Heavy, laboured breathing.
Yasmina slowly raised her left hand, a flicker of dread betraying her eyes as she crept forward, inch by inch.
Reflected in her pupils was the coarse, pebbled skin of a reptile, and with that sight, a torrent of memories came flooding back.
"Roar!"
Was that the shriek of a Velociraptor? Or the bellow of a Carnotaurus? She could no longer remember clearly, but for countless nights on Isla Nublar, that sound had jolted her awake from her nightmares in a cold sweat.
Rapid, ragged gasps.
Yasmina yanked her half-extended hand back with a sudden jerk. Closing her eyes in anguish, she fought with everything she had to suppress the intrusive thoughts raging in her mind.
Rustle, rustle...
Leaves shook violently as a Ceratosaurus burst from the dense underbrush, relentlessly pursuing the Camp Cretaceous crew through a night so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
Crash!
The vehicle they were using to escape was flipped effortlessly by the Indominus rex. A long, slender arm tipped with razor-sharp claws gouged through the glass, then violently thrust inward, shattering it into a million shards!
Breathing gradually slowing.
As the memories played out, a strange serenity actually began to settle over Yasmina. Had she finally accepted these terrors?
She extended her palm once more, moving it forward.
Splash!
The Mosasaurus breached the water's surface, its colossal jaws snapping shut in an instant! A deafening crunch echoed out; a fraction of a second closer, and it would have buried her forever in the lagoon.
"Aunnng-roar—"
The ear-piercing shriek pierced straight through her brain. It was the forbidden monster they had inadvertently unleashed, embarking on an indiscriminate slaughter of every living soul on Isla Nublar...
A steady, calm exhale.
Yasmina's palm finally rested upon the reptile's flank. The chaotic storm in her mind cleared in an instant. Accompanied by the gentle chirping of birds and the soft lapping of lake water, her entire body relaxed.
Low growl.
It was the rumbling grunt of a theropod, yet it failed to elicit even a shred of fear. Even as time blurred the details, Yasmina still remembered that whenever he made this exact sound, it usually meant the little Parasaurolophus was annoying him again.
Though he was currently lounging lazily on the ground, his massive frame still eclipsed most of the dinosaurs on the island, imparting a profound sense of security.
Chirp, chirp~
Sunlight filtered through the canopy, dappling across the massive figure's pitch-black scales. He opened his mouth a fraction, allowing a blue 'dentist bird' to land playfully on teeth as sharp as a scimitar, picking clean the remnants of his last meal.
If we only fixate on the cruel nature of dinosaurs, we end up casting aside all the beauty that comes with them as well.
Though she still carried the lingering trauma of her experiences, if Yasmina were given the choice all over any day, she would still choose to return to the edge of that great lake. She would pick an inconspicuous boulder, sit down, and spend the entire day sketching.
Slowly opening her eyes, she looked at her palm resting against the Parasaurolophus. The slightly rough texture of its scales felt incredibly comforting.
With her palm gently trailing along its side, she turned her head toward the Parasaurolophus's face, only to find the creature staring right back at her. It seemed thoroughly baffled by her behavior and let out a vocalization.
"Aunnng!"
Don't touch me.
Soft patting sounds.
Yasmina gave its flank two gentle pats before slowly walking out of the dinosaur paddock.
This was an island sanctuary situated in the middle of a lake, spanning dozens of square kilometers. Connected to the outside world by only two bridges, its sole purpose was to serve as a rehabilitation center for poor souls who, like her, suffered from dinosaur-induced psychological trauma. Though, the fees were a bit extortionate.
Click...
The gate clicked shut behind her. Yasmina looked visibly lighter. She pulled out her phone to browse the news.
Her PTSD seemed to be nearing full recovery; perhaps the next time she encountered a dinosaur, she wouldn't have nightmares.
Come to think of it, the Lord of the Primeval Ecological Zone had apparently been relocated to the Mojave Sanctuary. Once her treatment was fully completed, she'd have to pay him a visit~
Huh?
Screen lock sound.
Yasmina froze entirely after reading the latest headlines on her phone. Locking the screen, she scanned her surroundings. It didn't look like aliens had invaded Earth, so why did the world suddenly feel completely upside down?
Screen wake sound.
[The "Whitemask" terrorist organization raided the Mojave Sanctuary overnight, slaughtering hundreds of endangered protected animals; current whereabouts unknown.]
[A "once-in-a-thousand-years" earthquake has struck the Mojave Sanctuary. Local authorities are conducting emergency rescue operations for the wildlife within the zone.]
[Sightings of large carnivorous dinosaurs have been reported on the ** Highway in California. Local residents are advised to minimize travel to avoid potential incidents.]
Where on earth am I? Is this even still the country I know?
Buzz... Buzz...
[Incoming Call: Sammy]
The abrupt vibration of the phone cut through the quiet.
"Sammy?"
"Roar—"
Out of nowhere, the roar of an apex predator reverberated across the island. Panicking slightly, Yasmina answered the call while frantically looking around.
"Hey! Yaz!"
Sammy was bouncing around in the back of Ben's van, her entire body jostling with the speeding vehicle.
"Sammy! Get straight to the point!"
Ben, busy maneuvering the steering wheel, didn't forget to yell a reminder. He didn't want to ruin the reunion, but the current situation absolutely didn't allow for pleasantries.
"I know!" Sammy shouted back into the receiver before addressing Yasmina.
"Sammy? Are you with Ben right now?" Yasmina's voice came through, laced with confusion.
"Y-Yes! Darius and Kenji are together, and though I hate to say it out loud... we're probably being hunted."
"What?!"
"I didn't want to be so blunt, but—Gack!"
A Concavenator suddenly lunged from an overturned dinosaur transport truck by the side of the road, clearly aiming to ambush passing vehicles. If the one driving right now hadn't been the ever-cautious Ben, they would likely be history.
Low growl.
The Concavenator wasn't discouraged by its failed hunt. Shaking its head to clear the lingering dizziness, it revved up and pursued Ben's van.
"I'll make it short! The Lord of the Primeval Ecological Zone broke out! He's indiscriminately attacking D.P.W. vehicles transporting dinosaurs!"
"Looking at his current route, he's highly likely to pass right through your area! Yaz, hide! We're coming right now!"
"Yaz?"
The line went dead with a sharp click.
Boom!
The massive transport truck flipped over onto the asphalt, the iron cage door on its flatbed torn open in a split second.
A newly awakened Dryosaurus hadn't even processed what was happening before it stumbled, dazed and groggy, out of the open cage.
With that single step, the lingering effects of the tranquilizer vanished instantly. The entire dinosaur snapped wide awake, freezing dead in its tracks.
Five massive theropods stood right there on the highway, staring down at her as if contemplating the profound philosophy of what it meant to be a dinosaur.
Actually... maybe staying in the cage wasn't such a bad idea after all?
The Dryosaurus slowly backpedaled, its body vanishing once more into the darkness of the enclosure. Carlo let out a low huff to call the pack. Though he hadn't intended to scare her, the sheer sound of it caused the Dryosaurus to faint outright inside the cage.
Sniffing sounds.
Carlo raised his head slightly, the lingering scent of Little White still hanging in the air. He had already destroyed several D.P.W. transport vehicles along the way, simply because they bore the exact same logo as the truck that had abducted Little White.
Who would have thought? Dinosaurs could recognize brand logos too.
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