Dino Crisis: Stories

Chapter 1: Finding Cooper

It had been months since Regina, Gail, and Rick escaped Ibis Island, the echoes of the terrifying events still haunting their minds. But now, they were back—drawn by one singular purpose: to find out what happened to Cooper. They couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his disappearance than what the chaos on the island had revealed.

As the helicopter touched down on the rocky shore, the trio exchanged uneasy glances. The dense jungle, once filled with the sounds of roars and gunfire, now stood eerily silent, as though the island itself had been holding its breath since their last visit.

"Cooper might still be alive. We have to find him," Rick said, adjusting the weapon slung over his shoulder. His tone was a mixture of hope and grim determination.

Regina nodded, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of her knife. "We owe it to him to know the truth. We're not leaving here without answers."

The three of them moved cautiously through the thick undergrowth, their boots crunching softly on the dry leaves. The sense of danger never left their minds. Every shadow seemed like a potential threat, every rustle of leaves a prelude to disaster. They had learned the hard way that nothing on this island was ever what it seemed.

After several hours of searching, they reached the area where Cooper had last been seen, near the rocky cliffs overlooking the ravine where the Tyrannosaurus rex had made its devastating attack. The ground was scarred by the beast's massive footprints, deep impressions in the dirt where the struggle had taken place. It was impossible to miss the signs of a violent struggle—blood, broken branches, and torn foliage.

"This is where it all went down," Gail said, his voice low and cautious. He knelt down beside a large patch of dried blood, his face etched with concern. "Do you think he...?"

"I don't know," Regina replied, her eyes scanning the area for any movement. "Cooper's tough, but if that T. rex got him, there might not be much left to find."

Rick gritted his teeth, his mind replaying the nightmarish image of the massive creature lunging toward Cooper. They had barely escaped with their lives, and the thought that their comrade might still be out there, fighting for survival, gnawed at him.

"Wait," Gail said suddenly, pointing toward a cluster of rocks near the cliff's edge. "Is that...?"

They all looked in the direction he was indicating, their hearts racing. There, half-hidden beneath the rocks, was a faint figure—bloodied, but alive.

"Cooper?" Regina called out, her voice breaking through the tension.

The figure stirred, slowly sitting up, eyes wide and unfocused. "Regina... Gail... Rick..." Cooper rasped, his voice weak but unmistakable.

The trio rushed to his side, relief flooding their senses. Despite his injuries—deep gashes and bruises from the T. rex's attack—Cooper was alive. He had survived.

"I thought... I thought I was done for," Cooper muttered, his hand trembling as he gripped Regina's arm. "The T. rex... it... it almost had me. But... I don't know how... I managed to get away."

Rick knelt beside him, examining his wounds. "You're lucky to be alive. That thing tore through everything. How did you survive?"

Cooper winced but managed a weak smile. "I... I ran. Found shelter in the caves down below. It wasn't easy, but I had a few tricks left in me."

Gail helped him to his feet, still in shock but grateful beyond words. "You're a damn miracle, Cooper."

"We need to get you out of here," Regina said, looking around nervously. "The island's not safe. We don't know what else is out there."

Cooper nodded, his expression turning grim. "The island's changing. It's not the same as when we first came. We might've made it through the worst of it, but I don't know how much longer this place will stay quiet."

As the group made their way back to the helicopter, the dark skies above Ibis Island seemed to carry a warning. The island had claimed so much, but now, with Cooper alive and their mission incomplete, they realized that the truth they sought might be even darker than they could imagine.

But one thing was certain: they would never forget what they had survived. And they would never stop searching for answers.