RUN ➳ ZACH MITCHELL

four

Ever so slowly, Rory and Zach averted their gaze from the noisy cellphone and into the orange glow of the Indominus Rex's eye. It narrowed as she studying them intently, and Rory shuddered at the feeling.

Frozen in horror, the three teens sat as silently as they could, waiting for what the animal would do next. Blood rushed from their toes to their heads, pounding heavily in their temples and turning their faces a bright red.

Gray's arm shot out to hold onto his brother as soon as the dinosaur lifted itself up and he was out of her sight. Unfortunately for them the animal didn't wander away, but instead used her small arms to spin their glass haven around and up, giving the youngsters yet another face to face encounter with the beast.

She raised her clawed hand, and brought it down forcefully, making a puncher in the glass above their heads. Aurora suddenly forgot how to breathe as the Rex opened its mouth to let out a long and loud roar.

Rory copied the dinosaur's movement, and screamed along with the Mitchell's. The dinosaur wrapped it's mouth around the gyrosphere, and picked it up, only to slam it back into the ground. They needed to get the hell out of that hamster ball.

Rory screaming was cut off when every inch of air was pushed from her lungs, causing her to cough roughly. The ride was picked up and swung to the ground only once more, but it felt like an eternity to the 3 inside of it.

Rory's head snapped up sharply, as the glass under them smashed to pieces. The seat belts. Of course! That's how you get out of here. Rory lifted her body slightly in her seat, unstrapping Gray's restraint first, and then her's and Zach's.

The trio dropped onto the ground, and Zach covered the other two's faces with his arms, before hauling them to their feet a second later, shouting, "Go! Go!"

Rory didn't have to be told twice. The girl was immediately up, wrapping her hand around Gray's wrist and tugging him after her. The 3 ran as fast as they could, and Rory didn't dare look back. No amount of words could describe the amount of sheer terror that was running through her veins at the moment.

Zach's legs pumped swiftly, as he heard the Indominus Rex's annoyed roar behind them. The blonde girl in front of him let out a cross between a grunt and sob, making Zach's heart ache. He needed to save them. "Faster," he cried frightfully, placing a hand on Gray's back.

Their lovely game of "Running for your lives from a hybrid dinosaur" was quickly drawn to a close when the teens came to an abrupt stop. Below them blue water shone in the sunlight, and a waterfall was flowing thunderingly.

"We're going to have to jump!" Zach yelled.

"I can't." Gray whined in an aghast voice.

Rory gripped the kid's smaller hand tighter in her's. She reached over and took Zach's too. "Yes. You can. We know you can," she addressed Gray.

Zach licked his lips and said, "Ready? 1, 2," then he and Gray jumped taking Rory with surprise who had thought they were waiting to get to 3. Teeth gripped the back of her blue shirt, and the brother's hands were ripped from hers.

Startled, Rory twisted around finding the hybrid's mouth next to her face. The dinosaur's eyes were bright with hunger, and Rory definitely did not want to be the one to satisfy her craving. Letting out a determined cry, she grabbed her shirt back and yanked, ripping the garment and releasing herself in the process. She dropped towards the water, slightly alarmed by the harsh breeze that hit her neck.

The water was cold, and she forced her eyes open to see the brothers staring back at her in relief through the murkiness. After a few seconds, the teenagers exposed their heads above the water.

Rory's lower lip trembled, as she turned away from Zach's prying eyes which were silently asking why she had been late to jump. If the dinosaur's teeth had been a few inches forward. . .

She shook her head, not wanting to cry, and quickly began to swim toward shore, ahead of the two Mitchell's.

She crawled up the bank and stood, leaning against a tree to gather herself. The backs of her eyes burned with unshed tears, and her hands were shaking. Pull it together, Rory. You're acting like a wuss.

Zach silently helped his little brother out of the water, pulling him into a hug. They were all okay. Zach glanced up at the girl in front of them and caught sight of her shredded t-shirt. Rory's white bra clasp was visible through the tattered clothing, and Zach found himself looking away, embarrassed.

Inhaling sharply, as though she had felt Zach's eyes on her, Rory swiveled on her heel, and complained, "That Dino-bitch ruined my shirt." This time Gray didn't say anything about the swearing, and giggled quietly.

Zach quickly removed his thin hoodie, and handed it to the soaking girl. "Here. You need it more than I do."

Rory smiled faintly, the small, sweet gesture making her failed 'hard ass' look almost crumble completely. She had almost died. They had almost died.

Zach--feeling the girls discomfiture--took her slim hand in his, and soothing rubbed circles on it. Rory's petite form subconsciously leaned towards the older boys body heat, resting her head on his shoulder. "We're going to be okay, princess. I promise."

And in that moment that was really all Rory needed, because as much as she liked to think of herself as a fearless being, staring death in the face like that. . . . It only made her want someone to look after her. And that someone just so happened to end up being Zach Mitchell.