𝘼𝙐𝘿𝘼𝘾𝙄𝙊𝙐𝙎 » 𝙟𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 ✓ [1]

VII

CHAPTER SEVEN
INTO THE JUNGLE

In the same bout of desperate speed, we'd made it back to the still empty compound. Humid wind rippled through the trees and skittered along the ground, harsh white sunlight beating down on the metal arena.

I could hear the raptors perking up with the sound of people arriving back. I flick off the engine, kicking up the stool. 

'Hello!?' I call out.

Nothing but the continuation of breeze and a light velociraptor shrill in response.

Not even Barry was back yet. I hop off the bike. 'Barry?' I call again.

'I thought we we're going to find Owen?' Alex asks me.

'We are,' I reply. 'But I need a few supplies first.'

Alex glances over his shoulders in paranoia, keeping at my heels in a scuffed shuffle.

'It's not gonna be anywhere near here,' I say, already regretting giving into my sympathy towards letting him tag along to fine Owen. 'Paranoia is only going to slow you down and cloud your thinking.'

'Yeah well, that's easy for you to say,' he says nervously. 'I don't even know what this dinosaur looks like. What if I'm out there and it creeps up on me?'

I stop to turn and look at him. His forehead was glazed over with sweat and frown lines. You could see the overthinking of every possible scenario running laps in his eyes, back and forth between the inner corner and outer lash. 'Well, I'll show you if you'd like,' I seeth, probably a little too sarcastically, leading the way to the mapping room.

Alex's shoulder was pressed lightly to mine as he walked, doing his best to keep up with my strides. I was definitely regretting my decision now. I knew it was wrong to be angry at beginners for slowing you down, but Alex studied carnivorous predators for Christ's sake. Jurassic World surely couldn't be that much different from anything else he'd done.

Maybe to you it is, I jab at myself in Claire's, nasty ominous tone. I bite down in my tongue.

'So Owen knows about this thing too?' he asks me, following me into the musty room.