Chapter 1- My dreadful life

My name is Lina Sanchez. I have been living with the Alpha Gang for as long as I could remember. I have been growing up, wondering what it's like outside of Zeta Point. The only friends I have are Rod, and Laura; who are both younger than I am.

I'm a twelve year old girl with striking black hair. My eyes are a crimson red that glimmer in the shadows. I also have fair, olive white skin. I'm usually seen in her black hoodie, which underneath I wear my Alpha Gang shirt and I also wear black jeans. I am always seen wearing my knee-high, high heeled boots.

I've always dreamt about going outside of Zeta Point and making friends with other kids my age. Maybe, just maybe I would get that chance one day.

My whole life changed that single day in the past. That was the day I lost my brother –Richie- and my guardians. He and I were both orphans when the Ancients found us, hiding in the alleyways. They had both brought us with them on their expedition to the Cretaceous period, since we were both a tremendous help with their research.

Earlier, they both had discovered the Stone Plate that contained seven parts; though the middle stone was split into two parts. They had discovered that inside the stone plates were the spirits of the long extinct dinosaurs, we were so eager about.

My brother and I, the Ancients, the Ancients butler, another paleontologist by the name of Dr. Z, his lackeys, his grandchildren, and the Ancients assistant Seth; all went on this expedition. When we were on this expedition, the Ancients - Dr. Ancient and Dr. Cretacia – discovered how to turn real live dinosaurs into cards.

What they didn't see was that Dr. Z and his lackeys were waging battles behind Dr. Ancient's. He had also made move cards for the dinos. A few times, Dr. Ancient caught Dr. Z messing with the dinos and was always lecturing him on not doing that.

The whole card conversion was only supposed to take two months, but after six months we were only ten percent complete.

Dr. Z's defiance brought about another unexpected issue. During the expedition, Dr. Cretacia was pregnant with her child. Dr. Ancient and Dr. Cretacia were planning on returning to the future for the baby's birth, to resume the project back at home, but when they let the team know; anger erupted from Dr. Z. He didn't seem to want to go back, as if he had other plans in the Cretaceous period.

Somehow, our time machine was messed up, so we were stuck in the age of the dinosaurs where the baby was born. The Ancients were very proud of their baby and named him Rex. They also hung an ornament around his neck.

The Ancients knew they were in danger and told their butler to protect Rex, as well as Richie and I. They requested that we go back to the future in case of an emergency.

We worked night and day on the time machine in hopes of fixing it. When the repairs were finally completed, we were taking the time machine to its final warp test.

I don't remember anything else besides waking up to see that the Ancients, along with Rex were gone. Jonathon was missing as well. But I was mostly worried about my brother. He and the others were nowhere in sight, leaving me with Seth as my legal guardian, Dr. Z, his lackeys, Helga his housekeeper, and his grandchildren who I come to be friends with.

On my twelfth birthday, Seth gives me a part of the original Stone Plate that the Ancients discovered. He gave me the middle stone which was also the half that had the gems on it. He said that he had collected this piece when the others were separated.

He never gave me anything like a dinosaur or an Alpha Scanner to use it. He then scowled and walked off.

When I wake up, I have sweat beading down my forehead. I had been plagued by nightmares ever since the day they all disappeared. I was only ten at the time of the 'accident' and I'm still waiting for their return. But of course, they still never returned.

I rolled out of bed and hopped to my feet. It was nine o'clock in the morning and I wasn't in any mood to get up. I then went to the bathroom and began getting ready for the day. I wear my usual outfit that includes my Alpha Gang t-shirt, my black hoodie, my black jeans and my boots. My morning began like any other. As usual I never wanted to leave my room, and I had my reasons to stay in here. Most of the people who lived here were very cruel to me. Though I got along with Rod and Laura, fairly well.

I then hear a knock on my door. "It's open." I say; letting the person (people), outside know to come in. The door swung open and Rod with his younger sister Laura runs to me.

"Good morning, Lina!" Laura says, encasing me in a hug, while smiling.

"Good morning to you as well, Lina." Rod tells me, smirking as his sister is giving me a tight hug.

"Morning, you two." I say, sleepily. Laura finally releasing me.

"You look tired, Lina. Is something bothering you?" He asks me.

I yawn and try to rub the sleep out of my eyes. "No, I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep well last night." I tell him, still sounding tired.

"Alright…I was just checking." He tells me.

He of all people should know I'm not okay. I think. He knows what's bothering me, Laura does as well. To me, this whole place is as bad as damnation itself. I think, though the expression on my face not changing. I want to get out of this prison, away from that demon— My thoughts are cut off by the same person I wanted to get rid of in my life.

"Rod, Laura. Helga wants to see you both." He tells them. I hated his voice; his cold, emotionless voice. But he was always softer with other people than with me.

Rod and Laura leave the room waving. "Alright, see you, Lina!" They both go along the corridor to see Helga.

Seth stared at me. He was always watching to see if I would crack under pressure, but I never would. "Do you still believe? The Ancients and your brother? Will they return?" I would always nod at this question. "Naïve, give it up already. They won't come back," He told me, smiling evilly.

"Oh yeah? Then why are you here?" I counter his words. Seth sighed annoyed as well as angrily. He would always be like this to me; cold, angry and annoyed. Even when I had done nothing wrong, he let me feel his hatred.

He then decided to pull my hair to get me to listen to him. "That's not the proper way of greeting a person in the morning, Lina." His harsh voice echoing in my head.

"Of course not! But how am I supposed to know?" I tell him, purposely trying to get on his nerves.

"Be a good girl and follow me." He turned and his body language told me to follow him. When went out to the beach where I saw the Alpha Gang, Dr. Z, Rod and Laura, and Helga walking off. "Dr. Z." Seth says getting his attention. I follow, calmly beside him.

"Ah, Seth my boy. How are the repairs on the time machine coming?" He asks Seth, patiently.

"They're coming along fine, but I've discovered I'm missing some parts. It looks like we'll need to get them delivered." Seth tells him, smoothly.

"How can we? We're stuck in a different time period." Rod comments, sadly.

"Yes, that could be a valid point." Dr. Z replies, stroking his beard. "But more importantly we have to find my dinosaur cards that were scattered all over the world when that time machine broke." He says, then noticing that Laura has an Alpha Scanner. "Well, what's this I see? Were you using it on Terry earlier?" He asks, pointing his finger at her.

Laura just smiles and says, "What do you mean, Grandpa?"

He then takes the Alpha Scanner right out of her hands. "This isn't a toy; it's a complicated piece of equipment for doctors." He tells her. Then the Scanner starts beeping and blinking; a warning for something. "What's this mean?" He questions.

"That means a card's been found, Grandpa." Rod tells him.

"I knew it would work! Now let's go find that card!" He says. Mentally I see flames in the background.

I had gone back to my room and taken my stone on my dresser when it began to glow. I picked it up and I began to hear voices.

Over and over, I hear the same thing. Help us. What could that mean? I think.

When the Alpha Gang came back they were empty handed and exhausted. After a lot of yelling and explaining, I hear something about three brats, and a Triceratops.

When they were finally done, Dr. Z then went on about how he created a new move card. "Unacceptable! How did those meddling kids get their hands on my cards? And why didn't you three get them back?!" Dr. Z yelled, he, his lackeys, Seth, Rod, Laura, and I were in his lab watching everything go down.

"Grandpa, I think the energy level's too high," Laura comments.

"Yeah, I have to agree with Laura." I tell him.

"They're both right. And the way we placed this equipment together, it could blow at any minute." Rod tells him.

"And that's not the only thing." Ed comments.

"You fools! Do you think this is a joke? Move cards are my trademark!" As irate as Dr. Z was, I could care less. "And when they're finally completed, I'll teach those kids a lesson once and for all!" He yells at them.

Seth walks out of the room when the machines begin to glow. Rod, Laura and I walk out of the room. "Grandpa, I've some homework to do." Laura says.

"Yeah, I do too." Rod tells him.

"I do as well." I say, walking out. When we're outside the whole lab blows up. "We were cutting it close, don't you think?" I ask them.

"Yeah…But can you believe it? Kids! Maybe they're our age! Maybe we will meet them. Maybe…" Rod says, trailing off.

Maybe…