Remedy )))) ZACH MITCHELL, JURASSIC WORLD FANFIC

9

We stay in the sphere for another hour—until our hunger gets the better of us and we decide to go back to camp for breakfast.

As we head back in the opposite direction from where we were facing, we both see it. Thick, black smoke is pouring out of the mountain in the center of the island.

"Z—Zach?" I'm stammering. It looks like a volcano that could erupt at any second, taking the entire island with it.

In my peripheral vision, I see a wide eyed Zach swallow hard before answering, "Let's get back."

It's not like we are going to be any safer at camp, but we have nothing else to do—and it feels like we need to do something.

After we unload the gyrosphere in it's usual resting place, we walk toward the gate to discover that it is standing open. My heart sinks, and I quickly rack my brain to remember how we would have forgotten to close it.

"Shit..." is all Zach says.

Instinctively, I look down at my watch to see if any dinosaurs are near—but my wrist is empty. I look at Zach's arm and see the same thing. In our hurry to see the sunrise, we'd forgotten our most important supply.

I remember now—I was walking toward the counter where my watch was charging to put it on when I saw Zach messing with the padlock outside. I wanted to surprise him so I quickly hurried out, forgetting my watch.

How could I have been so stupid?

"It's fine," Zach says, reassuringly. "We probably just forgot to lock the gate. It's not like dinosaurs can open doors, right?"

I don't answer because I don't know. There have been rumors about raptors learning to open doors at the very first park 20 years ago, but I never believed it.

Now though...I'm not so sure.

I can't imagine leaving without shutting the gate behind us, even if we were distracting each other. It's been programmed into our brains to make sure the gate is closed at all times.

I grab Zach's hand, intertwining our fingers. My voice is shaking. "What do we do?"

We have no weapons on us—nothing to protect ourselves if there happens to be a 80 million year old carnivore in our house.

Zach takes a deep breath, "Let's go in. I'll go to my room first and get the gun. You go to the medical trailer and get the tranquilizers."

"Should we really split up?" I ask anxiously.

"What good are we going to do for each other without weapons? Ivy, listen to me." He takes my face in his hands and looks at me intensely. "We will be fine. Nothing is probably in here, and if it is, I will protect you. I swear. I won't let anything hurt you."

I take a deep breath in an attempt to lower my heart rate and silently nod. I have a bad feeling. I don't know what it could mean, but I bring my mouth to Zach's and kiss him like it would be our last time.
When we break apart, we are both gasping.

"Meet back here, okay?" Zach asks, hands still on my face.

I nod and we both start running in opposite directions. I don't risk a look behind me, afraid that it would slow me down. I reach the trailer within seconds, throw the door open and slam it behind me once I'm inside.

I know exactly where the tranquilizer gun and darts are located having spent so much time in here the last few months. I load the darts as I'm simultaneously walking outside to meet Zach.

Once I finish my task, I look up—but Zach isn't there. He isn't anywhere I can see.

Without hesitation, I run to the house. Not knowing what might be transpiring within, I make a split second decision to stop and look through the first window I come to. What I see chills my bones.