infants and the babies are taken care of by a specific team designed to watch over them.
"Oh they're so cute," gushes Pauline as she stares at the infants being cared for by caretakers. A baby Diplodocus the size of a small dog seems is still stumbling as its caretaker feeds it its leafy diet that would slowly transform it to the formidable giant that it would grow to be.
"It's a great wonder seeing them so small," mutters Sophie watching an infant Triceratops charge at a small ball before bouncing off of it. "Usually when you say the word dinosaurs, the first thing that comes to mind is the giants that loom over us. Its kind of hard to forget that like us, they tend to start so small and vulnerable,"
"Yes, loom at that," Pauline points out to the hatchery where another batch of Parasaur is hatching. The yellow tinted dinosaur making irritated honks as it struggles out of its eggshell. Already it is making loud noises from its crest, the sound that it is most infamous for even as an infant.
Noticing the dinosaur struggling out of its egg, a lab scientist soon aggravates towards it, helping it out of its shell. Claudia admits that it is a surreal sight watching the scientists fuss over the animal that would soon loom over her like a giant. She has to admit that watching the baby dinosaurs seems to be a surreal experience that isn't boring at all.
….
"Enjoy the ride," the bored and tired tone of the park ranger in charge of the gyrosphere certainly isn't a welcome thing to hear from as Claudia seats herself beside Pauline inside the circular looking thing.
With them done entertaining Pauline's options in the hatchery from some of the baby dinosaurs. It is Lex's turn. She is totally surprised when their friend who had a history of being traumatized by dinos chose the Gyropshere rout for them to spend their day with. Taking the Gyropshere of course is completely safe but there is still that fact that the only thing separating you from the wrath of an angry and pissed off dino is a bullet proof plastic glass.
Still it is Lex's choice and as she so eloquently put it: "We are going to be exposed to giant big cows and not meat asauruses, so it should be okay,"
Thus here they are driving their gyrospheres on the valley.
The gryosphere she has to admit is a wonder of technology. A circular plastic glass something kind of material that the funny video explains can survive a fifty caliber bullet, it is designed to absorb impact and prevent any kind of pissed off dino from getting into the fleshy human inside. The good thing about gyrospheres however are their transparent form. One can literally see everything as you seat yourself and be able to look around the entire valley and see the dinosaurs themselves.
Claudia now stares in wonder as she takes in for the first time the giant herbivores sleeping or grazing peacefully in the open valley. It is a scene from another world as herds honk and holler calling unto one another. This is what Jurassic World is all about, a time travel to the past brought to the present.
"This is amazing," breathes out Paulien as she has her face pressed to the side watching two Apatosaurs bite through the leaves of tall looming trees via bending the trees with their giant bodies to get to the goodies above.
"Yes it is," exclaims Claudia in admittance as she stares at a pair of Triceratops having a bout with their horns, their challenging sounds almost loud as they clash horns with one another. "This is surreal, and this is just the herbivores,"
"I like herbivores," comments Pauline as she stares at a herd of eight Strychosaurus staying away from the bigger Triceratops take massive gulps of water over the makeshift river that flows over the valley.
"Sophie and Lex is enjoying it too," points out Claudia noticing the Gyrosphere in front of them where Lex is pointing at various dinosaurs while Sophie is nodding. She fervently hopes that their formerly traumatized friend is not describing how she is almost killed by a certain type of dinosaur as she points at a Stegosaurus. That would ruin the wonder for Sophie.
A group of Gallimimus suddenly rushes past their Gyrosphere and both Claudia and Pauline shrieks before realizing that the bird like dinosaurs are harmless before simply laughing it off.
It is truly worth it visiting Herbivore Valley before they go to Claudia's option to visit in the park.
…
"Wow! Look at the crowds!" whistles Sophie looking at the large number of crowds currently gathering on the lagoon observation area.
Everyone is here for one thing and one thing only, the Mosasaurus feeding. Unlike the Herbivore Valley, one can't just come at any time. To observers to be able to witness something like this. They must be able to come on the proper feeding time if they want to see the spectacle of the giant animal on the water taking its prey.
"Indeed, it seems this part of the park is one of the famous ones," replies Claudia wearing the plastic raincoat that is required for everyone to wear who will be present on the feeding sessions.
"Look at the water, how big is that thing," whispers Lex in awe. "Last time at Jurassic park, it doesn't have underwater animals,"
Claudia just nods as indeed she and the rest of her friends can see the grey figure swimming in the water. It is so massive that even in the distance it is already a sizeable view. If the T-Rex is the King of the Land, the Mosasaurus is the Emperor of the Seas. Like a giant turtle it comes up into view with its upper head like a giant alligator before diving down again, its amphibian like tail spinning behind like a rudder.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, our Mosasaurus is hungry alright. Brace yourselves for a spectacle of a lifetime as the feeding will begin," says the announcer through the microphone as out in a winch, a tiger shark is dangled, its blood dripping on the lagoon waters down below.
Everyone watches in baited breathe as the Mosasaurus shadow goes smaller before coming closer and closer down below the shark. Without warning it erupts upward, roaring loudly that the guests have to cover their heads both to protect it from the sudden influx of water raining all over and the sound of the Mosasaurus roaring as its giant jaws clamp unto the dangled shark like an angry crocodile before ripping it off, leaving only the base of the tail remaining as gravity does its thing pulling it back to the water.
"That was-,"
"-insane!" finishes Claudia to Sophie's exclamation as the Mosasaurus thundering flaps goes silent on the lagoon.
"And now ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves for our Mosasaurus," the announcer declares as the stages suddenly started going down like giant elevators letting the audiences be able to watch through a giant transparent glass wall the Mosasaurus devouring the remains of the tiger shark.
"Give it up ladies and gentleman for our Mosasaurus!" the announcer declares as the entire crowd claps as the Mosasaurus swims away deeper into the lagoon and out of sight of the watchers.
"For those who wish to watch the Mosasaurus simply lounging around. Please follow the rangers at the tunnels to the underwater observation post ," the announcer declares as the crowd slowly disperses with those wanting to see the Mosasaur starting to head to the tunnels below.
Claudia together with her friends are just about to follow the rest of the crowd wanting to see more of the underwater dinosaur when they are abruptly blocked by three men wearing overalls and vests with the title "ACU" on it.
"Ladies, please excuse us," the dark-skinned man says stopping Claudia and company on their tracks as they got their paths blocked.
"Our chief would like a word with you," says the next man making Claudia and the rest of her retinue gulp at the imposing men blocking them.
…
Author's Note:
Yay so another Chappie Done. We are already at Jurrasic World. Things will follow the movie along and maybe some deviations. Anyway please review and fav for your reviews are the song that inspires this writer's heart.