by Gail Herman
“Come on,” Alan said to the others. “It’s okay.”
Bone by bone, Ellie and the kids started to climb down the skeleton. All at once there was a groaning sound. The bolts were pulling free of the ceiling.
Ellie looked up. “We’re going to make it,” she said. “We’re going to—”
Just then came the sound of claws running on metal, and the Raptor flew out of the air duct. It landed with a loud thump on the scaffolding above their heads. The Brachiosaurus swayed with the impact.
“Go, go!” shouted Alan. Everyone picked up speed, scampering down the skeleton at breakneck pace.
Making its move, the Raptor sprang onto the Brachiosaurus’s neck. But the extra weight was too much. The anchor bolts ripped free, and the skeleton collapsed like a flimsy house of cards. Alan, Ellie, and the kids tumbled to the ground with the Raptor right behind. They landed on a pile of bones, the Raptor a few feet away.
Everyone was okay. But now the Raptor was trying to stand. It got up shakily, staggered for a moment, then fell back to the floor. Alan and Ellie gathered the kids close, helping them to their feet. The main entrance was just a few yards away. If they could get outside…
They were almost there when they saw the other Raptor. It was in the doorway, blocking their escape. Behind them the first Raptor pulled itself up. Hissing, the Raptors crouched for their attack. There was nowhere to hide, and nothing to do.
All of a sudden, a tremendous tearing noise echoed through the lobby. A dark, giant shadow fell across the room.
The Tyrannosaurus rex had broken through the lobby wall! Compared to the mighty T. rex, the Raptors looked like toys—vicious, hungry toys.
The T. rex lowered its great head, reaching down and down. Then it clamped its jaws around the nearest Raptor. The helpless dinosaur howled in pain as the T. rex lifted it high into the air. For a moment the Tyrannosaurus tossed its head back and forth, swinging the Raptor in its mouth. Finally it dropped the Raptor to the ground.
The Raptor howled with its final breath.
Then the lobby was silent, and Alan was able to hear the screech of tires. Mr. Hammond and Ian Malcolm had just pulled up in a truck. But the second Raptor was going into action. Leaping twelve feet into the air, it lunged at the T. rex. The Raptor clawed at the T. rex’s side, slashing out with its deadly-sharp claws. The Tyrannosaurus bellowed and began to fight back.
Alan didn’t waste a second. He herded everyone outside and into the waiting truck—just as the T. rex felled the Raptor with one mighty blow. But before the vehicle could pull away, the T. rex whirled around to chase them. Luckily, its powerful tail struck the other skeleton—that of the Tyrannosaurus rex—and the living T. rex stopped in confusion. The skeleton crumpled, and Alan saw the Tyrannosaurus bones fall harmlessly around the living, breathing dinosaur.
Nothing can compare to the real thing, Alan thought. Nothing. And they sped away.
When they were a safe distance from the T. rex, Alan closed his eyes. He felt relief. Exhaustion. Everything at once. Then he looked around—at Ellie, Lex, and Tim—and had to grin.
“By the way, Mr. Hammond,” he said. “I’ve given this careful consideration. And I’ve decided not to endorse Jurassic Park.”
Mr. Hammond smiled and said, “After careful consideration, so have I.”
A little later they were on board a helicopter, heading for home. Rescue teams had been sent from the mainland, along with doctors who had examined each person. Ian Malcolm was going to be fine. So was Tim. They were safe. They were thankful. But they also felt a little sad. Jurassic Park would never open. The animals would have to be destroyed. Dinosaurs would never roam the earth again.
In the back of the helicopter, Alan sat with Lex and Tim. Ellie smiled at him. She never thought he’d be so comfortable with kids. He’d changed in the past couple of days. But then, she thought, they all had. They had made it out alive—they were survivors.
Ellie moved over to sit next to Alan. She grabbed his hand and held it tight. Lex looked over. Quickly she reached for his other hand. She still thought he was cute.
Alan smiled at both of them. Then he gazed out the window. He saw a flock of birds fly by in perfect formation. They looked like a herd of dinosaurs, running across a field. Alan nudged Tim.
Tim looked out the window, too, then grinned. He understood. In some ways, dinosaurs would always live on.
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