Present to Cretaceous—A Time Travel Story
by Hailey Wong Wing Huen 6E
This short story was written for the Hong Kong Young Writer’s Awards Competition. This year’s theme is about the Sinosauropteryx, a Chinese dinosaur from the Cretaceous period..
“That’s strange; it’s not any of the corresponding fossils on the box,” Izzy said.
“What? how?" Emilia asked, curious. “I’m sure that it’s just a fossil in an ordinary fossil digging kit I bought for you. Did we discover a new species?”
Izzy glanced at the fossil again. She brushed away some powder and uncovered something amazing. There were strange symbols on the fossil.
Looking at it, Izzy started to trace the symbols, and the fossil grew brighter and brighter, until it was eye-piercing.
“Stop!” Emilia screeched as she shielded her eyes.
Suddenly, the blinding light was gone, and so was the fossil.
“Izzy? Emilia?” Izzy’s mom asked.
Nobody answered.
Izzy and Emilia found themselves in a dark jungle. Vines twisted around trees, and giant plants grew on the jungle floor. A foul odor rose from nowhere, and an eerie noise echoed around them.
“Where are we?” Izzy wondered aloud.
“Shhhhh! There might be something out there,” Emilia whispered back.
Izzy glanced down at her hands. She was holding her fossil, and it was glowing purple. An arrow was pointing to a dark path surrounded by a thicket.
“Let’s go!” Izzy pulled Emilia, and they disappeared into the darkness where the arrow pointed .
As they strolled through the trees, they noticed that there weren’t any normal animals. There were birds with three tails and furry bodies, along with others that couldn’t be described.
Suddenly, a figure ran into them. “ What—” Izzy cried before they were thrown into the shrubs. A mud-caked hand clamped over Izzy’s mouth.
“Shhhhh!” Izzy then heard feet stamping and claws scratching. A deafening roar followed. Izzy cringed. Finally, the stomping died down and all was quiet.
Izzy and Emilia got their first good look at the figure. The figure was a child. He had fierce eyes with white symbols tattooed on his body. A sharp-toothed necklace hung on his neck. He wore a skirt woven from leaves and he gripped a spear tightly.
“Who are you?” The boy said. “Only my Gramps and I live in this dangerous area!”
“Uhh, we got teleported by this fossil,” Izzy said.
The boy’s eyes widened and he gasped.
“Where did you get that?”
“I bought a fossil digging kit for her,” Emilia chimed in. “This fossil came in it.”
“So, it is true,” The boy murmured. “If the fossil appears, so does hope.”
“I don’t understand a word you say,” Izzy said.
“Follow me. I will tell you when we arrive at Gramps' house.”
At Gramps’ house…
Izzy and Emilia entered the round cottage. They sat down as Gramps handed them tea. Curtains woven from leaves shaded the sunlight from their eyes. On the left was a little cupboard with tea and multicolored cups. A few plants finished the look of the room.
“You see, my name is Orion. I think you said you’re Izzy and Emilia?” The girls nodded.
“Anyway, let me tell you my story. It was long ago, before I was born. It was a normal day. Nobody thought that the dinosaurs would attack. But they did; only Gramps and I survived.”
“But there is hope.” Orion’s eyes glistened. “There is a legend that this fossil can capture the remaining beasts or even destroy them . ”
He stroked the fossil and handed it back to Izzy. She suddenly felt a strong aura.
“Izzy! The fossil’s glowing and the arrow’s pointing!” Emilia shouted. Faint stomping followed.
“Uh-oh! I think the beasts are back!” Orion panicked. "Time to test the fossil out!”
Izzy , Emilia and Orion crept out and headed towards where the arrow was pointed. As they got closer, Izzy felt the fossil’s aura grow, almost dragging her.
Moments later, roars shook the trio. Dinosaurs loomed in front of them.
“I think it’s a pack of Sinosauropteryx! It’s carnivorous! Runnnn!” Emilia screeched.
The dinosaurs opened their mouths in unison, saliva dripping from their fangs. Izzy, who was holding the fossil, tried to activate the trap. She rubbed, pressed and tried everything.
“It’s not working!” She groaned, dodging a swipe. Suddenly, fangs were upon Orion. Izzy lunged for him, but a figure pushed her away and got there first.
“Gramps!” Orion gasped. He knelt down to check Gramps’ wounds. A deep bite wound dripping blood covered his chest.
“Orion, my greatest wish was to protect you.” Gramps’ shallow breathing was audible. “Don’t… forget… me…”
“Gramps, no…” Orion gripped Gramps’ hand until slowly, he faded away.
Drip, drip, drip.
Tears dropped from Orion’s eyes onto the fossil as Izzy tried to calm him down.
Suddenly, the fossil shined a bright purple. Beams of light beelined towards the pack Sinosauropteryx.
The dinosaurs howled in pain, clawing at the purple light.
The purple light started to dissolve their skin.
The trio covered their eyes, until there was no more sound.
What was left was a pile of bones etched with the strange symbols.
“Well, that was well deserved!” Emilia yelled at the pile of bones.
Orion smiled sadly, eyes red.” Gramps sacrificed himself to save me. ” Izzy put a hand on his shoulder.
“What do we do with the bones now?” Izzy said. “I know,” Emilia suggested, "It’s time for time to do its work.”
The purple light began to glow.
“Bye, Orion! It was nice meeting you!”
Orion lifted a hand, tearing up again.
A bright flash from the fossil brought them back to Izzy’s bedroom.
“I hope poor Orion can get over his feelings.” Izzy sighed, then she realized: “Hey! Where’s the fossil?”
“I think I have a pretty good idea of where it is!” Emilia pulled Izzy out, and they rushed to the Museum of Dinosaurs.
They entered the museum and went to the exhibition of dinosaurs during the Cretaceous Period. There, they saw, next to the Alectrosaurus: the fossil. A plaque beneath it read: Strange fossil dated back during the Cretaceous Period. Found with the Alectrosaurus. Origins still unknown.
Izzy swore that she saw Orion smiling at her.