Jurassic Park: A Landscaper's Tale

Chapter 1
A cool afternoon breeze swept through the newly planted ferns along the front of the white limestone Medical Center.  The breeze offered the first relief from the day’s heat and humidity, which had seemed particularly oppressive even for Isla Nublar.  David Harrison took a drink from his bottle of water.  He stepped back to admire just how well the center’s landscape was turning out.  Only two years out of college, David was floored that his submitted designs for the park had been chosen.  He’d never worked with some, or even most, of these types of plants before, but Mr. Hammond had been impressed enough to hire him.  An opportunity this big was something that he couldn’t pass up.   

Looking at his watch for the third time in as many minutes, David hoped it wasn’t too obvious that he was just waiting around.  He had let his workers off early as he did every Friday so they, along with the other contractors, could catch the boat for the mainland.  David, however, had decided to remain on the island for the weekend.  He told his crew it was to work on some new ideas for the stone wall at the Visitor’s Center, but his men knew he had made plans with one of the nurses from the clinic. 

The first day they were on site at the Medical Center, one of the workers had sliced his arm cutting binding wire from a pallet of stepping stones.  Thankfully the wound had been minor, but David knew Jake needed stitches.  Walking into the clinic with a worker whose arm was dripping blood had created quite a commotion among the staff.  But once the nurses realized the wound had not been caused by one of the animals, they all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.  Twenty stitches later, Jake and the nurse who had sewn him up stepped into the waiting area.  Though it had been hard to miss the large white bandage around Jake’s arm, it was even harder to miss the young brunette beside him.  Thanking her and the rest of the clinic staff, David and Jake rejoined the crew outside.  In the days that followed, April – after much hounding, Jake had finally given in and told David her name – would stop by on her way out of the Medical Center and talk for a few minutes with David, asking how Jake was and commenting on how well the landscape was coming along.

Another quick glance and this time his watch read three fifty-nine.  He made a brief check of his shirt for dirt and kicked a black chunk of mud from his boot.  Of course April had seen him dirtier than this, but he wanted to look especially good this afternoon. 

It had been only two days ago that April agreed, the first time David asked, to spend Friday evening with him.  He had even taken the time to clean up his “Benz,” a park-issued Jeep Wrangler, number six of fifteen gas-powered Jeeps given to all contract foremen.   

“Hard at work I see.”  With a smile April Westbrook descended the few steps in front of the Medical Center to stand beside David.  She was wearing her blue scrubs, her hair hanging in a ponytail between her shoulders.  Her dark green eyes twinkled in the late afternoon sunlight.   

“I was just finishing up,” David lied, brushing his hands off on his khaki shorts.  “Everyone else said I worked them too hard so they took off.”

“Well I’m glad you decided to stick around,” April said.  The breeze carried a soft smell of tropical anticeptic soap from the clinic.  “I’m looking forward to my unofficial tour of the island.”  As part of the orientation process, all workers were given a brief tour of the completed sections of Jurassic Park.  David had promised April a better, more extensive tour this time.  Since orientation, more animals had been released into their permanent pens and other areas of the park had been opened.  Not to mention they wouldn’t be sitting in a cramped Explorer with four other workers, listening to a prerecorded voice telling them what to look at.

“Good, I am too.  How ‘bout I start by giving you a lift back to the Dorm?”  David offered.  April agreed, then proceeded to joke that David must not work too hard if not only his clothes but his Jeep managed to remain so clean.
Park housing, or the “Dorm” as the workers called it, was a three-story building just behind the Visitor’s Center.  It would eventually become the main hotel once the park opened for visitors, but for now it was home for the nearly two hundred workers on the island.  Occasionally, small groups of inspectors or consultants would stay in the hotel for a few days while checking the progress of the park.  In fact, Mr. Hammond’s grandchildren were supposedly coming for the weekend, staying in one of the executive suites, of course.

“So I’ll meet you in the cafeteria at five-thirty?”  David asked as April stepped onto the dirt road in front of the Dorm. 

“You might be surprised,” she said, leaning into the Jeep.  Her keys and ID card hung from the lanyard around her neck.  “There aren’t many people around on Friday nights, so you can usually talk the chefs into making almost anything.  Two weeks ago I had one of the best burritos ever.  It reminded me of this little restaurant I used to go to in college.”  Like David, April was a recent graduate who had been fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time when Hammond’s park opened.  “I’ll see you later.”

David watched April go into the building then parked his Jeep in the small lot behind the Dorm.  It was mostly empty, except for a few other gas Jeeps and one of the white vans used by the painters.  Walking across the lot, David noticed the wind had picked up a bit.  Nothing too major, but he hoped there wasn’t another storm coming. 

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“You still haven’t told me why you’ve been working so much with the Med Center’s landscape,” April teased as David drove down the dirt road approaching the main gate.  She had changed into a pair of nicely fitted jeans with a light blue shirt.  Her hair was undone and framed her beautiful face.  “Doesn’t the crew at the Visitor’s Center need supervising too?”  The slight smirk and raised eyebrow meant she knew the answer.  Afterall, David had quickly changed the subject when she asked at dinner. 

After a brief pause David replied, “Yeah, but nothing good ever happens at the Visitor’s Center at four every afternoon.”

Smiling, April turned to look out the window as the Jeep passed through the massive wooden doors that marked the entrance to the park.  Though a few clouds had begun to roll in, the weather was holding out.  The sun would still be up for at least another hour or so.  That would give them plenty of time to see the new exhibits, especially the lookout point above the Brachiosaurus’ enclosure. 

“I saw Mr. Hammond’s grandkids and a couple other people get into the tour Jeeps before dinner,” April said.  “Looks like there’s quite a mixed group here this weekend.”  David had seen them too.  A girl and a boy, both trying hard to look like adventurers; a quiet man under a dusty old cowboy hat, looking skeptically at the lizard-painted Jeeps approaching him; a tall blonde woman who seemed eager to begin the tour; a strange, dark clothed man with sunglasses that seemed eager to follow the blonde; and finally a worried man who looked like he’d never had a day of fun in his life, a lawyer David thought.  They had all piled into two of the electric Jeeps and headed out on the guided tour of the park.

“They’re on the rail-tour,” David began, referring to the electrical rail that ran underneath the tour vehicles.  “They probably won’t see much.  One of the wardens was saying how the animals don’t like sitting out in the open for everyone.  But I know a couple access roads that should give us some pretty good chances of seeing them.”

“Well I’m already enjoying this tour better than the first,” April admitted with a grin. 

David was too caught up in her smile to hear the distant rumble of thunder.

Chapter 2
The view looking out over the Brachiosaurus enclosure was magnificent.  A large plain spread for miles in one direction, while rolling hills covered by dense forest stretched in the other.  Three massive Brachiosaurs waded near the middle of the pond while two younger ones edged closer to the water.  Other animals, tiny in comparison to the Brachiosaurs, walked lazily along the shoreline. 

David and April sat together on the hood of the Jeep.  A few sprinkles had made him decide to put the canvas roof up.  But the drizzle had stopped for the time being, so they decided to watch the animals from outside the vehicle.     

“Did you expect anything like this when they first told you about the park?”  April slid closer, leaning against David’s shoulder as she looked out across the enclosure. 

“Honestly, I thought it would be some type of amusement park, with roller coasters and maybe a few automated dinosaurs,” David replied.  “I never thought in my wildest dreams this could be possible.  It’s unbelievable.”

For several more minutes, David and April sat quietly, enjoying the view and each others’ company.

A loud thunderclap broke the serenity of the moment.  The dinosaurs below bolted upright, the younger ones huddling close to the older.  Lightning flashed just over the hills and another, louder crash of thunder resounded.  This time the animals began methodically moving toward the trees.  The wind gusted, bringing with it large drops of rain. 

Scrambling off the hood, David and April quickly jumped back inside the Jeep.  Seconds later the downpour began. 

“Guess this means the tour’s over.”  David watched as sheets of rain swept across the open field.  The tall grass moved like ocean waves as the storm unleashed its fury upon the island.

“Well we still have the drive back,” April said.  “There’s no real need to hurry.” 

David smiled.  Turning the lights on he pulled the Jeep back onto the now muddy road.  On a clear day it would take almost twenty minutes to get back to the Visitor’s Center from the lookout point, but in the middle of a storm it could be considerably longer.  David felt the same as April though; he was in no rush to get back.   

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Palm leaves slapped against the windows as rain pummeled the outside of the Jeep.  Darkness had set in quickly with the onset of the storm, especially in the thick foliage surrounding the road.  Constant flashes of lightning lit up the jungle, giving David and April brief glimpses of their surroundings.  They had been driving for about five minutes and in that time the conditions had gone from bad to worse.  Massive puddles stretched from one side of the road to the other, forcing David to slow down before driving through.  To his right, he could see one of the perimeter fences looming above the trees.  Something tugged at the back of his mind, but another huge puddle quickly took his attention. 

“What enclosure is that?”  April asked as lightning silhouetted the fence.  The storm hadn’t dampened her mood at all, David realized with relief.  She seemed to be enjoying herself as much now as she had been when they started out.

“Actually that’s the perimeter fence,” David replied.  “It runs the entire length of the main road.”  Suddenly he realized what was amiss.  Slowing the Jeep to a stop, he peered up at the fence.

“What’s the matter?”  April too leaned closer to the windshield.

David had to be certain.  He waited for another flash of lightning.  For what seemed like an eternity, all he could hear was the drumming of the rain and the swish of the windshield wipers.

“David?”

Lightning lit up the jungle.  With it came a sinking feeling in David’s stomach.

“Look up at the fence,” he told April.  “Do you see anything?”

Squinting her eyes April said, “I can’t really see anything, it’s so dark.  Why?”

“At every junction where the cables meet the support beams, there are two lights; a blue one and an orange one.  They flash alternately to let you know the fence is working, that it’s got electricity flowing to it.”  David looked again, but he was sure now.  “Those lights are off.  There’s no power in that fence.”

April looked from David to the fence, and then slowly turned back to David.  Her voice was shaky.  “But what if the animals…”

David was thinking the same thing.  If the fence was no longer electrified, there was no way to keep the animals from breaking through the cables and wandering freely throughout the park.   

“There’s a supply shed a little ways up the road,” David remembered.  “It’ll have a phone and I can ask what’s going on.” 

“OK.”  April sat rigidly in her seat, glancing up at the fence as the Jeep started down the road. 

David ignored the puddles as he sped through them, muddy water spraying high enough to splatter the windshield.  If he could get a hold of the Command Center, maybe they would tell him it was all a planned outage, just a reboot of the system.  Another flash of lightning.  Still the dark supports and cables were all that could be seen of the fence.

The supply shed stood just off to the side of the access road.  David pulled the Jeep up so its headlights would shine on the small wooden building.  Reaching behind his seat, he grabbed his yellow rain jacket and a flashlight.

“I’m going to see if I can get a hold of anyone,” David said.  “You’ll be okay here, right?” 

“Yeah.”  April looked at David.  She seemed a bit on edge, but so was he.  “Be careful, David.”

Removing the master key from his keychain, David slipped the jacket on and stepped out into the rain.  The first thing he noticed was how cool it was outside the Jeep.  The temperature must have dropped fifteen degrees since the storm hit.  Splashing through the mud, he reached the door and grabbed the padlock.  Lightning crashed nearby.  He turned around and saw April watching him through the windshield.  He wanted to stay with her in the Jeep, wanted to make sure she was safe, but he had to try and find out what was going on.  Turning back, he unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The headlights lit up the whole interior of the shed.  It wasn’t much bigger than a walk-in closet.  Directly in front of David was a panel of switches he presumed were for the fence.  They were all in the “on” position.  Next to the panel was a shelf containing what looked like replacement parts for the cables and fence supports.  On the wall beside the door was the phone.  The park’s phone system was on a separate line from the main circuits that ran the fences, so even if the power went out, a call could still be made.  Quickly David turned on his flashlight and picked up the receiver.  He pressed the outgoing call button and waited.  Nothing.  No dial tone, no static, just silence.  He dialed the service number, dialed the main control number, and still nothing.  David suddenly realized the seriousness of the situation.  There was no way to contact anyone or call for help, and no one knew they were out in the park.

Chapter 3
The rain pounded down against the tin roof of the shed.  Taking a deep breath, David hung up the phone.  He knew they had to get back to the main compound as quickly as possible.  If any of the animals had managed to get loose, there was no telling where they would go.  The last thing David wanted was to put April in danger.

Stepping back out into the rain, David relocked the shed door and ran over to the Jeep. 

“We need to get back as fast as we can,” David said as he jumped into his seat.  “The phone lines are out and there’s no way to…April?  Are you okay?”

“David, there’s something out there.”  April was staring into the forest.  When she turned to look at David, her eyes were as big as saucers.  “I felt the ground shake, like something big was moving – There!  Did you feel that?”

Not only had David felt it, but he heard the dull thud that seemed to resonate throughout the Jeep.  He quickly began scanning the surrounding trees.  As he did, another louder thud sounded, even closer by. 

“I think it’s coming from – ”

Before David could finish, the trees to his left began shaking.  With a deafening roar a hulking animal burst through the foliage not twenty yards from the Jeep.  David recognized the unmistakable form of a Tyrannosaurus Rex as it stopped and eyed the vehicle curiously.  David could only stare in disbelief and shock.  The animal’s head was nearly as big as the Jeep, and its teeth…!  Rain beat hard against its greenish-brown skin, running down to pool around its half-submerged feet.  Without warning the Tyrannosaur crouched and let out another ear-splitting roar.  It then began to lumber towards the Jeep. 

“David go!”  April’s screamed. 

Instinctively he threw the vehicle into gear.  The wheels spun in the mud as the engine revved.  David watched as the Rex lowered its massive head and began charging.  The animal let out another roar as the wheels finally got traction.  The Jeep fishtailed along the road for several feet before straightening out.  Behind, the Rex was quickly gaining on them.  David’s throat was dry, a cold sweat was starting to come over him.  He shifted into second gear, accelerated, then shifted into third.  He looked in the rearview mirror and saw the Rex was still back there, but no longer closing on them.  The road turned slightly to the right and David watched as the animal came to a sudden stop in the road.  Then it crashed back into the forest and out of sight. 

Letting out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, David looked over at April.  Her eyes were closed and she was breathing rapidly.  “April, he’s gone.  It’s all right.” 

Gingerly she opened her eyes.  “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, he went back into the jungle.”  David eased off the accelerator and the Jeep began to slow.  “You okay?”

She took a deep breath before answering.  “Yes.  Look at my hands.”  Holding her hands out she watched as they shook uncontrollably. 

“It’s over now,” David began.  “He’s long behind us.”  Reaching over, David took one of April’s hands in his.  She quickly put her other hand on top. 
         
The road began to wind a bit more as it sloped downhill.  Large leaves and palm fronds littered the ground as the storm continued to pummel the island.  The Jeep’s headlights were just wide enough to light up the roadway, but anything beyond the first row of trees was obscured in darkness.  David tried to get his bearings on their exact location.  Just ahead a dull light shone through the trees and onto the road.  It had to be one of the information buildings that were scattered throughout the park.  If that was the case, they were about halfway to the Visitor’s Center.

“David, when we get back, will you stay with me?”  April looked at him pleadingly.  “I just want someone to be around.” 

“I’ll stay as long as you need me to.”  David noticed that April’s hands had stopped shaking. 

A flash of movement at the edge of the trees caught David’s eye.  Suddenly a dark shape burst from the foliage in front of the Jeep.  April screamed as David swerved to the right, but it wasn’t quick enough.  They clipped the back end of a small striped animal, sending the Jeep careening towards the trees.  David slammed on the brakes but the tires just slid in the mud. 

“Hold on!”  David yelled as he braced himself for impact.

The Jeep smashed through the trees and shrubs lining the road, then turned sideways and continued to slide down a small embankment.  Hitting the brakes did nothing to stop the vehicle.  David could hear canvas ripping as tree branches tore through the fabric roof.  With a loud metallic crunch, the Jeep slammed backend first into a massive tree.  Everything was silent.

Chapter 4
David opened his eyes and looked out the windshield.  For a few seconds he watched the one remaining windshield wiper swish back and for across the spider-webbed glass.  His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and everything around him seemed very distant.  The Jeep’s headlights shone up the hill, lighting up the path it had taken.  Small trees and branches hung at odd angles where they had been broken and water gushed down the hill through the ruts made by the Jeep’s tires.  It looked as if they had slid about fifteen feet off the road.  David wondered how they had managed to keep from tipping over.  A moan from the passenger seat cleared his head immediately. 

April was sitting forward in her seat, holding a hand to the right side of her head. 

“April, are you ok?”  Groggily she opened her eyes and lowered her hand.  David couldn’t see any blood on either her hand or her head, but she seemed dazed.  She took a deep breath before answering.

“I’ll be fine,” she said after a moment, blinking to clear away the cobwebs.  “How about you?”  April looked concerned as she turned to examine David.

“Yeah, just a sore wrist.”  The steering wheel had jerked so violently from the impact that David thought his wrist might be broken, but a few circles of motion produced only minor discomfort.  A low roar echoed throughout the jungle.  April jumped and quickly began looking out the windows.  It was the Tyrannosaur, but it sounded miles away. 

“David, we have to get out of here!  Somewhere safe!”  She sounded close to panic. 

He felt the same, but the Jeep was stuck.  No matter what he tried, the tires got no traction.  He opened his door to look at the wheels and watched them spin deeper into the wet ground.  Then he remembered the information building.  If they could reach it they would have a safe shelter.  But it would mean they had to risk being out in the open to get there.  “Please David.”  The fear in April’s voice made up David’s mind.

“There’s an information building not more than a few hundred yards from where we are right now.”  April turned to look at David with hope.  “We’ll be safe inside, but we’ll have to run to get there.  It’s that or stay here and spin the tires.”

April began unbuckling her seatbelt before David had even finished talking.  He handed her one of the extra raincoats from behind his seat.  “Here, put this on.”  It was still raining heavily and the last thing he wanted was for her to be sitting in the building soaking wet.  “I’ll help you up the hill and once we get on the road we’ll have about two hundred yards to the building.  It won’t take long.”  David was assuming it would be a clear sprint.  He didn’t want to think about any animals being close.  He felt his pocket to make sure the master key was there and grabbed the flashlight.

“OK, I’m ready.”  April licked her lips in anticipation.  She had the raincoat on, the hood pulled up to cover her head. 

With a deep breath, David opened his door and jumped from the Jeep. 

His foot hit the ground and immediately sunk into the mud.  Swallowing a curse, he ran over to help April who was having no problem with her footing.  David took her hand and they began scrambling up the hill.  They made their way along the outside of the tire ruts where broken branches and leaves littered the hill.  The downed palm fronds offered little traction, but there were enough small trees to provide adequate handholds. 

As they reached the top of the hill, David paused to look up and down the roadway.  Nothing moved except the trees in the rain.  The opposite side of the road was dark beyond the first line of foliage.  Just ahead to the right was the soft glow of the battery-powered security light above the doors to the information building.  David could feel water running down his back as raindrops drummed on his hood.  He looked back at April who brushed away a strand of wet hair from her cheek.  She seemed ready to make the sprint, ready to follow David.  What if something was waiting for them in the trees across the road?  He pushed the thought away.  Clutching the flashlight in one hand, he squeezed April’s hand with his other.  Together they burst from the jungle and raced toward the building.

David ignored the muddy water that splashed on his jeans as he ran.  For a brief moment a massive footprint deep in the mud caught his eye.  He sped past before his mind had time to think about the animal that made it. 

A hundred more yards.  The light above the entrance became clearer, brighter as they got closer.  He could see the two steel doors set back in the white limestone façade.  Beside him, April all but pulled him, running just as fast if not faster than he was. 

Fifty more yards.  The rest of the building was coming into view through the trees.  It was a pale white, with palm leaves stuck to the side by the storm.  Something moved in the foliage just across the street from the building.  Was it just the wind? 

Twenty yards.  David let go of April’s hand to grab the key from his pocket.  He spotted the keyhole from ten yards out and shined the flashlight on it.  The ground changed from mud to concrete.  With a thud, David and April crashed against the doors.  Immediately David worked on the lock.  The small overhang offered a little shelter from the rain, but the key was still slick in David’s hand.  He could hear April breathing heavily beside him. 

With a metallic click the right door opened inward.  David held it open just wide enough for April to squeeze through.  Removing the key from the lock, David followed April into the darkness, slamming the door shut behind him.

The light from the flashlight illuminated much of the interior of the building.  David saw three doors on the left side of the building; two were men’s and women’s restrooms and the third was labeled “Authorized Personnel Only.”  Sweeping the flashlight across the room, David could see the two massive observation windows along the back wall.  Just in front of the windows was a row of four wooden benches, facing the overlook.  A flash of lightning gave a brief glimpse of the overlook through the windows.  Small black shapes were darting through the high grass, chasing or being chased David couldn’t be sure.  The flash was gone, leaving the windows black. 

The wall to the right was covered with a large cartoon map showing the entire park.  Its bright colors showed up even in the poor light.  The entire island was there, with various points of interest drawn larger for emphasis.  Enclosures were clearly outlined in red with cartoon pictures of the animals inside each pen.  A large X on the map marked the building they were in.  David noted that the map placed them about halfway to the main compound, still a good five miles away. 

Beside him April sniffed.  She was standing against the wall with the map, her arms wrapped around herself, her head down.  David quickly went over to her.

“April, we’re safe now.”  She looked up at the sound of his voice.  Tears were welling up in her eyes.  Her breathing was shaky, not from the run but from holding back sobs.  David reached up and slid the hood from April’s head.  He ran his hand over her hair and looked into her eyes.  “You’re okay.  Nothing can get us in here.” 

David had been amazed how composed April had remained throughout the ordeal.  She had kept her spirits up and her wits about her.  But now it was as if she had used up the last of her strength.  She collapsed, sobbing into David’s arms.

Chapter 5
He wasn’t sure how long he held her.  Two minutes.  Five.  The harder she cried, the harder he held.  Eventually her sobs came less frequently.  She pulled herself away from David and looked up at him. 

“I’m sorry about all of this April.”  David didn’t know what else to say.  He felt terrible for putting her through this. 

“It’s not your fault,” April replied, wiping the tears from her cheeks.  “Sure makes for a memorable date.”  She gave a weak smile, a slight grin that gave David hope that she would be okay.  They took off their soaked raincoats and tossed them into the corner next to the main doors. 

“We’ll wait here until the storm lets up.  Then I’ll see if I can get the Jeep going again.  For now, let’s see if there’s anything useful in there.”  David turned his light on the “Authorized Personnel Only” door.  Using his master key, he opened the metal door.  The inside resembled a janitor’s closet.  A yellow bucket sat in the corner, a wooden-handled mop leaned crookedly out of the top.  Two rows of shelves lined either side of the room, one held bathroom and cleaning supplies, the other a first aid kit along with a heavy blanket. 

“Here, I don’t want you to get cold.”  David handed the thick grey blanket to April.  Like everything else it had the Jurassic Park logo stitched on to one side.  “I don’t think anyone will mind if it gets used.” 

“Thank you,” April said, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders.  She walked over and sat down on one of the benches looking out the observation windows.  David joined her.  Flashes of lightning continued to light up the sky outside.  The rain was still coming down hard, streaking the windows and giving a blurry view of the open field.  David could see the mountains in the distance, ominous black peaks reaching into the stormy night.  Absently he wondered how the wardens would find all of the animals, let alone get them back into their enclosures.  How long would it take before management deemed it safe to return to work? 

“David?”  April rested her head on his shoulder.  “What do you think will happen?”

“I don’t know.  But I’m sure Mr. Hammond has some sort of contingency plan.  He never spares any expense.”  David put his head on hers.  Together they watched storm batter the park.

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A dull ache woke David.  He hadn’t meant to fall asleep with his arm around April, but now his shoulder was sore.  April was sleeping, her legs pulled up on the bench under the blanket.  Lifting his arm, with a bit of discomfort, David looked at his watch.  Four thirty-two.  He’d been asleep for nearly 5 hours.  Outside, the rain had stopped and he could see glimpses of the moon through the clouds.  He had told himself that as soon as the storm subsided he would head out and try to get the Jeep back on the road.  Now that it finally had, David was anxious.  Beside him April stirred and woke up.

“How are you doing?”  David asked. 

April managed a smile and nodded her head. 

“I’m gonna get the Jeep and get us out of here.”  David walked over to the supply closet.  April stood up, clutching the blanket tightly around herself. 

“How can I help?” 

“I want you to stay here, April.”  David stepped back into the main room with the empty mop bucket in hand.  “No matter what happens outside you’ll be safe in here.  I should be able to get the Jeep out without much trouble, then we’ll head back, ok?”

“Ok, but David…” April trailed off as she approached him.  “Please be careful.” 

“I’ll come right back.”  David smiled briefly before turning to open the front door.  He paused to scan the surrounding trees and listen.  Nothing moved.  Quickly he slipped through the door back into the park. 

Though the rain had stopped, the air was still heavy with moisture.  The moon was visible through passing clouds, giving off an eerie light.  In the cool early morning air, David could see his breath, a vast difference from the sweltering heat of the day.  He stepped out onto the concrete slab in front of the doors and waited.  Still nothing moved.  He could hear insects of all kinds chirping in the surrounding trees but nothing larger.  Taking a deep breath he ran to the side of the building where a huge pile of left over gravel sat.  He crouched down and began scooping the wet stones into the mop bucket.  With luck, the stones would help give the Jeep’s tires traction on the slippery surface of the hill.  David hoped that the stones, combined with tying the Jeep’s winch to a tree farther up the hill, would free the vehicle. 

With the bucket finally full, David stood up and looked down the road.  The trees hung heavy with the rain, creating a sort of natural tunnel.  As he watched, a massive black form shambled out of the trees a good hundred yards up the road.  David recognized the distinct protrusion from the rear of the animal’s head and knew it was one of the strange duck-like dinosaurs.  He watched as three more walked into the middle of the road and stop, standing upright with their heads turned in David’s direction.  He had nothing to fear from these animals, but after the encounter with the Tyrannosaur his heart pounded at the sight of the huge beasts.  Silently, the four dinosaurs lowered themselves and walked across the road into the foliage.  David made sure there were no animals following them before heading off toward the Jeep. 

The road was still mostly mud, and David had to navigate the deep potholes so he wouldn’t stumble and risk losing the bucket of stones.  Finally he reached the broken limbs and tire tracks marking where the Jeep had slid off the road.  Looking down he could see the vehicle, just as they’d left it, pointed upwards at him.  Carefully, he began to descend the hill, half sliding in the mud. 

When he reached the Jeep he quickly set about dumping gravel around the tires.  As long as he drove straight, the Jeep should follow its trails and avoid sinking deeper into the mud.  With the bucket empty, David walked to the front of the vehicle and released the lock on the winch.  He grabbed the hook on the end of the cable and once again made his way back up the hill. 

Chapter 6
The winch let out a low mechanical hum as David flipped on the control switch inside the Jeep.  The other end of the cable was tied around a huge tree on the opposite side of the roadway.  David eased the Jeep into first gear and pressed lightly on the gas.  A slight jolt and the vehicle began to creep forward.  Slowly, David drove up the side of the hill while the winch pulled the Jeep. 

When all four tires were back on level ground, David flipped the switch turning off the winch.  He put the Jeep in neutral and set the parking brake before climbing out.  Twenty yards away, across the road, the cable of the winch was hooked around a tree.  In the back of his mind he hoped the cable hadn’t cut too deeply into the tree, but he told himself there was no other way to get the Jeep out.  He unhooked the cable and carried it back to the front bumper where the winch was secured.  The small motor hummed softly as it began to reel the cable back in.  David watched the mud-covered cable wind around the winch, anxiously waiting for the slack to reel in. 

Finally the cable was in.  David locked the hook in place then turned off the winch motor.  Still nothing moved up or down the road.  It had all gone much more smoothly than David thought it would.  Now he could get April back to the safely of the main compound.  But as he walked to the driver’s side door, he froze.  The insects that had been loud enough to hear above the sound of the Jeep’s engine suddenly stopped.  David scanned the trees and brush but could only see darkness.  The leaves swayed gently in the light breeze, but nothing else moved.  Something was out there that silenced all the insects.  Slowly, still watching the woods in front of him, David got into the Jeep and dropped the parking brake.  The headlights lit up the edge of the trees as David turned the Jeep up the road and headed toward the information building and April. 

With the storm several hours past, the rainwater had been steadily draining from the roadway, leaving a wet but driveable mud surface.  Palm fronds littered the road, reflecting the Jeep’s headlights into the trees on either side.  Though the first rays of sun were beginning to peak over the horizon, the light had little chance of breaking through the denseness of the forest for several more hours.  Here night continued well into the morning. 

When he reached the building David left the Jeep’s engine running as he climbed out.  Walking up to the building, he watched his shadow grow bigger against the front wall in the Jeep’s lights.  As he approached the main doors David suddenly stopped.  Something had stepped in front of the lights, something very big.  A shiver rippled down his spine.  For a moment David wondered if he should remain still.  Something he remembered one of the wardens saying.  He turned his head as slowly as he could to look behind himself.  There, not more than 30 feet away, blocking out nearly both headlights with its massive body, stood a Raptor. 

He’d never seen one this close before, even in their enclosure they rarely came into sight.  The animal stood just taller than he was, with a tail as long as the body that lashed slowly back and forth in the mud.  With the Jeep’s headlights behind the raptor, the front of the animal was black, but David could see its eyes.  Terrible, lifeless yellow slits that stared directly at him.  The raptor tilted its head slightly, then jerked it back straight.  The sound of a door opening broke the silence. 

“David, let’s…”  April’s voice stopped short.  She must have been waiting by the door and had seen the headlights. 

The raptor lifted its head, looking past David to where April stood halfway out of the door.  The animal crouched ever so slightly then leapt forward, a huge jump that carried it several feet into the air.

Everything happened so fast.  David saw the raptor jump, heard April scream and turned to run towards the building in what seemed like the same instant.  He remembered playing football and how ten yards had seemed so close, yet as ran for the door and April it never seemed so far away.  The door was partially open, April standing rigid in the opening.  David felt the ground shake and realized the raptor must have landed very close behind him.  He didn’t dare turn around.  Best not to know how close it was.  He thought he could feel heat on his back, whether it was the raptor’s breath or his imagination, he wasn’t sure.  Almost to the door. 

With a crash, David fell into April, carrying the both of them inside the building.  Not a second later something huge smashed into the door, slamming it shut with a thud. 

When David finally got the wind back in his lungs he pushed himself to his feet and pulled April up.  She looked a bit dazed.

“You okay?”  The words came out breathlessly, but April nodded.  “We can’t go out that way, not until that thing is gone.” 

Would the raptor wait for them to come back to the Jeep?  Were those animals that smart?

“How long do we wait?  I mean, at some point it’ll leave right?”  David knew that April was anxious to leave, but he couldn’t just walk into a possible attack. 

A loud crash came from the side of the building, as if something large had hit the outside of the wall.  David and April looked questioningly at each other.  Another crash, this time followed by frantic scraping sounds.  David cautiously walked over to the wall where the sounds were coming from. 

“What is that?”  David thought out loud. 

A third crash came, and more scraping, then silence.  David put his ear against the wall, but heard nothing.  Suddenly an earsplitting screech came from outside.  It sounded like a thousand knives being dragged down a chalkboard. 

“David…”  April looked nervously at David. 

A sound came from above.  Something was on the roof.  Instinctively David and April looked up at the ceiling. 

“It’s on the roof.”  David was almost in awe of how the animal had managed it.  He followed the dull thumps from overhead as the animal walked across the roof.  Then he saw it.  A skylight.  In their haste the night before, David hadn’t noticed it.  Now it glared widely into the black early morning sky.  The steps were getting closer.  If the raptor broke through that…

“Now’s our chance,” David said nervously.  “April, the Jeep’s running, the doors are unlocked.  When I open the front door I want you to get there as fast as you can.  Don’t look back, I’ll be right behind you.”  April nodded.

Overhead the steps had stopped directly at the skylight.  A strange, almost tapping sound echoed through the building.  The raptor had found the glass.  They had to get out of there.

David and April raced over to the front door.  “Here we go!”  David threw open the door as April raced by him into the lights of the Jeep.  He was a step behind her, sloshing through the wet mud.  Goose bumps rose on his neck, but all David could focus on was April and the Jeep. 

She reached her door and fumbled with the handle before jumping inside.  David flung open his door and in one motion slid into the driver’s seat.  His head was pounding with adrenaline; his hands were shaking as he grabbed the shift with one hand and shoved it into first gear.  He dropped the parking brake and the Jeep leapt forward.  As he accelerated, he looked up at the building.  Perched on the rooftop like a statue was the raptor.  It didn’t move, didn’t jump down to chase the Jeep.  It just watched.  David had the eerie feeling that the raptor was watching him, not the Jeep. 

“We’re going home, April.”

Chapter 7
David usually hated wearing suits.  The shoes felt like they had no sole, and the tie was too tight.  Not to mention how hot he would be as soon as he stepped outside.  But those thoughts were pushed into the back of his mind as he walked down the long hallway.  Mr. Hammond’s home was lavishly decorated, and gave off the feel of a museum.  The house had not one but two spiral staircases that David had seen.  The man had money, and David now knew that firsthand.

Two days before, a large black Lincoln had pulled up outside David’s apartment in Chicago.  A well-dressed woman somewhere in her thirties had stepped out along with a middle-aged man in black sunglasses.  David had thought the man looked like someone from the secret service.  The woman had introduced herself as the head of Injen’s Public Relations.  She had said Mr. Hammond requested David’s presence at his home on the east coast to “discuss the events of three weeks ago”.  Before David had had a chance to ask questions, the woman had presented him with a plane ticket and bid him have a good afternoon.  David chuckled as he saw “first class” on the ticket.

David had been greeted at the door by a butler who led him into a large room that resembled a conference room in an office building.  A huge oak table filled the center of the room, with several chairs lining every side.  However, only a few were filled.  The woman was there, as was Mr. Hammond himself, flanked by half a dozen lawyers.  Mr. Hammond welcomed David and offered him a drink before taking his place between the lawyers at the head of the table.  David listened as Hammond began a long-winded speech about the cleanup efforts at Jurassic Park.  He assured David that all of the other staff members had been accounted for as had all the guests, including his grandchildren.  It had all seemed somewhat scripted to David, like Hammond had given this speech several times before this.  As Hammond finished, one of the lawyers stood up.  The thin, hook-nosed man passed several papers down to David and began reading over them.  David knew what it was:  a nondisclosure agreement.  After reading through each page, and with Hammond pleading how sorry he was that the whole incident had occurred, David was handed another piece of paper.  It was a personal check, signed by Hammond himself, for a million dollars.  Hammond also said that he would find David a job at any landscaping firm in the country, and make sure he was well-paid. 

David reached the front doors of Hammond’s house and stopped as the butler graciously opened them. 

“A car is waiting for the both of you, sir,” the butler said with a slight bow. 

“Wait, what?”  David’s head was still somewhat foggy after the meeting, so he thought he may have misheard the butler. 

“This time you won’t have to do the driving,” said a familiar voice.  A young woman walked out from one of the side rooms.  David hadn’t seen her since they left the island together on the helicopter.  She looked as beautiful as the day they’d first met at the medical center.  The two embraced with a laugh. 

“You clean up pretty nicely,” April said as she wiped the corners of her eyes.  She looked David up and down.  “No hint of mud on your shoes anywhere.” 

They had talked several times on the phone since the incident, but had never managed to set up a meeting, though both had wanted to. 

“Come on, let’s catch up in the car.”  April took David’s hand as together, they descended the stairs to the waiting limousine. 

“Did you take it?”  April asked as they reached the bottom of the steps.  David knew what she was talking about. 

“I did,” David said.  He paused and patted the inner pocket of his jacket.  April nodded and pointed to her small purse.  “This might have paid for our silence, but do you think anyone would have ever believed us anyway?” 

“No.” 

The limo driver opened the door and David followed April inside the car.  They sat together, April resting her head on David’s shoulder.

“You know,” she began, “there are quite a few hospitals in the Chicago area.  Any good landscaping firms there?” 

The limousine drove down the lane and made a left turn toward the airport.