Kingdom of Deception

Chapter 10: The End of the Raptor

    The four of us shimmied through the walls and into the displays. We hid behind the wall, near a control panel and waited. Just as Maisie shuffled into the small space, Owen opened the control panel and turned the power off. As the power turned off, the faint sound of claws clicking across wood echoed through the room. Owen lead Claire, Maisie, and me through the displays and to the end of the wall of glass. I could hear the growling of the Indoraptor from somewhere around the museum. I felt my palms get sweaty again and I was breathing heavily. Maisie grabbed my hand as we stopped at the last display. Owen tried to find the opening in the dark, but a loud sound made us all pause. The thump of the lights turning back on grew louder and finally, the lights in our display blinked on. Maisie was looking out of the display window with wide eyes. She was on the verge of hyperventilating and I tried to release her hand to wrap my arm around her, but her grip tightened.

    "Maisie, what's wrong?" I asked her quietly. I finally looked in the direction that held her attention only to once again see that devilish grin. The Indoraptor was staring into the display, waiting for all of us to notice it.

  "Oh, my god!" I yelled just before the monster lept through the window. Owen and Claire pulled Maisie and me out of the way, but Claire got caught underneath one of the fallen beams. I pulled Maisie passed the destruction and through the messy room. Maisie let out a scream as we ran toward the foyer. I pulled her toward the stairs and skipped steps, hoping that Maisie was keeping up. I could hear the steps of the Indoraptor gaining closer as we ran through the hallway. Maisie screamed again and finally, we reached the dumbwaiter and I made sure Maisie got in first, then I squeezed myself in next to her.  I pulled on the door and tried to close it as the Indoraptor appeared at the end of the hall. My eyes widened and I pulled harder. Maisie helped me pull and just as the monster was about to get to us, the door slammed down.

    Maisie and I ran to her room and locked the door. She jumped into the bed and I followed after her, somewhat calm by this point. I was starting to realize that I needed to keep Maisie calm, I was her guardian now after all. I pulled the sheet over our heads and pulled Maisie close. I could hear the rain pelting the glass doors and the thunder clapping in the distance. I started to hum a song that I remember Grandpa singing to me when I was younger.

"Would you sing, please, Alice?" Maisie stuttered quietly. I could hear the faint growling of the Indoraptor from somewhere outside of the room.

    "If I had words to make a day for you,"  I sang quietly.

    I hear the handle on the glass door turning before it swung open letting the cold air and wind into the room.

    "I'd give you a morning golden and true,"  I continued not caring about being quiet anymore,

    The clicking of claws on Maisie's wood floor resonated in my ears and made my heart pound. Maisie started to whimper and cry. I moved the hair out of her face and wiped some of her tears,

    "I would make this day last for all time," I smiled,

    I could feel the pressure of the monster's weight on the edge of the bed. Its breath was rustling the sheets and its claw dragged up my leg.

   "And give you a night deep in moon-shine," I whispered as I saw the black claw peeking over the sheet. I could see the outline of the creature through the sheet and I could smell the blood on its breath. Just as I thought it was all over, I heard the door break open, "Maisie, Alice stay down!" I heard Owen yell just before gunshots were fired. I sat up and pushed the sheet away. I looked on with wide eyes as the Indoraptor took the bullets, only staying down for a moment. I glanced at Owen who seemed just as surprised as I was. As the Indoraptor rose, Owen slowly made his way toward the bed. I could feel Maisie's heart beating frantically and I could smell the breath of the creature radiating through the room. Shivers rushed up my spine, 'I am going to die,' I thought. I jumped back in surprise as a shrill growl interrupted the tense silence. I looked at the door and saw one of Owen's raptors. With the Indoraptor distracted, Owen leaped onto the bed beside Maisie and me, wrapping an arm around the both of us. The two raptors fought, crashing through the room. Owen pushed us all out of the bed just in time to save us from being crushed by the smaller raptor's weight. We backed ourselves toward the glass doors as the Indoraptor returned his attention to us. The smaller raptor once again jumped at the larger monster providing a distraction.