by Eric Braun
Of course, he’s right. It’s so absurd that laughing is almost all you can do.
“OK,” you say, calming yourself. “Let’s think. We’ll need food.”
“And shelter,” Eduardo suggests.
“I’m thirsty,” Jasmine says. “We’re going to need water before anything else.”
To search for shelter, press here.
To look for food and water, press here.
“We need to find somewhere safe,” you decide. “Let’s look for shelter.”
Ahead, the land rises into rolling hills. Eduardo suggests that maybe you can find a cave or a narrow canyon in that direction. Getting there won't be easy, though. The forest is dense. You scramble through thick brush and trees for what seems like an hour. When you finally find a large clearing, it’s filled with the most amazing creatures you’ve ever seen. You hang back in the trees, staring.
“Brachiosaurus!” Eduardo says. “Look at them! They make an elephant look tiny.”
The huge beasts lumber through the clearing, munching on trees. They’re fantastic. And luckily, they don’t pay you any attention. The only bad thing about them is the smell. It reminds you of a cattle barn.
“This isn’t a safari,” Jasmine says. “We can’t just stop and take in the sights. Let’s give them plenty of room and keep going.”
“Are you kidding?” Eduardo says. “We’re the only humans to have ever seen these animals in real life! We have to get a closer look. And take some pictures!”
To keep going and move around the Brachiosauruses, press here.
To get a closer look at the Brachiosauruses, press here.
Jasmine is right. All that running has left you feeling thirsty, and your stomach is already beginning to rumble.
“We can’t do anything if we’re dying of thirst and hunger,” you decide. “This is a forest. It should be loaded with things we can eat.”
The three of you move across the forest floor, scanning for food.
“Where are all the flowers?” Jasmine asks. “Shouldn’t they be blooming everywhere?”
“There were no flowers in the Jurassic,” Eduardo says. “They hadn’t evolved yet.”
“I guess that means no gigantic bees to worry about then,” Jasmine says. “That’s good news.”
“But no flowers means no fruit,” you point out. “That makes our food search more difficult.”
“Look at that,” Jasmine says, pointing to the ground. “Animal tracks!”
Sure enough, a set of small tracks leads toward a stand of pine trees. If there’s no fruit, maybe you can find some meat to eat.
“Hold on,” Eduardo says. “I hear the sound of running water. There could be a stream.”
To follow the animal tracks, press here.
To look for the source of the running water, press here.
“Maybe it’s something we can eat,” you say, looking at the tracks.
Reluctantly, Eduardo agrees to follow the tracks with you and Jasmine. You follow them along a muddy stretch of forest floor, right up to a small tree.
“Look,” Jasmine says, pointing at a branch.
There, munching on a seed, sits a furry little… something. It’s about the size of a squirrel, but longer and leaner. It looks at you with brown eyes, curious, but not afraid. It’s a mammal.
Jasmine reaches for a large rock. She raises the rock over her head as she slowly approaches the small animal.
“Here goes nothing,” she says. “Sorry little fella’, but we need food.”
To tell Jasmine to stop, press here.
To continue the hunt, press here.
“A stream? That means water!” you say.
The three of you tromp through the forest to a small stream. The water rushes toward a larger river beyond. On the far bank, you see several large Ceratosauruses, but they don’t notice you.
“Eduardo, were there fish in the Jurassic Period?” you ask.
“Of course,” he says. “Fish evolved long before land creatures. This river might be full of them.”
You smile. “Well then, I think we’ve just found our source of both food and water.”
“We should make camp here,” Jasmine says.
Eduardo nods. “Maybe. It would keep us close to food and water. Of course, other animals would want to stay close too. That could be a problem.”
To suggest a different spot to make camp, press here.
To set up a camp near the river, press here.
“Jasmine, don’t do it!” you cry.
At the sound of your voice, the little mammal scurries away up the tree.
“What was that?” Jasmine asks with a scowl.
“Think about it,” you say. “We’re mammals. What if that was an ancient ancestor?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Jasmine snaps at you, tossing the rock aside. “Now we’re all going to go hungry.”
“I don’t think so,” Eduardo interrupts. He’s munching on a handful of seeds. “Look, these are what that little animal was eating. They’re not bad!”
He’s right. The seeds aren’t bad, and they’re everywhere. The three of you eat your fill, feeling stronger by the moment.
Then you hear a rustling sound from behind you. Slowly, you turn around. A dinosaur emerges into the clearing, about a football field’s distance from where you stand. The animal is as long as a pickup truck and walks on two legs. Its razor-sharp teeth gleam in the sunlight that trickles through to the forest floor.
“Ceratosaurus,” Eduardo whispers. “Predator.”
The dinosaur hasn’t seen you yet. It’s sniffing at the air, possibly confused by your unfamiliar scent. You suddenly feel like the small mammal Jasmine was about to kill.
To remain still and silent, press here.
To run, press here.
“Don’t move,” you whisper.
You watch the huge beast out of the corner of your eye. The dinosaur takes a few steps in your direction. Its head moves slowly back and forth as it sniffs the air. Your heart races.
It’s going to see us! you think. Your hands are shaking. Your knees are about to buckle. You’re doomed!
Just when you can’t take it anymore, something rushes out of the brush. It’s a small reptile. The Ceratosaurus springs into action, chasing the reptile into the forest.
“Phew!” Jasmine gasps. All three of you collapse to the forest floor.
“We’re never going to be safe here, are we?” Eduardo asks.
Press here.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” you argue, pointing at the Ceratosaurus on the far bank. “All kinds of animals use this river as a source of food and water. If we stay here, we’ll just be another item on the menu for predators.”
“Hmm, good point,” Eduardo says. “Let’s collect some water and look somewhere else for a place to camp.”
Luckily, Jasmine has a large, stainless-steel water bottle. You’ll need to boil the water to make it safe to drink, but it’s a perfect opportunity to fill it. You could fill it in this small trickle of water and stay hidden, or you could risk going to the river to fill it faster.
To fill it from the small stream, press here.
To go to the bank of the large river to fill it, press here.
“Let’s stay away from the main river for now,” you suggest. “There’s no way of knowing what might be lurking there.”
Jasmine slowly fills the bottle in the small stream, and you make your way deeper into the forest. As you move along the forest floor, you can’t help but feel like it’s only a matter of time before some Jurassic beast spots you and decides to see how you taste. Meanwhile, Jasmine collects cones from the forest’s dense pine trees.
“Pine nuts,” she says. “We can eat these!”
The nuts don’t tast
e very good, and they’re a lot of work to get, but at least it’s something. It gives you confidence you’ll find more things to eat as you explore. You move along a rocky ridge. In the distance, you spot several openings.
“Look, caves,” you say. “They’re perfect!”
“Umm, there’s a small problem,” Jasmine interrupts. “Actually a huge problem!”
Between you and the caves stands the biggest dinosaur you’ve seen yet. It has a body the size of a bulldozer, a broad tail, and a long neck. Instinctively, you start to back up.
“Wait,” Eduardo says. “It’s eating plants. I think it’s some sort of sauropod. If we give it some space, it’s not going to care about us.”
You look back at the beast. If Eduardo is wrong, you’ll all be dinosaur food.
To move around the sauropod to the cave, press here.
To turn around, press here.
It will be dark soon, and you don’t want to be trapped out here when the sun sets.
“OK, slowly then,” you say.
The three of you carefully sneak across the clearing. The sauropod munches away on a tree, paying no attention to you at all. The three of you rush into the cave, falling to the floor with relief.
It’s a small cave, but the narrow opening will protect you from larger predators. There are signs that some other animal once made its home here, but luckily the cave appears to be abandoned now. You have the uneasy feeling that this little cave might be home now.
Press here.
As much as you would love to watch the giant beasts, you need to find shelter before sundown. You give the enormous dinosaurs plenty of room as you move around them. Once you reach the tree-covered hills, you find exactly what you’re looking for—some small caves.
“They’re perfect,” Jasmine says. “No predators are going to get us here.”
You’re exhausted. You collapse in one of the caves and fall asleep. When you wake, you’re sure it was all a dream. But no. You’re still here, lying in a dusty cave, 150 million years in the past.
Press here.
To remain still and silent.
To move around the sauropod to the cave.
To keep going and move around the Brachiosauruses.
Every day is a struggle for survival. Over time, you and your friends find sources of food and water. A small cave provides the perfect shelter from the Ceratosaurus, Torvosaurus, and other predators that roam the forest floor. You learn the patterns and movements of the dinosaurs and other Jurassic creatures. Slowly, you build a life in this strange time.
Years pass. As you grow into adulthood, you become restless. You dream of exploring more of the world. But the thought of leaving the only other human beings on the planet is terrifying.
You suggest striking out and leaving the forest. But Eduardo and Jasmine are determined to remain here, where they know they’re somewhat safe.
To leave Eduardo and Jasmine to see the world, press here.
To remain safely in the hills, press here.
You hold your breath as Jasmine slams the rock with pinpoint accuracy. The animal never even tries to get away. But the moment it falls to the ground, you feel queasy. Your head spins. Beside you, Eduardo collapses to the ground. You and Jasmine both fall to your knees, grasping at your heads.
As you watch your friends, they seem to be fading away. It’s almost like you can see right through them.
“Oh no,” Eduardo says. “What have we done!”
“What?” gasps Jasmine. She’s fading away.
“A mammal,” Eduardo whispers. “You just killed one of our ancestors.”
Your last thought as you fade away is that you may have just doomed the entire human race.
THE END
To follow another path in the Jurassic Period, press here.
To learn more about the Jurassic Period, press here.
Your heart races. The Ceratosaurus sniffs again at the air. You can hear its huge claws scraping against rock.
As quickly as you can, you spring to your feet and start to sprint toward a thick stand of trees. The great predator screeches as it targets you. It’s blindingly fast. You never even stood a chance. It knocks you to the ground with a sickening thud. The powerful impact knocks you out instantly. That’s a good thing, because what comes next is much, much worse.
THE END
To follow another path in the Jurassic Period, press here.
To learn more about the Jurassic Period, press here.
“I’m sorry,” you tell your friends. “I just can’t stay here anymore. I need to see what’s out there. I really wish you would join me.”
Eduardo just shakes his head. Jasmine frowns. With a hug for each, you say goodbye.
“I’ll come back one day,” you promise.
With that, you strike out on the adventure of a lifetime. You see a great Brontosaurus grazing. You walk with herds of Stegosauruses. You narrowly escape being eaten by a fierce Allosaurus, twice! You even gain a companion—a young Dryosaurus that seems to think you’re its mother.
It’s an experience unlike any other. Yet in the dark of night, you’re lonely. During the days, you often find yourself gazing out to the horizon, wondering if your friends are still out there.
Years later, you go back home. Your friends welcome you back with open arms and a surprise. Their little family of two has grown. They have a daughter, Kiara! It’s a new life in an old time. But for the first time, this place and time finally feel like home.
THE END
To follow another path in the Jurassic Period, press here.
To learn more about the Jurassic Period, press here.
“That dinosaur could crush a car,” you say. “We can’t risk it. Let’s find some other shelter.”
Eduardo shrugs and follows you. You walk for hours without finding shelter. The sun sets, and darkness falls over the forest.
“This is bad,” Jasmine says.
The three of you nestle together against a large rock. Every snap and crunch on the forest floor makes your heart race. Then you hear a different sort of sound. It’s a huffing sound… breathing. You scan for the source of it, but you can’t see anything.
When the beast makes its charge, you have no chance. It’s so dark you never even see what kind of dinosaur it is. The only good news is that the attack doesn’t last long. Neither did your trip to the Jurassic.
THE END
To follow another path in the Jurassic Period, press here.
To learn more about the Jurassic Period, press here.
“This stream is so shallow, it will be hard to fill the bottle,” you say. “Let’s try the river.”
You navigate over rocks and mud to reach the river’s bank. The water is a bit brown from sediment. Everything smells damp.
Jasmine hands you the bottle. You lower it into the river, letting the water flow inside.
“It’s so peaceful here,” you say. “I think this is going to be the perfect spot for—”
It all happens in an instant. An enormous shape bursts forth from the water. All you can see are jaws and teeth. You have just enough time to realize what it is—a giant crocodile—before it grabs you and drags you under the muddy water. Hopefully, Eduardo and Jasmine learn from your mistake.
THE END
To follow another path in the Jurassic Period, press here.
To learn more about the Jurassic Period, press here.
“Come on!” Jasmine says, moving toward the grazing herd. She points to the phone you’re carrying. “Take my picture with a dinosaur!”
You laugh. Jasmine carefully moves close to one of the huge beasts. She doesn’t even come up to its knee. With a chuckle, you raise your phone.
“No wait!” Eduardo s
houts—but not in time.
You press the button, and the camera clicks. The flash startles the Brachiosaurus. It raises up on its hind legs, then crashes back down to the ground. All of the giant dinosaurs begin to run.
It’s a stampede! The huge dinosaurs crush everything in their path. You try to dart in between their legs but fail. A giant foot comes down, and the world goes black.
THE END
To follow another path in the Jurassic Period, press here.
To learn more about the Jurassic Period, press here.
“There might not be any place in this world that’s safe for us,” you say. “This will have to do for now.”
The three of you get to work building a camp. You use fallen branches to construct a small lean-to shelter. Over the next week, you master fishing. Eduardo manages to trap some small mammals and reptiles. You go into the forest collecting seeds and nuts. You hear large creatures in the forest several times, but you’re lucky. None come near your camp.
One day, while you’re fishing, something strange happens. The water begins to shimmer. It almost glows. Suddenly the reflection in the water is of another world. Your world! You shout for Jasmine and Eduardo, who rush to your side.
“It’s home!” Jasmine shouts, then dives in.
Just like that, she’s gone. You and Eduardo are close behind. You dive into the cool water. When you emerge, the Jurassic is gone. It’s replaced by familiar sights, sounds, and smells—buildings, car engines, and exhaust. You’re on the side of a road. You don’t know where you are exactly. But you know when you are. You can’t wait to get back home.
