𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲;
𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹

One Week Later

The first rays of dawn filtered through the cracks of Vera's makeshift shelter, casting a warm glow over her sleeping form. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open as consciousness slowly returned. Beside her, Rocky rolled over with a languid stretch, releasing a tiny yawn that made Vera smile despite her circumstances.

"Morning, Rocky," Vera murmured, her voice still thick with sleep. She sat up, wincing as her muscles protested the movement. The events of the previous day came rushing back, along with a gnawing hunger that reminded her of their precarious situation.

Reaching for her bag, Vera's hand grasped at empty air where their food supplies should have been. A sigh escaped her lips as the reality of their predicament sank in. "Guess we're all out of resources," she said, turning to her reptilian companion. "Looks like breakfast isn't on the menu today, buddy."

Vera pulled out a worn and creased map from her pocket, studying it intently. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she traced possible routes with her finger. After a moment, she looked up at Rocky with a spark of determination in her eyes.

"Well, we could head to Main Street and see what's left. What do you say, Rocky Road?" Vera's use of the playful nickname brought a small smile to her face, a brief moment of levity in their dire situation.

The dinosaur responded with an enthusiastic bellow, darting out of the shelter with unexpected energy. Vera couldn't help but chuckle at Rocky's eagerness. "Alright, alright, I'm coming," she called after him, grabbing her small bag and trusty spear before ducking out of the shelter.

The jungle was alive with morning activity as they set out. Birds called to each other from the treetops, and unseen creatures rustled in the underbrush. Vera kept a watchful eye on their surroundings, her grip on the spear never loosening.

As they walked, Vera filled the silence with chatter, partly to keep Rocky engaged and partly to calm her own nerves. "You know, Rocky, when we get back home, I'm going to treat you to the biggest bowl of leafy greens you've ever seen. How does that sound?"

Rocky chirped in response, causing Vera to laugh. "I'll take that as a yes. And maybe we can convince Mom to let you sleep in my room. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

After what felt like hours of trekking through the dense foliage, Vera paused to consult the map again. She wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, squinting at the faded lines and markers. "Looks like it's up ahead, Roca. Let's go," she said, using another of her affectionate nicknames for the dinosaur.

As they resumed their journey, a faint humming sound suddenly filled the air. It was barely perceptible at first, but grew steadily louder. Rocky pressed close to Vera's side, clearly unsettled by the noise.

Vera's heart rate quickened as she scanned the area, her knuckles white around the shaft of her spear. "What is that?" she whispered, more to herself than to Rocky. The nearby brush rustled ominously, setting her further on edge.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Vera decided to face the potential threat head-on. With as much bravado as she could muster, she called out, "That's really all you got? Who am I supposed to be intimidated by? Casper the friendly ghost?"

As if in response to her challenge, the humming abruptly stopped. The sudden silence was almost more unnerving than the noise had been. Vera held her breath, straining her ears for any sound of movement.

After a tense moment, she let out a shaky laugh. "Well, that was anticlimactic," she said to Rocky, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe we scared them off with our fierce warrior faces. What do you think?"

Rocky tilted his head, giving Vera a look that seemed almost skeptical.

"Oh, come on," Vera protested, "I can be scary when I want to be." She contorted her face into an exaggerated grimace.

With one last cautious look around, Vera squared her shoulders. "Alright, tough guy, let's keep moving. Main Street awaits, and who knows? Maybe we'll find some breakfast after all."

As they continued down the path, Vera couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She kept Rocky close, her eyes darting to every shadow and movement in the trees. The jungle, which had seemed so alive earlier, now felt oppressively quiet.

Vera and Rocky emerged from the dense jungle foliage into the eerily quiet expanse of Main Street. The once-bustling tourist hub now stood as a ghost town, a stark reminder of the chaos that had engulfed Jurassic World. Fallen leaves skittered across the cracked pavement, and vines had begun to reclaim the abandoned buildings, nature slowly erasing the marks of human presence.

"What happened here?" Vera whispered, her voice unnaturally loud in the silence. Her eyes scanned the destroyed fence of the Mosaurus. "Looks like the Indominus is no longer a problem." She tightened her grip on her makeshift spear, eyes darting from storefront to storefront as they cautiously made their way down the street.

The pair approached a dilapidated restaurant, its windows shattered and tables overturned. "Let's try in here," Vera suggested, carefully stepping over the broken glass. "There might be some non-perishables left in the kitchen."

As they entered, the musty smell of abandonment assaulted their senses. Vera wrinkled her nose but pressed on, determination driving her forward. Rocky chirped softly, sticking close to her legs as they navigated through the debris-strewn dining area.

In the kitchen, Vera rummaged through cabinets and drawers, her excitement growing as she uncovered a few cans of food and some sealed packages of dried goods. "Jackpot!" she exclaimed, stuffing her findings into her bag. "We'll eat like kings tonight, Rocky!"

Their spirits lifted by their success, Vera and Rocky continued their exploration of Main Street. The eerie quiet of the abandoned tourist hub was occasionally broken by the sound of their footsteps and Rocky's curious chirps.

"Look at this place, Rocky," Vera mused, her voice echoing slightly in the empty street. "It's hard to believe it was once full of people, isn't it?"

They approached a large building with a faded sign reading "Jurassic Outfitters." Vera's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Oh, this could be good," she said, turning to Rocky. "Maybe we can find some better clothes or shoes. What do you think, fashion consultant?"

Rocky tilted his head, eliciting a chuckle from Vera.

"You're right, I should stick to survival gear, not runway looks," she joked as they entered the store.

Inside, the shop was a mess of overturned racks and scattered merchandise. Vera carefully picked her way through the chaos, her eyes scanning for anything useful.

"Jackpot!" she exclaimed, holding up a sturdy backpack. "This'll be much better than my makeshift bag."

As she stuffed the backpack with their existing supplies, Vera continued to talk to Rocky, partly to keep herself calm in the unsettling environment.

"You know, when I was little, I always wanted to work in a place like this," she said, examining a dinosaur-themed t-shirt. "Funny how things turn out, huh?"

They moved on to a store labeled "Jurassic Apothecary," which turned out to be a goldmine of medical supplies.

"Oh, thank goodness," Vera breathed, carefully packing a first aid kit into their new backpack. "I was worried about what we'd do if one of us got hurt."

As they exited the pharmacy, Vera spotted a souvenir shop across the street. "Let's check that out next, Rocky. Maybe we can find something fun to bring back to the others... when we find them."

The souvenir shop was a treasure trove of useless trinkets, but Vera managed to find a few practical items hidden among the keychains and snow globes.

"Look, Rocky!" she exclaimed, holding up a compact multi-tool. "This could come in handy."

She also grabbed a few bottles of water from a forgotten vending machine, sighing with relief as she took a long drink.

"I didn't realize how thirsty I was," she said, offering some water to Rocky in a small dish she found. "Here you go, buddy. Stay hydrated!"

As they exited the souvenir shop, Vera's arms now laden with their newfound supplies, she felt a sense of accomplishment.

"We did pretty well, didn't we, Rocky?" she said, smiling down at her dinosaur companion. "Maybe things are finally starting to look up for us."

But just as the words left her mouth, a low, rumbling sound stopped them in their tracks. The ground beneath their feet began to tremble slightly, and Rocky let out a nervous chirp.

Vera's smile faded, replaced by a look of growing concern. "What was that?" she whispered, her eyes darting around the empty street. "Please tell me that was just your stomach growling, Rocky."

The rumbling grew louder, and Vera's heart began to race. She clutched their newly acquired supplies tighter, her knuckles whitening with the force of her grip.

"I have a bad feeling about this," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "Rocky, I think we need to..."

But before she could finish her sentence, the source of the rumbling revealed itself, and Vera's words died in her throat as fear took hold.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

They ducked into the nearest building, an indoor play area for children. Vera and Rocky crouched behind a colorful jungle gym, peering out through the gaps in the plastic structure.

What they saw made Vera's blood run cold. The Tyrannosaurus Rex, the apex predator of Jurassic World, was lumbering down Main Street. Its enormous head swung from side to side, nostrils flaring as it scented the air.

Vera clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp as the T-Rex approached their hiding spot. She could see every detail of its leathery skin, count each of its dagger-like teeth. Rocky pressed against her, trembling.

To their immense relief, the T-Rex continued past their building. But their relief was short-lived as they watched it turn and enter a large enclosure further down the street – an enclosure that had once housed the park's petting zoo.

"It's... nesting," Vera realized with a mixture of awe and terror. "It's made that enclosure its home."

They remained frozen in place for what felt like hours, waiting to ensure the coast was clear. When the street had been quiet for a considerable time, Vera finally dared to move.

"Okay, Rocky," she whispered, her voice shaky. "We need to get out of here, fast and quiet. No sudden movements, alright?"

They crept out of the play area, Vera's eyes constantly scanning for any sign of movement. The journey back to the edge of Main Street felt like it took an eternity, each step fraught with the possibility of attracting the T-Rex's attention.

Just as they were about to re-enter the jungle, a ear-splitting roar shattered the silence. Vera's head whipped around to see the T-Rex emerging from its makeshift nest, its eyes locked directly on them.

"Run!" Vera screamed, all thoughts of stealth abandoned. She and Rocky tore into the jungle, the thunderous footsteps of the T-Rex close behind.

Vera's lungs burned as she ran, branches whipping at her face and arms. Rocky kept pace beside her, his small legs a blur of motion. The deafening crashes behind them spurred them on, terror lending them speed they didn't know they possessed.

In a stroke of luck, they came upon a fallen tree, its massive trunk creating a small cavity underneath. Without hesitation, Vera dove for it, pulling Rocky in with her.

They huddled in the cramped space, hardly daring to breathe as the T-Rex's footsteps drew nearer. The ground shook with each step, and Vera could hear the creature's heavy breathing. She squeezed her eyes shut, silently praying for it to pass them by.

After what seemed like an eternity, the footsteps began to recede. Vera waited until long after the forest had fallen silent before she dared to peek out of their hiding spot.

"I think... I think it's gone," she whispered to Rocky, her voice hoarse. Slowly, cautiously, they emerged from under the fallen tree.

The journey back to their shelter was tense, every snapping twig making her jump. By the time they finally stumbled into the clearing where Vera had built their makeshift home, the sun was beginning to set.

Vera trudged along the winding dirt trail, her footsteps heavy with exhaustion from the day's eventful scavenging. The dense jungle foliage surrounded them, occasional shafts of late afternoon sunlight breaking through the canopy above. She wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, adjusting the straps of her newly acquired backpack.

"Come on, Rocky," she called over her shoulder, her voice a mix of fatigue and affection. "We're almost home... well, as close to home as we can get on this island."

The pitter-patter of tiny feet announced Rocky's approach. Vera turned to see the small dinosaur bounding towards her, its cheeks comically puffed out. As Rocky drew closer, Vera couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"What have you got there, you little thief?" she chuckled, kneeling down to inspect her companion. Rocky's mouth was stuffed to the brim with an assortment of colorful berries, a few leaves poking out between her teeth. "I hope those aren't poisonous, girl. We can't afford a dinosaur stomach pump out here."

Still giggling at Rocky's antics, Vera stood up and resumed their journey. "Come on, berry breath. Let's get back before it gets dark."

As they walked, Vera found herself talking to Rocky, filling the jungle silence with her thoughts. She glanced down at Rocky, who was contentedly munching on her foraged snack. "At least one of us isn't stressed about our situation. You're one tough girl, aren't you?"

After a short while, they finally arrived at their small shelter. The makeshift hut stood as a testament to Vera's resourcefulness, a blend of scavenged materials and natural elements. It wasn't much, but it was their safe haven in this dangerous world.

With a groan of relief, Vera dropped the bags she'd been carrying. "Home sweet home," she muttered, stretching her aching muscles. She ducked into the shelter and flopped onto the crude bed she'd fashioned from leaves and soft bark. The 'mattress' crinkled beneath her weight, but to her tired body, it felt like luxury.

Staring up at the thatched roof, Vera let out a long sigh. "Well, Rocky, Main Street is officially a bust." She reached for the worn map she'd been using to track their exploration, fishing a stub of a pencil from her pocket. With a decisive stroke, she crossed out 'Main Street' from their list of potential rescue locations. "Cross another one off the list."

She turned her head to look at Rocky, who was happily munching away on her collection of berries and herbs. A small smile tugged at her lips. "At least we got food, right, Rockstar? And you seem to have found your own buffet."

Vera sat up, wincing slightly at her sore muscles. She rummaged through one of the bags, pulling out a slightly dented carton. Her face lit up with excitement. "I think this calls for a celebration! Look what I found hiding in the back of that vending machine - carob juice!"

She held the carton aloft like a trophy, a grin spreading across her face. "It's not exactly soda, but beggars can't be choosers, right?" However, as quickly as it had appeared, her smile faltered. The carton of juice brought back a flood of memories - shared laughter with the group and Ben's face lit up with joy at the simple pleasure of a sweet drink.

Lowering the carton, Vera's expression grew somber. "I wonder if Ben is okay," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think he's out there somewhere, Rocky? Maybe he found his own shelter."

She shook her head, trying to dispel the melancholy thoughts. "I can't give up hope. We're going to find him, and we're going to get off this island." Despite her words, Vera couldn't ignore the small voice in the back of her mind that whispered doubts. Each day that passed without a sign of rescue or her friends dimmed that hope a little more.

Vera looked around their small shelter, at the meager supplies they'd managed to scavenge, at Rocky contentedly curled up in the corner. She took a deep breath, steeling her resolve. "We're survivors, Rocky. We've made it this far, and we'll keep going. Tomorrow's another day, another chance to find Ben, to find a way home."

She cracked open the carob juice, taking a small sip and savoring the sweet taste. "Here's to us, Rocky," she said, raising the carton in a mock toast. "To survival, to hope, and to never giving up. We'll get through this, one day at a time."

As the last rays of sunlight faded, casting long shadows across their shelter, Vera settled in for another night on the island. She pulled out the map again, studying it by the dim light of their scavenged flashlight, planning their next move. Whatever challenges tomorrow might bring, she was determined to face them head-on, with Rocky by her side and the hope of rescue burning in her heart.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘳𝘪 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴！
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AHHHHH IM SO HAPPY TO BE BACK WRITING!! I hope you all enjoyed tgis first chapter and be sure to vote and feel free to comment!

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©-CRETACEOUS , 2024