3rd February, 2003
SOLOMON REISS
"…Life finds a way…".
"Philosopher and Jurassic Park survivor, Doctor Ian Malcom…"
My eyes strayed off my university applications and at one of my old tabs.
Back in middle school when I had heard about the Jurassic Park incident and became infatuated by it. I had always loved dinosaurs growing up, perhaps that's still my drive for wanting to study Biological Engineering.
Then I heard people went to an island filled with dinosaurs, I felt so jealous that I wanted to die but then I heard it was terrible.
All accounts of the survivors spoke about T-Rex's that chased humans and raptors that went up and beyond to eat them, this however didn't sit right with me.
Basic animal knowledge would tell you that a T-Rex wouldn't expend all of its energy to hunt down a small, probably six foot human. That's a snack to them, even a pack of raptors won't stress too much over a meal thst after sharing, wouldn't amount to veru much.
I shook my head, my curly brown hair shaking against my temple, then I focused back on my application.
Genium University of Biology, the newly, highly rated university building the scientists of the future. Powered by I-.
A notification pop-up yelped me from my thoughts.
I had applied to various universities after my SAT's came out and truth be told, I expected all of them to accept in a heart beat.
I poured my heart and soul into my exams and with the results I got, I wouldn't waver.
It was my alarm, "1:40 P:M-get ready for your flight".
I stopped the alarm and clicked sebd on my final application before resting my back on my chair and shutting my eyes, I took a deep breath and said, "Right on time".
I closed my laptop and headed into my bathroom, staring at my brown eyes in the mirror before picking up the toothbrush and applying paste.
After that i headed into the bathroom and had my bath before packing my hygiene tools into a plastic bag and stuffing them into my now full box.
I stared at the mirror checking out my toned and muscular figure, the sun glossed over my light brown skin giving it a little extra shine.
I styled my hair a bit letting the curls go upwards mainly, allowing my high fade hair cut to be more prominent.
"Solomon, you gotta get moving. Your flight is in three hours".
It was my mom, long hair, tall, skinny and skin hampered by age but asides from that she had basically the same looks as me.
We all did in our family, my dad died early on leaving my mom to take care of me and my elder brother-Don, and she struggled but at the end of the day, did a great job and now my brother was getting married to a Venezuelan lady name Ameria.
While I and my mom both planned to travel on the same flight, the planes seats were almost filled up so we agreed for me to fly out today abd she would later.
"I'm coming mama", I groaned while spraying some body spray over my armpits.
"This isn't your first time flying alone so I'm not expecting any problems", my mother cautioned.
"Yeah, yeah".
I put on a pair of blue jeans, a white shirt then a black sweater over it in case I get cold, then I put on a pair of black sneakers and a black watch.
I checked through my black leather box once more then zipped it up and headed downstairs, my mom was already waiting for me at the door,she looked almost like she was kicking me out actually.
"Make sure to stay with Don till i come, okay??".
"Yes mama".
"Good boy", she said then she held my hands and said a light prayer which was normal for her whenever we left the house.
"Amen", she said a bit louder.
Then she bent my head and gave me a peck on my forehead before saying, "Alright off you go!".
I kept my box in the trunk of the vehicle then waved my mother goodbye.
The drive to the airport was rather uneventful with no traffic and a cool weather to boot.
I checked in easily and got screened into the waiting lobby without much work, seems like my mamas prayer really is working.
I went on my phone texted my brother as I waited for them to call my flight for boarding.
"Yo bro, I'll soon be boarding, there better be food waiting for me there".
"Of course but I should be the one asking you if mom kept any home food for me?".
"If there was anything, I'd have eaten it by now".
After he replied with an angry sticker a voice rang out, "Flight 6214 going from America to Venezuela, board now".
I got up from my chair and closed my phone screen then to a step to my left, bumping into someone.
"Oh sorry", we both said.
It was a girl, long black hair, almond green eyes with cute freckles. After we locked eyes, there a moment of awkward silence as we both stared at one another.
"Sorry again", she said this time bowing a bit.
"No, no. It's fine, really", I said reassuringly.
She gave me a light smile then carried her handbag and walked off to the checkout.
She was cute, maybe I should ask for her number.
Boarding was done in the blink of an eye and before I knew it, I was walking through the small aisle searching for my seat.
I hope I get to seat with that girl again, maybe I can talk to her.
My wishes would be thrown out the window though as I saw her seated in the middle of two other people already then I found my window seat a few rows forward beside a couple of old people.
I let out a sigh of disappointment and took my seat, staring out the window all the way until the plane took off.
My eyes eventually grew heavy though and I fell in the cold embrace of sleep.
I really hope this trip goes smoothly.
I awoke to rattling, my breath felt shallow, light almost like I had been running for miles. My vision was still blurry from my rest but I could tell the immediately how much darker it was.
It looked almost like evening or early night, there's no way I had slept for so long though. Then in an instant the plane began to swerve, turbulence if you could even call it that, the force was far too great like the winds were blowing us in every and all directions.
Outside my window was mainly grey, wind swept through with resounding speed. I looked round the plane, terrified faces all over, some people praying, some already crying and others just in stunned silence.
My buckle helped to keep me in place but the plane continued to shake more and more.
My breath became more and more ragged as the cabin pressure began to change, the old man and woman beside me though seemed to be feeling it even more.
Then the oxygen masks dropped from the compartment with a light thud, i wasted no time in putting my on, strapping the rubber against my neck.
I looked over at the elderly man and woman who struggled with theirs and immediately helped them.
A loud ping came from the microphone just as I finished, "…All passengers…".
A small pause followed, "We will be needing to make an emergency landing on a remote island".
"The unexpected storm will make waiting for a better opportunity too risky so-".
With that the lights in the plane shut off and so did the microphone, then a small explosion erupted.
"…The right wing is on fire…".
":..Oh my God, i don't wanna die…".
My body went stiff from fear for a second, the planes altitude continued to drop lower and lower with alarming speed but at the same time you could also feel the control of the pilot latching on.
I bent my heads in between my legs and started reciting a prayer my mom thought me, a stream of tears began pouring from eyes as the thought of never seeing my family again plagued me.
Finally the plane landed roughly on the bumpy ground, jolting up and down but gradually losing speed before lightly crashing into the trees which acted more as a cushion than anything else.
I sat upright and removed my mask, scanning around, I saw all the other passengers alive. Then one of the flight attendants stood up and walked into the pilots deck.
Her steps still sharp and narrow, the elegant demeanour fit her long blonde hair, nice shape and beautiful face but now it didn't matter veru much.
There was a loud silence across the cabin as we awaited her return, eventually she came back.
The pilots stepped out along with the lady and then the rest of the attendants, they began talking-rather whispering to one another not wanting their discussions to reach our ears.
I looked outside the now dark forest area, we seemed to have landed in some kind of valley with not too many trees at least compared to most forests.
A dark shadow whipped past my peripheral and I snapped towards it but saw nothing through my glass shield covered in rain drops and mist.
The pilots stepped forward then cleared his throat and said, "Good evening passengers, I am your pilot Augustine Felix".
There was an inaudible irritation from the passengers but the stoic pilot continued on, "There was a major storm our monitors didn't seem to pick up until late and as such we needed to land here on this island. I apologize for this and assure you the airport will compensate you handsomely".
"We will be going out one by one and will be scooping out the area and finding where exactly we shall be resting for the night before help will come".
With that the plane doors were open and we began leaving through all four doors.
Immediately I stepped outside, I felt a knot in my stomach almost like I was being watched or stalked. I turned on my phone's flash light and scanned the tree line, at first I didn't see anything but right as I was about to stop, I saw a small shadowy figure dart deep into the shrubs.
I took a moment to look at the odd looking bushes and trees, they were weird, wider with odd yellow and green pigmentations.
"What the fuck??", I muttered.
"…What? No service?!…", a voice echoed.
"…This is so stupid!…".
"…I have a business meeting in two days, these guys…".
I checked my phone and checked my service but to no surprise, I had nothing.
That's when I took a step to my side and heard the sound of loud cracking, I turned my flashlight at my feet and under it was an egg.
It was big, almost as tall as a water bottle and more than three times the width of a regular one. The inside was murky yellow with various red lines and colourations, then I saw some reptilian thing inside as well.
Then I heard it.
A blood curdling scream from behind me, I snapped back to see one of the elderly couple-the lady, on the flood being turn apart by this something.
Although the light was limited, I could vaguely tell its looks. Just like all my movies, textbooks and documentaries, darkish brownish scaly skin with patches of feathers, quails, a long snout, hunched with almost all its muscle and bone visible from its skin.
Sharp claws dug into the lady's stomach while its massive jaws clamped on the poor ladies head. Blood gushed from the woman as he screamed started being drown out then with a loud crack, the screams stopped all together.
I along with many other many other people stood still, our lights suspended on the creature. I almost pissed myself as my brain scurried its contents for an answer for what this beast could be.
Then another scream, this time a bit farther away, then another, then another. A shadow blurred past my face as another of these creatures slammed into another one of the men.
The creature in front of me still took my attention though, it stood over the elderly woman's now dead and bleeding body, its hands on her face almost confirming her death, it's talons on her stomach with one poking out, curved and black, about six inches large.
Then the beast turned its head slowly to me, seconds felt like minutes ss adrenaline surged inside of me. It looked around then looked up at me, locking eyes.
Then it all made sense, the eggs, the plants, the creature.
It's a fucking Velociraptor.
End of Chapter 1.