Everyone was staring at the floor, no one daring to reply. Sammy watched us closely. Her sweet smile had vanished; a disheartened frown splattered across her face instead.
"I mean... doesn't it usually take more than a few days to make friends with somebody?" Brooklynn finally said in a hushed voice.
"We were thrown together at random. We have nothing in common," Yasmina said bluntly.
Sammy shook her head. "That's not true! We've been through more together than most friends have in a lifetime!"
"And now that it's over, what are the odds will ever see each other again?" Ben muttered, softly patting Bumpy's head with downturned eyes.
We delved into more silence. Looking at the others, especially Sammy felt too awkward, so I followed my brother's lead and stared out the window. A few dark clouds had gathered in the sky, and no stars existed. After a few minutes, the speakers buzzed.
"Coming up on the right, you'll see our world-renowned 18-hole dinosaur-themed golf course. It's one of the many wonders that makes this place so Jurassic!"
Brooklynn shook her head and chuckled. "What does that even mean?"
"I thought I knew..." Darius said softly. "My whole life, I had this idea of Jurassic World. My dad used to say this place was 'all-osaurus and a bag of chips!' He was so corny..." He crossed his arms and looked to the floor.
"So your dad is?..." Ben stopped himself. The silence spoke louder than any words could.
"I'm sorry, Darius," Sammy said before smacking her forehead. "Sorry? Nice one, Sammy, you ding-dong! As if sorry could begin to–"
"–No, it's ok," Darius interjected.
"Hey! At least your dad never saw what a dumpster fire this place turned out to be, huh?" Kenji said. He winced after Yasmina harshly thumped his head. I frowned at him, shaking my head. "Ow! I meant that it's cool that Darius and his dad were so close. I could count on one hand the number of times my dad and I have done well anything!"
"Kenji, that's just really sad," Sammy said blankly.
"Yeah... Did I mention I have a bowling alley?" Kenji said.
I coughed, smiling at him with one eyebrow raised. "Our bowling alley." Kenji rolled his eyes and stared
"Dang it!" Ben exclaimed. We all looked at him. "Come on, it's gotta be here somewhere! Bumpy stepped in something icky, and I'm low on sanitiser. It's fine; I can just make some more."
"Ben, why are you here?" Kenji asked, pointing the flashlight at Ben's face while he stared at him scrutinisingly.
"What he means is, well: You're scared of dinosaurs and the outdoors, and sometimes the indoors... and germs..." Darius quietened.
"And whipped cream for some reason?" Sammy added.
"The way it moves," Ben shuddered in disgust before stroking Bumpy.
"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. What's the deal?" Kenji went on.
Ben's face darkened. "My mum works for Mr Masrani. She got me into camp. 'Said would be "a great way to face my fears..." It's been a nightmare! I'm sick of being scared all the time! And of running, and of almost getting eaten, and... and holding everyone back... I just can't do... this."
His harsh expression softened when Bumpy pushed her head against Ben's leg. "But it's not all bad. If I hadn't come, I would have never met–"
Ben couldn't finish his sentence as the monorail rocked violently. I fell to the ground, the others got tossed around, and I looked around, confused. What happened?
Darius stood up and started walking towards the next compartment, so I followed him. A mass of dark figures flew around the monorail, and I knew who they were! The pteranodons from the aviary!
Darius leapt away from the window and grabbed a flashlight. He stood on the seats, breaking overhead lights. I paused, wondering why he was destroying the headlights when it hit me. I took a flashlight and joined Darius.
The others ran into the compartment and stared at us confusedly. Darius looked at them briefly, averting his attention.
"Guys, we gotta turn off the lights!" he yelled.
The looks on everyone's faces said enough. They were freaked out, and so was I. Brooklynn ran to the end of the compartment and snatched the last three flashlights, throwing them to Yas and Sammy. Within a second of catching their flashlights, the two were on their seats and whacking the lights with all their might.
"Hey, what should I do!?" Ben asked.
"Just stay out of the way!" Brooklynn said, pushing him out of the way as she went to help Sammy break one of the last few lights.
Ben fell to the floor, staring at the scene with wide, terrified eyes. I stepped off my seat and took his hand, helping him stand. Ben smiled gratefully but glanced around and scurried to the corner to hide, gripping Bumpy. He stared fearfully out the window.
THWACK! A dimorphodon smacked into the glass and cracked the window, flying away quickly and leaving Ben screaming in pure terror. He started hyperventilating, covering his head and curling up into a ball.
"Flying reptiles are basically seabirds!" Darius said. "They're attracted to shiny moving objects, and well, with all these lights on–"
"–We're a shiny moving object!" Sammy exclaimed.
"Exactly," I said.
"Ok. Move to the next compartment. Sammy, help Ben and Bumpy!" Darius yelled. Hearing him over everyone screaming and the glass cracking around us was becoming difficult.
As we walked through the gangway connection, the monorail shook, and Yas fell into it, her arm getting stuck. Brooklynn was quick to help but let go as she was sent a cold glare. We quickly broke the lights in this compartment and moved to the next one, Kenji holding the door.
As I walked through, another automated voice said, "Smile; you're at Jurassic World!"
I considered smashing it then and there, but Kenji broke it with his flashlight as though he had read my mind. We smirked at each other and then hurried on to help the others.
Sammy's breath hitched. She looked horrified and pointed at something through the window. I glanced through, and my heart dropped. A second monorail was on fire!
"That must have been what made that boom we heard earlier!" Darius exclaimed.
Kenji crossed his arms. "See, I told you–"
"–Don't," I warned.
"If we don't switch tracks or stop this car right now, we're gonna hit that thing full speed!" Darius said as the last light in the compartment went out.
"The front car, there's a control panel there! VIP tour. I was eight; they let me drive," Kenji said.
Darius nodded and ran to the front car. He pulled at the sliding door, but it wouldn't budge. "No, no, no!" he exclaimed.
Sammy, Brooklynn, and Yasmina were quick to help pull the door. It wasn't moving. Ben remained hidden, Bumpy rubbing her head against his side. Darius kicked at the door, then froze and turned around.
"I'm going to get through the control car through there!" he walked forwards and pointed at the vent above him. The vent that led outside the monorail.
"You're going to WHAT!?" I screamed, aghast.
"You can't go out there! That's where the flying whatever are!" Kenji said.
"We don't have a choice! Me and..." Darius quietened and glanced at Ben. Ben slowly turned to him, eyes downturned and expression heart-breaking.
"I'm the only one who can fit," Darius said. He was about to climb when a group of dimorphodons crashed into the monorail. We were thrown to the floor, Darius's fall particularly nasty as his head met the metal underside of the seats. I rushed to help him up while he groaned in pain.
"Thanks..." Darius murmured before addressing the others. "Distract the flock while I crawl over to the top of the control car. Use the flashlights and keep them away from–"
CLACK! We looked up and saw the vent was swung open. A pair of trainers swiftly vanished from our view. Bumpy squealed loudly, circling us and pounding on the ground fretfully. But I wasn't focusing on her. Just now... Through the vent... WAS THAT BEN!?
"Kiara, help me up!" Darius said.
I moved closer to the opening, and Darius climbed onto my back and shoulders. He sat there, the top half of his body through the vent.
"Ben, what are you doing!?" Darius asked. There was a moment of silence, and Ben said something inaudibly, but I felt Darius moving, and he glanced back down at me. I crouched to help him get off then he turned to the others.
"C'mon. We have to keep the pteranodons away from Ben!"
Darius switched on his flashlight and ran further down the monorail, swinging his flashlight everywhere. The rest of us copied him, flashing the lights around. Most dinosaurs stopped mid-flight to watch the lights and flew lower down, circling us instead of Ben.
Kenji and I went to break the rest of the lights on the monorail while the others kept the pteranodons far away from Ben. Soon the only lights came from the control panel at the front of the monorail and our flashlights, but we couldn't stop yet. We were dangerously close to the other monorail! A few more seconds, and we'd crash and go up in flames! A few more seconds and!–
We crashed into the floor as our monorail scraped against the other. Millions of blinding golden sparks flickered from the friction, and eventually, our monorail pushed the other off. The other monorail fell to the ground and erupted in a scarlet, amber and gold flurry! The pterodactyls and dimorphodons dived after the flames eagerly. I beamed. Ben had done it! Ben slid open the compartment door from where he was, and we all cheered for him. The chants began:
"BEN! BEN! BEN! BEN!"
"You saved us, Ben! I didn't know you had it in you," Darius said.
"You were amazing, Ben!" I said.
Each in turn, the others praised Ben for his bravery, and he finally stepped towards us when time slowed. It was like someone had slammed into the brakes, and we were barely registering our surroundings any longer. I watched the glass shatter, sparkling shards floating in every direction.
Behind, sharp talons reached out, slowly etching towards Ben. It was a pterodactyl. As it squawked, Ben's slow scream pierced my eardrums.
Blink. Ben was screaming as he was dragged out of the monorail.
Blink. Darius pushed past me and grabbed Ben's arm.
Blink. Ben was screaming as the pterodactyl performed a tug of war.
Blink. Ben was hanging from the monorail, only Darius keeping him up.
Blink. Blink. BLINK.
Ben would fall off the monorail to his death if we didn't do something! Darius was struggling to hold on, visibly straining himself. Ben's screams of fear were so loud. They needed help.
I ran forward as one of Ben's hands fell out of Darius' grip. I grabbed on and almost laughed. The look on Ben's face when he realised both Darius and I were holding on to it was so relieving! He almost smiled but was stopped as another Pteranodon flew over and landed on the monorail roof. It screeched at Ben agitatedly, and he shrieked louder, tears streaming down his face like the Niagara Falls. A smaller pterodactyl flew over and dived, leaving a deep scratch on my arm.
But I couldn't let go. I wouldn't let go. We couldn't let go. Yet I felt Ben slipping... I felt Ben's arm slowly move further from our grasp. Ben was petrified, screaming incoherent words that I could barrel make out. All but the words, "DON'T LET GO!"
Darius was muttering under his breath, praying he wouldn't let go. Praying Ben wouldn't die, but I knew it. I didn't want to know or believe it, but I did.
Blink. Ben was falling out of our grasp.
Blink. Ben was gone...
I felt everything. I felt a lump in my throat, and I could barely breathe. I felt the harsh winds slashing against my face and burning my eyes. I felt the icy tears sliding off my cheeks. I felt the horrible sting in my arm. I felt Kenji holding me.
I heard everything. I heard Sammy screaming, "No!" I heard Bumpy whimpering. I heard Brooklynn and Yas stifling their cries. I heard my sobs.
I saw everything. I saw Darius' tear-stained face. I saw his eyes dull and lifeless. I saw him looking at his bloodied hands. I saw Yasmina holding back Sammy as she tried to run to the monorail's edge. I saw Brooklynn shaking her head. I saw Kenji and the pain in his eyes.
But then I saw Darius stand up. His hands shook, and his bottom lip trembled, but he still stood. "The monorail is going back!" he yelled, pointing at the tracks ahead.
Kenji helped me stand, and I held tightly to his arm. Bumpy tried to run to the edge of the monorail, but I blocked her, moving my leg in front of her. Brooklynn looked at Darius confusedly.
"What do you mean, going back?" she whispered.
"When we switched tracks, we ended up on the one headed north," Darius explained.
"So now we're going away from the south docks!?" Yas said.
Darius nodded. He walked to the control pad and pushed the buttons, but nothing happened. Everything was broken. Darius thumped the control pad with his fists, grunting frustrated.
"Doesn't anything here work!?" he said. Then he turned back to us. "We gotta get off this monorail now!"
Brooklynn glanced out the destroyed window and gasped. "The track dips down up ahead! We can jump from there!"
"Jump!?" Sammy repeated with wide eyes.
Yas shook her head. "We can't; it's too far to jump."
"It's the only way!"
"Fine! We jump!"
Kenji wrapped his arms around Bumpy as we lined up by the edge. I wiped the tears off my face and deeply breathed as Darius began the countdown.
"Three.
Two.
One!"
We threw ourselves off the monorail at once. Our bodies thrashed against the trees, the branches slicing at our skin and clothes viciously. One smaller branch impaled the gash on my arm, which was excruciating!
We fell nearer and nearer to the ground and eventually slammed against it. We tumbled down the hill, and I heard our screams and Bumpy's bellows of pain. I hit something warm, and the world turned black.