Virtual Jurassic Park
By
Rob Astor
©1993 - 1998 by Rob Astor
Comments & Suggestions Always Welcome.
robastor@hotmail.com
"Prehistoric times," John said, running a hand back over his thick black hair. He replaced his cap, his rich brown eyes taking in the sight of incredibly tall trees. Clay-like brown dirt and lush carpeted the forest floor, green foliage. Golden sunlight filtered down in translucent, wavering shafts. The fresh air intoxicatingly laced with nitrogen and oxygen overwhelmed him. There were also dinosaurs.
Up ahead, behind the trees, was the motionless form of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Its reddish-brown body was well camouflaged by the tree trunks. Grotesque, its head swung lazily in John's direction. Long, dagger-like teeth protruded from under its thin upper lip. Cold, reptilian eyes watched John and his group. It wasn't a lack of interest that kept it from approaching. Also in the woods was a herd of feeding Sauropods. Long, graceful necks almost looked like liquid trees, leading up from brown bodies supported on front legs slightly longer than back ones. "Brachiosaurs," John mumbled. "Wow, we're really here."
"Yeah, so, Brainiac, what'd you expect?" chimed his closest female companion.
With echoing thuds, the Brachiosaurs walked. Their legs vibrated flesh along ribs and abdomens. "Margo, it's so real," John stressed, smiling with a complete sense of wonder, facing the young woman with fluffy red hair.
"The InGen guys said it would be," Margo reminded John flatly.
Watching the herd of massive dinosaurs, a lump forms in John's throat. "I'm totally blown away." He shifted his gaze to the patient Tyrannosaurus. It seemed more interested in getting away from the area for fear of being trampled. At about eighteen feet tall, the T-Rex was a much smaller animal when compared to one whose legs were as thick as tree trunks. Whose bodies were as massive as houses and whose necks reached way up into the sky, knobbed heads sometimes soaring over the tops of the tallest trees. Brachiosaurus was easily one of the largest land animals that ever lived.
"So, John, why isn't Rexy doing a slice and dice on these guys?" Margo asked, seeing the predator keeping a safe distance.
"Carnivores stayed away from huge Sauropods," John explained quietly.
"They're gentle plant eaters, right?" Margo commented.
"Yeah, but, not completely helpless. Sauropods could crush their enemies under their bulk," John remarked, pulling Margo closer, wrapping his right arm around her waist, constantly watching the mammoth dinosaurs. Margo chuckled warmly. "They could also swing their tails around like whips and snap a hunter's spinal column."
"Deadly weapons, I like that," Margo teased seductively.
John looked into her green eyes. "You like anything that puts a man in pain." Stronger vibrations in the ground brought John's attention back to the Brachiosaurus herd. Seeing the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Sauropods together triggered a memory. "Something's not right here," he said softly.
"What?" Margo asked, scanning the area visually.
"Brachiosaurs lived in the Jurassic period--"
"So that's where InGen got the name," Margo interrupted. "Virtual Jurassic Park; so cool."
"But, Tyrannosaurus Rex lived in the Cretaceous period, millions of years later," John finished.
"Didn't the InGen guys say they sorta lumped all the dinosaurs together in this simulation?" Margo asked.
"Something about being able to see them all was more interesting than only a handful." John simply nodded.
The ground vibrated with the intensity of an earthquake as the titanic herd of brown hides moved closer. Trees swayed. Necks poked over the tops of the trees, legs shifting like moving trees between trunks. Leaves and branches were pulled from so high above, sticks and bark raining downward. When their bodies brushed against trees close to them, the trees were sometimes left tilted, roots pulling up, encased in rich soil. Others snapped like twigs, falling over.
"Um, aren't they getting a little close?" Margo asked, a flash of concern crossing her expression.
"Yeah," John agreed, uneasy. "Hey Max, Julie!" he called to the pair on his far right. "Time to clear out."
Backing, the animals only drew closer, their much larger forms covering more ground. Leaves, tree bark and chunks of wood the size of a person fell while the Brachiosaurs ate everything in sight. Several more trees snapped clear with loud cracks while they ate all the high altitude greenery. Feeling a sense of urgency, John jogged, holding Margo's hand. They a fallen log with their companions close behind. Small fragments of wood rained down on them.
"These guys are messy eaters," Julie remarked.
"Sauropods commonly clear cut their way through a forest, leaving a wide sloth of destruction," John explained. "They swallowed their food whole and then swallowed stones to grind up vegetation in their stomachs."
The behemoths moved closer still. John tried to watch to see in which direction they'd go by glancing over his shoulder. He almost looked straight up at them. Debris fell. John covered his head; however, the worst he was struck with were a few twigs.
Eventually, the Brachiosaurs changed directions. A huge path was left in the forest, flattened trees and trampled foliage mashed into the ground. "That was close," Max said, pausing, catching his breath. He watched the unimaginably large creatures relentlessly eat a trail to their left. Trees continued to bend and snap. Some toppled in the wake of the indifferent herd.
The Tyrannosaurus wasn't the only hunter out that day. Shifting her gaze from the massive brown forms lumbering away, Julie's eyes enlarged her face a mask of terror as she took in a quick, sharp breath. Standing approximately six feet tall, there was another dinosaur to her right, watching her carefully through vertically slit eyes. It wore a devilish grin, a slight squeal issuing from its throat. Its aquamarine hide blended well with brush and other plant life.
Jerking his head to the side, John gasped in terror. "Holy shit, Velociraptors! Run!" He pulled Margo's arm, sprinting forward.
Squealing with delight, the Raptor charged forward. Two others joined the chase, closing distance to prey easily on thick, muscular legs. Each hind foot sported a six-inch sickle claw capable of separating and tearing flesh from bones without trouble. The lead hunter sprang forward with a spectacular bound, sailing with ease above John and Margo, landing in front of them, sliding some on loose soil. Turning, it hissed, smiling, holding its forearms out with claws ready to grip the human figures.
Knowing if he didn't act first the Velociraptor would, John pulled his arms up into a Tae Kwon Do defensive block. He brought his right leg up, catching the Raptor on the hip before delivering a second, stronger blow to the right side of its muzzle.
Confused, the Raptor shifted to the side, studying its prey. It didn't act like prey. John scored a series of fists to its torso, taking another kick at the Raptor's sexual organ, pulling himself behind the animal. With a shriek of pain, the Raptor dropped forward, bracing its weight on its front arms. It made a sickening coughing noise, turning toward John, feeling nothing but malice.
Hiding that he was intimidated, John quickly went to work battering the animal's head with a series of kicks. Disoriented and overpowered, the Raptor backed on all fours, skittering away into the trees. Its companions followed, startled by the deafening explosion of a gun. Max held a weapon out, keeping a bead on the largest dinosaur.
"Hey, that was pretty good work," Margo offered John, patting his shoulder. John relaxed, blowing out a tense breath of relief. "You can be my night in shining armor anytime."
"Let's go see if we can find a place to set up camp," Max suggested once he was certain the Raptors cleared the area. He lowered his rifle, taking Julie's hand.
"This is almost more excitement than I bargained for," John said as they trekked up a hill.
"Hell, with the prices these InGen people are charging, I'd expect to get a lot more for my money," Margo punted.
At the top of the hill, the group found a run-down wooden house. "This is odd," Julie said, a quizzical expression crossing her features. She pulled a long strand of blond hair from the corner of her mouth.
"Who thought to build us shelter?" Max asked, looking to John for answers. John gave a shrug. The area below resembled a roadway, a path where herds passed quite frequently. Taking a seat on the porch for no more than a few seconds, the young quartet heard an intensifying rumbling noise.
Standing, not knowing what to expect, they saw a herd of Parasaurolophus running down the cleared path. Fifteen to eighteen feet tall, their hides were bluish with silver patches along their backs. A long, bony appendage arcing back from the top of their heads created a cacophony of desperate sounds. They ran, hooting and honking. Countless bodies raced along, making a spread out stampede.
"Parasaurolophus," John mumbled. He knew they were being chased, but by what?
The leaders of the pack turned, running down a hill. Those in back kept coming and coming. At the tail, there was a small space before three Velociraptors appeared, eyes wild with the excitement of the chase. They hunted the Hadrosaurs.
While passing, one looked directly at John. He knew that meant trouble. "Oh no," he whispered.
"Oh no what, John?" Margo echoed fearfully.
"Velociraptors were highly intelligent and hunted in packs," he sputtered. "They ambushed their prey and hunted for the pleasure of killing. Not only are Raptors problem solvers, they remember." By this Raptor's expression of surprise, John felt gut wrenching fear. "It's going to tell the others in its pack about us," John quickly added. "If they don't bring down a larger beast, they'll be back."
"Great," Julie said with an angered tone. "I didn't pay for this simulation to kill me."
"The sign said it offered the thrill of a lifetime, Julie," Max returned.
Sure enough, the Velociraptors didn't catch a large animal and came back for some easy prey. They charged the humans, racing with frightening speed up the hill. John kicked one away before it leaped up and, kicked it again. Max grabbed his weapon, slicing bullets through the torso of the second Raptor in mid-air. It crashed with a thud under a noise like breaking dishes. Dark red blood trickled from wounds, the animal laboriously breathing, dying.
Without warning, John's attacker and the third Raptor sprinted for the cover of the trees, their faces showing an expression of panic. Curious, John waited until they'd disappeared before stealing a glance at the dying dinosaur.
Margo screamed, a blood curdling sound tearing from her throat like a person acting in a cheap horror movie. Julie's jaw dropped, her eyes fixed on the same thing Margo saw. John took a few steps backward in shock, Max dropping his weapon.
The ground shook from the footfall of a massive form approaching them. Blocking the afternoon sunlight, the Tyrannosaurus Rex towered above, hot, fetid breath signaling its arrival. It was the stench of decay; the reek of death.
"Run!" John bellowed, pivoting around, charging for the cover of the trees. Margo acted at the sound of his voice while Julie needed Max's firm grip. He paused long enough to recover his weapon.
Roaring its victory, the Tyrannosaurus stopped at the fallen body of the Velociraptor. Gaping jaws closed around its smaller form while the T-Rex's right foot stepped down on the hips, ripping the Raptor unceremoniously in half, devouring its first bite in nothing more than a quick swallow.
Racing through the woods in a blind panic, none of the quartet saw the grizzly spectacle. They half-ran, half-slid down an embankment leading to a river. Further ahead than his companions, John quickly scanned for a safe place to cross. He stole a glance to the right and stopped, backing; slipping in dark mud while another form lunged at him.
Moving with the agility of a crocodile, the ground-hugging animal brightly patterned in yellow with brown splotches growled, snapping its teeth, missing John's leg by a matter of centimeters. A large sail on the creature's back acted like a Japanese fan, spreading and folding with the snake-like motions of movement.
Backing, clawing for footing, John avoided a second snap from the Dimetrodon. He swung his legs around, quickly pulling himself up by his hands, racing as fast as he could move. The reptilian creature from a nightmare long dead followed, waddling through greenery with little difficulty. It moved with a frighteningly fast pace. John spotted a second Dimetrodon to his left, closing the distance to the river. "Watch out for Dimetrodons," he called to his friends.
At the water's edge, a third animal with a sail on its back snapped at Julie who screamed. Max pulled her through the shallow water to the other side. Margo followed. They stirred up a school of Trilobites, their bodies undulating through the water like Manta Rays, quickly diving for the safety of the bottom. John paused long enough to give a quick downward kick to the neck of the Dimetrodon closest him. Squealing, the lizard-like reptile coiled on itself like a snake. John crossed the water, seeing Trilobites scatter. At least three other Dimetrodons approached from the swampy banks on the opposite side.
Without looking back, John gathered all his strength, running up the incline. They continued into the forest for several minutes, fearing the vicious predators had followed. When the finally stopped, doubled over and breathless, Max looked over at John, his face ashen. "Why does Virtual Jurassic Park has so many dangerous dinosaurs? Why didn't somebody think to put in a few that aren't out to kill everything in sight?"
"Don't ask me, man," John replied. "All we have to do is stay one step ahead of the Rex. In less than twenty-four hours, the asteroid collides with Earth and brings an end to the age of the dinosaurs."
"I take back what I said before," Margo spoke.
"What's that, Margo?" Julie asked.
"About expecting more for my money," Margo elaborated. "I could stand a little less excitement."
The Tyrannosaurus Rex's distant call made them stand at attention. Staring back into the woods, "Doesn't look like we're going to get it any time soon," John remarked. "We better get moving." The roar sounded again.
Clearing the edge of the forest, the group saw a series of rocky hills. Trees and green plant life stubbornly worked at the rigid edges. Low-pitched vibrating noises to the right caught their attention. Tall, blue-gray dinosaurs stood at the trees, using huge pointed thumb bones to pull themselves up to inviting new shoots of leaves. With the gentleness of Pandas or Koala Bears, they feasted on the abundance of ginkgoes and conifers. "What are those, John?" Max asked softly, hoping to not disturb them and bring unwanted attention to themselves.
"Iguanadons," John responded, fascinated. One placed its bony claw into the bark higher up and began pulling itself up, like a body builder doing pull-ups. Its hind legs grasped at the trees, helping support its weight by clawing into the bark.
A loud cracking sound made the four thrill seekers turn instantly to a group of reddish dinosaurs near the jagged base of some rocks. Their yellow heads sported domes of solid bone. Two backed from each other, facing off. As if an invisible cue were given, their heads lowered. They charged like rams, smacking their bony domes with a loud crack again. Others in the herd bobbed up and down, the sparring partners again backing.
"Aren't those Pachycephalosaurs?" Margo asked, shifting her head toward John.
"Yeah. I'm glad you know at least one name." He flashed her a cocky grin.
"Some of your brains are rubbing off on me."
The distant bellow of the Tyrannosaurus Rex again caught their attention. However, this time, it also caught the attention of the Iguanadons and Pachycephalosaurs. Almost instantly, chaos reigned. Loud, alarming sounds issued from both saurian species. The Pachys charged into the cover of the rocks, finding paths in crevices John and his companions hadn't seen. The Iguanadons frantically began scaling the trees, getting themselves up into the high reaches, out of range of the approaching danger.
"Looks like we'd better take their cue," John said and started jogging along a path to the left. Around a cleft, they came to a grassy clearing. Along the edge was a road.
Hours later, as the sun slowly faded, they traveled along the road, searching for a safe place to make a campsite. To the right, another herd of dinosaurs burst from a forested area, squealing bird-like calls, running very much the way an ostrich would. "What the hell's the matter with them?" Max asked, his face quizzical. Brown bodies charged parallel to road, ripping up grass, limber legs easily clearing fallen trees.
"Something tells me we better get our asses out of here," Margo said urgently from John's right.
"I agree," John sputtered, torn between watching the dinosaurs frantically run from them and keeping his eyes on the road. "Gallimimus was a hunter. If the hunter's scared...." "It can only mean one thing," Julie finished, her face flushed with panic. Several meters behind the last animal in the panicked pack, trees exploded forward, torn clear by something much more massive, much more powerful. A screeching bellow of rage echoed across the field, sending white-hot fear up the collective spines of the Gallimimus and the humans. Charging at full speed, the Tyrannosaurus Rex closed the distance behind the smaller animals. As it did, the Gallimimus crossed in front of John's path, angling like a flock of birds, all changing directions at once. Instinctively, John gripped the wheel, pulling to the left, hoping to veer away and avoid a collision. His heart raced, his eyes never blinking. His stomach knotted. Squealing ostrich-like bodies darted around the Jeep, some leaping over it, desperate to escape certain death. One took its move a fraction of a second too late. The right fender slammed into its legs. Margo screamed in terror, bracing against the roll bar, pushing her body toward John. The Gallimimus went into a crazed spiral, tossed into a messy roll along the side of the path. Pleased, The Tyrannosaurus Rex, broke away from the herd, instantly attacking the fallen Gallimimus. Huge jaws opened, snapping with a bone-shattering crunch around the Gallimimus' neck. The Rex cooped it up, shaking its massive head from side-to-side violently, like a dog playing with an old rag. Then the smaller animal was slammed to the ground, the Tyrannosaur ripping flesh away. "Is Rexy supposed to chase us through the whole simulation?" Margo asked, facing John, her face pale, etched with fear. "I don't know," John replied honestly. "Looks that way," Max called, watching the Rex finish its meal with Julie. The forest to the right stopped, bringing John and his friends to a vast, open field dotted with bushes and other shrubbery. The road became nothing more than a well traveled path, eventually fading completely. Massive, turtle-like bodies of grazing animals formed small clusters. They chewed on the green plants, ignorant of the Jeep and its strange passengers. Mustard-green backs sported lumps of bony armor, short legs making bodily motions reminiscent of giant turtles. Tails drug across the ground, ending in club-like bumps of solid bone. "Turtle guys, how cute," Julie remarked, a smile on her face. "Ankylosaurs," John corrected her. "They might leave us alone, providing we don't bother any of them." He watched their passing bodies, dimmed by the twilight. "We might not disturb them, but, I think he will!" Max called, pointing to the right. "Oh no," John moaned. Without looking, he knew what that meant. Sprinting across the field, full-throttle, Tyrannosaurus Rex chose the Jeep as his next target of attack. Its shrill, metallic roar preceded him, fraying the nerves of John and his companions. All around them, Ankylosaurs began dropping, protecting their bodies and legs with heavy armor. One, grazing behind the false security of a bush, dropped as it felt the Rex's footfalls, swinging it massive tail in the air over its curled up body to ward off attack. Uninterested, the T-Rex passed the Ankylosaurus by, keeping a bead on the racing Jeep. Leaping past another hump on the ground, one of Rex's hind claws hooked under the armor of a third. Without pause, the Ankylosaurus was lifted up. It curled its body into a tight ball, rolling from the force of Rex's powerful leg and built up kinetic energy. It came to rest on its legs unharmed at the edge of another series of bushes. Racing down an incline, John maneuvered to another forested growth. Searching for a space in the trees wide enough to drive through, John found the answer to a prayer next to a shallow river. Taking the left turn a little slower, so the top-heavy Jeep wouldn't flip, John drove next to the shore, ducking into the dim foliage. At the edge of the forest, the Tyrannosaurus took a quick second to survey its options. Then it followed, gaining as long strides brought its massive body thundering up behind the vehicle. Cursing, John stomped on the accelerator, keeping his eye on the dinosaur in the rearview mirror. Margo turned around, her mouth gaping. Max and Julie wordlessly saw Rex edging up to them fast. "Oh my God!" Margo screamed, the T-Rex running beside them on John's side. With great restraint, John fought down his welling panic. Leaning down, the Tyrannosaur swung its massive body at the Jeep, clipping it along the left fender. Fortunately, it didn't detour John's path. Ahead, a tree had fallen and formed a bridge across the water. "Everybody duck," John called, unsure if there was enough clearance for them to pass beneath. Roaring under the massive trunk, John rose, looking backward, keeping his attention on their purser. T-Rex slammed into the tree like nothing was there. It's trunk shattered, splintered into thousands of shards of wood. Rex continued the chase. "Damn," John muttered. To the left side of a denser growth of trees, a series of new bodies blocked their path. "Oh God," Margo whispered, "Stegosaurs." "Hey, you got another one right," John smiled approvingly. "This isn't the time to be a smart-ass, John," Max yelled from the back. "Get us the hell outta here!" As massive as tanks, the plated dinosaurs sauntered toward the water. Giant plates on top of yellowish bodies displayed a wide variety of colors including greens, oranges and reds. Behind the Jeep, T-Rex let off an annoyed shriek, gaining the Stegosaurus' attention. Acting quickly, they grunted, taking up a defensive perimeter around their young. Spiked tails swung outward, aimed toward the approaching chase. Quickly turning right, John plowed through the water, clearing the Stegosaurs. Almost wisely, Rex decided not to tangle with them either, keeping his pursuit of the strange metal animal. John had to admire the dinosaur. The path on this side of the water was blocked by a fallen log laying across the ground, forcing John to drive through smaller bushes, back out into the open. With no hesitation, the T-Rex followed, calling after the puny creatures in a long bellow. Seeking escape in this direction, however, John realized was equally as futile. Scattered across the twilight field were two other breeds of incredibly dangerous dinosaurs, even if they were herbivores. Reminiscent of a rhinoceros, the Triceratops grazed peacefully and deceptively sluggish in appearance. Tank-sized bodies supported a head a full third of the body's length. A single, long horn was placed over each eye; a third, shorter one on the tip of its muzzle. A huge frill of bone curved back, protecting necks. Orange along their tops, their undersides were dull brown. The horns and frills were bone color. Near them, dinosaurs equally as large with a single long horn on the nose and horns protruding from its frill, grazed side-by-side. The Styracosaurs sported a dull brown color. Like content cousins, neither the Triceratops or the Styracosaurs bothered the other. They co-existed harmoniously. Keeping a safe distance, John stared in amazement at the massive animals. "Triceratops was my favorite dinosaur as a kid," he said, diverting his attention momentarily from a more pressing danger behind them. "What are the other ones called, John?" Margo asked, scanning them. "Styracosaurus." Covering more ground in the clearing, the T-Rex gave no indication of interest in the larger dinosaurs. But, the presence of the newcomers and the predator signaled a stampede. Orange bodies charged, mothers and children taking a heading away from danger while herd leaders formed a barrier along the Jeep and the Rex. Watching with cold calculation, the herd leader eyed the vehicle's passengers. It's left horn was missing, snapped clean near the base, just above the eye socket. Triceratops running next to the Tyrannosaurus made threatening snarls and snaps at its legs. Margo pressed close to John, gasping, terrified as the huge, reptilian eye watched her. Growling, the Tric swung its head toward the Jeep, it sharp, bony frill slicing through metal with an unnatural groan. "Shit!" Max backed against Julie who was already plastered to the side of the vehicle's wall. "It'll open us like a tin can!" Max observed, the frill making a second slice through thin metal. Defending the herd and preventing an attack, the Triceratops closest to the Tyrannosaurs' legs darted sideways, taking the bipedal hunter off balance. Squealing with surprise, the taller dinosaur tripped, sprawling forward, clashing with a second Triceratops. The pair rolled over one another, stopping, shaking themselves, and regaining balance. A confrontation now unavoidable, the Tyrannosaurs blew off a call of rage, slowly stalking forward. The Triceratops again charged full speed, hooking its head fully under the Rex, lifting him, throwing him off his feet. Unable to snap at the Tric, the T-Rex slammed against the ground with a tremendous thud. Regaining its footing for a second time, still unscathed, the Tyrannosaurus turned toward the Triceratops. And, for a second time, the Tric charged like a tank, wiping the Rex completely out. As it rolled away from the herd, the tyrant king stood on wobbly legs, somewhat shaken by the warning blows. It roared at the bulky animals, pressing forward, searching for the prey it had originally been chasing. "Looks like Rexy was detained for a few minutes," Margo said, looking behind the Jeep, watching the commotion. "Helluva lot a good it does us!" Max yelled, a long gash ripped into the Jeep's unprotective shell. "It's forcing me back toward the trees," John called frantically, fighting the wheel. The mammoth Triceratops was immobile next to him.