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Jurassic Park Shadows of History Stage Ten
By JPJunkee
STAGE TEN
"Understood against the age of time.
Life is still one of our greatest mysteries."
--Kyle Warner--
CHAPTER 39
Alan opened his eyes.
He was in a tunnel of sorts. Dark as night, and yet as bright as the sun at the same time. Alan shielded his eyes and took a step forward.
The light changed, and the tunnel was suddenly filled with busy people walking in all directions. Alan spun around in confusion. What was this place?
Again, the lights changed. Now, one end of the tunnel was red like fire, while the other was bright like a warm summer day. Alan began to breathe heavily, he looked up to the top of the tunnel. And instead of seeing bricks or stone as expected, he saw Leah sobbing.
Alan looked down, and was aware of a slight burning in his chest. He looked at his chest, and saw that it was bleeding.
"Am I dead?" he asked aloud.
Alan frowned and ran to the bright white side of the tunnel. He wasn't even near the tunnel's end, when he was lifted off his feet and flown directly into the whiteness.
There was a flash, and Alan found himself on the ground. He looked around him, everything was white. Then, like magic, a man appeared standing above him. The man extended a hand and helped him to his feet.
The man wore a gray suit, and a hat not too different than his own. The man's face was gruff and old, just as Alan had seen it thirteen years ago.
"Dad?" Alan gasped.
Alan's father smiled, "Hello, Alan."
Alan suddenly remembered the dream he had, a day earlier, about his dad dying in the car crash. A tear ran down Alan's face as he realized what must be happening.
"Dad . . . you're . . . dead. The accident . . ."
"Yes, Alan," his father said, nodding.
Alan looked around him with worried eyes, "Am I?"
His father tilted his head to the side and offered a wary smile, "From a certain point of view, yes. But not entirely."
"What do you mean?"
Alan's father smiled again, and touched his shoulder. His touch was warm and inviting, "Follow me. I have something to show you."
Alan was led down a bright hall, and at the hall's end, human figures began to take shape. A tall man and a man in a wheel chair were waving their arms in a corner. While the rest of the people centered their attention on the bed in the middle of the small area.
Alan walked up to the bed, and looked down at the blurry imagine of the face of a sleeping man. Then, he looked at a bright silhouette of a woman perched over the bed, stroking the man's hair. He looked closely at the woman, and slowly the incredible brightness surrounding her head began to morph into a recognizable face, it was Leah.
Alan's mouth dropped, and he looked at the man on the bed, it was him!
Alan looked at the other people in the small room, Ian Malcolm was arguing with John Hammond about every possible subject. While Ellie Degler sat in a corner, with her face in her hands as Sarah Harding-Malcolm tried her best to comfort her.
Alan looked back to his father. "What is this?" he demanded, more than questioned.
His father nodded his head at the body of Grant on the bed, "This is what is happening in the actual world. You have been shot, your fate is uncertain. You are meant to die, my son. But, it has been agreed upon, that you should have a choice."
"A choice?"
"You get to choose, whether to come to the forever land of heaven . . . or to return to Earth, and slowly recover from your wounds. Do not take this lightly, my boy. The ability to choose your own fate is not often given. I didn't get a choice, it was my time. But for you, you get to decide when it is your time. . . . You are a good man, Alan. But, you have not finished your time on earth, and yet, a very unfortunate twist of fate has taken your life away from you. So now, you must choose."
Alan frowned and looked down at Leah, then back to his father, "I've missed you."
His father smiled, and patted his shoulder, "I know, but I have always been with you. Always."
Alan looked back to Leah, then to Ellie, "I have to go back, I'm not done yet."
His father nodded, he knew that Alan would choose this way, "I know. And it shall be done. Good-bye, Alan."
In the hospital room, Alan Grant's body lay with a thick bandage on his chest.
Ian Malcolm was saying to Hammond, "---but this is exactly what I mean. You and I were wrong all along."
Hammond poked a finger at his chest, "I was wrong?"
"Yes you, you stupid bastard," Malcolm said smiling. "You were smart enough and foolish enough to start the whole thing. That makes you wrong. I was wrong because of my involvement. And because of my theories."
Hammond smiled, "After all these years, you've finally admitted chaos theory is wrong."
Malcolm shook his finger in the air, "No, no, no, no, not wrong."
"But you just said---"
"I said my theories were wrong. Chaos however, is not wrong."
"You stubborn arrogant fool."
Malcolm smiled, "I know."
Aaron Madison walked into the room on a pair of crutches, he looked to Sarah, "How is he?"
Sarah frowned as she hugged Ellie close to her. "No change," she said.
Leah pressed her palm up to Alan's forehead. Wake up, please! She was aware that if he didn't wake soon, that the doctors may pull the plug. Ending his life.
She looked at the closed eyes of Alan. She had seen a true future with this man. He had saved her life. He had given her hope. She wasn't sure, but she thought she . . . she thought she loved him.
Leah's lips began to quiver, and she had to look away. She put her face in her hands, as the tears began.
The silence in the room struck her instantly. She looked up, everyone was looking at her. No . . . they were looking through her. Beyond her.
She spun around and saw the familiar smile of Alan Grant shining up at her. In an instant she had embraced him in a tight hug.
Alan winced as she hit his wounded chest. But he smiled nonetheless.
Leah pulled back and the others approached Alan. Sarah patted his shoulder, "You gave us all quite a scare."
Malcolm smiled at the end of the bed, "Yeah so, uh, don't do it again."
Ellie walked up slowly to the side of the bed, Sarah moved aside to let her through. Ellie pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. "Hi," she said, her voice rough from her crying.
Alan smiled, he couldn't speak quite yet.
"I thought you had . . ."
Alan put his hand on hers, and Ellie smiled.
Leah watched this all, with a sudden sense of doubt. Ellie and Alan still loved each other. That was clear. So, where did she stand?
A doctor walked into the room, "Ah, Dr. Grant, it's so good to see you awake. And I hate to do this, but visiting hours are over, so if I could ask you all to please leave for the time being. Dr. Grant needs his rest."
Ellie smiled and kissed Alan's forehead, "I'll see you soon."
As everyone began to walk out, Hammond said to Grant, "When you are feeling healthier, my boy. I have some very important matters to speak with you about."
Malcolm smiled as he pushed Hammond's wheelchair from the room, "Whenever you speak to him, he ends up getting chased by very large and hungry lizards, do you realize that?"
Hammond and Malcolm bickered like that, all the way through the hospital.
Only Leah remained in the room. She bent over Alan, and kissed him on the lips. The doctor smiled and then attempted to lead her from the room, but she raised her hand and said with a stern voice, "No, I think I’m going to stay with him."
The Doctor frowned, "Please Ms. Owens, Dr. Grant needs his rest, and I have many tests to do, now that he is awake."
"Well, now that he’s awake, I’m not going to leave him," Leah said, her hands on her hips.
The Doctor was standing over Grant now, checking his heart rhythm, "I don’t think that is wise, Ms. Owens. . . ."
Grant put his hand on the Doctor’s wrist, and managed to say in a very raspy voice, "Let her stay."
The Doctor looked at Grant with an odd expression, then he nodded. "Okay. . . I suppose you can stay, Ms. Owens. Perhaps you can help keep him comfortable."
"Thank you," Leah said as she moved closer to Grant, holding his hand.
The Doctor smiled and turned to write on his clip board. Leah smiled down at Grant, and he smiled up at her.
Together, they now had a future.
Four weeks later, Grant returned to his dig site. The bones were still there, but the tents were gone. His team … his students were gone. Alan frowned, it was time to start over. And now, he had the money to help him. And the company of Leah to guide him along the way. Leah visited Alan in Montana often. They debated about her moving in with him. And having her pick up a job at the local news channel. Their future together looked good, indeed.
Ian Malcolm arrived at his home in DeKalb, Illinois as soon as he was sure Alan was going to make it. He was greeted by a happy Kelly and his wife Sarah as she had gone home early. Kelly had heard about the incident in Costa Rica, and had feared the worst, but now her father was home. And he pledged to live a normal family life from this point forward. Malcolm kissed his daughter's cheek and smiled as she hugged him like she had never done before. It was good to be normal for once.
Aaron Madison recovered from his injuries and followed Leah around as her permanent camera man. When Leah left to visit Alan in Montana, Aaron would often times accompany her. He hardly ever saw Grant, instead he hit up on all the Montana girls and visited all the local bars. He claims that, "The beer just tastes better in Montana."
John Hammond and InGen were proven innocent for the attacks in Costa Rica, when proof of Biosyn's involvement was found within the CNN tape that Henry Wu had taken from Dodgson's office. Grant never spoke with Hammond. So Alan was left in the dark. Hammond has been trying to contact Grant for the last three weeks.
There was a ceremony for all those who had lost their lives in the Costa Rica incident. Dr. Henry Wu and FBI Agent Wes Brunell were presented as heroes. The body of Lewis Dodgson was never recovered. The Costa Rican military had all of the dinosaurs of the Biosyn compound immediately destroyed. But after tallying the bodies of all the remaining dinosaurs, it was determined that nearly a dozen specimens were unaccounted for. Presumably, they are now somewhere within the jungles of Costa Rica. Perhaps they will never be found. And perhaps, that is for the best.
EPILOGUE
"Millions, perhaps billions, of creatures have lived and perished without
leaving any trace of their passing. Our knowledge of the lives of dinosaurs
is based on less than 300 species, yet these terrible lizards had the run of
the planet for over 250 million years. We're obviously missing something."
--Mark Ward--
FIVE MONTHS LATER
Costa Rica has finally realized the great treasure their county posses. Isla Sorna is now a jewel, and is being preserved as though it should be.
For the past five months, a low profile mission organized by the Costa Rican government and military, has been in development to go in and legally research and document the animals of Isla Sorna.
Now, the mission is completed. And the team is returning to the mainland.
General Fernando Aldez a man of 50 years with a small mustache and large build, sits in the back of the third chopper of the expedition. He has led the large team, composed of Costa Rican soldiers, and two paleontologists, Greg Diamond and Adam Kaje.
The mission had gone well. They had learned much in their weeks time at the foggy island, some of it for the worse. The team had been able to stay on their game plan, and no one had suffered any serious injuries, until the last day. . . .
Aldez looked down at the sweating man strapped to a stretcher in the middle of the chopper. The man was as pale as a ghost, and his eyes burned with an unimaginable rage and pain. Blood trickled out of his nostrils and dripped down the side of his face.
The man was strapped down for his and the team's protection. The man was Gregory Diamond, the younger of the two paleontologists. Aldez bent down and looked at the man's bandaged hand.
"He's probably not going to make it," Adam Kaje, the other paleontologist said.
Aldez nodded and looked into the injured man's eyes, "Can he hear us?"
Kaje shook his head and leaned over the man's body, "I can't be sure, but he is definitely aware of our presence."
Aldez nodded again and looked at a folder beneath his feet, "What was it you said bit him?"
"Troodon," Kaje said grimly, shaking his head. "Dumb mistake, he got too close. You don't ever try to examine a carnivore, unless you are absolutely sure it is dead -- or any other dinosaur for that matter."
"The folder here says that troodons were very tame and that they never acted agitated, not once. Why was he attacked?"
Kaje shook his head, "I don't know. Those dinosaurs we were seeing were sick, they acted weird at times. Maybe that's the reason."
"How do you know they were sick? I mean, I too noticed the few implications, but how are you sure that they were in fact, just normal healthy dinosaurs?"
Kaje looked up at Aldez, "I'm not certain, but it's the only thing that explains their odd behavior. And add in the fact, that we saw a few dead bodies, and the bloody noses, and the white film on the mouth."
"Have you ever seen a real dinosaur before now?" Aldez said.
"No . . ."
"Then how do you know if they were acting odd, or how do you know that they weren't sick, but perhaps they were just being normal dinosaurs?"
Kaje looked offended, "Well, General, when animals just flop to the floor without warning, then slowly die. I find it odd. And I doubt that their sudden deaths are natural. There is a disease on that island."
Aldez asked, "Do you think the troodon that bit Dr. Diamond was sick?"
Kaje nodded, "Yes. Yes, I do."
"You think that sickness has carried onto him?" Aldez motioned to the sweating paleontologist.
Kaje nodded, "Yes, I think it's clear that it has." His eyes stared at the blood slowly dripping from Diamond's nose.
Aldez sighed and looked out the chopper's window.
"General," Kaje began slowly, "we need to go back to the island."
Aldez continued to peer out the window, as he nodded.
The choppers faded into the scarlet sunset over the dark ocean. Extinction was approaching, but not without resistance. The selection in life, forgotten till time rolls around to now. A new era rises. Another end surfaces. Life and Death. Truth and Lies. Never known, never seen.
Retribution is coming, from where it is still not known. But the factors of chaos and Universality will not be denied. History is known to repeat itself, especially if the history is something we'd just rather forget all together. It is a Shadow of History, and it is to be feared.
But now, it is time for something new, yet something that has been around since the beginning of time. It is time for extinction, it is time for life, it is time for death, it is time for order, it is time for chaos, it is time for the end.
The dawn of a new world approaches. . . .
THE END
And so ends Jurassic Park Shadows of History, the first story in a trilogy (and my first attempt at FanFiction). I hope you've enjoyed what you've read, and I hope you will enjoy the next story as well.
I'd now like to thank a few people, because I would never have been able to have completed this story on my own (well, maybe I could have, but let me tell you, it would not have been the same story).
First I'd like to thank Yvonne. Your support kept me going when I had just wanted to simply throw the entire story out the window (and then curse at it as well). You helped teach me many things, and for that I will always be thankful. I am privileged and honored that you helped me like you did -- what with the story suggestions (if it wasn't for Yvonne, both Leah and Grant would have died), the editing (Yvonne will forever be named, Ms. Edit from now on), and oh so much more. I owe you so much, and don't you deny it! I look forward to working with you on the next story of this trilogy (which in case some of you people didn't know, Yvonne and I will be co-writing).
Also, I'd like to thank the readers that took time out of their busy lives to read the story. Whether your comments were of praise or disgust, they were greatly appreciated. Hell, when I first began writing this story, I didn't think I'd get more than one comment, I was doing it all for me really. But, to see that people actually read and enjoyed it, fills me with great happiness, thank you all.
I leave you now, with a small glimpse of the next story in the trilogy, in the form of a little teaser trailer.
NARRATOR: JPJunkee and Yvonne present.
Brock Larson walks slowly out of a mental institution. He bends his muscular body, as he steps into an awaiting SUV.
NARRATOR: A story of deception and danger.
John Hammond is speaking on a phone, "Now Ellie, I want you to listen to me, and listen good, okay? You remember Dr. Ted Harding? You spoke to him during your time at Nublar, all those years ago."
Ellie Degler nods, "Yes, I think so. Why?"
"He's been murdered," John says.
Ellie spins around, as three men break into to her residence, and begin to shoot at her.
Alan is in a Lear Jet, sitting across from a big Spanish man with a gun. "Is he going to point that gun at me for the entire trip?" He asked cautiously.
"Tim and Lex," Hammond says, "were nearly murdered last night. I fear, that everyone involved in the InGen incident, is in grave danger."
NARRATOR: "A psychotic killer."
Brock Larson looks through the open window of Ian Malcolm's house.
NARRATOR: "A sinister plot."
Dozens of armed men, shouting in Spanish, line up around awaiting helicopters.
NARRATOR: "Ancient creatures."
A tyrannosaurus steps up to a building that's in shambles.
NARRATOR: "An unseen disease."
Adam Kaje's forehead is sweating profusely, as he stumbles along through the jungle.
Alan Grant stands his ground, as Larson charges him with a crowbar over his head.
Leah trips, and looks back in fear as a stampede of herbivores destroys a village.
Ian Malcolm jumps into a river, trying to escape the jaws of a 3-foot dinosaur that is nothing but teeth.
Larson leans in close to Alan's face, "It's my time."
Larson smiles as he draws a knife and holds it high, his eyes locked onto Grant's neck.
Larson is about to stab down, when he hears a soft growl behind him. He turns as the shadow of a creature's foot steps towards him.
NARRATOR: "Where Shadows of History ended."
The animal's face moves out of the dark shadows. And we see the enraged eyes of an unknown creature. The animal pants, as it steps towards Larson and Grant.
NARRATOR: "The real terror begins."
The animal roars and lowers its head as it charges forward.
Grant and Malcolm step into an odd shaped building and begin to breath deeply. Malcolm notices the coolness in the air and the fact that his breath is showing. "Um, this is different," Malcolm says.
A creature roars, and Malcolm and Grant quickly turn around.
Grant whispers, "Oh my God."
--MAY 2003--
Copy any of this story, and I'll throw you out a window, I am not kidding. Oh and, please comment!
-- JPJunkee
Kyle Warner © 2003
2/22/2003 2:23:28 AM
(Updated: 2/23/2003 12:35:43 PM)
(Updated: 4/4/2003 4:30:49 PM)
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