They had gone more than halfway when Alan suddenly froze, bringing up his hand in a wordless demand for complete silence.
Unprepared for the sudden stop, Ellie bumped into him from behind, but, recognizing the seriousness of his expression, she instantly complied with his urgent command. She swallowed hard, eyes wide, wondering what he had seen or heard that had alerted him to danger. Unconsciously, her hand sought his arm for comfort as her large eyes scanned the forest around them.
Alan turned slowly in a half-circle, listening carefully, his eyes searching the underbrush, seeking the source of the danger. Every muscle was tense, ready to react. Slowly, he withdrew the shock prod from its loop on his belt, preparing to defend himself and the woman from the unidentified creature that he knew was nearby.
Ellie saw nothing out of the ordinary, but quickly became acutely aware of the total, unnatural silence that had settled over the jungle, the danger signal that Alan had warned her about. Even the breeze seemed to have dissipated in breathless anticipation of an impending attack, leaving the leaves and fronds limp in the humid air.
In the treetops, a parrot abruptly took flight, startling both humans with its alarmed squawking and the flurried beating of its wings. They looked up, watching as the large, colorful bird moved to a safer roosting place.
Abruptly, Alan whirled around, pinpointing the direction from which the danger was approaching. During his stay on the island, is senses had grown much sharper than hers, but as she listened carefully, Ellie thought she could hear a low snorting sound approaching through the brush, a sound that made the hair stand up on the back of her neck.
�What is it?� she whispered.
"Raptors," Alan whispered back, returning his attention to the danger that lay somewhere out of view. He could not see them, but he knew they were there, and he hoped that they had not yet detected the presence of the two humans. That would buy them a few extra moments.
Ellie felt her pulse quicken with dread, remembering her previous encounters with the animals that were arguably the most dangerous predators ever to walk the face of the earth. She did not ask how Alan knew the creatures he could not yet see were actually raptors. His experiences on the island and with the dinosaurs were greater than her own, and she accepted his words as fact. Her breathing quickened to ragged gasps of panic, knowing that they had no chance of outrunning the fleet-footed creatures.
Alan could feel the terror that was building inside the woman who desperately clutched his arm, and knew that she was looking to him to protect her, a fact that made him uncomfortable. For the last seven months, it had taken every ounce of his concentration to defend himself from the many predators on the island. Now, it was up to him to protect her as well. Already, he could hear the rustling of foliage as the predatory animal moved through it. They would have to act quickly.
His eyes quickly took in the area around them, seeking a place of refuge. Finally, he took her hand and moved off the trail into the density of the jungle, moving away from the sound of the advancing predator.
Ellie submitted willingly to the pull on her hand, and followed him trustingly through the foliage. Large green fronds slapped at her face, and she pushed them away with her free hand, refusing to surrender her hold on Alan with her other hand.
Alan did not move far from their original course. Locating a large tree with strong limbs, he moved toward it, indicating that she should climb. She hesitated only briefly as she gazed up into the heights of the tree. As a child, there was not a tree on the block that she had been unable to climb, but there had been many changes since then, and she hoped she had the strength to carry herself to a safe height. She took hold of the lowest branch, and pulled herself upward, but her arms lacked sufficient muscle to pull herself high enough to scale the branch. She attempted to swing her leg up to the branch to provide leverage. Her shoe scraped the bark, but she could not get it over the limb.
Alan watched uneasily as Ellie struggled to climb the tree, knowing that the raptors would enter the path at any moment. The rustling of the fronds was growing nearer, and he could hear the thuds as their clawed feet struck the earth. They hadn�t a moment to lose. Deciding that this was no time for delicacies, he placed his hands on her denim-clad buttocks and pushed her upward, getting her high enough that she could swing her leg over the thick branch and pull herself onto it.
Safely off the ground, she collapsed briefly on the strong branch to catch her breath, but she did not linger long. Knowing that Alan was in mortal danger as long as he was on the ground, she pulled herself into standing position, and climbed to the next limb.
When she was well on her way, Alan returned the shock prod to the loop on his belt and jumped up, seizing a higher branch, then pulled himself up, throwing his legs over the lower branch that Ellie had used. Safely off the ground, he rose up and reached for the next branch, following her progress up the huge tree.
Once off the ground, the going was easier. Plenty of branches provided handholds and solid foot placement as they climbed from limb to limb, pulling themselves higher and higher into the tree, and hopefully out of reach of danger.
When Ellie attained a height of about twenty feet, she stopped to wait for Alan.
He was right behind her, and when he reached her branch, he sat down with his back against the trunk, urging her to sit as well.
She moved closer to him, sinking down to the thick branch that supported them.
From their perch, they could easily see the ground below them. For the moment, the area around the base of their tree remained empty.
"They haven�t spotted us," he whispered against her hair as he placed an arm around her waist to hold her steady. "Keep as still as possible; don�t give them any reason to look up."
She nodded her compliance, too frightened to speak.
They did not have long to wait.
Within moments, the first velociraptor emerged from the foliage opposite their avenue of escape, and stopped. Familiar with the species, Alan instantly recognized by its small stature that it was young, but he knew that it was still lethal. Its eyes were placed on the sides of its head, like a bird, and it tilted its head from side, observing its surroundings.
Alan felt Ellie�s body shudder at the sight of the creature. On Isla Nublar, they had been terrorized by a pack of angry raptors, and had barely escaped with their lives. This was her first encounter with them since that terrifying day nine years ago.
Below them, the raptor continued to look about, as if searching for something. Alan knew it had detected their scent, and that it was both puzzled and alarmed because it could not locate them.
Lowering its head to the ground, it sampled the scent they had left behind, then snorted to clear its nostrils. While their ability to detect scent was more powerful than mankind, Alan�s observation of them had revealed that their power of smell was not as advanced as that of canines. It would not be able to track him and Ellie to the tree in which they now sat, but it was definitely aware that a different species had crossed its path. Nervously, it clicked its teeth, a threatening gesture, as it continued to gaze about, searching for the source of the unfamiliar scent.
"It�s a juvenile male," he whispered softly in her ear, using her scientific curiosity to sooth her fear. "See that crest on its head?"
She nodded, observing the crest that stood up on its head like points of twisted hair, a feature that reminded her of Alfalfa of the Little Rascals; only the raptor had many cowlicks to Alfalfa�s one.
"The females have smooth heads," Alan continued, still whispering against her ear. "The pack is led by a dominant pair."
In response to his calm voice, Ellie�s pulse began to steady, and she observed the creatures with the mind of a scientist. The differences Alan had mentioned became apparent in the subtle variations in the shape of its head from the raptors they had encountered at Jurassic Park, and its body seemed more streamlined. Its legs were powerful, its claws long and sharp. Closer observation revealed that its flanks were badly scarred, apparently from a fight. Curiously, she wondered what animal would dare tangle with a raptor.
Below them, the raptor had tired of its inability to locate the humans, apparently deciding that they had passed earlier. Lifting its head, it barked a communication to its pack, and two more raptors emerged from the foliage. Like the first one, these two were also young males.
"The renegades," Alan whispered.
Ellie turned her head slightly to look at him, quizzically, but a slight shake of his head kept her silent. He would explain later.
The two newcomers also detected the humans� scent, and looked about, as their apparent leader had done. The first raptor uttered a sound like a growl, and moved into the jungle. The others followed.
Alan tensed slightly as they passed the base of the tree, but they trotted past it and moved out of sight, unaware of the humans who watched from above.
He waited several more moments before speaking, giving them time to depart the area, and when he finally spoke, he kept his voice low. "These three are the equivalent of rebellious teenagers in our own society. They�ve been cast out of the regular band. The one with the scars is the leader. He�s the biggest and the meanest of the renegades, and he had to fight to attain that status.�
"That explains the scars," she said.
"Yes. They�re constantly trying to steal young females from the main pack so that they can form their own pack.�
"What would happen if they came across the main pack?"
"They would be driven off, unless they demonstrated signs of submission."
They could not see the sky from where they sat, but the shade beneath the forest canopy was growing darker, even though it was not quite noon, confirming Alan�s prediction of an impending storm. It would be at least another hour before they reached the compound. Still, Alan made no move to descend from the tree.
She gazed at him, anxiously, wondering what he was waiting for. "They�re gone now," she said in a normal tone. "Shouldn�t we be going?"
"Not yet," he replied quietly with a sharp glance. "And keep your voice down."
She realized with a jolt that the danger of detection was not yet over, but she did not know how he was aware of this. She understood at that moment that she had a lot to learn if she was going to survive on the island without becoming a hazard to her safety and his.
They waited for several more minutes, before two more raptors finally emerged from the trees below them. The differences between these creatures and the three juveniles were distinct, their size and body structure indicating that these two raptors were adult males of some authority in the pride.
The raptors paused to look around, their nervous posture and behavior suggesting that they were searching for the three juveniles. Rising high on its hind legs, one of them barked a loud challenge that echoed throughout the forest, and caused Ellie�s ears to throb painfully. She resisted the urge to cover her ears, fearful that the movement would alert the creature of their presence.
The raptors cocked their heads, listening for a response to the challenge. Alan and Ellie, with their inferior human ears, were unable to detect a response, but the two adult raptors must have heard something, for they darted off into the forest, following the path chosen by the juveniles.
When they had disappeared into the brush, Alan said, quietly, "They know the renegades have come into the pride�s territory. When they find them, they will be driven away if they do not submit immediately to the authority of the adults. The coming storm has made them even more nervous, so we�ll need to be extra careful. I�m hoping the rest of the pride will seek shelter, and leave us alone."
His eyes searched the ground below them for several more moments, but detected nothing threatening. The normal sounds of the forest were returning, signaling that the danger had passed.
Alan nodded. "Okay. Let�s go."
Slowly, they descended from the tree, stepping carefully from one limb to another, until they were able to jump the remaining few feet to the ground. The act of coming out of the tree left Ellie winded, and when they were back on solid ground again, she leaned over and placed her hands on her knees, breathing heavily from the exertion.
Alan was concerned. "Do you need to rest?" he asked, removing the shock prod from its loop and readying it for use in their defense.
She shook her again, looking nervously about, indicating that she was eager to be away from that particular spot. "I�ll be fine. Let�s go."
They resumed their hike toward the compound. Alan kept his rapt attention trained on the surrounding foliage, and Ellie kept her attention on him, watching for signs in his posture or in his expression that indicated that their safety was deteriorating. For security, she reached out and seized a handful of the back of his shirt, hanging on to it as if it was a lifeline. He carried the shock prod at the ready, and although his face and posture were tense, he gave no indication of alarm.
The forest continued to grow darker as the storm advanced on the island, blocking out the sunlight and creating the illusion that night was falling. Birds returned to the trees to roost, seeking shelter from the impending storm.
Humidity was high, drenching the two humans with perspiration, and the mild breeze that had blown throughout the day ceased completely. Tree limbs and fronds hung limp in the sultry air. Their damp hair clung to their sweaty faces, and perspiration trickled into their eyes and down their backs. Frequently, Alan removed his hat to wipe his forehead with his sleeve, and Ellie�s breath came in ragged gasps, but they did not stop to rest.
They passed only one dinosaur as they neared the compound, a young Ankylosaurus, possibly one of the specimens they had passed earlier. It lumbered through the undergrowth, nibbling on the leaves and fronds, obviously unconcerned with the threatening weather. They gave it a wide berth, circling around it through the brush, then returned to their original course.
Finally, they crested the rise overlooking the compound, and paused briefly to catch their breath. In the open once again, they were able to see the angry black clouds that tumbled across the sky, driven by high winds aloft. Thunder rumbled ominously, and lightning zigzagged toward the ground, illuminating the sinister clouds with brief flashes of light
. Alan took her hand. "Come on. I think we can beat it."
They picked up their pace, sprinting down the slope toward the dormitory.
A strong gust of wind came up abruptly, striking them from behind with such driving force that Alan had to grab his hat to keep it from blowing away. The first few drops of rain, driven by the fierce wind, spotted the backs of their shirts, striking them so forcefully that it felt like hail.
They reached the barred door on the run, slamming their bodies against it to break the momentum of their frantic dash across the compound yard. Alan fished the key from his pocket, and quickly unlocked it, and they blew inside with a wind gust. Alan pulled the bars shut behind him and locked it, then closed the heavy metal storm door, and they leaned against it, gasping for breath.
"We made it," Ellie panted, a feeble attempt at humor as they stood in the foyer, wind-blown and exhausted.
"Yeah, we made it," Alan agreed. Pushing away from the door, he tossed his hat on the rack. He allowed the backpack to fall to the floor, and left it there. "Barely."
At that moment, the sky opened up and the rain poured, spurring Alan into action again.
"Help me close these windows, or everything will be drenched," he said as he rushed up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
Working together, one on each floor, they made the rounds of the entire building, pulling closed the windows and the heavy shudders built to withstand hurricane force winds. The strong, solid building trembled beneath the impact of the wind and rain, as if the storm was trying to blow over the structure.
Ellie was reminded of the three little pigs story, one of the stories that little Charlie had enjoyed at bedtime. She had read the story to him with animated voices for each character: I�ll huff, and I�ll puff, and I�ll blow your house down!
A wave of grief and emotion swelled inside her, threatening to break free, but she fought to control it. No! I will not break down! Not in front of Alan!
Upon returning to the main floor, Alan immediately noticed her pale complexion and the sickened expression on her face as she struggled to recover from the long walk followed by the sprint to the building. He stepped forward to offer assistance. "Ellie, are you ill?"
"I think I over-exerted myself," she said, still gasping breathlessly for air. Her voice trembled slightly. "I just need to lie down for awhile."
He placed an arm around her waist, allowing her to lean on him as he guided her to the sofa in the living room. "I shouldn�t have taken you that far from the compound,� he said. �That was very foolish of me to assume that you could hold up for that distance.�
�It wasn�t the distance, Alan, it was the pace,� she said in her defense as she sank down on the soft overstuffed cushion. �I haven�t run like that in a long time.�
�It wasn�t just the pace, and you know it. You aren�t ready for this environment.� He shook his head, regretfully. �Coming here was a mistake, Ellie. You should have known better."
"Don�t scold me, Alan," she pleaded, her pent-up tears threatening again to burst forth under his criticism. "I�m really not up to it, right now."
He stood looking down at her with concern on his face. He knew she was fighting her tears. �Maybe you should just let it out, Ellie.�
�I said I�m all right!� she snapped.
Alan�s expression was stern. "I�m going to call the mainland and have Miguel come out to get you when the storm clears," he told her. �You have no business being here!�
"I won�t go," she told him, defiantly.
His voice rose in frustration. "Damn it, Ellie, this is madness! You are in no condition for this! You�re near the point of collapse."
"I need to be here."
"You need rest and relaxation. You should have taken a vacation to Florida or Las Vegas, or something. This island is not what you need."
"Now you sound like my mother."
"Did you ever consider that maybe your mother is right?"
Abruptly, she rolled over onto her side, turning her back to him, a vivid indication that in her mind, at least, the conversation was over.
Alan stared at her a moment longer, then strode from the room.
Ellie listened to his footsteps retreating down the corridor, knowing that he was probably going to telephone Miguel. Then she could hear nothing but the wailing of the wind, the startling crashes of thunder, and the rain pounding the building.
Go to Chapter 11