Tooth and Claw

Chapter One

"So what's this new job you've mentioned? I thought you gave tours of the park?" I ask my younger brother, as I walk him to his car after lunch in the aviary lobby.

"Oh, I'm helping out in the Velociraptor arena. They're really intelligent creatures." Connor says casually as if talking about the weather.

The cup of soda I'm holding slips out of my grasp and onto the ground, splashing my boots with the brown sticky substance.

"The velociraptors, Connor? I know you have a death wish but this is next level suicidal! If the velociraptors don't kill you mom and dad will! We're not aloud to work with vicious carnivores, remember?" I say in disbelief, throwing away the now empty cup.

"It's not a big deal. I mostly pull switches to let the velociraptors into different areas during tests." Conner shrugs it off. "And anyway, you work the pteranodons, and they're carnivores, aren't they? Calm down."

"The pteranadons have been trained excellently, and only eat fish, it's different. I have permission from mom and dad, do you?"

"No but I'm nineteen, I'm an adult and I can make decisions for myself." Connor replies, obviously getting annoyed.

"I'm older but I still asked. I would rather be eaten than let them find out on their own." I say. "You're being irrational, Connor."

"No, you're overreacting." Connor mumbles. "Don't you have another show you should be getting ready for?"

"Yes, I do, but this isn't over. I'll call home if I have to." I say before angrily stomping back into the lobby of the aviary.

"What's wrong?" Jax, my friend and fellow pterosaur trainer asks. "Didn't you just get lunch with-"

"Connor's gotten himself a new job." I mutter, still angry as I pull on my Jurassic World employee vest. "My parents are not going to be happy."

"Must be Thursday." Jax chuckles. "What's his new job?"

"He's working with the velociraptors." I reply. "I swear that boy gets a new job every other week, but this is the stupidest one yet. My parents will kill him if they find out."

"I can see why you'd be nervous, but I happen to know a few people in the velociraptor department. They wont let anything happen to him; he's in good hands. They don't even go into the arena, it's completely safe."

I sigh. "Still..."

Jax checks his watch. "It's almost time. I'll introduce the animals if you want to go get them ready."

"Alright." I nod before swinging my supplies pack over my shoulder.

*

"Come on Ari." I say, stroking the large  pteranodon's back.

I look at the other, smaller pteranodons and dimorphodons behind me before cranking the steel gate in front of them open. They shift around, eager to get into the actual aviary. I hold a hand out telling them to stop and they calm down a bit. That's when I hear it.

"Ladies and gentlemen please welcome the animals you have all been waiting to see, the pterosaurs!"

"Go!" I yell. The animals fly past me into the aviary and I follow on Ari, the largest of our pteranodons.

We get into formation in the air, as the smaller animals circle around Ari and I before we land on the ground and take a bow. Then the real show starts.

Universal POV:

"I'm not sure how I feel about this." Ellie says, leaning against her husband's shoulder.

"She's a grown woman. We can't tell her what to do anymore, all we can do is support her." Alan replies soothingly, watching as their daughter prepares to begin the show.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for joining us today!" Elizabeth Grant says pleasantly as she climbs off of the largest bird-like creature. "I'm Elizabeth, and this is Jax. Can we get a round of applause for our amazingly talented animals?"

Applause, whistling, and cheering can be heard in the aviary as the pterosaurs begin to do tricks, some in the air and some on the ground.

"Well done, Sill!" Elizabeth calls to one of the smaller pteranodons. "You deserve a treat for that."

Jax hauls a bucket of fish over to the woman who takes a fish and holds it out to the pteranodon. Suddenly, the small bird like creatures bites her hand. She curses and pulls her hand away, her co worker pulls a small taser from his belt and gives the animal a disciplinary shock. Ellie Grant jumps in her seat and shakes her head, watching her daughter with worry.

Suddenly, just as a swarm of team members with tasers begin to rush towards the pteranodon and a medic runs to Elizabeth, the biggest of the pterosaurs swoops down from the sky and picks up the woman in its mouth and takes off into the air. Ellie screams and Alan has to hold her in her seat.

"Ari! Ari, put me down this isn't a game!" Elizabeth Grant yells, vainly attempting to pry the prehistoric bird's beak open. Suddenly, the pteranodon bites down hard on the helpless girl's body and her ear-piercing screams can be heard throughout the aviary arena. The crowd begins to panic, moving around in the bleachers, terrified and trying to escape, though the security keeps them in their places.

"That's my daughter!" It's Alan that's yelling now, Ellie reduced to sobs and covering her youngest daughter's eyes. "Somebody get her down!"

Still screaming, Elizabeth is tossed into the air falling momentarily, only to have the pteranodon called Ari catch her by the leg and swing her around. Jax, runs around on the ground, screaming for the bird to let his co worker down.

Finally losing interest, the pteranodon drops the girl and she falls to the ground with a sickening crack. Jax rushes over to her and she twitches momentarily before falling still. The crowd is on its feet, screaming in terror as Jax calls for the armed backup and the medic rushes over the Elizabeth.

"I'm suing the park!" Alan Grant yells, attempting in vain to comfort his wife. Suddenly, there's a crackling, static noise and a pleasant female voice can be heard from the speakers.

Elizabeth's POV:

I adjust my head ever so slightly so as not to alert anyone that I'm still breathing, and speak calmly into the mic attached to my shirt. This is my favorite part, or it usually is. I don't like seeing, or rather hearing, my parents this way. Better to get it over with.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming out to see our show, we hope you enjoyed it. It is my pleasure to announce that no trainers or dinosaurs are hurt in the production of the show, though the same can't be said for the fish. Thank you. Jax and I will be in the lobby momentarily, and will be happy to speak with you about the show," I pause, silently laughing at the looks of confusion from the crowd. There are audible gasps as I slowly get to my feet, and I take a moment to wipe the fake blood off of my face. "But of course, I'll have to get changed first, and hope that my parents don't actually kill me for not warning them."

There's a ripple of laughter, followed by a deafening round of applause as Jax and I take a bow before returning to our changing rooms.