by catt dahman
Dinosaur: 65 million
catt dahman
http://dinosaur65million.weebly.com/
Chapter One: Bert McTone
“Hello to everyone and welcome to Dinosaur: 65 Million where the present meets the past!”
Bert let the applause and cheers rise and then die down; the crowd was enthusiastic and eager to begin the festivities. Many people held up poster pictures of their favorite contestants. Television viewers were expected to be enormous.
“You know that a few years ago, SSDD opened up research and began to develop DNA in order to study creatures that lived sixty-five million years ago. It was a shock and thrill to find out they made headway and began to recreate long-lost creatures, answering paleontological questions that have plagued us. Their methods were a secret, and their results were a closely guarded secret…until now!”
The applause was thunderous.
Bert went on, “SSDD brought these prehistoric creatures back from long ago to learn about our history. All of our questions and theories can now be answered and proven in ways we never imagined.”
“You also know SSDD has never allowed tours or pictures from within, but that is all about to change tonight. For the first time, in sixty-five million years, we will see the real creatures in their real environments, and we will see whether humans or dinosaurs are rulers of the earth!”
There were cheers again. The audience exploded, stomping feet, shouting, and whistling with excitement. Around the world, viewers sat before television big screens and whooped and shouted. What other entertainment was affordable anyway?
Advertisers patted themselves on their backs for being a part of the groundbreaking adventure. This was the purest entertainment: humans versus prehistoric beasts in a never-imagined-before battle to see who should rule the world. The bonus of getting to see the creatures for the first time, alive and acting naturally as intended, added more advertisers to the list and more fans to the audience.
“For the first time, you will see inside the SSDD facility and marvel at the creatures they have resurrected because, folks, these are genuine, real dinosaurs brought back with ancient DNA and exactly as they were sixty-five million years ago. Tonight, we begin the greatest season of television history here on CTV. You will be with us live as we get the first look into SSDD.”
The crowd stomped and cheered and banged on chairs, and it took a while before Bert could speak again, but he never stopped smiling. He was the most well paid, popular, beloved television reality host on the air at the moment. He had perfect, white teeth, thick hair that glistened under the lights, and a perfect physique. Bert knew he was a good-looking man and that his looks, not talent, gained his fans.
This was predicted to be the most-watched, most memorable show ever produced. Bert McTone was the star.
Behind Bert, a giant screen showed pictures from books and artistic renderings of meat eaters and plant eaters, teasers of what was to come. Bert felt small next to the life-sized pictures. As the dinosaurs were shown in the SSDD facility, the images would be changed as if by magic until the theoretical pictures were all real photos.
“The rules are simple. We have thirty-two contestants who are among thousands who applied to be on the show, and you will see and hear everything via tiny cameras implanted in their foreheads. No, they never felt the anything, and the implants are so small they can’t be seen with the naked eye,” Bert grinned widely. The cameras and audio were mere pinpricks but would allow the audience to hear all the sounds of the animals and birds and even conversations or screams for help from the contestants, see everything in blinding color, and allow them to experience the adventures of a lifetime along with their favorite characters.
The show stopped right in the middle to show how the tiny cameras with audio looked, how they were implanted, and how they healed up so nothing showed but the tiniest little black dot. The nation could not offer even the most basics of medical care, but the scientists could make a tiny camera and implant it. Bert hid a smirk.
“The contestants will be allowed into one room to gather their supplies and will have less than five minutes to get themselves outfitted for a two-week, epic battle through the land time forgot.” Bert grinned. The fans loved this.
“You can imagine there will be some tussling over items and maybe a few fights. Ha, ha.” Everyone chuckled with him, imagining, “but then they will take their packs and have a weigh-in. If they are under weight, it is all fine, but if they are over sixty-five pounds, some equipment must go.” He used his fingers to indicate six and then five.
Grinning, he said, “Now, what is the limit in pounds? Sixty-five.” He used his fingers again, and the crowd mimicked him with their hands as they shouted the response. A big 65 flashed on the big screen. Some had signs with the number written on them; others wore shirts emblazed with a big 65.
“This season, we are giving away a lot of cash. In fact, we will give away up to how many million? Sixty-five!” Bert and the crowd shouted and showed the amount again with fingers. “The team that reaches the finish line the fastest in thirteen days will receive five million dollars each. The rest will each win one million, and you will vote an extra million to the contestant you feel did the best.”
“What could you do with five million dollars?” Bert shouted.
“Buy a date with you, Bert,” a woman shouted. The audience chuckled.
After the crowd quieted again, Bert nodded, “Sixty-five million dollars, thirty-two contestants, carrying how much? Sixty-five pounds of gear are about to enter the SSDD grounds where we’ll get our first look at the creatures from the past, the dinosaurs from how long ago? Sixty-five million years! You’ll see it live, and then we will film and bring you the results each week. Imagine being the first to witness these creatures!”
“Let’s see these thirty-two lucky people.” The crowd cheered again, and then thirty-two more times as the screen showed pictures of the contestants while the theme song for the show blared. Each contestant was in a specific pose or had a background that made that the contestant stand out so he could be remembered for something precise.
One person stood in front of a poverty-stricken ghetto and raised swords like a gladiator; another posed in front of a shoddy diner, yanked off her name tag, and threw it at the diner as she walked away, pulling her hair from the pony tail and letting it flow free, presumably quitting.
Bert half-watched. One of the men did pushups, showing off his muscled arms and six-pack stomach as he stood, posed, and smiled at the camera. A girl raced down a littered street with dowdy, ragged people watching her; she leaped into front flips and fancy acrobatics before finishing with a jump into the air with arms in a winner’s pose. Bert used that time to let the makeup people check his makeup; then, he removed his hat and had the stylists fluff his hair.
He kept track of whom the crowd cheered for the loudest in order to gain an idea of who the preliminary favorites might be.
* **Cut to commercials***
Bert changed clothing in a booth right off stage.
The stage set changed, and the cameras went to other angles. The audience watched while being thoroughly entertained.
Right on time, the camera was back.
The television screen zoomed in to show Bert McTone in a safari outfit of khaki shorts, a shirt, and bush jacket with a pith helmet. He wore scrunched socks, tough-looking boots with red laces, and a red bandana around his neck.
“And we’re back. What did you think? Have you already chosen your favorite contestant on the show? They all look strong, don’t they? Do you think you could do better? Well, be sure to watch after the show to learn how you can be one of the next contestants, or look us up on the internet at http://dinosaur65milli
on.weebly.com/.”
“You know me from other shows, Bear Park, The Gauntlet, and Big Cat Coliseum, but this is the most extreme contest in history. It’s how many years in the making? Sixty-five million! And the battle will be against creatures you know nothing about. You will see thinking humans with opposable thumbs face blood-thirsty beasts that are ready for the hunt. They are gigantic, and breathtakingly terrifying beasts in their own environment,“ Burt said as he wiggled his thumbs.”
Bert paused, watching for his cue. Then: “Let’s go to the lovely Analisa Vey who is with our contestants.”
Analisa appeared on the giant screen, and Bert looked at her appreciatively.
“Hello, Bert! Are you excited?”
“I am, Analisa. You look beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you, Bert,” She gave a half-twirl. She was showing off her red silk gown, and the crowd cheered her on, “I am with thirty-two excited, anxious participants, and they are ready to go, Bert! Their excitement is making me so nervous!”
The audience laughed happily.
Analisa posed with a blond-haired, blue-eyed young man who looked well fed and in excellent health. He was dressed in rather expensive outdoor wear. “This is Brent. Brent, tell us how thrilling it was to find out you were going to be on Dinosaur: 65 Million.”
“I applied and didn’t hear anything, so I thought I wasn’t chosen since the show was about to begin. I was really bummed, Analisa, but I was out in my yard with my dog, Skipper, an Australian shepherd; Hi, Skipper! I was practicing my golf swing when police cars and SWAT vans pulled up. I thought that was going to be a drug raid like you see on television, but that never happens in my neighborhood. Ha, ha.”
The crowd and announcers laughed. Analisa dramatically rolled her eyes and flashed a dimpled grin as she shrugged a little.
“But who was it, Brent?” Bert called out.
“It was the team from Dinosaur: Sixty-Five Million! The next thing I knew I was getting into a car and traveling here. I have never been so excited.”
“Are you nervous?” Bert asked.
Brent wanted to get the extra million as a favorite, so he smiled and shook his head, “No way, Bert. I am ready to kick dino ass!”
The crowd went wild. Brent’s status went up several notches.
“Here is Anthony,” Analisa pointed.
“Yo,” he answered with his New Jersey accent, “what’s up, Analisa.”
“And over there is Serinda, a favorite in the rankings, and there is Wendy.”
Serinda flashed a smile, and Wendy gave the camera a one-two punch and flipped her ponytails around, smiling brightly, “I want that six million.”
Bert waved.
He took back the camera and looked as if he were speaking to each person who watched, “There will be plenty of action, and as you know, many losses, but these men and women are doing this for you; keep that in mind because without these brave folks, you and I wouldn’t get to see the greatest, most magnificent scientific phenomena of all…our time.”
The audience gave a standing ovation for the contestants, clapping and cheering loudly. The contestants weren’t doing this for something as petty as money; no, they were heroes bringing first glances of the dinosaurs to the public eye and ear because they were….
”Heroes, I tell you, in thirteen days, someone may beat back all the creatures who ruled this earth and emerge as a winning warrior. Maybe it will be a whole team. Maybe it will be all of the contestants, but my friends, know this that in thirteen days we may have winners, and next time those winners…may…be…YOU!”
The camera shut off.
Bert was supposed to change clothes again while they showed previously taped interviews with the contestants. He listened as one of the producers called out points of interest to his secretary.
Everyone was urged to call in and vote; each vote cost only five dollars to submit.
“Votes have already topped us out at over twenty-five million. We’re going to clean up on this one. Look at the odds on Skate. He pulled ahead of Jack and Marcus. I knew Skate needed to keep that long hair and play on the goof-appeal. He is so California. Get a little more glitter on his hair. Not any color. Clear glitter. I want his hair to gleam and shine like liquid gold. Do that now.”
The bets or votes, as they were called, would pay the sixty-five million and all the salaries, expenses, and then some. They estimated they would pull in over a billion dollars. As Bert thought about that, he paused and groaned, but the producer, hearing him, misunderstood.
“Awe, Bert, no, that isn’t low. The show just opened, and we’re doing great. Besides, subtract the sixty-five million ‘cause no one can possibly survive thirteen days out there with those things. People are certainly going to get the blood and ripping and tearing that they crave,” said the producer as he laughed. “You sounded fantastic so far, Bert!”
“No one will make it that long?” Bert asked.
“Hell, man, we may have to help a little and cheat the game just to get enough footage of live people over four or five days. It may be that they go in right here on the live show, they all get eaten, and then we have no contestants. That’s my biggest fear.”
Bert mumbled and hurried to change his clothing. He only had a short time. On second thought, Bert knew this: everyone had a short time.
Chapter Two: Equip Thyself
The cameras panned on the competitors who were dressed in shorts or pants and a variety of shirts, but all the contestants were barefoot. They had been allowed to wear whatever they thought best for the hiking trip into the land of dinosaurs; the only rule about clothing was they had to enter this stage without shoes or socks.
The camera focused on the gigantic pile of supplies heaped in the center of the big room. Tables were filled, the floor was covered, and the ceiling and walls were covered with hanging items. Useful items such as sleeping bags, shovels, guns, and canteens were interspersed with 65 Million balloons, magnets, cards, advertisements, and tee shirts. Someone clever had thrown in dinosaur figurines, magazines, toys, fake jewelry, and packages of candy.
Audience members giggled and laughed when they saw stuffed toys and plastic dinosaurs. Emblazoned with the show’s logo, the stuffed toys and plastic dinosaurs would sell for thousands on the Internet. Bert scooped up two of the stuffed toys and tossed them to the audience; a small fight broke out but was settled in time.
Blindfolded, the contestants stood around the room excitedly moving in place, ready to attack the supplies, and gather all they could. They were weighed before and could add only sixty-five pounds more, plus their choice of footwear. If they didn’t get boots, they would later be issued random kinds of shoes.
From the audience were shouts of “boots”, “machete”, “get the rifle”, and “get water” to help the people.
“Contestants, get what you feel is most valuable, and remember that anything on the top of your pack gets tossed out first if you go over the weight restrictions. If you don’t get something you really want, maybe your team members will have it. Use your brains, and pack smartly. Get ready to remove your blindfolds and…Go,” Bert McTone yelled.
The audience cheered and yelled advice, but the thirty-two contestants were alone in grabbing what they could from the room. In a frenzy, instead of taking one of everything they found, some grabbed the entire stack of specific supplies, tossing in a dozen packs of soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste tubes while ignoring the valuable lip balm and sunscreen. One man filled his pack almost to the top with packets of food and then filled in with a sleeping bag, flashlight, and matches. He forgot to get a canteen.
Another man loaded himself down with guns and ammunition before working his way around the edges of the heap of supplies and getting what he needed for basic survival: a knife, canteen, small medical kit, paracord bracelets, flint, and iodine tablets. A girl who found an enormous medical kit dumped it out and scooped half of the gauze, bandages, and ointments into her pack randomly, trying t
o save room for additional items.
Several near fistfights broke out over a pair of boots or a machete. Two women pulled one another’s hair as they fought over a foil blanket while five more blankets sat two feet away in a stack under a science magazine featuring a dinosaur on the cover.
Five pairs of gloves went into one pack, ensuring others didn’t get any while the person grabbing the gloves failed to get more than one small tarp. Matches and compasses were lost under Dinosaur: 65 Million tee shirts. One woman grabbed tee shirts that were too large for her. Carabineers slid all around and were gathered to clip sleeping bags and canteens to packs; one pack held three sleeping bags that dangled from D rings and would need to be tossed if it caused the pack to weigh over the limit.
The buzzer rang, and all thirty-two irritably trudged into the next room before the door closed, grumbling about not having enough time to get everything they needed. Some had to drag their packs since they were so heavy and over-filled. No one was under the weight limit, and in all honesty, none of the contestants knew what all they randomly had tossed into the packs.
“Did you get everything you wanted?” Jack asked the woman next to him.
Ruby shrugged, “No, I missed a gun, but I have a ton of tarps and knives, I think.” She was slender but not skinny, bare of makeup, and fresh-faced and pretty in a soft way, the way Melanie had been prettier than Scarlett in Gone with the Wind. That was what people often missed in the movie and book. Quiet and solid could be prettier than fire and light. Jack liked looking at Ruby.
He handed one of his guns to her, now, making his share two of the H& R SS2-4657 Handi-Rifle with a scope. “I have an extra. Only have two hands, but the ammunition is deep in my pack, sorry.” He ducked his head a little, blushing.
“I have ammo. Not sure what kind. Thanks for sharing. Want another knife?”
“I have two, but thanks anyway. Toss a few if the weight is too much.”