21st century is the age of science. We google many things including dinosaurs. Although we find pages and pages of information about dinosaurs on the internet, we don’t imagine finding them in the zoo or circus or being petted by people. This is the normal 21st century.
But in this world of scientific experiments, anything can go wrong anytime and things that were once normal can turn abnormal within minutes.
Let me tell you about one such day when something bizarre happened and the 21st century adopted ‘a new normal.’
11:00 am
It was a bright summer day and many people were swimming and surfing in the warm waters of south California. The beach was full of people and a happy buzz seemed to be spread on the wet sandy coastline. The golden crunchy sand-grains were glistening and gleaming and the clear water reflected the sun’s rays.
Suzanne was riding the waves with vicious ferocity giving tough competition to Jeremiah and Keith. In a distance she could see Anita having fun with Sherry and Gloria on the beach. As Suzanne entered the quietly raging waters, she looked back to see that Jeremiah was only a few meters behind her and Keith was also not very far behind.
“I must speed up,” thought Suzanne but as she looked ahead, she was stupefied!
A huge rock-like structure seemed to have appeared in the ocean from nowhere. It blocked the sun’s rays and seemed to be getting bigger and rougher with the waves crashing against it.
“In the most gruesome act of sabotage, Isla Nublar ( Jurassic Park) limits have been thrown open and a few dinosaurs, who could swim, have escaped the island”
This news that had been shared over international channels last month had come like a thunderclap on humanity!
Suzanne’s father had explained, “This dinosaur park, approximately 120 miles west of the coast of Costa Rica had been taken over by some rebellious scientific firms who had created dinosaurs. Jurassic Park had electrocuted limits. The dinosaurs were supposed to remain inside those limits while people could move around freely and enjoy nature. They had created all single sex dinosaurs to prevent them from breeding but nature has its own way. The dinosaurs had evolved and reproduced and there is no way to stop them now. They will be coming soon!”
Suzanne recalled her father’s statement- ‘They will be coming soon.’
As she looked ahead, she saw the mammoth creature rise from the waters. It seemed that mankind’s worst fears were about to come true.
Jeremiah was almost neck to neck with Suzanne and she pointed out towards the anomaly that lay ahead. Within a split second Jeremiah caught Suzanne’s arm and surfed back like crazy, catching Keith on the way back with his other hand.
By the time they reached the beach, panic had already set it and people were rushing back to the city.
12:00 noon
The whole world had been preparing for this day. Many scientists were huddled up together in the United Nation’s Science lab, ready to launch the protective gear that would shield the whole world in a capsule which would be invincible.
“Two dinosaurs spotted near the Japanese waters while one T-Rex could be seen in the Antarctic ocean.”
“More dinosaurs on Isla Nublar seem to have learned to swim. Seven of them were spotted taking the plunge and swimming successfully.”
“The younger dinosaurs seem to be afraid of water and they are not ready to get out of Isla Nublar. But, the more mature ones are breaking fresh ground.”
As the ‘dino news’ started pouring in from around the world, the scientists had already started raising the protective shield from the edges of all the continents.
Suzanne sat in her apartment overlooking the beach. She wondered if the fate of mankind would now be exchanged with that of the dinosaurs.
By 1:00 pm the world had been reduced to a transparent ball. Everything seemed the same, yet it was so different.
Images on the internet showed the world encapsulated in a massive dome which they said would breathe and capture oxygen from the outer atmosphere.
On the beach she could see two dinosaurs relaxing on the crunchy sand.
In a bid to tame the nature, mankind itself had been tamed and this would be ‘the new normal’ till mankind thought of another bizarre idea to experiment.
Writer : Vinny Singh
Grade : 10 (Year 2023)
Place : Calgary, Canada
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