Tyrannosaur Paddock: DWC entry.

Lightning struck nearby, as light rain trickled down. I shook the water from my hood, as I creaked open the blue gate featuring the iconic Skeletal Tyrannosaurus that made our logo. It slowly opened and I walked into the empty park. It was 2 in the morning and I was tired. But as is the job of a Head Carnivore Keeper, I had to constantly do everything in my power to take care of the animals. My name is Ethan, but my nickname is Primal King, or PK, because of my specialty, Tyrannosaurs. The same animal I was heading to right now.

“Damn it.” I said

Apparently the Tyrannosaur had been displaying very bizarre behavior. Extreme levels of aggression, even for a T. rex. Also, it was eating its prey in a bizarre way. Biting down very slowly, torturing whatever poor animal was the dinosaur’s victim. Then slamming its jaws shut and smearing the remains on trees and throwing it on the glass. Then to finish it all off, it has been documented that it would then whip what’s left of what remained around snapping all the bones into an unrecognizable string of ivory, then letting it fall from its jaws, and raking its huge claws across the carcass. I got chills just thinking of the horrifying unidentifiable sludge of dirt, blood, cartilage, and viscera left behind. It was sending a message. Something just wasn’t right in it’s behavior. And I suspected what it was. It wanted to slaughter every last person on the island. It. hated. US. It wanted to hunt...... people.



I shivered at the thought of the carnage the dinosaur left in its wake.

“Damn it.” I said again.

Horrifying. Soon, I met up with one of the Tyrannosaur Keepers, Liam, who was waiting for me at the front gate. Even though he knew the most out of any other Tyrannosaur Keeper, he still didn’t have quite the experience or knowledge as me. He simply didn’t have as much time with Rexes under his belt as I did. But, he was a great guy and a hard worker.

“Hey boss! Ready to prep the treats for the Rex, see if we can’t cheer him up a bit?” Liam said cheerfully.

“Haha, Yeah. Let’s do it. I appreciate your help in this, Liam.” I said.

“Anytime, boss, Anytime!” He chirped.

“Well, then, let’s get a move on.” I responded a bit sullenly.

We made our way down the trail, leading to the Tyrannosaurus’ paddock. We figured if we tossed in a life-size paper maché Triceratops filled with cattle meat, it might allow him to release some aggression and (hopefully) stop the strange behavior that haunted me at night. Thunder rolled in the distance as lightning silhouetted our figures.... and reflected light off of the plexiglass that made up the T. rex paddock.

We got to the outside of the enclosure and went to the utilities shed. Inside, lay the completed paper maché Triceratops. A half hour later, we were done stuffing it with cow meat. Me and Liam wrapped a harness around the 30 ft sculpture and I climbed up the service ladder to get to the top of the fence. I guided the Trike over the wall as Liam winched it up with a small crane attached to the top of the fence.  Then, the Dino Decoy’s giant foot got stuck on a metal plate that held the emergency lights. I tried shoving the paper animal, to no avail.

“Liam! Come help me get the Trike unstuck!” I yelled.

“Coming!” He shouted back.

He ran over to me and said “Shove on three. One. Two. THREE!” Then, we both slammed into the giant paper meat-bag. We pushed for a little while, then it suddenly came free and swung around and hit into us, sending both of us toppling 20 feet into the Tyrannosaurus enclosure...

I got up and shook myself off. I was fine, I had gotten caught in some branches that had broken my fall. After shaking off the initial fall, I realized that Liam was nowhere to be seen.

“LIAM?! LIAM?!” I shouted. “WHERE ARE YOU?! HELLO?!

“Over here, PK!” Liam suddenly yelled back.

I crashed through some bushes and found him lying down on the ground.

“Thank god.” We said in sync.

Then, I said “You ok?

“Yeah, I’m fine. Tough fall though.” He responded, brushing himself off and getting up.

“Well, we need to get out ASAP. The only maintenance exit is a half a mile east. And we’re trapped here, with the most powerful predator the world has ever seen. If we’re going to escape an animal more dangerous than a PACK of Velociraptors, we need to move fast.”

“Yeah, I know. Let’s get go-” He was suddenly cut off as his legs were swept from under him, when a huge dark shadow went flying past.  He then looked up in surprise, and gasped. He didn’t even have time to scream as huge sets of fangs suddenly appeared, biting down on his lower half, and he was whipped into the undergrowth, clawing the ground trying to escape. Then.... he was gone.

“LIAM!!! NO!!!!!!” I screamed as suddenly lightning reflected off of two glowing green eyes, and railroad-spike teeth. The features of a predator. The features of a T. rex....

Then, lightning struck again, and the animal was gone. One minute it was there, then the next, gone. And I was alone. However, soon I was running. Running fast. Into the jungle, towards the maintenance exit. Black silhouettes of warped trees and dangling vines whipping past me, as I ran as fast, hard, and long as I could. But soon, I was out of breath and couldn’t run anymore. I breathed in and out and tried to keep my bearings.  I looked around and saw long, curved teeth... No, just fern leaves. Then, glowing vicious eyes. They scampered away, just a possum. I’m losing my mind. The Rex is toying with me. But I have to keep walking.

I’m nearing the final stretch, I can feel it. I just know it. Just take one step at a time and try to walk. Left, right, left, right, left... BOOM, right. Wait. What was that? Left, right BOOM, Left, right, left right, BOOM. I’m starting to run. Something’s not right. Just run. left-right-left-right-left-right. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM. The ground is vibrating, trembling... with each rhythmic boom. Footsteps. The Tyrannosaurus rex is stalking me.

I see spots. It’s following me. It could be anywhere. It knows where I am. Trees move. Bushes rustle. What the hell is happening?! Where’s Liam?! He’s dead. You are being hunted. Oh, god. Please, NO! It could be anywhere! It is anywhere. Just run!!! left-right-left-right. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM. Jesus, oh god. Please. Just make it stop! Where is it?! Wait, I see something. The maintenance exit! It’s right ahead. Pick up the pace. Run! Goddamn-it! Oh, god, where is it?! BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM! Suddenly I’m thrown against the concrete frame of the door. And, the Beast Reveals itself. The 20 foot tall, 50 foot long, 10 ton Bull Tyrannosaurus rex emerges, 21 tons of Bone to steel-crushing force held back inside jaws big enough to swallow a man whole, with teeth over a foot long. Then, it lifts its massive head up on the thick muscular neck, opens the most powerful jaws the world has ever seen, and the up-to-now silent animal roars. It’s head tilted to the sky, lightning illuminating the silhouette of the massive beast, making the gigantic teeth glow white, and the fierce eyes reflect green. The roar is deep and powerful, a scream from another world. A haunting terrifying sound, that shakes me to my core and makes my bones tremble in their sockets. My heart races as the most horrifying sound I’ve ever heard emanates from the most terrifying animal I have ever encountered. Then, it faces me.

It looks down on me from 20 ft in the air, 10 tons of horrifying muscle coming towards me, 50 ft of length sprawled out into the wilderness, and 21 tons of force ready to crush me as easily as a toothpick. It rears up and I feel everything go black, my body can’t handle the stress anymore, and the last thing I see is the huge jaws and gigantic teeth opening and rushing straight for my body....





...Hi there! This is my first day on the job. I’m the new Head Carnivore Keeper, Jacob! the old carnivore Keeper, Ethan sadly passed away. No one in corporate will tell us how, but it still is sad. However, silver linings, I guess! Right now, I’m heading to the Tyrannosaur Paddock at 3 in the morning alone to give the beastie some enrichment. The big guy’s been acting up, I guess. Displaying some seriously bizarre behavior. So, I’m here to help! I’m at the Tyrannosaur Paddock, now, actually! On top of the fence, looking down at the King’s Territory. T. rex’s are so powerful, they’ve always been my favorite. I wonder where the Rex himself is right no- BOOM. BOOM. What. The hell. Was that?!

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

What do you guys think?