Jurassic Park Page #4

VOLUNTEER:

It looks a little distorted, but I don't think that's

the computer.

ELLIE:

(shakes her head)

Postmortem contraction of the posterior neck ligaments.

(to Grant)

Velociraptor?

GRANT:

Yes. Good shape, too. Five, six feet high. I'm

guessing nine feet long. Look at the - -

He points to part of the skeleton, but when his finger touches

the screen the computer BEEPS at him and the image changes. He pulls

his hand back, as if it shocked him.

VOLUNTEER:

What's you do?

ELLIE:

He touched it. Dr. Grant is not machine compatible.

GRANT:

They've got it in for me.

The Volunteer LAUGHS and touches a different part of the screen,

which brings the original image back. Grant continues, but doesn't get

as close.

GRANT:

Look at the half-moon shaped bone in the wrist. No

wonder these guys learned to fly.

The group laughs. Grant is surprised.

GRANT (cont'd)

Now, seriously. Show of the hands. How many of you

have read my book?

Everyone stops laughing and looks away. Ellie raises her hand

supportively. So does the Volunteer, Grant sighs.

GRANT (cont'd)

Great. Well maybe dinosaurs have more in common with

present-day birds than reptiles. Look at the public

bone - - it's turned backwards, just like a bird. The

vertebrae - - full of hollows and air sacs, just like a

bird. Even the word raptor means "bird of prey".

The kid steps forward and looks at the computer skeleton

critically.

KID:

That doesn't look very scary. More like a six-foot

turkey.

Everyone sort of draws in their breath and steps aside,

revealing the KID, standing alone. Grant turns to the Kid, lowers his

sunglasses, and stares at him like he just came from another planet.

Grant strolls over to the KID , puts his arms around his

shoulders in a friendly way.

GRANT:

Try to imagine yourself in the Jurassic Period.

(or)

Try to imagine yourself in the Cretaceous Period.

Ellie rolls her eyes.

ELLIE:

(under her breath)

Here we go.

GRANT (cont'd)

You'd get your first look at the six-foot turkey as you

move into a clearing. But raptor, he knew you were

there a long time ago. He moves like a bird; lightly,

bobbing his head, And you keep still, because you think

maybe his visual acuity's based on movement, like a T-

rex, and he'll lose you if you don't move. But no. Not

VELOCIRAPTOR. You stare at him, and he just stares

back. That's when the attack comes - - not from the

front, no, from the side, from the other two raptors you

didn't even know were there.

Grant walks around the Kid.

GRANT (cont'd)

Velociraptor's a pack hunter, you see, he uses

coordinated attack patterns, and he's out in force

today. And he slashes at you with this - -

He takes the claw from his pocket and holds it at the front of

the raptor's three-toed foot.

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