Chapter 1: Kenji
Chapter Text
-Two Months BCC-
Wakefulness slowly, and tactfully probed at the edges of Kenji's consciousness causing him to stir with sluggish heavy limbed movements until with defeated reluctance he opened his eyes. It was too early. With a groan the teen flipped over in bed trying in vain to burrow beneath the pillows and block out the mid-morning light. His struggles to re-enter the realm of sleep quickly became more and more violent, blankets spilling to the floor, and sheets entangling his legs, while goose down absorbed rampant blows as Kenji pummeled his bed in frustration.
Admist the melee a crisp knock rapped on the bedroom door. "Master Kenji, are you awake?"
"Ugh! Why?" he called plaintively.
"Shall I send for your breakfast?"
"Sure! Why not?" the Kon family heir snapped back.
"Very good sir."
Well, Kenji thought grudgingly, that was it he was up now whether he liked it or not.
Laying in bed for a few minutes more the teenager eventually got up and shuffled to the bathroom, on autopilot. Swaying with sleep as he relieved himself Kenji's thoughts were loosely strung together and incoherent. He flushed, and washed his hands taking a hasty minute to splash water on his face and fix his hair on the way back out. "Looking good!" he smirked groggily at himself firing finger guns for added affect.
From there he found his way to the Osaki, falling back into the recliner and turning on the massage setting. "Oh-h-h yeah-ah-ah-ah." he smiled flipping on the TV as he felt more awake than he had moments ago.
Predictably there wasn't much on, there never was. Just the same old talk shows peddling made up health and beauty tips to a poor and desperate public. The same old reality shows with manufactured drama glorifying actions typically deemed socially unacceptable. The same old news channels flooded with doom and gloom. Same old, same old, same old. Jesus you'd think with as many options that were available he'd be able to find something to watch! Still navigating through the channels Kenji quickly grew bored and irritable.
"Maybe I should stream something?" he yawned to himself messing with the recliner's settings as he did.
After a while there was another rapid knock on the door. It swung open almost immediately afterwards. A maid entered with a tray balanced on one hand, the accompanying tray table folded in the crease of her elbow. Kenji spared her a brief glance, it was the red head. Ruth, or something Bibley like that, the one with twins around his age, or so she'd mentioned.
Working quickly and attentively the woman presented the meal with a light flourish. "Philly cheese steak omelette, oven roasted potatoes, sourdough toast, grapefruit, mocha latte, and a Mountain Dew on ice." she announced when finished. "Will that be all?"
Kenji looked up to thank the woman and send her away when he saw how she was smiling at him. He'd seen her smile before, laughing with the other staff tucked away in a corner gossiping before they spotted him and scurried away like frightened mice. She had a beautiful smile, the heavy spattering of freckles that seemed almost off putting at times somehow adding to the warmth of the expression. This smile, however, didn't even reach her eyes. It was fake. It was a lie.
Kenji felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach. She wasn't happy to see him, not really. The boy glanced at the pair of women who'd come in behind Ruth to make his bed, they hadn't even acknowledged him and instead got right to work. No one was ever happy to see him, Kenji thought to himself, he was just a burden, a chore. Even his dad forced a smile when he walked into the room. They all hated him. Normally this fact wouldn't bother him, just slip past him as a fact of life. This morning however, a fiery anger ignited in the teenager's gut, making him vindictive and callous.
"What is this?" he snapped motioning to the plate.
"Your breakfast, sir." the maid said after a nervous pause.
"Take it back."
"But," the woman started apprehensively. "You put your request in last night."
"Yeah," Kenji scoffed without looking at her. "But that was yesterday's Kenji, today's Kenji just isn't feeling it. Take it back. Bring me something else, I don't know spaghetti or something!"
"Bu-" she went on.
"You know what?" Kenji yelled getting to his feet. "Forget it, I'm not hungry anymore. Get out." he shouted advancing on the woman as she hurriedly gathered the tray. "Get out all of you!"
The staff bundled away the used bedding and rushed out of the room, chased away by an irate teenager who slammed the door loudly at their departure. Leaning against the heavy wood frame Kenji listened to the hushed whispers the women exchanged his brows knit tightly together. Good, he thought dismally, if they were going to hate me anyway at least now they have a reason.
Listening to them leave Kenji looked around the big empty room, taking in all his nice expensive things, television, various consoles, autographed memorabilia, his view of the expansive yard complete with tennis court, and pool just visible through the window. Everything a guy could want. Or almost everything.
Letting out a sigh as he found himself, as he often did, alone.
Making his way back to the bed Kenji neatened out the sheets and spread the new comforter over them before arranging the pillows. Hopping into it he pulled out his phone and snapped a quick selfie being sure to capture the window behind him.
"Just another day in paradise!" he captioned it before posting.
Already it was generating reactions from his friends and followers, some of whom were swift to try and one up him. Kenji stared at the picture for a minute a hollow space forming in his chest the longer he looked. Of all the fake smiles he was constantly surrounded by Kenji himself was probably the worst offender.
Pocketing the device the teen got up and went back to his chair, grabbing a pair of headphones, and starting up a game. "Alright Nazi zombies, let's see what you got!" he said energetically.
A few hours and several different games later and Kenji was sprawled on the floor mindlessly destroying the castle he had been working on for the past month or so.
"You get lava, and you get lava, and guess what? Surprise, you get lava! Everybody gets lava!" he said sarcastically as the virtual farm animals fled the fiery doom loosed upon them.
Kenji was bored, and lonely. But mostly bored he lied to himself. It was to the point where he, almost, wished he was at school. Sure it was just a bunch of asshats in academy blazers training to become asshats in Armani always in perpetual competition with one another, but at least he'd have something to do!
Bowling? he thought dismally. Swimming? Bullshit. He didn't feel like doing anything. Maybe he'd just take another nap, he reasoned. Disrupting his train of thought Kenji's stomach rumbled mightily, the teen let his head fall to the floor in defeat.
"Damn it." he muttered into the rug.
Rolling over Kenji pulled out his phone and began assembling an order for pizza and wings being sure to lavish the dish with extra helpings of meat and cheese. He polished off the deal with a liter of cola and pushed send. The 45 minute wait displayed on the screen disheartening. Well, he thought as he got up, he couldn't just lay around all day. Getting dressed Kenji walked out of his room and into a long empty hallway, not a person in sight. The smack of his bare feet walking across the cold marble floors echoed off the walls as he roamed amid artwork his father had bought only to quickly grow bored of.
There was no real destination in mind he was just wandering. The problem with living in such a big house, he thought as marble shifted to sleek purple heart wood, there were too many rooms to ever use them all. Truthfully if he wasn't in one of the rec rooms Kenji never strayed further than his bedroom, the private dining room, and occasionally the main drawing room which had the most comfortable furniture. The rest of the house belonged to his father and Candy, neither of whom he saw unless they sought him out.
Eventually the teen found himself wandering down familiar, but long abandoned passageways, a heaviness coming over him as he ventured on. Soon he found himself bathed with light streaming in from floor to ceiling windows, his pace gradually slowing. His mom had always loved nature, he thought pausing to look out at the thick green grass that stretched out before him. After a while Kenji continued further into the part of the mansion that his mother had made her own. As he did Kenji found himself teleported into a different era, an entirely different world even. All of the cold contemporary art, furniture, and stylized architecture that made up most of the house fell away to a more simple, warm, and almost entirely foreign Japanese aesthetic.
Coming to the door of his mother's private sitting room Kenji paused eyes closed, taking a calming breath before sliding the door open. Warm light spilled out of the room illuminating all of his mother's most treasured possessions. Dusting his feet off the teenager stepped onto the tatami flooring relishing the unique feel, and curling his toes against the mat. The room was sparsely decorated, lanterns hanging from the ceiling, a few neglected bonsai here and there, and a long kotatsu table at the heart of the room. Tears stung Kenji's eyes as he took it all in.
Somehow he always forgot how proud of their heritage and in touch with their roots his mother had been. Then, like now, it would all come flooding back. Looking around fondly memories of sunlit afternoons spent in here drinking tea, napping under the warm table, and struggling to learn the brush strokes of kanji, his meager attempts still framed proudly upon the walls came back to him. He remembered late night tales of yokai, or stories of what it was like growing up in Japan with grandma and grandpa Sato.
As Kenji walked around his nostalgia suddenly took a bitter turn. All of that was when he was little though, before school, before peer pressure. Before becoming just another asshat. Ruefully Kenji remembered when he first realized that his mother was the only one with a foriegn accent, and cringing whenever she spoke. He recalled how embarrassed he was each day at school to unpack the bento box she had carefully assembled with smiling faces while his friends who were enjoying what the school had catered mocked him for it because only the help was supposed to cook. He remembered how none of the other parents were involved with school or active in the PTA, but his mother was, she rocked the boat and advocated for things that shouldn't have mattered to her like cultural study, black history month, and ending standardized testing. He remembered asking his mom to stay home, not to talk to his friends, to stop making a fuss, to stop embarrassing him, to just 'be normal.'
Exhaling a shaky breath Kenji half blinded by tears made his way to one of the tiny trees sitting beside the window. Running his hand over the unattended branches which were jagged, and over grown, he picked up the clippers.
"Hey mom," he started. "It's been a while. I'm uh, I'm doing good. I know I haven't talked to you in a while, but-" Kenji frowned, there weren't any good excuses. "I'm sorry."
"Anyway, I've really been into model building lately, cars mostly. I'm not really that good at it, I'm not actually really good at anything, but it's kinda fun. At least, I like it anyways. Even if the cars look weird." he trailed off, looking distractedly for thread to tie with when he came across a section of the bonsai that could use some reshaping.
"I beat my all time record on the KISS pinball machine, yeah, that was cool. No, more braces either, so that's nice. Oh! Oh my God, get this!" he laughed. "So some of the guys at school were messing around and I don't know why but Teddy ate so many chocolate laxatives that when he stood up in class you could hear this rumble and before anyone could react he shits himself right there in front of everyone! Oh my God it was great!" the teen crackled. "He hasn't been back since oh man it was so embarrassing I would have literally die-" Kenji's words caught tight leaving him unable to finish his sentence.
Tidying the rest of the plant up in silence Kenji guiltily set the healthier, happier looking tree aside and retrieved another. "Speaking of school I promise to do better. I mean it this time, and I'll stop hanging out with those losers... I was doing good, really good for a while, all As just like I told you I would. But Dad, he didn't... Dad doesn't care about that kind of stuff, not like you did- do! Not like you do, Mom. It just hurt, it just really fucki- freaking sucked you know? I was trying so hard and he didn't even see it, didn't even see me! So I stopped. I stopped working in class, I stopped doing my homework, I just stopped. But guess what? He hasn't noticed that either! Big surprise! I guess it's because he doesn't care about me."
"I miss you mom," Kenji said, voice wavering as he swallowed past a lump in his throat. "It's been so hard without you. You were my best friend, and the only person who really cared about me, and I pushed you away because you were different, because being friends with your mom was lame, because I wanted to be cool, to be just like everyone else, but everyone else sucks!" he shouted vision obscured by falling tears. "I miss you so much!" he sobbed. "And I miss dad too, but he doesn't give a shit! I just- I just miss you. I miss you mom!"
The teenager leaned heavily onto the table consumed by a grief and remorse that still felt so strong and new, even after four years. She had been taken from him so suddenly all of the warning signs missed and overlooked until the heart attack became sudden cardiac arrest. By then it was too late, she had been tired and laid down for a nap, and never woke up. That was the hard part, Kenji thought, he didn't know, didn't have a chance to say goodbye, to say he loved her, to say sorry for all the things he'd said and done only to later regret.
Wiping his face after a few minutes Kenji willed himself to stop, clearing his throat hard a few times the teen forced a smile. "Sorry mom." he said. "I'll come talk to you again later, and I promise not to be such a baby."
Clearing this throat again the young man set the room back in order before heading towards the door, still trembling with bitter emotions. He paused at the threshold the small bottle of perfume resting on the end table capturing his attention. Why not? he mused to himself picking up the delicate, nearly empty glass vessel. Spraying it on his inner wrist rubbed them both together. Closing his eyes and inhaling the light fruity scent of fig tea, a comforting warmth washed over Kenji, and he could recall his mother's laughter.
"I love you mom."
Ambling back down the hall towards his room Kenji couldn't help but give the perfume a smell from time to time, wondering absentmindedly if his pizza had arrived yet or not. Rounding a corner pivoting haphazardly on his heel the teen jumped back in surprise after nearly colliding with his father.
"Dad!" he gasped, startled. Watching as the tall, stately man smoothed out the crisp lines of his suit with irritation. "I mean hi, um what's up?" Kenji asked offering a half smile.
"Kenji." his father said nodding briefly, looking preoccupied as ever.
"I ordered pizza, wanna grab a slice, and watch a movie if you have a minute?" the teen asked hopefully, though he already knew the answer, his father never had a minute, at least not for him.
"We have a dinner tonight." the man said turning to Candy who had been walking behind him. "Speaking of, I see you best in something elegant and formal, without restricting yourself to formality. Something reminiscent of a peacock, a rhinestone bodice, with a slight train I think."
Candy smiled and nodded looking between father and son. "If you think so. I was thinking, maybe something in pink, or lavender since I've been wearing a lot of blue?"
"I do, and blue is your color." the man stated, the leading authority on the happenings beneath his roof. "I'll get someone to arrange your wardrobe." he added pulling out his cell and sending out some sort of memo.
"What, uh, what should I wear?" Kenji asked rocking from heel to toe and back again.
Xi, who went by Josiah in public, but especially with his business partners waved at his son dismissively. "You won't be coming, there are no children at this event." Kenji's heart sank, but it figured. Stepping aside, head down the teenager continued towards his room.
Moving past him still tapping away at his phone Xi stopped, pocketing it suddenly, and turned on the boy with narrowed eyes. "I thought I told you that you aren't to disturb your mother's things!" he shouted taking both Kenji and Candy by surprise.
The teen's eyebrows knit tightly together for a moment before he let a practiced look of disinterest come over his features as he internally questioned how his dad knew. "The bonsai needed to be trimmed." Kenji shrugged as though he were above the conversation.
"Am I to assume that wearing her perfume was a necessity as well?" he asked gritting his teeth, causing Kenji's heart to squeeze anxiously, he'd never seen his father so angry. "That was an anniversary present I gave to Meiko before you were born. How dare you!"
"Josiah, sweetheart, its alright." Candy cut in, putting a hand on man's arm trying to turn him away. "He just missed his mom was all, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it. Besides, I'm sure she wouldn't have minded, would she?"
Kenji listened as his father's girlfriend talked about his mom, angry flames of resentment reigniting in his gut until he snapped. "Stay out of this Candy! You have no right to talk about my mom! Who do you think you are huh? You're just some gold digging slut who graduated the same year I started highschool!" he bellowed.
The stinging pain in the side of Kenji's face shocked him, he looked mouth hanging open at his father who had slapped him. "Josiah!" Candy shrieked, her hands flying to cover her mouth.
"You are irresponsible, disrespectful, and ungrateful." Xi said his tone calm and reserved. "You show no initiative, no desire for self-improvement, no personal accountability, and no ambition. I am supposed to leave my company to you? Perhaps the summer program at Fishbourne Military Academy would be a better use of your upcoming free time."
"Yeah," Kenji said in a tear strained voice. "Maybe it would."
Rushing away Kenji slammed his bedroom door, grabbing things at random hurling them at the walls before falling to the bed utterly spent. His dad hit him, the teen thought with disbelief. His dad had never hit him before he had hardly ever raised his voice before. Hugging his pillow the young man stewed for several minutes before noticing the pie sitting on a tray table nearby. Eating miserably in bed he flipped on the television and started surfing.
Kenji wasn't sure exactly when he dozed off, but the knocking on the door that woke him to a darkened sky told the teenager it had been several hours since. "Yeah?" he grumbled sitting up.
"Hey," Candy smiled inching the door open. Kenji didn't say anything, instead he rummaged around the cardboard boxes on his bed and grabbed a cold hot wing. "I don't want to fight. I just wanted to apologise." she said. "I'm sorry for what I said, you're right it wasn't my place. I never knew your mother, and I can't speak for her. All I know is what I've heard about her from you and your dad, she sounds wonderful... I just know what it's like to lose a parent and to want to have a little piece of them with you."
Kenji looked at Candy with a brow arched questioningly, he didn't know that about her. The teen noticed that she wasn't wearing any makeup, her eyes dark and swollen like she'd been crying, hair down and messy, and she was wearing sweatpants.
"I just wanted you to know that I've never wanted to replace her, and I'm not trying to... Honestly, some days I'm not even sure what I'm doing here." the woman laughed. "I've never been in love before now, not really. I've had boyfriends. All I know is it feels different, feels more real somehow with your dad then with anyone else... It's ok though, I can't ask you not to hate me, but maybe you can tolerate me?"
"Sure, whatever." Kenji muttered. "Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for your important dinner?"
"No." Candy said shaking her head. "I'm not going."
"Why not?" Kenji scoffed.
"Because," Candy said firmly. "He shouldn't have hit you. If he's going to act like an ass he can look like an ass and go to his fancy little party by himself."
The teen blinked taken aback.
"Oh," Candy said as she turned to leave. "I also talked your dad. You're not going to military camp. I tried suggesting the penthouses at Jurassic World, you know so you can get away, and give yourself a break? He wouldn't go for it, he wants you to have some type of supervion, rules. He remembered that Masrani is trial running something called 'Camp Cretaceous.' It was the best I could do, sorry. Well, I guess I'll leave you alone now. Goodnight Kenji."
"Candy," the boy called, he knew he should apologize, felt guilty for what he had said to her and yet couldn't bring himself to say the words. "Thanks."
Kenji knew that Candy wasn't that bad, not really. She was boarder line nice even, tonight being a prime example. Still, some part of the teen couldn't let go of his hostility, his hatred towards her. Gnawing on the chicken bone Kenji's thoughts turned to his father. Maybe, he thought, he'd crash the Benz during his next driving lesson that would teach his dad! he brooded.
Chapter Text
-Six Weeks BCC-
The sky outside was a dusty lavender, stars slowly fading into the background as the sun creeped towards the horizon, gradually shedding light onto the slumbering world below. Sammy Gutierrez however, was already wide awake and gearing up to start her day. Sitting on the end of her disheveled bed she brushed her hair, wincing each time she over reached, still struggling to get used to the new length. The rough bristles scraped against the back of her neck like cactus barbs, still, she couldn't help but smile.
All Sammy had ever wanted as a child was long flowing hair just like her mom, and when her thick raven locks finally came in glossy and elegant, what did she do? Chopped it all off. It was worth it, she reasoned with herself, and for a good cause. Glancing at the thank you card from Wigs for Kids framed in the fairy lights strung everywhere in her room, the girl couldn't help but wonder if they were going to send her a picture of the recipient. I hope it helps, she added to the thought, a silent prayer to whoever might be listening.
Giving herself a quick look over in vanity, Sammy smoothed out a sleep spiked eyebrow and smiled. "Perfect."
Decked out in jeans and plain tee the girl took a long breath, trying to mentally prepare for the day. It was gonna be long, hot, and hard. They had round up, brand and vaccinate all of the new stock, split the herd to allow regrowth in the west pasture, spray each and every head down with insecticidal pour-on, and then to make life interesting get the bulls in with the heifers who were ready for their first season just so they could start the same process all over again! Rotating stock was the key her father said. It only took eighty days for a cow to be ready to breed again after calving, and that was quite literally the lifeblood of the family ranch.
Heading out of her room Sammy paused at her sister's door when she heard Marisa in there muttering angrily to herself. Cracking the door she peeked in to see her peering with scrutiny at her own reflection, before pulling another blouse out of the closet, holding it up briefly, and then tossing it to the floor.
"Looking good chica!" Sammy said beaming brightly, as she used the tried and true knock-while-already-barging-in technique.
"Um, yeah right!" her sister snapped back throwing her arms in the air for added affect. Sammy couldn't help but smile, where was the little girl of yesterday? She wondered.
"No, seriously, tell me. What's wrong?" Sammy implored, putting a hand on each of Marisa's shoulders and turning her back to the mirror.
"Everything!" the girl groaned pulling away. "I'm all arms and legs, none of my clothes fit right. Look at me I'm a freak!"
"You're not a freak!" Sammy rolled her eyes.
"Give me some of your curves and maybe I won't be." Marisa said reaching out and smacking her big sister on the butt. "I'm flat as a freaking board!"
Sammy stared the young teen incredulously hands on her hips. "Marisa para que? We just need to accesorieze and show off what you do got! Besides you're not done growing yet."
"You mean this Slenderman situation is going to get worse?" Marisa cried out before collapsing backwards with a dramatic flair onto her bed.
"Get up!" Sammy laughed rummaging through her sister's piles of clothes, sniffing the odd piece of apparel here and there. "How are you know which ones are clean?" she muttered half to herself as she shifted the piles about.
"Here, stand-up." Sammy commanded a bright dip dyed scarf with a sporadic pattern of sequence in hand. When Marisa continued to lay there moaning as if she stood at death's door the older teen grabbed her by both wrists and began hauling her up. "Come on!"
Heaving a sigh as Marisa stood there like a lame duck Sammy began threading the scarf through her belt loops. "How old are you? I'm still getting you dress. Why?" she muttered before delving into the closet once more, regretting not having put the blouse aside when she'd seen it. "This, and this." she commanded handing over a white camisole, and a brightly colored flannel.
Turning around so her sister could change Sammy was secretly relishing this moment, she was lucky to have a family as amazing and loving as hers. Not every girl in her position could say the same. When the grunting and groaning behind her reached a crescendo of melancholy and doom the older girl grinned. "Can I turn around?"
"Sure, witness the disaster first hand!" Marisa snapped.
Well, Sammy conceded, she was right none of her clothes seemed to fit anymore. Marisa stood looking like a scarecrow her gangly arms outstretched, the purple and blue flannel wrinkled and baggy around her arms, every last button done up, right up to her chin. Sammy's brows knit together. "Are you going to church?" she asked walking over and unbottoning the noose. "Daddy taught me the 'sometimes, always, never' rule for buttoning and-"
"That's for men's suits dummy." Marisa cut it.
Sammy paused, was it? "It's universal." she waved her hand dismissively. "Sometimes," she said indicating to the top button. "Always," she motioned to the one in the middle. "Never." she declared unfastening the bottom button. "Now," Sammy announced turning Marisa once again towards the looking glass. "This is a good look for at home, and working. You can roll your sleeves if you get hot, tuck it, untuck it, stop laughing or I'm leaving, it's an overall great look! But, and if you tell daddy I gave you permission I'll deny it. You can undo all the buttons and tie it around your waist, or a little higher for school or hanging out with friends. But I swear to God if I see any skin," she said poking Marisa in her stomach. "Before your fifteenth birthday I'm gonna tell Abuela to call the convent and have the sisters come and take you away!"
"Ok, ok, I get it!" Marisa giggled appraising her new outfit combination in the mirror, giving the excess material of her makeshift belt a twirl. "I like it. Thanks sis."
"What can I say? It's a gift! Now, makeup!" Sammy gushed.
"Makeup? Do we have time daddy needs our help today."
"There's always time for makeup, and we won't be late." Sammy assured seating her sister before her dresser, pushing Ana the more popular of the twins things to the side and breaking out the goods.
There was nothing better in all the world than an impromptu makeover Sammy felt, delicately sweeping eyeshadow over her sister's eyes. Achieving the smokey look almost effortlessly. She didn't wear makeup often, especially when lending a hand around the ranch and when she did Sammy preferred a more subtle natural look and made her feel like a real girl. Because she was a real girl, she thought irritated with herself.
"Hey!" Georgia's voice cut through the calming bliss of a spa morning. "Mama sent me to tell you breakfast, but I wanna play dress up too!"
"We're not playing dress up," Marisa scoffed at the six year old. "We're getting dressed. You wouldn't understand the difference shorty."
"No fair, I'm telling!"
"No, it's ok," Sammy giggled scooping her up and plopping her on the dresser. "Come here and let's give you some war paint!"
A little while later and the trio all made up walked into the kitchen where there mother Rosa, who was as big as a house with the baby, was moving with shocking ease, clearly in her element racing back and forth between oven, range, and table. When she spotted them standing in the doorway the woman snatched the dish towel off of her shoulder and began smacking them on their rears.
"Quick, quick, don't just stand there get to work!" she commanded motioning to this morning's spread. Meanwhile their grandmother, who sat on a stool nearby stirring a stockpot laughed at the spectacle. Everything was a frantic pelt for a minute their mother scolding them, saying they wouldn't be exempt from kitchen work on field days anymore if they didn't get the table set rapido, and not to expect to sleep in anymore once summer rolled around prompting complaints from Marisa who felt that slumber party or not Ana should have been there to help too.
Soon the table was stacked high with eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, potatoes, cheese, peppers, onions, mushrooms, soup, diced fruit, toast, tortillas, milk, juices, coffee, and various condiments, all of it steaming hot and delicious. Clattering a fork against her big metal triangle first in the hallway, then out the back door their mother called the family for mealtime, and it wasn't long before bodies started piling in along the benches on either side of the long table.
"What are you wearing?" their dad asked motioning to his two oldest when he walked in. "We're branding today not going to prom! Georgia, uh, what are you playing dress up as huh?" he sighed knowing he was losing ground under his roof, outnumbered six, soon to be seven, to one.
"I'm not playing dressed up dad, I'm just dressed, you wouldn't understand." she said earning laughter from her sisters as she tossed her hair with flair.
"No, don't lie to me, you're dressed up as a party clown aren't you?" he asked picking her up and tickling her stomach. "Should I find you a barrel to hide in and throw you in with the bulls, huh? Huh?"
"Mijo, mijo!" Abuela called catching Sammy's attention, motioning for her to come over. "Don't listen to him you look so pretty this morning. Prettiest girl in all Mexico."
"Hey, what about me mama?" Sammy's mother cut in as she leaned against the counter fanning herself.
"Nose." was all Abuela said before laughing manically.
"Mama!" the woman gasped covering her face.
"Don't listen to her!" Sammy's dad said grabbing her by the substantial waist and pulling her close. "I love your big beautiful beak." he said pecking her on the nose.
"Beak? Beak?" his wife shrieked trying to pull away as her husband dotted her with even more kisses.
"Mijo, mijo," Abuela said again tapping Sammy on the arm. "I have something for you." she said pushing a caramel into her palm before cupping Sammy's face lovingly with gnarled arthritic fingers. "Beautiful."
"Thank you, Abuela." the girl said giving her a long kiss on the forehead.
"I don't want to hear any complaining from either of you when those hoops get ripped out of your ears today." her dad was saying as he took a hearty scoop of eggs and passed the platter down.
"You won't." the girls said almost in unison as their cousins chuckled and elbowed each other.
"Did you take your vitamins?" Rosa asked looking pointedly at Sammy.
"Ugh mama trust me that's something I won't forget!" the teen grumbled tearing off a piece of tortilla.
"Don't you 'ugh mama' me! I read stories, I don't want you to get sick. Que?" the woman snapped motioning dangerously with a wooden serving spoon.
"Si mama." Sammy relented kicking her cousin Abryan under the table as he whispered mockingly to his brother.
"'Si mama,' better. Don't you mess with the pregnant woman, I will beat you and when the police come they'll take one look and me and say, 'that girl deserved whatever her mama did!'" her mother remarked before smacking the table to gain her nephews attention. "Same for you boys, it takes 30 minutes for the CPS people to come I mapped it, that's 30 whole minutes of you, me, and whatever is in arm's reach."
"Si tía." they muttered as all around the table people smirked to themselves.
Abruptly squeezing himself between Marisa and Sammy, Theo came to the table late and enthusiastically began pouring himself orange juice. The overwhelming scent of spearamint flaring her nostrils Sammy couldn't help but look down at him quizzically. "Did you brush your teeth before breakfast?"
"Uh-huh," he nodded. "I like the way it tastes!"
Everybody shrieked the children recoiling and bumping into one another on the benches while the adults laughing humorously called for composure. "Get outta here you little psycho!" Sammy laughed tickling the boy. "With your brushed teeth OJ!"
After breakfast, the work day began. As expected it was long, hot, and terrible. First they corralled the cattle and walked around the big pen with low pressured sprayers dousing them with them with a bug repellent that killed off any ticks, fleas, and mites they had while driving off flies and mosquitoes. Afterwards they separated the calves, penning them into short stalls with heavy bars on either side to hold them still. Pumping them full of vaccines, a quick clip to the ear with the tagging gun, and few seconds of the red hot brand against their skin and they were free to return to their mothers.
It hurt Sammy's heart to hear the calves crying, the putrid odor of burnt hair, and charred flesh stinging her nose, but it had to be done. One by one she and Abryan worked on their lot as midday, a light lunch, and long break grew steadily nearer. Wiping the sweat from her brow they chatted casually about school. He and his brother stayed with her family throughout the school year, same with the cousins from her mom's side, but soon they'd all go back home for the summer and her father would need to hire some seasonal hands, so Sammy was trying to enjoy the good conversations while they lasted.
"Hey," Abryan said suddenly tapping the girl's shoulder, and pointing somewhere across the corral. "It's those guys again."
Standing Sammy shielded her gaze, eyes narrowed. In the distance she saw a gleaming black car parked near the house, and a pair of men in suits talking to her father. She'd seen them periodically, they were always interested in some type of business or another but her father refused to talk to Sammy about what they wanted exactly. Instead he would tell her that they were snake oil salesmen, and not to worry, he'd handle things. This time things were different, she could see her dad was angry, shouting, even though she couldn't quite make out what he was saying. Dropping the tag gun the girl marched towards the intruders. Something was wrong, and this time she was going to find out what it was.
As she got nearer Sammy could hear her father saying, "I don't care, we aren't doing it, you can find someone else to be your patsy! Now you and your boys get off my land, this is private property."
Getting ready to call out to him the girl paused something out of the corner of her eye catching her attention. There in the middle of the corral Marisa stood looking nervous a sprayer clutched tightly as a third suit talked and smiled at her. Sammy's blood began to boil as she quickly changed course, shouting angrily when the man reached a hand out and touched her sister on the shoulder.
"Hey!" Sammy called. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"We're just talking." the man with neatly combed blond hair and a perfect smile said in a tone she felt was supposed to be charming.
"Yeah well she's fourteen," Sammy said putting herself between Marisa and the man. "You have absoluely no business talking to her whatsoever, none."
Smiling again the man took a step back arms open. "I was only trying to-"
"Listen, I've castrated bulls that weigh in over two-thousand pounds buddy, do not push me!" she said jabbing a finger into his chest before turning to Marisa. "Are you ok?"
"Y-Yeah, nothing happened." Marisa said glancing apprehensively between the two of them.
"Did it make you uncomfortable?" Sammy asked sternly. Her sister nodded. "Then something did happen. No one is allowed to make you feel unsafe, ever."
"He said if I did him a favor I could save the ranch." Marisa explained.
Sammy turned on the suit with fire in her eyes.
"Whoa! Whoa! No! You're misunderstanding the situation," he said hands lifted defensively as he took another hasty step back. "It wasn't like that I just had a proposition for her- not like that either more of a business transaction." he fumbled watching as Abryan and the others came to flank her on either side armed with various farming tools, Abryan's quick fingers knotting a rope into a makeshift club which he smacked threateningly into his palm.
"Have you heard of Jurassic World? Owned by Mazrani Global?" the guy said quickly realizing that he was out matched. "What am I saying of course to do, well I work for a company called Mantah Corp, a company your dad owes a lot of money to. We just needed a favor to get a leg up on the competition is all, and we can forget the debt."
"And what does my underage sister have to do with any of that?" Sammy asked angrily.
"We've got an in to Jurassic World through a kids summer program, that's all I swear." he said pulling out a business card and a pen. "But you seem like a clever girl, real head on your shoulders, someone who could get the job done. Wanna give me an email? I can send you the details."
Looking skeptically from the creep to her dad who was still arguing with the other two the teen snatched the card from his hand and jotted down her information before handing it back. "[email protected], cute." he smirked before pocketing it.
"Yeah, sure, real cute." she said stepping up to him seething. "But if you ever come near my sister again you and me are gonna take a trip to my tio's. He raises pigs, you understand me?"
The guy looked her up and down in an evaluating manner, smiled, nodding to the group of teens who advanced on him slightly and walked away. Sammy took a shuddering breath, she was quaking with rage and anxiety all over, heart pounding, limbs cold despite the heat, and she was fairly certain she was going to throw up. The girl hated confrontation. Hugging Marisa close she kissed her on the top of her head, feeling her trembling as well, she was just glad that everyone was ok.
"Sam the Man!" Abryan whooped, boxing her in the shoulder as the black car drove off. "I forgot you were such a badass!"
"Yeah, well, don't make that mistake again." she muttered still hugging her sister.
"Oh my God!" Abryan gasped looking a little paler all of a sudden. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! It just slipped out!"
Sammy turned and looked at him like the idiot he was. "No stupid, I can still be 'the man' without having to be a man. I meant don't you ever forget I'm a badass!" she grinned punching him back in a way that said "no hard feelings."
Later that night Sammy lay in bed, struggling to keep her eyes open as outside her room she could hear her family members starting to drop off to sleep one after the other. After she was sure the coast was clear the girl pulled out her phone and switched on private browsing. It only took her a few minutes to gather some basic information on Mantah Corp. They were a genetics company who had been in the dinosaur race with what was once called InGen, and another company called Biosyn, but had lost. Unlike Biosyn however, she couldn't find much else or even recent activities, they were like a ghost.
Her phone pinged, startling Sammy who quickly muted notifications. Tapping on the little envelope she opened an email, it read simply "For Miss S. Gutierrez," and had several files attached to it.
Opening the first file Sammy's brows furrowed as she found herself staring at what appeared to be a legal coversheet. The next page was just a header and the Mantah Corp company logo which looked like some sort of scorpion lion thing in the center. Then it was a spreadsheet she couldn't make much sense of, then another, and another. Then she came to a page filled with numbers, charges, withdrawals, interest accumulation, and finally a closing sheet. Confused she opened up the next file she was greeted by a similar coversheet, and another logo page. After that there were several pages of scanned checks, all with her father's signature. Page, after page of checks. Suddenly the first file with all it's large sums was beginning to make sense.
"Oh no, daddy." she whispered, heart fluttering in her chest and tears welling in her eyes.
After that was page after page of numbers some positive, some negative, some in black, others in an ominous red. Then she came across an image that chilled the teen to her core, the deed to the ranch. Quickly throwing the blankets over her head as she lost her composure Sammy bit down on her pillow reigning in a terrified, heartbroken cry. Tears streaming down her face she struggled to contain herself as everything inside felt shattered.
They were going to lose everything! She thought desperately. Everything! What, she wondered, could have happened to get them to this point? How long had her father been hiding their financial trouble? Sammy felt like she was going to explode with sorrow as a deep hopelessness swallowed her whole. As silently as possible the girl laid in bed weeping in hollow, ragged breaths.
After a several minutes the worst of it had past and she dared pull out phone again, opening up the third and final file, her hands shaking. Again a cover page, logo, and- "Redacted" the page was filled with thick black bars obscuring whatever text had been there the solitary word stamped menacingly in the corner. The next page exactly the same. The third page contained only a few lines of text amid the bars, but nothing that made sense out of context. Then something about shareholding, the ranch, and a contract. A few more pages entirely blacked out, then something about Mazrani Global, the logo of Jurassic World a familiar sight. Then something about debt forgiveness in exchange for the "acquisition of degradable, biological specimens, and vital documentation acquired onsite for the purpose of ... and ... by the ... and ... ..."
The following pages seemed more like a shopping list than anything else, with names and photographs of different sorts of dinosaurs, and plants, a few schematics were even thrown in followed by even more pages that were entirely blacked out.
Her own breath uncomfortably hot on her face from hiding beneath the blankets Sammy tried to work through everything she had just read. Blinking rapidly as she felt a fresh wave of tears coming on the girl was already trying to figure out how to confront her father over this newly acquired information. Her phone vibrated suddenly, startling her.
Looking at it she saw another email from Mantah Corp. Hesitantly she opened it. "Your father already turned down our very generous offer." It read. "So now it's up to you to decide, you have 5 weeks to make your choice. We look forward to hearing from you." and then the logo again.
Turning off her phone screen and uncovering her face Sammy starred into the darkness above her bed. What was she going to do? She thought. What else could she do? There was no other choice, she resolved, she had to help her family. A few stress induced tears burned at her eyes, and before Sammy knew it she was crying again.
Notes:
PSA: Don't mess with Sammy's family.
Also I was worried I would take a while to get this chapter out because Kenji's took me a little over a week, but Sammy's chapter just flowed! I can't say they'll all be that easy, but at least I have everything plotted out and outlined! Thanks for reading! :)
Chapter Text
-Four Weeks BCC-
With the familiar warm lump of Skittles, her mom Nika's chihuahua pinning down the blankets Brooklynn rolled over lazily in bed, her long hair clinging to her face like a veil. Spitting a few strands from her mouth with aggravation as she did. Almost immediately afterwards the teen felt the danty footsteps of the dog walking up and over the comparative mountain of a girl as Skittles sought to reclaim her position right up against Brooklynn's stomach. Smiling with secret adoration, though she had maintained for years her hatred 'the rat' Brooklynn pet the minute canine, scratching behind her big floppy ears earning a joyful whimper, and much trembling characteristic of the breed.
"Morning." the girl muttered with a yawn.
Stretching Brooklynn reached blindly, hand tapping first the bed, then air, and finally her nightstand in search of her phone. When at last her fingers brush the cold smooth surface of the screen she reflexively grabbed hold of the device like it was a lifeline and pulled it towards her. Clutching it tightly to her chest Brooklynn began reviewing her plans for the day. It was the weekend, so she didn't have much in the way of responsibilities except maybe walking the dog, and taking out the trash. Stretching again, this time more luxuriously than before Brooklynn curled around Skittles content with the fact that she could spend the entire day in bed if she wanted to.
Gradually drifting back to sleep she couldn't help but feel like she was forgetting something, something important. After trying and failing to remember what it was the teen gave up trying and blissfully gave into slumber once again.
Moments later she jolted upright in bed, sending the frightened chihuahua tumbling to the floor where she lay sprawled. "Oh my God, Skittles I'm sorry!" Brooklynn gasped leaning over the edge of the mattress and scooping up the dog who seemed very sorry for whatever she had done to deserve being thrown out of the bed, tail wagging despite being tucked between her legs.
The poll! Brooklynn thought frantically to herself as she unlock her phone. How could she have forgotten about the poll? Today was the big day after all. Logging into her diversified range of social media accounts Brooklynn hastily scrolled through comments, fan letters, and follower notifications until she found what she had been looking for. The results of all the tallied votes charted out in neat little bar graphs with percentages recorded below them. Ravenously devouring the results, a broad grin breaking out on her face the teenage influencer leaped out of bed and rushed down the short hall to the bathroom. Filled to the brim with excitement she gave her teeth a quick once over, neatened up her hair a bit, and wiped the lingering drool from her chin before she started streaming.
"Good morning Brooklanders, it's your girl Brooklynn- woop woop!" she called enthusiastically, holding her phone at arm's length, ensuring that it was facing her at a flattering, downward angle. "I hope you're all as pumped and excitied as I am because today is it the big day! Do-do-do-do!" the teen said keeping up the hype as she made her way, backwards, into the kitchen where her moms caught off guard were enjoying their morning coffee. Nika wiped the cream cheese icing from the corner of her mouth, eyes wide with embarrasent as she stared at the phone. "As you can see it's my mom's month this month, let's hear it for online school enabling this new, incredible visitation schedule! And if you're new to the channel TLDR: divorce, totally chic lesbian glow up for my mom, and I still travel with my dad, but enough about me, let's talk about you, and more importantly let's talk about what you voted for! Ladies can we get a drumroll please?"
Still smiling Brooklynn watched as a little apprehensively at first the two women began drumming on the table, quickly building momentum. "That's right, the results are in, I asked for your opinions and you gave them! The winning color is: Flaming Flamingo! That's right Brooklanders say goodbye to my drab dishwater brown and hello to bright luxurious pink!" she announced energetically, roughing her free hand through her still bedraggled locks.
"Hurray!!!" Candice, her bio mom cheered leaning further into frame.
"Boo, I voted for Jaded Jaguar!" Nika said through a mouthful of food, gesturing with a thumbs down to the audience.
"Well folks, we got some mixed results here!" Brooklynn laughed into the camera as her step mom loudly demanded a recount. "That's all for now, see you ladies and gentleman real soon, and when I do it will be at the salon where this girl is gonna be on fire!"
Beaming brightly as she stopped filming Brooklynn couldn't help but get a flutter in her chest as she saw all the hearts and smiley faces rolling in, and comment after comment began forming an orderly queue below her vid. "Can't wait to see the new look! :D" said one, "Your moms are too cute!!! How did you luck out with 2 great fams when I can't even get one #fosterkid looking forward to the pink!" read another, "I voted for Purple Python, but you'll look cute no matter what color you dye your hair! :-*" read one more.
Brooklynn felt, loved, accepted, worth while when she saw all of the wonderful things people were saying to and about her. It was a warm comforting feeling that seemed to wash over her like a wave. Still standing in the middle of the kitchen she happily basked in the glow of their affection giggling, or smirking to herself as she absorbed line after line of text from her followers.
"So, we're chic now?" Nika asked head propped on her hand, fingers drumming her cheek irritably. "Your chic lesbian moms... You know you don't always have to be 'on,' and you don't have to put us on the spot either."
Brooklynn who was listening better than Nika was probably aware felt a pang of guilt, her smile fading some as she made her way to the table and slid into a chair, eyes still locked on the screen as she did.
"You're only upset because she caught you stuffing your face!" Candice chuckled before an uncomfortable expression crossed her face. Catching the look out of the corner of her eye Brooklynn shifted in her seat uncomfortably aware of how her parents were now looking at her. Pretending not to notice the girl began tapping out replies to her followers, her mom realizing the taboo of what she had said too late. "Besides, you can't be too upset, she did just call you my glow up." Candice went on quickly trying to save the conversation.
"That's because I am your glow up." Nika said in a matter of fact tone. "She's just stating facts at this point."
There was another moment of silence before Nika cleared her throat. "Sweety, all I'm saying is if your veiwers were really fans I'm sure they'd like you for who you are, not just all the fancy places you go, or stuff you review, or the crazy things you do because they tell you to. Because doing all of that makes you just another internet personality. Why don't you show them the real Brookie-Wookie?" she asked her tone gentle but probing. "Come on, do the thing." the woman smirked after a second, reaching over and tickling the girl's side. "Do the thing!"
"No!" Brooklynn laughed squirming away. "I'm not a little kid anymore!"
"Aw, but you'll always be my little Brookie-Wookie! Come on, do the thing, for me?" Nika pleaded her tickle attack going two handed.
"Ok, ok!" Brooklynn conceded, but only after nearly dropping her phone. Still giggling it took a moment to compose herself enough to do it. Taking a breath, cheeks sore from trying to surpress another bout of laughter Brooklynn let out a gargling like call before cracking and subcoming to a fit giggles, both of them forgetting their previous irritation in an instant.
"Yay! My favorite little Wookie!" Nika, who had convinced Candice to get matching lightsaber tattoos, shouted hugging her tight with affection.
"Here," Candice chuckled watching them with love in her eyes. "They're nice and hot." she announced pushing a large plate of cinnamon rolls towards her daughter.
Brooklynn hesitated, staring at the sweets, a sudden bout of anxiety kicking her in the stomach, and causing her heart to race. She couldn't eat that! She thought, panicked as she looked at the sticky, sugary rolls. If these were Pillsbury brand, she thought, which they usually were at her moms' they'd be about 150-160 calories a roll, she reasoned trying to recall what the nutritional guide on the little cardboard cylinder said. Then if she had creamer in her coffee that was an additional 40 calories a tablespoon which would throw off her whole- Brooklynn forced herself to stop thinking eyes squeezed tightly shut. Breathe, she told herself as she unconsciously touched the MIC-KEY button that was hidden under her pajama shirt.
Candice cleared her throat before softly asking, "You, aren't calculating again are you?"
"I'm fine." Brooklynn assured her with a dismissive smile before quickly snatching one of the rolls from the plate. You can do this, the teenager thought to herself, trying to get amped, though the thought of actually eating it nauseated her. It's all in your head, just eat half, it'll be ok, she continued to reason with herself. "It's just really sweet first thing in the morning and I was wondering if we had any cantaloupe, or grapefruit?" she heard herself saying, a familiar response, one she could tell had let her mothers down.
"We might," Nika nodded getting up to pour herself another mug of coffee, getting one for her daughter as she did so. "But, not until after you get some real food in your body. I can make eggs if you'd rather."
"No I'm ok," Brooklynn said accepting the piping hot beverage, very aware that the creamer was being not so subtly nudged towards her from across the table.
"You better enjoy that coffee," Candice said after a minute. "It's the last of the good stuff until payday, all we've got left is instant."
"What?" Brooklynn gasped hand flying to her heart as though she had been mortally wounded. "Are you for reals? Mom, come on, you knew what a teacher's salary was from first hand experience. How could you go and marry Nika knowing you'd be living in squaller and poverty for the rest of your life? I mean, how could you do that to me!"
"Not much of a glow up now, am I?" Nika chuckled, a sense of relief washing over the women as after her little display Brooklynn began pulling apart her cinnamon roll, slowly eating it one coil at a time.
Taking notice of how her parents were looking at her from time to time as the trio chatted Brooklynn couldn't help but feel guilty for the stress she had put them under. The teenager wasn't exactly sure when she stopped looking at food as food, and when it became a malevolent force pressing down on her with a crushing weight of catastrophic fear and dread, but somewhere along the line it had, and when it did everything around her shifted somehow, including the way she perceived herself.
The first time she was hospitalized Brooklynn had only been thirteen years old. It had been her last year of middle school and she had put all her energy into that year. Her academic success, and reputation as one of the popular girls only added to the immense pressure, and need for perfection that she had put on herself. This left her with a constant feeling of inadequacy and self doubt that manifested itself in her relationship with food.
At first she started her channel at the suggestion of one of the eating disorder rehab counselors as a means of tracking her progress towards a healthy weight, and to inspire and give hope to others. It worked, for a while, but then the comments started flowing in, images of girls and even some boys looking to achieve lower and lower weights, challenging each other, making it a competition. Brooklynn looked at their thin, withered forms and enviously saw only beauty. After a drastic relapse she'd not only had the GI tube surgically placed, but has lost all internet access, living in her mind, as dismally Amish.
After she had been discharged Brooklynn begged, and was finally allowed social media again, but only on the condition that her login information was forefit. Under close supervision her videos had a moderate following, one that she tried to maintain a candid look into her ongoing struggles with, but nothing noteworthy by internet standards. That was until the following summer when Brooklynn's dad decided to take her on a photoshoot in Maraco and she started filming the adventure. Her channel started picking up, and so did her self esteem. She deleted all of her old videos, and rebranded herself, from that point on everything changed.
"I was thinking, on the way home from the salon we could pick up a few things from the store," Brooklynn said sneaking a piece of cinnamon roll to Skittles who was begging beneath her chair. "Because I wanted to do some easy hacks while I'm here. I'll pay!" she added quickly hoping that the answer would be yes.
All of her traveling and most of her product reviews happened when Brooklynn was with her dad who had a much more sizable bank account. When she was with her moms the young influencer's veiwership always took a noticable dip, but nothing that the channel couldn't recover from. As a result she did mostly hacks and debunking vids to keep things fresh and momentum high.
"If you destroy my kitchen again, I swear!" Candice said firmly, an accusatory finger pointing at her daughter.
"Your kitchen?" Nika asked brow sharply arched, earning a cheeky grin from Brooklynn as she watched the exchange.
"Our kitchen." Candice corrected.
"Our?" Nika murmured over her coffee, voice barely audible as she locked eyes mischievously with her wife.
Candice sighed resigning herself to losing this one. "If you destroy Nika's kitchen, I swear you're grounded for the rest of the month!"
"Love you!" Nika beamed.
"Love you too!" Candice replied in a playfully sarcastic tone. "We'll see. Why don't you go get dressed, I want to get this dog and pony show over before it gets too much later."
"Hey!" Brooklynn scoffed quickly downing the last of her now tepid coffee. "This isn't a 'dog and pony show!' This is high quality original content and entertainment!"
Dashing to her room the teenager shuffled through her drawers locating her favorite, most supportive bra, even if the underwire did bite from time to time, a frilly but not overly obnoxious hanging-around-the-mall type blouse, and a pair of skinny jeans. Changing in a rush Brooklynn was careful to keep her back to the mirror in spite of its recent reinstallation to her room before bounding back out only to find Nika spreading out folders on the couch.
"You're not coming with?" Brooklynn asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"Nah, sorry Wookie, not this time. I've got a lot of grading to do. Besides I really like my current aesthetic." Nika smiled up at her from where she sat. "When it's mani-pedi day, I'll be first in line though."
"I'm sure you will be." Candice said giving her wife a peck on the forehead before heading out the front door.
"You know we could always put off those randos on the internet until tomorrow and you can hang out with me, and your mom, put on some music jam this out together then have a movie marathon the rest of the day?" Nika offered. "Come on you're really gonna just abandon me? What happened to my number one collator?"
"She learned about child labor laws!" Brooklynn snarked, sticking her tongue out as she headed for the door, scooting Skittles back with her foot as she did.
"Fine just leave me here, by myself, all alone!" Nika called her volume raising as the two made their way out of the apartment and down the hall earning laughter from both of them.
Brooklynn and her mom walked at a comfortable pace, talking casually about school, boys, and new tv shows, over the loud, dull roar of traffic. Candice who had initially been apposed to the idea of online schooling for her daughter was now very keen on the subject and deeply impressed with what the highly motivated young woman had been able to accomplish working at her own pace, which for Brooklynn meant working far ahead of her peers. It wasn't long however before they reached the salon, they each got checked in, and sat in a chair.
"Hey Brooklanders, it's me again, as promised, and here we are at 'Kinky's,' a salon near my moms' apartment. They work with all hair types as the name implies, even though I know what you were really thinking, for shame my Brooklanders!" the girl joked with knit eyebrows waggling her finger at the camera. "I don't think they've been having much luck these days though, what with bigger more commercial spots opening up around town taking business away from them, so let's see if we can't get them trending huh?"
When a woman approached Brooklynn to beging work on her hair the teen turned the camera towards her saying. "This is..."
"Steph..." Steph said with a perplexed expression.
"This is Steph, she's going to be our guide to fabulous world cotton candy, bubble gum, and of course flamingos today. Smile, you're going live to my 27 million followers!"
"Oh, my God!" the woman gasped covering her mouth and walking away.
"Oops!" Brooklynn shrugged, waiting a few moments before a tall gentleman approached her chair. "Hi!" the girl smiled.
"Hi," he replied before leaning down and waving at the phone. "Hey all, hope you're ready to see a little magic," he said with catching enthusiasm. "But I can assure you, unlike what you might see in Vegas, this is not an illusion, it is one hundred percent, real and one hundred percent Jeremy!" he added with a wink.
Brooklynn and Jeremy fed off one another giving great banter and creating one of, in Brooklynn's opinions best livestreams date, being sure to grab stills of the teen at various stages of what Jeremy referred to as "the process" along the way. Still giddy from the encounter the girl burst through the living room door with a "ta-da!"
"Oh, wow!" Nika gushed getting up and coming to play with her daughter's hair. "It's still so soft!"
"Isn't it?" Candice asked running her fingers through it as well. "And smell it I love the shampoo they used. Now I wish I'd gotten a wash. You like the bob?"
"Looks great on you hon!"
"Guys, guys this isn't a petting zoo!" Brooklynn said squirming away. "Jesus! I'm gonna get my charger, brb!"
Walking to the outlet her charger was plugged into Brooklynn was briefly startled by her own reflection. Oh yeah, she thought pausing to examine herself in the mirror, this was going to take some getting used to. Brooklynn hesitated to look away, her attention captured by what she saw as a strand of hair fell to cover one eye. Sweeping it back and tucking it behind an ear the girl was struck with a strangely euphoric feeling, one she hadn't felt in a long while. Wow, she thought smiling to herself, I'm actually kind of pretty. It was a nice feeling, one Brooklynn hoped would last as she shifted her hair around in her head, positioning in various styles.
It was then that her phone chimmed. Looking down the girl noticed an email, one she had almost dismissed as junkmail advertising discounted vacation rates, until she noticed that there weren't really any images in the letter, not like an ad would have anyways. She reread the address of the sender, "PR Department?" Brooklynn muttered sinking distractedly into the chair at her desk as she started to read the email.
Notes:
I really, really struggled to write this one. If I'm being honest Brooklynn is my least favorite character as she is in the show. She just seems so self absorbed and narcissistic, and that is exactly how she was ending up in the first couple of drafts none of which were longer than 1,000 words. Then I started thinking about why she would be that way, bullying when she was younger? Difficulty over her parents divorce? None of that seemed to really work for her. Then I thought well what if her problems stemmed not from external forces, but internal ones. And that friends is how I gave a fictional teenage girl a severe eating disorder.
I'm sorry internet. DX
Chapter Text
-Three Weeks BCC-
Breath catching in his chest, and heart pounding Darius looked around himself with confusion and malaise. The merger halo of illumination his flashlight provided washing over the nondiscript walls of the hallway as he pivoted back and forth. Something glittered in the darkness to his left. Giving his light source a shake the boy watched and waited to see if he could repeat the phenomenon, to his tentative relief he could.
"Well," he muttered to himself. "Here goes nothing."
Creeping slowly down the corridor his nerves on edge the teen found himself looking back over his shoulder more often than not. What was that noise? He wondered uneasily. It seemed to be following him, a low shuffling in the darkness, and yet, despite his efforts, the teenager was unable to locate the source of the sound. Tiptoing his way towards the object Darius reached slowly for what he could now tell was some sort of orb. Suddenly the reflective circle was eclipsed by something only to repeater brighter and in someway more sinister.
"Oh, no." the teen muttered to himself as it moved. Raising his flashlight Darius revealed the hideous maw of a Velociraptor lunging for him, the orb had been the reflection of its eye.
All at once he was being pulled back down the way he'd come. "Run!" Dr. Meriwether shouted in his ear. Darius could practically feel the breath of the creature hot and wet on the back of his neck. His legs tensing as if the need to flee was real, Darius thrust the joystick forward.
"Come on, come on!" he muttered teeth grit together. Light! With relief the boy spotted the way out, turning towards it hurriedly pressing the 'regroup' button to call Dr. Meriwether to follow him. Closer and closer they got, the sunlight blinding after so much darkness when- the whole world tilted as the headset was pulled from his face. His eyes squinting the teen glared up at his big brother protesting loudly as he paused the game.
"Darius, come on man I've been calling you for twenty minutes!" Brand said with annoyance as he tossed the expensive enquipment to the desk.
"Careful!" Darius gasped quickly accessing the headset to ensure that nothing had been damaged. Blinking as his eyes adjusted to the real world the boy found himself smirking at the sight of his bother looking like a dork. "Why are you wearing your uniform, Brandon?" he laughed reaching up and flipping his bro's name tag.
"Because genius, I got called in." he retorted before motioning with a thumb towards the door. "Dinner."
"It's a school night." Darius said perplexed as he took a moment to save and exit the game.
"And?" Brand yawned.
"I don't know I thought you weren't allowed to work on school nights, at least not this late." he shrugged trying to appear disinterested.
"It's fine." his brother assured, though Darius took this statement with a fair amount of skepticism. He'd overhead Brand and their mom whispering late at night after they thought he'd gone to bed about bills. Brand had offered to pick up more hours, but had been told that his education was more important. Clearly he didn't agree.
Darius chose to keep these thoughts to himself as he walked towards the dining room table, hands in his pockets. Sniffing the air, he recognized the meal as lasagna, but... not. Peering into the steaming bowl that awaited him Darius gawked at the small flat noodles in something that was supposed to marinara, some sort of white "cheese" sauce drizzled on top. The boy's heart sank into the pit of his suddenly nauseated stomach.
"Hamburger Helper again?" he groaned sliding into a chair and moving the food around with his fork.
"You know what?" Brand said taking a bite directly from the pan. "You make dinner sometime since your such a gourmet." Distractedly shoveling food into his mouth, Brand glanced at his phone. "Shit I'm gonna be late!" he swore while clearly burning his tongue on that last bite.
Running to the fridge he grabbed an energy drink before turning to Darius. "Do me a favor, save mom some of that, and do the dishes, there's not a lot. Don't go anywhere or open the door for strangers, if someone offers you drugs just say 'no,' to all my Brandamaniacs say your prayers and take your vitamins, don't do anything I wouldn't do, it's not you it's me," the older boy rattled with a cheeky grin as he headed towards the front door, spewing his ever growing list of farewell slogans as he went. "When the going gets tough the tough get going, good night and good luck!"
"Just get out of here already!" Darius laughed balling up a paper towel and throwing it at him.
"Hey, for reals, I love you man." Brand said pausing as he closed the door behind him. "See you in the morning."
"Love you too."
Shaking his head as he heard the deadbolt slide into place Darius picked at his dinner. After a few solitary minutes with only the dull tik-tok-tik-tok of the kitchen clock for company the boy grew restless and his thoughts turned, as they usually did, back to the game. The raptors had laid a trap for them, he thought, tapping the fork against his chin. Were they really that smart? he pondered. Everything he had read indicated that they likely were, but then again you had to consider how many liberties the game designers might have taken to make it more challenging for players.
What had he missed though? The teen thought irritably to himself as he ate his less than desirable meal. It had to have been hinted at earlier in the level which he hoped he wouldn't have to start over, though he knew he likely would. After all he hadn't located the canister of specimen samples which had been the main objective, other than survival of course. Perhaps, he thought suddenly the level was specifically meant to end in failure, as part of the storyline? Nah, Darius concluded to himself dismissing the idea completely, he must have missed something.
Glancing up at the clock on microwave teen realized that his mom wouldn't be home for another two hours at least. That was plenty of time, he thought. Eagerly wolfing down the pasta Darius dropped his bowl into the sink making a mental note to come back for them after he had solved the mystery that was the InGen on-site genetics facility.
After several more strenuous attempts Darius and his sole companion on the island were racing across an open field, Dr. Meriwether calling for extraction, raptors hot in their trail. A chill ran down Darius' spine at the blood curdling scream that filled his ears without warning. He turned this way and that looking for the adversary only to begin to make out words. A dinosaur that talks? Oh! Maybe another survivor! But then as he listened more carefully the teenager's stomach did a summersault, he knew that voice.
"Mom?" he called with worry exiting the world of virtual reality and running to the bedroom door. Opening it he found himself suddenly enveloped with a cloud of putrid black smoke. Fanning it away from his face, coughing and choking on the plume, lungs burning, Darius felt a rush of real mortal terror. "Mom!"
Socks skidding on the floor as he ran Darius slipped, clipping his shoulder painfully into the wall before scrambling back up and darting into the kitchen. Through the haze he could make out the figure of his mom thrusting a frying pan into a sink of running water where it hissed and bubbled vengefully, black smoke billowing into white steam. Hacking against the miasma herself the woman moved to open the back door, Darius eager to help rushed away and began opening windows.
"Darius Alexander Bowman!" the woman yelled as she spotted him. Still coughing Monica seemed to think better of the situation, marched over to the boy and nabbed him savagely by the ear dragging him out into the fresh night air to let him have with full lung capacity available.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
"Don't you dare ow me!" she said angrily. "What the hell do you think you were doing?"
"I'm sorry it was an accident, I just got too busy playing Jurassic Wo-" Darius began smiling weakly even though he knew there'd be no talking himself out of this one.
"Enough with that God damn game!" she shrieked fanning the front of her scrub top as if overheated, by the smoke or pure anger the boy couldn't tell. "I'm going to throw that stupid thing away."
"It was an accident!" Darius shouted with frustration, eyes watering as he rapidly blinked away the fumes.
"Don't." his mother warned. "Don't you raise your voice to me, not after I come home to that!" she pointed with a trembling hand towards the house, her voice just as shaken. "If I had- if I had come home any later..."
"Nothing would have happened! Jeez I don't get why you're over reacting." he scoffed in spite of how his own heart still raced. He regretted his combative response almost immediately as his mother turned away and stalked back into the house. "Where are you going? Mom?" he asked following her as she charged furiously into his room.
"What are you doing?" he then howled in shock, rushing to stop her as she began yanking cords out of the back of his PC.
"Don't touch me." she gritted as the boy grabbed at her hands. "Don't," she said again trying, unsuccessfully, to fend off tears. "I am not ready to bury you next to your father, not over a stupid videogame!" she sobbed. The woman's words lanced her son through the heart, he stood looking at her in a stunned silence. "Take a shower, don't take a shower I don't care anymore, just go to bed." she went on waving him away as she left.
"Mom..." Darius said meekly, his own eyes welling as he watched her leave.
Falling onto his bed as a few rogue tears escaped him Darius couldn't help but feel that a great injustice had been done against him. So he forgot one little pan of food on the stove, and it got a little burnt. It wasn't like the house was going to catch on fire. He wasn't stupid either, he would have gotten out even if it had. Sure he might be obsessed with the game, more than he probably should have been, but he got his homework done and helped around the house. Besides, it was the only chance he had of ever making to to Jurassic World now that his dad was gone... and that was another thing, he thought with indignation, she didn't have to bring dad into it. Failing to understand why his mom had to blow things out of proportion the way she had, the gamer brooded solemnly.
He was glowering at the wall still resentful, when Darius heard the first heartbroken sobs coming from the other end of the hall. A sudden pang of guilt washing away the anger the boy got up and crept back towards the epicenter of all of the night's drama, nose wrinkled against the still pungent air. With a thick foam of bubbles stretching up to her elbows his mother braced herself with both hands against the sink, tears raining down on the dirty dishes. Darius watched her for a moment, hating himself for making her cry.
Walking up behind her the teen wrapped his mom in a hug, resting a cheek against her back. Listening to her heartbeat, and mournful weeping in tandem Darius felt hollow with shame. The pair stood alone in their grief and fear the rest of the world falling away for what seemed like an eternity, a turbulent ocean of sorrow threaten to drown them. After several minutes the woman took a deep breath to compose herself, and without warning the crying stopped abruptly under her sheer force of will.
"It's alright, I'm alright." she said patting him on the forearm and pulling out of the embrace. "It's late, and I need you in bed."
"I'm sorry."
"It's alright, just get some sleep ok?" the nurse smiled softly. "I love you."
"Love you." the boy muttered, gaze downcast. Finding his way back to bed Darius lay playing through the events of the day in his mind, and how he could have, should have done better. Eventually, he fell asleep.
Leg sticking out from under the blankets, blissfully cool while the rest of his form was snuggly bundled only the discomfort of a full bladder roused Darius from the realm of nix and into the warm glow of morning. Sitting up he rubbed an eye with a groan before turning to his alarm clock to assess the time. The blank face of the device didn't click with his brain at first glance but the surge of adrenaline that flooded through his body when it did sent the boy flying from his bed. He was going to be late for school!
Quickly running to the bathroom he took a much needed leak before frantically pelting back to his room and searched along his nightstand and under the edge of his bed for his phone, discovering the unplugged power cord of his clock in the process. Groaning with frustration when he came up empty handed the teen got dressed, hurriedly throwing on something he hoped was clean before shouldered his backpack. Swearing under his breath he wondered with accusation, why no one had checked to see if he was up before they'd left for the day?
It was a he hopped on one foot, struggling to put his shoes on that Darius realized the tv had been left on in the living room. He raced to turn it off before leaving.
"Excuse me?"
"Ahh!" Darius screamed turning with wide eyes to see his mom, still in her pajamas lounging on the sectional. "Mom?" he panted. "Uh school, late for... what's going on?" he trailed off, his eyebrows coming together as he took in the room, making note of the baskets of clothes and the trio of cell phones his mother had surrounding her. "No, seriously, what's going on?"
"Well, for one thing you just turned off my favorite soap, and for another it's about time your lazy bones rolled out of bed. It's..." she paused fishing her phone up from the floor and glancing at its screen. "10:37. Do you know how bored I've been? I actually folded the laundry! When does your mother ever fold the laundry? I mean come on that's a job for you little peons."
Blinking as he failed to understand a single word his mom had said Darius found himself staring.
"Surprise!" she said with a laugh. "I switched schedules so we could hang out, and I called you out sick from school so you better work on a cough or something. I'm sorry about last night." she went on with a sigh, sitting up and patting the space next to her. "But at least now we know that the fire alarm needed new batteries, and got that taken care of. So the next time you and Dr. Flora get too busy running from dinosaurs the whole house doesn't burn down."
Darius couldn't help but smirk as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders when he sat, "Mom, it's Dr. Meriwether."
"All I know is he's named after one of the fairies from Sleeping Beauty!" she rolled her eyes giving the boy a hug. "Now put Brandon's phone by his bed and change shirts while I get dressed, your mama wants to go to the pier!"
The teen winced, ducking his head slightly. "Can we afford a trip to the pier?"
"Darius, your mother wants funnel cake and you almost burnt the house down last night. If your butt is not in the car in the next ten minutes one of us is going to regret it." she announced. "Do you understand me?"
"Yes ma'am." the teen laughed as the stress between from the day before melted away.
"Good, now go change and don't wake your brother up, I have no idea what time he got in last night." she instructed handing him Brand's phone before scooping up a basket of her clothes and heading for her room.
Depositing the cell on his brother's dresser, Darius found himself feeling guilty as he noticed the guy hadn't even changed out his uniform, still smelling like french fries, before he'd crashed. He might piss him off from time to time, but he really did have a great big brother, he thought. Taking a moment to plug Brand's alarm clock back in for him, Darius reset the time before walking back to his own room and repeating the process.
In the car mother and son chatted about what each other had been up to, the nurse having been so busy with double shifts lately that she felt out of touch and estranged in her son's life. Darius was sure to fill her in on all of the happenings in school, what he'd been doing in his free time, and even the scandalous truth that Brand had, had a girl over last Saturday.
The pier itself was loud and full of life energizing the boy by proximity alone. Purchasing the two of them unlimited wristbands it was clear that Monica planned on making a day of it. Grabbing her hand Darius began to run leading his mom with childlike glee through the crowds, forgetting that at nearly sixteen he was supposed to act 'cool' in public. Riding rollercoasters, playing likely rigged arcade games, and downing corn dogs the two quickly lost track of time.
It was on the teacups though, that Darius got his revenge. They were already spinning so fast that his mom had taken her hands off the wheel, her eyes plastered shut and teary, laughing so hard she couldn't catch her breath. Waving desperately to tell him to stop Darius grinned mischievously, throwing his full weight behind turning the wheel, spinning them faster and faster, until he himself couldn't take the momentum and let go, being pressed back in his seat by the centrifugal force. The world spun and tilted as the two stumbled away from the ride, both of their faces aglow with laughter they were having difficulty recovering from it.
"Alright, Darius," the woman said finding something to lean against. "Just for that, I'm keeping the headset 'til tomorrow!"
"Worth it!" the boy laughed jovially.
After one more pitstop to satiate his mother's craving the two went home, plopping down, and flipping on the tv to watch a movie. Almost immediately however, the woman fell fast asleep exhausted by all the excitement and activity of the day. Smiling fondly Darius pulled the throw off the back of the couch and draped it over her, before making himself comfortable with his head on her shoulder. Startling him at first Brand, bundled like a wayfaring traveler shuffled into the living room, blankets dragging on the floor. Without a word he flopped himself down on the other side of the sectional and went back to sleep. The family happily relishing the nearness of the others. Darius smiled.
Notes:
Two things! #1 While I'm talking about Velociraptors, though in the context of the videogame, I'd like to say that the fact the "the raptor pack" being the only Velociraptors in Jurassic World has always really bothered me and struck me as dumb. Velociraptors are probably the most infamous creations of InGen, (the escaped T-Rex from Lost World aside) especially after the first hand accounts of Ian Malcolm and anyone else who broke the non-disclosure agreement.
I can't imagine that Jurassic World would pass on such a lucrative attraction. So in my variation of this world there is a raptor exhibit at the park where the animals are showcased as their vicious selves and look more akin to the animals in the Jurassic Park movies (can't decide on if I like the design from #1 or #3 best though). The raptor pack was engineered specifically for training purposes which is why they have unique patterning so as to more easily distinguish them from one another.
Sorry, I know this won't play a part in the story for a bit but I wanted to share while I was thinking about it.
And #2 If any of you come across this "_______" while you're reading I leave blank spaces for myself when I can't think of a word I like and come back to it later. Sometimes when I proof read before posting I can still miss these fill-in-the-blanks spaces I leave myself. If you notice them would you mind giving me a heads up so I can fix it?
Thank you, and thanks for reading! :)
Chapter Text
-Two and a Half Weeks BCC-
Alarm blaring in her ears Yasmina rolled over with a whine smacking at all of the buttons on top of the hellish device she so loathed until with a sense of victory she silenced it. Smiling to herself the teenager turned back towards the wall dragging her previously discarded pillow to her chest and wrapped her arms about it with snug sense of security. Blissfully she began to feel her tired, overworked muscles beginning to relax again as she gave herself five extra minutes. It was when she felt herself teetering dangerously upon the precipice between awareness and the sleep that she finally got up.
Still foggy headed she made her way to the bathroom, and sat down to relieve herself only to feel a rush of momentary panic at the unexpected sight of blood. "Ugh!" she groaned when the shock wore off a half second later. It came early! That was great, just freaking great! Leaning over she riffled through the cabinet beneath the sink fishing out the much needed supplies and the extra pair of underwear Yasmina had learned to keep handy. Finishing up she brushed her teeth with a quick haphazard fury, spitting, rinsing, and throwing the door open with a scowl.
Storming back into her room she ripped apart her bed with frustration, balling up her sheets and blankets carrying them down the hall and stuffing them into the washing machine. A little soap, a little fabric softener, and the teen slammed the lid shut and started it up.
"Rough morning?" her dad smiled as he walked past, unaware of the dangerous waters in which he tred.
Ignoring him Yasmina got dressed running a comb through her long, easily tangled hair, trying to compose herself, and breathe reigning in her emotions even as she swept her dark locks up into a bun. She sighed heavily staring down at the noose of a hijab on her dresser, picking it up reluctantly and sliding on first the under-cap and then the long tube like covering that fit snuggly under her chin, covering hair and neck alike. She felt strangled by the oppressive cloth, the tight spandex that framed her visage making her cheeks feel somehow puffy and swollen.
It's just for a minute, she told herself heading for the kitchen.
There she found that the activity in her house was already buzzing as her father, dressed smartly in his suit rushed about looking for his car keys. Her mom was busy frying up an egg sandwich, and Sameera, who much like her big sister had a bad habit of sleeping in until the last possible minute was brushing her teeth drowsily at the table trying hard not to get her juice cup confused with her spit cup.
"Need some coffee kiddo?" Yasmina asked roughing up the girl's hair as she walked past, determined not to let mother nature's cruel little joke ruin her day.
"No," their mother, Lailah, said over her shoulder. "What she needs is to start waking up the first time I go into her room. You-" her mom said flicking her hands away as if she were shooting away a fly. "There's no more I can do for you, if you're late, you're late. Then if the police want to arrest me for having a truant child, so be it, at least I won't be the one doing all the cooking and laundry anymore."
Yasmina couldn't help but smile, rolling her eyes at her mother's predictable but irritated response. Opening the cupboard the teen fished out her protein powder, side stepping her mom and grabbed her blender bottle as well. "We're going to need milk." Yasmina announced to anyone that might be listening as she used the remainder of the gallon to make her breakfast.
"Fridge." her mom sighed, clearly put out.
"Huh?" the teen asked with confusion as she shook the bottle vigorously, the metal ball inside rattling loudly.
"Write it on the fridge!" the woman snapped pointing to the legal pad she had hung up a few weeks ago. Yasmina who kept forgetting that her mother was trying to come up with a new routine so she didn't have to run to the grocery store four and five times a week quickly scribbled down her addition, waving a distracted bye over her shoulder when her dad called to them from the front door.
"Well, I'm off too." Yasmina announced, swinging her backpack onto her shoulder, kissing first Sameera, than her mom on the cheek and darting outside.
Hitting the pavement the girl checked her watch, she would be cutting it especially close today, but if she sprinted the last block or so she'd be fine. The first order of business however, was to make it past the gossipy Mrs Houda's house. Walking at a quick pace the girl was putting in her earbuds to block out the brash noise of the world when a half empty fast food cup bounced sharply off her back causing her to jump in pain and surprise, sticky soda soaking into the leg of her pants.
"Go back to where you came from!" the asshole called out to her from the passenger window.
"Fuck you!" the American born Yasmina yelled back flipping him not one, but two birds.
Blinking back tears as she assessed the damage to her jeans the teen took a trembling breath. It wasn't glass this time, she thought still trying her best to remain optimistic, and it wasn't beer. Banishing the thought of turning around and going back home to catch a ride with her mom Yasmina took another deep breath. She shoved her ear buds in, tucking them beneath the binding fabric which brought her only scorn and hatred, and set her favorite playlist to shuffle. Head bobbing to the beat as she got into the rhythm the teen took a swig of her liquid breakfast and began jogging away at a steady pace. She just had to make it around the corner, she thought bitterly, and everything would be alright.
Heart pumping, and lungs drinking up the morning air the girl savored the rush of endorphins and feel of her body working at peak form. There was nothing else like it in the world the athlete thought dodging and weaving around fellow pedestrians as she took another victorious gulp of shake. Or almost nothing.
The girl grinned broadly as she rounded the city block and out of view of the prying eyes that knew her mother. The loud calamity of cars speeding past, horns honking, people yelling or talking on their cellphones came flooding back with full force when Yasmina ripped off the hijab pulling the miniature speakers out of her ears in the process. Smiling with a freedom fueled elation Yasmina stuffed the garment into her bag and let her hair out of its bun, allowing it to cascade in a flowing ponytail. Stepping to the side the girl plugged herself back in, listening to the music and letting each song's tempo set her pace until she reached school.
"Terrorist," it wasn't the most original line, and even though she knew it was there it still stung enough to pull the girl out of her runner's high when she saw it written on her locker. She'd given up trying to wash it away as each time it began to fade it would magically return to life like a hateful phoenix rising from the ashes. Yasmina had even brought it up to the principal, and asked for it to be removed several times, but as of yet nothing official had been done about it. So the girl resolved to ignore the issue which appeared to be the only solution as demonstrated by the facility that had a rather fluid "zero tolerance" policy when it came to bullying.
Quickly grabbing her books she headed to her first class. The school year was nearly over and yet Ms Greene still felt the need to force her students to sit through another boring lecture. History class was honestly a crime against humanity and really ought to have been an elective, Yasmina thought clicking her pen repeatedly as boredom and early morning drowsies loomed. After narrowly surviving the monotony of it all, was trigonometry, and lit both of which she had testing for making the day drag on grinding away at her mood like a millstone.
Finally when the last of her nerves had been stretched to their limit the bell dismissed it's captives to lunch. Hitting the cafeteria with gusto, pizza, frys, soda, cottage cheese, and several preportioned packets of salt found their way onto her tray. Delving into cheesey, salty, fatty goodness of the meal Yasmina closed her eyes savoring how it hit that particular spot that always seemed to hollow out during her menstrual cycle, a hole that only junk food could fill up.
Looking across the room the teen who ate in isolation found herself looking at former friends as they talked and joked amongst each other. Yasmina's heart sank when Aubry meeting her gaze gave a short wave before whispering to the others causing the table to erupt with laughter. No matter how hard she tried it always seemed like people were going to hate her simply for existing. Turning away as she finished her meal the girl played absentmindedly on her phone, most of her attention given instead to plotting out the remainder of the day, organizing things just well enough that she could get in some quality training in before heading home.
Emptying her tray into the garbage Yasmina had a few extra minutes before her next class, more than enough time to swap out textbooks and grab something sweet from the vending machine. She was doing just that when the sound of her last name caught her attention, jarring her by surprise.
"Good, Miss Fadoula, I was hoping I would catch you!" Mr Blavin said trotting up to her from across the hall.
The tall man smiled in a bright charming manner that seemed to come naturally to him. Depending on who you asked he was either famous for his affable, understanding nature that made him a sought after advisor for many students, or infamous for the vicious rumors spread about him, and his signature rainbow enamel pin that he had to fight first the school board, and then the PTA to wear. Secretly the art teacher was one of Yasmina's favorite people on earth, educator or otherwise.
"What's up?" she asked turning towards him, his joy infectious.
"I just wanted to talk to you about the sunset you painted in class the other day. I found it to be a very moving, very introspective piece," he started out, talking with his hands as he usually did. "I was especially touched by the varying gradients of orange cut by a bank of clouds shifting into hues of pink..."
Oh shit! Yasmina thought heart racing, he knew! Of course he would have picked up on it! She thought bitterly, condemning herself for being so stupid. The girl had seen "hidden pride" paintings made by people online who weren't able to come out yet, and she'd dared to make one for herself. She was an idiot, Yasmina thought dismally wishing that the ground would split open and swallow her up right then and there.
"I just wanted to ask your permission before I selected it to display out in the halls. It felt like it had a very, personal meaning to the artist, one I wouldn't want to flaunt leaving them feeling uncomfortable and exposed." he smiled, giving her a nudge with his elbow. "You don't have to decide now, you can take it home, or if you want me to hang it, with pride, you'll have it back by the end of the fall semester."
Relief, washed over Yasmina who was able to return the man's smile, he was giving her a choice. "I'll think about it." she nodded.
"Cool. Huh, would you look at that," he said as if suddenly distracted, tapping her locker with a knuckle. "Someone must be failing Mrs. Lowe's english class, because that's not how you spell it." Riffling through what sounded like a half dozen pens in his pocket the man produced a classic black sharpie and in large curling letters wrote the word "terrific" before surrounding the offensive slur with a heart and coloring it in so that it could no longer be seen.
"Isn't that vandalism?" Yasmina laughed though she felt like her own heart might burst.
"Ah, an astute question! But, we must first ask ourselves what is art? And in this scenario where in lies the difference between 'vandalism' and so called 'street art.' To a novice one might say 'getting caught,' and yet who decrees what is a tagging and what is a mural? Perhaps we'll close the year out discussing this topic, I mean everyone loves a good Banksy." he winked, hands resting to his pockets as he backed down the hall. "And no, it's not, it's a declaration of admiration and mutual respect for one of my favorite students. Just don't go spreading it around, I'm not supposed to have favorites, k?"
"K!" Yasmina laughed.
It wasn't until she was walking into her next class that the initial sense of unease washed over Yasmina. He knew, she couldn't help thinking to herself. Someone actually knew. It made her feel vulnerable and almost naked in a sense. After years of being both architect and construction worker, building up her defenses against the bigots, and prejudice individuals she constantly found herself surrounded by, someone had found a chink in her armor. It was terrifying. And yet, by the end of the day as she stood on the track staring the finish line down with fierce determination, it was also somehow strangely liberating.
Getting into starting position Yasmina slowed her breathing, trying to find her inner place of peace, and calm. Running gave her clarity, and made her feel invincible, but to get where she needed to be, she had to clear her mind. Only, the corner of her mouth curled slightly, someone knew. Taking off like a shot the girl tore down the rubber lane the lightness in her chest lending speed to her feet, making her feel as though she could fly. I'm gay, she thought, a lesbian, and that's ok. Blinking past the welling tears, she couldn't help but smile, it's ok, I'm going to be ok!
"Time!" the coach called, breaking her train of thought. Hands on her hips, sides heaving Yasmina walked towards him, waving away any questions he was beginning to form as she wiped away the lingering moisture from her eyes. "That's a new personal best, wanna go again?"
"Sure." Yasmina nodded, pumping a fist at her victory against herself, before heading back to starting position. From here on out, there was nothing that could stop her, she grinned.
Tired and sore, yet still on cloud nine Yasmina's keys jingled noisily in the lock when she returned home for the evening. Getting ready to throw her hip into the door which sometimes stuck she was caught off guard when the knob suddenly pulled from her hand, opening to reveal and equally frightened looked Sameera. Pushing her way outside Sameera grabbed her older sister by the wrist pulling her after her.
"What's going on?" Yasmina asked looking back.
"Baba is going to kill you!" Sameera said in a hushed, urgent tone.
"What?" Yasmina scoffed. "Why is baba going to kill me?"
"Because he saw this!" Sameera explained holding up the cracked hand-me-down iphone she'd been given.
"Olympic Hopeful Yasmina Fadoula Finds Sponsor With Jurassic World!" the headline read, beneath was a candid photograph of the girl running, in shorts and a tank top, hair flowing. Yasmina squeezed her eyes shut as though she could wish it all away.
"What were you thinking? You're half naked!" Sameera said with a pained look.
"I wasn't half naked! There's nothing wrong with what I was wearing, and I was thinking about who I am and what I want out of life. And believe it or not I was also thinking about you too." Yasmina said firmly to the twelve year old. "And about how I want you to have the chance to make your own choices, choices that I'm going to have to fight for. Now it's my turn to warn you, so, get ready for World War Three kiddo," the teen said pulling off the head covering she had worn home. "Because things are going to get ugly."
Marching through the house and into the kitchen where the warm, homey aromas of lamb bamia originated she found her parents seated, and talking amongst themselves at the table. She had known this day was coming for a while, but she had wanted it to happen on her own terms. Oh well, she thought, taking in a steady breath. "Mama, baba." she nodded to her conservative parents watching as the shock in their eyes gave way to fiery anger.
"What is this?" her father shouted, motioning towards his daughter.
"What is what baba?" she asked setting her backpack on an empty chair.
"This! What the hell do you think you're doing?" he bellowed motioning between the girl and his cellphone. "Now the whole world can see your shame!"
"My shame? My shame?" Yasmina yelled, slamming both hands onto the table, ignoring her mom who was trying to play peacemaker. "The world can see my hair, and my arms, and my knees, everyone has them, they aren't special, and they aren't dirty!"
"You are dressed as an amoral, immodest, non-believer! Where is your humility? Where is your respect for your faith, your parents, and yourself?" the man asked.
"My faith has brought me nothing but suffering baba! Everyone hates me!" the teen said voice breaking into a sob.
"That's not true," he waved dismissively. "I have not had any difficulties, your brother is excelling at University! And you, you're running around like some, some slu-"
"Jamil!" Lailah snapped, stopping her husband from saying something he might regret.
"That's because you and Ahmed didn't have to go through life walking around with big red targets on your backs!" Yasmina screamed hurling her hijab across the table at him. "Baba, you talk about respect for my parents, what about respect for your daughters, or hell even your wife? Mama has had eggs thrown at her and you only cared about the paint on the car!"
"That's not true!" her mother cut in angrily, looking with a hard gaze at her daughter. "That is not true, at all. You do not see everything. You do not know everything."
"I do care about you girls," he father said swallowing his rage. "It is because I care that I want you to dress modestly, to protect yourselves, to honor yourselves, and respect yourselves."
"Baba-"
"The discussion is over, I am your father, if you defy me I will put an end to this running nonsense here and now." he said with a wave sitting back down and turning away.
Wounded Yasmina looked at him with disbelief for several minutes before she found her voice, "You just don't get it do you?" she asked before rushing away to her room. Throwing herself on the bare matress the teenager cried in wretching sobs of frustration and anger, screaming into the fabric covered springs that made up her bed.
A few minutes later the was a knock at the door. Coming in her father sat on the end of her bed with a sigh. "You," he started softly. "You are my most precious flower Yasmina, and I know that the things I do, and say, the things I ask of you don't always seem right or fair when you look around and none of your friends are held to the same level of expectation. But all I want is to protect you from all the ugliness in the world. All I want is for you to be happy."
Turning Yasmina looked at him from the corner of her eye, she could tell her was trying, even if she wasn't ready to accept his efforts or apologies just yet. "You are a smart, beautiful, capable young woman who I am proud to call my daughter." he said lovingly, leaning over to take one of her hands in his own, giving it a squeeze. "And you are going to make some man very happy one day." he beamed. "I love you."
"I love you too." she muttered, trying hard not to crumble under the pressure of everything he had just said.
"Now come eat something, you're mother has been cooking all day."
"I'll be right there." Yasmina said, watching him leave.
Alone, head pounding, small colorful orbs darting at the edge of her vision, and stomach cramping badly the teen just wanted to curl up in the dark and never leave her bed again. He was right, she thought, it wasn't fair, none of it was fair. How could she live the rest of her life with the shadow of her parents expectations looming over her? How could she ever find happiness, find love?
Letting out a shaky breath as a few tears slipped out Yasmina carefully tried to sift through this rollercoaster of a day and figure out where exactly she had gone wrong.
Notes:
Thank you for reading! :)
Chapter Text
- Four Days BCC-
Ben's eyes shot open. He was awake instantaneously, a sharp pain stabbing him in his chest, heart fluttering arrhythmically, the icy pool of anxiety that filled his stomach radiating outwards spreading it's chill to his limbs. He couldn't breathe. Pulling his trembling arms under the blankets the boy looked around his dimly lit bedroom trying in vain to set his mind at ease. It's ok, he thought curling into a tight ball, there's no one there, you're alone, it's ok.
He felt very small and vulnerable lying in his bed the sensation that the room was growing out, expanding all around him unbearably real. Clenching his fists over his head Ben focused all of his energy on breathing, forcing the air that didn't want to move to flow in and out of his aching lungs. Smell the flowers, blow out the candles, he said silently to himself, smell the flowers, blow out the candles, smell the flowers, blow out the candles...
After a several minutes of repeating the prayer like mantra Ben felt his body begin to relax, the sudden fight or flight of the unexpected panic attack ebbing away slowly. Gradually as the tension left him and his mind began to clear the boy became acutely aware of a pain in his bottom lip making him realize that he had been biting it in his sleep, and probably had been for sometime. There was a bizarre blend of pain and numbness when he touched it, the indentions of his teeth still imbedded in the skin. Running his tongue gingerly over the inside of his mouth where it was bleeding a little Ben frowned, wondering if it would leave a mark.
As he began to fall into an eased sense of peace heart still beating against his ribcage though not as erratically now, Ben tugged the blankets over his head like a hood and closed his eyes. He was tired, he wanted sleep, needed it. Telling himself to fall back into slumber the teen willed it desperately, though without success, to happen. After struggling for what felt like hours in the paradoxical limbo of fighting so hard to fall asleep that he was inadvertently keeping himself awake instead the teen finally started to doze, drool beginning to soak into his pillow.
"Benjamin."
With a strangled half scream Ben jolted upright tears in his eyes, the sharp acidic burn of bile coating the back of his throat and stinging his nose. Searching wild eyed about his bedroom for the source of the disturbingly familiar voice, he trembled violently, taking a few wheezing gulps of air as he backed himself against the wall. Where? he thought with a sob. No! No! No! No! No!
You're alone, it's ok, you're alone, don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about! he repeated mentally, trying to fend off a hellish cacophony of reemerging memory as it clashed hauntingly against fresh nightmare. Feverishly rocking back and forth Ben hit his back against the wall, each blow to the bricks hard enough to knock the wind out of him with a short huff, head jarring forward. Don't think, don't think, don't think! He fretted urgently as the rocking found a comfortable rhythm.
With the constant repeated motion Ben's disquiet began fade, only to be replaced by an overwhelming sense of being dirty. Ben was dirty, everywhere. It made him feel sick to his stomach, and skin crawl. Swallowing past a lump in his throat as he edged towards his nightstand the teen pumped several squirts of hand sanitizer into his palm and began to apply it to his body in a wanton frenzy. Repeating the ritual again, and again until the unnerving feeling passed.
When at last Ben felt more aware of himself, nose burning with the sharp odor of the alcohol gel he looked at the time, 3:57 am. With a sigh the teenager resigned himself to sleeplessness, unwilling and unable to try again. Instead he flipped on his bedside reading lamp, and picked up one of the many books stacked haphazardly around the room with still shaking fingers. This always happened the night before, and the night after therapy, Ben thought as he thumbed through the pages, not always this bad, but it always happened. He wished his mom would stop making him go, it didn't help, it just made things worse.
Locating the passage he had last read Ben settled back against the pillows. 'Daughter of Lord Greeney-' No, Ben shook his head restarting the sentence. 'Daughter of-' No! It was so infuriating, he couldn't quite get his internal voice to match that of the wildcat queen Tsarmina. 'Daughter of Lord Greeneyes. Who said that was to be kept among my list of titles?' he read finally getting it right, a contemptuous smile forming as he eagerly awaited the well deserved karma that was coming for Ashleg.
Quickly engulfed into the fantastical world woven to life by Brian Jacques the teenager lost himself to the schemes and ambitions of fiendish cats, treacherous vermin, and an unlikely band of rebel heroes. Hours ticked by and the teen who ravenously devoured the written word was caught unawares until the melodic chime of his alram sounded lightly on his phone. Closing the book Ben gazed about with bleary confusion as the world of Mossflower wood melted away, leaving only the boring predictably of his room.
Reaching over he unlocked his phone and shut off the clock before stretching his spindly limbs with a yawn. Having all but forgotten the bout of terror that had woken him in the first place the teenager crawled out of bed and wandered to the restroom. Sanitizing again when he returned Ben made his bed with an almost militaristic precision, before tucking the book under his arm and going to the kitchen. There he started to brew of cup of coffee for his mom, setting out the sugar, and creamer beside the machine.
He took his meds and was enjoying a crisp glass of water when she walked in, slippers shuffling against the floor while she worked to sweep her hair up and into a ponytail. "Good morning." she yawned.
"Morning." Ben smiled.
"Did you sleep ok?" she asked pouring herself a mug of the piping beverage.
"Like Rip Van Winkle!" Ben lied with what he hoped was a convincingly cheery laugh as he rummaged around the cupboard looking for a frying pan. "Want some eggs?"
"It's ok, I can do it sweetie." the woman said her tone off, as she reached to take the pan he had just produced.
"I know, I was just offering." Ben nodded continuing what he was doing.
Out of the corner of his eye the teenager could see his mom hesitate, as if debating whether or not to say something, but thought better of it. "Sure, I'd love some eggs."
Motioning for her to sit the boy cracked the unfertilized chicken ovums into a bowl, fluffing them nauseatingly with a fork. Firmly believing that if everyone knew exactly where their food came from that the debate between adopting a vegan lifestyle would be rendered moot he pouring the yellow slurry into the pan where it skizzled the bottom layer solidifying almost instantaneously. Sloshing the scramble around with a spatula Ben put some bread in the toaster and got out the margarine.
"Ta-da!" he chimed, presenting her the plate when he had finished. His mom applauded before taking the food.
Washing his hands thoroughly Ben made himself a bowl of granola bringing it to the sofa where he settled next to his mother. The pair ate in silence as they watched the news.
"Looks like the economy is tanked." the woman commented, breaking the hush after a while.
"When isn't it?" Ben quipped, before adding. "Its actually a very clever ploy to make this marginal drop in fiscal stability such a hot button topic, given what bills are trying to be pushed through. Congress is on fire right now, and not in the good way." he said gesturing with his spoon.
"Really?" his mom mused looking down at her son, impressed. "How do you stay so we'll informed."
Ben shrugged as if the answer was obvious, "I read. Besides I've got to keep up with current events, I'll be able to vote in a couple years and I don't want to screw things up."
"You won't." the woman said smiling affectionately.
After they had finished eating Ben set to work washing and drying the dishes putting them neatly away in their appointed areas while his mother got dressed. With no where to go, and nothing else to do until the afternoon they settled comfortably about the living room, Sophie with her word search and tv, and Ben with his book the two whiled away the day.
Eventually when the time came they got in the car, and drove to the office of Ben's therapist. After checking in, and a brief wait, and the teen found himself uncomfortably in the chair, feeling as he ever did like he was standing before the firing squad, only they didn't have the decency to give him a blindfold.
She's such a bitch, the teen thought when he noticed her taking notes as he had touched his fanny pack for reassurance, mentally checking off its contents. Only to regret thinking it immediately afterwards. You're going to hell, he thought to himself, you deserve to go to hell, you're a terrible person and everyone can see that. He criticized himself.
"Ben," Dr. Warner said breaking his train of thought. "You're self-sensoring again, aren't you? I can tell because you start muttering to yourself, and keep looking over your shoulder like you've got to be ready to run from something. It's alright Ben, your thoughts are your own, like your body is your own. You are in control."
Looking away from her the teen shifted in his seat, beginning to feel distressed by where he thought this was going.
"I know this is hard for you Ben, it must feel like starting over since Dr. Hanson's retirement, but you've been seeing me for a while now and I'd like to we've developed some trust between us." the woman smiled. "And I'm sure as she probably explained to you no matter what progress we are making it won't last, and you won't be able to find better, healthier ways of coping with things until we talk about, and work through the root trauma. Ben? Are you listening?" she asked leaning forward, trying to look him in the face as he turned away.
"I don't want to talk anymore." the boy muttered.
"Ben, it's alright, I promise. We can start slowly. You don't have to tell me anything big, just tell me something small, just tell me how it made you fee-"
"I don't want to talk!" he snapped curling his knees to his chest. "You said I should practice setting healthy boundaries, I don't feel safe and I-"
"Healthy boundaries," the woman cut in gently, tone light. "Don't mean closing yourself off from everyone and pushing away the people who are only here to help you. Ben, you are safe, this is a safe place, it's alri-"
"But I don't feel safe," he said, voice breaking. "And I don't want to talk about it."
"Ok, alright, fair enough." the woman said holding up her hands in surrender as the sanitizer emerged from the bag. "So, let's talk about something different," she began, trying an alternative approach. "It's the first week of summer vacation are you going to be hanging out with any of your friends?"
Ben shook his head.
"What about plans, any big plans? Are you going to go see your dad?"
"I don't know."
"Well is there anything you want to do, anything you're excited for?" the doctor asked, watching as with a change of subject Ben became less defensive, and his body posture less rigid.
"I'm looking forward to the summer reading program at the library." he mumbled.
"Oh exciting! Do you have any new books picked out, or are you sticking to your favorites?" she asked motioning to the tome he had brought with him.
"I might try something different, but I a have a few authors I really like." he admitted clutching the book.
"Familiarity can be good, it can be grounding."
"Yeah." Ben nodded trying to hurry things along, hoping she'd stop talking.
"So is that it? Is that all you want to do, just stay at home reading books all summer?"
"That's it."
"Don't you want to go have fun? Do something exciting with your free time? Get out of your comfort zone, shake things up?" she asked doing a shimmy in her seat. "And have some adventures?"
"I can have a hundred different adventures in a thousand different worlds from comfort and safety of my own home." Ben said looking at her with exasperation, his tone stressing the finality of the discussion. "Yes. That is exactly what I want to do with my summer."
"Alright then, sounds fun!" Dr. Warner said positively before standing. "I think that's just about time if you wanted to head out early and ask your mom to come talk to me a minute?"
Getting up Ben walked out and into the lobby, motioning with his thumb over his shoulder when his mother looked up from her seat expectantly. "Tag, you're it." he said walking to the other side of the room where he couldn't hear what they were talking about and pulled out his book, leg bouncing anxiously with residual nerves, trying hard not to think about what they were discussing.
"How are you feeling?" Sophie asked as they were pulling out of the parking lot.
"Fine." he replied, though truthfully he felt emotionally and physically drained.
"Are you hungry, we can stop somewhere and get something to eat? I heard Burger King and Carl's Jr both have vegan burgers now!" she enthused, trying to nudge him with her elbow, but he was sitting just out of reach.
Ben grimaced at the thought, "I'll eat when we get home."
There was a few minutes of silence before the woman tried again, "What about Subway? It's all fresh veggies, and you can watch them make it." The teenager thought for a minute, he hated being so difficult, especially when his mom was trying so hard, it was just, unsettling for him. Far from sold on the prospect he agreed to the compromise for his mother's sake.
They were turning onto the main street by the clinic when her personal cell rang, Ben noticed the icy change in her voice when she answered it. "Here Ben, it's your dad, you forgot to turn your ringer back on."
"Hello?" Ben said putting the device to his ear.
"Hey kiddo, I just wanted to call and see how things went. Are you feeling alright?" his father's voice said hopefully on the other end of the line.
"I'm fine." Ben answered.
"Good, good." the man said in a forced light-hearted way, causing Ben's stomach to knot. He knew his dad was trying just as hard as his mom, but he just didn't know what to say, or how to act around his son, no matter how badly the man wanted to fix things. It was why he took a job in another state. "So what have you been up to lately?"
"Just the usual, reading, and stuff. What about you?" Ben asked him, watching other cars blur past the window. The two talked idly until they turned into the sub shop's parking lot, father and son agreed to a video call later in the evening, before Sophie and Ben got out of the car.
After ordering, a timid request for the employee to change gloves, and a sizable tip on his mother's part to encourage compliance the two made their way back outside to eat in what Ben felt was a cleaner more controlled environment.
"You know I'm here too, if you ever want to talk." the woman said wiping her mouth with a napkin, watching her son from the corner of her eye. "And if you wake up in the middle of the night... and you're scared I'm just down the hall."
"Yeah mom," Ben said after a pause. "I know."
Clearing her throat when her work phone pinged the woman quickly evaluated the memo she received, before letting out a sigh. "I have to go get a few things from the office, you don't mind riding with do you?" Ben shook his head.
Sitting right outside the large glass and concrete building labeled "Masrani Global" in bright bold lettering at the top the teenager once again became utterly absorbed into his book, so much so that the passage of time meant nothing to him until the sensation of falling caught him by surprise when the door he'd been leaning against opened without warning. Turning with fright he took in the warm expression on Mr. Masrani's face as he smiled down at him, and the red watery eyes, and runny mascara his mother bore standing just behind him.
"Ben, how are you!" the man asked with a broad smile. "Did you like the gaming console I sent for Christmas last year?"
"Y-yes." Ben lied quickly dogearing his page, but he couldn't even remember if he'd actually taken it out of the box.
"That is wonderful! I knew you would like it. Come, come get out of the car," he said motioning for the teen to follow. "Walk with me tell me how you've been, and what you did to make such a pretty woman cry!"
Unbuckling his seatbelt Ben exited the vehicle and shut the door, apprehensive of the unknown circumstances in which he found himself.
"Your mother loves you so much Ben, do you know that?" the billionaire asked wrapping an arm around the boy, until his mother spoke up about his discomfort, much to Ben's relief.
"I know." Ben said, wondering where this was leading as the entered the building and stepped into an elevator.
"Then why do I come into the office and find her crying? Ben, look at her, look at your mother. Is there anything more precious in the world than a mother?" Mr. Masrani asked as Ben looked back at his mom who seemed to be trying to apologise with her gaze.
"I guess not." Ben agreed bogged down by sudden guilt for what he put her through, his hand touching his fanny pack for comfort.
"Why put her through this kind of stress? She says she is worried about you, wants you to make friends, to stop being afraid of everything." the man went on gesturing in the confined space of the lift. "I agree, what do you have to be afraid of? You are young you have your whole life ahead of you, seize it!"
Ben knew that Mr. Masrani was just trying to be nice and that he really liked kids. Since his mom had become one of his executive assistants the man had weeded out Ben's birthday and was sure to send him gifts for the occasion. The boy remembered a few months back when his mom was at her wits end having to rearrange Mr. Masrani's schedule and contact all of his business affiliates to postpone certain meetings. After Ben had made a snide remark Sophie had snapped at him angrily, informing him that Mr. Masrani's wife had just suffered another miscarriage, this one late term. Shamefully he'd never spoken against the man since, feeling equally guilty for not being gracious enough for the presents he'd been given.
"I wanted to show you this." the man informed him as they stepped out of the elevator. Walking up to a large table at the heart of the massive office Ben looked at a model of the biggest treehouse he had ever seen. "It's called Camp Cretaceous." the man beamed with pride. "It's an adventure summer camp, where kids can be kids, make friends, have adventures, see dinosaurs up close and first hand in ways you just can't at the park itself. Like my friend John Hammond used to say, 'we spared no expense!'"
"And how did that turn out for him?" Ben commented before he could process what he was saying. "I'm sorry." he rushed out an apology, mentally condemning himself as he saw Mr. Masrani's smile falter.
"It's alright," Masrani said waving away the remark. "So what do you think?"
"It... looks like fun!" Ben smiled hoping to make amends.
"Good, I'm glad you think so. So what do you say to eight weeks of the most fun of your life?" the man asked.
"Eight weeks?" Ben asked failing to understand what his role in the discussion was.
"Yes, I'm trial running Camp Cretaceous this year before we go live next summer. I want everything to be perfect! So I expect a full report when you get back, understand? And Sophie, I want you to take a few weeks off, relax, practice some self care, paid of course. Time and a half even for all that you do for me, call it a vacation bonus." the powerful figure said as he circled the table looking at the diagram from every angle with scrutiny.
Turning to his mom with a pleading look Ben pressed his palms together, begging her nonverbally not to make him go. Still teary eyed the woman pressed her lips together forming a hard line and shook her head. "It will be good for you, and we can't say no." she whispered before going to stand by her boss. "Isn't this exciting Ben?" she asked.
The teenager looked at them with a nervous sense of devastation, his stomach suddenly full of rocks as he took out his sanitizer and began to coat his hands with the quick evaporating liquid.
Notes:
The form of OCD Ben has in the show is called "Contamination OCD," it's a fear of being dirty or contaminated, it can be generalized or localized to a fear of specific contaminates such as food prepared by others, door knobs, even sexual activities, and is the most easily conveyed form of OCD in tv and movies because of how recognizable it is and how simply it can be portrayed visually.
Because OCD is at its core a coping mechanism or series of coping mechanisms that alleviate stress and anxiety caused by certain triggers that have gotten out of control there is no "cure" for OCD. There are however medications and several types of therapies including behavioral and group therapies that can help manage the symptoms.
These can include external symptoms which vary depending on the type of OCD a person is suffering from but can can be seen in various rituals (examples being hand washing, checking on people/things/memories for fear of past or present harm to others, counting, flipping on and off a light switch repeatedly due to the thought that if it's not done correctly that something bad will happen) and internal symptoms such as unchecked anxiety, intrusive thoughts, magic thinking (the concept that even thinking something bad makes it more likely to occur), self sensoring, and ruminations.
Anyways, that was a long PSA, but I wanted to explain and dispell a few things, sorry.
Thanks for reading! :D
Chapter Text
-CC Day One-
Taking a deep breath of salty sea air Roxie watched the sun rise, painting the sky in a gentle pink just before the mighty star burst victoriously over the horizon. Shielding her eyes with her hand as the light glittering and dancing across the waves caught her with it's glare. As she took a lavish drink from her paper cup, the woman was grateful that she had decided to make the trip to the main park for the posh coffee before starting her day. Employee services and rewards certainly did come with it's perks, she thought, relishing the lightly sweetened cream that balanced in the form of a foam floating just beneath the lid.
Having woken up much earlier than usual Roxie couldn't help but feel a burst of excitement. After all of the rigid organization and waiting, the setbacks and then the accelerated timetables, the day had finally arrived. Hopping down from hood of the SUV she climbed back into the driver's seat and revved the engine to life. Driving over the established, but not quite worn in dirt road, she was already planning the day before her as she headed back to camp.
Once there the head counselor immediately set to work ensuring that everything was ship shape and in Bristol fashion. From walking the expansive treehouse, inspecting every inch for cleanliness, and making triple sure that the kitchen was well stocked with both snacks and staples, to checking the tire pressure and petrol in the Jeep, and phoning ahead to confirm the docking schedule of the boat she was hard at work battening down the hatches and making preparations for any inevitability. Polishing up the observation binoculars on the north balcony the woman felt a swell of pride as she took in her surroundings.
It didn't feel like so long ago that she was toiling away at university, halfway to her bachelor's in teaching and education when, as she had been criticized for throughout her academic career, she became restless. Shifting gears unexpectedly she, much to everyone's surprise went into Zoology with a focus on biodiversity and conservation. Graduating with high marks Roxie got a job at Whipsnade Zoo with ease. There she spent the next few years caring for a variety of animals in the massive park that stretched six hundred acres and housed over three thousand six hundred different species. It was wonderful. Every day was a fresh adventure, the animals all having their own quirks and personalities, the thrilling rush of handling a big cat, or the humbling power of a 'light' touch from an African elephant.
Eventually word got out however, of openings in the fabled zoo to end all zoos that was Jurassic World and caught in the frenzy Roxie, as with probably every other person on the face of the planet that worked in any field remotely related to animals applied for the job. To her chagrin, the woman was rejected.
Still, far from being one to give up Roxanne kept her ear to the ground and refused to be deterred, focusing in the meantime on spearheading an outreach and education program at local schools. Then, when last fall, rumor began circulating of a Jurassic World summer camp in the works she saw her opportunity. While the prospect was spurned by others Roxie who felt given her credentials and background that she was uniquely qualified for the position which was one part babysitter, one part teacher, and one part lion tamer, threw her hat into the rink as they say, and much to her surprise landed the job.
She was just sitting down to toast and jam when Dave, her counterpart in this whole crazy endeavor walked into the kitchen, just in time for the bad news. Head bobbing to a beat only he could hear as the man drummed every surface he passed, clearly attending a concert of the mind as he half hummed a song.
"Roxie-roo, what is up with you?" he beamed, twirling a mug dangerously on his index finger as with the other hand he started the coffee machine. The woman fixed him with a look from where she sat. "I mean, morning! How goes... things?" he said changing his tone. First impressions of Dave, Roxie thought looking at him with deliberation through her eyelashes, not the best. While he did work hard the man seemed to lack motivation, and had an irritating habit of thinking of everyone as his best friend, and that he could charm his way out of anything.
"Not good actually," Roxie sighed scrolling through her itinerary, making notations on various activities as she reread the email, phone in one hand tablet managed with the other. "I am at a complete loss for our entire day two schedule, the shipment never arrived, there was an issue with the shale apparently."
"Ah, it's sedimentary my dear Roxie, we shale postpone the activity until a later date granite we have the time!" the man said laughing at his own joke as he sat at the table across from her.
"Oh my God." the woman said smiling in spite of herself, it was terrible. "You're not even that punny, I do hope you realize."
"Eh, I still think I rock."
Unable to contain a fit of giggles Roxie folded her arms over the table and laid her head in them, letting the laughter spill out as the stress melted away. When at last she looked up the man was sipping his drink, smiling as though he'd just won some game she was unaware they had been playing.
"You'll figure it out I'm sure." Dave added leaning back in his chair.
After several long minutes of fretting and fawning over the schedule, and a few failed attempts to get ahold of someone at the genetics lab Roxie had no choice but to drop Dave off at the docks, just in case the boat arrived before she could get back and go handle things herself. Finding someone to talk to in person the woman was able to iron everything out at last, confidently and with relief swapping out her day three planner for day two. By then, she hoped the shipment would arrive and they could engage in a little paleontological discovery with the campers.
Speeding back to port Roxie skidded the vehicle into a stop. "So sorry I'm late! Welcome campers, I'm Roxie head counselor at Camp Cretaceous." she smiled, getting out and making her way to the assembled group of teenagers. The way they looked at her however made the woman wonder what Dave had said to them in her absence.
While the man ran through a brief overview of what to expect Roxanne got her first good look at her charges. Brooklynn she knew from her internet fame, and Roxie had to admit the pink did look better in person was busy filming. Darius and Sammy both looked eager and raring to go which was something every counselor liked to see. Yasmina stood apart from the group with a preoccupied look, arms folded across her chest. Then there was the last minute addition to the roster, far from the arrogant rich boy she had expected when Mr. Masrani contacted her about a personal favor, Ben who smelt like vomit hugged his stomach as he nervously pointed out that there were only five campers where six should have stood.
"He's right, we're missing one." Dave announced, quite the mathematician.
Then, as if preordained by fate a black helicopter descended from the heavens. "Speak of the devil." the woman muttered under her breath as the arrogant rich boy she had witlessly predicted stepped out with a flashy smile and a fair amount of bravado. Taken by surprise by a flying duffle bag, the counselor caught it, before throwing it with force back to its owner, knocking him off his feet. "Ok, let's go!"
"I don't think you're allowed to do that." Dave whispered as the pair watched Kenji Kon stand up and dust himself off.
With a shrug the woman jumped into the truck, the kids loading up in the back. "This is going to be fun." she smiled to the man as he climbed up beside her.
Glancing in the rearview mirror as they passed through the gate she gladly took in the wondering and awestruck expressions on the kids' faces. "Welcome to Camp Cretaceous!" Dave enthused, the woman chose not to tell him that the children probably couldn't hear him as well as he thought, and let him have his moment.
A sudden green blur darted across the road catching the driver by surprise. Stepping on the breaks Roxie felt the Jeep lose traction, fishtailing slightly in the loose dirt. Turning into it she compensated bringing them to a safe, albeit abrupt stop. Fetching electric prods while the teens asked with concern what was happening the counselors crept into the underbrush, in search of what they were sure was a compy, but knew it was better to be safe than sorry.
A sudden shriek from the back of the truck let Roxie know she had been duped. Retrieving a sheet from the back seat the woman skillfully caught the minute creature as it tried to scamper away. "Gotcha!" she grinned, making a gentle shushing sound, feeling the powerful muscles of the animal as it turned writhed with its entire body trying to get away.
"It's alright kids, gather around." she said slowly lowering to her knees. "This is the perfect moment to get some real one on one experience with one of our most populous species in the park. Come, sit, sit." she encouraged as Dave fetched a small crate for the animal.
"This is-"
"A real live compsognathus!" Darius cut in with wonder in his eyes as a semi circle formed around Roxie.
"Very good Darius!" she nodded slowly uncovering the animal. Keeping it's body tucked under her right arm the experienced handler gripped it's feet securely, while with her left hand she held it's head, fingers encircling it's snout to keep it from biting. The way the dinosaur pushed and twisted in her grip reminding her of the boa demonstrations she use to give at Whipsnade, only less grabby.
"The first ever compsognathus fossil was discovered in Germany in-"
"The 1850s, the second one wasn't discovered for another century, that one was in France!" the excitable boy in the yellow hoodie cut her off.
"Right again, Darius," the woman nodded, briefly losing her tour guide voice. "This little fellows name comes from Greek words-"
"Kompsos and gnathos, and means 'elegant jaw!'" the boy enthused. "They're primarily scavengers like coyotes and vultures, bu-"
"But," Roxie said loudly, talking over the boy and taking back the impromptu lesson. "Have been known to hunt small lizards and birds. There has also been one confirmed case of a group of compsognathus attacking a human being. Would you like to teach the class Darius?" Roxie grinned, thrilled to have someone so eager among her first batch of campers.
A look of embarrassment flashed across his face as he glanced about at the other teenagers "No," he said. "Sorry."
"Don't be, keep it up," Dave chimmed in from beside Roxie. "You've got a future here for sure! I mean that passion, ten out of ten it will definitely take you places."
"Is- is it bleeding?" came Ben's tentative voice from where he stood far from the spot where the others were crouched. Roxie glanced down at the animal with worry before the boy spoke again. "Right there, on its neck." he explained pointing to the area beneath his own chin.
"Oh that? No! It's perfectly natural!" the woman said with relief. "That red marking on this little compsognathus' throat indicates that it is changing sex from female to male. It's a biological process known as sequential hermaphrodism. And in the case of female to male change its called protogyny." she explained smiling at the looks of interest and slight confusion the kids gave. "It is a common trait seen among plants but is more rare in animals." she went on. "This shift was seen in the animals at the original park and the phenomenon was attributed to the addition of frog DNA to the gene sequence, now however, we know that it is a process that is quite common among many species of dinosaur and probably help them survive in very unfavorable conditions when there wasn't enough genetic diversity, and since all animals in the park begin life as female we get a couple of these fellas from time to time."
"Dinos say trans rights!" Sammy laughed leaning forward for a better angle with her phone.
"Yes, I suppose they do." Roxie agreed, struggling to hold on as the compy arched it's back without warning. "Now who wants to come touch this lovely lady before I put her in the crate?" Hands flew out immediately to touch the side of the agitated animal that hissed and chirped angrily. "Come on Ben, come give it a try I see you've already got hand sanitizer you can touch her and wash up right away!"
"No, thank you." he said climbing back into the truck rubbing his hands together furiously.
"Roar!" Kenji growled loudly in Roxie's ear as he filmed himself frightening the innocent creature that nearly bucked free trying to escape him.
"Kenji!" Roxie yelled as the teen snapped his teeth in the compy's face. Standing she looked at him warningly, her brows knit together tightly.
"He's not that scary." he muttered, while Darius asked, "How do they keep the dinosaurs from, well... Uh, having babies if they can change se- gender like that?" he wanted to know as the counselors maneuvered the dinosaur into the crate.
"Well-" Roxie began before Dave cut her off.
"When she fully turns into a he, they are going to get a little snip, snip." he said making a scissoring motion with his fingers. "Ouch, am I right guys?" he laughed.
"Even though, unlike mammals, both male and female reptiles like dinosaurs carry their, um, reproductive organs inside of their bodies, it is still much easier and less medically invasive to fix a male that it is a female." the woman said carefully toeing the line of a precarious subject.
"Oh, cool." the boy nodded climbing into the truck bed, face plastered to the glass as he watched the compy in its little cage being loaded into the back.
"Did you radio for pick up?" Roxie asked back behind the wheel as everyone piled in.
"Sure did!" Dave nodded still drumming an unidentifiable song against the dash.
"Please stop that."
Once the little animal had been secured Roxie made her way into the treehouse which for the first time ever was full of life. Suitcases and duffle bags discarded with a haphazard disarray the woman watched with amusement as the kids darted around the interior of the massive building trying to take it all in at once. Pure anarchy.
"Now, don't forget I want the girls in the stegosaurus room. Boys, you're bunking across the hall in the saurolophus room." she called out to them. "And please do pick up after yourselves!" she added after stepping in tortilla chips that she couldn't believe they'd have had the time to locate and begin eating let alone spill everywhere.
"This place is huge!" Sammy squealed bursting through a pair of double doors.
"Ow, watch it!" Yasmina who had been on the other side of them snapped, a hand on her forehead where the oak had bounced off soundly.
"Ice is in the freezer." the head couselor rolled her eyes, ignoring both the athlete's sarcastic remark to her and Sammy's fervent apologies.
Rounding a corner the woman stopped short, almost causing a collision herself as Dave emerged from a disued bedroom his arm around Ben's shoulders as he explained that no one was getting their own room. The boy looked ill, like he'd just swallowed a box of slugs, and she wondered briefly is he was about to throw up again, before deciding that even if he did Dave was more than qualified to handle the situation.
"Attention campers!" Roxanne called loudly from the loft above the main living space. "I need everyone to pick a bunk, put your bag on it, and meet back here in ten minutes for a little introductory film before the real fun can begin." she announced. There was a collective groan, but after a moment everyone began to gather their things and shuffle down the hall.
"This is a learning camp!" Kenji shouted loudly during the film that outlined the various activities that would take place over their eight week stay.
"Yes Kenji, this is a learning camp," Roxie called with exasperation from her seat at the back of the miniature auditorium where she had a clear view of all six of them. "Now quiet down or I'm going to have to restart the film and then we won't have time to ride the zipline before dinner."
"Zipline?" came a chorus is excited voices, as the kids turned to look at her. Smiling, Roxie would have been lying if she said she hadn't hoped for that exact reaction.
Not long after they were all standing at the top of a large tower in the growing twilight. Roxie listened with amusement while Darius rapidly named off several species of dinosaur as the herd walked back to their enclosures. Having forgotten, for an instant just how truly marvelous a place Jurassic World was the woman found herself leaning on the railing dreamily taking in the scene with a sense of romanticism. Dinosaurs walked the earth once more, it was easy to forget what an achievement that was when you mostly saw the little lizard like representatives of the class that managed to scurry out day after day, but seeing the gentle giants ambling by brought the magic right back.
She'd actually made it, she thought watching the large animals lumbering far below them. It was beautiful.
"Enough banter!" Dave said cutting through her musings. "It's zipline party time!"
Roxie couldn't help but roll her eyes. Dave was really just a big kid, she thought watching as he made the child clearly the most apprehensive about the entire situation go first. Honestly, if she had known that she was going to have to babysit him too she would have asked for a raise.
Riding down last the woman felt the wind in her hair, and a giddy flock of butterflies in her stomach. "Woo!" she yelled loudly spreading her arms as though she could fly, before leaning her head back, eyes closed. This was nirvana, she thought, losing herself blissfully to the wind.
"I'm sorry Ben, I would have thought all food allergies and dietary restrictions would have been taken into consideration before you arrived." Roxie apologized as everyone sat to dinner. "Next time just say something, don't try making a salad out if hamburger toppings, alright?"
"Alright." he nodded before adding. "And it's ok, I like peanut butter and jelly." with a little smile.
"Oh! You should try it grilled!" Sammy piped up, half rising out of her chair as she spoke energetically. "It's so good! You just got to give it a minute to cool down before you eat it or you'll burn your face off with peanut butter lava!"
"I think I'll pass." the boy said with a look of disgust.
"Oh that does sound good!" Brooklynn, who was busy trying to edit everything she had filmed for the day said without looking up. "My viewers would love it, the hot peanut butter challenge!"
"Isn't that a little dangerous." Yasmina scoffed from across the table picking at her french fries. "What if you send a kid to the hospital or something."
"Jesus it was just a joke." Brooklynn replied a hint of contempt in her tone.
"That's quite enough ladies," Roxie interrupted looking at them each in turn. "Now we have some ground rules to go over. Curfew is at eight o'clock, lights out at nine sharp, and I do mean sharp unless you are given express permission by either Dave or mys- unless I tell you otherwise." she said thinking better of the statement when she glanced at her counterpart.
"Wha-?" he asked wounded, mouth over filled with burger contents spilling out.
"I mean it, this is for your safety we're in a dinosaur filled jungle. You must always keep your distance or you could be seriously hurt, if not worse." the woman said making sure to look each and every camper in the eyes emphasizing her point. "There is also a basket by the main door, when we go out for our activities each day you will kindly deposit your cellphones into it-" the table exploded with lound complaints, Roxie waited for the noise to die down before going on. "With the exception of Brooklynn."
"What?" Darius practically shouted. "That's not fair I want to take pictures I- I-"
"Sorry dude, should have brought a disposable camera." Dave shrugged.
"What's a disposable camera?" the boy asked, with confusion.
"Am I really that old?" the man muttered into his food before taking another harty bite.
"What can I say," Roxie sighed. "It's in her contract"
"Must be nice being famous." Yasmina sneered.
"Wait you're getting paid to be here?" Kenji asked sitting forward.
"Yep! It's sort of a working vacation thing." Brooklynn said in a tone that made it seem like she was trying to sound more mature than she really was.
"And you won a contest?" the spiky haired boy went on turning to Darius. "You were given the trip as a thanks to your folks, and you're basically getting paid to be here because they're sponsoring you..." he went on going around the table, before throwing his hands up in defeat. "I can't believe it, am I the only one who was forced to come here?"
"Um..." Ben said meekly.
"Well that's not a surprise!" Kenji laughed. "Oh no look at me I'm Ben, I might touch a leaf, or a piece of dirt! Someone quick get the disinfectant!"
"That's enough Kenji. I'm sorry you don't want to be here, but that doesn't give you a right to be rude to your fellow campers." Roxie said irritably. "Do what we say, when we say it, and everything will be fine. Now hurry up and eat your food, we had a late dinner and you've only got an hour and a half before lights out."
Stretching out on the couch in the employee recreation area, tablet resting on her stomach, Roxie lounged with her eyes closed, grateful that Dave had offered to wash up. Things had gone extremely well, she felt the kids would settle in soon enough and really enjoy their stay. It had been a bit touch and go a few times but it was a first day the woman felt she could be proud of.
She jumped slightly when something smacked the bottom of her shoes where her feet dangled across the armrest. "Sit up." Dave yawned.
"Ha," Roxie said faking a laugh. "That's a good one."
"At least make some room."
"There are other couches." the woman grumbled as she curled her legs up.
"Yeah, but I want this one." the man said collapsing back into the space she'd made for him. "We did good today." he added after a minute.
"We sure did." the woman agreed, falling victim to the contagious nature of yawning.
"Did you do bed checks?" Roxie asked, startling herself awake after she had begun to doze.
"Yes." Dave replied in a way that made it sound like he was asking a question.
"Dave, seriously!" she snapped getting up. A cold chill laced her spine when they discovered three empty bunks.
"Think, where would they have gone?" Roxie shouted white knuckling the steering wheel as the counselors sped through the night.
"I don't know!" Dave responded at an equal volume. "Darius was really worked up about seeing dinosaurs do you really think he could have convinced the others to sneak out and see them?"
"I think it's pretty obvious that, that is exactly what happened!"
"Ok, ok, we can use this, think, just think..." the man muttered. "They've only been here one day and don't know the lay of the land yet, so they wouldn't know where the herd goes for the night... And the only enclosure you can really see from the treehouse in the dark is-"
"The raptor training paddock!" they gasped in unison. Roxie slammed on the brakes turning the Jeep around fast and hard, their heads snapping first one direction then the other. Racing towards the distant lights the woman's heart pounded in her chest. Please she thought gravely, please be alright.
"Help! Someone help!" Brooklynn was screaming from the catwalk above the enclosure, the sight making Roxie's blood run cold. Leaping out of the car the counselors ran up to the base of the paddock.
"Where are the boys?" Roxie called up to her. Tearily the girl pointed down.
"Oh God no." Roxie murmured swaying with a hollowed sense of dizziness, she felt faint and grabbed onto to Dave's shoulder to brace herself. Then they heard Darius and Kenji shouting.
"I'll get them." Dave said without hesitating, a fierce look of determination overcoming him as he ran around the tall concrete cylinder towards the door.
What could she do to help? The woman thought frantically, pressing one hand hard against her temple, the other gripping the front of her shirt tightly, pain in her chest from how maddeningly her heart beat. What could she do? They were predators like lions, what would she have done if a child fell into the lion enclosure at Whipsnade? She asked herself trying to reason an answer out of an unreasonable situation. They needed a distraction, but what she fretted would stave off their hunting instincts? The loud grunting of the pigs in a nearby pen caught her attention, and like flash of lightning she was struck with a horrendous idea.
Running to the pen she grabbed the first animal she could get a hold of and drug it back over the waist high gate with her. Gripping it from behind the woman desperately began hauling it up a flight of stairs that led to the walkway above the cage. "Come on, come on!" she said between gritted teeth using every ounce of strength she had to drag the squealing animal up with her as it thrashed and fought for it's life. Roxie bellowed in pain, almost losing her grip when the hog threw it's head back the impact causing a flair in her vision as she tasted blood. "Please!" she wept loudly as it kicked, hooves scraping and cutting her forearms.
Finally making it to the catwalk the now crying woman pushed and heaved the biting animal against the railing until she finally managed to get it up and over. The pig hit the ground with a sickening thud, a scream of agony coming from it as it started convulsing in a seizure from the impact.
"Oh my God." Roxie gasped turning away only to see Brooklynn staring down in horror at what she'd done.
"Don't look!" the woman commanded hugging the girl to her chest and covering her ears. "It's ok, it's alright, just don't look."
Through her tears the counselor could see that her ploy had worked as three of the velociraptors turned on the pig vying with one another over the wounded animal. One still remained keen on her prey however and launched an assault. The scream that ripped itself from Roxie's throat was filled with such terror that she failed to recognize the voice as her own. Everything happened so quickly then, the door opened, Dave lunged forward and yanked the boys back grabbing hold of them anyway he could manage, putting himself between them and the dinosaur before a barred gate fell into place separating them.
Grabbing Brooklynn by the hand the woman rushed to check on everyone. Turning the boys this way and that she looked them over for anything amiss, and aside from pale, fearful expressions found nothing. "Dave?" she asked the man, putting a hand on his shoulder as he doubled over heaving.
"It's fine, it's nothing." he said trying to wave her away as he threw up. Several ACU vehicles pulled in surrounding the area, guns ready, one motioned for them to leave immediately.
"See, just a scratch." Dave smiled lifting his shirt to reveal a bloody gash in his side as they made their way back to the Jeep. Hands flying over her mouth Roxie gasped. "It looks a lot worse than it feels, doubt I'll even need stitches." he said dismissively before motioning to the woman's face and arms. "What did you lose a fight to?" he smiled, trying to defuse the situation by acting charming. The woman looked at him and sighed.
"Get in the car, now. The three of you are in serious trouble." Roxanne hissed between her teeth pointing back the way they'd come as more soldiers surrounded the paddock.
Trying to fight off tears as she screamed and drove Roxie didn't remember half of what she had said by the time they reached the tree house where she continued to tirade for another twenty minutes, only vaguely aware of how much she was swearing, and hitting the steering wheel as she did. "Now get up stairs." she concluded still shaking.
"You alright?" Dave asked as the kids got out of the Jeep.
"No. Are you?" she asked wiping her eyes.
"Not even a little bit." he smiled sadly. "I don't think I've ever been more afraid in my life."
"Me either." the woman confessed before a quizzical expression crossed her face. "Oh God," she said. "I just realized, I quoted my mother to the kids a moment ago. Now, there's something I never expected to do!" The two shared a laugh before getting out of the car and following their wayward charges inside.
Pulling a chair in from the dining room Roxie parked it facing the wall. Swinging her leg over the seat the woman staddled it backwards, arms folded across the backrest she leaned her chin on top of them. A cool sense of panic still writhing in her gut she was determined to sit watch all night. Closing her eyes as she tried to calm her breathing the woman listened to two vary different conversations taking place in each of the rooms.
"What happened?" Sammy was whispering, rather loudly. "Is everyone alright?"
"Yeah, Dave and Roxie came in here and noticed you were gone and started threatening us with getting sent home if we weren't still in bed when they got back!" Yasmina hissed. "What is up with that, why am I getting the heat for whatever stupid decision you made?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know!" Brooklynn said, her voice sounded sad giving Roxie a twinge of remorse as she wondered if she had been too hard on them. "I was just trying to get a good video for my viewers and-"
"Surprise! Surprise!" Yasmina said sarcastically, before, by the sound of the bed springs turning away.
"Are you alright Brooklynn?" Sammy asked after a second. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'm ok." Brooklynn replied, sniffling her nose. "And not right now... thanks though Sammy, I appreciate it."
"Well, I'm here if you need anything..."
"Did you see the way that thing came at us?" Kenji was saying enthusiastically in the boys room, his momentary shell shock forgotten.
"Yeah!" Darius laughed nervously. "That was insane!"
"I know it was like grrr, rawr, arg!" the older boy said falling into a terrible raptor impression.
"You all do realize I can hear you." the head counselor called out, causing the rooms to quickly fall silent.
The hush lasted mere moments before a dim light flickered to life in the room with a saurolophus on the door.
"Did you just plug in a nightlight?" Kenji asked incredulously.
"No!" Ben scoffed.
"Yes you did!"
"It's not a nightlight, it's a safety light, so you don't trip." Ben explained with indignation in his voice. "You're welcome!"
"Fess up it's a nightlight because little baby Ben is scared of the dark meanwhile me and Darius are out juking velociraptors left and right!"
"Kenji Kon, one more word out of you and you're on the first boat home!" the woman said in stern warning. Once again peace fell over the treehouse.
With a smile, one hand pressed tight against his side Dave walked over and handed her the medkit. "You got this?" he asked motioning between the rooms. He winced when Roxie started cleaned out the wound with rubbing alcohol.
"Oh, I most definitely have this." she confirmed tearing the medical tape between her teeth to fasten the gauze she was applying. "Are you sure you won't go in? The bleeding stopped alright but you still might need some sutures."
"Nah, I'm fine, it's nothing." he shook his head. "You?"
"Just some bumps and bruises." she said just as nonchalantly, turning her attention, and the alcohol to the abrasions on her arms.
"Quick thinking with that pig." he said looking down at her. "I mean, it was fucking brutal, but good job." Roxie cringed at the thought.
"Says the man of the hour, how's it feel going head to head with a velociraptor and living to tell the tale?" she asked.
"Not as great as you might expect, ask me again in the morning." he grinned. "So, if you're sure you can handle things..." Dave added trailing off to give her the opportunity to interrupt or change her mind.
"The situation is well at hand." she smiled. "Get some rest."
"If you're sure."
"I am."
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
After cleaning out the scrapes and cuts Roxie settled herself into a comfortable position for the night. The stance of hugging the chair backing making her reminiscent of being on birthing watch for the giraffe back home. She remembered thinking that it was the most stressful thing she had done, or would ever do in her life. If she had known then, that in a few years she'd be babysitting a bunch of unruly teenagers in a dinosaur inhabited theme park, she probably would have been able to get some sleep that night. Fending off a yawn she couldn't help but laugh at how naive she had been.
Notes:
Gentle reminder, this is a mature retelling and not a scene for scene explanation of what happened in the show. While the main story will be the same for season 1 individual details might be different, with some things altered or omitted.
If anyone at any time feels like the rating needs to be bumped up please let me know right away!
And last but not least thank you all so much for reading, commenting, and supporting my take on Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous! I'm enjoying writing this story just as much as y'all seem to be having fun reading it, hopefully it will live up to your expectations and not disappoint in the future! Love y'all! <3
(Also sorry piggy)
Chapter Text
-CC Day Two-
A loud metallic clatter ripped Ben abruptly from a dreamless sleep. Severed from the void, heart racing, he gripped the sheets tight as he turned in alarm to see what was causing such a din. Standing in the hallway between the two rooms Dave grinned maniacally, a large stock pot under one arm, as with a wooden spoon he banged noisily against the sides of the now battered cooking utensil. "Everybody up!" he called over ruckus he was making. "I mean it wakey wakey eggs and bakey! ...Seriously, wake up I made breakfast."
Ben groaned looking around with a bedraggled disorientation and uncertainty at the unfamiliar surroundings. Right, he thought miserably, how could he have forgotten? Listening to the sounds of the other campers as they just as unhappily began moving around to start the day he covered his head with a pillow. He didn't want to be here, and that was not the wakeup call he would have requested he thought, bitterly cursing the man in his head, hand pressed against the allegrissimo tempo in his chest. Taking a deep breath he tried to calm it, wearily unable resist the urge of catching just a few more minutes. Camp was going to suck.
"Come on Ben, get up." Darius yawned from somewhere near the end of the bed. Ben didn't reply, lying still, pretending to be asleep, hoping they would all just go away and leave him alone.
"You heard Dave, let's go!" Kenji shouted, before the world tilted without warning. Scrambling with a panicked look on his face Ben emerged from beneath the pillow to see the older boy laughing as he held onto the top bunk rocking the conjoined beds back and forth using all his might. "Let's go!"
"If you need to go so bad, then go already! Just please remember to do it outside this time, I'm sure Dave and Roxie are tired of cleaning up your messes." Ben said with a glare, trying, and in his opinion failing, to wring some wit out of his slumber hazed mind.
Darius laughed, eager to get in on the joke, "Yeah last night really was a shitty situation."
"Funny you should say that." Dave smirked sticking his head through the doorway. "Also no swearing." he added as an afterthought.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kenji asked still clinging to the railing.
"You'll see." the man grinned. "Now get to the kitchen foods getting cold."
Sitting cross-legged still half covered by blankets Ben reluctantly rubbed the sleep from his eyes before getting up and walking to the small dresser that had been provided to him. He had taken the time to fold and organize his clothes, books, sanitizer, and emergency food stuffs before bed, and, he thought critically, he appeared to have been the only one to do so by the way his bunkmates were rifling through their bags. Folding his outfit over an arm, travel toothbrush in hand Ben turned only to find the other two standing near their respective beds undressing. Eyes hurriedly averted the boy shifted uncomfortably for a moment before squeezing sanitizer into his palm and slinking out the door.
He was heading for the bathrooms when the teen rounded the circular bend in the hall only stop suddenly, nearly walking into Sammy who had her own bundle of clothes and a groggy look in her eye. "Oh, sorry Ben," she smiled broadly. "It is Ben right? I wasn't really looking where I was going. That was some wake up, huh? Anyway, I thought there were some full sized bathrooms down this way, ones with showers."
"There are, to the left." he confirmed, pointing over the girl's shoulder.
"Thanks, I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached." she responded with a kind of cheer he now felt should be expected of her. Ben smiled in a friendly manner and continued walking. Only, to find to his dismay that the girl fell into pace beside him. "So what was all that last night?"
"I don't really know." he shrugged.
"Brooklynn didn't say much, but she seemed all kinds of shook up." Sammy chatted, shifting her clothes from one hand to the other as she spoke. "Like something really bad happened. Did Kenji and Darius say anything?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "They kept whispering about it. From what I can tell it sounds like they snuck into a velociraptor cage." he shuddered at the the very thought.
"OMG, no way!" she gasped grabbing Ben by the shoulder and turning him towards her as she stared with wide eyed disbelief. He couldn't tell if she was surprised or impressed, either way he felt that it was the wrong response to hearing such horrific, bone chilling news.
"Um, yeah." the boy half smiled. "Crazy huh?"
"Super crazy! I wonder if Brooklynn caught any of it on camera! Oh her fans are going to go insane!" she went on in a starstruck manner. "I wonder if she'll let me see the vid before posting! Wouldn't that just be the bee's knees?"
"Totally." he agreed, before awkwardly gesturing to one of the doors they had come to. "So I'm going to..."
"Oh, right, duh Sammy!" the girl playfully smacked herself on the forehead. "See you at breakfast!"
That was... interesting, the boy thought giving his head a shake as he closed the door behind him, that girl certainly did have a strong personality.
Setting his clothes aside Ben couldn't avoid looking at himself in the mirror, and what he saw twisted his insides. Weak, and dirty, he thought with a grimace. Giving his hands a thorough scrub in the sink, he soaped all the way to the elbow paying careful attention to the area around his nails. He repeated the action a few more times, eyes closed, breath taken in deep steadying swells before he could get undressed. Changing quickly the boy folded his dirty pajamas giving a brief thought to how often they would wash laundry and brushed his teeth.
Making his way back to the saurolophus room Ben knocked on the door which had been left slightly ajar. Receiving no answer he hurried inside, stashing his dirty clothes in a hamper before digging to through his top drawer. There folded discreetly into a pair of socks he produced one prescription bottle, before revealing it's two companions similarly housed nearby. Palming his morning dosages the teen hid them away again with care. I'm not crazy, he thought looking down at the pills, but he wasn't so sure the others would understand. Then, with no other recourse he swallowed them dry, gagging on the momentary sensation that one was stuck.
By the time he had made it to the dinning room most of his fellow campers were already seated around the table. Brooklynn, still in her pajamas was leaning onto it, a steaming mug cradled in one hand. Darius and Kenji were busily emptying a communal plate of bacon, vying for the best pieces, while Sammy who looked more awake after a shower was salting her eggs, enjoying the spectacle. "Reminds me of breakfast back home!" she observed with a laugh.
"Morning Benny boy!" Dave said in a friendly tone from where he stood frying up some more slices of cured pig stomach, earning a frown from the teen. "I was thinking to myself I have no idea what to make this kid, and then I thought duh cereal!" the man gestured to the end of the table where several brightly colored boxes were lined up like soldiers.
Sinking into the chair behind them Ben inspected each container of the sugary coated corn with distaste. "Is there any granola, or bran?" he asked.
"You are one weird kid." Dave commented as he flipped the meat with a nauseating sizzle.
"Is that a no?"
"That would be a no, sorry." the man confirmed ducking into the fridge to produce a gallon of milk.
"I don't drink milk." Ben muttered reading the ingredients on the back of each box, all of this stuff was so bad for you.
"No, doesn't being vegan mean that you just don't y'know eat dead animals?" Dave thought out loud as he plated up the next round.
"I wouldn't eat live ones either, but that might just be me." Ben replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Besides I'm pretty sure I'd be the authority on what I do and do not eat."
Dave raised his eyebrows, head nodding to the side as he conceded before sudden movement caught his eye. "Ah-ah where do you think you're going?" he asked making everyone else turn to see Yasmina in her running gear jogging in place.
Rolling her eyes the girl took an earbud out and looked at the man irritably. "What?"
"Where, are, you, going?" he asked spelling things out slowly.
"For a run, it's summer. I've got to train." she responded matter of factly.
"Yeah, no, not today, not after what happened last night," the counselor shook his head, pointing to an empty chair. "Pull up a seat."
"Are you kidding me?" she scoffed throwing her arms out.
Ben, not wanting to get involved turned his attention back to the ingredients list, trying to weed out the lesser of five evils.
"Good morning!" the black eyed Roxie said in a chipper way, catching everyone off guard when she walked into the dining area a little while later.
"Wow, you are scarily happy for someone who didn't sleep last night." Dave observed, and Ben looking between them agreed.
"That's because the boy's present is here!" she beamed passing Ben by to put a hand on either of his roommates shoulders. "Walk with me will you?" she asked in a way that indicated it wasn't a request.
Everyone bursting with curiosity followed behind them to the balcony. There they looked down and saw a group of men in red jumpsuits unloading large blue metal drums and arranging them in a row. "I don't get it." Darius said turning to look at the woman.
"Oh, you will." she smirked, and then on cue a dumptruck backed in and emptied it's bed onto the ground.
"Is that?" Kenji started, brow furrowed with concern.
"Yep!" Roxie beamed. "Dinosaur droppings. I want everyone to take a good long look, because while we're having our trip to the remote genetics lab, Kenji and Darius are going to be cleaning up that little mess outside." the two began complaining loudly, but to Ben's imagination the more upset they got, the more the woman seemed to be enjoying herself. "And don't worry," she added. "We didn't forget about you Brooklynn. Your contract states that you will document your behind the scenes look at Camp Cretaceous, but there will be nothing to film on our scheduled arts and crafts days, and that my dear is when you will get yours."
"What?" the pink haired girl gasped turning around in horror.
Making a mental note never to get on the camp counselors' bad sides Ben headed back to the kitchen to finish his disastrous breakfast while the woman explained that they had even "borrowed" their own intern from the main park to supervise. After everything was settled Ben and the non-probationary campers buckled up into the back of the Jeep heading out on their adventure, but the prospect of so many unknowns turned the boy's stomach with more unease than the line if dense green trees that zipping by did.
The lab itself appeared relatively small from the road, until the kids got closer, and then Ben could see that much of it was hidden beneath thick, overgrown foliage. Large palms and creeping vines shrouding most of the exterior with a foreboding sense of mystery. Apprehensively following the others Ben watched Dave chase down a man named Dr. Wu in a way that made him think they were friends, or at least had been at some point. The scientist appeared to be both too busy and too annoyed to deal with the tour, waving them off and issuing orders for someone else to handle the inconvenience.
There was a terse discussion between Wu and another scientist before she came over and in a bright smile said, "Welcome! I'm sorry, but I believe we were all under the impression that you were coming tomorrow so we didn't have time to prepare." she started ignoring an angry snort from the head camp counselor. "No matter, how about we begin over here." Directing the group to a large wall that was sectioned off into tiny shelves, each one housing a polished piece of amber, the woman seemed to be well in her element.
"Here at Jurassic World we're known for having created the first living, breathing de-extinct dinosaurs on the planet! Wow, right? Now, there is a common misconception floating around that we created these animals all willy-nilly out of a hodgepodge of various animals that are alive today, but the truth is actually much more fascinating!" she said with energy.
"In reality we harvest the DNA of actual dinosaurs that once walked the earth millions of years ago! There are two ways that we accomplish this. The first and more time consuming method is by collecting and grinding up large quantities of fossilized bone and extracting the mitochondrial or 'powerhouse' cell DNA, which is passed through mother to offspring and can give us a fairly good idea of the makeup of the animal themselves. The second way is through extracting preserved blood from hematophage, or blood drinking insects, like those seen here." she went on, waving her hand in a way that gave Ben the impression of a car show model. "Giving us nuclear DNA, or the 'molecule of life's as we like to call it which is a much clearer picture of what we're dealing with."
Ben, who was only half listening looked around at the vast, white room in which he found himself. All about him people in labcoats were hunched over computer screens analyzing data, or tapping out notes onto tablets, periodically conferring with one another as they did. In spite of the chemical smell in the air, and the general antiseptic feel of the atmosphere the teen felt uneasy, glancing about with paranoia at the various tools and implements, and the strangers who wielded them.
"I don't like this place, it feels like a hospital." Yasmina said under her breath to the group. Nodding Ben timidly agreed.
As the tour moved on the teenager's found themselves passing a large glass window, on the other side of which people were working with an array of instruments and testing various sequences of genes, tubes filled with unknown liquids held to the light for inspection. Cringing away from the window with revulsion Ben who couldn't keep his mind from wondering what the beakers and vials contained and was struck with an intense bout of squeamishness.
"Benny Ill, what's a matter? You look like you're going to barf all over again!" Dave observed as the two trailed behind the group. Gripping the boy by both shoulders, he gave them a gentle squeeze, and steered him forward like a shopping cart as they walked. "You didn't catch the flu or something before coming to camp did you? I assumed it was the boat but if you're sick you gotta tell one of us, it's not a big deal." the man was saying, but Ben couldn't hear him.
Hands drawn in close the boy was electrified with fear, breath taken in shallow respirations, head light, dizzy with aversion. Don't, he thought tearily, please don't. Unable to bring himself to say anything, and too afraid to pull away Ben who started to retreat within felt as though he were falling. Falling right through his body, and then the floor, and the ground, falling, falling, falling. Scarcely aware of his surroundings now, body moving on its own accord, he was a marionette on unseen strings as they walked past row after row of incubating eggs. Distant and removed from himself he didn't even hear the woman's words as she explained the fertilization process.
They stopped when Dave noticed a tremble in one of the eggs, calling eagerly for everyone's attention, before stepping aside to allow the kids a better view. The egg in question rocked gently before a crack appeared, followed not long after by a little club tail. Witnessing something splatter on him from his far away place Ben recoiled. Then, the little animal tumbled and fell. The teen caught it in a quick automated response.
Fingers slick with albumen they slid sickeningly over the pebbled surface of the creature's back. He was turning to hand the animal off to someone else when he became acutely aware of the little heartbeat that fluttered lightly against his palm. Hesitating, Ben lifted the lingering piece of shell off the dinosaur's head. It blinked looking at him with large bright eyes, the light they held catching onto him, drawing him in, and holding onto him like a lightning rod. The ankylosaurus gave a squeak. Warmth rushing throughout his body the boy smiled. She wasn't disgusting, he thought coming back to himself, she was just a baby, a tiny, fragile little life at it's very beginning, and he had been a part of it.
"Shh, shh, shh," he whispered softly to the petite animal. "She's so tiny." he observed, fingers gently cupping the little the ankylosaurus as though she were the most valuable treasure on earth. "Look." he muttered to no one in particular, running his thumb over her uneven horns with affection.
"Sweet! One of its head bumps is bigger than the other!" Brooklynn called loudly, her phone pressed invasively into the newborn's face.
"Asymmetry," Dr. Wu called with upset from where he had been working. "In my lab?" The man walked over and peered over Ben's shoulder with shrewd appraisal at the baby.
"Let me hold her." Yasmina said reaching for her at the same time.
"When was the last time you washed your hands?" Ben asked, moving the little one he had decided to call Bumpy out of her reach. "She is a newborn and it sounds like she's also premature on top of it. I don't want you exposing her to any contagions her little immune system isn't ready for yet."
"It was just a lucky catch," the girl snapped. "It's not like you own the thing!"
"She's not a thing!" Ben retorted angrily.
Gazing down at Bumpy for a long moment Ben felt strangely whole, as this time the world fell away leaving just the two of them. A sense that for the first time, in a long time everything was going to be alright settling comfortably over the boy like a warm blanket.
Putting Bumpy down among her unhatched siblings he watched as she tested out her legs with shaky scoots that soon turned into tumbling rolls across the black foam of the nest, Ben lovingly kept vigil as she returned to him after each fumbling circuit. The entire group was enamored with the ankylosaurus and found themselves amused with her antics for several minutes, until Ben couldn't resist picking her up again and giving her a kiss.
It was then that Dr. Wu who had gone to his private office reappeared, a disgruntled Brooklynn in tow. "Time for you all to leave," the man announced. "Clearly this group has no respect for my lab."
"But what about Bumpy?" Ben asked in concern, ignoring Dave who gushed behind him.
"The asset," Dr. Wu said, ripping her away from Ben. "Will soon be released into a herd of ankylosaurs where she will be their problem, just as you will cease to be my problem when you leave."
Ben reached to take her back, made anxious by the frightened sounds coming from Bumpy as the scientist held her carelessly aloft, her teeny feet circling in the air. He was prepared to argue when Dave and Roxie quickly began ushering the group towards the door, giving the boy the impression that they were trying to keeps the situation from getting any worse than it already was. Looking back at her Ben felt a sharp pain in his chest as she called for him where she had been deposited, scientists approaching her from every side.
"She's not a problem." he said as Roxie coasted him out of the room. "She's just a baby."
"Oh dear, do you hear the way she's calling Ben? I'm afraid she may have imprinted on you." the woman explained in a kindly nature. "I used to work at a zoo, did you know? The same thing happened to me with one of our endangered Japanese Cranes, poor thing. But don't you worry I'm sure everything will be fine."
But climbing into the back of the truck all Ben could do was worry.
Dr. Wu had been so angry, and disgusted over Bumpy's imperfect horns, the way he spoke about her, calling her an "asset," holding her like she wasn't a living being with feelings. The other scientists that were encircling her when they left were upset too, murmuring to one another judgmentally as they took notes on her "flaws." The sound of the baby ankylosaurus' small rasping voice still ringing in his ears the boy's heart sank, a terrible thought coming to mind. What if they planned to euthenize her for being imperfect?
His breath caught. He shouldn't have mentioned her head bumps to anyone he thought beginning to sway in his seat. Everyone was so angry with Bumpy for not living up to expectations, for hatching early, for her less than ideal physical appearance. She was so tiny, so vulnerable, and so alone. Defenseless and surrounded by people who didn't care about her he dreaded what the judicious adults would do to their deficient "asset."
They were going to kill her, he thought quickly becoming overwhelmed by tears, she was just a baby and she was going to die. They were going to kill her. They were going to kill her. They were going to kill her. He spiraled.
"Ben, what's happening?" he heard Yasmina ask, but he was sobbing now and couldn't respond. "Guys, Ben's crying."
"Aw Ben it's alright I'm sure you'll see Bumpy again later!" Sammy tried to assure him.
"Yeah!" Brooklynn chimmed in. "And I have the video of her hatching whenever you want to see it!"
The saline taste of mucus and tears in his mouth Ben couldn't stop himself from crying, now matter how embarrassed he was knowing the others were staring at him, as he anxiously tried to wash the guilt away with hand cleaner. After a while the girls began to bang on the rear window glass in concern.
"What's the matter is everyone alright?" Roxie asked out of the driver's side as she pulled the Jeep off to the side of the road.
"Whoa Been-jammin' what's up?" Dave asked walking to the tailgate.
"It's just Ben!" the boy sobbed.
"Ok, I'm sorry. What's wrong Ben, don't feel well? Whatever it is you can tell us."
"Come on ladies, hop out, let's give him some air." Roxie instructed after parking and walking to the back. Ben cried for what felt like hours until he was finally able to articulate what terrible thoughts had been plaguing him. "Oh Ben," the woman said with empathy climbing up beside him, gently she took his hand in her own. "They wouldn't just put an animal down because of a little cosmetic anomaly." she said trying to comfort him. "Would giving the lab a call make you feel better?"
"I don't know." Ben confessed, afraid of what the scientists would have to say.
Pulling out her cell Roxie called to confirm her suspicions. Her voice was bright and cheery until they were put on hold, elevator music blasting throughout the jungle, the phone's speaker on. By the time Dr. Wu finally accepted the call the woman was clear, precise and to the point in her aggravation. "What do you plan to do with the ankylosaurus that hatched today during our tour?"
"As I said previously she will be released into a herd of her species where she will-"
"What about her imperfections?" Roxie asked cutting the man off. "Do you plan to euthenize her over them?"
"No, the deformity is minor and it would not be worth the cost, time, and resources put into developing the asset to simply destroy it, in spite of the disappoint." the man said, Roxie smiled down at Ben who tentatively returned the expression.
"If the asymmetry is a sign of further, more debilitating defects of which the cost of maintenance would exceed the cost of life then the possibility of-"
"Thank you Dr. Wu, that was very helpful!" Roxie rushed out, mashing the red end call button furiously. "See Ben everything is going to be fine!"
"Only of she's not sick too..." the boy muttered.
"She isn't." the woman said firmly. "I promise, and when we go out for an expedition in a couple weeks I'll get her radio call number and you can go see Pointy happy, and healthy with her herd!"
"It's Bumpy," Ben corrected. "You'd do that?"
"Sure will!" Dave grinned confidently smacking the boy's leg with the back of his hand from where he stood beside the truck bed. Ben was still uneasy but he accepted their offer, wiped his face free of tears.
When they got back Darius, Kenji, and Jayson the intern were all standing near the repugnant heap of animal waste. Filth clinging to the pants of the younger boys who past momentary glares towards their supervisor they were all panting. Kenji held his side, Darius leaned against a shovel in the most casual way someone could lean against a shovel, and Jayson smiled winningly despite the stench.
"Why do you all look so flushed?" Roxie asked sceptically, Jeep rolling to a stop beside them.
"Oh man," Kenji enthused. "You're never going to believe-"
"How hard these two worked!" Jayson cut in, running a hand through his messy blond hair. "I was, uh just lending them a hand, they've been very diligent."
"Yeah!" Darius agreed. "This valuable learning experience has really taught us a lot about ourselves!"
"Alright," Roxie said slowly pulling forward. "You can stop for lunch, and a little break but meant what I said about cleaning it all up, and it looks like you've barely made a dent. You don't want to do this all day tomorrow too do you?"
"No, we'll get it done, promise!" Darius smiled before asking. "How was the lab?"
"Oh you know," Yasmina intoned sarcastically. "Ben fell in love with a dinosaur and had a-" she stopped seeing how the boy ducked his head down in shame and embarrassment. "A hard time leaving afterwards. And Super Star here," she motioned to Brooklynn. "Got us booted from the lab."
After everyone went inside and the counselors began assembling lunch, Ben took the opportunity for a moment alone while the others were in the shower. Sitting on his bunk he couldn't keep from dwelling on his negative thoughts, recalling with some remorse tainted joy the little animal who had looked with him with pure devotion. She was so small and helpless, he thought when there was a knock on the door.
"Hey Ben," Sammy smiled. "Can I come in?"
"Sure." he nodded, quickly making room when the girl walked straight to his bunk, clearly intending to sit down.
Sammy swung her feet over the edge of the bed for a minute before she spoke again. "I couldn't help but notice that your hands are all cracked and dry." she started, making the boy self-conscious, he folded his arms trying to hide his hands. "No, not in like a bad way or anything!" she rushed out an explanation. "My hands can get terrible working on the ranch back home, and then the little dry patches get snagged in a rope, or catch inside my gloves and start bleedin' it's a real mess. So I just wanted to give you this." the girl added holding a pump bottle towards him. "It's sweet pea, lavender scented I hope that's alright, feel free to say no, or that I should mind my own business, but your hands just look really painful... So..." she shrugged.
Ben looked at the lotion for a minute before accepting the gift. "Thanks."
"If you ever-"
"I don't want to talk about it." Ben interrupted, a gut reaction.
"If you ever need a friend," she smiled. "I'm here. Now come on, I heard since we had to cut the tour short we get to watch a movie in the auditorium! If it comes to a vote I don't want to be outnumbered by all the action buffs! You're not an action buff are you?"
"No." Ben laughed.
"Good! I didn't think so, but you never know."
The boy watched Sammy leave with a smile, maybe they weren't all bad, he thought giving the hand cream a sniff before taking a squirt, and working it into his hands that burned and stung with protest. And being here might not be entirely unbearable, he pondered picking up his book, hoping Sammy wouldn't be too disappointed if he read during the movie if he agreed to vote for whatever she wanted. It was kinda nice, having a friend, he mused, he only hoped the little one he had made earlier would be alright too.
Notes:
Darius and Kenji gave Jayson the slip when he being a disgruntled young adult who wants to work with dinosaurs not babysit kids on poop patrol all day got busy playing games on his phone. The Toro thing still happened, Jayson had been looking for them and in his panic to make it look like they had been working all day shoved the boys into a pile of dung to make them look filthy.
Thanks for reading! <3
Chapter Text
-CC Day Six-
The bright glow of her cellphone illuminating her face Brooklynn sat in bed with the blankets tented over her. She was ravenously scrolling through the comment section of her latest vid, and things weren't going well. Sure there were hundreds of comments asking for an update on the now world famous "Bumpy" which she couldn't respond to with any certainty or evidence, huge threads dedicated Roxie for some reason, and even some viewers eagerly requesting information about when Camp Cretaceous would be open for enrollment. All of these things paled in comparison however to what seemed like and endless slew of negative reactions and relentless jabs.
"What's so cool about a stupid lab? Listening to that woman talk was putting me to sleep! Dx" read one.
"Great job 'spying' try actually finding something next time! Lol" read another.
"The whole raptor story was faked!!!! And here I thought you were genuine!!!!!1!! But really you're just a lying bitch. No one could have survived that! that picture that Kenji supposedly took was clearly shopped!!!! I'm going to tell everyone I know to unfollow!!!" a particularly hateful comment said making Brooklynn frown as all of their cruelty and disdain began weighing on her. But they just kept coming.
"wn r we gng2 c smthn ql? YS!"
"Lame!"
"W/C abut digging stupid fossils and rocks anyways? You fucking suck!"
"I didn't think it was possible but you actually make Jurassic World boring!"
"If I wanted to learn I'd be in school!"
"Who cares about shitty fossils let see some fucking dinosaurs already!!!!!"
"Oh sure you just so happened to be there when the thing hatched, it was either staged or CGI don't listen to Brooklynn people, she is a vain narcissistic slut who doesn't even respond to my DMs when I try telling her how beautiful she is, or open any of the very EXPENSIVE gifts I send her on her 'Unboxing the Love' fan appreciation videos! She's just a tease and a liar trying to trick guys like me into thinking she's an actual human being unlike all of the other fake plastic whores out there who won't even give real men a chance!" This one knotted the girl's stomach, she had long ago learned to block, report, and ban people like this but they always managed to come back.
Comments like this always made her want to reply "Dude, I'm only sixteen!" but she knew from experience that would only make things worse.
Sparing only the briefest of thoughts to if he was the one who had sent her the pics recently she gave him the hammer. Still Brooklynn found herself dwelling on the skin crawling things he had said, and she wondered what exactly he had sent her. Normally her parents unyielding paranoia and overbearing protection would annoy the girl but she found herself extremely grateful for the P.O. box her moms had set up for her, and the meticulous way they opened, checked, and rewrapped each and every gift she was given by fans.
Leg bouncing with agitation as she scrolled through more and hurtful words thrown her way Brooklynn began to worry what this meant for her channel. She just didn't understand it, this was supposed to be the series of videos that defined her career. It was her big break, she was actually popular enough for some mega corporation to want her to review them, and nothing was going right! Nothing! She had a better following when she was at Mount Everest than she did now, and how many people climbed Mount Everest, huh? Thousands, probably!
"Brooklynn." the sound of her name being called pulled the teen out of her brooding. Scrambling, and momentarily tangled in the bedding Brooklynn finally managed to uncover her head and look with a confused glare at the intrusive Roxie who was smiling up at the girl as she sat on the top bunk. "What are you doing up so early?"
"Oh, you know, just testing the waters," she smiled waving her phone as she simultaneously hit the power button with her thumb shutting off the screen, blocking the commentary from veiw. "Speaking of, what are we doing today? My fans are dying to find out!"
"It's a surprise!" the woman shrugged.
"Ugh, it's always a surprise!" Brooklynn groaned falling back into the bed. "Do you know how hard it is to build hype when everything is a mystery prize?"
"And here I thought mystery was the whole point of an unboxing." Roxie smiled. Brooklynn fixed her with a stare. "Come on, I'll let you do the honors." the counselor offered holding up the spoon and pan. With a mischievous grin the teen hurriedly climbed out of bed and snagged the implements of torture as she ran into the hall.
"Wake up losers we're going shopping!" she yelled over the cacophony with a laugh as several heads shot straight up at the sound. "Mean Girls." was all the explanation she gave to the woman who looked at her in confusion.
Sitting around the table groggy faced Roxie and the five campers who had shuffled into the dining room were all wearily staring at their breakfast options, which this morning apparently meant a very dense, carb heavy assortment of baked goods. Brooklynn stared over her coffee mug with disdain at the basket of muffins, the various danishes, scones, bagels, and loaf cakes. A pair of heavy looking quiche, and a plate sausages steaming off to one side.
"I do plan on making a full english at some point," Roxie said through a yawn. "But when I was calling ahead to confirm our arrival time for the private tour I realized I could just have all of this brought to us from the park's central hotel and cheated."
"Cheat more!" Darius grinned loading his plate full of pastries and breads.
Watching as everyone dug in greedily the pink haired girl whose thoughts were preoccupied with the opinions of others got up and retrieved an apple from the fridge. She really shouldn't let it bother her so much, she thought biting into the crisp green fruit, but it did. Chewing slowly and deliberately Brooklynn knew she was backsliding. It had taken her a long time to accept and admit that she was sick, and even longer to want help getting better. Now, every day was a fight against herself, a fight to let better Brooklynn stand triumphantly above her former self, and past mistakes.
Just one small victory, she told herself, for tomorrow's Brooklynn. Steeling her nerves the girl set the apple aside and reassessed the spread on the table before her. Trying hard not to give into the nagging voice that stirred her anxieties and insecurity she reached for a blueberry muffin. Snapping the stump off she broke it apart into a dozen little pieces, picking up each piece and popping it into her mouth, one flavorful bite at a time. It didn't matter how long it took just so long and she ate, she thought.
"You always eat like such a bird!" Sammy observed with a grin.
"Yeah I guess I do!" Brooklynn laughed back, tossing a bit of muffin into the air and catching it like popcorn.
"Oh is that a challenge?" Kenji asked with a flex as he stood. Throwing a scone towards the ceiling the boy caught it, crumbs flying out from between his teeth and he bit down on the flakey bread.
"My turn, my turn!" Darius called standing as well. Ignoring the camp counselor who declared that whatever mess they made they were responsible for cleaning up, he tore off a hunk of banana bread and launched it to the heavens. There was only a mere fraction of a second where the boy's eyes went wide with success before his throat hitched in a laugh and he sent food and spit flying across the table in laugher.
Chairs turning over as Brooklynn and the others screamed, quickly leaping away from the eruption of Mount Darius a fit of giggles overtaking the group, including Roxie who had lost her composure entirely. Looking up from where she stood, poised to flee should there be a second glutenous explosion the online influencer saw Yasmina walk in with a smile as she took in all the chaos around her.
"Breakfast Yasmina? We have plenty, well, we did but now we have to quarantine half of it," Roxie said leaning over the table to hand the walking volcano a roll of paper towels. "I'm sure we can find you something."
And like that the athlete's smile was gone. "No, I had a shake pre-run." Eyes narrowed against the insufferable ice queen Brooklynn watched her leave, before a winded Dave stumbled in, a hand to his side.
"Breakfast?" Roxie tried again.
"Nah, breakfast shake, pre-run, sort of thing." he gasped, head hanging on his shoulders. "Oh, wait is that cheese danish?" the man's tune quickly changed when he looked up, eagerly Dave pulled up a seat.
After breakfast and everyone was dressed the campers all loaded into the back of the car where Brooklynn set to work filming some establishing shots, and different angles of greenery to really capture the essence of the place. Taking a liking to the way a distant herd of brachiosaurus lined up parallel with the shrinking treehouse the girl smiled to herself as she pondered how to use those few frames of pure gold.
It wasn't long however before the group found themselves on a maintenance road buzzing past several large concrete walls that acted as barriers between the public and staff, small breaks in them allowed the kids to see a tightly packed theme park teaming with crowds and bustling with a claustrophobia enducing energy.
"We're actually in the main park!" Darius was saying, giddy as a school girl. "We're going to see real dinosaurs!"
"Yeah junior, that's what this whole things about." Kenji said with a fair amount of annoyance in his tone. "Or what, did you think you were at space camp?"
"You don't understand!" Darius argued, ruining Brooklynn's audio. With a sigh she stopped recording and turned back around in her seat, why she even tried with dino freak around beyond her, it never accomplished anything. "Do you think we'll get to see the T-Rex?"
Chosing to ignore the back and forth that broke out amongst the others Brooklynn took a moment to reply to some fanmail, stopping when her phone pinged with a message from her dad. He was heading to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland and had been thinking about his little traveling companion, and hoping she was enjoying herself, he said. Smiling warmly the teen snapped a quick windblown selfie.
"Having fun, thx for thinking of me, take lots of pics! Call later? What's the time diff? Luv you heaps! :-*" she tapped out before sending.
"Time diff doesn't matter call your old man, and tell me all about what you've been up to, the videos don't cut it. Love you too sweetie! :)" he replied moments later.
After what seemed like ages the group of teenagers that were quickly growing disgruntled finally caught site of their destination. A huge glass dome emerged through the foliage, the summet of which glared brightly in the sun like a beacon guiding their way. Looking through the rear glass window at the adults Brooklynn wanted to ensure that their attention was elsewhere before unbuckling her seatbelt and standing up in the bed of the truck to capture the positively cinematic vantage.
"What are you doing?" Ben panicked in a shrill, nasally voice.
Peering at the world through her phone screen the streamer couldn't see him, only the shot. Her heart leaped into her throat when something grabbed onto her leg until Sammy spoke, "I got you girl!"
"Me too!" Darius said, another pair of arms wrapping around her other leg.
Focused on the lighting and angle Brooklynn was aware of the stability she had now, and muttered a distracted "Thanks."
Sitting back down just as Dave stuck his head out the passenger window to yell at her, the girl began reviewing the footage for later editing tonight. Still the man couldn't resist an authoritative holler. Ignoring him the girl tapped away on her cell.
"That was very dangerous and irresponsible!" he scolded her leaping out if the Jeep before it had come to a complete stop. "What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking, 'damn that's an epic view, I'm sure the world would love to see it for themselves, it could really help sell the whole camp thing and I don't know keep you and Roxie employed.'" she grinned smugly, only paying him half mind.
"Don't ever do anything like that again." he commanded, though the influencer who didn't entirely believe in or respect his authority over her rolled her eyes.
"Fine." she agreed.
A few minutes later and Roxie was standing before the group with a large award winning smile explaining what the day's activities would include. "This is 'The Bird Cage,'" she announced gesturing towards the vast dome. "Inside this biosphere we have carefully constructed the ideal habitats for our nine resident varieties of Pterosaur. From steaming primordial jungles, to a vast man made canyon in the north, and a miniature ocean kept stocked with fish you are in for a real treat!"
Brooklynn moved around behind the other campers, motioning and trying without success to get the woman to look at the camera. It was as she tried again that the pink haired girl noticed a sour face in the back of the shot, Dave was glaring directly into the camera with a parental look of disappointment. The girl gasped in shock, was he trying to ruin the shot? He was trying to ruin the shot!
"Can we run that again?" Brooklynn asked after Roxie had finished up her little introduction.
"No, this isn't a movie, and we're not on set." the woman scoffed.
Brooklynn was about to argue when she was nearly toppled over by an excitied Darius, "Brooklynn!" he said shaking her by the shoulder. "Take my picture in front of the Bird Cage!" Letting go the boy quickly ran a few paces away before turning around beaming. Staring at him with frustration the girl snapped the photo.
As she did a tall black man in khakis walked up to the group arms out as if he intended to embrace them all at once. "Welcome to the dome!" he said in a warm, almost, but not quite French accent. "My name is Lawrence Ndiaye and I will be your guide, please follow me!"
Glaring at Darius for making her miss the introduction Brooklynn quickly turned the camera on herself, "Isn't this amazing Brooklanders?" she enthused walking backwards as she followed the group. "We are getting a private tour of The Bird Cage from Mr Lawrence Ndiaye! Say hi Mr. Ndiaye!"
"Hello!" the man called waving back over his shoulder.
"Now, who's ready to see some flying dinos?" the girl asked quirking an eyebrow.
"Pterosaurs are not actually dinosaurs," Ndiaye said turning to address everyone. "But are actually their own classification of animals, and here at the park we were lucky enough to recreate several distinct species of these magnificent flying reptiles for you to enjoy here today."
"You learn something new every day!" Brooklynn enthused into the camera.
Following the man through what looked like a glass vault door the campers were struck immediately by a wall of hot humid air. Emerging on the other side the teens looked around in awe, finding themselves in a completely new world. Holding up her arm Brooklynn captured the droplets of moisture that collected almost instantly on the fine blonde hairs of her wrist. Turning the camera this way and that she filmed the lush jungle they trekked through on a narrow foot path.
"Would you look at that!" Sammy gasped up ahead. Pushing past some ferns Brooklynn aimed to get right in on the drama, whatever it was, only to find a little plume of brightly colored butterflies fluttering lazily around a patch of bluish purple blossom.
"Wow! They're so beautiful." Yasmina breathed taking in what Brooklynn considered to be the less than dramatic scene.
Boring, the teen thought as a speedy dragonfly joined it's more highly decorated cousins. "It this a stupid butterfly garden?" Kenji sneered to the girl's left.
"Of a sort." Ndiaye nodded.
"Gay!" the oldest among them announced, tucking his hands into his pockets.
Brooklynn who was inclined to agree was getting ready to lower her camera in disappointment when a fast moving object blurred past, the gust of wind left in it's wake the only movement to the otherwise still and oppressive air. The dragonfly was gone, a singular gossamer wing drifting slowly to the ground. A shadow past over the girl's face, then another, and another. Perplexed, and brow furrowed she looked up. That was when she saw them, a dozen or more winged lizards the smallest of which were no bigger than doves all soaring above her, their thin membrane wings made red by the sunlight that filtered through them. Quickly she turned her cell to the sky.
"Oh my God!" Darius gushed spinning around in amazement. "Is that a, um, a D-den-" he stopped wracking his brain pitifully and coming up empty, something Brooklynn was more than happy to document.
"Dendrorhynchoides," Ndiaye nodded. "Very good, these insectivores are among the world's smallest known Pterosaur, with a wingspan of only forty centimeters, or for you Americans sixteen inches! These brightly colored animals are arboreal meaning that they live in trees and get along well with their slightly larger relatives the jeholopterus who you might see in flight, or crawling across the branches of a tree if we are lucky."
"Brooklynn, take a picture of that one!" the dino freak demanded shaking the photographer by her sleeve. Pulling herself away from him Brooklynn glared, said nothing and continued to film. "Look his markings make it seem like he has eyes on his wings just like a moth!" the boy continued, still vying for her attention. "Come on just one picture look at him he's beautiful!"
"You are ruining my shot!" the pink haired girl finally snapped when Darius grabbed her by the arm and practically dragged her over to a nearby tree. There they saw the larger jeholopterus crawling down the trunk using it's strong toes, and claws that jutted out from the crest of its wings to grip the green rubbery bark. Using it's tail for balance as it hunted a large black beetle, the girl was struck with the impression of a miniature dragon, though it's short, wide face made it much less imposing than it's mythical kin.
Alright, she conceded, this would make a good thumbnail, she thought digitally preserving the moment. "Go bother someone else."
The two had been left some ways behind as the tour moved on, though Dave and Roxie were sure to keep them in the line of sight. Darius stalled, scuffing his shoe on the packed earth of the trail. "I was just hoping that you could maybe-"
"You can see the video when I post it, just like everyone else." the girl cut him off. Thankfully knowing when he had lost the dinosaur enthusiast moved off towards the others where he joined Sammy and Ben who were asking a lot of questions about the pterosaurs, and ...hygiene.
By the time the teens moved out of the smaller dome within the dome they were drenched with sweat and ambient moisture from the miniatured rainforest. Pulling at the front of her jacket and shirt where they clung to her chest the girl fanned herself with the fabric, craning her head high towards the actual ceiling. Snapping a pic as they moved on Brooklynn stepped up into the protective, covered walkway meant to defend tourist from the animals that, Mr. Ndiaye had just gotten through explaining, were highly territorial.
"And don't forget," he grinned broadly. "This exhibit has been closed to the public for the rest of the day, so you can take all the time you need!"
"We should actually get going around two, two thirty-ish at the latest." Dave announced.
"Yes, we'll take a break for lunch at a quarter to one, but we really must be going no later than two fifteen do you all understand me?" Roxie asked holding up the line. The group chorused their understanding as Dave excused himself, heading towards a small booth located just between the habitats. "Anyone else need the loo?" she sighed watching him jog away.
The man reappeared moments later with a smile, and a camera that sported the Jurassic World logo. "Now I want you to share this with everyone else." he said loudly before handing the device to an appreciative Darius. "We can print out the photos before everyone goes home, alright?"
"Can I go back into the butterfly garden and take just a few pictures?" he asked practically leaping out of his skin.
"Oh can I go too?" Sammy asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear when everyone turned to look at her. "I just ...wanted a closer look at the little critters is all." she said with embarrassment.
"You've got five minutes, and if you're not back here I'm getting you each a tether, and Dave will be taking back the camera he did not have to buy." Roxie said warningly. Agreeing the two rushed back into the jungle to explore.
"What nerds!" Kenji sighed with exasperation, sitting down on a rock nearby.
"Right." Yasmina concurred leaning against the railing beside him.
When the two of them returned moments later the tour moved on through branching walkways some which were no more than covered footpaths others opened into wide observation decks with benches, snack vendors, photo booths, and screens playing informative videos on loop. At a particularly large stop there was even a carousel.
As they ambled up a gentle ramp, the glass bottom of which lost all of its charm not long after filming a what Ndiaye called a Geosternbergia in flight beneath her converse, Brooklynn began to stew. There was too much learning involved, she thought, and if she was bored in the moment she was worried about what her viewers would say. What she needed was some action, the influencer thought glancing up from her screen to familiarize herself with her surroundings. Everyone else had gotten ahead of her when she slowed her pace unable to edit and walk at the same time. Their guide was explaining to them the various diets of the animals that lived just outside, explaining patiently to an aghast Kenji that piscivore meant "fish eater" and not the other thing.
It was as she looked about herself that Brooklynn spotted a little dimorphodon coming to roost in the tree beside her. To the streamer the animal appeared like it was something concocted by a mad scientist, with a minute T-Rex looking head attached to a pterodactyl's body. They had all been assured however that these animal were genuine to the fossil record, despite how hideous they might seem.
Realizing what a prime opportunity was presenting itself Brooklynn picked up a strick that had broken off between the metal grating. Checking over her shoulder to be sure no one was watching she raised her phone and began filming. I'll just edit this part out, she thought lining the twig up with an opening. Trying to be fast enough to get away with it the teen jammed the stick through the bars and into the animal. It's response was instantaneous. With a shrill screech it turned, sharp teeth clamping down on the twig and ripping it from her hand before snapping it in two.
This is fantastic she thought as the enraged creature bit and clawed angrily at its assailant, wings blowing gusts of wind through the girl's hair as she documented this intense and up close look at-
"Brooklynn Meyers-Tillman!" Roxie's voice cut clean through the girl's train of thought, a firm hand on her wrist turning her to look the enraged woman in the eye. "Did you just do what I think you just did?"
Heart hammering the teenager considered lying, with a grin she was about to go for it when she caught a glace at the animal moving away from where it had been napping. There was blood on the leaves, even the protective cage in which she stood bore the damning evidence of her crime. She hadn't meant to actually hurt the stupid thing, she thought, she just didn't realize how fragile their wings were. As she watched it hobble away with that awkward gate they all seemed to have, and nurse it's wound she realized that the small animal was actually kinda ugly-cute, like Skittles.
Eyes welling with tears "I'm sorry." was all she could muster.
Pulling her away from the group Roxie railed, red in the face at Brooklynn about the inheriant innocent of wildlife, the damage she could have caused the poor thing, and the unnecessary cruelty she had put out in the world while the others investigated what happened. When she had finished the pair made their way back to everyone else and they moved on.
Ndiaye explained the habitat and behavior of the final animal on the tour, the gentle giant that was quetzalcoatlus. Brooklynn scarcely heard a word of what he said head hanging low, arms folded she was overwhelmed with a tremendous sense of guilt and shame. And why? For her stupid followers, was it really worth it? The girl asked herself. Maybe Nika was right, and she was doing too much her fans, and losing too big a part of herself in the process. Her phone vibrated then, and try as she might she couldn't restrain herself from retrieving it from her pocket eagerly browsing her updates.
After a while they walked through a pathway that ran along the side of the canyon, which was beautifully layered with color and difficult to believe that it had been created rather than occuring naturally. Peering over the edge they could see the giant pterosaur they had just learned about soaring in a dry up gust of wind on huge black and purple striped wings. Continuing on they eventually found themselves in a large empty cafeteria. Recording Ndiaye's good-byes Brooklynn startled when Darius gasped, the sound echoing loudly on the walls.
"A gift shop!" he practically shouted leaving everyone in his dust. "Can we go in?" he asked turning back, one hand already on the door.
"Sure." the counselors shrugged almost in unison.
The boy's smile faulted slightly when he looked at the five other campers approaching the store at a stroll. Brooklynn watched with confusion as he started muttering to himself, tapping the fingers of his right hand against his thumb. "I was given a five hundred dollar allowance with the free trip to Jurassic World, if you guys find something you really like I can totally get it for you because that makes ...eighty dollars a person!" he beamed generously before rushing in, only to find that a miniature plush cost was whopping twenty-five dollars. "The offer still stands." he assured the others though he seemed to be regretting the decision somewhat.
Maybe he wasn't so bad after all, Brooklynn thought, a little annoying sure but. "It's cool, I got gold." she said showing him her credit card.
Scoffing Kenji pushed past the two of them. "Step aside amateurs, I've got Amex Black." he boasted flashing a black credit card with a gold centurion on it. "Go hog wild," he instructed leaning against a counter with superiority. "You too junior."
After a brief shopping spree they were ushered away with the promise of lunch. Expecting brown bags, or even something from the cafeteria they were all surprised when Dave and Roxie led them on, through a staff hallway, and up a flight of stairs. Emerging from the behind the scenes route they had taken the kids found themselves walking beneath a sign in cursive that read "Canyon Convivial," and into a fancy restaurant with lit candles, and cloth napkins. The decor was in a simple, yet elegant style in hues that complemented those of the canyon into which it had been carved the girl noticed as they were led through the otherwise empty dining area to a large table on a glass bottomed balcony.
"It's part of the camp package." Dave assured the kids who were captivated with their surroundings, when the waiter appeared with menus.
"At least for now," Roxie piped up. "Mr. Masrani wants every child to feel like royalty at least once, but I'm not sure how he intends to arrange this kind of five star treatment for every group of kids every year."
"There's enough seating," Dave thought aloud. "Just close to the public for a day and split the campers into three groups, breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
"A hundred and twenty bucks for pasta and sea bugs?" Sammy interrupted, gawking as she pointed to the lobster pappardelle.
"Try one-sixty for a burger!" Yasmina added.
"Please," Kenji laughed. "I've spent more on a toothbrush." After his previous display of affluence no one dared doubt him, the plastic gift shop bags crinkling under the table when someone shifted in their seat.
Still preturbed with self loathing for what she'd done Brooklynn found herself more concerned with a different set of numbers displayed on the crisp paper, the calories listed in fine print beneath each meal. In the end she just ordered a salad throwing all victories for the day aside, screw future Brooklynn, she didn't deserve it.
It wasn't until their meals arrived that the teen realized what a photo opportunity this was until she got a look at Ben's colorful Mediterranean vegetable platter. "Hold it!" she said energetically pulling out her favorite device. "Nobody eat anything, I need pics!"
Yasmina who was sitting at the other end of the table groaned, rolling her eyes and grabbed a slice of her fancy looking margherita pizza. Annoyed at her continual lack of participation Brooklynn turned the camera on her and took a picture right as she took a hearty bite.
"Oh, that's a good one!" Brooklynn said turning the phone so she could see.
"I told you before that I didn't want you taking my picture!" the other girl bellowed after choking down her food.
"And all I wanted was a picture of your plate, not you." Brooklynn hummed. "So now I'm going to make this go viral Yasmina the pizza pig! And you know why, because you're a fridged bitch."
"Yeah? Well you're just an attention seeking syphilitic twat!" Yasmina shouted in response before anyone could try to reign the situation in. Scrapped her chair loudly against the floor Yasmina stormed away from the table.
"I'll go talk to her," Dave said after the collective state of utter shock and disbelief wore off. "We have a sort of 'jogging bros' type thing going on."
"I'm sorry she said that." a conflicted looking Ben said softly.
"Yeah me too, are you alright?" Sammy asked reaching out to touch her hand.
"I'm fine." Brooklynn frowned moving around the table documenting their meals.
"Yeah but you gotta amid that was one sick burn!" Kenji chortled.
"Whatever!" the videographer snapped returning to her seat.
"You aren't entirely free of blame yourself, young lady." Roxie reminded her. "We're going to have a long talk tonight."
Lunch was had in an uncomfortable silence until to everyone's surprise the enormous quetzalcoatlus which they could now see towered above them at the same height as a giraffe, perched on a ledge beside the diners. After that a murmur of excitement ran through everyone that broke the tension. Brooklynn enjoyed herself even more after Dave and Yasmina elected to sit at their own table, to talk about the best way to lace your running shoes no doubt. Afterwards everyone just sat digesting for a long while until the couselors roused everyone from their decadent food comas to head back to the Jeep.
"Well that was fun, wasn't it?" Dave asked clapping his hands together as everyone buckled in. "Time to head back to the treehouse right? Wrong! You forgot this isn't just any old summer camp this is Camp Cretaceous, the greatest adventure camp on earth!" he said trying to get the kids fired up. "And what's so adventurous about a tour? Nothing! So, you've seen them, you've learned about them, now who's ready to fly like a pterosaur?"
The kids looked at one another, a spectrum of expressions. "We're going to fly?" Darius asked.
"That's right!" Dave grinned. "I suggest suiting you all up in wingsuits and throwing you over the edge of the canyon, but I guess that was deemed too much of a liability so we're going to be the first ones to test out the Camp Cretaceous exclusive wind tunnel for a little indoor sky diving! Bwa, bwa, bwa, bwaaa!" he hyped.
"Oh my God I'm so excited!" Sammy bounced in her seat.
"Me too!" Brooklynn agreed feeling a rush of energy wiping away all traces of afternoon drowsies.
A short drive, and a brief safety demonstration, and they were good to go, Kenji naturally insisting on being first entered the tunnel with a dramatic flare, one that was quickly stripped from him as one misplaced limb sent him spiralling upwards, screaming all the while. After him Darius who was nothing but smiles from beginning to end went, before Brooklynn stepped up to plate.
"You're sure you don't mind filming?" she asked handing Sammy her phone.
"Are you kidding me?" the girl gushed. "I'm the luckiest Brooklander on the planet, of course I'll film!"
Heart racing Brooklynn toed the line for a minute the flying instructor motioning for her to enter the tunnel. Arms crossed like a mummy it felt counter intuitive to just let yourself fall flat on your face, but when in Rome she thought. The roar of the wind rushing past her helmet was deafening, and now she understood the need for the hand signals they had learned in the introductory film. Feeling like she was falling, yet also somehow laying on a flat surface as the cushion of air held her aloft the girl couldn't help but smile.
Looking at Sammy as she filmed Brooklynn shot her arm out instinctively to give a thumbs up. Almost instantly she had put herself into a spin. Laughing with a side burning fanaticism when she finally remembered to keep her arms out at an even length, Brooklynn managed to stop herelf from pinwheeling out of control. Eyes plastered shut as she giggled the world tilted and wavered with a sea like motion.
Once the vertigo had passed the girl set out testing her skill, right arm down, turn right, left arm down turn left. She thought, experimenting with the drag of the wind, remembering how she used to stick her hand out the car window until her fingers were numb and frozen as a kid, 'cutting' the air on long road trips. Next she cautiously tested out her leg positions, feet together go forward, feet pulled back, arms out to go down. After familiarizing herself with the method Brooklynn was ready for some fun.
Moving wobbly through the air the pink haired girl managed to do a loop around the tunnel. Going again this time faster, she actually felt as though she were flying. Confidence building Brooklynn went into a rapid spin before coming to a halt, feet snapping together her took off like a superhero. Miscalculating how far she should let her shoulder dip she turned harder than expected, and instead of turning gracefully away from the curving wall she slammed into it, just further down.
A sharp jolt of pain shot through Brooklynn's stomach where it and the plastic of her MIC-KEY button struck the glass, knocking all of the air from her lungs. Indicating that she needed help the girl allowed the instructor to guide her out of the tunnel.
"Brooklynn are you alright?" Roxie wanted to know.
"Yeah, I'm fine." she lied, trying hard not to clutch her gut or double over.
"Are you sure, you took that hit pretty hard?" Sammy asked handing her the phone back.
"Yeah, no, I'm good, promise!" she nodded before adding. "I'm going to run to the bathroom I'll be right back."
Standing in the stall, flight suit unzipped, and shirt pulled up Brooklynn assessed the damage. It was going to bruise, that was certain she thought prodding her abdomen and ribs. Then grabbing the port of the tube between her fingers she gave it a quarter turn, trying to tell if it had been knocked out of place, or the internal balloon had ruptured. Everything felt sore, but sound. She winced at the burning sensation of stomach acid and enzymes leaking out between plastic a skin. God damnit, she thought, this was exactly the sort of thing she had been worried about! She'd been able to maintain weight without a feeding pump for four months, why her doctor wouldn't just remove the tube already was beyond her.
Well, she thought using some tissue to dab at the clear liquid that seeped out, maybe this was some sort of karma for what she did to that dimorphodon, it would serve her right. Smirking as she got dressed again she couldn't wait to see what karma had in store for Yasmina after lunch today. Washing her hands she exited the bathroom, Brooklynn found a comfortable spot on the floor next to the king of all wet blankets, who had, of course had a book in his back pocket the whole time.
"Are you alright?" Ben asked.
"Didn't think you could see anything with your head in that book." the girl laughed. Ben shrugged. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for asking." she said settling in beside him. Taking out her phone Brooklynn started carefully editing together her next vid.
Notes:
Sorry this one took so long to get out.
There is a ton of debate over what Pterosaurs actually ate. Throughout paleontological discovery they've been most commonly portrayed as piscivores and for their smaller representatives insectivores. It is very highly debated over still to this day with some theorising carnivorous diets preying on small replies, and early mammals, while some say skimming/filter feeding was possible, and yet others argue that a fair amount of Pterosaurs were frugivorous or fruit eaters like the flying fox!
Because of the creative liberties I get to take writing this I chose to make the quetzalcoatlus a skim/frugivore because I like the idea of something so huge and intimidating being just all gentle and nice! :)
Anyways, thanks for reading, please don't be too mad at any of the moody teens in this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it! :)
Chapter 10: Nocturnal
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-CC Day Eleven-
Sitting in the middle of the auditorium, her feet propped up on the seat in front of her Yasmina bit down on the head of a sour gummy worm and stretched it until it snapped satisfyingly in half. Her mouth puckered delightfully at the grainy citric acid coating, but it was soon gone leaving only the sweet chewy candy behind. With a bowl of popcorn to her right the teen was enjoying the movie to the fullest. Tim Burton was a God, she thought watching the beloved green haired bio-exorcist wrecking havoc on the Deetzes and their guests, and this was one of his greatest films.
A loud ruckus broke out near the front of the theater, popcorn and chips flying through the air as some of the other campers messed with one another laughing hysterically about something.
"That's enough." Roxie called from the back when Darius turned an empty popcorn bucket over Kenji's head like a dunce hat and the primadonna began complaining about his hair.
It looked like so much fun, Yasmina thought enviously. No one had really spoken to her since her outburst at Canyon Convivial, the incident forever shrouded in whispers and back biting rumors. And that was fine, she thought denying just how badly it hurt. She'd been trying to keep them at arm's length since arriving here, now if they were going to do the avoiding for themselves it was all the better because it saved her a lot of time and hassle. Besides, she'd rather be hated for something she did than for who she was.
Trying her best to ignore them she settled back into a more comfortable position, but she couldn't fight nagging feeling of loneliness. Everyone turned against her eventually, she reminded herself, childhood friends growing into hateful bigots in what felt like the blink of an eye. It was much better to burn than to be burned, and what was the point in being friends with someone when you couldn't be authentic with them anyways? No, she just had to stick to the plan: make it to the olympics, win, survive her last year of highschool, get a job, move out, come out, learn to live without her family who she knew would never accept her, maybe go to college, and make friends and a family of her own then.
Yeah, that would work, she thought, blinking hard against tears. I'm not really sad, she lied to herself, it's just sleep deprivation. Turning around to stare at the couselors it all felt like some cruel joke.
Roxie was munching away on something, grinning like a cheshire cat while Dave sat beside her armed with an ice water filled squirt gun, spritzing them all like ill behaved cats if anyone started to doze off. Seeing Yasmina looking back the man smiled at her, giving a brief salute with his weapon. He was actually the closest thing to a friend she'd made at Camp Cretaceous, and that was only because for the sake of adult supervision Dave nearly killed himself each morning just trying to keep sight of the girl on her runs. He was nice, and kinda funny in a bad dad joke sort of way, and he seemed to really want to help her have a fun stay at the camp, not blaming her one way or the other for how things shook out.
"Ben, Brooklynn, do I see some naughty nodders?" he called taking aim. Slouching down in her seat a smirking Yasmina did her best not to obscure his line of fire. "It's not even two o'clock yet, come on guys you know the deal party all night tonight, sleep all day tomorrow and then nocturnal mayhem out in the park tomorrow! Can I get a whoop whoop?"
"Whoop, whoop!" Yasmina called out with the others who were awake enough to realize the danger they were in.
"I said 'can I get a whoop, whoop?'" the man repeated.
When Brooklynn and Ben failed to respond two jets of water rapid fired flew over the vacant seats that sperated the couselors from their charges and hit them each in the back of the head making them shoot up in shock and surprise. The other campers laughed at the spectacle, shoving and jostling the victims with good natured teasing.
"I think you should get Ben again!" Darius called out turning to look back at them as the other boy argued and begged him to hold his tongue. "He totally fell asleep during Jumanji and was literally propped up like a scarecrow right now!"
"Silence!" Dave called with an authoritarian tone, spraying Darius in the face. "I am the law here! Only I can decide when an where to deliver the judgement of the most glorious and grossly incandescent father on high! Praise the Sun!"
"Praise the Sun!" Kenji and Sammy called back throwing their hands into the air like a couple of geeks.
"Praise the Sun." Yasmina murmured with a half smile to herself, listening to Roxie badger the man about enjoying himself too much and being such a weirdo as he tried to explain the significance of the reference.
When they were finally allowed to go to bed Yasmina was worried about having trouble falling asleep after all the sugar and excitement. To the contrary however, the teen slept like a rock.
Skull feeling thick, and lined with cotton Yasmina woke to a band of sharp while light cutting across her face, sunlight streaming in violently from a gap in the curtains. Groaning as she tried to block it out with the blankets a dull pounding filled her head, and her found herself unable to determine if it was from an over abundance of sleep, or not quite enough. After a while she became restless, her legs antsy and jittery. She had to get up and she had to get moving. Getting out of bed the girl grabbed some clothes band crept to the bathroom.
After getting dressed and splashing some water on her face, the teen felt more refreshed. Pulling her hair tightly back she was ready to go when she paused looking herself over with scrutiny. She looked a little dull, and flat, Yasmina thought pulling at the corners of her eyes. Grabbing her makeup bag from the shelf she had been keeping it on the girl gave herself a quick smokey eye with a touch of mascara, and glossed her lips. Whoever said you couldn't be sporty and elegant? The teen wondered feeling more like herself. Winking as she blew her reflection an, I'm hot and I know it kiss Yasmina scooped up her earbuds, and tiptoed out the front door shoes in hand.
If I stick to the usual trail I'll be fine and if they wake up and notice I'm gone Dave will know right where to look. Yasmina reasoned lacing up her shoes. Jogging at an even pace each footfall brought the girl more clarity and peace of mind. This was exactly what she needed, she thought taking in a breath of fresh air as all the sluggish weight of sleep and paradoxically exhaustion rolled off of her, like water off a duck's back. Heart pounding with the exuberant feeling of being alive she quickly lost herself to the music.
By the time Yasmina got back to the treehouse her body was tingling with spent energy, yet somehow had found a hidden stash of adrenaline and endorphins and the girl felt like she was ready to take on the world. Walking inside she took off her shoes and headed towards the kitchen for some water. She was halfway there when she was hit with a tomatoey, spicy aroma, she wondered what the counselors were making this time. Rounding the corner however, she found neither Roxie, nor Dave, but Sammy standing next to a deep soup pan, stirring its contents carefully, while a second larger pot bubbled energetically on the back burner.
The cowgirl startled when she turned as saw Yasmina, eyes wide hand flying to cover her heart. "Yasmina!" she smiled moving from pan to cutting board where she diced another tomato. "You sure did get me girl, a little bit of a warning next time I nearly had a heart attack!" she laughed.
"What are you doing?" Yasmina asked looking her up and down.
"Well," Sammy started carrying the cutting board and it's juicy contents over the pot and scraping them in. "I'm usually an early bird myself, and when I got up well, there wasn't much else to do- well that's not exactly true I called my Mama and Daddy. They're a bit worried about me, and I talked to my sissies and my Abuela sh-"
"Why are your parents worried about you?" Yasmina cut the other girl off tersely, arms folded as she leaned against a counter.
"Oh!" Sammy smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked caught off guard as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Well you know, this is the furthest away from home I've ever been, not to mention the longest I've ever been gone for, and psh, dinosaurs right?" she rambled, distracting herself with cooking as she spoke. "Anyway I'm sure your folks are worried too."
Not in the way you might think, Yasmina thought bitterly. She had received an endless slew of angry texts and phonecalls from her parents after Brooklynn, who they only started following just to keep tabs on their daughter posted their arrival video, and Yasmina's scantily uncovered hair by proxy. "Yeah, I guess they are." she agreed. "But none of that explains what you're doing."
"Oh, well, duh!" Sammy laughed at her own expense. "Since I was already awake and Dave and Roxie were up all night too I figured I'd give them a break from cooking and make some of my mom's world famous chili." Yasmina rolled her eyes. "Or it will be world famous once y'all taste it," the cook said sassily waving the spoon at her, having caught the momentary expression. "Right now it's just Texas famous. Want to help?"
The tempting thought crossed Yasmina's mind briefly before she gave her answer. "No." she said grabbing a bag of chips from the table before turning on her heel and walking out.
Falling into a couch the athlete savored the salty goodness that was her pilfered potato chips while staring at the ceiling trying hard to ignore the occasional clatter that came from the kitchen. Closing her eyes after a while it seemed for a moment as though she would doze off, until she heard Sammy humming to herself in the other room. Curiosity piqued, it would seem her efforts to relax would have to wait as Yasmina, trying to be stealthy snuck a glance over the back of the sofa.
Dancing a quick two step as she hummed the cowgirl opening a nearby drawer, and took a utensil from it before swinging her hip against the wood to close it again. Hurriedly diving back into the cushions when the other girl gave a twirl Yasmina couldn't help but smile to herself, heart fluttering. She was seriously cute, the teen thought a blush rising in her cheeks. Staying in that position, a hand pressed to her heart Yasmina played dead as she listened to her fellow camper work hard in her labor of love for the rest of them.
It wasn't long however, before she heard Sammy leave and head towards the bathroom. Unable to contain herself with wonder as to what made this chili so special, and wanting to get to know Sammy better, even if she denied it Yasmina vaulted over the back of the furniture and bolted into the kitchen at lightning speed. One taste, in and out, she told herself giving the tomato base a stir while the beans boiled separately. Ladling up a spoonful the teen blew on it before moving it towards her mouth, only to stop. What the hell is all that green and yellow crap? She wondered glaring at food. Turning the spoon this way and that she couldn't quite make heads or tails of the mystery ingredient that was beginning to break down.
"It's zucchini." Sammy said coming up behind Yasmina who jumped dropped the spoon on the floor.
"Holy shit, I thought you were a cowgirl not a freaking ninja!" Yasmina grumbled irritably.
"Got ya!" Sammy giggled wrinkled her nose playfully in a way that made Yasmina's stomach do a summersault. "It was the only way mama could my sisters and me to eat veggies, was to sneak them in somewhere and chili was always zucchini, now I just like the way it tastes." she explained.
Tossing the spoon into the sink Yasmina assumed her signature look of generalized annoyance and disinterest before heading back out. "So what did you think, too much salt, or not enough, it's such a fine line between the two and you can screw it up so easily."
"I didn't actually taste it yet." Yasmina muttered under her breath.
"Well get over here then!" Sammy said looping her arm around Yasmina like they were best friends and pulling her over to the stove, handing her a spoon.
With a sigh the shorter of the two tried the simmering concoction, "Yep, that's chili pre-beans alright."
"I was thinking of adding more body to it," Sammy said standing back at the cutting board. "Like extra onions, and garlic, mushrooms, maybe some soy sauce and smoke flavor if we have any-"
"Mushrooms? Soy sauce?" Yasmina grimaced.
"I don't know," the other girl said turning on her with a touch of attitude. "I'm not adding any meat to it and Google said those were good ways to bring up the flavor. That poor Ben, I think I'm gonna be sick if I have to watch him eat one more peanut butter and jelly, or frozen veggie burger. Yuck, I mean how does he even live without meat, and cheese!" she gushed turning to Yasmina aghast. "Can you imagine living without cheese? I think I'd die!"
"Are you always like this?" Yasmina said folding her arms, a physical indication that she raising her emotional shields.
"Like what?"
"Like," Yasmina motioned broadly to Sammy head to tone with a repulsed expression. "This!"
"Every day of the year except for the first of Octember then yeash watch out!" Sammy winked, fracturing Yasmina's armor a little bit.
Grabbing Sammy's arm when she was about to dump a cutting board of diced onion and minced garlic into the pot Yasmina snapped, "What are you doing? Aren't you going to at least sweat them first, I mean sauteed is best but just dumping them in raw?"
"My mama never does, she says if you can't handle it get out of her kitchen, but really I think it's just because she never has the time." Sammy admitted lowering the wooden the board.
"Well that's just stupid!" Yasmina scoffed searching of a frying pan. "Garlic and onion don't have to be super sharp and bitter all the time. They can actually be really sweet if you treat them right." she criticized reaching for the oil as she stood back up.
"So kinda like you huh?"
"You know what forget it, I was just trying to help!" Yasmina shouted throwing the pan across the range.
"No, wait, I'm sorry!" Sammy called after her as Yasmina stormed out of the kitchen.
Shoving her earbuds violently into her ears the runner tuned her out. Going back to the girls' room Yasmina climbed up into her bunk and laid there trying her hardest not to cry. She was angry, angry at Sammy for being so friendly and good all the time, angry that Sammy had even tried to reach out, angry that she treated her no differently than she treated the others. But more so Yasmina was angry at herself for being too afraid to let her guard down, angry at herself for hurting someone who was just trying to be kind, angry at herself for being so scared all the time.
Covering her eyes with her arm Yasmina let a few sullen, and remorseful tears slip out.
She stayed in her bed long after everyone else was up and moving until Roxie came to get her for dinner. Everyone was sure to thank Sammy who waved off their gratitude like it was no big deal, though to Yasmina she seemed a little less bubble gum and cotton candy than usual. Taking a bite, Yasmina's gaze snapped up to look at the chef, there was a savory sweetness to the chili that could only come from caramelized onion. She regretted not staying to help her cook, and felt guilty that Sammy had followed through with her diva-esque demands even after she'd treated her like crap for trying to play.
"It's really good." Yasmina muttered into her bowl.
"Thanks." Sammy smiled.
"I call dibs on the left overs." Ben announced an awkward blend of hopeful and nervousness as though he expected some type of back lash. "For variety."
"You can have a much as you'd like," Roxie intoned with a smile. "Infact Sammy here has given me the marvelous idea of making one large meal that we can all share every couple of days so that you can enjoy too. I'll begin looking up recipes right away!"
"What?" came a chorus from the omnivorous males at the table, the loudest of whom was Dave. Yasmina grinned at the dirty look he received, before he quickly though unemphatically agreed.
After dinner everyone who wasn't already wearing one, as Brooklynn forever seemed to be, put on a jacket or hoodie and piled into the Jeep.
"Where do you think we're going?" Darius asked whipping his head around trying to take it all in, like it wasn't the same jungle now that it was dark out.
"Since we're heading West somewhere lame, probably." Kenji said leaning back over the side of the tuck bed. "What?" he asked when he realized everyone was staring at him. "I've been to Jurassic World a million times! I keep telling you guys this and yet you never believe me, my dad is a huge investor, in fact he might have almost as much stock as Masrani does now."
"What is he trying to do buy Masrani out?" Brooklynn asked skeptically.
Kenji shrugged, "Listen I know as much about my dad as he knows about me, zip."
"He, he can't do that though!" Darius argued after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "Mr. Masrani rebuilt this place, he saved the dinosaurs, the Costa Rican government was getting ready to fire bomb the whole island because they were worried the dinosaurs would escape somehow when he took over and-"
"Wow," Kenji cut him off. "And here I thought you couldn't get nerdier or more boring. Who cares?"
"I didn't know that." Brooklynn said turning to the boy in yellow.
"Yeah," Darius nodded. "It's actually pretty cool."
"Hmmm, maybe you can explain it to me sometime I'm sure my veiwers would be interested." the pink haired girl smiled in the growing darkness. "Brooklynn unboxes the truth about the Masrani Global take over of InGen and how it may have saved dinosaurs as we know it!" she said in her best trailer announcer voice.
"Wherever we're going I hope they have good lighting, I can hardly see a thing." Ben whined hugging himself. "Or preferably indoors."
"Oh, maybe where gonna got see that big swimming dino thing!" Sammy put in excitedly.
"Mosasaurus!" Darius shouted with glee.
"Yeah! The state aquarium back home has nights at the aquarium and it's so cool and dreamy feeling the animals are mostly all active still because they're all fishes, it's super relaxing!" the native Texan explained.
Sitting quietly Yasmina listened to everyone talking staring at the headlights on the road ahead.
They soon arrived at what looked like a long chain link tunnel that stretched out into darkness. Swinging a backpack over his shoulder Dave walked to the head of the group with his hands on his hips. "Well are you guys ready to go, or what?" he asked the kids who seemed unsure of their surroundings.
"I got this." Brooklynn said confidently switching her cellphone's camera to night vision. Immediately the screen flickered before the depth of distant ferns and plants began to pull away from the matte black of the jungle at night.
"I'll be filming for a while, thank you." Roxie said snatching the device away.
"Hey!" Brooklynn argued.
"And without any further ado," Dave said opening the door to the ominous tunnel and motioning for the campers to file in.
"So this is where you hide the bodies." Yasmina smiled at the man as she walked past him.
"No, no," Dave corrected her. "This is where I hide my victims before I need a place to hide the bodies, duh!"
"Oh haha!" the girl rolled her eyes.
The group continued on in the dark until Darius crashed into another chain link fence that rattled loudly. "Are we in a cage?" he asked turning to look at the shadowy figures behind him.
"It's more of an enclosed walkway," Roxie said coming up to them and unlocking what was actually a door that he had run into. "There we are, after you kids."
"What are we supposed to do?" Darius asked hesitating.
"Just keep walking, we're right behind you." Dave instructed, giving him a gentle push on the back.
Trailing behind the others Yasmina listened to them talk with a nervous excitement to one another as they tiptoed forward in the dark. "You're all a bunch of babies!" Kenji called, barely visible as he blazed a trail of his own well ahead of the group. There was a sudden rustle of branches followed by an "Ow!" as he walked into a tree branch and fell backwards. Everyone laughed at Kenji's failed bravado.
"So what exactly are we doing out here and why can't I have my phone?" Brooklynn asked loudly.
"You'll see." was the only answer Dave seemed inclined to give.
"Ben, I wouldn't keep running my hand along that fence if I were you." Roxie called out then.
With a little shriek Yasmina could just make out the silhouette of the boy as he pulled away from what he had been using to guide him in the dark. "What is it?" he yelled, voice cracking hard. "What is it?"
"Whoa, Ben, you're shaking like a leaf!" Sammy said then as they collided. "It's alright, here you can hold my hand." Yasmina watched as Sammy turned around pawing behind her in the dark. "Come on Yaz, I'm sorry about earlier," she said. "Now come make a Samwich, you know you want to, I'm already holding Ben's hand!"
Keeping quiet Yasmina folded her arms eyes on her feet until the other girl quietly gave up. It was then that she saw the large figure of Kenji sneaking back around the group. Coming up behind Ben he grabbed him by the waist with hands held like claws giving a bellowing roar. Ben screamed clawing and clamouring at Sammy who yelled at the older boy.
"God dang it Kenji! Ow, Ben ow! You're gonna break my fingers!"
"I'm done!" Ben sobbed. "I'm done and I want to go home!"
Realizing that he was actually crying Yasmina felt bad for laughing moments ago and quickened her pace. "Hey," she said announcing herself. "How about we make a Benwich instead? You ok?" she asked after the boy grabbed onto her with a trembling vice like grip.
"No I'm not!" he said.
"Kenji that was really uncalled for." Darius said picking his way back towards the trio.
"Yeah, major dick move." Brooklynn agreed.
"Oh my God it was a joke!" Kenji moaned. "The kids too sensitive!"
"Nah," Dave shook his head coming up to them and opening his backpack. "Brooklynn's right total dick move."
"We're sorry Ben, everybody, we thought building the suspense a little bit would make the big moment a little more special." Roxie added.
"What big moment?" Darius asked.
"Here." Dave said handing out awkward, slightly bulky devices with adjustable three point straps to them. "They slide over your head like a baseball cap."
Fiddling with the straps of a second or two Yasmina finally got the stupid thing to fit, cold plastic and rubber cupping the area around her eyes snuggly. "Now what?" she asked.
"Hit the button on the right."
The world flickered for a moment before illuminating entirely in a pallet of green. These were night vision goggles! Yasmina thought excitedly as the world came into focus around her. She saw the other campers looking around in awe as they turned their own goggles on, until Ben cried out in terror moving further away from Yasmina, and the fence he'd been trailing.
Turning to see what he was looking at Yaz jumped back too as she saw several pairs of large glowing eyes belonging waist high dinosaurs that gripped the thick links with long digits, and whose heads bobbed and weaved over one another to get a better look at the campers. Breaking their previous silence the creatures chattered quietly to one another as they seemed to realize that they could now be seen. One broke away from the pack bobbing it's head with an exaggerated motion as it walked away from the others. When the kids turned tracking it the animal gave an enraged hiss before leaping onto the grating biting it with dozens of tiny serrated teeth. It's siblings echoed the angry vocalizations before dispersing into their enclosure where they could no longer be seen.
"Were those Troodon?" Darius gasped jumping up and down like he'd lost his mind. Meanwhile Yasmina and the other campers were trying to reign in their anxiety, hearts racing the unreal sensation of just how intelligent that encounter had been.
"Yep freshly cooked in the lab!" Dave enthused. "Welcome to the Nocturnal Loop, its an area of the park not yet open to the public, you're the first guests ever to venture inside!"
"So they really are nocturnal, there was so much debate over whether they were active at night or simply needed superior eyesight for tracking smaller prey!" the nerd rambled. "Are they entirely carnivorous or are they omnivorous?"
"Well," Roxie said as she handed Brooklynn's cellphone back to her. "They are technically omnivorous and will eat thick vegetation and tubers, but they seem to prefer meat and enjoy hunting both for food and seemingly as a game similar to," the woman paused trying to make an accurate comparison. "Orcas or 'killer whales,' have you ever seen a video on YouTube of an orca toying with a seal before going in for the kill, or throwing one back and forth with pod-mates?"
A shudder ran down Yasmina's spine, then she felt Ben and Sammy move in closer as all the kids nodded. "Well, like that!" Roxie grinned the green filter making her appear somehow sinister. "Oh, and they're venomous with a potent neurotoxin, so ...they usually have a long time to play. Feeding time is not pretty, anymore questions before we move on?"
"So, those things were creepy," Kenji announced coming up to the trio and taking a position near Sammy's free hand. "Like so much more than normal creepy. I'm uh, gonna stick with you guys, you know to watch your backs make sure you're all alright."
"My hero." Yasmina said sarcastically as she leaned forward to see his face. "Just don't get attacked by anymore trees."
"Haha!"
Sammy started to giggle as they walked on, heads swiveling to take in their surroundings, the occasional blur of a glowing orb to the left and right causing the little group to huddle nearer to one another. "What?" Yasmina snapped with both annoyance and nerves.
"Oh nothin'" Sammy said dismissively.
"No, what?" Yaz demanded.
"If I say it you have to promise you won't be mad."
Yasmina pressed her lips together in a hard line, "I promise." she lied.
"I just," Sammy paused to giggle again. "I just feel like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz is all!"
The little band of campers stopped walking as they all looked at Sammy then one another. Sammy thought she was heartless, Yasmina thought dismally, but that was fine, and so be it let her be heartless she thought. It was better to be heartless and alone by choice, than to be heartbroken and abandoned.
"So, wait, which one am I?" Kenji asked perplexed.
This time Yaz got in on joke laughing with Sammy as they walked on, the boy still demanding an answer in frustration.
Notes:
Ever see that video on YouTube of the baby owls hissing at the camera vying for a better vantage point? That's how the troodon move.
Edit: so I looked for the video and couldn't find it but this one is close to what I was picturing: https://youtu.be/bgcEiXW65Ko
And just to clarify Yasmina is referring to it being better to be alone as in friendless and ultimately loveless, than to be heartbroken and abandoned by her family.
Also her parents aren't keeping tabs on her in a malicious way even if Yaz sees it that way, they genuinely care about her.
Lastly in the Wizard of Oz book(s) the Emerald City isn't really emerald but it's residents and visiters are required to wear special green tinted goggles/glasses to make it appear as though it was!
Also: Are you a friend of Dorothy? I couldn't help myself with these four!
Thanks for reading! <3
Chapter 11: Star-Crossed
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-CC Day 17-
Kenji, who couldn't ever remember having such a strict and regimented sleep schedule was slowly beginning to adapt. Feet stretched out to the railing at the end of the bed he rolled and flopped about his bunk, opening his eyes wearily. Feeling around on the mattress, hands searching blindly the boy groped about for his cellphone. What freaking time is it anyway? He asked himself with a yawn before gradually his initial bout of agitation subsided. It was kinda nice, it occurred to him then, to wake up naturally and undisturbed for once. Smiling contently, and choosing to give up the hunt, Kenji settled back against his pillow instead. Looking up at the textured plaster of the ceiling, he lazily conjured images out of the shapes as though they were clouds, feeling like it was going to be a good day today.
"Morning Kenji." Dave said brightly. Turning in horror the teen saw the stockpot-of-doom and with a brief warcry preemptively threw a pillow at its wielder.
"Come on man!" Kenji yelled covering his ears when the metal rang out loudly. "Every morning? Are you serious?"
"Everybody up, we got a long day ahead of us!" the counselor called out brightly, ignoring the teenager's plight.
Cutting into the bathroom ahead of Darius as they raced elbowing each other along the way, as had become tradition, the victor slammed the door behind himself with a loud woop. "Better luck next time, junior!" he mocked.
The momentary thrill of triumph short-lived, and still bereft of his leisurely morning Kenji mean-mugged himself in the mirror as he took a leak. Then, walking to the sink when he had finished he washed up and splashed cool water on his face in an attempt to ready himself for the day ahead and regain what enthusiasm he had lost.
Pausing with annoyance as he stared at his reflection the teen tugged at a shaggy spot of hair in front of his ear. It had already been on the long side when he left home, but, this, this was getting ridiculous, he thought. He really should have done something about it instead of sulking around hoping his dad would change his mind, and wondered absently if they had any half decent stylists on the island. Quickly adapting to the hand he was delt however, Kenji pulled out his hair cream which smelt of strong, earthy ocher, and a subtle hint of sweet coconut. Styling his signature quiff before combing the ragged sides down snuggly, he fired off a couple rounds from his finger guns with approval.
Giving the cream a luxurious sniff he capped it and headed into the kitchen, arms outstretched, smile wide, "Kenji is here," he announced. "What's for breakfast?"
His expression fell when he found not a mountain of pancakes, or a heaping pile of bacon, or even quiche, but rather bags of trail mix, and water bottles, and ...books in their place. "Alright seriously, what kind of fuckery is this?" he asked knocking the backpack that had his name literally written on it out of a chair so that he could sit down.
"Language!" Roxie snapped from where she sat at the head of the table and everyone else filed in finding their assigned place to sit. Kenji threw his hands up already too disgruntled to argue, game over. Shoving everything towards the center of the table he folded his arms, resting his chin ontop of them and waited for whatever lame activity his wardens had cooked up for them today to be announced.
Once everyone was gathered Roxie smiled with excitement, "Who's ready for a little adventure?" she asked hopefully. Six hands raised around the table some much, much, more slowly than others.
"Uh that's not going to cut it," Dave said, hands on his hips as he stood behind Roxie. "Are we sure everyone is awake? I can get the pan out again, maybe even a hose. Are you guys ready for an adventure?" he asked with gusto.
Kenji rolled his eyes when everyone else shouted "Yes!" back, sheeple.
"Now that's the spirit!" Roxie enthused, bright eyed. "Today you're in for a real treat, you're going to experience all that Camp Cretaceous has to offer like never before, by getting out into nature and experiencing the raw power and wonder of Jurassic World for yourselves first hand!" It was at this point that Kenji started to zone out, a complete disinterest for what the woman was saying overcoming the teenager.
"Blah, blah expedition, blah, blah dinosaurs, blah, blah teams, blah, blah, blah..." he heard wondering dismally if it was too late to fake a stomach ache. "And whichever team reaches the camp site first wins a very special prize!" this caught the boy's attention however, naturally competitive, and eager to win Kenji glanced at Roxie. "And to make things even more interesting there will also be a second place prize for the team that wins our little game of BINGO!"
"So wait, we're going to be rooting around in the dirt for our dinner?" Brooklynn asked with a grimace, and suddenly Kenji knew he had missed a few key details.
"Aw don't be like that foraging might be fun!" Sammy enthused.
"For you." Yasmina scoffed at the same time Ben cried out, "Does no one understand the term 'food safety?'"
Roxie heaved a sigh, looking around the table with disappointment. "Much of the native vegetation around the jungle is actually fit for human consumption, and this part of the island was designed with foraging in mind. Several new types of food bearing plants that wouldn't overtake the natural landscape were introduced for Camp Cretaceous campers specifically, and can be found dotted around the area. You just have to know what do look for."
"Hence these bad boys!" Dave grinned thumping one of the books soundly.
"See it does sound fun!" the cowgirl added with confidence.
"It does!" Darius agreed bouncing in his seat. "And I wonder what dinosaurs we're going to see!"
Lame, Kenji thought and was getting ready to try and bail on the whole thing when Ben beat him to it. "My stomach actually kinda hurts this morning." he mumbled gaze shifting to everyone around the table, earning a look from Kenji who didn't like have his line stolen from him.
"Does it really?" Roxie arched an eyebrow.
"Yes." Ben said quickly looking away.
"And you waited until after I explained our activity for the day to mention it?" she pressed coyly.
"I didn't want to interrupt?" he tried.
"Yeah, I'm not feeling the best either, maybe it was dinner last night or something." Kenji leaped into the debate.
"You didn't even eat the same things for dinner last night." the head counselor said folding her arms and leaning back in her seat.
"I feel fine!" Darius announced like the dino-horny Judas he was.
"Me too!" And "Same." Sammy, and Brooklynn chimed in.
"What's the matter boys afraid of a little exercise?" Yasmina laughed at them, using the backrest of her seat to twist around, popping her spine. Kenji glared at her in response, ready to argue that he could take her on, but Roxie was quick to move the conversation along.
"I'll be sure to pack some pepti-calm, and tums." she smiled.
"Do you mean Pepto?" Dave asked apparently just as confused as the others. "Because I'm pretty sure it's called Pepto Bismol."
"Whatever," Roxie said waving her hand as though she were shooing a fly. "Now all of you need to get dressed, put on your strongest pair of shoes, and meet me back here in let's say ten? We've got to get this adventure underway!" she clapped her hands as she spoke with emphasis.
It wasn't long before the teenagers were following their intrepid leaders out into the wild unknown. Brooklynn talked endlessly to the invisible twenty-seven million other campers as they went. Munching away on the salty sweet blend of nuts and dried fruit he'd been given Kenji rolled his shoulders as he watched her little pep act. What was in this backpack anyway, he wondered, rocks? It felt like rocks.
"I wouldn't eat all of that right away," Dave cautioned glancing back from where he outpaced the others. "That and a power bar a piece make up your rations until dinner, and then it's whatever we can find and carry."
"This blows." Kenji observed, continuing to pick at the trailmix, earning only the ire of those around him in response.
After they had marched through the jungle on a difficult to discern path they finally arrived at a fork in the road at which Dave turned about face and announced, "Welp, this is where the fun begins. Girls, you're with Roxie, boys you're with me. May the best team win!"
"What?" Kenji bellowed. "In what way is that fair?" he began protesting, arms gesturing wildly. "The girl team has a literal olympian, a cowgirl, and someone who has climbed Mount Everest! And what do we get huh? Me, awesome, obviously, Darius a dinosaur obsessed gamer, and, and Ben!" he exclaimed motioning broadly to the mousey boy who was desperately trying to do his best impression of a glass window. "I will literally trade any one of them for Ben! He's completely useless! The dudes scared of his own shadow! Please, anyone but him!"
Already the other campers were arguing against Kenji, but it felt half-hearted, there was no way they couldn't see exactly what he did. Their feeble attempts to defend Ben only further vindicated Kenji's point as no one could find a single redemptive quality about the bookish boy who routinely sat out every activity or experience. Everyone was just trying to be overly sensitive towoards Ben, lying to themselves about how much of a let down he really was, Kenji felt.
One point for Kenji, everyone else zero.
"I'll be on team Ben!" Sammy offered with a smile, because of course she would. "Besides slow and steady wins the race, right Ben?"
"In what universe?" Yaz scoffed. Kenji held up a hand only to be snubbed and left hanging.
"No, this is the way things are going to be, boys vs girls." Dave announced with an uncharacteristically peeved expression. "I don't care what advantages or disadvantages either team seems to have, you're here to have fun! So stop frickin' tearing into one another all the time and start you know, having fun! Because that's what summer camp is all about! Fun!"
Kenji crossed his arms over his chest defiantly as he was quickly outnumbered by those who shared Dave's sentiment. The couselor in question swept a hand through his hair as if keeping his composure was taking every last ounce he had left in him and Kenji couldn't help but wonder how difficult it was for Dave no to swear right now.
"Alright ladies allons-y!" Roxie clapped her hands and began walking away from where the trail divided.
"You two go on ahead, we'll catch up." Dave instructed Darius and Ben, while the girls veered off to the left. "Go on!" he pointed irritably down the path he wanted them to follow.
Oh boy, Kenji thought sarcastically, another dad lecture from someone who wasn't even his father but still thought it was their place to try, goodie!
"That was extremely uncalled for back there," Dave scolded. "We're all here for the same reasons, to have fun, make friends and memories that will last a lifetime, and to enjoy ourselves, but every chance you get you make that boy feel like dirt! What is your-"
"Oh no, his worst nightmare!" the teen replied waving his hands for added affect.
Dave looked at Kenji for a long moment as though trying to decide what to say, or more likely, the teenager felt, what he was legally allowed to say. "We all have moments in our lives that keep us awake at night, moments we wish we could take back or do over, don't let today be one of those moments Kenji. Not for my sake, not even for Ben's sake, since you're obviously incapable of that type of compassion, but for the sake of a future good night's rest. Please, just try not to be that asshole."
"Whatever."
Dave stared for a long moment before motioning for Kenji to follow him. Once they had caught up with the others Dave began doling out responsibilities. Giving Darius the BINGO card, Ben the field guide to all of edible and medical plants that surrounded them, and then slapped a map and a compass into Kenji's hand.
"Lead the way."
Opening the map Kenji oriented himself with it briefly. If the treehouse was back there, and the big red X was over there, and North was... "Come on let's go." he announced rushing past the others through the underbrush. Keeping a steady pace the oldest boy was soon leaving the others struggling to keep up as he plowed relentlessly ahead.
"Kenji, I'd slow down if I were you!" the counselor called to him.
"Why?" the teenager who was keen on winning shouted back. "It's a race isn't it?"
"Well, yeah but it's not literally a foot race, this is a twenty mile hike my man. It's all about endurance."
"What?" Kenji yelled turning around in shock.
"Twenty miles?" Ben whined, brow furrowed apprehensively.
"Yep," Dave nodded as they caught up to their fearless leader. "It's supposed to take all day, you know get some exercise, have some bonding time, maybe make some new friends along the way."
"This is so stupid!" Kenji complained. "As if walking through all the dirt and bugs, and hot stupid air wasn't bad enough you're telling me we're going to be doing it all day long?"
"Maybe even into the night, if we can't keep pace." Dave added with snark.
"Oh my God!" Darius shouted, Kenji was about to thank him for agreeing with his sentiment when the kid rushed off through the brush, camera flashing as he took pictures. "The teeth marks on this cycad match those from the fossilized remains found in mass hadrosaur die out sites!"
Dave smiled as he walked over, "Sure do, if we're lucky maybe we'll stumble across the herd or-"
"Droppings!" Darius practically squealed. "They're fresh too! And foot prints? Come on guys they headed this way! I wonder if they're lambeosaurus, or maiasaura, or oh, oh, hypacrosaurus!" he shouted bounding forward through the tangling ferns and vines.
Catching up with them Kenji who hopped up on the trunk of a fallen tree shoved the other boy, "Nerd."
"Show off!" Darius pushed him back, kicking off friendly banter and rough housing as they walked.
After trekking for what seemed like ages with the sun beating down on them did they finally stop for a lunch break, pulling out their power bars. Darius who was leaping out of his skin with excitement kept going on and on about the 'small' herd of loud honking animals they had seen. To Kenji's eyes they were just really big, really dumb lizards splashing around in the water that made a kinda cool trumpeting sound, but the kid couldn't get over their coloration, or the way the adults pulled the young green stems of plants down for the adolescences and what this meant for all theories of dinosaurs as nurturing caregivers as none of the infants were actually theirs, because they were hatched in the lab. He had officially gone insane, the older boy felt, chewing his less than appetizing lunch.
Sweeping a space clear from debris with his foot Kenji dropped his backpack to the ground, laying back in a relatively shady spot, and closed his eyes. Body aching as he felt like he might begin to drift off, he listened to Dave and Darius talk.
"Yeah did you see the way they all turned and looked when I hit those rocks together?" Kenji asked.
"It was so cool!" Darius enthused. "That just goes to show their level of intelligence they didn't just panic and run at their first experience with something unknown. They stopped walking and made conscious observations of the environment around them, I mean how cool was that?" Darius bubbled. "And then we you repeated the experiment, and they tried hooting back like it was a new call or something? That was incredible!"
"Yeah," Kenji smiled to himself, "That was pretty smart of me." He was glad that he and the kid had been getting along, nearly being eaten... twice, really worked wonders for forging fast friendships.
In reality however, Kenji hadn't been trying to conduct any kind of experiment. The group had been crouched in the bug infested shrubs just watching the whatever-a-sauruses for who knew how long when Kenji couldn't take it anymore. All the teen had been trying to do was scare them off or at least get them to do something exciting, but hey, it was a win-win because after failing to communicate the lumbering beasts moved on.
"I'm not sure but I think this might be lactarius indigo." Ben said from somewhere near Kenji's feet.
"Oh, blue milk cap good find!" Dave said going to stand by him. "Who likes mushrooms?"
Great, Kenji thought rolling onto his arm. Between the spiny fruit and the gourd-squash things Ben found earlier dinner was going the taste exactly the same going down as what he expected would taste coming back up, which it would, because, nasty!
"Oh, and look at what kind of tree roots they're growing around!" the man observed. "Mulberry trees, and the berries are ripe. Come on Kenji come try some." he called to the boy who reluctantly got up. "They're like very sweet, very long blackberries."
Picking some of the fruit Dave rolled the berries in his hands brushing off any dirt and excess pollen before handing the red and purple fruit out to the boys who had gathered around him. Skeptically Kenji popped the berry in his mouth where it exploded with sticky cloying juices, and seeds that got caught in his teeth. It was actually pretty good, he thought noticing that Darius must have had a similar notion as they began picking and eating more of the fruit right off the tree.
"Remember to save some for later, and don't pick the white ones, they're not ripe yet." Dave instructed.
Ben stood to one side frowning, still holding the berry he'd been given in one hand while the other was pressed hard against his stomach as though he was completely grossed out and struggling to keep it together. "You should really wash them first." he put in addressing the group. "There's no way to be sure what kind of bugs have been on or even inside of these fruits, not to mention traces of urine and feces, left by all sorts of animals, which could carry unknown bacteria and viruses. But if you want to eat bird poop I mean that's ok too."
"Gee, thanks for that Ben." Dave said looking suddenly queazy himself.
"Jesus Christ Ben do you have to ruin everything?" Kenji snapped spitting out a mouthful of fruit with repulsion.
"He was just trying to help." Darius interjected, though he was looking a little more lackluster than before as he started gingerly gathering the mulberries in a bag.
"Ben's idea of helping, is by making things worse, his idea of fun, is by making me things more difficult, and his idea of being a good friend is by making sure that everyone is just as miserable as he is!" Kenji surmised turning on the subject of his tyrade. "Why didn't you do us all a big favor and just stay at the tree house with your books? Because they're your only real friends, and anyone else who says otherwise just feels sorry for you."
"Kenji!" Dave shouted, at the same time a red faced Ben reminded Kenji, "I did try to stay at the treehouse!"
"Why do you have to be so mean all the time?" Darius asked after Ben had walked away.
"Oh, what, just because I'm not all PC and handing out participation trophies for life, now I'm mean?" he asked in frustration. "Well guess what junior, there are no participation trophies in the real world, and that kid is coming in dead last."
"Yeah?" Darius asked. "And where do you think you're going to finish because it certainly isn't first. 'Life's a relay and you can't run it alone. You gotta have a team by your side, people who got you to where you are now, and people who will take you where you want to be tomorrow. Because when it comes down to it there's no such thing as a self made man, it takes effort, and it takes help to succeed, and if you fall trying to go it alone there won't be any body there to help you get back up.'"
"Oh and what lame ass self help book did you get that from?" Kenji asked.
"I got it from my dad!" Darius said blinking back fresh tears before storming off in another direction.
"Why didn't I go with the girls?" Dave asked pacing away from all of them. "Or listen to Roxie and swap out Ben for Yasmina then everything would have been fine!"
Alone Kenji couldn't help but feel bitter about the situation. He wasn't wrong, so why everyone was acting like he was some sort of monster for stating the obvious was beyond him. Sulking as they milled about the area for several minutes he once again led the way after Dave declared that their break was over. Feet throbbing it was nearly sundown by the time they reached the camp site the girls who had gotten there first already had a fire going and were relaxing in folding chairs when they ambled up.
Kenji gave Ben, for whom they had made over a dozen stops for, to catch his breath, wash his hands, or generally look around like a frightened rabbit a dirty look. "Thanks a lot Ben." he muttered while Darius rushed to swap dino stories with the girls.
Ben who kept his head down walked away without a word, going towards the two large tents he disappeared inside the furthest one. "I'll be right back, I've gotta go talk to Ben." Dave said handing his bag off to Roxie.
"That bad huh?" she asked as he walked away. "So, you wanna tell me what happened?" the woman added turning to Kenji.
"What are you asking me for, how do you know it wasn't Darius huh?" Kenji asked walking over to the fire.
"I didn't say it was anyone's fault. I merely asked what had happened. Ben could have fallen and sprained his wrist for all I know." Roxie went on. "Why are you acting so defensive?" she asked, like she was so smart.
Sitting in one of the chairs throwing random leaves and twigs, into the dancing orange flames Kenji listened as Darius described their encounter with the herd of hadrosaur, showing pictures he had taken to aid in the narrative. "It was so cool you guys!" he beamed.
"We saw a whole bunch of stegosauruses!" Sammy was saying. "Not as close as y'all were but Brooklynn was able to use her camera to zoom in! They were moving in one big herd, and kept calling to each other from the front of the herd to the back like they were playing a game of telephone or something!"
"Here." Brooklynn nudged her way between them, pulling up a video on her phone.
"That's not a game of telephone, they're communicating, threats!" Darius explained, bouncing in his seat. "Their eyesight isn't the best so it would make sense that they'd keep each other informed about any new smells or developments when they travel."
"Keep watching," Yasmina instructed when the boy tried moving Brooklynn's cell away. "A little one takes off running and it's mom chases it down. It's, cute or whatever." she added with an air of cool from where she'd come to stand behind the little group.
"How's Ben?" Roxie asked when Dave came storming to the fireside, throwing himself down into a chair.
"I don't even know!" he half shouted picking up a rock and throwing it into the kindling. "I just, I don't get that kid. Every time I try to do anything with him I feel like I'm making things worse. He was upset before, but then I tried talking to him, do the whole buddy thing, and now he's crying! Just all curled up, and crying!"
"Oh no, what's wrong with Ben?" Sammy was the first to chime in. Dave cast Kenji a glare before saying he didn't know. "Well I'm going to go check on him."
"I think maybe we should give him some space." Roxie said, patting Dave on the shoulder as she walked past him. "For now let's break out the goods and figure out what the boys are making us for dinner."
"What?" Kenji and Darius asked in unison, brows raised.
"The prize for getting here first is not having to cook." Brooklynn announced cockily, snapping a photo of their stunned and unhappy expressions.
While the girls unloaded their haul, Kenji couldn't help glancing up to the large red dome of the boys' tent. He hadn't meant to make Ben cry, but damn did that kid need to grow up. It was just a little razzing, he thought, and it wasn't like Ben didn't ask for it. He actually made it too easy to pick on him. Still, Kenji couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Grabbing the sleeping bag that had been tightly rolled at the top of his pack the teen headed for the tent, already trying to form an apology. Inside he could see just how upset Ben really was as he huddled on the ground weepy eyed.
"Seriously, all this over a few comments?" he asked, immediately failing to make amends. "What are you a girl?"
Ben looked up at him through red swollen eyes. "Just leave me alone." he sobbed.
"No." Kenji sneered rolling out his sleeping bag. "Why should I?"
"Because I'm asking you to?"
"And?"
Scooting to a corner the gangly boy folded his arms over his knees and cried. Kenji was awash with conflicting emotions, he felt shitty sure, but also at the same time he was so incredibly annoyed and frustrated that he just wanted to grab Ben by the shoulders and scream, "Grow a pair!"
"Seriously man," Kenji started trying to turn on his affable charm. "You are the single whiniest, most neurotic, chicken shit scardey cat I have ever met!" he laughed.
"Ok." Ben muttered into his elbow.
"You're not supposed to agree with me!" Kenji shouted, angry all over again. "Defend yourself, get mad or something! What's wrong with you anyway?"
"A lot, apparently." Ben snapped.
Shame and guilt shot through Kenji who stood staring at his feet for a minute before he spoke again, "I'm sorry." he muttered. "I really am, and I'll try to do better, just don't go all 13 Reasons Why on me ok?" he joked on the way back out, though the implications and feeling that it was probably in poor taste struck him too late, making him squeeze his eyes shut. "And um, we lost the race so we have to cook dinner or whatever." he added, letting the nylon door fall closed between them.
With no better ideas Dave and the guys decided that they were going to try and make a stew with what had been gathered by both parties. Huddled around the fireside with lanterns for extra light as darkness began to fall they were busy trying to sniff out the differences of the various herbs the girls had found in addition to their tubers, and scant legumes. Dividing the task Darius washed cleaned and peeled, while Sammy sat nearby watching with amusement, and mocking the way Kenji held the knife as he chopped and diced the various veggies.
"We need to boil the water for at least five minutes," Ben murmured coming up behind them. "For washing and drinking purposes too."
"Why?" Dave scoffed stoking up the flames.
"Two words," Ben said matter of factly as he crouched down among his teammates. "Intestinal parasites."
After eating the most palatable parts of a stringy squash-mushroom-rando-root-and-bean-thing stew presided over by the lord of hygiene himself who did his upmost to keep them all from going the way of the Oregon Trail the kids settled down for some real fun. Singing songs loudly and off key they all laughed and joked boisterously, hurt feelings mostly forgotten by all of them when the haunting song of a brachiosaurus answered back to their rowdy music. Forgetting everything else for a minute the kids attempted to communicate with the animal mimicking it's sound, breaking out in fits of awestruck giggles each time they got a response. Until it sounded again very close by.
"That's enough of that!" Roxie laughed, a finger pressed against her lips. "Let's allow our friend a good night's rest hmm?"
After that was a game of charades, a few stories, and a chaperoned PG game of truth or dare. One Kenji noticed near the end was missing a certain camper. Excusing himself he went in search of Ben. Thinking that maybe he'd turned in for the night he checked the tent first, only to come up empty handed. Looking around he finally spotted him, blanket wrapped around his shoulders alone in the dark. Walking towards him Kenji was going to ask what was up when he was hit with a head splitting brightness, blinded by a direct beam of light to his eyes.
"Jesus, what?" Kenji asked blinking rapidly, eyes watering.
"Sorry." Ben whispered lowering his flashlight. "You scared me."
"Yeah well, what are you doing way out here?" Kenji asked. "Not still pouting about earlier are you?"
"No."
"Then what are you doing?"
"Looking at the stars." Ben said pointing towards the sky.
Kenji looked up, still blinking past the floating glare left by the flashlight he was able to see a huge ribbon of light cutting through the darkness of the heavens. "Whoa." he breathed in awe. A bush rustled nearby causing Ben to jump, the light he wielded cutting through the unknown and illuminating only empty branches. A heavy weight in his chest Kenji sat down beside Ben elbowing the other boy in a friendly manner. "I really am sorry about before. I was a grade A asshole, but I meant it when I said I'd try better. So if you, I don't know need a body guard or someone to watch your back when you're all dorky and looking at the stars or something I'm here."
Ben seemed to weigh the offer carefully, looking Kenji up and down for a long minute. "Ok," he nodded. "Thanks... Do you know anything about constellations?"
"Like the big dipper and stuff? Yeah." Kenji scoffed leaning back against the slightly damp foliage.
"Well you see that big bright square right there?"
"...yeah?"
"And those three bright stars pointing down from the bottom right, and the five bottom let?"
"I think so." Kenji muttered squinting hard as he tried playing the most intricate game of connect the dots ever.
"Well, add in those two lines of stars at the top, and that's the constellation Hercules." Ben smiled.
"Like from the cartoon? Wait there's really a constellation of Hercules in the sky?" Kenji sat up impressed, even if he still couldn't quite make out the pattern.
"Not that Hercules!" Ben sighed. "The Roman Hercules, god of strength and heroes."
"Aw Ben!" Kenji gushed with playful exaggeration. "I know I'm your hero now and all but-"
"Oh no," Ben shook his head. "If you're anyone from mythology it's definitely Narcissus."
"Whose that is he handsome?" Kenji asked. Ben let out a laugh.
"Whatcha looking at?" Sammy asked sitting next to Ben, startling them both.
"She's a ninja am I right?" Yasmina asked joining them as well.
As the night passed the campers and counselors all gathered around listening quietly as Ben pointed out several constellations including Lyra, Cygnus, and Draco, sharing brief overviews of the stories behind each. A sleepy sense of ease came over all of them, as they enjoyed their impromptu astronomy lesson, watching the milky band of light slowly floating over them. Blinking his weary eyes hard as he fought against it Kenji, though he would fervently deny it come morning drifted off to sleep, under a glittering, crystal sky.
Notes:
Sorry it took so long, life is being a butt.
I have also never actually seen 13 Reasons Why, I just know it's about suicide and bullying, I think, so hopefully that was a good reference for what was happening in the scene.
Thanks for reading! :D
Chapter 12: Dave
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-CC Day Twenty-
Lounging around, with his feet on the coffee table Dave mindlessly matched colorful shapes on his phone causing explosions and cascading rivers of new brightly colored objects to fill in the empty spaces left behind. So much fun, he thought bitterly. Glancing up to see Roxie reading a newspaper like an old woman, he was sure that it wouldn't be long before she'd ask him to play bridge or canasta next. Being a camp counselor, even at Jurassic World of all places was not exactly what the man had been hoping for. In fact he found it quite depressing, and at this point he kind of hated it.
None of the kids could get along for more than a day or two at a time, not a single one of the outings they had planned was deemed a unanimous success someone always finding at least one flaw in each activity, and at times the kids could be mean, like really ruthlessly mean, not just to each other, and not in the way he was accustomed to dealing with mean kids.
All Dave had wanted was a break from his life, and for the kids to relax and have fun, fondly recalling his own camp experiences as a child. His memories were filled with daring adventures, broken rules, skinned knees, and now that he thought about it very questionable blood pacts and games of spin the bottle. Man camp was weird, but that was the point! Summer camp let you be weird, it let you taste freedom, and explore who you were without the totalitarian reign of parents and guardians, and it let you do it before you were shackled by the unbreakable adamantium bonds of adulthood.
It was like with all the pressure and expectations put on children these days they were forced to grow up faster and faster without getting the opportunity to really have a bite of life before it was ripped away, replaced by work and responsibilities. And that was all he wanted for them, and yet he seemed to fail each and every time he tried.
"Am I intimidating?" he asked after a moment, the thought occuring to him suddenly. Roxie let out a snorting laugh, the corners of her eyes wrinkling with mirth. Dave, who didn't think it was quite as funny stared until she could compose herself.
"No I mean it." he said putting his cell away and leaning towards her, real concern on his face. "It seems like no matter what I do Ben's afraid of me." he paused, playing through various situations which he might have done something to warrant that type of reaction. "I mean, yeah the whole zipline thing was kinda mean, and I know I probably threw the ball a little harder than I should have in pachysephalosaurus themed dodgeball, but I mean, come on! He was looking right at it he could have moved! Or caught it! Or something!"
Roxie folded her paper over her expression aghast. "You gave him a bloody nose in the first ten seconds of the game!"
"He should have dodged!" Dave yelled back defensively. "It's called dodge-ball! You literally dodge the ball!"
"And another thing," he cut through the silence that had fallen over the employee recreation area, full on vent mode activated. "I don't think Brooklynn or Kenji really like me either. I try to joke around, engage with them, you know camp counselor stuff and they just look at me like I'm crazy! It's just like what am I doing wrong? Am I not cool enough for you guys? I'm sorry, I'm just trying to make sure you're not miserable the whole time you're here!"
The man fell quiet again as he brooded and Roxie returned to her paper. "Also woo that Yasmina! That girl can seriously run! I can hardly keep up with her, like at all!"
"Dave," Roxie sighed. "That's because even though she's only seventeen, Yasmina is a professional athlete. While you're, you're just... not."
"I know she's an athlete," Dave rolled his eyes. "But I mean damn, most mornings she's just a little gray dot on the horizon... Oh, but I've lost like eight pounds!" he enthused patting his slightly tighter gut. "I think I might keep this running thing up after the summer's over. I've been feeling really good lately too, I mean I'm dying every morning, but I feel great!"
"That's great." the woman replied, clearly distracted.
"That's exactly what I just said. Are you even listening to me? Because you don't sound very enthusiastic. You know if you lost eight pounds and wanted someone to celebrate I'd be blowing it up for you." Dave pouted.
Roxie lowered her paper once more, this time to reveal dangerously narrowed hazel eyes. It was then that Dave knew somehow, in some way, that he'd just fucked up. "Are you calling me fat?" she asked in a sharp-but-trying-to-not-get-too-angry sort of tone.
"No!" Dave was quick to say, hands up defensively. "No, not at all! You look, you look- I mean-" he trailed off giving her the ok sign and a wink hoping to defuse the situation.
"Mm-hm." she muttered with a cocked eyebrow, Dave could feel the threat level dropping from red to orange and reminded himself to watch what he said. "Listen the thing with the kids not liking you is because your their camp counselor, not a fellow camper, and not their friend."
"Why not?" Dave asked incredulously. "Why can't I be their counselor and their friend."
"That's the other thing. You also try way too hard."
"How can someone try 'too hard?'" he sneered, leaning over the back of the sofa to peer through the open doorway. Through the opening and down the hall he could just make some of the kids. They were all gathered in the entertainment room playing on their phones or zoning off to the television like bumps on a log.
"I think we're melting their brains." he muttered to himself, but Roxie felt that it was her duty to respond anyway.
"No we're not, that's what technology is for, we're educating them." she snarked.
"Yeah, but I think they could use a break from all this structure and learning they get enough of it during the school year, trust me. What they need is some sort of outlet, burn of some steam and energy." he explained.
"That's exactly what today is, down time."
"And what are they doing with their downtime?" Dave criticized growing more frustrated and more impatient, though for what he wasn't sure. "Just watching movies all day, napping, texting? Ugh! They should be out doing something!"
"You're a strange one alright." the woman dismissed turning away from him.
Glowering at the kids Dave couldn't help but feel that this whole situation was incredibly wrong. It didn't even feel like summer vacation it felt like a lazy Saturday, and he wasn't quite sure how, but he intended to fix it. What they needed was freedom, excitement, and most importantly adventure. A devilishly ingenious plan coming to mind Dave got up and headed for the door.
"I'm just gonna go take a quick poll on what everyone wants for lunch." he explained.
"So you're cooking then?" Roxie asked in a way that made it sound like a statement.
"Sure." Dave nodded, easing the door closed behind him.
Walking into the entertainment room Dave took up a position in front of the TV, hands on his hips, and a mischievous grin on his face as everyone broke out in protest. "I know, I know, but hear me out." he beamed before checking over his shoulder superstitiously. "Today was supposed to be a day of zen, tranquility, and relaxation, but let's face it, today is a bust. Now, who's ready for a top-secret-ultra-mega-covert-do-not-tell-Roxie-ditch-camp-breakout-adventure-extravaganza?"
"I'm in!" Sammy jumped up eagerly, Brooklynn quick to agree.
"Me too!" Darius said, struggling to contain his enthusiasm. "What are we going to go see? Is it something dangerous? Something Roxie doesn't what us getting too close to? Oh like a-"
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are no dinosaurs on this one, no learning either, just you guys having some fun." Dave cut him off with a wince.
"Oh." Darius said setting his bowl of chips aside, looking a bit deflated. "I'm still in though."
"Anything to get out of here!" Kenji who was hanging upside-down from the back of the sofa groaned.
"Ditto." Yasmina agreed.
Slowly the room turned towards Ben who was reading contently in a beanbag chair. He appeared caught off guard when he noticed everyone staring at him. "So Ben, are you coming or what?" Dave asked with a smile.
"I-I don't really think we should be breaking the rules, and if Roxie doesn't know it feels like we're breaking the rules." he muttered squeezing sanitizer into his palm.
"So, what, Roxie's my boss now, and I can't make my own rules?" Dave scoffed.
"Isn't she though?" he asked.
While the kid did technically have a point, something the counselor grudgingly conceded Dave still had one final tactic to resort to: good old fashioned peer pressure. "Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben!" he started chanting. The kids picked it up and soon they were all cheering for the boy in low secretive tones.
"Fine, I'll go!" he finally gave in.
"Fantastic, everybody, go get your swimsuits on and meet back here in five!" Dave declared watching with amusement as everyone scrambled away doing their best to keep the noise to a minimum in spite of all the laughter.
Hurrying to his own bedroom Dave pulled on a pair of trunks, a white tee, and sunglasses. Looking sharp, he thought giving himself a quick once over before loading a duffle bag with a bunch of towels, some Camp Cretaceous shirts, water bottles, and granola bars. By the time he got back most of the kids were waiting for him, Kenji doing his best to impress the girls as he flexed and posed his topless bod. Darius who wasn't nearly as muscular was doing the same beside him. Grinning Dave couldn't determine whether the younger boy was trying to mock or emulate him, either way it made for a hilarious sight.
Girls are always so self-conscious, Dave thought rather dismally then, as he did a quick head count. Brooklynn had not one but two different shirts on over her bathing suit, while Sammy hid her lower body under a pair of baggy shorts. "Is that your suit?" he asked pausing at Yasmina, regretting it when she turned away with embarrassment.
"Yeah, it's for speed swimming." she replied fiddling with the zipper at the front of her body suit.
"I didn't know you were a triathlete!" Sammy chimmed in.
"I'd wager there's a lot you don't know." Yaz bit out.
"Guys, no fighting this is our fun day. Got it?" Dave asked trying to reassure himself that this was a good idea just as much as he was trying to reign the campers in. Turned out he wouldn't need to, as a fit of giggles broke out at the sight of Ben, caked in sunscreen, wearing sunglasses, a large sun visor, a Hawaiian shirt, and socks with sandels waddled in juggling a tote and several different books.
"What?" he asked. "As if I would submerge myself in a soup of-"
"Uh-uh!" "No, no, no, no!" "Ben stop it!" and "That's already way too much information buddy!" Dave and the other kids interrupted hastily.
"I was just going to say-"
"If you ruin swimming for me I swear to God I'll ruin your book!" Kenji threatened with a clenched fist. "Yeah, that's right, I read the ending!" Ben looked horrified but kept his mouth shut.
"Huh," Brooklynn said observing how the scenario played out. "You're kind of an evil genius." Leading the way the influencer nabbed one of Ben's novels while he scrambled to keep hold of his other supplies. Yaz, and Darius quickly followed her example each one turning to the last few pages of their pilfered material, gasping scandalously while they read. Laughing, they raced towards the elevator in heated competition.
"I think I hate you." Ben said to Kenji with a look of pure exhaustion.
Dave smiled ushering everyone outside, as Sammy assured her friend that no one would dare to actually spoil anything for him.
Once everyone was loaded into the back of the Jeep Dave pulled up along the exterior of the treehouse, staring up at the window of the recreation center. Honking the horn several times he waited until Roxie was leaning out of it, with a sour expression on her face before he produced his cellphone and gave her a ring.
"What the hell is going on?" she demanded to know.
"Well, hi to you too." the man said hanging his head out of the driver's door. "So, this seemed like one of those beg forgiveness later type situations, so this is me, you know begging... But also if you wanted to throw on a swimsuit and hop in the other car we're gonna go crash the big water park near the central hotel..."
"You're going to what?"
"K see ya later bye!" Dave laughed hanging up on her. Burning rubber and kicking up dirt for a second the man tore off in the truck with a jerk as the momentum he'd built caught up with them. The children wooped and hollered from the back, fists pumping in the air. "Let's rock!" the counselor said to himself blasting some tunes, windows rolled down, probably frightening everything within ear shot, but oh well.
Getting into the water park was a breeze, they just found another large group of people heading in quickly flashed their non existent wristbands, and blended into the herd. Rushing past the welcome desk, through the concession stands, and making a run for it the last leg of the journey they emerged victorious on the other side. Inhaling the pungent chlorinated air the camp counselor took in everything from the wave pool, to the dozen or so waterslides, and grinned at his charges.
"Now is this a day off or what?" he asked as they looked around and then back at him expectantly. He glanced at his watch, before finding an easily distinguishable landmark. "Alright, we'll meet back at the apatosaurus awning in say two hours?"
"Wait, we can just go?" Darius asked trying to surpress a smile, just in case he'd misheard.
"Yeah, you're free. Go!" Dave laughed.
"Like for real, reals?" Sammy followed up skeptically.
"Like for real, reals, or we can always go back to the treehouse."
"Bye!" Yasmina shouted racing away from the group.
"Peace out!" Kenji called bounding away as well.
And just like that the campers dispersed into the massive horde of visitors, some flying solo, others in pairs. Finding himself a luxury pool side chair Dave leaned back and relished the deep radiating warmth of the sun. It was as he lounged blissfully and without a care in the world that he heard a familiar voice screaming with delight.
Turning just in time he saw Yasmina rocketing out of a big red corkscrew, eyes squeezed closed, laughter infectious as the man realized he hadn't ever seen her so genuinely happy. Trying to cypher through the massive throngs of bodies the others weren't quite so easy to pick out. Except, of course, for Ben who had cordoned off the area by rearranging some benches and strategically placing various articles onto them so that he could read in the shade undisturbed.
Sammy and Brooklynn he eventually spotted wading in the shallows gossiping, while Kenji was undoubtedly off trying to mentor Darius in something likely misinformed, inappropriate, and highly cringe worthy. Scratch that, he thought as the boy with the dark complexion shot out a green slide nothing but smiles.
Finally! Dave thought with contentment, now it was beginning to feel like summer camp and not a juvenile detention center! Resolving to let them have their fun the man set a fifteen minute alarm on his phone and settled back, listening to the cacophonic noise of the hustle and bustle around him, this was truly the life.
By the time of the third headcount however, Dave espied something that concerned him. He approached the notorious duo with a stern look of disapproval directed at Kenji, who was sprawled out in the sun sipping what looked like a large strawberry daiquiri. The man cleared his throat loudly when his presence went unnoticed.
Kenji sat up eyes wide beneath his shades, "It's virgin I swear!" he said in an anxious rush.
Dave stared down at him hard, gaze shifting to Darius next who was smiling like a nervous puppy that just spotted the rolled up newspaper. Struggling with his suspicions the counselor didn't want to call Kenji an outright liar, yet that was exactly what his gut was screaming. Wrestling for a moment with his responsibility as a camp counselor, a teacher, and temporary guardian, he also knew that this sort of thing was a normal part of being a teenager, a part he had gone through when he wasn't much older.
"It had better be. Remember I'm still here, and I'm still watching you." he cautioned, his desire for the kids to just experience life outweighing his own sense of duty and moral obligation, Dave chose to let this one slip.
Seriously, the man thought with aggravation as he ambled back to his chair, listening as Kenji and Darius laughed and high-fived behind him. Dave knew now without a doubt that he'd been lied to, and maybe that was ok, just this once, he reasoned, though he knew he'd have to keep a closer eye on them. The man was just beginning to relax in his chair again when a somehow deeply ominous shadow blocked out the light. Cracking one eye he smiled up apologetically to his vengefully gorgeous, yet jilted partner in all of this.
"Roxie-roo, you made it," he grinned turning his head to the side so she wasn't quite so upside down. "And looking good in that suit by the way. You're really lucky the camp color is red because I have to say that really is your color, I mean what eight pounds?"
"Hello David." she gritted out, arms rigidly crossed.
"Ouch, that mad huh?" he winced gesturing for her to take the open chair beside him.
"I am furious!" she fumed starting to pace. "The least you could have done was consult me before committing six counts of kidnapping, and seven of breaking and entering! This isn't part of the camp package, you're technically stealing from this water park I hope you are aware!" she raged, her last few words gritted through her teeth as she leaned down in his face.
"We're not stealing, were just..." Dave puzzled for a moment trying to find a reasonable excuse. "Crashing?"
Rolling her eyes Roxie sat down, one leg crossed over the other giving him a disparaging look. "Well whatever you're doing it would have been nice to have been informed ahead of time."
"Would you have said 'no?'"
"Of course I would have said 'no' I'm not a sociopath!"
"See," he grinned with vindication. "That's exactly why we didn't ask you."
"We? Are you seriously trying to deflect some of the blame onto the children?"
"Fine, it's exactly why I didn't ask you. Better?"
The two quietly watched the kids race around like they'd lost their minds until a slowly loosening up Roxie spoke again. "So is this what you were like as a teacher?" she asked. "A rule breaker?"
"Oh most definitely!" Dave laughed nostalgically. "I did the whole shebang, brought the kids to the roof top for egg drops, cultivated a mold so pungent that half the school had to be evacuated when we uncapped that bad boy, encouraged the kids to play with fire-" he paused his reminiscing when he saw the look of abject terror she was giving him. "With proper adult supervision, God I'm not that crazy!" he laughed. "But getting kids physically involved in the science is what made it meaningful to them, and what sparked their interest in the world around them. And damn did it help make the lessons stick. Test scores, whoosh, through the roof!"
"You sound pretty passionate about it." the woman mused.
"Oh, I am." Dave nodded tossing her a water bottle from the duffle bag.
"So then why leave?" she asked.
Dave thought quietly for a moment his face grim. He wondered if bringing this up would change things between them. Would talking about it put the thought in her head where it would burrow and gnaw away at her until she became suspicious of it herself? He wondered. It had happened before when he'd expressed his frustration to co-workers in the past, what was there to say it wouldn't happen again?
"Do you know what people say when you're a grown man and you tell them that you work with children?" he asked. Roxie shook her head. "Well, if they're polite they say 'bless your heart.'"
"Bless your heart? Well that doesn't sound so bad." she smiled obliviously.
"That's because you're british." the man laughed tipped his own bottle towards her before taking a gulp. "Unless it's coming from an old southern woman it means that you're too stupid to even realize that what you're doing is stupid."
"Oh." Roxie's brow furrowed. "Well that doesn't seem terribly fair does it? Making something so cruel sound so nice... And what if they aren't polite."
"I'm not sure if I can speak for every school, but uh, the ones I've worked at it was always the same. The second a male teacher is hired the rumor mill starts running, churning out news in the blink of an eye. Everyone always knows you're sleeping with someone, the principal, other teachers, parents. Then if you're good with the kids," he let out a sigh. "It they like you and enjoy your class, that's when the rumors turn really nasty. Eventually people insinuate some pretty terrible things. The parents are always talking about you, the female teachers watch you like a hawk, and the office staff coordinates regular meetings just to 'insure everything is running smoothly.' All in all, everyone makes doing what makes you happy for the love of teaching, and wanting to make the world a better and brighter place for kids extremely uncomfortable."
"I'm sorry David," Roxie said gently. "I had no idea."
"It happens." the man shrugged. "Nothing ever came of it either, just rumors." he sighed again. "But that's just the way people see the world I guess."
"I hope that I haven't ever made you feel like I think-"
"You haven't," he beamed cutting her off. "And that's what's great about working with you. You trust me, and ever since picking Childhood Education as my major, that's something that I've found has been few and far between... Thank you."
"Anytime Co-Head Counselor." Roxie smiled back.
"Really?"
"For the today at the very least, actually 'Head Couselor Dave' sounds better, you know so if we get thrown out of here this ones all on you. As far as I'm concerned it's my day off." she larked before getting up and rushing into the water. The man wanted to follow her in, but didn't, likely overthinking things he opted to hang out where he was and keep an eye on the kids.
When Dave couldn't see three of his six campers a half-hour later he went in search of them, particularly concerned as the oldest among them was counted among those who had disappeared. Rounding the end of the wave pool he found Darius and Brooklynn in a fit of giggles as they tried shushing Kenji and pulling him back into his chair.
"Hey, what's up?" Dave asked the wobbly teenager, already beginning to regret his momentary lapse in judgement.
"The sky." Kenji smiled as he broke free of his friends and tried to push past the counselor. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some drowning to do."
"What?" Dave asked no quite following.
"See Mr. Beefy McCakes?" Kenji asked motioning to a well muscled lifeguard. "Yeah, I'm in some serious need of mouth to mouth."
"Oh dear God help me." Dave muttered pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I thought you were supposed to use grand gestures?" Darius asked sarcastically, looking up at his friend.
"Yeah junior, but that's with girls," Kenji explained bluntly. "With guys you gotta let them be the hero!"
"If you say so." Darius said with a frown.
"Whatever." Kenji shrugged trying to move past Dave again, only to stop short when the man caught him tightly by the shoulder.
"How many of these have you had?" Dave bit out picking up a tall glass with a paper umbrella.
"Somewhere between too many for you to still believe they're none alcoholic, and not quite enough for me to forget how much camp sucks." he responded, swaying slightly. "Now, my audience awaits."
"Oh my God, I'm getting this on camera!" Brooklynn announced standing up phone at the ready.
"No, you're not." Dave shouted, pushing Kenji back into his seat. "Jesus!" he went on running a hand through his hair as he looked around for back up that wasn't there. "What were you thinking."
"Hey, it's not my fault," Kenji smiled with charm. "Darius wouldn't finish his, and Brooklynn is some sort of mojito snob."
"If you can call those mojit- I'm sorry?" Brooklynn smiled with forced sheepishness when the man turned his attention to her. "My dad got me one in Cancun... This one wasn't as good."
"And you?" he asked leveling his gaze at Darius who looked like he knew he was in for it.
"It tasted like a strawberry smoothie made with mouthwash," he grimaced. "I thought I could drink it but it was really gross."
"Fine," Dave sighed running a hand down his face. "You three wait here while I gather the others."
Scanning the crowds like a meerkat looking for predators Dave finally spotted Yasmina. She was walking fast with a scowl on her face, fists clenched, clearly on a warpath. Hurrying to catch up with her he tried it figure out where she was going when the counselor spotted Sammy and a girl he'd never seen before taking shelter behind her as the Texan squared off against a couple of guys who appeared to be frat boys on vacation. Pouring on the speed Dave rushed to get there before anything happened.
"This is the last time I'm going to warn you, keep your skeezy commentary to yourself!" Sammy was yelling, impervious to the embarassment of the attention she was drawing. "She doesn't like it, no girl likes it, and I'm done listening to it."
"Yeah," Yaz called taking up a position at Sammy's left mean faced and ready to brawl. "First rule of feminism you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us. Second rule is you mess with us and we'll make you our bit-"
"Whoa, hey, whoa!" Dave walked between the parties hands up. "I think that's enough, ladies we alright?"
"These pigs keep catcalling every girl they see!" Sammy shouted. "I was ignoring it until they started following her, and I could tell she didn't want to be followed."
"Hey, you alright?" Dave asked the girl in pink, who looked a lot younger than she did from across the pool, she shook her head. "Alright so you boys just go back to whatever you were doing, just leave her alone."
"We were only trying to be friendly." one of them objected, reaching a hand towards the young woman's exposed midriff.
"Mm, yeah, no. I'll call security." Dave said grabbing his wrist, tone dropping an octave. "But not before I break your face." Dave stared up at the slightly taller young man, grip tightening on the thug's forearm as they sized one another up. "We good?" Dave asked after a second.
"Fuck you," the one Dave had by the arm said pulling away. "You too, you fridged bitches."
"Yeah, and you with a rusted pipe!" Yasmina added, catching Dave by surprise. Thankfully, two guards approached the scene, and with their presence and a growing crowd in spite of what he feared her outburst didn't escalate the things any further.
"Is everyone alright?" Dave asked.
"Yeah I think so." Sammy said as the girls all shakily hugged one another.
"I could have handled it." Yasmina muttered.
"I'm sure you could have." Dave agreed before tapping the unknown girl on the shoulder. "Hey, we've got to head so go find your grown-ups and don't leave their line of sight k?"
"My 'grown-ups?'" she repeated.
"Ugh, parents, grandparents, siblings, aunt, uncle, fosters I don't know!" he snapped at her, his frayed wits end beginning to show. "I didn't want to assume. Just find your tall people and don't leave their side!"
"We'll walk her back." Yasmina declared as they turned to leave.
Dave was beginning to argue that they had to go, and now when a shrill whistle caught his attention. Turning he saw a lifeguard diving into the water after a flailing Kenji. Dave felt like he was not only losing control, but his mind as well as everything unraveled all around him. Then he spotted Ben, good old reliabel Ben, reading on his own, never the cause of any trouble. Yeah Ben was definitely his new favorite camper he thought in a moment of serenity amid the chaos before it all came rushing back. Wondering how exactly he was going to pull everything together now a loud shout from behind him put his mind at ease.
"Camp Cretaceous campers!" Roxie yelled, her hands cupped around her mouth. Suddenly all six of them turned, including Kenji who had miraculously discovered he could stand on the bottom of the pool. "Bring it in, let's go!"
And that was when Dave realized why they worked so well together, he might have been the heart, but Roxie was, well, Roxie was everything else. Gradually all of the kids made their way to the counselors, where Roxie motioned to Dave to take the lead. He opened his mouth to say that it was time to go home when an announcement for the Tyrannosaurus Rex feeding cut in through the loud speakers dotted around Jurassic World. Immediately Darius started begging, the others quickly following suit.
Dave looked to Roxie who shrugged, "This is your rodeo, I'm just here to watch."
The man leveled his gaze at the tipsy boy who smiled back. "Are you good?" he asked.
"Best I've been all summer!" Kenji replied.
"Fine." Dave agreed against every last ounce of reason left in his body.
"Woo! Let go do touristy shit!" Kenji hollered, as they all slipped on the extra shirts Dave had grabbed and headed for the exit.
Half dead by the time they got back to the treehouse that night Dave collapsed onto the couch. At least they had fun, he told himself, face buried in the cushions. They were all drained, and a little sunburned, but very happy by the time all was said and done. Now all the man wanted to do was sleep.
"Hey, oh great leader." Roxie yawned from the recliner. "I don't mean to interrupt, but you've forgotten something fairly important."
"What?" Dave mumbled.
"What are we feeding them for dinner?"
The only response Dave could muster was a whimper...
Notes:
In case anyone is concerned they had spaghetti... And the following day everyone was too pooped for rock climbing so they cancelled it.
Lol thanks for reading! :D
Chapter 13: A Shell for Two
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-CC Day Twenty-Two-
The warmth of the fire's glow on her face did little to assure Sammy that she was safe as the girl was acutely aware of how open and exposed her back was to the dark of the night that surrounded her. Heart rate steadily picking up speed as she sat listening with awe, the Texan couldn't remember being so frightened by a campfire story since her uncle told her and the boys about the Ozark Howler when they were kids. Pulling her knees to her chest, overwhelmed by the unnerving sensation that something might reach out and seize her from under the bench at any moment the girl glaced about to reassure herself that she wasn't alone, and to see if Darius' story was having a similar affect on the others.
Cute, she thought when she noticed an eager faced Kenji, grudgingly and stealthily offer his hand to a trembling Ben. The other boy who didn't break eye contact with the story teller hastily latched onto his arm at the invitation. Brooklynn on the other hand didn't seem quite as invested, but really that was her loss, Sammy observed, because Darius was one hell of an orator. Turning back to the boy in the hood as he leaned forward, grim faced and sinister in the firelight, his tone drew Sammy in, tense and on the very edge of her seat.
"We thought it'd be fun. We thought we'd be safe, but we didn't realize the horror that was waiting for us on the island, claws, teeth, screaming... so much screaming." Darius said lowly.
"How much screaming?" Ben asked with trepidation.
"Shh he's getting to the good part!" Kenji snapped.
"The T-Rex stalked closer, her jaws open wide-" Darius said, arms opened for affect, his shadow casting an ominous presence on the wall behind him as the fire crackled viciously. Oh God, Sammy thought, curling tighter in on herself, this was it!
A sudden flash in the night seared Sammy's eyes as she and the other campers blinked back the unexpected glare. Ripped from the tale terror and dispair they all turned to look at Brooklynn. The pink haired girl sat one leg folded beneath the other her undivided attention on her phone screen. "For the blog," she explained, before waving the boy in yellow to continue. "Keep telling your little story."
Rekindling the mood Darius drew up the hood of his jacket and leaned forward. "Dang out of space! Wait, I'm sorry." the influencer said earning a groan from Kenji. "I just don't want to delete my selfie on Everest you know?" she asked turning the phone towards Sammy.
"Oooo!" she smiled. Sammy had already seen it before, it was a good picture, and had been an exciting expedition to follow along with, but tonight the cowgirl gushed out of sheer politeness because while she was deeply invested in the story and couldn't wait to hear what happened next, Sammy felt obligated to peruse the gallery Brooklynn was now scrolling through. Not wanting to be rude either of her friends the girl found herself caught between a Rex and cyber place.
"Maybe I should just start over." Darius mumbled, clearly let down.
"No! In fact we should just stop!" Ben argued clinging to Kenji like a baby possum.
"Dude chill he's not even telling the story, and how is your grip this strong?" the older boy asked trying and failing to pull himself free.
"So the T-Rex stalked clo-" Darius began again, when a thought occured to Sammy so strongly that she couldn't keep from blurting it out.
"Shouldn't we invite Yasmina over?" she asked turning to look at the lone wolf of the Camp Cretaceous pack. The girl in question stood against the railing, staring out across the nocturnal landscape. "I'm sure she'd love this story, you really are a great story teller by the way. Oh, maybe you should go into writing or something!"
Flopping back onto the bench Darius didn't seem to want to hear her input on the matter, annoyed that everyone kept stealing his thunder, and now the cowgirl was left feeling bad for hurting his feels. "Sorry." she added though it did little good.
"Maybe she just wants to be by herself." Brooklynn said apathetically as she uploaded a photo she had forgotten about to the cloud.
"Yeah, you know how sometimes people just wanna be left alone." Kenji intoned irritably, clearly regretting his momentary act of compassion, as Sammy noticed he often did, the weirdo.
"Besides she doesn't seem like a real people person, you know?" Brooklynn mused.
"I think she's just shy and doesn't know how to make camp friends." Sammy countered.
Brooklynn laughed. "Yasmina making any kind of friend camp or otherwise would definitely be a sign of the end times. And there is nothing shy about that girl or have you all forgotten what a major B she is?" she went on, keen to insure that Canyon Convivial would be forever remembered in infamy.
Sammy was getting ready to come to the runner's defense and remind Brooklynn that she wasn't exactly innocent in the whole situation either, when Ben beat her to it. "I don't know," he said thoughtfully. "She's always been pretty nice to me, a little rude sometimes sure, but overall, I think she's a nice person. I like her." Brooklynn cast a glare at the boy who withered in his seat beneath her gaze. "Sorry..." he muttered.
Without warning lightning split the sky, rolling thunder following immediately afterwards. Heart hammering for reals this time Sammy got up racing after the others as a deluge opened up over their heads. Shaking the water from hands before sweeping back her wet, clinging hair the girl smiled as she watched her friends filing in, the same expression of equal parts dismay and excitement on almost everyone's face. Then she noticed Yasmina, trying to use her sleeve to dry the cover of her book. It seemed like a futile, but desperate move to Sammy seeing as Yaz was just as soaked as the rest of them.
Grabbing a random throw blanket from a nearby chair Sammy sat down next to the athlete, holding it out towards her. "Here." she smiled.
Yasmina looked at the offered cloth for a minute before taking it. "Thanks." she muttered utilizing it right away.
"No problem." Sammy beamed inspecting the blank cover with interest. "Is that a scrapbook?" she asked. "I love scrapbooking! Oh, maybe we can make one together?" she asked nudging Yaz enthusiastically.
"Um, how about no?" Yasmina grumbled, sliding across the cushions, and putting a physical distance between them. "You tried this whole song and dance routine before, remember?"
"Yeah," Sammy smiled. "But I was such a ding-dong, and I ruined things. I mean, come on Yasmina it's been three weeks and I feel like we met only yesterday!" she exclaimed. "I know literally next to nothing about you girl! Well, you know, except that you're a crazy successful olympian hopeful, you've got a killer eye for cosmetics, I mean dang! Let's see, you've got a temper, like baby animals even though you won't admit it, and aren't afraid of a fight that's for sure! But that's it, that's all I really know about you!" she went on listing all of the qualities she'd seen and admired from a distance.
"Yeah, ever stop to think that, that's intentional." Yasmina turned on her, brown eyes narrowed angrily.
"Come on!" Sammy laughed falling backwards onto the sofa with exasperation. "Come out of your shell!"
"Look, I'm not here to make friends airhead, I'm here for the sponsorship." Yaz snapped. "This whole stupid summer camp thing is just the spring board that will launch the rest of my career as an athlete. Nothing more. So leave me alone."
Feeling rejected, a hollow place opening up in her chest as she watched Yasmina stalk angrily down the hallway Sammy couldn't help but wonder what she had done wrong. Sitting by herself she stewed for a while, replaying every conversation or interaction the two of them had shared in her head, trying to weed out her mistakes. She really was an airhead, she thought sadly, recalling each and every time she had tried to get closer to Yaz, only to inevitability push her further away.
Angry for getting all misty eyed at the thought, she had to remind herself that she wasn't here to make friends either. She was here to save the ranch, and her family. She wiped her eyes fiercely until the pent tears of all the built up pressure, anxiety, and overwhelming dread that mingled with her Yasmina failures stopped. Crying was for in the shower, she told herself bitterly, always had been.
The sound of Darius, who was mostly recovered from his slight, calling her name from the kitchen followed by the oh so magic words "banana split," broke Sammy out of her funk however. Laughing she hurried to join the others as they destroyed the freshly cleaned countertops and table with ice cream and condiments, before the rowdy group was chased out, Roxie hot on their tails when she saw the mess they had made. Well, maybe there was time for friendship and saving the ranch, she reasoned.
The following morning breakfast went on as it's usual chaotic self with Kenji inventing the pancake breakfast burrito, and trying to muscle everyone else into trying a bite of the eggy, syrupy, bacon laden trainwreck. Though, through all of the hilarity and commotion Sammy noticed that Brooklynn wasn't eating this morning. It worried her, big-sister instincts tingling like crazy. The girl hardly ever ate much of anything, Sammy had made note of, but lately all she did was read over her comment sections with chagrin sipping black coffee and brooding.
Being an avid Brooklander herself Sammy was well aware that not everything was exactly kosher in the world of the internets. Trolls were out in force lately, and everyone was a critic constantly tearing Brooklynn down, ripping apart her videos, and leading the way in a negative trend against her. Brooklynn had gone viral again, but not in the good way as people crawled out of the woodwork to denounce her as a fraud and a liar.
"Y'all are just jealous." Sammy had tried to argue in one post, taking the flame war by storm, but she had been outnumbered, and outmatched. Breaking someone with words was always much easier to do than to build them back up again.
"Hey," Sammy smiled following Brooklynn out of the dining room. "Kenji ruin pancakes for you too?"
"Yeah, something like that." Brooklynn murmured walking slowly, eyes fixated on her cell.
"I can whip you up something else, I'm sure Roxie won't mind." Sammy offered. "Omelette?"
"No."
"French toast?"
"No."
"Regular toast- oh no wait! Buttered toast with hot coco!" Sammy closed her eyes and clutched her hands over her heart as she fondly remembered the way her mother would dote on her when she was little. "My mama always made me and my sissies hot coco and toast when we were sad or not feeling our best. Well, except for Ana but that's because whatever milk does to her stomach, it is not natural let me tell you!"
"No! I don't want anything!" Brooklynn shouted with irritation. "God, can't you just leave me alone?"
"I'm sorry," Sammy muttered, batting a thousand today. "I was just trying to help."
Not long after breakfast Dave and Roxie loaded everyone up and drove them to a large field where a ginormous herd of different kinds of dinosaurs were lumbering around aimlessly. After watching from a distance for a minute or two Sammy could pick out the folks riding around on ATVs along side coasting the animals as they went. The cowgirl recognized immediately what they were doing, a broad smile coming to her face, it was a cattle drive!
"We get to drive gyrospheres?" Darius asked his face plastered against the glass of the nearest one as he peered inside.
"Saddle up dudes and dudettes, because we're going on a cattle drive, only with dinosaurs, it's a dino drive!" Dave called loudly, confirming the girl's suspicions.
"And just to be clear all of these dinosaurs are herbavores, right?" Ben asked, adjusting his fanny pack with unease.
"Well," Roxie chimed in after exchanging a playful look with the other counselor. "They only chewed on the last kids a little, so we're like ninety-nine percent sure they're cool." Ben cringed away nervously, while the woman went on to explain where the animals were being moved to, and why. Though just by looking at the ground and lack of new growth it was fairly easy to see that they had to give the area time to reseed.
"Are you kidding me?" Darius shouted with excitement. "Dinosaur migration patterns are my jam!"
Sammy couldn't help but snicker when Kenji put a hand on his shoulder and said, "You may want to consider a new jam bro." Before asking about rain. Ignoring his bravado Sammy was already trying to come up with a plan to ride with Yasmina, certain that the runner would be more inclined to open up one on one.
"You're riding with Ben as a passenger." Roxie announced to Kenji who wasn't taking the news well, or quietly for that matter either.
"Think of him as your designated driver." Dave added with a smirk.
"Live it up, tough guy." Roxie smiled.
Poor Ben, Sammy thought, being used as someone else's punishment must not feel very nice, she thought giving him an apologetic smile. Then, waving to Brooklynn who sat in a sphere already Sammy was wondering how she was going to make up for this morning but the other girl was already too distracted by tech to acknowledge her efforts. Oh well, at least everything was working out so far, she thought hurrying to catch the open seat in Yaz's gyrosphere.
"This is going to be so sick." Yasmina said to herself.
"Right?" Sammy asked climbing in beside her. "Now we're in a shell together, a shell for two!"
Once things got rolling Sammy found herself gazing up in awe and wonder at the massive animals try trailed behind. "Whoa, would you look at that one!" she laughed pointing across the console to a little critter that had some serious pep in its step. Darius probably knew the names of each and every one of them, but all the cowgirl knew off the top of her head was the stegosaurus. "Darius said that kinda long neck is an apatosaurus right?" she asked, though her question would remain unanswered.
"So, what's your favorite color?" Sammy asked after a while, trying to break the ice. "Favorite food? Oh favorite color of food?"
"Orange, orange, and orange." Yasmina replied monotonously.
"You're funny." Sammy giggled looking at the girl from the corner of her eye. "What do you and your friends do for fun back home?"
Yasmina sighed, but seemed to realize there was no getting away this time. "I train, alone, quietly."
"Seriously? That's real sad." Sammy observed, before breaking into the usual small talk pets, siblings, movies, and hobbies, the Texan doing almost all of the talking while the other girl quietly and irritably focused on driving. "You're like one of those mystery noir women from one of those old black and white detective movies, so mysterious, so aloof!" Sammy said after a bit. "Cool as a cucumber, and cute to boot!" she cringed at her own choice of words, heart fluttering when Yasmina looked at her.
"If you knew the real me you wouldn't be trying so hard to be friends." Yaz muttered.
"That's exactly why I'm trying so hard, because I don't know the real you!" Sammy practically shouted, throwing her head back. "Come on, we made such a great team at the pool the other day! Kicking ass, taking names! Why won't you just talk to me? Or, it doesn't even have to be me, why not make friends with someone, anyone? You and Kenji seem like you have a lot in common." Yasmina scoffed with offense. "Or you and Ben, you're both the quiet type. Come on, what's holding you back? Why are you so afraid to make friends?" Sammy pushed and prodded, her own annoyance at the situation getting the better of her until Yasmina finally snapped.
"Because I'm Muslim! Yeah that's right you better be careful, I might just turn this sphere around and drive us straight into a building! Ka-boom! Take us out in a blaze of righteous glory!" she screamed tears coming to her eyes. "Because that's what we do, because that's who we are, and that's why everybody, and I mean everybody hates us!"
Tension filled silence flooded the large glass ball as the girls stared out at the rolling field of grass and the large majestic animals Sammy now wished she'd been paying more attention to, rather than rubbing up against Yasmina's nerves like sandpaper, or a cheese grater... or a jackhammer...
The soft sound of Yaz trying to defiantly sniff back tears ate at the ranch hand. She had to make this right somehow, she thought, to let Yasmina know that she didn't judge a book by its cover and that she understood better than most that media portrayal could be damaging and hurt innocent people all the time.
Nervously Sammy felt like she knew what she had to do. Oh God, this never got any easier or less scary did it? She wondered eyes squeezed shut. The sound of blood rushing through her ears, and heart palpitating painfully in her chest she clenched her fists. Biting the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood she knew it was now or never, take the risk, or let things stand the way they were between them: broken beyond repair.
"I'm trans." she blurted out, suddenly feeling like she was going to vomit. The other girl remained quiet, and opening her eyes cautiously Sammy turned to see Yasmina staring at her in stunned shock. Jerking to the side as they hastily dodged a swinging tail Sammy decided to continue pushing forward.
"You've known me for a while now, and we're not exactly friends, I mean, I'd like to be, and that's what I'm trying to do, but- ugh!" Sammy groaned, tearing up herself as she smacked her forehead in frustration. Her voice always got so wobbly when she got upset, and she couldn't keep her thoughts straight or mouth from running. What was wrong with her?
"That's besides the point." she said trying very hard to remember how to breathe. "Anyway, you know me, you don't believe all the terrible things the media tells you about trans people right? You don't think I'm just some creepy perverted man who just dresses like a girl just to get into the women's bathroom do you?"
"No." Yasmina shouted defensively. "And that's not fair to assume of me either! So you really do think I'm just a bitch, don't you?"
"I didn't say that." Sammy said tone even. "My point was why is it fair for you to think that I would think all of that other stuff about you without even giving me a chance?"
Another lull fell over the orb. Sammy started getting nervous because Yasmina was so dang quiet. Oh God, she fretted, she had just ruined everything. Yasmina hated her now, she was going to tell everyone, and they were all going to hate her! She gulped for air with desperation, fighting the growing panic that welled up inside.
"It's uh, it's why I wasn't exactly the life of the party at the pool." she heard herself saying, unable to keep her nervous rambling under control. "Why I just hung around in the shallow end. There are a few things I worried would make it very obvious that I'm not exactly like other girls."
"That's because you're better than other girls." Yasmina declared cutting through the noisy clatter going on in Sammy's head. The cowgirl wiped the tears from her cheek as she turned to look with cautious appraisal at her driver. "Well, all I meant was the way you stood up for that kid was badass. There were dozens of other people standing around, men, women, grown ass adults, and no one did anything to help. Not one person, except you."
"And you." Sammy added. Brief eye contact made, they both turned away shyly.
"Thanks for I don't know, trusting me or whatever." Yasmina muttered after a while.
Sammy shrugged, "You're a tough nut to crack." she motioned like she was holding a nutcracker. "So I thought maybe if I let myself be a little more vulnerable with you maybe you could let your shields down with me, even a just little?"
"We'll see."
"Thanks for, well, not exactly trusting me, but taking a chance by telling me about your faith... I don't actually know is a whole lot about Islam, but we got our little shell here, and if you don't really feel like sharing much about yourself maybe you can teach me even just a little bit about your religion?" Sammy asked, trying to lean forward and gage the other girls receptiveness.
"Why?" Yasmina asked getting a little defensive again.
"I think it's good to learn about other cultures and faiths and stuff. It helps you understand the people better and make less hasty judgments." Sammy explained, staring up at the belly of an apatosaurus as it stepped over them, vaguely wondering how much weight the sphere could handle.
"Maybe later k?"
"I'm here anytime shell mate!" Sammy grinned, her anxiety ebbing away as she elbowed Yaz. "Get it?"
"I got it." Yasmina nodded with a half smile, a win in the cowgirl's book.
An unexpected clap of thunder sounded overhead, and before they knew it Roxie had positioned the Jeep between the campers and the herd as Dave stepped out to address the kids. "Hey gang, new plan, storms getting worse so we're going to head back to camp! Fun, am I right?" Dave asked with a smile always the hype man. Everyone began to protest vehemently, this was the most fun planned outing they'd had in a while. "Don't blame me, blame the storm." Dave frowned.
"I'd blame them both." a chipper Roxie smiled sarcastically behind him, before trying to radio ahead to the keepers on the quads. Darius quickly went from arguing to sweet talking as he felt the opportunity of a lifetime slipping between his fingers. When all Roxie got over the air was static in return the campers were ordered back into their spheres and instructed to follow the herd at a reasonable distance.
"Well this is a bummer!" Sammy complained climbing back into the passenger's seat.
"Tell me about it." Yasmina muttered.
They rode along quietly for a while until Yaz spoke up, "If I tell you something, it's not gonna leave this stupid hamster ball is it?"
"Course not." Sammy smiled turning towards her with interest, exchanging secrets was a step in the right direction towards friendship.
"Do you swear?"
"I swear, cross my heart!" Sammy promised, marking an X over her chest, right hand raised to God. She could tell that Yasmina was getting herself really worked up, as she blinking back tears. Reaching over Sammy put her hand on top of Yaz's while she drove. She could feel the other girl trembling. "I promise." she vowed, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
"I'm ga-" Darius and Brooklynn veered in front of them without warning. Cut off Yasmina coasting them towards the right to avoid a head-on collision. "What the hell?" she shouted, then she saw it, one of the big topsids breaking away from the others.
"Wait are you guys going after her?" Sammy asked the other teens, a hand pressed against her ear piece. "I've seen cattle spook before I really don't think that's a-"
"Scary-cat." Yasmina remarked, turning the control stick to the left, making a hard turn after the others.
"Yasmina please, someone could get hurt!" Sammy argued, but something had changed, the other girl had brought her shields back online after one botched attempt at opening up. "Let's just everybody settle down a bit we don't want to-" her words were cut short as they turned in a jarring evasive maneuver.
"Watch it Ben you almost hit us!" Yasmina yelled.
"It wasn't me!" the boy shrilled over the comms looking back at them. "You're going to get us both killed!"
"With you driving we'll die of-" Kenji's voice came on for a moment before cutting out again. The girls watched as their orb swerved, zigzagging across the grass at the boys fought for control of the vehicle.
"Somebody flank her on the other side and we'll get her back to the herd!" Darius called to everyone with excitement.
"Wait you'll scare her-"
"Let the big dogs handle this cowgirl, sino-sandwich baby!" Kenji called loudly as they boxed the poor animal in.
This was going to go bad, real bad, Sammy could feel it in the pit of her stomach but it felt like no matter what she said no one wanted to listen to her. Everyone was too thrilled by the chase and enamored with the thought of being heroes to heed the only one among them who actually knew how to handle this kind of situation.
"I'll cut her off. Everything will be fine Sammy!" Darius called to her.
"No this isn't the way to do this, you're going to make her bolt! We've got to calm her down!" Sammy argued, as the sinoceratops did exactly what she said it would. "We've got to stop her before she goes and spooks the rest of the herd, stay on the outside-"
"We got this!" Kenji said speeding past them.
"Relax, Darius knows dinosaurs." Yasmina added joining the persuit.
Just then the animal rammed Darius and Brooklynn's sphere, knocking them into the herd, frightening the other animals and sending them into a panic fueled frenzy. The six campers dodged and weaved their way through the fleeing animals, harried by sharp horns and swinging tails as they did. Spurred on by the stampede behind them the campers sought refuge in a thick standing of trees.
"Low branch coming right at us!" Sammy warned.
"I see it let me concentrate!" Yaz said just before driving them into a log. Trying to back up Yasmina then struck a downed tree before stopping.
"Are we alive?" Sammy asked, dizzy with all the motion and adrenaline. Looking around it became quickly apparent that they were trapped.
Getting out the two of them began clearing away branches and debris. Pushing all of her upset at not having been heard aside Sammy looked back over her shoulder. "Good news," she smiled. "This gives us a lot more time to get to know each other."
"Let's do that," Yasmina agreed sarcastically. "Later, much, much later."
"Help can anyone hear us?" Brooklynn radioed over the comms desperation clear in her voice. Sammy and Yaz rushed to their ear pieces. "We're stuck in a mud hole and we're sinking fast! Help!"
"Brooklynn, can you hear me, where are you?" Sammy asked, static filled the line. Panicked she and Yasmina began calling for the friends through the jungle, nothing. "Keep clearing away the- No! Pile it up just keep piling it up!" Yasmina ordered as a thought occured to her. Working together the two of them built a makeshift ramp that finally allowed them to escape.
They were frantically searching for the dire pair when Ben and Kenji crossed their path unexpectedly. Leaping onto the smaller boy Kenji knocked him out of the way, avoiding what would have been a very serious, if not fatal crash. He tried to appear suave and cool when he got back up, but Ben clung to him like a drowning man to a life preserver.
"Get in!" Sammy demanded opening the hatch doors.
Crammed like sardines in the rapidly shrinking space that was the girls' gyrosphere the quartet searched frantically for their friends. When eventually they found them Sammy's heart dropped. Without hesitation both Yasmina and Kenji bolted the instant their doors had opened and began pushing and heaving against the side of the sinking vehicle, their hands quickly becoming slick and caked in mud. Listening to Ben frightfully trying to reach the adults for help, his voice high and pinched Sammy took stock of their plight, circumstances dire.
That was when Sammy spotted her, the sinoceratops, and an idea, a crazy, wonderful, diabolical idea came to her. If man power wouldn't work, maybe dino power would? Approaching the animal with caution, as Kenji and Yasmina scrambled away from the quickly sinking craft she picked up a tree branch from the ground. She was scared, body wracked with a tremor, tears in her eyes, as the beast let out a bellow that shook her to the core.
Please don't charge, please don't charge, she repeated uneasily in her head. Her eyes locked on the single large horn at the end of the animal's nose, she dreadfully recalled the summer when one of their hired hands was badly gorred by a bull, flipping end over end like a ragdoll through the air. She didn't even want to think of the damage that very large, very sharp horn could do.
"I know," she whispered to the topsid free hand held out so it could scent her. "It's hard to trust strangers, it's a scary world out there, but I'll trust you, if you trust me... I'm not going to hurt you."
Her fingers brushed warm scaly skin, trailing down a long sharp beak. Letting out a sigh of relief as the animal began to eat the cowgirl knew that there was no time to waste and set to work hastily lashing vines together to make a sturdy lifeline.
"Hurry Sammy!" Ben shrieked as Darius and Brooklynn sank deeper and deeper into the bog.
Handing the vines to Yasmina who rushed past the panicked boy and tossed the rope up to Kenji before grabbing her long stick had getting into position. Kenji, who like Ben was having difficulty reigning in his emotions at this literal life or death situation wiped his tear streaked face with his sleeve, before throwing with good aim the makeshift rope down to the trapped campers who signaled that they were securely tired down with a thumbs up.
Luring the sino towards her with the promise of food Sammy smiled as her plan worked and the animal did all the heavy lifting for them, like it was nothing. Yaz jammed her stick into the side of the door and leveraged it open, revealing their two very dirty, but very relieved friends. Yasmina let out a wooping call before falling back into the ground. Soon they were all hugging, and celebrating jumping up and down their hearts filled to the brim and ready to explode with a death defying energy that was one part gratitude, one part seer exuberance, and one heaping dose of denial as to how serious everything had actually been, reality overshadowed by their victory.
"Cowgirl for the win!" Kenji shouted hugging the girl when she came over to join the others. It was then that Dave and Roxie found them sitting stunned in the truck, trying to piece together what had just occurred.
Watching from the background as everyone did a quick recap for Brooklynn's channel Sammy was just glad that everybody was alright, and thought briefly about joining in. Then, she remembered. Glancing about suspiciously she retrieved a small sample bottle from her back pocket and collected a swab from the inside of the animal's cheek. Between this, the dimorphodon blood, and all the other stuff she'd gathered for Manta Corp she prayed it was enough to save her family.
Banished to their rooms the second they got back to camp Sammy lay there, staring up at the mattress above her, trying to collect her thoughts. Today had been, today had been something else. Catching sight of Yasmina sitting on her bunk quietly with her book, Sammy remembered that she had been in the middle of a confession of some sort when all hell broke loose. Watching her for moment, she couldn't help but wonder what that was. She felt like she knew the answer, familiar with a coming out when she saw one but couldn't be sure, and didn't feel right assuming.
After dinner the teens were allowed to wander the treehouse unencumbered and still mulling over the day's events Sammy found herself standing on the balcony alone, watching as the rain that had been so fierce and wild while they were confined to bed now drizzled lazily over the jungle. She turned when her shellmate appeared at her side, with a nervous smile.
"I..." she began, only to stop and bite her lip. "If everyone had listened to you, if I had listened to you we wouldn't have had any problems... I'm not so great at trusting... People..." she admitted cringing at herself, and tapping her book against her forehead. "So my favorite color is black, my favorite food is pizza, and this is what I was doing before."
Sammy felt honored as Yasmina opened the book and handed it to her to look at. The pages contained several sketches of dinosaurs, including a man eating Rex bearing yesterday's date that earned a warm smile from Sammy, she had been listening to Darius' story after all.
"I started drawing to kill time during track meets, I'm not very good so you probably won't even like them." Yaz muttered.
"I don't like them, I love them!" Sammy beamed flipping through the pages, seeing still lifes of various objects, a building or two, a drawing of Yasmina's family. So she does have siblings, Sammy thought to herself before turning the page again, and stopping, eyes wide, heart fluttering like mad.
"Wait no, don't, some of those are private!" Yasmina shouted reaching to take the book away.
Sammy stepped back out of the other girl's reach. There on the paper was a rendition of her interaction with the sinoceratops. It wasn't finish, the animal itself drawn well but appearing rather crude when compared to the amount of care and detail had been put into Sammy herself.
"Is, is this how you see me?" Sammy asked swallowing past a lump in her throat, as she traced the danty looking lines of her fingers reaching for the sino. They don't look like man hands, she thought comparing the real thing to the drawing, and finding that maybe they weren't so bad in real life either, she just couldn't see it until someone showed it to her. "I'm so... beautiful!" Sammy gushed.
Unable to contain herself, stomach full of butterflies before she even knew what she was doing Sammy threw her arms around Yasmina and pulled her into her kiss.
"What are you doing?" Yaz gasped, eyes wide as she took a quick step back and pushed Sammy away.
Shame and regret flooded through the Texan who hurried to apologise, but found her breath stolen away when a formerly retreating Yasmina rushed back to her, warm glossed lips pressed against Sammy's. Everything felt right in that moment as they embraced, until Yasmina moved away again.
"I can't do this," Yaz muttered tearily, fingertips tracing her lips. "I've gotta go I- I can't do this!"
"What about curfew?" Sammy called after her as the athlete took off running.
"If they can catch me, they can hold me to it." Yasmina called back over her shoulder.
Torn apart by a raging torrent conflicting emotions Sammy clutched the sketchbook to her heart as she watched the other girl disappear into the dark. Tearily she made her way to the girls' room where she froze in the doorway as she saw Brooklynn reviewing her vid, she'd caught Sammy's espionage on camera. Backwash of anxiety, and a reappearance of dinner constricted Sammy's throat, it was all over now, she thought.
Trying to play it cool however, she marched straight in, tossed Yasmina's book onto her bed and flopped down on her adjacent bunk throwing the blankets over herself as she did.
"You alright?" Brooklynn asked coyly, swiveling in her seat towards her.
"Yeah, just got a little too wet and cold is all." Sammy lied before testing the waters. "You good?"
"Oh, I'm great!" Brooklynn larked, before getting up and leaving.
What felt like hours later, laying in darkness and solitude, ensnared by her preturbing thoughts Sammy was teetering dangerously on the edge of a blade. On one side was the immense pressure and realization that she had just failed her family, on the other brooding ruminations of how she'd just fucked things up between her and one of the, strongest, smartest, prettiest girls she'd ever met, both sides condemning her wholely. She startled, though tried to maintain her guise of sleeping when the door burst open.
"You're lucky I haven't told Roxie about this, yet, or you'd be out of here first thing tomorrow!" Dave was yelling at someone under his breath. "I can't believe you Yasmina! I had to drive around for almost an hour looking for you! Do you know how scared I was? What were you thinking? You know what," he interrupted himself. "I don't care. Just go to bed!"
He shut the door roughly as he stormed out, Sammy trying to calm herself after hearing the altercation, new upset mixing with the turbulent storm within. She heard Yasmina walk up to the ladder at the end of her bed before hesitating. "Hey," she called appearing at Sammy's side. "I know you're not sleeping, you snore like a bear."
Turning over Sammy looked up at Yaz, misty eyed. "Hey."
Before she knew it Yasmina was crawling into bed with her, wrapping the blankets around herself greedily. That was when Sammy noticed how the other girls teeth were chattering. "Is this ok?" she asked as she shivered, soaked to the bone from her time in the light rain. "I just want to talk."
"Yeah," Sammy nodded, tucking her arm under her head. "It's fine."
"I'm sorry about earlier," Yasmina began. "I-" she paused eyes squeezed shut as she battled against her tears. Sammy gave her what time she needed. "I like you." she confessed, making Sammy smile uncontrollably, it took everything within her not to interrupt and proclaim her own feelings as Yasmina continued. "But in Islam..." her breath hitched. "If my parents... If my parents knew I was with another girl? It's so hard trying to live up to what everyone else wants and needs from me when I just want to be happy... I mean, I know who I am, and I'm proud of being myself, but I'm just not ready to lose them yet, because I will lose them Sammy and I'm so scared of losing my family! I just-"
"I understand exactly how you feel." Sammy said as a few tears escaped.
Yasmina looked confused for a minute before she burst out laughing. "Oh my God, I already forgot!"
The two laughed for a minute before Sammy in a state of euphoria said, "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!" there was a pause.
"I just don't want to lose them, you know?"
"Yeah, I know." Sammy nodded. "But, take it from me, being true to yourself is worth so much more than all the heartache the world can throw at you, and trust me, that bitch has one hell of a throwing arm, but being happy, being yourself for the sake of no one else but yourself is worth it."
They lay there at ease for several minutes picking out each other's facial features in the dark, gladdened by their nearness to one another before Yasmina broke the spell. "I can, go back to my own bed now."
Settling in and tugging the comforter over her shoulder Sammy shook her head. "Nah, this is cozy, besides I never really got to have an actual slumber party when I was little."
"Just don't expect me to talk about boys." Yasmina laughed kicking off a fit of giggles.
"Wouldn't dream of it." Sammy added.
The two talked about a whole lot of nothing for a long while, until Sammy felt Yaz dozing off beside her. Suddenly she regretted the decision, the urgent realization that this just made getting Brooklynn's phone away from her that much harder striking Sammy full in the chest.
"Oh no..." she whispered.
Notes:
This has quickly become my new favorite chapter. I wasn't even aware that I was such a big Yammy fan until after I started writing it!
I don't know if that's their "official" couple name or not, but it's my name for them because they're my little sweet potatoes and I love them! XD
PSA: Y'all have hopefully seen the show and know what's coming next, but just in case this is your warning: There is only violence, death, and despair beyond this chapter... And maybe some fluff and stuff, but only as a treat!
Lol thanks for reading! Hope you liked it as much as I do! <3
Also good catch Paintedsuns! :)
Chapter 14: Indominus Rex
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-CC Day Twenty-Three-
The sound of an upbeat, fast paced pop song stirred Darius from sleep. Blearily searching in the dark for the source of the noise with irritation the boy let out a groan as he stretched out on the bed. Who the hell was listening to music so loud, and so late at- Oh! Urgency gripped the teen as his mind finally registered his big brother's ringtone. Digging around in his sheets and blankets he finally fished the illusive device out from beneath his pillow.
"Mmm-llo?" he mumbled rubbing an eye with the heel of his hand.
"H-hey, were you asleep bud?" Brand said his voice going from bright to concerned. "Mom said you wanted me to call when I got off."
"Nah, I'm fine, I was just starting to doze anyway." Darius lied sitting up and trying to reorient himself with the layout of the room.
"Shit, I totally forgot about the time difference. What is it there, one, two in the morning? I'm sorry man, you want me to call back lerrr-rrr?" he asked, voice suddenly muddled.
"Uh-uh," Darius shook his head, making his way towards the ladder. "The other guys are still sleeping though, so gimme a minute, I'm gonna go to the living room."
"Cool." Brand replied before falling silent.
Climbing out of bed Darius descended to the floor, cautiously eyeing his roommates. Kenji was all sprawled out, half hanging over the railing in a way that always made Darius think he was about to fall out of bed, but he never did, and Ben was curled tightly, clenched fists pressed firm against his mouth. Counting himself lucky that neither of them had stirred amid the ruckus Darius tiptoed out into the hallway.
Once there he ducked down low to the ground and crawled like a trooper infiltrating the frontlines, and navigating enemy territory. Brooklynn he knew had a bad habit of waking up at all hours of the night to check her status, and grinning to himself as he childishly indulged the fantasy of barbed wire and automatic gunfire the boy who was determined to have this phone call in private, stealthily made his way down the corridor. Besides he thought, Brooklynn tended to, well, make everything about herself and he just wanted a chance to tell the story for once.
Racing full speed into the living room after he'd made it through the hallway undetected Darius flopped backwards into one of the sofas, feet propped lazily on the armrest. "So where are you right now?" he asked pressing the phone back to his ear.
"Oh, you know, living the life, eating in my car." Brand replied, the muddled sound of his voice making it clear that he was still stuffing his face as they spoke.
"Are you home yet?"
"Dude no, I'm starving!" Brand replied. "Made myself a McBandon and peaced out the second Taylor said jump!" he laughed. Darius made a face, a McBandon consisted of all the ingredients of a Big Mac but replaced the beef and third bun all with a hot and spicy chicken patties, Band the inventor of such a monstrosity made them before clocking out whenever he knew he'd be too late for dinner.
"So mom's not around?" Darius asked, excitement bubbling in his chest.
"Nah," Brand mumbled.
"For like, reals?" Darius asked stomach knotting as he struggled to contain himself.
"Fuck." the older boy said in a loud declarative manner.
"Ok good!" Darius practically squealed as he sat up, the knowledge that his brother would never dare drop the F-Bomb infront of their mother confirmation enough. "You're never going to guess what happened today!"
Brand let out a belt of laughter, "Well seeing as you're so afraid of mom finding out I think I can guess. So, what'd you almost get eaten by this time?"
"Oh my God Brand, just oh my God!" Darius said no longer able to sit still, all drowsiness abandoned as his mind raced, fresh adrenaline beginning to circulate at the memory. "Do you know those gyrosphere things?"
"Yeah," Brand said before the whirring of machinery sounded in Darius' ear.
Pulling the phone away he noticed his selfie camera raise as his brother tried to initiate a video call. Clicking the green button to accept the boys smiled at one another. Brand waved a french fry welding hand that blurred and pixelated on the screen. Grinning Darius returned the gesture as his brother found a spot to prop his phone.
"So like, we were all going to ride in these huge gyrosphere things, glass all the way around, perfect veiw, and we were going to be following a herd of dinosaurs as they were led to fresh grazing. Right?" he asked his face glowing with excitement in the gentle illumination of his phone.
"Right."
"Well so then- oh Brand! You should have seen them they were beautiful! Apatosaurus, sinoceratops, stegosaurus, parasaurolophus, it was like a dream come true! Well," he stopped to peer down the hall suspicionsly. "Except I had to ride with Brooklynn."
"What's wrong with Brooklynn?" Brand asked between large gulps of soda.
"I don't know, all she cares about is her phone and all the people who follow her and being popular and stuff... It's like look around you there are dinosaurs right in front of you! Like living, breathing dinosaurs!" Darius sighed hands dropping to his side for a minute before pulling the cellphone back into position in front of his face. "She's nice and all but, I just don't get her."
"She cute?" Brand asked.
"What?" Darius asked smiling broadly for no reason he could think of, irritably he tried to banish the expression. "No." he shook his head.
"Oh my God yes!" Brand laughed pointing an accusatory finger Darius's direction.
"No, she's not, she's just super annoying!" Darius protested angrily.
"Then why are you smiling?" Brand countered.
"I'm not! Well, it's not about Brooklynn, I'm just- I'm in the middle of a story here!" he said clearly getting flustered.
"So that Ben kid is just as much of a bummer right?"
"Right."
"But it doesn't bother you?"
"Not as much... No, not really." Darius confirmed, not quite sure he liked where his brother was going with this.
"Because... You like her?" Brand declared bouncing his eyebrows with with an emphatic grin.
"God Brandon I'm hanging up!" Darius half shouted, voice dropping when he remembered that the others were sleeping.
"Ok, ok I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm done!" Brand yielded hands held up in a placating manner, even though he still had that stupid, infuriating grin. "Tell me what happened, seriously I wanna know."
Darius thought about ending the call, his finger hovering just over the button as he considered the ramifications, but an itch tickled at the back of his consciousness, a voice screaming within to tell his brother about his near death experience. "Fine." he grumbled, but already his aggravation had begun to dissipate.
"So we were following the herd, right?" Darius said, beginning his tale again. "And everything was going great until this storm started rolling in, like, the sky was pitch by the time Roxie and Dave decided that it wasn't safe for us to be out there anymore. So they pulled the Jeep up in front of us and told us that we had to call it quits and go back to the treehouse, but, like, the radios are out so they say to follow behind the herd and they'll go up and let them know we're pulling out, right?"
"I'm still listening." Brand smiled, and Darius realized he was doing it again. The bane of Toast Masters, and an idiot when it came to relaying something that had actually happened to him the natural yarn weaver fumbled time and again to get his point across without fretfully insuring that he was being listened to, subconsciously fearing that people would lose interest in what he had to say.
"Sorry."
"No, it's fine keep going." Brand said leaning towards the screen. "So they said you were leaving, but first they had to tell everyone else and..." rolling his hand the older boy motioned for Darius to continue his story.
"So, we were following the herd and all of a sudden this big clap of thunder just fills the air, I swear the ground shook man!" Darius said eyes wide. "Then this sino, she must have been young, an adolescent maybe, based on her size and the way she reacted, not mention the length of the eppocipital curls on the end of her frill. Got spooked and ran, so I decided to go after her-"
"You didn't!" Brand exploded with astonished laughter.
"Well she was going to get lost, or hurt or something." the little brother replied with a defensive sheepishness.
"Alright, then what happened?"
"So we, all of us, started chasing her down and... Accidentally set off a stampede..." the fifteen year old winced listening to his brother woop and holler, shifting his weight in the confines of the driver's seat and slapping his leg as he looked around, as though searching for someone else to share in his disbelief. "There's more." Darius added.
"Well?" Brand snapped.
"So we all tried losing them in the jungle and that's where we found the- Oh shit!" he gasped pacing quickly about the room. "I forgot she rammed her horn right through the glass! Sorry I'm getting ahead of myself. So we found her and Brooklynn and I were going to try and lead her back to the others."
"By the others you mean the scattered herd of dinosaurs now all separated and lost throughout the jungle?"
"...yeah." Darius muttered, only now realizing how stupid that plan had been, and how little good it would have done them.
"Just checking, I wanted to make sure I was following." Brand commented with a smug expression.
"Are you done?" Darius waited to see if there was any further commentary from the peanut gallery before he went on. "So we were going take her back when she charged us, boom! Her horn stabbed right through the glass, it would have turned us into kebabs for sure! Then she lifted up the freaking gyrosphere and shook us around I shit you not! Just back and forth, she was that strong. Then we ended up in this sink hole and that's when things got crazy!"
"Because, you know almost getting trampled and stabbed to death by dinosaurs isn't crazy enough?"
"Exactly," Darius beamed. "So we started sinking into the mud and we can't get out, we're screwed but then the others get there and make a rope out of vines or something, but we go completely under, mud starts pouring in, Brooklynn's crying, I'm scared, but somehow Sammy with her cowgirl super powers or something gets the sino to pull us out! It was like-" Darius fell back onto the couch opposite his original seat, turning to jelly and sliding down the cushions to the floor with spent excitement. "Like oh my God, did that really just happen?"
"So, first you almost get eaten by velociraptors, then a carno-something, and now the literal earth is trying to swallow you whole?" Brand asked.
"Yeah, pretty much sums it up!" Darius declared. "Don't tell mom."
The two burst out into uncontrollable laughter for several minutes before Brand, eyes narrowed affectionately in the glow of the screen smiling at his baby brother. "Hey man, I'm just glad you're alright."
"Me too," Darius confessed, noticing the way his fingers trembled while he held his phone. "It was really scary."
"How is mom?" Darius asked after a bit, making himself comfortable on the floor when he did.
"She's good," Brand nodded, waving distractedly to a co-worker as they headed to their own vehicle. "Misses you like crazy, is all choked up that her baby is gonna be all grown in a couple of days, and she's not going to be there." Brand added falling into a mocking tone of baby talk. "Poor widdle Darius-warius is gonna be a big boy!" Brand bat his eyes obnoxiously. "So have you told any of your camp friends?"
"Nah," Darius shook his head, feeling awkward to just randomly announce that his birthday was in just a few days. "I'm worried they might, I don't know make it weird or something."
"Bro, you're totally looking at this the wrong way!" Brand said in a way that made it seem like he couldn't comprehend how stupid his brother was being. "Don't worry about how they're going to make it 'weird' just think about all the free Jurassic World swag you're going to get! Come on, you're gonna be sixteen, they're gonna have to get you something, and what does Jurassic World have? Dino-merch, and lots of it. Then all you gotta do is sit back and rake in all that sweet, sweet dino junk!"
Darius giggled, "You're right, I never thought of it that way before. So, how are you doing?"
"Eh, I'm good. Me and Half-Court are gonna catch a movie this weekend, if we have the time." he yawned.
"You look tired man." Darius said.
"I am. Seriously, I don't think I can remember how to sleep anymore." Brand laughed. "It's not a thing I do now, it's just something that happens to me, sorta. Like I lay down and just, I don't know power down like a computer or something."
Darius' smile became nervous as he watched his brother yawn again. "Just don't turn off while you're driving ok?"
"I'll do my best man." Brand agreed, rubbing an eye. Scared Darius couldn't help but stare. "Hey, it's was a joke, I'm fine, I promise." the older boy tried to reassure him.
"I'm hanging up now," Darius said, his brother's vow doing little ease his troubled mind. "Call me back when you get home. Video call! I want to see that lame ass Imagine Dragons poster in your room. I'm not going to bed until you do."
"Yes sir!" Brand saluted the phone with a serious expression before he cracked. "Talk to you in a minute, bye."
"Bye."
Leaning back against the sofa Darius replayed the events of the day in his mind, seeing them with fresh eyes. Today was somehow, scarier than the raptors, and even Toro. He thought to himself, trying to reason out why. It's because suffocating would have been slow, he thought then, a slow ugly way to go... The others would have been faster. When he died he didn't want it to be slowly, he thought, eyes stinging with tears, not fading away one piece of yourself at a time like his dad did. When it was his time Darius, as he was sure everyone else on earth did, prayed that he went quickly.
Blinded with the sudden glare of the lights turning on Darius shielded his eyes, listening as a startled Roxie gasped at finding herself less than alone at this time of night. "And what are you doing out of bed young man?" she asked quickly recovering from her shock.
"I was just talking to my brother." he explained, holding his phone up for her to see. "He just got off work."
"Fine, then back to bed and don't make a habit of skulking about in the wee hours of the morning." she said irate. "You kids are in enough trouble as it is, I plan on speaking to someone about it first thing, now back to bed."
"I was actually going to wait for him to call back." Darius confessed as he got up. "Please, he's really tired and I'm kinda scared he's going to fall asleep behind the wheel. Can I stay up, just long enough to make sure he gets home alright?" the boy begged.
"Fine," the woman conceded after taking stock of the sincerity of his request. "But I'm going to stay up with you."
Walking down the hallway where the kids slept Roxie opened the door to the boys room, muttered to herself as in the dim light filtering in she conducted a bed check. "Do you do this every night?" Darius asked following her.
"Sure do." Roxie said heading for the girls room. Her brow furrowed briefly, then she shot all the way into to room with alarm, making Darius peek around the doorframe with curiosity. "Oh," Roxie intoned when she seemed to spot who she'd been looking for. "Oh dear."
"What?" Darius asked pushing through.
"None of your business, that's what!" the counselor snapped, her hand quickly covering the young man's face like a creature from a sci-fi movie she pushed him out by the head, but not before he caught sight of Sammy and Yasmina curled up in bed together.
Oh, he thought, ears feeling strangely warm.
Roxie brewed some tea and sat cross legged on the couch sipping it while Darius read the latest in his favorite paleontological magazine. A new plant had been discovered, dating back to the cretaceous era and had been named brachyphyllum sattlerae, after the famous Dr. Sattler herself! Continuing to absorb the article Darius was trying to pick out the name of the paleo-botanist that had actually discovered and later named the plant. Dr. Sattler just didn't seem like the kind of person with an ego enough to have named something she discovered sattlerae, especially now that she was married with a new surname, maybe something after her kid or-
His phone started ringing. "Hey." he answered, camera popping up like an alien eyeball.
"Hey," Brand smiled, pointing to the poster on the back of his bedroom door. "I made it."
"Cool," Darius nodded, his turn to yawn. "So I'll talk to you later."
"Yeah," Brand agreed, before rushing out. "Oh hey, you never told me the most important part of what happened today!"
"What?" Darius asked with a look of confusion.
"How that 'holy shit we're going to die!' kiss with Brooklynn was!" Brandon laughed.
Angrily Darius hung up, a scowl on his face as he writhed with both embarrassment and frustration. His brother was so infuriating nothing happ- Glancing up the boy saw Roxie eyeing him with a weary expression over her mug. "Do I need to have a talk with the two of you in the morning too?" she asked with a tiny smirk.
"Oh my God, no! Nothing- ugh I hate him!" Darius bellowed storming off to bed.
That night Darius dreamed of his dad, and when he woke, in spite of the gaping wound in his heart caused by his loss, the boy felt oddly comforted, and whole to have remembered him from before, back when they were making plans. The last few months had been so long, and so excruciatingly unbearable that he sometimes had difficulty picturing his dad when he wasn't lying in bed slowly withering away from the cancer. Looking fondly at the photograph of the two of them together Darius clutched the raptor tooth tenderly.
"I love you dad." he smiled, slipping the necklace on.
Energized and ready to start the next day of the best summer of his life Darius didn't take the hallway to the entertainment room, instead he walked out to the balcony and ran around to the exterior door to catch everyone by surprise. "What up, Camp Cretaceous?" he asked bursting in through the double doors with a big "Woo-hoo!"
"Not in a 'woo-hoo' mood this morning, Darius." Kenji said grumpily as he swiveled around in Roxie's office chair. "Not after yesterday, trekking through a rainstorm will do that."
"We only had to walk because you crashed our gyrosphere." Ben gritted out between audible sips from a juice box, leaning forward to glare at the other boy, ducking away hurriedly when Kenji grumbled, Ben's momentary courage failing him.
That was when Darius' mood began to crumble, the tension between his friends palpable. "But today is a new day!" he enthused trying to snap them out of it. "Kayak day! Who doesn't want to paddle alongside dinosaurs, real dinosaurs! It's gonna be awesome, right?"
"Can you keep it down?" came a voice from the area behind the foosball table. Turning, perplexed, Darius saw Jayson, the intern from before, lounging in a beanbag chair fingers flying rapidly across his phone screen as he texted someone, the same grin Brand got whenever he was texting Courtney written all over his face.
"Wait, where are Dave and Roxie?" Darius asked, looking around.
"The babysitters took off!" Kenji said gliding towards him on the wheeled chair, pressing a note into the boy's chest.
Crestfallen as he skimmed the note, complete with an illustration from Dave Darius looked dismally at the stack of papers, and boxes of crayons the camp counselors had left for them. "We're still going to go kayaking, aren't we?" he asked, clinging onto the hope.
"Who knows!" Kenji replied, pushing off and rolling the other way with equal annoyance. "It's like do they even know how old we are? When was the last time you even saw a crayon?"
Taking in the room, Darius smiled to Ben who proudly turned his crude drawing of Bumpy around for critique. "I have notes." Yaz commented with superiority.
"Yasmina!" Sammy gasped nudging, and elbowing her.
That was when Darius realized how close they were sitting to one another, their knees touching. Feeling awkward for noticing something like that he turned away just as the doors erupted open to reveal an enraged Brooklynn who took stock of the campers in one, steely, aquamarine glance, arms folded tightly across her chest.
"Brooklynn, what's new on the internet superstar?" Yasmina asked, squinting in the fresh sunlight.
"I wouldn't know, because when I went to get my phone from it's charger it wasn't there!" she said stalking towards them. "Someone stole my phone."
"Maybe you just lost it, or forgot to charge it?" Yasmina said with a look of disinterest.
"Yeah," Darius nodded trying to be helpful. "It was a long day yesterday, do you want help looking for it?"
"Oh, I think I know exactly where to look!" the pink haired girl announced. "I also think that whoever took the phone might be trying to hide some of the things that are on it. What do you think, Sammy?" she asked stopping to stare the other girl hard in the face.
"Um, what?" Sammy asked nervously.
"What is your deal?" Yasmina asked, jumping up definitively from the couch. "She didn't take your stupid phone, we've been talking all morning!"
"Well then," Brooklynn smiled like the cat that got the cream. "Let's look through her bags and check that theory out!"
"You do not get to go through anyone's stuff," Yaz argued, blocking her path. "I don't care how famous you think you are!"
Darius looked to the others for help, unsure of how to defuse the situation, only to find Ben turned away from the confrontation as though it weren't happening, while Kenji leaned on the ping-pong table watching with vested interest.
"Hey!" Jayson shouted coming over towards them. "Enough fighting. Everyone to the auditorium."
"What?" Brooklynn asked turning on him. "I need to find my phone."
"Not right now you don't," Jayson said folding his arms. "I don't care if this place is paying my way through college, I didn't sign up to babysit a bunch of whiny kids. To the auditorium, I'm putting on a movie and you're all going to sit down and shut up." Brooklynn opened her mouth to argue when Jayson asked, "Did I stutter?"
Not long after the seven of them were gathered watching as Littlefoot and Cera scrambled up a crumbling rock face, the baby brachiosaurus calling tearily for his mother as they scrambled to escape the killing bite of the "Sharp-Tooth" behind them. Beaten and bruised she did indeed come to the rescue saving not one, but both of them as their world crumbled and shook all around them. He forgot about this part, Darius thought, breath catching.
That was when he noticed Kenji sinking lower and lower into his seat, tears in his eyes as darkness and rain fell across the screen, Littlefoot calling out, "Mother!" with a lost desperation. "Get up mother, please get up." the animated dinosaur begged his mom.
"I'm not sure I can Littlefoot." she confessed, trying and failing.
Shooting up out of his chair Kenji ran out of the auditorium. Heart aching with a shared pain Darius followed after him while Jayson shouted for them to come back. "Kenji, are you alright?" Darius asked watching as the older boy wiped furiously at his eyes.
"Yeah, fine," he said, voice thick with grief and pent tears. "I just didn't want to watch that gay-ass kids movie anymore."
Unsure of how to broach the situation Darius walked up to Kenji with caution and worry. "I lost my dad..." he said softly. "If you ever wanted to talk about your mom or something..."
"Sure, great idea Darius let's exchange dead parent stories sounds like the perfect bonding activity!" Kenji yelled turning on him with rage. "You go first. What's the one thing you said to your dad that you regret most? Huh?"
Darius was taken aback, heart lanced as the comment forced him remember every instance of anger, or time he'd been inconsiderate of his dad's feelings, or ungrateful for a gift. There was so much he'd done, or failed to do, and so much he couldn't make right.
"Well?" Kenji asked throwing his arms out, as the others slowly trickled into the room. "I'm waiting."
"Jesus Kenji you are such an asshole!" Brooklynn shouted.
Just then a roar filled the air, cutting through their arguments.
"What was that?" Sammy asked whirling around.
"A T-Rex..." Jayson said, eyes wide as he too turned towards the sound.
"Uh-uh," Darius shook his head, brows knit together as he and the others rushed out to the balcony to try and get a look. "I don't think so."
"Then what sort of dinosaur did it sound like?" Ben asked nervously trailing behind. "Friendish or foeish?"
"Where's it coming from?" Sammy asked.
"Can't see anything," Yasmina commented with frustration. "The trees are blocking everything!"
"Maybe they're moving a new dinosaur from the lab to an enclosure," Darius reasoned, his hurt still fresh as a red eyed Kenji leaned against the railing next to him. "We could probably see it from the observation tower! Could be cool."
"Wow, that's a great idea Darius what are we waiting for?" Sammy said grabbing him by the arm with excitement.
"Uh, no." Jayson laughed in a condescending way, busy with his phone again.
Deflated Darius was going to go back to his bunk and take a nap when he caught Kenji look at him, before leaning casually on the banister in a way Darius now knew meant he was going to say some epic, or epically stupid, sometimes both.
"How about yes, or we tell Dave and Roxie about how you were so dedicated to watching us last time that we were able to give you the slip, and have our little adventure with Toro?" he grinned.
"Yeah, too late for that to work on me now." Jayson countered.
"Oh, really?" Kenji asked. "And why is that?"
"Because you have no proof, and it's way too late after the fact." Jayson grinned victoriously.
"How about the scar on Toro's nose? Or the mangled food door?" Kenji smirked. "They've never taken us to that part of the park. How would we know about that of we hadn't been there? And, not to mention the timing of when Toro cut up his little nose?"
Jayson seemed ready to argue, when he closed his mouth, eyes wide and searching. "You wouldn't?" he asked nervously.
"Kiss your free ride to education goodbye!" Kenji beamed.
Squeezing his eyes shut the intern seemed to be saying a silent prayer, whether for strength, to keep his job, or to ask the almighty to strike the kids down Darius couldn't decide, but when he opened them again he said, "Fine, there and back, let's go."
"You're welcome." Kenji scoffed following their temporarily appointed leader. Darius knew from experience that, that was as much of an apology as Kenji ever gave anyone and sighed falling in line behind the others.
"But-but guys, Dave and Roxie said to stay here, its indoor arts and crafts day, we were already breaking the rules by watching the movie! We should stay and wait for them to come back." Ben exclaimed quickly claiming a seat on the sectional as though he intended not to budge an inch. "Right Kenji?" he asked as the other boy vaulted over the back of the furniture.
"If you want to stay here and draw your little dino crush go for it!" the older boy said patting him on the shoulder. "I'm gonna see me a T-Rex or a girl fight when I remind everyone that Sammy stole Brooklynn's phone. Either way I win."
"Sammy didn't take Brooklynn's phone!" Yasmina bellowed from elevator, her voice ringing in Darius' ear in such close proximity.
"Yes, she did!" Brooklynn yelled back, everyone shuffling and knocking into one another as warring parties divided within the tight space.
Kenji turned to witness the chaos he had unleashed, Darius assumed as a means to distract everyone from his emotional display, before pumping his fist in the air, "Ka-ching!"
Folding his arms and turning away in a pout Ben made it clear he wasn't following. "Fine, go on. I'll just stay where we're supposed to stay, and wait for who we're supposed to wait for, and be right where we're supposed to be!"
The hypochondriac looked around himself for a moment with anxiety, and Darius could tell he was getting ready to change his mind. Darius was getting ready to hold his hand out and stop the automatic doors of the elevator when they bounced off an expensive looking red shoe, reopening as the oldest camper slid his foot back inside nonchalantly.
"This is a bad idea!" Ben whined his limbs pulled in close as they crowded in.
"This is a great idea," Brooklynn said icily. "In fact, the only thing that would make it better is if I had my phone to record it, for my veiwers!"
"Oh my God, enough!" Jayson snapped as infighting broke out loudly between the teenagers.
Moments later Darius with the help of Kenji and Yasmina struggled against the gate surrounding the observation tower. Ben urgently trying to get them to see reason and leave when Jayson noticed something amiss. "Wait," he said looking around. "Where is everyone, there should be rangers posted here."
"Ugh," Brooklynn rolled her eyes, ignoring their supervisor as she pulled a bobby pin out of her hair. "If we're doing this then we might as well do this." she declared picking at the lock. "Ta-da!" she announced triumphantly swinging the door open with ease.
Giddy Darius rushed to hug her, when his brother's teasing echoed in his mind, and he just kinda stopped... arms spread. The girl smiled at him perplexed returning the gesture. They shifted their hands about for a second, one going high, the other low, switching, then taking the diagonal approach. Time seemed to slow down as they preformed their awkward little dance. God, kill me now! The boy thought settling for a fist bump instead.
"Last one to the top is a rotten egg!" Sammy called cheerily.
"Later rotten egg!" Yasmina laughed sprinting well ahead of everyone else.
Darius hung back cringing at his own stupidity when Kenji punched him in the shoulder. "Brah, that was literally the most painful thing I have ever witnessed."
"I know!" Darius groaned, cupping his face with both hands. Why was it so weird now? He wondered it's not like he actually liked her or anything, it was just stupid Brandon making stupid jokes! ...right?
Soon all of the kids were panting and heaving on the top deck, holding their sides, leaning on the railing, or each other for support. "No, more, stairs!" Kenji complained, coming up second to last, right before Jayson. "It better be something good!"
Suddenly the ground shook with an impact tremor, all the kids turned to look as it was followed by another, and another. "There's something out there." Brooklynn whispered.
"Something big." Darius agreed.
As they watched the trees with mounting trepidation and fear the long sturdy neck of a brachiosaurus immerged from amid the branches. Everyone gave a sigh of relief as they watched the gentle giant make its way to fresh dining, pulling young green stems from a nearby beech tree.
"Mystery solved," Ben said getting up, "Now can all go back?"
"Seconded." Jayson agreed as the two headed for the stairs they had just run up during their race.
"But that doesn't make sense." Darius said still gazing hard at the horizon. "Brachiosaurus don't sound like that, they're more like-" the boy held his hands up in front of his mouth, blowing through the small space left my his curled fingers.
"I didn't quite catch that, one more time." Kenji smirked, then, embarrassed, the dinosaur enthusiast realized that the girls, all of the girls, were laughing at him. Blushing he turned away, and that was when he saw a pair of rangers running towards them arms waving frantically as they shouted up at the campers.
"Oh great I knew we'd get into trouble!" Ben sighed pessimistically.
"Calm down Ben!" Yasmina scoffed.
"Yeah, worry wort!" Sammy added turning to wink at him.
"What's that I can't hear you? You're gonna have to speak up." Kenji called down before elbowing Darius. "Don't worry, I got this." he assured.
"Wait everyone wait, what are they saying?" Jayson asked pushing his way through and staring down at the crewmen below. "Shut the fuck up!" he yelled, the tangible fear in his voice instantaneously silencing the children who had still been talking. "An asset out of containment..." he muttered fearfully. "We gotta go, come on, follow me, we gotta get out of here now!"
An agonized cry from the brachiosaurus caught everyone's attention, they all turned in time to see the animal fall. Huddling together in terror the kids watched as the foliage rippled, a large green mass shifting and moving, pulling away from the background as if the forest itself had come to life and was walking towards them. Slowly the illusion melted away as green paled and faded into white, revealing a massive red eyed beast with a row of menacing sharp teeth. Grimly they realized that it was stalking nearer, and nearer to the workers on the ground.
Frenzied Jayson and the kids all began shouting and waving to try and alert them to the imminent danger. The monsterous dinosaur rushed forward then, sweeping one of the workers into its mouth viscera and saliva dripping from it's ragged maw as in one horrendous bite it ended the man, the crush of bones and pop of cartilage sickeningly wet and loud to the children's ears.
"What is that?" Yasmina asked going weak in the knees while Ben screamed, "He got 'im, he got 'im!"
Darius watched in a state of shock as the predator grabbed the second man who was screaming, and trying desperately to get away. Bringing it's wailing prey to it's mouth the thing bit down around his shoulders, tearing and pulling as it did until the worker came apart at the torso. Entrails unspooling, hung limply from between it's teeth as a river of blood and clumps of organs spilled out onto the ground, and ran down the creature's dexterous hand, before it threw away the man's severed lower half as though in frustration.
"Dr. Wu's lab," Brooklynn gasped. "There was a dinosaur named-"
"Indominus Rex!" Sammy breathed.
"But, there's no dinosaur named Indominus Rex!" Darius arguing wracking his brain for any sort of information that might help them, unable to rip his eyes away from the carnage below.
"It doesn't matter!" Jayson shouted the first one to snap free from the enveloping trance of horror. Grabbing campers by the back of their shirts at random he began shoving them towards the zipline. "We have to go now!"
"Uh-uh," Kenji argued frozen to the spot. "Up here is safe, besides it's not like this high up it can see us."
"It sees us!" Ben wailed, ducking for cover as the Indominus broke through the surrounding gate and began pulling on the base of the tower.
The world shook before lurching to the side. Caught off balance in a moment of dread Sammy and Jayson both struck the guard rail before toppling over it. Desperately grabbing onto the young man who'd been trying to move him to safety Darius felt his nails dig into Jayson's forearm as he struggled to hold on, skin curling beneath the boy's nails like carrot peels. And then he fell.
Jayson hit the ground feet first, legs crumpling like a pair of accordions, the exposed area beneath his khaki shorts a red pulpy mass of ruined flesh and bone. Staring in a daze Darius thought, he's dead, before scrambling to help the others haul Sammy back up so she didn't meet the same grizzly fate. That was when Darius heard it, the first long, low moan. Looking he saw Jayson move, head lulling to one side, before like a marionette on tangled strings Jayson moved his broken body with sharp, disjointed jerks. He was crying, screaming in a dull unintelligible manner that reminded the boy of hunting dogs baying after a fox.
It looks like he's doing the backstroke, Darius thought absurdly as he watched the dying man trying to get up and stand on limbs that no longer existed. It was then, that focused on the teenagers above it the Indominus Rex, unconcerned with Jayson stepped on his floundering form, crushing him beneath it's weight like an insect. Thank God, Darius thought with a morbid rush of relief.
Seconds later and Sammy, pale, and trembling violently was safe on the deck at last. Everything moved in a blur then, Darius hearing his own voice without feeling like he was speaking say, "The zipline!"
Grabbing onto him Brooklynn shoved Ben into a seat where he fretted and fumbled with the safety latch until an irate Kenji fastened him in before with a massive shove sent the shrieking boy hurdling over the murderous dinosaur and down the line. Sammy, Kenji, and Brooklynn following close behind him. Yasmina was buckling herself in, as was Darius when he looked up and saw that the others had stopped without warning hanging precariously in the air, trapped.
They had to build enough momentum to disengage the safety locks, Darius rationalized, trying in vain to block out the sound of the I-Rex roaring. More weight meant more momentum right? He thought blinking back tears, stomach in knots, blood running cold with fear and adrenaline.
"You're strong right?" he asked Yasmina swallowing past the hollowed despair in his throat.
"What are you doing?" Yasmina snapped.
"Catch me!" Darius shouted running towards the girl, leaping arms outstretched he grabbed onto her, and she grabbed onto him.
The wind sharp and cold and it rushed past his face Darius couldn't breathe, eyes fixated on the blurred greenery blow, arms and hands aching from how tightly and how frantically he clung to his friend. There are a jarring thump as they collided with the others and for a split second it seemed as though Yasmina would drop Darius, but with a grunt, teeth gritted she managed to hold on.
Then, the tower fell, and with it the taught cords twisting and writhing like snakes became slack. Without warning the six campers began hurtling towards the ground. Eyes squeezed shut Darius tried not to remember what Jayson had looked like, willing the image of blood and bone to leave him.
I didn't say goodbye to Brand, he realized, I didn't say 'I love you,' I just hung up. I didn't say goodbye... And mom... Darius opened his eyes, hands flying out in front of him instinctually to break his fall.
There was pain, and then, nothing...
Notes:
I do believe I warned y'all. I also changed the rating out of an abundance of caution.
Also for context since none of you can read my mind and know the extensive backstories I have for each and every character just about "Half-Court" is the nickname Brandon gave his girlfriend Courtney. She is captain of the girl's basketball team at their highschool and regularly schools him in the game whenever they play.
The two of them began dating shortly before Brand and Darius' dad was hospitalized. Brand felt an immense amount of guilt for finding something/someone that made him happy while his dad was sick and didn't tell either his mom or Darius about her for a long time, though she did meet his dad who approved.
They are in love and want to get married, but Brand worries he will only hold her back as he's taking a year off to work and help his mom recover financially from his dad's unexpected passing, fearing that Courtney will give up her scholarship to stay with him. Brandon plans to break up with her if it comes down to him or her education, he does not want to be the guy she threw her life away for.
Also brachyphyllum sattlerae is real, and it really was named after the Jurassic Park character Ellie Sattler! ...yes, I'm a dino-nerd.
EDIT: 8/13/22 as bumblebee_for_communism has pointed out, while I may be a dino-nerd I am tragically not dino-nerdy enough! 😢
Alas, yes it is true, I have called our dear sweet friend from The Land Before Time Littlefoot a Brachiosaurus, when he is canonically an Apatosaurus! 🦕
I have failed y'all! 😭
Please forgive me! But also I'm leaving in the error partly for posterity, and partly because I was so danged sure he was a Brach my whole danged life my inner child is throwing a temper tantrum, and I don't wanna change it! 🙎
Lol thanks again bumblebee_for_communism!!!! 💗❤️💖
Well, um, thanks for reading! ...it only gets worse... 😅
Chapter 15: The Day of Reckoning: Part One
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Everything hurt. Before he could even begin to perceive his surroundings Ben was keenly aware of the undeniable pain that radiated throughout his body. Shifting around with a dull ache the boy tried to sit up, only to feel the sharp pinch of the restraint still buckled around his waist. Ben looked about himself with confused disorientation as the world rocked and swayed, tilting savagely at one point like a sea tossed ship before, gradually the motion calmed. Head pounding, he found that despite all odds they had miraculously survived their fall.
Fidgeting for a minute and finally freeing himself from the chair the teen stumbled away from his crash site until a shooting pain racing up his spine brought him back to the ground. Let out a groan Ben glanced back with an accusatory glare at the long metal rod that had previously attached his seat to the zipline. He could feel the bruise it had left beginning to form across his back.
Heartbeat fast and thready as clarity began to settle within his mind, Ben sat with his limbs curled tight, listening fretfully for a sign that they weren't alone. Their situation dire, he blinked past visions of blood and death. Opening his fanny pack and retrieving the coveted hand sanitizer the boy coated his hands and arms liberally in an attempt to wash the impurities, both physical, and remembered away.
"Is everyone alright?" Yasmina asked, supporting Sammy who sat, hands pressed hard against the blood bubbling from a deep gash in her forehead.
"I-I think so..." Brooklyn nodded, unbuckling and stumbling towards them.
"Where's Darius?" Yasmina added in a sharp tone, brows knit as she scanned the area. "I don't see him, he wasn't in a seat, I-I dropped him... and Kenji?"
Movement in the tree above, leaves rustling loudly sent a shock of fear through Ben who gave a cry. Hurriedly backing away from the trunk he waited for the brutal death that was sure to follow.
"It's, just, me." Kenji wheezed. His voice sounded caught, coming out in low hiccuping bursts, eyes squinted as he agonizingly crawled from one bough to the next until his grip failed him on the last leg of the journey sending the boy to tumbling the earth below where he lay sprawled on his back gasping.
"Kenji?" Ben asked nervously approaching him, hands still working frantically.
"Can't, breathe!" he gasped eyes tightly shut against the pain, tears freely flowing.
"I think you broke your ribs." Brooklynn diagnosed, gingerly lifting the boy's shirt to reveal a deep purple band that stretched across Kenji's chest and lower abdomen.
Watching as Kenji seemed to struggle for a minute, desperately wanting air and trying to take a deep breath, Ben felt a growing sense of helplessness and despair welling within. Ben wanted to hold his hand, to try and make things better in some way as squeaky cries of pain escaped Kenji as each breath caused the VIP a deep stabbing sensation making him hurriedly exhale so that his chest would fall into a more relaxed position, but Ben couldn't. They had to go, they had to find help, they weren't safe, and there wasn't time for this! He thought nervously looking over his shoulder.
"I can't breathe..." Kenji sobbed in a low hissing whisper. "I can't breathe, it feels like I'm dying!"
"It's gonna be alright Kenji." Sammy assured carefully making her way towards them with Yasmina's help. Smiling as she settled down next to him she gave his shoulder a ruddy hued squeeze. "Just take it easy for a minute, with any luck they're just bruised."
"We don't have a minute!" Ben shrilled, circling as he looked around at the sinister jungle in which they were engulfed. "That thing is still out there!"
"And we are right here." Yasmina snapped pointing with sharp command to the ground. "And we will stay here until we find everyone, and we're able to go."
"I know you're scared Ben-" Sammy started gently.
"'Scared?'" Ben laughed in sheer disbelief. "Scared is an understatement! We just saw that thing eat people! We're alone, we're-"
"We know what we are Ben, but panicking isn't going to do us any good." Sammy continued, her voice calm, almost maternal as she spoke. "Kenji and I are hurt, my head is swimmin', we need a minute."
"And where's Darius?" Brooklynn half shouted, combing through a nearby fern.
Just then they all heard a moan. Yasmina and Brooklynn rushed towards the sound, gasping loudly at what they found. "Ben," Sammy called firmly. "Go help. I've got Kenji."
Conflicted with the urgent need to put as much distance between himself and that thing as possible, and his friends the teen looked forlornly between the girl and the way the others had gone. "Ok." he nodded, adjusting his fanny pack, mentally reviewing it's contents: sanitizer, emergency food, compass, pen, paper, duct ta- The sight of Darius sitting up, head swaying with delirium cut through the mental checklist that provided Ben with a sense of relief, backwash coating his throat as he turned away from the other boy.
"Oh my God!" Brooklynn said tearily her hands flying over her mouth at the sight of Darius' clearly dislocated shoulder, left arm hanging limply like a spaghetti noodle.
"Dad?" the boy asked in his disorientation, looking for him.
"Darius, Darius, it's me Brooklynn." the pink haired girl said coming to kneel in front of him, unsure of how to help and afraid to touch him. Ben let out a nauseated whimper as he inched towards them, trying to look anywhere but his arm, and bloody, battered face.
Darius blinked hard a few times and seemed to come back to himself. "What happened?" he asked eyes darting from left to right and back again as he struggled to piece everything together. "The Indominus Rex!" he gasped loudly. Scrambling backwards, his left arm gave out from under him and the teen cried out as he tumbled, rolling to his injured side.
"Take it easy!" Yasmina instructed tersely, her hands on his back she helped Darius into the sitting position once more.
"I-I don't understand," Darius muttered, struggling to break free of his impact induced bewilderment. "How did we get away? What? Where are we?" he asked looking to the others for help.
"We used the zipline. You saved us, with you're stupid reckless, stunt." Yasmina said, still holding him upright, a look of respect and admiration on her face.
"Where is everyone?" Darius asked looking around, the girls grimaced, and Ben retreated a few paces at the sight, the pain clearly having yet to set in. "Where's-" Darius started again before his eyes went wide, a colorlessness coming over them, void, as all emotion drained from his expression. "Jayson..." he murmured.
"Darius," Brooklynn whispered blinking back tears as she moved closer to him. "It's wasn't your fault, you held on for as long as you could!"
"I scratched him." Darius muttered in a hollow tone as he looked at his hands, his distant look slowly giving way to abject horror. "I scratched him, so hard... It must have hurt so bad! I scratched him, I scratched him!" he wailed levees breaking under the overwhelming force of his grief, sorrow, and remorse. "I hurt him! I didn't mean to hurt him! He was bleeding! It's his blood! I hurt him!" the boy wept running his thumbs over his fingers, the others at a loss of what to do.
Stomach churning as he stared at the sticky blood, and clumps of skin that caked Darius' nails Ben moved forward and squeezed a waterfall of sanitizer over the other boys' hands. "Here." he said weakly hoping it would help.
Darius looked at him, as though the act were foriegn, alien even, perplexed as to why, and to what end he would do such a thing. Then it seemed to register, and Darius tried to bring his hands together, brow furrowed when he found the task impossible. "I can't do it!" he sobbed as the gel began to seep through his fingers. "I can't- ow! I can't move my arm! I can't get it off, I can't! I can't!" he screamed, everyone urging him to silence as a look of torment crossed his face.
"It's ok, it's alright!" Brooklynn said taking his hand in hers, Yasmina quickly followed suit on the other side. Together all previous animosity forgotten, they grimly worked the liquid into his hands, red dripping onto the ground.
Ben watched with a wry face as the girls quickly and efficiently scrubbed and scraped the blood and skin out from under and around Darius' nails as he wept. Stomach knotted Ben couldn't stand the sight of the gory manicure any longer and quietly shuffled away.
"Is Darius alright?" Sammy asked perking up hopefully, most of her bleeding under control, she was trying to wipe her face clear with the back of her arm.
"No, he's not!" Ben choked out. "His, his shoulder's messed up, but we need to get away from here! We can't wait any longer!" Hugging himself as he paced back and forth a tremor overtook the boy. There had been so much blood, and screaming, he thought, shuddering at the recollection, the wet crush of bone echoing in his mind, he shut his eyes. They all had to go, they had to run, they were all going to die if they didn't!
"Ben."
What didn't anyone understand about that? The longer they stayed out here the more chance they had of being caught by that thing! Out here they were exposed, they were vulnerable! The boy thought, tears streaming down his cheeks, fingers entangled in his hair, which he gripped tight with anxiety, airway slowly constricting.
"Ben."
They were all going to die if they didn't leave now! They just had to suck it up, stand up, and go! They were all going to die... he realized, it was so simple, yet so devastating a truth. They were all going to die. They were all going to die. They were all going to die! They were all going to die! They were all going to-
"Ben!" jarred from his fretful ruminations, by the sound of his name called pointedly, accompanied by something whipped sharply across his shins Ben jumped away, looking with a start at Kenji who had been trying to get his attention.
"Are you ok?" the older boy asked after a moment of exchanged looks of concern, letting go of the twig he'd been wielding.
Watching the boy who was pale, and clearly still in a great deal of pain as he labored for each breath Ben realized that even though Kenji was hurt he was still thinking about him. Overwhelmed with guilt for letting his fear override his compassion and empathy for his friends who were hurt, and just as scared as he was Ben swallowed hard before answering in a whisper, "No."
Making his way to Kenji, Ben sat down, and fished the other boy's hand off the ground. Forcing himself to remain as still as possible, defying the inner voice that screamed for him to run Ben rubbing his shaking thumb over Kenji's kuckles, and offered a weak smiled. "More importantly," he started. "Are you ok?"
"Honestly, I've been better." Kenji smirked.
"You don't say?" Ben smiled, and Kenji gave his hand a squeeze.
Staggering through the undergrowth Yasmina and Brooklynn supported Darius who was visibility feeling the extent of his injuries now, arm secured in a makeshift sling crafted from Yaz's jacket. The trios looked at one another with a disbanding hope, they were broken, and alone, and-
A roar shook through the jungle, causing the birds, and even insects to fall silent.
"Where the hell is that thing?" Kenji asked nervously.
"It's coming!" Ben gasped, ducking down, bringing Kenji's hand to his forehead as he started rocking back and forth, the cold tang of anxiety taking hold once more.
"Shh!" Yasmina begged, the goosebumps that appeared on her exposed arms betraying the calm control she was trying to project. "It could be anywhere!"
"We have to go, now!" Sammy ordered, stumbling to her feet.
"The observation tower was that way?" Brooklynn asked turning anxiously from left to right. "Or maybe that way?"
"Ben," Yaz snapped shoving the light haired boy hard to gain responsiveness. "Help get Kenji up."
"Please, get Kenji up!" the boy in question said between gritted teeth. "But gently." he added as an afterthought.
"I'll take his shoulders." Sammy announced kneeling above him against Yasmina's protest. "It's just a bump on the head, I'm fine. Now, when we lift I want you to use those abs of yours, not your back and chest alright Kenji?"
"I knew you liked what you saw!" Kenji winked trying to dispell their nerves and his own anticipation of how much getting up was going to suck.
"On 'three.'" Yaz said. Ben slid his hands under the other boy's side, distractedly glancing around with dread. "Ready? One, two, three!"
Kenji let out a loud cry as with all their might his friends hefted him to he feet. Giving him only a moment's respite the six campers tore through the wilderness back towards the tree house. Pushing their wounded to their limits spurred forward by fear and the haunting call of the Indominus Rex which appeared to come from all around them they ran blindly onwards.
"Everything will be fine when we get back to camp!" Darius gasped as they half ran, staggering through ensnaring vines, and snagging branches.
Bursting through a thick standing of grass however, these words were proven to be untrue. In shock the six children stared at the remains of what had been their home for the past three weeks. In shambles the tree house had been torn to the ground. Splintered, and destroyed it appeared as little more than fire wood. Wandering about the wreckage with a deep sense of loss the campers were dazed by what they found, their near death experience moments ago colliding violently with the realization that, had they stayed, they would now be buried under all this debris.
While the others picked at the beams of wood, and bits of crumbling plaster, kicking it here and there, Ben took notice of an overturned Jeep. Against his better judgement he went to take a look.
"Dave, Roxie, the other workers, they must have all gotten away!" Sammy said hopefully.
The sight of shattered glass, twisted metal, and mangled flesh that met Ben's gaze contradicted the girl's optimistic outlook with the grizzly reality. Heart hammering Ben turned away, tripping over something he crawled away from the car. "Not all of them!" he said through the tears that sprang to life in an instant.
No, please no, no more death! Ben begged silently on his hands and knees dry heaving as Sammy came to put a hand on his back, rubbing it in slow circles while Yasmina struggled with a damaged radio to call for help.
"We're on our own." the athlete announced after a minute.
Despair washed over the group until in frustration and rage Brooklynn turned on the Texan. "Give me my phone!" she bellowed. "I don't care that you snuck into Dr. Wu's lab, I don't care what you did with the skin samples you took from the sinoceratops, I don't even care that you stole it! All I want to do is call for help, now where is it?" she shouted causing confused murmurs to ripple through the group.
"I uh," Sammy started. "I don't know what you're talking about. Skin samples? Sneaking into labs? You made some crazy thing up in your own dang head!" the cowgirl dismissed walking towards the others.
"Back off!" Yaz warned. "Not everything revolves around you and your phone! It isn't Sammy's fault you lost it!"
"Would you guys please keep it down!" Ben pleaded looking up at them, still trying to recover from his shock. "There's a big-"
"A big scary dinosaur?" Kenji butted in, fear fueled anger taking control. "There's always a big scary dinosaur!"
"And you're always a big mouth jerk!" Ben shouted back equally unable to reign in his chaotic emotions.
"Give it back!" Brooklynn yelled. The five splintered, infighting taking over, while Darius stared up at the tree, his right hand coming to his neck in search of the comforting raptor tooth that resided there.
"My necklace." he whispered sorrowfully when he realized that it was missing. "I-I had it when-" he turned to look back the way they had come, eyes welling with tears. "When we fell..."
"Fighting isn't going to help any of us!" Ben shouted at last. "No one is getting out of here. We just saw people get eaten! We're alone, we're defenseless... We're dead." Sitting on the ground arms folded across his knees the boy started to cry, a chill sweeping through his form.
"We're not giving up." Darius announced after a minute, catching everyone off guard. "I get it," he went on taking a second to adjust his arm into a more comfortable position. "It's scary. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Things aren't always going to go your way. Life's messy, and sometimes things fall apart. But that's ok because when they do that's when we pick up the pieces, and keep going, and never give up."
"Your dad really should have been a motivational speaker or something." Kenji commented, wincing with discomfort as he approached Darius.
"Thanks." he replied with a sense of sorrow-laced pride, still tracing the front of his t-shirt.
"What about your necklace?" Brooklynn asked.
"Its not important," Darius said even as bitter tears of loss escaped him. "I have the memories right here." Carefully the pink haired girl hugged him apologetically.
"What do we do?" Yasmina asked, arms folded, jaw set with determination.
"We head south." Darius replied. "Towards the park, get help. The only way we'll make it is if we do it together. We're a team or we're nothing at all."
"Or, you know, we don't go back into the jungle." Ben said apprehensively as he got up, though all around him he could see the attitudes of the other campers shifting, they still looked scared, but ready to do something about it.
"You can wait for Roxie and Dave, but I'm with Darius." Kenji said. "We're going south, the rest of you coming or what?"
"I'm in." Brooklynn said following the hapless leaders as they achingly shuffled forward like a pair of zombies.
"We're in too." Yaz announced wrapping her arm around Sammy and falling in line.
Watching them leave Ben straggled behind, believing that it was safer to stay there. Wasn't this the first place people would look for them? He thought, besides what were the odds that it would come back? Ice filled his stomach at the thought of running into the I-Rex again, but out there, in the wild, it seemed so much more harrowing.
"Come on Ben," Kenji called back to him. "It's just one dinosaur."
"It's just one dinosaur." Ben repeated. "It's just one dinosaur." There seemed to be power in the words as he spoke them, the knowledge of how large the island was, and how dense the jungle easing his mind somewhat. "It's just one dinosaur." he said again like a mantra, adjusting his fanny pack Ben trailed behind the group as he reluctantly followed them into the unknown.
Trekking through humid jungle for what felt like hours, the group walked in silence afraid to draw attention to themselves, even when they broke to catch their breath the only conversation that occurred was in the form of hushed, paranoid whispers. That was until Ben, preoccupied with cleaning himself, skin crawling, the need to wash it away all consuming, stepped on a twig, startling himself into letting out a little cry. Jumpy the others screamed and turned reactions varying from fight, flight, and freeze.
"I'm sorry," he said tone low. "I stepped on a twig."
"I should step on you!" Kenji hissed in pain, teeth gritted, holding his chest, color draining from his face after turning too quickly.
"Ow, ow, ow!" Darius whimpered sinking to his knees, free hand tenderly cupping his dislocated joint. "It's alright Ben," he breathlessly managed after a minute, "We're all on edge."
"Darius," Sammy said, biting her bottom lip apprehensively. "I think I can fix your shoulder." Everyone looked at the girl sceptically. "My daddy got kicked before I was born, his shoulder slides out of place every now and then. I've had to pop it back a couple times when we've been out working... I just... Don't want to make it worse."
"Don't trust her Darius, she's a liar and a theif!" Brooklynn sneered glaring up Sammy.
"He can't keep going like this, the sooner we get it back in the better!" Sammy pleaded. "I just want to help."
Watching the exchange Ben picked his way over to the group, scanning the trees for movement as he did. "Sammy's right," he muttered. "The pain should go away once we get it back, and the longer we leave it, the more chance of permanent damage."
"See," Yasmina argued staring at the pink haired girl with spite. "We should let Sammy help, she knows what she's doing."
"She only says she knows what she's doing!" Brooklynn countered.
"Yeah, but what if she fucks it up even more?" Kenji observed from the sidelines.
Meanwhile Ben noticed that the boy whose shoulder was so hotly contested had fallen silent, crying as discreetly as possible where he sat cross-legged. Walking towards him Ben got down to his level, ignoring as rocks and dirt bit sharply into his knees. "Are you alright?" he asked looking at the boy whose left cheek was beginning to bruise, the eye swollen tightly shut.
"No." Darius sobbed. At the sound the bickering stopped and they all turned towards their friend in white.
"What do you want us to do?" Ben questioned gently.
"I can't do it anymore," he replied through the tears. "It hurts so much, I-I need Sammy to try, please!" Darius begged.
"Ok," Sammy said stepping up, this time no one protested. "I need a branch that's about as big around and his wrist. Yaz, Brooklynn, can you hold him steady?"
Ben watched wide eyed and uneasy as the girls forced the branch under Darius' armpit as he cried out and struggling not to pull away or fight them. Then Ben realized that they were going to use it as a fulcrum, making a leaver of his arm and once raised would wedge it back in place. Hurriedly covering his ears, eyes squeezed shut, Ben turned away crouching down as if bracing for an explosion. He still heard the wet pop, and shrill scream that quickly died as Darius fainted from the intense burst of pain. Turning back around Ben saw a worried Brooklynn fanning her hand infront of his face, while Sammy pushed and massaged Darius' shoulder.
"It feels right." Sammy confirmed confidently swinging and rotating his ragdolled arm. "No pops, clicks, or tension."
"Do, do you think that thing heard him?" Ben mumbled.
Kenji let out an irritable sigh, "Probably, now stand up you big baby!"
"When will he," Brooklynn had started to asked when Darius groaned turning his head from side to side as he came to.
"Ow." he muttered. Testing out his arm a minute later he clenched his fist, moving it with reserved caution. "Thank you Sammy, thank you!" he enthused sitting up.
"Your muscles are still gonna be real sore, so keep it in the sling for now ok?" she smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Everyone got back to their feet and with a renewed sense of urgency, fearful of what Darius' cry might attract rushed away from the area.
"We're lost." Yasmina commented after lugging around through the jungle for who knew how long.
"Yeah we've been out here for a while now," Sammy agreed. "Darius are we sure we're still headed towards the park?"
"Well, we'd be sure of we still had my phone because it has a compass, a GPS, and is also a phone!" Brooklynn said angrily.
"I-I have a compass." Ben said with meek embarrassment, digging through his pack, ignored by the others.
"Sammy didn't take your phone!" Yaz snapped pushing her away. "No one took your phone! Can we please stop talking about the phone?"
"You guys! You guys, you guys, you guys! Can you um both yell at each other quieter please!" Ben interjected, palming the compass as he moved between the warring parties.
"My fellow campers!" Kenji announced loudly. "Chill. What we need here is someone who can make the hard call on what to do next, and since I'm obviously leadership material, I'll do this!" he smiled, the fact that he was holding his side doing little to steal his natural bravado, as the others looked at him with disbelief, unamused by his antics in so dire a situation. "And my first decree as leader is for everyone to stop talking and listen to Darius. So, which way Darius."
Pushing his way through everyone an agitated Ben handed the tool with the cracked face to his friend. "With everything that happened... I didn't think about it." he apologized when Darius looked down at the little red arrow that confirmed that they had drifted off course and back up at Ben.
Darius let out a dismal sigh, before looking around, hoping to gain some kind of barrings when he announced, "I know where we are!" Rushing away. "We're by the carnotaurus paddock!"
"I thought this place looked familiar!" Kenji grinned to the others and they hurried to catch up. "Am I an excellent leader or what?"
"I remember the fence! The broken ripped down fence..."
"That means Toro is out here with us?" Ben asked staring at the twisted pylons, and broken crossbeams with terror.
"Now we have to deal with Indominus and Toro." Darius reasoned. "Hold up, how do you know about Toro?"
"We all know," Yaz declared. "Kenji told us like, the day after it happened."
"In my defense me saving you was super cool!" Kenji defended himself, in the most Kenji way imaginable.
"Fine, this enclosure is due north of the main park, and with this compass if we keep heading south we'll wind up at the visitors center." Darius said planning it all out for them. "We're sure to find Dave and Roxie, or someone else in charge."
"Yes," Kenji agreed, "That's exactly what I was thinking, as leader, which I am. Follow me!" he said amid rolled eyes as the campers moved onwards.
Ben hung back staring at the fence, if that thing could do all of this, what hope did they really have of capturing it? "I don't think that finding an adult is going to help. A terrifying, camouflaged dinosaur destroyed our camp. No way they have a plan for that." he said to their wayfinder who had stayed back with him.
"Ben I know it's scary but this is Jurassic World dealing with dinosaurs is what they do!" the other boy beamed with blind faith.
"They didn't do so well at their first park did they?"
"Everything will be ok, trust me."
It was nearly an hour later when they stumbled across a horrific sight. A dead ankylosaurus lying in a heap near the familiar shape of a gyrosphere, though, one that had been torn apart. Light headed with palpitations Ben circled the vehicle, shattered glass crunching under his feet, how was it strong enough to do that? he wondered, though he dreadfully felt that it was better not to receive an answer.
"Predators don't kill prey and then just leave without eating..." Darius said, perplexed as he approached the dead animal, hand running along its pebbled neck. "This, this isn't right."
A sudden rustle in the undergrowth nearby sent the terrified children diving for cover. Hands over his head as he ducked behind the broken sphere, Ben closed his eyes. This was it, he thought, readying himself to die. I love you mom, I love you dad! Just then, he heard a plaintive little cry, it almost sounded like- Turning he saw her, standing alone calling for her family, Bumpy. Overwhelmed with relief that she was alright, long held fears and suspicions that she had been euthenized lifting from him, like a burdening weight leaving his shoulders Ben ran to the little animal, overjoyed, his own mortal fear dissolved in that instant.
"Bumpy!" he grinned hugging the ankylosaurus who now reached his knee in height, turning her little head so that he could get a good look at her. The intelligent light in the baby dinosaur's eyes shone back just as happy as she squeaked at, and nudged her human mother with delight.
"And droolly, and smelly." Kenji added as the others approached the cuddly pair. "How do you even know that's the same dinosaur?"
"I just do." Ben smiled. "And her big head bump." he then remarked when some of the campers appeared less than satisfied with the answer. "Dr. Wu said she's asymmetrical, but he's wrong that it's a bad thing, and so what if she is asymmetrical?" he asked rubbing around her big horn with one hand, the other giving her chin skritches that made Bumpy close her eyes contentedly with the other.
"There's nothing wrong with being different, or bumpy." Ben went on, before a thought seemed to occur to him. Oh, no. What if she had been here when it happened? What if she'd seen the other ankylosaurus get murdered? Did she know them? Was that her dino-mom?
"Don't look. It's ok, I've got you, just don't look." he sniffled cupping his hands around Bumpy's eyes and turning her away from the terrible scene. "It's not fair!" he announced to no one in particular. "When you're little you shouldn't have to go through something so horrible like this! You shouldn't- you shouldn't have to be so scared all the time. You shouldn't have to hide how bad it hurts..." he trembled blinking back tears, unconsciously projecting some of himself onto Bumpy. "She's so tiny! Why did it have to happen to her?" he asked misty eyed, empathizing with what he was sure the baby animal was going through as she nuzzled him, knocking him into his backside, trying to crawl into his lap.
"What are you talking about?" Kenji scoffed. "This is nature, animals kill each other all the time! It's natural!"
"He's right." Yaz added a brow arched judgmentally at the boy on the ground.
"There is nothing natural about what happened!" Ben yelled vehemently. "Nothing!" There was a long pause where he stared up in angry defiance of the others, face red, before adding, "Darius even said so! And even if it was that doesn't make Bumpy's hurt go away!"
"Jesus Christ!" Kenji half shouted. "Fine, now can we get this show on the road? Big scary dinosaur, remember?"
"Yeah and Ben, I don't think animals feel things exactly the way we do." Sammy said trying to gently coax him away.
"That's because you're a cow killer." Ben muttered, chosing to ignore them he lavished affection and snuggles onto the dinosaur who had grown so much since she had fit in the palm of his hand.
"Well, I'm not spending another hour walking through the jungle hoping we don't run into that Indominus!" Brooklynn put in. "We need a new plan."
"Uh, yeah, obviously we need a new plan," Kenji agreed, earning a dirty look from Ben who was fed up with him already. "That's why I had Darius come up with a new one, lay it on us bro."
"Ok, so uh, we need to find somewhere safe close by." the other boy began, thinking out loud as he was caught off guard by his sudden new responsibility. "Camp is back that way, and the park is that way... Isn't Dr. Wu's field genetics lab near here?" he asked. "You guys went on the tour does this area look familiar?"
"Yeah," Sammy said, sounding unsure at first. "Yeah I think it's that way."
"That seems right." Yaz agreed.
"Great, then that's where we should go, there's bound to be an adult there who can help, or tell us what to do! Right?" Darius said with a tainted sense of hope. It was then that another roar filled the air.
"Fine, whatever, we'll go to the lab!" Brooklynn said. "As long as we are moving away from that!"
"What about Bumpy?" Ben asked watching as his friends moved past them.
"She's a dinosaur bro, she belongs out here in the wild." Kenji said.
"And she'll just slow us down." Yasmina added. "We've gotta go now."
Ben looked down at Bumpy who rubbed her head against him fondly before looking up at him clear feelings of love and devotion in her gaze. The teen's heart ached. He couldn't leave her, not again, not knowing that she was going to be hurt.
"But-" he started.
"Say 'goodbye' Ben." Kenji commanded apathetically.
"No!" Ben yelled surprising everyone as he jumped to his feet and stood his ground. "You say 'hello!' I'm not just going to leave her out here alone and defenseless! She's a baby, she needs someone to protect her!"
"Oh and what you're going to be the one to do that?" Kenji laughed.
"Yes, I am!" Ben shouted tearing up angrily. Fists clenched he glared at the others, daring them to argue.
Darius was the intermediary, "Ok, ok, if she can keep up, she can come with us. If we find a herd, any herd, of herbavores we leave her with them. Does that work?" he asked.
Flustered Ben looked between his friends before conceding. "Fine." he agreed in a choked tone. "See," he said turning to the little dinosaur. "I'll take care of you, promise."
After a few moments of pleading, tugging, and luring, eventually Ben was able to entice Bumpy into following them with sweet gentle words while walking backwards. After a bit he wasn't really sure what he was saying anymore, half rambling in a light singsongy voice about what a good girl she was as she happily followed after him. Bumpy who chortled and called back, stared up at the teen the entire way. It made his heart swell, and Ben couldn't resist giving his girl a head pat, reassured by her.
"This is ridiculous!" Brooklynn said throwing her head back after a while. "Ben, that's it, it was a good run, but she's slowing us down!"
"She can move faster!" Ben argued. "Ankylosaurus can run very fast, isn't that right Darius?" he asked the only ally he had previously had.
Darius looked at Ben, then Bumpy who gamboled about his feet excited to be reunited with him, and have a herd again. "I don't know," Darius said, rubbing his aching arm as he thought. "When they're fully grown maybe."
With a happy gurgling sound Bumpy headbutt Ben in the back of his legs, sweeping him off his feet, before rolling onto the ground herself, closing her eyes and dozing off without warning. Warmly reminded of Boo from Monster's Inc. Ben found himself stroking the sleeping baby's side before staring up at what felt like an execution squad.
"Wow, total speed demon." Kenji said tone dripping with sarcasm. "We're ditching it."
"No!" Ben shouted, startling Bumpy awake.
"Ben, you aren't thinking this through!" Brooklynn said pinching the bridge of her nose. "Bumpy's too slow!"
Hope slipping out of his grasp Ben looked around desperately for something, anything to help as he felt his breath hitch. That was when he spotted the van, half hidden by a thick standing of ferns in the distance. "Then, then, we'll put her in the van!"
"What van?" Sammy asked.
"That one!" Ben pointed. Everyone turned to look with amazement at the partially obscured automobile.
Hurrying over to the large black vehicle their pacing slowed at the sight of crimson staining the ground near the rear doors. Flies buzzing in an eager frenzy around a severed leg, coils of innards hanging from a nearby tree. Something, really, really bad had happened here, Ben thought, swallowing hard.
"That's... an ACU, Asset Containment Unit van..." Kenji said as they crept closer, and closer to the scene. "I got a tour of their HQ, they're super hardcore, dino-trapping security dudes..."
"I knew they couldn't have a plan for something like this!" Ben whined as they tiptoed nearer.
Taking as deep a breath as he could muster Kenji threw open the ajar rear door to reveal a blessedly empty and reenforced interior, with wing benches to the left and right. "Do you think there's anyone left?" Yasmina asked taking in their surroundings with fresh, frightened eyes, and everyone huddled close together.
"Is that a tablet?" Brooklynn shouted pushing her way through to the device and turning it on.
Following her in and snagging a radio from the floorboard Sammy began turning the knobs, "What did tell us? Oh, right. Channel six. Dave, Roxie! Can y'all hear us?" she called, only to get a violent crackle of static in response.
"And of course this doesn't have communication enabled, because why would it?" Brooklynn complained as everyone began climbing in. "If I had my phone-"
"Enough already!" Darius shouted, hefting himself in one handed. "There are bigger things going on here than your phone!" From where he stood near the doors Ben could see the dejected look that came across the pink haired girl's face, part of him felt sorry for her.
"There's a map program with little moving dots on it." she announced then, lowering the handheld computer for the others to see.
"They chip all of the dinosaurs electronically to track them," Darius explained, reaching towards the device. "See, there is us and there's-" a series of dots popped up on the screen.
"Wait," Kenji said brows knit. "This is the brachiosaurus grove here, so why are the brachiosauruses way over there?"
"I think maybe the fences are down, or at least some of them." Darius muttered eyes closed woefully.
Bumpy turned towards the trees then and began bleating in alarm, the sound sending a thrill of fear through Ben who crouched down and began shushing the ankylosaur, stroking her neck in a way he hoped was comforting. Bird calls and the sound of something big coming towards them shook the trees behind them.
"Guys, something's coming this way!" Ben warned the others.
"That's weird what ever it is it's not showing up on the tablet." Brooklynn noticed.
"What kind of dinosaur wouldn't have a transponder?" Darius asked.
"I don't want to wait around to find out!" Kenji said.
Listening to them talk as he tried to calm and reassure Bumpy, Ben couldn't help but feel the seriousness of what was happening had in someway escaped the others, as he watch the crowns of the jungle bend and shake with the might of the creature that approached them.
"Shut her up!" Yaz said in a taught whisper coming up behind the boy and dinosaur.
Just then Bumpy gave the mightiest bellow her little voice could muster, Ben could feel her trembling. Then, something responded with malevolence.
"We gotta go now!" someone shouted.
Ben struggled for a second but with Sammy's help was able to get Bumpy inside the vehicle. Leaping into seats everyone buckled in bracing themselves as they waited, only to realize that no one was driving. With a grunt of frustration the oldest among them clamoured into the front seat, knocking the air out of his lungs as he did. Sitting, eyes squeezed closed he let out a trembling breath.
"Please, please stop!" he muttered, tensing and relaxing, tensing and relaxing until the pain subsided some and he turned the key in the ignition, and none too soon. Muttering to himself as he repeated his driving instructions Kenji pulled away suddenly as the Indominus burst through the trees charging towards them.
"It's gaining!" Sammy screeched as the great white beast hurtled through the primeval forest behind them, teeth gnashing dangerously.
"You're in the wrong gear!" Yasmina added.
"Well how do I shift gears?" Kenji asked.
Bumpy let out a cry, leaning forward in his seat Ben's back gave a jolt. Ignoring it he grabbed onto the animal, hugging her to him and closing his eyes. "It's going to be alright!" he said. "Shh everything is going to be ok!"
"Drive!" Yaz commanded diving over the front seat and yanking the wheel.
Thrown sideways by the momentum Ben felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, desperately he held on tighter to his ward. Jostled and tossed around in the back as the van mowed down plants, tires bouncing over rocks, turning first this way and then that, the passengers all seemed to feel the same sort of distress, and haplessness to their situation. Then, without warning they were airborne, Ben's stomach doing a flip flop. They all screamed. Ben's head jarring when they hit the ground rolling. Leaving the Indominus behind roaring with defeat they eventually came to a stop against a tree.
Shaking everyone looked around at each other with a mixed sense of relief, and unease. "At least we lost Indominus." Brooklynn smiled as they all caught their collectively panicked breaths.
"Now where do we go?" Yaz asked.
"How about the genetics lab?" Ben asked gesturing towards the windshield, through which could be seen the large white building. Everyone turned to gape at him. "It's a gift." he shrugged.
As they all began filing out Ben took a moment to look Bumpy over for any injuries. Nurturing her he have a little click of his tongue, flicking a clump of mud out of a back plate with disapproval. "It's alright Bumpy, we'll be safe here. And I promise I will never, ever let anyone hurt you." he vowed becoming dewy-eyed as he looked at the baby he felt he'd had a hand in bringing into the world. "Ever."
Notes:
Sorry for the long wait, it's been busy for me lately!
Happy New Year, may 2021 treat you all well, and thanks for reading! :)
Chapter 16: The Day of Reckoning: Part Two
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The lack of scientists walking to and fro from the remote genetics lab was probably the first sign that this was niether the refuge in which to ride out the storm, nor the safe harbor where they might gain help that the children had been seeking. Still, Yasmina chose to keep these thoughts to herself in the hopes that it was merely her inborn pesimism getting the best of her. The outside of the building gave a threatening air of doom to the girl, it's sharp angular sides rising up out of the ground like wards poised defiantly against all who dared to tread, thick creeping vines winding around the concrete, competing against palms, and epiphytes, each vying desperately to claim their place in the life giving sunlight.
Rubbing the nervous chill out of her arms Yasmina was caught by two conflicting thoughts, I forgot just how intimidating this place was, and, it's actually kinda pretty in it's own modernist meets naturalist sort of way, if things were different maybe I could have brought my sketch book.
Eventually though the campers, one mewling baby dinosaur in tow, ducked through the front doors of the lab. Trepidation, and disquiet permeated the atmosphere. The lights were out, the sterile white walls looming above the children with menace in the darkness. Glass and the brittle spliner of amber ground beneath their heels as they walked, the treasured mosquito collection toppled to the floor. The bitter, acrid reek of chemicals and cleaners assaulted the campers nostrils as huddled together they edged deeper and deeper into the dark unknown, signs that the scientists, the adults, had fled everywhere with a grim certainty.
Finding her wrist in the pitch Yasmina felt someone grab onto her. Startling momentarily the athlete was just able to make out Sammy standing beside her, pulled away long enough to readjust her hold, and then lace her fingers through the cowgirl's. Warmth and relief filled her, as she found herself walked in tighter synchrony with the other girl.
"And I thought this place was creepy with the lights on." Yasmina muttered to the group who silently agreed, eyes wide trying to discern their surroundings.
"What if there's no one here?" Darius asked still trying, and apprehensively failing, to do his best to play the part of wise and all knowing second in command, seeing as Kenji had unceremoniously dubbed himself their leader.
"It doesn't matter," Brooklynn whispered dismissively. "As long as we find a phone, or a computer, and can call for help, we'll be fine hiding out here until they can catch that thing."
"Things," Ben put in, in a whisper. "Don't forget Toro is out there too."
"Always a ray of sunshine, aren't you Ben?" Kenji commented sarcastically.
Walking through dark barren halls the athlete felt sure now that she was right, everyone was gone. Then without warning something darted towards the kids in the dark. Instinctively Yaz grabbed onto Darius who was leading the way and yanked him backwards. He gave a sharp cry, crumpling in a heap instantaneously, in her alarm Yasmina had forgotten about his shoulder. There was little time for guilt or apologies as the sound of metal colliding with the floor tiles where Darius had stood only moments ago rang out soundly.
Leaping between her friends and the stranger her arms outstretched Yaz pushed the others back out into the hall, trying not to trip over Darius, and the stupid fucking baby dinosaur they just had to bring with them that was baying loudly. Then the figure came at them again. Planting one foot on the ground the girl kicked out as hard as she could with the other, connecting with something soft. There was a grunt from their assailant as they stumbled, but they picked themselves back up too quickly for the young woman's liking, weapon drawn above their head like a baseball bat.
"Well, come on mother fucker!" Yasmina yelled blood pumping hotly, fists clenched, ready for a fight. To her surprise the shadow hesitated.
"Wait, you're not-" a man's voice said before he could be heard shuffling away. Blinded by the sudden turning on of a light Yaz shielded her gaze blinking back tears. When she looked up again she saw a haggard man in a lab coat wielding a long metal rod with a wheel at the end of it, giving her the impression that he'd ripped the leg off a metal tray table, which upon further inspection was exactly what he had done. The man took the campers in, the nerves in his face melting away, then he smirked. "Dinosaurs, I thought you were dinosaurs..."
"Yeah right!" Yaz shouted adrenaline flowing through her veins. "What was with the ambush?"
"Like I just said, I thought, you were dinosaurs." he went on in a tone that read 'children shouldn't question adults.' Then, ignoring the teenagers who had appeared only moments ago as though they were last week's headline, the man instead began combing through various files that had been strewn across the desk.
"Move!" Brooklynn shouted before anything else could be said or done. Shoving past the others she snatched a phone off of its receiver and put it to her ear, nails drumming nervously against the desk. "No dial tone!" she said in a pinched voice, pressing the button to disconnect over and over in an attempt to raise someone, anyone.
"Phones are dead little girl, so are most of the lights," the man intoned turning to smile at the internet influencer. "So are we, but by all means keep trying. While you're at it, help yourself to some cake." he added gesturing to the large white sheet cake that had been left in the corner of the room. "Today's my birthday."
"H-happy birthday." Ben whispered in a nervous knee jerk reaction as he pulled Bumpy towards him, pressing his back tight against a distant wall, and trying to grab Kenji to sit with them as he walked past.
Yasmina glared at the stranger for a long minute, likewise unable to shake her misgivings as everything about the man from his tone to his body language set off red flags in the girl's mind. Putting it aside for the time being however she turned her attention to Darius, "I'm so, so sorry." she said stooping down to help him up.
"It's alright," Darius said with a weak smile, though it was clear on his face just how badly that had hurt.
Accepting her aid, his good arm looped around her neck Yasmina was caught off guard and balance when Darius suddenly let his full weight drop. Tumbling forward Yaz was able to keep her footing but only just, that was when she felt the boy's breath on her cheek as he held her close. "I don't trust this guy. Dinosaurs see better in the dark than we do. He's a scientist, he should know that. He's lying!" the boy hissed into her ear.
"We don't know that." she whispered back, helping him to his feet, denying her own fears.
"So what exactly happened here?" Brooklynn asked in a muffled voice, hands over her face as she sat in a chair, from what Yaz could tell, trying her best not to cry.
"Yeah, because this place is a shit hole." Kenji scoffed moving towards the cake.
"Did you shut the door behind you?" the man asked, still preoccupied with the papers, but now doing something in an attempt to revive the downed computer as well.
"Yeah," Sammy nodded coming to stand by Yaz again. "I think so."
"Good." the stranger replied, before the feeling of so many eyes on him made the man realize that an answer to their question was necessary. "Everyone ran, they left as soon as they realized this wasn't just another drill. They literally dropped everything, and ran... You smell that? I don't know what it is or how long it's safe to keep breathing it in, by hey look on the bright side, at least they didn't make mustard gas when they knocked over all the chemicals." he looked around at the kids and smiled, the dim half light illuminating his face with a sinister glow. "A word to the wise, don't go into the chem lab while you're poking around in here, we don't want those fumes to overwhelm us, do we?"
An uneasy quiet fell over the room as the kids looked at one another, each face frightened, each child on edge. No one made a move for a long minute, everyone weighing their own thoughts on this new and unpredictable situation in which they found themselves against the knowledge of assured destruction should they venture back out into the wilds. It was Sammy who broke the silence first.
"You said the lights were still working, at least around here?" she said. The man only nodded. "Then, I'm going to go to the bathroom, maybe clean up a bit!" she smiled, motioning towards the dried brown-ish red blood that caked her arm and stained clothes.
"I'll go with you." Yasmina assured following the other girl as she anxiously made her way towards the bathroom. More than wanting to protect her, which she did, Yaz just needed a moment alone with Sammy, if only for her own peace of mind.
The lights flickered briefly, before illuminating the interior fully, motion activated sensors coming to life the second the pair walked in. Making her way to the sinks the cowgirl leaned on one and let out a pent, shaky breath before looking at herself in the mirror. "I sure do look a mess don't I?" she laughed, looking as Yasmina's reflection.
"Yeah." Yaz replied.
They made eye contact through the mirror, and Yasmina's heart went a flutter, her stomach filled with butterflies. Grabbing a handful of paper towels from the despenser she wasn't sure how to say all the of things she'd been thinking, all of the things she'd planned to say when she followed the other girl in here. So Yaz stayed quiet, lips pressed together in a tight line as she watched Sammy washing her arm in the sink from the corner of her eye. Ringing out the excess water Yasmina brought the paper towels over, and gently moving Sammy's hair aside began to wipe at the dried blood behind her ear, and down the back of her neck.
It had been the single most terrifying moment of her life, Yasmina thought, not just the fall, but waking up afterwards. Her chair had gotten tangled in the trees and vines on the way down and had slowed her decent substantially with the drag it had created so she'd hit the ground pretty gently, well, relatively speaking. The first one to come to, Yasmina had staggered about for a minute in a daze trying to collect her thoughts. It was then that she had spotted Sammy, face down in the dirt, so still, covered in so much blood. Yasmina shuddered at the memory, the feel of turning Sammy's lifeless form over in her arms, the harrowing belief that she was gone.
Dark recollection taking hold after a few minutes, her fingers started trembling, eyes flooding with tears as she worked with a quiet diligence Yasmina couldn't keep it in any longer. "I thought you were dead." she whispered. Sammy stopped scrubbing to look at the athlete in the reflective glass.
"I woke up, and you were just laying there, there was so much blood!" Yasmina sobbed. "I thought you were dead, and I didn't know what to do! I didn't-"
"Shh!" Sammy soothed, turning around and hugging Yaz.
Her face buried in Sammy's shoulder the young woman found herself unable to remain strong in that moment, and hugging her back began to cry.
"I'm ok, it's going to be alright!" Sammy promised. "I've got you, we're safe now."
"I thought- I thought- I- I-" Yasmina choked gripping onto Sammy, desperately unable to shake the image of her lying unresponsive in her lap, head lulling to the side. Struggling for a minute to pull herself together, and to articulate why she was feeling the way she was Yasmina pulled out of the comforting embrace, looking up at Sammy with red rimmed watery eyes. Yaz swept one of Sammy's notoriously unruly stray locks out of her face, and finally found the words. "I love you."
Pressing her lips to Sammy's Yasmina held on tight as the other girl rocked back, off balance. Catching herself however Sammy pivoted the other way, and then back, turning them in a circle, and before Yasmina knew it, they were dancing. Bursting out in a sudden fit of laughter, her heart swelling Yasmina very unromantically ruined the moment as their teeth collided. She gazed adoringly up at Sammy before resting her head on the other girl's chest while the cowgirl hummed a sweet little song as they improvised a slow paced two step, and for a moment there was no one else alive.
Serenity had fallen over Yasmina, her eyes gently closed as they embraced, circling slowly, in an abandoned semi-public bathroom, no less, their shoes sliding over the slick white tiles as they turned in slow tender loops. If only they could stay like that for the rest of time, Yaz thought relishing the moment, that would be just fine with her. Then, she heard it, a change in Sammy's heart rate, her breathing becoming quicker too. Brow furrowed Yaz wanted to ask if everything was alright, if there was anything she could do to help in some way. Selfishly however, she didn't want to spoil the moment, and hugged herself closer instead.
"Yasmina," Sammy began quietly, worry in her voice. "There's something I really, really need to talk to you about..."
Oh no, Yasmina thought tensing, and then she realized what had just happened, she'd said the 'L' word. You don't say the big 'L' unless you're sure the other person feels the same way, and how could she? They hardly knew each other. What if Sammy had only kissed that night- wait was that really just last night? It seemed like to long ago already, one kiss and Yasmina had professed her love! She was a fucking moron! What if this wasn't love to Sammy? Yasmina fretted. What if this was just a summer fling? What if she had someone waiting for her back home? Yaz felt sick with nerves and anxiety, she'd fucked up.
"What is it?" she asked when the gentle sway she would have made herself at home in stopped, and Sammy slowly pushed her away, to arm's length.
"I don't know how to tell you, but," Sammy started blinking back tears, before taking a steadying breath. "I-" she started only to be cut off by the door bursting open, bouncing jarringly off the wall with force.
Startled Yaz jumped, turning to see Brooklynn standing in the doorway, arms folded an angry, yet skeptical expression her face. "What the hell?" Yasmina shouted. "What is your problem?"
"Who me?" the pink haired girl asked innocently. "I don't like liars." she shrugged walking in with ease, her steps light she was almost skipping as she made her way to the sink. "Besides I was just wondering what you two were conspiring about in here."
She was so smug and arrogant it was all Yasmina could do not to grab her by her gaudy cotton candy tresses and make her eat floor tile. "We're talking, and it's a private conversation!" she grit between her teeth.
"About what?" Brooklynn asked running cool water over her face.
"None of your God damn business, that's what!" Yaz shouted, only Sammy's hand on her arm kept her from stepping up.
"Oh, how convenient." Brooklynn smiled leaning up against the sink after she had washed most of the dirt away. Too bad she couldn't wash away the ugly, Yaz thought.
The room turned cold, tension filling the air with an electrified static as the girls sized one another up with hostility, Sammy trying in vain to curtail any fighting. It was as the warring parties seemed to reach the precipice of their rage that the door inched open.
"Bumpy, no, stop it!" Ben grunted, holding the door somewhat closed as the baby ankylosaurus tried barging in, honking and outraged that Ben would reveal to her an entire room beyond the door yet have the audacity not to let her explore it.
"What are you doing?" Brooklynn asked eyes narrowed as she turned on him.
"I um, I need to go to the bathroom..." he muttered, gaze shifting about nervously.
"So, go use the men's!" Brooklynn shouted, pointing with disgust for him to leave.
Ben turned away, looking back the way he'd come before sticking his head through the gap again. "Please?" he begged, voice desperate.
"Sure." Sammy shrugged, motioning for him to come in.
"What? That's disgusting!" Brooklynn snapped.
"Everybody poops." Sammy said rolling her eyes.
"So?"
"Just come in and piss already!" Yaz commanded, turning to the boy who was trying to beat a hasty retreat, her adrenal glands working with a manic overtime since the Indominus' rampage. He hesitated, looking apprehensively at everyone else before he and Bumpy scurried into the room.
"Thank you!" Ben whispered rushing towards a stall before turning to the little animal who was bounding up behind him with excitement. "Yes it's all a lot of fun. Now, stay here."
"Why do you have to be such a bitch all the time?" Yasmina remarked.
"Said the pot to the kettle!" Brooklynn yelled.
Fists were made, would be combatants moving towards each other heatedly when Sammy put herself between them. "We don't have time for this y'all!" she pleaded, passing a destitute look between her friends.
Yaz glanced at the hurt look on Sammy's face before staring hard at Brooklynn, and let out a sigh. Slowly the fight dying out of her Yasmina said, "She's right." and stepped down. Brooklynn looked like she was ready to argue but thought better of it, she folded her arms again and remained quiet.
"So, what're we doing?" Kenji asked sauntering in, eating a hearty slab of cake.
"Hey." Darius nodded following him in. "We need to talk."
"Oh fine, sure, I mean what are rules for anyways?" Brooklynn said sarcastically throwing her hands in the air as she walked to the far end of the room.
"You seriously brought cake into the bathroom?" Yasmina asked, disgusted as she stared at the oldest among them who inspite of his slow, pained movements seemed to be enjoying himself at the moment.
"Yeah?" he nodded.
"That's so gross Kenji!" Sammy added, nose wrinkled.
"No, it's whipped cream frosting, really good actually, want a bite?" he asked shoving his fork towards the girl.
"Why is everyone in here now?" a plaintive groan came from the stall.
"Ben?" Darius asked turning towards the toilets. "Good, we're all here."
"Could maybe less of us be here?" Ben asked.
"Oh my God," Kenji smirked. "Ben are you pee shy?" When the question was met with silence the group's 'leader' made his way to the stall and stuck his foot under the door. "That better?"
"I hate you, get out!" Ben shouted.
Annoyed and fed up with his constant showboating Yasmina walked up behind Kenji intent on slugging him, but she didn't want to make the same mistake twice. Remembering his ribs she grabbed the back of his shirt and tugged. "Leave him alone." she said, while Sammy got to work at the same time.
"Don't worry, I got you Ben." she assured opening every tap and turning on the hand driers until the who bathroom shounded like a hurricane was blowing through it.
Bumpy began to shriek fearfully at the machinery, her playful rollicking about put to an end she dove for cover under beneath the closed stall door, Ben shouted something that couldn't quite be understood. Yasmina couldn't help but chuckle everything else aside at the sight of her chubby little butt wiggling back and forth as Bumpy squeezed herself under. After a minute the timers ran out and everything shut off, the power, and noise slowly dying down. Shortly after a red faced Ben emerged sheepishly, the baby dinosaur attached at the hip as she seemed to question Ben's judgment, and rethink this new room, and it's potential.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Yasmina asked Darius, though she couldn't keep her gaze from drifting to Sammy.
"We can't stay here." the boy began turning to look at each of them in turn.
"No, we can't." Brooklynn agreed, hugging herself as she leaned against the far wall.
"Why not?" Kenji asked, turning away from the embarassed boy he'd been tormenting while he scrubbed up in the sink. "I mean the dinosaurs aren't exactly going to bust down the building, there's cake, vending machines we can hold out here a couple of days. Besides Eddie does seem that bad?"
"Eddie?" Brooklynn asked, brow arching.
"He told you his name?" Darius added to the inquiry.
"Uh-uh, the cake." Kenji explained motioning towards the curling letters iced in yellow. All of the other kids looked at one another with mounting unease. "What?" Kenji asked through a mouthful of cream.
"I just don't like the feel of this whole situation," Darius said unable to give an exact reason behind his mistrust he started picking things apart for all the hear. "This place is completely abandoned, except for 'Eddie,' why would he stay behind?"
"I don't know, he seems like he's working on something though." Yaz put in.
"But why?" Darius asked with perplexity. "Everyone else is gone, what's so important that he's still hanging around?"
"Maybe he's looking for something, you know, like a spy." Brooklynn said looking pointedly at the Texan who couldn't meet her gaze.
"Maybe..." Darius muttered thoughtfully. "That would explain the lab..."
"What about the lab?" Kenji scoffed still packing away the sweets.
"It's been trashed!" Darius laughed with disbelief. "Did you not see all the broken glass? The amber?"
"And?" the oldest boy asked.
"Think about it," Ben, who was trying to reassure the little dinosaur said rolling his eyes. "When was the last time the trophy case at your school got knocked over during a fire drill? Emergency or not they had to have been prepared for this in some way, that level of chaos out there?" he asked with a pointed finger. "If that doesn't happen with a school full of rowdy teenagers hyped up on caffeine, sugar, and copious amounts of raging hormones than it certainly wouldn't happen with a room full of highly educated, level headed scientists."
"Jesus, you talk like you're retired sometimes." Kenji observed with a weary expression. "You do realize you are an aforementioned teenager, right?"
"'Aforementioned?'" Yasmina smirked, it was always funny when Kenji tried to sound smart, it just didn't work.
"No, Ben really hit the nail on the head." Darius went on still ruminative. "Maybe he was looking for something hidden, or just got angry and started smashing things..."
"You all realize that we're judging a complete stranger right?" Yasmina said unable to keep from feeling defensive she crossed her arms with aggravation, accustomed to the receiving end of this exact sort of situation. Being on your toes was necessary, but this, somehow this felt different. "You know what they say about books and their covers?"
"We just listed evidence to support our suspicions." Darius opposed. "Besides, I didn't see you getting all chummy with him." Unable to deny this fact, though equally upset at condemning someone based solely on a feeling she remained quiet.
"Besides, what about that smell? What if it's some type of invisible gas?" Brooklynn asked. "If something did break in the lab I don't want to wait around to find out the long term affects of inhaling it!"
"So, what do we do now?" Sammy asked wringing her hands together.
Everyone was ashen faced as they stared at their shoes, the rapid succession of horror at the grim face of death, the frantic rudderless pelt into the unknown, the thinly veiled illusion of safety, and now this weighing on them. Soul crushed Yasmina glanced up at Sammy through her eye lashes, she watched her standing there just as lost as the rest of them, Yaz awash with uncertainty wondered what she had been getting ready to tell her, and what it meant for the nonexistent concept of 'them.'
"I don't know," Darius intoned after a bit, wiping at his eyes. "Maybe rest for a while then drive to the main park, find Dave and Roxie?" Timorously everyone agreed.
Filing out of the room the teenagers found the stranger still working with a fanaticism at the computer he had finally gotten to boot. Spreading about the lab they all settled quietly to watch him with an err of caution as they recouped their strength. Frenziliy typing away switching out flash drives from his pocket every now and then.
Looking to Sammy who sat, head resting on her shoulder eyes closed Yasmina took the others girl's hand in her own. Why did she always fall for girls who couldn't, or wouldn't love her back? she wondered with dismay.
"Again we are so glad we found you," Darius broke the hush after a while, trying to gauge the adult in the room, and just how much longer they could reasonably stay. "There's a giant camouflaged dinosaur out there, also regular dinosaurs, we've been hoping to find someone. The park has to have a plan, so what's the plan?" he asked with a faltering smile.
There was no response for the space of several minutes until the scientist glanced up from his station. "You're asking me?" he asked with a sharp bout of laughter.
"Is that a good freaky laugh?" Sammy asked groggily, picking her head up with a sway that made made Yaz worry about not only blood loss, but a concussion as well.
"Don't you get it kid?" the man scoffed looking up with ire and indignation. "We're doomed. No one is coming to help."
"What about Wu?" Darius asked.
"Wu?" the man chortled in response. "Who do you think is to blame? He got greedy and instead of building dinosaurs he built monsters. Masrani, Dearing, they're all clueless about what's really going on here."
"What's going on here?" Brooklynn asked walking closer eyes narrowed in sharp inquiry.
"It doesn't matter does it?" he replied looking the girl up and down as she approached him. Yaz stood up just in case his hostility turned into aggression. She had been wrong about him, she could admit it, sometimes the cover told the whole story, but there was no way she was going to let him lay a finger on Brooklynn, at least not before Yasmina had gotten a piece of her.
"This isn't a park," the man declared with an eerily calm tone. "It's a powder keg and it is detonating all around us. All it took was one little overly ambitious project to light the fuze."
"Whoa, let's uh, let's dial it back a little bit Eddie, you're scaring the kids!" Kenji said with his signature charm, nodding towards Ben who clung wide eyed to a napping Bumpy in the corner. The man didn't seem to hear him. "...Eddie?" Kenji tried his smile bearing an uncomfortable twinge of anxiety.
The man turned to him with a perplexed look, brows knit before something seemed to register and he glanced at the cake and chuckled. Yasmina's stomach filled with ice water, every muscle in her body tensing. She looked at Kenji who appeared just as chilled and caught unawares. "We have to go, right now." Yaz mouthed, pointing sharply to the ground, but Darius, exhausted and in pain was overcome with upset and disillusionment despite how he had foreseen things going and began lamenting loudly.
"I can't believe it!" he shouted. "You're an adult, you're supposed to know what to do! You're supposed to help us! We drove all the way here and-"
"Wait," 'Eddie' smirked pulling a drive out of the computer. "You have a vehicle?"
Before anyone could react the man grabbed the desk lamp and only source of light in the room, smashing it in a shower of sparks against the device he'd been toiling with. Submerged in darkness Yaz grabbed onto Sammy as everyone began shouting and screaming, scrambling to find one another they tripped and stumbled over the disarray scattered across the floor. Eventually they made their way into the searing light of day.
"Guys," Kenji said brows furrowed. "I left the keys in the van!"
The children turned to see the black vehicle start up and begin to roll away. "Uh-uh, no fucking way!" Yasmina yelled pushing off as though from a starting block.
Feet churning, heels striking the earth with a comfortable familiarity the girl felt empowered by her own speed and strength in that moment. Anger and resentment welling within her as she gained the athlete was determined not to let that son of a bitch get away, not with their ticket to survival. Focused only on the goal ahead Yasmina's short-sightedness literally caught up with her as her shin bit into something hard. Carried forward by her momentum she toppled head over heels, gravel digging into her back, over the baby ankylosaurus who honked and screeched loudly.
"Bumpy!" Yaz grit before standing up and starting again. She was right there, only a few yards behind the van when there was a terrible sound of crushing dented metal as something large and red collided with the side of the vehicle, sending it spinning into the field nearby.
Shock and fear lancing through her Yasmina skidded to a halt and fell back, the feel of dirt scrapping the skin from the back of her legs meaningless as she watched in stunned dread as Toro made its way towards the large motionless black box, striking it with the side of its head. She watched in horror as the man who would have left them for dead climbed frantically about the interior of the van in an attempt to get away for the carnotaurus. Jumping with fright when someone grabbed her by the arm and tried pulling her away Yaz turned to see the cowgirl urging her to flee, eyes locked on the shrieking man who'd been caught by the ankle as he tried to crawl beneath the car.
Following her as the kids raced for cover, there was a final scream followed by a hideous crunch. Beside her, Kenji, his stomach clenching lost his cake painfully as they ran. Bypassing the toxic lab the campers hurried past large blue drums and shipping freight only to be met with the large steel bands of a fence. Slamming her fists against it, Yaz wailed at the bitter injustice of a cruel God.
Toro roared and the kids threw themselves behind a large standing of rocks, huddling breathlessly for cover. Her pulse rapid Yasmina looked at her friends before spying Bumpy, Ben shielding her protectively with his body. All of the anger, frustration, and fear boiled out of control in the girl's chest until she erupted like a volcano.
"I told you she'd get in the way!" Yaz said emphasizing her rage with an uncharacteristically cruel kick to the little animal's side. "If it weren't for her I would have made the van!" she added reeling her foot to strike again as the thing bleated helplessly and Ben shifted about to defend her, taking the second kick in the back.
"Yaz!" Sammy whispered urgently yanking the other girl backwards. "That's enough," she whispered. "You're scared, but that's enough."
Remorseful, Yasmina stared at Sammy with watery eyes, she was right, but that didn't keep Yasmina from venting her heated dissatisfaction at the set back.
"Why couldn't you leave her behind?" Yaz demanded an answer.
"Because I won't abandon her like we were!" the boy shouted back. "I-I can't, she needs me. And she just saved your life! Maybe kicking a baby is-" a bellow from the carnotaurus searching around for more flesh to satiate it's appetit cut off his words.
"Ben's right," Darius muttered dismally. "We're on our own. We make a run for it, to the van, agreed?" Everyone nodded solemnly.
Ducking low to the ground they scampered about the large shipping containers, using them to conceal their movement as Toro searched and sniffed around for its illusive prey, the ground trembling with the nearness of its strides. Back pressed against cold metal Yasmina closed her eyes as Toro got nearer scenting the air. Several feet from the rest of them Kenji had pulled a straggling Ben into hiding just in time. That thing was going to get them all killed, Yasmina thought glaring at Bumpy who Ben hugged onto like the stupid bleeding heart he was. Darius motioned for the pair to join the rest of them, but they wouldn't risk it.
That was when the maverick of recklessness got an idea and hurled a rock against a distant stack of drums where it clattered noisily. Making their way towards them the boys looked like rabbits in a snare, and acidic reek of vomit clinging to the eldest. They were nearly there and legged it for the final stretch, only Brooklynn fell. The tablet she'd been clutching like it offered some form of magical protection since she found it began trilling loudly. Trying to pull Sammy after her Yaz tore away from the pack towards the van.
In a single excruciating moment Sammy pulled out of her grip and ran towards the pink haired girl where she lay frozen in fear. Without hesitation the cowgirl ripped her off the ground, and the two ran. Before Yasmina could act the dino-nerd was at it again banging a stick and calling for Toro's attention. The situation well at hand Yasmina continued to run.
Making it to the van Yaz shoved Kenji out of the way with a terse, "I'm driving!" while everyone else piled in, Darius making a last minute dive into the bed at the back of the van before Yasmina stepped hard on the gas and they peeled out, tires churning.
Shrinking away in the rearview mirror Toro roared with annoyance as it watched it's meal get away. There was a moment of stunned silence before everyone began whooping and hollering excitedly, the joy of life winning out once more against the reality of death. It was then that the radio crackled to life.
"Kids?" Roxie's stressed voice a familiar comfort came in over the speaker. "Come on pick up! There's something going on. Stay at camp, we're heading to you."
Leaning over the seat Darius snatched up the device and radioed back. "No, we're heading to you!"
"Darius what are you-"
"We're all fine, but we had to leave camp." he went on.
"What?" Dave and Roxie shouted in unison.
"Short story a dinosaur ate camp." Yaz called over her shoulder as she drove.
"And Jayson... and a lot of other people." Ben added in a whisper, Bumpy calling loudly as she nudged him.
"We're in a van, cutting through the jungle heading for the main park." Darius explained, and like that they were saved.
A warm sense of relief washed over Yasmina, one that the others seemed to feel as well when Sammy shouted "Woo, we did it camp family!"
"My phone." Brooklynn muttered in hollow surprise, when something clattered to the floor. "I knew it!" she screamed.
Turning back Yasmina stared at the pink cell with the shattered face, before looking back up at Sammy her heart beginning to race with a different type of anger, and fear. "Sammy?" she asked.
The girl pitched forward abruptly, the collision sudden and unexpected as the van drove straight into a rock face. Electricity raced up her neck, the impact of her head battling the steering wheel a deep blow that sent dark orbs swimming in the driver's vision. She tasted blood.
She couldn't do this, she thought unbuckling her seatbelt and half falling out of the van as she opened the door staggering away. Her breath caught in her throat, tears overwhelming Yasmina as she cupped her split lip and bloody nose the girl ignored the others calling for her as she moved further and further away from them. She couldn't breathe, she could barely even stand, knees weak and threatening to give out at any time. Yasmina felt like she was drowning as wave after wave of sorrow and betrayal washed over her.
This was so, so much worse than anything she could have imagined. Worse than a fling, even worse than if the other girl had someone else waiting for her in Texas. Sammy had lied, none of it, absolutely none of it was real, none of it meant anything to her. At least if it had been a brief affair it would have meant something even if was something insignificant and doomed to end. Clutching her chest, heart throbbing agonizingly Yaz felt like she was going to die. She had shown herself to Sammy, her real self, told her everything, given her everything like a fool, and it meant nothing.
It meant nothing.
Nothing.
Yasmina wanted to die...
Notes:
This chapter was a lot more difficult to write than I had anticipated, sorry for the wait. :'(
Just a few things I changed up 'Eddie' because even though it's a kids show I thought it was kinda dumb for Mantah Corp to entrust such deep cover espionage to someone so flighty and inexperienced in addition to their gamble with a sixteen year old girl. So I made him more capable.
Also I watched a video where it was originally meant to be Toro and not Indominus in this episode and honestly I preferred the original roles especially considering Indominus can sense body heat, something that is mentioned once in the movies and is then completely forgotten and disregarded.
Let's face it people no matter how sensitive to smell Indominus is that gasoline wasn't going to save Owen in the movie, and the rock trick Darius' used wasn't going to be an affective decoy in the show against something that can sense body heat.
Also I just wanted to let everyone know that I am avoiding Season 2 of the show all together, no trailers, no episodes, nothing. I am worried that if I watch it, it will kill my creative buzz and drive for this fic, it's happened to me in the past with other fics and fandoms. I really love this story and don't want to let it die especially now that I finally have it plotted out all the way to the end. So please no spoilers in comments should you leave them!
Thank you all for reading! 💖
Chapter 17: The Day of Reckoning: Part Three
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
With a complete disregard for her physical pain Sammy yanked her seatbelt off. Still reeling from the crash she sprawled to the floor without it's support, vertigo overwhelming. Her disjointed thoughts took notice of a nickel that had rolled beneath the bench, it's gleaming silver face catching her eye before urgency overtook her. Picking herself up again the girl stumbled from the back of the van, dirt churning beneath her hands and knees as she crawled free from the vehicle. Wretching with nausea Sammy struggled to catch her breath, gulping for air before she found her feet, unsteady as they were.
"Yaz!" she called after the girl who seemed keen to put as much space between the two of them as possible. "Wait, Yasmina!"
The world shifted and wobbled all around Sammy, colors bleeding, shapes merging, and skewing into one another as her eyes welled up with tears that distorted everything she looked at. She felt faint, her limbs cold with shock, and despair, a radiating pulse beginning at the base of her neck and spreading outwards into her back and shoulders. She dismissed the pain and trudged on, her hand outstretched.
Oh God, she thought, the toe of her boot connecting with a rock, she tripped, catching herself but only just. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. She had wanted to tell Yaz, had tried to tell her, she really had, but now, now Yasmina had taken off like arrow from a bowstring, visibly shaking as she stormed further and further away from the group.
"Please!" Sammy called her voice quavering with an abiding sorrow.
"Is everyone alright?" Darius asked moving like an old man as he climbed out of the double doors.
"No!" Kenji wept, slumping against the wheel well at the front of the car, air hissing between his teeth.
At the sound of Darius' question Yasmina turned around, stalking furiously back the way she'd come, her gaze blazingly locked onto Sammy as she shouted. "We are not alright! We're lost in this God forsaken jungle with a murderous camouflaged dinosaur and you?" Yaz snarled, eyes narrowed as leaned in with menace towards Sammy who shrank shamefully beneath her stare. "You."
"Destroyed our only way to get help and lied about it!" Brooklynn shouted little worse for wear as she motioned about accusingly with her wrecked cell. "I told you!" she declared with a vindicated smile.
"So you did take Brooklynn's phone?" Darius asked, the disappointment in his tone wounding while Sammy observed a shifting tide in her friends as they all began to turn against her. "Why?" he wanted to know. "What were you doing?"
"I-" Sammy started, her voice a hollow guilt ridden whisper.
"She was probably trying to erase my video of her taking those samples from the sinoceratops!" Brooklynn correctly surmised. Sammy gave her a pleading look not to say more, but the pink haired girl seemed both angered at having been discounted by everyone, and relieved that she had indeed been right and continued to piece the rest of the puzzle together. "And you knew about the Indominus Rex because you were snooping around Dr Wu's office when I ran into you. I knew it!"
"I didn't mean to destroy the phone." Sammy sobbed, trying to find one ally among the faces that stared so hard and hating at her. "I fell on it when the zipline came down-"
"But you did steal it? You had it that whole time and you didn't tell us?" Ben called from the other side of the van where he played nursemaid to Kenji who couldn't seem to find his footing.
"Hold up. What were you doing in Dr Wu's office Brooklynn?" Darius inquired, filling the farm girl with some hope that not all was lost for her. She'd been so preoccupied with the fear of being caught however that she'd never dared to ask the question herself, what had Brooklynn been doing? Surly she wasn't working for Mantah Corp as well? Turning with interest Sammy looked at the other girl who floundered uneasily beneath the scrutiny.
"I... It doesn't matter I didn't break our only way to call for help and then lie about it! This is not my fault, it's her fault!" Brooklynn shouted diverting all of the tension and blame back to Sammy.
Everything was happening too fast, and all at once, Sammy's head was a whirl, she felt herself being kicked and tossed about with the chaotic furry of a rodeo bull whose flank strap was tied too tight. A few loose tears leaving behind solemn tracks on her cheeks Sammy looked helplessly first at Darius, then Brooklynn, and lastly Yasmina who had a fire in her eyes that threatened to consume her, the heat of which scorched Sammy's soul with bitter damnation.
"I'm here to spy." Sammy cried out, hugging herself as she turned away from Yasmina, unable to meet her stare any longer. "For a company called Mantah Corp."
"Mantah Corp?" Darius asked, brows furrowed. "They're a bioengineering company big rivals of Masrani, they tried to make dinosaurs too but Wu beat them to it."
"You doomed us all for some lousy company?" Ben shouted, shooting up incredulously from the other side of the van.
"Our ranch was in trouble." Sammy began, teeth chattering with anxiety as she fought hard not to cry. "We were in real, real bad shape. My folks had to borrow a lot of money from some shady people... It just kept disappearing as fast as we could make it, and much faster than we could repay it. Our ranch was running itself into the ground. Then-" Sammy squeezed her eyes shut, a stabbing hopeless pain piercing her heart. "My daddy signed away the deed to the ranch! He sighed it away! It's not just where we work it's where we live! It's my home!" Trembling she took a moment to look about imploringly, surly they had to understand. It was her home, her everything, they were going to lose everything!
"Father of the fucking year!" Kenji shouted his expression hard set as he stood with difficulty.
"Don't you dare talk about my daddy that way Kenji Kon!" Sammy yelled taking a hurried step towards him, blood boiling. "He's a great man! He ju-"
"Yeah, sounds like a real winner!" Kenji argued back with a grunt.
"At least my daddy-"
"Guys!" Darius interrupted, "Please." The two looked at each other irate for a moment but said nothing more conceding to the dire nature of their situation. "I'm sorry about the ranch Sammy, but that doesn't explain what you were doing collecting samples for Mantah Corp." Darius went on, trying to re-rail, the conversation.
"I-I don't exactly know how its all connected either..." Sammy confessed, casting the boy a lost glance. "People just kept showing up, looking for money. Mama and Daddy tried to keep us from seeing it, but we're not stupid. It seemed like they were coming by all the time, sometimes things got really heated. We had to call the Sheriff once or twice, but as soon as they heard the cops were coming they'd hightail it..." the girl paused to take a deep steadying breath, the world still swaying beneath her feet, but not as drastically as before.
"Then the men in the suits, with the sleek black cars started showing up." she went on.
"Mantah Corp?" Darius asked.
"Mantah Corp." Sammy confirmed with a nod that she immediately regretted. "They started coming around more and more, even talking to my little sister, putting hands on her! They said that they would ensure that we lost everything unless I spied for them and used the behind the scenes access I'd get at camp to gather information from Wu's lab, DNA from dinos, and whatever else I could get my hands on. But then Brooklynn caught on and I got scared and everything went wrong. This is the last thing I wanted to happen. I'm so, so sorry!" Sammy said turning to face Yasmina.
"What to be stuck next to a broken down van on killer dinosaur island? Hey, me too, what are the odds?" Yaz bit out. "And it's totally not like it's your fault or anything, oh, wait."
"No," Sammy said between trembling breaths. "Hurting you."
"Oh, I'm so sure." Yasmina grit, with a bitterly wounded expression. "Was it all a lie? Pretending to be friends? Pretending you... Pretending you cared about me?" she asked unconsciously reaching up to brush her fingertips against her lips. "...You just needed someone to hide what you were doing. Tell me I'm wrong?" she demanded.
"You are wrong!" the ousted camper pleaded. "I just didn't know how to say it, how to explain to you, but I tried, I really did try to tell you!"
"Only because you were going to be exposed anyway and you needed some sad sap patsy to feel bad because you confessed and defend you against the others!" Yasmina bellowed fists clenched once again. Sammy's eyes fluttered fearfully, was Yaz going to hit her?
"Well guess what?" Yasmina questioned with ferocity, a hand cutting through the air like a knife. "I'm done defending you, you're on you're own."
"Please!" Sammy begged, pressing hard against her chest to try and quell the painfully rampant beating of her heart. "Yasmina I lo-"
"Don't!" Yasmina shouted her strong resolve of fiery rage and vengeance faltering, a stray tear slipping from her eye. "Don't you dare! I hate you Sammy. I hate you! Go away."
Her breath catching, throat tight Sammy found herself unable to breathe. Looking haplessly to the others she found in their stares only judgement and disdain. Tearing away from the other girl Sammy raced to the other end of the vehicle. Cupping her face she cried in long rasping sobs huddled in the dirt rocking back and forth as she languished. All she had wanted to do was help her family, all she had wanted to do was save the ranch. How could it have all gone so wrong?
The girl desperately replayed everything in her head from the moment she'd arrived at camp. She thought she'd been so careful, so clever, and discreet. Pocketing some mucus coated eggshell from Bumy's hatching, going back with Darius for samples in the butterfly garden, smearing the dimorphodon blood against her shirt 'accidently' to collect later when she checked on the poor animal, picking up each and every fallen scale or tooth she'd come across on the hike. She'd gotten sloppy, careless at some point, and that was how Brooklynn caught if only- if only-
Yasmina... the thought occured to her so suddenly that Sammy gave a start. It was Yasmina. From the moment she had her outburst at Canyon Convivial Sammy had been infatuated with unraveling the mystery of the girl, watching her, looking for hints an clues about what made her tik, a deep desire to get to know her, and if possible get close to her consuming much of her waking thoughts. It had been Yasmina that made her falter, that made her lose sight of what should have been her one and only purpose at Camp Cretaceous. It was Yaz she had been preoccupied with, checking on her when the opportunity to collect the sinoceratops samples first arose. It was Yasmina who had distracted her from the very beginning.
I was obsessed. She thought tearily, the bitter knowledge that the girl she had become so enamored with now resented her wholely.
Sammy's crying worsened, becoming bitter and resentful as she could hear the others talking, Bumpy calling noisily about something. Suddenly the trees to her left folded, their boughs brushing the earth as they were bent low by a powerful force. She had only just realized the danger they were in when the Indominus Rex, roaring with ferocity burst through the treeline. Everything was fear and adrenaline as the children all began to scream, ducking and scrambling for cover around the dilapidated vehicle.
It was just as Sammy was beginning to welcome her fate with a melancholic acceptance that the creature ran past them, as though their insignificance was immeasurable. That was when she heard the gunfire, little plumes of dust whisping into the air as the miniature projectiles imbedded themselves into the ground with a dull thud-thud-thud that seemed miniscule in comparison to the loud crack and boom of the machine that fired them.
Huddled in stunned shock it was Kenji who broke the tension, "That's Masrani!" he said with a smile. "That's his call sign on the tail! Yeah, kick it's butt Masrani!"
Following his lead the others followed, their eyes glued to the black aircraft as it held position well above it's target, marksman maintaining level sight. The bird cage, Sammy thought a hopeful smile breaking out across her face as she caught sight of the large glistening dome on the distance. That was the bird cage! She knew where they were! They were close, they were going to be- the cacophony of shattered glass broke her train of thought.
"What was that?" she whispered apprehensively.
"I don't, know." Darius said squinting into the distance as several small, fast moving shapes ascended into the sky, a cloud of them heading straight for the helicopter.
They watched on terror as it banked desperately to one side, then the other before it began spinning and whirling out of control. It hit the top of the half-sphere, an angry orange pyre exploding in its wake.
"Mr Masrani." Ben whispered, hands over his mouth.
Steadily the shapes began to move en masse, heading directly for the children, and that was when they recognized the horrific forms of pterosaurs looming towards them. Thinking quickly the eldest grabbed Brooklynn's tablet and began tapping frantically at the screen.
"The kayak river, it's near here. It goes underground near the ridge if we follow it, it should lead us right to the main park!" he said in a stroke of genius.
"Then that's where we need to be." Darius declared racing away. "Come on!"
Boots to the ground Sammy took off running, the others taking up position all around her as they fled for their lives. Death rained from the heavens with talons for rending and cruel beaks to sever and cleave. A sudden weight crashed down on Sammy's back, her legs giving out as she pelted for the cave, gusts of wind swirling around her as the heavy beast on her back beat it's wings. Ten needles in your back, she thought her frantic mind conjuring to life memories of a stupid playground game from her youth.
Nails digging into the soil the cowgirl tried to claw her way free from the winged predator when more weight crashed down on her. The girl dared not look back, shielding her face and eyes as the animals began screeching at one another, vying for their prey. They bit and tore at one another as they fought until with great wing beats they took flight engaging in vicious aerial combat as they flew off. Taking the opportunity Sammy bolted, panting for air as she entered the distinctly cooler mouth of the cave.
Darius and Ben lagged behind the rest, a howling Bumpy managed with great difficulty between them. With a grunt Yasmina hefted the door closed behind them, and the teenagers let out kind breathy sighs. As they recuperated their strength and energy the campers looked around themselves, the automatic announcement that played on loop a strange comfort, the familiarity that they were nearer and nearer civilization as a woman's voice explained life vest safety over a loud speaker a soothing reassurance to their frayed nerves.
Edging towards the water Sammy watched quietly as the others scooped up lifejackets, dawning the bright yellow vests with capability and confidence. They all appeared so sure of themselves, the girl thought as she watched them, to know that this was how they were going to get out of there, to be saved. And they all ignored her as they moved about with purpose the fact that moments ago they were running for their lives, again, forgotten. Staring at the slick fabric of a vest draped over the guard railing Sammy picked it up and reluctantly followed their lead, desperately wishing that she could feel so assured.
It was as she was sliding the vest on that Yaz pushed past, grabbing Ben by the shoulders coasting him towards a distant kayak. Struggling against her emotions Sammy finished dressing as Kenji loudly announced that he and Brooklynn would be pioleting the 'CKK' or 'Cool Kids Kayak.' For some reason, his idiocy was somehow grounding a little smile tugging at the corner of Sammy's mouth.
"Come on Sammy," Darius said coming up behind the cowgirl. "Let's get out of here."
The kayak tilted and bobbed in the water making it difficult for the teens to maintain their balance. After a few seconds of trial and error the two sat, oars in hand. That was when Sammy heard Darius gasp, turning towards him brows knit she saw worry on his face.
"Your back is bleeding." he cringed.
Reaching behind her Sammy touched her lower back, fingers brushing an open cut, it stung. "Is is bad?" she asked after feeling around at the marks that mirrored it.
"I don't know..." Darius admitted. "A few of them look kinda deep, the rest are more like scratches."
Nodding Sammy took his word for it even though now that she was aware of it, it really, really hurt. With determination she dipped the paddle into the water and pushed them away from the dock. Rowing in silence for a few minutes Sammy felt like a moron when she realized how drastically they were listing towards the left and glanced back to see that her partner was struggling, brow furrowed with effort and exertion.
"I'm such an idiot," she smiled meekly. "I'm sorry I didn't think of it earlier, I'm right handed it just came natura- nevermind. Doesn't matter. Let's switch. I'll row on the left, you rest your shoulder."
"Thanks." Darius said gratefully while ahead of them the other two kayaks collided.
"Watch it!" Yasmina bit out.
"Hey," Kenji grinned with a wryly apologetic tone, pain on his face, his oar moving in short shallow strokes, coasting along while Brooklynn did most of the work. "CKK has right of way."
The six kids paddled and drifted along the calm clear waters of the lazy river. The cave was dark, damp, and cold, uncomfortably so for the Texan who felt a shiver run up her spine. It wasn't long however, before the cave opened up from a narrow tunnel in to wide cavern with gently flowing waterfalls that spilled out into a placid lake, algae, moss, and other strange subterranean plantlife illuminating the pitch with a gentle pink glow. Awestruck the kids looked around themselves taken in by the majesty, and wonder.
Ahead of them Sammy watched Yaz, her face aglow with light, and life as she stopped rowing and reached a hand out to touch the cool, crystalline water that spilled down the rock face into the pool. The peaceful smile that came to Yasmina's face in that moment put the natural beauty that surrounded them to shame. Yaz was never going to forgive her, the cowgirl thought, watching with a heartaching sense of longing, wondering how, if ever she was going to make things right between them.
As they drifted Sammy could hear the others talking in low echoing voices, their whisperes reverberating off the stone walls and making their words difficult to decipher. That was when Sammy took note of how quiet Darius was being. He wanted to know why, she thought squeezing shut her eyes with anticipation.
"Just ask." she muttered.
"It's just that you talk so much about your ranch and your family sent you here to break the law." the boy rushed out, everything tumbling from his lips all at once, the moment he'd been granted permission.
"Don't Darius you don't know anything about my family." Sammy snapped, she regretted engaging him already.
"I know they put you in danger when they sent you to spy on the park." he scoffed. "How can you still defend them?"
Sammy grew contemplative for a moment, remembering the way things used to be before their financial trouble. It had been so much better then, everything just worked, like gears in a clock. Sure there was the occasional hiccup like fewer calves live birthed one season, or a sick group of head the next, but they always dug in and worked together, and because of that they bounced back, always. They were more than a family, and stronger than a team, lifting up and supporting one another no matter the circumstances, and her parents didn't keep secrets from her. They were close, that was just they way it had always been.
That was probably the first indication that something was wrong, Sammy reasoned dipping her oar deep into the pool, when her parents started whispering, their conversations always dying away the second she walked into the room. Self-consciously Sammy had worried that they were talking about her, and she found herself beginning to question if her folks were really as supportive, and accepting as they had said they were. Then the strangers started showing up and she knew better, but still they whispered, still they lied.
In no short amount of time girl had figured out what was going on, Abryan and her would watch these people coming and going at all hours, only told not to worry about it, to keep quiet, that they were kids, they should be concentrating school and their chores, nothing else whenever they asked. 'Loan sharks,' was a word her cousin threw about with disdain, spitting to the ground each time. The girl had felt her guts knot at the suggestion, but found herself unable to believe his assumptions, until she'd seen the truth written in red with her own eyes.
"Because they didn't send me." Sammy mumbled feeling small and inconsequential as they floated over the water. "They said 'no' to Mantah Corp. They said they'd rather watch the place burn, than use one of their kids like that. But Mantah Corp just kept coming. They tried talking my little sister Marisa into coming, but I put a stop to that. I more or less agreed to hear them out though, so they sent me these files. There was page after page of expenses we had no way to pay for. We were hemorrhaging cash! And we owed so much to so many people! I read through it again, and again, and again, for days trying to figure out another way." Sammy sobbed. "Darius, I-I still can't believe how things could have gotten this bad!"
"I'm sorry." the boy apologized weakly, in the reactionary way you did when you felt for someone but could literally do nothing to improve their situation. Leaning forward he pat her gently on the back, it was sore, but the sentiment was there.
Sammy smiled through her tears, he was a good person. "You didn't do it... I chose to come here." she said, hoping to ease his unnecessary sense of bystander's guilt. "My folks didn't even know I was gone until it was too late," she laughed. "I told them I was at a slumber party... Smashing the phone was an accident, but Brooklynn is right. This is all my fault."
"Not all of it." he shook his head. "But, I still don't see why-"
"If your family was in trouble wouldn't you do anything in your power to save them?" the girl asked turning to look at him.
He met her gaze before looking away abashed. "You remind me of my big brother." he said after a while, the analogy hurt at first, but she told herself that she was being hyper aware and oversensitive, and chose to wait and see where this was going.
"After my dad died, I was just sad. Really, really sad..." he paused with a remorseful sigh. "Even that's an understatement... But so was my mom, so was Brand, but all I could think about was how sad I was, and how much I missed him, and how much I had lost. I was selfish and it didn't really click with me for a while that they were going through exactly the same thing I was."
"Darius I'm su-"
"No, I was sad, and I was angry, and I took it out on everyone else. Then, I just kinda ignored the world for a bit, my family included." Darius went on, motioning with his paddle for Sammy to let him speak his mind. "I kinda hated Brand for a while. I'd watch him go to school, and work, work and school every day no matter what. At first it was like he didn't even notice that dad was gone, like he didn't miss him, or feel the same cold emptiness when he walked into the house. Then I found some bills while looking for a school assignment I'd lost. Do you... Do you know how much chemo costs?" he asked, voice warbling.
Turning to him, sympathy shining in her eyes Sammy shook her head. "And hospice? And a God damned funeral?" Darius was crying now, his oar sitting across his lap he rubbed his eyes with his good hand. "A lot!" he choked. "A whole lot! But that's what Brand was doing, he hadn't forgotten about dad, and he wasn't trying to move on either, he was still taking care of him long after he was gone... He was taking care of all of us, because that's what Brand does and I hung up on him last night!"
Sammy felt helpless, wanting nothing more than to rush over to the boy and wrap him up in a big warm hug as his grief robbed him of the point he'd been trying to make and he mourned the possibility of never seeing his brother again. Instead she gave him the time he needed to collect himself.
Darius cleared his throat hard a couple times before saying, "You were only thinking about your family, like him. I admire that, and I can't blame you for what you did."
"Really?" Sammy asked with hope, relief washing over her as his simple act of forgiveness alleviated much of her anxiety and despair. "Thank you!" she sighed as they glided past Ben hugging into a crying Bumpy, Yaz complaining loudly admonishing the animal for her unruly behavior.
Then Sammy noticed movement in the dim light and gave a start. Thinking that perhaps her mind had been playing tricks on her she squinted along the cave walls, then a patch of light shifted away from them.
"You guys should the algae be moving?" she asked with concern. Then she saw movement again, more, larger shapes, shifting and pulling themselves away from the background, if she focused she could make out the camouflaged silhouettes of several large dinosaurs grazing amongst the glittering shoreline.
"Don't panic they're herbavores." Darius hastily called to the others as the animals turned to watch them with meager interest. "Unbelievable! Dr Wu must have put the bioluminescent gene into these parasaurolophuses!"
Wonderstruck the children gaped at the large beasts with bright stripes and markings as they contently kept to their own. They looked like someone cracked open a glow stick over their heads, Sammy thought, recalling the way the chemicals looked pouring down her hands that summer when she and the boys had tried convincing everyone aliens had been to the ranch by smearing the stuff across a group of hefers late one the evening. She knew it probably didn't, but as the glow fluctuated as the parasaurolophuses murmured to one another, she wondered if it felt warm to the touch.
Then Bumpy began baying at the large dinosaurs, her honking defensive as she backed into Ben, stubby little tail swinging back and forth, as though she intended to do them harm. The brightly colored animals moved closer, making waves in the water as they swam to investigate the rabble-rousing intruder.
"Make her be quiet!" Yasmina shouted.
"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Ben called back, whispering to the little ankylosaurus, and running his hand across her back. "They're scarring her!"
"Yeah well she's pissing them off!" Kenji yelled, nervously smacking a parasaurolophus on the snout with his paddle.
"They're just being territorial, kinda strange for parasaurolophuses, actually, they're seen in blended herds all the time." Darius began brows joined. "I wonder if they're sick, or it is a behavioral trade off for the bioluminescence!"
"Does that really matter right now?" Brooklynn questioned as the large previously declared harmless creatures swarmed around the boats.
"Darius, what do we do?" Sammy whispered fearfully over her shoulder, afraid to aggravate the dinosaurs that were growing more and more aggressive.
"Ben, just push her in already, they did care until-"
"Screw you Kenji!" Ben shouted, hugging Bumpy protectively.
"I'll do it!" Yasmina offered as kayaks collided, pressed together jarringly by the parasaurolophus.
"No!" Ben argued.
Sammy's heart was racing as she and Darius were pressed tight against a ragged stone wall by the creatures. After everything else, she thought, pink moss rubbing off on her skin, it seemed ridiculous that this was how they were going to die. Suddenly one of the animals gave a loud trumpet and the herd stopped, looking around for signs of danger. Then as unexpectedly as the attack began, it ended, the dinosaurs hurriedly submerging themselves into the water and swimming away. Sammy took a deep, but shakey breath.
Everyone seemed to share in their momentary respite, except for Ben who had picked up his paddle and was holding it loftily like a weapon. "Push her in?" he asked with offense, red faced as his kayak drifted past the CKK. "Push her in?" he repeated making a motion like he was going to hit the other boy, but didn't follow through, opting instead to splash the blowhard with water. Kenji moved quickly to retaliate, too quickly and froze mid-action, face contorting. "Sorry." Ben muttered turning away to cradle his unconventional pet. "And you!" he bit out glaring at Yasmina.
Sammy couldn't help but laugh at their antics, though the way Yaz turned from the boy and nodded with confident affirmation to Brooklynn, she felt her heart sink lower into her chest as they both splashed the boy who whinged and complained loudly. The Texan stared dismally at her lap, while water streamed lazily on either side of her. What a minute, she thought, they're still moving forward.
"Um, guys if we stopped rowing why are we still moving forward?" she asked, looking to see if anyone had the answer.
Darius leaned forward, bracing himself with Sammy's shoulder so that he wouldn't fall, then he gave a cry of fear and alarm. "Paddle, paddle!" he screamed. "There's a current pulling us into another tunnel!"
Rowing and fighting as hard as they could the children found the efforts wasted and in vain as they were tossed and buffeted about by churning white waters. The rapids grew in violence as they went further and further into the dark unknown of the tunnel that swallowed them. Just barely Sammy could make out a drop in the distance, and pressed her feet hard against the rests, bracing to go over it. In an unyielding darkness the girl felt herself pivot forward, then lurching go over the precipice.
Her stomach in her throat as they fell Sammy grounded herself in the boat as much as possible. Then they spilled out into a painfully bright, sunny day. Shielding her eyes Sammy turned her face away from the luminous orb in the sky, scarcely able to believe that they had made it. All of the ups, and downs, and being jostled about finally getting to her the girl felt as though she was going to lose her lunch, but they were alive. They'd made it. Falling back into her seat with a relaxed slump Sammy let out a belt of laughter.
Kenji, who had put on his sunglasses gave a start. "What now?" Ben whined.
"I know exactly where we are," the VIP explained nervously. "We're in the Jurassic World lagoon, and so is the mosasaurs!"
Everyone gasped, looking with trepidation into the murky water, waiting pensively for something to happen. "I assume mosasaurs is some kind of giant fish dinosaur that's going to try and eat us?" Ben asked.
"Yeah," Darius nodded. "But whatever you're imagining I guarantee you it's not big enough, or has enough teeth."
"Really helpful, Darius!" Brooklynn shouted irritably.
Then they saw a wake ripple through the water in the distance followed by a jagged row of spines creating a wave through the water. Slowly, menacingly, it moved towards them, and began to encircle the three yellow kayaks.
"It's circling, testing us." Brooklynn said staring with morbid fascination at the animal. "Like a shark. We're intruders in it's domain so it's investigating us before it gets confident and decides to-"
"Now who's being helpful?" Darius yelled across the water to the pink haired girl.
"This is not how Kenji wanted to go out!" the eldest cried as they all began rowing for their lives.
"This isn't on my to-do list either!" Yaz snarked.
Working with a frenzy Sammy could hear Darius behind her struggling to paddle. Her own back and neck in knots she couldn't imagine how much it hurt Darius to try and pour on the speed like this. Then she noticed the CKK was lagging behind as well, Brooklynn tearily shouting orders to her partner as he toiled. Looking back Sammy could see the monsterous shadow beneath the waves gaining, and passed a look of despair to Darius.
Sammy heard a splash.
"No!" Brooklynn shouted.
"What the hell is she doing?" Kenji asked gaping in shock.
Vying to see what they were looking at Sammy finally caught sight of Yasmina in the water, oar held out in front of her like a boogie board legs propelling her mightily towards a pylon. "Yasmina!" Sammy screaming, her blood running cold.
"Don't stop paddling!" Ben called back to them, strain in his voice. "She said whatever happens don't stop paddling!"
"Please God, please if you're there," Sammy mumbled in a misty eyed prayer to the Lord. "Please let her be alright. Please!"
Blinking away tears Sammy focused on getting her and Darius to safety even as dread filled her mind with an abhorrent cacophony, imagined scenes playing out before the girl's eyes. A metallic clatter rang out over the lagoon, and the cowgirl turned to see Yasmina beating against the large metal pillar with her oar screaming maddeningly for the beast to come get her like some berserk Amazon woman. The mosasaurs stopped it's persuit of the rafts and went to explore this newfound development.
Buying them the time they needed Sammy rushed after Kenji who went to a control panel and quickly got to work. "They let me feed this thing before." he muttered in a distracted form of explanation. "Grab the chain!" he shouted to Yaz raising some sort of hook out of the water.
Sammy's muscles were tense and her nerves were shot as she watched Yasmina jump onto the cable, while Kenji slowly reeled her in. "Please," she begged. "Please!"
Then the mosasaurs launched itself skyward. The cable snapped and all at once the athlete was hurtling towards the ground. Sammy took off running for her. Yaz hit the concrete hard.
"Yasmina!" Sammy gasped rushing towards her.
Yaz gripped her left leg, with hands made bloody from the braided metal. "I'm fine!" she grit, though a large distended lump at the side of her knee told a different story.
Kneeling down beside her Sammy reached out to get a better look at her leg, Yaz pulled away sharply. "Thank you, for saving us." Sammy tried. "For saving me, that was amazing, you are amazing!"
"Don't!" Yasmina snapped struggling to her feet, gingerly favoring her right side. "We may need each other to stay alive, but don't for a second think that makes us friends again, because we're not, and we never will be."
Forcing herself to walk Sammy watched as Yaz shuffled away, the agony on her face preferable to spending another moment with her. Drawing her knees to her chest Sammy couldn't help but cry as Ben asked anxious questions about where all the people were. Sammy was tired, scared, and inspite of the other campers who were talking just a few feet away felt utterly alone. She was sorry she had lied, wished there was some way to fix things between them, heartbroken, she knew she couldn't.
"Hey," came a light voice as Brooklynn sat down beside her, a hand gently coming to Sammy's arm. "You ok?"
Sammy blinked up at her through watery eyes. "Nah, not really."
"Yeah, dumb question." Brooklynn winced, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. It wouldn't stay. She tried again, to the same result. Sammy watched as with a strangled scream Brooklynn tore her hair out of its messy bun, blinking back frightened tears of her own fists slamming onto her lap. Brooklynn began feverishly beating herself across the thighs, trying hard not to weep until she was able to pull herself back together.
"Sorry." the girl apologized sheepishly as she began pulling loose pink strands free from her rubber band. "It's been a day."
"Sure has." Sammy laughed. "Are you ok?"
"I thought we had just established that, that was a dumb question, and I for one do not believe that you Sammy Gutierrez are dumb." Brooklynn smirked, slipping into her easily recognizable internet personality of wit and charm, surpressing and refusing to acknowledge her own fears and fragility in that moment.
"It's alright to be scared." Sammy told her, watching as Brooklynn haphazardly scooped her tresses into a disheveled ponytail.
"I'm not." the other girl lied before turning around arms out. "Ta-da! What do you think?"
Sammy took in the stringy, knotted, and very lopsided hair do, and couldn't help but feel for Brooklynn. "You look deranged." she laughed, earning a friendly shove from the super star, one that caught her off guard as she wondered what had caused this one-eighty. "Turn around, I got you."
"Thanks." she said turning around obediently on the bench. "I don't know her that well but I think if you give her some space she'll come around." Brooklynn said after a few minutes of Sammy carding through, and smoothing out her hair as best she could without a brush. "Maybe? I don't know. I'm gonna be honest IRL friendships aren't really my thing. But it sounds right yeah?"
Sammy worked quietly before asking. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because," Brooklynn sighed as though admitting defeat. "Kenji is right, ugh," she gagged. "That feels so wrong to say never ever repeat that." There was a pause, she seemed to have difficulty organizing her thoughts into words. "Look I've done my fair share of selfish things. I only knew what you were up to because I was also sneaking in places I shouldn't have been. You were at least doing it for family. I was doing it to impress a bunch of angry internet randos... I was just an asshole with a camera and some charm, you were trying to be a hero."
Sammy was taken aback by what Brooklynn said, the same warm relief filling her up as before when Darius said he'd forgiven her. Somehow after all the tension, and nerves, knowing that she wasn't some pariah made the girl feel completely exhausted, in the running-for-your-life-while-pursued-by-killer-dinosaurs sort of way.
"All done." she smiled, tapping the other girl on the shoulder.
Touching her hair inquisitively as she turned around with bright eyes Brooklynn smirked. "Thanks." she said before transforming into her lively, more animated persona once more. "Plus when we get out of here you're going to give me all the juicy details about you spying for Mantah Corp." she went on leaping to her feet with enthusiasm. "Brooklynn Unboxes: A Conspiracy! Pow! Pow! Try and tell me my videos are lame after that angry internet randos!"
Sammy giggled watching her fire off finger guns into the air.
"So deal?" Brooklynn asked plopping back down.
"Deal." Sammy agreed.
The friends exchanged dimly optimistic smiles as they sat in the abandoned amphitheater, and leaned in for a reassuring hug.
Notes:
Can someone please explain to me how to do page breaks? I'm going to need that knowledge for upcoming chapters! :D
Thanks for reading! :)
Chapter 18: The Day of Reckoning: Part Four
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
His ass was cold, Kenji thought grudgingly as he sat on a windswept bleacher that overlooked the lagoon. Stupid Ben, splashing him with nasty stupid fish monster water. Stupid fish monster, stupid dinosaurs, stupid Jurassic World! He brooded, trying hard not to shiver, the tense trembling and contracting of his muscles causing him nothing short of agony. He had sat down to try and collect his thoughts, and catch his breath. His whole body ached, but now the contact with the metal was beginning to sap his warmth, and strength. He was tired.
Battling heavy eyed against a growing fatigue Kenji looked out at the world around him. The eerie quietness, and solitude could have been beautiful when paired with the delicate colors of the sunset. That was if only the all encompassing silence and lack of people wasn't an indication of a catastrophic disaster and the very real danger that the campers were still in. Trying to put those thoughts aside he focused instead on controlling his respiration, easing himself into long slowly, drawn breaths. The view of the captivatingly painted sky, adding an almost meditative quality to his actions.
As he watched the world unfolding around him Kenji saw Yasmina slinking away on a hobbled leg like a wounded cat wanting to lick it's wounds alone. He wasn't exactly sure what had gone on between her and Sammy but, he felt, she had better get over it quick, because separating herself from everyone else was a sure fire way to get eaten. Speaking of eating he thought, hunger gnawing at his stomach, then he grimaced at the correlation of thoughts in his head. What was his problem? He wondered, secretly grateful that mind reading was purely science fiction.
Bending over the teen pawed at an abandoned tub of popcorn, afraid to bend too far, and hesitant to find out just how far 'too far' really was. Then it happened, a sharp stabbing pain in his side knocked the wind out of him as Kenji snapped up straight like a soldier in an attempted to alleviate the pain, air hissing out of his lungs. He felt his eyes welling, but pridefully blinked them back when he saw Darius walking towards him.
"What's up?" Kenji asked, flashing his pearly whites, pretending as ever he did that things were alright. The same old fake smile only this time it was used to hide an entirely different kind of pain.
"Here." the other boy muttered stooping down to fetch the popcorn from the concrete.
"I could have gotten it." Kenji snapped, giving him a hard irritable glance, before snatching the discarded, buttery goodness.
"Uh-huh." Darius nodded falling onto the bench beside him.
"Thanks." Kenji muttered after a while, munching on the styrofoamy, slightly stale popcorn.
At least it was salty, he thought shoveling an obscene amount of the popped kernels into his mouth. It was ...wet in spots. Barf, was he eating mosasaurs water? Still beggers couldn't be choosers. Darius must have felt the same way as he tore the lid and straw from a cup that had tipped to the side, spilling out much of its sticky, sugary contents, and tipped the brown liquid back.
"It's Pepsi." he announced, holding the cup towards Kenji. Taking the paper vessel the older boy followed his example, taking a swig and passing it back, before offering some of his corn de la pop.
A ripple in the water caught his attention, and then Kenji saw the wake left by the mosasaurs rock the kayaks making them bob up and down in the water. That had been a close call, much closer than he, or any of the others would have liked. Worse still? He had been completely useless throughout the ordeal. Kenji hated that feeling of helplessness inability, he didn't like being at the mercy of the universe, or a burden, he constantly felt like a burden.
As the boys sat together Kenji searched for the other members of the team, the cotton candied head of Brooklynn easily spotted in the dwindling light. That was when he noticed Sammy was tidying Brooklynn's hair. Huh, she had actually listened to him and taken his advice, he thought looking at the way the influencer smiled as they chatted before jumping up onto the bench and saying something energetically, arms sweeping through the air. Maybe he wasn't such a fuck up after all, if he could pull something like that off.
Ben and Bumpy were, somehow, sleeping. Kenji pressed his lips together in a hard line. He was rife with conflicting emotions. How could they sleep right now, he wondered staring with knit brows at the admittedly cute scene. But then it just reminded him of how useless the other boy had been, and how much strain keeping him and the baby ankylosaurus alive had caused. Anger began bubbling in the teen's chest, hadn't they intended to ditch the dead weight somewhere? But Ben wouldn't have it.
Lastly, he realized with a yawn, he was envious. Were they just that much more tired than the rest of them that they could pass out like that? Or did they maybe trust implicitly that the others wouldn't leave them behind? Either way Kenji wanted nothing more than to sleep too, but also kick their bench and scream for them to get their asses up.
Turning away from them he managed to pick out Yasmina, resting her back against a stairwell, her bum leg outstretched. As he watched he saw her shoulders heaving, her whole body pitching forward with a bitter rhythm. She was still crying, he thought. As it often did the little green snake of self despise coiled tightly around his innards, and he felt bad for judging her. The girl was going through a lot but was too prideful to let others see it, and too vain to admit weakness ... kinda like him ... God damnit he was a wounded cat too, wasn't he?
"So, not to be a total downer but operation find people to help us is clearly a bust." Kenji observed.
"My dad used to talk about coming here for years," Darius replied his voice thin. "and here we are."
Kenji felt a twinge. Dead parents. Somehow since finding out about Darius' dad after weeks of playful teasing and goading it always felt like when the two of them were alone it would always circle back to their dead parents. Well, Kenji conceded, it wasn't the worst thing in the world, it was honestly kinda nice to talk about his mom from time to time. At home, it seemed like no one dared to even mention her existence.
"Yep here we are." Kenji agreed with a sigh. "If it helps my mom would have hated this place, you know, before all the rampaging and carnage. She tried to talk my dad out of investing, but he wouldn't listen, he knew business, she didn't, that made her point of view invalid. She was against zoos all together though, didn't think it was fair to keep animals that in the wild had miles and miles of natural home ranges in little tiny pens." Smiling down at him Kenji elbowed the other boy. "So you know balance out the karmic scales or whatever. Your dad would have loved it my mom would have hated it. Besides I'm sure they're up there watching us right now losing their fucking minds!"
Darius laughed nervously, giving Kenji a side eyed glance, "Yeah."
"Dude, do you know how proud your dad is watching you take charge, saving the day on the zipline, banding us all together, quoting him like he's a president or something?" Kenji enthused, trying to amp the other boy up. "He's up there smiling, and cheering you on I guarantee it!"
"And your mom's probably just as proud of you!" Darius added with a smile.
"Yeah, or she found a way to have heart attack in heaven..." Kenji muttered grimly, suddenly misty eyed. "Sorry, we're good." he cleared his throat. "All I meant was she's probably scared right now. Probably up there shaking her head, grabbing your dad by the ear and scolding him for raising someone so reckless. She would too, just grab him by the ear and start shouting at him in Japanese, I've seen her do it!" they enjoyed a hearty laugh at the mental imagery, a warming comfort found in the absurd thought. "Who knows, maybe one of them will give us a sign or something!"
As the sun sank lower and lower behind the horizon Kenji dusted his hands off and stood up. After much consideration he had decided that checking on Yaz was the best course of action as oppose to leaving her alone. If a little heart to heart could make him feel better, he hoped it would do the same for her.
"Anyway," he smiled as he turned to leave. "Welcome to Jurassic World!"
All of the kids gave a start at the loud, ominous blare of a siren that rang out over the water. Other sirens positioned around the park and jungle sounding as well, adding a foreboding echo as the alarm was raised. Everything was fear and panic as the children rushed to regroup. Racing down the steps Kenji and Darius, met Sammy and Brooklynn at the base, wide eyed and scared.
"What's going on?" the cowgirl asked a nervous shiver running down her spine.
"I don't know." Darius confessed looking around apprehensively as Yasmina limped up to the group.
Nipples, nice, Kenji thought, his eyes drawn immediately to the athlete's breasts her wet undershirt clinging. Nope eyes up, he scolded himself, she's your friend. Then he noticed the way Yasmina rubbed her hands over her arms, trying to drive away the goosebumps, and chill that had overtaken her. Again the boy felt bad for his own selfishness, unaware of the plight of others. Here he'd been griping about being cold from a little splash when she had swam with the damned thing.
Then as they were standing around without direction the sirens stopped and a voice came over the speakers, "Attention: All park goers must report to the South Ferry Dock for immediate evacuation. The last ferry departs in two hours." It said, before another voice came on.
"Atención: todos los visitantes del parque deben presentarse en el muelle de South Ferry para una evacuación inmediata. El último ferry sale en dos horas."
And another "Zhùyì: Suǒyǒu gōngyuán yóukè bìxū xiàng nán dùlún mǎtóu bàogào, yǐ lìjí chèlí. Zuìhòu de dùlún zài liǎng gè xiǎoshí nèi chūfā."
And another "Attention: Tous les visiteurs du parc doivent se présenter au South..."
"That's it? No explanations that's all we get!" Brooklynn said with exasperation as the message was repeated again and again in various languages.
"Come on we have to move," Darius commanded with a look of concern. "And the only way we can get there is if we run."
"Um, are we sure that's the best way to get there?" Sammy asked, trying to look at Yaz with discretion from the corner of her eye.
"I'm fine!" the other girl snapped. "I've competed with a torn ACL."
"Yeah but your leg's starting to look like a fucking hotdog!" Kenji argued gesturing to the tight swollen skin that surrounded the girl's knee. It looked bad, and he doubted if she could even bend it.
Yaz glared at him before saying, "You should be way more worried about Ben and Bumpy." as the stragglers came up behind her.
"What we should all be worried about is catching a boat out of here, and naturally we have a problem!" Ben explained spreading out a map of the park on a nearby bench. "We're here, and the docks are on the southern tip of the island. Even if we ran at peak Yaz speed there's no way we'd make the last boat out."
"You don't know that!" Sammy shouted fearfully.
Ben looked up with a lost expression of defeat, "Yes I do. I never wanted to come here, so I tried to be prepared for any eventuality. I memorized the evacuation plan on the ferry ride over!"
Everyone groaned, turning away from him.
"Always the fucking sunshine with you!" Kenji yelled, his heart hammering, tiny dark orbs obscuring his vision, he was getting a headache.
Darius never one to give up feverishly tried coming up with some desperate, haphazard plans. "Came we used those somehow?" he pointed to the kayaks. "Or send someone ahead to tell the ferry people to wait?"
"Or we can build a couple of jetpacks real quick!" Brooklynn added her voice dripping with condescension and sarcasm. "Oh we should befriend a unicorn! Face it, it's hopeless."
It was then that a different voice filled the air, "We will be arriving at the main street! Your destination for fine dining and shopping at Jurassic World! Followed by the Jurassic World Lagoon, and the South Ferry Docks." the children watched with awe and hope as the electric train rolled towards them. They were saved.
"Monorail, what-what!" Kenji laughed.
"Nicely played universe!" Brooklynn yielded with a smile.
"Hurry!" their unofficial leader called as he raced towards the station.
Everyone started running, but thinking better of it Kenji ducked down a little corridor that went beneath the stands. He knew where he was going, he reasoned, even as he questioned whether or not the detour was worth the risk. Darting towards a gift shop, he stopped, frozen in shock. There was a dead guy on the floor, no two. Their faces were swollen and bruised, the treadmarks of shoes imprinted on the backs of their shirts. They'd been trampled. Further down the narrow tunnel he saw many other people all killed by mass crowd panic. A kid with a dinosaur shaped balloon that still floated with whimsy tied to their wrist lay crushed, half pinned by a bathroom door, blood pooling from their mouth and nose. The gruesome sight gripped his attention as they lay trod upon, and abandoned.
Trembling with unease, and sickened by the sight he darted into the shop carelessly grabbing an armful of towels from a shelf, and a hoodie from a clothing rack, tacking the whole display down in the process. He had to get out of there. Hurrying to catch up, he found that beyond the giant bowl of the stadium there was much if the same, crows and other birds already eagerly getting to work on their free buffet. Kenji felt the sweet and oily slick of soda and popcorn wet the back of his throat, but fought to keep it down. He was just trailing Ben who with one of her arms around his shoulders was helping Yaz as she fell behind the others.
"You know it's kinda nice having some company back here." Ben smiled in that awkward way he had, trying to make light of their situation.
"Shut up Ben." the girl grit.
Unable to be of much help in supporting her weight Kenji took up position on Yasmina's other side and tossed a towel over her head, roughing the fabric through her hair as they went. She looked at him with surprise, then anger, before muttering her thanks.
They had just reached the platform when Darius and Sammy doubled back, ducking behind a wall, nervously indicating that the others shouldn't venture beyond that point. Shoving the towels and hoodie at Yaz where she slumped against the wall Kenji peaked around the corner to see a large, dark colored dinosaur, with a long gore caked toothy snout. It's fingers at the end of long arms wiggled pensively through the air as it ate greedily at one of the fallen park goers. The nervous way it looked around made Kenji believe that it was fearful that something would come to steal away it's meal at any moment.
"Baryonyx." Darius whispered motioning for Kenji to hide.
The kids waited for several tension filled moments, until Darius made a run for it. Kenji watched as the other boy took a deep breath, picked a soda can up off the ground and threw it, providing the others with the much needed distraction for them to limp over to the stairs. Thank God for messy tourists, Kenji thought as the decoy worked. As stealthily as possible the six kids made their way up the stairs, until Bumpy who thought she knew how this game worked trotted up ahead, knocking a Starbucks cup down after her. Screw you God, and your messy tourists! Kenji swore mentally, wincing as he waited for the rattle of the cup to give them away. To everyone's relief Brooklynn intercepted it.
Racing up to the landing Kenji felt an instantaneous rush, and was about to let out a victorious whoop when Brooklynn slapped her hand over his mouth. Oh, right.
The train pulled up, it's automatic doors opening and, "Welcome to the Jurassic World Lagoon, next stop Dock Landing!" a woman's loud voice announced.
Turning the baryonyx alerted their presence came charging up the stairs with a tremendous bellow. Sammy and Brooklynn rushed aboard Kenji following close behind. From where he stood Kenji felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of the beast lunging for and almost nabbing Ben. Then the doors began to slide closed. Darting forward Kenji wedged himself painfully between them. They bounced open with a chime "Please stand clear of the closing doors." the voice said, before the sliding panels attempted to close again. The second time they bounced open the girls jump in too trying to force them open wide.
The trio watched with horror as Yasmina fell, scrambling backwards as the baryonyx snapped greedily at her dragging leg. With a shout Darius pushed passed Ben, grabbing the girl under her arms, the baggy oversized jacket she wore enabling him to get a better grip as her hauled her up a few steps and out of the monsters reach as it tumbled roaring angrily. And like that, he again saved the day, it was kinda hot when he did that, even though he's such a scrawny guy, Kenji found himself thinking before they all dashed for the open door, the hero holding his shoulder sweat broken across his brow.
Kenji collapsed backwards, a bright flash of pain flooding his vision. He almost passed out when Ben running head long for the monorail crashed into him. They skidded across the floor, and when Kenji was aware enough of anything else but the searing fire that filled his lungs, he felt the trembling of spindly arms wrapped around him. Ben's face buried in his chest as he cried. Kenji returned the gesture, holding onto the other boy in spite of how it hurt to do so. It felt good, in a way, felt right.
Then the moment past and all he felt was frustration, and anger. "Get off me man, what are you two?" he asked pushing Ben away. "Go hug your dinosaur or something."
Settling himself on a bench Kenji watched apprehensively as everyone else began celebrating in excitement and relief. Kenji however, couldn't let his guard down, refusing to believe that they were safe, something always happened when they thought they were safe. No way it's that easy, something bad is going to happen, he thought, something bad always happens. As the moon rose no one talked about the baryonyx, or all of the dead people, but their bloated, battered faces haunted the boy.
"It's over. Guys, we did it, we're going home!" Darius breathed, a huge smile spreading across his face. The teens began whooping and shouting jumping around on the seats like maniacs. Kenji who couldn't fight his anxieties, like Ben watched from the sidelines.
"This calls for a celebration!" Brooklynn announced flopping back onto a bench.
"I might be able to help with that," Ben said unzipping his pack and producing several candy bars. "Stashed a few treats for the road."
"Little Ben is useful." Kenji smirked, taken in by the gentle smile on Ben's face. He looks so proud of himself, he thought.
Starved Kenji took a huge bite of what he was surprised to find was chocolate beneath the wrapper, knowing Ben he'd assumed it would be a granola bar or something crappy like that. His watering taste buds were instantly assaulted by a deep nutty, earthy, almost black licorice like flavor that filled his nose. His teeth felt like there was sand in them. Kenji grimaced. "What the hell did you just feed me?"
Everyone began spitting the repulsive bar out in little brown puddles.
"Ben someone stole your chocolate and put dirt in it." Sammy said with concern before throwing a glare at Kenji, like it was his fault, a prank gone wrong.
"Seriously are you trying to poison us?" Kenji asked incredulously. "I did not survive all of that just to be taken out by some shrimp, and a couple of arsenic candy bars!"
Unamused, Ben shared his with Bumpy. "They're carob bars. They pair perfectly with-"
"Carob juice!" Darius winced looking at the little carton in his hand. "Awesome."
"Carob is nature's chocolate!" Ben explained. "Just as delicious, without all the sugar, caffeine, slave labor, and animal abuse!"
God damnit Ben, always with the doom and gloom.
"What's wrong with caffeine and sugar?" Brooklynn scoffed. "As soon as I get home, well, to my dad's I'm gonna hug my espresso machine. I may never let go."
Turning on his charm for the pretty girl Kenji turned towards her with a raised eyebrow. "You know I've often described myself as a tall hot drink."
Everyone groaned.
"You could never be coffee!" Brooklynn snapped.
"I could be coffee." Kenji muttered, pride wounded.
"I just can't wait to get back to training." Yasmina said, gingerly massaging her leg. "But I suppose physical therapy is going to have to come first..."
"It's gonna be weird for things to go back to normal, like are video games going to seem boring now?" Darius laughed. "How about you, what's the first thing you're going to do?"
"Depends on which house I go to." Kenji gloated. "If you're referring to the main house, that also depends on which wing of the mansion. East wings usually off limits, real Beauty and the Beast style, dad and Candy are probably away on business right now. So I guess I'll go down stairs to the bowling alley. The staff always lets me win... Life of a VIP." Loneliness and sorrow, crept into Kenji's demeanor.
"So what have you missed Ben?" Sammy asked brightly, trying to shift the tone of the conversation.
His mood shifting with her when the opportunity to harass his favorite doormat arose Kenji was quick to jump in. "Let me guess, you can't wait to get home to your closet of dork pouches!"
"Ha-ha, very funny." Ben rolled his eyes.
"Seriously Ben, you've had juice boxes for days! How much stuff can you fit in that thing?" Darius asked.
"One, a lot, and two obviously the first thing I'm going to do when I get back is restock it!" Ben commented with a laugh. It was bad, it was so bad, that somehow it was funny, everyone joined in his mirth.
"I still can't believe how much went wrong." Brooklynn mused. "Do you remember that time we almost got eaten?"
"Which time?" Yasmina snarked. "What happened just a minute ago, the time with 'Eddie,' or the time with-"
"Jayson..." Darius muttered, the light in his eyes dimming as he stared down at his hands. Running his fingers together.
The train ride was beginning to feel less like a victorious celebration and more like a grim wake for mourning. The children fell silent, and contemplative of just how much death they had witnessed, and how close they had all come time and again to the end of their own mortal coils.
"Let's raise our carob juices, to Jayson." Brooklynn said putting a hand ontop of Darius'. "Who's quick thinking and selflessness saved our lives, and inspired us to keep going, no matter what."
Darius smiled sadly up at her, they shared a hug, and the campers drank solemnly.
"It'll actually be kinda nice to go back to the low level gnawing dread rather than the sense of all encompassing impending doom." Ben observed.
"Jesus Christ, what is wrong with you?" Kenji snapped.
A loud boom split cool night air, the train shuddered. It sounded like an explosion. Everyone hurried to a window, but the darkness shrouded all in secrecy.
"I don't think it was near us, we're ok. We're still ok." Darius reassured everyone, slowly they began to ease up.
"I know camp wasn't what we would have wanted it to be," Sammy smiled. "but at least we're leaving this place with five new friends! To the six of us being friends for life! Clink!" she said raising her carton in a toast.
No one could quite meet her gaze.
"Guys, hello? Wait do you guys not see us as friends?" the girl asked sadly.
"I mean, we only knew each other for a few weeks." Brooklynn replied. "Yeah we've been through a lot together but I'm not sure that really qualifies us for 'friends-for-life.'"
"We were thrown together at random, we have nothing in common, and what friends we did make turned out to be bold faced lairs." Yaz growled, casting the Texan an angry look.
"Besides," Ben mumbled, petting Bumpy sadly. "now that it's over what are the odds that we'll ever see each other again."
Kenji looked about at the other teens forlorn, his heart a flutter with anxiety. He kinda liked having them around, even when they weren't getting along. He didn't want to go back to being alone all the time, not anymore. Misty eyed he turned away from the others, and stared out at the dark vast nothingness he could see. He had finally found people, his people. He didn't want to lose them.
Everyone was quiet.
"Coming up on your right you'll see our eighteen hole dinosaur themed golf course. One of the many things that makes our park Jurassic!"
"What does that even mean?" Brooklynn laughed with exhaustion.
"I thought I knew, I always had this idea of Jurassic World, my dad used to say this place was 'Allosaurus and a bag of chips.'" Darius smiled fondly. "He was so corny."
"Um, was?" Ben asked.
That was when Kenji realized that not everyone knew, and how shitty he'd been to Darius back at the treehouse. God damn, no wonder they were falling apart. Kenji didn't deserve friends like them. If they moved on without him after they all went home, that was fine, better for them anyway. No one wanted to be friends with an asshole.
"Cancer." the other boy muttered dismally.
"I'm sorry Darius." the cowgirl started before smacking herself in the head. "Ugh nice one Sammy you ding-dong. Like sorry is going to help, sorry is what everyone says and it never makes anything better does it?"
"At least you had something with your dad, and a way to remember him." Kenji offered, trying to be of some comfort as he play slugged him on the chin, earning a little grin. "I can count on one hand the number of times my dad and I have done anything together."
"Kenji, that's just real sad. What about your mama?" Sammy asked.
Kenji shook his head. "Only one who probably cares is Candy, but I hate her... And I really don't know why... But did I mention the bowling alley, pool, and arcade?"
"When I get home I'm having an all day spa with my sissies, my mama, and my Abuela!" Sammy declared warmly.
"I don't think my moms are ever going to let me out of the houses again." Brooklynn laughed.
"Come again?" Yaz smiled curiously.
"Seriously, none of you watched my channel?" the streamer scoffed.
"I did!" Sammy said bouncing in her seat.
"My bios got divorced, my mom married another woman named Nika and my dad's been dating a woman named Emily since I was like eleven." Brooklynn explained. "They're even gonna have a kid together, but I guess the whole my mom being a secret lesbian and leaving him for another woman gave dad commitment issues or something because he still hasn't put a ring on that woman's finger, the asshole." she laughed.
"I consider Emily my third mom, she loves me just as much, and is just as protective of me as the other two. My parents all get along, like scary well too. I'm honestly just waiting for the day when they realize that they're all in love with each other and poly-gang up or something." she said propping her feet up on the adjacent bench, leaving everyone stunned.
"That, that's a lot to unpack there." Darius grinned.
"Eh, maybe, but it's my family and I wouldn't trade them for the world. What about you Yaz?" Brooklynn shrugged casually.
"I already said it." Yasmina said with aggravation as she continued to massage and worked at her discolored knee. "Physical therapy, then training. I'm not going to let a little setback rob me of my chance to run in the olympics. And who knows, after the way I took the mosasaurs tank, maybe I can cut it as a triathlete, and it's not too late to expand my goals. That'll show them."
"I'm gonna bring all the mattresses into the living room," Darius mused, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. "And all the blankets, and pillows in the house and just have a movie marathon with Brand and my mom."
"Aw, that sounds real nice." Sammy smiled.
Ben was preoccupied looking through his fanny pack with frustration, muttering to himself until he found what he was looking for. "Bumpy stepped in something icky and I'm low on sanitizer." he announced to anyone who might care to listen.
"Ben, why are you even here?" Kenji asked irritably.
"What he means is you're scared of dinosaurs, and the outside, and sometimes the inside, and germs, and people, and-" Darius said rattling off a short part of an extensive list.
"Yeah, seriously that's exactly what I'm talking about." Kenji nodded.
"My mom works... worked for Mr Masrani. She got me into camp, said it'd be good for me to meet new people, and get out of my comfort zone. Turned my own therapist against me..." Ben muttered. Everyone looked at one another with a blend of confusion and concern. "It's been a nightmare, I'm used to being scared all the time, but I'm tired of running, and almost being eaten, and knowing that today is the day I die, and of holding everyone back." his voice broke. "Making you all risk your lives for me. Trust me, I'm not worth it. When I get home I'm going to my room and I am never coming out. A life wasted. I might as well be-"
"Shut up!" Kenji bellowed, leaping to his feet, fire in his belly. How dare he! "You don't get to tell us what's important to us, or who we wanna risk our lives for you asshole!"
"Kenji's right- yuck! I see what you meant Brooklynn! It's unnerving." Sammy starting trying to settle things down as she reached out to put a hand on the now sobbing boy's back. "You matter to us Ben, and if after all this is over you spend the rest of your life alone reading books, if that makes you happy then that's a life well spent!"
"Yeah, what Sammy said." Brooklynn chimed in from his other side.
Ben smiled tearily as he cuddled Bumpy who looked up at him with adoration. "Thanks... I guess it wasn't all bad, if I hadn't of come I never would have met-"
The monorail rocked violently from side to side. The children ducked low, cowering in fear. The car rocked again and the lights flickered. Darius seemed to spot something through the window. The others watched as he ran to the back of the monorail alert and full of dread. He cupped his hands around his eyes and looked out the window, reeling in terror almost immediately.
"Guys, we've gotta turn off the light!" he shouted grabbing a flashlight from the emergency wall mount. They all watched as he climbed onto a nearby bench and started smashing florescent bulbs like a crazy person. Sparks and glass flew everywhere, white smokey vapors roiled around the boy's head, yellow light became blue before dying away. Electricity sizzling through the air, the smell of ozone heavy in the tiny space no one knew what to make of the situation.
Creeping forward Kenji peered out the window and gasped. A whole horde of winged monsters flew after them, screaming with fury. The fear was overwhelming as Kenji ripped a flashlight from the wall and followed Darius' example, doing his best to ignore the way his chest pulled tight and ached as he reached high above his head.
"Flying reptiles are basically sea birds," Darius was explaining as they worked. "And are attracted to shiny moving objects, and with all these lights on-"
"We're a shiny moving object!" Sammy gasped.
The girls made their way to the wall and retrieved the implements of their salvation, and began to shatter the luminous bulbs.
"What should I do?" Ben asked, left unarmed by the quick reaction of the others.
"Just stay out of the way!" Brooklyn snapped when she tripped and nearly fell over him in her haste.
"Stay down Ben, look out for Bumpy." Kenji instructed over his shoulder looking at the boy crouched on the floor.
Kenji was beginning to feel light-headed again, unable to take a complete breath, everything hurt, and in the midst of it all his heart was thundering like mad. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping him going at this point, the screeching of the pterosaurs shrill and constant. The train rocked violently, a hateful winged monster smashing into the window next to Kenji, the boy let out a cry that a mixture of panic and strain.
Suddenly with a shower if glass, the back car went dark, Ben screamed, and then they could see the creatures swarming, their eyes glowing scornfully against the night sky, their great wide wings blocking out the stars.
The kids turned from side to side, penned in, surrounded everywhere they look. The apprehension lasted only a moment however, and soon they fled into next car to repeat the process. Kenji and Darius worked with a frezied mania at the lights while Brooklynn half dragged Yasmina over the gap. Out of the corner of his eye the eldest camper saw Sammy hurl Ben in like a sack of potatoes, shoving Bumpy forward with her foot before rushing to help.
Panting as they moved to the third car Kenji paused to catch his breath, knees weak he leaned against the doorframe between the cars. "Kenji?" Ben asked, his voice high and pinched with fear.
"I'm fine!" Kenji shouted. "Just keep going."
Ben looked at him eyes watery, but jaw set like he might argue. Instead of saying anything however the boy reached out towards Kenji, wrapping his hands tight around his arm and heaved Kenji up. Looking down at him Kenji ruefully accepted his help.
"Smile, you're at Jurassic World!" the control panel beside the door said with a chime. "We hope you're having a Jurassic ti-" Kenji smashed the panel with satisfaction.
"Oh my God!" Brooklynn gasped staring at something out the window.
"At least now we know what that boom was!" Sammy larked ever the grating optimist.
On the tracks ahead of them at a sharp bend there was another train, it was on fire and under siege. As he stared with a fresh stunned sense that his life was about to end, something struck the glass, splintering it. Kenji heard Ben scream before pivoting forward, catching himself but just barely on a bench. Ben yelling frightened apologies where he huddled onto the floor, covering his head. He was a coward, Kenji thought spitefully as Bumpy bleating made her way to him, but if it was the last thing he did, Kenji knew he had to protect him.
"Front car, there's a control panel," Kenji said in the most commanding tone he could muster, moving towards the door. "VIP tour, I was eight, they let me drive!"
The kids hit the door, shoving and pushing it with all their might, Darius tried vainly to break the glass with his flashlight. "If we can't stop or change tracks," he said, voice hollow with fear. "We're going to hit that thing at full speed."
That was when the boy seemed to have an idea, "The emergency hatch!"
"What?" Kenji balked. "You can't go out there that's where the flying whatevers are!"
"We've got no choice," Darius said with the same grim determination that had carried them this far. "Me and- I'm the only one who can fit."
Darius stood on a seat, one foot on the backrest as he positioned himself for the jump. He took a deep breath and leaped, catching himself with both hands. He went rigid, eyes wide as there was a pop and he sagged drastically to the left before his grip failed him. Hitting the ground screaming Darius held his shoulder. Kenji didn't even need to walk all the way over to see that he had dislocated it again. Kneeling down helplessly he tried to calm the injured boy down and he writhed, feet kicking in the air, tears streaming from his eyes when Kenji heard Ben whispering to Bumpy.
"You're going to be ok," he was saying. "I promise I'm going to take care of you."
They were all too preoccupied to notice something was amiss until they heard the rushing air like a tornado from over head. "Ben!" the name ripped itself from Kenji's chest, as he jump up reaching out to grab one of the boy's dangling feet, but he was too late.
"Distract them!" Darius shouted vying against the pain for clarity. "Use the flashlights, distract them for Ben!"
Please, please let this work! Kenji thought running towards the back of the monorail, shining his meager beam into the pitch beyond the glass. He was fighting back tears, trying hard not to think about what they were doing and why as every passing second stretched into an eon of trepidatious uncertainty. Then the horn blared. He'd done it, he made it to the control panel! Kenji thought. Then they turned, everyone stumbled, the earsplitting sound of glass and metal scraping against each other, sparks flying deafened the teens who covered their ears and braced for the worst. Then the other train fell, and the big scaly birds flew off.
Running to the front of the train where they had left Darius sprawled on the floor they witnessed a victorious Ben emerged from the front car, a broad smile of his face, eyes glittering with life in a way Kenji had never seen before. His heart felt full at the sight.
"You did it Ben, you saved us." Darius said with a troubled smile.
"Ben, Ben, Ben," Kenji chanted with a smirk, the others picked it up, the hero of the hour was practically glowing, his cheeks pink with humble embarassment.
Kenji moved forward to hug him, when glass exploded, a giant winged beast swooped in and grabbed Ben, trying to drag him out the other side. The warmth of the moment was severed replaced by the cold cruel tang of horror. Everything moved all at once, while in the same instant hardly anything seemed to happen at all. Tripping over Darius, who scrambled forward on his belly Kenji lunged after Ben, managing to grab him by the front of his shirt, with his other hand the boy clung to the door.
Kenji felt something tearing in his chest, a halo of light narrowing his field of vision as he struggled to hang onto the twig of a boy that had never seemed more heavy. Darius who's good hand clutched tightly to Ben's forearm, was saying something, but Kenji's ears were ringing and he couldn't make out the words. Everything became a pinprick, the world fading away into the meanless nothing that it was, all that mattered now was Ben. He was so frightened, Kenji thought with abrupt clarity, his gaze locked onto Ben's wide, tear strained blue eyes as they looked at each other.
Kenji felt the fabric slipping out from between his fingers and in a desperate ploy to hold on just a little while longer released his grip on the door frame, and grabbed Ben's fanny pack. Kenji felt himself sliding forward towards the edge, when someone grabbed him around the waist. They just had to pull him back in, Kenji thought, it wasn't hard, they just had to pull him back in! But he didn't have the breath to say so.
Turning with a wheeze he tried to make Darius understand, that was when he saw the terrified expression on his face. To Kenji's shock, Darius pulled away, recoiling from Ben. It was only a half a second's worth of hesitation before Darius tried to reaffirm his hold on Ben's arm, but that half a second was just enough time for the boy to slip between his fingers. Ben's full weight pulled down on Kenji, then the strap broke, buttons snapped, and he was plummetting towards the ground, plagued and harried by pterosaurs who fought and tore at him with their beaks and talons, his scream of Kenji's name fading into the distance.
Laying across the floor Kenji watched until there was nothing left to see. He sat up and looked Darius who stared down at his palms. "I-I scratched him..." Darius whispered, his voice far away, removed from what was happening all around him. "I didn't want to hurt him- not like- I scratched him- I-"
Reeling back Kenji hit the other boy across the face as hard as he could. "Kenji!" the girls screamed trying to break things up, Brooklynn retighting her grip around his legs as the combatant tried to stand.
"Get off me!" Kenji bellowed kicking the girl away from him.
"You let him go!" Kenji raged, going after Darius again. "You let him go!"
"Enough!" Yasmina shouted, putting herself between them. "It was an accident. What did you want us to do, jump after him?"
"I would have if that bitch hadn't-" Kenji started, only to stop. His whole world tilted, listing savagely to one side like a capsized ship. "I would have." he repeated falling backwards in shock and dispair.
He was gone. Ben was gone. Kenji hadn't realized, hadn't known, until now, how much that pesimistic bookworm had really meant to him. This wasn't just some casual hook up in the coat room at one of the few parties his dad had actually allowed him to attend. It wasn't even a mutual arrangement between classmates to bang one out in the school bathrooms when class was boring, their confidence that their families wealth would carry them through life making education feel optional.
They hadn't even kissed and yet, somehow Ben, and his stupid nervous smile, and the stupid way he clung to him, and even the smell of his stupid fucking hand sanitizer meant so much more to Kenji than any of the others.
And that Kenji realized was what made it so damned scary. Why he couldn't accept it. Why he had to sabotage it every chance he got.
That was what made it real.
"We're going the wrong way!" someone said.
The others began rushing to and fro in a panic as Kenji sat despondent, wishing he could cry, but something had broken inside. He just didn't feel anything anymore.
"We have to jump!"
"Kenji?" It was Sammy, she was jostling him. "Kenji we have to jump." The other campers broke off in an urgent conversation, before the girl tried again, laying a piece of fabric over the young man's hand. Kenji's eyes drifted to the strap of the fanny pack, the frayed stitching staring at him, and still he felt nothing but a growing emptiness inside. "Kenji," Sammy sobbed. "Someone has to take care of Bumpy now. I think Ben would want it to be you."
"Bumpy?" Kenji heard himself say.
Turning he saw the baby animal calling out into the wind beyond the open door balefully crying for her adoptive parent. A rush of tears welled in the young man's eyes. "Bumpy. It's alright, shhh, I'll protect you. You're not alone. I'll protect you..."
"The only way to do that is of we go right now!" Brooklynn shouted coming to stand beside him.
"Go where?" Kenji asked, failing to understand the meaning behind her words. Tearily the pink haired girl pointed to the jungle that blurred past them.
"We're waiting for that hill, the slope should help." she went on.
Kenji stood, flooded with terror, as he watched the hill grow closer and closer. He didn't want to jump. His whole body was quaking as he readied himself and his new charge. He didn't want to do this. He held tight onto Bumpy. He didn't want to jump. Oh God, is this what it felt like for Ben?
Kenji jumped.
Notes:
My Spinach Puffs! :'(
Ugh there isn't anyone I don't feel bad for in this one!
This hurt to write, I hope y'all liked it, and it hit all the cords I was aiming for.
I switched Toro for a baryonyx because I can't see how Toro can still be hanging around the mosasaurs lagoon when Dave and Roxie arrive, and then leg it all the way to the tunnels if the kids had to take a monorail to make the same distance in a time frame of two hours. A little continuity problem I noticed with the show so I fixed it.
Also it's like one in the morning so there might me some spelling/grammar errors that I've missed, if you find any please bring them to my attention right away. I'm super tired but am going to be busy over the next couple days and wanted to post this while I had a chance!
Thanks for reading! :D
Chapter 19: The Day of Reckoning: Part Five
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Wind whipped violently past Brooklynn's face. Her eyes stinging and watering profusely as she struggled to keep them open. In the moments she had to think since leaping from the moving train the girl knew she had overcorrected her fall. Shock and fear hit her gut with the cold rush of half melted ice. In stark clarity she knew she had no way to save herself. Time slowed down. Then, in that brief space between one second and the next her mind fled away, conjuring images of a simpler time when leaping had been just as terrifying, but oh so thrilling.
It was the high dive at the public pool, she'd been seven, clad in a lavender suit and tutu. She remembered her mom and dad waiting in the water below cheering her on. She'd been scared, her arms and legs covered in goosebumps as the wind stole the warmth from her body, teeth chattering. People were shouting at her to hurry up, the lifeguard kept blowing her whistle motioning Brooklynn down one way or the other. A little boy called up to her from the ladder dubbing her a "baby." Finally, Brooklynn had just gone for it. It had been her first big adventure and major surge of adrenaline. The girl who jumped again and again that day couldn't ever get enough of the rush, or so she'd thought.
Blinking reality came flooding back. This time it wasn't refreshing blue water rushing up to meet her, but rather the cold hard a ground, and she was going to hit it face first. Brooklynn's thoughts were disjointed as she tried to command her body to move, to react, to do something. Her hands came up just in time to shield her face. Brooklynn hit the dirt, and knew immediately that something was wrong. Tucking her arms protectively into her chest she rolled with the impact, gravity carrying her down hill, rocks and twigs battering her along the way. The dull browns and greens of the jungle at night blurred dizzyingly with the blacks and blues of the starlit heavens. Over and over she tumbled until she hit something she recognized as a someone and stopped.
Laying with her forehead pressed into the cool dirt Brooklynn struggled to regain her breath, the whole world still reeling all about her. The only fragment of reality that kept her disoriented mind tethered was the innate knowledge that there was something, very, very wrong with her arms. That, and the memory of sheer horror on Ben's face just before- A sob left the girl, followed by another, tears leaving dirty streaks on her face as dust and dirt clung to the moisture. Pull yourself together, she commanded, you're not out of the woods yet, pull yourself together!
Sitting up after a minute the girl stared down at her appendages as they rested in her lap, and her heart skipped a beat. They were bent. Not at an extreme angle, but there was a noticable curve on the side of each wrist, her hands pointing outwards by degrees. In shock Brooklynn gawked wide eyed before trying and succeeding to wiggle her fingers. It didn't hurt so much as it was sore, and there was an intense amount of pressure, like someone was squeezing hold of her arms.
"You alright?" Darius groaned from where he lay beside her. The boy didn't try to get up, instead he stared blanky at the sky, the listlessness in his gaze, swollen from where Kenji had punched him, knotted Brooklynn's stomach.
"Yeah," she murmured opening and closing her hands, testing the motion. It felt like all her strength was gone, but at least her hands still worked. "I think so. Are you-"
"Kenji? Kenji!" it was Sammy, she was screaming. Turning Brooklynn scanned the area for her in the pitch, just able to make her out on the half light rocking the unconscious boy's body, Brooklynn's blood went cold. "Oh God, he's not breathing! Guys Kenji's not breathing!" Sammy wailed looking up in terror, a steady stream of blood flowing from her reopened head wound.
Brooklynn was on her feet in a second, heartbeat rapid, head light. Racing over to kneel down by the oldest camper she swept a numb hand over Kenji's face.
"Kenji?" she asked, fear and panic rising within. He didn't respond. The hairs raising on the back of her neck Brooklynn felt like spiders were crawling all over her as she failed to make out any signs of life. No! She thought, fresh tears slipping from her eyes as she stared down at the boy. No, no, no, no! With a strangled scream Brooklynn slapped the lifeless body across the face. Pain and immediate remorse erupted within Brooklynn, causing her to double over with a whimper, head on the boy's stomach.
"Come on you asshole!" Yasmina shouted, dragging her leg as she limped over to the others. "Breathe!"
Attracted by their noise Bumpy waddled towards them from the dense foliage they had landed in calling in the loud forlorn way she had been just before they jumped. "Not now!" Yasmina grit, prying one of Kenji's eyes open, and blowing air into it hard. There was no reaction, no automated reflex to close his eye. At this revelation everything seemed to be happening all at once as hysteria began to set in.
"No!" Brooklynn wailed.
"Breathe!" Yaz commanded again, shaking Kenji roughly. "Breathe!"
"Does anyone know CPR?" Sammy shrieked, hands flapping infront of her face as she tried fanning herself in panic for more air. She's going to faint, Brooklynn thought glancing up briefly at the hyperventilating girl.
Hush in the wake of so desperate and so simple a question gave her, her answer, yet still one by one he kids all responded with a solemn. "No."
"How hard can it be?" Yasmina sneered after a minute. Pushing the others aside and ignoring her pain the athlete tried to position herself over Kenji, her face hard set with a fortitude all her own, hands finding his sternum.
"I bet Ben knew CPR..." Darius murmured distantly, lingering at the edge of their group after walking to where they sat.
With a shudder Kenji took a breath, followed by another, let out a hoarse cough, and his respiration fell into a shallow, but noticable rhythm. Sammy crumpled to the soil overcome with the same relief that everyone else felt. Brooklynn smiled at her, cautiously taking her trembling hand. Everyone slumped in the dirt, enjoying this reprieve from death while they could, relishing the labored sounds of Kenji's breathing. It was hard, and sounded painful, but at least he was still with them.
"He's ok," Sammy whispered. "He's going to be ok."
"For now." Darius uttered, his voice nearly drowned out by the baying of the baby ankylosaurus who stormed about tail thrashing angrily.
Brooklynn turned to him with a blend of anger and worry, the former slowly giving way to the latter. She pressed her lips together, but couldn't think of anything to say. It wasn't his fault, none of this was his fault, but the girl knew far too well that telling him that wouldn't change how he felt.
"What about Ben?" Sammy asked, again the first to break the silence. "I mean we have to at least look for him right?"
"He's dead Sammy." Yaz snapped, a shudder ran down her spine as she hugged herself, seemingly cold in spite of the oversized hoodie.
"We don't know that!" Sammy argued, her voice a pinched whine as she struggled to grasp at the last threads of hope she could find. "We made it didn't we?"
"We jumped at a dip in the track, on a slope." Yasmina retorted. "Ben fucking fell. Straight down. Far and hard."
"But we're alright so that means-"
"The pterosaurs." Darius mumbled, still standing apart from the rest.
"But," Sammy tried again reluctant to face the reality of their situation head on. Looking at her Brooklynn felt her eyes beginning to well again. "But he could be..."
In the space that followed the only sound that could be heard was Bumpy's aggravated grumbling as she paced about the little clearing, her tail battling ferns, and saplings in her anger. She circled, called out, Brooklynn assumed for Ben, and circled and called again before making her rounds to nudge and rub against each of the campers with a whimper. When no one got up she repeated the process.
"He's gone Bumpy." Brooklynn said gently, cupping the animal's face in her hands when Bumpy had come to her. "Ben's gone."
"Brooklynn!" Sammy gasped at the same time Bumpy let out a bellow as though she understood and resented what the pink haired girl had said.
"It, it's does really hurt so much as..." Brooklynn trailed off following the other girls gaze down to her arms which had begun to collect fluid. She found herself vaguely unable to find the right words to explain what exactly it did feel like, if not painful and smiled awkwardly. "I'm sure it will though when the adrenaline wears off..."
"Are they broken?" the cowgirl asked, wiping the blood from her brow with the back of her hand before inching towards Brooklynn and palpitating her wrists.
"I don't think so-" Brooklynn's body gave a jump, brightly colored orbs floating through her vision, a shooting pain electrified both arms. Sammy apologized.
"Will someone shut her up?" Yasmina asked after a minute, tossing a pebble in Bumpy's direction. "She's going to get us all killed!"
Brooklynn looked at the little animal who didn't seem content with idling around much longer and began ambling away into the underbrush. Darius scrambled to stop her. "Shh Bumpy it's ok, we've got you." he said smiling to her, she pressed forward, trying to break free of his tenuous grip. "No, stay with us!" Darius argued digging in with his feet.
"Come on Bumpster," Sammy crooned trying to ply the dinosaur with tasty tidbits from a nearby tree. "We gotta stick together girl."
Bumpy honked loudly, turning to face them as she backed away, letting out little chuffs, turning up dirt underfoot as she did.
"No, no, no!" Darius hissed, clamouring to find a way to pin the animal down which only incited her rage even more. "Please!" he begged starting to cry, cheek pressed against her well armored back. "Please we can't lose you too, please! Please!"
Without much thought they all grabbed onto Bumpy in an attempt to get her to stay. Bellowing and trashing around the ankylosaur had a fit, tail aimed at shins she heaved and fought with everything in her to get away, fear coming to her calls as well was anger and loss.
"Ow!" Yasmina cried out pulling away to inspect her hand where deep red impressions had been left by Bumpy's flat square teeth. "Just let her go!"
"No!" Darius cried, but already the battle was lost, the dinosaur gave one final lurch forward and broke free racing away into the night calling loudly for her fallen parent.
Darius started gasping for air, his good hand pressed tight against his chest, his eyes glistened with sorrow in the moonlight. "Darius?" Brooklynn asked standing to try and offer him some sort of comfort. She'd seen breakdowns before, in the hospital, and as he stood watching in bitter sadness one second, jumping up and down, a pent scream coming from between his teeth, good hand pulling at his hair the next, he seemed to be on the verge of one.
"She's alright this jungle is her home!" Sammy said with a forced smile, trying to be of cheer when all Brooklynn could think to do was hug the boy around the waist, mindful of his shoulder.
"Hey!" Yaz called to them swallowing past a lump of emotion caught in her throat, though it could still heard in her voice. She had retreated to their fallen leader, and had his shirt up as though she was trying to remember what the bruising had looked like earlier, as if that would help diagnose the problem. "The only thing we should be worrying about is getting to that boat!"
The boat.
Brooklynn's stomach did a summersault. How could she have forgotten about the boat? Her head turning from side to side that persistent feeling of impending doom, and sense of urgency flooded throughout the influencer's body. Arryhthmia stole its way into the girl's chest.
"We have to go!" Brooklynn said in pressing tone.
"What about Ben?" Sammy pleaded.
"We can't go back for Ben!" Brooklynn snapped. "Ben's gone."
"Yeah, and what about Kenji?" Yaz added in a fierce tone. "Get your head out of the fucking clouds."
"And Bumpy..." Darius wheezed between tears.
"You're all insane!" Yasmina shouted. "Ben's gone, Bumpy's an animal, Kenji is right here, and he's hurt we need to do something about that first. We need to get to the boat!"
"Yaz is right." Brooklynn said forlorn. "We have to keep moving."
Encircled by her arms Brooklynn felt Darius trembling, but he shook himself soundly out of it. She looked and saw his brows were pulled together, his tears had stopped, and his jaw was set rigidly. "We're not going to make it if we keep going like this." he announced, the grim maturity in his tone seemed to have aged him by a decade at least.
"Yasmina, are you still good to walk?" he asked pulling away from Brooklynn.
"I'd say I'm highly motivated, yes." the girl agreed as she stood.
"Sammy, you can fix my shoulder again?"
"I can try." the cowgirl winced. "If you keep banging it up though-"
"Just fix it. We have to go."
Hanging back Brooklynn, who was aware of a sharp stinging sensation in her stomach wrapped her arms around herself loosely. She watched as Darius pushed everything away, burying it all deep, deep down inside. This wasn't good the girl thought to herself as she watched Sammy prepping to realign his dislocated joint, but there wasn't much she could do to help. So she chose to watch, and wait, and be there for him when she could. Because it was coming, rolling in like a thunderstorm, she could tell.
Just as with the last time, there was a loud, wet pop, a cry, and Darius sank to the ground with the anguish of it. He came to quickly enough, tested his arm, and after a few steadying breaths stood resolute.
"There's no way we're going to make it stumbling through the jungle in the middle of the night." he declared, deflating the others a bit. "But when we went to see Toro Kenji led us through these tunnels under the park. Flat, even terrain and it's got to have a direct route to the docks."
"That's a great idea!" Sammy nodded.
"Yaz," Darius said looking her up and down, Brooklynn couldn't help but follow suit. The girl's entire leg had ballooned, and was turning a sickening shade of purplish grey, how she was even standing was beyond Brooklynn, highly motivated indeed. "You can lean on my right side that should help, right?"
"Should." she grit hobbling towards him, and looping her arm around his neck.
"Sammy, Brooklynn-"
"We got 'im." Sammy assured heaving Kenji up with a considerable amount of strength that reminded Brooklynn that 'cowgirl' wasn't just a nickname. The pink haired girl fished Ben's torn fanny pack from the ground and stuffed it into the side pocket of Kenji's cargo shorts, before hurrying to steady him on the other side.
The shabby group set off at a shuffle, only the promise of salvation keeping them going.
Kenji was heavy, Brooklynn thought after a while, his head flopping around limply on his neck in a way that frightened her. What if there was something really, really wrong? She fretted as Sammy gave a massive heave to pull the boy's dangling feet over an upturned tree root. What if even after all of this and they got off the island he didn't get better? What if he was in a coma? What if he was going to die?
"Everything's going to be alright." Darius called confidently to the group from where he and Yasmina lead the way. Brooklynn stared at his back for a long moment, it was like he'd read her mind, but he hadn't even turned around. Maybe he was just talking to himself, she thought, voicing it aloud so that it would help everyone. Still, his gentle reassurance helped ease her feverishly anxious mind, as she labored under the dead weight of Kenji Kon.
After a few minutes Darius seemed to find what he was looking for, a boulder with the Jurassic World logo emblazoned upon it. "This is it." he announced, lifting the stone effortlessly to reveal a maintenance hatch, red light spilled up from the ground casting an ominous glow over the campers faces. Darius who appeared caught of guard for a moment climbed in readily, followed soon after by Yaz.
"So," Brooklynn asked in nervous concern. "How are we doing this?"
The Texan chewed on her lower lip in contemplation for a few minutes before she eased Kenji to the leaf litter. "I'll go down first," she announced mounting the ladder. "You just have to roll him towards me, and I'll catch."
"Are you sure?" Brooklynn asked tentatively, she couldn't quite tell how far down the tunnel was, and if Sammy dropped him- Brooklynn didn't even want to think about what could go wrong.
"Positive." Sammy nodded slowly disappearing below ground. "Just send him down feet first." Left alone Brooklynn felt the fear of her isolation, and couldn't help but glance about in trepidation at the swallowing darkness all around.
Nervously she touched the source of pain in her stomach, the moisture clinging to her shirt around the port burned. It hadn't just been her wrists that had been affected by the leap of faith. She wanted to take a minute, to lift her shirt and get a really good look at the damage, wincing as acid and enzymes beaded to the surface of her skin, but a minute was something they didn't have. Stooping down the girl maneuvered Kenji towards the manhole, pushing him in feet first as she'd been instructed. That was when the teen realized that they'd lost one of his shoes, she turned back stupidly, as though expected to find it, but saw nothing in the dark.
Her breath stealing away in a gasp as Kenji's body slid unexpectedly into the hole after she had gotten his legs in Brooklynn rushed to peer down after him. Sammy gave a tentative smile and a thumbs up, having just caught him by the armpits. "Got him!"
Relieved Brooklynn was the last one to file down the ladder, descending into a room luminous with monochromatically red warning lights. The tunnels seemed to stretch forever in either direction from where the campers stood.
"Which way?" Brooklynn asked.
"Well," Darius sighed. "The docks are to the South, so, let's head south and see what happens." he smiled then, but it wasn't the warm energetic expression Brooklynn was familar with, it was worn, it was tired, it was pained.
Gravely the kids trekked forward in silence, the lighting, and persistent echo of their own footsteps adding an invasive sense of eerie malease to the atmosphere. After a few minutes Kenji groaned startling everyone, then he moved, trying to pull his head up. Stopping the girls sat him on the ground, his back propped against the cool metal and concrete of the man-made tunnel. After a moment or two he lifted his head, and looked around himself with confused disorientation.
"Where are we?" he asked, his voice a thick croak.
"We're in the tunnels, trying to get to the docks." Brooklynn explained crouching beside him. "How do you feel?"
Kenji blinked with a dull understanding of what she had just said. "Like shit."
They watched as the boy pat himself down, cautious of his chest as he took stock of his injuries. That was when he found the pack, holding it in his hand Kenji looked at it for a time, his expression betraying none of his thoughts, before returning it to where he'd found it. "Where's Bumpy?" he asked them.
"She ra-" Yasmina started in, but Brooklynn, trying to help divert what she was sure would be more blame from falling onto Darius who already had too much to deal with cut her off.
"We don't know, she wasn't there when we were getting up." she said eyes darting to each of the others praying they'd back her up. "It's like she was there one minute, gone the next."
Darius seemed ready to contradict her when Sammy doubled down on the lie. "Yeah, she just wasn't there. She must have gotten scared and run off or something."
"I dropped her too then." Kenji muttered, and Brooklynn regretted her deception instantly.
"You didn't drop Ben." Darius said.
"Don't!" Kenji shouted before the act sent him into a coughing fit, one that caused him to tense up in agony. "You don't get to say his name!"
Everyone stood in fresh mourning before Yasmina shuffled her weight about, still leaning heavily on Darius, and spoke in a strained voice. "We have to keep moving. I know, I'm a bitch, but we can't keep stopping every five seconds. Please!" she begged. "I really don't want to die here."
"I think I might know where we are." Kenji murmured after a second of observation, accepting the other girls help up.
With Kenji doing his best to direct them the group seemed to be making some headway. They even procured an electric prod from one of the lockers for Yasmina to use as a walking stick, and an old tee-shirt that was quickly shredded and made into bandages for Sammy's head, and a better sling for Darius' shoulder.
Then they were met with metal bars.
They tried weaving through side tunnels, backtracking, and circling around feeling like rats trapped in a maze as every avenue that they walked past was an avenue replaced by locked gates.
"Where do we go now?" Darius asked after a while, letting Yasmina slump against a wall. She sagged immediately to the floor holding onto her leg.
"I don't know Darius, coming down here was your idea! Just back the fuck off!" Kenji bit out, his voice ringing in Brooklynn's ear as she helped lower him beside the athlete.
It looked like a fight was about to break out when Sammy swept some hair over her ear, glancing behind herself with unease. "Um Kenji, Darius, the way that we came in from, where does that tunnel end?"
"I don't know, it opens up somewhere into the park, why?" Kenji snapped.
That was when they heard a hiss, separate and distinct from the rattle and whistle of the pipes that surrounded them. The children turned to see a toothy shadow cast against the wall in the flickering red light. Brooklynn's heart started racing instantly, Kenji and Yasmina scooted along the floor pressing themselves tighter against the bend in the wall hoping to conceal themselves, Sammy snatched up the cattle prod letting it flicker and crackle to life. Head light with fear Brooklynn couldn't resist peaking as everyone hid.
Then darting from the other end of the passage a little green compsognathus breathing hard ran around the corner, beside her Darius heaved a sigh of relief. "It's just a comp-"
His words were cut short when a larger therapod took the bend after the little animal, it's well armed feet skidding it was accompanied by a hunting companion. Brooklynn closed her eyes when the first of the two larger dinosaurs snatched the compy up in it's jaws. There was a terrible screaming, the crush of bone, and then only pleased snorting and grunting from the victorious predators. Opening her eyes Brooklynn found herself staring Darius in the face, their shared terror when confronted with mortality once again a hollow comfort, just as it had been in the gyrosphere.
"Velociraptors." Darius whispered, giving a name to the death that stalked towards them with long claws that rapped irritably on the floor.
"What do we do?" Sammy whispered, clutching her weapon as the sound of the dinosaurs grew nearer.
No one wanted to say it, but Brooklynn found herself staring at the incapacitated members of their party where they sat winded and hurting, vulnerable, and unable to help themselves. Yaz and Kenji were sitting ducks. They seemed to sense this as their hands found each other in a gruesome form of solidarity, they were mentally preparing to die. Brooklynn, a fire in her chest couldn't accept their unspoken answer, couldn't accept that they were going to give up so easily, especially not when they were so damned close and started looking for something, anything with which to distract or hurt the velociraptors before their impending arrival.
Her gaze trailing the pipes Brooklynn found several valves, and handles imbedded in the wall. Frantically she began turning them at random, ignoring the mounting pressure and discomfort in her forearms as she twisted her wrists in ways they protested angrily against. Water and steam could be heard rushing at different speeds here, a particular pipe began trembling as though it might burst there, and yet the insulation held. Teeth grit together she kept trying. Come on! She thought pleading silently with the fates. Do something, something had to happen! Why wasn't anything happening?
That was when Darius stepped forward, "It's alright," he smiled sadly a hand on her shoulder. "I've got this." Whatever 'this' was Brooklynn knew innately that it wasn't good, and that she couldn't let him do it alone.
It was when she turned to ask him what exactly he had in mind that she saw it, the morose, rueful light in his gaze. Then it clicked with her, then she realized.
The guilt.
The intense overwhelming guilt he'd been carrying with him this entire time.
Darius had been throwing himself head first at every danger they came across, putting his life at risk for theirs with each and every opportunity that arose. He didn't give it a single thought, not once did he seem to hesitate or second guess his decisions. This entire time Brooklynn had taken it for bravery and courage, while she had heard Yasmina and Kenji call it recklessness. But now the truth had been laid bare and she saw his actions for what they were. He was punishing himself for Jayson, had been from the onset, and now for Ben too. Brooklynn with a stabbing pain in her heart wondered if a part of him was hoping to be killed to make amends, and if he was even fully aware of why he was doing what he was doing.
"No," she argued, turning to look at the passage he was eyeing, mentally calculating as she was sure he was as well how long it would take them to reach it. "We've got this."
"Brooklynn, no," Darius said. "I have to do this. I-"
"Just try and stop me." Brooklynn smirked giving the boy a tap on the nose with a puffy index finger. Before he could utter another word she had turned and started running. "Hey over here, catch me!" she shouted to the animals who's heads snapped at attention with eager surprise.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Darius asked catching up to her the shrieks and calls of the raptors echoing behind them.
"Always." Brooklynn smiled reaching out and taking his hand in her own.
Legs churning the two ran with everything they had in them the sounds of their pursuers jockeying for position behind them lending speed to their strides. Then without warning they took a wrong turn and found themselves running straight at a set of iron bars. There was a hall to either side, and with no way of knowing where, if anywhere each route would take them Darius gave Brooklynn's swollen fingers a squeeze and they darted Brooklynn to the right, Darius to the left, dividing their hunters affectively.
Alone Brooklynn found the sound of her own fears overwhelming as she pelted blindly through alternating darkness and dimmed bloody lighting. The velociraptor screeched when she took a tight turn. Unable to gain traction on the slick floor with its talons the beast slid into a nearby wall with a bellow.
Dashing down a short hall Brooklynn stopped pressing herself tight into a corner hands clamped over her mouth and nose in an attempt to stifle her own rampant and frightened breathing. She heard the raptor's claws tapping as it ran past, the animal snorting as it raced onwards in pursuit of its illusive prey. Shuddering Brooklynn wiped the tears and snot from her face as she cried as silently as humanly possible. Then, when she was sure it had gone the girl crept out of hiding and doubled back the way she had come.
Tiptoeing down the corridor, to Brooklynn's all encompassing dread she realized that she had no idea where she was. Everything looked the same, there were lights, and pipes, spigots, and dead ends everywhere. Sure the walls had giant numbers painted across them, but it wasn't like she had time to read them, or make a mental map of the labyrinthian tunnels while she was in the midst of running for her life. She couldn't find her way back, she realized turning this way and that, her ears keen for the sound of anyone or anything approaching. Cupping her tender button as hopelessness set in Brooklynn found herself wandering.
Please, her thoughts were bittersweet, please even if I don't make it out of here let it have worked, let everyone be alright!
Trying to turn down a narrow shaft the girl focused solely on trailing the piping above her, reasoning that, hopefully they'd lead her back to her set of valves she had left the others by. Something touched her back. With a gasp body going rigid Brooklynn turned to see Darius in the darkness, a finger pressed urgently to his lips indicating for her to be quiet. Brooklynn hugged the boy quaking all over with a cocktail of fear and relief swimming in her head.
"I'm so glad you're alright!" she whispered.
"Me too- you- I'm-" the boy fumbled hugging her back, he was still panting dismally for breath.
Brooklynn laughed and shook her head. "It's alright."
They stood in each other's arms for several minutes before the girl dared to ask, "Do you know where we are?"
"No." Darius admitted.
Separating from the embrace they looked each other over, finding the other shaken but sound. Together, after a few moments they ventured back into the winding walkways and corridors, desperately lost. Creeping in at the edges of their minds like fleeting shadows a sense of defeat settled over them. Without much fanfare, or even acknowledging that they had all but given up the pair sat weary from a day of running, their backs against the cold concrete, unable to continue.
"You keep touching your stomach are you alright?" Darius asked after noticing the way Brooklynn kept cupping the left side of her belly.
"Fine." she snapped, blinking back the burning discomfort. After sitting in the quiet for several minutes the irritating sting had begun to grow unbearable. With a frustrated grunt of embarassment Brooklynn scooted away lifting her jacket and shirt finally looking at the white port in her stomach.
"It's called a MIC-KEY button," she half shouted shamefully fending off any questions before they could be posed. "It's gross and weird I know-"
"My dad had one." Darius observed, staring at the tube. "Near the end... Are you alright?"
Brooklynn felt a pang for assuming the worst from him without giving him a chance, and even worse for reminding him of his dad's failed battle. Quietly assessing the damage Brooklynn saw that her skin was already turning an angry pink, and turning soft, the smell acrid and nauseating.
"You've gotta keep it dry or you'll get ulcers from the acid." Darius put in helpfully.
"Yeah, I know." Brooklynn snapped. "I'm the one who's gotta live with it."
"Sorry."
"No..." Brooklynn winced, dabbing at the stomach fluid with a dry portion of her shirt. What was her problem? She wondered, he was just trying to help and she bit his freaking head off for it! "It's, it's not you, really." the girl mumbled.
"I get it," Darius shrugged. "It's been a stressful day."
Caught off guard by the blunt matter of fact way Darius had understated everything in one sentence Brooklynn burst out laughing, Darius joining her, the infectious joy mingling with their exhaustion and washing away some of their dread.
"Do you know why I do the whole YouTube thing?" Brooklynn asked after a while, she wasn't sure where she was going with this, but it felt like something she needed to share, and a good segway into talking about his feelings without going straight for the throat.
"No." he shook his head.
The girl let out a sigh, lowered her shirt, and leaned back. "It actually started when my therapist suggested I journal my experience with this." she pointed to her button before motioning to herself as a whole and then tapping herself on the head. "You know, all of this. Well I wasn't much for writing stuff down, it didn't stick, it wasn't something I could or would keep up with. So she suggested video blogging, and that, that was something I could get behind."
There was a pause where Brooklynn was trying to decide what to say next.
"It helped, and then it didn't, it just made things worse." she shrugged. "And then it helped again in a different way when I went from documenting my 'journey,' to documenting my travels."
"I'm glad." he smiled.
Brooklynn returned the expression with a bitter smile of her own. "Don't be, because it's not really helping me, not anymore. It's back to hurting me again... I'm sick Darius, and I know I'm sick but I can't seem to help myself out of it. If it's not, if it's not one thing it's another." she sobbed feeling herself starting to crumble.
"Their approval just- I don't even really know Darius, it just gives me something I think I need..." Brooklynn was trying to keep the tears at bay, she wasn't supposed to be blubbering like a damn baby, she was supposed to be helping him realize it was ok if he let go, not her.
Somehow, even knowing this, she couldn't keep the words from spilling out. "I don't like myself very much Darius... At all even... But when I'm streaming or making videos and they start commenting I can see someone worth while. I feel valued, heard, I feel real! But that bubbly smiling girl on the computer screen. She's not me, and she's not real. I'm nothing!"
"That's not true." he murmured pulling her into his chest. "Shh, that's not true. You are one of the bravest, smartest, funniest people I have ever met." the boy went on trying to soothe her hurt. "And if someone can't see that, then they're a God damn moron! And that includes you too, ya idiot."
Brooklynn found herself laughing as she dabbed at her face with her jacket sleeve. "I'm sorry, that got real heavy real fast and went way into left field."
"Baseball fan?" Darius asked.
"Little bit."
"What's your favorite team?" Darius asked, some of his old self pulling through.
"Yankees." Brooklynn said wrinkling her nose.
"Oh, I'm an Oakland A's fan, gotta go home team." Darius larked.
"Ouch."
"Tell me about it." the boy rolled his eyes.
"If we're going home teams though it'd better be the Red Sox." Brooklynn mused, listening to the beat of his wounded heart from where her head still rest against his chest.
"I can get behind that." he nodded.
"Darius, you don't have to blame yourself," Brooklynn chimed against her better judgement. "Or punish yourself for everything that's happened. It wasn't your fault. None of this is your fault."
Darius let out a sigh, turning away from her suddenly cold.
They sat quietly for several long minutes until the weight of the realization that they weren't going to be able to find their way back threatened to crush Brooklynn entirely. Trying hard not to the girl found herself crying, surprised that she had any tears left to give after everything they had been through.
"It's going to be alright." Darius said trying to comfort her. "Everything's going to be alright."
"You know you're allowed to be scared too!" Brooklynn whimpered. "You don't have to be so strong all the time"
"I know." Darius agreed, his voice thin. "And I'm not."
Notes:
So very sorry for the long wait, I knew this week was going to be crazy but life threw me some unexpected curve balls... Get it? See what I did there? Ha! I'm so funny! XD
Brooklynn's arms are not broken, they're "buckled" or bent. It's a common type of injury in very young children whose bones aren't rigidly developed yet and in older folks with osteoporosis. However, given Brooklynn's anorexia, and resulting poor nutrition she has lost a lot of bone density which has allowed for this type of injury. She is right, it is gonna hurt once all the adrenaline wears off and it's gonna suck, but they are not broken.
As I said before in Darius' first chapter in my AU there are more velociraptors in the park than in just Owen's raptor pack. I envision these guys like the classic raptors from the first film, but each to their own! :)
Also learn CPR people! It's a valuable life skill and you never know when having even just the basics down can help save someone's life!
Thank you all so much for reading and being patient with me! I hope you liked it! <3
Chapter 20: The Day of Reckoning: Part Six
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Huddled together, the sinister red glow of the emergency lights spilling across their faces Darius absent mindedly smoothed his hand through Brooklynn's soft pink hair with an eased rhythm. The girl's head rest in his lap, she had cried herself out a few minutes ago, inflamed hands pressed tight against her mouth as she tried to muffle the sound. Staring vacantly at the bleak gray wall across from him, there were many voices screaming in Darius' head; fear, self-doubt, and damnation all vying greedily for his soul. He tried his best to give them no ear with which to listen. Instead the boy found himself humming a light tune, foot tapping to the beat of a song he willed to fill his mind and drown out all of his anxieties and pain.
What he wouldn't give for his iPod right now, he thought, desperately wanting some way to sever his mind from the grim reality in which he found himself.
He couldn't do this anymore. It was too hard, he'd done too many things wrong, and people had died because of him.
Glancing down at the sleeping girl and a shudder ran through Darius. It was just the cold, he lied to himself. A chill had seeped and into his bones from the dark and damp of the tunnels, pipes dripping here and there. That must have been it. Or perhaps it was the fear? The raptors, smaller, sleeker than the ones he'd encountered with Kenji were still running free and could return at any moment to catch them unawares.
He was just cold and scared, that's all.
No, he grudgingly reasoned when the sensation wracked his body once more, it wasn't the cold, and it wasn't the fear. Someone was walking over his grave. What he was feeling was the undeniable truth that they were never getting off this island, even after everything they'd been through, everything they'd done, everything he'd done.
Death walked with them, hand in hand, and they were all going to die here.
Because of him.
All he could hope now was that Sammy, Yaz, and Kenji would be able to make it out, that the only other person he had doomed was Brooklynn. Stupid, vainglorious Brooklynn. Why she had decided to run around like an idiot was infuriatingly beyond Darius' scope of understanding. She didn't have to do it, but she did it anyways. It was his job to make sure everyone was alright, it was his job to make sure that they all knew what they were up against, it was his job to make the sacrifice if it came down to it. So then why did she seem to think this was some sort of game, that she could just do whatever she wanted consequences be damned?
Anger swelling in his chest Darius' fingers curled and tangled through the girl's hair, pulling strands from it's loose bun. Glaring down at the pink tresses held tight in his fist he wanted to pull her hair, to shake her, yell at her, let her know how stupid and selfish she was being. Rage obscuring his vision with bitter tears he didn't want the stain of Brooklynn's blood on his hands too, but now because of her, the boy knew that he would... inevitability... and he hated her for it.
Letting out a shaky breath, as a few tears slipped free Darius let go moments later. Uneasily he resumed running his hand over the girl's locks, retidying the mess he'd made as best he could. She was exhausted, he noticed when none of his fidgeting had roused her. So was he, he admitted, head lulling back, eyelids drooping heavily. He couldn't sleep, it wasn't safe to, he knew that, and yet, his blinks became longer, and he felt himself separating only to return to himself with a start.
He couldn't fall asleep! He thought, opening his eyes painfully wide. He couldn't... but...
There was a rattle in the piping overhead. It was just loud enough to catch his attention, though not enough to force the sleep from Darius' mind, his head hanging low, chin resting against his chest.
Then he heard it again, and he fought to open his eyes. It seemed louder this time, and rhythmic unlike the periodic rattle and pop of the other pipes. Then he realized that the sound repeated in periodic intervals.
clang-clang-clang-clang-clang
Forcing himself to sit a little higher from where he slumped Darius glanced about his mind a lethargic hazed muddle. There was a pause and the noises of the tunnel returned to their natural ambient static. Maybe he was hearing things? he thought, or had already started dreaming? Darius waited for what felt like an eternity, but the sound didn't return. He was going crazy, the boy conceded with himself, before the call to slumber took up arms and he felt himself beginning to drift once more.
clang-clang-clang-clang-clang
The boy jolted upright. No, he'd heard it that time, he'd definitely heard it! Darius strained with baited breath and pensive nerves to listen. Then it happened on a different pipe along the opposite wall.
clang-clang-clang-clang-clang
"Huh, shave and a hair cut..." he muttered to himself absentmindedly, a little smirk curling the corner of his mouth. Then it clicked.
Darius leaped to his feet spilling Brooklynn, who gave a frightened yelp, to the floor. Rapping his knuckles twice against the pipes as hard as he could it was all Darius could do to keep from shouting, "Two bits!" which came out in a desperate sob. Seconds later the pipe in question shook and rattled frantically. It was them, he realized, it was the others, they had found a way to communicate!
Darius crumpled to his knees overwhelmed with joy, deliverance was at hand, and maybe, just maybe they didn't have to die here.
"Darius?" Brooklynn, crouched low to the floor whispered apprehensively behind him.
Turning towards her the boy couldn't help but smile even as the tears flowed steadily. "It's ok," he promised. "We're going to be alright, the others- I don't know how they, but- I know how to find them! We're getting out of here!"
The shadow of fear and doubt broke over the girl's face, her natural radiance shining through like sunlight conquering stormclouds, the same tears of relief washing over her. Gingerly the teens helped pull one another to their feet, supporting themselves wearily, Darius waited and listened his ears keen. The tapping came again, he turned from left to right, trying to discern a point of origin, but the echos that reverberated along the thick, empty concrete walls made the task difficult.
"What do you think?" he asked after a minute. "Is it louder coming from that direction or... That one?"
Brooklynn bit her lip as she strained to hear. Finally, eyes closed she let out a sigh. Darius knew the feeling, it was a fifty-fifty chance and it was still the biggest gamble of their lives. "That one." she said after a few minutes gesturing with a nod down a straight and narrow corridor.
"Let's hope so." Darius said a nervous laugh escaping him, fear and optimism a nauseating cocktail in the pit of his stomach.
Picking their way through the tunnels, Darius and Brooklynn checked superstitiously around every curve, bend, and intersection for signs of the velociraptors. It made for slow going, but so too did the knocking and waiting for a response. Blessedly, however as they trailed their copper line of salvation they could tell they were getting closer, and closer until the distinct clatter of metal on metal rang through their ears like the victorious bells of a cathedral on New Years day.
Turning a corner the pair stopped abruptly. They had found them! Sammy stood radiating power and determination as she tearfully and methodically struck the end of the electric prod against metal poles. Yasmina and Kenji lay behind her exactly where they had left them, sagging low to the ground, pale, fighting against themselves as they each began nodding off. The cowgirl, who caught their movement out of her peripheral vision gave a start before allowing her tool to drop noisily to the ground as she rushed to embrace them.
Darius winced, and struggled to keep his footing as the girl threw herself across their shoulders, pulling them in tight. "I was so, so scared!" she whispered.
"It's alright Sammy," Darius smiled. "We were too."
At this the Texan couldn't help but laugh, her nature winning out against circumstance. "I bet you were you crazy son-of-a-gun!" she larked, before turning to Brooklynn more sternly. "And you, I expected better from you! Don't ever do anything like that again, or I'll turn y'all over my knee, I'll do it too!" she motioned threateningly between the two of them with her index finger.
The three friends shared a laugh, and for the briefest of moments it felt as though everything was alright. Sammy pressed an affectionate kiss into each of their cheeks, and gave them a final, trembling hug before leading them back to the others.
"See I told you it wasn't a stupid idea." Kenji murmured with a breathy smile, nudging Yaz with his elbow trying to get her to admit that she had been wrong. "Fraggle Rock for the win..."
"You're an idiot." the girl said through her gritted teeth, hands gripping her upper thigh where the tight spandex of her running shorts had begun to cut into her still expanding leg.
"It worked didn't it?" Kenji asked, staring down at her swollen and discolored limb with worry.
"That was genius!" Darius enthused as he came up to them, holding his right hand out to give Kenji a high-five. With a little grunt of discomfort Kenji ignored him, turning decidedly away, or at least, as much as he could.
"Glad you didn't get eaten Super-Star." he muttered, looking past Darius to Brooklynn.
"Me too." the pink haired girl smiled awkwardly.
Darius was hurt and left shaken, by Kenji's indifference. The air catching in his chest the boy was reminded of how he had failed, not once, but twice, and now Ben, and Jayson were dead because of him. Looking down at his hand Darius made a fist, it felt strong enough, but somehow he hadn't been. He was weak, a coward, and a murderer. Blinking back his emotions Darius swallowed hard against the lump in his throat, and took stock of their surroundings.
"So," he said, forcing a smile. "We know there's not much back that way, except maybe some toothy 'friends,' so what do you say we try heading this way?" he asked motioning further down the tunnel.
"I think that's a good idea!" Sammy hastily agreed, bending down to help Yasmina to her feet. The athlete cast a withering stare at the cowgirl that stopped her in her tracks.
"I've got this." Yaz grit, trying to stand. "And I especially don't need help from you." she added in low mutter.
Darius who could tell that in spite of her pride Yasmina wasn't going to be able to do it on her own, moved quickly, and caught her under the arm with his good hand. The pull and strain on the connective muscles across his back and chest protested with a fiery ache, bright orbs flickering to life at the edge of his vision. "Let me." he muttered helping the girl up. He and Sammy exchanged saddened looks as they shuffled about in the close quarters so that she could aid Kenji, who remained motionless and made no effort to help himself.
Once everyone had found their footing the group resumed their slow shuffle forward into the unknown, only, this time they were sure to be more cautious and aware of their surroundings.
Hairs standing up on the back of his neck and arms Darius found himself lost within as they walked, seeing the world from the back seat as he anxiously poured over everything that had happened over the course of the past twenty-four hours, mulling obsessively over the observation tower, and monorail, replaying it again, and again in the theater of his mind, reenacting the events in painful, damning detail, piecing together hypotheticals if only he had done something different, done something right. Silently the boy cursed himself for his failures.
"You alright?" Yasmina asked in a low whisper, looking down at him with worry.
"Yeah, you?" Darius asked, it was an automatic response, he was still rifling and filing through the scenarios in which he might have been able to save a life.
"I'm-" Yaz rolled her eyes and let out a snort of irritation. "It's not about me, I'm fine." she spit out, turning to glance down an adjacent hallway. "I was asking about you, Darius."
"I'm ok."
"You're shaking." Yasmina pointed out bluntly, she'd stopped walking her honey colored eyes staring down hard into his deep cocoa gaze. She didn't seem prepared to take 'yes' for an answer, but couldn't help putting much of her weight on him as she waited for a better response.
"I'm just-" Darius started brows pulled together as he turned towards her. "Scared."
Yaz looked at him for a long minute before she seemed to accept this, pressing her lips together tightly she nodded, "Me too." The girl rest her head against his for a minute, in a kind of hug, before they started off again.
It hadn't been a lie, exactly, Darius said to himself, but it wasn't the whole truth either.
After trekking aimlessly for a while the weary band's pace slowed to a crawl, bickering and arguing broke out amongst the friends. The tension came to a head when they found themselves met with yet another barred passage.
"Come on!" Kenji groaned.
"Oh look another dead end!" Brooklynn scoffed. "Good job!"
Trying to stave off any fights before they could start Darius turned to suggest doubling back, and trying the winding route they had passed not long ago. That was when they heard it, the roar that bounced off the floor and ceiling as it raced towards them, clashing deafeningly against their eardrums and filling the children's hearts with alarm. The ruddy, short snouted maw of the carnotaurus Toro jutted around a corner at the end of the corridor they had been trailing. The campers seized up, breath baited, grips tightening on one another with fearful holds that would later bruise. Surveying her surroundings Toro spotted the teenagers, lip curling over sharp conical teeth in a snarl.
"We have to run!" Brooklynn shouted.
"I can't." Yasmina stated in a hollow whisper.
Watching helplessly with the others as Toro bore down on them Darius looked desperately for a way out, that was when he noticed the vent. Running to it he began prying at the metal grating as Sammy seemed to have the same idea yanked at the other end. The cover was tossed aside with a clang. Brooklynn was at the ready shoving the doubled over VIP towards them they stuffed Kenji into the open space, followed by Yaz. The other three piled in at the last moment choking on the thick dusty air of the duct, their movements displacing huge plumes all around them. For only an instant had the kids fooled themselves into believing that they were safe when they were submerged entirely in darkness.
Brooklynn screamed, scrambling backwards, pressing herself hard against the others. Caught off balance Darius looped an arm about her while using the other to crawl away. Toro's massive form blocked out all light, her teeth gnashing hungrily at the children as she struggled to reach them. The sickening sweet smell of rotting flesh filled the confined space, and thick droplets of saliva splattered against Darius' face as he backed away, ears ringing, heart hammering. Met with another grate he began to kick it, the metal reverberating against the bottom of his sneakers as others joined him in the darkness. At last he struck only air as it fell away without warning.
Spilling out with the others Darius picked himself up groggily, head swimming as he struggled to catch his breath. He couldn't believe they'd made it out of there, he thought, taking stock of his battered friends who lay scattered and moaning about him. They had to get up, they had to keep going, they were almost there, he could feel it! Darius stumbled to his feet, and began pulling the others to theirs.
"Ok, ok!" Kenji wheezed, his shoulder finding support against the wall. "You're like a drill sergeant!"
"Yeah," Yasmina added. "We need a minute."
"We don't have a minute." Darius said with form determination. "We have to keep moving, we have to-"
Brooklynn nudged the boy, pointing with a teary eyed smile to a bright orange sign that marked the wall on the other side of the train tracks, they had emerged beside. Darius read, and reread with sign in startled disbelief before the words tumbled from his lips. "Exit to south ferry dock 1000ft!"
It didn't seem real, and yet somehow it was! Everyone was elated and began rushing forward as quickly at they were able, laughing, and shouting with excitement as they staggered towards the light. This was it, they were saved!
The tunnel opened up into a large loading bay stacked high with crates, boxes, and pallets of materials and supplies, white florescent lights illuminating the storage space. As they burst through one by one the children's faces fell as the realization dawned on them that they weren't looking at a way out, at salvation, but rather another dead end, and damnation. A large gray wall stared back at them, denying their only chance of escape and survival.
"There's no way out," Brooklynn half sobbed. "They must have sealed it off after the park was finished!"
"Can't one person associated with this place make one good decision?" Yasmina bellowed, left leaning against a crate.
Rushing to the well fortified barrier as Toro's call echoed from somewhere further down the track Darius slammed his fists against the rough surface. The world wobbled beneath his feet, his stomach lurching violently, the dizzying realization that all had finally been lost sent him reeling. There was a deep pain in Darius' chest, slinking towards the floor he was lightheaded, and disoriented with a fear that threatened to incapacitate him.
It was happening all over again, he thought, he failed, and now they were all going to be killed. The tunnels had been his idea, he'd assumed they would be safer, easier to transverse than open terrain. He had thought for sure that they would have had a straight shot to the docks, that there wouldn't be any dinosaurs down here to threaten them, but he'd been wrong. He had been the one to lead them down here, brought them quite literally to the end of the line, and now their doom stalked towards them.
Bitter tears slipped from his eyes. He should have been strong enough to hold onto Jayson, Darius thought hatefuly of himself, he should have been able to push past the pain on the monorail and been the one to climb out of the hatch, he should have held onto Ben, no matter what. Fists clenched the boy winced, cringing away from them memory of Jayson's skin dragging under his nails that haunted him, the sticky clumps and dried blood left embedded beneath them. Opening and closing his hands, he begged them to forget the sensation.
"Darius, what do we do now?" Yasmina panted, hobbling over towards the other campers.
"I don't know." Darius whispered.
"Darius?" Sammy tried, leaning towards the boy on the tracks with concern.
"I don't know!" he shouted in frustrated response, grinding his forehead into the concrete until his head felt like it was going to split.
"But," Sammy started in a whisper that made her sound like a lost little kid. "You always know."
"I don't know!" Darius screamed, his voice breaking into a hoarse warble. "I don't know what to do." Sitting with his hands over his ears Darius was trembling, his forehead bouncing off the wall from soft rhythmic blows that kept him painfully grounded, the feeling that he was about to break, about to fall, overwhelming. "I didn't know what to do about Ben or Bumpy," he sobbed. "Or Jayson or the Indominus Rex!"
Toro's roar seemed nearer this time, electrifying the boy's spine. Panicking he stood, hand running over the concrete, trying to find something, anything that he could pry away and gain his freedom. "All I did was make bad choices and get into trouble and mess things up! You never should have trusted me!" he wept clawing like a trapped animal at the wall. "I'm just a dino-nerd who played a fucking videogame! I'm no good at this!"
"But," Brooklynn started with a sad smile. "You are good at this Darius. None of us knew what to do. None of us still know what to do. Hell the people who run this place obviously didn't know what to do, but because you kept going. We kept going."
"Brooklynn's right," Sammy agreed. "You kept us all soldiering on, in spite of what some of us have done." Darius turned towards the girls and saw a pained look on the Texan's face, one she still managed to smile past, as Yasmina limped towards them to put her two cents in.
"And you made us realize, that at least for now, we're in this together." she said. "So we are... We're a team, we're your team..."
"'Things fall apart, and that's ok, because when that happens...'" Brooklynn recited misty eyed. Those were his dad's words, she was using his dad's words, she had been listening, they all had.
Darius found his hand reaching instinctively for the familiarity and comfort of his necklace. His eyes squeezed shut in a sharp pang of sorrow when he remembered that it gone, his hand resting on his chest, his dad was gone. He stood swaying with renewed grief for a long minute, before he felt something, the rapid, dull thumping of his own heart against his palm. No, there he was, Darius thought pressing his hand deeper against his chest, his dad wasn't gone, he was there, in his heart, always.
Darius too a wavering breath, and forced all of his emotions aside.
"'We pick up the pieces and we keep going.'" he smiled up to his friends, the knowledge that he wasn't alone, and never would be empowering. This wasn't over, not by a long shot, not while they still had spirit, they still had a fighting chance. They were going to make that ferry and get off this God forsaken island even if it was the last thing they did.
But first, they had to take care of Toro.
Offering him a hand up Sammy pulled Darius from the tracks and onto the platform beside them. Another bellow sent a jolt through the children. She's getting closer, Darius thought gazing with a rekindled determination at the dark tunnel before them. "Let's see what's in these crates."
Working fast and hard, using crowbars and various other tools that lay scattered about the kids began searching through the supplies left stockpiled on the loading bay in a system of organization that was not immediately apparent to the children as they riffled haphazardly through the abandoned materials. Clothes, toys, trinkets, these were useless! Darius ground his teeth together after opening yet another container of gift shop merch. How were they supposed to defend themselves with dinosaur themed stationary, and phone cases? He wondered sarcastically to himself.
"Medical supplies!" Kenji scoffed after he and Yasmina had managed to wedge a crate open. They'd been working in tandem, slow but eager to be of some sort of use, and the effort of leveraging the wooden box open was plain on their faces. The two seemed defeated, Darius couldn't have that, making his way towards them he hoped to offer them encouragement, to keep their spirits up, but when he glanced down at what they had uncovered his heart gave a tiny leap.
Who the hell had thought it was a good idea to store those oxygen tanks like that? Rattling around with a bunch of coban loose at the bottom? Far from the most hygienic way to transport such things, there was also the huge risk of the bottles colliding, breaking open, of fire, and even explosions. If anything this made him doubt the competency of Jurassic World as a company most.
He remembered his mom panicking and buying a electric oven second hand when his dad needed to start bringing oxygen home, deeming their gas range too much of a risk. That had made Darius nervous to handle the tanks, or even to vent the last bit of O2 from them before the medical supply truck would come to replace their empties. Then, a thought occured to him, and he smiled. Hefting a metal cylinder from the crate he turned the valve, testing it's pressure, allowing some of its contents to hiss out.
"We had a bunch of these around the house after my dad got sick," he explained grinning to the others as a plan began to form. "Super compressed air sensitive to pressure and heat."
"Might be able to scare Toro off." Brooklynn said hopefully as she peered into the crate as well.
"Or distract him long enough to find another exit." Darius beamed nodding at the other two. "Good find you guys." he praised still sliding the final pieces of his plan into place.
"Sammy, Brook..." Darius started in a commanding tone, before he stopped himself gaze falling to Brooklynn's swollen hands and forearms. He hastily thought better of what he was going to say. "Sammy do you think you can help me load this crate onto the cart?" the cowgirl nodded confidently. "Kenji, Yaz twist some of the gauze and bandages together to make a fuse. We're going to need something to light it with..." his voice trailed off contemplatively.
The fierce spark and crackle of electricity caught his attention as Yaz wielded her multipurpose walking stick towards the group with a smirk. "Perfect." Darius nodded.
Everyone moved double time to try and get the trap set, Brooklynn determined to help pressed her back against the crate after it had been moved to the cart, using the strength of her legs, not her arms to help get it into position. Finally when everything seemed ready the teens ducked down amid the supplies, waiting with pent anxiety and long held breath as the large therapod lumbered into the room, her nostrils flairing as she scented about for them.
Fear overtook the teenagers as they huddled around their improvised fuse. "Light it up."
The prod crackled and flared to life, a thin blue-white bolt arching between the probs, but nothing came of the brilliant display.
"Yaz?" Brooklynn whispered disparagingly.
"I'm trying!" Yasmina snapped.
The strain of the situation made the campers edge together as she tried again and again. It was as they waited, tension mounting that Kenji squeeze closed his eyes before fishing the fanny pack out of his pocket. There was a solemn moment of silence where no one spoke before he reached in and produced a bottle of hand sanitizer.
"Here," he murmured dousing the fuze with the alcohol solution. "This stuff will burn."
Yasmina tried sparking the rod again. Nothing seemed to happen. In aggravation Kenji squeezed even more gel onto the knotted bandages, splattering the sanitizer everywhere. That was when they felt the heat. "Ow!" Sammy yelped wretching her hand back, slapping the invisible flames out on the leg of her pants. It was then that the bandages themselves caught, flames orange and angry.
"Sorry." Kenji whispered brows furrowed.
"It's ok." Sammy smiled, hand tucked under her arm, she shut her eyes tightly against the burn.
"Thanks Ben." Brooklynn added in a prayer.
Then with all their might they shoved the cart towards Toro and dove for cover. It should have worked, but then something happened that no one had anticipated; the carnotaurus let out a roar, trashing her head to the side, her sharp horns impaling the crate tossing it aside with ease. The loading bay was showered with burning debris, oxygen tanks clattering to the ground and striking the rails below.
Darius' breath caught as flames blossomed all around them, then he looked up and made eye contact with the large carnivore that glared at them scornfully. "Run!" he shouted.
Everything that happened next, happened in a frantic blur. Heart hammering in his ears Darius grabbed onto Yasmina half dragging her after him as the campers ran for their lives. There was no time to hesitate, he thought feeling the drag of her body weight, he mercilessly urged her on.
Behind them Toro crashed through barrels and boxes to get the children, rampaging furiously amid the fire and choking plumes of smoke that coiled to the ceiling. Glancing back over his shoulder the boy saw Kenji throw himself painfully to the tracks, rolling and scrambling for his life. Yaz who had been watching too tripped, nearly bringing Darius down with her, the clatter of the prod catching Toro's attention the animal turned on her hungrily. Darius dashed a few feet away, picking up a smouldered wooden plank and hurled it at Toro, as mightily as he could.
The distraction worked, a little too well as the beast jaws snapping lunged for Darius who leapt and scampered out of reach. Finding his way to the tracks Darius found the prod discarded and thinking quickly snatched it up as Toro ran for him headlong. In terror the boy realized he was trapped and couldn't pull himself back out he was going to-
"Darius!" Kenji's horror striken face came into veiw as he stretched himself out over the edge. Jumping Darius grabbed onto him, somehow Kenji managed to keep hold, pulling Darius up with him, eyes fluttering before the anguish of his heroic act stole away his consciousness, and he sagged to the floor, a ragdoll.
Sammy and Brooklynn were there pulling Kenji back into hiding behind a large stack of freight where Yasmina huddled tearily. It all came down to this, Darius thought in a moment of clarity, this was it. Oxygen leaked out of the tanks that surrounded Toro's feet. Letting out a steadying breath Darius flicked the ignitor on the rod, wielding it like a javelin he took the sparse seconds available to him to aim and hurled it.
Diving behind the freight with the others, there was a terrible explosion. Immense pressure, sound, and lastly heat washed over the campers. Darius' ears were ringing, his insides felt as though they had been knocked sideways, he was dizzy, felt like throwing up, and for a moment couldn't form cohesive thought. Hacking, spit, snot, and tears streaming from his face as the boy found his feet Darius was staggered, blinking back against the smokey haze of the eruption, he stared hard through the mire to see if it had worked. Then the gravely ruins shifted, his heart squeezed with fright and Toro rose like a phoenix from the ashes.
No, he thought, legs threatening to give out beneath him, no!
The carnotaurus made a strange, low rumbling sound, yellow eyes raking over her adversaries. Then she fell, pulled herself back up, and with a whimper of pain began limping away. The kids began to whoop and celebrate as the dust settled, Kenji who recovering from his pain induced blackout was blearily late to the party, follow suit with optimistic confusion. Darius watched the beast's retreat with some remorse, she couldn't help what she was, he thought, but then again they couldn't exactly be blamed for fighting back either.
"Look!" Brooklynn gasped pointing to the starlit sky that had been exposed through the wall, concrete lying in rubble.
They were saved!
Giddy, heart ready to bust, laughter spilling from his lips Darius began helping everyone to their feet, prayers of gratitude flooding throughout his soul and mind. Pushing past palms and ensnaring ferns the five survivors pelted as fast at their spent legs could carry them. Bursting out through the foliage their feet struck a man-made path, one they followed hastily to the dock and to-
Nothing.
There was nothing.
The calm roll of the tide lapping at the shoreline, moonlight glittering off the crest of a wave, and stars timeless, silent observers of all that unfolded below them kept vigil, were all that met Darius' gaze. They'd missed it. The ferry had left without them. They had been left behind, forgotten, abandoned... left for dead.
It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Not one thing they had done, because regardless of how hard they had tried they still wouldn't have made it.
Crushed beneath this realization Darius found himself unable to breathe as he sank gradually to the ground. Someone was speaking to him, but they were far away, he couldn't hear them, not where he was, not so burdened by the truth. Nothing they had done could have brought them safely to the docks in time, so nothing they had done to get here had any worth or merit. They could have done anything and the outcome would have been the same.
They could have done anything.
Anything.
They'd had the time.
Without warning Darius fell over the precipice he had been toeing all day, the cold, dark, unfeeling waters of grief and depression swallowing him whole he lay collapsed on the docks wailing his heart rending lament.
They'd had the time.
It was his fault.
They'd had the time.
"I'm sorry!" he screamed heedless of anything that could hear him. "Oh God I'm so sorry! Ben!" he shrieked. "Ben! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Ben! Ben, I'm so sorry! We missed it, we had time! We had time! None of this mattered we could have gone back for him! We could have gone back! Oh my God Ben! Ben, I'm sorry! It's all my fault! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Darius wanted to die...
Notes:
Hey all! I hope this chapter lives up to the others, I feel like it's lacking in something, but I can't pinpoint what. If you figure out what's wrong with it please let me know.
In the future as the fic moves forward if there is not date marked at the beginning of the chapter please assume that it is happening during the same day as the previous chapter.
The new measurement of time is CCF (Camp Cretaceous Fallen).
Furthermore yes, they came out of the tunnel at night. If it was announced that they had two hours to make it to the docks at sunset and all subsequent announcements backed this up one of two things happened #1 Nighttime is only two hours long in that universe, or #2 The writers forgot/got lazy, but I didn't, I saw that inconsistency and it has vexed me ever since I saw it the first time. So I fixed it.
Now, I've never outright stated my pronouns on here, because why would y'all be talking about me? Lol and why would y'all need to know? With everything going on right now though I kinda want to state them, just to make myself happy. Hope no one minds.
You don't have to do or say anything about it, I just want to put it out there. :)
My pronouns are primarily They/Them/Theirs, Fae/Faer, and my personal noun-self pronouns Saur/Saurn/Saurs, which I would use exclusively if people weren't such butts lol (seriously no one irl will even use They/Them for me) and yes it's Saur as in Dino-DNA and y'all are the only people I've shared my noun-self pronouns with so feel honored! XD
Anyways, thanks for your patience, thanks for listening, thanks for reading, and I hope y'all have a great one! Love y'all! <3
Chapter 21: The Day of Mourning: Part One
Notes:
Trigger Warning: Suicide
As far as I'm concerned the moment you opened up this fic you signed on to read about dinosaurs noming on people so no warnings were necessary, but none of you probably thought that this would be a topic to be dealt with. I didn't write this fic to hurt anyone or cause anyone any undo pain, stress, or anxiety.
If this is one of your triggers please email me at [email protected] and I will send you an edited version of this chapter without the passages that could be triggering or harmful to your mental health so that you can still enjoy the story without having to suffer to do so.
If other non-dinosaur related, possibly triggering events happen further down the line I will share the same offer so that you can ask for revised chapters! <3
Love y'all! -ENBYsaurus RAWR!!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
-Westchester, New York, Tuesday 2:12pm EST-
Gentle, natural light filtered in through the window, catching in Candy's white wine and splintering into a scatter of rainbows across the table. Absentmindedly she took the delicate flute between her fingers and rotated the glass watching the luminous display dance across the empty table, disheartened. When Josiah had said that they would be meeting for a late lunch, she hadn't expected it to be this late. She'd been waiting for over half an hour.
Glancing about the muted dining room at the other patrons and waitstaff the woman assured herself that no one was paying her any mind before discreetly slipping out of her heels. Relief washed over her immediately as the stiff high backings released their ironbound grip. Then, as inconspicuously as possible, she crossed one leg over the other to massage her sore and blistered feet beneath the table. Breaking in new shoes was the worst.
"Ma'am?" the calm, inviting voice of her waiter said when he appeared at her elbow moments later, menu in hand.
Candy smiled up at him polite, and apologetic. "It's just going to be a few more minutes." she said, hurriedly sliding her toes back into her shoes, for appearance sake.
"Very good." the man nodded courteously before ducking away again. He was putting on a good face, but she knew from experience the uncomfortable feeling of having to wait on someone who'd been stood up. At least she hadn't been working somewhere so high-end when roles were reversed, she thought, recalling tables of crying girls, and choked up men walking out somberly when their partners hadn't arrived.
Leg bouncing with aggravated impatience Candy pulled her cellphone from her handbag a few minutes later. "Where are you?" she tapped out in a hasty text to Josiah.
Arms crossed she tucked the device into the crook of her elbow. The woman couldn't help but glower, feeling spurned and dejected. Almost immediately however, there was a ticklish, and startling senation as vibrating the phone began to silently ring.
"Hello?" she answered in a whisper.
"Candy." Josiah responded curtly.
"Where are you I thought we were meeting for-"
"I know, I'm sorry. Something came up, have lunch without me." the man said cutting her off. There was something amiss in his tone, she noticed, he seemed almost angry.
"Is everything alright?" she asked brows knit.
"Fine, I'll talk to you later." With that he'd disconnected, leaving his girlfriend to feel deflated as she crestfallen sagged in her chair.
It was alright, she tried telling herself, she was used to being on the back burner, business came first. Acutely aware of the waiter's presence as he came up to her once more the awkwardness of the situation seemed to compel Candy to order something. After a moment's consideration however, she thought better of it, drained her glass and asked for the check. Grudgingly she carried her shoes out, etiquette be damned, and climbed into the back of the car, forehead pressed to the cool glass, heart aching, she felt like crying.
"Just take me home." she muttered, staring out the window at the world rolling by.
It had been like magic when they first met, she was working a second job as part of a catering company that had served a Kon Industries soiree. It was the beginning of fall, and like an idiot she'd forgotten a coat, it was pouring when, party over she stood huddled on the sidewalk trying to hail a cab. Josiah shouldn't have noticed her, and if he had he shouldn't have cared, like the rest of the elite who had passed her by. Yet he did, he gave her his jacket, and umbrella, then offered her a ride. The blaring warning signs against trusting a strange man when she was alone and vulnerable clashed against the fairytale prince he seemed to be in that moment.
Against her better judgement, and freezing cold, she'd accepted. He was charming and had made her laugh on the way home. The next day a dozen roses and stirling parka had been delivered to her apartment, her roommates were insane with jealousy. How they had gotten from there to dating was still a mystery and the woman had lived it. And now?
Now she played second fiddle.
...Third really.
It was hard not to be jealous of a dead woman, but when Candy knew that Josiah's heart would forever belong to Meiko first, his company second, and then, then there was Candy, standing beside him, filling a void, it was hard not to become sick with envy.
A familiar though rarely found red and white sign caught her attention and she asked the driver to make a quick pit stop. Screw this weepy eyed demure lady of social standing bs, that's not who she was, and she was hungry God dang it!
"Do you want anything?" she asked the driver leaning forward.
"No ma'am." he smiled.
"You sure? I won't tell." Candy laughed, there was probably a rule with the car service about their drivers eating while on the clock, but today felt like a day for breaking the rules.
"I'm sure." the older gentleman beamed, deep, joyous wrinkles forming around his eyes.
"Welcome to Arby's, may I take your order?" a muddled voice asked through the speaker.
Sometime later, her hunger more than satiated Candy was walking into the great echoing house she did her best to call "home." Her rebellious-in-love streak still burning bright the woman marched straight into Kenji's room where she flopped down in his favorite chair. She hesitated only an instant before considering the fact that he'd have no way of knowing, and besides it wasn't like he could hate her anymore than he already did.
Fishing a controller up from the floor where it had been abandoned several weeks ago Candy turned on one of his consoles, the familiar excited rush as everything booted washing over her, a wide grin on her face. Why exactly had she given up gaming for Josiah? She pondered, trying to weed out how much of her life was her putting on an act, and how much was Josiah's clear cut expectations of her. She was tired of this tightrope she had to walk, it was time she laid down some rules, set some boundaries, and reminded both of them who she really was. And in the end, she concluded, if Josiah didn't like it she was better off without him. The thought stung, and she struggled to remain firm on the stance, but the injustice that had ignited within her burned steadily.
Losing herself to time Candy had forgotten just how addictive and thrilling videogames could be, it used to be all she would do with her freetime, now all she did was follow her boyfriend around like a lost puppy. Still, she loved him. At the first crack in her resolve, tears beginning to form in her eyes Candy powered everything off and with a sigh went to change into some pajamas.
In more comfortable attire the woman and went to the living room, still bitter from her missed lunch date, and reeling from the inner turmoil and the confliction of self-doubt she lounged across sofa flipping through an endless stream of channels. She knew what she wanted to do, have a day filled with tragic romances, and doomed love. It always made her feel better somehow, and if the morbidity of watching dying teenagers falling in love couldn't remind her how much Josiah meant to her, she didn't know what would, but that was a breakup tradition, and as far as she was aware this wasn't a breakup, not yet.
Instead Candy idly flipped through show after show until she came across something decent enough to kill some time. Reruns of a cooking reality show in anticipation of the season finale, a thrilling respite she found herself enraged when with a familiar chime and television network logo filled the screen, disappearing moments later to reveal a straight laced, but urgent looking man taking center stage on the screen. Groaning she flopped over the arm of the couch and waited for it to be over. As she listened however, alarm washed over, and she sat up staring hard at the television.
"Again if you are just joining us from one of our affiliate stations this is live coverage of the Jurassic World incident. This breaking news comes as a shock as it would appear that several of the 'genetically modified' animals on the island have gotten loose and are attacking guests at the theme park. Evacua- what?" He asked brow furrowed as he pressed hard against his ear piece. "We actually have some live footage streaming in now, before we switch over to that feed I feel that I should warn you that what you are about to see is very disturbing." The man cautioned as words ticked across the bottom of the screen declaring an evacuation of the Jurassic World theme park.
Suddenly the TV went black before a livestream seemed to take over. Shaky footage filmed from behind an overturned table showed people running desperately for cover on the other side of a broken window. Hushed voices spoke in whispers as the people inside what appeared to be a restaurant tried to locate loved ones.
"Should we run?" some asked urgently.
"They'll come back for us right?"
"Oh my God!" Candy whispered to herself, with trembling fingers she felt around for her phone, unable to pry her gaze from the tv. Dialing, the phone rang, and rang, and rang before finally taking her to Josiah's voicemail. Hanging up she tried again, fear catching tight in her throat. Still no answer. Panic rising she tried Kenji. It went straight to voicemail.
Standing up her panicked energy refusing to let her sit any longer Candy found herself pacing as she tried again and again to reach Josiah. Suddenly screaming from the television caught her attention as the person filming had taken off running, something was chasing them, there was blood on the camera, then they fell, putting their hands up to shield their face they caught a winged monster with a long gory beak on camera.
It cut back to the news anchor moments too late. Hands clamped over her mouth to muffle her scream Candy sank to the floor.
"Similar videos are cropping up on various social media outlets as visiters to the island document their experiences..." the news anchor said, clearing his throat hard before he could go on. "We have been informed that evacuations of the island are underway. It is unclear at this time how such a catastrophic failure of park safety installations could have occurred, though a full investigation is expected. If you have any friends or loved ones on the island that you are unable to contact please call the number shown an screen, in addition the Red Cross is asking for immediate donations. To find out how to become a donator, or how else you can provide aid please call this number-"
Heart hammering, blinded by tears Candy had already stopped paying attention, listening in vain to the busy dial tone on the other end of the call. She felt cold with fear, this was the emergency line, how could the emergency line she was supposed to call be busy? Crouching on the floor a laugh of bitter disbelief escaped her.
Crying, she tried Kenji again. "Please," she wept in a pitiful prayer. "Please pick up! Please!"
"Hey sexy you've reached Kenji Kon, give me a-"
Hanging up the woman desperately tried again and again hoping for a different result, but never received one. Heaving as she fought against her tears Candy curled into the rug in a trembling heap. Jurassic World had been her idea. It was her fault Kenji was there. Her fault if he was dead. It was her fault.
"Oh God!" she sobbed. "Oh God please no!" she was just trying to look out for him, he was a good kid and deserved some recognition for it, she had only wanted to help. She had only wanted him to like her, to see that she wasn't the bad guy, that even if it seemed like his dad didn't, someone saw him, someone cared. Without warning the acidic, half digested backwash of lunch tore up from her stomach and out of her mouth. Gripping the fibers with both hands the thick plush carpeting in which she knelt was ruined. The woman continued to heave, the sound of her pained cries urging some of the staff to rush in with alarm.
Hands were on her back, someone was trying to sweep the hair from her face, they were trying to help, but they were all touching her, the room had already grown uncomfortably small, closing in around her, and they were touching her. Candy couldn't breathe, and pulled herself angrily away. Distantly she heard questions being poised, was she alright, did she need water, what could they do? Struggling to gather herself together for several minutes Candy waved them away. Staring through her tears, stringy hair, damp in places clinging to her face the woman gazed in horror at the television.
"This is going to ruin him." a voice murmured from the back of the room.
"Mr Kon won't let that happen." Someone else reassured.
Alone, Candy realized, she was utterly alone.
"Get out." she croaked her voice thick and raw with bile. Picking up her cell, Candy sat with her back against the coffee table and tried Josiah again, an unbroken stream of apologies flowing from her just as steady as her tears.
-New York, New York, Tuesday 3:20pm EST-
This was a disaster! Sitting at the end of a large conference table the sound of dozens of frenzied voices talking at once, phones ringing, and papers shuffling around some spilling to the ground culminated into a deafening roar, the pulse behind Xi Kon's eyes keeping tempo. The respected man remained calm however, knowing that maintaining his composure above all else was key, a grounded oasis in a storm tossed sea as everyone around him pelted on aimlessly in a frantic scurry. Paper documents, and various tablets were shoved at him for signatures and approval. He devoured the information at a glance before providing his verifications, or denials.
That was why clarity was most needed, one wrong move and the entire thing could crumble down around him. Xi had worked too long and too hard to allow that to happen. He put every ounce of energy left in him to saving his company a company that he had built from nothing through ingenuity, savvy investments, and in the beginning massive gambles with money he didn't have. The fact that they'd all paid off a testament to his shear genius and guile.
Besides, he thought leaning back in his chair, comparing figures to the lastest estimations in costs and damages, this was inevitable, in a way. And that was why there had always been a backup, he'd gotten too far by grit and the skin of his teeth alone for anything else. It's what self-made men knew, and what inheritors like Masrani could never understand. Its why Masrani Global, like Hammond's InGen before it would sink after an event like this, fading away into obscurity. But, because of what was happening here and now Kon Industries wouldn't fade, on the contrary Kon Industries would thrive.
Smirking at how well things had begun to unfold Xi marveled at the well oiled machine that was his company's reaction and all his well laid plans springing to life. Starting slow, beginning with word of the first deaths they'd begun selling stock in the park, to provide distance between themselves and the incident. When it was apparent that the situation was beyond control they liquidated so quickly the poor saps who bought it wouldn't know what was about to hit them. With the revenue however he purchased additional private properties dotted across Isla Nublar, another penthouse, two additional hotels, condos, anything that could provide grounds to sue over lost and damaged property or wages when all of this was over.
Through the thick glass walls that sperated their offices Xi could see his legal team hard at work. They were building his defenses for what fault would inevitability fall on him as an investor, the ramifications of the liquidation if he was aware of the situation on the island of which his attorneys aimed to prove plausible deniability siting a "shift in business model," and lastly they were building a strong case to sue whatever was left of Jurassic World and Masrani Global. It truly was a kill or be killed world at the top, and Xi's hands were well reddened by the competition.
The ring of his personal cellphone had been all but drowned out by the cacophony round about the man, but the near constant vibration on his leg was wearing thin on his nerves. Yanking the device out of his pocket the man rolled his eyes there were more than a dozen missed calls, each from a single number. Candy, an alarmist if ever he met me one, but, this, he thought to himself was just another eventuality. Stepping away from the conference table he called her back.
"Josiah!" she wailed, her voice ragged and tear strained.
"I'm extremely busy Candy, what do you need?" he asked hoping that an even tone would temper her hysteria.
"H-have you seen the news?" she sobbed.
"Yes, we're managing things." Xi affirmed. "You don't have to worry."
"Managing thi- Josiah?"
"Things are well at hand," the man assured waving away a peon who approached him with a stack of paper. The girl was beautiful, a wonderful conversationalist, and made him feel alive, but it was at times like this that her youth and inexperience betrayed her. "Go treat yourself to a spa day, get away from the media, try to rel-"
"Josiah!" Candy screamed on the other end of the line her voice harsh and shrill.
"Pull yourself together!" the man bellowed in response, ear ringing he found his composure eluding him. "This is a tragedy yes, but there isn't a contingency we haven't planned for. People die everyday-"
"Xi! Shut the fuck up and listen to me!" the woman yelled, Candy never used his given name. Stunned into silence he found himself staring through the translucent wall at his well paid jackels. Arm crossed definitely he waited to hear what she had to say.
"Is Kenji alright?" she practically whispered.
"Why wouldn't he be? Not everyone goes to pieces over something like-"
"He's there! Josiah, he's there!"
"No he's not! He's in the program, straighten him out a little, teach him some respect. He'll be back at the end of summer, if behavior permits." Xi said, though as the words left his mouth he felt that what he was saying wasn't exactly true. That had been the plan, send his son to reform school, get his attitude ironed out, but in the pit of his stomach he couldn't help but feel he was wrong, though he couldn't quite make the connection as to why.
"No!" Candy sobbed. "Masrani's side project? Camp Cretaceous? Remember?"
Camp Cretaceous.
The hairs on the back of Xi's neck stood on end. Eyes wide his breath caught, the world turning on its side he felt his shoulder collide with the glass. The man kept his footing, but only just as the phone slipped from his fear numbed grip and clattered to the ground.
Oh God, Xi thought, his head swimming, what is he doing? Sure it was easy to feel removed, detached even, from numbers on a spreadsheet, but these weren't meaningless statistics, these were actual people, and they were dying. Right now. And what was he doing? Sitting in a boardroom arguing finances, and profiteering from their deaths. He glanced in a stunned sense of awe at the worker bees running about, shouting into or at various devices in their haste.
Time seemed to slow, as for the first time Xi found himself an outsider looking in at the world he'd made for himself, a world where money out weighed the value of a human life. He had heard of the Indominus Rex's escape, and on a rumor alone he knew he stood to make a fortune, one built on blood money, and he relished the prospect. For all Xi knew his son was dead and he'd only been worried about his company, his money, his legacy... himself.
He was a monster.
Awash with self loathing, pressure building behind his eyes Xi let out a shuddering breath and pulling himself from the wall where he slumped, held himself tall. Calling sharply for his administrative assistant he spared a moment to collect his phone before crossing the room with long urgent strides.
"Call the airstrip, I need the jet fueled and ready. Tell them not to bother with the preflights." he commanded moving past the woman who gawked after him in confusion.
"Sir, what about-" she began.
"Did I invite a question?" he bit out turning towards her with a hard look as he barreled out of the room without so much as a word. Fists clenched he approached a pair of metallic double doors. "Tell them to have the jet ready in five minutes, is the piolet on the roof."
"For the helicopter?" the woman asked struggling to follow his reasoning. "Yes, she was waiting to take you to-"
"Very good."
"Wait, sir, where should I tell them to log the fligh-"
"Five minutes." Xi firmly declared as he stepped into the elevator, ignoring all other inquiries.
Once the doors eased shut and the man found himself alone his air of power and control dissolved. Finding himself at a loss he could neither manage to exhale the breath held fast in his lungs nor could he gulp down the air he desperately needed, a wave of crushing dizziness washing over him. Falling to his knees Xi wailed in a forlorn sob, hot tears blinding him as the elevator trekked towards the heavens.
-Round Top Texas, Tuesday 3:49pm CST-
Abuela Socorro, bones aching and energy all but spent from time in the kitchen, sat rocking with a slow eased rhythm in her beloved, and well worn rocker. Her husband, Amado had built it for her when she was expecting their first baby, and though, over the years it has had to be repaired many times over it remained a family treasure, having soothed the tears of each of her children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren.
Sitting in it now, with the warmth of the afternoon sun blanketed over her it was easy for Socorro to believe that here of all places Amado could still hear her. So, fingers tracing the spiraled petals of a cactus flower etched into the armrest, she whispered of all the events that had been happening of late. Speaking fondly of her little patch of flowers on the side of the house and how they'd bloomed, she told him of her excitement about the new baby soon to be in the house and how young and alive it made her feel, and explained the troubles of the ranch and many trials the family was facing because of it, but life was good. Yes, Socorro thought recalling her youth, and her affection for the man who was taken from her far too soon, life had always been good to her.
After a while the conversation turned and Socorro spoke idly of the telenovela that occupied the television in the corner as though they were watching it together. "He's no good for her Amado," she murmured, the laze of the afternoon lulling her towards a nap. "His brother, he's a good man, like you, honest, strong, no lying or cheating, no schemes. Why did she fall for his lies? Mija don't marry him! That girl! Amado can you believe it?"
Eyelids growing heavy the venerated woman's murmuring soon fell to a breathy whisper as she slowly began to nod off. Head drooping, thoughts leaving her Socorro was nearly asleep when a sudden burst from the tv jolted her awake. Glancing about nervously for the source of the sound she saw the screen filled with a bright banner bearing the network logo "¡Noticias de última hora!" written in bold lettering across the banner.
Watching for a few minutes the woman tried to piece together what the news anchor was saying. There was some type of disaster happening in Costa Rica, she gathered. With a saddened reverence Socorro crossed herself for the poor souls, asking the Virgin Mother to watch over them. As she prayed the achor woman continued, quaking images of people running, stampeding over one another in their panic, great winged bats falling upon them from the sky filled the four corners of the television. Putting her hand to her heart Socorro could scarcely believe what she was seeing before the woman said, "Mundo Jurasico, 'Jurassic World,' está evacuando inmediatamente. Para contactar amigos o seres queridos-"
"'Mundo Jurasico, Jurassic World...'" the grandmother repeated in a whisper, the words meant something to her, but her own mind seemed distant at times, the details of present fragmenting away and slipping from her grasp, while the past remained sharp and clear. "Jurassic World." she said again, strands of thought weaving together her heart ached with the terrible sharp pain. "Sammy!"
Tears coming to her eyes at once Socorro stood on uneasy legs shuffling about the living room with an urgent need to tell someone. Turning back to the television one hand over her heart, the other to her mouth she could see now what those insidious monsters were. Why had Sammy gone to that terrible place again? She couldn't remember, but it was brave, Socorro knew as much. Turning away again the woman used one hand to brace herself against the wall, fingers trailing beneath family photos as she fought the sensation that her legs were going to give out at any moment.
Peering down the hallway lined with doors and open walkways she tried calling for help but found that grief and fear had stolen her voice, causing it to emerge as little more than a treble. Turning back to the entertainment stand the woman couldn't bring herself to leave the room, afraid that she might miss her chance of catching sight of Sammy, her brave, strong Sammy. Hurrying back to where she stood, toe catching on the edge of the rug, Socorro scarcely managed to keep her footing. Trembling the grandmother braced herself on arm of the couch and watched, weeping and praying...
Shielding the blinding sunlight from her gaze Ana who, much to her dismay had been moving head about instead of going into town and to the mall with her friends kicked rocks irritably as she walked. Having well earned a break for the day she uttered silent swears about her wasted time as she moved Marble to the stables, the well tempered pinto nickering sweetly into the girl's hair as the mare followed. Hefting the saddle, from the horse's back, and taking the bridle and bit from her mouth Ana urged the horse into a stall, before turning to leave.
"Wait," Marisa said peering over Santos' stall door. "Aren't you going to rub her down?"
Rolling her eyes Ana couldn't surpress the condescending smile that played across her lips as she ignored her sister. No, she wasn't, and one day wouldn't hurt the dumb horse anyways. Making her way back towards the house the girl checked her watch and wondered if Lauren or Valeria could still convince someone to come get her if she showered and got ready fast enough.
Picking at the dirt that had collected beneath her nails Ana brooded. Resentful of having to work through parts of her summer vacation, and of having to tow around her less than popular twin when she wasn't Ana wished her family could be more like friends'. Sure, most everyone at school had something to do with livestock in one way or another, except for the townies but they had a sense of superiority and kept to themselves anyways, but still, none of her friends had to work their farms or ranches, that was what hands, and seasonal workers were for.
Taking off her hat as she approached the sprawling wrap around porch the fourteen year old tousled her sweaty pixie cut, and stomped the clinging muck from her boots against the wooden floorboards as she walked across them to the front door. Once there Ana stood dusting her pants before kicking off her boots and walking into the blessed air conditioning. Standing just inside, eyes closed she relished the blasting chill on her face, tugging her shirt away from where it clung to her chest and allowing the comfort to wash over her.
"I'm going to take a shower." she announced to anyone who might be around, though as she walked past the living room sight of her grandmother crying caught her attention, "Abuela?" she asked nervously as the old woman turned to her speechless with tears and gestured towards the tv.
Tentatively approaching her Ana looked at the device, brows knit as she tried to reason through her grandma's alarm. The reporter was speaking quickly and urgently, words darted across the screen, a map cropped up showing a chain of islands just off the coast of Costa Rica.
Jurassic World was being evacuted, why? Ana wondered, her heart skipping a beat. She was sure that Sammy was alright, but it was the why that concerned her. Settling into a comfortable position on the floor by her abuela she watched, and waited. A hurricane perhaps? She wondered before at the sight of a shaky terror filled video, a shock of fear electrified her spine. Sammy! The unexpected scream that ripped itself from the girl's throat was laced with a tangible fear that echoed throughout the house. Her abuela grabbed onto her tightly, her thin, spindly arms encompassing Ana with an embrace that both comforted and reassured her that she was not alone, as stomach in terrible knots the two huddled together on the floor...
Marisa, who, irate with her twin had been hot in her heels to give Ana a piece of her mind had heard the sound of screaming came bolting in. Eyes wide and frightened, fear conjured vile images in her head that her grandmother had passed, or that their mother had fallen and was in a bad way. Instead, she found herself taken aback by the sight of her sister and abuela huddled together on the ground clinging to one another in desperation. Perplexed she turned from them to the television and watched the events on screen a stunned sense of disbelief.
This wasn't real, she thought, it couldn't be happening. Even as her mom, hand pressed hard against her round stomach rushed in from down the hall to see what the matter was it didn't quite feel like she was even awake, a hazed, dreamlike quality encompassing the room, everything happening in slow motion. This was all just a terrible nightmare, she was going to wake up any minute now, and everything would be alright, Marisa assured herself.
It wasn't real. It's just wasn't, it couldn't be.
Then a thought occured to her and, with slow disjointed movements the girl fished her cell from her pocket and tried to call Sammy. Still in a dazed state of shock, her back leaned against a memorabilia cluttered wall Marisa waited with an absurd patience and disconnected calm as the phone chimed it's attempts to connect in her ear. It went to voicemail. The bright flare of annoyance in her chest quickly gave way to anxiety, as the sound of her sister's voice recording made the direness of the situation finally sink in.
This was real, this was happening, people were dying and her big sister was right in the middle of it.
Watching through a teary veil as a winged dinosaur flew off with a frightened person in tow the girl's stomach summersaulted, goosebumps racing up and down her body. It could have been her. It should have been her, Marisa thought the dreadful realization overwhelming. The guy from Mantah Corp had approached her, spoken with her about the offer first, not Sammy. It should have been her, there on that island ravaged by chaos and death.
Watching with uncertainty her fear was quickly tainted with a condemning feeling of relief, relief to be here, to be home, to be safe. That relief soon eroded the young woman's soul with a self loathing and despise, knowing that whatever was happening to Sammy could have happened to her, but wasn't.
This macabre knowledge dealt Marisa guilt and shame in spades. She was grateful to be alive, but did that mean she valued her own life more than Sammy? She a bad sister, a bad person, it should have been her! It should have! She should be the one to die not Sa-
A little cry escaped the teen at the vulger idea. Sammy wasn't dead! They didn't know that, they didn't know anything yet! Frantically she tried calling again though her resolve was beginning to fade beneath the self hatred that scorched her heart.
Listening to the dull ring of the call that was failing to connect she turned to her mother with wide watery eyes she managed to croak a single question. "Mom, what do we do?" she asked...
Her brow covered with sweat Rosa leaned against the doorway that opened up into the dining area, staring hard at the tv. Then, cutting through the chill of her fear it happened; rolling from her ribcage all the way down to her pelvic floor a contraction she had been laying in bed trying to convince herself was just Braxton Hicks doubled her over. This wasn't her first baby, not by a long shot, the woman knew she'd been lying to herself, but she also knew that labor took hours and she hadn't wanted to go to the hospital just yet. A spasm ran through Rosa's lower back and thighs, her muscles already weary and agitated, protesting as she straightened herself back up to address her family.
"I don't know." she said, the passage of the immense pain gave her a brief lens of clarity as she took command of the situation. She had to rally them, the woman recognized, to quell their fears even as she was drowning in her own, and she needed her husband. Seeing the harrowing look on Marisa's face as she tried to gather her thoughts Rosa opened her arms and motioned the girl over.
"I'm sorry!" Marisa sobbed barreling into her chest, knocking her mother off balance. Choking back her own grief Rosa smoothed a hand over the girl's hair, hushing her tears, and whispering words of love and comfort.
"No mama, you don't understand!" Marisa wailed. "It should have been me! It should have been me, but it wasn't! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm a terrible person! I'm sorry! Is she going to be alright?"
Her eyes fluttering closed Rosa took a deep breath to compose herself before she dared try to find the right words. "You are not a terrible person mija. You love your sister yes?" Rosa asked willing herself to remain strong and level headed for her children.
"Yes." Marisa nodded.
"And you want her to be safe more than anything?" Rosa went on evenly.
"Yes." Marisa began to sob before Rosa touched her fingers to the girl's lips promoting her to reign her volume.
"Then," Rosa said measuring the girl with her gaze. "You have nothing to be sorry for."
Rosa managed a weak smile, though her heart bled for her daughters even as a confused Georgia tapped her hurriedly on the leg, wanting to know what all the commotion was.
"Is she going to be ok?" Ana cried to Rosa from across the room.
At a loss as to what to do, and finding that she could only cling to Marisa and try and assure the her that she had done nothing wrong, Rosa wasn't sure what other comforts she had left to provide. "I don't know." she whispered, eyes filling with tears.
Steeling herself after a moment Rosa pulled away from her child wiping a hand affectionately down the side of the girl's face. "Marisa, baby, I need you to go get your father." she instructed. "Please." she added firmly, holding onto Marisa's shoulders when it seemed like she would argue.
Nodding the frightened girl took off at a run. Watching her go Rosa felt herself beginning to crumble, as the dire news continued to filter in. Her baby was out there all alone, scared, maybe even hurt, maybe even- The thought nearly brought Rosa to her knees. Not her little Sammy no her baby, please God not her baby! She begged.
Warm memories of her eldest trickled in as another contraction wracked Rosa's body: watching her first steps, hearing her first words, the pride of seeing her compete in her first steer roping, all of it paleing campared to the joyful exhaustion of holding her for the first time and hope filled plans for where the little life Rosa had created would lead, and then meeting her daughter for the first time again, as the trembling little girl called "Samuel" stood in a living room, bearing her soul to the family, and asking to be seen. Rosa had loved every inch of that girl since the day she had been born, and nothing could have changed that, even when Rosa's well intended plans for her child would inevitability separate from their truest path.
Now, now Sammy was so far away, so helpless, so alone, and so beyond Rosa's ability to protect. At the sight of dead bodies trampled underfoot by frightened and fleeing tourists the woman's resolve finally broke. Holding Georgia to her she rocked the little one for whose questions she had no answers, only tears...
Sun hot on his face Abryan felt the ticklish trickle of beaded sweat flowing down his back as he stood, sack of feed on his shoulder. He had volunteered to stay through the summer while his brothers went home, so that he could help out in Sammy's absence. Contrary to what he had believe his father had been proud of his decision, and now seeing the incompetence of some of the hired hands Abryan was too. In the midst of transferring the hefty sacks of grain from where they were delivered to where they were to be stored he caught sight of his cousin Marisa tearing off towards the stables. Concerned he watched her disappear inside only to come thundering out on an unsaddled Santos moments later calling for the animal to go faster.
The boy's heart skipped a beat, tia Rosa, the baby!
Tossing the sack aside the boy bolted for the house, blood pumping, legs churning. Out of breath by the time he burst through the front door which had been left ajar he spotted his aunt crouched on the floor at the back of the living room, a worried Georgia hugging onto her to make it better. Tunnel vision obscuring his vision Abryan tripped over something in his haste to reach her, turning back he realized that the something had been Ana's foot.
"What?" he spat, failing to understand what was happening. Blood roaring in his head Abryan grabbed onto his aunt by the shoulders trying to assess the situation, his stomach knotted. He'd pulled calves from their mothers loads of times, but oh God he wasn't ready for this, he hoped Marisa got to her father in time.
"Tia, tia what do I do? How can I help?" the boy asked urgency causing cracks in his voice.
Looking up at him the woman who was crying in great heartbroken sobs reached up and grabbed onto him, pulling him into an embrace as she wept. What was happening? The teen asked himself in alarm, craning to look around the room at the others.
"Ana, Ana we have to get your mom to the van!" he shouted, but to no avail. Then he saw the blood red words scrolling across the television and his heart sank. "Sam." he whispered the panic fading from him to be replaced by despair.
"What's going on?" Georgia pleaded with unease, her eyes welling.
Turning in his aunt's grip Abryan scooped her into a hug. "We're all just a little sad, because we miss Sammy." he said voice hoarse. At this children's explanation tia Rosa let out and wrenching sob, and clung to the two of them uncomfortably tight. Abryan wanted to tell Georgia that it was all going to be alright, but he couldn't find the words. Instead he kissed the top of her head and listened to the broadcast a shudder overtaking him...
He was pushing Santos hard, Cristián thought, noting the change in the horse's respiration, a white foam of sweat collecting along the sleek black of the animal's neck and along his flanks. Still, the man spurred him on, Marisa clinging to his waist for dear life. He had been seeing to maintaining the fencing along the perimeter of his land after a few heifers had gotten loose, when Marisa had reached him. She was frantic and out of breath, the only words she'd manage to eke out we're, "Come quick, it's Sammy!"
Still, no matter how hard he was pushing Santos Cristián's mind raced faster.
Blood roaring in his ears and creating dark orbs in the peripherals of his vision the man silently cursed and condemned the insidious Mantah Corp who had sent his daughter to do their dirty work, and blinking hard against the rushing wind, teeth grit, Cristián damned himself wholly for his involvement with them, his heart arryhthmic with fear.
Mantah Corp aren't the kind of people you mess with, he'd gotten his family mixed up in something big, something dangerous out of desperation and necessity, and now, now his little girl was caught in the middle of a war. Trying to force his mind away from the dread inducing thoughts of what the corporation might do in retribution if Sammy was caught wading through their corporate espionage, knowledge of how the justice system would handle the sixteen year old roared to life in the back of his mind, a rushing tide that threatened to swallow him under the waves and there drown him.
Felony larceny, Cristián had done his research in the quiet hours of the early mornings so as not to disturb or alarm his wife. He was sure there could be other crimes tacked on if ever Sammy was arrested, but at it's base with a five to twenty year minimum, and the civil crime of conversion which would come with a fine in the millions, his little girl was throwing her life away for his mistakes. His stomach knotted sharply, and she'd have to pay for them in a men's prison. He knew the kinds of things that happened to women and girls like Sammy when they were sent to prison, the degradation and abuse, the systemic alienation from basic human rights, and protection, at the mercy of not only fellow inmates but amoral guards, empty caricatures of the law and order they were meant to represent.
Hands shaking in spite of his ironclad grip on the reigns, Cristián struggled not to let himself imagine the worst, while made sick by the knowledge that it was all because of him... This was all his fault.
Abandoning the horse whose sides heaved, and stomach wretched the man burst into the house eyes wide, face pale. "Where's Sammy? Who has her?" he bellowed staring anxiously at his collection of family members huddled together in the living room. "What happened?" he shouted when, for a moment no one could provide him any answers.
"Tio," Abryan alarm awash on his face called to him for where he knelt holding up his aunt who had a vice like grip on the boy's shoulder. "The park, it- the- the dinosaurs..."
Cristián took the scene in, in one horrid instance, catching himself on the armchair. He thought he had braced himself for the worst. He was wrong.
This wasn't something he could fight against, there was no argument of coercion, desperation, or duress that could be made to lessen or dissolve Sammy of her crimes. He couldn't appeal to the court to punish him in her stead. In shock Cristián realized that there was absolutely nothing he could do for his daughter, nothing except watch, and pray, and wait... And that wasn't good enough.
From behind him Rosa gave a whimper, one she was trying to surpress. "Oh God!" Abryan shrieked, failing to maintain his composure.
A marionette on strings Cristián turned towards his wife, and the slowly growing puddle she sat in. The baby was coming. The simple fact was a problem with a clear solution, one that the man could quickly remedy, yet for an instant he failed to register what that was, until the words came tumbling from his lips.
"Abryan, drive your tia to the hospital." he murmured distantly.
"What?" the boy gasped. "I-I can't drive I only have my permit!"
"Just do what I'm asking you to!" Cristián shouted, heart beginning to race angrily, pressure mounting in his head and behind his eyes.
Abryan seemed to hesitate, an argument forming on his lips when Rosa doubled over with a scream. Cristián had crossed the room in an instant, grabbed the boy by the arm and hauled him to his feet, aggressively shoving him towards the door before he realized what he had done he was screaming and swearing at the teen who looked at him with fear and uncertainty. The women in the room began shouting.
"Enough!" the man yelled when their voices shrill with worry drown out his very thoughts. "Marisa, Ana, get your mother to the van." he ordered before turning to his mother-in-law, and helping her stand. "Rosa needs you too." he muttered.
"Cristián what are you doing?" Rosa asked as the girls led her over.
"Everything's going to be alright." the man promised tearily. "I'm staying here, everything's going to be alright."
"No, Cristián, come with me!" the laboring woman begged. "I need you!"
Her words stung and left a bitter sensation in his soul, no one needed him. Cristián shook his head, "I love you." he said kissing first his wife, then his daughters on their sweat covered brows.
Loading his family into the vehicle Cristián found himself arguing once more that he would be staying behind before giving his nephew a nod, one that was apprehensively returned before the van slowly pulled away. Cristián watched them go, plumes of dust kicking up in their wake, his heart broken beyond repair. The tide of despair he had been fighting since Sammy had gone consuming him, Cristián found it impossible to breathe as he shuffled back inside and towards the gruesome scene on the television.
It was all his fault, he thought blearily as the broadcast continued with it's urgent coverage, new information seemed to spill in constantly, while at the same time nothing could be inferred, what was stated as fact only moments before quickly redacted in exchange for contrary information. Choking on a pent breath the man couldn't fight the overwhelming fear thay his baby girl was dead. She was dead, and it's all his fault.
All his fault.
The ranch had suffered some setbacks, he'd had to make certain deals, but even then.
Even then.
They could have managed, they would have been fine.
Loans, debt, stringent payment schedules, they could have, would have been fine, even with his failed investments.
It was him, he thought bitterly, it was his fault that the family had been put in this situation, that Sammy had felt the need to take it upon herself to risk everything to save them. It was his fault that she was there in Hell on Earth. All his fault, for gambling away their money, his fault for losing that money faster than he could make it to strangers on the internet, his fault for chasing that high of winning and success, his fault for finding anyway he could to feed that addiction, for getting in bed with Mantah Corp. His fault.
Sammy shouldn't have to die for his mistakes! He thought crumpling to the ground fingers laced tightly through his hair as Cristián let out a wail.
He was a fuck up, and they'd all be better off without him. This wasn't the first time he'd thought as much, the notion coming and going for the better part of a year, now, now it seemed to be all he could think about, while he worked, as he ate, it woke him from his sleep with somber tears: the thought of how much better his family would be without him.
Cristián thought briefly of the child that was about to be born, a warmth and longing filling him.
No, it would be better if they never knew him.
Sammy shouldn't have to die for his mistakes.
Maybe, maybe they could salvage something from his life insurance policy, a bittersweet hope lanced through the darkness.
Minutes that felt like hours ticked by as he curled on the floor rocking back and forth the salty taste of tears and mucus on his tongue.
Sammy shouldn't have to die for his mistakes.
He couldn't imagine how frightened she was in that moment, so far from home.
It was all his fault.
They were better off without him.
Getting up Cristián felt a hollow disconnect from his body and surroundings as he trudged to the bedroom, fingers deft on the rotary lock of the gun safe.
Sammy shouldn't have to die for his mistakes.
He loved them too much to see the look on their faces when they lost everything.
It was all his fault.
They were better off without him.
He loved them so much it hurt.
He was sorry.
It was all his fault.
Sammy was dead.
It was all his fault.
Better off without him.
The metal was cool, and weight familiar in his hand.
He loved them so much.
He was sorry.
Sammy was dead.
It was all his fault.
He was scared.
Sorry.
Sammy.
His fault.
Sorry.
Sammy.
Better without.
Scared.
Sorry.
Sammy.
Love them.
His fault.
Sorry.
Scared.
Sorry.
Love.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Samm-
-Boston Massachusetts, Tuesday 5:49pm EST-
Nika rolled over in bed, the soft luxurious feel of silk tickling across her skin as it slid over her naked form. The room was muted, and dimly lit, curtains drawn to a close, shielding the room's occupants for the gentle glow of a soon to be setting sun. Hushed save for the slight rustle of bedding, and the eased breathing of her wife beside her all was still and well with the world. As the woman's awareness of both self and surroundings crept in, the more Nika cherished sensation of warm bodies laying so near to one another. Inching closer she ran her feet along the smooth skin of Candice's legs until their limbs were perfectly entangled and she pulled the other woman to spoon, her lips brushing against the nape of her wife's neck. Bliss.
Nika was glad that they had taken some time off just for themselves while Brooklynn was away. Like any mother she missed having her little Wookie around, and worried about her, Nika hoped that she was having fun, not working too hard or obsessing over her veiwers, and that the other kids were being kind and could see the sensitive little girl beneath all the bravado and charisma. It was also a much different feeling from when Brooklynn was staying with Emily and Cameron, even when abroad. Nika didn't feel like she could just call Brooklynn all willy-nilly just to chat, afraid she'd ruin a shoot or interrupt a lesson, so she had to wait for Brooklynn to call her, but it was still nice for her to be away. Nika hugged Candice closer, very nice.
Counting herself truly blessed, as she lay in reflective musings about her life. Nika couldn't help but ponder how long had she walked through a dark ever night, depressed and alone before meeting Candice? Too long. She wished they'd met sooner, she was the light of her life, her sun, but then again that made Brookie her moon, and Nika privileged and honored merely to bask in their glow, her life well worth living if only to have them in it.
She was getting poetic and sentimental. Didn't she always tell her students to look for true to life inspiration for their writings? Nika let out a snort of laughter, before burying her face into Candice's bob willing the giggles away. Perhaps if she spent a little more time practicing what she preached the woman would have enough of a collection to actually try and get her poems published! It was alright, que sera sera.
Besides, the past week or so had been like the honeymoon they'd never had a chance to take, the spontaneous dinners, the late night talks that turned into midmorning musings, the cake batter food fight, getting to know one another all over again as if they were meeting for the first time, and the sex, the mind blowing, earth shattering, soul leaving your body for the fields of Elysium sex!
Smirking the woman nibbled her lower lip, yeah, it was one hell of a make up honeymoon. Then there was today staying in bed, sleeping, all responsibilities and cares shelves for the day making her feel like a teenager again. But, now much like a teenager she was getting hungry, her stomach rumbling with malcontent. Pizza sounded next to divine at the moment, akin to ambrosia, even.
A mischievousness coming over her Nika giggled as her hands moved across Candice's stomach. Her long acrilic nails dancing across the other woman's skin, tracing a slow circle around Candice's navel. Her wife's abdomen clenched tightly at the ticklish sensation, grinning Nika continued to gently claw the tender skin.
"Stop!" Candice gasped breathily, rolling away. "Stop, stop, stop!"
Nika laughed when Candice turned to face her assailant, her "morning breath" wafting over Nika, making her wrinkle her nose. The woman hated that she loved her morning breath, honestly what was wrong with her?
"What do you want?" Candice grumbled trying her best to sound dejected, blankets held to her mouth to hide the smile.
"I'm hungry." Nika shrugged.
"And what exactly do you expect me to do about that?" Candice went on brow arching.
"Feed me." Nika said clicking her tongue thoughtfully.
"Uh how about no?" Candice asked trying her best to hide her expression.
"Um how about-" without warning Nika launched a tickle attack, one her wife was quick to combat. Soon the two were tumbling about the bed in a frenzy of manic laughter and mirth.
The battle was fierce but short lived with Candice rolling off the bed in defeat. "I give, I give!" she exclaimed hands held high in the air as she walked towards the bathroom.
"Pizza?" the victor chirped cheerfully, watching her walk away with appreciation.
"You know what I like." Candice yawned from the bathroom a few minutes later.
Flipping around in bed Nika grabbed her cell from the nightstand and turned it on, leg bouncing to the chime as it booted. She didn't have to pee until she heard Candice going, now she really, really had to, but as in all aspects of life pizza came first. Almost immediately her phone began to vibrate angrily with missed call after missed call, dozens of voice messages, and texts streaming in. What the hell? she wondered heart skipping a beat, the phone had only been off for a few hours, what was going on?
"Hey, babe check your phone, mines blowing up." the woman murmured scrolling through a seemingly endless list of names and numbers.
"Who from?" Candice asked blearily.
"Everyone..." Nika muttered her heart beginning to race. "Emily, my parents, Cam, Marta... Dozens of calls from each of them!"
Emerging from the bathroom wrapped in a robe Candice asked, "Marta called you?"
Nika nodded, she didn't have the best relationship with their school's principal, but seeing her cell listed among the missed calls gave both women cause for alarm. Pressing the device to her ear Nika waited nervously for her mom to answer, while Candice turned her own phone on.
"Of course she's not going to answer!" Nika snapped irritably when the call went to voicemail. Hanging up she tried her dad to the same result.
"Nika," Candice whispered fearfully, thumbing through her texts. "It's Brooklynn, something's wrong with Brooklynn."
"I'm trying Emily!" Nika declared beginning to pace, stomach acid scorching her throat, a dull ache in her chest.
"Nika!" Emily's voice came bursting into the other woman's ear, her head ringing with volume.
"Emily?"
"Is-Is Brooklynn alright? Have you heard from her?" Emily asked in a voice torn rush, the strain of crying clear in her speech. "C-Camp Cretaceous, was it in the evacuation zone?"
"Emily, Emily slow down! What the hell are you talking about?" Nika demanded to know, watching with knit brows as Candice seemed to connect with her ex husband in the same moment.
"You don't know?" Emily gasped, trying to articulate the words proved too difficult as the other woman began sputtering and crying in response.
Heart in her throat Nika snapped, "Just spit it the fuck out! What happened to my daughter?" On the other side of the room Candice buckled at the knee and collapsed onto the floor with a scream. "Emily!" Nika shrieked, crying now with fear and the terrible dread of uncertainty.
"The dinosaurs," Emily whispered. "The dinosaurs escaped, they're trying to evaluate the island-"
Nika dropped the phone which bounded off the ground, screen shattered, her hands cold and numb with shock. Her baby, her Brookie-Wookie, dinosaurs, escaped- the world lurched beneath the woman's feet, she felt as though she was dying, blinded by tears she knew she was dying. Then she saw her wife, fetal on the floor, and she swallowed her doubts, and fear, and moved to kneel beside her.
"Candice," she said hoarsely. "Candice, it's going to be alright... She's going to alright." Nika assured, rubbing slow circles into her wife's back.
"How do you know?" Candice wailed turning towards her. "How do you know?"
Nika took a chilled breath before trembling answered, "I don't know."
Wincing against Candice's nails that bit into her bear skin, Nika held onto her and they rocked back and forth in their shared pain and grief. She didn't know, how could she? Nika thought bitterly, but she had hope, for what it was worth, letting out a scream the woman couldn't fight the overpowering terror that her nights would forever more be moonless.
-Galway, Ireland, Wednesday 11:38am WET-
"Galway, a harbour city on Ireland’s west coast sits nestled serenely where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. Known for its vibrant street theatre, fantastic food, film, and fringe festivities; stone-clad cafes, boutiques and art galleries also line the winding lanes of the Latin Quarter which retains portions of medieval city walls. Galway has more than earned its colorful and lively stripes when it comes to putting on a show, and is a must see stop on any tourist's schedule!" And there, in Galway, sitting on the end of a hastily made bed, Cameron Meyers found himself utterly alone, his senseless plush words floating around in his own head, while on the television blood and terror reigned, and his ex wife, the mother of his child's lamenting screams echoed in his ear where his phone was firmly pressed.
Halfway around the world, he thought numbly, my daughter is trapped halfway around the world with man eating dinosaurs and there's nothing I can do to help her. Cam sat removed from himself for several minutes, until with a disjointed sense of realization the man slowly lowered the phone and disconnected the call. He didn't want to hear that anymore. Instead he sat watching, but failing to absorb the information streaming towards him from the television.
Moments past and he found that he couldn't feel anything. Hollow and desolate he had never before been so aware of his insignificance within the cosmos as he watched the same muted, brief, and shaky footage of people crammed together packed like sardines in the park's center when winged blurs fell from the the sky and panic set in. Death had never felt more near or certain, and his daughter was there. His mind refused to dwell on that fact the immense weight of consciousness and existential awareness, and searched for a means of escape.
Glancing about Cameron realized that he was surrounded by luggage; suitcases standing open, duffle bags overturned, and piles of folded laundry. He hadn't finished packing yet. He should finish packing, he thought, comforted by the monotony of the task.
Standing the man continued to fold his movements measured and meticulous, folding his attire with a crisp edge, and neatly organizing them the way he liked best. A place for everything and everything in its place. After years of traveling, writing reviews, brochures, and guides he'd become quite adept at the art of packing, and very fond of that motto.
Moving with the same automation and militaristic precision the man retrieved his suit jacket from the closet, smoothed out the creases and packed it away as well. He would be leaving soon, heading home, the thought sent a shudder through the man. He had, had the news on so that he could hear of any weather reports or flight delays, but that had proven fruitless. Peering out of the corner of his eye he batted back tears. Lips pursed Cameron let out a slow wavering breath, the sheer horror and helplessness of the situation overwhelming.
For what felt like eons he hadn't been able to get ahold of anyone, then when finally he had reached Em she was beside herself. So too was Candice. Now trapped inside his own head, the dire isolation of his own thoughts, he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with him? Why he felt so removed from what was happening to his daughter, his family? Why couldn't he cry? Why wasn't he going to pieces? Did he maybe love Brooklynn less?
The thought lanced his soul, and like that it all came crushing down around him, and Cameron found his tears.
Fumbling through the blankets he sought out his phone, only to remember it was in his pocket. Struggling against himself he called Emily. He couldn't do this, Cameron thought, he couldn't do this alone.
"Emily I'm scared!" he whispered, his voice wavering like a frightened child. "I'm so scared!"
The moment the words tumbled from his lips Cam regretting speaking them. He felt an invisible bearer being erected within, he was the man, he wasn't supposed to be doing this, he was supposed to be the strong one. Swallowing hard Cameron braced himself for another bout of hysterics from Emily and he was determined to be the foundation she needed of him. Then it clicked, that was why, it wasn't because he cared less, but because he couldn't care more, he wasn't supposed to, wasn't allowed. Consciously now, he tried to push his own emotions away to care for Emily, she was pregnant, and alone, and that was his job.
"I know," Emily mumbled clearly just as broken as her partner before she took a deep breath and pressed on. "It's ok, I'm here for you."
Taken aback the man was stunned into silence until she repeated the phrase. The levee's broke suddenly at the simple acknowledgement of his grief, and permission for him to express it. Pacing back and forth Cameron spoke emphatically through his tears hand cutting through the air as he wailed out his sorrow, and confusion, and rage. His little globe trotter was out there somewhere, and there was nothing he could do about it, he'd never felt vulnerability like this before and if frightened him.
After several minutes the man's voice was raw and ragged, Emily was crying now too and in the silent wake of everything that was still left to be said Cameron crawled into bed throwing the covers over his himself with superstition, as though the blankets could protect him from the monster that was reality.
"I'm scared," he whispered to his girlfriend. "I'm scared, I'm so scared!"
"I know," Emily whimpered in response. "Me too..."
-Boston, Massachusetts, Tuesday 6:23pm EST-
Candice had fallen, struggling on weak legs as she trudged into the living room the vile news streaming in a melancholic cacophony of death and destruction, the dull ache in her knees and palms distant and misplaced. Candice eyes swollen and red rimmed the woman found herself unable to tear her gaze away from the scene as she lifted the phone to her ear once more. No answer. Hang up. Call again. No answer. Hang up. Call again. No answer. Hang up. Call again. The woman battling against shock repeated the process over and over, her mind numb and body acting on autopilot while her wife sat beside her frantically typing away on her laptop.
"I've checked everything, her Facebook, Youtube, Insta, Snap, Tiktok, nothing, there's nothing!" Nika fretted, jostling the computer in frustration. "Her last update was about some big scoop, then radio silence! Candice? Candice?"
The feeling of Nika's hand on her arm startled the distraught mother who stared down at the beautiful mocha fingers looped gently about her wrist without recognition, before she glanced up lip quivering pitifully. "What?" she asked her voice, and understanding failing her.
Candice watched Nika's face contort briefly, lips pressed tight, eyes fluttering against tears. "What's the news saying?" the woman whose shirt sagged over her shoulder asked as though she hoped for a better outcome through that avenue.
"They're evacuating, people are dying, they don't know how this happened..." Candice muttered her voice trailing off as the camera panned over the same idealistic landscape that Brooklynn had been so eager to capture, thick indomitable canopies under which lurked many dangers and mysteries she had intended to solve.
The anchor was talking about the history of the island, images of John Hammond and Simon Masrani came up, with quotes beneath their pictures. It felt like a very indifferent thing to do, and Candice couldn't wrap her mind around why they were discussing such trivial things. Did any of this really matter? she wondered, curling into her wife's side as they played soundbites from Doctors Ellie Sattler, and Alan Grant discussing their experiences on the first island. None of that mattered right now, that was in the past, all that mattered what was happening at that exact moment and how they were going to save her little girl.
A rhythmic thrumming of hope ignited in Candice's chest when the scene changed, maybe they had something to report, maybe it was good news?
Suddenly the scene before them began to play out as a crew chased a man clad in black and a rushing down an open air corridor on some college campus, a cane heavily relied upon for his limp. "No comment." he shouted over his shoulder. "No comment!"
Fire burned brightly in Candice's stomach as she sat higher the hairs on the nape of her neck standing on edge, who was this man, and was he responsible for what was happening? Hatered bloomed in her chest until the interviewer called their elusive target by name, "Dr Malcolm, what can you tell us about the current Jurassic World crisis?"
"No comment, God damnit!" the man shouted.
"Dr Malcolm!" they tried again. "Can you at least tell us what the probability of-"
"Look," the man said turning haggard faced to the camera. "This was inevitable, it always was, and I like the Oracle of Delphi grow weary of predictions and prophecies left unheeded. Now if you'll excuse me I have a class to teach."
The cold unnerving feeling that crept over the woman was soon blown away by the sound of her daughter's voice. "Brooklynn?" she screamed clamoring over Nika to the laptop, shoving her face towards the screen. "Baby it's mom- it's-" It was a recording. Pink haired and vivacious Brooklynn bounced her eyebrows at the camera, informing all of her Brooklanders of the biggest scoop of all time, but that they would have to wait until tomorrow. It was recorded last night.
"I'm sorry," Nika sobbed, a hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I just wanted to hear her voice- I just-"
Candice sagged into the couch the nervous, trembling form of Skittles tip-toeing over her lap as both women began to cry again. Video, after video, post after post the forlorn pair browsed through their daughter's media career fond memories turned bitter by the situation they couldn't stop themselves once they'd gotten started.
"Do you remember that?" Candice asked with a half smile.
"Yeah," Nika laughed. "She broke my goddamn microwave and nearly burnt down the apartment!"
Candice laughed, "I had no idea what I'd walked into either, groceries in hand smoke and burnt plastic in the air!"
"She's a good kid though." Nika smiled fondly.
"Yes she is."
Clicking on the next video it was of an adventure Brooklynn had at her dad's house, eating gross foods from around the world, durian, canned pickled fish, insects, and the like. Candice's stomach knotted, there was a reason she couldn't do crap like that at their house. "Next video, next video!" she whimpered burying her face into Nika's shoulder.
"Oh my God." Nika responded in shock.
"What?" Candice asked heart racing as she turned towards the television in alarm. Nothing seemed to have changed, it was just the same tragic scenes played over and over with commentary and conjecture from the news crew. Both a welcome relief from the horror, and a blow to the heart for want of something hopeful Candice didn't understand the other woman's sudden upset.
"Emily, Cams out of town, she's all alone." Nika explained. "We've been here together but she's been dealing with this all alone..." Candice felt her brows knit as her wife seemed to ponder the scenario. "We've got to go get her. We can't just leave her there."
"What?" Candice snapped, teeth on edge. She cared for Emily just as much as Nika, she was one of Brooklynn's parents after all, but she couldn't fight the feelings of anger at the thought of leaving everything behind to drive across town and pick her up. "We can't leave what if they find something out? What of something happens?" she demanded to know, blood pressure rising.
Nika seemed to consider this for a moment before leaning over and giving Candice's forehead a peck, "It'll be ok, I love you baby, you can stay here and keep me up to date. I'll be right back, but I can't just leave her like that."
Watching with stunned disbelief as Nika wiped the tears from her face and began hunting around for her purse and her keys Candice found herself agape. "What the actual fuck?" she bellowed, feeling as though her wife was abandoning her in her greatest time of need.
Shocked Nika turned back, "Excuse me?"
"What the fuck? So you're just going to leave me here and go get Emily?" Candice shouted leaping to her feet.
"Yes, I am. She's family, and she's alone." Nika explained.
"Oh so she can't be alone but you're going to walk out on me?" Candice laughed bitterly.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, no one is walking out on anyone." Nika said trying to clarify. "And you're more than welcome to come with me if you'd like."
The sheer disregard for her feelings, and the life of her daughter sharp and metallic on her tongue, the words that left Candice's mouth next were as wounding as knives, "I'm going to stay here and watch the news for an update about my daughter, but sure, you go ahead and get Emily. I know this doesn't mean as much to you as it does to me. That you don't really care about Brooklynn because she's not really your daughter! It's fine. Go!"
Candice watched as her wife caught herself if only just on the countertop, and couldn't help but think that she was overplaying the part. Candice felt vindicated by what she had said even as Nika's tears began to fall. "I know this isn't you," Nika's voice wavered. "So I'm going to try my best not to be mad about it later, but it's going to be real, real hard."
Without another word the woman gathered her things and stalked angrily towards the front door, but thinking better of it paused to turn back to Candice with a love fueled hate in her eyes, "And Candice, Brooklynn is my baby too, and if you ever say anything like that again it's over."
The apartment echoed with the slammed door, Candice stood and stared at it's blank wooden face for several minutes waiting for Nika to realize that she was wrong, to come back, to apologize, to hold her and make it all better. When that didn't happen the woman realized just how alone, and afraid she really was, and how angry. She was so angry, at the park owners, at Nika, at God. She felt unraveled, and a flame, she wanted, needed someone to blame, someone to hate. Really, though it was herself, it was only ever herself... she'd given Brooklynn permission to go... if it was anyone's fault, it was hers...
Oh God she was so scared!
Notes:
Timezones! They're a hell of a drug! Everything in this chapter (and the one to follow) happen in chronological order I promise, I did all the math, and it hurt my head. XD
For future reference google says for that time of year the sunset in Costa Rica happens around 6:00pm. The ferry left right around 8:00, the kids got there ~10:15, and also according to google sunrise will be around 5:25.
Also y'all, my brain is broken and my soul wounded! I rewatched Jurassic World to try and figure out a timeline for when Indominus Rex escaped and how quickly I thought the campers families would get the news. Y'all, y'all! Jurassic World takes place during Christmas! Like, what?! Why?! On who's authority??? Where is the consistency between the movie and the show! Ugh! DX
Anyways, as far as I'm concerned this is all happened during the summer, my fic, my rules lol, on the bright side when winter rolls around and someone asks me to pick a holiday movie BOOM dinosaurs! :)
I'm not sure how many of you actually wanted to read about the families experiences, but I really wanted to write about them and only intended to give each character a paragraph or two tops, but then I got way too invested and too involved with all of them. I love of the kids families for various reasons and I think it also provides some insight into how each of the campers became who they are now, and I got a little carried away, sorry!
I also intended for "The Day of Mourning" to be a single chapter but y'all this thing is a beast and you've been waiting so patiently for so long that I've decided to break it into two parts.
Also you're probably wondering why Dr Malcolm has a limp, it's because of the books, I really love the books and in the books he had a limp after the encounter with Rexy!
And since that was a very sad chapter and the next ones will be too here's a little ray of sunshine to carry you through, the rest of Kenji's voicemail message:
"Hey sexy you've reached Kenji Kon, give me a time and a place and I'll be there to turn you on!" *Finger gun, tongue click* (you obviously can't see the finger guns, but they're there.)
Thanks for all the love and support y'all gave me both as a person, and a writer it means the world to me!!!!! Love y'all thanks for reading! <3
Chapter 22: The Day of Mourning: Part Two
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-Oakland, California, Tuesday, 2:40pm PDT-
The persistent call for sleep sounded like an alarm bell in the back of Brand's mind. Head unbearably heavy on his neck, he felt it flop onto his chest, eyes lulling closed, his world pitching forward as he teetered on aching feet. A jolt of fear made the young man snap to attention, rigid as a soldier, stretching his eyes impossibly wide in an effort to rouse himself. Shit, he thought with a yawn, he could fall asleep standing right here, right now. He needed rest, his body begged, no, just coffee Brand argued mentally.
The intense heat rising from the flat top permeated his clothing, radiating scornfully across his chest, neck, and face. Taking a half step back the teen mopped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. Glancing around as coworkers all rushed frantically about, snapping orders and jostling against each other in the cramped kitchen the peak of "rush hour" was taking its toll on staff morale. The bleak overwhelming sense of frustration and futility infecting him as well mingled sharply with the overly familiar reek of day old fry oil that came wafting through the air. Brand felt a pang of regret for coming in today.
Work had utterly consumed his life since the start of summer, picking up any and all shifts he could, grateful that his employer wasn't one to shy away from doling out overtime as it was "easier than training new hires" or something to that affect, and they needed the money. If Brand could pay off just one of his mom's debts in full he knew that she could breathe just a little easier. Giving the grey hockey pucks of beef a flip, Brand watched in misery as fat and grease bubbled from them with a malodorous stink. He really used to like the food before he started working here, now he wasn't quite so sure.
Working the line frying up burgers before sending them down to be assembled, order after order after order, demands kept flowing in from both the counter and drive through faster than the minimum wage employees were able to keep up. In spite of the chaotic atmosphere the monotony of the task allowed the the boy's mind to wander as he silently completed his duties. He needed a day off, Brand thought, a day to just sleep, but he couldn't. It was more than just the cash however, though that was a big part if it, if he was being honest with himself it was because he was avoiding Half-Court.
At first Brand hadn't even realized he was doing it, he would just get busy with work and forget to call or text her back, and being out of school made in person run-ins a thing of the past, so while he was slinging heart attacks and happy meals she was out living her life in the equally hectic world of retail. But now, it just seemed like the most reasonable course of action to take, and even when he could make the time he didn't. As much as it hurt she had a future, a bright one, and he wanted to protect that at all costs, even if it meant he didn't. Courtney deserved college, and had worked too damn hard to earn that scholarship, he wasn't about to let her throw it all away for him.
God this sucks, he thought dismally, but over the past couple years he'd learned that, that's just how life is.
Wondering absentmindedly about what his dad would say about this particular situation the boy let out another yawn. He'd never realized he could miss someone so much, or how hollow one person's absence could make his life become. Even now he'd see something cool in the news, or get excited about a new movie coming out and for one brief instance, forget, and give his dad a call. It would go straight to voicemail, then Brand would remember. Tearfully he'd leave his message and hang up. The teen wondered if his mom knew that he hadn't closed out the phone line like he'd promised when they were trying to out their lives back together. He just couldn't bring himself to do it, to say goodbye, it felt too final, and besides they moved the bill into Brand's name anyways. Leaving the messages however, felt, like maybe he was still there, and being able to still talk to him was comforting beyond words.
God, Brand wanted to walk into the house one night and hear his dad's laugh coming from the kitchen, to be called "Champ" again, though it was a nickname he resented growing up, he just, he just wanted his dad...
"You alright man?" Pat asked slugging him in the shoulder, a concerned look on her face.
"Yeah, yeah dude I'm fine!" Brand nodded taking a step back, wiping his face with his shirt. "Just getting overheated is all, sweat in my eyes, you know how it is."
"Sure do." Pat agreed throwing some horns and opening her mouth in a snear to reveal a pierced tongue. The gesture was supposed to make her seem intimidating, but to her friend just made her look anything but. "Living that badass thug life, below the poverty line at MD's!"
"You're gonna get a write up again if you keep it up." Brand warned shaking his head, but he knew Pat could care less. He envied that about her.
"Let me know if you wanna switch." she offered passing him by on the way to the freezer.
"Will do." the young man nodded kicking her playfully in the leg as she walked past.
"Hostile work environment!" the girl shouted, adding an exaggerating limp to her gate.
Shaking his head as he laughed at her antics Brand took an uneasy breath, and like that the moment was gone. He still missed his dad, but the pain had ebbed away, replaced by the present and his immense responsibility. That's just how it went, he thought knowing the sorrow would inevitably creep up on him later.
By the the time rush hour had ended a bone weariness had descended over the crew who shambled about aimlessly like the sleep and sunlight deprived zombies they were. Counting down the minutes until his lunch break Brand now on register listened idley to the conversations going on around him, enjoying the slow laxed pace brought on by the few customers who traipsed in at leisure. Then he heard the guys becoming quite boisterous and rowdy from the back.
"Shit did you just see that? No fucking way!" Kai bellowed with a culmination of shock and a disbelieving dark sense of humor.
"His head is just gone! Wham!" Shane added with just as much polarized energy.
"You guys are fucking sick!" Pat bit out storming away hotly just as a curious and perplexed Brand made his way to the line to unravel the mysterious cause of all the sudden tension and excitement.
"What's going on?" he asked with an apprehensive half smile, the air about his friends uneasy.
"Dude you gotta see this! This shits everywhere on LiveLeaks, YouTube's taking it down but it's going up faster than they can catch it! I don't know man it's a shit-show!" Kai exclaimed turning so that he was standing side-by-side with the interloper so that they could view his phone screen together.
His stomach bound tightly at the very mention of the website's name, Brand was familiar with the grizzly content it was known for: police brutality, live footage of active shooter situations, a brief and harrowing glimpse at the inhuman genocidal violences taking place all over the world. Bloody images clawed their way to life in the young man's mind. He tried staying informed, really, he did, but sometimes it was just too much to bear, and this site was a window to all of it. Brows knit Brand's heart immediately began to hammer away as tried making sense of what he was seeing.
A shooter, he thought with sickened despair as the camera whipped and jostled back and forth as it's user ran and shoved their way through a tightly packed crowd, panicked screams echoing from the phone's speakers when the lense and mic weren't muffled as the hand that recorded the video pushed in rough desperation against the backs of people fleeing before them. He didn't want to see this, Brand thought turning away with a nauseated grimace, empathetically putting himself in the videographer's shoes. What must it feel like to be that afraid?
"Wait-wait!" Kai said a hand finding Brand's shoulder as he tried making his way back towards the front.
It happened fast, and the teenager only caught it out of the corner of his eye but it looked almost like a parachute, or large tarp had fallen over some of the people in the crowd. The screaming intensified.
"What the hell?" Brand asked taking the phone in hand, peering closer at it's glass face. Then in a blur another bolt of fabric fell, enveloping a mass of bodies in the crowd, and another. A distinctive icy sensation found it's way into his bloodstream when he saw the large swathes of encompassing cloth moving of their own accord, and he realized that it wasn't fabric at all, but wings.
"Yeah," Shane said softly beside him. "All the dinos at Jurassic World got out and they're just tearing people apart... I mean... they're all totally fucked!" his voice trailed on mentioning something about boats and evacuation attempts, but his words fell on deaf ears. All Brand could hear was the screaming.
The world suddenly retreated away from Brand as the air rushing from his lungs. In a narrowing pinprick of time he stood still shrouded by a horror and grief that consumed him.
Time stopped.
The fiery eruption of pain searing through his hand and lancing up the young man's arm broke the temporal stasis he had found himself locked in, as he mindlessly reached to brace himself, his hand finding only the flattop. Wretching his arm away from the heat source, his body seething with pain and fear, the teen stared without comprehension at his quickly blistering hand. The room had shattered into a bout of discord as the others began shouting.
"Are you alright?" Kai gasped.
"Brand! Someone get ice!" Shane panicked.
"You assholes!" Pat was shrilled, grabbing Brand by the wrist trying to pull him towards the sink, but to the boy in question the immense pain from the burn was secondary to his fear.
Darius, he thought. Brand was running in an instant and behind the wheel of his car faster than he had time to process his actions. Only Kai slamming his fists irately on the hood brought the teen back into himself as he tried to drive away. Realizing seconds too late what he wanted Brand threw the cellphone out of the window before peeling out in a screeching torrent of burnt rubber.
He was speeding, the young man thought distantly, running lights as he wove with an unconscious effort between other vehicles, a world he was scarcely aware of blurring past him, if he got pulled over- Teeth grit, Brand squeezed tight on the steering wheel, focusing only on the radiating agony that to kept him grounded as the forefront of his mind was filled with bloody, and damned images of his little brother, dead.
No, he blinked back tears, he couldn't be dead! He just couldn't!
Struggling Brand dug the phone from his pocket and gave Darius a call praying for him to be alright. Tucked hastily between his cheek and shoulder the slim device slipped out his grasp when the unfeeling, mechanized voice message picked up. Brand let out a scream of rage, letting loose a stream of hot tears he beat his fists against the wheel, slamming his body back into his seat where his head bounced jarringly off it's rest.
"No God, no! Why are you doing this to me?" he wailed in a prayer of condemnation. First his dad and now Darius? What had he done wrong? What did he do to deserve this? He wondered with a stark sense of celestial abandonment.
"Why God, why?" he begged an answer. "Again? What did I do? Why are you doing this? He's- he's just a kid! For fuck's sake he's just a kid! Please, please take me instead! Let me crash right now! God take me! Take me! Please God! Please! Please! Take me! Take me!" Thrashing the young man battled his seat as he let out another bellow of anguish. "Let him be alright! Please just let him be alright! God- fucking damnit! Let him be ok!"
Lamenting feverishly to the heavens it wasn't long, yet seemed an eternity before Brand had pulled up in front of the hospital. Leaping from his car as valets scrambled to stop the still rolling vehicle he raced inside, past reception and through the labyrinth of mostly empty, sterilized halls. His shoes squeaking loudly as he wound his way through the passages that had ruefully become familiar, he spared a thought to the fact that he hadn't been there since Dad. How his mom did it day after day, he didn't know.
Frantic, and only vaguely aware that he was now being pursued by a pair of guards Brand couldn't halt his momentum fast enough as he slammed into the counter of the nurse's station in the cardiac unit. "Where's my mom?" was all he could choke out before several hands found him and began pulling him backwards. He struggled against the men in uniform who were radioing for backup before his world spun sharply, and he found himself face down on the ground. There he wept, and cried out like the lost child he was. "Mom!"
Gaze locked onto the television screen in the waiting area Monica's hands were pressed tight against the rampant beating of her heart where what broken shards were left of it threatened to rip themselves free from her chest. She couldn't move, frozen, as she watched the hellscape that was the news unfurling in front of her. Massive throngs of bodies pressed tight against one another, people crushed and churned under heel, families desperately trying to cling to one another in the chaos as large monstrous beasts fell upon the crowds from the sky.
Her baby was there, she thought feeling weak in the knees. He was there amid all the death and fear, and destruction, and he was all alone. Taking only a shallow hiccuping breath, her lungs burning, and the woman realized that she couldn't breathe. Fanning a hand in front of her face she commanded her body to perform one of it's most basic functions, but found that she couldn't remember how. Desperation, and anxiety coiling around her throat, her larynx felt crushed beneath her own restraint from trying in vain not to breakdown, not to cry, and make a scene, and now the air just wouldn't come.
Then, when the thought of passing out flickered with trepidation through her mind, it happened, with a sharp intake of air, she exhaled in a ragged sob and her composure broken, patients turning in their chairs with sudden alarm. Quaking, and crying as she watched the horror on screen the woman thought, if only for an instant, that she could hear her son calling for her, Darius' voice ringing in her heart and her mind. She heard it again, louder, more dire than before. It was real, she thought the notion rising to her consciousness. Chills ran down her spine, goosebumps forming across her body.
Then she heard it again, a forlorn, "Mom! Please, mom!"
Hairs standing on the nape of her neck Monica realized that it wasn't Darius, but Brandon calling for her. The nurse raced out of the waiting room and into an adjacent hall where her blood ran cold. Shouting in pain as three grown men struggled, wresting Brandon's arms roughly behind his back to be handcuffed, while a fourth restrained his legs her boy craned his neck to look at her with wide brown eyes.
Adrenaline surging through her at the fearful sight the woman who had taken an oath to do no harm ran towards the scene. Without much thought she began pushing, and shoving, her hands slapping and finding the faces of the guards who were her friends and coworkers as she tried to get them to release their immense grips, obscenities tumbling from her lips in an unbroken stream.
"That's my son!" she shrieked. "That's my son!"
Knocked back by a strong shoulder to her stomach Monica clutched the back of her head where it had collided with the floor. Doctors and nurses came rushing out to see what the commotion was as the screaming came to a tense, threatening crescendo.
After a few strained moments, and the intervention of Doctors Fitzgerald and Torres the men let go, moving away to watch for what they claimed to be "signs of a potential threat," allowing Monica to scoop Brandon into her arms. Mother and son sat on ground clinging to one another in a fit of hysterics as they struggled to work through, and process what had just happened, their minds struggling to detangle the series of events that transpired, picking apart what had happened within the hospital and its correlation to what was happening miles away on an island teeming with man-made monsters.
Through all of the weeping and wretching it was Brand who spoke first. "He knows this stuff." he was saying tearfully into the crook of her neck. "Darius knows this stuff! He knows Dinosaurs. He's going to be alright, right? He's going to be alright?" he sobbed cycling through the same forlorn questions reaching frantically for some thread of hope to hold onto. "He knows this stuff. He knows it right? He's a smart kid. He'll make it to the boats. The counselors will look out for him. It's not like he's alone. The counselors will look out for him. They have to have a plan right? He's a smart kid. He's going to be alright, mom? Mom, please tell me he's going to be ok!"
Monica listened to his anguished cries from somewhere remote, and buried deep within. She wanted nothing more than to comfort her child clinging to him tightly as he mumbled his tearful mantra and cradled what she noted was a badly burnt hand. Hapless, and without a lifeline of her own she just didn't have the answers Brandon was so desperately looking for. Blinking back tears the woman tried to remain level headed, to reason her way through all that had happened, her grasp tenuous on the murmured assurances her eldest offered. He was right, Darius wasn't alone, they did have a plan, and he was smart enough to figure things out for himself. Monica tried to make these facts a foundation on which to stand, but found only a sea of pebbles beneath her feet.
Monica had been here before. She'd walked this sandy desolate beach where hope was an illusion at best.
There had been so many facts to work with, possibilities, treatments, options, the experts had spoken with such confidence, and faith. Because of this they spent so much time in and out if the hospital, taking treatment after treatment, after treatment as chemo, and radiation slowly eroded the once bright spirit that had burned so brightly, and the life had been stripped from Fredrick's eyes. Where, she wondered, had all that optimism gotten them? No where. Her husband was still dead, and what time she'd had left with him was spent with a shell of the man she'd fallen in love with.
Monica let out a wail. He was dead. Trembling she cluched tighter to her son. She couldn't do this, this false hope, trying to hold it all together and put on a good show for the sake of her children. She was tired, so very tired, and it hurt too much.
"Mom," Brandon pleaded in a whisper. "He's going to be alright, right?"
Shaking her head Monica remorsefully admitted, "I don't know."
The boy's shock and grief manifested in a scream, arms squeezing tight around her, legs kicking as he buried his face deeper into her chest. She was his mom, it was her job to protect him, to make all of his hurts go away, but she couldn't, she just couldn't. So she held him. Held him, and cried, unable to shake the unnerving sense of clarity that now she was going to have to bury her baby too.
-Omaha, Nebraska, Tuesday, 6:07pm DST-
Eyes squeezed shut against the tears Sameera rocked to one side alight with mirth and laughter, ribs in stitches, it was just too good, and she couldn't breathe. Sitting on the bedroom floor at her friend Jayanti's house, Sameera, elegantly dressed, felt like quite the princess as Jayanti carded through her hair arranging it into an ornate crown of elaborate braids, and Farah carefully painted her toenails with a practiced care. Sprawled across the mountain of pillows beside them the petite Paige who awaited her turn for the royal treatment was incapacitated with laughter.
"Quit moving!" Farah chortled, struggling to hold onto Sameera's foot, her cheeks hued with a flush of embarrassment as the group gossiped and joked in a playful manner about the only topic worth discussing, boys.
"Wait, wait, wait, that really happened?" Sameera asked disbelievingly as she tried to reign herself in, sitting up a little taller to keep her hair from being tugged by the girl who sat on the bed above her.
"Yes!" Farah admitted, head ducking down on her shoulders, as if she regretted bringing it up.
"And he thought that charming?" Paige asked jolting up, her golden tresses a tangled, static-filled mess from rolling around on the carpet. "'I wiped this public drinking fountain off with the front of my shirt after using it to spare you from the germs milady!'" the girl, born with dwarfism, and used to a very different form of public perception laughed pulling herself up tall and bowing with a flourish of an invisible cape.
"Ugh he was so cute!" Farah lamented, crying out to the heavens. "Why did he have to go and be weird like that? Then he got all huffy when I used the fountain, like was I supposed to say 'thank you?' It's like do boys even get it?"
"At least not boys our age." Jayanti intoned, her voice dropping pitch scandalously. The room erupted with squealing as the quartet jostled one another about.
"No!" Sameera giggled. "Your dad will kill you!"
"What's his name? What's his name?" Paige badgered hands clapping with enthusiastic demand.
Jayanti, dropping Sameera's hair, closed her eyes with exasperation, her long, ocher fingers laced together with an intense, dreamy longing. "Jin!" she sighed with romantic enthusiasm, gazing with adoration at the poster of her favorite boy band. Pillows took flight across the room as chaos broke out amongst the friends, the frenzied fan, lovingly absorbing the brunt of the abuse.
It didn't get much better than this, Sameera thought, as they bludgeoned one another.
On the surface for the vivacious twelve year old, like many other children her age, summer meant only one thing, well, two things actually: sleep overs, and swimming! And since school had been released for the year her parents had struggled to keep up with her hyperactive gaggle of friends as the girls descended like a ravenous plague across the neighborhood, devouring snacks in the blink of an eye, hiking electric bills, and haunting the night air with their gossip and laughter so that sleep was a thing of the past. The way some of their parents talked school couldn't return fast enough, but to their children this was what made life worth living, as she and her friends made vagabonds of themselves, staying at one anothers homes for days on end.
Beneath those same waves however, lie a turbulent sea of anxieties and inadequacy, known only to these three whom Sameera trusted above all else. Secrets, regrets, and fears were shared between them in the quiet hours of early morning which always seemed to give rise to a ruminative nature in the girls, and found them, more often than not reflecting on their lives. Hidden shames that made Sameera shrink before the expectations of her parents, teachers, and fellow peers were laid bare during those long talks. For Sameera, beneath the veneer of girlhood, was a lump of coal under the pressure of all those around her, hoping that she would one day become a diamond and live up to the seemingly unattainable dreams and aspirations of others.
Her brother Ahmed had set the bar for scholarly pursuit, making the unbelievably narrow cut at John Hopkins University was destined to become a surgeon of great renoun, while her sister was a literal Olympian, who had discovered a passion and skill at such an early age Yasmina would no doubt become world famous because of it. Then there was Sameera who always felt like her parents were watching with baited breath for her to do something miraculous, but she never did. There was nothing special about her, no matter how hard she tried, and she always felt as though she fell short of their expectations, though they never said as much, only that they 'wanted her to be happy.'
For that reason and that reason alone, summer was a much needed, and appreciated, respite. There were no grades to aim for, no goals to meet, limits to push yourself towards, just pure freedom!
"So are we still gonna make bracelets?" Farah asked, adjusting the drape of the sari she wore, hand-me-downs from Jayanti's older sister and cousins. The elegant attire was meant to be reserved for special occasions but were now allocated to play-dress as her relatives spoiled her with the traditional garb at every opportunity.
Jayanti shrugged, "If you want to." she said with half interest as they moved onto Paige's makeover.
"Finally!" the girl in question beamed, taking her place in the seat of honor.
"What do you mean 'finally?'" Sameera sneered playfully. "You totally rushed through my manicure!"
"Did not!" she argued.
"Did so!" Sameera shot back, flashing her hands for all to see their minor imperfections. The others gasped at the audacity, before Sameera dropped the charade with a playful wrinkle of her nose, and began analysing color options, comparing them to Paige's complexion. Picking up a pair of chopsticks from the floor as she contemplated her options the girl fished a Cheeto from the communal bowl, maintaining such flawless looks took effort!
"Mom says we can order pizza," Jayanti chimed, already hard at word detangling the wispy platinum locks of her friend. "But she did ask me to remind everyone of the house rules."
"Ugh! I'm so sorry!" Paige cried out, hands covering her face, obviously still reeling from her little faux pas of bringing beef jerky as a snack to share last time. The others began laughing, teasing her gently.
"It was a real bull-headed move!" Farah larked mischievously before adding. "Next you'll bring pork rinds to my house!"
"Or mine!" Sameera piped up.
"It's ok, no one was mad!" Jayanti assured after a while.
"Oh sure, no one was mad, but you still let me stand there and just die of embarrassment!" Paige said, throwing a friendly elbow.
"I didn't know what to say, you pulled it out wham, like it was nothing and offered some to my dad! I was in shock!" Jayanti giggled tickling her friend's vulnerable neck as she spoke.
Sometime later, after everyone was made up the rowdy troupe sashayed their way towards the living room to put on a show, and place their requests for dinner. As they sauntered past the kitchen however, it became immediately apparent that something was wrong. Jayanti's parents were both in there, cellphones pressed to their ears, her mother huddled tight into a corner her free arm folded defensively across her chest, while her father paced hotly. They were whispering about something to one another in an urgent manner that died upon their lips the moment the girls appeared at the doorway.
"Um... What's up?" Jayanti asked with a nervous smile.
"Nothing, nothing!" her mom was quick to assure, pocketing her cellphone, even as her father squeezed past the group and headed for the master bedroom. "You all look very lovely! Give me a turn!"
Cautiously the four complied spinning in slow circles. "Fantastic!" the woman beamed. "Now tell me what you'd like on your pizzas then you can go back into Jayanti's room and play!"
"Mom?" Jayanti asked, her brows loosely knit. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing." the woman replied behind her teeth as she continued to smile, though her gaze seemed to hold a warning to it that Sameera could only just perceive, yet appeared plain to her daughter. "Now, what am I ordering? We can get soda and dessert too!" she beamed pulling out a scratch piece of paper and a pen.
Something was wrong, the girls could tell. The immediate hushed concerns they began voicing to one another the moment the bedroom door had closed securely behind them confirmed that no one was alone in their suspicions.
"What do you think it is?" Paige asked nervously.
"I don't know." Jayanti replied brow creased with worry.
"Maybe it's nothing too serious," Farah piped up, ever the optimist. "Like there's something wrong with the car and they can't get ahold of the mechanic, or just got called about a bounced check and are frustrated trying to fix it."
"If it was something to do with money I don't think we'd still be getting pizza, and dessert." Sameera rolled her eyes, tapping the side of her forehead with an exaggerated movement.
"What if there's something wrong with the apartment and they can't get ahold of the landlord?" Paige chipped in.
"What if there's something wrong with one of my relatives?" Jayanti, who's extended family was scattered across not only the country, but globe questioned hesitantly.
Everyone very quiet with nerves, fearful that Jayanti's parents unusual behavior was caused by something more than the mundane problems and annoyances that they had concocted. Gloomily the quartet attempted to return to their activities, working together to tidy the makeup and nail polish left scattered about the room. For several minutes afterwards, no one spoke, merely they sat in quiet, grim, contemplation, staring at her shelf of DVDs pretending to be weeding out what to watch.
"I'm going to go ask." the girl in question announced after a while rising to confront her parents.
"I'm sure everything is alright." Farah mused when Jayanti had left.
"Maybe they have to move..." Paige murmured dismally.
Sameera whose heart was racing nearly as quickly as her mind pondered the situation silently. She was worried for Jayanti and wanted to help her somehow, if she could, but before anything could he done she had to know what the problem was. Glamour forgotten the girl began to pick and peel anxiously at her nails, and the skin around them.
"I hate it when grown ups keep secrets, and treat us like little kids." she announced absentmindedly. Farah and Paige nodded in agreement.
When Jayanti returned a few minutes later there was something very different about her demeanor, she seemed deeply perturbed by something, and held apprehension in her smile. "Mom says it's nothing to worry about, we chatted a sec, um, so what do you guys wanna do? We can make bracelets, watch a movie, play a board game?" she asked rattling off a list of activities, though Sameera was keen to notice the way the other girl kept glancing at her, only to look away after being spotted.
"You sure everything's alright?" Sameera asked, the shrewd observer, arms crossed defiantly.
"Yeah, no everything's totally good!" Jayanti vowed, but when the others didn't seem convinced she hurriedly pressed forward with her list of things to do. "So, bracelets!" she intoned fetching her box of glass beads and wire cords.
Sameera watched Jayanti with scrutiny from the bed as she made busy work getting everything together. "I thought friends weren't supposed to keep secrets." she muttered, watching as the other girl flinched as though wounded. "Guess we aren't friends anymore..."
"My mom said I'm not supposed to tell you." Jayanti replied, crestfallen.
"Just me?" Sameera asked, pulse pounding with dark spots behind her eyes, as her mind raced to fill in the blanks, making horror stories of the unknown variables, knowing, if not exactly what, that something had happened to her family. Her friend nodded solemnly.
On her feet at once the Sameera ran for the door. Jayanti, and the others quick to follow her lead in their uncertainty and concern leaped to their feet to try and stop her. Shoving away the girls that barred her exit, or attempted to ensnare her limbs Sameera took off with a speed she thought in a fleeting instant, would make her sister proud. Darting down the hall and past the kitchen intent on confronting the deceitful adults who were keeping her from the truth Sameera came to a stop in an empty living room. Brows knit she peered about with confusion, only the familiarity of a name catching her attention, she turned towards the television.
Her friends barreling in behind her, Sameera stared in wide eyed horror at the screen as crowds of frantic people fled, crushing tightly together in an attempt to save themselves from demonic predators with wings. The stream cut out without warning, the device turning dark. Tears welling in her eyes the girl turned to see Jayanti's father had come up behind the others, remote in his hand. For a dreadful moment no one spoke. A cold electrified tension filling the air of the apartment as everyone stared at Sameera, and desperately lost, she stared back
"We've tried reaching your parents." the man began, his tone tentative, as though he was afraid of the outcome his words would bring. "We'll keep trying, I'm sure everything is fine, boats are already leaving the island. I don't want you to worry, everything will be alright." he assured. "Aishwarya went to pick up dinner, why don't you all go back to Jayanti's room and have fun?"
Heartrate still rampant Sameera felt as though she were sleepwalking, as she stared entranced at the man, without comprehending his words. She'd seen what was happening, her sister was in danger, possibly dead, he'd been keeping it from her, Jayanti had been keeping it from her, and now she was supposed to go back to what she had be doing before? To pretend like everything was going to be fine? Her body was cold and numb as her friends tried to gently lead the way, but Sameera stood rooted in place.
"It'll be alright!" Paige said hurriedly, trying her best to help.
"Yeah, there's no way anything bad could happen to Yasmina, I mean, she's Yasmina right?" Farah smiled. "I'm sure she was on the first boat out." Trembling Sameera could scarcely feel her friends' arms looping about her as they hugged her, trying in their own way to make things better.
How often had she wished for this? The girl wondered tearfully. In secret, after a big race, or when it was time for report cards to come in? Sameera loved her big sister, truly she did with all of her heart, even when Yasmina's rebellious nature wounded her, but there was still a secret pit, a cavern in her heart eroded by her own inadequacy. She was jealous, envious, a part of her even hated Yasmina for standing out where she could not. How often had she wished ill on her sister, that her grades would fail, that she would get hurt and couldn't compete anymore, that she would just disappear?
Now, now all that might come true and more.
Sameera's chest was crushed beneath the massive weight of her despair, and self loathing. She'd do anything to have Yasmina back, she fretted, anything. Crumpling into a heap of tears, though she was surrounded by her friends Sameera found herself trapped by her feelings of regret, isolation, and fear. She was alone.
-7:32pm DST-
Lailah stood poised, her hand resting on the smooth, blackish-purple skin of an aubergine, her eyes closed. In the darkness behind her lids figures flashed in front of her eyes. A flutter coming to the woman's lashes she was trying to determine if the sales price warranted the purchase. Irritably finding herself unable to concentrate, the accountant, who oftentimes dreamed in a sea of numbers chose to eat the loss, whatever that might be, she wanted sabich, damnit, even if it wasn't on the list.
Bagging the vegetables and placing them into her cart the woman ambled on, back aching from spending all day seated in her less than supportive office chair she leaned on the bar heavily. Continuing to collect the missing ingredients for the dish, that to her was the pinnacle of comfort food. She soon found herself fondly reminiscent of her childhood in her anticipation of the sabich. Smiling to herself Lailah recalled haphazard breakfasts slapped together by her widowed father as he ushered everyone out the door, or bought from a street vendor on the way to school, tahini dabbed playfully on her nose by the man when she had 'least expected it.' Her shock and outrage always playfully amplified, just to see him laugh as though he'd caught her unawares and won their unspoken game.
These memories were the ones she clung to, precious diamonds in a rough of military check points, marginalized status, sporadic access to electricity, and the overwhelming anxiety that her native residency in the West Bank had caused her. It was good that she'd come to America when she'd had the chance, Lailah thought with a yawn, though it meant that she could never return to the place she'd called home. Laughing at herself, she still remembered the first frightening years of autonomy, outside of the apartheid. She had been so jittery, naive, and plagued with uncertainty, even as her host family, and future inlaws, assured that all was well.
She rolled her eyes recalling how much Jamil had teased her back then, and how it almost seemed impossible for her not to have fallen in love with him. Yes, even if things had been difficult for a while, and attitudes towards her people had shifted over time, the woman felt it was still much better here, for America truly was a land of opportunity, a land that she was blessed would allow her children the ability to excel.
Keeping a running total on the same legal pad she used to cross items from her list the woman, who was currently the family's sole provider was mindful of her carefully planned budget.
While indeed life was gift here, things had certainly changed a great deal since her son had made it into John Hopkins. All of his hard work, and all of the family's sacrifices to help him build this opportunity for himself had finally paid off. Ahmed's future bright with promise, it made the woman hopeful, and brought her immense joy. The only twinge of remorse was her wish that he would call more, her nest beginning to feel dangerously empty already.
The greatest change however, had been in her husband Jamil. Where Lailah had seen only hope and pride Ahmed's achievement had, had the opposite effect on his father. For months Jamil had been filled with a dark brooding, despise, and an anger that was displaced lashing out against the family. It had taken some prying but at last Lailah had found the root of the problem, her husband's jealousy in their son, and desire to do more with his own life, feeling that the failures of his youth, and playing it safe for the sake of financial stability, had robbed him of his opportunities to do more. The man had worked hard for years as a laborer until eventually earning a license as a contractor, and yet watching their son chase his dreams left a bitter taste in Jamil's mouth.
After much thought, soulsearching, and some creative accounting and money management on her part Lailah, who'd gone to college when her husband had not, managed to, with some financial aid had rearranged things so that he could obtain his own dream and return to school. Jamil now pursued a law degree, and though forever weary and less help than usual around the apartment, he finally seemed happy with life once more, and that made Lailah happy.
Checking out the woman made pleasantries with the cashier, before making her way to the car. Once home Lailah cursed herself, vowing that one day, one day they'd move to an building without so many stairs as she lugged her purchases up the echoing corridor, and down the hall. Storing away all of the chilled food Lailah looked around at the mass of dry goods, toiletries, and detergents that still awaited her attention.
"Fuck it." she muttered wearily. Kicking off her shoes, and tossing her hijab onto the counter, the woman who had the house to herself for at least hour felt that she had earned a well deserved break. Falling back into the sofa legs dangling over the armrest, she pulled out her phone, eager to open her favorite app, a soothing color by number game that Jamil liked to playfully jab her about, calling her an old lady for enjoying it.
Brows furrowed at the growing list of missed calls Lailah turned on her ringer, heart thrumming madly as she realized that most of them were from Aishwarya and Rajiv. Something had happened to Sameera she thought, quickly calling back. A million possibilities raced through her mind at once, ranging from broken friendships and hurt feelings, to bodily injury, allergic reactions, and hospitalization. At last Aishwarya answered, her voice pinched.
"Is everything alright?" Lailah snapped urgently. "What's happened to Sameera?"
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, but in the background Lailah thought she could hear crying. "Lailah," Aishwarya started gently. "It's not Sameera..."
Sitting up now the girl's mother was having difficulty understanding this information, if there was nothing wrong with her daughter, why all of the missed calls? Why the cause for alarm? "Are the other girls alright?" she asked with sharp irritably. "Was there a fight?"
"No, no, it's nothing like that." Aishwarya confessed, her voice teeming with worry. "Have you turned on the news?"
Nausea overtaking her, stomach tightly clenched Lailah had never known a conversation centered around that question to have a happy ending. "No." she breathed in a whisper searching around for the tv remote.
"Lailah," Aishwarya said after a minute. "...It's Yasmina, something's happening at Jurassic World." Lailah's stomach was suddenly filled with stones, her vision blurred, and ears began to ring. "We couldn't get ahold of you, and we tried to keep Sameera from finding out before you got here, but she knows."
Eyes welling with tears as she now frantically searched for the remote, couch cushions and pillows flying Lailah let out a scream of frustration and fear, allowing her phone to fall to the ground. Where was it? She wondered angrily, where was it? Wreaking havoc upon the living room, the woman left the communal space in shambles as she gave up her futile hunt, crossed the room with a burning fury and operated the device manually. After a few clicks, straining to reach the buttons on the wall mounted device she finally located a news channel. She was devastated by what she saw.
"All those people!" she sobbed to herself, sinking slowly to sit on the coffee table, unable to move from the spot where she stood. "Yasmina!"
Watching is stunned silence for several minutes, it took many attempts for Lailah to realize that her phone was ringing. "Hello?" she choked out, mind frenzily trying to pick her daughter out in the recordings of massive crowds, promising herself that Yasmina was alright, and that she would recognize her immediately.
"Lailah," Aishwarya said, her tone still caring, but firm. "I know you're going through a lot right now, and this must be very frightening for you, but Sameera needs you. Please, she's so afraid, and there's not much more that I can do for her. Please Lailah, she needs her mother, if you need me to I can come get you..."
Swallowing hard past her pain, Lailah found her footing, trembling as she scooped her handbag, keys, and hijab off the counter. "I'm on my way." she said, mustering what little strength she had left in her.
-8:09pm DST-
Jamil sat in the student library studying, if that's what you could call it. Commiting laws, and historic trials of notoriety and infamy to memory was a tedious and time consuming task. Surrounded by stacks of books, notebooks, sticky notes, and recipe cards scattered into the mix made the greying man stand out in stark comparison to his peers who worked with a meticulous organization, notes stored on laptops and tablets as they worked quietly beside him, conferring with one another from time to time.
Heaving a sigh, the man struggled with a sudden, overwhelming sense of doubt. What if this was all a huge mistake? He wondered, comparing himself to the rest of the class. What if he didn't have what it takes? He was too old, and too tired, and too stupid to learn anything new, he should have stayed in construction, he brooded, it was all he was good at anyways.
Floating by on part of the family's savings, scholarships for late life studies, and a sizable student loan his wife had created a payment plan for, promising it wouldn't take the rest of his life to pay off Jamil questioned his sanity, but never once his wife's love or support.
No, he thought shaking the thoughts loose from his head, he had this, and it wouldn't be long, maybe another year or so before he would graduate. Then he could go for the bar. Inshallah, God willing, everything would work out, and he could finally be the kind of father his children could look up to, and husband his wife deserved. Why she ever thought to marry the uneducated, highschool dropout who went straight to work doing manual labor he had been, was beyond Jamil's comprehension. She was young, and beautiful though, and here on a student visa, he remembered when his family had been asked to host her for at least a year, if only he had known what an impact that woman was going to make on him, he wouldn't have been so vocal in his protests.
She was too good for him, he often thought that, and he was right every time.
The thought of returning to work, crossed his mind briefly. They were managing fine, but it wasn't exactly fair. Pushing the musing aside Jamil instead tried to return to his studies, but he was going crosseyed with all of the reading. He was burning out. There was another mock hearing soon, and he wanted to be ready for it, but part of being prepared meant being sharp and clear headed enough to present your case and argue against the opposition, no matter what they threw against you. He couldn't exactly do that burning the candle at both ends, and had been in the library since ten that morning.
Admitting defeat for the night the man tidied his notes, offering books to colleges, and re-shelving those they found undesirable. Bidding goodnight to his much younger classmates, who chugged down the caffeine as though it were their very lifeblood Jamil made his way to the car, where he dowsily spared a moment to rest his head on the steering wheel. What did he honestly think he was doing? He found himself wondering again, with a yawn, and was it worth it to turn his family's life upsidedown just to gain a little self-esteem, or was it far too late into the game to try and improve his lot? It was just nerves, he assured himself, he tended to grow morose prior to exams and mock trials.
Starting the car he pulled out his phone to call Lailah and let her know that he was on his way home, and offer to pick something up for the two of them for dinner. He stared perplexed for several minutes at the phone, before turning up the ringer. What the hell was going on? he wondered. Dialing his wife as he pulled out of the parking lot, he was startled by the sound of her tear strained voice when she answered.
"Jamil," she whimpered. "It's Yasmina, I'm at Aishwarya and Rajiv's come quickly."
"What's going on?" the man barked anxiety mounting, foot pushing down with a steadily increasing pressure on the gas as he spoke. "What the hell happened to Yasmina."
"I'll explain when you get here-" Lailah started.
"No, you'll explain now!" Jamil bellowed dark spots creeping into the edge of his vision blood pressure rising rapidly, his pulse hammering in his throat and head.
"It's that baba?" Sameera shrieked in the background. "Baba!" she wailed, bursting out in heartbreaking wail.
"Please, just get here!" Lailah demanded over the bone chilling sound of their child's weeping before hanging up.
Speeding, and without any definitive answers, the man dreaded the worst. One of those boys had hurt his daughter, he thought seething with rage, or some accident had befallen her, she was hurt, possibly dead. Yasmina had talked about ziplines, rock climbing, and personal interactions with gigantic animals that should had been left as Allah and nature intended them, awe-inspiring memories of time long past. Teeth grit sharply he raced to where his family needed him most.
Pounding on the door with his fist, it was an ashen faced Rajiv who answered, quietly ushering Jamil in. From the doorway the man could see his wife and daughter staring with swollen, watery eyes at the television, blankets draped over their shoulders, steaming mugs in their hands. Jayanti sitting on the floor beside them, her head on Sameera's knee.
"We sent the other girls home," Aishwarya started, while at the same time her husband interjected with, "We're so sorry, we tried to reach you."
"What happened?" Jamil asked, unable to pry his gaze from his family.
Rajiv reached out to brace the other man, his dark eyes flooded with a compassionate sorrow. "Jurassic World is being evacuated."
"What?" Jamil snapped angrily, the thought hadn't occured to him that the problem could be so broad and encompassing. "Why?"
Rajiv pressed his lips together tightly before speaking, "The dinosaurs have escaped, and cannot be contained. ...There have been deaths."
The man's knees buckled, but his friend steadied him. "Go," Aishwarya instructed, softly touching his face with the palm of her hand on his cheek then forehead, as though checking his temperature. "Have a seat." she instructed. "I'll bring you some tea."
Wandering on unsteady limbs to the couch Jamil sank to the cushions, failing to make clear sense if what he was witnessing. After a moment his wife found his hand, their fingers intertwining. Sameera who noticed his presence a few minutes later, set her mug to the floor before clamoring over her mother who hissed at the pain of spilt tea on her leg. Sameera curled herself into a tight ball in her father's chest, and there began to cry anew. Holding to them as Lailah's head came to his shoulder Jamil found himself devoid, detached, and unable able to take it all in as he sat there and watched a man-made hell in earth, knowing that his precious flower was trapped at the heart of it all.
Notes:
Hey all sorry for the long absence, but y'all have waited long enough, I'm breaking "The Day of Mourning" again, it's gonna be three parts instead of two.
For those of you concerned that I might quit or give up on this fic my answer for your concerns may be found here: https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ
Seriously though, listen to them lyrics, it's my platonic author/reader love letter to y'all! 😘
I'm going to keep working on this story as I find time and inspiration, but if ever any of you think I might need a little help reclaiming my spark remind me to listen to my CC: Unboxed playlist!
Do you get to listen to my playlist?
No! It's all for me!
Seriously though, after this is all over I'll probably share it with y'all (along with scrapped storylines that I've been collecting as I write) I just don't want the influence of outside media affecting your impressions and interpretations of the characters even if it aligns with my personal interpretations. Your minds are beautiful, unique wells of creativity and so are your interpretations of my work, and I don't want to muddy those waters! 😆
Also, FYI the oath I mentioned Monica taking was not the Hippocratic oath, because nurses don't take those. Instead at the pinning ceremony she took the Nightingale Pledge which is an American nursing oath named after Florence Nightingale. It has been modified a few times over the years to give nurses more autonomy separate from the physicians "they serve," to make it more patient care oriented, and make it less sexist. Pretty neat oath if you felt like giving it a Google! 😃
And lastly in several conversations I've had with many of you lovely people, in getting to know you, I've found out that there are several BTS fans among my readers! I will admit that I don't like to venture outside of my musical comfort zone much and likely would not have given this band a chance if it wasn't for so many of you encouraging me to do so, and speaking so highly of them, and I have to say they're pretty good! Making Jayanti a fan BTS is just a little something I wanted to slide into the story as a way of showing my love and appreciation for you, my readers! 💖
Anyways thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! ❤️
PS Please be on the lookout for spelling and grammar errors, my phone updated and is being a royal butt and keeps changing things up on me and I hate it! 🤬
Also I still haven't watched anything beyond season one, so no spoilers please and thank you!
Chapter 23: The Day of Mourning Part Three
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-Punta Arenas, Costa Rica, Tuesday, 7:21pm CST-
Heart hammering, head light with anxiety and despair Sophie dug her heels into the ground and stood defiantly against the nightmare in which she found herself. She couldn't do this, the woman found herself doubting, as with a cool level head she took charge of the situation, absorbing all information the riotous din that surrounded her had to offer. This was beyond her pay grade, and so far out of the executive assistant's league that she felt as though she were crushed beneath an insurmountable peak, it's tremendous weight bearing down onto her chest. Yet here Sophie stood in the midst of a total evacuation, barking orders.
No one had been prepared for the catastrophe that was the escape of the Indominous Rex, nor the resulting devastation. Contact with central control in the park itself had gone quiet more than an hour ago after some sort of militaristic coup. Without clear direction from the team that had - in theory - drilled for something like this, those on the mainland did their best to orchestrate everything from afar.
Paper strewn across the floor, screens lit with inconsistent live feeds, phones ringing endlessly, and radios shrieking with malevolent static as the haphazard team of telecommunication technicians, shipyard hands, desk jockeys, and even a ragtag handful of hospitality workers tried to maintain some semblance of control while they waited for support.
Caught in the frenzy Sophie found herself rushing about the center, relaying messages unable to be passed via choked phone lines, panic tightly pent in her voice. A manila envelope was clutched in her arms, her last tenuous grasp on what reality had been only hours ago. The destitute woman had just returned to work after a generous vacation, and had been brought here by Mr. Masrani himself to help ground the enigmatic man, and keep him on target. For, as luck would have it, just as Jurassic World was preparing to unveil it's latest wonder, the Costa Rican government was making preparations to sue the park, the brand, Masrani Global, and by extension Mr Masrani himself. The two had come to meditate, and now she found herself a soldier at war.
"The Highlander isn't responding." came a voice from somewhere along the bank of computers.
"Raise them again!" Sophie snapped. Wasn't it maritime law that you had to answer a distress call when you got one? Rich bastards couldn't possibly care less, she thought grudgingly of the people on the yacht, while the heroic little fishing boats they'd radioed chugged their way straight towards Isla Nublar, engines roaring.
"Don't bother, God damn nieto de putas!" Mr Jimenez, the gray haired harbor pilot shouted, his furrowed brow beaded with sweat as he leaned over a console muttering to himself.
Sophie felt a sharp pang of rage. They had to keep trying, they needed as many ships as they could get! With only five ferries, and over twenty-thousand people that needed evacuating, every moment and every ship counted. Rushing between phones, picking them up and having brief but terse conversations on each line she weighed the price of contradicting him, in the end choosing not to.
"¡Habla despacio, habla despacio!" Sohpie found herself shouting to the frantic man on the other end. "Please slow down, my Spanish isn't that good! ¡No-no hablo bien español!"
"Do we have somewhere for all these people to go yet?" a young woman interrupted, coming to Sophie for direction, her gaze pleading. "We'll need to disembark and get those ships out of the way, because once they all start getting closer to the dock, we'll have a bottleneck." she went on.
Blinking as she stared at her Sophie could tell that the girl was doing her best to make herself understood, but the question waited in the air unanswered for several seconds. Did they have some place for the people to go? Her mind a frantic whir of machinery, the concerned mother stood unmoved as she tried to banish the vile thoughts that consumed her, pushing her own mounting fears and sorrows down with a conscious effort, as she tried to puzzle out a meaning to the girl's words. Then something clicked.
"Yes," Sophie sighed, a sense of relief and some amount of control granted her by this knowledge. "The Red Cross has secured a large hangar just off port. They are setting up triage tents, cots, food, water, and supplies there. All evacuees are to be sent to the hangar." she said with a clear confidence, before adding, "They are also taking blood donations, we need to find a way to spread the word."
Nodding the young woman scurried away.
"¡Habla despacio!" Sophie called out again, turning her attention back to the phone, the brief moment of control and serenity passed.
It was as she began fretting that Jimenez let out a bellow of rage, fists slamming against the desk as he spit curses at the screen. "We've had a collision," he announced after a moment, anger replaced by a soft spoken sense of defeat and remorse as he sank into a nearby chair. "It's my fault, I should have double checked the courses I radioed the ships to follow."
"The Maria is taking on water!" Someone called from the back of the room.
Jimenez nodded as if his suspensions were confirmed. "Freighters can't exactly…" he paused as though trying to remember the idiom, age and exhaustion more evident on his sea weathered face than before "...turn on a dime. Call back the La Orilla, we have to rescue those people before it's too late."
"We have to keep working on the evacuation!" Sophie yelled a surge of maternal fear consuming her as she rushed towards the man, panic clear on her face, and a waver in her voice.
"And what do you propose we do?" The man asked, turning towards her with exasperation, "Let those people drown?"
"My son is on that island!" the woman heard herself shrill, all benevolence and resolve forgotten in an instant.
"And-" Jimenez began, giving her a collected look, "-he may very well have been on the Maria. What would you have us do?"
Knees threatening to buckle, Sophie could scarcely see the man past tears which she had refused to let fall for so long. Instead she took a long steady breath, allowing it out between her teeth in short chuffs, as though she were in labor. Her stomach in knots, the woman had been battling against the images conjured by her mind of her son, torn apart by some beast, or trampled beneath the heels of fleeing masses. Now, she could see him, almost as clear as day, trapped on a ship, water rising, then his poor, sweet face paled by death, eyes wide as he drifted into the darkening void of the sea.
"Oh god," she whispered, shutting her eyes against the heinous visions, cold fear numbing her body she began to quake. Ben was out there, alone and in pain, and she wasn't there to protect him, again. She couldn't do this, she thought, she just couldn't do this. She couldn't let him down again .
"The La Orilla, please." Jimenez reaffirmed to whoever might be listening, while Sophie - braced against a chair - remained quiet, sullen tears falling to the floor. She couldn't let those people die, no matter how scared she was for her baby. They were each someone's baby, after all.
Trapped in place, Sophie found herself swallowed by a grief she so desperately refused to let defeat her as the others raced on about, much work still to be done. It was a hand on her shoulder that broke the woman free of her dark, disembodied trance. Startled, she looked up to see Jimenez watching her with a pained gaze.
"Go, get some air," he murmured gently, "You could use a break." He adds when she opens her mouth to protest.
Glancing around at the frantic rush it felt like Sophie's absence couldn't be afforded, but she couldn't afford not to, the woman admitted to herself as she shakingly made her way to the stairwell.
Away from the endless cacophony that had been all consuming, and apart from the others Sophie found the air in the emergency stairwell to be cool and refreshing. Sinking slowly to the steps, the woman tried to breathe a little easier, and relish the peace she had found in this hellstrom. Forehead resting against a concrete wall, the woman realized just how tired she was, and how heavy her bones felt within her body.
Beginning to drift away Sophie was roused by the startling sensation of the envelope slipping from between her fingers, and she jolted upright, gripping it tightly. She stared at the parcel for several minutes, with a heavy heart. She had been asked to come here to help combat growing tensions between the Costa Rican government, the cumulative interest of the investors, and the label that was "Jurassic World."
It had been up to her to facilitate meetings with the Costa Rican board of Tourism to discuss the drastically lacking revenue to the nation - whose world wide allure was it's primary means of economic revenue. Additionally a little birdie had told her that they had also planned to bring up the monumentally increased amount of pollution, litter, vandalism, and petty theft in high traffic areas relating to the visitors to Jurassic World during their oftentimes brief stay in the mainland. So, tactfully Sophie had prepared for both battlefronts, hoping to get ahead of the game before the jackals in suits got involved.
Sophie let out a sigh, Mr. Masrani had hoped to broker goodwill between the government and his company. He had never wanted to take advantage of them - not in the way John Hammond had intended to at least - and had come to help. The man had researched several ways to help increase tourism and profit back to Costa Rica itself, and planned to invest in the building of a hotel on the mainland, financing expeditions through the natural beauty the country has to offer while educating visitors about the prehistoric world and the dinosaurs that resided within. Thus it would benefit both the nation which had, as the opposition put it experienced nothing but inequity and misfortune since Jurassic World's grand opening, though the numbers we're quite so impartial, and the park as well.
But, that was this morning, before the Indominous Rex, before all of the chaos and destruction. That was before Mr. Masrani had died. Now what was the point? The thought struck her like a bolt of lightning. Mr. Masrani was dead. Dead . Sophie struggled desperately with that knowledge. He had always seemed to be an untouchable, imposing, and immovable force of nature. Charismatic and kind to a fault even as his business evolved, growing out of his reach and knowledge, he had always been a powerful Titan, in a world of lesser beings. And now he was gone.
If-if someone as powerful, and seemingly invincible as Mr Masrani could die- the mother thought, stopping herself abruptly. She refused to allow herself to go down that avenue, even as she allowed the once precious documents that she had been clinging to all day, slip from her grasp.
"Ben." she whimpered as the tears she was fiercely trying to restrain began to flow, "Oh Ben!"
Curling into the cool embrace of the wall the woman felt as though she could finally let it all out, when with a ticklish sensation her phone began to vibrate. Jumping, Sophie quickly yanked the device from her pocket, eyes wide. The heady exhilaration of hope flooded through her veins only to be snuffed out, when she recognized that it was not Ben, but his father Joseph. Feelings of hope were quickly replaced by grief, and a bitter sense of abandonment. The woman whose heart still ached with a tormented love for the man, considered dismissing the call entirely, but didn't.
Taking a breath she pushed all of her doubts and fears deep, deep, down, with a practiced care before answering. "Hello?" She said, voice thick with sorrow.
"Where are you?" Joe asked in a rush. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," She replied with a measured breath, "I'm fine. I'm in Costa Rica, on the mainland."
"Where's Ben?" The man's voice wavered, "Where's my son?"
"We-we've got everyone we can muster going to help with the evacuations, cruise ships, yachts, every local fishing boat equipped with a radio." Sophie said, nervously rattling off everything the makeshift relief crew had been able to accomplish. "The Red Cross has set up a hangar for evacuee intake-"
"Sophie-" Joseph tried to interrupt, but the woman couldn't bear facing the dark reality of the situation head-on, and found herself unable to say it out loud. Not to him.
"Word is that the US military has raised the Coast Guard," She fumbled on, gaze wandering about the small enclosed space as she wiped feverishly at her tear streaked face, "So, between that and-"
"Sophie!"
"And we-”
"SOPHIE!" Joe finally shouted, cutting through her stammering, "Where's Ben?"
"I don't know." she whimpered at last, ripping her mass of curly blonde locks from it's tight bun in an attempt to alleviate her growing headache. "I don't know! I just don't know!" She cried, wailing loudly as someone ran past. "Oh God Joseph I don't know where our baby is!"
Unable to contain herself any longer, the grieving woman tore at the buttons of her fitted blazer, unable to take a deep enough breath as she curled in on herself. "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!" She repeated with remorse, allowing herself to be vulnerable with her estranged husband. "He won't answer his phone! It's my fault, he's on the island out there somewhere, or on a boat- Oh God Joseph some of the boats are sinking! What if he drowns? What if he drowns? What if I never see him again, and nothing I'm doing to bring him home matters?" She hysterically begged for answers from him.
"I don't-" Joseph started though, clearly he was fighting his own war against the pain, anguish and sorrow in his voice as he paused to snuff his nose. "I don't know babe. I just- He's going to be alright."
His words hitting her like a sour note, the crying woman asked, "How do you know?"
"I don't." He admitted, the sound of his resolve breaking clear to Sophie, "I just- I..." The man trailed off, only the sound of his crying to be heard. Cradling her phone as though it were precious and frail Sophie listened, as weeping, she bitterly felt closer to her husband in that moment than she had in years.
"If," Joseph started uneasily after several long minutes. "If the worst happens-"
"Don't!" Sohpie screamed, stomach knotting so violently she felt a wash of acid coat the back of her throat.
"Just listen to me!" the man pleaded fearfully. "If the worst happens ...does he know I still love him?" He whispered before the question came again in the shout of a lost man, searching hopelessly for a way out. "Does he know I love him?"
Air knocked completely from her body, Sophie found herself shocked into silence by the wrenching pain she felt for him. She'd spent so much time angry at Joseph, hating him for abandoning her and their child when they needed him most that she forgot how badly he was suffering, and how much he hated and blamed himself for what happened. Like she blamed herself.
"Of course Ben knows you love him!" She said, choking back tears, struggling to reassemble her fractured armor. She wished she could be stronger, that she could hold Joe, and prayed that somehow, by some miracle, Ben was alright.
-Portland, Oregon, Tuesday, 6:53pm PST-
With the obnoxious tic-tic-tic of his hazard lights blinking, Joseph Pincus sat on the side of the road, his head resting against the steering wheel, where he had hastily parked when the grim news came over the radio, interrupting his evening commute with a deafening fanfare. The glass face of his cellphone hot against his ear the man cried freely, listening to his wife scream in some echoing hall, nearly half a world away. He had failed as a father a long time ago, he had no pretensions otherwise, but now as he sat so far removed from her, leaving her to fend off this grief on her own Joseph knew now that he had utterly failed as a husband too.
The sound of mourning ate up the line, as an angry blue car sped past, horn blaring. Trapped in a hell of his own mind Joseph's heart battered against his ribcage as he listened to the quiet, but ongoing news broadcast coming from the radio. Hope dwindling with every word spoken by the radio host the man found himself engulfed by fear, insecurities, and his own condemnation. His son was lost. Alone and trapped somewhere, that by all accounts, he had no means or assurance of leaving. The thought gutted the man, who loved his boy more than life itself as he sat chest heaving.
Of all of the man's many regrets, leaving Sophie and Ben was by far his greatest.
After a while Joseph found his voice again. "I'm sorry," He started, "I'm so sorry!"
"For what?" Sophie choked out between sobs.
"For everything." He murmured, his voice trembling, "For leaving you, for blaming you! I never- I never should have said the things I did. It wasn't, isn't your fault!” There was another bout of silence from the other end, as teeth clenched hard he let out a howl of anguish as he bore his soul. "It's was my fault, and that's why I had to lea-"
"Oh God, Joseph no-" Sophie cut in.
"Would you just listen to me?" He bellowed, striking the dash in frustration. He had to get it out , the man thought. She had no idea what he's been feeling, and what shame he'd been harboring, just in case, in case it was already too late to tell his son. "I blamed you, but it wasn't your fault. It was mine. I'm Ben's father, it's my job to protect him, to keep him safe, and I failed!" He declared, voice breaking, "I should have seen what was happening, I should have known!"
"Jose-"
"I should have known!" Joseph roared, rage flooding through his bloodstream as he struck that dash again and again with knuckles quickly bloodied. "And I should have killed that son-of-a-bitch when I had the chance! I should have killed him! I should have- I should have never stopped hitting him- Not even, not even to hold Ben! Oh fuck I should have just killed him!"
Unleashing his wrath upon the vehicle he kicked, hit, and struggled for several minutes, forgetting the phone for a moment, - his only connection to his wife - and fracturing it's screen in the melee. Panting Joseph doubled over only to find the car suddenly confining, a tumultuous claustrophobia overtaking him. Hastily exiting the car he began to pace back and forth along the roadside as he seethed and wailed to the heavens above about the injustice of it all.
"Joseph?" Sophie's voice was scarcely a whisper, one he barely heard over the pounding of his own heart.
"I should have known," He wept, "I should have known…And then, I just couldn't face him, not after I failed like that, after-after he'd been hurting so badly. I-I just couldn't and I ran away...I ran away!" The phrase hung heavy in the air with pointed damnation before he went on, crouched in the soil, head in his hands.
"Sophie, does Ben know it's not his fault?" He asked the heart-torn question, sputtering on the saline taste of tears and mucus, thick as it collected at the back of his throat. "He was just a little boy, I should have protected him... I should have known... Does-does he know I love him? Please God, please let him know I love him!" He sobbed lying back into the rut on the side of the road heedless of any passerbys.
Sick to his stomach, chest aching, eyes closed against the dwindling twilight, he listened with a dire need for Sophie to say something, anything .
Please , he thought, please, I just want to hold my little boy one more time .
-Punta Arenas, Costa Rica, Tuesday, 8:09pm CST-
Mouth covered with trembling fingers Sophie listened to her husband's lament, eyes squeezed shut against her tears. It hurt to actually hear Joseph blaming himself the way he did, even as she was guilty of the same crime. Though what pained her even more was the realization of how long she had hated him for leaving them behind, having thought that he found her at fault, even if she was. She had been the one to invite that monster into their home, if anyone was to be held accountable, it should have been her.
"Joseph," She said meekly. "Joseph, sweety I need you to do me a favor and take a deep breath. Listen to me, Ben loves you so much. He knows that you love him too. He might have been confused, and hurt in the beginning, but even if you never talked to him about it, I think he knows why you had to leave."
"I didn't- I didn't mean to just-" Her husband whispered.
"I know." Sophie nodded, pushing her own hurt aside, "I know. Where are you?"
"I-I'm pulled over, I was on my way back to the apartment when I heard the news." The man mumbled, his words striking the woman with a harrowing epiphany. How had she never noticed that he didn't call it "home," before now?
"Are you alright to drive?" Sophie gently questioned.
"Yeah, I think so," He confirmed.
"Then I need you to get off the phone, and go. I've got a lot that still needs to be done here." The woman explained, calm and controlled by sheer force of will. "I'll call you later."
"Alright," Joseph agreed.
Sophie moved to hang up, when he called to her abruptly by name. "Yes?"
"I love you."
Fresh tears threatening to be her undoing the woman's heart beat a little bit lighter. "I love you too." She replied, taking a moment after hanging up to steel herself before she stood and turned back towards the door beyond which the loosely cobbled together command center awaited.
-The Pacific Ocean, 550km South West of the Costa Rican Mainland, Tuesday, 8:36pm-
It all happened so fast. How anger and outrage could turn into fear and loss in an instant was beyond Roxie. She stood there dazed, time had stopped, the air in her lungs stolen away, the rampaging beat of her heart, pained and arrhythmic. The kids , she thought with worry disjointed to the problem at hand, they had to go back for the kids . She'd been screaming it at the top of her lungs when she was wrestled aboard the ship. Her hands still ached from striking at the brutes who had refused to let her go. Now, as she stared with frightened brown eyes, for a dreadful instant she couldn't even remember why she had been so upset, as sheer terror lanced through her.
"Dave?" She breathed, watching the lifeless figure lying crumpled at her feet, too scared to move, to touch him, to hurt him any more than he already was. "David?" tears running down her cheeks the woman fell to her knees turning the man over, watching with horror as his head rolled limply to the side.
Panic stricken, the normally well composed woman let out a scream that caught the attention of her fellow passengers who turned to gawk and stare at the scene playing out before them. "He's dead!" She wailed, hands flying briefly to her mouth. "You killed him, he's dead! He's dead!'' She repeated, pulling his weighty figure into her lap as she stared up with harsh accusation at the man who wielded the electric prod, earning murmurings from the crowd.
"He-he was being combative!" The man said in a defensive rush as he sensed the growing tensions around him. The park logo emblazoned on his shirt akin to a neon target when viewed by the ravaged, and destitute vacationers who now directed their attention towards him.
"I was being combative!" Roxie shrieked, "Me! He was trying to keep me from wringing your neck!"
"I-I didn't mean to, I didn't realize-"
"Those things were calibrated for dinosaurs you fucking moron! What did you think was going to happen?"
As she was yelling a man with thinning hair and a heavy limp from a freshly injured leg shoved his way through the onlookers. "I'm a firefighter." He murmured in terse explanation before pressing his fingers tight against Dave's throat, eyes closed in concentration as he focused on drowning out the rocking motion of the ship. "We got a pulse, but no respirations." He announced after a minute, pulling the ragdoll that was Dave roughly to the deck.
"Stop!" He commanded when Roxie, irrational with fear, tried to pull him back to her, "Look at me," The man commanded, his piercing gaze holding hers with a level of authority, "I'm going to begin chest compressions," He explained, getting to work as he spoke, "I need you to go to the cabin and find me an AED. This is a cruise ship, they should have at least one." Roxie nodded her vague understanding but made no move to get up.
"Hey!" The man snapped sharply, his voice strained with effort, his own breath coming in short bursts as he worked on Dave, a small, grim faced line of volunteers forming behind him to take shifts. "A-E-D, say it."
"AED." The woman repeated, struggling against her shock, trying but failing to turn away from her co-counselor, her friend.
"Good," The first responder nodded, "Now go get it."
Wheezing past the lump in her throat Roxie stood, quaking, before she was finally able to tear herself away. Wandering through the massive crowds of people, all color, all sound fading out around her she struggled with slow heavy limbs against a growing tide of despair. Apologies fervently and repeatedly whispered, as the frightened, dirty, hordes cramped so tightly together created a fluid barrier between her and the cabin, the woman marched on. Blood rushed to her head as she began to feel time slipping through her fingers. However Roxie was quick to resort to her elbows and shouting as she finally forced her way through the throng.
Once inside it took her only a moment to locate the large plastic box with a lighting crossed heart on the front. Ripping it from the wall she ignored the crewmen demanding answers of her as she dove back into the sea of bodies. Tripping and falling over people on her return, Roxie struggled, cursing and damning her fellow survivors until at last she found Dave where she'd left him, though the sight chilled the woman to her core. The life had completely drained from Dave's face leaving it pale white, his lips had gone blue, and his eyes, half open, stared glassy and devoid of light at the darkening night sky.
Seeing her gaping, needed equipment in hand, the first responder shouted for everyone to move. Suddenly a wide circle formed in the crowd as the man made quick work of shredding the downed counselor's shirt while the stoney faced woman pumping with great effort moved aside momentarily.
"Christ he's hairy." The man commented, yanking the AED from Roxie's hand as she watched numbly beside him. Then before she could even fully grasp the situation, the firefighter slapped a pair of adhesive pads onto Dave's chest and side before tearing them off again leaving red and angry, but hairless skin behind. Applying fresh pads he turned on the device which gave the bystanders orders before with a shrill beep as a final additional warning sent a pulse of electricity through Dave's body.
At the box's order, chest compressions resumed.
Please be alright Dave, please , Roxie prayed silently, looking up to the heavens, blinking hard against the blinding floodlights which illuminated the ship. Trying to shake herself free from the shock Roxie took her place to relieve a volunteer. Fingers interlocked it was a surreal feeling to be working on an actual person, let alone the harrowing reality of that person being her friend. Over and over, she pumped, unable to keep her gaze from trailing up to his face, to keep her mind from thinking the worst, to acknowledge the feeling of how quickly Dave's body was beginning to grow cold.
Tears raining down as she worked Roxie couldn't help but scream. "David don't you dare die on me!" She shouted, her arms feeling weak with grief, her efforts failing as she crumpled and gave into her mounting sorrow. "You can't leave me like this!"
There were hands on her in an instant, pushing and pulling her out of the way, voices shouting. Roxie fought to get back, clawing her way through the swarm of people until someone grabbed her by the back of the shirt, and pulled her into a tight embrace. "It's alright, it's alright, just let them work. I've got you. I've got you." The woman whispered softly, kneeling on the ground even as Roxie fought against her.
Contending with the other woman for only a minute Roxie felt herself sagging into the embrace. Latching onto the stranger Roxie let herself cry as she listened to the others fighting to save Dave behind her, the mechanized doctor ordering everyone to stand back as it released another jolt.
The kids , Roxie thought forlornly, they hadn't seen or heard from them, there was no sign that they had made it off the island safely. She'd failed. Failed to do her job, to protect them, to make sure they got out of there in one piece. It had been her idea to talk to Claire Dearing, her plan to leave them in the care of an intern, her arrogance that assured her that everything would be fine. She had lost sight of reality, shirked her responsibilities, and neglected her duties as caregiver and temporary guardian of the campers, and now for all she knew they were dead, and it was all her fault.
Languishing in the woman's sweat and lavender scented embrace, Roxie trembled with her mourning as the added weight of David's fight for life burdened the counselor's soul further. Still, the stranger clung steadfast, a hand smoothing through the frightened woman's hair and low, hopeful words whispered in a voice that sounded thin and frail with age. After what felt like an eternity wrapped in those safe comforting arms, Roxie heard a collective sigh of relief, and some weary laughter. Turning she saw people hugging, and high-fiving.
"We have life," The balding man announced, spotting, then waving Roxie over with a smile.
Scrambling on her hands and knees the head counselor made her way to Dave's side. His complexion slowly returning to him he took a shallow breath, eyes moving back and forth under their heavy lids. Awash with relief, and heart filled to the brim and ready to burst, Roxie began crying anew, this time with tears of joy as she lay her head on the man's chest. Listening to and treasuring the beat of his very tired, but very much still working heart Roxie clung to him as tightly as she could.
Several hands pat the jubilant woman on the back or shoulder as the rescuers made their way slowly and anonymously back to their own loved ones. Her body drooping after a while as the tension and anxiety of the day slowly ebbed out of her muscles Roxie found herself dozing off when with a loud, crinkling sound of a thin metallic sheet found its way to the pair. Glancing up with uncertainty the woman stared quizzically at the smartly dressed shipman, until she noticed that they were not alone in receiving this gift, as emergency blankets and water bottles began circulating through the crowds.
"Thank you," She whispered, her voice a hoarse croak.
Sitting up Roxie got to work tucking the man in all around, until proudly surveying her work the counselor couldn't help but smile. He looked like take-away, she thought. As she watched Dave began to rouse slightly, head turning from side to side, brows knitting as he moaned with discomfort, calling for his mother, before settling down again. Getting comfortable next to him Roxie soon found herself combing her fingers through his hair as she thought bitterly about the campers, hoping against all hope that they were aboard this, or another ship. It was as she was toying with his tacky, but signature headband that the man came round again.
"Feels like- hit by- bus-" Dave groaned, a hand shuffling without much coordination beneath the blanket before he went limp with unconsciousness.
Her heart bleeding, and gaze soft Roxie watched him with caring devotion for several minutes until a man carrying a toddler, a slightly older child clinging to his leg in terror made his way towards them. "Excuse me," He began with a sad smile, "I couldn't help but hear you earlier, before we left, ...the island... but, you have kids you were looking for?"
"Six," Roxie said, nodding before realizing the need to clarify, "Campers, actually, we're-we're their counselors. We got separated. I just- I-" Before she could form any more coherent words the woman found herself overwhelmed with tears.
The father placed his hand on Roxie's shoulder and offered another smile. "It's alright," He comforted, "I'll sit here with him, if you want to go look for them. No guarantees you'll find anyone, but you can try, right?"
Roxie's heart skipped a beat, she was torn between staying with Dave who clearly was far from out of the woods, and searching for the children. Dave needed her, but so did they. "Are you sure?" She asked, looking up at the man who slowly lowered himself to the ground.
"Yeah." The man nodded, pain clear on his face.
"Will you look for my momma too?" the little girl with tangled pigtails asked looking up at Roxie with a sad hopefulness.
The girl's father winced, lips pressed together in a firm line as he tried not to cry, turning to look at Roxie he slowly shook his head. "Go find your campers." He said busying himself with unfurling an emergency blanket of his own, ushering his little ones underneath it.
Nodding her accord, afraid to trust herself with much else, Roxie found her footing, wiped her face clean ,and took a deep breath. The urgency of her previous journey forgotten Roxie found herself looking at the haggard groups of evacuees with different eyes as she plodded through the crowds. Every face seemed aged by decades, dirt and blood clung to people as they started with wide vacant eyes as shock takes hold. Many evacuees clung to mangled and broken limbs, bleeding heads, or the unseen damages to their internal organs, stomachs clutched like school children desperately trying to get out of gym class.
Then, flies buzzing, there were the bodies. Dozens of them, people who had made it, people who should have been safe, but their injuries were just too great. Stepping over one such wretch, Roxie swallowed her pain, and approached a small group of people huddled together near the center of the deck.
"Excuse me," she began, startling the family who turned towards her. "Have you seen a girl with pink hair, a little black boy probably wearing a yellow jacket, a-another girl-" Roxie stopped struggling to go on, realizing that having left before most of the campers were even awake she had no idea what they were wearing, let alone if they had managed to stay together.
Eyelids fluttering as she battled against herself, she felt a hand on her own and looked up at the family. They all seemed to have the same lost expressions on their faces, but the woman who had reached out towards Roxie moved a little bundle of tinfoil towards her to see.
"We found him," she explained through a light German accent as she uncovered a sleeping little boy whose body was adorned in scratches and bruises. "Do you know him?" she asked. Roxie shook her head. "Do you know- Was hast du gesagt, er hat gesprochen?" she broke off turning to the man Roxie assumed was her husband.
"Vietnamesisch." the man muttered through a face battered a swollen, before closing his eyes and hunkering down.
The woman mouthed the word to herself before turning to Roxie again, "Vietnamese?"
Roxie shook her head, "No, sorry. Best of luck."
The woman found herself wandering once more, stopping to ask a group here or there, her voice mingling with those of dozens of others as they all called out for someone they loved. "Kenji!" Roxie shouted, picturing the cocky, disrespectful teen she found herself most at conflict with, wishing that she would spot his carefully maintained hair, or his gaudy red shoes, or heaven forbid heard another uncomfortable and unwanted compliment about her derriere. No such luck.
"Sammy!" She went on, ducking around a choked poolside, chairs covered with unclaimed children, their watchful guardians poised nearby. If the cowgirl was anywhere she'd be here, the counselor thought, looking at all the sad little faces of kids who couldn't doze no matter how exhausted they were, crying for parents who weren't there and cared for by strangers. Glancing about at the swarm of littles corralled together in that central location, she didn't see any sign of the girl.
Milling her way past them, her gaze falling upon her feet, the woman felt herself losing hope when a thought struck her. "Quick, how many teeth does an Allosaurus have?" She asked loudly with a tearful smirk. If ever she was unsure of Darius' location on one field trip or another there was one simple, sure-fire solution: ask a dino question and from somewhere the answer would be shouted. Looking around she saw only hatefulness and scorn cast towards her the accusing faces of people who just didn't understand.
Unsure of where to even begin looking for Ben, the woman peering under every staircase, in every nook and cranny. She was half convinced that she would find him, as ever she did holed up somewhere with a book ignoring the unpredictable world around him for the safe, controlled dangers of literature. It was as she did that she caught sight of a flash of pink. Rushing through bodies she practically ran to the head of cotton candy tresses, grabbing them by the shoulder with a relieved, "Brooklynn!"
The young person who turned to stare back at her with nervousness in their eyes, pulled out of her grip and stepped back. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Roxie apologized, her voice quavering as her optimistic faith was shaken to its foundation. She had been so sure. "I thought you were-"
"No, it's alright." They nodded, understanding the situation in an instant, pulling Roxie into a hug. "I hope you find who you're looking for."
Roxie nodded. Shuffling about like a zombie, her gaze downcast the woman tried to pick out running shoes, if anyone could beat the clock it would have been Yasmina. Through her tears, the reality that none of them - not one of them - had made it safely aboard the ship weighed heavily upon her soul. For over an hour, she kept it up, refusing to let hope die until she was certain, at last, she gave in and trudged her way to the rear of the boat where her newfound friend was waiting, a water bottle held out for her to take.
"Anything?" He asked in a whisper, his girls sleeping restlessly.
"No." Roxie said, relishing the cold clear taste of the water as it soothed her dry, aching throat that couldn't get enough.
Leaning slightly, the man gave her a side hug. "I'm so sorry," He apologized, the earnesty in his voice conveying the true sincerity with which he spoke.
"What about you?" Roxie asked after a minute, wrapped up in her own loss and fear, she hadn't given much thought to anyone else. "I'll watch your kids while you go look for your wife." she offered scooting closer and reaching towards the girls, hating herself for not considering this sooner.
"No," He said meekly, still fighting himself, "It's ok, they're young enough that they should forget... I just hope one day they can forgive me, because God knows I'll never forgive myself... but uh-" The man paused, swallowing hard as he began to tremble, "Electric wheelchairs can only go so fast, and I- uh- I had to protect our girls- so..."
Roxie felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle, her stomach in fiendish knots. She couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like to have to make a decision like that. Sorry didn't quite cover what she wanted to express to the man, yet no other words seemed right either. Instead she touched his arm and left it at that.
"He uh, he was looking for you, I think." He said after a bit, nodding towards Dave. "He wasn't awake long, but, he wanted a 'Roxie?'"
"That's me." The woman nodded, extending her hand to shake. "Roxanne."
"AJ." The kind father replied. They shook, and while Roxie continued to relish her water he settled back and tried to rest with his girls as his tears finally came to life.
Left alone with her thoughts, and not even a single star to be seen as light pollution drowned them all out, Roxie stared hard at the dark spot on the horizon where she knew the island resided. They were still there, she thought broodingly. With no way to know for sure, and only her gut instincts to guide her, the woman felt grimly certain of this even as determination built to check every docking ship bow to stern. It was as she gave into her melancholic thoughts, of what terrible deaths her young wards might have suffered, or what heart-rending choices they might have been forced to make that Dave began to stir.
His eyes - blurry and unfocused - moved about sluggishly before alighting on Roxie's face. "Roo." He sighed with a palpable relief, "Kids?" He groaned, trying his best to stay awake.
"No." Roxie whispered, running her fingers through his hair again, "They're not here."
Watching as tears began to stream down the man's face, Roxie wished that she had more comforting news to give her white knight who had stepped in the way, intervening in what very well could have been a fatal assault. Dave shivered after a minute, his teeth clattering together noisily. "Cold." He muttered helplessly.
With this at least, Roxie felt as though she could help. Lifting the noisy blanket the woman slid underneath what she felt was already a surprisingly warm sheet. Nestling her head into Dave's shoulder, an arm draped gently over his body, still connected to the electric probs. "Better?" she asked.
"Ow." Dave muttered going rigid with discomfort. "Feel like-"
"You were hit by a bus?" She offered with a grin.
"Yeah." He wheezed trying to force himself to relax.
"They're going to be alright." Dave said after a minute, catching Roxie who was trying to be quiet as she cried by surprise.
"How do you know?" She asked doubtfully.
"Because," Dave replied simply, "They have each other."
Roxie weighed this concept in her mind for several minutes, before finding hope within the words. "You're right," She croaked, "They do have each other."
Lying together the counselors were just two among thousands, crying out their loss, but in their sorrow there was also promise, and that faith was a lot more than what others had left to them. It was that tenuous thread that they clung to, as tightly as they held one another.
Notes:
Well that's the last chapter in this arch, and it hurt so bad to write! 😢
A special thanks to Forbidden Royal who volunteered to edit this fic for me! She's amazing and I have it of good authority that her incredible fic Picking Up the Pieces is soon to get another chapter, it's a surprisingly heart warming, and emotional tear jerker of of fic, so check it out!
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27799597
To the real people, who really own and/or work aboard the Highlander if you are reading this for whatever reason, I'm not saying that you wouldn't help evacuate the island if this were real. I literally just googled yachts available for charter in Costa Rica, and liked the look and name of your ship the best. No offense meant!
Also yes dear readers I do this kind of research for just about every chapter, that's how I knew what port city to put Ben's mom in. Isla Nublar was based off of and filmed in Cocos island, which you get to through a port in Punta Arenas. Ready for the kicker? It takes up to 36 hours to get there.
Now, let's do some maths! The ferry in the film is actually the Navatek SWATH which operates out of Hawaii and carries 400 passengers, but given the crisis I will account for about 500 or so people tightly packed. It's stated in the movie that there are roughly 20,000 people on the island.
That would be 40 trips for one ferry, and at 36 hours a trip that's 60 days worth of back and forth to evacuate everyone! (40 x 36 = 1,440 and 1,440÷24(hours) = 60 days)
So to fix that I gave Jurassic World 5 ferrys reducing the number of necessary total trips using only the ferrys to 8 and at 36 hours that's only 288 hours of sailing or 12 days. So even with my generous allowances of extra ferrys there is no way, I repeat NO WAY in heck that they could have evacuated the island in a day without a literal boat load of outside assistance.
So yeah, all the fast traveling between locations and everyone getting off the island on one boat is literally just movie magic. They needed back up, and it would have taken hours for those ships to even reach Isla Nublar. I did all the research and maths! Judge me already! 😆
The first time in a long time Ben's parents said "I love you," to one another. 😭
And Dave! Poor noble Dave, getting himself all electrocuted! Ugh, why? And now his chest is just all broken from the compressions on top of it? He and Kenji need to start a "Ribs Who Needs 'Em" club or something!
Anyways, on the subject, from what I understand from what I've learned in CPR and first aid training (my only actual medical knowledge) this type of revival while possible is extremely rare despite how film and tv like to portray medical resuscitation. Dave would have needed respiratory assistance, and a whole lot of other help to make it, let alone come around and begin holding conversations again. For the sake of the story though I'm bending realistic expectations a bit, bear with me!
Well, thanks for reading, and all the amazing support everyone has been giving me! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! 🤞🏻
See you in the next one where we find out how things are going on the island! 😱💗
Chapter 24: Abandoned
Notes:
Trigger Warning: Suicide
If this is one of your triggers please email me at [email protected] and I will send you an edited version of this chapter without the passages that could be triggering or harmful to your mental health so that you can still enjoy the story without having to suffer to do so.
Love y'all! -ENBYsaurus RAWR!!!
Also please keep an eye out for spelling and grammar errors, I'm a little sick right now and feel like I probably missed a bunch lol
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
-Camp Cretacous Fallen: Day One-
Small.
Staring out at the vast inky black waves of the Pacific Ocean the endless roll of water stretching far beyond the horizon where she knew a ship should be, Yasmina felt so, incredibly ...small.
Listening as waves broke with a peaceful crash against the shoreline, rhythm steady, and eased a burning pain in stark contrast to the natural serenity of the scene began to grow inside the girl's chest. Taking a trembling breath Yaz turned her gaze decidedly away from the forsaken dock, littered with refuse and debris from the people who had made it in time, where she had failed.
Above her the midnight sky yawned mightily, expanding well past even the sea, stretching further and further out into the unknown, bands of illumination arking overhead. Beneath the glittering magnitude of the heavens, which under different circumstances the girl might have found beautiful she could feel the very passage of time eking by. As, ageless and seemingly immune to it's consequence a million stars shone down with cold unfeeling light, apathetic to the plight of the campers below. It was in this moment that Yasmina realized exactly how insignificant, unimportant, abandoned, and ...alone she really was.
They left her behind.
To die.
Tears pricking hot and angry at her eyes, she blinked them back with a willful defiance. They had left her behind to die, she thought again, before, over the din of the ocean, she heard the others crying. No, they had left them here, she thought, and they were entirely on their own.
Teeth chattering, Yasmina pulled her arms close to her body shivering against the shock induced chill that had overtaken her. Stretching her new hoodie irritably she tried to cover as much of her lower body as possible, left leg too swollen to move remained exposed, outstretched, and useless. Then, in the dim starlight, she finally had the opportunity to read what it said.
"Don't mess with Mamasaurus, you'll get Jurasskicked." she muttered, reading it upside down. It was stupid, so stupid. An exhausted bout of giddy laughter bubbled within before, finally, the levees broke and like the others she gave into her fear and wept. Fighting an emotional cocktail of bitter tasting humor, and heart-rending sorrow Yasmina could feel her sanity slipping away as she laughed and wailed in manic turn.
She just wanted to go home!
Darius who was still lamenting his role as their tragically ill-fated leader lay weeping where he had collapsed, on the dock. Though as the same bone deep fatigue Yasmina felt settled over him his tears had steadily begun to quiet, sleep threatening to ensnare him.
Crouched a few feet away Brooklynn shed different tears, staring down at her swollen forearms whimpering, and trying not to draw attention to herself. For once, the athlete thought, before guilty chidding herself for it. Brooklynn was hurt, that was all that mattered, and besides, they were all they had now. She reasoned, trying hard to put their petty squabbling behind her as she watched the pink haired girl grit her teeth in agony.
Nudging him with her elbow, as she surveyed the others Yasmina had to be sure. Because if it not for the occasional groan, she would have thought Kenji, left lying beside her was dead. His face pale and eyes closed, he hadn't moved since laying down, a loud declarative "Fuck this!" his only response to their situation before he seemingly lost his will to fight and gave up.
Then, there was Sammy. The liar. Who she was and why she was really there, her feelings for Yasmina, what had happened to Bumpy- her list of deceptions only seemed to grow.
Yasmina watched with a narrowed gaze as she put on a good show. The cowgirl who fought back her own tears, turned instead to tending to the others and trying to lift their spirits. Flitting about the campers like a bee drifting from flower to flower she spent precious time with each. Rubbing Darius' back Sammy assured him that he'd done all he could, that none of it was his fault, and that everything would work out in the end before breaking away to tend to the invalids. Fretting over Brooklynn she tried to ease her discomfort with a shoulder massage, and soothing words, offering to make splints for the girl who merely begged in a withered voice for the pain to stop.
Unsure and unable to do anything more for Brooklynn the Texan pecked her affectionately on the crown of her head before scurrying over to pass a cool hand across Kenji's forehead. Her own brow furrowed with what appeared to be worry, but, the athlete thought darkly, there was no way of knowing for sure. Sammy whispered something to him in Spanish, before turning towards her with a sigh.
"Yaz?" Sammy asked watching the girl who sat shivering.
"Don't." Yasmina replied between clenched teeth. There was nothing that could be done, not for Brooklynn, not for Kenji, not for Darius, and certainly not for her. Why Sammy even tried was an infuriating mystery to the young woman who leaned out of reach when Sammy moved to touch her.
"Are you-"
"I said, 'don't!'" Yasmina roared all of her anger at the injustice of the world igniting against the kindling in her heart before erupting from her chest in a pyroclastic explosion of pain, remorse, and fear aimed at her former friend and confidant. "Go peddle your weepy eyed bullshit somewhere else cowgirl, because I'm not buying your crap! You lie to us, endanger our lives, and get us stranded here because of it, and then you pretend to care? Nice! Real fucking nice! I meant what I said Sammy, I hate you. Now get the fuck away from me."
Sammy flinched. In the halflight Yasmina could see a shimmer of moisture collecting behind her lashes as she looked down at her. Crocodile tears, Yaz thought, jaw hard set.
"You are such a bitch!" Brooklynn moaned, turning away from staring at her own arms to give Yasmina a glare.
Spite rising like bile in her throat the Olympian opened her mouth to loose her venom like a spitting asp at a new target when Sammy interceded on Brooklynn's behalf. "No, it's alright, really." she said, her voice warbling, a hand pressed to the side of her head. "I'm sorry for bothering you."
Watching Sammy shuffle away to sit by Darius Yasmina caught an immature flash of Brooklynn's tongue as the pink haired girl joined them. She probably would have given Yaz the finger if she could have managed, the downed runner thought broodingly. This was fine, Yasmina told herself feeling the familiar and reliable walls she'd built her lifelong defenses out of raising once more as she pushed the others away. She was better off on her own, always had been. Yaz turned away from them, wiping at solemn tears, besides it was better to be hated, than to be hurt again.
It was as she sat snuffling back her pain, that Yasmina felt something patting against her side. Startled she looked down to see Kenji, his eyes half open and teary holding up a hand for her to take. Her fingers looping around his larger, and somehow softer hand, Yasmina was secretly grateful for the company. Her crying magnified by this simple gesture of kindness.
"Just so we're clear," Kenji murmured after a while. "If I could get up, I totally would have left your crazy ass here too."
With a gasp Yasmina turned to see the boy looking up at her with a pained rendition of his signature shit eating grin. "Just saying." he winked jokingly, and all Yaz wanted to do was hit him as she couldn't help but laugh.
"Is that-" Darius said suddenly, the pent hope in his voice drawing Yasmina's attention. Peering out into the black she could just barely make out a light on the water coming towards them. "I think-" Darius started, the breath catching in his lungs as he found his feet. As they watched the light pivoted, passing from left to right, before going dark, and then repeating the process as it slowly spun.
It was a ship, Yasmina thought her heart beginning to hammer with an exhilarating thrill of hope. That was a search light, it was a ship! Soon other lights appeared through the mire, flanking the original as they steamed towards the island.
"It's a ship! It's several ships!" Darius whooped loudly, leaping into the air for joy, fist pumping high above his head, something he quickly regretted.
"Yes!" Brooklynn laughed up to the sky. Standing beside the boy, she swung her hip into his playfully. "Idiot." she giggled as celebration broke out around them.
"We're going home!" Sammy gasped, wiping at her face.
Head light, her mind trying to play catch up with this newfound rush of adrenaline Yasmina's cheeks were beginning to ache from how broadly she was smiling. Unable to banish the expression she joined in the merriment, shouting and calling out loudly. They were saved! She thought tearily, they hadn't been left behind, they did matter, she mattered, and they were going to go home!
"Aw fuck me!" she exclaimed unable to control the rampant fluxions of emotion that caused her body to practically vibrate, fight, flight, or freeze response begging her to do something with the work her adrenals were providing.
Just then with a low whistle a fiery red streak tore through the air from somewhere to their right. The kids turned and watched with stunned silence as the flare ignited in the cool night air, slowly drifting back down towards the sea. In shock, the cold lance of fear was quick to follow as the light, and ship that carried it turned away from dock and began streaking towards the origin point of the sparkling ruby signal.
"They're, turning away..." Brooklynn muttered, visibly deflating, as the boats fanned out. Turning the campers who had previously been so fixated on the water saw that several signal fires dotted the coast around them.
"They can't see us." Darius said in a whisper, before shouting it again and leaping into action. "They can't see us!"
"What's do we do?" Brooklynn shrieked her puffy hands flopping painfully on the ends of her wrists as she turned this way and that, struggling against her panic.
"We need to make a fire too!" Sammy announced rushing to the treeline she began snatching wood and dry leaves, piling it onto the sand.
Kneeling by the meager, but growing stock a willful Darius began shoving paper, and other, easily ignited scraps between the severed branches. Thinking quickly Kenji searched through Ben's fanny pack, retrieving the sanitizer bottle that had proven to be their salvation once before, holding it aloft. Sammy snatched the bottle, and the prod Yasmina extended towards her and ran to the pile of wood. The campers watched with mounting tension as Sammy squeezed and squeezed the spent plastic bottle, tears of frustration trailing the sides of her face as she tried before giving up and reaching for the prod instead.
Flickering brightly with a crackle, the rod browned and curled the edges of a piece of paper, but that was all. The children stared with a hollow sense of loss, at the would be fire that could have saved their lives, if only they had managed to ignite it. Silence filled the passing minutes before Darius spoke with a clear conviction.
"We're not beat yet." he announced confidently, turning to look over his shoulder he seemed to size up the situation. "We could make it to those fires!" he said pointing to their right. "But we have to go fast and we have to go now."
Pushing herself hard Yasmina forced herself to stand, ignoring the explosion of pain that shot from heel to hip, sending dark spots darting across her vision. "Fast is what I do." she breathed, taking the prod that Darius now offered back to her.
Looking down at Kenji who passed her a helpless glance, before returning his attention to the sky, the girl found herself doubting if either of them truly had it in them as he called out, "Alright, get me up, let's do this shit." Neither one of them wanted to be the reason the others died here.
Ignoring the persistent pop and grind coming from her knee Yasmina leaned heavily on Darius' good side, though she could tell he was struggling too as the campers raced through the jungle. Her leg was on fire, the constant roll and strum of loose muscles and ligaments shifting in ways they weren't meant to, twanging painfully across her bones like the strings of a guitar, making the girl feel faint.
She couldn't do it! Yasmina thought after a few minutes of racing through the jungle, her eyes closed against the strain, trusting Darius not to run her straight into a tree. Her leg buckled, the pair of them sinking to the leaf litter, before Darius hauled her back up. "We've got this." he assured without breaking line of sight with the finish line, like a true athlete.
Swallowing hard, Yaz tried her find the same resolve, her leg painfully unstable it refused to hold her weight any longer knee rocking dangerously to the side. Blinded by her anguish the girl was about to give in when Kenji collapsed beside them. "I can't-" he wheezed mournfully as Sammy tried to scoop the puddle of a boy back up. "I just- I can't-"
"Me either." Yasmina confessed lowering herself to the ground. "You guys go, tell them to wait for us."
"What? No!" Brooklynn squeaked pacing back and forth, fighting the desire to race away towards salvation and the need to see the others through to the end.
"No one is getting left behind!" Darius shouted.
"Again." Kenji spat hatefully as Sammy hands on her hips asked "Y'all out of your God dang minds or something?"
"Fine-" Kenji said breathily. "Guess we're- all dying- here."
"Shut up man!" Darius shouted holding his unbound hand out for Yaz to take, his eyes pleading in the cold half-light. "Come on, we can still make, we'll go slow, we have time. There were lots of boats." he said his voice falling to a fragile whisper. He clenched his hand closed briefly before reaching again, with an increased urgency, Kenji's remark clearly weighing on him. More than out of compassion or fear, Yasmina could tell that he needed this. He needed to save someone.
The girl took a gulp of air before accepting his offer. That first step was the hardest, and she couldn't help but let out a ragged scream as her knee refused to uphold it's end of the bargain. Every muscle in her body contracted with a maddened frenzy, then swaying with a bout of lightheadedness she sagged back towards the earth. Only the astonishing strength and grit Darius found in that moment kept her standing until she was able to plant her right foot firmly enough.
"Come on Mr VIP." Yaz smiled down weakly to Kenji, mopping at the sweat that had broken out across her brow with the back of her hand.
"What part of- 'I- can't' do none- of you- get?" the boy whimpered pitifully, the heels of his hands rubbing hard against his teary eyes.
"You might not be able to," Sammy said with authority. "But I sure can!" Stooping the girl slipped her hands under the boy and hefted him into the air. "Shit." she swore losing her balance momentarily as she held the young man as if they were newly weds.
"Ow- ow- I hate you- I hate- you!" Kenji cried cradling his ribs.
"Yeah, join the club." Sammy grunted, her eyes locking momentarily with Yasmina's as Brooklynn laughed for the sheer relief, "Cowgirl for the win!"
"It's how we do it in Texas, now let's go before I drop the lug!" Sammy said with a groan as she readjusted her grip, turned, and began trudging towards the distant flare.
At a much slower, more controlled pace the five campers persevered, marching on through the dense undergrowth in defiance of the odds, stumbling, and falling, but picking themselves back up every time. They were in this together, and they were going to make it. Fleeting optimism finding root within Yasmina as the illumination of a signal fire found her face through the standing. Mirth was contagious among the children as they burst through the trees and into the warm comforting firelight.
In the clearing however, as if preordained by the hands of fate the children found, only that, the fire there to greet them. Grim faced they watched as the ship's searchlight grew smaller, and smaller in the distance. Crestfallen, they sank down to the sand.
"I fucking knew it!" Kenji muttered voice airy as Sammy set him down and began to sob meekly.
"It's, it's not too late!" Darius said in clear denial, as he helped Yaz hobble to the red-orange flames. "They'll be back, more ships will come. Just you wait and see, we'll-" he choked miserably on his own words. "We'll just keep the fire burning and, and someone will come for us... You'll see! ...you'll see."
Too tired, and too depressed to argue the others settled down around him. No one spoke.
The five kept vigil, stoking the fire throughout the night waiting in misery until the gentle dawning of morning broke over the waves. Even as the black sky shifted through oranges, pinks, and eventually assumed a crystaline blue no one had come for them.
"We need to regroup." Darius said, his throat dry, voice cracking. "We can't just sit here forever."
"Yeah," Yasmina muttered irritably breath catching at an unexpected jolt of pain as she tried shifting to a more comfortable position. "And what exactly should we do?"
"We should wait here." Brooklynn said, staring out at the water.
"No, we should go back to the dock, that's where they'd look for us, that's where we were supposed to go, right?" Sammy asked, looking to the others with uncertainty for validation.
"Does is even matter what we do?" Kenji cut in. "We're dead either way, Toro, the Indominous, those raptors, they're all still out there!" he was so helpful to remind everyone.
"That's exactly why we should stay put!" Brooklynn shouted. "The more time we spend messing around in the jungle, the more likely we are to wind up dino chow!"
"Not like it's better to sit here and starve to death waiting for people who obviously don't give two shits about us!" Yaz snapped, tongue sticking to the roof of her parched mouth. God she was thirsty.
"Fighting isn't going to help y'all!" Sammy interrupted, trying to play peacemaker, all it accomplished was earning her the spite of the two combatants.
"I think we should go into the park." Darius said then, musing his thoughts aloud.
"The trashed, body littered, dinosaur infested park?" Kenji asked tone dripping with sarcasm and despise as he cocked his head to get a good look at who he was addressing. "Great idea Darius, a lot better than your last one."
"Yeah not to be rude or anything Darius, but I don't think that's such a good idea." Sammy who was still busying herself with random bits of timber, and a few sharp rocks, put in gently. "Isn't that place going to be dino-central now?"
"Maybe," Darius shrugged, drawing a crude sketch of the island in the sand with his finger. "But maybe not."
Edging closer to get a better look the girls watched as he put a big circle near the center of the island. "Here's JW central, main street, shops, all the hotels, restaurants, and stuff." he explained before making an X at the bottom of his sketch. "This is us, not too far from the South Ferry Dock. Now, all of this," he said making a wavey scribble across the part if the map separating the two landmarks. "Was primarily used to house herbivores. The whole ecosystem is going to be in a state of flux now that all if the animals are, presumably, out of their enclosures."
"Yeah, and that's a bad thing, remember?" Kenji butted in, only to be met with a chorus of angry shushing.
"Well, yes, but it also means all of the dinosaurs, predators included are going to be distracted trying to find, claim, and defend new territories for themselves outside of the artificially created ranges, and migratory paths." the dinosaur enthusiast postulated.
"So," Yasmina said through clenched teeth, squeezing the area just above her knee. The pressure helped some, but the moment she let up death was instantly preferable. "What you're saying is that we can take advantage of all that chaos and get to the main park and do... What exactly?"
Darius shrugged, "Use a phone, call for help? Wait it out until someone comes? Write a message on the roof of the grand hotel?"
"So, basic zombie survival guide stuff huh?" Brooklynn smirked giving him a nudge.
"Pretty much!" the boy laughed, scratching his head as if doubting his own plan.
This could actually work, Yasmina thought craning sideways to get a better look at the map. Especially if he was right and all the big bads were too busy playing Godzilla to worry about five tasty little humans running about the place. The only problem, she thought grimly, was getting the dead meat up and walking.
"I don't suppose some sort of car factors into this plan, anywhere?" Yasmina asked motioning between herself and Kenji. "You know, turn this light-bite into some meals on wheels?"
"No, sorry." Darius shook his head, while only the other butt of the joke gave her little comment a courtesy laugh. "You've had a couple hours though," he grimaced, clearly feeling sorry for what he was about to ask. "Do you think you can manage?"
Yasmina let out a sigh before responding, "The real question is 'do I have a choice?'"
"Not really, no." he said apologetically.
"It's alright," Yasmina smiled. "It can't be helped."
Tentatively, as everyone began trying to visualize the plan of action, Yaz began to ease up on the pressure she had been putting on her aching muscles. So far, so good, she thought as she let go of her leg. Then it happened, a lighting bolt shot up her leg and into her spine causing the girl to cry out, throwing herself backwards into the sand she writhed. Everyone rushed to try and help as fingers tightly laced through her hair the girl screamed and pulled tightly, the dull ache in her head doing little to distract from her knee.
"What do we do?" Brooklynn asked, hovering into view, her fat, gray fingers held uncomfortably in front of her mouth.
"I don't know! I don't know!" Yasmina sobbed as the throbbing pain only seemed to get worse.
"Would, would taking your shoe off help?" Darius asked his expression troubled.
"My wha-? It's my knee!" the athlete bellowed.
"I know, but-" the boy said biting his lip.
"Move." Sammy's voice was so forceful and commanding that before Yasmina could even voice her opposition the others had scurried out of the way. The cowgirl moved quickly, and decisively, wrapping her belt around Yasmina's thigh and pulling it tight, making colorful spots dart before the girl's eyes and the air rush from her lungs. "This isn't a permanent solution." Sammy muttered, her tone almost maternal, eyes fixated on her work. "You can't keep cutting off the circulation, even if it seems to help." She went on, but Yasmina couldn't hear her over the ringing in her ears.
Then, as Yaz was trying to sit up and see what was happening Sammy took two of the long, thick branches it had taken most of the night to smooth down and bound them to either side of Yasmina's crippled limb with scraps of cloth scavenged from what had been left around the fire. The runner let out a howl, as the last of the knots was secured. Staring up at blue, Yasmina was only aware of Sammy looking down at her, when the other girl's shadow blocked out the sun
"I'm really sorry." Sammy said, wiping at red and weepy eyes. "I know it hurt but we had to do it sooner or later, and all this pussyfooting around wasn't getting us anywhere!" she looked away, reigning herself in before going on in a more controlled tone. "I'm not sure if it'll work," she explained motioning to the two inches or so of wood that extended past the bottom of Yasmina's foot. "But I left a bit of overhang, maybe it could help absorb some of the weight."
Yaz blinked feverishly at the steady steams of pain flowing down her cheeks. It hurt so bad, she just wanted it to end already. Unable to contain a whimper when the throbbing started anew, she grim faced nodded her understanding.
"I think the shoe thing should help too, looks like the swelling has gone all the way down." the self-appointed field medic said to Darius before turning towards Kenji.
"Like hell you're touching me!" he snapped, scooting away like a turtle on its back.
"Listen Kenji, the way I see it-" Sammy started evenly.
"I don't give a damn about how you see it! I'm not letting you touch me!" the eldest of the group retorted.
"And I'm not carrying you again!" Sammy shouted catching everyone off guard. "I can't! You're hurting, and you're scared, I get it, I am too. But God dang it Kenji, my head is still swimmin'-" the girl said voice breaking. "I'm so dizzy right now I feel like I'm going to fall over, I can't think straight, and it's taking everything I got just to focus on what's being said! I'm tired, and I just can't do it anymore either." she cried, freely this time, and without trying to make herself stop.
Yasmina watched, her lips pressed together in a firm line, remembering how the other girl had busied herself with easing the pain of those around her, and how disingenuous it had seemed, at the time. Now, as Sammy knelt beside the boy, Yaz found herself moved to shame in herself, and pity towards her fellow survivor, everything else aside.
"Suck it up buttercup!" Yasmina called out sharply.
With a gasp Brooklynn turned on her, "You're a real piece of work you know that!" the pink haired girl shouted. "All Sammy is trying to do is-"
"Not Sammy, stupid!" Yasmina retorted, brows knit. "Kenji: suck it up!"
The rivals sized each other up for a moment before with a little, "Oh." Brooklynn let the argument go.
"You suck it up!" the boy called back at the same time the truce was formed.
"I did!"
A tension filled quiet settled over the group, no one spoke while the floral clad girl expressed her grief. After a few minutes, when Sammy had composed herself, she called Darius over. Together they did their best with the remains of several tattered, bloodstained shirts, and donated midiffs from everyone's tees amid a slew of swearing. When they were finished, wrapped and bound the oldest boy lay white faced trying to remember how to breathe.
"Not- a buttercup." he announced after a while.
"Fine, a pansy then." Yaz smirked. The two looked at one another, an unspoken understanding passing between them as Kenji, smiling, gave her the bird.
Darius gingerly worked the shoe and sock off of Yasmina's foot, exposing deep red impressions where the clothing had been dangerously constrictive a few moments later. Taking his lead the Yaz gradually loosened the belt, closing her eyes against the pins and needles, breathing in short puffs until the pain subsided.
Hot and blinding the sun was well in the sky, beating down on the campers when at last they were ready to get their very likely doomed plan underway.
"Slow and steady right?" Darius smiled, taking up his now standard position beneath the crook of Yasmina's arm.
"If you say so." the girl rolled her eyes.
Trudging through thick undergrowth that threatened to snare and entangle the children pressed forward, a tentative faith in their plan and one another galvanizing their resolve. Where yesterday all of their focus and efforts had been aimed south, they had now turned tail and marched dauntlessly in the opposite direction. After nearly an hour of toil the five spilled out onto the smooth, easily transversed asphalt of the main road which led directly into the heart of the park.
Their relief at having found this surefire way to reach their destination was short lived however, as smiles vanishing they took in the sheer number of bodies strewn across the street. A shiver ran down Yasmina's spine, the hairs on her neck rising as she found herself confronting the spector of death with a growing familiarity. Eyeing her feet, she told herself not to look as crows and ravens fought and squabbled with the lithe green figures of several compsognathus, their mouths reddened with blood.
What must of have been like to be here when it all happened? The girl found herself wondering morbidly. What must have been like to be trampled to death, crying, begging for help up, only needing a minute, maybe two of compassion to save your life, yet receiving none. Letting out a long low breath, eyes fluttering, for the first time since the observation tower, and Jayson, Yasmina found herself thinking that maybe, just maybe, they were the lucky ones after all.
"Come on." she croaked, after a minute when no one else had dared to move. "We're wasting daylight, and we don't know how long Toro and the others will be busy playing king-of-the-mountain."
"She's right." Brooklynn agreed, swallowing hard. "Besides, there's not anything we can do for them now."
The campers pressed on in silence, ice water chilling their veins they shuddered as they carefully picked their way across what felt like hallowed ground. Ignoring the fire creeping up her leg Yasmina refused to look, keeping her gaze fixed on the glittering spires of glass and steel not too far in the distance. This time, she was going to make it.
A thunderous roar tore through the jungle then, as they hobbled along, causing all of them to stop, limbs electrified with fear as they crouched low to the earth. It had been a distant bellow, but the power it's echo carried shook the children.
"T-Rex, I think." Darius said low whisper before nodding. "Yeah, that was the T-Rex for sure, territorial call. Like I said she's probably-" Another roar, lower, rasping came up in response from somewhere to the left cutting him off.
"I'd know that one anywhere." Sammy said nervously glancing about while Kenji, superstitiously spit the name "Toro." between gasps.
"See," Darius said with an apprehensive confidence. "They're all too busy-"
A third call sounded, this one new, sharp and keening. "G-giganotosaurus?"
"Will you stop trying to show off already?" Brooklynn snapped leaning forwards to lock eyes with the dino-nerd himself.
"Yeah, you're smart, we get it. Be smart in the hotel or something." Yasmina added throwing her weight forward onto her good leg, pulling the boy with her.
"Sorry." he smiled sheepishly as they walked on.
Spirits low, and tensions high as the kids slumped against a roadsign welcoming guests to "The Most Jurassic Place on Earth," they listened cautiously to the nearby calls and howls sounding out around them. Fatigued Yasmina had just begun to feel herself doze under the hot, oppressive power of the sun, and South American humidity when a loud crack split the air. Heart hammering she turned instinctively to the sky, when Darius tapped her, motioning down the road.
Chuffing loudly a pair of pachycephalosaurus were squaring off down the way, preparing to go at it again. As the campers watched they charged, domed heads crashing together with a sharp "wham." Separating they circled with light chortals, before gently coming together to groom one another, beaked mouths murmuring.
"They seem happy." Yaz scoffed watching the tender pair with annoyance.
"Well yeah," Darius intoned as he leaned forward, the familiar old gleam returning to his eye as he watched them preen. "Look at it from their perspective. No more fences, no more cages, or electric prods. They're finally free, and they're together. It's basically Dinosaur Independence Day."
"Yeah," Yasmina nodded with a yawn. "Now I know the heat's getting to your head!"
"Agreed." Brooklynn rasped from where she sat on his other side.
It was just after mid-day by the time the campers finally staggered into the park. Main street was a ghost town, choked with broken glass, litter, and even more corpses. Through the shimmer of tears, a blend of relief, fear, and heartache Yasmina took the gruesome sight in at a glance before Sammy broke the silence.
"There." she said pointing towards a shaded rest area that was lined with misters.
Limping over the pilgrims enjoyed the respite as fine water droplets fell upon hot, thirsty skin, miniature rainbows arching overhead. Overheated, Yasmina fanned and fluttered her hoodie relishing how what moisture made it through the neckhole alleviated her discomfort.
"This feels nice." Brooklynn sighed dreamily.
"You know what would make it even better?" Darius asked with a grin. Everyone followed his outstretched hand as he pointed to the vending machines across the walkway.
"Yes please!" Kenji chimed in as Sammy forced herself back up.
"I can help you carry it back." she smiled, helping Darius to his feet.
Moments later Yasmina was tearing the wrapper off a Payday bar. Her taste buds exploding with the salty goodness of the peanuts the girl wiped her chin with embarrassment as she began to salivate uncontrollably. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until that moment, as looking up she saw the others wolfing down their sugar laced sweets just as savage as she was.
Recognizing the bright red bag of Doritos when she saw them, Yaz snatched them up, eat now, manners later. It was as she worked the cheesy, savory delicacy around that her mouth became chalky. Struggling to swallow she and the others gradually recognized their mistake, dehydration drying out their mouths after the initial salivary rush.
Recoiling from the too cold sensation of a bottle touching her arm Yaz turned to see Sammy holding a soda out towards her. Taking it wordlessly the athlete used the bubbly slurry to force the food down and wet her parched throat, until, eyes watering the carbonation flooded through her nostrils with a burn.
Smiles all around as they ate, the very real but unspoken fear that they wouldn't ever experience the simple joys of eating another candy bar, or drinking another soda ebbed out of the group having found a little patch of paradise in hell. Tempted to overstay their welcome, sedated by the shade, and intoxicated by sugar filled stomachs the five eventually remembered their end goal and grudgingly picked themselves back up. This time however, they walked with a little more optimism, and pockets fully loaded.
"Maybe we should hit up one of these?" Yaz suggested thumbing over her shoulder as they milled through Restaurant Row.
"Yeah totally!" Darius agreed. "Maybe Sammy and I-"
"I'm not completely handicapped I'll have you know!" Brooklynn snapped with a slightly irritated smile.
"Sorry." Darius apologized.
For almost a minute things felt normal, and Yasmina could have almost forgotten as they joked and teased with one another. It was nice, she thought with a pang of regret. Why did she have to keep her walls so high?
Then Sammy said, "Um, guys. Is that?"
Turning towards the hotel they had been working towards all day it took Yasmina several minutes to see what Sammy was pointing to. Hand shading her eyes she squinted until, with a vivid contrast of yellow against blue Yaz could make out a sundress clad woman standing on the balcony. They weren't alone! There could be others, she thought excitedly, maybe rescue was on the way and Darius was right about coming here! A lightness to their step the kids hurried forward as fast as they could manage calling out and waving, trying to make themselves seen, ignorant to the unwanted attention they might be drawing to themselves.
Concentrating hard on her each and every step, Yasmina's gaze was focused on the ground until Brooklynn gasped, "Oh God, no!"
Looking up in a panic Yasmina stared at the pink haired girl trying to discern from where the danger had come. But Brooklynn wasn't looking at any creature looming and ready to pounce, rather she was staring straight at the hotel with wide, frightened eyes. Following her lead Yaz looked to see the woman, now crying stood on the railing, something clutched tight in her arms. No sooner had Yasmina wondered, "Is that a baby?" then the woman stepped out into the open air.
The image of mother and child hurtling towards the ground burned into Yasmina's brain in an instant while the scream that followed only to be cut short rang in her ears with a heinous shrill. It wasn't a baby, she thought trying to blink away the damning sight that occluded her vision. It wasn't a baby it couldn't have been, not if she- It wasn't a baby! It wasn't a baby! It wasn't a baby! she thought trying desperately to convince herself that this was the truth, turning away from gory sight.
"She fell..." Darius said with a distant numbness to his voice as Brooklynn shrieked and Kenji began to swear and mutter incomprehensibly between his teeth.
Struggling to control her breathing, each respiration a shallow gulp as the tears emerged Yasmina remembered that nothing was ever going to be normal ever again.
"I can't." Kenji stated firmly, heels digging into the ground. "I won't. We have to find somewhere else. I can't."
"It's alright, we'll find somewhere else, right Darius?" a quaking Sammy said from where she had crouched, face covered by her hands.
"Darius?" Brooklynn said nudging him, when he failed to respond.
"What I didn't mean to- I-" he startled jumping away, knocking Yasmina backwards.
Left leg planting firmly as she instinctively caught her balance Yaz yelped in agony before the world went black... Coming to moments later the girl saw her friends staring down at her with worry.
"I'm fine." she said, dismissing their concerns. Heart still hammering with the terror of having witnessed- what she'd witnessed, Yasmina closed her eyes wishing she could forget. Then as the radiating heat from the concrete became unbearable Yaz motioned urgently for help up, leaning against Brooklynn while Darius, huffing loudly tried to compose himself.
"My dad- uh-" he started, batting away tears. "When my dad and me were planning our dream trip-" Darius stopped blowing out a shaky breath. "There's a nice hotel- cheaper than The Grand- I-" he paused to take a few breaths, his warm chestnut eyes locking onto Yasmina's. "I'm sorry." he whispered swallowing past a lump in his throat.
Tears spilling Yasmina shook her head. "Don't be. Let's just go."
Inside the "Historic" Pre-Historic Plaza, the children shivered in the air-conditioning that should have been a blessed relief. Wandering about the lobby that, aside from the disarray of a few overturned suitcases seemed ready and waiting for them to check-in Yasmina half expected a bellhop to emerge at any moment, or some receptionist to chase Darius away as he snuck around the desk and picked up the phone.
It was they way he closed his eyes, jaw set, that told Yasmina all she needed to know. "It's completely dead, not even dial tone." he announced sadly.
"It's ok," Brooklynn reassured joining him behind the desk. "Zombie 101, remember? At least we have a place ride it out and wait for rescue." She went on, gingerly sliding things across the desk.
"And this place has kitchen." Sammy piped up, trying to help. "So, we've got plenty of food and- Brooklynn, you're gonna hurt yourself what are you looking for?"
"The master key." the girl explained with a sympathetic smile. "I could really use a shower and a bed."
Leaning against a chair, her throbbing injured limb outstretched Yasmina couldn't decide which one sounded better as the cowgirl joined in the search. When at last they'd discovered what they were looking the kids made their way to a room only to stop looking perplexed at their young leader. He was staring brow furrowed at the door handle, anxiety emanating from him.
"I don't think we should sleep on the ground floor, just in case..." he announced giving the handle a superstitious jiggle. "Raptors..."
A chill racing down her spine Yasmina didn't argue as they turned towards the elevator. On the sixth floor, which after some mild debate was deemed safe enough without being too far from their food supply they found the first few rooms were left standing open. Snapshots of time and the lives left behind captured by their door frames the kids ambled past scenes of streaming televisions, laid out dress clothes, toy dinosaurs posed around the floor, a bottle of champagne in a bath of long ago melted ice.
Finally they found a door that was closed tried the key card. The room looked clean enough walking into the living area of the suite. Shuffling in and down a short hallway both queen sized beds were made, as off to a little room on the side they saw a disheveled bunk bed, cartoons blaring from the tv in there.
A family vacation, the girl thought sorrowfully. She just hoped that they'd all made it out in time. "Good, at least for the night?" Darius asked with a nervous hope.
Nodding everyone concurred as Darius half drug Yaz towards the nearest bed. Laying down, Kenji taking up the space beside her Yasmina could feel the ache and strain flowing out of her body. Eyes closed sleep threatened immediately. Then it happened, the dull pain she'd been ignoring all day, inconsequential when compared to everything else became stabbing and urgent.
Sitting in the bed motioning people to her with desperation she gasped, "Bathroom! Bathroom, bathroom!"
Sammy and Brooklynn rushed to her aid instantly, but even with their help Yaz knew she wasn't going to make it. "Please, don't let me piss myself, please!" she begged internally. Then as the porcelain throne came within reach and the other girls were struggling to lower her shorts and underwear it happened. Warmth spreading down her inner thighs and running towards the floor. Seating herself seconds too late a mortified Yasmina covered her face as she started to cry in frustration.
"I'm sorry," she said helplessly. "I'm so sorry!"
Hushing her the other girls tried to assure her that it couldn't be helped, and they weren't upset in the least. "Do you want a shower?" Brooklynn offered delicately trying to maneuver Yaz's soiled clothes over the wooden splints, her index and middle fingers working as pincers no longer able to make her thumb meet her other digits.
Yasmina shook her head, voice a whisper. "I can't, my leg, what if I slip?"
"It's alright we got you." Sammy promised grabbing a washcloth from the counter and wetting it.
"Oh!" Brooklynn said shock coming over her face. "I gotta- be right back!"
"See, you're not the only one." Sammy went on as Brooklynn raced away towards the second bathroom they'd seen attached to the living room.
Yasmina withered inside. She felt so stupid, useless, and juvenile. Really she had to pee her pants? This place was truly hell. Trying to reign herself in embarrassed and sobbing as Sammy gently mopped her lower legs. Yaz accepted the cloth a few minutes later and was cleaning herself up the rest of the way when Brooklynn returned, a small lavender hued bundle in her hand.
"I could only find 'mom jeans' and I didn't think denim would play nice with your knee." she said smiling apologetically. "But hey, no stains!"
So, this is what survival meant, wearing someone else's underwear? Yaz thought staring at the bundle. "I fucking hate this!" she whimpered. The others silently agreed as they laboriously helped her into them.
Darius was waiting with several plastic bags of ice and a first aid kit pulled from the hall when the trio finally hobbled out of the bathroom. "On the bright side, lots of ice!" he tried.
After getting situated, her monstrously swollen and discolored limb unbraced, propped, and iced Yasmina lay staring at the ceiling. Was all of this really happening? She wondered then, the past forty-eight hours feeling surreal, more like a nightmare than reality. It was as she was trying to come to terms with everything that had happened that Sammy began lamenting.
"Don't cry. It- it'll be alright, we're safe here." Darius said gently as he dabbed at the cuts on her back with an alcohol wipe.
"She's scared asshole, let her cry!" Kenji snapped in response.
"It's not even that," Sammy sobbed. "All of this, everything was for nothing! Without those samples- Oh God without those samples Manta Corp isn't going to be happy. They still have the deed!" she wailed. "My family is going to lose everything, and there's nothing I can do to help!"
Her words hit Yasmina funny, and hurt her chest. Turning she saw the other girl weeping into her hands on the edge of the other bed. Brooklynn was slumped against the wall staring ahead vacantly. Even after all this, she was more worried about her family?
"Did that woman really have a baby in her arms?" Brooklynn asked then in a whisper.
"No! A mom wouldn't do that!" Kenji retorted.
"Are you sure?" Brooklynn asked with a shudder.
"No..." Kenji confessed beginning to cry.
"What about all those people?" Yaz heard herself add, shock and horrendous visions flooding her mind. "I can't, I can't stop thinking about what it must have been like to- to-" Overwhelmed, before she even realized it Yasmina howled out with fresh mourning.
Soon they were all crying, the weight of getting to this point an unbearably heavy burden to bear. The knowledge that they might not even get off the island even more so.
All she wanted to do was see her family. To hold Sameera, have her mom smooth her hand over her hair and sing to her like when she was little. To have her baba tell her that everything was going to be alright and that he would chase all her fears away.
All she wanted to do was go home.
All she wanted was her family.
She just wanted to go home...
Notes:
So sad! 😢
I've got family coming into town for the next couple of weeks so while I am working on the next chapter it might be slow going! Thanks for reading! ♥️
Chapter 25: The Herd
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-CCF Day One-
Pain.
The first thing, the only thing Ben was aware of was: pain.
Everything hurt. The boy felt like he was falling, dizzy with vertigo, ears ringing, but hands twitching he felt the grit of dirt beneath his nails. Ben wasn't falling, he fell. This knowledge sent his heart a flutter.
He fell, Ben thought coming around again.
From what?
Why did he fall?
Where was he?
Was he alone?
Was there anyone there to help him up? He pondered, pain radiating from his skull as internally the boy grew frantic.
Where was he?
Where did fall?
From when?
Alone why?
How help there was not?
Fall how?
When where was he fall alone?
His thoughts became a tangled ball of yarn batted back and forth between confusion, anxiety, and despair. Nothing made sense to the boy, and the more his fraying consciousness tried to puzzle reason from a reason-less situation, the more unraveled it became. Thoughts jumbled, words slowly lost their meaning becoming foreign, until the blackness swallowed him up again.
Pain. There was such pain, that he wished for death.
Gradually however, as Ben pushed through the immense discomfort his other senses began to trickle in. The irony tang of blood filled his nose, and rested nauseatingly on his tongue. Over the persistent ringing in his ears, he could hear the rustle of leaves and the night-songs of various insects. As his awareness grew the boy felt something brush against his arm, nudge his shoulder rocking him. Then there was hot, humid breath on the side of his neck.
The familiar icy pool of dread flooding through his sharply clenched stomach, a strangled cry of horror pulled free from the boy's throat. Ben's hands few out against his assailant. With disjointed movements he swung as mighty as he could. No!
Flailing as the panic set in the boy opened his eyes to a red world out of focus. As he battled, there was a little snort, and chortling. Hairs raising on the back of his neck as he searched for the ominous presence, he found not the hellish figure he had expected to be looming over him, but instead a little creature with wide friendly face. It nudged him with it's beak. Still fighting, fear of the unknown gripping Ben just as fiercely as had that innate dread he caught the creature in one of it's large intelligent eyes.
Honking the beast moved away, blurring as it put distance between them.
Blinking slowly as his eyes refused to focus on anything around him Ben stared up at the dark reddish-black that was the night sky. The small animal returned moments later, turning to look as it came into focus a word fell into place within the boy's mind: Bumpy.
There was something warm curled up against his side. It was comforting to Ben as the rest of his body seemed to be drained of all heat and strength. He relished the sensation, inching closer to the source.
Heart hammering, blood rushing to his head Ben lurched up from the ground with a yelp. He had to get away. He had to run! Something was chasing him! He knew it instinctively. He'd been running- It was coming! He was going to die! He was going to die! It was coming!
Hands and feet, legs and arms, right and left, left and right. There were too many of them to manage, yet not enough to support his weight. All limbs, and none of them responding the boy quickly became tangled within himself as he floundered in the dirt falling prone.
Trying again he shot to his feet. Ben watched as the ground tilted and then rushed up to meet him. There was no effort that could have been made to brace himself, he was down before the boy had even realized he was falling.
Face down, his head a thick lead filled mass too heavy for his neck to raise again Ben closed his eyes fearfully. It was coming! It was coming! It was coming...
It was light.
Blinking hard at the bleary, monochromatic world around him, Ben felt more awake, more alert than he had previously. Everything still hurt.
He had to sit up. His movements spider-like as his spindly limbs shifted in disorderly conjunction, Ben gave up after a few failed attempts. Reaching back then, to touch the back of his head where it hurt the most, inquisitive but mismanaged fingers found a large gash, the hair surrounding it made spikey with dried blood.
That, wasn't ...good, he thought weakly.
After a few minutes and with some effort the boy was finally able to get his hands underneath himself, pushing up it took all of his strength to find the sitting position, and all of his balance to maintain it. His head turning listlessly from side to side Ben took in as much of the world around him as he could. He was in a jungle. The trees that surrounded him merged and fused together beneath his muddled gaze, seeming as though they were one solid mass. It took all of his fleeting concentration to pull depth from the image, his vision failing him.
Looking down at himself Ben found a clearer, more precise sight. His shirt was torn and grievously bloodstained. Cuts and deep bruises adorned his figure, the muscles in his arms and legs jumped and contracted in minute, trembling spasms. It was he shifted about taking a loosely cobbled together stock of his situation that Ben felt it. With a grimace he realized that at some point during or after the fall he had lost bowel control. Disgust and shame flooded through the boy who sat helplessly and alone in his own excrement.
Swaying as he blinked back tears, Ben turned his attention back to his surroundings. There had to be someone. He was very badly hurt, he found himself thinking with an indifferent analysis of his situation, one that bordered on apathy, and there had to be someone. His intelligent and emotional minds failing to meet on an even playing fields Ben was beside himself with humiliation, but detached from the dire circumstances in which he found himself disinterested and unconcerned with the very real danger he was in.
Calling cheerfully the small turtle like creature from before bounded up to the boy, little, stubby tail wagging energetically. Ben watched as it spun in a tight circle, before nosing his leg and repeating the process. What did it want? he wondered, watching the animal through a pinhole of awareness.
How did he get here? he asked himself then. He fell but, from what? Looking up Ben knew it was a mistake instantly as his perception wavered, light headed, the corners of his vision dimming the boy jerked forward to keep from tipping over. The world swam as he tried unsuccessfully to put his head in his hands, the left missing entirely, the right slapping his nose with enthusiasm. He felt very sick.
The thing nudged him again. Peering at it through muddied eyes Ben found himself at odds, equally perplexed, annoyed, and tickled by the bizarre new friend he'd seemed to have made.
"What?" he asked his voice a warbling rasp. "What nnn-nnn do you want?" he asked struggling to get his words out, concentrating on what he was saying, jaw clamped shut momentarily in a set of involuntary sounds.
At this response the thing seemed to practically explode with, for lack of a better word, joy. Running, tumbling, rolling in the dirt as it frolicked the little critter made a circuit around the clearing before coming back to Ben, leaping heavily into his lap. Wind rushing from his lungs Ben grunted trying meekly to shove it away.
"You're too big to nnn-nnn-nnn do that-" he complained, then it clicked after having lost it again at some point in the night: Bumpy. This was Bumpy.
"Bumpy!" the boy exclaimed hugging tightly to the baby ankylosaurus who nickered and murmured with relief into his stomach.
She'd found him, just like he'd found her. She was a baby, he remembered that much, his baby. He'd been there was she was born, and again when she needed him most all alone, the bigger one dead, killed by- It was coming!
A cold thrill of terror shot down the boy's back electrifying him with the need to run. From what he still could not remember, only that it was coming, and it's arrival meant nothing short of death. Heartbeat thready, breath shallow Ben planted his hands on the ground and tried to stand. His biceps strained and burned with effort as his elbows shook and wobbled with instability. He rose briefly before his strength failed him and he fell back onto his rear the impact jarring his spine, bright flares of light blinding him, the ringing in his ears growing unbearably loud.
He was going to vomit.
Eyes closed Ben tried to compose himself as his awareness dimmed, almost giving out all together.
Standing up was a bad idea, he thought fuzzily, but he couldn't just stay here. What if that unknowable, and unnamed apparition that plagued his mind with such frightful malaise found him?
Then, Bumpy, bright and alert nosed his cheek before nibbling delicately at what buttons remained on his tattered clothes. Wasn't she afraid? He found himself wondering. Didn't she want to run and get away, and save her own life? His movements convulsive, and frustratingly so, Ben reached out towards her cupping Bumpy under the chin with a surprisingly sudden bout of movement.
Eyes alight with life the ankylosaurus bayed at him happily. Why was she staying with him when it could get her killed? He wondered, he was clearly broken.
Oblivious of and impervious to the type of self-doubt and distain the boy was experiencing the little animal seemed to have a plan.
"I don't- Bumpy what is it? Nnn-nnn, nnn-nnn. What do you want?" he asked frustrated by his inability to speak, and having difficulty recognizing the nasal whine of his own voice. It sounded unnervingly alien, though rationally he knew it must be his own.
Bumpy trotted a few paces away before turning back and urging Ben to follow. "Bumpy, I can't." he said with a cringe.
Discontentment played across the animal's face as she bellowed what he felt was meant to be a commanding roar, forefeet kicking up plumes of dirt as though she intended to charge. Bumpy repeated the trot and turn several more times with growing aggravation as the human seemed to fail time and again to interpret her meaning. Finally she trudged over, all but defeated, she pushed and shoved the boy off balance with the crown of her head.
He couldn't stand, he just couldn't do it! Angrily Ben was unable to figure out how to get it around to the young dinosaur that he just couldn't do what she wanted of him when he caught himself from falling on all fours. Bumpy bounded away with chirps of elation at this development before turning and calling for him to follow with triumph. Crawl! She wanted him to crawl! It all made sense now, but, as he slowly tried shifting one hand in front of the other it jumped out from beneath him without his consent.
His motor skills frustratingly shot and unrefined the boy tumbled back to the soil, tears in his eyes.
Darkness edging in around him once more, Bumpy gently roused him, her tongue running along the side of his face. "Bumpy," he sobbed. "I can't, I just can't. Leave me-e nnn-nnn leave me nnn-nnn here and go. Please I don't want- I don't want-" What was it he didn't want exactly? "I don't want anything bad to happen-nnn to you."
Bumpy chuffed and snorted with agitation at his lack of cooperation, circling the boy and assessing him from every angle as he made ready to give in. His heart racing, Ben knew that "it" was going to get him sooner or later. He was defenseless. There was nothing he could do, so why not just let it happen? He thought bleakly. There was no point in getting Bumpy killed too.
Depression and a bitter resignation to his fate overwhelming him Ben was about to close his eyes when Bumpy backed into him with an almost birdlike trill. Blinking he lifted his head as she continued to walk in reverse.
"What are you-? Ow!" he yelped as she walked over fingers and right up beneath his chin. "What is this?" he moaned woozily, head on his new armored pillow as the world began rock back and forth once more.
Picking himself up with great exertion as Bumpy kept up her antics it wasn't long before the boy found himself practically laying ontop of the animal. A sad smile crossed his face, she just wanted to be near him, to cuddle, to not be alone. As much as she was his baby, he was her mom.
"It's going nnn-nnn to be alright." he whispered as the little animal seemed to settle down at his nearness.
The two lie together for several minutes, while the tangled web of the boy's mind began to work itself out. If she could trust him enough to follow him for as long as she had, to come back for him, and refuse to leave, maybe he could start trusting her too. Ben thought after a while. Forcing himself to his knees, hands held as tightly as he could onto the ankylosaurus' shoulders Ben ground his teeth together sharply.
"Ok Bumpy." he said with a newfound determination. "Let's go." Bumpy honked loudly with a zealous response.
Knees torn and scratched by rocks, roots, and twigs Ben refused to quit, slowly but surely chugging along, crawling with the help of Bumpy, who half dragged the occasionally mumbling boy behind her. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't much, but it was all they had, and the baby dinosaur seemed to know exactly where she was going.
After crawling for what felt like hours, breaking frequently to pant for air or lay down and recover from an intense bout of vertigo sweat pouring down his back the hapless survivor and his stalwart companion seemed to have finally reached at their destination. Pulling away from him Bumpy burst through a small cluster of ferns announcing their arrival boisterously. Edging up behind her the boy who was gradually beginning to precieve color again looked about with growing dismay at the ...more jungle, Bumpy had led him to.
Curling in a heap Ben willed away his agony, commanded the world to stop its constant motion, begged the unyielding ring in his ears to cease, and implored the clarity of sight to return to his gaze. More than all this however, he prayed for someone to find him.
Ben lay drifting on the verge of what might have been sleep, but he feared was something more sinister for several minutes until the noise Bumpy was making grew too loud to ignore. Nervously trying to hush her he watched the hazy turquoise and yellow ball of fury pacing about the clearing, bellowing angrily, her stub of a tail throwing dirt and debris through the air.
"Bumpy!" the snapped frantically. This was no time for her to be throwing a temper tantrum.
Ignoring him the ankylosaurus continued to grumble and pace. Whatever or whoever she had been looking for wasn't there anymore, and that fact had royally pissed her off.
"Bumpy, nnn please!" the boy whimpered craning to look at her. "Nnn-nnn." Begrudgingly the little animal picked her way back to Ben where she fell like a stone, a loud huff of disappointment leaving her as she snuggled closer. "It'll be alright." Ben tried to reassure her, his hand finding her back with some difficulty. He rubbed her bumby plates with affection.
Snuffing and snorting away in quiet contemplative unrest the little ankylosaurus perked up just as Ben was starting to consider giving into the voice in his head that begged for rest. Standing abruptly she jarred the boy who gave a start. Her nose pressed to the soil Bumpy began chirping, and gamboling about excitedly before returning to Ben. With a groan he understood what Bumpy wanted, she'd picked up the scent, and it was time to go. The ragdoll pulled, and flopped, and flailed until at last he was in position and they ruefully set off again.
It didn't seem long before the weary pair stopped so that it's leader could nose around the roots of a tree. Emitting a chorus of happy sounds Bumpy pushed something towards her mother for appraisal. Reaching Ben concentrated hard on his movements, though his efforts did little good. With jerking, uncomfortable tension his hands veered off course again and again until at last he snared his prize.
Bringing it close so that he could get a good look at it Ben saw in his hand a shoe. A red shoe. Then, his already obscured vision began to waver, and distort through the lense of welling tears. Before he knew it Ben was crying. Why was he crying? It was a shoe. What did that mean? Devastated Ben clutched the article to his chest and wailed loud and long. Everything hurt, but especially his heart and he didn't know why. All he did know was that this was a very, very important red shoe.
Bumpy seemed distressed by the boy's tears and gently nudged Ben trying to be of some solace to him. Hugging the footwear to him the camper tried to reign himself in, finding success only after several minutes. Pocketing the shoe, dreadfully unable to leave it behind, the two continued on their way into the unknown.
Pain.
Sharp and distinct, it was different from the dull perpetual ache that had invaded every inch of the boy's body. This was new, a stabbing anguish located in his right forearm.
Bumpy was howling urgently. More than the pain, this is what stirred Ben from the dark void that had gripped him once more, and seemed intent on claiming him as it's own. Bumpy needed him.
What was-? He wondered with confusion.
Opening his eyes Ben could just make out the tiny brown creatures that hopped viciously at the baby ankylosaurus, toe claws poised to blind. Bumpy roared swinging her stump of a tail with all her might against the tiny bird like creatures that piped and hissed with menace for such little things. Alarmed as he tried to sit, Ben managed to shake one free from his arm. Turning he saw the swarm biting and clawing at Bumpy aiming for her eyes, snagging bites from the thin tissue at the corners of her mouth, and the delicate space beneath her tail, anywhere vulnerable and unarmored.
They had been biting him, he thought staring down at the fresh leech like marks, tears, and gashes that dotted his arms, the pain in his face telling him that he had been unconscious for some time and they'd gotten him there as well. Slow to react as his mind made tenuous connections between what was happening, and what the outcome could be, his heart leapt into his throat when Bumpy let out a timorous cry. Scrabbling around in the leaf litter Ben thought to throw a rock, though his fingers refused to choose one.
Unable to close his digits properly Ben scooped his hand like a shovel. Using all his might he threw clumps of dirt and pebbles at the animals. Squawking and shrieking as he caught them off guard, they scuttled away, but not far. Though he couldn't quite discern them from among the roots and plant fibers unless they moved Ben could still hear them if only just as they bickered and complained obnoxiously to one another. He could just picture them fluffing and preening their smattering of feathers to be rid of the dirt.
What were those things? He wondered as Bumpy backed into him, rumbling angrily at the tiny monsters who had left them both bleeding and filled with dispair. It was rocks, the sling, not bow that had made all the difference in early warfare, he thought fleetingly before looking his girl over.
"Are you alright?" he croaked running a hand over the ankylosaurus who was trembling with a wounded melancholy all her own. "Thank you, nnn-nnn thank you for protecting me." he went on. "I promise to always protect you too." he vowed.
As if testing his resolve a small brown adversary rushed forward, it's mouth opened impossibly wide as it moved to attack. Swinging Ben missed, but the display was enough of a show of force to make the beast question it's methods as it hopped away lightly to join the others. Ben gave Bumpy another assessment, picking her over for injuries, holding his ragged button up against the missing hunk of flesh they had ripped and began eating out of her cheek. Bumpy whimpered pitifully into his chest.
"Come on Bumpy," he said staring hard and hatefully at the bounding little brown blurs. "We have to nnn-nnn have to nnn-nnn-nnn go." he says teeth grit, and tears in his eyes. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he fucking talk?
As the two set off again Ben could hear the little animals trailing just behind them. Turning enraged he hurled another load of dirt, leaves, and twigs at the animals which scurried away noisily. The act did not discourage them for long. They were still tracking the pair, waiting for their opportunity. Feeble and dazed Ben felt that they would have their chance too if he slipped back into the darkness.
Afraid, for as long as Ben could remember he had always been afraid. As they trekked slowly, methodically through the undergrowth he felt his body prickle with that ever constant fear, goosebumps lining his body as he fended off tears. Anticipating with horror least of all the worst from every situation it was hard to remember a time when he'd genuinely felt safe, or happy.
Then, with a rush of warm relief it came to him. Laughing through his pain it seemed so simple and so stupid that something like a television program could mean so much to him. It had been his sanctuary and refuge, nothing seemed able to get him in that place. Later he found that it was both a weapon and an armor ones he learned to carry with him at all times. A means to protect himself at his core when all other measures failed.
Voice trembling, spirits gradually lifting Ben in sheer spite of the little monsters that harried them began to sing. "Butterfly in-nnn-nnn the sky," he started in a lyrical whisper his voice growing in strength as he struggled to get the song that played so clearly in his mind to come out. "I can go twice as high! Take a look, nnn-nnn it's in a book, a Reading Rainbow! I can go anywhere!" he belted defiantly, before patting Bumpy with love at, "Friends to know, know, nnn-nnn know, and ways to grow. Reading Rainbow..."
The sun was high and hot by the time they broke free of the treeline. The lush green grass a much needed respite for Ben's worn and bloody knees. Then he felt the splash of water. Nearly weeping for joy Ben fell to the ground sucking up as much of the life giving liquid as he could, as Bumpy lapped at the puddle beside him. It took all of his resolve to drink, and keep the water down, frantically pushing aside his knowledge of microbes, and what risks they, and potential parasites posed. He was hot, thirsty, and dehydrated, beggers couldn't be choosers, and they couldn't stay long, not with the chirping company that had followed them.
After they'd had their fill a jittery limbed Ben did the best he could with the puddle and uncooperative hands to bathe himself, cleaning away as much of the filth as he could, skin raw and irritated from prolonged contact with his waste. Feeling better, and slightly more refreshed, and alive when he had finished the boy ignored the threatening calls that sounded out around him as he and his dinosaur set out again. As they plodded along however, Ben quickly found himself growing apprehensive of the large shifting mass Bumpy seemed to be making a break for. Swallowing hard, he put all his faith in the tiny animal, and quite literally followed her lead.
Honking and hooting when they arrived Bumpy seemed to know exactly was she was doing as she approached what he could now make out as a herd primarily composed of stegosaurus. The lumbering animals turned to look at the odd couple with measured interest until a large dusky hued specimen pushed it's way through the crowd. Ben felt as though he was going to lose all of his water when the thing bellowed at them. Desperately Bumpy called back.
The two seemed to argue for a minute, chuffing and chortling coming from the bystanders of the herd who seemed to give their input on the situation. Were they really communicating? The boy wondered, or was he imagining it? He did hit his head pretty hard, but they seemed to come to some sort of accord as the humongous animal craned it's comparatively small head around sniffing the boy inquisitively. Tumbling him and rolling him through the grass as she tried to take in his scent Ben realized just how easily it would be for her to kill him.
"Easy there your majesty!" he whimpered with fleeting concentration, made unrelentingly dizzy as she manhandled him.
With a snot filled snort of satisfaction the queen seemed to approve as she merged back into the herd. Clearly proud of herself Bumpy trumpeted as she helped Ben to her. Carefully to two made their way to the center of the graciously slow moving herd. There, at the heart they found themselves surrounded by dozens of miniature replicas of the adults who had welcomed them in, and and odd, seemingly misplaced menagerie creatures, who like the wayfairing travelers seemed to appreciate that safety traveling in a herd seemed to offer.
A low baritonous rumble pulled Ben into wakefulness. It wasn't good that he kept doing that, he thought heart racing arrhythmically. Leaning close to his face, the gray, worn visage of an elderly stegosaurus peered at the boy with concern, Bumpy nudging him on the other side. Between to two of them Ben finally managed to get up, this time, to his feet, leaning heavily against the side of the massive animal who didn't seem to mind.
Staggering as the three of them seemed to have been left, somewhat behind they worked hard to catch up with the others. Ben jelly kneed felt as though he were auditioning for the Ministry of Silly Walks as his legs jumped and jittered as they pleased without the proper means of locomotion.
"Nnn-nnn, nnn-nnn, thanks for waiting with us, Granny." the boy muttered into the thickly scaled hide of the elderly girl. "I take it Queenie doesn't wait for stragglers. I can't nnn-nnn exactly blame her." he went on as she grumbled as though in response.
Granny who seemed to sense their dire circumstances stuck by the duet like glue, making them a trio of misfits and hazbins pulling through for one another until evening. Then as the sunset Bumpy knowledgeably blazed a trail to center mass once more. There amid the rabblerousing, shin-poking, squawking babies of the herd did they settle down for sleep. Curling into the uncomfortably hard, but very warm throng of bodies Ben felt himself dozing until a little steg began to nose him curiously.
"Go away." he mumbled sleepily. Bleating noisily the little thing just didn't give up bounding away with playful excitement when the alien creature that was Ben sat up to look at it. "I'm tired and I don't want to, to play!" he moaned blearily to it as it pawed the ground and swung it's tail. Even Bumpy announced her displeasure with a irritated chuff.
Oblivious to the hints the steg rushed towards Ben again nudging him in an attempt to initiate some sort of game. "No!" he practically wept. "Quit being so rowdy-" he said then, smiling as a thought struck him. "Quit being nnn-nnn so rowdy, Rowdy!" he said dubbing the animal so.
It was only after much grumbling and complaining from the adult members of the herd, that finally peace fell among the youngsters and Ben drifted off to sleep.
Waking with a start, the fresh morning sun assaulting his eyes and renewing the ringing in his ears Ben woke to what sounded like conflict. Heart racing as Bumpy, Rowdy, and the other baby stegs clamoured over him painfully Ben sat up and tried to make sense of what was happening. The adults were angry, roaring loudly at something, something that called back with just as much indignation. Flooded with trepidation, using the sides of his reluctant guardians for support Ben edged through the crowds until, dimly, he could just make out Queenie standing off against a large blue-gray mass backed by a wall and similarly hued bodies.
They argued and called for several minutes, sizing one another up, circling, Queenie's tail thrashed with menace, without ever being fully engaged against the outsider.
"What's going on-nnn?" Ben asked Bumpy who found her way towards him.
Bumpy and a few adults seemed to rumble in response, making the boy doubt his own sanity. It wasn't really a response, and allowing himself to believe anything else was dangerous, Ben thought rationally. He'd hit his head very, very hard. He didn't really understand dinosaurs as much as he liked to pretend and project onto Bumpy, and they didn't understand him, and he should probably stop talking to them and acting as though he did. But, despite these facts he did get the distinct impression that there was some sort of challenge taking place.
At last a victor seemed to be decided, but to his surprise instead of going their separate ways, the blue-gray herd slowly began filling ranks within the file of stegosaurus. That was when Ben got his first clear look at her. Her left horn broken from recent battle, blood dripping into her eye and down the side of her face marking her like warpaint, the boy could think of no better name for the formidable leader of the triceratops clan than Bertha.
Nomadic and in search of a refuge and territory of their own the now blended herd ambled on, picking up, to Queenie's apparent chagrin more strays as they went.
By midmorning they had stopped for a break, and with little other recourse Ben began plucking blades of grass stuffing them into his mouth. He was starving, and so thirsty that the sharp tasting liquid chlorophyl that beaded along the severed ends of the moist plants was practically a godsend. Chewing a wad of the fibrous plants like gum Ben produced the shoe, staring hard at it, as though it could provide him answers. When he found none Ben hugged it laying back, wondering if this was his life now, and how long he could survive like this before eventually his body gave out.
It took nearly the entire hour or more they hung around to mindlessly grind enough plant matter down for the boy to feel, mostly full. He utilized the last few minutes of the break for a quick nap, ignoring the way his stomach protested and rumbled.
At midday however, they had reached nirvana. Joining Bumpy and the other youngsters of the herd Ben eagerly submerged himself into the cold clear water of the lake, gulping greedily at it's refreshing waves. Laughing and splashing with his newfound friends as the hazy, lumbering giants that were brachiosaurus ambled around them with earth shaking, good humored trumpets.
Ben didn't care what cocktail of biological hazards and pathogens he was wading in, it felt good as he splashed and played around making waves that crashed over an angrily honking Rowdy, and Bumpy who used their weaponized tails to try and get him back.
After a while though, Ben began to feel weak, and light-headed, his mirth ebbing away the boy slunk to the shoreline where he lay exhausted. Feeling something running down the back of his head he touched it, pulling his hand away to reveal a bright red stain. He was bleeding, he thought blinking at the worrying sight. He was stupid, he should have known better, but it just felt so nice, and for a minute he'd forgotten to be afraid.
Maybe he could stay here? he pondered. Near the lake so that he was sure to always have clean water to drink. Maybe something grew around here that was more substantial than grass? he thought optimistically. Yeah, that would be nice, wild tubers, mushrooms, or something, he thought sure he could identify whatever he uprooted. Trying to envision what it would be like, a little hut, just him and Bumpy on the lake, it seemed next to perfect.
It was as he daydreamed wistfully that a roar tore through the air. In an instant everything was chaos, everything was terror. Lurching with the others Ben raced towards the herd Bumpy pushing and shoving with a reckless abandon when he fell. Standing only to fall again as war-cries sounded out around him Ben resigned himself once more to death. He was only sorry to be taking his little girl with him.
Snorting with command her tail kicking dust before the boy Granny bellowed at him to rise. Finding his feet he leaned on her, tripping, a hand found one of her neck sails clinging to it for dear life. In the turmoil large bodies slammed together, Ben struggled to keep pace. Granny and Bumpy wailed when his legs gave out again. Turning her beak snagging Ben painfully by the arm the venerable stegosaurus hefted the human child into the air and ran.
Screaming at the permeating ache of being held aloft by the elbow Ben didn't fight it, as with a gruesome cacophony dying could be heard coming from behind them.
Evening fell with muted shadows, the herd clustering together in mourning. Ben nursing new bangs and bruises claimed his position in the heap of hatchlings where he had been appointed to stay by alert and irritable adults. Relieved that his makeshift family had made it out mostly unscathed Ben took stock of the members he held dear.
Bumpy, his baby, nuzzled down close was already fast asleep wornout from her heroics over the past couple of days. Rowdy, Husky the triceratops, and Twiggy the gangly little whatever it was were nearby. Twiggy bobbing their head nervously as they settled down. Assured that Granny wasn't too far from his side even as he could no longer make her out in the twilight Ben felt contented, knowing too that Queenie and Bertha kept a watchful eye over their wards.
No, the boy thought then as he closed his eyes and began to drift off to much needed sleep. He couldn't leave them, wouldn't leave them. Going it alone was stupid and reckless. It was safer with the herd. He would stay with the herd.
Notes:
Ben's alive!
Lol you can thank my being sick and sitting out the 4th of July festivities for bringing this chapter to you so quickly! Lol the fireworks hurt my head! 😢
So, what's up with Ben? Brain trauma. He has a severe concussion, possibly a skull fracture, but definitely some soft tissue damage particularly to the occipital lobe which is the "sight" part of the brain, and the cerebellum which while not entirely responsible for movement does regulate, control, and refine movement. These are both located at the back of the head which he impacted when the pteranodon that tore him from the monorail dropped him after being attacked by dimorphodons trying to steal it's catch. And the Broca's area responsible for speech, this wasn't damaged directly from the impact, but the resulting swelling that caused the brain tissue to pull apart similar to what happens in shaken baby syndrome. 😢
Ben's sight, fine and gross motor skills, memory, ability to feel/process emotions, think clearly, translate his thoughts into speech, and much else are suffering as a result. He also has several cuts, bites, bruises, tinnitus, and thanks to Granny possibly "nursemaids elbow." But he also has a newfound family and a chance to survive. :)
What were those little birdlike dinosaurs anyways?Shuvuuia deserti, small therapods who could open their top jaws independently of both their lower jaws and skull. It's called cranial kinesis, pretty cool, but scary.
https://youtu.be/8GpvWASt3hY
What's Twiggy? A baby gallimimus! 💖
Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it! 💓
Chapter 26: Life-Line
Notes:
Trigger Warning: Death vividly.
If this is one of your triggers please email me at [email protected] and I will send you an edited version of this chapter without the passages that could be triggering or harmful to your mental health so that you can still enjoy the story without having to suffer to do so.
Love y'all! -ENBYsaurus RAWR!!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
-CCF Day Two-
Guilt.
Standing on the balcony staring out at the vast empty expanse of glass and steel spires that stretched away towards the horizon all Darius could feel was guilt.
Brows knit as he watched the empty city below the boy found that he could not quite name why. Then, turning back towards the room he remembered. Breathing labored, eyes gently closed his dad lay in the hospital bed, surrounded by cold, sterile equipment that seemed to herald the end. Darius looked down at his hands, they were trembling. Clenching them into tight fists the boy stuffed them into his pockets before forcing a smile and walking into that damned and dispairing room.
"Hey dad!" he smiled crookedly, rocking from heel to toe and back again at the side of the bed.
"H-hey kiddo!" the man beamed, as he looked about blearily. He was tired, so tired lately. He shouldn't stay too long, Darius thought though it pained him. He didn't want to waste a single minute of whatever time they had left, but his dad really, really needed to sleep.
"How've you been? How's school? Tell your old man everything!" his father said patting the space beside him with warm invitation.
Settling onto the too firm mattress the boy swung his feet in the air for a few minutes trying to think of something to tell him. School had changed a lot since his dad had gotten sick, it was a foreign beast now. Everyone whispered behind Darius' back friends and teachers included, his recent breakdown in math class the other day doing little to help his growing social ostracization.
He hadn't even been thinking about his dad, or been particularly overwhelmed in that moment, but it happened, without warning. He had just started crying and couldn't name why or make himself stop. It was the school guidance counselor who suggested it was due to his dad's cancer on a subconscious level. At those words the boy had begun to cry even harder.
He was wailing and begging them not to call his mom when Brand, who'd caught word of the situation stormed through the door Mrs. Lee chasing him in from the office. His big brother's arm looped over his shoulder the two walked out for the day. No one made note of it on their records. And no one told their mother.
"It's you know, whatever." Darius shrugged. "Just school..."
"Uh-huh?" his dad mused with a raised brow before repeating, "'Just whatever...'"
"Yep." Darius shrugged.
"So, what have you been learning?" the man pried, poking Darius in the side with a finger.
The boy moved away from the sharp pressure in his side, angry with himself for finding it so irritating. His dad was sick, he shouldn't be mad at him, not for anything. "History, math, how to take tests and not make the school look bad and lose state funding." he shrugged with a sarcastic smile. "Like I said, whatever, business as usual."
"I see." the man nodded. "Do you know what the most important thing that I learned when I was your age?"
"What?" Darius asked turning towards him, struck suddenly with deja vu. Wait a minute, he remembered this conversation, he knew how it was going to go.
"The prefect technique for asking out a girl!" his dad said jabbing him and egging him on, hoping to embarrass him.
The boy didn't squirm, didn't fight it, or blush, or tell his dad to stop. Instead he stared at the man, feeling removed from the scene. Knowing what he was going to do next, remembering it simultaneously as it occurred. Next his dad was going to ask, 'Come on there has to be some pretty girl out there who's caught your eye, what's her name?'
"Come on," the man laughed. "There has to be some pretty girl out there who's caught your eye, what's her name?"
This was where Darius jumped up, offended. They would to go back and forth about it for a few minutes before he admitted to thinking Kimberly B. in his writing class was pretty cute. Then he was going to ask his dad for that perfect technique of his. His dad would then go on to describe sitting down next to the girl you like, sliding over, taking her hand and purring, "Hey baby!"
Darius would then cackle with laughter a deep blush rising in his cheeks as he envisioned doing just that with Kimberly B. He was supposed to do all that, supposed to say those things, he was supposed to, but he didn't.
"Darius," his dad said gaze softening. "Son. What's wrong?"
Vision wavering with tears the boy didn't even know where to start, or how to begin. "I don't know dad." he rasped. "I- I've been messing up a lot lately. I've let a lot people down. People got hurt, dad they-"
In a flash Jayson hit the ground feet first, legs crumpling like a pair of accordions, the exposed area beneath his khaki shorts a red pulpy mass of ruined flesh and bone.
Letting out a cry Darius scurried away from the bed, retreating from his dad who reached for and called after him with concern. Eyes wide, heart pounding Darius turned this way and that, looking around in terror to find that he still stood exactly where he had been. In the hospital. Letting out a pent breath, the boy covered his face in his hands, trembling as he tried to make sense of what happened.
Something was wrong. His fingers, felt- pulling them away he saw the sticky clumps of skin that had gathered beneath his nails, hands red with blood.
Suddenly every muscle in his body ached with strain, left shoulder on fire, teeth gritting, his molars squeaking together painfully as he lay stretched across the floor of the monorail. Then he felt it, his nails biting into the flesh of Ben's forearm. Stomach knotting Darius recoiled in fear and disgust. It was only a half a second's worth of hesitation before he tried to reaffirm his hold on Ben's arm, but that half a second was just enough time for the boy to slip between his fingers. Ben fell, fading into the night.
"No!" Darius gasped closing his eyes against the sight as he backed into a wall. "No, no, no!!!!"
Darius striking his head into the mutely decorated interior as he cursed himself and tried desperately to drive the horrific visions away, a slew of swear words hissing out between his teeth. Breathe, he told himself, just breathe. He could hardly make out his dad calling his name over the rushing blood in his ears now. Nothing had changed, the room was just as it had been seconds before, only now his dad was sitting up, pale with worry.
"Darius, what's going on?" he asked.
"I don't, I don't know- dad- I-" Darius stammered.
Then it happened.
Yellow on blue. Eyes darting feverishly around the room in a flash of yellow on blue he saw her, the woman with the baby standing on the balcony. She was swaying there, on the edge, not far from his reach. The boy held out a hand racing to catch her, then, without warning she tipped forward, falling- screaming.
His breath is stealing out of his lungs Darius found himself unable to speak to express his pain to his father who reached out towards him, eyes wide and worried. "Come here, come here!" The man commanded, his brows knit, IVs dangling from the arms he motioned his son over with.
"Dad!" the boy sobbed running to the bed and burying his face into the man's chest his hands gripping his hospital gown tightly. "I don't- I don't know what happened! I don't- dad I'm scared! I'm scared! Help me! Please help me! Dad-?"
Darius confused and worried when the man didn't reply sat up, brown eyes searching. A jolt of fear shocked through his body as he staggered back staring at an empty bed, the sheets long cold. That's right, he remembered a chill sweeping through his figure... dad's dead.
Swallowed by consuming darkness Darius found himself wandering blindly, hands outstretched in front of him. He screamed and raved into the pitch. His vocal cords stretched painfully, the muscles in his throat cramping and spasming with effort. Yet he made not a sound. His voice gone, swept up into the void that consumed all light, all hope, all distance as he made no progress in spite of how his legs pumped. He couldn't breathe. The nothing-ness consumed everything...
After what felt like years Darius spoted a distant light and poured his heart and soul into reaching it. As he got nearer and nearer he could make out the bright familiar pink of the back of Brooklynn's head. Throwing his arms around the girl when at last he reached her Darius panted for breath, his nose crushed painfully tight against the back of her neck, his knees wobbling threatened to give way beneath him.
"Brooklynn, oh thank God Brooklynn, I found you!" the boy cried into the girl's hoodie. "I found you! I'm so scared! I'm so, so scared! I was alone! What's going on? Brooklynn? Brooklynn?" he asked relief short lived as she turned towards him.
Her face hard set Brooklynn's arms were folded tight across her chest, expression hating as she stared at the boy, wrath emanating from her. "Brooklynn?" he asked again perplexed at the anger she seemed to direct towards him.
"So, which one of us is next?" she asked shifting her weight from one foot to the other, the green of her eyes somehow alive and growing with the wilds of the jungle.
"What I-" lanced with fright, Darius was caught off guard and off balance by the strong pair of hands that shoved him from behind.
"Yeah," Kenji said, a cavernous hole cleaved into his chest, as he circled him. "Who are you killing this time?"
"I didn't- what? No it was an accident!" Darius pleaded hoping to prove his innocence as he held up startlingly blood stained hands in a placating manner, trying to beg their forgiveness.
"It's me isn't it?" Yaz snaps appearing on his left, pushing him hard as she balanced on one worn appendage blood pouring from the stump where her other leg used to be. "Bummed leg, perfect distraction next time Toro's on our tails! Admit it, you've thought it before!"
"Is it me?" Sammy spits venomously from behind a veil of tears. "For all the lies?"
"Why Ben, Darius?" Kenji asks shoving him again.
"Yeah, what'd he ever do to you?" Brooklynn adds as they form a circle around him, pushing, shoving, and hitting him.
"Who's next? Who's next? Who's next?" They all chant growing more and more angry and violent with each passing second.
Darius, heart hammering tries to protect his head, letting out a shout when somehow he breaks free, stumbling away from the others he looks back to see them watching him go. Heartbroken, and afraid he knows he can't stay and has to get away from them, that was when he turned and saw his dad. Overjoyed at the bittersweet sight he walks towards the man who seems to be looking down at something.
"Dad?" the boy asks with a nervous waver to his voice.
"Darius," the man says turning with grief in his gaze. "What have you done?"
Alarm bells sounding in his head every fiber of Darius' being screaming for him not to look. He found himself moving towards the edge of the darkness anyway. Peering down, overwhelmed with fear a tangible force that looped about his neck like a noose he sees three damning red stains far below.
"Dad no! It wasn't my fault! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" he laments grabbing onto his father's hand.
"I thought I raised you better than this!" the man wept, yanking out of his son's grip. "I'm so disappointed in you!"
"Who's next?" the others ask approaching him with slow menace. "Who's next? Who's next?"
Waking with a start, body covering in cold sweat, there's a dull thud, vision flaring, ears ringing Darius rolls out from the bottom bunk and onto the floor after hitting his head soundly. Gulping air in tight shallow waves he looks out into the main bedroom of the hotel room and at the others, draped in the gentle glow of early morning light. Tears rolling down his cheeks in desperation not to wake them the boy scrambled back until he hit his head on something small and round. It rattled.
Recognizing the doorknob of a closet Darius opens it, backing himself into the small confining space, shutting the door behind him as he frantically rips down what clothes had been left behind. Burying himself in the fabric the boy holds it over his mouth, using the cloth to muffle his screams as he lets them out again, and again, and again. The last few moments of the nightmare trickled into the forefront on his mind as he bawled into the abandoned apparel.
He hadn't been pushed over the edge, he'd jumped...
Unaware of how long he'd spent screaming in the dark Darius emerged with a sore throat to the golden light of mid-morning, eyes swollen, and more tired than he had been the night before. Tip-toeing into the bathroom he splashed some cool water onto his face, trying to wash away the haunting dream, that plagued him, though the guilt, and shame remained. Watching his friends sleep, and breathe for several minutes to assure himself that they were all alive and well the young man felt a swell of determination to do everything in his power to see them all home.
Swiping the master key card from the dresser beneath the television he was ready to put the first and so far only stage of his plan into again: food and clothes.
Giving the door a firm rattle behind him to ensure that the other campers were secured, Darius moved on to the next room. Starting out easy he began searching through the mini fridge for anything worth while. A half eaten cheese burger, some fries, and an extremely wilted side salad, score! The next few rooms he conducted the same type of survey, hit or miss, something good, like a bowl of penne pasta in one or absolute squat in another. Gathering these scavenged leftovers together he assembled them by the door of 608.
After Darius had aquired what he felt like was a decent enough haul came the hard part. Hands still shaking from lingering anxiety caused by the nightmare the boy started nosing around through dresser drawers, and suitcases, looking for something that each of them could change into. Holding up a pink tee with the Eiffel Tower on it, the boy couldn't fight the feeling that what he was doing was disgusting, and perverse in a way. These weren't his things, they belonged to other people, some of those people might even be dead by now and here Darius was critiquing their fashion choices and comparing them to what he knew of his friends. It was with no other words to describe it: wrong.
He leapt up suddenly, startled and embrassed by a pair of lacey red panties and an adult toy which fell out of a bundle of clothes onto the floor. Red faced and ashamed Darius mentally declared room 611 a failure, afraid to search it any further. Turning to leave he caught sight of the digital clock nestled on the nightstand between the beds.
9:37am July 30th, 2015, the fancy piece of tech displayed.
Oh, the boy thought sinking to ground near the door. Today was his birthday. He gave a sorrowful thought for home, his mom, Brand... What must they be going through right now? he wondered, bitterly imagining them garbed in black, ashen faced and weeping as they had been at dad's funeral, before imaging what he would be doing with them right now; plunging face first into some cake, Brand's hand at the back of his head. He hated it when his older brother shoved him into the cake though he'd never admitted it before, but letting out a sob he would have given the world to experience that embarrassment again, mom snapping the yearly "got ya," pic. It would be the first year without dad too... he grieved. Was he ever going to see them again? Staying there for a moment, head in his hands Darius let the moment pass.
Shoving his emotions down with defiance, he ignored the swelling hurricane within his chest, stood up, and carried on with his task. The others were depending on him, and he couldn't let them down.
Back in the room Darius quietly set out the pilfered clothes in several sets, there was plenty to choose from, including several pairs of loose baggy pants he felt Yasmina would be more comfortable trying to wear after she had fussed with red faced embarrassment to hide her underwear between all of the tears last night. After finalizing the arrangement, the boy retrieved the styrofoam and plastic containers marked with the names and emblems from various eateries from around the park and began popping them one at a time into the microwave.
It was as he nuked the third portion that the others began to stir, with moans and groans of various stages of wakefulness and discomfort.
"Is that- pizza?" Brooklynn mumbled into the blankets before sitting up. Her hands held out in front of her she looked like a mad scientist's experiment rising from the slab. The swelling in her forearms had gone down considerably overnight, but the girl still moved as though she was still in an astonishing amount of pain.
"No, sorry." Darius shook his head. " I can go take another look, but it's just pasta."
"I love pasta." she grumbled getting up and making her way past him to the bathroom.
Yasmina was the next to make her consciousness known, snapping up stiff and rigid she gripped the area above her knee, teeth clenched she let out a breath that reminded Darius of women in movies when they had babies. How could he have been so fucking stupid? he cursed himself. He should have looked for pain meds or something!
"I'll be right back!" he announced racing out of the room.
Crashing through the other abandoned spaces, practically ripping down medicine cabinets hidden so cleverly behind bathroom mirrors he tried to find something, anything that could be of use. After some trial and error he scrambled back to their room with several bottles of over the counter pain relievers, an antibiotic, and a bottle of oxycodone.
Glancing around 608 he saw that the others had already started moving on without him. Stung, and wishing there was more he could do to help he announced his findings while Sammy who was already wearing a new pair of baggy pants, her jeans discarded on the floor in the hallway was busy unraveling the cursing mummy that was Kenji.
"We shouldn't of let you sleep like this-" she was muttering half to herself, half to Kenji as she worked to unbind his chest. "We're going to give you pneumonia or something! Trans boy 101."
"And why do you know about trans boy 101?" Brooklynn scoffed made irritable by their situation as she resumed reheating duties at the microwave.
"Screw you Brooklynn nobody ever asks why you know half the shit you do!" Yaz shouted from the other side of the bed in anger before turning to Darius with a harsh gleam in her eye. "Are you gonna give me the drugs or what?" she yelled, snapping Darius who was watching their tense goings-on in a half aware, trance like state. It felt almost like watching a movie, a horrific, post-apocalyptic movie.
"Uh, yeah, sorry!" the boy nodded, quickly eyeing the dosage instructions for the oxy to be sure he wasn't going to give her too much by mistake. Rushing around the foot of the bed he doled out one round white pill. "I'll get you some-" He had been going to say 'water,' when through her hurt and her tears Yasmina dry swallowed the medication.
Their eyes met briefly, and from here Darius could see how much agony the girl was really in, and just how hard she was trying not to cry. Reaching down he gripped Yasmina's shoulder tightly with reassurance as Sammy worked on her bedmate on the other side.
"You ok?" Brooklynn asked shuffling over.
"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine." Darius nodded trying to break free of the pervasive thoughts that clouded his mind.
She seemed to size him up for a minute before going on, "Can I get some of that?"
Darius hesitated, before moving to open the prescription bottle again when the girl shook her head. "The ibuprofen, I don't want to use up all of the strong stuff in case we need it."
"We're gonna need it!" Kenji interjected, white knuckling the sheets beside them. They both seemed to consider helping but Sammy gave a brisk shake of her head, having noticed the way they looked at her patient.
"Here." Darius smiled sadly dumping a pair of red pills into the girl's palm, tapping the bottle until a third tumbled out to join it's siblings. Her hands beginning to inflate from use looked really painful again, Darius thought.
"Thanks." she said popping them and getting back to work.
A short while later, everyone was medicated, and the food divided equally, campers picking and choosing their favorites from an array of choices and combinations. With the promise that while they still had power in this part of the park they would have more quick meals over the next few days appealing the kids ate in relative, but appreciative silence before moving off to take showers and change.
Trying to forget the abrasive manner in which Kenji had refused to bathe altogether, but especially if it meant accepting Darius' help to accomplish the task, the now sixteen year old tipped his head back into the spray relishing the hot water seeping into his every pour. As he worked his finger tips through his dense curls, allowing the water to wash away tension and dirt alike Darius tried to let himself relax even as he wondered how the girls were managing with Yasmina in the other bathroom. He really hoped the meds were working as well as she assured them they were, but couldn't help worrying that she might hurt herself even worse because of them.
Trying to set all of that aside the young man willed himself to relax and stop thinking. A few moments later his valiant efforts put aside he was trying to formulate a plan. They had to contact the wide world beyond Isla Nublar, let someone out there know they had been left behind. That was priority number one. Priority two was defense and with a kitchen fully stocked and loaded with all sorts of cutlery several floors below them it didn't seem too daunting a task. Then they had to secure an established source of food while they waited.
Contact, he thought then his mind circling back to the task at hand, establishing a connection. The park's central control probably had working lines, if they could make it. Then it would just be a waiting game until rescue arrived. He felt fairly certain that they had chosen a secure place to fortify, but would it be one easily spotted from the air when rescue did arrive?
Darius wasn't sure how difficult a task all this would be, or where exactly to go from there, but for the time being he told himself as insecurities began to surface, at least, they had food, water, and shelter. Not bad for six- five... Not bad for five kids left behind on killer dinosaur island... the train of thought squeezed his heart too tight, a flare of color flashing before his gaze, head beginning to pound. Crouching onto the tile flooring Darius allowed himself to cry, trying to be quiet as he did...
Mopping his face with a towel, fresh clothes clinging to his less than adequately dried stick of a figure he exited the steam fill bathroom. Taking in the room at a glance Darius saw the others fresh, clean, and in brighter spirits than they had been before, except for Kenji. Still, no one really spoke, the spector of death looming over them there was only so much smalltalk one could make. Instead they sat around the room staring at the television Sammy was trying to get working again. Something must have happened to the dish, Darius thought, as she fiddled with it.
Sitting on the edge of the bed nearest the door the boy sighed, trying to figure out how to voice his plan of going to central control when Brooklynn, her hair piled atop her head in a towel broke the silence.
"We gotta find some way to get a call out to the mainland or something." she said, palms slapping flat against her thighs with exasperation.
"No shit!" Kenji barked.
Unease fell over the room as each child found a spot on the carpet or ceiling to study with intent. It was as he was staring at the dresser across from him that Darius could see the pink haired girl clenching and curling her bare toes nervously from the corner of his eye. Brooklynn had an idea, but she didn't want to say what she was thinking, he surmised, taking note of how she chewed her bottom lip. Watching her closely Darius tried to deduce the secrets she was keeping inside, gently nudging her with an elbow when at last he was resigned to the fact that he had failed to piece together the puzzle.
"All I'm saying is I would never be caught dead without my-" Brooklynn's whispered words stopped short, tears stinging her eyes as what was once an innocent phrase they'd all uttered time to time took on a more real, and sinister meaning.
Darius' heart leapt into his throat when he realized what she had been trying to say. Eyes closed he took a steadying breath, his hand finding hers, fingers interweaving he said it for her. "Guys," he started meekly. "Someone down there has to have a cellphone on them... I think we should try and... find one..."
"That's, actually, not a bad idea..." Sammy muttered, falling back onto the bed by Kenji's feet the girl hugged herself at the grim thought.
Kenji himself gagged in shock and disgust, "You want us to dig through the pockets of dead people?" he called out distastefully. "That's so fucked up!"
"No," Yaz croaked, pushing herself up on her elbows to look over him to Darius. "They're right, but I don't think either one of us-"
The kids turned to one another, a haunting expression passing between them as they let the idea hang in the air.
Jaw set Darius compared this new concept to the one he had devised in the shower. Each plan had its own merits and drawbacks. Central control was quite a ways from where they had established their base of operations, it was bound to have more supplies, and with it's tracking systems and communication network would make for a surefire way to be visible and have a direct and reliable line to any rescuers who came looking for them. But, getting everyone there safely was a gamble, as was the possibility of central control having power with which to operate, let alone place a call. How crippling would it be to drag everyone all that way to have nothing to show for it?
Brooklynn's idea - a quiver ran through the boy and contracted his gut. It was easier to implement, didn't require the whole party to stick together, and had more odds at success. With roughly one cell per person down there they were bound to find one in working condition, and while he wasn't entirely sure how relay towers worked Darius knew the satellites were still up there so they'd be able to get a signal somehow, wouldn't they? It was just a matter of acquiring a phone...
"I think we have to try it." he muttered.
"Ok." Sammy nodded, getting to her feet after a while. "We can do this, and the longer we wait, the more nerve we're gonna lose."
"Yep." Darius agreed, fists clenched tight, he didn't want to do this. "First I think we should probably gear up though."
Sammy silently concurred.
The nervous pair ambled towards the door, no one was quite sure what to say in a situation like this, not one of those staying behind envied the two and their harrowing task. Sliding off the edge of her bed Brooklynn, as though having second thoughts fell in line behind Sammy.
"Where do you think you're going?" Yasmina called to her, making the others turn to stare at the girl who's arms were folded loosely across her abdomen.
"To go help..." she shrugged trying to play their circumstances off.
"And what exactly do you think you're going to accomplish?" the runner snarked.
"I don't know." Brooklynn confessed her brows coming together. "I just- I know I can't do much, but I can be a lookout or something. I just- it was my-"
"No, it's ok, it was my idea." Darius cuts in, making his way to the girl he gives a wavering smile. "But I know I'd feel better with someone watching my back, that's for sure."
"Me too." Sammy chipped in with her signature enthusiasm, though it was tainted by the task they had to undertake.
The only one who didn't seem to have come to the same accord was Yasmina, still half sitting in bed she glowered at the others, eyes narrowed. The trio shrunk beneath her withering expression before the girl fell back onto the pillows with a sigh of futility. "I should be going with you guys." she muttered to the ceiling, adding instructions of, "Just- be careful alright." a few minutes later.
"We will be." Darius promised.
Stepping out of main lobby, armed with knives from the kitchen the children felt more capable of taking on close to whatever the world had to throw at them. Sweat pooling under his arms and trickling down his back, butcher knife held aloft Darius led the way, Brooklynn her head pivoting this way and that for signs of danger, wrists braced stationary from the front desk in the middle, while Sammy brought up the rear.
Together they tiptoed and picked their way down the little avenue the Pre-Historic Plaza was located on, heading towards the heart of the park where they had seen most of the carnage littering the ground. The world was silent, eerily so, as they walked on a razor's edge ears burning for want of sound.
"It's really, really quiet." Sammy observed apprehensively after a while. When she received only nods of agreement the girl pressed on. Darius could hear the cold, trepidation filled tang in her voice as she asked, "Is that a good sign, or a bad one?"
"All I'm saying is, shouldn't we hear birds or something?" the cowgirl rambled on when no one replied. "You know back home when it gets this quiet it's because-"
"Sammy!" Brooklynn whisper-shouted over her shoulder. Darius turned to watch the exchange, his mouth dry with anxiety. "We're all scared, but if we're the only things out here making any noise that means everything else that's out here that's not is going to hear us!"
"I-I'm sorry, I was just-" Sammy stammered.
"It's ok," Darius smiled. "I'm a nervous talker too, it's just-" he paused motioning with his weapon to the environment they found themselves in. "Eh!" he said scrunching his face to emphasize his point. Letting out a taught giggle Sammy gave a sharp nod.
After they had walked in the unnatural hush for a long while the children found their first sign of life, a little Compy that shrilled at the campers angrily as they approached. Sparing the animal only a passing glace the trio huddled together tightly, their backs pressed close together as they circled fearfully.
"You think Indominous did this?" Brooklynn asked, surveying the rubble of a half dozen destroyed shops and buildings they would have passed through the day before had they continued towards The Grand.
"More important than that, do y'all think he's still around?" Sammy added as they huddled behind the dusty remains of brick, wood, and drywall that used to be a little cafe, much to the diminutive dinosaur's annoyance.
"Could explain why it's so quiet." Darius reasoned out loud. "Apex predator hanging about, everyone else to afraid to challenge them? Or be seen as prey?"
Dismissing the tiny green therapod who seemed determined to claim the debris as her own, the kids peered over the heap, staring hard towards the heart of the park. Amidst all of the ruin and devastation that was the toppled empire of Jurassic World, they could see what they had ventured out into the unknown for, bodies. His stomach knotted sharply Darius felt himself beginning to tremble. If digging through people's clothes made him feel dirty- he shuddered ducking down again, eyes closed tightly against the dreadful sight.
He couldn't do this, he just couldn't- fingers laced together with his free hand, he turned to see Brooklynn watching him. Darius had no smile to offer her, not in that moment as Sammy buried her face into his right shoulder. Swallowing hard past the lump in his throat the boy condemned himself for being so selfish, not one of them was looking forward to what came next, how could he have neglected that turth? Besides, it was his job to make sure they were all alright, his job to insure that they all got home, that no one, no one else died.
How could he have forgotten that? Darius wondered hatefully of himself.
Clinging tightly to one another the children hesitated, weeping silently for the dead, and themselves, with what they were about to do. Standing the girls cloying at him, clutching at his new oversized shirt they beckoned Darius to sit back down. But, like Sammy had pointed out back in the room, he thought ruefully, there was no sense in delaying the inevitable.
"It's ok," he rasped pulling free. "I'd got this. Just watch my back..."
Neither one argued as they trailed the boy, sticking close together.
Heart hammering Darius struggled against a wave of vertigo, head swimming. Everything within him screamed for him to turn tail and run. This was death, up close, raw. Not the fleeting ghost of life transversing the veil, this was the reality of what was left behind. His strides growing shorter, less sure as he approached the nearest body Darius found his airway caught, unable to breathe in or out as he walked nearer to the greyish, bloated corpse of a heavy set man in khaki shorts and a tattered Motley Crue tee.
Then the pang hit him. Deep and earthy, but also unsettlingly sweet the festering stench of a rotting body flared through his nostrils, in a burgeoning reek that found it's way into his mouth.
Retreating from the horrendous scene Darius felt the vomit rushing out of his mouth as he ran. Hands rubbing slow circles in his back the others stayed with him. They all heaved and wretched, crying, but no one spoke. There was nothing to say. Eyes wide they prayed not to alert anything that might be lurking nearby.
Blinking fiercely Darius felt a surge of strength course through him, self preservation a very real instinct that overwhelmed much else. In that instant he pulled his shirt up over and mouth and nose, storming back to what was once a man. His courageousness faltering when the boy took in the sight of the stranger's face, pitted and torn from the prying beaks and teeth of scavengers, a cloud of flies buzzing around, their wriggling brood feasting on the man's empy eye-socket, Darius felt sick again, the stench invasive.
More than that however, he was sorry, so very sorry. This was a person, someone who had come to this place for entertainment, joy, maybe he had to save up to afford the trip. This should have one of the happiest times of his life, something he would remember for the rest of his days. Instead, it was to be the end of them.
"I'm so sorry..." Darius mourned before taking the plunge. Fishing around in first his left pocket, then the right he came up with only a wallet. Discarding it he ran back to the girls who hugged and wept with him for several minutes.
Sammy throwing a discarded can at the creatures that flocked and gathered nearby chortling at their good fortune was the first one to break away from the group. Through her grief there seemed to be a rage that moved her on invisible strings as she roughly searched and maneuvered her way through a cluster of trampled unfortunates. Patting down pockets here, slinging abandoned handbags over her arm there, she went from twisted figure to twisted figure until with a despairing wail to the heavens she collapsed.
"I can't!" she whimpered into the concrete. "I just can't! All these people! I'm sorry! I can't!"
Brooklynn pulled the other girl into her lap with an agonizing struggle, running puffy fingers over her face, brushing the hair away. "Shh," she cooed wracked with sobs of her own. "It's ok, it's ok. No one's asking you to, we're done. It was a stupid idea. We're done." she promised as the two of them rocked back and forth.
"Broken." Darius muttered through the sour taste of his disbelief as he sorted through the confiscated purses, finding only fractured and ruined devices within. "They're all broken."
Shaking the boy turned and started in with "There has to be one that's not-" he stopped, the anguish in Brooklynn's eyes extinguishing the fire within. Then Sammy turned and reached for the boy, pulling him into their broken embrace. "It's ok." he whispered smoothing down the Texan's hair. "It's ok, let's go back. We'll try something else, maybe-" made unable to finish his sentence by the piercing alarm call of the clutch of compsognathus that darted and scrambled about them Darius sat up alert.
"We have to go!" he said in a rush, fishing his blade from ground pulse pounding causing dark spots to form behind his eyes.
Hurrying to their feet the girls clustered around him as they searched fearfully for whatever it was that made the compys flee. Then they heard it, a hoarse whistle, followed by clicking from somewhere further down the street.
"Raptors?" Darius gasped, though he couldn't be sure. It was then that the campers recognized how pointless their efforts to arm themselves had been their knives seeming like play things compared to the killing teeth and claws of the monsters that surrounded them.
Without further discussion they ran.
They hadn't made it far when grabbing the other two by the backs of their shirts Darius dragged them into a hollowed out building when a threatening figure crossed their path. The boy's mind raced trying to find a way out of this. He spotted the overturned refrigerator, Coca-Cola written in easily identifiable script across the side he shoved his friends towards it. Struggling the girls crawled into the claustrophobically tight, space beneath it. A frantic cry of helplessness escaping from between his teeth the boy then pried open a soda dousing the girls and the ground around them with the sticky liquid hoping to help cover their scent before leaping over the counter with no time to spare.
Back pressed against the shelves behind him, eyes closed Darius clung to his knife with both hands. Praying in his heart he listened to the animal as it moved around the shop. His body felt weak, faint, when he heard it sniffing and snuffling about, peering just over the counter he watched it approach the fridge.
I'll make a distraction, he thought then, eyeing the employee exit across from him. I can run fast enough, lead it away, then they'll be safe, he rationalized. He was getting ready to put his plan into action, knees weak and refusing to hold him upright when a distant call caught the attention of the animal not twenty feet away from him. Crowing back the threatening beast seemed to think better of whatever it was doing, an almost jubilant tone to it's bone chilling call it turned and darted out back the way it had come.
Trying to remember how to breathe, how to making his body cooperate, and articulate speech Darius moved back to the girls helping them out of hiding Brooklynn whimpering as without any other choice he pulled her free by the arms.
"Are you alright?" Darius asked in a concerned hush.
"No!" Brooklynn shook her head.
"We just gotta go!" Sammy interrupted the first to get to her feet. "Come on!"
It took the trio the next two hours to find their way back 'home,' making use of the ruble as they found places to hide from the threats that only seemed to grow out all around them. When at last they walked into 608, it was with fear numbed limbs, and souls crestfallen with defeat. Neither Yasmina nor Kenji posed any questions, quietly accepting their new found reality for what it was as the others made their way to the showers, Darius gathered what supplies he needed he ducked out and into the next room over.
Screaming, this time heedless of who heard, he damned himself for everything that had happened.
That evening picking without much appetite at the half a, he assumed lamb, gyro he had procured Darius watched the movie Sammy had put on after getting the television to work the result of hours of tinkering. There had to be someway to see what the world was seeing, to get a news feed, or something Darius brooded watching the kids show with mild interest. It was a good distraction, and seemed to soothe the others, but the young man wanted, needed more. JWTV, an endless stream of all the events, amenities, and attractions the park and hotel offered, and JWKTV, dinosaur themed cartoons hosted by Mr DNA for now their only other options aside from the streaming service they were currently using.
Unable to force himself to take another bite, Darius set the food aside and walked out onto the balcony ignoring the ominous feeling that crept up his spine. Inhaling the cool night air the boy felt himself afflicted by the trials of the day. He couldn't shake the vile act of sifting through a dead man's pockets, watching the fat, happy fly larvae making a feast of his corpse. The smell, the smell the boy felt lingered on his skin and hair no matter how many time he had scrubbed himself raw. He gave a start when something brushed against his arm.
"Sorry." Brooklynn whispered, looking at him pitifully.
"It's ok." Darius croaked.
The two watched the stars dancing in the sky, listening to the night-songs of many beasts far below, the trumpeting calls of the brachiosaurus herd edging towards main street echoing out around them. Standing here so far above all the rest of it, it almost seemed beautiful, Darius thought.
"It's kind of pretty." Brooklynn said then. Darius turned to watch her, then he realized she was seeing it, truly seeing it for the first time without the protection a camera lense separating her from the rest of the world.
"Yeah it is." he agreed. "It's just too bad that-"
"I know!" she bit out, making Darius regret allowing his melancholy to ruin what might be the last peaceful moment he got to enjoy.
"I'm sorry." he apologized.
"No," Brooklynn sighed, eyes shut tight. "I'm sorry I-" the girl let out an exhausted breath, cheeks expanding as though she were blowing up a balloon. "Thanks for everything today... It was my idea then I... I didn't have the guts to..."
Darius elbowed her more sharply than he intended to. "You don't thank someone for something like that." he snapped in anger, before compassion won out. "But I get what you're saying, and you're welcome." he grimaced at his own words.
The two stood together without speaking for a while before Brooklynn dared ask the question she'd been clinging to all day. "Are you alright?" she asked looking up at the boy who couldn't help but laugh in her face.
"What the hell kind of question is that?" he scoffed.
Brows knit the girl clearly didn't see any humor in the situation. "I mean it," she said maintaining an even tone. "Even this morning, before all this shit went down, something was wrong with you, I mean- ugh!" she grit her teeth together. "None of us are ok but- you're I don't know- spacey- less ok! I just- forget it sorry I asked!"
"No, wait." he pleaded, stopping her with a hand on her arm.
How was he supposed to tell her the truth? How would she ever be able to look at him the same way ever again if he told her that Kenji was right that it had been his fault that Ben had fallen, died? How could he even begin to form into words all the things he was experiencing, the struggles he was going through? The knowledge gnawing at the pit of his stomach that they would all be better off without him?
It wasn't a whole truth, but it wasn't exactly a half lie either. With a sigh Darius looked at her, gaze mournful. "Promise not to tell anyone else?"
"Promise." the girl vowed an earnest look crossing her face.
"Today's," Darius groaned. "Today's my birthday."
"Oh." Brooklynn said as though this explained everything.
"And I've just been," choking on tears Darius was startled by how moved he was by what he was saying and just how keenly he was being affected by his sorrow. "I've just been thinking about home a lot- I know we all have- it's just-"
"I get it." the girl promised pulling him into a hug as he wept.
"So," she asked after a while, when the birthday boy had composed himself. "What would you have wanted for your sweet sixteen? No wait- let me guess! A new hotrod?" she giggled.
"No." the boy shook his head smiling at her infectious laughter. "For as long as I can remember all I wanted for my birthday was-" he winced. "To come here."
"Oh yikes!" Brooklynn gasped. "Be careful what you wish for!"
"You're telling me!" Darius rolled his eyes.
"Hey," Sammy called stepping through the sliding glass door moments later. "They're out cold."
"Yeah." Brooklynn nodded as if she'd expected nothing less.
"You two planning on turning in soon?" the cowgirl asked coming to stand beside them taking in the wide view that stretched out before them.
"Nah." Darius shook his head, heart arithmetic at the thought of falling back into the realm of nightmares.
"Me either." Brooklynn agreed watching to moon trek higher in the sky.
"Yeah," Sammy nodded with a shiver. "I don't think I can fall asleep just yet myself... Y'all want some coffee? And maybe some company?"
Nodding the other two watched Sammy disappear back inside. Fighting the horrors of the day by ignoring them, and fending off much needed sleep with caffeine was far from the healthiest choice, Darius was well aware, but honestly the couldn't care less. Her head resting on his shoulder Brooklynn let out a little sigh as they watched the slumbering world below.
"Happy birthday Darius..." she murmured.
Arm wrapping awkwardly about her, Darius let his head rest on her's. "Thanks." he muttered the world going dark as a thick bank if clouds passed over the moon...
Notes:
Very sad, and grim chapter. I was trying to find the balance between Darius feeling everything so strongly, while also denying his feelings to the point of experiencing some emotional numbness and detachment. I hope I captured it well no matter how much it hurts! 😢
I'm also scared it feels rushed because I was writing it in the car and between activities. I hope it's ok! ❤️
Sidenote I had a great time on vacation, convinced the fam to use our last day there to go to the Natural History Museum and I got to see lots of dinos!!!! Yay!!!!! 🥳
Thank you for reading!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Chapter 27: Pain Relief
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-CCF Day Three-
Empty.
Kenji was just empty.
-CCF Day Four-
A startling electric hiss cutting through the air first thing in the morning, Darius and Sammy worked with taught bickering to get the tv up and running again. After much infighting, false starts, and a dreadfully long stretch where the screen was black and void they had finally gotten it to broadcast the news. They still had no way off the island, or to contact the people on the other side, but at least they could watch. That had to count for something, right?
Crowded around the screen until Yasmina shouted angrily for everyone to move so that she could see the kids all turned towards Sammy.
Her brows knit, eyes welling as she listened the girl did her best to translate in the incoming news broadcast, the feed in local Spanish.
"Uh y'all she's saying that they're still taking in numbers and refugees from the island, um some of the boats were just local fishing tugs but it's takin' a while for them to get there..." she explained as the well dressed woman on the screen rattled off the top story, her forehead creased with concern.
A little window opened up just over her left shoulder, the screen stayed small for several moments until it expanded to fill the entire television. The children sitting close together watched as people huddled in tearful masses in a large hanger. Doctors, nurses, and Red Cross volunteers shuffled about the densely packed space rendering aid to people who were bleeding, battered, and some, dying.
"Does anyone see Dave or Roxie?" Brooklynn called standing to get a better look as the camera panned out. It was like trying to pick needles out of a haystack the survivors moving about like a colony of ants, but squinting she tried.
"No." Darius shook his head.
"They made it, I'm sure." Sammy smiled, reaching up and gently tugging the back of the pink haired girl's shirt. Getting the cue Brooklynn sat back down so Sammy could see.
The anchorwoman began to speak again, Sammy sat a little taller as she listened. "Oh my God..." she breathed.
"What?" Darius, Brooklynn, and Yaz all shouted at practically the same time, the anxiety clear in their voices made Kenji's heart start to race as he watched quietly from his spot on the bed.
"Um, uh," Sammy stammered rapidly blinking back tears. "There's thousands of people missing. Thousands... Of the twenty-thousand people who were on the island only about fifteen-thousand are accounted for!" she said voice wavering as she fought not to cry.
"That many people, down there, dead..." Darius muttered looking at his hands in way that ignited something in Kenji that made him want to spit, to yell, to throw something.
"Shut up!" Yaz shouted over Kenji's shoulder.
"Yeah," Brooklynn tried, putting an arm around the boy's back. "Just look on the bright side, think about how many of them are still alive like we are!"
"Some fucking bright side!" Kenji grit.
Yaz used her fingers to shove the back of his head roughly, he turned towards her with a scowl. "Not helping." she whispered.
Like he cared.
"Shh-shh," Sammy said motioning for everyone to be silent. "She's saying that relief and assistance is trickling in from all over the globe, that this is one of the worst catastrophies to ever hit Costa Rica, and that-" Sammy's words where cut short when the screen filled with unstable camera footage of fleeing masses, people fell, there was screaming.
On their feet without warning Sammy and Brooklynn both darted for the door that led out into the living room.
"Sammy!" Darius called out to the girl in a choked tone.
Tearfully she turned back to him, shaking her head Sammy said, "I can't. I just can't watch!"
Darius gave her a pained look his mouth forming a firm line before he said, "I need a translator..."
Letting out a breath between pursed lips Sammy nodded her understanding, leaning against the doorframe, eyes closed she listened. Kenji's stomach in knots as he watched the flying demons swooping down and carrying off people as the footage changed again, shifting to something shot by someone else. He couldn't watch either. Turning his head away the boy maneuvered his arm with agonizing difficulty, his chest protesting and aflame, to cover his exposed ear as silent tears trickled from his eyes.
Yaz who was watching the news with wide horror filled eyes took notice of him. Looking at the boy for a long minute she empathetically pulled the pillow out from under her head, and more roughly than intended smacked it down over Kenji's muffling the sounds.
Gratefully Kenji squeezed his eyes shut, shifting his hand to press the downy armor tight over his ear, drowning out the sound of the world, only the whooshing sound of his own heartbeat, racing and pained could be heard as blood rushed to his head. The boy, teeth squeaking together willed himself to fall asleep, make the world disappear as he pushed it all far, far away.
Hissing with discomfort Kenji unburied himself what felt like hours later when causing him a sharp twinge Yasmina rocked him back an forth with excitement.
"What?" he grumbled staring hard at the girl who was crying for joy.
"We're going to be saved!" she breathed behind her fingers which were trembling and pressed hard against her mouth. Kenji's brows knit as he watched her hyperventilating, unable to control her emotions as she tried to composed herself enough to go on. "We, um, we just need to hold out a couple more days, they're going to send helicopters, search parties, the US Coast Guard!" she sobbed.
"They are?" Kenji asked perking up and turning back towards the tv.
The others were celebrating, Sammy and Brooklynn jumping up and down as they hugged one another, Darius had fallen to his knees in a tearful fit of laughter it looked like he was praying. Choppers and men in uniforms flashed across the screen. A half smile tugged at the corner of Kenji's mouth, the expression fleeting.
"What's wrong?" Yaz asked through her enthusiasm. "We're all going home!"
Kenji's heart ached as he shifted back to his former position. They weren't all going home. He tried to shrug, the motion awkward, "It's just too good to be true." he murmured closing his eyes he ignored the others and their jubilee.
Who the hell put corn in macaroni and cheese? Kenji thought dragging a spoon through his bowl later that afternoon. It was an unholy abomination. Stirring the food in circles watching the stringy clumps of cheese clinging to his plastic utensil, stretching like cobwebs he listened to the others making plans for their grand escape.
"So you've still got Kenji, are you sure?" Darius asked motioning with a spork to Sammy, his mouth crammed with food.
"Yeah, I got him, don't you worry!" she said nodding with confidence.
"Alright Yaz, it's you and me." the boy called over his shoulder towards the bed.
"Always!" she agreed.
"And I'll keep a lookout for anything big and scaly!" Brooklynn beamed, rubbing her defective wrists gently.
Kenji shoved a bite ruefully into his mouth, the crunch of the corn against the soft smoosh of the pasta, and the stringiness of the cheese gave the boy the sensation that bugs has crawled into his mac and cheese. With a grimace he spit it back and tossed the bowl callously onto the nightstand. He couldn't eat that trash.
"Nasty Kenji!" Yasmina scolded. "Now no one else can eat it!"
"So," he scoffed. "We'll be outta here in a matter of days, right?"
Still glaring the girl shoved her plate of enchiladas towards him. "I'm fine." he mumbled dismissively as he closed his eyes.
Later, Kenji watched with a cocked eyebrow as teeth clenched Yasmina staggered back and forth at the foot of the bed.
"You're gonna fuck it up, you know that right?" he observed with sarcasm.
"Shut up." she gasped, turning to sit as she forced herself to bend and lift her swollen joint.
"What are you even doing?" he asked.
"If you must know I'm trying to do what PT I can remember from when I tore my ACL!" she snapped turning to him with a burning gaze. "I will not be the reason we miss those heloes when they get here." she said with determination. "And laying there like a bump on a log is just giving all the fluid more time to collect. I've got to do something!"
Unable to fight the feeling that Yasmina was going to do more harm than good he watched her moan and weep as she forced herself to shift and angle her knee in new misery inducing ways. "You should at least wait for the others to get back." he observed plainly.
"Yeah, why?" the runner asked, jaw hard set.
"Because if you fall on your face, you're crazy ass is staying that way." he said nonchalantly.
"You're a real pain in the ass, you know that, right?" she couldn't help but laugh.
"And you're insane." he countered.
"Touché." Yaz nodded.
"Thank you."
The pair of invalids waited while the others gathered dinner, fresh clothes and whatever other supplies they thought would be necessary for the trek to wherever rescue finally arrived.
"Maybe you should try moving around too." Yasmina observed falling back to the bed, lifting and flexing her leg as much as she dared.
"Ha!" the boy faked a laugh.
"I mean it. It might suck at first, but it's gotta be better for you than just laying there." she went on.
"Yeah, and when did you get your medical degree?" he asked rolling his eyes.
"I'm just saying, if moving an injured leg wasn't something that would help it heal, physical therapy wouldn't be a thing." Yasmina observed, closing her eyes, hands gripping the sheets. "I should have taken something before hand." she whimpered as the tears started.
"You think?"
There were one hundred and thirty two little swirly ammonite shells in the decorative ceiling that stretched across the bedroom. One, two, three, four... he started counting the tiny three toed footprints next.
"Welcome Brooklanders to the infamous, the scandalous, the luxurious room 608!" Brooklynn called announcing the trio's arrival in the obnoxiously bubbly tone she seemed to be cursed with whenever she had her cell on her. Peering through the bedroom doorway Kenji could see a small digital camcorder in her hand. She had it turned towards her face as she led the way for the other two.
"Behold the glory!" the pink haired girl said panning the camera across the living room. "And in here we have Yasmina and Kenji who are out of commission at the moment."
"What the fuck is this?" Yaz murmurs in stunned disbelief.
"I... don't even." Kenji shook his head as Sammy and Darius trickled in behind the videographer, uncomfortable and apologetic expressions on their faces.
"Kenj here, is a real trooper," the girl smiles moving in for a close up of the boy who stared with confusion and disgust at the eye of the camera. "Busted up his ribs falling from a zipline and still hauled his sorry butt all around the island with, let's be real here, only minimal swearing and complaints. Yaz-"
"I hate you." Brooklynn's current subject of discussion sneered throwing the blankets over her head.
"Well she's a little camera shy, stage fright am I right?" Brooklynn laughed in a sound that was pure cotton candy, plastic, and lies. Kenji gaped up at her incredulously as she began filming herself again. "Anyways Brooklanders, you would not believe it, but Yasmina out swam a mosasaurs, and then leapt to safety from a falling cable, busting her leg and possibly dashed all her hopes and dreams of ever making it to the Olympics, but she saved all of our li-"
Knocked back by a pillow hitting her in the face Brooklynn held the bridge of her nose where the camcorder had struck her in the melee. "What the hell?" she shouted trying to discern which one of them and thrown it as Kenji and Yasmina both began cursing and yelling wildly.
"Are you serious right now?" Kenji asked, unable to wrap his mind around why she was doing what she was doing.
"Do you even have a heart?" Yaz spit eyeing her up and down.
"Oh, so dramatic!" Brooklynn said rolling her eyes. "I'm just trying to keep the people informed and document what happened here!"
"For your followers, your fans?" Yasmina questioned through her tears as Darius stepped infont of Brooklynn and tried to defuse the situation.
"For the world." Brooklynn said casually throwing all of her weight onto one hip.
"Bullshit!"
And with that, all at once the room was filled with shouting, Yaz and the others criticizing Brooklynn for her behavior and the sensationalized way she was telling their story. Yasmina screaming that she had no right to say that her dreams were at an end, or provide commentary on any of their struggles for that matter as Darius and Sammy tried to remedy the situation. Always the peacemakers Darius put himself in the middle as Sammy started showing off all of their other finds trying to divert their attention elsewhere.
After a while when the two warring parties were separated, Brooklynn musing aloud about taking in the view Kenji looked at the camera she still had rolling and deadpan asked, "Did you tell them about Ben yet?"
Her forced expression wavering Brooklynn seemed to, for a second see things from their perspective, and how distasteful her charade really was. "No." she whispered lowering the device. A tremor threatened to overwhelm her for an instant, but she banished it, assuming her internet persona once again. "Let's go take a look at the fallen kingdom that was once Jurasssic World!" she said making her way out onto the balcony.
"What is her problem?" Yasmina asked no one in particular once she had left.
"I don't, I don't know..." Darius said from where he tidied empty take out boxes. "I think it's her weird way of dealing with things, by pretending everything's alright?" he suggested with a grimace.
"You're just making excuses for her!" Yaz bit out.
"Yeah," Darius nodded. "I am, but it's the only idea I've got."
"I just think she's really scared y'all." Sammy put in as she remade the other bed with fresh sheets and comforters from a supply closet. A fresh set for the others' beds tucked away by the door.
"We're all scared." Kenji pointed out. "But we're not all acting like psychopaths about it!"
No one had anything constructive to say, and the room fell silent.
That night Darius picked a movie, and to Kenji's surprise it didn't include blood thirsty killer monsters, back stabbing, and betrayal. Shocker.
Picking at his food Kenji gave irritable commentary to his bedmate while the movie played.
"Oh my God!" she cried in an angry outburst after a while. "Is complaining all you do?" Yasmina shouted with frustration. "Your ribs are messed up, you're sad, and scared, and hurting just like the rest of us, but nothing is ever good enough for you, and on top of that you've done nothing to try and help yourself! I'm at least trying to make sure I'm not the reason anyone else dies!"
Kenji turned to Yaz wounded. Tears welling in his eyes he struggled for a minute to breathe as everything he'd been refusing to deal with came crashing to the surface, like an iceberg. He'd thought she was his friend, that out of everyone else he was stuck in this nightmare with she was the one who understood what he was going through the best. He'd thought she was on his side. He was wrong. He was alone, even here, always had been.
"Fine!" he said hurling his food across the floor to a chorus of loud complaints from the others, Sammy's voice resounding with annoyance over the others as she had been doing her best to maintain a level of cleanyness, picking up the slack where the others failed.
"You want me to do shit for myself, make sure nobody else dies? I will!" Kenji yelled forcing himself to his feet. Fire igniting in his chest but it was nothing compared to the rage that burned through him. The boy held his breath for several seconds, darkness encroaching on the edges of his vision as he shuffled along the bed sweat breaking out across his brow with effort.
"When those helicopters get here, don't worry about me, every man for himself!" he declared amid arguing, the others finding his words laughably dismissible. "I mean it." Kenji added through the pain as he opened the small square fridge that sat upon the counter, well out of children's reach.
Oh thank God, he thought fishing several glass bottles out by the neck, holding them between splayed fingers with a practiced skill. Turning he slowly and methodically Kenji made his way to the balcony.
"Sit back down Kenji, please before you hurt yourself!" Darius begged, moving towards him with the intent to help.
"Fuck you man, this is all your fault!" Kenji gasped, the anguish growing worse when he pivoted to address the other boy who sat back down with a wide eyed, stunned expression.
"Come on Kenji that's not true and beyond messed up, besides you know that's not what I meant!" Yaz shouted trying to get out of bed now herself.
"Yeah, are you really just gonna sit out there and get drunk?" Sammy asked trying to make it sound like a bad joke, but the worry was written all over her face.
"Sure am!" he smirked before turning to the girl sitting next to her, "Hey Brooklynn, wanna get this for your followers? No? Not family friendly enough, scared you're gonna get demonetized? Bitch." he muttered the last part just under his breath, but still loud enough for the others to hear him as the yelling began again. "You know what? Fuck all of you! You are the four people I'm going to see it hell, and you know what? Even that'll be too soon! Leave me the fuck alone!"
"You'll see us when you come back inside dumbass!" Yaz called getting the last word in as Kenji slid the door closed behind him.
Outside Kenji tried to lower himself into a deck chair, misjudging the distance he fell back into it the last few inches, the air knocking from his lungs in a loud "huff!" Eyes slamming shut, teeth grinding together as every muscle in his body tensed in agony he struggled not to scream no matter how badly he wanted to, knowing that would only make things worse.
When, after a few dizzying minutes later the worst of it had passed Kenji twisted open the first little bottle relishing the familiar fire that blazed all the way down. He needed this, a part of him even missed it.
The young man's father collected alcohols and wines like Kenji collected hobbies. It wasn't so much an active interest as it was a passing fancy, something to kill the time and make you seem more fascinating at parties when you had nothing else going for you. As a result Xi had no true awareness of how many bottles were actually in the house at any given time, only breaking the stuff out for special occasions, or more often to impress someone. Because of this an unspoken rule had developed between Kenji and the help, if he didn't say anything when they lifted a bottle or two, they didn't say anything and disposed of the evidence when he did the same.
Really, sometimes getting good and wasted was the only thing to do in that big empty building he was supposed to call home...
Brooding about the injustice of it all Kenji shouted "Shut up!" hurling the empty bottle at whatever it was hooting in the night, regretting it instantly. "Fuck..." he breathed, in a hiss.
As time rolled past him, and empty bottles accumulated around the chair, Kenji tipped his head back watching the stars swirling and dancing overhead. He liked this feeling, the feeling when no matter what was going on in his life everything was fine, not good, not bad, just fine... He felt good though, his chest didn't even hurt all that much anymore, and he almost forgot why it should in the first place.
"Fuck 'em..." he muttered to himself. He was glad they all hated him, wanted them to. It was easier this way, on his own. That way no one else got hurt, because that's what he did, Kenji hurt people... Got them killed...
The first sobs escaped unnoticed, Kenji unaware that he was crying until it had turned into loud ragged lamenting. Covering his face with his hands as he wailed he couldn't forget the look on Ben's face when he fell, get his voice screaming his name out of his head. His hands becoming fists Kenji punched himself in the head over and over again, screaming and trashing in his chair oblivious to the extent he was exaggerating his already extensive injuries.
It was his fault! No matter how much he tried to push the blame off onto Darius Kenji knew in his broken heart that it was his fault. He dropped Ben. Him. Because he was weak. Ben was dead, and it was all his fault...
Oh God, Kenji thought listing sideways in his chair, he didn't like this anymore. Why wouldn't the world stop spinning? Falling back against the element resistant cushions the boy held his head as he cried...
-CCF Day Five-
His mouth impossibly dry, head pounding, Kenji tried to sit a little higher than his current, lopsided position in the chair, a fallen scarecrow tangled in a blanket he hadn't brought outside. Stopping rigidly when a stabbing pain erupted within, accompanied by the blossoming anguish that radiated outward, a halo of light flaring in his gaze, he froze in place. Unable to move, unable to breathe, tears raining down his face. Kenji needed help.
Small chuffs of air escaping from between his teeth, hands clenched into fists he refused vaguely remembering a range of curses and insults thrown at the others. Pridefully, idiotically, he would do it on his own. Progress to sit up was painstakingly slow, then the door slid open. Turning towards it he watched as for a second nothing happened. The he heard a little, "Ok, let's do this."
Yasmina stepped out, right leg first, her injured limb catching on something she wasn't quite able to lift it over. She stumbles out onto the balcony, catching herself on the railing. Lower lip between her teeth, she bites it hard as a cry of pain dies off within. Kenji watched, struck with a pang of guilt as she shuffled towards him. Assessing the situation for only a second, the girl didn't hesitate even when Kenji yelped to push him up by the shoulder. Satisfied with her work she collapsed into the chair next to him, holding her knee, chin bouncing, teeth chattering as she lets out a long slow breath.
"Oh that hurt." she announced before fishing around in the neck of her shirt. "No pockets, no judgement, or else no drugs got it?" the girl who had been going whatever the opposite of cammando was for the past few days said in an accusatory tone, before pulling out a small white pill and offering it to the boy.
"No problem." he muttered taking and downing the chalky godsend.
They sat quietly watching the sun rise over the horizon before Kenji pulled the covers he'd been given under his chin and turned trying to get a look inside. "What'd you fall on?" he asked earning an eye roll and a wry smile from the girl who seemed to be expecting something more, an apology, maybe, but seemed resigned to the fact that she wasn't getting one.
"Darius," Yaz yawned jabbing a thumb over her shoulder. "I swear that boy stayed up most of the night just watching you from the other side of the glass like a creeper."
"Seriously?" Kenji gaped incredulously.
"Yep, I think he was scared something was going to happen to you. ...Or you were going to do something really, really stupid." she shuddered with memory before asking. "You done being a self destructive asshole yet?"
Riled by her comment Kenji snaps, "That depends, you done being a self-righteous bitch?"
"We're cool," Yasmina says holding her hands up in surrender. "Chill, we're cool. I know what it's like to burn bridges when you're angry..."
"Sammy." Kenji who's wrath had been stoked to life sneered.
"Darius." the similarly hotheaded Yaz countered, brows knit.
"Fuck you he got Be-"
"I didn't come out here to fight!" Yasmina yells cutting off further debate.
"Yeah," Kenji grumbled, adjusting a numb, sleeping butt cheek. "Then what did you come out here for?"
"You." the girl laughed as if it were an obvious answer. "You ok?"
"I'm fine." the boy lied.
"Kenji," Yasmina said leveling him with a 'really-how-stupid-do-you-think-I-am' look. "We could all hear you last night. You are not fine."
"Like you're doing any better." he grumbled.
"Actually, I am." she intoned.
"Self... righteous... bi-" Kenji tried spelling it out for her, she always had to be in the right.
"Fine. Whatever. See if I care." she waved him away turning to look back at the park.
Stretching out over all the concrete, glass, and steel already the monsters they shared their new island home with were on the move. Howls, calls, and baritonous roars filled the air. In the distance a rolling wave of migrating bodies spread out across the streets using the man-made avenues for easy travel. Whether the buildings provided much needed cover and protection for the herd, or more likely Kenji thought, an ambush full of teeth and claws, remained to be seen.
The others began to stir a short while later, the clatter of them bumping around inside could be heard as they talked, made beds, and probably devised battle plans for the day. Faintly Kenji could hear the white noise of running water, someone was taking a shower. It sounded nice. Half out of fear that it would hurt to have all that water hitting him, half out of stubbornness and pride, Kenji hadn't bathed since the morning of Indominous Rex. He could really, really use one though. Maybe he'd bite the bullet and just do it, he mused with a yawn, rubbing a hand over a stubbly cheek as he thought, watching the world that was laid out before him.
At some point, the glass door rattled as if someone was about to pull it open, but no one emerged through the portal. The odd occurrence happened a second time making both early birds turn to look, seeing only the back of someone retreating away. Brooklynn, her hair dripping wet thrust the door open several minutes later, annoyance written on her face, and in her tone.
"I'm supposed to ask if either of you want anything to eat, because these two are too afraid to risk pissing you off again." she sighed.
"Brooklynn!" Darius snaps from further in the room while Sammy standing just behind her whines, "You didn't have to say it like that!"
"And you didn't have to keep interrupting my shower!" the privileged internet personality quipped.
"You'd been in there for almost half an hour!" Darius yelled.
"Yeah girl, what more you got that needs soapin'?" Sammy laughed, adding. "Anyways don't we need to be ready when those helicopters get here? Whatcha gonna do, streak across the whole island if they come while your in there practice for a Pantene commercial?"
Indignant Brooklynn turned away from the pair sitting in the fresh morning air. "This is fun!" Yaz fake smiled.
"Yep." Kenji agreed as an argument broke out inside.
"So y'all want somethin' or not?" Sammy asked poking her head out a short while later.
"Nope." Kenji answered, a cocky grin on his face when the runner remained silent, expression stone cold in the cowgirl's presence. "We're both fine."
Watching the massive herd shuffling through the streets from so far up, the two chatted idley about a whole lot of nothing, until Yasmina sat up perplexed, but smiling like Cheshire cat with disbelief. "Oh my God," she laughed. "Is that a person?
Kenji pushed himself forward in the chair, his pain dulled by the medicine the boy craned to see what he was looking at. A speck in the distance, insignificant, and small Kenji squinted trying to discern whether it was really a person or just another dinosaur he couldn't quite tell.
"We should try to get their attention or something." Yaz said leaning to knock on the door to bring the others out to see what they were seeing. "Seriously what if it's an employee or something, what of they have a way to contact the mainland? This could be our ticket out of here! I bet there's others too!" the girl rambled getting ahead of herself in her excitement as diverted by the rubble bands of the lumbering beasts were split apart the a sprawling river delta.
As they watched the diminutive figure tripped and fell. They stayed down for a long while. "Oh..." Yasmina whispered, goosebumps racing down her arms. She hadn't considered the possibility that they were hurt.
Something happened then, roused by one of the smaller animals the person got up. There was something, almost, familiar about the way they moved janky as it appeared from where Kenji sat, the way they hugged themselves before ...anxiously rubbing their hands together.
Time stood still. The world that had previously lost all of it's color spun rapidly out of control, saturation blaring as the boy's senses came screaming back to him with new life. Kenji was only vaguely aware that he was holding his breath as the eye of the world narrowed into a pinhole around the staggering figure so far below. Everything else fell away. In all the universe there was nothing save for the two of them, and the unseen thread, thin but strong as spider's silk, that connected them.
"Ben." Kenji breathes.
He was on his feet in a second, shoving Darius who had just opened the door out of his way he raced across the hotel room. Heedless of any obstacles Kenji ran like a linebacker crashing through all barriers that stood in his way. Only just could he hear the others calling after him.
Heart pumping so wildly it hurt, the pressure could be seen in bright flares behind his eyes Kenji let out a shout of frustration beating his fists against the elevator doors as he waited for the metal box to arrive. It wasn't him, he thought rationally as the tears flowed, beating his head against the cold metal, it couldn't be. He'd fallen. He was dead. Kenji knew these things to be true. And yet every fiber of his being raged against these facts. It was him, it had to be, it just had to be. It was Ben.
Giving an impatient thought for the stairs just before the doors slid open Kenji who'd been leaning against them stumbled inside, turning on his heel jamming his thumb against the 'close' button as the others spilled out of 608 after him.
"Come on, come on!" he grit, dizzy with nausea, a fire creeping into his lungs.
Running, his breathing labored Kenji caught himself on the desk in the lobby. Pushing off an unparalleled drive propelling him forward he continued on and out into the street where he had to maneuver around the slowly undulating mass that was a stegosaurus. Slipping into the herd that paid the boy little mind he moved towards where he had last seen the figure. It was as he was cut off by an angrily snorting triceratops that the others, save for Yasmina managed to spot him through the crowd.
"Kenji!" Sammy called waving to him like he was a lost child she'd been separated from at a grocery store. "Where did you see him?" she asks tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with apprehension.
"I don't know! I don't know!" he responded in a shriek, fingers tangling into his own unkempt mass of hair.
"Kenji," Darius murmured coming up along side him, looking ready to cry. "...Are you sure it was-"
"Yes!" Kenji berated, turning on him with fury. "It was Ben. I'm not crazy!"
The frantic young man could see the looks on the others faces from the corner of his eye, his breathing starting to become difficult requiring thoughtful effort, ears ringing, he knew they didn't believe him. Trapped in place, swallowed up on every side by the gentle giants that lumbered past, someone reached a hand out to grip his shoulder. He pulled way sharply.
"It's ok Kenji." Darius whispered.
"Yeah, we all miss him." Brooklynn adds, lowering her God damned camera.
"Keep telling yourselves that, but you're the ones who left him for dead, not me!" he hisses plunging into the sea of massive bodies once more.
"You know I don't know how this shit works!" Kenji muttered in probably the worst start to any prayer ever. "Thanks for bread or whatever, forgive us, and please God fucking damnit-" his voice became a pinched shrill. "Please let this be Ben! Please let us find him! Please!" he begged wiping at his face that poured with snot and tears. "Because if it's not Ben I'm going to be really, really fucking pissed!"
Lanced with dread when confronted by an adolescent steg who seemed keen to drive out the intruders Kenji back peddled, falling. It took all his strength to get back up, orbs floating, speckling the world around him as he stood swaying. That was when he heard Brooklynn scream.
"Oh my God!" she shrieked. "Ben! It's Ben!"
Rushing towards the sound of her voice Kenji could just barely make out her pink hair through a pallet of dull gray blues and greens. Following her gaze he spotted Ben. Kenji felt weightless with relief, a smile spreading across his face, even at the mournful sight of how Ben was jerking himself forward, lurching, and flopping about as he flung one foot in front of the other, leaning against a stegosaurus for support, Bumpy bounding ahead happily to greet Brooklynn.
Pushing towards them Kenji was close, so close as he watched Ben between a gap in the bodies as he moved like a marionette with tangled strings, shuffling away from Brooklynn and Sammy head down.
"Ben it's us!" Sammy beamed awash with tears of her own.
"Oh my God Ben, what happened, we thought you were dead!" Brooklynn added. "Are you ok?"
Sammy tries to reach out to touch him but Ben moves away as Darius and Kenji struggle to close in on the group from opposite directions. Close enough Kenji can hear Ben mumbling about having to stay with the herd, his voice sounded wrong, muffled somehow, like he had a mouth full of cotton.
"Move your lard ass!" Kenji shouted with aggravation, punching a huge dino in the leg. His actions don't seem to phase it, as it carried on, but eventually he made it through the crowd, to the spot where the others are standing, to Ben.
"Ben?" he asked in a sob watching the clearly disoriented boy shuffling back and forth like a caged animal cut off and surrounded by the fellow campers. "Ben, it's me... It's Kenji..."
Blinking hard Ben, caked in dirt and dried blood peered about himself confused, and afraid. His messy brown hair, and the way his hands were held, limp wrists, and close to his chest reminded Kenji of a mouse. "Ben?" he tried again, reaching out he took a slow step forward.
Squinting the lost boy inched closer as if trying to get a good look while Kenji struggled to keep his balance, Bumpy chortling loudly nearly bowled him over when she jumped up on him with her front feet honking and happy to see them.
His face crunched up in bewilderment Ben wobbled over before the tension drained from his body. "I know your nnn-nnn face! I know your face! Your nnn-nnn-nnn smug arrogant face!" Ben sobbed in a slow, halting manner, his throat closing around his words as he spoke sending an unnerving chill through the other campers.
Ben collapsed with relief. Kenji acting quickly was able to catch him if only just, the stabbing sensation in his ribs almost making him regret it. He caught him. Kenji let out a wail that was a mix of heartbreak and sheer exhilarating triumph. He didn't drop him, not this time! Holding on with a trembling grip afraid to wake from this dream he relished in the moment. Kenji had caught him when he fell!
"I remember nnn you!" Ben cried into Kenji's shirt. "You're, you're nnn-nnn an asshole!"
"Yeah! Yeah, I guess I am!" Kenji laughed scooping him closer as his internalized pain subsided, alleviated by Ben's nearness. This was nice, he thought in a flicker of illumination.
"Nnn-nnn." Ben groaned unconsciously as the others exchanged looks filled with trepidation.
The five children waited amongst the sea of dinosaurs while Ben wept holding desperately to Kenji, the others wrung their hands together silently questioning what to do next, what was wrong with their friend, and more importantly what were they able to do about it?
Surprising him Ben pulled away sharply, a floundering hand grabbing Kenji firmly by the jaw. A grim seriousness washed over his otherwise muddled and distant expression. "Kenji." Ben said firmly.
"Y-yeah?" The other boy asked between forced fish-lips, nervous and perplexed.
"I, nnn-nnn, nnn-nnn, I nnn-nnn-nnn," Ben tried clearly growing frustrated with his own inability to articulate his meaning.
"Take your time!" Sammy called gently from the sidelines.
"I nnn-nnn," he stammered. "I have your shoe!"
"Cool." Kenji replied with uncertainty, the initial euphoric rush wearing off he found himself staring into the blank eyes of the boy who was paper white, and reeked like wet garbage. "I have your fanny pack."
"You do?" Ben sighed. "Oh thannn-nnnk goodness!"
Making Kenji's heart leap into this throat Ben slumped unconscious in his arms. Fresh fear in his gaze he looked to the others for help. As he held him, a slow realization surfaced in his mind. Ben was hot. Like seriously hot. Laying a hand flat against his forehead Kenji felt himself beginning to crumble again.
"Guys, Ben's burning up!" he said tearily to the others.
Sammy was at their side in an instant, her hand pressed against Ben's forehead, then his throat, his chest. Her eyes flickered from Kenji's to Brooklynn's, then Darius. "We have to get him inside."
Reacting on reflex Kenji pulled Ben away when Sammy moved to take him from her. "It's alright Kenji," she smiled. "I got him."
The cowgirl lifted Ben with some difficulty, his dead weight ragdolling, limbs flailing it took a minute for her to adjust him just right. Pushing off the ground Kenji tried to get up too, the air squeezed from his lungs, he felt dizzy.
"It's ok we got you." Darius assured, bracing Kenji as he threatened to tip over. With Brooklynn's help he hefted Kenji up, struggling under his weight, they turned to set off, only to have their path barred by a weathered steg who's tail thrashed against the concrete pathway.
"Whoa! Easy there girl!" Sammy said walking backwards as other animals nearby began to grow agitated, calling and colliding into one another.
Bumpy called out defiantly to the stegosaurus, whose minute head swung towards them. Sniffing and snuffling against the strangers. She bellowed mightly tail still swinging in a mock attack she seemed to be giving them warning as Bumpy chirped at her. The children sensing an opportunity slowly backed away. Listening to the old girl huff before moving on the five eventually slipped back into the surge.
Struggling to keep a steady pace, every movement igniting to new kind of torment within his chest Kenji wished he had exercised just a little more restraint, the oxy he'd taken earlier doing nothing to touch the pain.
Bumpy trotted about with an electrified excitement when they entered the lobby of the Pre-Historic Plaza. Slowly the kids made it to the elevators, where they fell panting for breath, nervous smiles all around.
"Bumpy?" Sammy called when the little animal seemed far more interested in nosing around loose, abandoned papers, and over turned suitcases than she had in following them.
"Bumpy, come on!" Brooklynn who kept pressing the 'door open' button sighed, already annoyed with the baby animal's antics.
"Bumpy!" Kenji yelled angrily after a minute as he slid across the floor towards Sammy, motioning for Ben.
Slowly the little ankylosaurus made an appearance in the doorway, bleating as if asking for permission to stay and play.
"Come on girl!" Darius tried in an excited tone, like he would use talking to a puppy, he pat the floor beside him. Conceding she ambled in, and Brooklynn let the doors slide closed.
Eyes shut Kenji tugged Ben over by the tattered remains of his shirt, and emersed himself in the first sense of peace he'd felt in a long while. It didn't last long, guilt ebbing towards the surface he opened his eyes after a minute, gaze lingering on the boy who had helped haul him back to the hotel. A conflicting torrent of remorse and shame, clashed against his sense of righteousness, and pride.
Nudging Darius roughly with his foot he said. "Hey." pausing, unsure of how to begin mending everything that had happened between them, the muscles tugging at the corner of his mouth all he could think to way was. "Junior... We're good."
Darius smiled meekly, giving him a nod.
Sticking her leg out the door when they had reached the sixth floor Brooklynn kept it from closing the doors and going back down. As they sat together quietly Bumpy pushed her way out earning a cry of aggravation from Yasmina who had drug herself to the bank of elevators, and had just begun making her way towards the one with the open door.
"Was it-? Ben!" she fell awkwardly to the ground, shifting her weight on the way down to keep off her bad leg.
All at once, the crying started anew. Hugging and holding onto one another, for the first time since being left behind they were whole once more. Kenji sagged where he sat, his energy spent he felt, physically, mentally, and emotionally drained.
With only distant awareness did he hear Sammy talking in a low nervous tone. "He smells like infection y'all, and he's burning up. We need some real medicine... What are we going to do?"
Fear seized Kenji's heart, but hugging Ben tighter he refused to let it win.
Notes:
Holy crap thank y'all so much for all the love!
I've apparently inspired some fanart! The person who made this just shared it with me and I wanted it to share it with y'all because they are incredibly talented and I am humbled and honored! (I seriously have no idea how tiktok works and it's scaring me more than a little, but hopefully if any of you know you can share some love with them too! My tiktok name is @enbysaurus I am probably never ever gonna post anything, but yeah, if you want it! 😅)
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdn2JAN8/
PSA: If you are taking any kind of narcotic (which you should only do if you have a prescription for it!!!) never mix it with alcohol it's extremely dangerous and if Yaz had even taken the time to read the bottle and all it's warnings she would have realized this, but reading if for eggheads huh Yasmina?
And now we segue into the Campers totally have corresponding ponies within the Mane Six from MLP!
Darius = Twilight: Reluctant leader, obsessively smart about a particular area of interest.
Brooklynn = Rarity: Vain and overly concerned with the opinions of others and fame, good generous heart underneath it, and battles with food. Seriously I know eating ice cream when you're sad is a trope but that is always Rarities go to!
Sammy = Applejack: Really y'all need I say more?
Yaz = Rainbow Dash: Again need I say anything?
Kenji = Pinkie Pie: The life of every party even when sad inside, prone to depression and self destructive behavior, let us it forget how far off the deep end Pinkie goes when she's sad or feels that her friends don't need her. The mane fizz or lack there of literally says it all.
Ben = Fluttershy: Crippling anxiety, kindest heart out there, great with animals.
Now, someone with better artistic skills than I make My Little Campers a thing! Your Themperor commands it!
And let's be real a second, for just a millisecond, there was no way Ben would have survived much longer even with Granny and Bumpy looking out for him without some type of medical intervention and aid. He needed human people's help, so migration ex-machina! 😅
Thanks for reading!!!!!!! And remember people are people!!!!!!!!! Love y'all!!!!!!!!!!💖💖💖💖
Chapter 28: Masquerade
Notes:
In the future if there's no timestamp at the start of the chapter it happens on the same day as the one before it, just look for context clues as to when in the day or takes place! 😃
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Powerless.
Brooklynn had always felt so powerless, and she couldn't name a reason, but here on this island the sensation returned to her in spades. It lingered at the back of her mind, a burning itch like a mound of fire ants crawling inside her skull, gnawing, biting, clawing to get free. The itch had became worse and worse, then as Ben stumbled, and it took everything in the girl to catch him it came to her. It was something she hadn't thought about in years, buried away and all but forgotten.
Her first brush with death...
Sitting in the back surrounded by the noisy crinkle of plastic bags, some country song belting over the radio Brooklynn bopped her head to the beat, legs swinging freely in the air. Her dad had picked her up from school and they'd gone grocery shopping right after. Munching happily on a bag of chips, her reward for being a good girl, she jammed to the music, only moderately inconvenienced by the marked slow in traffic, the minutes dragging on.
She hadn't minded the delay enjoying her time with daddy, he always treated her like the princess he said she was. Watching idly out of the car window counting streetlights as they rolled along, the girl caught sight of the flashing red and blue lights. Her curiosity piqued the girl smiled as she leaned forward to get a better view, recalling the police presence at the parade her parents had taken her to earlier in the year.
At first she had been disappointed, there were no floats, no marching bands, no balloons to be seen, only firetrucks, and police cars. They made no sound, idling beside a clump of vehicles lights flaring. Then as she peered closer Brooklynn's stomach knotted, heart seizing with an unnameable fear.
Outside of her window a fatal car accident met her young unassuming gaze, her mind trying to piece together what she was seeing and why. Her dad who had believed that the kindergartner spent from a long day at school had fallen asleep, made no effort to shield her as they cruised by slowly, traffic diverted as other drivers began to gawk and rubberneck. On the contrary little Brooklynn who was wide awake watched twisted metal, shattered glass, and the mangled horrors that were once human beings as they lay ejected from the cars or were cut from the wreckage.
In the weeks to come the horrific scene had festered in the girl's mind, questions ruminating until at last they'd manifested in a plague of nightmares. Comforted by parents and gently guided to the answers she sought through scriptures, and stories of guardian angels and heaven. Brooklynn was assured that regardless of the facts of life and death that she was going to be alright, and true to her parents' word she had been.
Brooklynn had, had a good life, the best life actually, a loving family that supported her in everything she did. One that got along in spite of differences that would have torn other families asunder, crumbling them down at their very foundations and snuffing what love there might have ever been. Encouraged and engaged no matter who's house she found herself in Brooklynn flourished. Creativity explored, academics tackled, school was a breeze, the girl was smart, the one thing she didn't like to brag about because it was the one thing that wasn't 'cool.' Yet at sixteen she already had several college credits under her belt. Quick as a whip with both wit and wisdom. Her life was damn near perfect back home.
Friends, the exception to the rule, were a different story however. Now matter how hard she tried she just seemed too different, stood apart, and unable to relate.
Girls liked to pretend to be her friend throughout middle school, made her feel accepted then would ask the smart girl to do things for them, only to whisper and spread rumors behind her back. They hadn't really been her friends. Rumors quickly spread about the pretty but socially ostracized girl, rumors of being a slut and seducing students and faculty alike, rumors that she was "retarded," and that was why she didn't quite fit in. "Autistic" was thrown around a lot, it embarrassed and inflamed the girl, but the more she looked into things the more they seemed to make sense. She kept these thoughts to herself.
Bullying, and depression, her entire academic career seemed hounded by bullying and depression.
That was what her therapist had said was the root cause of her problems. Brooklynn and her parents believed this, combatting these social problems and her eating disorder in tandem. Her peers never changed much, and as the girl had spent so much time in and out of the hospital the viscous lies about her only seemed to grow. Online schooling was without a doubt a better fit.
Then she started her channel in earnest assuming a charismatic mask to protect her from all the ugliness the world had to throw at her as she traveled with her dad. Then she gained her first dozen followers, and it felt like her voice mattered, she mattered. Finally people could see her, would listen to her, and striving to keep them happy, to keep them watching Brooklynn knew that, that was all that mattered.
Even now. Even here.
Stress, loss, and fear had torn the children apart. Over the past few days Brooklynn had felt like she was toeing an invisible line, Kenji hadn't really been talking to Darius, and Yasmina wasn't talking to Sammy leaving Brooklynn to field conversations between the warring factions. It was stressful and stirred an anxious irritability in her that wouldn't go away as she ferried messages back and forth, burdening the strain of the others' despair as it mingled calamitously with her own disquiet.
Now though? Now everything was good. Like, bizarrely good. It was sudden, and Brooklynn felt as though she had whiplash from it, but they found Ben fumbling around aimlessly with a bunch of dinosaurs and everything had changed. From crying and cheering in the elevator to making their way back to 608 the very atmosphere around the campers had altered. Kenji was smiling again, laughing even as he drug himself back into the room with Sammy's help, talking to the other boys as propped up against Darius and Brooklynn the two hauled Ben into their new found home.
Heat and a nauseating reek radiating off of him, Ben seemed worse for wear. He was on fire, everything in him seemed to move like it was broken, and listening to him try to speak squeezed Brooklynn's heart with a chilling terror. True helplessness had invaded her life since that first encounter with the Indominous Rex, and now seeing Ben like this it began creeping over her once more, the fire ants swarming across her entire body.
Nervously trying to drive them away she raised the camera, slipping into the lively persona she knew people expected of her, the one she used to protect herself from the world, "Well Brooklanders, believe it or not Ben survived his fall from the monorail! Like what?" she laughed, seafoam green eyes going wide with animated shock and surprise.
Pivoting the camera around she captured the grinning faces of her fellow campers as they all staggered and hobbled their way into the room the children had claimed for their own. Kenji offered a quiet thumbs up, which she returned. Yasmina though, was trying to squeeze past to the couch, her face scrunched tightly with concentration she assertively smacked the camcorder out of her way.
"We're all happy," Yaz panted. "But seriously?"
Her lips pressed together in a thin frustrated line Brooklynn looked at her, heart racing with irritation. "Yes seriously." she muttered, swinging the camera to capture the man-of-the-hour himself. "So, Ben, what was it like out there for nearly a week? Alone in the wild, bloodthirsty monsters on every side, no hope for survival? For all intents and purposes doomed?"
His blue eyes heavy Ben's gaze swiveled up to meet hers, "I j-just nnn-nnn I just want a shower..." he muttered, brow furrowed.
"No problem Ben!" Darius beamed, he cleared his throat then, passing the pink haired girl a meaningful look, his head shaking in slow tight movements from side to side. He was done with her too.
As Darius pivoted and the trio began making their way towards the master bathroom everyone seemed to be trying to talk all at once each teenager trying get a word in. Excitement roiling around the room, stirring in each of them in different but noticable ways as finally something good had happened for a change. Then the word 'helicopters' was posed by Yasmina from couch and the room exploded with a cacophony of celebration.
"Yeah, did you hear that?" Brooklynn squealed capturing the joyous moment on film, as her own heart raced with a victorious burst of elation. "They're coming back for us, we're going to be saved!"
Ben was quiet for a minute, as they paused at the bathroom doorway, his forehead creased, eyes searching before he finally dared ask, "Really?" in a timerous sob.
"Really!" Darius laughed from the other side half hugging him as the floor beneath their feet shifted from carpet to tile.
Depositing her camera on the edge of the sink Brooklynn held Ben aloft while Darius turned on the water, sticking his hand into the stream to check the temperature before turning back with a smile.
"Alright, we'll leave you to it, if you need anyth-" Darius began, his words dying on his lips as Ben pushed away from them stepping into the stream fully clothed, a tiny ankylosaurus underfoot clamouring in behind him.
"Dude!" Kenji grinned, wheezing his way into the room that was quickly filling with steam. Sammy shouted for him to lay down followed by a few choice swears in Spanish as he ignored her gingerly lowered himself to the closed toilet. "You missed some of the craziest shit! Like, I mean running for your life through underground tunnels from velociraptors kinda shit!"
The shower remained silent for several minutes, until Ben, sounding close to the floor and obviously sitting responded with a "Yeah?"
"Totally! It was intense!" the older boy buckled then, grabbing his side and doubling over, clearly in intense pain, his eyes watering. "Yeah," he grit between his teeth. "We also totally blew up Toro, it's not dead or anything, but it'll think twice before- before messing with us again!"
"Th-that's nnn-nnn cool-ol cool! That's cool!" Ben replied from the other side of the curtain.
"Come on Kenji," Darius sighed, looking every bit a doting parent as he reached towards him. "Let's get you back to bed."
Kenji waved him away sharply, as a hand immerged from behind the divider, a wet sneaker held out for show. "Thanks man." Kenji smiled as Bumpy bleated burst out if the shower bounded for the dripping shoe playfully, soaking the floor as she did. Kenji retrieved the coveted item, smiling he cradled it fondly.
"Cute." the pink haired girl observed, preserving the gift giving forever. "Guess we'll have to start calling you Cinderella!" Kenji shot her a look.
Startled, her attention caught by a hand on her shoulder Brooklynn turned to see a conflict of emotions washing over Sammy's face. The Texan motioned her out into the bedroom, dark brown gaze serious and locked onto hers, master key card tapping against her lower lip as she thought.
"Hey, I need your help." Sammy said sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "I am over the moon that Ben's alright, but we can't let that excitement get in the way of everything else. We need to find him some medicine, antibiotics or somethin', he's not in a good way." the girl explained, the strain in her voice emphasizing the severity she felt the situation warranted, arms crossed.
The thought clicked with Brooklynn immediately, "Shit, you're right!" she muttered, eyes searching the patterned carpet along the floor, her stomach in a sailor's knot.
Brooklynn reexamined the situation with a fresh perspective. She'd allowed her relief and excitement to skew her judgement, they all had. Lowering the camcorder and taking stock of what everyone was doing, the girl knew that Sammy was right. Sure they were finally all together, a fact that had her head swimming deliriously. Her mind had only just reconciled the fact that Ben was dead, when by nothing short of a miracle he'd come back. Still, what good did their reunion do them, if three of the six had no clear chance of reaching the choppers when they came?
They needed to get his infection and fever under control ASAP. Then they'd have to see abou-
There was a loud wet plop, severing Brooklynn's train of thought, making both girls turn to see the tattered remains of Ben's blue button up laying on the bathroom floor. Scooping it up dutifully Darius placed it into the sink, before shaking his head and muttering to himself as he changed his mind. Walking past the girls with the sopping bundle he emerged onto the balcony and hurled the ruined clothes away immediately grasping his shoulder, which still on the mend, bothered him if he moved it wrong. Darius stopped short when he realized they were watching him.
"What?" he asked suddenly self conscious, a sheepish look passed between the girls. "It's not like we need anymore garbage laying around."
Sammy rolled her eyes though the ghost of her signature smile couldn't be helped.
"We're gonna grab some stuff. You got home base under control?" she asked quirking a brow, nodding her head between the girl on the couch, and the boys in the bathroom, leaving the scampering baby dinosaur out of the equation as she grabbed the power cord to the digital clock and took off with it at a run honking loudly with victory.
"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" he half smiled offering a salute, before lunging after Bumpy, grappling with the dinosaur over the electronics that clattered noisily as it bounced along behind her. All at once he could be a kid again, and everything was right with the world, it made the videographer grin broadly as she watched the melee.
"Brooke and I are gonna go scrounge up some meds and something to eat." Sammy laughed hands on Brooklynn's shoulders she drove her away like a shopping cart in spite of the girls best efforts to record the wrestling pair's shenanigans. "Probably best to start looking in the kitchen at what's frozen and canned right now too." she mused.
In the hallway Sammy's optimistic shine began to fade as she paced in front of the door.
"Are you alright?" Brooklynn asked watching the Texan who seemed intent on wearing a rut into the floor between hotel rooms.
"I'm fine." she said, clearly lying, Brooklynn knew her better by now. "Do you wanna turn out suitcases and medicine cabinets, or mess around the kitchen?"
"Divide and conquer? Ka-pow, ka-pow!" Brooklynn asked firing off finger guns, trying to win the other girl over and cheer her up.
"You know it." Sammy nodded trying to sound chipper but she was too preoccupied to meet her gaze.
"Suitcases. I don't know how to cook." Brooklynn said stepping up and swinging her hip into Sammy's. "Hey," she said pulling a pilfered bobbie pin from her own floral hued locks, reaching up she brushed back some arrant strands from Sammy's face and pinned them out of the way. "It's alright to be scared, remember."
The agitated girl blinked, her large brown eyes perplexed, then a glimmer of hope and recognition shone through. "I remember." Sammy smiled, her bubbly inner self peeking through behind the veil of fear and doubt.
"We got this." Brooklynn announced.
"Yeah, we got this!" Sammy agreeing with renewed confidence as she handed over the key card. After a steadying breath she turned towards the elevators calling, "Remember anti-biotics!" over her shoulder.
"Roger, roger!" Brooklynn confirmed.
Taking a moment to adjust her camcorder, she found herself grateful to have recovered a power cord alongside it, keeping the precious vessel if normalcy and control alive. Once she was satisfied Brooklynn moved down the hall towards the other rooms, narrating as she went.
"So Brooklanders, ya girl Brooklynn here, obvi, life on Isla Nublar aka, KDI, aka Killer Dinosaur Island, aka Hell On Earth has sure been jam-packed with numerous twists and unexpected turns." she said keying into the nearest room. The living room was sparse, curtains open to allow the morning light to filter in and offer up it's gentle illumination.
"Take what I'm doing now for example. Running around the hotel looking for medical supplies when I should be sipping a Mai Tai with my dad on some beach somewhere in Hawaii!" she laughed.
Rounding the corner she saw that the beds stood well made and untouched. Clearly there would be nothing to find here. She was getting ready to turn and leave when a thought, an erratic, mischievous, and rioutus thought, came to mind.
With a loud whooping shout the girl ran to the beds and began jumping between them with high-octane levels of mirth and energy, a hand pressed firm against the stinging pain in her stomach as she did. What she was doing at first for the camera, for the unseen, unknowable views at some point in the future melted away into genuine joy and laugher as she jumped everything she'd been keeping bottled up out of her system. Swinging her legs she sent pillows and blankets flying across the room in wild disarray hurricane Brooklynn had hit the room with force.
"We're going to be ok! We're going to be ok! We're going home!" Brooklynn cheered and shouted until at last she collapsed onto her back gasping for air, and grinning ear to ear.
Staring up in a tired, dreamy state all the pressure of just surviving, and the burden of Ben's death evaporated from her body. He was ok, they were all ok, and rescue was coming. They were going to make it. An overwhelming rush of emotion hit Brooklynn in the chest like a hammer fall then. Blinking back tears she remembered the camera almost too late, and shut that shit down, turning it onto her tearfully beaming face. Happy, she reminded herself, be happy, people like you better that way.
"See," she gasped. "You never know what's going to happen here, but if you don't make your own fun, who's gonna make it for you?"
Getting up Brooklynn reminded herself of her mission and continued on to the next room. Darius had clearly already been here; clothes were strewn everywhere, drawers left dislodged from the dresser, mini fridge ajar. Tapping her foot she pondered if searching the medicine cabinet in the bathroom was even worth the time and effort? Deciding against it she backed out of the room wishing she'd thought to bring a pen or marker or something to scribble on the doors and indicate which ones were already picked over, and which ones weren't.
"You know what?" Brooklynn mused to the camera. "We've stuck to searching this floor and the one beneath it a lot. I think I'm going to try my luck," she paused to make a trumpeting sound, swelling fingers held in a curl before her mouth. "Topside!"
Heading towards the lifts girl skipped merrily inside a large metal box, jamming her thumb onto the button for floor number seven. There were ten in total, and though they'd been here a while the nervous campers turned castaways hadn't explored much farther than absolutely necessary to survive. Desperate times, Brooklynn thought.
"Behold," the girl whispered when the metallic doors slid open. "A strange new world, untouched, and unexplored by any man, or woman before!" Imagining the sci-fi sound effects she'd want to lay over the footage Brooklynn emerged like an astronaut leaving their space capsule. "What wonders, what horrors, what possibilities does this strange land hold? Will it be a fearsome new frontier, or a forgiving oasis of peace?"
In the first room she found an evening dress draped over the arm of the couch, trailing her fingers over the beautiful navy blue fabric she wondered aloud, "They must have been going to Canyon Convivial, fantastic atmosphere, glass bottomed floors, beautiful food."
In the bedroom she found the belongings of two people, a twin pair of toothbrushes on the bathroom counter near the medicine cabinet which housed only deodorant and perfume. "Let's try the next one!" she cheered, though nagging thoughts regarding the fate of the room's former occupants circulated throughout the young woman's mind.
She hoped they'd been able to have that night out, a romantic dinner, and were now safe in each other's arms somewhere far from this place. The dark, persistent thoughts that they were, more likely among the trampled masses far below eating away at her Brooklynn moved on in her search.
In and out of rooms, Brooklynn sorted through her findings talking up her invisible audience as she exposed, the trinkets, knickknacks, and even well loved treasures left behind. After a while her spirits falling where her enigmatic persona soared the girl's neck was heavy with chains from different abandoned necklaces, and her wrists jangled with bracelets she'd dared to loop over her misshapen, and still rather sore wrists. She'd even taken the time for a quick makeup tutorial and now looked every bit a queen.
Still, she hadn't been completely negligent of her duties, a bag of medication in tow. She'd found over the counter pain relievers mostly, but had also managed to scrounge up some antibiotics. Reading over their labels she'd found that they were prescribed for things like ear infections, sinus infections, and one so carefully worded she was sure it was for a VD. Depositing the bag onto the bed opposite her as she began to feel a growing weariness overtake her. Brooklynn hoped that these finds would be of some use.
Sitting for several minutes among the shattered remains of so many innocent lives her joy and excitement slowly ebbing away the girl found herself sorrowfully recounting how they'd gotten to this point. "I just- It all happened so fast." Brooklynn laughed, wiping at the tears on her cheeks. "I know you probably don't want to hear any of this, and I know people say that a lot, but it really did, it all just happened so damn fast..."
"It's like- one minute we're just six kids at a summer camp sure some of its crappy and boring, but other parts are fun too. We were living the life. That's all we were doing. We didn't do anything to deserve what happened to us-" her voice broke. "No one here did!"
"We were just, there. Then we heard something and decided to do that stupid thing you yell at characters in a movie for because you know better-" she paused staring bitterly at the eye of the camera. "We just wanted to see what was making that noise then boom, boom, those guys are dead they're just-" her breath stole away the gory image of a man's intestines falling from his body in a sickening wash of red, the wet crush of bone, and the howling, the terrified, pained howling of his dying cries hit her with force as though she were witnessing it again for the first time.
Fanning her hands, uncomfortably, but desperately in front of her face she couldn't breathe. Setting the camera aside she paced for several minutes shaking her head violently, shrieking at herself to make it stop, but she had no such control. Eventually after riding out the worst of the episode Brooklynn managed to regain some of her composure and resumed her bedside confessional.
"It was bad." she summarized, her voice hoarse and tear strained. "Jayson fell, died... Then we were falling, we all made it somehow... but we got fucked up. Especially Darius," she shuddered picturing the boy sitting in a daze, arm nauseatingly limp with dislocation. "And Kenji... Then we were running, we thought we were safe with this 'Eddie' guy, pretty sure he was just there to steal from JW, he... died too... There were those flying dinosaurs, glow stick dinosaurs- fucking- the mosasaurs!" she exclaimed on her feet in an instant.
"Yasmina is insane, for the record." Brooklynn declared. "I don't know who needs to hear this, but certifiably insane. She swam with it, saved everyone's lives and just- I still can't wrap my head around it. The monorail, we- we thought we'd lost Ben, tunnels, raptors, Toro, then they just- they left us."
The words hung heavy like a sour cord in the air for a long while until, still struggling to come to terms with everything that had happened Brooklynn repeated the phrase, "They left us... And there's dead people everywhere and..." the girl, her soul fractured, looked down at herself, gleaming like royalty. Her stomach knotted sharply, bile washing up to her nostrils.
"What am I doing?" she asked looking down at her newly aquired bling with a stark and harrowing realization. Some of these people were probably dead, she thought then with a cry. "What the fuck am I doing?"
Panicked she dropped the camcorder desperately trying to get the stolen jewelry off batting at the bracelets, sending them flying across the room. Heart racing she tore at the necklaces, scratching at her neck, the quickly broken gold cords ensnaring her fingers she shook them away with the same horror one would walking through a spider's web as she screamed.
"Oh God what am I doing? What am I doing?" she wailed crumpling to the ground in a heap of tears and self loathing.
Those people, all those poor people! They were dead, their families would never see them again, and here she was playing dress up with their stuff? Why? Brooklynn made herself sick. Laying on the floor she cried in wretched sobs.
The young woman wept into the carpet trying to come to terms with everything, all that's she'd been through, all that lie ahead, her own vain means of coping. Brooklynn wasn't even sure why she had been doing the things she was doing. It felt safe, reliable, and most importantly she was in control.
Self reflection cutting deep Brooklynn knew it was still something more than that. It was the acceptance, the love, friendship, and comradare that she received from her viewers. It was a belonging she had always wanted, and now that she had it, as fleeting as internet fame and stardom was she couldn't bear to lose it. Their approval, their admiration, and praise made her feel whole and part of something in a way she never head among her peers.
Still, she thought bitterly, she was disgusting, especially because it was all a sham.
Picking at loose fibers and ground in chip crumbs from the carpet as her emotions wound down, Brooklynn let out a sigh. They were going to get out soon, she thought breathing out slowly as she worked to calm herself. Yeah, that was what was most important. Everything else aside, that knowledge comforted her, they were going home.
Sitting up the girl wiped her face clear of tears, rescue was coming, but first Ben needed this medicine.
Pulling herself to her feet she snagged the camcorder from where it had been discarded shutting it off she turned heading for the door. There on the entertainment stand beside the television amid toy trucks was a tube of diaper cream. Her fingers tracing the plastic port beneath her clothes where the sour smelling acids and enzymes had begun to pool, Brooklynn glaced superstitiously over her shoulder, insuring that she was alone before lifting her hoodie and shirts to expose the ugly mess for what it was.
Biting her lip as she hissed and squealed with pain, Brooklynn's knees shuffled as though she were trying to run. She gingerly unwrapped the washcloth that had been used to try and absorb some of the acid. Skin turned white and soft, utterly ruined peeled away leaving red ulcerated pits behind in an elliptical ring, widest at the bace where gravity pulled the burning liquid down.
It was bad, thought walking carefully into the bathroom, shirt up she couldn't take her eyes off her stomach as she watched the pits begin to bleed.
A tiny sob escaped the girl as she tried to dab the area clean. It hurt like hell, on par with her wrists that first night, and there wasn't much she could do about it. The wound wouldn't heal until the acids stopped leaking out, but the acids wouldn't stop leaking out until the wound healed and the skin sealed back up around the button. Either way without the right kind of help she was fucked.
Drying the area as best she could the girl applied a thick layer of diaper cream to the area. It stung, but she prayed that it was a strong enough barrier cream to give her skin the respite it needed to mend itself. Brooklynn fanned the area of a minute, debating about whether or not to washcloth-up again, or give her skin time to breathe. Opting for the latter option the girl pulled everything down. Layering up like this was good for hiding what she didn't want seen, always had been. Thank God this place still had a functioning AC or she'd have keeled over by now.
Giving a shaky breath as she pocketed the rashcream Brooklynn steeled herself to continue facing the day. Gathering her things she made her way to the elevators and took one to the ground floor. The hairs raising on the back of her neck she could have kicked Darius' ass for mentioning raptors and door handles as she cautiously scoped out her surroundings before making a mad dash towards the kitchen to see what, if anything Sammy needed help with.
Struck with tantalizing aromas just before pushing her way through the double door Brooklynn was met with the sight of roaring red flames erupting from a pan as Sammy tossed something with a nervous skill.
"You are having way too much fun with this." Brooklynn observed with a smile as she took note of the daintily plated mounds of rice topped with little sprigs of green stuff.
"You're one to talk oochie-mama!" Sammy said motioning with a large spoon towards her. "Hot date tonight or something?"
"Oh," Brooklynn said touching her face, a flush rising in her cheeks. "Just messing around. So, what are to making anyways?"
"Stir-fry. Not my area of expertise, but I wanted to try and use as many vegetables as I could before they all went bad, and what is stir-fry but a whole ton of veggies and some meat in soy sauce? Besides the meats are all frozen so as long as we have electricity I think we don't have to worry about it much." Sammy explained with a smile, the familiar, comforting effervescence the Texan was known for back with sunny force.
"Knock on wood." Brooklynn chuckled striking a cutting board as she savored the tempting fragrances. Why hadn't they thought of this earlier? No more shitty leftovers abandoned by strangers. Everyone would probably be very relieved to have something fresh to eat, Brooklynn knew she was even as the voice in the back of her head whispered that the fluffy mound of white rice steaming beside her was the enemy. She was trying not to listen to that voice.
"Well it smells good!" Brooklynn smiled hopping onto a nearby counter.
"Thanks!" Sammy winked dancing to a tune only she could hear. "Maybe I can open my own restaurant some day?" she mused in a singsong tone.
"Maybe, if we make it outta here!" the pink haired girl laughed legs swinging in the air.
Expression falling Sammy's shoulders slumped as she worked with quiet diligence for a few minutes. Then Brooklynn realized just how left of center, and off mark her joke had been. Her heart squeezed with sorrow and regret. She had to make it better, she thought seeing just how badly those words had hurt. Frantically racing through a dozen possibilities Brooklynn leaped from the counter and grabbed her camera.
"Move over Julia Child, there's a new, tall, and dare I say gorgeous woman in the kitchen!" Brooklynn announced moving in for a close up.
"What the heck do you think you're doin'?" Sammy laughed, brow furrowed, gaze darting between her work and the camcorder.
"Food and travel documentary obviou- no wait- biographical documentary on the great Chef Samantha Gutierrez!" the pink haired girl said crab walking to get a good shot of the twin woks Sammy handled.
"Just Sammy," Sammy said. "Samantha just sounds so... severe don't you think?"
"Really? I like it. Oh well, your poor parents." Brooklynn laughed before giving a shrug. "Chef Sammy Gutierrez, owner of prestigious four star restaurant TeXXX (with three X-es because the foods so sexy)-" she said earning a genuine, hearty laugh from the other girl. "Is now going for the fifth. We can see her concentrating as she works with clear skill and capability, clearly a grand master at work! Tell the people Sammy, what are you making?"
"What?" Sammy chuckled.
"Tell the people!" Brooklynn instructed between the teeth of her smile.
"Well y'all I'm just makin' a quick-"
"French accent!" Brooklynn command.
"What?"
"Use a French accent! All the best chefs are from France, everyone knows that!" the videographer said nonchalantly shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
"You ever hear a Texan try a French accent?" Sammy questioned with a sharply raised brow.
"Nope, but I'm about to!"
It wasn't long before the kitchen was filled with not only the heavenly smells, and the heat of the stove, but also laugher, merriment, and fun. Hurt feelings mended Brooklynn helped plate up, carrying a plethora of fruits and vegetables from the storeroom, stacking them up on a cart of their own alongside a cutting board and knife.
"Think Ben'll mind that I ruined the tofu?" Sammy asked plating the meal she'd made in the second wok. "I had no idea what I was doing and now it looks like scrambled eggs."
"Looks fine, besides it's Ben, king of the PB&J remember?" Brooklynn put in. "I think he'd be glad just to have something to eat, and that you thought of him like that. You're a great person, you know that right?"
"I guess." Sammy muttered, gloomy without warning.
Brooklynn watched her as she loaded a watermelon onto the cart, her falling out with Yasmina had hit her pretty hard. "Don't worry Sammy, I'm sure Yaz will get over it sooner or later. I know I never thought Darius and Kenji would ever speak to each other again!"
"Yeah, but there's no magic cure for us." Sammy sighed putting fancy silver tray lids over the plates.
Brooklynn shrugged, "Just don't lie." the girl said bluntly before she could stop herself or think of something better to say.
"I was more honest with that girl than I have been most people in my life."
"Really? Scandalous, do tell. What skeletons do you have in your closet 'just Sammy?'" Brooklynn asked grinning, happy that her little slip hadn't caused any tension between them.
"Nothin', it's not important." Sammy beginning to steer her trolly towards the door. "Ready?"
"Yeah, you don't think any of this is gonna make Bumpy sick though, do you?"
"Nah, I'm sure she'll be fine." the cowgirl said eyeing the sizable and colorful array of produce Brooklynn carted in front of her.
The girls chat comfortably with one another as they took the elevator and crossed the hall to room 608. Brows knitting as on the other side of the door they heard raised voices. Fumbling as she keyed them in Brooklynn and Sammy raced through the living room, stopping short just before bedroom.
"Sammy!" Darius shouted with urgency. "Help me!"
Frozen in place the girls took the sight in, in one horrid glance. Strain and fear plain on his face Darius struggled his hands curled beneath Ben's armpits, the boy white as a sheet was limp and unresponsive, the stain of blood marring the carpet beneath him. Kenji leaned against the bathroom door from where running water could still be heard, wheezing commands, even as he seemed ready to faint. Yasmina was using the foot of the bed to brace herself as she rushed forward on a hobbled leg to help. Bumpy circled the room honking loundly with alarm.
Shoving her way through Sammy raced to Ben and heaved him into the nearest bed. "What the hell happened?" she barked eyes wide as she searched for answers.
"I don't know!" Darius sobbed, hands coming to his head. "I don't know! I don't-"
"Darius!" Sammy shouted again her voice taught.
"He was fine, he was just fine, talking to me and Kenji, we uh- I don't know! We asked if he wanted help out a couple times but he just kept saying in felt good and he wanted to stay in there. Then-" Darius began to pace as Yaz still leaning heavily on the mattress picked up a corner of the blankets and tossed them as best she could to cover the boy and offer him what modesty was available.
"He just stopped talking!" Darius cried. "He just stopped talking, we thought, we thought he was just tired- but- but when I checked on him- there was so much blood!"
Hugging herself as she watched the scene unfolding before her Brooklynn wandered to the other bed and lowered herself down, numb with shock. This wasn't real, this couldn't be happening. They'd just gotten him back and now? Now...
Everything was panic, everything was chaos. The children turned Ben over to apply pressure to the gash on the back of his head which Sammy surmised had been sealed shut with dirt and dried blood until now. In his eagerness to help Darius knelt on the bed and pressed a towel hard with both hands to staunch the flow until Yasmina shoved him away with fearful anger.
"He can't breathe!" she shireked picking up Ben's head and turning to the side. Ben took a shuddering gasp as the smothering pillows came away from his face.
"I'm sorry! Oh my God I'm sorry!" Darius wept backing away as she reapplied pressure.
"Is he alright?" Kenji choked out as he staggered towards them. "Ben! Ben, wake up!"
"Will you stop moving him!" Sammy yelled when Kenji shook the unconscious boy by the shoulder.
The seconds rolled into minutes, but each passing moment was a fractal in time, suspended indefinitely, as fear and uncertainty made them drag on. Eventually the campers found themselves freed of the chronical prison as breathless the worst seemed to be over.
Sitting on the floor resting against the foot of the bed, first aid kit in his lap Darius, eyes closed wearily, was the first to speak. "He needs stitches." when no one replied the boy forced himself to stand, surveying the haggard faces that stared back at him. "Ben needs stitches."
"Needs- a lot more than that!" Kenji who had taken up residence laying flat across the floor scoffed.
"Yeah, we all do!" Yaz bit irritably.
Choosing to ignore them Darius pressed on. "Ben needs stitches you guys, and I don't know how to sew."
Everyone turned to look at Sammy with hopeful expectation.
"My mama is always busy trying to feed a family of twelve and hired hands, and keep the ranch running smoothly, she never had time to sew let alone teach anybody to do it!" she exclaimed with frustration, motioning broadly with blood stained hands.
"Don't look at me!" Yaz scoffed before anyone could pose the question.
Like the distant chime of a bell Brooklynn could feel the answer just there within her grasp as she pulled herself from the bleak despair she had been wallowing in. She could help.
"I know how." she heard herself say, coming into the present as she stood and made her way towards them. "I know how to sew."
"Really?" Darius asked, anxiously optimistic.
"Yeah," Brooklynn smiled, slipping from the shadows of her feelings and into the glowing light of her mask. "Piece of cake!"
Rifling through the kit while the others positioned the patient, flattening wet hair out of the way to expose the deep ugly gash Brooklynn fought to compose herself, cool and calm on the outside she was clawing and screaming internally. She couldn't do this! She wasn't good enough! She wasn't a doctor! What if she got it wrong? What of she fucked up? What if- Brooklynn handed over the rubbing alcohol, with a wink to Darius before she started toying with the needle and thread.
"Hold him." Brooklynn heard the boy instruct before the pungent odor of the antiseptic hit her with force.
"That's not a good sign, is it?" Yaz muttered when Ben didn't react to the burning liquid.
Lower lip caught suddenly between her teeth, needle threaded and ready Brooklynn moved up the bed just behind Ben. "Running stitch, slip stitch, or ladder stitch?" she asked trying to sound casual but the frightened waver to her voice betrayed her.
"Whatever, just do it!" Kenji yelled his angry commentary from the floor.
Her heart fluttering wildly, tears in her eyes Brooklynn moved forward. The point of the needle touching skin she flinched and pulled away. "I can't do it!" she shrieked.
"What of course you can, you're Brooklynn!" Sammy smiled encouragingly.
"I can't! I just can't!" Brooklynn sobbed shaking her head from side to side as she started to cry. Swallowing down backwash as it raced up her throat the pink haired girl scrambled backwards on battered hands and knees.
Heart racing as her meticulously crafted disguise started to slip, the young woman's breath caught in her throat. Everything was unraveling coming undone, they were going to see her, they were all going to see her for what she really was, and they were going to hate her. Everyone always did. Fingers tangled fiercely in her hair she choked and wheezed past her tightening airway. She couldn't do this, she wasn't strong enough, it was all fake, pretend, a lie! She couldn't do this!
"Brooklynn come on, you climbed Mount Everest!" Sammy laughed, reaching out to touch her back.
"It was Mount Denali..." the forlorn girl confessed, her gaze falling to her lap. "In Alaska."
"But, but those pictures of you at the summit!" Sammy's smile faultered.
"Photoshop... I wanted it to be Everest, but- I had a lot going on, I was sick-" she murmured tearfully. "I'd promised my viewers Mount Everest, my dad promised me an adventure- We compromised with Denali... I- I lied... I'm sorry. I can't do anything, I can't do it! I can't help! I'm sorry." she wailed feeling exposed and vulnerable.
"Brooklynn?" Darius whispered in shock.
"How much of it was all just a-"
"That's not important right now." Yasmina declared cutting Sammy off as she scooted towards Brooklynn. "What is important is that Ben needs help, and you're the only one who can help him."
"No I can't, that wasn't me! It was all fake!" she replied with a wretch.
"You know what isn't fake, climbing Mount Denali. I bet that took guts-"
"I can't- I can't-"
"Shh. You know what else took guts? Standing up to that Eddie guy, jumping from a fucking moving train, using yourself as live bait for mother fucking velociraptors!" Yaz enthused her warm brown eyes wide with meaning as she took Brooklynn by the shoulders and shook her gently to emphasize her words.
"But, I didn't do anything of those things by myself!" Brooklynn protested.
"But you still did them." Yasmina pointed out.
The embers of courage stoking to life in her chest Brooklynn looked at Yaz with disbelief. "Yeah," Darius put in, a hand on Brooklynn's back. "Besides, you're not alone."
Her head swivelling between the others Brooklynn was overwhelmed with emotion, the crush of her feelings threatening to undo her when Yaz gave her a brisk shake, snapping her from her awed revere.
"Hey." Yaz said regaining her wavering attention. "Look at me, repreat after me: I am strong. I am capable. I know what I am doing. I've got this."
"I'm strong," Brooklynn whimpered unconvincingly. "I'm capable. I know what I'm doing. I've got this."
"Again."
"I'm strong. I'm capable. I know what I'm doing. I've got this." Brooklynn said feeling herself bolstered by the mantra.
"Again."
"I'm strong. I'm capable. I know what I'm doing. I've got this." Brooklynn announced with renewed vigor.
"Good," Yasmina sighed in relief, turning Brooklynn to face the daunting task that lie before her. "Because Ben needs you, and you're the only one who can help him. There's nothing left to do but get it done. So do it... Besides, there's always time to cry about it later."
Her hands trembling Brooklynn pushed the hook shaped needle through the skin at the base of the gash. The wound tugged and pulled, more difficult to pass the needle through than fabric. The girl's stomach lurched and she was grateful she hadn't sampled any of Sammy's handiwork just yet. Looping the black nylon thread Brooklynn's eyes fluttered back tears as she nauseatingly tugged the two pieces of skin together.
After several anxious minutes Brooklynn snipped the final suture, and sat back staring as her crude, but sufficient work.
"Is he going to be ok?" she asked in a distant whisper.
"Nobody knows." Darius muttered with a remorseful honesty.
"Did stitching him up even do anything? Or was it all pointless." she mused, not really expecting much of an answer.
"Nothing's pointless." Kenji breathed.
"Yeah, besides the helicopters are coming, right?" Sammy smiled.
"Yeah, I guess." Brooklynn concurred.
"Hey," Yaz nudged the pink haired girl. "It's later."
"What?"
"You don't have to hold it all in, anymore. It's later." Yasmina explained gently.
With that nurturing permission all at once Brooklynn's foundations broke and she found herself crying in huge lamenting sobs, falling to the blankets as she did. Shushing her hurts and smoothing a hand over her hair the runner pulled her close, whispering what comforting words she could think to offer. Sammy and Darius worked around them with quiet diligence, tidying the supplies and maneuvering Ben's gangly arms into a bathrobe before tucking him beneath the comforters, and shutting off the still running shower.
"So, Kenji." Sammy started, hands on her hips as she took stock of his situation. "Ready to make the long walk to the bed?"
"No." he groaned, legs splayed, Bumpy dozing in the space they made. "Don't touch me. Just, get me a blanket? I'm pretty sure I live here now."
"You sure?"
"Yeah I'm sure."
Sammy fetched a blanket for him and like that hush fell over the room and one by one they drifted if not into restless sleep, a strained quiet.
Plates of half eaten stir-fry dotting the hotel room the campers were watching tv when they heard the first distant blade-slaps of a helicopter chuffing through the air. After a few desperate pleas and attempts to gain the piolet's attention an icy chill came over the room.
They weren't going to make it. Resignation settling into each of the children's hearts as hope died away, by now an all too familiar sensation Darius drew the curtains, shielding them from the sight of the sleek black chopper landing. They couldn't cover the distance, not all of them, and they wouldn't leave anyone behind, not again.
"We'll catch the next ones..." their reluctant leader assured them.
"Yeah," Sammy agreed with a smile. "The news report said they'd be sending the search teams out in waves."
"And there's no way that was a Coast Guard chopper," Yaz was quick to add, each doing their best to keep the others hope alight. "Did you see how small it was? So that means we've still got the big guns coming!"
When the quiet that followed became unbearable Brooklynn leaped to her feet snatching the remote control from it's resting place among the pillows.
"Alright bitches, my turn to pick a movie!" she declared, try her best to be cheerful, and dispell a whole room full of tension.
"Brooklynn," Darius sighed settling on the bed where he had been moments before. "It's ok, you can be real with us."
Brooklynn returned the sad smile as the others shared his sentiment. "Ok," she sighed before adding. "I am a charismatic person you know- I just-"
"Don't have to be happy all the time." Kenji who had finally been wrested into the nearest bed, sandwiching the still unresponsive Ben between him and Yasmina scoffed.
"Yeah B, were your friends, not your followers, remember?" Yaz added.
She was right Brooklynn thought, taking in the kids she had been left behind with. They cared about her, no matter how different she was, or how annoying she could be, or how sad she let herself get. The young woman allowed herself to deflate some, the burden of all the forced enthusiasm flowing out of her. They really were her friends, her first real friends.
"This really fucking sucks you guys." Everyone agreed as the pink haired girl sank down on Sammy's other side. "... Mean Girls? It's my happy place movie?"
"Mean Girls." they agreed.
Notes:
Lots of girl power in this one! And a deeper look at what's going on behind Brooklynn's mask! 😢 💗
Also poor Darius was trying so hard to help that he almost smothered Ben. 😢💔
Thanks for reading I really hope y'all liked it! Love y'all! 💖
Chapter 29: Patchwork
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-CCF Day Seven-
Alone.
Ever since the truth had come out that she was a Mantah Corp spy, and for the briefest of moments everyone turned against her, Sammy had felt so alone.
The self appointed chef and all around Jack-of-all-trades had kept herself busy in the kitchen, at least twice a day to insure that her friends had something good in their bellies while they played this long, terrible waiting game. The upside was that if she told everyone that she had things under control it gave her space and time to think. The downside was if she told everyone that she had things under control it gave her space and time to think, and sometimes thinking could be the enemy.
Sammy had never been a very sullen person, but loneliness was something the girl had been familiar with when she was younger. Feeling different, weird, a mishaped piece in the wrong puzzle box, it took her a while to put herself together and find exactly where she fit. Her worst bout of depression had come in the form of immense disphoria under the oppressive weight and expectation of public perception. Her family helped her out of it, reaching down into that pit of dispair and pulling the girl she'd felt she'd had to hide away into the glow of daylight. She hadn't felt lonely or unseen after that, but now, now she found herself brooding again, her jagged edges rough against the smoothe curves of the other campers, another puzzle she just wasn't made for.
"Nah, don't be stupid!" she scolded herself, talking aloud as she cooked, in the same way she had always told her mama made her look like a crazy person. "They're your friends and haven't ever been anythin' but, don't go diggin' into your own head Sammy Gutierrez!" the Texan chided, brandishing a mush covered spoon as she stirred the thickening oatmeal she was making for breakfast. It went perfectly with the melons she was able to salvage, at least the ones that hadn't gone too soft yet.
Even as the girl tried to bolster herself up, there was a small twinge of pain in her heart, a little shard of glass bearing Yasmina's name lodged deep within. Staring into the mesmerizing grey bog of hot cereal as she stirred the lazily bubbling slurry, Sammy's mind fell away from the present. How could she have been so stupid? she wondered, spoon circling the pot on autopilot.
They had kissed, more than once. Yasmina had said the "L" word. Worse, Sammy still felt the "L" word, but- Letting out a shaky breath as the tears emerged Sammy couldn't help but wonder what she was doing. Head over heels for a girl she had just met, who had shared precious little of herself, and now hated her? Trying to shrug it off as in ill-fated summer romance doomed from the beginning, Sammy focused on her relationships with the others.
Brooklynn had been right the other day of course, it was alright to be scared, but she was letting that fear take her down avenues that needn't be tread. Her pent anxiety over their seemingly lackadaisical rescuers, mingled with Yasmina's silence, and her personal insecurities into a typhoon that made her sick inside and fear the worst. No one actually hated her, not even Yaz- she hoped, besides they were all together now, the helicopters would return eventually, and things could only get only get better from here on out, and she could see her family again!
Her vim and vigor restored by the happy thoughts the girl banged the hearty lumps of oatmeal from the spoon back into the pot before turning to fetch some bowls. Humming a little ditty as she plated up Sammy was sure to grab a couple bunches of quickly wilting celery, a clear favorite of Bumpy's, on the way out. Now, if only house breaking a dinosaur was as easy as all the rest they'd be set. Somehow, cleanup had fallen on Sammy's shoulders as well after she'd compared the task with mucking out the stalls back home.
When would the cowgirl ever remember to keep her big mouth shut? She wondered with a giggle heading for the elevators. Oh well, it wasn't that bad.
Walking into 608 once again triumphant Sammy announced, "Breakfast y'all!" as she headed towards the bedroom where they had taken up primary residence.
"Smells good!" Darius beamed from his post at the window, keeping vigil over the silent park. "I cook dinner tonight though, deal?"
Sammy contemplated the offer for a moment a wry smile coming to play on her face, "What did you have in mind?" Stumped as he got up to help himself to the butter and honey on the cart the boy froze. "Do you know how to cook?" Sammy pressed her grin widening.
"Spaghetti!" Darius announced victoriously as Brooklynn sidled up to him, dressing her own bowl with a dollup of the sweet stuff.
"Didn't see any Ragu or Prego down there did you, Sammy?" the pink hair girl smirked, passing Sammy a wink.
"Shit." Darius muttered under his breath.
"What now big man?" Sammy mocked, relief filling her soul as she watched the boy's brown eyes dart around the room as if seeking out help. Oh yeah, they were still her friends, and she had nothing to worry about, she concluded when the boy seemed to stop and stare at something over her shoulder.
Turning Sammy caught Kenji pantomiming something to Darius whose face scrunched in confusion. "Poker?" Darius asked with a laugh.
"Ugh!" Kenji groaned with exasperation. "Grilled cheese sandwiches!"
"What? How is that-" Darius tried to reason mimicking the other boy's movements.
"Have you ever actually set foot in a kitchen before?" Yasmina asked the rich kid with disbelief as Sammy wheeled the cart between the beds, casually tossing the celery to a baying Bumpy as she went.
"Yes!" Kenji snapped incredulously, clearly offended as he slumped lower into the bed.
"To nnn-nnn cook?" Ben, his eyes closed elaborated on the question with the murmur.
"Yes!" Kenji shouted, looking at everyone irritably.
"What?" Yaz smirked.
Kenji was quiet for a minute, a range of emotions clouding his face before he defiantly informed the others with a clear sense of pride and authority, "Toast."
"You b-burned it nnn-nnn huh?" Ben asked from beside him.
A flush of embarrassment rising in his cheeks Kenji avoided eye contact with the others, "No!"
"Yes!" Yasmina laughed falling back onto her pillows.
"I actually used to cook all the time with my mom," Kenji muttered then, his tone dropping suddenly. "But that was a long time ago."
Sammy's heart fell as she saw the gloom wash over the boy's face, a particular light flickering out in his gaze. She couldn't even imagine. No one seemed sure what to say just then as the atmosphere shifted. Thinking quickly as she handed him a bowl Sammy rushed to change the subject when Ben spoke first, "W-w-what was your nnn-nnn-nnn, your favorite thing to-to cook with her?"
Sammy could feel her heart beginning to race, a lump forming in her throat as she watched, bracing herself for tears, and trying to think of ways to make it all better. Then, to her surprise Kenji's face lit up after a few minutes of consideration.
"Nikuman." Kenji beamed brightly, a distant look in his eye as though he had just been teleported several years into the past. "They're these cabbage and pork filled steam buns. You're supposed to crimp and fold them a certain way," he explained, putting his bowl in his lap and demonstrating with his hands. "But I couldn't ever get it right and my buns would always split, or come open at the top. They were so damn ugly!" he laughed. "But my mom would always pick them first out of the basket, and tell me how delicious and well made they were. I was little. I know she was just trying to cheer me up but- It just made me so damn happy and proud of myself, you know?"
"That sounds nnn-nnn really-eally nice." Ben said trying to sit up after a minute.
"Yeah!" Sammy agreed racing to help him as she did.
"I-I've got it." he muttered trying to wave her away.
"Don't be silly, here!" the Texan said with a smile, one hand looping under the boy's armpit, the other pressed against his back which felt boney beneath the oversized shirt that dangled loosely about him.
"I said- said I've got it!" Ben snapped as Sammy hastily stuffed some pillows behind him to help keep him upright.
"Here, what do you want in it?" the girl asked pointing between the sweeteners and butter on the cart.
"I-I nnn-nnn, I can do it!" Ben protested reaching with wobbly hands for the bowl.
He was going to drop it and burn himself, Sammy thought watching the disoriented way the shell of a boy moved. "It's alright, I don't mind!" she assured trying to remain helpful and upbeat as she took a spoonful of sugar and piled it onto the oatmeal. She couldn't remember exactly what, but he'd had something against honey before life went to hell in a hand basket.
"Careful, it's hot." she cautioned handing it to him.
His brow furrowed Ben started muttering and stammering something under his breath. The girl watched as he struggled, his jaw clenched, throat moving in deep gulps as the words became caught behind his teeth. She felt a chill of fear. Something was very, very wrong with Ben, and if they didn't get him help soon- a shudder wracked her body. She didn't want to imagine what would happen, he was already sleeping most of the time anyways, too sick and too exhausted for much else.
"Take your time!" Sammy said with gentle encouragement, a hand reaching instinctively to feel for the constant fever the boy had been battling. She prayed it wasn't getting worse.
With a roar of frustration and anger Ben slapped her hand away, and sent his oatmeal splattering in thick globs across the bedding and carpet, startling everyone.
"J-just nnn-nnn just nnn-nnn-nnn just leave me the fuck al-alone!" Ben stammer-shouted before pulling the comforter to his mouth and letting out a muffled scream. "I'm, I'm not a baby! Nnn-nnn I can do things for mys-myself! I just c-can't f-f-fucking talk!"
Her heart hammering loudly in her ears Sammy felt like crap as she watched the boy she'd been so worried about crumble into a heap of tears. He was just in such a bad way, and seemed so helpless, all she wanted to do was take care of him, like she felt he needed to be. Cleaning up what sticky clumps of oatmeal that Bumpy wasn't already lapping at Sammy knew that in spite of her best intentions, she'd fucked up somehow.
"I'm sorry." she apologized as she worked on the blankets next. "I was just trying to help. I'm just scared-" she said her voice breaking when Ben began yelling again.
"S-so am I!" he wailed, fingers tightly laced through his hair. "Nnn-nnn it's happ-happening to me! I'm, I'm, I'm nnn-nnn-nnn the o-one stuck in here, not y-you! Nnn-nnn-nnn, nnn-nnn!"
His words stole Sammy's breath away, she'd been so worried about taking care of him she, the others, no one had given thought to what he must be going through. "I'm sorry." she whispered, turning to move away. A jolt of surprise lanced through her at the hand on her forearm, she turned to see big weepy blue eyes staring at her.
"It's ok." Ben murmured giving her a squeeze. "M-me too. Nnn-nnn I know you're t-trying... I'm just so sc-scared."
Smiling a little brighter Sammy leaned across the bed, pulling the boy into a tight embrace that made her feel like everything was going to be alright, she hoped it did the same for him.
"Nnn-nnn sorry e-everyone." he the addressed the room wiping at stray tears that refuse to go away.
"It's cool." Darius nodded.
"Yeah seriously don't worry about it!" Yaz shrugged at the same time Brooklynn laughed, "Hey, I've done worse, trust me!"
It was then as Sammy was considering going back downstairs to grab herself some of the extra food she'd left in the pan when Kenji bounced his eyebrows with mischief in her direction, as if to say "watch this!"
"I didn't know you swore." Kenji smirked inching closer to the other boy.
"Sh-shut up!" Ben blushed.
"Oh my God! Someone get the soap! Ben said a potty word!" the older boy egged him on, elbowing Ben playfully.
"I h-hate you!" Ben muttered into his hands, unable to keep from smiling broadly, and giving a sheepish laugh.
"Oh I'm telling!" Brooklynn joined in.
"And in front of Bumpy! Ben, how could you?" Yasmina scolded, the little animal giving a happy call when she recognized her name.
The illusive joy and relief of being alive quickly filled the room as everyone, even Ben laughed at his own expense. Making a breakfast of the fresh fruit alone Sammy settled on a chair between the beds, fending off an energetic Bumpy as everyone chatted casually while they ate. Taking Kenji's impromptu topic of choice they were quickly regaling one another with fond memories of favorite meals long past with their families.
Animated and holding his hands out with emphasis Darius was using his natural talent for storytelling to weave the narrative of his dad's famous smoked ribs.
"A rack for each of us!" the boy enthused. "My mom is in the kitchen making potato salad, coleslaw, fruit salad (with marshmallows) and an apple pie when my dad had me and Brand in the backyard helping him man the smoker, and he's got a rack for everyone!"
"That is a serious amount of food!" Yasmina laughed.
Scoffing Sammy waved the other girl's naivete aside, earning the briefest of smiles from her, before she seemed to remember and turned decidedly away. The glass plunged a little deeper.
"I know, right?" Darius laughed preparing to move on with his story when Kenji, utterly enthralled posed a question.
"So, this was for like a birthday, or holiday, or something right?" he asked trying to grasp the concept as he listened eagerly.
"Nope," Darius shook his head. "It was just because."
"Your dad sounds like he was the best!" Brooklynn smiled, playing with her food as she spoke. Just like a bird, Sammy thought affectionately, then her big sister instinct flared at the back of her mind.
It was probably nothing, Sammy reminded herself, but still she couldn't help but wonder if everything was alright with the other girl who seemed to only pick and her meals. Caught staring Sammy raised her spoon to the pink haired girl who returned the salute with her own before they each took a bite as they listened to their friend's tale.
"He really was." Darius agreed with a fond sorrow before going on.
"So we're just standing there when mom starts bringing out the rest of it and asks me and Brand for help when dad says, 'If I'd have known I was expected to eat my vegetables today I wouldn't have asked the butcher for the Flintstone special!'" Darius fell backwards howling with a contagious bout of laughter and lust for life as he tried to compose himself well enough to go on. "Then mom, she- she looked at him and said 'You yabba dabba didn't,' and dad opens the smoker and says 'I yabba dabba did!'"
The room rolled with laughter, as Darius broke off into a mirthful explanation if the playful trouble his dad had always managed to get himself into, and the twinkle his mom's eyes got whenever she had to pretend to be angry with him for it.
"They really did love each other huh?" Brooklynn beamed at the boy.
"They, they do." Darius agreed faithfully.
"I-I, I-I-I miss Saturday morning nnn-nnn fr-french toast." Ben smiled down into his bowl. "My m-mom would use left o-o-o-over challah, it nnn-nnn-nnn was the best. She- she-he hasn't made it in a-a nnn-nnn long time, time though."
"Why'd she stop?" Yasmina asked.
A somber expression cast over Ben's face as she shrugged in response.
"Breads a big part of some of my favorite foods too!" Sammy jumped in trying to banish the gloom that had come over Ben before it spread to the others. "Well, sorta, making and eating pan de muerto bread on The Day of the Dea-" Sammy stopped short, and her mouth slammed shut so quickly that the girl bit her tongue. Way to go Sammy! She scolded herself, way the disperse all the sadness bring up dead people!
"Um- but- oh you know how it is we always have so much to celebrate, because of such a big family! Birthdays and the like? Always something to celebrate! When something big happens we usually toss a steer on the fire so something, Easter and Christmas are always big, we make cakes, pies, puddin's oh! I have the best luck finding the baby Jesus in the roscón de reyes!" the cowgirl rambled, smiling so hard that her cheeks hurt. She could make it better, she could save the conversation, she could cheer up her friends- she had to!
"Sounds like you do a lot of cooking." Brooklynn observed with a grin.
"Only every day!" Sammy laughed. "When you live in a big family you kinda have to!"
"My family makes a lot of really good food so it's hard to pick just one thing, but I'd kill for some good biryani right about now." Yasmina announced to the room.
"What's that?" Brooklynn inquired leaning forward with interest. "Sounds exotic!"
Sammy noticed a twinge at the corner of the athlete's mouth as though she'd said something he hadn't meant to, dangerously close to giving up a secret she wanted desperately to hide. The cowgirl's heart sank empathetically, she understood the feeling all too well.
Assuming a cool demeanor Yasmina shrugged the question away, "It's just a fancy version of chicken and rice, nothing special."
As the campers whiled away the morning their eased conversations drifted gradually from one topic to the next, until at last they settled on the one thing that was on everyone's mind, rescue. Battle plans were discussed, assignments given, and with a growing optimism and confidence the children felt better prepared to face whatever happened when those choppers finally arrived.
"What I wanna know is what that little black bird was doing here, wasn't military that's for sure!" Sammy said after a while as she cleared the dishes away.
"I don't know," Darius who had busied himself with a park map and a couple pens said from his place on the floor. "It didn't seem to circle very long before it landed."
"Yeah," Yaz nodded sitting up in bed as she added to the conspiracy theory. "It was like they knew exactly what they were looking for, or who."
"Well, mayb-" Kenji winced, the automated attempt to shrug, arms raised sarcastically burned through his chest. "Fuck!" he breathed out on a labored hiss. "I just want to die already this fucki-"
Swinging his hand behind him Ben who had been laying with his eyes closed listening to his friends talk didn't care where he hit the other boy, just so long as he got his point across, as the others shouted their anger and disapproval. Kenji let out a frustrated groan as the back of Ben's hand slapped against his thigh.
"Seriously?" Yasmina questioned from the other bed.
"Yeah totally uncalled for." Brooklynn added.
"You all know what I meant!" Kenji argued.
"Yeah and that's not the dang point Kenji!" Sammy announced, hands on her hips and she turned back to address the room, letting the cart roll out into the hallway unattended.
"Darius?" Kenji tried.
"Nope I'm with them." Darius said without looking up from his work.
"Unbelievable!"
Walking back across the room Sammy settled into a comfortable position on the floor besides their leader. "How's it comin' along?" she asked watching him penning notes on a pad stolen from the front desk as he worked.
"Pretty good, what do you think?" the boy announced with a confident smile as he handed over the map and his quickly jotted notes.
The map in question was very simplistic, the kind found dotted in kiosks around the park with brightly colored icons made to illustrate attractions and make navigating the sometimes labyrinthian pathways about the heart of the island easier. Well, Sammy thought smirking to herself at all the little blue boxes with white stick figures inside them, at least we'll never have trouble finding a bathroom. Putting these thoughts aside Sammy reviewed the evacuation routes Darius had come up with, including the well thought out course changes and alternate routes should something come between them and largest part of main street left standing where they all assumed the helicopters would land.
"It looks like you've thought of literally everythin'!" Sammy mused with a smile as she marveled at his handy work.
"Yeah, I guess playing a bunch of strategy based games had to pay off sometime, huh?" he smiled back, looking more like his old self than Sammy had seen him in a while.
Without warning Bumpy-zilla bounded over the pair of them as they sat vulnerably within her reach, down on the ground. Letting out a bleating honk of excitement as she leaped up towards Sammy's face the little Ankylosaurus burst through the center of the paper map.
"Bumpy!" Sammy shrieked with startled surprise and upset.
"Oh my God!" Darius wailed at the same time, fingers digging into his dense curls as he leaped to his feet fighting not to scream, or worse, kick the animal as rage burnt through his chest.
Sammy picked up on that expression of complete loss on the boy's face instantly. "It's ok!" the girl said standing as she gently wrapped her hands around Darius' wrists and lowered them to his sides. "We still have all your notes and scenarios, the map was a good visual aid but you were going into have to redraw it a couple times anyway so that everyone had a copy, remember?" she asked ducking low so that her face filled the boy's line of sight. "Remember?"
"Yeah." he conceded with a sigh after a while. "Yeah you're right."
"I'm always right." Sammy winked earning a smile from her friend. "Now why don't we take a break and watch somethin'?"
"Ben picks!" Brooklynn announced through a yawn, allowing herself to finish before continuing her to voice her opinion. "Because he's actually awake."
"Seconded." Yasmina murmured tossing the remote from one bed to the other.
"So, what'll it be?" Kenji asked, fishing the device up from the blankets.
"It d-doesn't matter." Ben murmured settling back in a way that gave Sammy the impression that he was already trying to go back to sleep.
The Texan's heart began to race wildly, was that a good sign or a bad sign? She wondered. Good for fighting off the infections, your body needs a lot of rest for that, but it was bad for a head injury wasn't it? Pensively she watched him close his eyes with an exaggerated heaviness to them unsure of whether to try and rouse him, or let him drift off again.
"Come on man, you gotta pick!" Kenji said pestering the other boy.
"Yeah, what are you feeling, action, horror, comedy?" Yaz tried.
"Romance?" Brooklynn chipped in.
"Please no!" Darius laughed. "I mean unless you really want to."
"F-fine!" Ben groaned opening his eyes and sitting a little higher. "Sh-Sh-Shrek, nnn-nnn!" he announced.
"Uh, ok?" Kenji said freezing up tight in a way that made Sammy think he'd been about to shrug again, gesticulation the enemy.
A devious smile spread across Ben's face as he made himself more comfortable, adding, "The m-musical." to his request. "It's on nnn-nnn-nnn Netflix."
The campers exchanged parallel looks of confusion and concern, while she Cheshire cat that was Ben waited with patience.
"I don't know about y'all but I actually thought it was pretty cute!" Sammy said later when the actors were taking their bows.
"I crashed towards the end." Darius confessed, lifting his head from the blankets to rub his eyes. "Someone was still watching the window right?" he grumbled.
"Yeah, nothing's changed." Yaz confirmed as the others lazily discussed the movie.
"I really like the beginning with all the Fionas," Brookynn said. "It was really neat how-" she was saying when Kenji cut her off with a loud, "It was GAY!"
"Shut up!" Yasmina bellowed glaring at him. "You say that all the time and I hate it!"
"So?" the boy asked unpreturbed by her outburst already using the remote to navigate to something more entertaining, having been vetoed every time he tried to stop the show after Ben inevitably fell asleep.
"It's not right, how would you like something about you being turned into a insult?" Brooklynn added, backing the athlete up.
Sammy, feeling caught in the crossfire wanted it call him out on his behavior just as badly as that others, but her desire to keep the peace tugged at her heart even harder. Brows knit she held her hands up in surrender, as she tried to broker an accord. "Y'all, I think we should-"
"It'd be pretty hard to find something insulting to say about me, I mean, I am me!" Kenji larked.
"Just stop saying it." Yaz said making clear that she wasn't going to take any of his sass.
"You know what?" Brooklynn grinned through gritted teeth. "Just stop saying half the shit you say, m'kay?"
"Guys!" Darius groaned collapsing back into the comforters with the resolution to sleep through this stupid fight. Still he found himself mumbling, "Can't we have one good day?" and sounding very much like his mom as he did.
"So, what you can only say something is 'gay' of you're gay?" Kenji tried to reason out with a cocky grin.
"Yes!" all three girls found themselves saying in unison.
"That's kinda gay." he announced deviously.
The room was filled with with the sound of the trio shouting, Sammy forsaking peace alongside the others before they seemed to back Kenji into a corner.
"Fine! Fine." Kenji conceded, anger and frustration flaring through him. After a few tense moments of silence he let out a pained laugh, one that his adversaries little liked the the sound of. "That movie was so chaotically pansexual that it hurt itself getting out of bed this morning! Better?"
All at once the electricity in the atmosphere was gone, and no one could contain their laughter. "What?" Darius asked behind his joyful tears face muffled by they blankets. In one way or another, Sammy realized then, they were all beginning to reach their breaking points.
"What? I needed to take a leak but I was half asleep and when saw my reflection and was like oh, hot guy alert act cool and face planted when I tripped over Bumpy." Kenji beamed cheekily.
"You did not!" Yasmina countered doubtfully.
"Sure did! And y'all are just a bunch of straight up hotties, so you know, deal with it."
Melting back into her seat, tension draining from her body as she laughed at Kenji's idiocy, Sammy glanced around at this patchwork group of friends. They were all so different, and their personalities clashed so much that it seemed like they just wouldn't work together. The girl usually felt the same exact way when laying out the pieces of a quilt with her abuela, yet those quilts always turned out to be the most beautiful tapestries, sewn together over time and with much love.
They were kind of becoming that, she mused, sure there were some fraying edges, her gaze drifted to Yasmina, but if her abuela and what happened between Darius and Kenji had taught her anything, it was that "a stitch in times saves nine." This thought warmed the girl over, comforting her to the core as she smiled to herself. Sammy loved her camp family.
The cowgirl let out a breath. She was going to be ok, they were all going to be ok.
That evening Sammy sat out on the balcony, slowly dragging her fork through the dinner that Darius had been a good enough man to keep his word and make. It was supposedly 'green bean casserole,' but given the ingredients the Texan was almost one hundred percent positive that he had gotten the name confused with shepard's pie. It wasn't bad, she pondered making moats with her mashed potatoes to catch some of the rather watery red sauce and clumps of half melted cheese, but it wasn't exactly good either. Still, she thought with gratitude as she watched an aerial battle taking place in the distance, it was food.
"They're, uh, they're getting kinda close huh?" Brooklynn asked, hugging herself as she stepped outside.
"Yeah, I'm not gonna stay out much longer," the cowgirl promised. "I just wanted-"
"Some breathing room?" the pink haired girl smiled as she leaned against the wall beside her.
"Exactly."
"You've been putting way too much on your plate lately, the cooking, the cleaning, head cheerleader." Brooklynn mused. "Maybe you should just step back a minute? Seriously Darius and I have things under control, just take a break tomorrow, so you're not burned out by the time rescue gets here, k?"
Sammy heard what Brooklynn was saying, but had difficulty taking it to heart, though she appreciated where it was coming from. How in the world was she supposed to stop? Everyone needed to be alright. Turning to thank her anyways Sammy came up short, brows knit.
"Speaking of plates," she said in her best sarcasm laced big sister tone. "Where's yours?" she pondered out loud, the creeping voice of suspicion whispering at the back of her mind again. Brooklynn hadn't had much of an appetite recently, sure stress affected people differently, but her lack of interest in one of the key components to survival was starting to worry the Texan.
"I'm not that hungry." the other girl waved her hand as though shooing a gnat.
"You gonna hurt his feelings." Sammy said applying the right amount of pressure she hoped would work. She watched as Brooklynn's expression shifted becoming something of a conflicted grimace. As she watched there seemed to be a battle going on behind Brooke's soft green eyes.
"You're right." she sighed at long last, turning back to go inside.
How was she supposed to let Brooklynn take care of things when she clearly couldn't even take care of herself? Sammy wondered. This glaring question aside, Brooklynn was right she was taking on too big a role. It felt like a heavy, wet, wool blanket had been draped over the children, and Sammy was doing her best to hold it up over their heads and winding up getting smothered by it in the process. Well, she thought smiling to herself when the other girl returned with a modest helping of casserole, suffocating or not, she was doing a pretty decent job as an optimist tent pole.
"It's actually not that bad." Brooklynn commented, leaning on the railing as she took a bite.
"It could use a little salt." Sammy murmured, leaning over to whisper as she joined her.
"Any sort of seasoning actually." the pink haired girl smirked. "Is this just, straight tomato sauce?"
"What's so funny?" Darius asked stepping outside to find the pair giggling.
"Nothing." Brooklynn was quick to say.
"Alright, then. Keep your secrets." the boy intoned giving them a look he felt they were meant to understand. "The Lord of the Rings?" He asked with disbelief when they didn't get it.
His dismay was quickly dispelled however by the spectacle in the sky. "Whoa!" he gasped watching the large flying replies circle and swoop, dropping like a stone one instant before soaring in a spiraling arch the next. The trio watched fixated on the terrifyingly beautiful ballet set against a backdrop of evening pinks and purples.
It was, in Sammy's humble opinion, one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen...
Jerking straight up in bed, severed from sleep in an instant Sammy struggled against the heavy downy comforter, and crisp linen sheets that had become tangled about her like a snare in her sleep. Heart racing as Darius stumbled in blinding everyone by turning on the lights Sammy hurled herself from bed and rushed to open the door to the balcony as they woke to the unmistakable roar of... gunfire.
Staring out into the pitch, power fluctuated across the heart of the park with patches of light fighting valiantly against the growing darkness Sammy squinted hard trying to locate the source of the sound.
"Where's it coming from?" Darius asked, at her side in an instant.
"I don't know, I can't tell!" Sammy snapped whipping her head from side, then she heard it, another burst of shots coming from the east. "There!" she pointed to a darkened stretch of buildings.
"What the fuck is going on?" Kenji bellowed as he struggled to get out of bed.
"I-is it the c-coast guard? Nnn-nnn thought you s-said rescue at-at-at night would be t-to nnn-nnn-nnn risky?" Ben asked Darius who shouted back, "I don't know I'm not a Navy Seal, I just assumed-"
Everyone stopped talking when the lights went out, Sammy felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Then they came back on seconds later, with Brooklynn at the helm, flicking them out once more. "What are you doing?" Darius barked as a slew of swearing tumbled from Kenji's lips, and a distressed baby Ankylosaurus started to honk with alarm.
Everything was happening so fast, and louder than all of her friends or even the ring of gunfire, all Sammy could hear was the rampant beating of her heart, eyes closed colorful orbs flaring across her vision as she started to shake.
"Will y'all just shut up?" she screamed turning on them, when it had all become too much. "Seriously, stop fighting, I can't ever hear myself fucking think! Now, Brooklynn what are you doing?" she added seeing her friend gape at her in surprise.
"Morse code, SOS with the lights." she explained fixing Kenji with a look as she did.
"That's a great idea!" Darius gasped before. "I'll man the room nextdoor!" as he tore through 608 and into the hallway beyond.
The situation quickly slipping between her fingers Sammy watched with anxiety as Yasmina forced herself to stand and hobbled to the light switch. "Tell me the pattern, and bring me a chair. I've got this room." Yaz instructed Brooklynn, a defiant look in her eye when Sammy seemed ready to protest.
"What should I do?" Kenji, eager to be of some some use asked.
"Could you make it to the room opposite Darius?" Sammy called sweeping the hair from her face with trembling fingers as she turned from the balcony, fists clenched. Adrenaline rushing throughout her body, she reminded herself that this what it, what they'd been waiting for, praying for, this was their salvation, and no time to go falling apart.
"Yes." Kenji declared forcing himself up.
"Then," Sammy said moving to help him up. "Let's go."
Awake all night, and running on several pots of coffee Sammy, like the others was beginning to feel delirious with fatigue as the hope drained from her very soul. By dawn no one had arrived, and by early morning the children could see no sign of a helicopter anywhere. Returning to their communal room they each seemed to struggle swallowing the bitter pill that all their efforts were for not by the time the sun had well and truly risen.
"You think it was another grab and run?" Kenji asked through a yawn as he tried to make himself comfortable, a nearly impossible task at this point, quiet tears soaking into his pillow.
"Like that first copter?" Brooklynn asked in a bitter tone as she stretched across the couch in the living room, eyes closed. "Probably, because who cares about us right? Just a bunch of kids, not like we're as valuable as some test tube or some shit."
"I'm sorry guys, I just- I really thought-" Darius began tears welling in his eyes.
"We all did." Yasmina assured him with a wavering smile. "It's ok. Let's just get some rest."
A grim depression settled around the room as everyone began to drift off at last. Sammy however, the weight of the world on her shoulders couldn't give in, no matter how badly she wanted to. Running through what had happened in her mind she silently vowed to keep watch, just in case. With a tepid coffee in hand she sat on her favorite chair just outside the sliding glass door and watchrd the day come to life.
The gunshots had to have been relatively close, she thought, and they came in bursts, bursts, that seemed centralized to one area, periodically throughout the night without much rhyme or reason. Blinking back tears Sammy tried to ignore the hopelessness she was feeling, focusing instead on what she felt she knew. If it had been a rescue they would have used flares and tried to make themselves visible to people, she concluded through the first of many sobs. So, it hadn't been one, it was another hiest like Kenji had suggested, or maybe even other survivors, or something but whatever it was it hadn't been- it hadn't been meant for them.
Curling into the gently weather worn cushions of the chair Sammy let herself cry, fists beating against the chair. It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair! She just wanted to go home! She just wanted her family back, and to be safe! She just wanted her friends to be safe! She didn't want to be surrounded by death all the time! And she didn't want to be in charge anymore! It wasn't fair! It's wasn't fair! It wasn't fair!
Screaming into the pillows the Texan yelled and wailed until her eyes were swollen and her throat was raw, then she screamed some more.
Exhaustion filling every fiber of her being Sammy sagged into her seat after a while, balanced on the precipice of sleep when she realized why Kenji had come out here that night, it was a good place to cry, she conceded blearily. Sammy jumped with a start when something cold touched her arm. Heart racing and eyes wide she turned ready for a fight.
Yasmina leaned heavily against the doorframe, a glass of water in one hand, a bottle of Tylenol in the other. Her mouth set in a hard line she handed both over before turning away again.
"Thank you." Sammy croaked hoarsely, but the athlete ignored her.
Popping the pain relievers and downing them with a blissfully cool water Sammy waited a moment as the numbness of the situation settled over her, post breakdown. So it hadn't been what they'd all been hoping for, she thought dismissively, there was probably always tomorrow.
As she stood the Texan felt marginally better than she had before, believing that, eventually they would all get off the island. With a shaken newfound courage, and the first seam between her and Yaz on the mend she got up ready to catch some much needed sleep, when she spotted it, a dark little figure hurrying across a dilapidated street. Watching as there appeared another, and another, a group of people huddled together and rushing down the road straight towards the Pre-Historic Plaza, she felt the world spin, dizzy with shock and unable to believe what she was seeing.
"Hey!" Sammy shouted hurling her glass through the air after she'd snapped out of it. "Hey, up here! We're here!" she practically sang through the gravel in her throat, waving her arms high above her head.
The others quickly joined her on the terrace all shouting and waving at the people heading their direction. Vomit rushed up Sammy's throat, but she swallowed it back down, as another rush coursed through her body.
They weren't alone! She thought tearily as the man in the lead called up "We see you!" in response as they got nearer to the base of the hotel.
"Sixth floor! Room eight!" Brooklynn who seemed ready to hop right out of her skin called down to them, her whole body vibrating with excitement yelled down to them.
"Copy that!" the armed man on point shouted back.
"ACU! They're with the ACU! I should have guessed!" Darius beamed as they watched the group enter their building, though the side of staggering and carried figures gave their hope a lance of anxiety. "They'll know what to do." Darius said with an infectious confidence.
"Is it really other people?" Kenji asked grabbing onto Sammy as she tried to rush past and welcome their new friends.
"Yes!" she grinned trying to pull away.
"Oh thank God!" Kenji sighed with relief, the defensive humor he got when nervous slipping into his voice. "Now I'll have someone interesting to talk to!"
Rolling her eyes Sammy pulled away and with Darius hot on her heels opened the front door, smiling so hard her cheeks hurt. Just then, the door burst open, catching her in the head and chest, knocking the air from her lungs as Sammy and Darius fell sprawled across the floor.
"Yadayk, 'arni yadika!" the man who'd kicked the door in shouted sweeping the nose of his weapon over the children who lay frightened and prone on the floor.
Brooklynn screamed and stepping into the room the man wearing Asset Containment Unit gear took aim in her direction.
"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" Kenji shrieked grabbing the pink haired girl and yanking her towards the bed.
"Yadayk, 'arni yadika!" the man repeated with growing anger.
Heart racing the need to gasp for air losing to the fearful hitch in her throat that blocked it's passage, tears steaming down her cheeks her mind fled away from the scene unable to come to terms with what what happening when Sammy realized, this was how she was going to die.
"Stand down!" came another voice from the hall beyond 608. "Stand the fuck down!"
Another ACU guard stepped into the room grabbing the muzzle of the gun and turning it forcefully away from the children. "Steele you son of a bitch stand down!" he grit between his teeth getting in the first man's face.
'Steele' seemed dazed, taken aback as he looked around the room and all the young, frightening faces staring back at him as though seeing them for the first time.
"I was-"
"Take a walk." the second man commanded.
"I'm sorry, I-"
"I said to 'take a walk!'"
After a few tension filled moments the men separated, and Steele who chucked out a quick apology took his leave.
"Sgt. Purdy." the second man said reaching down to haul Sammy and Darius who recoiled to their feet.
Trembling Sammy yanked herself away, hugging Darius tightly against her as she backing away from the newcomer, eyes wide, blood trailing from a newly acquired gash in her forehead.
"Luis Purdy, we saw your SOS. That was some quick thinking." the man went on, slinging his gun higher over his shoulder, hands held up in surrender when he realized the moment still hadn't quite passed for the children.
"I'm sorry about that, Terry's a good guy, really is, most of us are retired military, saves on the training and the like." he smiled, the expression warming his features as creases formed around his eyes, but not enough to diminish the menace he posed. "Being in a live fire situation is bringing some stuff back for us..." he confessed the ernest tone to his voice winning him little confidence from the campers.
"I'll have Kate look at that, she our medic." he offered gesturing towards Sammy's head after a second.
Sammy made a noncommittal sound as half dragging him with her she continued to back up towards the bedroom with Darius in tow. Her thoughts were shattered, disoriented, and polluted with fear, all she knew was she had to protect them somehow.
"How many of you are there." Sgt. Purdy tried, his tone gentle.
"What the actual fuck?" Kenji asked as he and Ben curled into Brooklynn, the three crying as they clung each other.
In the corner Yasmina had made herself small, brown eyes staring into a void only she could see, something whispered mutely on her lips, hands clamped hard over her ears.
"No." Sammy rasped in reply, unable to tear her gaze from the semi-auto Sgt. Purdy carried.
"We'll, we'll be across the hall." the man offered barred from making the hasty exit he seemed to be attempting when the rest of his party came trickling in behind him.
More armed men and women in body armor setting Sammy's teeth on edge at the sight of them, but castaway tourists too, a blonde woman carrying a toddler a little kid's wrist held in her free hand, capturing the girl's attention for the briefest of seconds, before she caught sight of someone being carried in on a makeshift stretcher. They all looked just as lost, frightening, and hopeless as the six campers, only, as her mind refused to let her forget, the campers weren't armed, and they were.
Closing and locking the bedroom door behind her Sammy pressed her back against the thick wooden panel and sank to the floor. Everyone started talking and crying all at once as the cowgirl stared at the blood on her hands, pain blossoming in her head all over again as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Are you ok?" Darius asked collapsing to the floor beside her.
"No." she heard herself murmur, an automated response. "Are you?"
"No." he replied matching her tone.
He hugged her then, her mind distant, Sammy barely felt her arms wrapping about the boy in return as she glanced about at her camp family.
What happens now?
Notes:
Thank you all for reading! Happy holidays if you're celebrating right now, and a safe, happy winter to all! 💗
Chapter 30: Homestead: Part 1
Notes:
Trigger Warnings for this chapter: Suicide aftermath and recovery, online bullying/trolling, alcohol abuse, physical abuse, and alluded to/referenced childhood sexual abuse.
As always if any of these are triggers for you please contact me at [email protected] and I will email you a version of this story edited to remove your personal triggers so that you can continue to enjoy this story with out stress, anxiety, or harm to your mental health.
Love y'all RAWR! ~💗ENBYsaurus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
-Round Top Texas, Friday 12:18pm CST-
Walking on the balls of her feet, Marisa bounced herself up and down with a steady rhythm that seemed perfectly constructed for the task at hand.
Step bounce, bounce, step bounce, bounce, step bounce, bounce.
Only it wasn't working. Tears ran down her cheeks in muted rivers as she cried as quietly as possible, not wishing to disturb anyone else beneath the somber shadow that had fallen across her home. Her baby brother, cheek resting on Marisa's shoulder, wobbly neck and delicate head supported by her free hand made a small displeased sound that reminded her of a bleating lamb.
Pacing back and forth, to and fro, the girl had lost track of how many times she had run laps around the hallway. Sleep-deprived, deep in mourning, and at her wit's end she was doing her best. Only her best didn't seem good enough. Dirty bottles and used dishes were stacked in dry crusted heaps amid food brought by friends and neighbors in the kitchen. Laundry choked the hallway, and trash was beginning to pile up and make the whole house smell like a landfill.
Outside, the family was depending on strangers hired last minute by her Tio Luis to keep the animals well and the ranch running. A few boys from neighboring farms came around to help after school, it was always apparent which ones were doing it out of kindnesses and which ones had been tasked with the extra work by their parents. The chores and housework took many hands as well, women some of whom Marisa couldn't recall ever meeting before came to help tidy up, but in spite of their efforts it seemed that every day the mess only grew.
"Please, please just go to sleep!" Marisa begged, her voice a low, desperate warble.
He'd been fed, burped, and changed, what more could he want? She wondered, turning to kiss him on his soft, smooth hair. It seemed like all he did was cry; cry, eat, poop, and sometimes sleep.
Her eyes drooping and bones made of lead, the girl had struggled to get much if any sleep herself, since ... Everything.
Everything ... hurt. Why did everything hurt so much? Marisa took a shuddering breath as she fought against an overwhelming wave of emotion.
Tears stinging her eyes, defeat in her heart, she walked apprehensively to her parent's room where she edged the door open. There, engulfed by her own grief and drowning in pain, lay the girl's Mama. Marisa wondered if maybe now she could bring her the baby, or if seeing him would only bring her more tears. Guilt eroded the girl from within when she thought this, the notion that maybe Mama even hated the baby lingering. All Mama did anymore was sleep, sleep and cry. She couldn't be bothered to change or even feed her newborn son.
It had been Marisa's idea to move the baby into the room she shared with Ana after that first night of waiting and waiting for Mama to acknowledge his tears. She never did, deaf to his cries, the pleas of her daughters, and even the endless stream of news regarding the "Jurassic World Incident." Rosa wasn't a mother anymore, but a woman grieving the loss of her truest love.
These new sleeping arrangements, especially when little Georgia was added to the dog pile, resulted in two inexperienced teenage "mothers" doing their best to hold their broken family together.
Still, she needed sleep too.
Marisa stepped into the room and froze, her stomach in knots. Staring down at the bare concrete floor beneath her foot, the hairs rose sharply on the back of her neck. That was right, the thought swam in the back of her mind, Tio Luis had to rip up all the carpeting. Backing hurriedly out of the room Marisa choked on her tears.
Daddy!
Images of his smiling face, the sound of his laughter, every disrespectful thing she'd ever said to him struck her like a hammer fall to the chest. He was gone. He was dead. She was never going to see him again.
The fourteen-year-old blamed herself, she should have been here, stayed with him! Mama had had lots of kids, she knew what she was doing. She shouldn't have left him alone.
Trying not to scream, the disembodied moment came rushing back to her. They were at the hospital, she'd been so worried for her sister she'd made herself sick in the car, knowing that Sammy was trapped on island of death far from reach and there was nothing she could do about it. Yet she was smiling, why was she smiling? She couldn't remember a reason worth smiling anymore ... That was right, she was smiling down at her new born brother, braiding her mother's hair back, and telling her what a good job she'd done, and how proud she was.
That was when Abryan drifted in, white as a sheet, trembling, eyes vacant, a police officer on either side. That was when she'd heard the news for the first time, and even now she still couldn't believe it, she was numb in a way, floating. It couldn't be real.
The funeral was tomorrow.
The thought clicked into place when passing the living room she saw her Tio Luis sleeping heavily on the couch. For a second, and only a second, he had looked so much like her father that her heart bled. He'd driven non-stop to be there that night, and put the family up in a hotel. Then he'd pulled up the carpeting, replaced the mattress, sheets, and blankets; washed, cleaned, and repainted the bedroom all before Rosa or the girls could see what had become of their father and husband. Then without so much as a word to them he'd driven Abryan home, only to reappear late the very next day.
Marisa was torn in the way she thought about him. He hadn't cried, not that she'd seen, not once. The girl couldn't decide if that made him incredibly brave, or as a bitter voice in her head whispered, incredibly heartless.
No, she shook her head, he's strong, and hurting just as bad, and he'd had to do the unimaginable to protect them from ... seeing it ...
Turning to leave the girl let a curse rip from her lips when she clipped her elbow against the wall. The teen just didn't give a fuck anymore, and she doubted if anyone else did at this rate, either. At her explosive reaction however, the infant in her arms went rigid, air caught in his throat. Frightened, Marisa lowered him down so that she could see his face, his lips were quickly turning blue.
"Breathe," she commanded in a frightened whisper. "Breathe! Breathe!" Panicking she jiggled his tiny body back and forth before remembering a trick Abuela had taught her and blew into the baby's face. He immediately sucked in a lungful of air before letting it out again in a high pitched wail. Hugging her brother tightly to her chest Marisa let out a cry of her own as she fell crisscross to the floor.
She was tired, so very tired.
Eight days. It had taken only eight days for her entire life to be destroyed. Eight fucking days.
Marisa gave a start when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up as her Abuela whispered, "Mija."
It took everything within the girl not to start bawling as her grandmother carefully stooped down and took the baby from her. "Go and sleep with your sisters. I've got him," The woman instructed, running a finger gnarled by arthritis lovingly down the side of her face.
Nodding Marisa gratefully obeyed.
"Oh Mijo," Abuela sighed, her voice thin with grief and age, as she cradled the crying baby. "There are so many reasons to cry today, and there will be even more reasons in the future, but that is life."
Beginning to pace along the hallway as Marisa had been the venerable woman walked at an eased pace. Her eyes half closed she continued to gently talk to him, of things one can only learn through age and heartbreak. Finally she found herself sitting in her rocking chair, continuing to speak to him as they rocked.
"You're going to grow up, and wonder why your Papa did what he did." she mused after a while. "You're going to wonder how he could leave his family, leave you. There may even come a time when you think he was weak," she said voice failing, before she steeled her nerves.
"Mijo, your Papa was not weak, he was strong, and he fought for a long time. He just forgot that he wasn't in the battle alone. He forgot that it's alright to make mistakes, it's alright to be wrong. He forgot that he had a family to share his burdens, and he took it all on himself." She let out a sob, remorseful tears rolling down her cheeks, having struggled to keep everything afloat, to plan a funeral with no money with which to pay for it. They were going to lose everything to Chrítiano's gambling debts.
After a moment to collect herself Abuela continued, "Just remember Mijo, your Papa wasn't a perfect man, he made mistakes, but he was an incredible father, and he loved you so very much."
"Christiánito," Abuela murmured then, smoothing the baby's soft black hair. "Your Papa loved his family so much, that in the end, it was the thought of failing them that killed him."
Weeping the old woman continued to rock as she watched a muted news stream, closed captioning appearing in large lettering across the screen. Sammy was out there, she thought, somewhere, and if God was good, she'd come home to them again, and help their family start to heal. If God was good …
Boston Massachusetts, Friday 5:20pm EST
The room was thick with static, heavily weighing down on its occupants with an all-encompassing sense of defeat and doom, which no one dared give name to or acknowledge.
Candice and Nika's apartment had become the family's base of operations as the four of Brooklynn's parents huddled together hard at work for nearly a week now.
Cameron had sent out feelers, gotten in touch with old contacts, and channeled his charm and determination to make new ones. He'd called, emailed, and appealed to every travel guide and agency he had ever worked with. He hadn't stopped once even when all he seemed to find were dead ends. The embassy, already swarmed with calls, was curt, leaving the man to seek out and call local businesses and agencies. His Spanish was rusty but adequate. Gleaning what information he could, if any, he seemed to be coming up with a tentative plan. In this plan, the family had cautiously placed all of their hope.
"Stupid mother-fucking cock-sucking son-of-a-bitch!" Emily railed, breaking the silence as she leapt to her feet, staring angrily at her phone, teeth on edge.
"Emily!" a chorus of voices rang out as Cam, Nika, and Candice scolded her.
"That kind of stress is no fucking good for the baby!" Nika reminded her, snatching the device away as she did so. "Besides, I thought I told you to take a break!"
Turning the screen towards her, its light illuminating her deep brown complexion, Nika's eyes flooded immediately with tears. She felt weak in the knees, and had to brace herself on the armrest of the sofa.
"It's alright, it's fine. I'm fine," she lied, her throat tight and strangled for want of air. She pressed her hand hard against her stomach, God she hated people.
"If I ever find the son-of-a-whore who made that video –" Emily began in a quavering tone, before her husband could make his way towards her. He hugged her from behind, both hands resting on the precious little bump in her belly as he begged her to calm down, tears beginning to flow.
"It's just …" Nika choked on a swell of vomit blooming in the back of her throat. "It's just some sad little troll living in his mother's basement, making stupid gifs. It's fine. We have more important things to worry about."
"I can't get a flight," Cameron intoned, just as Candice demanded to see the phone. "But I'm going to keep trying."
Lips pressed together into a thin line, Nika gave in to her wife's request, against her better judgement. There on the screen was a poorly-cropped image of Brooklynn's face imposed over a deer, as several komodo dragons tore it apart in a scene stolen from one nature documentary or another. Candice was trembling, her eyes wide absorbing the horrific scene as it repeated itself in a loop.
"Why can't they stop?" she whispered with scarcely any voice to be heard as her strong veneer broke. "Why can't they just stop?"
Enveloping her in an embrace, Nika gently eased them to the couch as they cried.
It was endless. As many well wishes, gifts, sympathies, and funds as they had received in the wake of the crisis and Brooklynn's disappearance, the hateful commentary, ridicule, and mockery outnumbered any goodwill by tenfold.
These people were so far removed from the situation, and so unfeeling towards the anguish Brooklynn's family was going through, aiming to add more to their suffering in pursuit of meaningless internet acclaim and accolades. They made memes, gifs, and videos; choked the phone lines, emails, and sites the family had set up, meant for getting in contact with any survivors who might have seen Brooklynn in one of the makeshift hospitals, all while hating a sixteen-year-old girl merely for being more successful than they were themselves.
It was a toxic and corrosive form of hatred that scourged the hearts of her parents. They struggled in vain to keep themselves grounded when it seemed easier to just swim down, give into the grief, and just give up, as so many of those hateful strangers encouraged them to.
The phone, the one with the contact number vibrated, was ignored for much of the day after a slew of false reports and harassment, reminding them all that it was still there.
"I think we all need a break," Cameron said, taking the crying women in at a glance before staring hard at the device. "At least to get something to eat, and you need to sleep." He looked pointedly at his girlfriend.
Emily opened her mouth to argue, but Candice cut in with a firm tone, seemingly grateful to have a momentary distraction. "He's right. Think of the baby. Besides, I'll tie you to the bed myself if I have to."
Wiping her face roughly, the woman willed her tears to stop as she stood and moved to the kitchen. Rummaging through the cupboards she produced two boxes of macaroni and cheese, one white, one yellow. Turning she held them up for appraisal, her eyes begging for one brief second of normalcy where she wasn't caught in the throes of grief.
"Yellow," Cameron and Emily chimed in at the same time Nika declared, "White."
"See?" Candice asked with a forced smile. "This is exactly why we couldn't make it as a couple."
A small, polite, bout of laughter rolled around the room.
"If you've got peas and tuna we can make a real meal out of it," Cam commented, walking over to the cabinet near the stove.
Lingering in the living room, Emily and Nika watched Brooklynn's biological parents working hard to find a harbor in this hellstorm of uncertainty. Both women, for the most fleeting of seconds, asked themselves if their sorrow was somehow misplaced. After all Brooklynn wasn't "really" their daughter.
Fuck that. Brooklynn was every bit a part of them as the marrow in their bones. She was theirs, and they were hers, and they would happily die of it meant seeing her again.
Getting up, Nika ran a hand down her face before taking a swing of stale soda, whose ownership could no longer be identified. While the world around her seemed maddeningly chaotic and reasonless, everything within the kitchen, and the apartment by extension, seemed to be more or less under control at this point. She assessed one more time, confident in her plan before grabbing the cell from where it lay.
Nudging Em with the back of her free hand, she announced, "I'm going to the bathroom."
Emily was quiet for a second, her well maintained eyebrows curved with skepticism before she reached out and looped a finger in the pocket where Nika had stashed the phone.
"What happened to taking a break?" she asked, halting the other woman in her tracks.
"I will, when I eat, promise." she countered pecking Emily on the crown of her head, pulling away and moving towards the hall. "Besides you've got to take care of yourself, and the little one, you know how excited Brookie Woo –" her voice broke but Nika blinked back her tears and pressed on. "How excited she is about being a big sister."
Emily gave a saddened smile, but nodded her understanding.
Slipping away without further notice or interruption, the woman made her way to the master bathroom. Letting out a nervous breath as she sat peeing, Nika opened up the voicemail and began listening to all the devastating messages that had been left.
Her ears were immediately assaulted by pre-recorded dinosaur calls. Ripping the device from her ear, she angrily erased message after message of much the same; dinosaur calls, news reports, and the soulless cackle of assholes reveling in their pain flooded through her mind.
Interwoven with all of this hate and cruelty were so many people claiming to know where Brooklynn was. With no two people claiming to have seen her in the same location, it was anybody's guess which of these calls were reliable, if any. Those with laughter in the background easily ruled out, Nika's heart hung heavy with a kind of despairing hope as she listened to the rest, using her eyeliner, the only tool at hand, she scribbled anything promising on her thigh.
"Hello?" a woman's voice broken with sorrow filled the line, but jaded Nika was far from inclined to believe the tears she heard. "My name is Monica Bowman, my son Darius was with Brooklynn at Camp Cretaceous, I was hoping that maybe you knew something about where they might be –"
Nika deleted the message; she didn't need another false lead, people pretending to be in the same situation only to be revealed as liars later when their conversations were leaked online. Camp Cretaceous had been exclusive, a beta, that was part of the allure promised to Brooklynn when she was offered the chance to "unbox" it. Yet the family had received close to a hundred calls from people alleging that they had children at the camp.
"Hi, I'm calling to talk to you about your car's extended –" Delete.
"I saw a girl with pink hair that kinda looked like Brooklynn in one of the tents in Puerto Moin, where my family got evacuated to! If that's her my name is Lacy Au –" Saved.
"She's dead, just accep -" Deleted.
"Wuzup!" Delete
Call after call, after call, after –
"Hi, I'm sorry. I know you've got a lot on your plate I understand, but it's Monica Bowman again. I -" That bitch was persistent. Deleted!
"Fuck that pinkhhaired whor –" Deleted.
"I hope she's –" Deleted.
"Hi, this is Stacy. I'm a volunteer with the Red Cross, we have your daughter here in Puntarenas, at least we think it's your daughter. Kinda hard to tell through all the T-Rex shi -" Deleted.
"This is Monica Bo –" Delete!
Nika's thumb had reacted faster than her mind had. She hadn't meant to erase the message that time. There was something off, something wrong about the way that woman sounded. The calls had all been placed close together, her voice had become more ragged and filled with air, as if she'd been crying, and hard. Maybe, just maybe, this Monica Bowman had been genuine.
Anxiety settled into the pit of Nika's stomach, and she listened with mounting desperation through the messages, praying that Monica had called again.
"Hi, um …" a young man's voice filled the line, Nika was poised to dismiss it all together when he said, "This is Brandon Bowman, my mom's been trying to contact someone. My-my brother Darius -" the hairs on the back of Nika's neck rose at the sound of the boy on the other end of the line breaking down.
"Please call us back! Please! My brother! Our number is –" Nika penned the digits, this was too much to be a coincidence, or a prank, this was the lead they had been praying for.
Leaping up she rushed out of the bathroom, catching herself on the foot of the bed when, entangled by her underwear, Nika tripped and fell.
"I have something!" she screamed, yanking her panties up and racing to the living room. "I have something!"
It wasn't the kind of lead they had been hoping for, but it was something.
Westchester New York, Saturday 3:06am EST
The too-bright room spun, rolling and tossing like oceanic waves that threatened to swallow Candy whole.
She was drowning. Drowning in the room. It constantly shifted without purpose or planning, the floor falling away into nothingness as she tried to set her feet on something, anything solid.
Recoiling from the open air her breath was hot against her face, sweltering, smothered by a thick entanglement of blankets. She was drowning. Drowning in the bed.
It restrained her, holding her captive with shackles and bonds made of knotted sheets, and winding blankets.
Rank liquid splashed across her face and trickled along her neck and as bottles toppled and rolled in a noisy clamour across the mattress. She was drowning. Drowning in the bottle. It robbed her of her cares, her senses, clouding out judgement, grief, and guilt alike.
Her head ached dully, only a dark nameless void where Candy was supposed to be remained. She was drowning. Drowning in her mind, and nothing could make it better ...
The woman tumbled free from her prison at some point, making a jarring contact with the cold and unforgiving natural stone flooring as she did. Her head hurt from where it had smacked against the ground, but Candy was scarcely aware of it, only the anger and indignation she felt that the floor would even dare. Muted by her grief, and ruminative from the alcohol she traced slow, somber tracks in the formation of hues and shades in the floor.
"Pretty," she announced to no one after a long while.
Hours, or even days, seemed to pass her by. Time had lost all meaning since that first day, since discovering she had sent that boy, sent Kenji to his death.
She was sad.
So sad.
She didn't have a right to be sad.
He wasn't her child.
Not her child.
She heard them talk, the people, the ones who made sure she ate and tended to the cleaning. They weren't her family, they weren't her friends, they weren't even her employees. She was nothing to them. So they treated her with just enough courtesy, and spent not a thought more on the woman they all envied and despised in equal measure. She had what they all wanted, what they coveted, and all she had to do was put out for the man whose lavish home they worked in. Not one of them empathized with her, in fact they were downright spiteful in the wake of her sorrow, chattering incessantly behind her back over her perceived ruse.
Kenji wasn't her child, not by blood, or adoption, or the virtue of any legal binding contract, or even by love. He didn't love her, she cared for him, immensely, but was that the same? No, she had no right to feel the way she did, not if you asked anyone beyond the threshold of the bedroom. Yet, for all their differences, for the way he couldn't stand her, Candy did care. She felt immeasurably responsible, after all it had been her well-intentioned idea.
How did the saying go? "No good deed goes unpunished?" Only Kenji was the one being punished.
A flash, that scene, that terrible, horrific wretched scene, darted across the nexus of her conscious mind. The panicked throngs of horrified, fleeing people. Their bodies cramped tightly together in one enormous crowd as death rained down upon them from the sky. The camera panned right as the videographer tried to squeeze their frame through a gap in the masses, then it happened, a winged monster fell like an arrow into the sea of bodies, and in a shower of blood, the man's head was gone.
Sitting Candy covered her mouth and wept.
She wished she hadn't seen it, wished the news had cut the feed just a little quicker, wished that it hadn't had happened at all, but she did, they didn't, and it had.
Stumbling into the bathroom, a slow leak of backwash trickling into her mouth the woman gave only a half-interested look at the pale, disheveled form that stared back at her from the mirror. Its knotted hair, bloodshot eyes, and large purple knot on its forehead. Candy knew the hapless creature she saw, but not as herself, as something she hated, pitied, and was ashamed of.
Turning on the water, the young woman relished the deep, radiating warmth that unbound her tight, aching muscles. The sound and pressure from shower made her head pound, but it was well worth it for the ebb she felt as her body gave way, and seemed to release its long-held tension.
It had been over a week since the fall, over a week since all of the blood and the carnage, only a week, and already in many ways the world seemed to have moved on.
Sure, the news still covered the story, talks of reparations circulated through the airways along with harrowing first hand accounts from survivors, aerial footage of the island and the medical tents were a common sight, but more often now it was the same shots played over and over again, with the same, or eerily similar voice overs describing to the audience what they were witnessing. Celebrity gossip was a thing again, the first herald that for most people, the crisis and their interest in it had passed.
Josiah was gone.
He'd left the day it had happened, or was it the day after? It was late, night by the time most of the people started getting evacuated. Then it was evening again when Candy had been informed that her boyfriend was away, "away on business."
Again the people, his people, the servants began to talk behind her back. Had he fled the public eye to escape his sizable amount of culpability? Then again that was something his attorneys were dealing with. Had he neglected the ordeal all together and truly departed for a business venture elsewhere on the global theater? Or, unlikely as it seemed, had he gone to do something about the disaster he had helped create?
Candy didn't know the answers to any of these questions, or any of the others that ran circuits in her brain. Though some rang out above the rest, chiming with a self-loathing and shame untold.
Who was the boy she had sent to his death and now mourned?
What did she even really know about Kenji other than his superb taste in video games and hair care products?
How could someone have been in Candy's life for so long, and yet she seemingly knew nothing about them?
Slowly her mind began to work at the puzzle.
He was smart, smarter than he let on or even realized. He was funny, sarcastic, and hurting. He had been hurting well before Candy had come into the picture. It was obvious to everyone, except maybe his father. She liked Kenji, wanted to try and mend fences and be friends if she could, but that was it. She wasn't around much, kept on a tight, diamond-studded leash, always going where she was told, doing what was expected of her, looking pretty at all the right events, and because of that she never really got the chance to get to know him.
She was going to have to stay with Josiah now. The thought swam to the forefront of her mind so suddenly and with such clarity it seemed preordained.
There could be no escape.
No return to her life before.
No hope of leaving a man she thought she had loved only to be treated as a disposable accessory, property, something to be put on display and nothing else.
She was trapped.
A pretty little bobble to be coveted and admired.
How could she leave him now, even for the sake of her own happiness, after what she'd put him through? It was her fault his son was dead. Her fault if his company fell to ruin. Her fault if he lost everything that had any meaning or value to his life.
The expensive things and extravagant dinners were nice, but they didn't truly make Candy happy. She wanted love, wanted a family, wanted authenticity, and freedom, but with Josiah she knew that she would never have any of it.
Slowly the tears began to flow. Before long Candy was crying. Her heart hurt. Her head hurt. Everything just hurt, and she couldn't get away from it, from him.
Like a flash of light, the woman heard her own line of reasoning. She was selfish, so incredibly selfish! Screaming and pulling her own hair, Candy burned with a hatred for herself for dwelling on her unhappy, controlling relationship. What is a little misery when compared to the vast amount of lost life? To losing your child? After a minute, the fight died away, and her body began to feel heavy again, so heavy.
"Please Kenji be okay," she whispered in a bereft prayer as she sagging onto the tiled shower floor, beginning to drift off to an alcohol-induced slumber.
Candy hated herself. She was drowning. Drowning in her loathing.
Candy didn't deserve happiness. She was drowning. Drowning in her sorrow.
Candy was to blame. She was drowning. Drowning in her guilt.
She was drowning.
Drowning.
Drowning.
Candy needed help, but no one saw.
No one cared.
She was just, drowning...
- Omaha Nebraska, Friday 4:42pm DST -
Boredom in the face of helplessness was perhaps the worst feeling on earth, Lailah thought. She sat isolated, an island unto herself on the couch of her apartment, with nothing to do, and nothing to take her mind off the terrible circumstances her family faced.
Sisters from the Masjid had been over every day, taking their duty in shifts around the clock. Together they cleaned and cooked and spoke in comforting tones; reciting, praying, and reading verses from the Qur'an they felt might be of some comfort or solace in these most trying times. They tended to the Fadoula family as if they were their own, and in a sense they were, because this was how the community came together in a crisis.
It was almost startling how the same common bond of faith, which more often than not left them feeling so alone and hated by the world as individuals, could also make them feel unconditionally loved, valued, and a part of something more than themselves in the same measure. The sadaqah, or charity, of these women however, left not a particle of dust on the floor, a plate left empty, or any need no matter how insignificant unfulfilled, and so Lailah was left with nothing to do, nothing but sit, and wait and dwell on Yasmina's absence.
Ahmed, the son she was so immensely proud of yet missed so dearly, had returned home not two days ago. He shouldn't have put his schooling on hold, not after working so hard to get there, Lailah thought in a train of detachment from the situation. His education was too important. Yet here he was, the shock worn away, leaving behind only rage and a need for answers, a need for someone to blame, someone to pay. Jamil had been caught and kindled by the fire of their son's rage, reflecting it as his own, and together they blazed a warpath trying to find someone to pin the culpability to.
Sameera slept. It was all she seemed to do now; cry, eat when she was forced to, and sleep. It was almost like having a baby in the house again, but in a grim, bitter way, as the cavity in the family's hearts grew.
Lailah gave a distant half-hearted word of thanks as sister Hasana set out some warm tea and fig cakes. It was incredible, Lailah thought after a while, how after all this time she was only now realizing what her tiny kitchen could produce as she looked at the almost-too-delicate pastries. She needed to cook from scratch more, and not just dinner, she resolved, when things went back to normal, when Yasmina came home, when –
The breath caught in the woman's throat. Battling against tears, she forced herself to take a flakey biscuit, and give it a nibble. It was good, better than she could have done, but it did little to take the metallic taste of grief from her tongue.
It was as Lailah ate, quietly regaining her composure, that the door to her bedroom burst open with such energy that the handle struck the wall, leaving behind a sizable hole. Red-faced, fists clenched, Ahmed glanced back at what he'd done, letting out a curse, and kicking an inconveniently-placed laundry basket out of his way before offering a blunt word to his parents.
"Mama, Baba, I'll fix it later, but I just can't be here right now," he explained, stalking across the apartment and towards the front door.
"Ahmed, habibi, what is the matter?" the woman asked, heart fluttering in her throat as she tried to swallow her anxiety.
"Let him go," Jamil sighed, exiting the bedroom with much less fanfare than his son. With the weight of the world hanging off his shoulders the man moved with slow, lumbering strides. "Just, let him go."
Approaching his wife where she sat, the law student seemed to have aged ten years in as many days. Lailah watched the sisters scurry out the front door to give them privacy as her husband fidgeted with his phone, his gaze heavy and troubled. Lailah waited with as much patience as she could muster as her husband ordered his thoughts, shushing a concerned Sameera who poked her head out of the bedroom to examine the damaged wall as she waited.
At last, when their youngest had returned to her room and her deep, heavy slumber, Jamil ran a hand through his hair and let out a pent breath. He seemed ready to share dire news. Yasmina was dead, they all feared it, a part of them accepted it in their hearts, but now there could be no hope. Lailah was blinded by terror, but willed herself to be strong enough to receive the long-dreaded confirmation of her deepest fears. Still, growing up in an apartheid where news of this nature was commonplace, no mother was ever prepared to face the death of their child.
"They want to offer us monetary compensation," Jamil announced, his voice thick and full of gravel. "It's a very substantial amount of money, and there will be more if Yasmina is confirmed to be ... to be in Jina ..." he explained, unable to look up from a vacancy on the floor. "I think we should take it. It would be good for the family. Good for Sameera," he went on in a hollow tone.
Lailah's body went cold, as though she had just been plunged into an ice bath. This was far from what she had been expecting to hear from him, yet somehow it seemed to hurt much more. Staring, eyes wide, she couldn't comprehend what he was saying, or why. Who was this man? What had happened to her dear and loving husband, the father of her children? Recoiling from Jamil's nearness on the sofa, the woman felt only a burning contempt for the grieving stranger beside her.
"How could you?" she breathed in disbelief, her next words rising in a shrill scream as she yelled. "How could you even entertain such a thought? There is no amount of money worth our daughter – my daughter's life! How could you!"
The man remained pitifully silent beside her, shoulders arched, head low, defeated, as if he were caught in a tremendous gale from which he could find no shelter. Leaping to her feet, Lailah found that she could no longer remain idle. Pacing about the room her breath was coming in short gulps, until consumed by tears and rage she swung at her husband, striking him the shoulder, then the face, then all at once, all she could do was hit him, and cry, and scream out her pain and anger.
He didn't fight back, he didn't yell, he didn't defend himself or argue that her volatile actions were misplaced, instead he sat there, weathering her anger like he weathered the unseen storm he had been trapped in for days. Lailah's fire burned hot and bright, but died just as quickly as it had been ignited. She found herself at the end of her melee on the floor in tears, wrapped by her husband's embrace. He rocked her gently from side to side, pressing a kiss deep into her forehead as she melted into his arms.
"Nothing –" Lailah sobbed. "No amount of money could ever replace my baby!"
"I know that." Jamil whispered, tears standing in his eyes. "Don't you think I know that? Nothing, nothing can ever – will ever … I'm lost Lailah. Lost. I don't know what to do. I just don't know what to do! My Yasmina, my precious little flower! My daughter! I – I'd give anything – these people have no answers for us. They just, they just want to make the problem disappear ... They want to pay us and make our beautiful Yasmina disappear ..."
The two clung to one another, until in a timorous voice Sameera said, "Mama, Baba, is everything ok?"
"For now," Jamil nodded, motioning for her to join them. Together they knelt in their mourning, clinging to one another as they trembled before the man glanced around, stood, and announced, "Get dressed."
"Why?" Sameera choked dubiously, still wound tight in her mother's embrace.
"Where are we going?" Lailah scoffed, already a fresh torrent written upon her face, a million unspoken questions and concerns held only just, at bay.
"To the movies," her husband announced, pulling off the shirt he hadn't changed out of in days.
Lailah laughed, malcontented, "Jamil, be serious, our daughter –"
"I don't want to go to the movies!" Sameera complained, her swollen eyes welling.
"Neither do I," he father admitted. "But we've been in this house for too long with our sadness and with nothing to do. It's not good for us. Get dressed. We're going to the movies," he said again with a calm, compassionate, authority.
Lailah wasn't sure how, or why, but it was a tone that made her feel safe, that reminded her why she loved him, and that he still had a heart. It wasn't about the money after all, and she had been ignorant and misguided to judge him so harshly, so quickly. He was doing the best he could with what he had, just like her. Lailah was wracked by guilt.
"Listen to your father," the woman instructed coolly as she got up and followed her husband into their bedroom.
Lailah watched as her husband searched through the closet for something to wear. His eyes were dull, glazed over, and he riffled through the same shirts over and over, unable to concentrate or make a decision. He sniffled back tears. Tiptoeing towards him, afraid to break the fragile walls he seemed to have built, Lailah knew how wrong she had been, and just how much she needed her husband.
Hugging him from behind she rested her head on his sweaty, hairy back, fresh tears stinging her eyes. How could she have ever raised a hand to him? She was a monster.
"Jamil, I – I'm so sorry." she croaked.
"You needed to get it out somehow," was all he said about what had happened. Turning to her, his eyes still downcast, Jamil pressed Lailah's fingers to his lips in the way he had since first declaring his love for her, and she knew all was already forgiven. "Get dressed my love, we need some breathing room."
Smiling weakly still flooded by shame Lailah moved towards her dresser ...
- Oakland, California, Friday 2:47pm PDT -
Sitting cross-legged on the end of her bed, Monica couldn't help but smile as she choked on her tears and the saline taste of her runny nose. Her little boy was having the time of his life, hamming it up for the camera, dancing around, the hood of his yellow jacket pulled down over his eyes as he imitated the call of a dilopho-whats-it.
"Then, all of a sudden it was totally like argh-waa eee-eee-EEE brrrr-RRRR-Rrrrrr!" the young man giggled rolling his R's with emphasis and skill, his hands held out in front of him in the shape of claws. Pawing at her face the woman beamed with pride and love at her little man, and the positive glow held in his gaze.
Her world rocked and shifted, bouncing her to one side as the bedsprings dipped, and bobbed beneath new weight. Monica paused the video and turned to Brandon who she hadn't realized had been talking to her until he'd sat down. He had his own phone in hand, screen turned towards her, laptop tucked under the same arm, burnt and bandaged hand cradled protectively near his chest as he tried to juggle the devices.
Blinking rapidly the woman willed her eyes to focus on the new screen before her. "Hmmm? I'm sorry baby, I wasn't paying attention. What were you saying?" she asked.
"We're all set up for the GoFundMe," Brand announced proudly, showing the disheartening request for financials, and their little goal meter right beneath a picture of Darius posing with the Camp Cretaceous logo plastered across the treehouse wall.
Monica's heart felt pierced just by looking at this fruitless plea for compassion. There were thousands of similar pages scattered all over the site, bogging it down and overloading the servers. There were so many desperate people requesting help locating loved ones, funding funerals, memorial services, medical care, rehabilitation, and prosthetics. In some of the most tragic cases entire families had been lost, leaving friends to try and make arrangements without any sort of compensation or aid from uncaring private and government sectors.
Then there were the fakes, the frauds, the liars and thieves. People posting false stories and raking in the reward of kindness and generosity, profiting off the deaths and injuries of innocent people in the most conniving and devious ways. It was because of these people and the site's moderators most sincere efforts to confront such scammers that Brandon's first dozen or so attempts to start a page had been thwarted. His each and every attempt met with skepticism, cynicism, and ultimately taken down as he struggled to prove the authenticity of their story.
Because of all this the woman had very strong doubts that they would receive any type of real help. Even the official numbers, and contacts so overrun by calls and emails seemed helpless. There were rumors of compensation checks already being paid out to families and survivors willing to sign settlement agreements, and even more talk of a grand jury court case being opened by the families against Jurassic World, its entities and subsidies, the now crumbling and defamed Masrani Global first in line at the guillotine.
"That's great baby, just great," the woman smiled, ignoring her own doubts, Monica put on the brave face her son needed.
The two nestled closely together as Brandon handed over his phone and opened his laptop. He needed something to do, to feel like he was helping, to feel like he had some amount of control, and that he could make a difference. It had been the same way when his father had gotten sick, when he'd died. It was why Monica had relented and allowed him to begin working in the first place. It wasn't fair that they were going through something like this again, that Brand was stretching himself so God-damned thin to try to fix an unfixable situation. He deserved better, he deserved a life, hell he deserved to be a teenager for once, forced to grow up way too fast, and determined to make sure his little brother didn't have to.
Brandon was a good kid, the best, and Monica couldn't even imagine how she would have gotten through this without him. Resting her head on the young man's shoulder, she breathed him in, cherishing the dimly lit memories that danced across her mind as she did. She loved the way her babies smelled, ever since they were fresh from heaven. Her thoughts fragmented and she found herself reaching for the shirt, the one she found pinned between the mattress and wall in Darius' room and breathed in the faint smell of him too. It took all she had in her not to break down, instead she focused solely on what her eldest had to say.
"So, we'll be able to collect donations here, and I already put out a word on Facebook. Lots of little man's teachers are already trying to see what they can do, organizing car washes, bake sales, community cleanups for donations and stuff," he explained, maneuvering between all the tabs he had opened.
"I also contacted all the churches and staff who helped us when … when dad got sick. I know, I know –!" he sighed with exasperation when Monica began to protest. "You hated asking for help to begin with, but I'm just trying everything I can think of, and First Baptist –"
Monica squeezed his arm, "It's okay," she sighed. "I'm not mad. Show me what else you've done."
"You sure you're not mad?" Brandon asked with cautious skepticism.
"Yeah, I'm sure," his mother nodded.
Brandon seemed to hesitate for a minute, as if there was something more he wanted to say, but was reluctant to share. He cleared his throat after a minute and pressed on, "So you know how they've cancelled all 'nonessential' flights to Costa Rica right, and how the US and Costa Rican governments are being real hard-asses about everything right now?"
"Mm-hmm," the woman nodded.
"Well, I was looking at flights to Managua, Nicaragua, it's only about a nine-ten-hour drive to the port where they have all the ships docked in Costa Rica." He navigated the route they would have to take on Google maps. "I'm sure we could maybe rent a car from the airport once we land and drive there. I don't know how the border check would work, I mean it's a totally different country, but we'd have our passports ..." he trailed off for a moment, chewing his bottom lip.
"Or, or!" he said loudly, interrupting his mother as she voiced her concerns, "If we wanted to save more money upfront we get a flight to Panama City. It's much cheaper. The drive from Panama City though is longer, like thirteen hours maybe, again border checks, but then once we got there we could check the med tents out ourselves, and if we saved enough money we could maybe find a fishing boat willing to take us to the island! You know like that stupid influencer who was arrested? Only we won't be streaming anything so we won't be caught!"
Monica didn't feel hopeful as Brandon laid out all of his plans. He wanted her to, and for his sake she wished she could feel hopeful, all she could feel was the insurmountable, daunting task before her. Even for all of his high hopes, his planning, his hard work the nurse just couldn't see a way to make this happen. And if it did happen what then? How were they supposed to find one little boy all alone in this mess?
"Those are, those are all really great ideas baby," she murmured, tracing the path Google had marked out for them. "We just have to remember that there are people with training out there looking for Darius and –"
"What does that mean?" Brandon snapped, pulling away.
"It means that even if we can't get there, that there are people –"
"You want to give up on him?" Brand asked with an accusatory glare.
"No, I'm not giving up on anyone," Monica replied, her tone hard and well steeled. "We're going to do all we can to bring your brother home safely no matter what it takes. I just … don't think we're going to get that kind of money."
The two were quiet for a while before Brand shifted in his seat and muttered, "Mom, there's something I need to tell you, and you can't get mad because I've already done it and there's no going back."
Monica's heart did a somersault, but she nodded her understanding.
"I applied for college full time, got a Pell Grant, and a loan." Brandon's gaze swam with tears as he stared at the door to Darius' room across the hallway. "After the school takes out the money for classes and books and shit whatever is left is mine, but I lied to those people. I'm not going to school mom, that money is for Darius. That money is to bring him home."
Monica stared aghast, tears flowing freely, she couldn't think, or breath, or believe what he had just said. She was just barely beginning to feel like her own student debt, let alone debt from losing Fredrick though far from paid off, under control, and now he had gone and done this? What if, what if it was all for nothing? What if Darius was gone? What if –
"Baby," she said at last, refusing to go down that route.
"Please don't be mad mom, please don't be mad! I had to! I just, he's my brother! I had to do it mom! I had to!" Brand cried as Monica bundled him up in her arms.
"Shh, it's okay I'm not mad. I'm not mad," she promised and the anger she did indeed feel slowly gave way to understanding. She'd already been considering selling the house, and pawning her ring. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for her kids. And how lucky was she, that there wasn't anything that her boys wouldn't do for one another, either?
"Hey, hey. It's alright. As soon as you get that money in, we'll really start solidifying our plans, okay?" She forced a smile. "But for now let's watch your bro be a dork a little while, hmm?"
Brandon wiped his eyes and offered a half smile, "Yeah," he agreed. He'd watched every single one of the Brooklynn girl's videos at least a dozen times now, but hearing Darius' voice, seeing him happy, made it all a little more bearable somehow. "Yeah, let's do that."
Settling back they laughed and cried together as Darius and his camp friends joked and played around on screen.
"That one's Kenji, right?" Monica asked, pointing to the boy pounding on his chest like George of the Jungle.
"Yep, that's the one," Brandon confirmed with a lark.
"So he's the instigator," his mother smiled, she knew the other kids by name by now, but there was something comforting in this kind of reminiscing.
"Yeah, and there's the cowgirl." Brand pointed out Sammy, who, as she had put it in videos before, was having "a hoot-and-a-half" herself.
Misty-eyed, but comforted by their cobbled-together plans, they were finally starting to relax when a phone call interrupted their viewing.
"Six-one-seven?" Monica scoffed, sitting up and staring at the number. "617, what area code is that?"
Brandon was already busy with a web search and muttered, "Boston. Boston Massachusetts."
"We don't know anyone from –"
"Answer it! It could be –" Brandon started to shout, but already the realization had dawned on Monica as well.
"Hello?" she answered, her voice pinched and tight.
"Hello?" An equally taut and nervous tone from the other end of the line. "Is this Monica Bowman?"
Dizzy, heart hammering so loudly she could barely hear herself think she murmured, "This is she, who is calling?"
The man on the other end stalled only a moment before saying, "My name's Cameron, I'm Brooklynn's dad." At this, hope ignited like the fragile first rays of morning in the woman's battered heart, before he continued. "Are you really Darius' mom?" the man who sounded almost ready to cry asked. "I don't think I could take another –"
"My son Darius Fredrick Bowman was born on July 30th, 2003, at 3:17 in the afternoon. He weighed 7lbs 4oz, and 'Days of Our Lives' was on the TV. Bo had just employed Jack and Jennifer's help to find Hope after his strong-arming of Maya didn't work." Monica said firmly as if the very question had cut her to the core. "I didn't even watch that show before Darius, but it was the only thing on, and the epidural had worn off and I was too far along for another one so I needed something to focus on, don't you dare –"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" the man sobbed. "It's real, it's her, it's his mom, we're not alone anymore." Cameron was saying to someone else. Tearful joy burst through the speaker as the man kept repeating himself.
Tearfully, Monica looked up and met Brandon's gaze from where he sat holding his breath. "It's her parents," she whispered before repeating what the man had said, for the reality and weight of it didn't quite seem real. "We're not alone. Baby, we're not in this alone anymore!"
Embracing her oldest, she couldn't keep from saying it over and over, like a prayer, "We're not alone ..."
- Portland Oregon, Friday 6:16 PST -
Joseph sat staring at the white background just behind the black-lettered font on his computer screen, until the words had blurred themselves into as much insignificance as the room in which he sat. He'd taken a few days off of work, but sitting still wasn't the answer, it let Joseph's mind wander too far. He went back, but all of the flowers at his desk, and then the quiet avoidance of his coworkers was even worse. So now he was working remotely from home, just to have something to do, to pass the time, but even here, and now there was no escaping the pain.
The worst, most unforgivable part of it all was that he'd been here before, he thought distantly. He had been in this exact spot, in this exact hell where suddenly everyone seemed to know, but no one would say how his little boy was suffering. Where everyone wanted to help, but no one could. Where everyone looked at Joseph and wondered how he could have let this happen. Where everyone knew, but no one could admit, that if he had been a better man, a better father, that he could have prevented all of this from happening in the first place.
For over a week new anguish had clashed sharply against old wounds, reopening them like a hot, jagged blade, and now Joseph bleeding out.
It was all his fault.
He was a terrible father.
It was him, he had been the one to tell Sophie that her brother should stay with them while he wrapped up his last few credits of high school, and finished college. It was cheaper, Joseph had said, easier, nicer to have family so close. They'd had the spare room, and he'd already been staying with them off and on during the summers. Besides, he'd seemed so fond of little Ben, so good with him. And just like that Joseph had invited the devil himself into their home.
Shaking, the man pressed his fingers hard into his closed eyes until he saw colorful orbs dancing a ballet in the darkness. He didn't want to think of it, of how he'd let Ben down, put him in danger, how he'd failed him, how it had gone on for years without notice, how he had discovered the horrific truth. He didn't want to think of any of it, but it was all he could remember, as if he were living it all over again.
With a loud clatter, the desk chair rolled back quickly, only to get caught on the edge of the rug and crash to the floor as Joseph stood. His entire body shook violently as he began to pace, the air sucking in through a tightly constricted throat. He couldn't, he couldn't sit, stumbling around his small one room apartment he couldn't even seem to breathe, the memories; the fear and hurt and confusion in Ben's eyes, the way his little boy had clung to him, how he'd cried and said he was sorry, as if he had done something wrong. He was just a little boy, his little boy, he was hurt so badly.
Joseph couldn't stay there anymore.
Grabbing his keys, his wallet, his cell, he left. He just left. Barely conscious of the fact that his front door stood wide open, Joseph walked down the stairs of his apartment building. Moving in automated motions, the man relied on his body to take him where he needed to be, his mind too deeply enraptured by the past, and too entangled with the harrowing possibilities of the present to allow for anything else.
He'd been too late to protect Ben then, he'd tried to, in the end, and had the criminal record prove it, but he'd been too late.
Joseph got in the car and started the ignition. He wasn't sure where he was going, he wasn't even sure it mattered anymore. He was too late now, like then, only discovering the danger after the harm was already done.
The summers were supposed to be his, he thought then, as he had thought so often in the past several days. There was no written or formal agreement, but that was how it had been. The summers were his, but Sophie and the new Doc thought it would be good for Ben to be around kids his own age, to do kid things, to be pushed just slightly out of his comfort zone, to have some real fun for a change. With Mister Masrani footing what would have been a substantial bill, how could Joseph have refused? It seemed like it was good for Ben, like having family close by ...
Swearing, Joseph hit and kicked and thrashed about in his car. He couldn't forgive himself, he couldn't let it go, not any of it and now Ben was gone!
It was his fault.
He should have fought for his summer, should have said no to sending his son away, halfway across the globe, in the care of strangers, strangers who could have done God knows what. But he didn't, Joseph was learning to trust again, he had let him go, and put him in danger all over again. He threw the car into reverse, and peeled out of the cramped parking lot.
That was what he had been afraid of, the strangers, the people, if someone could do that to their own flesh and blood –
That was what had worried Joseph, but that wasn't what had happened. Dinosaurs, it was an island of dinosaurs, that's what all the allure was, that's what made it a perfect place for kids to be kids, that's what was supposed to make it such a fun, once-in-a-lifetime experience. But it was the dinosaurs that had turned what was supposed to be a dream into a nightmare.
The wind whipped through Joseph's hair, drying his tears into salty tracks across face as he put the pedal to the metal and tore down the road, weaving around any cars, or more alarming pedestrians, in his way. He wasn't afraid of crashing, or even excited by the thrill of danger as the world rushed past him in a blur. His heart wasn't racing even as he stuck his head out the window in an attempt to finally get a breath of air. No, his heart wasn't racing, it was bleeding, and he knew if he crashed and died now it wouldn't make a difference.
He didn't matter, he wasn't important, only Ben mattered, he was just the man who had failed him.
"Mmm yeah, it's pretty cool here I guess, and yeah I've got a couple friends by now. Everyone's nice, even the snow queen is starting to melt," Ben had said during their last conversation. "Sammy and I are going to try to be old-school style pen pals when we get home, no emails, just paper." He'd laughed. "It sounds silly, but fun at the same time. Oh, tomorrow we're going to drive gyrospheres, I'm not supposed to tell anyone though, Roxie pulled me aside to make sure I'd feel comfortable with it. I guess mom called and talked to her about some ... stuff. I like Roxie, she's nice."
There had been silence then, a long lull in the conversation. Joseph remembered wondering if Ben was tired, or if there was something he was holding back, something bothering him. Ben never told anyone when he was hurting, he never wanted to be a burden, so he always, always kept it to himself. Joseph had wanted to ask if he was alright, wished that he had, so awash now with guilt there was so much more he wished he could have said on that phone call, but he didn't.
"Well, I think I'm going to read a little bit before bed. Goodnight dad, I love you," Ben had said.
"'I love you too,'" Joseph could hear it clearly, his own voice echoing back at him. He wondered, prayed that Ben could hear the meaning behind those words. It wasn't just an automatic response, Joseph meant it each and every time, with each and every fiber of his being. He loved his son so much it hurt.
Fishing the phone from his pocket after a while Joseph called his wife. It rang, and rang, and rang, before finally going to voicemail. He hadn't heard from her in two days.
"It's me. Call me back," he said gruffly, before hanging up. The man thought briefly about tossing the device to the passenger's seat, had even made a motion to do so when he stopped.
Letting out a slow trembling breath from between his lips he dialed for Ben. It went straight to the inbox, like he knew it would. Ben's number rattled off in a robotic voice, Ben never liked the idea of anyone being able to find him, to know his name, or hearing his voice, it was one of his scars. After the beep Joseph wasn't sure what to do as he slowed, and eventually pulled his car to the side of the road.
"Hey kiddo," he said in a sob after a few minutes of listening to open air. "Hey Ben, it's Dad. I just wanted to say, I love you. I love you so much!" he said, beginning to cry. "I love you Ben. That's all, I just love you ... I love you …"
Notes:
Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it! 💖
Chapter 31: Battlefront: Part 1
Notes:
Trigger Warnings for this chapter: Mass crisis, refugee centers, and natural disasters (not literally a natural disaster but akin to relief efforts for natural disasters and therefore possibly triggering).
As always if any of these are triggers for you please contact me at [email protected] and I will email you a version of this story edited to remove your personal triggers so that you can continue to enjoy this story with out stress, anxiety, or harm to your mental health.
Love y'all RAWR! ~💗ENBYsaurus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
- Punta Arenas, Costa Rica -
It had taken everything Roxie had in her to drag Dave from the cruise ship, in an effort that caused dark spots to float before her eyes. AJ had helped at first, but that was before his girls had gotten swallowed up by the crowds. Watching him disappear among the horde screaming out their names Roxie murmured a tearful prayer that the family would be safe, because now that salvation was in sight, fear had begun to pollute the masses and only a primal, animalistic need to survive remained. Disembarking suddenly felt like less of a relief and more like a stampede as everyone rushed to be free of the horrors that felt right on their heels.
The ship had been an absolute nightmare, the vacant, hollow expressions, the wailing of the dying, the unnerving quiet of the dead, together, all adrift, lost in a sea of black. Yet even after a day and a half on that cursed, floating necropolis nothing could have prepared the survivors for the triage tents that had been constructed around the port, and in that large, empty hanger who's metallic walls echoed back each and every despairing cry.
If the boat had been a nightmare, than this was hell.
There was screaming, terrible, prolonged screaming that never stopped, not really. Howls of pain and anguish emanated from seemingly everywhere all at once. The iron reek of blood mingled with the noxious sweet stench of decay as flies, and their swarm of ravenous, wriggling, offspring made callous use of all they could.
In the port there was no sense of order, chaos ripped through the survivors and relief workers alike. Families were torn apart in a mass of whirling bodies as people were directed and proded this way and that like cattle, all the while urged ever onward by the fearful demand of those at the back. Parents languished over their children, many unresponsive, but all held high above the sea of bodies in a desperate bid to keep from losing them to the suffocating, potentially fatal crush of the crowds, again.
People, some with their bellies torn open, others hobbled by limbs terribly mutilated shuffled aimlessly in circles, trying to staunch their bleeding with whatever they could find. Some were lucky enough to be quickly bundled away by medical staff and volunteers while others had been left to wander, many of those bearing blackened chests, swollen from internal bleeding passing out from a lack of air. There weren't enough doctors and nurses to fill the need, so each case had to be hastily assessed with logic rather than emotion, and choices, sacrifices, had to be made. There didn't seem to be any hope in that place, as the dead were left where they lay.
Death had made its home in Punta Arenas.
After departing the ship the woman who had to pause and catch her breath woefully discovered that her voice was just one of thousands baying for help. The minutes stretched into eons before Roxanne, as she cried out in desperation until her throat was raw and ragged. It felt like hours before she'd been found by a nurse, one who looked Dave over with a quick appraising glance, dismissing him almost entirely, until Roxie began gesturing to the electrical burns on his chest, and the dangling wires of the AED pads.
"He was electrocuted!" Roxie recalled calling over the din. "Electrocuted. You know, a shock? Shock?"
"Shock?" the woman repeated, nodding her understanding before calling a young man, a dockworker out of his element by the look of it, over to carry the semi-conscious Dave away.
"I need to go with him." Roxie explained at volume, but the nurse who proceeded to squeeze her limbs up and down as if checking for weapons shook her head.
"¿Puedes donar sangre?" the nurse shouted after pressing hard along Roxie's abdomen, repeating herself a second time, before devolving into reciting one word over and over in desperate frustration. "¿Sangre? ¿Sangre?"
"Blood?" Roxie had inquired, when a light lit behind her eyes in illumination and she knew what the woman wanted from her. "Yes! ¡Si! I can give blood! Yes!"
From there she had been scuttled away in a mad dash of anxiety inducing urgency. Roxie was then sat on the hard concrete floor of the hanger in an area with other refugees who seemed more or less unscathed. The needle hurt, put in with haste, but it was all too clear that there simply wasn't time for certain considerations as the red elixir of life was drained from anyone and everyone that some to spare. In the end, Roxie had been left with a pulsing migraine, and unable to stand. She slept after that, dreamlessly, but she slept.
When the woman came around hours later every single muscle fiber felt torn, as if her body had ripped itself into confetti as was sleeping. Heavy with exhaustion, and too pained to move, her head in particular, the woman had to push past her searing discomfort to find her feet needing several attempts to stand. She shuffled like the walking dead between rows and rows of people who seemed damned and forgotten, their vacant gazes following, but not quite seeing the woman as she passed.
In a state of torpor herself Roxie was left wandering, aimlessly unaware of whom or what she had set out to find, knowing only that she had to. Bumping and jostling with other half-lifes in the yawning void, it was as she passed her co-worker, her friend, Dave, that she recognized not only him, but his significance to her.
In a sudden rush of kinetic energy the woman raced to his bed. Throwing herself onto his chest she began to cry in monstrous sobs that shook her violently. His skin was cold, clammy to the touch, and still lacked the color it once had. He seemed to be having difficulty breathing, but he was breathing. Beneath her ear she could hear his heart beating, it's rhythm fairly steady, and the most comforting sound that had ever graced Roxie's ears.
"Hey," he croaked after a few minutes, shifting so that Roxie could fit herself entirely beside him. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but with her face still buried into his chest she was now gratefully in the bed beside him. "It's alright. Don't cry, it's gonna be alright." he gasped out, his hand a limp, cold fish floundering on her back as he attempted to give her a comforting pat.
The world spun and whirled apathetically past the pair who remained huddled together for a time beyond measure, in a place where they existed alone in their anguish and mourning. Until Dave took a turn later that night. The skin at his throat and around his ribs pulling in tight as he struggled to take air that just wouldn't come, his chest heaving in an erratic fluttering motion.
After a moment of sheer dread and alarm for a second time since his defense of her Roxanne found herself watching from the sidelines as strangers worked hard to bring him back 'round and save his life. In the end his already battered and bruised chest was left with an expanding garden of blossoming bruises, as nasal cannula fed him life giving oxygen from a large metal cylinder. The medical staff gave Roxie a folding chair, and brief directions on how to change the tank, leaving her three spares before rushing away, much work still to be done.
Several harrowing days at Dave's side past before Roxie was finally able to contact someone from the park, someone who at one point had possessed power and authority, someone she thought might have some answers or direction for her. Instead he had none. The call was brief, painfully so, apologies, false hopes, empty promises, and vague instructions to do nothing, but wait tumbled from his lips as if recited from a script. Not even a breath had been afforded to the children's names. They were, by all reasoning considered dead. The counselors were just supposed to sit idly on the off chance that one of the intrepid rescue missions manned by military personnel in helicopters bore fruit.
With nothing else to do, and no way to contact the families of the children, all the information she'd once held on them long lost in the cellphone and paperwork missing somewhere on Isa Nublar, she waited. She waited, and prayed, and tried to keep hope alive as she searched for the campers among the cots... and body bags.
It was a dismally muggy afternoon when Roxie returned to the hanger, which had slowly, but steadily been emptying as those well enough to travel returned to their home countries, to find a woman sitting in her chair, holding Dave's hand as they tearily spoke. Spotting her the woman who looked dead on her feet stood and reached to shake hands.
Fatigue draining her senses Roxie found herself staring at the twin bandages the women each wore, and cocked a weary half smile. We're blood sisters, she thought to herself, wondering if the people her blood had been gifted to survived their ordeal, her eyes misting at the dubious prospects.
"Roxanne Dupree?" the woman inquired, her tone gentle, but grave.
"Yes?" Roxie nodded, still drifting through the stages of shock from all that had transpired over the past week.
"I'm Sophie Pincus." the woman said, blinking back tears.
Sirens and alarm bells began to toll loudly in the back Roxie's subconscious, her body processing the information faster than her mind could she felt herself chill with anxiety. Breath caught, heart racing, the woman was frustratingly at odds with herself. Why was she crying? She didn't know this woman, had never met her in her life, so then why did she feel faint, why was she trembling? Roxie found herself inexplicably thrown into a fit of panic, and she couldn't understand why.
"Ben's mom." Dave intoned solemnly from where he sat in bed, reaching for, but just unable to grasp her hand.
The world rocked to one side, spiraling away from the camp counselor as if she'd just taken a blow to the head. Staring, lost, into the others woman's eyes Roxie's heart of glass shattered in an instant. Before she could say anything the women found themselves clinging to one another with a deep and immediate bond, slowly sinking to the floor as they began to cry.
There was nothing, absolutely nothing Roxie could say or do to make things right, and this, meeting one of the kids parents without having any answers was something she had been dreading. Sophie seemed to understand this as she smoothed a hand over Roxanne's hair, the two attempting to sooth one another when there was no salve or balm on earth that could mend the hurt they felt.
"So, that was the last time to saw him?" Sophie, lip aquiver despite how strong she was trying to remain asked, looking between Dave and Roxie who sat side by side on the bed.
"Yes ma'am." Dave muttered, staring hard at the ground, his mind undoubtedly as clouded as Roxie's as if trying to recall detail was akin to trying to find your way through fog.
"And you'd left someone to watch over the children?"
"Yes," Dave nodded firmly. "Jayson Young, he's a good kid."
"We checked," Roxie put in, in an attempt to help. "There's no record of him... getting off the island either."
"Do you have any way to contact him?" the business woman asked, pulling her hair up off her sweaty neck as she began to pace.
"None." Dave shook his head.
"I take it you have heard that the Tree House was completely, and utterly decimated." Sophie voiced, fixing her gaze hard on something in the distance to force herself to keep it together. "That there was absolutely no chance of survival after it's collapse, that the helicopters saw no signs of life during their flybyes."
"Yes, we have." Roxie muttered, before she felt a fiery tingling run through her veins. "But I haven't lost hope, those kids are-"
"Good," Sophie nodded turning on the pair with steel laced eyes. "Neither have I. Could you act as a guide for search party?" the question was posed to Roxie, who answered with an affirmative loudly over Dave's attempts to speak.
"So, you have know how, I have the connections, and now all we need is a man with the money to make it happen." Sophie explained smoothing down the front of her apparel in a motion that seemed to center and empower her.
"And if my sources are correct I know just where to find such a man." she smiled bitterly, stray tears splashing against the screen of her cellphone as she looked at it.
"Do, do you think you can convince him to help?" Roxie asked, hopeful butterflies flooding her stomach, while anxious spiders crawled up the back of her neck.
"Yes." Ben's mom smiled with a pained confidence. "I'm just, not exactly looking forward to working with this particular individual. I'll be back either later today, or early tomorrow. I can't be sure which with some of those road blocks they've constructed. In theory only a few hours. I need to know, though, are you entirely sure you're committed to this? You could die."
"You'd have to kill me to stop me." Roxie grit.
Sophie handed Roxie a cell, the two women hugged, and for the first time as she watched Ben's mom take her leave Roxie thought that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance.
- Sámara, Costa Rica, Saturday 7:22am CST -
Money talked. Money always talked. In this case however, there seemed to be a distinct... language barrier.
Sitting behind bars, with stale sweat soaked through his white button up Xi Kon stared hard at the iron door which stood between him and his freedom. They had been holding him here illegally for days. Xi had lost count of just how many, all he knew for certain was that they'd allowed the piolet to walk free after only two.
It had been a damned nightmare finding a man with a helicopter, and more so, one with the fortitude enough take the flight out to the island, let alone land the thing. The penthouse, after everything Xi was sure that if his son was still alive, that he would have gone to the penthouse, that Kenji was smart enough to know that, that would be the first place they'd look for him. Or, at least the first place after witnessing firsthand the decimation of the Camp Cretaceous Tree House.
His leg rapidly bouncing with a volatility he'd had to keep under pressure since being thrown to the concrete and placed in handcuffs. Xi struggled in his attempt to reign in his outward hostilities. He really didn't want to be maced, again.
The man had arrived in Costa Rica aboard his private jet, just as the noose was being tightened over the crisis ravaged nation. The government had declared martial law and was now enforcing it with particular rigidity along the coastal cities where large airborne predators had made their presence widely, and in some cases, violently known as they sought out new territories. Then of course, there were the looters callous enough to take advantage of the harrowing situation, and the distraction the relief efforts afforded them picking local shops clean while their owners were otherwise distracted. Everything was in chaos, and shambles, death, and confusion holding regency in the wake of such a catastrophic turn of events.
And now? Now, here he was, stuck. Trapped in a cell and unable to, despite his best efforts, buy his way out. Fucking white knight mentality, it's what was wrong with the world.
Standing Xi began to pace. The tiny room he'd been put in wasn't an actual jail cell, or so the man had gathered during his stay in holding. It was instead just a place to shove people, out of sight and out of mind until they could figure out what to do with them, or what kind of authority they had over them. The surprised looks certain officers gave whenever they passed the bars and realized that they did indeed have a guest was all the businessman needed to confirm this suspicion.
It was now very apparent that no one had any idea what to do with the billionaire, or that they were too busy helping with the evacuations to be bothered to do anything at all. Either was a distinct, and irritating possibility. What was certain however, was that Xi Kon had not come all this way just to rot in some backwater holding cell in Costa Rica of all places, waiting for someone with the authority, or balls to make a decision.
He had to get out of here. He had to get back to the island, and he didn't care what it cost to get there.
The humidity was unbearable, Xi thought as he walked across the small space afforded to him. New sweat began to collect along his brow, and burn his eyes. They brought him water, but not often enough, and fed him once or twice a day, when they remembered or he got loud enough to remind them, but it was no better than dog food.
And the flies, there were flies everywhere, his constant companions since his arrest. Even if he had been given an actual bed rather than a stiff board, and a threadbare rag to use as a blanket the man still wouldn't have been able to sleep because of all the fucking flies. Their buzzing was incessant, even now they circled around his head, landing on his neck, his face, his arms, until his body seemed alive with their crawling.
"Hey!" he shouted, when he couldn't take it anymore, grabbing the iron rods in what looked like a poor cliche. "Hey, let me out you sons of bitches! Do you have any idea who I am, or what I could do to you, to your families? Let me out!"
"¡Silencioso!" replied a voice from somewhere just out of sight, a voice that sounded almost, as unbelievable as it seemed, bored.
Aggravated the prisoner began to shake and rattle the bars with all of his might. There was a loud scraping, followed by the dull thud of boots, a sound that grew steadily louder until a man wielding a small, but fearsome aerosol can pointed directly at Xi's face appeared on the other side of his cage.
"Dije que te calles." the official declared, his tone that of a man speaking to a troublesome, and errant child.
Xi's teeth squeaked as he grit them together, staring hard at the police officer in a stalemate until at last the free man smirked, and walked away. Bullshit, the entire situation was complete, and utter bullshit. Head pounding, and heart rate through the roof the distraught father let out a howl of rage as he kicked the locked door. Tears steaming down his cheeks, toes hurting, he stalked back to his bench and laid down. Using his once prized and very expensive suit jacket as a pillow, Xi closed weary, watery eyes.
The man wasn't sure how, or when, or even for what length of time, but eventually he had fallen asleep. It was the sound of the door opening that had awoken him. Sitting stiffly, abused muscles, and aching joints protesting Xi turned expecting to see a uniform with a bowl of gruel. In place of an officer however, he found a woman. She was fair skinned, and petite, with mousey brown hair tidied into a loose mass of curls held back by an overworked hairband.
Brows knit with confusion Xi found his feet immediately. He had only just opened his mouth to demand to know who this woman was and what she was doing there when she crossed the small room in only a few heated strides. Before he could say anything Xi was blindsided, the right side of his face flaring with pain, his ears ringing, and world off balance as she slapped him, with what he imagined was all the force she could muster.
The sun seemed to flare behind the man's eyes, his bottled rage and aggravation threatening to consume him whole. Dazed, fists clenched, trembling with anger Xi looked up to realize that somewhere beneath the tolling of the bell in his head, she was speaking to him.
"-on of a bitch!" she shouted with tears standing in her eyes. "How could you do it? Huh you bastard, answer me. How could you do it?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch the first half of that." Xi Kon said from between his teeth, casting a spiteful glance to the guard who didn't seem to have any concern or interest in the assault he'd just witnessed.
"He was my friend!" the woman spit venomously.
Xi wanted to throttle the her but it was clear from the officer's stance that sides had been drawn, and he, with his hand resting almost too casually on his weapon was clearly on hers.
"Who?" he asked, crossing his arms tightly to keep from doing something violent.
"Simon Masrani!" the woman sobbed. "He was more than my boss, he was my friend! And your lawyers, and goons, and PR assholes can cover up and hide the truth from the media all they want but I know, I know what you did. I know how quickly you liquefied your stock, your assets, the second one of your little spies tipped you off to the situation on the island. And I know that afterwards you swooped in to buy as much private property as possible to double dip, and get in on the insurance payouts."
She was fiery, Xi thought, fiery, and stupid. "Let me guess, you're the secretary."
Pain bloomed across the billionaire's face when she struck him again. Turning with malevolent intentions Xi was stopped by the woman's pointed and accusatory finger jabbing him in the chest.
"I'm Sophie Pincus, and I'm your only ticket out of here, because let me tell you there are plenty of people who want to see your head roll." she stated, with such authority he didn't doubt it. "From here on out you work for me."
"And if I refuse?" the man rebuttaled swatting her hand away and closing the distance between them, his stature menacing over her.
Without a hint of fear, or even missing a beat the woman turned and began to speak over her shoulder to the guard, her hands moving in a way that seemed to help her articulate her meaning. Spanish was clearly far from her native language. All at once the armed man's demeanor seemed to change, his gaze already locked in the prisoner becoming hard as stone.
"What are you saying to him?" Xi snapped, unable to keep the mounting anxiety from his tone. "What are you saying?"
The woman, Sophie, turned back with a coy, crooked smile. "Do you know how much revenue Jurassic World brought to Costa Rica, to towns like this one in particular?" she asked. "How much prosperity, and financial stability it ensured? How after generations of migrant workers, and manual laborers, hundreds of families were able to put down roots, and build better lives for themselves and their children? How, for the first time, in a long time, even the poorest people were able to send their children to seek higher education? How for the first time, this community, specifically, had found real hope?"
Xi, who was unaccustomed to feeling so powerless swallowed hard as he took a half-step back.
"More importantly, do you know what it means to these people to lose that kind of foundation in an instant? One of the very pillars they had dared build that hope upon?" Sophie's eyes were cold as they narrowed, reminding the man of a lion closing in for the kill.
"Because I do." she smiled brightly then. "I know exactly what this means for them. I know the statistics yes, but more than that I know these good people, and I know how hard they have worked and what they have sacrificed to get to this point. I know all of this because I have partnered with them directly, and indirectly for years now. I know what they're going through, and more than that I know what they would do with the man they thought was responsible for this catastrophe, and I know it because I'm Simon Masrani's God damn Executive Assistant to Public Relations with Costa Rica, and I'm really fucking good at my job. So if you don't want to die in here you're coming with me. And if you call me a secretary one more time, I'll gut you."
"What do you want from me?" Xi asked from between his teeth, quaking with anger, outrage, and an unflattering amount of fear.
"Your bank account." Sophie stayed evenly.
Xi scoffed, what little grudging respect he was beginning to develop for someone who clearly understood how the game was played died away in an instant.
"So that's what this is about?" he laughed, a sensation that rolled and grew, and to think, for a minute he was actually scared. "You're blackmailing me? For money? Don't be ridiculous. I think I'll be fine staying right where I am." he announced cocking an eyebrow in her direction as he slowly sat back down.
Checkmate.
"God damnit!" the woman bellowed, power, and composure slipping right between her fingers. "Its not about that you arrogant-"
"Then what is it?" Xi bit into her exasperated railing.
"I need to get to that island!" she shrieked, staring at him with wide, frantic eyes.
Xi's heart skipped a beat, his interest, and hope renewed. "Why?" he asked caution stealing the breath from his lungs.
"Because," Sophie explained, eyes swimming with tears. "My son's still out there."
Xi's stomach plunged at how fragile the former lion now appeared to be. She was just like him, he thought, just as desperate, and just as willing to do whatever it took. Xi looked the woman over, with fresh, empathetic eyes. She was tired, her clothes weren't her own, they were disheveled and overlarge, there were thick white bandages encircling both of her elbows, and as she stood there she was practically trembling right out of her skin.
The fire in his chest fading, Xi cleared his throat and nodded. "Ok, I'll help, but you have to take me with you. My son, Kenji, is trapped out there too."
"I know." Sophie said before her brow knit, and her mouth became a thin, taught line.
How could she have known? Xi thought eyes narrowing, though the contempt written across her face was more than he could bear. His pride, his soul, wounded the man offered what little excuse he could muster. "I didn't know my son was there when I-"
"Started profiting off the deaths of thousands?" Sophie offered.
Xi's gaze fell, his voice a thin, remorseful whisper, he nodded, "Yeah..."
Sophie said something to the guard, who seemed hesitant at first, but eventually moved aside. "Come on." she commanded, "Follow me."
Obediently the man retrieved his jacket and began trailing behind her, his every step burdened by leaden guilt, still, he managed hold his head high. The two walked to the front of the small police station where Xi's personal affects were returned to him, out the front door, and into midmorning air so humid that Xi thought he might drown in it. Sophie led him to an awaiting vehicle and climbed in the driver's seat, pulling away with a spin of the tires before the man could even get his door fully closed.
Once they were on the road, the car was filled with a thick, uncomfortable silence. Yet for all his malease Xi was reluctant to break that silence, choosing instead to scrutinize the condition of his cellphone, and smart watch, convinced that their screens held scratches that hadn't been there before.
After responding to a few pressing emails the man made himself comfortable, and attempted to doze. Choosing sleep as the wisest option given the lengthy blue line the woman's phone displayed between them and their destination. Besides this seemed like it was going to be a long, miserable car ride.
"Our boys know each other." Sophie said in a breathy tone after they had been driving for almost half an hour. Looking at her, Xi could see how hard the woman was struggling to hold it together, lip quivering, hands readjusting, then white knuckling the steering wheel as she drove.
"Do they?" he rasped, his throat impossibly dry.
"Yeah," Sophie sniffled. "My boy's Ben." she explained, clearly expecting him to understand a certain meaning behind this new information. Xi stared, remorse and shame settling over his head like stormclouds. He wished that he knew what she was talking about, but was too ashamed, and too full of self loathing to ask her to elaborate.
"I would have said something earlier," she whispered hoarsely, as if struggling to find the right words, words that wouldn't make her cry. "It just didn't feel right, using your son as leverage against you, just in case..." she murmured.
A chill ran down the billionaire's spine. He hadn't been letting himself think of the "just in case," scenario. Focused solely on finding Kenji and bringing him home, he hadn't allowed for any other possibilities to play out through his fearfully wandering mind. Now, now it was all he could think of, the warmth draining from his body completely, in spite of the temperature.
Sophie laughed then, a sudden outburst she couldn't seem to hold back, starling the man out of his frightening thoughts. Turning he saw that Sophie was smiling now as she wiped at the tears that had begun to flow.
"Ben tells me that Kenji's a real trouble maker." she beamed. "I mean, I can't even begin to tell you how many stories Ben's told me that start with, 'You'll never believe what Kenji did, or what Kenji said, or what Kenji thought.'" fond merriment wrinkling the corners of eyes the woman went on. "I mean he talks about Sammy a lot too, his camp bestie, Darius a close runner up, Brooklynn, and I quote 'the ice queen,' Yasmina, but Kenji, Kenji is the star of the show."
"Is he?" Xi muttered, trying hard to remember how to breathe properly. Compressed under the weight of so many competing emotions all at once, the task seemed nigh impossible as his chest caved in from the heartbreak.
"Oh yeah!" Sophie giggled. "I'm sure you already know about the incident with the raptors, I mean, I lost years off my life hearing about it and Ben wasn't even there. Then of course the hike, and the gyrospheres. I can always tell when Ben's trying to play it cool, but he couldn't hide how exciting following that herd in the spheres had been. I mean his voice was shaking! And the pool!" Sophie snorted with a lark at this. "Kenji was such a clown, in the best way, promise! I meant no offense. Ben just has a real way of describing his antics."
Xi was beside himself, staring blankly ahead. He had no idea what she was talking about. It felt almost like through her son, she knew Kenji better than he did. Maybe she did, she certainly knew more about his summer. Xi hadn't even given a second thought as to how his son would be spending his vacation after making arrangements for his stay at Camp Cretaceous. He had been completely indifferent... for years...
"So," Sophie prodded after a while. "Has Kenji talked about Ben at all? Maybe shared any stories he wouldn't have told his old mom? Nothing could get him in trouble at this point. I swear."
Xi watched the woman checking on him periodically from the corner of her eye, a sort of optimistic apprehension written across her face. The man sat quietly, his soul eating itself, he wasn't sure of what to do. He had nothing to offer her, but she was practically holding her breath with anticipation.
"I uh, I don't know." he confessed.
"You, 'don't know?'" Sophie repeated.
"I, I haven't spoken to my son since he left for camp." Xi explained shifting in his seat so that his body was turned away. Somberly the man peered out the window, trying to hide his pain.
"Oh." Sophie whispered, and in that single syllable he could feel all of the judgement, and disappointment rippling off of her, but also a kind of pity.
"Would you like me to tell you a couple stories?" she offered gently.
Xi looked at her helplessly, his very essence shuddering with loss, "Please." the man cried with hopelessness.
- Punta Arenas, Costa Rica, Saturday 9:47am CST -
"You're not leaving me here." Dave snarled between his teeth as he watched Roxie take another lap around their little nook of the hanger. "There's no fucking way."
They'd been having the same argument all night.
When Sophie Pincus, a woman he'd met only once before had first arrived the man had been overwhelmed with grief and a stark sense of failure. He'd been responsible for those quirky little oddballs, to teach them, to guide them, and most importantly to keep them safe. Yet he had been unable to. The man knew he looked a frightful mess, and that the woman couldn't have felt anything more than pity when she sat across from him, introduced herself, and had taken his hand.
Dave wished she hadn't have been so kind, so understanding, so sympathetic. He wished she would have just yelled at him, hated him, and condemned him instead, because maybe then he could start to feel better for his glaring inadequacies. Instead he just felt, dirty.
Sophie hadn't come just to pity him however, she had strode into that hanger with enough grit and determination to mobilize a small army, and that seemed to be exactly what she planned to do. Only, she planned to do it without him, and now, in a devastating act of betrayal Roxie appeared intent to do the same.
"I can't keep having this conversation with you David!" Roxie grumbled as she passed by his cot.
"What conversation?" the man asked throwing his hands into the air. "As far as you're concerned the decision has already been made."
"David-" Roxie gave a little halfhearted laugh, one that scoured him. She thought he was being stupid, but she didn't understand how bad this hurt. In an instant Sophie had given him hope, a purpose, and then snatched both away as if it were nothing.
"You two were talking like I wasn't even here." he blinked past the tears that misted and obscured his bloodshot vision.
"David I-"
"You can't leave me. I have to go. I have to help. I have to do this!" he bellowed, trying desperately to get her to understand.
"Your heart is properly fucked, David! I'm not trying to be cruel, but you just can't do this." Roxie shook her head.
"I think I know my own capabilities." Dave snarked back, working hard to untangle himself from the oxygen cannula he had ripped from his face.
His nose was dry, crusted, and bled every now and then because of the constant forced air, and now his cheeks stung from ripping off the tape. His eyes watery the man pinched his nostrils closed trying to alleviate the intense burning. It sorta helped, sorta made it worse, but he wasn't sure what else to do.
For days he hadn't been sure what to do, the whole summer actually. He still wasn't even sure how he'd landed the job. There had been interviews for the most promising of all the candidates, quite an extensive list, and they'd wanted someone with a background in education to counterbalance Roxie's experience with wildlife and create the optimum camp counselor duo. Dave had thought for sure that he wasn't going to make the cut, there were others with much broader, and more impressive backgrounds. He thought that maybe, just maybe he'd be lucky enough to be placed on the list for secondary interviews for when the camp went live, but the exclusive beta run? No way.
He recalled how nervous he'd been, the task which had seemed so daunting now paled in comparison to all else. Sitting in that posh lobby, choked by his rented monkey suit, trying to make smalltalk with the people seated around him. They hadn't been the smalltalk type, only adding to his nervousness and discomfort. A few people had been called back, but it seemed slow going, doing little to ease the tension felt by the prospective candidates.
Then, out of nowhere the whole room fell deeply and utterly silent, in a manner unlike before. It was clear that someone very important had just walked in. Craning to see as the man at the desk stood in a hurry with a broad smile, and a little bow welcoming the newcomer as "Mr Masrani."
So, Dave had thought, that was Mr Masrani. The very important man strode across the room talking rapid fire to a woman in a pencil skirt taking notes behind him. As he watched the powerful man enter the lobby and began to pass them by Dave had found himself humored and even delighted to see that Mr Masrani was still human just like the rest of them, sipping on a bottle of diet coke. Then, as he watched Masrani fished around for something in his pocket and pulled out a roll of peppermint flavored mentos.
Dave recognized the danger immediately, as teachers they all should have, it was one of the easiest and cheapest ways to demonstrate a physical reaction, one deceptively disguised as a chemical reaction, out there. Pensively he watched and waited for someone, anyone, to say something. There were videos on YouTube, he remembered fretting, how could people not know what was about to happen? It was as Mr Masrani popped a couple candies in his mouth and went to wash them down that Dave had lept out of his chair and grabbed the man's arm without even thinking about what he was doing.
His deep brown eyes confused and accusatory Mr Masrani stared at the hand on his arm, then up to it's owner.
"I didn't want you to ruin your suit." Dave had hissed out with embarrassment. "Looks... Expensive."
"And tell me, how exactly would I have ruined my suit?" Mr Masrani had posited, brows arching.
"Well, uh, you see the mentos and diet coke would cause a physical reaction, and it would explode and foam everywhere." Dave had smiled nervously, only then realizing that he had still been accosting one of the richest people on earth. "Sorry." he'd apologized letting go.
"Explain to me this reaction." Mr Masrani had instructed turning his full and undivided attention onto Dave who felt insignificant under his gaze.
"Well, where as vinegar and baking soda cause a chemical reaction, fundamentally changing the ingredients on a molecular level into a completely new compound, your coke and mentos would be a physical reaction because, well- You know how soda works right?" the teacher had asked rhetorically, continuing with his impromptu lecture without waiting for a response.
"So it's a carbonated beverage, which means it's jam-packed full of dissolved carbon dioxide gas which forms bonds with water. And you know how when you pour it into a glass you get a foam on top? That's a bit of the gas escaping, but the surface tension of the water keeps most of the carbon dioxide trapped inside, making it a burp factory everytime you take a drink, because that carbon dioxide really, really wants to get away from the water." he had grinned, feeling more in his element and beginning to relax the man had started talking with his hands and with a great deal of enthusiasm.
"So the mentos, right, these little guys." he motioned to the tube of candies. "They may look and even feel smooth, but put them under a microscope and those babies are chock full of little bumps and ridges so fine that they can slice- sh-kow, right between the bonds of the carbon dioxide and the water molecules, free of those bonds the gas rushes to the surface and escapes. Giving you an epic eruption!"
"Fascinating." Mr Masrani had observed, smiling coyly at Dave, handing over the beverage and mints. "Demonstrate."
"Here?" Dave had asked looking anxiously at the floor. He could not afford that kind of a mess. "Do these-? Yes, they open." he asked crossing the room and trying an adjacent window. "This is gonna be awesome." he'd smirked dropping the candy into the cola. He was immediately rewarded with a sticky foaming eruption.
"Boom! Kraka-told-ya so!" Dave had enthused, all nerves forgotten.
It was as a laughing Mr Masrani walked towards him with open arms that Dave heard shouting from below. Eyes wide he tried to stammer out an apology, "I'm so sorry ...I didn't know people were down there!"
"It's fine, it's fine, when the complaint comes in I'll cover the cost!" Mr Masrani had laughed waving away his concerns. "The kids are going to love you, and my suit thanks you!" the man said leading him to the woman who had trailed in behind him. "This is one of my executive assistants Mrs Sophie Pincus, Sophie this is..."
"Dave, Dave Greer." Dave had muttered out in shock.
"Mr Dave Greer, see that the paperwork gets filed appropriately, I want him on team Camp Cretaceous!" the man had announced before continuing on his way into the office, leaving the entire room in a state of shock and awe.
"Well Mr Greer, you made quite the impression, about time too, from what I've heard this little stunt was beginning to cost Mr Masrani a fortune in suits." Sophie Pincus had commented lightly.
"Um, what?" Dave had stared blankly, slow to realize that he'd just passed some sort of Willy Wonka style secret test.
Only what he'd won wasn't a world of pure imagination, or a chocolate factory, or even a magic glass elevator. All he'd inherited was death, destruction, and every ounce of grief and guilt that went along with it.
"They're my kids too!" he croaked, voice breaking. "All I've had to do was lie in bed and remember their faces, and wonder if they made it, if they somehow managed to stick together, if they're struggling to survive right now, while I take my bed, my medical care, my warm meals, my life for granted."
Roxie tried to speak, but Dave didn't let her get a word in, he had to say what he needed to say, and he had to make sure she didn't just hear him, but that she listened.
"I don't believe in a God, not like you do, I've heard you praying. So I don't even have some almighty being I can turn to, no blind devotion to tell me that things are going to be ok, or that it's all part of some big plan. Because let me tell you nothing about this is ok, and if this is part of a plan, it's a fucked up plan made by an even more fucked up God!" he said very aware of how offensive and harsh he was being, but he didn't care.
"I only have what I can see, and touch, and quantify, and what I can do with my own two hands. And right now all I want to do with those hands is help." Something kicked inside his chest, his heart, he thought, eyes wide as he tipped forward in the bed. It hurt, it hurt so bad and gave the man a rush of dizziness, and malease, mortality crawling at the back of his consciousness.
Dave tried to steady his breathing, and play it off as a wave of emotion. He couldn't let her see just how much pain he was in, how short of breath his little outburst had truly left him. He couldn't let her know that he was weak, too weak to be of any use, because all he wanted, all he needed was to save those kids.
"Please," he sobbed looking up at her. "Take me with you!"
"No," Roxie shook her head, lips pressed tight together. "I can't."
"Jesus fucking Christ, use me as bait for the T-Rex if I can't keep up, just so long as I know I've done all I can for those kids! Please - I can't- I can't live with myself otherwise! I can't live with myself knowing that I just left them there!" the man roared.
"David-"
"I can't leave them there, not again!"
"And I can't watch you die again!" Roxie, her composure fractured under the weight of her sorrow wailed. "You coded David, three fucking times! I had to watch them do everything in their power to bring you back, three fucking times! I can't watch you die again. I won't. And I most certainly won't watch you do it out there, where there isn't a way to bring you back. Do you understand me?" she asked gesturing irately towards the far distant island, hot tears trekking down her cheeks.
"All I understand is that you're telling me that my life means more than those kids." Dave said, his tone calm and collected in the wake of such a harrowing prospect. "I would die for those kids Roxie, and as you've so helpfully pointed out I have died fighting to get to them, three 'fucking' times. But here's the thing, I'd do it again, and I'd do it permanently, if it meant keeping them safe."
"David!" the woman gasped, though she seemed to find herself unable to say anything more.
The man let his declaration hang in the air for several long minutes before beseeching her again. "Take me with you."
"No."
"Fuck you!" Dave shouted standing too suddenly, barely catching himself on the less than stable handle of the oxygen tank's trolly.
"Stop being ridiculous, get back in bed!" Roxie commanded with a false sense of authority, earning only spite and a cold silence from Dave in return.
It was hard making his way to the hanger door, everything in Dave ached and raged against the effort he was exerting. His lungs burned, and that painful kick of his arithmetic heart beating in reverse was happening more frequently than it ever had when he was laying stagnant in bed. Still he pushed forward on shaky legs, bracing himself with whatever was at hand whenever he felt his body threaten to give out. He continued to ignore the fuming British woman even as the dam holding back her emotions crumbled, and he could hear her wailing for fear and anger behind him.
Outside the sun was so bright that it flared straight through Dave's eyes, and seared his brain, leaving him disoriented, and his ears ringing. He was going to be sick. Shuffling Dave couldn't think straight, taking in the yawning space before him he was completely overwhelmed and stood wondering where to even begin.
He didn't want to die, Dave thought, wandering through the bay of medical tents and body bags, dismissing any staff who took notice of him. He'd get there eventually, he thought then, everyone did in the end. If he got there sooner for the right reasons though? Well, that would be fine by him. The hairs raising on the back of his neck argued otherwise.
At some point the notion that he should find a boat crossed Dave's mind, and he found himself wandering adrift down the docking bay. There were a lot of ships at port, many more than he felt was usual, having taken a couple trips on the Jurassic World ferry since getting the job, a lot more men in uniform too, he mused. Soldiers and police men, heavily armed patrolled the area, or rushed by to fulfill some order or another. It took everything in Dave to look casual, and walk without swaying, worried they'd think he was some sort of drunk and detain him.
After a while Dave had seemed to amble by most of the uniforms undetected, that was when he started to notice the locals. They looked tired, pensive, and appraised him warily. When the words, "Isla Nublar" or "Jurassic World," left his lips they would spit superstitiously, or put their hands up waving his stupidity away before dismissing him, hurrying out of sight.
Crestfallen Dave's strides took on a heavy burden, each step carrying him an even shorter distance than the last. Still he trudged on, head light, a dull and steadily growing pressure in his chest. It wasn't long before he had lost track of time entirely. As the sun began to ark back down towards the west Dave finally allowed himself to acknowledge how dangerously faint he felt. Undeterred, he muttered out his frustrations before sinking to the ground. Once there he told himself, "Five minutes."
In those five minutes that stretched well on into an hour Dave cursed every bad lucked good intention he'd ever had that led him to being here. He cursed his job, his life, he cursed himself for having tried so hard to connect with the kids and for inevitably falling in love with them for the very flaws that had made them start out as sharp thorns in his side.
He hated the way he missed his morning runs with Yasmina, and the way she'd started slowing down so that they could chat.
He hated the way he half expected Sammy to walk up and take charge, the camp's official cheerleader and unofficial CIT.
He hated the way he waited with anticipation for Darius to interrupt him with an unbridled enthusiasm whenever he spoke.
He hated the way he kept expecting to be caught in an embarrassing moment by Brooklynn and have to awkwardly smile for the camera.
He hated the absence of Kenji's cringe worthy antics, that could always turn even the worst day around.
He hated how in the quiet he found himself scanning his surroundings, so sure he'd spy Ben tucked away in some corner with a book.
Mostly Dave hated himself for failing them, for leaving them to die. Injustice, doubt, and shame ate away at his soul until it felt like there was nothing left of the man who was once David Greer, just the husk of a hollow, empty monster.
It was as he sat, languishing in his exhaustion and self loathing that he was approached by a man with grey hair, and dark, weathered skin, sun beaten by years of hard work.
"All that talk about going to the island is a good way to get yourself arrested these days." the man observed plainly.
"Are you going to turn me in?" Dave asked defiantly, squinting up at the stranger.
"No." the man laughed a spark of amusement in his eye.
"Yeah, then what are you going to do?" Dave wondered, leaning hard against a pylon.
"I'm going to invite you aboard my boat, offer you some water, a shirt, and a word of advice." the old man murmured, motioning to the sunburnt red Dave's back and shoulders had taken on. "You're beginning to look uh- how do you say-? Well done."
"I feel well done." Dave grumbled.
With little else in the way of options he accepted the mystery man's hand up, and followed him up the dock to a boat that while not the most grand or extravagant seemed well loved, and sea worthy enough.
In the darkness below deck the camp counselor practically melted into the seat offered to him. Half conscious and barely aware of his surroundings by the time a glass of water was pressed into his hand, and a shirt draped over his stinging shoulder, Dave teetered on the verge of sleep.
"Thank you." he rasped, without making a move.
"Drink it." his host replied in gentle command.
This was exactly how all the stupid tourists died, or woke up in an ice bath with only one kidney, he thought distantly, recalling his mom's obsession with true crime documentaries. Shaking loose the thought as he heard the other man talking on a cellphone in the adjacent room Dave concentrated hard on lifting the absurdly heavy glass to his parched lips.
"Si, yes, I found him. Yes in one piece. He's a real mule alright." the man was saying. "I think we'd have to tie him up and throw him overboard just to keep him from following us."
Dave had emptied his glass in a fifty-fifty divide between what had dribbled down his chin, and what had taken the edge off of his unquenchable thirst by the time he realized the old sailor was talking about him. Shit, he thought blearily, his mom was right, it really was only a matter of time before something like that happened to someone they knew. To him. Distantly concern and self perseveration whispered in his mind.
The sun's glare had almost completely faded from Dave's vision by the time the sailor returned, enough so that he could make out the man who snapped closed his phone and settled into the seat across from him.
"Thank you." Dave said again, and feeling the life renewing within he truly meant it.
"It was nothing." the old man shook his head.
"So, who were you talking to, just now?" Dave probed cautiously.
"A mutual friend."
Dave's brow furrowed sharply, then in the brief hush that followed he found that he could still make out that subtle look of entertainment in the other man's gaze.
"What?" Dave croaked.
"Nothing, it's just, I don't think the advice I'm about to give you will do you much good." the sailor mused.
"What advice?"
"Take it from an old widower, the woman, she's always right." the old man laughed.
Dave sat perplexed, the heat having sapped away all sense, for a long while, before he seemed able to put the pieces together, "The mutual friend, was that Roxie?"
"Sophie, but your Roxie was with her, I could barely hear poor Mrs Pincus over the shouting, and the swearing." the man grinned as he leaned over to grab a large jug of water. "Mateo Jimenez." he introduced himself then as he poured them each a glass.
"Dave Greer." Dave smiled.
"She reminds me of my wife, rest her soul." Mateo Jimenez smiled fondly then. "God can we pick them."
"Oh, no, we're not-" Dave sputtered into his water.
"With a woman like that, you have two options: a wedding or a funeral. Choose wisely my friend." Jimenez laughed heartily, making a motion to, but resisting the urge to clap Dave on the back at the last second. "Now, get some rest, there's work to be done before we can look for your campers." Jimenez announced gesturing to a nearby cot as he stood.
"You're going to-"
"Si, but first, rest." he nodded a grim look washing over his features as he heading towards the door. "And if we come back to find either you or my boat missing, saints preserve you from that woman of yours, because God knows I don't have that kind of power!"
Dave felt the corners of his mouth tug into a smile, his first real smile in so long. His head might have been lined with cotton, but it was still filled with lead. His thoughts were hazy, but he just couldn't keep himself upright anymore. Needing no further instructions he trudged over to the cot, and falling heavily to the bed he was asleep almost immediately. His last thought was one of hope.
- Punta Arenas, Costa Rica, Saturday, 3:31pm CST-
Sophie's gaze held the road firm before her, as if her will alone brought it's next unseen turn into existence. Truthfully, however, her mind resided elsewhere, but if Sophie Pincus was good at anything, it was making a plan, and executing it with a lazer focused precision.
She'd orchestrated bigger operations than this, and more covert business deals, without batting an eye. She had meticulously gone over every last detail with a fine toothed comb until dozens of Masrani Global's ventures were perfect. This was no different, she'd been reminding herself since she had first formulated the concept. Though, unlike those past projects, her current budget was far from limitless, and the stakes were, quite literally, life and death. Her son's life or death.
Before had been a fluke, Sophie assured herself thumbs drumming against the steering wheel as she waited for pedestrians to get out of her way. The unforgivable weakness, the tears, the inability to act, it was all just a one time thing. She'd been caught off guard, and unawares when the park had fallen, thrown headfirst into the icy waters of a crisis without the curtsey of a life perseverer. The power had been stripped from her in an instant. She hadn't been in control. She couldn't think straight when she wasn't in control. She had to have control.
Huh, the woman thought refusing to let her freshly welling tears fall, so that's where Ben got it from.
It would be different this time, she promised herself, because this time she had a plan. Having had time to recoup, time to think, time to do what she did best, it would be different now because this time she would be able to make the difference.
More than her own hard work Mateo Jimenez had become invaluable to the woman, giving her everything from the clothes she wore to the food in her stomach, and even the newfound contacts from less than reputable locations who were required to construct her plan. All the man had asked for in return was that he, and a few other locals who had approached him be allowed to join her little band on their reckless endeavor, and who was Sophie to say 'no?'
Checking on her future field guide in the review mirror Sophie couldn't and wouldn't hide her uncertainties, feelings that Roxie clearly and vehemently shared with regards to her counterpart. Her passenger was quiet now, watching out the window in a solemn manner that reminded Sophie of her son. The driver wanted to ask if she was going to be alright, if she was still up to the task, or if David Greer's irrational behavior was causing her to have second thoughts. Just like with her son however, she found herself driving on in silence. She was never sure what the right approach was, or if she was helping or making things worse. Similarly Sophie had no idea how to talk to Roxanne. So, she didn't.
Mateo had been kind enough to locate and persuade the wayward counselor in question to return with him to the boat that had become the group's base of operations, before leaving on his own hazardous errands. The sailor's adamant belief that there was little they could do to stop Mr Greer from taking part in the rescue operations however had soured an already tenuous mood. Now Sophie was beginning to doubt all of her well laid plans, wondering if one delusional man could really undo everything.
No, she thought defiantly, she'd gotten this far, she wasn't about to turn back, not when her baby needed her most.
Besides, acting in tandem the harbor pilot who had made costly and dangerous arrangements, and was on his way to pick up the various supplies they would need. From food and medical supplies that had 'fallen' from Red Cross trucks, to firearms and ammunition mysteriously unaccounted for by the soldiers enacting martial law along the coastal cities. The world worked in many dark and seedy ways, but now, thanks to Jimenez, it was working for them. She wasn't about to let such a risk go to waste.
A breath released through pursed lips as she parked the car Sophie took a moment to appraise the man who had been asleep in the passenger seat for the past couple hours. She hated him. Just looking at Xi Kon made her blood boil. He was a soulless, greed driven coward, and Sophie wanted nothing more than to see him pay for all the pain his desire for wealth and power had caused so many countless others. Though, a small part of her couldn't help but feel for him, and the way he'd cried like a little boy when she recounted tales of his son's exploits. Still, the bleeding mother had to remind herself, she hated him.
This was it, she thought next, the big payoff, and the only reason that cutthroat billionaire wasn't still in that closet of a jail cell.
"Wake up." she demanded, fishing a water bottle from the glove box and handing it to him as he roused himself. "We're here."
'Here' didn't exactly look like much, she mused getting out of the car. Rumors built upon rumors relayed by nervous locals had been all Sophie had to work with, in the most important and tenuous game for telephone she'd ever played. This little hole-in-the-wall bar, out of the limelight, and away from most tourist destinations had become a favorite to various military personnel since the blockade went up over the water. Swallowing hard as she surveyed the area Sophie found herself questioning whether or not it was wise to go it without Mateo, he seemed to have a knack, and a natural talent for these things, a talent whose origin they toed around without discussion.
"What're we doing?" Xi asked groggily.
"We're buying our way through a military blockade." Sophie murmured.
Kon snorted as he washed his face and neck, fretting over his hair with damp hands in the car's side mirror. "You mean I am." he spat, clearly the nap had done little to improve his glaring personality flaws.
Choosing to ignore the man who set her teeth on edge Sophie leaned back into the car to grab her purse and tell Roxie that they wouldn't be long.
"Good luck." Roxie smiled, crossing her fingers tightly.
Inside the bar Sophie and Xi immediately stood out. It was a dull, muted spot, filled with smoke haze, there was a pool table in the corner, and from somewhere music drifted over the air while each and every pair of eyes in the room turned towards them. Beginning to regret doing this one on her own Sophie tried to look casual, confident, and cool. Shouldering her bag a little higher she strode past the bar. Not entirely sure who or what she was looking for, all she knew was that Mateo had told her it was a man from the United States Navy, that she was looking for, she kept her chin up and her eyes peeled.
Eventually she spotted the telltale uniform positioned at one of the few booths along the back wall. Making a break for them she slid into the seat behind her mark. The woman waited anxiously for a long while with nothing to look at but the irritated expression on Xi's face, before she made her move.
"Are you here about bypassing the dam?" she muttered to the seat behind her.
She was met with an immediate snort of laughter, then the sound of someone shuffling in their seat. Looking up with a start Sophie found her soldier peering over the high back of the seat down at her.
"Lady," he said in a plain drawl. "You been watchin' too many spy movies. You wanna come sit and hash this out or what?"
The very first impression Sophie had when she sat at his table was just how damned young the kid in uniform really was. He must have joined up while still in highschool, or lied about his age because the boy still had peach fuzz where five o'clock shadow should have been. Sitting across from her he seemed eager to be a part of something like this, but had a practicality about him that she quite couldn't discern if it was a product of good parenting or military conditioning.
Without invitation Xi reached across the table and snaked the pack of smokes the boy had sitting in front of him.
"He isn't housebroken." Sophie apologized, as Xi lit up beside her.
"It's fine, I s'pose." the young man shrugged after snatching them back. "So you wanna get ta the island, that right?"
"Yes, that's right." Sophie nodded.
"And you want me ta help you, 'cause I'd be the one ta pick up yer boat on the radar?" he went on making a circle in the air with his finger as he leaned back in his seat.
"Yes. So, our line of reasoning is that you'll give us the coordinates of your ship, and turn a blind eye to us as we pass by. We'll hug it your ship as tight as we can and that will give us a hole in the net, so none of the other ships see us either." Sophie explained, driving her hands like neighboring ships across the table.
"Right." the boy nodded lighting himself a smoke. "So, I'll need an exact time too." he mused.
"Of course! Anything." Sophie rushed out, her heart fluttering at the prospect that within a day she could be holding her boy again.
"If this goes belly up, what's yer plan?" he asked with an arched brow. "I ain't gonna be left holdin' the bag am I?"
"No, no!" Sophie shook her head, trying to jump ahead of the conversation, afraid that Xi might say something to compromise their position. He did like throwing people under the bus, luckily the seemed too preoccupied with his damned watch to notice. "If we get caught, your name will be left out of it."
"M'kay. So, what're you doin' out there?" the seaman asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
Sophie felt flustered by this question, it was obvious, wasn't it obvious? Her brow furrowed she answered with much more anger and volume than she meant to, "I'm getting my son!"
"Whoa, whoa, mama bear!" the boy laughed as Xi hissed, "Keep it down." into her ear, it took everything within the woman not to shove him away.
"I was just checkin', we got lots a guys trynna get out there an' grab a dino or two, y'know? Poachers, my CO is always sayin' keep an eye out fer dinos in the air an' poachers on the water, these days." the boy, who Sophie only just noticed had his name covered smiled.
"I understand." Sophie nodded, this revelation causing her guard to go up.
"So, you two wanna get out there an' save yer boy? I respect that."
"Boys." Xi cut in, adding. "Separately. Two, separate boys." as a frustrated afterthought, clearly malcontented by the pace of the conversation.
"I can probably get ya to the island, but back-"
"That's fine," Sophie jumped in again. "We'll probably need help on our way back, I wouldn't mind an escort."
"Escort?" the boy snorted. "More like arrest with jail time."
"Noted." Sophie nodded. "Can you help us?"
"Depends, what's in it fer me?" he smirked, knowing that he held all the cards.
"Listen, prick!" Xi snapped, free hand slapping down on the table before he seemed to remember his own advice and reigned himself back in. "I can write all kinds of numbers on this check." he went on in a more collected tone as he reached into his jacket pocket. "Tell me, what's it going to take?"
Well, maybe not all the cards.
"Alright!" the soldier clapped his hands together. "Now we're talkin'!"
The check was written, addressed to no one per the soldier's request to remain anonymous, signed, and pushed across the table to the boy who muttered something about the risks of military prison with mild indifference before pocketing the profitable piece of paper, all grins.
"Y'all just hang tight, an' I'll be in touch. Quick uh, what's a Spanish girls name?" he asked adding the number of Sophie's new cell to his phone. "Don't wanna make things too obvious, just in case."
"'Hang tight?'" Sophie repeated in disbelief. ""Hang tight?'"
"Well yeah, y'all didn't think you'd be leavin' now or anythin' did ya?" the boy asked with a genuine look of confusion. "It's gonna take some doin' to get 'er done, but I'll get 'er done. A week, two weeks tops, hand to God!"
Sophie couldn't breathe. Her chest burnt as she struggled, hands flat on the table stood, but sank quickly back down, only to stand again. She was at odds with herself, she wanted to run, to get out of there, to jump into the ocean and swim it if she had to. All she wanted was her baby, and now she was being told she had to wait? All she'd done was wait. A week? She didn't even want to wait another second! How could this boy, this-this weasel faced rat, who was likely scamming them expect her to wait so long?
Xi's hand pulled her back down again, "Don't make a scene." he muttered without even looking at her.
Sure, it was fine, easy for him to say, she thought vindictively, he didn't even care about his child, but Sophie felt like the bottom of her world had just fallen away beneath her feet, again. One day she'd just keep falling and never stop, she thought as the first tears spilt out onto the table.
Everything bad that had ever happened in Ben's life was Sophie's fault, from her inability to carry him to term, to the hell he'd suffered through in years of silence, and now this. He'd begged her not to make him go, but she wouldn't listen. She'd failed and condemned her only child so many times, and here she sat being asked to do it again, she thought in a panic barely aware that Xi had taken over negotiations.
"Do you have a smart watch?" he asked for some inexplicable reason.
"No." the soldier shook his head, though his eyes seemed to delight at the little state of the art device the billionaire had been toying with as they spoke.
"Here." Xi practically grunted sliding it towards him. "Forget about saving her number, this will be how we keep in contact."
"Alright!" the boy gushed quickly strapping it around his wrist. "Looks good on me!"
"It does. Now, you just be sure to keep in touch, or you'll have a lot more than prison to worry about." Xi told the young man with meaning.
In the first look of apprehension to cross his face since they'd met the boy's expression wavered as he stood. "Yes sir." he nodded.
It was happening again, Sophie thought as she watched him go, lightheadedness creeping over her as the power went with him. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't run, but she couldn't sit still either. Everything was wrong as some clawed beast struggled to rip itself free from inside. What was wrong with her? She wondered as a broken gasp escaped her. Fists clenched in her hair the woman shook all over, as she fought down a small squeaking scream keeping it trapped in her throat. She felt like she would explode into a million fragments of herself, and collapse into a bottomless pit of nothing all at the same time.
She had to keep it together, had to maintain control, she told herself. She couldn't break, not now. Ben needed her, he needed her to be strong. Blinking hard Sophie, who felt like there was a grapefruit caught in her throat somehow swallowed past it, and stood.
Smoothing down the front of her borrowed clothes Sophie felt a little better after she'd neatened herself, took a deep breath and looked towards Xi asking, "Are you ready?"
The man was agape as he stared up at her, "That was some real Dr Jekyll, Mr Hyde shit." he muttered sliding out of booth and heading towards the door.
Outside Sophie had forgotten the brightness of the day, and blinked back the glare of the sun. When her eyes had adjusted she saw Xi Kon climbing into the driver's seat of the car. An inferno raged in the woman's chest, and without even stopping to consider her actions she stormed over to grab him by the back of his jacket and pull him back out.
"I drive!" she said. It was a simple statement that meant the world to her in that moment, even as she realized how very much she sounded like a temperamental toddler. "Me, I have to drive. I always drive!"
His brows knit Xi stared at her with growing concern, "You've driven for hours," he said slowly as if expecting her to lash out again, like she had during their first encounter. "When was last time you slept?"
"It doesn't matter." Sophie said batting at her tears and trying to pull away from Roxie who had come to hold her steady by the shoulders. "I have to drive. I have to wait- a week, maybe longer- who knows? And I have to drive." she sobbed feeling weak in the knees. "Like you were any help, here kid have a watch!"
Xi closed what little gap was between them and hissed, "Keep your voice down, and I didn't give him a watch, I gave him a tracking device. Now there's no way he can go back on us, and if he tries, I'll know right where he is. And more than that, all I have to do is say he threatened my life for the money, and his possession of that watch guarantees culpability."
Sophie was staggered by how quickly, and how ruthlessly Xi Kon had seemed to come up with such a devious plan, and an even more cold-blooded failsafe. The hairs along her neck and arms stood on end, who was this man, and how long could she really keep him on her side? She wondered.
"Could I drive?" Roxie asked gently, breaking the tension. "Would that be alright? You could direct me and-"
"No." Sophie shook her head. "I- I have to be the one to drive. I just, I have to. I have to do something! I have to drive. I just need to drive, ok?"
"Alright," Roxie smiled, hands up. "I'll sit up front with you, you can catch me up, and then, maybe if you you get tired..."
Sophie who was acutely aware of how crazy she sounded was grateful for this compromise, and nodded a tearful agreement as she climbed into the driver's seat. Gripping the wheel as a cursing Xi Kon clambered into the back Sophie felt that at least she had control over something, and that if she wanted to plow them straight off of a cliff to their deaths, that she could, and it would be entirely under her control. She didn't want to do that though, she just wanted her baby, and she had to be strong and stay in one piece to get him. So, minding all of the rules of the road she carefully drove them back towards the port.
By the time Mateo had arrived, goods carefully stowed away in his truck Roxie was resting, half asleep with her fingers interlaced with Dave's. It wouldn't last long, Sophie had thought, it was just the relief of seeing him whole and well that had made her forget just how angry, and rightfully so she'd been. With those two settled, and Xi showering it was up to Sophie to share the bitter news that it would be another week, at least, before they could get their expedition underway.
"It sounds reasonable." Mateo said thoughtfully. "Not exactly the outcome we were hoping for, but this is a big favor we're asking, and it would take anyone time."
Sophie glared at him. How could he be saying that? How could anyone actually believe that delaying even a minute longer was a good thing? Mateo gave her hand a squeeze and offered a sad smile.
"You look tired." he observed. "You need sleep. You've been non-stop, driving yourself loco."
Sophie silently agreed, before she turned towards the bathroom, where the sound of running water could be heard. "I'll make money bags spring for a hotel. It won't do us any good using up all our provisions and your hospitality while we wait."
"Good idea." Mateo agreed. "But first, call your husband, he needs to hear from you."
Sophie's heart sank, she really didn't want to talk to Joseph, not right now, part of her afraid that he'd try to talk her out of her plans.
"You'll regret it if you don't."
Conceding Sophie made her way topside where she sat facing the setting sun, towards the island where all her hopes and dreams rested. It was a bittersweet relief when her call went to voicemail.
"Hey Joseph, it's me." she sniffled. "Sorry I haven't called. I can't even pretend to know what you're going through, all alone... I- uh- I've been busy. I've been trying to find a way to get to Ben. I've got a team, and I think I have a way. Listen to me though, I don't want you to come to Costa Rica. I don't want you to come because, because if things go south, well, Ben's going to need one of us..."
Trembling Sophie hugged her knees. "If things go well though, I want us-" she broke off into a sob. "I want us to be a family again. I want you to come home... I don't know if there's any real hope behind what we're doing. Joseph, I'm so scared... We're not soldiers, we're each just someone who's lost someone. I don't know if that's enough. I hope it is, but I just don't know... I just don't know... I love you."
Wiping her nose on her sleeve the woman hung up and detached from it's beauty, and her own body, Sophie watched the sun sink into the sea.
It was as the stars came out to play that her phone chirped in her pocket. It was Joseph.
Taking a deep breath Sophie answered, "Hey..."
Notes:
Xi, is pronounced like the pronoun "She" if you cut the E sound a little short.
So if you haven't guessed by now our story branches into three parts: "Homestead" which will cover what's happening at home, "Battlefront" which encompasses this wayward party and their rescue attempts, and the main story following our campers which will probably continue to have individualized titles... But I'm not sure yet... 🤔
Also, yep, that little black chopper they saw was Xi. It wasn't a grab and go, he was looking for Kenji at the pent house, but poor Kenji never made it to the window or saw the helicopter. He has no idea. 😢
Also, also bet you thought it was Owen, no, he's a veteran, remember?
Also, also, also I apparently don't know know what a personal assistant is, they do personal things for you like shopping, and schedule doctors appointments. What I've always envisioned Sophie Pincus as (without knowing the proper term) is an executive assistant so I retroactively updated my verbage in past chapters upon realizing my mistake. Sorry!! 😅💗
Anywho, thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed, (please help me be mindful of errors, it's been an especially rough week) see you in the next one when we catch up with the kids! 🤟🏻💕
Chapter 32: Lockstep
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It felt like no matter what, whenever he got too comfortable with the way things were, and had accepted that this was his life, his new normal, that something would always come along to flip Kenji's world onto its head.
He started out as a little, just hanging out at home with his parents, knowing that they loved him as much as he loved them, to never seeing his father, and growing resentful and embarrassed of his mother. Then he knew exactly who he was, what he wanted from life and where he was going, only, suddenly, highschool hit and it turned out he didn't know shit. Adapting, growing to enjoy school, and friends, getting into videogames, living his absolute best life without a care in the world, then mom died, and he was for first time truly and utterly alone.
There was no normal, and not much seemed to matter after that one, not for a long, long time...
Then he'd come here, and it sucked, like really sucked, but he got used to it, and the camp and all it's inhabitants started to grow on him, like some sort of well meaning fungus, only, just when he'd started to really enjoy himself and wish the summer would never end, it did, in bloodshed. Then came the running, so much running, the fear, the constant threat of death, and finally the hotel. Ben had come back to them, somehow, like a miracle, or a wish granted by a genie, and then room 608, the cobbled together meals, the constant ach is his chest, the waiting, and finding reasons to laugh with his friends in spite of everything else, that became his new normal. It wasn't perfect, not by a longshot, but it was alright.
Now though? Now everything was different.
Everything had changed so quickly, and so fundamentally, that Kenji doubted if he could ever get used to the way things were. Sergeant Purdy had his men establish the hotel as their base of operations, while the kids huddled in the bedroom and cried, as all their hope and relief dissolved leaving them with nothing but the all too familiar pang of dread after having the business end of an automatic swept over them.
In that time the soldiers had secured from the sixth floor down, allocating rooms to the others amongst them, and did a fast and much more affective sweep for supplies than the kids had. Lastly, and most irritatingly, they had declared a curfew, and taken over the kitchen. Purdy would later scold them that evening about the waste, and their shortsighted use of available provisions. He then charted out set mealtimes. Whatever they made, whenever they made it, and the ex-military folks weren't much in the way of cooks, was all they got to eat.
It wasn't long after these rules were established that the soldiers had tried checking in on the campers. Only the promise of a medical treatment had earned them the sliver of trust the campers were ready to offer.
"Katie," to everyone's surprise didn't look like she belonged working with an ACU at all. Far from the tall burley warrior woman the children half expected she was petite, and her uniform seemed a poor fit for her frame. The woman's eyes were dark, almond shaped, and full of compassion, but her jet black hair slicked back into a tight braided bun spoke of a level of professionalism and control. When she murmured in low calming tones to the children it was the with slightest of accents, Korean, Kenji felt, but it was so light it could probably slip past most people without notice.
Once she had been granted entry Katie, darted about the room like a hummingbird, taking it all in before starting with Sammy, and working hard to get her fresh bleeding to stop, as an apologetic looking man with a bummed ankle named Howe stood guard. After the steady flow had stopped Katie used some antiseptic spray and a few strips of what looked like tape to seal Sammy's wounds, old and new, before giving her a quick eye exam with a penlight.
The medic spit out something about a concussion as though the taste was bitter on her tongue then instructed Sammy to go lie down.
"Ben, Ben's real bad!" Darius had called out to her, before Katie could evaluate anyone else.
Teeth grit against the discomfort Kenji scooted to one side, and tossed the blankets off the half dressed boy who lay unmoving. It worried Kenji how, more often than not Ben seemed to be sleeping or flat out unconscious. His heart thrumming against his battered ribcage Kenji refused to allow himself to go to the dark places he'd been living in since the monorail, at least, not until Katie gave him a reason to.
Half kneeling on the bed the woman pressed the hair flat on the back of Ben's scalp to examine Brooklynn's crude attempt at stitches. Her brow knit as she probed the area around them.
"What happened?" Katie asked as she continued to scrutinize the boy's body, lifting his shirt, and running a hand along his deeply bruised back.
"He fell." Darius swallowed hard.
"We were on the monorail when it got attacked by those flying things and one of them grabbed him and just-" Yasmina stopped mid-sentence eyes wide, she stared up at the man who had stepped from the door way to stand just inside the room. Her voice gone.
"It-it dropped him. We don't know from how high up. He uh- he talks really weird now." Brooklynn said looking between her friends, a blush rising in her cheeks as if embarrassed by pointing it out, but she pressed forward anyway. "Like a really bad stammer, and he can't move right, looks like a dancing spider, or a defective robot or something... And he sleeps, like all the time."
Watching her work with a grim expression, her jaw clenched it was Kenji who had whispered, "Is he going to be alright?"
Katie's gaze darted up to meet those of the young man, the hardness to her face softened, and he could see a gentle glow in her eyes. He wasn't sure why but, Kenji seemed to understand then, that she was a very, very good doctor, and she would do everything in her power to make sure that even if he wasn't now, Ben would be alright.
"I don't know." she whispered.
"What's wrong with him?" Sammy, who stood pensively at the end of the bed, against the medic's advice asked.
"Skull fracture, brain swelling, probably more. I need to check his pupil reflex, and get a look at that elbow. I don't like the way it's collecting fluid." she explained, fretting over the boy for a minute. "Matt, I need help rolling him. I'll stabilize his head and neck, if you do the heavy lifting."
"Yes ma'am," the man had murmured. "Happy to help."
Then, even though it wasn't his fault, and even though he was very clearly unarmed, the campers all tensed when the man's who name was stitched across his chest as M. Howe entered the room. He seemed to be keenly aware of their feelings and was mindful to take slow measured strides, even with his ankle, and speak in a calm even tone. He was treating them like wounded animals, Kenji had thought, and he wasn't far off.
"Ready when you are." he whispered.
Waiting with baited breath the campers watched as Katie gently took the sides of Ben's head in her hands, and gave a count down. "3, 2, 1, flip."
"Christ the smell!" Matthew Howe gagged immediately, when they'd gotten Ben up and over, working in tandem so that his head reminded in a stable potion.
Katie's eyes shot up to Howe in and instant, hard, and accusatory. Clearly she seemed to think that there was an unspoken agreement not to mention the infection, or the mess the young man had made on the bed, and was accutely disappointed that the soldier didn't seem to have gotten the memo. Kenji who hadn't complained about either felt his heart sink, and looking at his friends through misty eyes, he knew that they all felt similarly. They hadn't been talking about it, and if they just didn't talk about it, it couldn't possibly be real, or as bad as they all knew deep down, it was.
"Yes." Katie went on through tight lips. "He's going to need some very strong antibiotics."
It was after she had moved and manipulated Ben's swollen and discolored elbow, as the medic was palpating along his abdomen that the boys eyes began to flutter. Inching closer Kenji reached out to smooth a hand across Ben's hair as he woke up. His pulse racing, Kenji stomped out the embers of that little voice in the back of his mind that kept telling him, "This is it, he's not going to wake up this time." No, this wasn't it, he was going to be alright, Kenji firmly asserted to himself. Tears welling he battled against the hellish memory of his mom, laying down for a nap, on such a peaceful, innocent afternoon, never to wake again.
Ben's limbs started to jump about then, little moans of wakefulness gurgling up from deep in his chest. Before long Ben started slapping at the hands that accosted him as he came into himself.
"I've got 'im." Howe said helpfully, catching onto and pinning down the boys flailing arms.
A few moments later Ben was awake, and fighting with all his might.
"Ben, it's alright, calm down!" Kenji barked in frustration after taking a wild elbow to the eye. "Seriously, calm your shit down, she's a doctor she's trying to help!"
It didn't feel like what he, or any of the others were saying had any affect on Ben or his actions as he continued to swing and kick and wail.
"It's fine, it's fine, just let him go!" Katie said in a rush, pulling Howe away from the bed. "He's going to hurt himself worse acting like that, and I already know what I need. Just, let him go."
Ben cried in ragged sobs, as he scurried towards the edge of the bed.
"Whoa, Ben, careful!" Darius exclaimed racing to catch him as he flopped out of Kenji's reach and onto the floor.
There his head swiveled around, eyes vacant and glossed over from fever the shaking boy seemed to be looking for a way out, very much the wounded animal Howe seemed to perceive them as. Then, Ben, with limbs that jerked and jittered calmoured up and into the adjacent bed, crawling frantically to get away until he hit a wall, a wall made of the injured, and very alarmed Yasmina.
"It's ok, it's ok!" she whispered pulling him tight into her chest. From where Kenji lay he could see the anger flare in the girls eyes. "Just back the fuck off!" she snapped, fear tight in her throat as she looked at the man standing in shock at the center of the room. She whispered something to Ben who struggled against her for only a minute before falling into a mucus filled mess of tears, accepting her embrace.
"Shows over, move on!" Yaz bit out, still glaring at Howe, then wincing against the sudden impact of Bumpy's weight hitting, and then sliding back off of the bed, as she attempted to reach her human parent.
"Serge really wasn't lyin'." the man sighed turning away with a tired sort of disappointment, and aggravation. "They really did bring an asset in with 'em."
"Her names Bumpy!" the campers chorused as those who could maneuvered themselves into defensive positions around their hapless friend who was still awash with tears.
Howe looked at five very young, and very angry faces staring up at him before throwing his hands into the air in defeat, "Whatever, I don't think you'll need me in here Katie, so I'm going to go. Radio if you need backup."
Katie who stood with one arm held tight across her chest, while the hand of the other pressed firm against her chin as she stood deeply entranced in thought, didn't seem to hear him the first time.
"Katie?"
"Sure," she nodded, as if her brain had only now registered what he'd said. "I've got it from here."
Even after Matthew Howe took his leave, tension seemed to hang in the air for a long time, as they waited, staring up at Katie. "Look," she said after taking a deep breath. "It's clear that you kids have been through a hell of a lot. That, what happened just now, that was out of line, and I take full responsibility. I should have told Howe to stand down a lot sooner. It's just-" turning the woman found a chair and sat head in her hands for a long minute, as the quiet tears fell.
"I'm just so tired." she had said through a bitter smile. "I'm just so damn tired. We, I, have lost people already. You're all just so young. You shouldn't be here in this place, in this situation. Being a doctor is hard, being a doctor in a warzone? It's impossible. You care so much when all you want to do is fix someone, but at the same time you can't afford to care, because then if the worst happens? I just, wanted to get in and out. I didn't want to feel anything for you guys, I just-"
She gave a brief start when Darius crossed the room and put a hand on her shoulder.
"It's ok." he smiled, talking in that sad, too mature tone he got when he was thinking of his dad. "I understand. I think we all do, sometimes it's easier to push the hurt away than to get burned by it."
"Or pretend it isn't happening." Brooklynn added, chewing on the nail of her thumb and staring at her camera making Kenji wonder how much longer she could go cold turkey without filming, when the camera was just within reach.
"Yeah." Sammy who slowly sank to the floor holding her head muttered. "Ben's just, really confused and hurt right now, and we're just all on edge from almost getting shot. No big deal." Sarcasm, was not a good color on Sammy, but it was still very warrented, Kenji observed as the atmosphere slowly began to dissipate around them.
Brooklynn got Katie a glass of water from the sink in the bathroom, and after she'd drank it, the woman smiled and resumed her exams. Only, this time without the stiff formalities. She asked their names, their interests, what the first thing they were going to do when they got home was, and of course "Does it hurt when I do this?"
After being patched up, allotted a dose or two of various medications from pain relievers to antiinflammatories, and helping to change Kenji's bedding, Katie assured them that she'd be available at any time, day or night and moved on.
That first night the kids learned quite a bit about their new guardians. Kenji knew right away that they'd lost at least two men already, ACUs always moved in groups of ten, and that they were likely going to lose a third based on the way they talked about a "Lawrence," the guy Sammy had seen on the stretcher. He'd apparently had a run in with a raptor that went about as well as you'd expect.
Aside from him, Katie, gun-crazed Steele, the kind but very authoritarian Purdy, and Howe, there was also "cold" Colton Smith who couldn't be bothered with the campers, and Payton Napier a strong featured black woman who seemed forever at odds with Purdy and used the word "asset," in a way that made the kids angers flair.
Then, standing apart from the rest of his unit was Isaac Reed. He was a warm, affable man who seemed keen to talk to and even endear himself to the campers. First impressions being that he was an all around great guy, and everyone seemed to take an immediate liking to him. That was until the civilian survivors began to make their presence known in room 608, and the campers learned of his gleeful pension for telling "war stories."
"It was the damnedest thing," Isaac said enthusiastically, later that evening as he and a few others made themselves comfortable scattered about the camper's room. "We're wandering through Main Street, right, it's decimated, like rubble everywhere from a big throw down or something. I don't even wanna know what did it. Bodies everywhere, bloated, gray, sun rotted, and covered in maggots. You kids ever smell a dead body before?"
Brooklynn, who Darius was quick to wrap an arm around gave a shudder, "Yes." he bit out between his teeth.
The campers glowered at Reed, but the man either didn't pick up on the hint, or he just didn't want to, and continued his story.
"Anyways, we're all on guard, I keep checkin' my six, because we can hear it, this chirping, and chattering. I know compys when I hear them, and one or two ain't that bad, but this sounded like a whole God danged army of those little green fuckers!" Reed his blue-green eyes alight said, slapping his knees for affect as he leaned forward in the chair. No one seemed amused, but the children, feeling in someway trapped, cornered by him even, not everyone able to get up and leave the room, stayed quiet.
It was their room, they should have been able to tell him to leave, but could they? Certainly none of the plain-clothed adults who ambled in and out felt compelled to, and no one could forget the sidearm that rested with menace on his hip. Was that just how it was? Were they trapped in some sort of miliary dictatorship, where the tourists, the civilians, just had to keep their heads down and follow orders? Where they just had to take whatever the uniforms had in store for them?
Kenji cast a baleful glace to the blonde woman who had brought in the little boy who's dark complexion made him doubt any relation between them. It was spotting the child that had spurred this bout of storytelling from Reed, and Kenji hoped she'd want to protect the boy from whatever was about to come next. Instead she quickly averted her eyes, and said nothing in reproach to the soldier. Choosing to ignore the situation entirely the woman tended to the toddler she cradled in a way that made Kenji the little girl might have actually been hers.
"So we turn this corner and there he is, little man, hauling ass just as fast as his skinny legs can carry him, a whole mess of compys on his tail!" Reed grinned, earning a sad coo from Sammy who moved towards the little boy.
"Only, they weren't after him, no. He'd been wearing one of those, child leashes, you know harness backpack and all? What the compys were really after was the severed arm dragging on the other end of the leash!" the man laughed, dangling his own appendage in the air for added affect.
Cries of shock and disgust tore from the children who gaped in terror at the man.
"That's it!" Sammy snapped, scooping the wide eyed little boy up off the floor and hugging him tight. "Get out, we don't want to hear any more, just leave!"
The others shouted irately, gesturing towards the door, as the man, who's face fell in the same way Kenji recognized as the unpopular kid being rejected from yet another peer group, stood hands up in a placating manner.
"I'm sorry." Reed said lamely. "Really, I am. Just trying to talk is all. Thought we could be friends."
"Well we don't want to hear about that shit!" Kenji shouted, flinging a pillow at the man as he retreated, regretting it immediately, and not just because of the pain, that had been the good pillow.
"Sorry." the man said again, head low on his shoulders, brow furrowed, he seemed utterly perplexed as to how his attempts at bonding with the campers could have so badly missed it's mark.
The room itself felt sick, flooded by a nauseating plume of disgust and fear. Were they all like that? The question rolled around the atmosphere, running a fearful circuit through their already frenzied brains. Surely not Katie, but the grotesque, macabre fascination had twinkled so keenly in Reed's gaze, that it left the kids with the stark impression that if any of them were to die, particularly in a gruesome way, that they would be just one more tale for the man to tell.
Sammy wiped at her tears before taking the boy, who according to the adults, hadn't spoken a word since they'd found him into the bunk room. There she settled with him on the bottom bunk to watch cartoons. The blonde with the toddler joined them shortly after.
"So he's a fucking psycho!" Kenji observed, before motioning to the pillow and pressing his palms together, eyes big and pleading towards the boy he'd taken under his wing.
"Yeah, no doubt." Darius agreed in a sharp tone as he fetched the downy projectile weapon and returned it to it's owner.
Brooklynn sat, pale faced for a long minute before scurrying to the bathroom, and in the silence that had fallen over the room, the others could hear her wretching, and crying. Darius jabbed a thumb towards the bathroom in silent explanation, then got up to see if she needed anything.
"I don't trust any of them." Yasmina commented between her teeth.
"To be fair, trust isn't exactly your thing." Kenji goaded her without meaning to. His heart was still racing in a panic, he just needed something to distract himself with, and his stupid brain chose to poke the bear.
"No, it sure as fuck is not!" Yasmina shouted, hot, angry tears trekking down the sides of her face.
"Do you trust anyone?" Kenji feeling heated, called back, though he knew his anger did not stem from Yaz, but rather his overwhelming sense of helplessness.
"No!" was her knee jerk reaction. Though, eyes fluttering against her pain, jaw clenched tight, she reconsidered her words and muttered a scornful. "Well, I trust you guys, or at least some of you."
Kenji felt hurt at the comment, wounded personally, as he looked at the Texan through the doorway as she tried to comfort a little boy who had absolutely no one else to turn to. Sammy was his friend, Yaz was too, but she was wrong, and needed to be called out on it.
"You've got to get over the stupid phone thing." he said with bitterness. "Seriously, there's a hell of a lot more going on right now than that."
"She lied to me." Yasmina spit back.
"So?" Kenji asked, amazed by how juvenile she could be. At least when he wasn't talking to Darius he'd thought someone had died.
"Brooklynn lied too, about a lot." Kenji said then, rolling his eyes. "Darius is always pretending to be fine, that's a kind of lie. I said I liked your shitty taste in music back at the Tree House. I don't think Ben's physically capable of lying, but I'm pretty sure Bumpy's the evil mastermind behind all this, so what makes Sammy's lie so different?"
"It just is, ok?" was all she'd give him before her arms crossed, the walls went up, and all conversation dwindled down to nothing.
"...That Reed guys pretty fucked up, huh." Kenji whispered in a remorseful tone to the ceiling. He should have apologized for constantly antagonizing her, the boy was aware, but he couldn't seem to find the words.
"Yeah," Yasmina rasped, brushing away her tears. "He really... really is."
Over the course of the next few days things had gotten steadily worse. With the grunts with guns calling all of the shots, a lockdown had been put in place after a man named Pete had gotten into an "altercation," with one of the ACU when he'd tried to leave his room after curfew. It, like the curfew before it, was for their own good, for their protection, the armed men and women assured them, but somehow the fact that the ACU could come and go whenever they pleased but the kids could not didn't leave them feeling any safer, only more vulnerable.
Without warning, room 608 had gone from their oasis in this uninhabitable wasteland to their prison cell. It wasn't long before tensions rose, and though they very seldom left to room before, the simple fact that they couldn't leave it now, even if they wanted to, saw the children at odds with each other. Bickering and fighting broke out over the littlest things, ranging from what to watch, to missing clothes, or spots stolen on a bed or couch when someone had gotten up. All the while the ominous question of "if" they would ever get off this island became more, and more relevant than "when."
Then, there was Ben.
Katie had made multiple pleas and appeals to Sergeant Purdy to allow her and a couple men from their unit to make a supply run. It wasn't just Ben, who needed the help, she had been sure to remind him, but Luis Purdy would always refer back to the fractured face of his damaged tablet, and disregard her fervent requests, sighting the risks as "too great." Commanding her to make do with what she had, Purdy always promised that he would get back to her later.
The truth was, no one felt sure Ben could hold on until later.
He was declining rapidly, to the point where whenever Yasmina did finally allow herself to sleep it was with her hand on his chest, just to feel him breathing. Kenji watched with a longing that was one part wistful daydream, one part anxious desire. He envied Yasmina, that she had been the one Ben had run to when he was frightened, and in pain, and it hurt Kenji even more to watch him deteriorate from afar when all he wanted to do was hold him.
He was his.
No.
No, he wasn't.
If laying in bed for days on end was good for anything other than mending ribs, and driving yourself crazy, it was good for self reflection, and getting to the core of who you really were. And Kenji, was one selfish, entitled prick.
Laying there, watching Ben sleep the young man realized just how hard it was for him to see something he wanted, without thinking of it as already belonging to him. That, apparently, included who he wanted too.
It wasn't entirely his fault either, he supposed.
It was difficult when the memories of a loving father and formative years spent in an actual family began to fade, replaced instead by an influx of shiney new toys and gadgets. It was his mother who had tried to reassure a young Kenji by telling him that, that was just how his father was showing his love. Kenji had believed her. Yes, he'd thought, it made total sense, things, material possessions, being gifted the very thing his heart desired, even before his heart had desired it, that was love.
Stuff.
His whole life, his whole concept of who he was had been built upon a heap of useless stuff.
Who was he, if not measured by what he owned?
Nothing.
That was it, Kenji was nothing...
Yet, he had to have all the junk, not just to keep people from seeing what he wasn't, but because buried deep in the back of his mind he could still hear that voice saying, "this is love."
Stuff was love.
Not time spent with his mother, not learning about his heritage or culture, and certainly not the meals she had made for him by hand.
Just stuff.
Besides, that was how dad said "I love you," and unlike his mother Kenji couldn't remember ever hearing the man speak those words aloud, not either one of them, at least, not until after his mom was dead. Then all his father could talk about was how much he'd loved her before the taboo of silence fell over the topic of Meiko's existence, like a final shroud.
Only, at some point Kenji grew up, and without his mother there was no one to protect him from the truth. The gifts, especially the ones he didn't ask for, weren't a display of affection at all. They were a payoff to give his dad space, and stay out of his way, payoffs meant to keep Kenji docile and compliant.
For fuck's sake, Kenji thought as he turned decidedly away from the grim sight of his dying friend and drifted towards sleep, he was so, very lonely...
Kenji woke lazily in bed, his bed, warm sunlight drifting in past the curtains. Relishing the thick bedding the young man rolled away from the window and towards the door. Was it a weekend, or did he have school? He wondered hazily, eyes raking over his PC and consoles with idle indecision. With so many choices at hand, it was downright overwhelming. In the end, most days he wound up doing nothing productive or entertaining at all, just mindlessly, and endlessly scrolling on his phone to kill the time.
He'd taking up model building lately, planes, and cars, the later being his favorite. Perhaps he should give that another shot, he mused. Taking in all there was to see Kenji couldn't help but feel that something was wrong, though, he couldn't quite name what, or why. Dismissing the nagging feeling that prickled along the back of his neck, he got up, and no sooner had he given thought to dressing, then, he was.
After that Kenji did all the usual weekend shit, played, lounged, ate, and before he knew it, he blinked and it was nighttime again. It was as he was debating on what to do next when he turned to find his dad standing expectantly in the doorway of his room. Kenji allowed his eyes to drink in the expression on the man's face, he was smiling, at him. There was no denying it, his dad was smiling at him, and it wasn't the champagne bubbles grin he wore to parties, it was genuine.
His heart feeling ready to burst, Kenji wasn't sure what he'd done to earn it and rushed over the see what he wanted, "'Sup dad?" he asked excitedly.
"The troupe," his dad grinned flashing twin tickets at him. "I got two tickets to Cirque du Soleil, interested."
Enthusiastically Kenji started to pull his shirt over his head, "I'll be ready in five!"
Dressing, the car ride, finding their seats, everything seemed to happen without happening at all. Before Kenji knew it, he was sitting in the best seats in the house, staring up at the acrobats who danced and spun, suspended high above the crowds on sheets of red silk in an aerial ballet. His breath was stolen right out of his lungs by their immeasurable grace and beauty.
Not long after however, Kenji found himself staring at the way his dad's hand lay across the armrest that divided them. He still wore his wedding band, Kenji observed, but his thoughts were elsewhere. All he'd wanted since he was a little boy, was just once, to hold his father's hand, and not have his attempts swatted away as if he we a gnat or fly. Kenji had always felt so safe, and so loved holding his mother's hand, even when he'd grown old enough to be embarrassed by it. He wished he could feel that way with his dad too. It was silly, he thought shaking his head.
Turning his face back towards the sky, he gave his full attention to the tumbling, and twisting visions who danced as if on angel wings above him. They twirled and spun, their silks intertwining with one another, or entangling a limb only to send them spiraling elegantly away the next moment. Kenji was enraptured by the way such strength and dexterity could be so easily disguised as effortless, fluid movement, marveling and awed as the troupe swug out from the stage over the audience.
Kenji's eyes delighted at the spectacle and he turned to thank his father for bringing him, but he found, alarmingly, that the seat beside him was empty.
Oh, he thought, crestfallen by the revelation, that was right, dad didn't have the time for him. Kenji felt the prickling sensation of alarm creeping over the back of his neck again. Vague memories of the night slowly trickled into his mind. He could, only just remember the acrobatics show. Dad hadn't brought him there, he'd sent him, alone. Despondent Kenji had spent much of the night on his phone.
Kenji resolved not to make the same mistake twice, and not to waste such a display of elegance and poise by allowing his sour mood to spoil things. Instead of digging into his pocket for his cell he turned back to the daring act, and settled back into his chair.
Still, the fact that he'd been sent here, sent away nagged at him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right, then, a coldness began to creep up his spine.
As he watched, the dancers slow, swinging movements, began to become more jarring and erratic. Their ballet began to feel lost in a bout of jagged kicks and flailing. They weren't reaching for each other with loving tender embraces anymore, but great clawing hands as they tried desperately to cling together.
Unnerved by the way they swung and undulating overhead, their backs bending and contorting in unnatural ways Kneji felt a breath of ice wash over him. He knew then, without looking that he was entirely alone in that auditorium. He wanted to turn away, to stop watching the disgusting, twisted display but he couldn't. He was transfixed by their dancing, and hypnotized by their unearthly, unholy movements.
Then as Kenji stared he realized they were reaching for him, desperately, the dancers, they were trying to grab onto him, their fingers caked in blood coming so close. His heart hammering, Kenji wanted to scream, but found he had no voice as the dancers continued to try and ensnare him.
Only, they weren't dancers, they were his friends.
Eyes wide and frightened they were screaming, clawing to get away, and escape. Their limbs caught and entangled they cried to him for help. Kenji sat petrified, unable to move, unable get them down, unable to do anything but sit there and watch. Then he realized that they weren't being kept aloft by long silk sheets. No, they dangling from the gory red of their own unspooling intestines, ropes of sinewy flesh binding their movement, and wrapping about their throats. Warm and wet with their blood as it rained down in him Kenji looked up and saw that they were each suspended from the putrid, ragged, maw of Indominus Rex.
Waking, in reality, Kenji gasped for air, and gulped down the acidic burn of backwash. Covered in a cold sweat and shaking with terror he surveyed his surroundings and found himself, and his friends, exactly where he had left them, room 608, hell.
Allowing his head to fall back onto his pillow Kenji closed his eyes and attempted to slow his breathing.
"You alright?" Yasmina asked from where she stood, trying to somehow stretch usefulness back into her leg.
"Fine!" Kenji snapped, pawing at the perpetration that leaked from his eyes. Guiltily, as he remembered the way her large brown eyes had stared at him so sure of her own death, in his nightmare, he muttered. "Bad dream."
"I'm sorry." she replied hoarsely, hobbling up towards the head of the bed. She stared at a loss for a moment, unsure of what to do, then gave his hand a little squeeze. "Closet thing to a hug your gonna get, ya asshole." she smiled.
"Like I'd wanna hug a shithead like you!" Kenji called back, the friends smiled in bitter understanding of one another before the athlete left to resume her exercises.
Kenji wasn't sure how, or why their love language had devolved into cussing at each other, but he was glad it did. He was grateful for a friend like her. For all of them, actually, he thought turning to look at his family of friends.
Brooklynn sat on the bottom bunk hamming it up for Chase, the little boy who they'd named after the police pup on his shirt, trying to make him laugh as they watched cartoons. She and Sammy had taken a real shine to the little boy, the honorary seventh camper, they all tried to make him feel at home whenever he was allowed to visit them. Ben, was sleeping, someone had heaved Bumpy onto the bed, and the baby ankylosaurus had nestled up to his chest. Kenji stared hard for a long minute, just to be sure he was still breathing.
Kenji wasn't sure what he would do if Ben died. It would have been better if he'd never come back, he thought then, better if the fall from the monorail had killed him. His heart squeezed at the thought. At least then he wouldn't have suffered, and, selfishly, neither would they.
A small thud caught Kenji's attention, and he turned to see Darius who'd been on the top bunk, disembark and walk towards the bathroom. He opened the door and was met with an immediate scream and swearing. He'd found Sammy.
Stammering out apologies Darius quickly closed the door and turned to run, only he didn't have anywhere to run to. Trapped like an animal in a cage he paced in the little area between the bunk room and the bathroom, teeth clenched, hands in fists. With no other options available to him he dove head first under Kenji's bed and there he screamed, and kicked his feet, and punched the carpet. He was reaching his breaking point, they all were. They needed to get out of there.
It was just before lunchtime when Katie appeared. She did her usual check-up, then handed out meds, and the candies she'd squirreled away from other rooms, telling them to hide the wrappers and make it last. She seemed deeply troubled, and hesitant for a while, but finally she told the children what was on her mind.
"The way between the hotel and the hospital is clear now." she said without being able to look any of them in the eye.
"Hospital?" Darius asked, sitting cross legged on the the floor.
"Yeah I don't remember seeing any hospitals on the map." Sammy added, most of the uncomfortable air about the two of them forgotten, though junior still seemed prone to blushing whenever she talked to him.
"It wouldn't have been," Katie admitted. "Bad for PR, but mistakes, accidents, happen at Jurassic World all the time, and not just with tourists, but handlers and staff too. When accidents of a certain caliber take place time is of the essence."
"Huh," Brooklynn intoned. "Now we're getting an actual behind the scenes look, not so pretty after all."
"No, not pretty, but it's the only place on earth you'd find dilophosaurus anti-venom. It's where my unit was headed when we got ambushed. We figured it was the safest, best stocked, and most secured place we could reach." the medic explained.
"What about getting rescued?" Kenji asked with a healthy amount of skepticism. "Shouldn't you have been trying to get a chopper or catch a boat?"
"We did. The hospital was our fallback plan, only now we can't all get there, anymore." Katie murmured.
"So, why are you telling us all of this?" Darius asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Because Sergeant Purdy decided that there was going to be a supply run, to get medicine, see if we can get out a message, and the like." Katie pressed her lips together, an overwhelming weight coming to her tone as she spoke the following words, "And Purdy says if you're old enough to carry a gun, you should consider yourself drafted..."
The room was still, no one even dared to breathe.
"There a meeting in base of operations, 605, in a few minutes. Darius, Brooklynn, Sammy, he wants to see you all there..." Katie swallowed hard, and turned to leave.
"Drafted?" Darius was the first one to try out the new word.
"What the heck does that mean?" Brooklynn scoffed, though her face was already paled by anxiety.
"So he thinks he can just come in here, take our hotel, tell us what we can and can't do, and then that he can just march us off to war like good little soldiers?" Yasmina bellowed, red faced and angry.
"The very nnn-nnn history o-of coloniza-ation." Ben murmured into his pillow.
In an instant everything else was put on hold for one blessed moment. Ben was awake.
He was disoriented, and not very self aware, but he was happy, and he smiled at his friends. Like all the times before Ben looked around himself with bewilderment, claiming no or only foggy memory of what had happened between this, and the last time he was up. Darius helped him sit, and then when he was ready, to the bathroom. Meanwhile Sammy replaced the dirty towels he'd been laying on, and Brooklynn got him some water.
"C-cute." Ben said appraising the new shirt he'd been changed into the night before, when he'd gotten back into bed.
"I picked it!" Kenji beamed proudly as Ben took in the black tee with a bold red pentagram on the front, and tour listings for metal bands on the back.
"Th-thanks I nnn-nnn hate it!"
"I knew you'd say that!" Kenji laughed.
"Darius said nnn-nnn we're unnn-der mar-mar-martial law or something?" Ben inquired.
"Yep, crazy guys with guns. Locked up in here tight." Brooklynn nodded before turning towards the door to shout, "Steel toed assholes!" in a bright showy manner, earning the faintest of smiles from Ben.
"How do you feel?" Sammy asked.
"Bad." Ben whispered, the color draining back out of him again. "R-really bad."
"Wh-here's Bumpy?"
The little animal belted in response, contenting him.
"You know you snore right?" Yasmina grinned down at the boy who nursed his water, trying to keep him up and talking.
"Do nnn-not." Ben, his gaze distant as though he was only half there replied.
"You so do." Kenji was quick to add.
"Ye-yeah nnn-nnn, and you nnn-nnn nnn drool!" Ben laughed then, eyes closed he listed backwards and everyone thought he would fall, but Darius steadied him, and helped Ben lie back down. "Y-your, your dino-dinosaur name would nnn-nnn be Drooly..." Ben mused, his last thought a happy one as he drifted back into his realm of eversleep.
"Right or wrong of them to force it on us we have to do it." Darius declared, his face hardset with determination.
"Yeah," Brooklynn agreed, "for Ben."
Kenji and Yasmina looked to one another, feeling useless beyond words. They were unable to help themselves, let alone anyone else. Katie assured them that if they just rested and took it easy they'd be up in no time, but no time was none too soon.
Waiting was probably the worst, Kenji thought. Not just waiting for rescue, but waiting to hear if his friends were going to be alright. He wished he could go, thought frantically about lying, saying that he was fine. Seriously, load him up, he'd march to whatever fife you played just so long as he could do something to help. Katie would know, he admitted to himself, besides, if he wound up the reason someone else died? Well there'd be no living with himself afterwards.
"You think they'll be alright?" he asked Yaz after a while.
"I don't know." her voice warbled, lancing Kenji through the heart. He'd wanted her to snap at him, if she yelled at him it meant things would be fine, but this teetering on the verge of tears. He was chilled by how real, and how frightening things had gotten.
"I mean, yeah, sure they'll be fine!" Kenji scoffed putting on a brave face. "Darius knows more about dinosaurs than anyone else I'd wager. Sammy well, is there anything a cowgirl can't do? And Brooklynn... She could probably scare anything away with that voiceover act she does!"
"Yeah." Yasmina nodded, rolling away.
The arrival of their friends back into the hotel room was heralded by a slamming door and heated shouting. Sammy walked into the bedroom as if she were literally stepping on eggshells, before spotting and rushing to Kenji's bed. There she dove beneath the covers.
"Hide me." she whispered when Kenji lifted the blankets to look at her.
"What happened?" Kenji whispered back, while the other two railed on in the room with the sofa.
"Well, I know how to handle a gun, used to go camping with my dad and cousins, remember." she shrugged as if "camping," and "hunting" were two interchangeable words. "Not a lot of the others seemed to confident or familiar when Purdy asked, so I volunteered to be in the away party."
"You volunteered?" Kenji gasped incredulously.
"What?" Yasmina yelled from across the room. "She what?"
"She wants to play hero!" Kenji snarked. "So she volunteered for the suicide mission!"
"Well that's fine, just fine, if she wants to throw her life away, she can't expect any of us to be sad when she's dead!" Yaz screamed, sending the stuff on her nightstand flying.
"It's not like I had much of a choice!" Sammy barked, sitting up, her hair a staticy mess from the blankets.
"Like hell you didn't!" Darius shouted, his head bobbing into view from the other end of the doorway, before bobbing back out again. "You're not going!" he was shouting.
"I have to!" Brooklynn shrieked back.
"You're not going! I'll go!" Darius insisted, following the pink haired girl as she shoved past him.
"You're not listening to me, Darius, I don't want to go, I have to go!" Brooklynn exclaimed making a circular motion over her stomach.
Period crap. Kenji thought.
"Really? Just suck it up and hold it in, none of the other girls are complaining about their periods!" he shouted.
The way everyone turned and looked at Kenji with a blend of disbelief and outrage told the young man that he'd missed some vital information.
Her eyes squinting at Kenji with distaste Brooklynn snatched Darius by the hand and hauled him into the bunk room, closing the door firmly behind them. Tension and tempers flared behind that door as Brooklynn and Darius went at it in as much privacy as they got these days.
Kenji could hear the girl whisper tersely, "If I don't get this thing taken care of soon, I'm going to be no better off than Ben!"
"But I- I could bring the stuff back for you, you could take care of it here!" Darius argued.
"Please, it hurts, so much Darius, I have to go. I have to do what I can to fix this. I don't want to die!" the girl sobbed, and even though he wasn't exactly trying to eavesdrop Kenji felt dirty for being able to hear what was being said anyways.
The door opened, a fuming Darius stormed out and into the living room, where it sounded like he flung himself to the sofa. Brooklynn sat sorrowfully on the bottom bunk, her soft green eyes bloodshot, as she picked loose threads from the blanket. The afternoon passed in uncomfortable silence the looming departure of the supply run then next morning hanging like thunderheads over the campers.
Things had only just come to a tense, but bearable truce that night as they watched TV.
It was only a panicked "Oh God!" from Yasmina that broke the hush.
Hearts racing everyone turned to see Yaz pulling Ben in tight as he started to convulse on the bed.
"Oh God, oh God, what do I do?" she screamed holding him to her chest in an effort to stop him from hurting himself.
Darius was on his feet, running towards the door in an instant, screaming wildly for Katie.
"Ben, no Ben!" Sammy wailed, standing at the end of the bed, for the first time it didn't seem like she had an answer, and instead sunk to the floor in a puddle of tears
"Is that a seizure?" Kenji heard his own voice pinched high from fear. "Guys don't fuck around with me, is Ben having a seizure?"
No one answered him, everything was happening too fast.
Katie was there, Darius and a uniform on her heels.
"Ben?" the medic called her tone worried, but distracted as she started a timer on her watch. "Ben it's alright, we're here. Can you hear me?" she asked then, trying to get to him.
Turning away from the scene Kenji buried his face in the pillows and cried. This was really it. Ben was going to die. He didn't want to see it happen.
He didn't want to watch him die!
It was as he screamed and begged to be anywhere else that he felt someone clamor onto his legs. Lifting his downy armor he saw Brooklynn staring up at him awash with tears, Bumpy, somehow wrapped in her oddly angled arms.
Reaching down Kenji clutched the back of her shirt with a fist that quavered and hugged her tightly into his stomach.
He didn't want to be here.
He didn't want to see it.
Ben was dying.
Kenji cried...
Notes:
Ugh!!! This one hurt me from beginning to end! 😭
Chapter 33: Pulling Rank
Notes:
Trigger Warning: Sexual assault
Don't push yourselves!
This was so hard for me to write. I don't want to hurt anyone or cause anyone any undo pain, stress, or anxiety.
If this is one of your triggers please email me at [email protected] and I will send you an edited version of this chapter without the passages that could be triggering or harmful to your mental health so that you can still enjoy the story without having to suffer to do so.
Love y'all! -ENBYsaurus RAWR!!!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
-CCF Day Twelve-
Ben had made it through the night.
Sitting dazed, staring straight ahead at nothing, Brooklynn still couldn't believe it, but he had.
He had.
Katie was some sort of miracle worker. She'd diagnosed the problem as having been a sudden spike in his fever as his body did it's best to fight off the infection, one Katie admitted, there could be nothing done for if it reached his brain. They'd gotten him into the shower, Darius ran up and down the hall to fetch buckets of ice, and while Ben lay half frozen in the running water Katie got to work "debriding" the area, which in this case meant opening the stitches, cutting out the dead parts of the tissue, and brutally scrubbing away at what was left underneath.
What was left.
It was apparently an essential step in the healing process for wounds like Ben's, but Katie hadn't wanted to do it until they could get the IV antibiotics from the hospital, she said the procedure posed its own set of risks. The seizure, and his worsening condition had left her no choice however.
No choice.
Brooklynn sat slowly absorbing all of this information as it was given to her, but still, hours later, none of it had quite sunk in. She must have been in shock, she thought through a wave of dizziness, because she remembered him dying. He had died, hadn't he? The entire night was a blur.
A blur.
She remembered Yasmina holding Ben so tight as she cried, and the way his body snapped back and forth in her arms, liked he'd touched a live wire. Sammy had been on the floor. Brooklynn had never heard anyone cry the way Sammy did when she thought Ben's fight was finally over, she could still hear the wailing echo through the troubled halls of her mind. Then, when she had turned to reach for him and the solace he could provide, Darius was gone.
Gone.
She remembered wondering if whoever was posted in the hallway that night had given him any hassle, or if he'd gotten to Katie without any problems. Brooklynn remembered Bumpy running around the room, honking and hollering in a temper tantrum like a spoiled brat. She'd considered locking her in the bathroom, just to keep her from being tripped over, but after realizing how frightened the animal was, she didn't have the heart.
Didn't have the heart.
Lastly the girl remembered seeing Kenji sandwiched between a couple of pillows, screaming and crying until the veins in his neck and forehead stood out like thick angry bands. She wasn't sure why in the maddening chaotic whirl that was going on, but Brooklynn had the clarity of thought to realize that while everyone else was busy trying to help Ben, Kenji just needed someone.
Someone.
Honestly, Brooklynn hadn't been able to deal, and she had needed someone too. Mindful of the dangers a distressed ankle biting, ankylosaurus posed Brooklynn had painfully wrested Bumpy up off the floor and then gracelessly collapsed onto Kenji's lower half. She remembered the way he clung to her, nails biting into her back as he squeezed her close. She remembered not caring either, she hadn't cared because Ben was dead, and somehow nothing seemed to matter after that, not even the pain.
The pain.
Sitting alone on the floor Brooklynn remembered all of this, she even remembered how Kenji had cried to the point of vomiting, and Katie had to suspend her work on Ben to sedate him so he didn't wreck his ribs anymore than they already were, while fending off complaints, orders, and arguing from the other ACU guys who didn't think it was a worthy enough use of supplies. Still, Brooklynn couldn't remember, or convince herself of the fact that Ben was alright, because he'd died.
He'd died.
Glancing up she could just see the crest of his side, skin pale, and clammy. He was laying right there, Yasmina's arm draped over him, breathing, she watched his ribs rise and fall, but the girl kept expecting to look back and find that it was just her imagination, and that he was indeed, dead. She was cold and numb, and despondent. None of it seemed real.
None of it.
It couldn't be real.
It wasn't.
None of it.
It was too terrible to be real.
It was all just a bad dream.
He died.
They were supposed to be safe here.
They weren't.
They were supposed to go home.
They couldn't.
It was too much.
It was too horrible.
It couldn't be real.
It wasn't real.
They were all going to die here, weren't they?
Blinking hard Brooklynn found herself caught in the periphery of an emotional whirlpool. She was beginning to spiral, and if she wasn't careful those swirling waters of despair, uncertainty, and denial would drag her down, deep beneath the surface and drown her.
Drown her.
This fear should have been normal by now, she thought. How long had she been afraid? Fueled by anxiety and her fight or flight instincts alone? Too long. It was hard to remember a time when she hadn't been afraid, though she knew there must of have been, before she'd come here. Before the island.
The island.
The real kicker was she hadn't been expecting this to happen. It was different, somehow than being afraid out there. Out there she knew what to expect no matter how gruesome it was, it was a truth she had faced head on more time than she could count or wanted to remember. Out there, there was something tangible, something real stalking her. Out there death had teeth and claws, and out there her fear had a name; Indominus Rex.
Indominus Rex.
In here it was different. In here the fear was just as constant, but it was distant, like a far away siren. In here the danger felt removed. In here it felt safe, the four walls and a roof lending to the illusion of security. In here it felt like the only thing that could hurt them was time, and perhaps each other. In here, it felt like they were going to be alright. In here it felt like death couldn't reach them.
Reach them.
But last night death had cast its gaze upon the hotel. It had reached its chill touch fingers past the walls and roof that had made the children feel so safe, violating their sanctuary, and ensnared one of their own.
One of their own.
Last night Brooklynn had been too busy mentally preparing for the trip to think that anything could go wrong. She was doing her best not to think about the day ahead of her, and to stamp out her nerves. Watching a movie with the others, she had been trying to remember, and recapture what it meant to be sixteen. Niether she nor Sammy, or anyone else for that matter wanted to admit it, but it was supposed to be one last good night with their friends just in case they never made it back again.
Never made it back.
She had actually started to relax and enjoy herself, sitting in the dark, bumping elbows with Darius as they crammed into the space between the beds. They'd talked off and on through the afternoon, and by evening most of the upset had been forgotten. He'd even offered to share his coveted sour gummy worms with her, the ones Katie had give him. It was a good night.
Good night.
Brooklynn just couldn't shake it. Everything just all felt so surreal, like she was trapped in a waking dream. Looking back in everything that had happened, she couldn't believe that any of it had happened at all. In all this time since the observation tower, she'd never really given herself a good moment to think, and reflect. She'd told her story to the camera, but that was different, it just scratched the surface of everything boiling to get out beneath her mask.
Beneath the mask.
Blinking back tears Brooklynn wondered who that girl was, where she went, and if she would be there if Brooklynn needed her again. Because she certainly wasn't the kind of girl who ran from raptors or jumped from moving trains. She had never battled a huge, angry, snub-nosed, T-Rex wanna be armed with only oxygen tanks and a cattle prod. She had never been a field medic or headed a recon mission to aquire a cellphone. That wasn't her.
Wasn't her.
None of that was her.
It couldn't have been her.
It had to have been someone else.
This wasn't real.
None of this could be real.
This whole terrible Godforsaken place wasn't real.
It too horrible to be real.
It wasn't real and she wanted to wake up already!
Why couldn't she wake up?
She just wanted to wake up, and realize that it was all some bad dream, some terrible mistake and that she was home and safe with her family.
Her family.
She just wanted her moms and her dad, and stupid fuggly Skittles!
"I can still go." she heard someone say at the edge of her consciousness.
"Brooklynn, I can still go." they repeated, but she was caught in the spiraling tides, and the whirlpool was starting to pull her under.
Under.
She just wanted to go home!
Why couldn't she get home?
She just wanted to be safe!
She just wanted her family!
She just wanted to go-
Jolted out of her listless state by Darius patting her with an abrupt thump on the knee, she followed his arm up, and found soulful brown eyes staring at her, awash with concern.
His eyes.
"Brooklynn, are you still with us?" he asked, the worry on his face and the way he seemed to second guess reaching over to wipe her tears away with a hand that trembled spoke of how truly alarmed the boy really was.
Brooklynn wondered how long he'd been sitting next to her, and how long they had been holding hands. Staring down at the connection they had made she allowed the still tender fingers of her right hand to curl more tightly about his.
His hand.
"Yeah," she rasped, surprised by how thin and airy her own voice sounded. She needed water, she thought then. "I'm still here."
"I can still go." he repeated, his voice low, but full of compassion. "I'd rather be the one to go."
His voice.
"No." Brooklynn shook her head, the distance closing between them as, with his help, the girl came back into herself. "I can do it." she promised.
Darius didn't say anything for a long while, his lips forming a solemn line, he seemed to be considering his options, or what argument to use next.
His lips.
It was as he thought that Brooklynn was given the opportunity to really look him over. The bruising on his face from their numerous falls, and Kenji's haymaker had begun to fade, while in contrast those around his shoulder and clavicle were only deepening. His body, swimming in a shirt too large, seemed bent somehow, as if he were bowed beneath a heavy burden that had been piled a top him. More than any of that, he looked tired, the kind of tired that went straight down to your marrow.
His bruises.
"We can go together." he offered hopefully.
Staring at him the girl could already see the guilt seeping in behind the color of his eyes, at the mere suggestion. She squeezed his hand, and offered up a sad half smile as she shook her head.
His guilt.
"You and I both know that someone has to stay here, for them." Brooklynn nodded towards the beds.
His limp, and weighty figure left in what looked like an uncomfortable position, Kenji breathed heavily, still very much affected by the medication Katie had given him. To their left Yasmina's face was still contorted with fear as she lay with her head on Ben's chest, listening desperately to the beat of his heart, and the pull of air into his lungs. Brooklynn was frozen for the space of a minute, just watching, but still not quite believing.
"Yeah," Darius sighed, his shoulders hanging a little lower as if this was the weight he carried. "Yeah I know. Don't think Sergeant Purdy will just let me swap places with Sammy do you?"
His burden.
"Not unless you know how to shoot." Brooklynn muttered.
"I mean, how hard can it be?" he shrugged in a cartoonishly exaggerated manner, eyes rolling towards the ceiling. Caught off guard by his sudden irreverence towards the situation the girl felt a fit of giggles catch in her throat. Elbowing her a bit as he laughed himself, Darius encouraged her to let loose. Soon, they were trying to stifle their poorly timed humor before they woke someone, but it was like trying to put a cap on Old Reliable, it just couldn't be done.
His laugh.
"Can I see it?" he asked, when their frivolity had finally died down.
"Yeah." Brooklynn croaked after giving the question some thought. He might have wanted to see what a mess she was, but that didn't mean that Brooklynn had to. Cautiously, her gaze darted to where Sammy slept on one of the bunks, just to be sure her secret was safe, before turning her head away from Darius, and what he was about to do.
Gently the boy took the hem of her shirt and slowly lifted it, until the port in her stomach, and the raw, acid burnt flesh beneath it was fully exposed.
"Oh my God, Brooklynn..." Darius breathed. "Why didn't you tell me it had gotten this bad?"
As she continued to stare at the lightening sky beyond the balcony, the girl found that she had no words to explain herself. She only knew that everyone else, and all they had been going through was more important than this, solitary, and embarrassing little inconvenience. Brooklynn shrugged. His finger tips danced lightly, ticklishly across her stomach then, until they reached a point that flared with a searing pain. A breath hissed between the girl's teeth.
His touch.
"I'm sorry!" he apologized, taking in the ugly sight one last time before lowering her shirt back down.
"Are you sure taking it out is the best thing to do?" Darius inquired, his brows knit when Brooklynn turned to look at him. "I mean, its so ulcerated already, and no offense but where its been leaking looks like a strip of raw meat."
"It is raw meat. We're all just meat, remember?" Brooklynn said trying to keep the playful banter going, only to grimace at her own choice of words.
"Sorry." she whispered, a shudder running throughout her body, unable to banished the sight or sound of the wet crush of bones and muscle.
They sat in silence, unbroken, for a long while as the sun peaked over the horizon.
"Doc said two weeks." Brooklynn intoned.
"What?" Darius asked, not quite following.
"When they put it in, the doc was trying to be super optimistic and get me to see the silver lining. He'd said in most cases you don't even need sutures, just keep it clean and dry, and your body will heal itself. Average time for that to take is two weeks." Brooklynn explained, staring ahead at her new favorite space on the wall. She wasn't sure why she liked it, it was just good for looking at when you zoned out.
"But what if the helicopters-" Darius began with an urgent, and naive hopefulness.
"Darius," Brooklynn cut him off, her tone harder than she intended it to be. "Answer me honestly, how long do you think we're going to be stuck here?"
"I- I don't know." the boy murmured his gaze faltering.
"Its been over a week now, Darius. The news keeps saying they're sending people for us, that the helicopters are coming, but how many have we actually seen? One. I don't know what's taking them so long, or where they are, but they aren't here, and I can't wait anymore." Brooklynn explained her voice wavering as she blinked back tears.
She hadn't said it out loud, and she still hadn't, but it was close enough to the languishing questions that tore at her soul to stir fearful emotions. They weren't really coming for them, were they? She wondered with devastating clarity. The first forty-eight hours were the most critical after any sort of accident, but it had been twelve days, and there was still no sign of rescue.
"If two weeks is the best chance I got, I'm going to take it. Because if I can't get the leaking to stop, if I keep hitting this thing and ripping my stoma- Darius, I don't even know how my stomach, the organ, is doing. I've got all these ulcers, and tears in my skin, so it can't be much better on the inside of me either. It's got to come out, and if I take it out and by some miracle the helicopters do come, then they can always put it back in when I get home." Brooklynn looked at the sorrowful expression of loss, and helplessness on Darius' face, and she regretted instantly how she had sown her little seeds of fear and doubt into his heart.
She should have just kept her mouth shut, she thought, this was exactly why she couldn't be real with people, because when she was real people got hurt.
"If you're sure." he said.
"I am." she nodded.
"I trust you." the boy declared then, a spark of his old self coming to life as he did. "But if anything goes wrong or if it gets worse, or anything else, you have to keep me in the loop."
"I will." Brooklynn smiled.
"Promise?" Darius arched a brow.
"Promise." the girl said, giggling when Darius slowly and deliberately raised his hand, pinky up. "I promise ok, jeez!" Brooklynn rolled her eyes as she hooked her pinky around his.
Their promise.
His eyes, his hands, his voice, his lips, his laugh, his touch, his caring, tender heart with room for everyone, sitting there gazing up at the boy she had found so annoying when first they'd met Brooklynn couldn't stop herself from taking stock of his features. She wondered what it was about him that made her feel so safe, and how his mere presence could calm the terrified thoughts that plagued and echoed throughout her mind.
Whatever it was, it had been there from that terrible moment in the gyrosphere when they were sinking, mud sliding over their bodies, and they knew they were going to die. Instead of panicking like a caged animal, like Brooklynn had, bloodying her fingers by clawing at broken glass strong enough to stop a bullet, he'd remained calm. Scarily calm. Darius grabbed her by the shoulders and said, "It's ok. Whatever happens it's ok. You're not alone, I've got you." and pulled her in tight. She'd still been scared, she still hadn't wanted to die, but at least she knew she wasn't dying hollow and alone, and somehow, her ear pressed against his chest as he whispered a prayer, it made her feel even just a little bit, better.
Wherever his astounding strength came from she was grateful for Darius and all he'd done for her, for all of them, because she knew they wouldn't have gotten this far without him.
Looking at the clock the pink haired girl felt a pang of regret mingle with the chill of nerves. Her smile fading she whispered, "I should probably get ready."
"Yeah," Darius nodded. "Probably."
They sat for a few minutes longer before Brooklynn reluctantly got up and made her way to the bathroom. She needed a shower, more than just to ensure the site of her g-tube was clean, she needed to feel the hot water on her skin, to wash away the tension of everything that had happened, and the anticipation of what might happen on the away team's journey to the hospital.
She really should have kept her fears about the helicopters to herself, she thought then, Darius, the others, they were all carrying so much already. She shouldn't have burdened them with more. Gingerly washing around her mic-key button, she felt condemnation seeping into her soul, she was burden. The first tears to fall emerged then, but Brooklynn refused to allow anymore to fall. Determination steeled her core, she might have been a burden, but she vowed not to be any more. She was going to prove her worth, she was going to get the meds, she was going to save Ben, and then, somehow, eventually, they were all going home.
Renewed by her fresh resolve the girl let her head fall forward on her neck, absorbing the comforting heat on her back and shoulders. Like magic, as she had hoped it would, the warm water seemed to melt her concerns away. Things weren't perfect, but they would be alright, she reasoned.
Brooklynn would have stayed in there for the rest of her life if she could. It was only a knock at the door, that drew her from her steamy oasis.
"Brooklynn, we gotta be to 605 soon," Sammy said, cracking the door an inch. "You doin' alright?"
"I'm fine, I'm getting out." Brooklynn groaned. Head back she faced the spray, it's radiant heat soaking into her pores and muscles alike. Nirvana couldn't last forever, she conceded, and shut the water off.
Getting out of the shower, she stood with her back to the mirror. It was habitual at this point, she didn't want to see the hideous creature that lived there, even if it was veiled by a layer of steam and condensation. It was just her distorted self image, corrupted by her sick and unhealthy mind. She knew that, and she'd actually started to see a beauty in the girl reflected back at her, but that was before everything went to shit.
Brooklynn was scared, scared that if she looked now she wouldn't find a single redeeming feature. She was already starting to think of food constantly, obsessively, even. Planning, counting, dreading, hating. She'd been doing so good, she could see her progress looking back, but it was different when everything was out of your control. She could feel the shift in her mindset, she was backsliding, she knew it, but it wasn't a little trickle, it was a landslide, and she had nothing left to stand on. Brooklynn was so disappointed in herself, but she couldn't fight it, either.
"Hey," Yasmina called, catching Brooklynn's attention when she stepped out of the bathroom. "Come here." she motioned.
"What's up?" Brooklynn asked cracking a smile as she approached the athlete's side of the bed.
Moving faster than she would think possible or could even react, Yaz looped her arms around Brooklynn's neck and pulled her off her feet into a tight hug. Sniffling back tears, the girl who had once seemed hard as stone fought against her tears.
The pink haired girl felt her heart begin to race. "Hey," she said retuning the gesture as she knelt awkwardly half on the bed. "It's going to be alright."
"Please, please be careful!" Yasmina begged in a whisper, her battered form trembling. "I can't lose you guys, any of you."
Brooklynn's stomach knotted with anxiety. "I will be." she swore, suddenly hoarse. Then her eyes shifted to where Sammy stood dejected near the door, head hanging low, and she couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
"You'd better be." Yasmina commanded, letting go so that Brooklynn could look her in her stern, earnest eyes.
"I will." Brooklynn repeated, taking a step back.
Yaz turned away from her then, and looked towards the cowgirl, her brows furrowed tightly she stared for a long while before grumbling. "Both of you."
Sammy smiled sadly, gave a nod and moved to the living room.
"Tell Kenji and Ben that I'll... I'll see them later, when they wake up." the teary eyed influencer instructed.
"Yep." Yasmina nodded, trying to rid herself of her tears.
"See you later too, Bumpy." Brooklynn added reaching out to stroke the pebbled surface of the dinosaur's head. Bumpy responded with a weary, but happy hoot.
Brooklynn paused at the threshold of the door, a nervous tremor washing over her as she gripped the doorframe, struggling to find her balance. Fending off tears of her own she was struck with the idea, the feeling, that this might be the last time she'd ever see any of them again. She blinked hard against the anxious bout of vertigo she was suddenly overcome with, the girl weighed everything they had been through against the task laid out before her. This was it, she thought dizzily, she wasn't going to see any of them ever again.
Ever aga-
Darius took her hand and gave a sad smile.
He walked with the girls down the short distance to the room where they were meant to gather. In 605 several people were gearing up, including Katie who looked them over with an expression of shame. The woman's eyes darted up then, narrowing scornfully on Sergeant Purdy who sat fixated on his tablet. From the other room a man could be heard groaning weakly, the only sound in the otherwise silent, and electrified atmosphere.
"Didn't think you were serious about coming with us Pinkie Pie." Reed smiled as he double knotted the laces of a boot. Caught off guard Brooklynn turned to the man who made her feel uneasy. "Green looks good on you."
Crossing her arms tight over her chest the girl couldn't keep from wishing she'd worn anything other than green. "Thank you." she said giving him a polite, tight lipped smile.
"Brings out the color of your eyes." he added.
Brooklynn found herself drifting to stand closer to her friends. She couldn't name what, but there was something off about that guy, more than just his morbid fascinations. A voice in the back of her mind told the girl to be careful around him, and she intended to be.
"Thanks!" she chirped, smiling again, though she wasn't sure why, she didn't feel like smiling, even if it was a compliment.
"Alright, I want you guys to play it fast and tight." Purdy announced to the group then. "That means no distractions, keep the chatter to a minimum, stay on mission, and do not deviate from the planned route unless you meet hostile action."
The ACU folks got a strange look about them then, like this was routine. The more Purdy railed on, and he did, listing things they could and could not do the more they seemed to relax, as if the familiarity of such a briefing was a comfort to them. Some even started smiling, or nudged one another with quick, whispered commentary. It was the civilians who were tense, shifting nervously. One of the men, someone Brooklynn hadn't met before kept looking at the guns lined against the wall as if he half expected them to come to life and attack him.
"In, out, no heroics." the sergeant instructed before turning pointedly to those wearing plain clothes. "If my men give you an order, you will obey it as if that order came directly from God himself, your very lives might just depend on it. Do you understand me?" he asked his tone firm but clear as he looked them over.
Brooklynn felt herself shudder when his gaze fell upon her, his green-brown eyes were hard, and bloodshot as if he hadn't slept once since arriving. There was no warmth to them anymore, only a tempered sense of dread, as his thick brows lowered over his glowering expression with firm judgement.
"You're in the army now ladies and gentlemen. I said 'do you understand?'" he bellowed then, startling the children who jolted at the sound.
"Yes sir!" the civilians replied in a range of tempos as they hastily tried to get the answer that he was expecting out.
"Good." he grunted, passing the tablet about the room. "This is the route: memorize it, visualize it, do not deviate from it. There has been large predatory activity in the area. I've charted out the most direct path from here to the hospital without crossing into unfriendly territory."
Sammy took the tablet when it was handed to her, and the three kids huddled around it with worried faces. Pinching the screen to zoom out a little, Sammy reoriented the map on the screen after things had gotten jumbled in the hand off, mindful of the large cracks marring the face of the device. The map showed the central hub of the park, Main Street, all of the eateries, and attractions located near the heart of the island in blues: darker for the roads, lighter for the buildings. Standing out in stark red was the route they were meant to take leading off into the jungle.
They would be leaving the Pre-Historic Plaza, and heading towards the rubble laiden capital of the park. Letting out a shaky breath, Brooklynn tried not to think of her narrow, and soda bathed escape from the raptors the last time she ventured anywhere near there. According to the map however, they were just using this stretch of the journey to skirt around that cluster of moving dots to the left, their destination lie further north.
Finally, when the kids were satisfied they handed the tablet off to the next person. It looked like it was going to be hard, but if they "walked a fast klick," as Purdy had put it, they'd be back by nightfall. Brooklynn really, really hoped that they'd be back, by nightfall. As much as she hated the idea of running into anything out there, being trapped in the park, without shelter in the dark was much, much worse.
"Alright, you've got your orders. Now move out, HOOAH!" he shouted.
The ACUs responded with hooahs, and a few oorahs, of their own. Then, suddenly everyone was moving, shifting about the room, their mission underway already. Brooklynn didn't feel prepared at all, but it didn't seem to matter. Making room for the adults the kids stepped out into the hallway as they shouldered backpacks, and took up arms.
The trio stood awkwardly for a minute, no one was sure what to do, or say. Sammy threw herself at Darius, sniffling back tears before long how ever and hugged him with all her might.
"Y'all take care." she said through the strain in her voice. "We'll be back before you know it, and we'll get the medicine for Ben, and everythin' will work out just fine!" she said with optimism enough for everyone.
"We will." Darius nodded. "You two be safe, and take care of each other."
"You can count on that!" Sammy laughed as they pulled apart, wiping at her eyes.
Brooklynn wanted to say goodbye too, she just wasn't sure how. It was different saying goodbye to Darius, somehow. He knew her better than anyone, especially after the debacle in the tunnels. She hesitated, the edge of her lower lip caught between her teeth. It was different because she'd almost kissed him. It seemed so far away now, a long distant moment from her past, though it had only been a few days. Still, that moment, that night, lived vividly in her memories.
It had been his birthday, they stood, just the two of them out on the balcony. The park was muted and still, in ways it never could have been before the incident. Nature seemed to ready to reclaim her domain, while the birds, and insects sang their night songs to a slumbering island, the only sound to be heard. It was so incredible, and surreal to her then, and even now, that when all the world was ugly and wrong, that there with him underneath a radiant band of stars, that so brief a moment had just been so beautiful, so right.
Brooklynn had wanted to kiss him, but, she couldn't. She knew, deep down, that no one could ever really love her, especially not when they saw how broken and ugly she really was inside.
Beaten down by her insecurities once more, and pressured to move things along by the flow of people leaving 605 Brooklynn grabbed onto him as tightly as she could. Feeling herself trembling she never, ever wanted to let go... but that just wasn't how life, and the real world worked.
"I'll see you tonight." the boy smiled, though his eyes swam with tears.
"Yeah, right, see you tonight." Brooklynn nodded, tucking a cotton candy hued strand behind her ear.
"Think about what movie you two want to watch," he instructed them as they started drifting away, swallowed by the crowd of adults. "Whatever you want!"
Brooklynn felt her resolve faltering as she stood in the elevator and watched the metal doors slide closed, separating her from Darius, possibly forever.
Even walking in a fast paced, tight knit group, with armed members of the ACU on point, traipsing through the dilapidated and destroyed buildings of Jurassic World like they owned the place flooded Brooklynn with an unbridled sense of terror. Keeping quiet she clung to the center of the group, the group which consisted of Sammy and herself, Colton Smith, Terry Steele, Isaac Reed, Katie, and those two guys she didn't catch the names of. She felt small and powerless, and though burdened with a backpack containing water, she was unarmed, and couldn't help but feel that if anything went wrong she'd be the first to go.
The nervousness must have been written all over her face, because as she moved to keep up, her ears pricked for sounds of danger Reed slid into position beside her and said, "You doing alright there Pinkie Pie?"
Sparing him only a glace Brooklynn felt her stomach knot, she really wished he'd stop calling her that.
"Yeah I'm fine." she nodded.
"You don't look it." he remarked.
"Just feeling a little exposed, I guess. I mean I'm the only one without a gun." she muttered allowing her strides to drift nearer towards where Sammy was positioned.
"Well, tell you what, I'll give you my side arm if it comes down to it, but I don't think your hollow little bird bones could handle the kickback." he intoned, a light humor in his voice. With a thoughtful hum he went on. "But as much of a frightened little bunny you are, we just can't risk it right now, I wouldn't want you popping off at every little sound, giving us away."
Brooklynn didn't respond, she wasn't sure how to. If she wasn't scared enough already, calling her a bunny, and saying she had hollow bones wasn't really helping matters. She already felt vulnerable enough, why did he have to point out just how weak she was? Resolving to ignore him she kept her eyes on Katie's back for a few paces, glad that she was there with them. She was tiny, the pink haired teen thought then, not much taller than Brooklynn herself, why wasn't Reed giving her shit? Or maybe he did, the two didn't seem particularly fond of one another.
Continuing in her endeavor to ignore the man who still hugged tightly to her left side Brooklynn took in the rest of the group. Smith was at ease, at the head of the pack he'd occasionally say something to Steele who would cover his position, allowing Colton to circle back behind the others and take up the rear for a while. She wondered why they did that, but seeing a nervous twitch tug at the corner of Steele's mouth from time to time, she decided it was best not the bother them with questions.
Just behind of her the two men she didn't know were parallels: one seemed strengthened and overconfident as he held his rifle with a coveting smile; the other was stooped, and apprehensive, his eyes trailing nervously to the gun in his hands more often than he scanned their surroundings. Unlike the ACU team, their index fingers didn't rest on the sides of the guns with a collected reserve, but instead curled lightly around the triggers.
What were any of them doing out there? Brooklynn questioned herself. They just weren't trained for this shit, and it was going to get someone killed, she thought wondering which of the two was going to accidentally fire their weapon first.
They were walking over an uneven, ruble strewn avenue only breaking apart to side step the fettering corpses that lined their path here and there when one of the civilians started to complain. No one gave his concerns any merit or weight, the ACU team just trucked right along as if they were strolling through the park, not stumbling through a graveyard.
"We stay on mission." Smith barked after a while, and the chatter died down.
Sticking close to Sammy Brooklynn couldn't help but appraise the other girl, seeing her in a new light. She had always been the heart of their little group, well, almost always, there was the whole spy thing. It was still mind boggling how devastating that revelation had been, especially with how insignificant that fact was now. Brooklynn had all but forgotten it had even happened. After that Sammy became the warm, gooey center who held them all together when the stresses threatened to pull them apart. She was the mom they all needed, caring for them when she should have been thinking of herself.
Now though? Something changed in Sammy, she held the rifle with an undaunted self-reliance, her face hard as she observed their environment with a keen hunter's eye. How many elk did she bag a season? Brooklynn pondered looking at her friend with admiration. Was there anything the cowgirl couldn't do?
It was as she was staring that something caught the toe of Brooklynn's shoe. Falling forward her bent arms shot out to catch her, a dull ache of protest reminding her that they couldn't take much more of this. A hand caught her tightly just above the crook of her elbow and her momentum was jarringly halted before she could hit the ground.
"Whoa there Pinkie," Reed laughed pulling her back onto her feet. "It's alright, I've got you."
"Thanks." Brooklynn muttered, finding her feet and continuing on.
He didn't let go.
Brooklynn had been able to steady herself, and was walking under her own power, but Reed still didn't let go. His hand held her tight, not tight enough to hurt, but just enough that the girl knew she wasn't getting out of his grip unless she really fought him. Her heart racing with a new sense of malease her eyes shot about to those around her, hoping someone would notice and say something to him.
"Thanks," she said again flashing a brief smile over her shoulder to let him know she was grateful for the assist, but had it from here. "I think I'm ok now."
"It's alright," the man replied. "I've got you girlie."
Swallowing hard Brooklynn's gaze fell to the pavement, watching where she was going, she reluctantly resigned herself to the fact that he was going to hold onto her no matter what. This was the most time she'd ever spent around Reed, and she found his demeanor extremely uncomfortable. Maybe he's just trying to make sure I stay safe, the teen tried to reason. Like he said before he thinks I'm small and frail, he could be watching out for me, and just because he gives off creepy vibes didn't mean he's a bad person, right? Something in her gut rebelled against this concept.
Listening to these instincts she tested the waters by giving her arm a little tug, the gloved hand held firm. Her lips pressed together Brooklynn wondered if appealing to one of the other adults would work, or if making a scene would make him angry, and make things worse. The teen remained quite in her unease.
They'd been walking for a few hours when the party reached the hook in their planned route. It was the part where they stopped trekking south-east and turned north, practically backtracking the way they'd come to get around that hotbed of predator activity. Pausing for a moments break, Brooklynn was glad to have her arm back, and massaged the space Reed had been gripping. She bruised easily, part of having an iron deficiency, which was part of her ED. Squeezing her bicep where it hurt she could only guess if it was going to leave a mark or not.
Washing the dryness from her throat with a big swig of water Brooklynn settled next to Sammy on a bench. The group was loosely dispersed around the area, Colton Smith standing the furthest away earning a curiosity from the girls who were trying to figure out what he was doing. Then a yellow stream hit the concrete. Turning away with equal amounts of disgust, embarrassment, and giggles they started elbowing each other.
Sammy winced then, reaching towards the top of her shoulder.
"Are you ok?" Brooklynn asked with a furrowed brow.
"Yeah, it's just these dang cuts on my back. I twisted wrong steppin' over a broken guard rail, and I think I opened some of them up again, 'cause they hurt." Sammy explained before turning to let Brooklynn have a look.
"Yeah," the pink haired girl nodded. "You've opened a couple up for sure, but it doesn't look like they're bleeding too bad. When'd this happen anyways? The monorail?" she asked lowering the other girls shirt back down.
"Nah, before that. Remember, after- after the helicopter crashed into the aviary, before the kayaks?" Sammy asked her tone dropping with reverence for the lives lost.
"Oh shit, that's right! The CKK!" Brooklynn gasped, how could she have forgotten?
"Thought we weren't allowed to call it that." Sammy said jokingly.
"No, Kenji's not allowed to call it that. He was having way too much fun for someone in life or death situation." she explained with authority.
"It's Kenji, what do you expect? I mean, I think the only thing he's ever taken seriously is his hair!" Sammy larked.
Doubling over with laughter the girls reveled in their poorly timed humor, and allowed the madness of their situation to wash over them, ignoring the glares thrown their way by the adults.
"We really have been through hell haven't we?" Brooklynn asked swinging her legs in the air.
"We sure have." Sammy agreed, asking after a minute. "How're you holdin' up?"
"Not as good as you." Brooklynn shrugged.
"Are you kiddin' me? I'm out here sweatin' bullets, and shittin' bricks!" Sammy scoffed.
"Well you could have fooled me, I mean you're a total badass!" Brooklynn said holding an imaginary firearm and taking aim at a figmented enemy through her pretend scope.
That was when she spotted it. The building was still completely intact, little glass walled tanks and cages gleaming in the flickering florescent lights that struggled with failing power to stay on. Pacing in front of one such glass window the girl could see a small brightly hued dinosaur frantically searching for a way out.
Brooklynn didn't know what it was, or if it was dangerous or not, but as she watched it walk from corner to corner claws sliding desperately over the slick, unforgiving surface she couldn't help be feel sorry for the thing. It didn't seem right, or fair that it should be trapped like that, the people it relied on to be fed long gone, its water supply undoubtedly running low by now. It didn't ask for this, and it certainly deserve the slow, painful death it was sure to suffer.
It was going to die if someone didn't do something, she thought then. The girl's heart bled with empathy for the little guy, able to see but not quite reach it's freedom.
"You ok?" Sammy asked when Brooklynn had fallen silent.
Pointing Brooklynn gestured towards the little animal that had stolen her attention.
"Wanna check it out?" Sammy offered as she stood.
"Girls?" Katie called when she saw them breaking away from the group.
"Need an escort?" Reed asked at the same time, already falling into step behind them.
"Bathroom." Sammy explained dismissively. "I'll keep watch."
"Don't know if that's such a good idea you girls, all alone." Reed argued, still trailing after them.
"I'll go." Katie said with a hardness to her voice Brooklynn hadn't expected to find there, but she was grateful as the medic hastened her strides to put herself between them.
Inside the exhibit Brooklynn found a short hall filled with little critters trapped in terrariums of varying sizes. Her heart sank as she looked them over knowing that they had been condemned to die when the park was evacuated. The dinosaur who had drawn Brooklynn over was no bigger than a crow. It panted heavily, it's skin sucked in tight around it's ribs from dehydration, eyes wild as it walked back and forth, then back again it's clawed hands slipping across the glass as it tried to dig it's way out. In the rear of the tank three more replicas of the vividly colored animal paced along the back wall.
"Fruitadens," Sammy read from the placard beside the tank. "Meaning 'Fruita Teeth,' the first skeletal remains of this animal were discovered in Fruita Colorado. The smallest known or- ornithi- I can't say that word." she muttered pointing out the italicized word ornithischian. "It is believed to be one of the smallest true dinosaurs in the fossil record. It's diet consists of various plant matter, and some varieties of insects. Living in tight knit family groups these minute creatures used their skill as endurance runners evade predators. They are a beautiful, but shy addition to Jurassic World."
"Awww," the cowgirl muttered, lightly tapping the glass. "Poor little fellas, they wouldn't hurt, well, a fly maybe but... It's just so sad."
"It is so sad." Brooklynn agreed, making eye contact with the pitiful little thing. They were just animals, she thought as the first tears threatened arrival. They were all just animals doing what animals did, it wasn't their fault they were what they were.
Brooklynn, feeling her breath constrain tightly in her throat, pulled away from Sammy who reached to hug her. She couldn't breathe. It wasn't right. It just wasn't right! They were going to die in there, forgotten and alone. Just like she was. Just like her friends would. Shaking all over the injustice of it all was just too much. They didn't deserve to die, not any of them.
Her eyes wide and wandering frantically as she struggled to keep herself somewhat together Brooklynn spotted a large stone that had been used to prop the door open. Just because she was going to die here, didn't mean they had to, she thought palming the weighty rock. Katie shouted for Brooklynn to stop, but she wouldn't listen as she brought the rock to the glass. The impact reverberated through the barrier, while sending a painful jarring sensation that burned up the disfigured bones in the girl's wrist.
She hit the glass again, and again, watching with a nagging guilt as the little animals became frantic to escape her, scurrying at the walls, breathing in a rapid flutter, clamoring over one another to find shelter and safety. Sammy found something, a pole, and joined Brooklynn's efforts as fractures appeared in the glass. Katie was still yelling for them to stop.
Then, all at once in a glittering shower the window shattered.
They were free, Brooklynn thought tearily as she watched the little things pooling together in the corner opposite her. Letting out a shaky sigh the girl found that she could breathe again. Overwhelmed with joy and relief she turned to hug Sammy when a hand latched onto her wrist and turned her with a flair of agony to face Colton Smith.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" the man roared in her face as her knees buckled.
"Colton her wrist!" Kaite snapped laying a hand on his chest and pushing him to step back. "It was stupid and reckless yes, but let her go!"
"She gave away our position!" Smith spat as he shoved the teenager away.
"I'm sorry!" Brooklynn sobbed in a tone that was broken. She hadn't thought of that, and her arms burned with fire. Already the swelling of overuse and toil had begun to show in her fingers. Normally she if didn't move around too much the swelling wouldn't get this bad until evening. Now though, before midday they had already begun to balloon.
"Sorry?" Smith laughed condescendingly. "You're sorry? Well, I sure hope you are because you just got all of us killed for a handful of fucking lizards!"
The man glared at the frightened Brooklynn for a few minutes longer before turning and calling out, "That's it, pack it in we've got to move, now!"
Wrapped in a hug from Sammy, Brooklynn looked to Katie who gave her a sad smile as she put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry kiddo, your heart was in the right place." she sighed. "Come on, we gotta go."
The three were on their way out when they noticed Steele looking at them. "What, you come to yell at us too, big man?" Sammy, who felt open hostility towards the man since their horrific first encounter shouted.
Steele watched for a second, but remained quiet. Then as if coming to a decision he opened a small control panel hidden beneath and ornately decorated art piece on the wall. Producing a badge attached to a pull cord which streamed from his breast pocket the man scanned it, then punched in a pin, followed by a command code. With a dull, electronic buzz as indication of the action taking place every glass door slowly slid open.
A monitor lizard bolted immediately, racing past the girls with such urgency that its tail slapped against Sammy's calf earning a yelp from the girl. From the back a few rather large snakes took their time, slowly and methodically lowering themselves to the floor. The little therapods Brooklynn had set out to rescue didn't move. They eyed her fearfully, still pressed against the far wall too afraid to move.
"Thank you." Brooklynn said, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck prickle at the sight of a large, hairy spider creeping from a tank to her left.
"Come on," the man muttered. "Smith says we gotta move, we gotta move."
Nothing more was said on the matter, but the teen felt like in spite of popular opinion, that she'd done the right thing. Sammy, who gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up, clearly agreed.
They reached the hospital just after noon without much incident. Only a few compys had crossed their path and though the sound of distant calls and shrieks set them on edge, nothing came of the terrifying sounds. Rushing in from the bright humid world outside, the air-conditioning was an instantaneous relief. Eased by the presence of walls and a roof Brooklynn let her shoulders sag.
The interior of the building was done in whites and neutral tans, with a dusty rose color for the accents. It looked pretty, and was very clearly meant to be a calming environment. Though much smaller than any hospitals she had seen it seemed well stocked, and divided into and orderly layout. There was even an interactive map near what she assumed was the welcome desk.
"Alright," Smith muttered turning towards Katie as he walked at a swift pace. "Show me what we're looking for."
"Yeah," Katie nodded. "It's this way."
Curling his fingers in the air over his shoulder Smith wordlessly indicated that the others should follow. Trotting to keep up the rest of the team couldn't help but feel a sense of tension welling within as their leader who had been so self-assured as they traipsed through the jungle, took on an edge. Winding towards the back, past gurneys in the hall, and rows of patient rooms, surgical suites, and even a lounge they seemed to find what they had been searching for.
"The sutures, gauze, and the like should be in that closet there. The narcotics are locked up to your six, break it. The IV fluids should at your ten, and the IV antibiotics near the same area. Look for sulbactam, and vancomycin." Katie intoned, holding her hands out towards Brooklynn who gingerly tossed her the backpack she'd been tasked with. "I'll get the blood and some ice to keep it chilled."
Dispersing everyone got fast to work looting the place. Now more than ever they could truly feel that time was of the essence. This was it, their chance to save everyone. It was as they got to work, breaking locks, overturning shelves, and emptying cupboards that Brooklynn's gaze wandered to the closet where Katie had said the gauze was stored. She was going to need a lot of that to keep her gushing stomach contents from spilling everywhere until the stoma could close. Eyeing the area, she also didn't see any syringes out here either.
Wandering to the closet she slipped inside while everyone was distracted. Neatly organized were rows and rows of various sized and styled gauze, coban, ace wraps, and tegaderm wound dressings. Pocketing handfuls of the clear protective films she used to cover her port for swimming, she felt that it stood to reason that they would be a good way to keep the dirt out too. She grabbed gauze, medical tape, and anything else she could think of with puffy, fumbling fingers, before finding the syringes near the back.
Rifling through them she found was she was looking for, a ten ml small enough to deflate the balloon in her stomach. Angling for better light the teen pulled up her shirt, nose wrinkling at the sour odor of her own body eroding away. It looked bad, even after caking it in diaper cream, and she couldn't wait for it to be over.
There was an odd rushing sensation as she filled the plastic tube and plunger with water. Now came the hard part. She hated this part. The g-tube had to be changed ever few months or so to prevent infection or bacterial build up, but worming it out of the pencil wide hole in her body always felt weird. Not to mention this time it was probably really, really gonna hurt.
The stinging sensation became an inferno as fresh acids and enzymes poured from the now uncorked hole. Teeth gritted, eyes watering Brooklynn slapped a thick layer of gauze over the site, letting the plastic port drop to the floor. Bouncing on her toes the girl did an agonized little dance in the confined area as she tried to take her mind off the pain.
This sucked so much, she thought one second.
And it had better fucking work! she thought the next.
After changing out the spent martial for fresh linens Brooklynn stood with her forehead resting against a shelf. Her breath coming out in a shudder, she tried to recompose herself. It was as she was taking a moment to rest that a voice to her right made it alarmingly clear that she was no longer alone.
"What happened here Pinkie Pie?" Isaac Reed asked as he stared at her.
His eyes.
"Nothing." Brooklynn spat out turning to face him.
"That doesn't look like nothing." he commented pulling his gloves off as he approaching her.
His hands.
"It's fine. I'm fine." Brooklynn insisted eyeing the distance between her and the door, wondering if she could somehow squeeze past him.
The girl's heart was tolling like an alarm bell in her chest, while a voice screamed inside her head that she needed to get out of there anyway she could. It wasn't safe. She wasn't sure where this knowledge came from, but she knew it in her bones, it wasn't safe. Yet even as every primal instinct inside her raged to the surface, and her hands began to shake, Brooklynn found herself questioning her own panic. Doubting herself, and her judgement. Maybe it was just all of her nerves catching up to her, or her embarrassment of being caught in such a compromising position, or maybe-
"Come on now, let me see." Reed said his voice light and airy. The way he took ahold of Brooklynn's arm, using his strength almost effortlessly to move her hand away from her stomach, indicated that despite the ease of his tone it hadn't been a request.
His voice.
The girl was struck by a blinding flare of pain, her ears ringing, head swimming she struggled to keep the gauze over her seeping wound. Knees trembling Brooklynn let out a whimper, try as she might, she was unable to fight him. In the dim halflight provided by the narrow window in the door, Brooklynn thought she saw the curve of his lips forming a smile. He was so much stronger than she was, Brooklynn realized as the tears started to spill. So, so much stronger. Even if her arms hadn't been battered to a painful uselessness, she knew there was no way she could have out muscled him.
His lips.
"Now you're really going to stand here and tell me this is nothing." the man asked tracing angry and inflamed skin with calloused, and rough fingers, indifferent to the pain he caused.
Brooklynn moved to try and get away, but with an almost effortless shove he pushed her back into the wall. Her head smacked hard against the smooth surface, her attempts to catch her balance overturning several boxes of medical supplies. Staring up at him with wide frightened eyes Brooklynn felt the breath hitch in her throat. She wanted to scream, needed to scream, but it just wouldn't come out. Gazing down with an appraising eye, a predator's eye, Reed was definitely smiling.
"I like my girls skinny," he laughed, making her stomach knot violently, at the thought of being 'his.' "But dang girl do you need a cheeseburger."
His laugh.
"Don't." he snapped with menace when she move to pull away, turning her face this way and that as his looming presence came barring down on her. "Just don't."
Before she could do anything else his mouth was pressing down hard on hers.
Everything happened so fast.
And everything hurt so much.
Brooklynn wanted to fight him, to run, to scream, but she froze up. So afraid, and shocked by what was happening, by what he was doing to her, Brooklynn's body no longer felt like it belonged to her. There were people right outside, she thought through her ordeal. Good people, people who could help her if she could just scream. Her throat was closed tight, asphyxiated by her own dread and anguish she couldn't breathe much less make a sound.
There, alone with a monster more terrible than Indominus Rex, the girl was completely helpless, her body ignoring her every command: to run, to fight, to scream, to do anything but stand there a cry as he did whatever he wanted.
His touch.
An eternity in hell passed before the small dark room filled with light.
"Brookly-?" Sammy's voice called as the other girl looked for her, before becoming shrill as she screamed. "What the fuck are you doing? Get off her!"
Sammy was there in an instant, beating the man with closed fists, pulling and shoving him away, kicking and clawing at him she left his face scratched and bleeding. Unbalanced Reed stumbled into the shelves toppling everything over in a shower of jumbled disarray. He swore violently but moved to take his leave.
Standing numb, and in shock, Brooklynn could barely see her friend through her wavering tears, or the shape of her assailant as he fled the scene, shoving past a third figure who now stood in the doorway.
"Brooklynn?" Sammy asked in a tear strained voice. "Brooklynn I'm so sorry! I shouldn't of- I- I'm sorry!" she cried reaching towards Brooklynn who flinched away. Slowly, gently Sammy moved to tidy the pink haired girl's torn and disheveled clothes.
"Don't!" Brooklynn sobbed as Sammy lowered what was left of her godforsaken green shirt. "Please don't!"
Steele who was red faced and breathing heavily in the doorway took several long strides across the room and before either girl could react manhandled them both against the back wall.
"What in the hell were you thinking?" he shouted, his rage freeing the scream Brooklynn had trapped inside of her.
"What were you thinking?" he repeated, his voice harsh and accusatory. "Never, ever be alone with that man do you understand me? Never! How, how could you have been so stupid? And you, you left her!" his voice broke then as if he were fighting a deeper well of emotions.
"Steele?" Katie's voice sounded near the door then. "Steele what's going on?"
"If he ever finds a way to get you alone, or comes into that room of yours without one of us, no matter what he says the reason is you raise hell, do you understand me?" Steele questioned. Ignoring the medic he stooped slightly trying to make eye contact with each of the girls, but Brooklynn couldn't look at him. Her eyes fluttering, and still trying to get a breath of air, she turned her face to the wall. "You raise hell."
Sick, and scared, and hurting, the taste of blood on her tongue Brooklynn couldn't quite understand what was happening, or what she'd done wrong. She hadn't wanted that. It wasn't her fault. She was disoriented. She was scared. She was so scared. Why was he yelling at her? Cold with fear Brooklynn tried to get away, horrified at the thought of what Steele intended to do to her, but the man shook her by the shoulders.
"I'm not hearing a yes sir Kelsey." he shouted. The man blinked then, confusion clouding his gaze. "Brooklynn, Samantha, do you understand me?
"Yes sir," Sammy nodded teary but resolute as she pushed through to stand in front of Brooklynn. "If he ever comes near us again, we give him hell."
"Good girls..." Steele's voice broke into a timerous sob, he past a spiteful glance over his shoulder to Katie as he tried to pull the campers towards him. "Good girls..."
Brooklynn's form raged against the embrace, she threw her head back, eyes closed she cried, "No!"
The man who was trembling, seemed to remember himself. Recognizing how wrongly he was treating the scared and wounded girl he let go immediately. Backing away, hands indicating surrender, he tearily apologized. Brooklynn bundled herself into the corner as soon as she was released.
"Steele?" Katie question with a remorseful lilt to her voice.
"I told you that I wanted you to keep these girls ten and two at all times, Katie!" the man turned to yell. "Ten and two!"
Katie nodded her wide brown eyes flooded with pain. "I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"
"Sorry doesn't cut it." Steele bit out as he fumbled with the knife at his waist. "Brooklynn." he stated, waving the blade by it's sheathed tip in Katie's face before slapping it down into the woman's palm.
Katie looked bitterly at the sleeping weapon as he shoved through her, and out the door.
"I-" Katie started, but couldn't finish.
Brooklynn's skin was crawling, her stomach was in knots, she hugged herself tightly into the corner willing them all away, while dreading being left alone in that tiny, dimly lit room again. Quaking with horror and disgust Brooklynn was trapped, a prisoner in her own body.
"I don't know what happened." she said in a hollow tone. "I- I couldn't- I froze. I just froze."
"It's not your fault." Katie murmured inching closer. "It's not your fault."
"I couldn't move!" the girl wailed. "I couldn't do anything! I couldn't make it stop! I wanted it to stop! I wanted it to stop!"
Nails digging into the flesh of her arms Brooklynn scratched herself with a feverish need to get the filth and shame she felt off of her. To punish herself for not being strong enough, for not fighting back. To hurt herself and mask the deeper more harrowing pains that rended her body and soul. She hated herself! She wanted to die!
"No. No." Katie commanded pulling her hands away. "It's not your fault."
"I froze!" Brooklynn cried then, falling into the folds of the woman's arms.
The three sat in the supply closet, crying, and providing what little words of caring they could, in a world where comfort did not exist. When finally they emerged they found Steele waiting for them at the mouth of a narrow hall.
"They're this way. Found a couple doctors hunkered down." he said taking note of, without acknowledging that Brooklynn now wore what had been Katie's white undershirt, and his knife.
"We're coming." Katie nodded as she readjusted her armored vest back into place.
Bundled tightly to Sammy's chest Brooklynn relied on the cowgirl's strength to hold her up, every step beyond her capability. It was too much. She just couldn't do it anymore.
Down a short winding hall, there in the staff break room the group found the rest of their team. They were all sipping on cans of soda and talking casually with a man and a woman who had not been with them at the hotel. Perched atop a pool table Isaac Reed was laughing about something, all smiles as if nothing had happened. His charisma infectious he seemed to be making fast friends with the doctors.
His eyes, his hands, his voice, his lips, his laugh, his touch, her bruises, huddled behind Katie, and wrapped in Sammy's protective arms Brooklynn couldn't stop herself from replaying what had happened in her mind. She could feel him looking at her as he spoke to his friends with amusement in his voice, as if everything were fine, as if nothing had happened, as if she were so inconsequential that what he'd done to her didn't matter in the least. It made Brooklynn feel so dirty, how his mere presence could hurt and terrify her, causing thoughts to plague and echo throughout her mind. What happens if there's no one there next time?
Next time.
As she stood rooted to her ground, unable to face him, she felt Sammy reach across her to pick something up off the table. The pink haired girl was jostled back and forth in a brief, but frightening altercation. Eyes wide she looked up to see Steele wresting the rifle she'd been tasked with out of Sammy's grip. From the corner of her eye Brooklynn could see the color draining from Reed's face.
Reed's face.
"That son of a bitch is gonna-" Sammy started in a low biting tone.
"He will." Steele cut her off with a heated promise. "But killing a person changes you. It's not something you can take back. It's not something I'm going to let you do."
"Is something the matter?" Smith asked with a curt gesture to the two as they vyed for the weapon, before reaching out to reclaim it.
"No," Steele shook his head, handing the piece over. "Nothing."
"She's overly emotional," Reed mused then from where he sat. "It's what happens when little girls handle big guns."
Everything inside Brooklynn went cold. She didn't want to be in the same room as him. She didn't want him looking at her. She didn't want to have to look at him. She didn't want to have to hear his voice. She just didn't want to be here. She didn't feel safe. It just wasn't safe.
Wasn't safe.
Then, just like that everything and everyone seemed to move on. The entire world went on without her, as if oblivious to what had happened. Plans were made, people geared up with snacks for the road, they were chatting, laughing, smiling through their nervous dread of the dinosaurs. Niether Katie, nor Steele said a word to Reed, or anyone about it. They all just kept going. Brooklynn felt herself trailing behind, unable to keep up as they just went along without her, leaving her trapped inside her mind, one that couldn't seem to find it's way out of that closet.
That closet.
Drifting behind them as they made their way back out into the hot, humid day, Brooklynn was dazed by the sheer indifference of those around her. No one noticed how badly she was hurting. No one saw the black and blue on her arms, her neck. No one recognized how her bottom lip was swollen and bloody, or the red angry tracks left by her own nails. No one realized how small she was trying to make herself, because no one cared. She was more than broken, and dirty, she was worthless.
Worthless.
After exiting through a side door and skirting across a small field they banked south. Brooklynn was only vaguely aware of the gravely wounded Ankylosaurus the team was passing by after it was in her periphery. The fleeting spark of a thought ignited in her mind then. It was hard to believe that Bumpy was ever going to get so big.
No one seemed concerned by the animal as it struggled with long labored breaths. It was wounded, and an herbivore, it couldn't possibly be a threat. Brooklynn's mind was too far elsewhere, buried deeply beneath her pain. She had strolled by the dinosaur, her hand around the bittersweet comfort of the knife at her hip when there was a rush of air at her back and she felt that, for some reason, she just had to turn around.
Turn around.
The doctors were gone.
Not gone, not entirely, just lying in broken, pulpy heaps several feet away. Smith who had taken up position behind her shouted something as the beast's giant clubbed tail swung back in the other direction, like a fatal pendulum. With a dull, wet impact Colton Smith was a crumpled ragdoll flying through the air.
Reaching up with disjointed thoughts Brooklynn touched the fine red mist that has sprayed across her face.
Her face.
Someone grabbed onto her then, pulling her after them.
Brooklynn stumbled back, caught off guard. Her legs reacting faster than her freshly wounded mind and soul could Brooklynn was racing away from the defensive animal. Heart hammering, with everything she had in her, the girl was running before she was even fully aware of what had happened.
What had happened...
Notes:
This chapter was really, really freaking hard for me to write.
I'm sorry everyone, and I'm sorry Brooklynn. I hated writing that. I knew I would when I thought it up months ago, and I've been dreading getting to this point, and I even thought of ways around it, but I don't feel like from a narrative point of view omitting the assault would have done this story justice. So I kept it in. I'm sorry.
Thank you for reading, sorry this chapter is the way it is.
💗 Enbysaurus
Chapter 34: 5 by 5
Notes:
Wow, I can't believe it's almost been a year since I last published a chapter.
I have missed you all so much! I've missed this fandom, this fic, and writing in general, and I'm so happy to be back! 💗
-
Trigger Warnings for this chapter: Human violence, panic attacks, implied abuse, implied neglect, suicide, and death.
If these are triggers for you please contact me at [email protected] and I will email you a version of this story edited to remove your personal triggers so that you can continue to enjoy this story with out stress, anxiety, or harm to your mental health.
Love y'all, and happy to be back RAWR! ~💗ENBYsaurus
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
A quick little jaunt across the park to snag some supplies from the hospital. That was all it was supposed to be. They had, had a plan, they had, had a map, they had, had numbers, and they had, had guns. It was supposed to be quick. It was supposed to be easy. And they were supposed to be back by dark at the latest.
That was two days ago.
Two, agonizing days ago.
Two. Darius reminded himself.
Two days.
Brooklynn, and Sammy had been gone for two days.
Two whole days.
It was so true to their luck that Darius could have laughed.
Only it had been two days, and no one knew where they were or what had happened to them.
Radio silence.
For two days.
Now, he realized, squinting towards the freshly broken dawn, this made three.
Three days.
There had been radio silence for three fucking days.
-CCF Day Fifteen-
Darius couldn't find a good enough reason to sleep anymore, let alone to laugh, not even at his own miserable expense. His eyes were sore and watery, it felt like sandpaper scraping over them every time he blinked. His head swam with more than worry. He was dizzy, and fatigued by the harrowing spector of the unknown. Shadows jumped out at him from the corners of his gaze, as his mind starved for rest, and deprived of hope fought against his now tentative resolve.
He wasn't about to give up on them, not for one second! He vowed, hands clenching into fists around his pen and paper.
Is this what it was like for everyone back home? His mind wondered then. Is this what mom and Brand were going through? It felt like- like- like cancer had a hold of his life and his loved ones all over again.
That's what this was. This fear? This situation? The helplessness, the hopelessness? It was cancer eating away at everything that was Darius Bowman. Soon, soon, he felt there would be nothing left. Nothing. Just like dad...
A shuddering breath escaped the boy as he struggled against an overwhelming crush of tears at the memory of his father's battle weary face. Their last goodbye. But, he reminded himself, he wasn't beaten yet. Everything would be alright. The girls were coming back, they would have Ben's medicine, and one way or another he would get his friends off this island!
Feeling more resolute than he had moments before Darius put aside his notebook, and stretched his aching, and discolored shoulder. It still hurt, but, not in the make spots dance infront of your eyes way it used to. As he massaged the joint the boy watched a thin veneer of clouds in the distance take on the pink hue of early morning. He wondered, mournfully at first, if Brooklynn whose smiling face was reflected in the dawn was somewhere watching the sunrise with him, without even realizing it?
Yeah, he thought, replacing his despair with hope, she was, she had to be. Sammy too. They were somewhere safe, watching the same sunrise, and planning their return journey to the Plaza. Once they got back everything would be alright again, even if it wasn't.
With a half smile Darius got up, and got to work. There truthfully wasn't much to do around the room with the majority of 608's occupants bedridden, save for Yasmina's exercises, and Kenji's now self-powered trips to the bathroom and mini-fridge. In Sammy's absence however, the almost obsessive level of cleaning had to fall to someone, and that, naturally, was Darius.
Besides, keeping busy kept him distracted. He started in the bathroom with the washcloth that had been designated for it. How cute was Sammy to tie different knots in the corners of their cleaning cloths so that the bathroom germs never touched their food surfaces?
Darius let out a tearful sigh. He really missed her can-do spirit, and bright, optimistic personality, one that could fill a whole room with promise. He hoped she was alright, he thought, hugging the rag before his sleep deprived brain could better of it. She was, she was alright! And if she were here right now she'd have him by the ear for being so silly! With this in mind Darius set to scrubbing.
"Jesus, Kenji!" he muttered after spying the tell-tale yellow spatter of a guy with poor aim. "After today you're retired." Darius then commented to the now condemned washcloth. "No way I'm using you again after this one."
After the bathroom and a thorough washing of his hands Darius moved to the bunk room. There he dusted crumbs off the little table in the corner, shook out the blankets, and remade the beds, noting the need for a good vacuuming once everyone else was awake. Just because he couldn't sleep it didn't mean that he had to make it everyone else's problem. The "living room" was next, and much of the same in terms of needs, which left sweeping off crumbs, and realigning cushions.
By the time he'd finished with everything the sun had risen in all its triumph and glory, yet, there was still no sign of Brooklynn, or Sammy, and the unlucky trio of campers who occupied the beds slumbered on. Neatening up their blankets around them Darius couldn't help but feel responsible for the state each and every one of them was in, but none more keenly than Ben. As he watched the sandy haired boy shook with a light tremor, red faced, his brow broken with sweat. He needed those antibiotics, and he needed them now.
Hesitating Darius wondered if he should uncover the other boy to vent some of his fever away or not. He remembered the look Yasmina had given the last time he'd tried helping her out with her bed mate, and now he wasn't too sure of himself.
"'Fevers are good,'" she had said. "'It means that his body is fighting back. If we uncover him we're reducing his ability to burn it out.'"
Darius remembered his mom saying something similar when he'd been sick before, but this wasn't just some stomach bug. More so, Darius worried that Ben would start seizing again. Without Katie's guidance, and the close to indifferent nature, self-preservation motivated or otherwise, the other soldiers were treating Ben's condition with the kids didn't have much else to go on, but their less than wisened life experiences and know how.
As long as Ben's temperature remained relatively consistent he was safe, Darius reasoned to himself. It was a drastic spike in body temp that had caused the seizure, not necessarily the fever itself. Besides, Darius would wager that if he tried readjusting Ben at this point that Yaz would bite his head clean off. So he resolved to trust in her judgment. It was after all Darius’ fault that Ben was a lagging NPC now aways.
No! Fuck! What was the matter with him? How could he think that? Darius criticized, smacking himself in the head over and over as the tears started to come. He was going to hell. Sure the way Ben jumped and stammered about now reminded him of a video game in need of a better graphics card, but he was still in there God damn it! He had to be! He had to be. He... he... he was going to die...
A cold, sharp dagger cut Darius' chest open wide at the thought. Choked for air he scrambled for the patio door. He couldn't let them hear, couldn't let them see, couldn't let them know that he was losing hope. Pelting over the threshold and across the balcony he only stopped when in a rush of air the railing crushed the very breath from his lungs. A short, pained yelp tore from Darius' mouth as gravity took hold of him by the shoulders, causing him to pivot up and damn near over the bar itself.
In a flash he saw Jason's crumbled form, heard the yellow clad mother's scream, and felt Ben's skin dig beneath his fingernails.
"Fuck." the boy whimpered, before he could scramble backwards.
Slamming himself in a panic to the seated position, tailbone flaring with the abrupt contact, Darius sat for a long minute in shock and unable to breathe. Hands shaking with the fear and adrenaline of such a close, such an infinitesimally stupid call. He felt his throat tighten, air caught in a chest bruised by the rail. It was when he had finally regained the ability to breathe that Darius finally allowed himself to cry. The guilt-ridden nightmare of his own suicide freshly restored and vivid in his mind.
It was his fault, he thought.
It was all his fault.
From the moment Darius had arrived at Camp Cretaceous all he'd done was put people's lives in danger.
From sneaking out the see the raptors, to their first encounter with Toro, all he'd done was make stupid, reckless, selfish decisions that could have gotten someone hurt or killed.
It had been his idea to try herding the sinoceratops.
It had been his idea to go to the observation tower that day.
It had been Darius that dropped Jayson to his death.
He couldn't breathe.
It had been his choice to leave the wreckage of the Treehouse, arguably the first place rescuers would have looked for the campers.
It had been his bummed shoulder that slowed the kayak he and Sammy shared causing Yasmia to risk her life in the mosasaurus tank.
It had been his own squeamish, cowardice that had dropped Ben.
His head was spinning.
It had been Darius who'd brought them here to the Prehistoric Plaza, and brought them directly under the jack booted tyranny of the ACU team.
He had been the one to let the girls go.
He should have made a stronger argument when they'd met with the ACU in 605.
He should have been more convincing when Brooklynn had pulled him into the bunk room.
He should have held onto them and never let either one go.
He should have-
He should have-
His chest hurt.
His chest really fucking hurt, and not from the metal bar.
They were gone.
Just gone.
A cascade of snot and tears poured down his face.
They were gone.
They were gone.
They were gone.
It was all his fault.
Brooklynn was gone.
She was gone.
She was gone.
No more.
No more camera.
No more laughter.
No more shared secrets.
No more staring death in the face and knowing it was ok, because there was someone right beside you, holding your hand.
No more Brooklynn.
Gone.
She was just gone...
Sammy, Sammy was gone too.
Just gone.
No more indomitable courage.
No more endless compassion.
No more stubborn determination.
No more glue to bind the group together, no matter what.
She was just gone.
He couldn't breathe.
They were gone.
They were just gone.
Something was wrong with him, Darius thought somewhere far distant and buried beneath the fear, the pain, the guilt. Something was really fucking wrong.
His heart hurt.
It was going too fast.
He was breathing too fast.
Something was wrong!
Make it stop!
Make it stop!
Someone please make it stop!
I'm going to die! He thought, the frenzied desperation in his mind becoming a deafening roar of anxiety and despair.
I'm dying!
This is what dying feels like!
I'm dying!
I'm dying!
He couldn't do this anymore!
He couldn't!
He'd killed them!
It was all his fault.
Who's next? He wondered the haunting question echoing in his mind, ringing out in the many accusatory voices of his friends.
Who's next?
Who's next?
Who's next?
Make it stop!
I'm dying!
Make it stop!
Somewhere on the periphery of his consciousness Darius was aware that something hard, had shoved against his side. Again, and again this something pushed and shoved, and jostled the boy. It was only after several minutes that the concerned honking which accompanied the action reached his ears. Peeling his eyes open with great effort Darius struggled to the surface.
Go away! He thought, staring at the tiny animal through narrow, angry slits as she persisted.
Get away from me!
Go the fuck away!
"Go aw-" the scream that ripped itself from his lips quickly stiffled as he clamped his hands hard over his mouth.
He couldn't wake the others.
He couldn't let them know.
He couldn't-
Couldn't-
It was his fault-
His fault they were all going to-
To-
Her fault-
It was her fault-
Why wouldn't she just leave him alone?
If they woke up now, it was because of her.
If they saw him like this it was her fault.
Her fault.
Her fault!
Without warning, without Darius even realizing what was going to happen, what he was going to do all of the rage, the uncertainty, the fear, the guilt, and the festering self-hatred exploded outward in a flurry of kicks and flying fists as he battered the baby animal. Everything poured out of him like an over boiling pot, and onto a bleating Bumpy who cowered and cried. After a minute Darius' furious assault began to slow as he tired, his hands hurt. Out of breath, he stopped and looked down at what he was doing.
Tail low, eye swollen, the corner of her mouth reopened from whatever toothy little creature had attacked her and Ben, Bumpy backed fearfully away from the boy. Darius felt hollow. Spent. Everything was gone, ripped out from his insides by this place, by everything they had been through, by everything he had done, and all of the pain he had caused. And now? Now, after a lifetime of hoping, dreaming, praying to see a dinosaur in real life, just once, he'd hurt and betrayed the only one that hadn't tried to kill him.
But- but- she was so much more than that.
She was Bumpy.
She had been with them through all of it, everything. She had braved the Indominous, she had braved the mosasaurus, the pterosaurs, the jump from the train. She had risked her life for them. She had found Ben. She had brought him back to them. She wasn't just some animal the campers had picked up. She was one of them.
Through his emptiness Darius felt remorse, and sorrow for what he'd done, but it was distant and removed. His sadness felt, like something he could touch, but not quite hold, like cupping your hands with water. It eventually all spilled out. He was tired. He was so damn tired. How could he have done that? He asked himself then, even as a sense of... relief settled around him, having finally freed everything he'd been keeping inside for so long.
How could he have done that? He asked himself once more. She was Bumpy, and he loved her.
Darius reached towards the little ankylosaurus, needing her to know that. Needing her to know it wasn't him. He wouldn't ever. Needing her to know that he was sorry. Anxiously, Bumpy shuffled away beneath the shadow of his outstretched hand.
"I'm sorry." he rasped hoarsely. "I-I'm so sorry."
He was crying again, only this time the tears weren't hot, angry things that scorched him from the inside out. These weren't tears driven by fear, by grief, by despair, and rage. No, these tears were cold, and broken. Just like him.
"I'm so sorry Bumpy." Darius sobbed curling into the ground, the very bones in his body weighing him down. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he repeated over and over, to Bumpy, to Jayson, to Brooklynn, to Sammy, to his mom, to his dad, to... to everyone...
It was his fault.
It was all his fault...
A long somber moment passed. Then another. Then, nudging him, Bumpy managed to push her way beneath the boy's chin, then chest, until Darius was half laying on top of her. There the little animal settled, a stoney pillow beneath him. She gave a small, low rumble from where her head poked out by his stomach. Holding onto her plates, with hands bruised and swelling, Darius thought that it almost, but not quite, sounded like a baritonous purr.
Clinging with a tight desperation to make amends, and hugging her with all his might the young man was immensely grateful that she, was a better, person than he was...
"Darius, hey, Darius." a voice called to him. "Earth to junior, come in junior!" Kenji's irate tones cut in, reaching Darius somewhere in the dark where he'd mistaken solitude for safety.
There was a loud and jarring clang that was instantaneously accompanied by a blood boiled sting in the boy's brow as an empty can bounced off his forehead.
"What the fuck?" Darius railed, his voice a hoarse discord of anger and exhaustion as he surged up from the floor where he and Bumpy lay. Glaring Darius could see the strained but worried look on his assailant's face.
"How long have you been out here?" Kenji, who used the doorframe for support asked, brows knit.
Darius blinked, slow to come back into himself, throat dry, eyes puffy, and hazed from crying. The world around him refused to, for a moment, come into focus. Everything wavering with a strange, amorphous blur. Darius was hot, and his skin felt baked, seemingly radiating a heat of its own in spite of the sweat that made his clothes cling to him. The lighting was dull, dimmed by the thunder clouds that swallowed up all that was left of the midday sun.
"I don't-" Darius started, swaying with disorientation as he sat forward and everything began to sharpen into focus. "I don't know." he confessed. Half formed memory of his outburst trickling into his mind Darius rubbed his hand between Bumpy's shoulder plates.
"I'm sorry." he muttered to her, grateful that her armor had absorbed most of his wrath, even if it meant some bruised and bloodied knuckles for himself. "And, thank you."
"Well, what are yoy waiting for? Get inside." the older boy commanded with tension in his voice.
Teeth grit with agitation Darius willed his aching body into action and forced himself to stand. He didn't go in, not right away. Instead he turned to look out at the vastness that sretched beyond their refuge. Coming in from across the island, and moving fast a dark curtain of rain fell over Isla Nublar. Everything else past his little vantage point was completely and utterly still, devoid of life. Not even the pterosaurs who he had painstakingly observed circling and squabbling in the air above them, all day, every day, would be caught out in such gale.
He turned, brown eyes holding all the sorrows of the world, to look at Kenji hoping against all odds that he had some good news for once.
"No." Kenji shook his head. "Not yet, but I know they'd find somewhere safe to ride it out..."
"I hope so." Darius croaked before trying to moisten cracked lips with his equally dry tongue.
The rain drowned everything out. A constant, and persistent blanket of sound that covered the entire island. In spite of the campers' worry for their missing friends it felt almost peaceful, as the five of them sat in their room listening to the lullaby of Mother Nature. Only, there wasn't really peace to be had. They all knew, in the back of their minds, that this wasn't really the end of all of the horrors they'd had to endure. It was merely an intermission.
Trish, the woman with the little girl, came by with Chase in tow some time after the rains had begun. They were escorted by Payton Napier who gave the campers a sharp cursory glance before pinning her gaze to Darius.
"Darius?" she asked.
Sliding from the bed where he sat the boy stood in a hurry, heart a flutter, he prayed she had some sort of news. "Yeah?" he asked, voice pinched by emotion.
"I think you've had enough down time. Everyone who's able has been helping out. Now its your turn. I'm going to be putting together some food. You're going to help me cart it upstairs. Got it?" she raised an eyebrow as if daring him to defy her.
Shoulders sagging, soul crushed he nodded. "Got it."
After the soldier left the room felt uncomfortably crowded, yet empty. The strangers they'd come to know as standoffish, and aloof guests in their hotel had come for a visit when two of their own were missing. Trish stood awkwardly just inside the doorway between the living room and main bedroom. She had her toddler, Ivy, on her hip, and Chase's wrist held firmly in her other hand. Darius wasn't sure why but he had the distinct impression that none of this, had been her idea, and that she wasn't too happy about it either.
"Just here so the kids can watch tv." the woman murmured without lifting her head.
What, Darius wondered, had she been through. With her hair still in tangled knots, and her chin pinned to her chest, she was, without a doubt, a shell of who she'd have to have been before all of this.
"Yeah, sure." Darius nodded, pointing to the bunk room.
Yanking hard on his arm Trish caught the little boy who she'd been appointed guardianship over by surprise. Tripping over his feet as he was shoved forward Chase caught his balance, if only just, as he walked into the room before the mother and child. Darius' teeth hurt from how tightly he had to squeeze them together to keep from saying something. His friends however, didn't seem to have that problem.
"Fucking bitch!" Yasmina shouted, propping herself up on one elbow so that she could better see what was going on.
"Yeah, here kid sorry about your family let me just manhandle you a bit." Kenji added, doing his best to cross the room in a hurry. "And don't pretend like you're innocent. I heard you yelling at him the other day."
"And he was crying something fierce out on that balcony all night too." Yasmina added to Kenji's argument, stuffing a few pillows behind Ben's back as she started inch her way out of bed to join him.
Darius stood, brow furrowed between what felt like two warring parties. Casting looks of confusion and concern between his friends and the blonde woman he'd seen as nothing but another blameless victim of their harrowing circumstance, he was trying but failing to put the pieces together. What was happening right now?
Making his way to the bunk bed Kenji sat by Chase. Reaching for the remote the teen froze in place when the little boy's eyes fluttered fearfully, and whimpering he flinched. Jaw hard set Kenji stared with hateful accusation at the uninvited guest who approached with her own little girl.
"He's fine." Trish bit out, sitting Ivy at the tiny table with an applesauce pouch, and a few packs of fruit snacks.
"What's going on?" Darius hissed into Yaz's ear as she limped past him.
The girl turned to him without a hint of judgment, only a staying look of empathy as she put a hand on his good shoulder. "You haven't exactly been around the last couple of days." she said giving his shoulder a squeeze. "It's ok. I get it. The cleaning, the observations, the note taking, it helped you. Things haven't been great though."
"Is Chase ok?" Darius, his heart picking up speed asked.
"We don't know. We don't have any facts either, just a pretty damn big hunch." the girl confessed. "Assholes Controlling Unitarially either don't share our concerns or just don't care."
Continuing on her way Yasmina snagged some fruit snacks from the table as she hobbled by to join the boys on the bottom bunk, where she handed the treat to Chase. Trish protested vehemently, but no one spared her a second glance, or even a thought. Fuming the woman snatched Ivy up so quickly the toddler's head whipped about on her neck.
"Hey!" Darius shouted brows shooting up.
Marching to the entrance Trish threw open the broken door and walked right out. The yelling heard from the hall told the campers all they needed to know about who was keeping watch, and what would and would not be permitted. After a few minutes Trish and her daughter reappeared. Head up, for the first time since they'd met Darius got his first good look at the woman. She wasn't scared, or broken, like he'd imagined her to be. She was angry and looking for someone, or something to blame.
She slammed the privacy door sequestering herself away from the children in the living room, leaving the others, hearts hammering, to question why she wasn't allowed to leave if she clearly didn't want to stay. In the uneasy silence that followed Darius couldn't help but wonder what else he'd missed when he'd been too busy pouring everything he had into wishing the others home.
Turning to look over his shoulder at the feverish boy left on his own Darius asked, "You think Ben's gonna be alright?" a cold tang of fear lanced up Darius' spine at the possible meaning behind his words. "Alone. Do you think Ben's going to be alright alone, for a minute. I mean. While we hang with Chase." he stammered trying to get his very specific point across.
"Yeah." Yasmina nodded, though Kenji's expression didn't hold much confidence. "He'll be alright. He's just resting. I got some water in him this morning, so." the girl hesitated. "He'll be ok, for a bit."
It was strange, Darius thought sitting cross-legged on the floor. How comforting a childhood favorite could be, or how quickly it could teleport you back to that time of safety and simplicity even when nothing else around you was safe or right. It was a bad movie, objectively speaking, but Shark Tale had always been one of his go-tos when he was little. He wondered if Mean Girls was that for Brooklynn?
Impossibly, Darius found that he still had tears left as they welled in his eyes. What movie, he thought, would Brooklynn have picked? It was the last thing he'd said to her. Not that she was the most incredible person he'd ever met. Not that whenever she was around, the world falling at their feet, that everything still felt right. Not even that he liked her, like that, and that for all the times they've held hands he just wanted to dare and steal a kiss, but deep down he knew he could never be good enough for someone like her.
Somewhere beneath all of the emptiness that numbed his pain Darius found despair. He was trying to quietly sniffle back the tears when Howe staggered in, ankle clearly still giving him trouble. He took the kids in, with a kind of sadness that lingered first on Yasmina who shrunk into herself at the sight of him, then Darius who pawed at his face with embarrassment, and then on Ben who he'd assisted Katie treat. Clearing his throat he gestured over his shoulder with his thumb.
"Napier says you're to report to the chow hall." he said softly to Darius.
"Um, right, sorry." the boy apologized as he scrambled to his feet.
"Hey, you alright?" Howe asked, stopping Darius as he tried to get by.
"I'm ok." Darius assured him, in what was without a doubt the least convincing lie of his life.
"I can do it if you need a mi-"
"No, I'm good. Promise." Darius said more firmly.
Howe seemed prepared to make another suggestion when Darius, who didn't want any of his fake sympathies, ducked beneath his arm and hurried out into the hall. "You know kid, you don't have to be strong all the time."
Darius turned with a crooked smile to the man who was following him to the elevator. "Says you. You're all: 'Yes, sir. No, sir. Right away, sir. I don't know but I've been told a military man's worth his weight in gold!'" he said in a mocking impression of every military march in every movie he'd ever seen. He was surprised, and even a little startled when he heard a snicker of laughter behind him.
"That's a good one kid." Howe said the corners of his eyes wrinkling. "Just don't go repeating it to anyone else, especially Purdy and Napier, they're lifers. Never wanted out of the service. 'S why they came here, closest thing they could get to it after discharge."
"And you?" Darius grumbled irritably as he stared at the carpet, sure the man's answer would be much the same.
"Me? I never wanted in, but it was better than stayin' at home, getting my ass beat for livin'. So, I joined up not for joinin' up, but for shippin' out." Howe shrugged.
"Sorry." Darius apologized feeling bad for judging the man so quickly. Based on everything he'd been through with the ACU, and how Kenji and Yaz talked about the past few days he'd just assumed they were all like that.
"It is what it is." the soldier said bluntly. "Asset Containment Unit though, that's where I wanted to be as soon as I heard of the job. Dinosaurs man, an honest to God miracle of science. Didn't have the education to work with 'em 'course but I had the training to take 'em out if need be, and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone like me to come to Jurassic World. So, I took the job. Had to be crazy not to."
"You like dinosaurs?" Darius scoffed with disbelief.
"Oh yeah."
Darius turned to gawk back at the man who seemed a little embarrassed to be admitting that he came not out of a desire to kill things, like most of the others, but out of an interest in the same de-extinct creatures that fascinated Darius himself.
"What's your favorite dinosaur?" the boy asked before stammering, "Or was, jeez, I'm sorry."
"It's alright. Don't laugh." Howe grinned.
"Never!"
"Pachycephalosaurus." the man chuckled.
He wasn't sure if it was the expectation of a funny answer after being told not to laugh, or the look Howe gave as the light bounced off his freshly shaved head, or a combination of the two, but Darius burst out laughing. Doubling over in stitches, he had a good hard, senseless laugh. The soldier chuckling right along with him.
"Dunno why niether, there's just somethin' about those great big bone heads, reminds me of myself when I was younger." the man expanded on his answer. "What about you, do you have a favorite?" he asked when the frivolity had died down.
Darrius' smile wavered, and his stomach knotted, heart racing at the very idea of the creatures. He knew his answer should probably be different now from what it was before, but it wasn't.
"Velociraptors." he winced.
Howe gave a tight lipped nod in response. The two were quiet after that while they waited for the elevator. Darius wondered if he'd touched a nerve, mentioning the raptors. It would have been like bringing up pterosaurs and expecting Darius not to think of what happened to Ben.
"Your friend, the uh, one with the head injury-"
"Ben?"
"Ben, he doin' alright." Howe asked as the elevator arrived.
"As alright as he can be." Darius muttered after giving it some thought.
Another nod, "Good, that's good."
"Do you," Darius started, using his hand to keep the doors from closing him in. "Do you think the others are alright?" he asked, voice cracking.
Howe pressed his lips together deep in thought, finally answering, "As alright as they can be."
It was a statement that was both chilling, and strangely comforting. If they had their wots about them, and stuck together, after everything they'd already survived Darius was sure they'd be alright. With a half smile he let the doors slide shut.
The ride down to the kitchen was quiet, and lonely, but it also gave Darius time to think.
How much had he missed since the supply team's absence? How could he have gone without noticing something was wrong only two rooms down from theirs? Given how Yaz and Kenji were acting, it had to have been really bad. Had he really been so caught up with worry, and cleaning, and charting down everything he'd seen in the hopes of spotting potential dangers he could warn them about whenever they radioed back in, that everything else had gone completely without notice?
How could he have done that to them? Wasn't the whole point of staying behind to take care of the others because they were too hurt to take care of themselves?
Standing there long after the doors had opened the boy felt his heart hanging by a thread. He needed to do better, be better, for them, all of them, and he was going to start right now.
In the kitchen Napier had several service carts loaded with bowls of food, each of which looked carefully proportioned. Sitting with a serving of her own what looked like boiled tuber, and spinach stew, she was taking meticulous notes of what food she'd used, and what was left.
"Anyone complains, they don't eat." the woman said without looking up from her work.
Darius only nodded, taking careful count of the plates on the cart labeled "608," she hadn't made one for Ben, he noticed, and there wasn't anything for Bumpy either. Counting 604's he came to the decision that he was moving one of the smaller portioned bowls, Chase's bowl, over to their cart as soon as he was out of her line of sight. Counting everything up, things appeared to be in order when, his brows knit together with confusion. There was a cart missing.
"What about the guy in 611? You didn't make anything for him." Darius said, trying and failing to remember the man's name.
"Hmm?"
"611, you forgot him."
"I didn't forget, he's just not going to need it." Napier commented nonchalantly.
"Why, he break a rule or something?" Darius questioned, finding himself unable to keep the venom from him tone.
"No, let's just say some of us are survivors, and the rest are just quitters." she smiled in a feline manner. "And he quit."
"Quit?"
"Yeah, but if you're so worried you can go cut him down yourself. I sure wasn't about to waste the time or energy on someone without the backbone to see it through." she explained, the coldness of her tone mingled with Darius' realization of what she was saying and sent a shiver down his spine.
There it was, the part Kenji and Yasmina had been talking about, the apathy, and indifference the soldiers seemed to command themselves with.
Darius gaped at the woman who didn't seem to notice how her callous nature had affected him. Trying hard not to lean to heavily on any of them, Darius knew that he had to rely on himself, because if he slipped up he'd become one of Napier's footnotes, or Reed's fucked up bedtime stories.
Quietly the boy looped his hands around the first cart, walked it through the lobby and to the elevator. With a brisk knock he deposited it just outside of 605 the "Command Center." Then he fetched another, and another, careful to keep his head down so that the woman who was giving him his marching orders couldn't see the resentment in his eyes. Each time he stepped onto the sixth floor, however, he couldn't help but look towards the doors at the end of the hall, knowing that behind one of them hung a man who had been left hurting and alone with his fear, until it had killed him.
The worst part was that Darius didn't even know his name...
Startling him out of his thoughts one of Darius' last deliveries was met at the door. Pete, the man who had earned a hard lockdown for everyone without the firepower to argue otherwise had been waiting for him, eye darkening the peephole. The door opened to reveal an average looking guy with a warm golden brown complexion, thick black hair pulled into a short ponytail, and a wide range of bruises across his face. Darius who was surprised by the man's state couldn't help but stare.
"Uh, hi." Darius smiled, unsure of himself.
"Hey." Pete said, taking the opportunity to peer up and down the hall.
"Here's your dinner." Darius announced, taking a half step back.
"Mahalo." Pete nodded.
"Um, you're welcome?"
Pete let out a little smile, "Yeah, thanks. How, uh, how everythin' goin' out dere?"
Darius shrugged, "Everything going fine, I guess. The supply party isn't back yet. The ACU are running a tight ship, but, nothing major has happened."
The man nodded. He seemed lonely, but otherwise nice enough. Darius wondered if he was alright, by himself, and what exactly he'd done to earn those bruises, in the first place. Somewhere, in the back of his head Darius found himself wondering if what Pete had done was even so bad, or if they'd just used it as an excuse. They, the civilians, would have followed the ACU, trusting in their experience, their training, their munitions. Why'd they have to crack down with martial law?
"Le's hope it stay dat way, eh? You be careful tho', those people, ino." Pete shook his head. "Take care yourself, eh?"
"Yeah, I will." the boy nodded, the question of what had happened tearing him up inside, until, as Pete wheeled the cart in he blurted it out. "What'd you do, anyways?"
Pete stopped and gave an apologetic smile. "Hadn't eaten in days, they say the kitchens were kapu, but I jus' needed some grindz." he shrugged. "Dat's it brah."
"You, went downstairs, for a snack?" Darius asked the question, slowly, and out loud as he struggled to wrap his own head around it.
"Dat's it. Ino, right?" Pete asked as he closed the door.
Troubled by this revelation, given orders to bring the carts back in an hour, and much else weighing on his mind Darius solemnly brought up the last few trolleys of food. Readjusting a hastily stashed trash bag of tuber peels and watermelon rinds on the bottom of 608's cart with his foot, he'd nearly forgotten to swap Chase's meal until it was almost too late. Trying to be subtle he walked back to where he'd left the bowl just a few rooms away.
"Darius?" Howe asked from where he sat keeping watch in the middle of the hall.
"Oh," Darius smiled sheepishly. "Hey. Forgot this one, goes here."
"Does it?" the man asked, his own bowl in hand as he achingly walked over. "You tryin' to pull a fast one?"
"No, sir." the teen was quick to defend himself.
"'Sir,' huh?"
"It's just, I thought, Chase- er, the kid in the Paw Patrol shirt, I thought he could eat with us." Darius murmured, his heart sinking, knowing that he'd been caught.
"That's not how bunk assignments were laid out." the man said plainly. "Trish was assigned to watch over him. Besides you've already got your friends to watch out for." he explained with an earnest tone.
"She's mean to him."
This seemed to give the man a pause, trouble written across his face, "I know, but it's better-"
"It's better? Better that he gets his ass beat just for living." Darius snapped, using the man's own words against him.
There was a brief standoff, before with a sigh, the soldier seemed to relent. "That's all Napier gave 'im?" he motioned to the scant serving. Without waiting for a response Howe tipped his own bowl into Chase's. "Kids too skinny, besides, I can't stand cooked carrots. If anyone asks, or gives you guff, you tell 'em it was my idea."
"I will, thank you Howe." Darius smiled.
"Just call me Matt." he instructed, already heading back to his post.
Trish seemed almost relieved as she left, and the campers couldn't have agreed more. Settling down the group ate what wasn't a half bad meal. Saving some of the fork tender veggies in a paper cup they set it in the mini-fridge to mash up and offer Ben the next time he was up. With Bumpy bellowing excitedly as she hunted for treasures among the garbage, a familiar show to watch, and a rare giggle from Chase, Darius felt a little better knowing that he was taking care of his friends like he should be.
The hour went by quickly, but with Kenji's help he gathered all of their dirty dishes, and then Darius headed back out. A slender man wearing a Jurassic World employee's polo was doing the dishes when Darius arrived back into the kitchen. The task was monotonous, and repetitive. Grab a cart, return it, grab a cart, return it. It was enough to allow the boy's mind to wonder, wonder back home, wonder to his missing friends, wonder to the possibility of ever getting off this island.
It was the peculiarity of two bowls standing untouched outside the Command Center, that pulled him from his thoughts. Tentatively he gave another knock at the door. When no one answered Darius, swallowing hard past a sudden bout of nerves, entered the room. The living room seemed much the same as it had been when he'd been there three days ago. Strewn with everything they had, tablet and radio still on the table, rifles propped against the wall.
"Hello?" he called meekly. "Sergeant Purdy? Is everything alright?"
Hairs raising on the nape of his neck it was the sound of someone crying that drew him towards the bedroom. Anxiously he edged forward until the whole, terrible scene came into view. Darius fell against the doorframe and his world was rocked once again.
Choking back tears the Sergeant's gaze flickered fearfully to the boy, "I had to." he sobbed from where he sat on the floor, rocking ever so slightly. "I had to do it. He couldn't wait for the medicine any longer. He was in pain. It wasn't right. There was no other way. I had to. I had to do it. I had to."
Blood running cold in his veins Darius just stared at the body of Lawrence, his face still covered by the pillow used to kill him. He'd killed him, Darius thought with disjointed clarity, he was his friend, and he killed him. Shaking, Darius stumbled backwards, tripping over obstacles he didn't think to look for, as Purdy continued to recite his justifications. Lurching away, when a paper white Matthew Howe helped him to his feet, all Darius could think was, "Not my friends!"
Staggering out into the hallway, crying, air wheezing through a constricted thoat Darius couldn't maintain his footing. The carpet bit hard into his forearms, and scraped his chin, as he fell, tears blinding him.
He couldn't breathe.
Not my friends.
Not my friends.
The world spun and whirled around him, making it impossible for him to rise.
Falling through the door Darius crawled in on hands and knees.
He couldn't breathe.
His head was spinning.
Purdy was going to kill his friends.
He let out a loud, ragged, scream.
Yasmina and Kenji were at his side in an instant, closing the door, as if it would do them any good.
"Darius? Darius, what's going on?" Yaz asked, touching him, just too much, touching him. She stroked his forehead, turned him to look at her, tried to pull him close.
It was too much.
He couldn't breathe.
His cheat hurt.
She was touching him too much.
She was crowding him, taking all his air, and he couldn't even find the words to say so.
He was dying.
All he could do was manage a sob.
"Come on man, you're scaring the kid." Kenji smiled nervously.
"Can't breathe." Darius gasped out, clutching the front of his shirt. "Not safe. Not safe. Happening, again. Dying." he cried his thoughts tangled in a incoherent web of mortal terror.
"Again?" Kenji asked as Yasmina asserted, "You're not dying, it's a panic attack."
What she was saying didn't make any sense. Fear couldn't hurt this bad. Darius was having a heart attack, he knew it.
"Breathe like me." Yaz instructed, putting his hand on her chest so that he could feel the long steady breaths she was taking.
All he could feel was the pounding of her heart.
"He killed 'em." Darius cried. "He was his friend, and he killed him."
"Who?"
He was dying.
"Who?"
He couldn't breathe.
It was all his fault.
Maybe if he'd checked on them earlier.
He should have.
He should have.
He was dying.
Dying.
They were all going to die here.
They were all going to die.
Kenji took his other hand. "It's ok, we're right here." he said from far away. "We're all right here."
They weren't.
They weren't all there.
They were all going to die.
Purdy was going to kill his friends.
Dying.
Dying.
They were all slowly dying...
Notes:
Things in the Prehistoric Plaza are not going well, not at all.
On top of that Darius has finally reached his breaking point, but even here at the very bottom of his well of grief he can't stop, can't rest, not even for a minute. 😢
Also, y'all I forgot how much I liked the research part of my writing! The way the storm rolled in and how it broke in the afternoon is accurate to Costa Rican weather for that time of year! Costa Rica has two seasons, Dry Season, and Green Sesaon, it's currently Green Season! Also, also hurray for my super detailed outline for keeping me on track after such a long time away! 😄
My first time trying to write a Hawaiian accent with added slang, if I got anything wrong or wrote anything in an offensive manner please, PLEASE tell me how to fix it! 🙏🏻
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed coming back and writing it! 💗
Chapter 35: Over the Hill
Notes:
Trigger Warning: Referenced sexual assault, and gore.
Don't push yourselves!
If this is one of your triggers please email me at [email protected] and I will send you an edited version of this chapter without the passages that could be triggering or harmful to your mental health so that you can still enjoy the story without having to suffer to do so.
Love y'all! -ENBYsaurus RAWR!!! 💗
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Mama should have had the baby by now, Sammy thought distantly. Was she healthy? She wondered. What did they name her? How much did she weigh? Was her hair wavy like dad's side of the family or straight, like mom's? Did she sleep through the night, or was she a crier? The questions swirled round and round and round her head again, though the most important, and unnerving of them rang like church bells. Was Sammy ever going to get to hold her?
Trying to stiffle a sob, the girl felt the answer was an unwavering "no."
In spite of everything, absolutely everything, it seemed like all she could do was think of home. How many times had they called her, and begged her to just come home over the course of the summer? How many times had they promised that they would find some other way to make things right? How many deals, and bargains, and compromises had they committed to in order to keep those promises? Were they worse off now than they had been before she'd left? Was it all her fault for being too pigheaded to see another way out of the situation they'd found themselves in? What was going to happen to them now that she had sold her soul to Mantah Corps, and wasn't around to deliver?
A shiver raced up the girl's spine.
The fear had been all consuming each and every time she set out to get a sample. Sammy hadn't been afraid of what would happen to her if she'd failed, but her family? Her mind concocted a million different scenarios each one worst than the last of what those shady men in suits would do to the cattle, to the ranch, to her family.
Her family. They probably all thought she was dead. Maybe, even had a funeral for her. Did Marisa sing for her, at her funeral? If Sammy was going to die here, she would want her sister to sing, she thought. She wondered if they'd have announced her untimely demise at school.
School. It was a big heartless building full of cramped classrooms, and self-absorbed kids all believing themselves to be the main character in everyone else's story. Looking back, Sammy couldn't believe how important, and all consuming school had seemed. Aside from the ranch school was her whole life, even when life was shit, and the bullies threw their recycled one off jokes at her, or parents and teachers lobbied against her use of the bathroom, and fought against her interest in extra circulars. It hurt.
And it still hurt that she had to fight to be treated like any other girl, but after all this, she couldn't begin to fathom why it had scared her so much.
She couldn't even fathom how could things have gotten to this point. Sitting, shivering as the rains came down relentlessly, staring hard at the monster seated across from her, kept at bay by an invisible barrier, and force of will alone. This was the worst possible scenario.
Brooklynn shifted her weight in Sammy's lap. Conscious of her, for the first time since she'd fallen asleep Sammy readjusted the over-large shirt Brooklynn used as a blanket to cover the pink haired girl's shoulder. Still, their leaking shelter was much better than being out in the open with such a torrent raging through.
Steele had grabbed them what he could, in the twilight of their first night out in the open. "Thought they wouldn't mind a couple extra layers," he'd said.
No one had made mention of how the thin, stained, white undershirt she had been wearing had clung to Brooklynn's bruised and withered form, but everyone had definitely taken notice of it by the time Steele had looted what remained of that gift shop. Brooklynn who couldn't have been more grateful or relieved had wordlessly piled on two extra tops.
In the hospital. In that closet. It had taken Sammy a second to realize what was happening. A second she didn't have to waste. A second that must have felt like an eternity for Brooklynn. Sammy wished she hadn't been so emotional when she'd attacked Reed. Wished she'd have had the presence of mind to smash his head right through the shelves. To take his side arm and empty it into his chest. It was what he deserved. She wished she'd done it.
But wishing never solved anything. Her Abuela had told her that once. She'd been little, she'd been selfish. All she'd wanted was to go to Disneyland. It had been all she could think about, all she could talk about. Her first question every morning and her last request every night had been about Disneyland. She remembered wishing loudly for the trip over her 6th birthday candles. Her friends had all been, it just didn't seem fair. But life wasn't fair.
There wasn't a clear cut chain of command anymore, not that decision making had ever been fair with the ACU. But since Colton had been killed, tensions rose wildly among the supply party. It was Scott, the guy who seemed to own the world whenever he had a rifle in his hand that had nearly set those tensions to their breaking point. Certain that he knew better than the ACU team he'd questioned their every move ever since they'd fled the hospital and were driven deeper into the heart of the park.
He was dead now though.
They hadn't even seem what had gotten him. Couldn't have defended him even if they'd wanted to. It had been in the middle of the night, that first night. It was late. After the shirts, but before the campfire. It was dark. So dark. That night. They'd found another hotel. Was it a hotel? Sammy couldn't remember. Everything was running together.
She remembered a lobby. Of some sort. All of the glass had been broken out. That should have been the first sign. All the buildings in the area had been like that though. They'd done a quick sweep. Used their flashlights. All clear. Then they had hunkered down. Katie took Sammy and Brooklynn. They crammed themselves into the tight space behind the front desk. Steele had taken up a position sitting against the wall near their feet. Sammy still didn't know how she'd done it, but somehow she slept. That night.
It should have been safe. Even without power. Even without glass. They should have been safe. They had, had numbers. They had, had guns. They should have been safe. They weren't. Sometime in the dark they had all heard the screaming. That offal, terrible screaming. Sammy ran. She just ran. She hadn't even known where she was going. She hadn't even had a plan or a destination. She hadn't even known who she'd been holding onto until Brooklynn begged her to let go. Eventually they'd stopped running.
After that they had been lost. Out in the park. Waiting. Waiting to die.
Waiting, why did it always feel like they were waiting for something bad to happen? When they had the ferry to reach, at least there had been a goal. At least there had been a real sense of hope, even after the monorail had threatened to extinguish it completely. Now, what did they have now, but time, and dinosaurs, and death to look forward to? Trying her best meant putting on a brave face for the others, but really, back there on that beach, watching all those ships pilot themselves away from them and towards the signal fires? Sammy had all but buried her hope in the sand. She just couldn't let the others know it.
Still, Ben came back, so maybe, maybe there was hope. But only if they got to the hotel in time. Hugging tightly to the backpack she had carried so far, with one arm, and giving the pink haired girl a squeeze as she slept with the other Sammy struggled to remind herself that they weren't beaten, not just yet. In the backpack were the antibiotics, painkillers, and IV fluids that were going to turn things around for everyone. She was going to get them to Ben no matter what, then, then they'd find a way home. No more running, no more hiding, no more life and death.
They had sat hugging one another in the dark, doing their best to hide. Jumping at every sound. The feeling of eyes on them in the night. Sammy hadn't known where they were. She had, had no idea what direction to start walking in. Brooklynn hadn't been able to stop crying. Thinking on her feet Sammy had pulled them into the snug cover of a photo booth. The kind where all your pictures are printed down a stip of paper one after another.
It was just like the one she'd used with her sissies, the last time she had taken them to the movies. They'd just seen the new Cinderella, Ana and Marisa had loved it. They'd danced around mall in make-believe gowns. Just the three of them, hanging out.
Sammy had been so relieved. The twins had been growing so fast that she'd worried they would feel too embarrassed to spend time with her. Sammy remembered spending more than she'd bargained to that day. Ana had desperately wanted a princess makeover at Sephora, and Marisa couldn't live without getting her nails done, just this once. So Sammy had treated them with every last penny she had, giving them the real princess day they deserved. It was the kind of day the hard working Gutierrez girls rarely got to enjoy. It ended with them all together, smiling in that booth.
In the booth Sammy had held onto Brooklynn and tried to soothe away her whimpering and wailing. The other girl had gone relatively mute since her assault, breaking out into sporadic bursts of tears now and then, or saying just enough to answer the most direct and basic of questions, like, "Are you thirsty?" Gone was the bright and vivacious girl who had seemed all but unstoppable. She was a shell of her former self.
In truth, the act of pulling Brooklynn to her chest had merely been a shell of kindness. It had been one part act of compassion, and two parts act of fear on Sammy's end. Trembling all over the Texan had well known in the back of her mind how easily their position could be given away merely by shifting winds. She hadn't dared risk their hiding spot by allowing anything to hear her friend's fearful grieving.
"Shh," she'd whispered. "Shh, it's gonna be alright. We'll just wait here for the others, or mornin' what ever comes first."
Brooklynn, who had sat bound in her arms was no more than a bundle of twigs. Sammy still blamed herself for not trusting her intuition sooner. The pink haired girl always ate "like such a bird," she remembered thinking. What unreasonable pressures must this stardom and fame have put her under? She should have made the girl eat, Sammy had scolded herself. She should have said something to Roxie and Dave weeks ago when she'd first noticed Brooklynn's lack of appetite.
Roxie and Dave. After being driven from the hospital the group had stumbled onto a flat dirt road, the one they must have used in the event of an emergency. They'd followed it, walking fast, the sounds of the jungle all around them. Eventually the seven of them had spilled out onto a large paved walkway, kiosks, and little venues dotted all around them, a discreet way to keep the area from looking bare, while still leaving enough room for vehicles to get through, when necessary.
It had been between those kiosks that Sammy had seen him, the tall, light haired man in a red employee shirt, and khaki shorts. Her heart had squeezed at the sight of him, refusing to believe, yet fearful that it was the playful character that had tried to ensure her summer had been as much fun as it was enriching. She never got the chance to check, the team was on edge, everyone wanted to keep moving, and Sammy hadn't been about to leave Brooklynn's side again. She was sure if that had been Dave lying there with all those other people, he would have understood.
The girls understood the dire straights they were in, that night. Their breathing had been pent and fearful, their faces reflecting terror in the glass screen of the photo booth. Then they'd seen the flashlights. The others had found them. Their bodies sore from the close quarters of their temporary shelter the girls' legs had refused, at first, to straighten. They had waited until the rest of the supply party was well within reach before hobbling to join them on stiff joints. Menno, the other guy, had run too, but no one had been sure where. They had looked for him as long as they dared before the sounds of hissing and clicking grew too near and too frequent for comfort.
That was when the men had started tearing at whatever bits of debris they could get their hands on. They had piled it high and stuffed trash, empty cups, food wrappers, and discarded maps into the gaps and hollow spaces. Then, after a few tension filled moments they had finally gotten it to burn. In the fire's glare they had seen the glow of eyes bobbing and weaving, though creatures themselves stayed just beyond the ring of firelight. Shrouded in darkness and intertwining in a way that was startlingly familiar Sammy had recognized them immediately, troodon.
The girls had sat so close to the fire that their backs burned, and their eyes watered from more than just the smoke, as burnt plastic, and other fumes filled the air with an acrid scent. Still, it had seemed preferable than facing the troodon head on after the emerald hued vision they'd had of those beasts back when life was simple.
It was the next morning that they, exhausted, had tried to regroup, but still without sign of Menno. They wandered about briefly until they had been able to get their barrings, and set off. Wading through a sea of fears, and a mountain of bodies it wasn't until the five of them started moving with a suddenly clear sense of direction that Sammy had recognized where they were. Staring hard at the thick panel of glass as she passed it on her left the girl had remembered when she'd been there last.
Last time had been the first time she'd ever felt so small. Her hair had still been damp, and smelled strongly of chlorine from the pool. Surrounded by her friends, Dave, Roxie, and a whole gaggle of little n's she watched with nervous excitement as the T-Rex stalked towards the goat.
Kenji, more drunk than tipsy in Sammy's opinion had, had his face pressed flat against the glass chanting, "Rexy! Rexy! Rexy!"
A wide eyed Darius had been standing next to him rattling off dino facts so quickly and with so much excitement as he watched that his voice was pinched high to the point of cracking.
It was Yasmina who had shared her concerns, sarcastically commenting, "Maybe not the best activity for the vegan?" her eyes rolling to where Ben had crouched several feet away from the others hands over his ears, rocking slightly.
Sammy had remembered feeling bad for him, the thought of joining him a fleeting one quickly dismissed when Brooklynn had announced, "Alright Brooklanders get ready here it comes!"
It had been a lot bloodier a demise for the goat than Sammy had expected it to be.
Bloodier a demise than what she thought an ankylosaurus could have given. Something had clicked in Sammy's mind then. The blood, the dried blood from when Colton had been clubbed to death by that thing. Sammy had stopped walking, turned and looked back at what could have been a half convincing smattering of new freckles across the other girl's face. Sammy had torn the side of her shirt then, grimacing at the sight. Dousing it with precious water from her water bottle she had used the scrap of fabric to wipe away the dry crust of human remains that had misted across Brooklynn's face, and neck.
Why hadn't she thought of it earlier? Sammy had cursed herself. Even in her state of shock it must have been terribly uncomfortable for Brooklynn to walk around like that, not to mention how the smell would only have led predators right to them. That had been when Sammy remembered the shirt.
"Brooklynn, sweety, we have to take off the undershirt." she'd said. "The one with the blood on it. The others are fine. So it doesn't attract predators. You understand? Brooklynn?"
Brooklynn had seemed distant as she spoke, even when Katie who had backtracked to their side seemed to have and agree with the cowgirl's revelation.
"Turn your back to them, and I'll hold your other shirts down ok?" Katie had tried with a sense of calm, cool command. "Arms in then out, like a turtle. Like gym class. Come on, even if you're not 'that girl,' I'm sure you've seen a 'that girl' maneuver." she'd tried to make it relatable, simple, funny even, before taking the bottom hems of the other tops Brooklynn had, had on, in hand.
The pink haired girl who had seemed almost oblivious to them before, had come alive at the touch. Her eyes had gone wide, she'd shuffled backwards, her breathing sharp and erratic. She'd grabbed onto Katie's wrist and tried to pull it away with her weak, bent arms. She'd paced, teathered tearfully to the spot by the woman, wanting only to flee. The way she had shuffled about, wanting to run but having no where to run to had reminded Sammy of Rebelde.
Rebelde had been her fourteenth birthday present, and her first birthday present if you counted by years out of the closet. A deep burgundy red the mustang had been wild, and seemingly, at first glance, highly aggressive. Sammy had remembered being frightening of him, and the way he lashed out with his hooves. She had doubted her ability to break the animal, but she had also desperately wanted a horse of her own, this had been the compromise. She remembered the wild whites of his eyes, the impossibly wide flare of his nostrils, and how she had come at him again and again with the rope. Sammy also remembered the moment when she had realized that he was just as scared as she was, and exchanged the shouts and ropes, for whispers and apples.
Shouting for them to stop it, it had been Terry Steele who put an end to the madness, "Leave her be, God damn it!" he'd barked shoving Katie square in the chest.
"The blood!" Katie had argued motioning to Brooklynn who was in another fit of tears.
"We made it this far, we keep going. And use your fucking head next time!" he'd bellowed, catching Sammy off guard. He'd been the one doing all the overstepping in the closet, when the wounds were their freshest. He'd seemed to acknowledge it though, and now the whole topic was taboo and met with nothing but his rage.
When he'd turned his back on them Sammy had apologized, hugging her friend who hit her with lame blows from closed fists. Sammy had accepted the beating she knew she deserved. Following Steele with her eyes Sammy had watched him wander back up the path to where Reed was waiting. Watching them, with a shark's smile.
All those mean in suits had that same predatory smile. She remembered how relentless they'd seemed, never stopping, never giving an inch. More than that she remembered the long, icy car ride to the airport. She'd lied to her parents. She had said that she was going to Grace's for a sleep over, and packed as much as she could fit into her backpack. Then she'd gotten her daddy to drop her off.
After that she had lied to Grace. Sammy had told her that it was supposed to be a surprise girl's day at the mall for her birthday, hoping that if she just ignored the cumbersome pack that Gracie would too. She'd said that her folks were alright with it, they just couldn't afford the gas to drive all the way into town twice. All she'd had to do after treating her friend to lunch and some light shopping was to wait for the other girl's dinner-time curfew to close in on her.
"You sure you don't wanna ride back?" Grace had asked, wringing her hands when her brother texted saying he was waiting, for a second time.
"Yeah, I'm sure, Daddy'll be here any minute." Sammy lied again, waving her phone as evidence of a conversation that had never happened. Already she had seen the suit sitting at the food court, eyes glued to her the entire time.
Hugging Grace, everything inside Sammy had screamed that with was wrong, that it wasn't safe, that this was exactly what you weren't supposed to do. You weren't supposed to have secret rendezvous with adults but especially not the ones who told you your parents weren't supposed to know about it. That was how people went missing, that was people got trafficked. After watching her friend leave Sammy had sat down at the table across from the man.
"I was almost worried that you weren't going to show." the man had smirked.
"Well I'm here, now what?"
"Straight to the point, I like that Sammy, I like that a lot." he had gotten up, and with no other choice left to save her family the girl had followed. Followed right out into the sleek black car with tinted windows that had been waiting for them.
Seated nervously on the soft leather interior, Sammy had hugged her pack close to her chest as she watched the world she knew blur past the window. In her heart Sammy hadn't been able to help wondering if this was all one huge mistake.
"We aren't going to have any problems with you being called in as missing, are we?" he had asked.
Sammy's gaze had flickered over to the driver, hoping in someway to find an ally. He had kept his gaze decidedly fixed on the road which stretch on into the growing night. Deaf to the conversation taking place within the vehicle he was nothing more than a mute bystander who didn't give either of them any mind. Sammy remembered wondering how much they had paid him to transport an underage girl without her parents knowledge or consent, and more over, what kind of people had she gotten herself in with who could buy someone's morality?
"No." Sammy had shaken her head.
"You're sure?"
"My folks think I'm spending the night at a friend's, and my friend thinks my daddy is coming to pick me up from the mall. No one is gonna know I'm gone, 'til I'm gone." she explained evenly, fighting hard against the nervous chatter of her teeth.
"Good." he had nodded, pulling a phone from his breast-pocket.
Sammy's cell had begun to vibrate moments later. She'd open it to see a thank letter from Jurassic World to the Gutierrez family for being their number one beef supplier, an official looking invitation to something called "Camp Cretaceous," plane tickets, flight schedules, a two night booking at a hotel somewhere called Punta Arenas, and detailed instructions on a time and place. The information relayed itself one key item after another to the girl.
"An associate will meet you when you land, and another before you board the ferry. If everything goes right up until then, you'll receive the rest of the details from them. I suggest you commit these details to memory before disembarking." he rattled off commands to the windshield, he hadn't even bothered to look at her.
Chill with fear Sammy hadn't felt more lonely or isolated than she had, sitting in that car. It had been at that moment that all of it had finally felt, real. She'd been trembling. She'd wanted to cry, but something told her that, that kind of weakness would not be well received by the man in the suit.
Weakness was an unforgivable sin, one that Jurassic World would not tolerate. This had been no more apparent than when their group had passed by an open pen full of empty, bloody saddles, and torn brightly colored play suits. Diverting herself, and her friend turned ward away from the gruesome scene of dead children and juvenile dinosaurs, that carefree day, the one she couldn't allow herself to believe had ever been real came trickling back.
"This can't be real!" Darius had shouted gleefully, back then, all smiles. "Two feedings in one day? I cant wait to see the mosasaurus! I heard they can get it to breech the water almost every show!"
Dave, the haphazard hero of their outing had, had to weigh his options against the enthusiasm of Brooklynn, Darius, and Sammy as it clashed with Kenji's erratic behavior, Ben's tearful wretching, and Yasmina's impartial stance on what they did with the remainder of the day. And he'd looked utterly lost.
"We could always slow things down a bit, go to the Innovation Center and check out the Holoscape?" Roxie had offered in mediation. "Or perhaps the Gentle Giants Petting Zoo, even? It's where several of the park's adolescent herbivores are housed prior to being introduced to their herds."
"Gay!" Kenji had objected.
"Yeah like that's camera worthy!" Brooklynn had scoffed in grudging agreement, already at it with her comment section.
Darius had visibly deflated, but quickly relented when, for the first time all day, all summer, actually, Ben had seemed ready to do something other than bring everyone else down.
"Do you think Bumpy will be there?" he'd asked.
"Jeez enough with your dino girlfriend already!" Yasmina had practically yelled in irritation. They'd all been there, most of them anyway, when the dinosaur had been born, and they had all been extremely tired of hearing about it from the boy. He'd put the word obsessive to shame.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Ben had blustered, red faced and visibly angry.
"Then quit acting like it!" Kenji had commented, putting himself as he always did into the middle of every confrontation, like he fed off it.
Ben had looked almost ready to cry.
That had been when Darius and Sammy had jumped in to intervene. "I'm game for the petting zoo!" the boy beamed. "Yeah and you can use it as down time to edit your videos!" Sammy had offered helpfully to Brooklynn.
"So, we're in agreement?" Dave had asked hopefully. Slowly most of the campers had nodded their acceptance of such a fate. "Sweet, we have a quorum!" Dave had pumped his fist into the air, before turning to lead the way.
Death had circled above them, hanging effortlessly in the air. The shadows which had passed over their party had begun infrequently at first, as pterosaurs explored their new range with apparent leisure. Soon, however the darkness they cast became as constant of a companion as the shadows of the people they stalked. It hadn't been until the hapless group were closing the gap between them and their destination that the attacks began. Sammy hadn't been paying attention, when it happened. Tired, and dragging her feet after so much walking with so little sleep she had been caught completely unawares.
It had been Reed who'd raised the alarm. "Bird, bird, bird!" he'd shouted diving for the cover of a nearby bench after he'd noticed the danger.
Everything had been panic, everything had been uncertainty, talons, and beaks. Sheltering among the ruins of an eatery close at hand the others had watched as a great winged devil hit the pavement. The beast screamed its displeasure taking several small hops forward to keep its balance. A second, slightly smaller one landed just to its right. The weary travelers watched as they squabbled, pecking at one another in frustration without doing much real damage.
Leaning against a wall for support Sammy had been crouched on broken glass, the slick feel of it under her soles robbing her of the confidence to run if needed. Brooklynn huddled beneath a table, chair legs grating as she slowly slid it into place between her and the predators that sought a kill. Minutes had stretched on into hours, and still the five of them waited, for something, anything, about their circumstances to change. Still the pterosaurs seemed keen on the area, and hadn't gone far. So they waited.
Sammy had waited for what felt like an eternity sipping what she now recognized had been the best coffee of her life for something to happen. She'd been at this little spot tucked out of the way, while still being only a five minute walk to the ferry, as instructed. The last few days had been a blur. The flight, the hotel, the cash waiting for her on the bed with very direct instructions to do some sight seeing, and buy a few monetarily valuable trinkets. Her cover was one that had been carefully crafted, and the cryptic individuals she was working for had intended to make it a convincing one.
She hadn't been startled, so much as she'd been caught off guard when a thin woman with platinum blonde hair, and a sharp fashion sense had seated herself across the table from her. After so many men in suits and dark sunglasses whose faces blurred seamlessly into the ambiguity their job required the woman was a startling change. More so, when she'd stared hard at Sammy over her own shades with eyes of blue and brown.
Hetrochromia, Sammy recalled thinking. Abryan's dog Maya in San Miguel had that.
Only, under this woman's gaze Sammy had felt like an insect. Her orders had been clear, direct, and thinly veiled with a certain amount of threat. She'd given Sammy everything she'd needed, including the beacon with which to guide the drones in whenever a sample was ready for retrieval. It would have all felt so very exciting and new, cowgirl turned Bond Girl overnight, if only it hadn't been so frightening.
"We need to do something." Steele had muttered from where he'd moved to beneath the table where the frightened girls had eventually settled.
The others had wordlessly agreed, though no one knew what exactly, "something" entailed. Sammy had been busy trying to come up with a plan, trying to emulate Darius' natural leadership, Brooklynn’s vast skill-set, or even Kenji's startling moments of pure genius. She had been tried though, and couldn't think clearly, turning to Steele she'd hoped he could think of something, something that didn't involve using himself as bait.
That was when Katie just to the left if the trio had opened the insulated little pack that had been slung over her shoulder throughout everything.
"Ice is gone." she'd announced, carding dismally through the now unrefrigerated bags of blood. "The ones on the bottom are still cool, but the ones on top..." she'd left her sentence unfinished as she sucked on her front teeth as of coming to a decision. "I don't think any of this will be good for much longer, four hours in the heat, that's all you get before the blood dies. But, I think I've got the distraction we need." the woman announced retrieving a bag of the life giving fluid and tossing it lightly in the air.
"We can't waste any of it." Steele had snapped.
"It won't be a waste if it saves our lives." Katie countered. "Those things have a keen sense of smell, and they won't pass up what they think is an easy meal."
"We need that blood." the man had argued.
"We need you a lot more." Katie said, refusing to budge and seemingly sensing the same energies Sammy had been. "Besides I have antiseptic, tourniquets, needles, and collection bags." she explained flashing him some of the vital equipment nestled in her bag. "We can do this at the hotel, if the donor blood goes."
Steele relented, giving a curt nod. "Get ready to leg it girls." he said trying to rouse the teenagers.
As she shook the sleep from her legs Sammy had watched Katie edge her way towards the front of the little restaurant, blood bag in hand. Sammy's heart had raced with uncertainty and trepidation as the woman stood with a poise that had led the girl to believe she'd played softball at some point in her life. The bag arched high in the air before splattering on the ground several yards away. It had taken only a moment for the pterosaurs to take interest.
It was as the creatures had begun circling a new target, one with an irresistible aroma that the desperate scavengers raced out of their place of hiding and tried with all their might to get to the "Historic" Prehistoric Plaza. Reed had taken up position in the rear, nearly abandoned by the rest who wished nothing but pain and misery for the man, he'd grumbled loudly about the perceived and very much intended slight.
It had been as they were in the home stretch when the party became harried by pterosaurs once again, dive bombing them in the golden light of the late afternoon sun. This time it had been Katie to condemn the threat as too much of a risk to continue, but not until it was almost too late. Taking cover again, the medic had been quick to apply pressure to the deep gash at the back of her left shoulder.
"Lucky that thing didn't grab you, and haul ass." Steele had tried to lighten the mood as he did his best to help.
"Yeah, I feel real lucky." the woman responded with sarcasm.
Frustration, anger, and defeat polluted the very air the five of them breathed as they had come to the conclusion that this was as far as they were going to make it. The sun had just begun to set, and still certain that the troodon were stalking them no one wanted to risk a darkened foray through the park. It was right there, they had been able see the hotel from where they waited in an all but collapsed mini-theater. Sammy had felt like she was losing her mind, stir crazy, anxious she needed to see the others, she needed to know they were alright, she needed to get this medication to Ben!
Staring hard at the crest of the Plaza, Sammy couldn't help but recount the contents of her backpack, and the good she intended to use them for. Huh, she'd thought, an epiphany striking her full in the chest. Ben's weird fanny pack routine had started to make a whole lot of sense all of sudden.
Resigned to their fate, but resolute that they would try again, and succeed in the morning Sammy did her best to settle in, though the sight of someone out on a balcony gave her pause. I hope everyone's alright, she'd thought wearily. Edging towards her Brooklynn nestled her head into Sammy's shoulder and almost immediately fell asleep. Rest hadn't been so easy to come by for the remaining members of their doomed troupe.
As the night had grown deep and dark, her belly nauseatingly full of stale popcorn and candy bars, Sammy couldn't help but keep her mind from wandering to everything that had gone wrong. Katie, who moved gingerly, had busied herself stashing sweets away like a squirrel while Reed slept a monster's trouble free sleep, and Steele kept watch, leaving Sammy to wonder if they were ever going to talk about it. There hadn't been time, and Brooklynn retreated further into herself at the mere thought of her ordeal, but there had been a great many things Sammy had yet to reconcile, her guilt first and foremost.
"You should have let me kill 'im." Sammy announced to the dilapidated space, though her meaning was plain. "You should have let me kill 'im." she restated when niether of her honorable companions spoke.
"I told you, things like that can't be taken back." Steele said into the darkness, unable to meet the girl's gaze.
"What he did to Brooklynn can't be taken back either." Sammy had grit, her eyes flooding with tears she quoke with rage as she spoke.
"No," Steele had replied in a broken voice as he shook his head. "It can't."
The silence which hung over that place in the following minutes had been enough to suffocate.
Fighting against everything she knew, everything she believed in, and everything she thought about herself Sammy had known in her heart that if it came down to her soul or waiting for justice in the kingdom to come, she'd take the gamble for someone like Reed. He needed to die. There were somethings beyond forgiveness, redemption, and repentance, and if believing in the way she did made her a bad Catholic, fuck it, according to half the people she knew she was going to hell anyways.
"She's strong," Katie intoned from where she worked. "Its going to take some time, but she'll be alright."
Sammy had scoffed disfainful of the woman's blanket statement.
"She reminds me of my sister." Katie went on, packing every last nook and cranny she had with chocolate bars, licorice, and skittles. "My sister was strong. It took a long time, and a lot of therapy, which our parents didn't approve of or believe in, but, she's alright now. Brooklynn will be too. We just have to take care of her until then."
Sammy had nodded, conceding to Katie's rueful experience, and feeling a pang for the woman's sister. Sammy hadn't known what to do with herself when Brooklynn had been hurt, so she didn't think she would even survive it if anything happened to one of her sisters.
"I'm sorry." the girl had apologized.
"Me too." Katie agreed with melancholy.
Contemplative and quiet Sammy's brows had knit themselves tightly together when a thought occurred to her. It had been nagging at the girl for a few days now, but it had never seemed to be the right time. Now that they were penned down and unable to move, Reed the enemy, and Brooklynn the fragile little doll both asleep, it had seemed as good a time as any.
"Who's Kelsey?" Sammy questioned, looking pointedly at the man keeping watch.
The soldier had given a sigh, his shoulders sagging towards the floor. With a short waving motion he indicated for Katie to take over. Once she was in position and at the ready the man came and sat at Sammy's side, opposite Brooklynn.
"She's my little girl." he sighed, running a hand over his sweaty crown of hair. "Well," he paused. "She's not quite so little anymore. She's 'bout your age, and that's the damn scariest part too."
"Sorry."
"Can't be helped," Steele laughed fondly. "No matter how hard you try, you just can't keep 'em from growin' up on ya."
In spite of everything Sammy couldn't help but chuckle, thinking of how much this man reminded her of her daddy, and how much she missed him.
"I'm sorry." Sammy said again. "Did someone hurt he-"
"God no!" Steele snapped, though a twinge in his voice made it sound like he was afraid that if she ever had been hurt she wouldn't have told him. "But that doesn't stop me from wanting to protect her from this shit show we call the world."
Sammy had smiled. "You sure do love her."
"More than anything." Steele had confirmed.
"Well I think Kelsey is a lucky girl to have a daddy like you." the cowgirl yawned.
"Tell that to her Mama." the man smiled sadly. "Never get to see her much these days... I uh, have some problems... Lingering shit from my time in the middle east..." he explained, snuffing his nose.
Sammy's heart squeezed for him. "Who doesn't have problems?" she asked, leaning on him as exhaustion threatened to overtake her.
"I'm sorry about-" she started.
"Don't, don't even. I feel the same way. Trust me, that man is as good as dead." Steele murmured with iron in his voice.
"Just gotta get 'im on patrol with me, in the mornin'. We'll take a couple blood bags, make a hole." he had gone on, elaborating his plan to commit murder. "Lotsa ways a man can go missing in situations like this, and Reed ain't gonna be missed by anybody."
Steele had been right, there were a lot of ways a man could go missing in situations like this. Only, it wasn't supposed to be this way, Sammy thought glaring hard at the rain soaked man who sat across the room from her. Steele was supposed to be the one who had come back, not Reed.
Shivering from fear, and loss just as much as she was the downpour Sammy tried her best to wipe her face free of the tears and the rain. They were huddled together, the three women, wet from the water that was finding ways in through little gaps in their shelter. They were stiff, vigilant, and afraid. Katie had rendered what aid she could to Reed, as her creed had dictated, but now she sat with the girls weighing their options.
Haggard and almost defeated, beaten down at every turn by circumstance, and sedition all they had anymore was each other.
"Fucking birds, man, I tell you." Reed laughed to the room at large holding his side with some discomfort as he spoke.
Brooklynn who'd been laying with her head in Sammy's lap sat up, and anxiously bundled herself between the two women. Sammy wrapped an arm around her, Katie took her hand. An invisible line had been set in the middle of the room, and if that man tried crossing it they planned to give him the hell that was coming for him.
"Don't worry," Sammy said with assurance, decidedly ignoring the soldier. "We'll see everyone soon. I mean, we're so close! Its right there all we gotta do is wait for the rains to die down, then we hoof it!" she enthused, trying to keep Brooklynn's spirits up.
"What do you think they're doing right now?" Sammy grinned, trying hard not to think of her own heavily weighted sorrows.
Brooklynn shrugged slightly.
"Well, they're worried about us, naturally, but I bet Kenji is driving everyone absolutely insane! I mean, he's bad enough regularly, but confined to one room for days? His ego alone is probably bursting through the roof right now!" Sammy laughed, because if she didn't she was going to cry.
"Yaz is probably doing her best to keep everyone grounded, and is probably being a real grump about it too. Bumpy, well, you know her, she's probably into everything!" she went on, trying hard to avoid mention of the boy she was sure had passed on in their absence. "I bet she and Chase are getting on thick as thieves!"
"Chase?" Katie asked with a quizzical tone, one that felt light with forced cheer.
"Yeah," Sammy nodded, matching her tempo as she ignored her grief. "The boy, with the Paw Patrol shirt. He wouldn't tell any of us his name, but I asked which pup was his favorite, and he pointed to Chase, so," Sammy shrugged helplessly. That's what we took to called 'im."
"You call that boy Chase after we found him running for his life from those compys?" Reed observed from his side of the room, a look of amused disbelief on his face. "That's pretty fucked up."
Sammy felt a pang in her heart, it really was, when you stopped to think about it. It had been her idea, her knowledge of Georgia's favorite show that had given the boy his moniker. The Texan felt sick at the thought. Did it bring up bad, and bloody memories for him? Did it hurt him, or maybe even scare him to be called Chase? The bitter taste of this truth mingled with the fresh doubt, uncertainty, and fear. The harrowing reality that she would never know what had actually happened on that patrol, and what exactly had become of the haunted man who she'd come to think of as their guardian, crushed Sammy wholly.
Shaking as she fought against an oncoming fit of hysterics Sammy was startled into a sharp hiccuping breath by a cold hand on her shoulder, "You forgot Darius." Brooklynn whispered tearily.
"Yeah, I did." Sammy smiled as the other girl joined the game she and Katie had started, the one that was necessary to play if they didn't want to fall apart entirely. "What do you think he's doing right now?"
Brooklynn's gaze became distant for a minute, and Sammy worried that she was slipping away again when suddenly a light, and life glowed brightly within her soft green eyes. "I bet he's formulating a plan to come get us." she grinned.
Sammy laughed, "He so would!"
"He'd probably be mapping everything out, and talking about different routes, and strategies for dino encounters." Brooklynn elaborated, looking and sounding like herself for the first time since- "it" happened.
"I bet he's using all his dino brains to try and convince everyone else that it's a good idea." Sammy added onto her imaginings.
"Probably." Brooklynn agreed. "He's probably telling everyone that nows the best time to go, that not even the big predators would be out in a storm like this. One time he told me-"
"That's... actually not a bad idea Pinkie Pie." Reed interrupted, leaning forward with clear interest.
Sammy watched as Brooklynn's breath was stolen from her body as she tried to hide her face.
"Don't call her that!" Sammy yelled, fire in her blood at seeing how quickly Brooklynn could be snuffed out. She couldn't even imagine what being in a situation like this one, where your life very well might depend on your attacker, must be like. She shook with rage, and hatred.
"You don't talk to them Reed." Katie roared, half-standing, hand hovering over her weapon. "Ever. And I swear if you come near me, or any of the kids after this I'll put one right between your eyes!"
Reed smiled in a smug way that made it seem like he was weighing his options. Sammy could almost hear what he was thinking just from the way he looked at the three of them, "She liked it, and you would too." he seemed to emanate.
"My bad, my bad." he crooned, hands in the air, a mocking surrender. "Just trying to be friendly is all."
"You don't have any friends, Reed, only days and those are carefully numbered." Katie threatened.
"Do it then." the man leaned forward with a menacing amount of calm. "You know how, you've got a gun. Do it."
Sammy's heart was beating so hard that the roar of blood in her eats was deafening. Brooklynn, crying loudly at this point was trying to press herself between Sammy's back and the wall. Sammy stared anxiously. She didn't want to see it, if Katie really did pull that trigger, and yet she couldn't look away. The medic hesitated, poised like a cowboy ready for a quickdraw, her entire form trembling.
"That's what I thought." Reed smirked. "Glad we understand the gravity of the situation. You need me, whether you like it or not."
"Fuck you!" Katie shouted, earning only a chuckle from the man.
When Katie turned her back on Reed Sammy could see just how pale and unwell the woman looked. Slowly she ran shaking fingers through her thick black hair as she stared uncertain, and ashamed of herself at the girls. Everything seemed to stall then, in the wake of it all. Time moved on, but it didn't seem to notice the four of them until freeing herself from the temporal snare Katie started loading up with gear.
"Come on girls, get up. We're almost there." she commanded, sounding firm an unafraid, though the thick gravel her voice had taken on spoke of her need to cry.
It took a few minutes to set Brooklynn on her feet, she didn't want to move, didn't want to go. All it seemed like she wanted to do was curl up and die. Sammy who wouldn't let her do it, couldn't blame her for feeling that way either. This situation was beyond reason, beyond comprehension, beyond anyone, and yet, they still had to find a way to move forward.
It wasn't long before the party was crowded around the entrance of their temporary refuge, staring out at the rain.
"Shouldn't take us longer than five, maybe ten minutes." Katie thought aloud, trying to judge distance, weather, and the state of her companions. "Ready?"
Taking Brooklynn's hand, Sammy nodded.
Stepping out into that storm was like stepping into another world. The rain was coming down in an endless wall of water. They were completely soaked through in a matter of seconds, but that wasn't the bad part. The bad part was the way it drowned everything out, the way it narrowed visibility to almost nothing. Unable to see or hear more than ten feet away in any direction, the group pulled into uncomfortably close ranks.
Only a five or ten minute walk, you've got this, Sammy affirmed to herself, eyes squinting against the deluge. Movement was slow going, hampered each time one of them stumbled over something in their path. Broken concrete, rebar, and other debris bruised and cut their legs.
Sammy's foot caught on something, she tripped, pulling Brooklynn down with her. Her arm sunk deep into something slick, and putrid. She lay struggling to get up, fighting against the squelching, rotten flesh of a rain bogged corpse. She screamed, and cried, and wretched staring down at the gore she swam in. A hand at the back of her shirt hauled the cowgirl up.
Heart racing, ears ringing, warmth running down her legs as her bladder loosed in horror Sammy frantically wiped at the viscera that coated her chest and left arm. Unable to be helped by any of them the girl wailed in anguish beyond words to express, quaking violently as she did.
Staring at the deep red-brown that washed down her arm and onto the ground the girl gave a start when she heard Reed shout, "Be more careful next time." as he turned to help the other girl.
Shocked out of her terror by a different type of dread Sammy pushed passed him, to raise Brooklynn from the ground. Slowly, cautiously they pressed forward, eyes pegged to the ground.
They rounded a corner, and there it was, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, queen of the jungle. Heart racing anew Sammy stared at the beast. Most of her bulk was obscured by the rain, but her snout only a few short feet away from the girl was clear in all its deadly menace. It felt like she was face to face with a legend, one she hadn't quite believed in, until now.
"As the legend goes," Tio Luis had said leaning over the campfire so that it's sinister glow illuminated his face just right. "That Daniel Boone was the only man alive to see the Howler and live, but that is just the legend. I've seen the beast with my own eyes." he'd said, voice dropping.
Sammy remembered how she'd scooted closer to her cousins as they sat wide eyed and nervous across from the storyteller. They'd been enjoying a productive deer season, but there was nothing scarier than going from hunter to hunted, and Tio Luis had been preying on this fear.
"And I sit before you boys witness to its ferocity." he'd gone on, rolling his sleeve to reveal the terrible, ragged looking scar on his right arm. The children had all been familiar with the sight of it, but no one had dared ask how he'd aquired it. Sammy's dad had flashed a smile, elbowing his little brother as he spoke. "It was on a night just like this." Tio Luis had continued. "Dark, and deep, the first thing I heard was a blood chilling scream..."
Brooklynn screamed, her nails digging into Sammy's arm. The team back peddled, scrambling over one another to put as much distance between them and the great animal as possible. Through the heavy veil of rain the dinosaur could just be made out lifting her head, with half interest. The sharp chuff of air that was blown from her nostrils before she lowered her head back down, seemed to carry with it's fowl odor a sense of dismissal.
Whatever the reason, be it the weather, a full belly, or pain from the wounds Sammy had noted during the brief encounter, the girl was relieved to see that Rexy wasn't paying them any mind. Legging it past the creature, Sammy held her breath in silent prayer, only letting it out when she'd thrust her way in through the front doors of the Prehistoric Plaza.
Immediately Sammy began to shake and shiver, ice cold after stepping into the air conditioned lobby. They'd made it. Somehow, they'd made it, she thought staring with only a vague sense of familiarity at the paper, and luggage strewn space. She'd been here before, but it somehow all seemed so foreign. It was eerie and felt more empty, and more sacred than it had before, almost like walking across hallowed ground.
As they gravitated towards the elevators Sammy found herself anchored in place. Turning she saw a look of sheer terror and desperation on Brooklynn's battered face.
"You can't say anything!" the pink haired girl rushed out.
"What?" Sammy, not quite following asked.
"You can't say anything about what happened!" Brooklynn shrilled, on the verge of becoming frantic. "It didn't happen, ok? It never happened! Nothing happened! No on can know! Please! Please! No one can know!" Brooklynn screamed.
Sammy stared flooded with a conflict of turmoil, empathy, and shame. It wounded her soul to see her friend like this, to hear her lost petition for mercy, for secracy, for lies. Brooklynn was asking her to lie, Sammy thought then.
Everything... everything she'd done to get here, to this point had meant lying to someone about something...
Maybe Yasmina was right about her... Maybe she really was a terrible person...
She was liar...
But, Sammy resolved, fists clenched, she never lied without good reason.
"I promise." Sammy vowed her heart bleeding as she pulled her friend into a hug.
Looking at the adults who stood near the opening metal doors Sammy witnessed cruel duality of existence in the pain, and pleasure written upon their faces.
Notes:
I hope I was able to convey the types of emotions, and narrative impact that I was trying to. I understand that this chapter is very muddled, out of order, but that was meant to convey a certain amount of detachment to show the type of shock Sammy was in. Still reeling from and trying to process one traumatic event she's immediately thrown into the next, then the next, then the next, all while feeling like it was her sole responsibility to not only protect Brooklynn, but to save Ben as well.
Because this chapter jumps around so much I'm kinda scared I made a mistake or left a thought half finished in there somewhere, if you find it please tell me! 😅
Also, it's been a while, like a long while, and no one brought it up in Homestead #1 so I'm not sure y'all remember, but the Gutierrez family was under the false assumption that the new baby was going to be another girl. This little ultrasound-switch-a-roo has happened so many times in my family we stopped throwing baby showers until after the baby gets here, so I wanted to do that with Sammy's brother too, so as far as she knows (as mentioned in chapter 2) the baby is a girl, which is why she's been musing about how "she" is doing. 😆
If anyone wants me to spell out exactly what happened for you I can, because I know this was probably a confusing read! 😅
Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it! 💗
Chapter 36: Homestead: Part 2
Notes:
Trigger Warning: Suicidal thoughts, domestic violence, and possibly transphobia.
If any of these are one of your triggers please email me at [email protected] and I will send you an edited version of this chapter without the passages that could be triggering or harmful to your mental health so that you can still enjoy the story without having to suffer to do so.
Love y'all! -ENBYsaurus RAWR!!! 💖
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
-Boston Massachusetts, Saturday 1:12pm EST-
The tiny apartment had erupted into chaos all around Monica Bowman as disagreements, long built tensions, and resentment boiled over into heated shouting. Nothing had gone right, not one damn thing this entire time. She stood destitute in the no man's land between Brandon, and the strangers they had come to stay with. Her hand on her son's arm she tried to soothe away his anger, and apologize for the insults he hurled in his tear-filled outburst.
"Money isn't a problem I'll have close to twenty-thousand after the school cuts me my check to throw at this!" Brandon yelled.
"I keep telling you, it's not that easy!" Cameron shouted back, as he tried with one hand to push Emily back down the hall where she was supposed to be taking a nap. "All the flights are canceled. I'm trying my contacts, but just going off half-cocked like this if going to get us nowhere!"
Brandon let out a little shout, his fingers buried deeply into his densely curled hair. "That's why we're going to Nicaragua, or Panama!" he elaborated. "Mom and I had this whole thing planned out before your dumbasses got involved!"
"Kid," Cameron sighed as he blinked back tears. "Everywhere down south is closing their boarders. Poachers are flocking en masse. Not to mention the flyers. Containment isn't working or guaranteed, dinosaurs have made landfall. There are riots, looting. I know you made a lot of sacrifices to even get this far, and I'm grateful for that, but for now, until we can find a backdoor, we're stuck."
"That's great, that's just fucking great!" the young man bellowed. "While you're off trying to find the white rabbit what are the rest of us supposed to do?"
Cameron swallowed hard, choking on his own hopelessness. "Wait."
Turning an enraged Brandon sent a nearby lamp flying across the room from where it had sat on an end table next to the couch. "I'm going out." he announced, pausing only a moment to watch the chihuahua, tail between its legs, scurry for cover in the kitchen. "Don't wait up."
"Brandon!" Monica called after him. Fueled by anger, disappointment, loss, and even the fear of her son being out and about in an unfamiliar city for God knows how long it took for him to cool his head, she tried to stop him. It was too late, the front door was already slamming closed behind the young man.
Covering her face with her hands Monica started to cry.
What was she even doing here?
The whole flight over she hadn't been able to breathe. She wasn't scared of flying, not by a long shot, and yet the entire flight her heart was pounding out of her chest, and her nails dug deep into the armrests. Her neighbors had been driven to a sense of malaise and insecurity by her mere anxiety inducing presence, complaining about her often, though she'd done nothing wrong, or able to be corrected. Still, she hadn't been able to articulate it to her fellow passengers or even the helpful flight attendants, it hadn't been the flight she'd been afraid of. It had been the destination.
The entire way Monica hadn't been able shake the overwhelming feeling that she was going the wrong direction. That she had been getting farther, and farther away from Darius when she should have been charging straight for him.
Now, here, squatting in someone else's home, waiting for the solution to fall into her lap Monica knew that those feelings had been right all along. These people couldn't help her anymore than those on the other end of the 800 numbers could. They were just as desperate, and the simple fact that she wasn't alone in this mess anymore wasn't enough for her. Moreover, Monica had recently come to the realization that they were using her, or, more accurately, Brandon.
They were the Brooklynn's folks.
As such they were the custodians of the massive Brooklander empire. Their daughter made content, she had merch, she had makeup lines, her own flavor of potato chips, and even rumors of a movie. She had it all. But what she didn't have, was the money. It was shuttered away, locked in an account with a fixed allowance until her eighteenth birthday, and even then her parents would have almost no access to those same funds. In trying to be the best parents they could be, in trying to fend off even the slightest of temptations to dip into her growing bank account, they had locked themselves out of the very means of reaching her now that she needed them most.
It was a catch 22.
Then, of course came Monica and her big mouth, spilling out news of Brandon's student loan under the assumption that they would be pooling resources. The Meyers and Tillmans couldn't get them to Boston fast enough. Whenever, however, Cameron found their hole in the fence, it was Brandon who would be footing the bill.
Tears turned to bitter laugher when the thought struck her, that in order to save her youngest, she'd be throwingher oldest to the wolves. She was almost glad he'd broken that lamp. They deserved it.
No.
No, she thought to herself. They were scared patents trying to find a way to save their baby, just like she was. If situations were reversed Monica knew damn well that she'd have done the same. Besides, if they didn't care, if they didn't love their little girl, they would have jumped at making a profit out of this, allowing Brooklynn to become the face of the tragedy. They would have been leaping over themselves to declare her dead and get their hands on that cash. They would have done a million different, cold and calculating different things.
Instead they were all crammed together with a couple of strangers in an apartment paid for with teacher's salaries. They were good people, she reminded herself. They were just lost.
Snuffing her nose Monica listened to the couple discussing in a terse conversation, that the attorneys had called again, and what were they going to do about it. When Cameron loudly, and deliberately changed subjects to Emily's condition Monica finally broke herself free from her melancholy.
"He's right you know." she intoned, turning to look at the woman. "All this isn't good for you, or the baby. Trust me, I'm a nurse."
Moving to the broken lamp Monica left them to it, and began to tidy the largest pieces of porcelain first. Looking up after a minute she saw Cameron standing over her, the bristled end of a broom making its way into her workspace.
"I'm sorry about all this." the woman apologized.
"Don't be." Cameron shook his head. "I know what it's like to be a teenage boy, stressed, running without sleep, and on low blood sugar. Tempers flair. Only, he's got a lot more on his plate than finals."
"Yeah, yeah he does." Monica agreed as the two cleaned the mess her son had made.
"He'll be alright. And the girls will understand when they get back with the food, promise!" Emily smiled as brightly as she could from the hallway where she rested against the wall.
They were, all of them, trying way too hard to be accommodating.
Monica measured them with a look.
"I think, all of this shit would be a lot less stressful if we were honest with each other." she said.
Cameron and Emily exchanged nervous glances each trying to feign ignorance.
"Look, neither my son, nor I are stupid. We've overheard you talking, and put it all together. We know you need us for that money." Monica said plainly, stooping down to pick up the frightened dog who had been doing figure eights between her and Cameron as she spoke.
"Please, it's not like that-" Cameron said while at the same time Emily spit, "We'll pay you back!"
Monica, chihuahua tucked beneath her arm, twisted the plain, but much loved gold band she still wore around her finger for the calming strength it provided. "It's ok. We need you too. Can we just drop this act and talk to each other like the adults we are?"
Cameron held her gaze, and nodded.
Good, the woman thought. Her baby needed her, and these stupid games, and these insignificant bouts of ego weren't about to keep her from saving him.
"Thank you." Monica sighed, feeling better as a small amount of weight lifted from her shoulders. "Now, what can I do to help at this stage?"
-Portland Oregon, Saturday 10:40am PST-
The single most cruel part of life, was simply that it went on long after its worth in living. Joseph had thought this many a times over, throughout the course of the past few harrowing years. But one man's pain just wasn't enough of a cog out of place to disrupt anything. The clock just kept running. Counting down the time until the last star burnt out, and the universe harsh, and unforgiving went cold.
Besides, there was work to do, bills to be paid, and if he was so inclined, he should probably find something to eat, the man thought, but did nothing to enact change.
The answer was there. Somewhere. The key to finding his way out of the stagnant abyss in which he resided. He just hadn't found the right clues yet.
He felt like Matthias struggling to get at Martin's sword just to find the key to survival stolen from him, and missing. Only, he had no way to retrieve it from the snake's maw. Instead he was left here, unarmed, and waiting for Cluny's horde to take what they would.
He wasn't a hero.
He wasn't able to fight off the terrors that plagued his son. He just had to sit here, and wait, and watch, and pray. Pray that his wife would bring them both home to him.
Letting out a sob he turned towards the stack of books piled beside him on the couch. Joseph knew that he really needed to get back to work, but somehow he just couldn't do it.
He hadn't been sure for the longest time what his son had seen in these books. Fanciful tales of armor clad rodents up against impossible odds. But still he'd read every single one. These books were the safe place Ben had built for himself. Reading them gave them something to talk about, but more than that, it gave Joseph a means to feel close to his son, even when living so far away.
No, Joseph never got the appeal. Lord of the Rings was better, far and away, but his son wasn't interested in those.
Now though? Now it all made sense. Not matter how bleak, how tragic, or how impossible the situation each and every page dripped with one thing: Hope. Ben had always needed hope, and right now Joseph did too. So, even though he had work to do, and deadlines to meet the man reached out for a book and opened it.
"'Who says that I am dead, Knows nought at all...'" he read to himself in a quivering voice, struggling above all to cling to what these books meant to his son; that no matter what, there was always hope...
-Omaha Nebraska, Saturday 12:55pm DST-
Jamil stared hard at the concave hole his son had left in the wall. They'd yet to repair it, or even alert the landlord to the damage. It was just one more thing Jamil couldn't stomach to have on his plate. So it remained, a visual reminder of how fractured and broken his family was.
The plaster and paint had splintered, he took note, fracturing far and away from the point of impact. It looked, almost, like a spider's web. Jamil felt trapped. He felt trapped, as though he himself was bound within a spider's web. He could feel it, the tensile strength of a million different cords wrapping their way around him, and constricting the very air from his lungs.
He was the father. He was the husband. He was meant to be the provider and the head of house.
It was his job to make the choices no one else could, even when they were hard. Yet, his soul bled with uncertainty and fear.
He'd been waiting, biding his time, praying and putting his troubles into the hands of Allah. Still Jamil could find no answers. No willpower. How could he do it? How could he put a price on his daughter's life?
He was grateful, proud, even, to have been born an American, where he thought such a question would never arise. Yet, here it was presented to him many times over, by many different entities.
Jurassic World wanted to settle. They had been hounding the Fadoula family, and certainly thousands more to settle. Begging them to take the money and go quietly into the night. Asking them to forget, to forgive, to move on, as if their lives had forever felt that void they would now be forced to live with.
Then, there was the other side of the coin. The movement. The massive lawsuit. Attorneys representing a vast majority of the families left in ruins or handicapped by the incident wanting to use Yasmina's name, and her growing fame, coupled with that Brooklynn girl's to give a face to the suit being filed against Jurassic World.
Jamil had been offered quite a lucrative cut. Nothing stirred people to anger more than youth ended before its time, save for perhaps, youth with the clear potential for so much more. What more could these vultures in suits have asked for than a teenage celebrity, and an Olympic hopeful?
Then there was her life insurance.
Everyone needed answers. Everyone needed a price. Everyone wanted a piece of Jamil's soul, trading it away for money in his dead daughter's name.
He was supposed to have all of the answers but he didn't have a single one. Not even for the imam. There were prayers that needed saying, and no one to say them. Jamil just couldn't, wouldn't accept the one thing everyone seemed to be trying to tell him, that his daughter was dead.
Slow to react the man was only vaguely aware that his phone had begun to vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he opened the notification marked by a red envelope. It was from the college. The summer semester was coming to an end, and with it the generous extension he'd been given was about to expire. Another cord wrapped around his neck, another helping piled onto his plate, and as the first bitter tears began to fall he couldn't find a single reason worth caring...
-Roundtop Texas, Saturday 1:20pm CST-
A week, her daddy had been in the ground for a whole week. Ana stared despondent at the wall straight in front of her, her hands working with the same circular motions that they had been for the past twenty minutes. The plate was clean, but she couldn't seem to put it down, wiping again, and again at the none existent filth with her dish-rag.
Her mind seemed to be a frantic race of questions, fears, and condemnable lines of self ridicule and hatred, but at the same time these thoughts were also mere whispers, buzzing little gnats swarming at the base of her skull. They lingered just under the nothingness. The nothingness that filled her head. The nothingness that filled her heart. The nothingness that filled her soul.
Ana was full of nothingness.
It was strange, impossible even, she thought, to be so full of nothing. But she was. There was just nothing there.
Empty.
Hollow.
But filled to the brim.
She felt so full of it, the nothingness, her skin stretched tight like a water balloon. She was so full that she thought she would burst. But it was all nothing. She was full of nothing.
Ana was so empty and devoid of all thought, and all feeling that the nothingness pressed out against her, making dark spots flood her vision with each and every heartbeat. The nothingness was trying to find a way to escape.
Was that what it had been like for her daddy? she wondered. Was he so full of emptiness, and nothing that he had to let it out somehow? Was that what had killed him? The emptiness that came when all the other terrible emotions had eaten up and destroyed whatever might have been inside you before?
At fourteen the girl was already well acquainted with the concepts of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, though they had all been just that, concepts. She'd never truly experienced any of these things herself, well, except maybe for now. Now Ana felt like, in the worst way possible, she knew her father better than she ever had when he was alive. This was his secret. This was how he'd lived his life until he couldn't live it any longer. In this hell, at least, she was close to him.
Silent tears made deep craters in the blanket of suds that filled the sink.
Still, even with this polluted form of understanding the girl could feel the rotten cavity that devoured her from the inside out beginning to grow. In spite of her pain and terror and grief Ana just couldn't understand why he would do it. Why he would just leave them all here? Why would he risk... going there... by killing himself? she questioned, fighting back a shudder.
It wasn't even worth it, the thought chilled down the girl's spine.
It wasn't worth it.
It never had been.
It wasn't worth all the sorrow, the shame, the trying everything he could to save the ranch. It wasn't worth the emptiness he'd had to live with. But more than all this, it wasn't worth his life.
It, the ranch, was just a place. A worthless miserable place where they were all throwing their lives away. She thought bitterly, though not for the first time, as the tears began to flow freely now.
The work was hard, hot, long, and the rewards were few and far between. If it had been up to her they would have sold this place a long time ago, moved to the city and her parents could have gotten jobs doing anything else, anywhere else, and they could have made it work. They would have been happier anywhere but here, the girl who had always planned to get out of this meandering and destitute lifestyle as soon as she could, thought to herself.
Maybe if they had left all this behind, she'd still have a dad. But they didn't, and now she didn't. Now they were going to lose the ranch too. So what was the point? What was the point of his suicide if it changed nothing? Either way they would have lost, so, why?
Meaningless, she realized. His death had been absolutely meaningless. Their fate remained unaltered. That was what hurt the most.
If he'd held on, just a little while longer then, maybe, maybe they could have found a way to rebuild. They could have found a way to go on living, to find a way to be a family. Instead they were just a broken collection of strangers.
Tio Luis had brought Tia Eloisa and the boys up to help out after the funeral. They were all solemn, but set to their task. Abryan was stuck with this perpetual, distant stare and refused to set foot in the house. He worked hard all day, ate little, then slept in his dad's truck. He was quiet now, and quickly getting skinny, but he wouldn't talk to anyone. Ana felt for him, wished there was something she could do to help, but the more she tried the further he pulled away. So Ana stopped trying, with everyone.
All Georgia and the baby did was cry, while no matter how she tried Marisa was always in the way. All the boys did was work the ranch while Tia Eloisa, and Abuela cooked and cleaned. She hardly saw Tio Luis anymore, and most of the time Ana still had to remind herself that Mama wasn't dead too.
For all she loved her parents, a part of Ana had always resented them for the workload the girl was expected to shoulder. Now, that workload was unmanageable as her father lay dead and her mother grieved as if she, and she alone had experienced a loss, heedless and ignorant to her own children, as though their very existence had gone without notice or care. She was a selfish, miserable shell of her former self, and the fourteen year old hated her for it.
Mama might well as be dead, Ana thought then, the idea lancing her soul with fright and regret. Bitter, shame filled sobs wracked the girl's frame. She was a horrible, ungrateful, evil person, and if anyone deserved to die it was her.
Barely able to see past her tears Ana finally dropped the plate that had held her captive, tethering her to place. Watching as it quickly sank back down into the cool water she couldn't even begin to fathom as to why she had bothered with it in the first place. Nothing any of them did mattered, nor would it ever. Her family was in shambles, torn asunder by death, and debt. She was a terrible, ungrateful, unworthy brat, and the sooner she was out of this place, out of their lives the better.
Ana stopped, that was probably what daddy thought. In a flush of rage the teenager kicked the cupboard beneath the sink again, and again until in a flash of pain the wood splintered cutting deep serrations into her foot. Ana let out a scream that was one part pain, three parts pent rage before turning to storm to her room, leaving a bloody trail behind her.
In her bed she kicked and wailed and screamed with all her might until she couldn't fight it anymore. She was tired, she thought then, so tired. Half dozing, she didn't move when her aunt came to check on her. Tia Eloisa looked her foot over with a wet washcloth before passed a hand over her face. Ana didn't move even when the woman pressed a kiss into the girl's forehead. Though she knew she should, Ana felt nothing at the display of tender care and affection.
She only roused when moments later her cell buzzed in her pocket. It was a text, from Lauren.
"Any word on Sam?" It read.
"Sorry worried" came an immediate follow up.
"Hats stupid u r too, my bad." came a third.
Ana blinked back fresh tears.
Sam.
As if the situation couldn't get any worse, Ana didn't even have her big brother to rely on. He was missing, and probably dead too. The girl's heart ached at the idea.
Ana had been ten, going on eleven when her brother had changed. It stung, still, even as everyone else seemed to accept and move on where Ana couldn't. That was why her friends meant so much to her. They knew all her secrets, and guarded them well. They understood her struggle to come to terms with what she considered were her brother's delusions.
In a way, they felt more like family, because of it.
Her friends didn't get mad at her for "dead naming," or "misgendering" him. They listened to her whenever it all got too much to bear and she just had to yell, or vent, or cry. When it got down to it Ana just didn't understand and of it.
Why couldn't Sam just be gay? Even if he was a really effeminate gay man it was easier to understand, than...this. It was gross and wrong and weird. Besides it left a black mark on the family, they'd all lost friends, good graces at church, and became the targets of hatred and ridicule from strangers both online and in person.
Still, Ana would do anything to have her brother back, even if it meant feeding into the lies he was telling himself, for however long it took for him to realize his mistake.
"No," Ana tapped back. "Nothing yet. I hope he's ok but I'm scared."
"Me 2"
Rolling onto her back the girl hugged the lifeline that was her phone to her chest. Then Ana cried for her brother, realizing that in all this time, all of her tears had been for her daddy. She really was a terrible person, and an even worse sister...
-Westchester New York, Saturday 3:40pm EST-
Candy had been alone. She should have been used to it by now. Only child, orphaned in her teens. Working up to three jobs at once, living with roommates she barely knew. One abusive boyfriend after the next. Now, this: a blue clad shadow following after an emotionally distant man who's only redeeming feature was that at least he didn't hit her.
Still, just because she should have been used to it didn't mean she was.
Josiah never answered any of her calls. Niether did the people she had been foolish enough to once call her friends. Finding herself in the bottom of one bottle after another it wasn't long before the woman found herself wishing that she had someone, anyone to turn to.
It was no wonder she'd called Shawn when she did, she thought. Despite the snarky commentary the officers were giving her as to how she should have known better. Looking up at the men with a sense of loss and disbelief as she sat black-eyed and battered on the front steps of the house giving her statement Candy couldn't help but feel abandoned by them as well.
They didn't care, not really. Besides, the way they looked at it, she was asking for it, just like she'd been told before all those times she stayed with someone she shouldn't have. They just didn't understand how deep the loneliness could cut.
Still, Candy was very aware that all of the blame rested squarely on her. She'd called him up, he'd actually answered. He'd listened to her as she poured her guts out, and for the first time in a long time the woman felt seen, heard, valued, and maybe even... loved.
That's all she wanted, all she needed, to be loved.
So of course she invited him over. Of course she gave him the code to the gate. Of course she let him in through the front door. And of course they had a few drinks too many.
The fact that Shawn hadn't tried to make a move or take advantage of her inebriation, though a relief, was the first red flag. Candy should have known he'd planned to lift as much as he could, it wasn't the first time he'd stolen from her after all. She just felt so incredibly stupid for falling for it. More so, for having tried to stop him.
Everything was bound to be insured, she realized, but in her disbelief and sense of betrayal when she'd woken to find what he was doing the alcohol had fueled an idiotic amount of rage within the woman.
She'd tried to stop him, he'd beat the shit out of her. Tale as old as time. Only, now, she could actually afford the dental work, she thought, tonguing the painful space where a molar had broken. It was just another mistake she was too stupid to see she was making until after she'd made it. God she hated herself.
"Will you need help to the ambulance?" one of the cops asked as someone from the fire department wheeled a gurney to the bottom of the stairs.
Candy shook her head, regretting it instantly. She'd had worse.
Worse.
What could get worse than this? She wondered. She'd signed a kids death sentence. His dad had done everything he could to profit from it, and now they were both gone, and Candy was alone. Alone and stupid enough to let herself get beat and robbed by a man who'd done it before. She should really just take a handful of pills and quit while she was ahead she thought, gingerly making her way down towards the ambulance.
Notes:
A super short chapter, but honestly there's not a lot going on back home. The various families are all caught in the same limbo, and they're all going through different stages of grief.
I really just wanted to touch bases with them again to keep the flow and continuity of the story going, and showcase some of what external pressures they're under at the moment, even if most of them are still very emotionally numb and viewing things through a lense of detachment, or loss.
Also I said "possibly transphobia" in the beginning because the way Ana is thinking about Sammy does come off that way, but she's also only 14, and I want to give her credit for being a kiddo trying to come to terms with a big life change that she didn't expect to go through. She still loves Sammy with all her heart, she just doesn't understand. While you're free to feel however you want about this character I just wanted to state that she is not vilified in my eyes.
Thank you for reading! Have a great one! 💗
Chapter 37: Return to Base
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Yasmina wasn't a team player, she never had been. That was part of what made track so appealing. Sure you could train as a group, and you could even compete against others "as a group," but when it really came down to it they ran their race, and you ran yours. That was the way she'd liked it, the way she'd always liked it. Walls high and impenetrable she kept a world that scorned and betrayed her at arms length so that she couldn't be hurt again. Because people sucked. She hated people. And she definitely wasn't a team player.
Or so she told herself.
Everything changed somehow, on the island. She found that her walls had windows, and even doors. It wasn't easy, and it hurt, but she'd started letting people in. It had begun with Dave, Dopey Dave. He was the annoying camp counselor who was really just a big kid at heart who, frustratingly insisted on trailing her every morning. Then it was Sammy, the beautiful girl who had this glow, and natural way with people, and even animals that emanated from within her. Finally it was Kenji, he was a pain in the ass. Yasmina didn't even why she liked him, or how they got along, but she knew he cared in a way she wasn't sure the others could see.
Yeah, it was true, hard as it was to believe, but Yaz had friends. Good friends. Then, just as she'd expected those very same friends betrayed her. Dave, though she tried not to blame him had abandoned her here to die. Kenji quit. And Sammy, Sammy had lied. When Yaz had borne to her, her soul, she'd lied. Yasmina had never been more vulnerable than that night, the night before Indominus Rex, and what had it gotten her? A burnt bridge. Yeah, now Yaz had friends alright, and an enemy.
Typical.
More than that though, she had people, people who really needed her, depended on her.
Darius had been an absolute wreck since that first night without the supply party, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why. He'd quickly lost himself somewhere after that, poured everything he had into that notebook he'd found. Observing the monsters that kept them bound to this place, bound to their doomed fates, he'd become a fanatic. So, Yaz gave him time. Made sure he ate. Made sure he drank. Made sure he wasn't burying himself too deep, and remembered to come up for air.
There was Kenji. He seemed alright, on the outside, but Yasmina knew better. She'd seen the fragile little boy hiding behind his egotistical bravado out on that balcony. More than that however, she'd seen his self-destructive side, and had the growing suspicion that Darius had been onto something when he'd watched the other boy drink himself into a stupor. Yaz now had the distinct impression that she needed to keep him from doing something stupid, something permanent. So, she talked to him. Joked with him. Insulted him, in that weird way they had about their friendship. And above all, she let him know that he would be missed.
Chase, or, the boy they called Chase, had come to rely on her as well. Lost, afraid, and sporting fresh bruises Yasmina tried her best to be the friendly nurturing presence he deserved. Kenji was better at the friend part anyways. So, she'd rocked him, and sung to him. It felt strange. Yaz had been so self-conscious about what she'd sounded like that she'd even forgotten what she was singing halfway through. The kid hadn't seemed to notice, or care, so, Yaz kept it up. Eventually he'd fallen asleep, to her off key caterwaul.
Then there was Ben. Oh how she selfishly wished there wasn't Ben, but there was. It was difficult, impossible even, to imagine that this was the reality of life and death faced by so many people every single day all around the world. But it was. Death, she'd realized didn't always come quick, and quiet for someone in their sleep. Nor did it come gruesome, bloody, and instantaneous on some remote jungle island. Sometimes, sometimes death took its time. Sometimes death played games.
And death had been playing one hell of a game with Ben.
He'd been asleep for days, and that was if she looked at things optimistically. Yaz was fairly certain it was a coma at this point. The girl tried to be dutiful in remembering to roll and flip him to prevent bed sores. She was sure to circle his arms, and cycle his legs to keep the blood flowing. She dabbed his dry and crusted lips with a damp cloth. She'd been doing anything she could think of to keep him comfortable.
Even if that meant making herself so, very, uncomfortable.
Ben had gotten, what was for lack of a better word, a diaper rash, from his incontinence. It had been bad and bled in spots, at the start, and Yaz didn't imagine it felt any better than it looked. So, after much internal deliberation, turmoil, and doubt, whenever she was sure no one else was watching Yasmina would use a washcloth to apply the diaper cream Brooklynn had been hording to... the area.
It was hard. It was embarrassing. It was gross. And almost every time Yasmina nearly backed out, too squeamish, and humiliated to do it again. But, then, she realized, if that was how she felt about it, how much more humiliating and embarrassing must it have been for Ben?
Besides, she was just paying it forward for the time she'd pissed on Brooklynn and Sammy when they couldn't get her to the toilet in time. With that in mind she always found the strength, and always managed to keep his modesty intact. If anyone had to see him like that, it was better that it was someone he knew, someone who had been looking after him, and someone cared about things like that, like modesty, and privacy.
He hadn't gone for days, though, the dehydration setting in, there wasn't anything anyone could do but watch. At least now his skin was almost entirely healed, she thought, and when he did die, at least he'd die comfortably.
Yaz let out a heartbroken sob of tears as she lay, thinking of all these things, watching the dying boy breathe in shallow, fluttering breaths. It was a hollow comfort, but here that was the only kind of comfort there was. At least, he'd die comfortably, she reaffirmed to herself, reaching to take his hand so he knew he wasn't alone.
She was spent, and needed sleep, but she just couldn't let herself, not after Darius' episode, not after learning what she had.
He'd been screaming, crying so hard he couldn't breathe. Snot and tears poured down his face. He'd trembled so violently that the boy had bit his tongue, bad, as he tried to articulate what was wrong. Horrified Kenji and Yasmina had done their best to calm him, but he seemed unreachable. It was as if after holding on to anything he could, just to keep his footing, Darius had, at last, fallen through the ice.
Kenji fell in next. After trying to get Darius to collect himself for several minutes Kenji had started crying too.
"I'm sorry!" Kenji had wailed, hand reflexively guarding his ribs and doing no good. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me. I just want to help- but I can't- I can't help anyone. I'm useless! I can't help! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll stop, I promise." he'd gone on, glancing at Yasmina as though he'd been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to.
Yasmina hadn't known what to do, so she hugged them both close while whatever happened beyond their room happened. A part of her genuinely didn't care anymore as long as her little, cobbled together family was safe. That was when she'd heard Bumpy and Chase howling from the bedroom as they watched the boys crumble, igniting anxiety of their own.
Removing them from the situation had shifted to the girl's first priority then. Guiding Chase as she walked heavily on her bad leg Yasmina practically shoved the child and ankylosaurus into the bunk room, promised that they would be ok, and turned the TV up, loud, shutting the door behind her. From there, there was nothing else to do, but try, try to get them through it until they could sober up from the fear, from the loss, from the... everything, they'd been through.
It had taken a long, difficult while.
At last, in a hollow, shaky whisper Darius shared with them the grim news that had set all of this in motion. "Purdy killed Lawrence."
The words tumbled into the air without definition, hanging in empty space as Yasmina and Kenji tried to derive meaning from a phrase that just... didn't make sense. Purdy had brought Lawrence all this way, carried him here even knowing the risks. Purdy was the guy who'd tried to smooth things over after their first encounter. He was the one who "didn't leave a man behind." More than that, he was Lawrence's friend.
"He killed him." Darius had repeated, when the others continued to stare in dumbfounded shock. "Smothered him with a pillow."
"What the actual fuck?" had been all Kenji could get out.
Yasmina felt herself bristle, goosebumps covering her body, she started to quake. "That explains all the shouting." she had observed.
This, she felt, had confirmed her long held suspicions. They weren't safe with these people. She'd been sure of that fact since coming face to face with the business end of a gun, commands shouted at them in clumsy, but no less threatening in tone, Arabic.
"We need a gun." Darius had muttered then, staring hard at something in the far distance that only he was aware of.
"What?" Yaz had gasped. The idea had sent electricity through the young woman's spine. Kenji, turned with knit brows and wide eyes, as if appraising what the other boy had said.
"We need a gun. It's the only way." Darius had reiterated. "We can't trust these people, and there's no telling if they'll come for any of us next. Ben's pretty much dead weight."
There was a brief outburst of emotion. What Darius was saying, though far from untrue, had set fire to the combative natures of the other two.
"Don't say that!" Kenji had shouted. "Don't you ever say that! Its-" the young man had stopped himself here, choking hard on his words as he tried not to blame Ben's condition on Darius, again.
"We'll find a way, we always do." Yaz had said, reaching to put a hand of each of their shoulders. "There's no fucking way we're letting anything happen to Ben, or anyone else."
"Yeah?" Darius had laughed. "You and what army?"
There it was, spelled out for them clear as day. No matter how hard they tried, how deeply they dug their heels, or how much they cared, they were outnumbered, and quite literally, outgunned. The cold breath of dread had caused the hairs on the back of Yasmina's neck to stand on end as the reality of their situation sunk in.
Killer dinosaurs, outside. Killer humans, inside. No way off the island. What was the lesser of the two evils? Yaz had wondered. What promised them the best chance at survival? And how were any of them supposed to get out of this alive?
"I can do it." Darius announced. "Next time I'm on mess detail."
The others had tried to fight him, but he just smiled sadly and shook his head. "It's ok. I've got this... Is that SpongeBob?" he had added, gaze shifting to the bunk room door. "I love SpongeBob."
He'd gotten up then, and headed in to watch TV with Chase leaving Yasmina to stare helplessly at Kenji.
"What do we do?" he'd asked.
"I don't know." the girl had confessed, wondering how the mantle of leadership had passed to her shoulders. "But that switch was scary. Do you think he's ok?"
"Fuck no." Kenji had shaken his head. "I'll go, sit with him."
"Good idea." Yasmina had murmured, though she was already distanced from him by thought.
Even now, even after throwing a blanket over Darius and Chase who'd fallen asleep on the floor, even after Kenji had gotten up from the bottom bunk to check on Ben, only to stumble back to his own bed where he cried himself to sleep with defeat, she was still, lost in thought. Listening to the rain she ruminated on everything. She couldn't help but dwell on how they'd gotten there, on what might have happened on that "day trip" to the hospital, on Ben's condition, on everything Darius had told them, on an escape plan.
They needed a way to get away.
They needed to get themselves out of this hotel, and away from the crazy, fucked up ACU team that was keeping them prisoner. They needed to do it soon, no matter how hard leaving without- without resolution would be, no matter how difficult it would be to carry Ben, it had to be done. It just had to.
Misty eyed Yasmina contended with herself. She needed to formulate a plan, she needed a concrete foundation to stand on, but she also needed sleep. She was exhausted, her head hurt, and everything inside was such a volatile concoction under immense external pressures that she was sure that sooner or later something was going to pop.
It would be just her luck too, to die of an aneurysm on Killer Dinosaur Island.
Laying there, wrestling in her mind, holding Ben's hand, was when she'd heard it. The slow grating sound of 608's main door struggling to open against its broken frame, wood scraping wood. In an instant adrenaline flooded the young woman's veins. Acting on instinct she shot out of bed, ignoring the way her knee protested, resisting the sudden, and explosive movement.
"Kenji!" she barked in as low and commanding a tone as she could manage. "Kenji, wake up!"
Heart racing, head swimming, fists clenched Yasmina wasn't sure how, or with what, but she intended to defend her friends. The knob of the bedroom door turned next, the wooden panel swinging open. There, on the side, covered in scratches, bruises, blood, and soaking wet was
S
A
M
M
Y
The fight immediately drained out of Yasmina as in relief she felt herself sagging towards the floor. Rocked backwards, dizzy with elation, her fists fell alongside the tears which now flooded her eyes. She couldn't move, couldn't beathe, couldn't let herself believe that this was real. It was a dream, it had to be. She'd finally fallen asleep, and in place of the now familiar nightmares stood a dream, a dream with short black hair, and deep brown eyes that emanated inner light, a dream built on love, a dream named: Sammy.
Yasmina threw herself into the other girl's arms, holding her as tightly, and as closely as she could. Shaking violently she screamed and sobbed for all the pent up grief now finally given voice as it mingled with celebration and sheer joy. That's when her gaze lit upon the unmistakable pink hair of Brooklynn, as the girl huddled behind Sammy. She felt her heart explode for happiness and relief, in ways she hadn't thought physically possible.
"la ilaha illa Allah Muhammadun Rasul Allah!" Yasmina exclaimed tearfully into the embrace.
The air sucked in through her teeth then. Startled by her own reaction, Yaz went rigid. Why would she say that? Why would say those words? What did those words even mean? She'd said them for so long as a child before she knew they had meaning. How long after that had she said them with a full heart, a troubled heart, a broken heart, and now not at all?
"la ilaha illa Allah Muhammadun Rasul Allah."
These words were a declaration of faith. They meant belonging. They meant identity. They meant an unblemished, and undoubting sense of belief.
But why would she say them if she didn't believe?
She didn't believe.
And yet-
She couldn't believe.
Islam had no place for people like her.
And yet-
Even after all this, even after all the death, and carnage and hopelessness. How could she believe?
And yet-
After true miracles and after answered, unspoken prayers written in the dust that covered the mirror of her heart, how could she not believe?
...she did believe.
Deep down, she'd always believed.
Pop.
Everything inside burst.
Only, it wasn't an aneurysm, it was all the levees that guarded her walls as everything came tumbling down around her.
Yaz squeezed Sammy even tighter, for fear of falling as much as a need to be near her. Her nails bit into Sammy's back as Yasmina's heart broke for herself, for all those years spent in hatred and anger, while in that very same moment as her soul found healing in faith, and comfort in love, slowly beginning to mend from all its hurts.
How had Mr Blavin put it when she'd first stopped wearing her hijab at school? "Though the ship is divine, the crew is merely human. Keep your chin up kid."
For too long she'd put too much weight behind the opinions of others, and not enough faith in the hands to whom it belonged. No one could tell her what to believe, or how to live. She could be gay, and Muslim, and any wrong doing in that seemingly contradictory statement was between her and Allah, and no one else.
Still clinging desperately to Sammy, Yaz shook with bodily wracking sobs as she breathily whispered, "la ilaha illa Allah Muhammadun Rasul Allah!" for a second, and third time.
She was ok, Yasmina thought joyfully, Sammy was ok, alive, alright, here, in her arms. Sammy was here. She was here. She was safe. They rocked backwards, Sammy braced them, and they pivoted forward, Yaz’s bad leg dragging them to the side.
"We're dancing again." Sammy whispered.
"At least this time it's not in the bathroom!" Yasmina replied, heart aflutter, but stomach knotting from the deep, nauseating reek that rolled off of Sammy.
Nose wrinkled with disgust, they separated for only an instant. Yaz looked up to see Sammy crying just as hard as she was. Pulling her in close, in spite of the smell, Yasmina cherished the press of Sammy's dry, cracked lips that trembled with cold as they fit so nicely, against her own. Only vaguely aware of anyone else in the room Yaz heard Kenji whooping loudly at this.
The girl's came apart, laughing.
"Shut up, Kenji." Yaz said.
Sammy took a half-step into the room then, as a groggy Darius thrust himself through the side door, nearly colliding into Yasmina as he did. With a suddenly waning smile Sammy turned back towards Brooklynn, while, grinning so broadly that her cheeks hurt Yasmina mentally scolded herself for having neglected her friend, and reached to embrace the pink haired influencer.
"I'm so happy you're-" Yaz stopped, brows knitting as the Super Star grimaced, and stepped just out of reach.
Eyes narrowing with reproach Yasmina watched the haggard pair of young women stagger into the room together, remembering why she'd built her walls up in the first place, and just how much she hated popular types like Brooklynn. They always thought they were better than everyone else. People sucked.
"This doesn't mean I forgive you." Yaz snapped, remembering herself and her wounded pride in the face of such a rejection. "I'm just happy you're not dead. Both of you, but I guess that doesn't matter to Brooklynn the bit-"
"Don't, don't you fucking dare Yasmina Fadoula!" Sammy roared then, fire, true fire blazing behind her eyes.
Yaz was shocked, and so taken aback that she was speechless. The atmosphere in the room changed then as Kenji's celebratory shouts and hurried attempts to get out of bed halted. Sammy glared at Yasmina, hard and hateful. The moment, whatever it was, was over. On the verge of tears, again, the athlete turned and walked away as quickly as her mending leg could carry her.
"Brooklynn!" Darius laughed through his crying as he rushed open armed to hug his friends. "Sammy! You're alright!"
Yaz watched from her side of the room as Brooklynn wormed her way out of Sammy's guiding hand, as retreated hastily from the boy.
"No!" Brooklynn shrieked. "Don't. Just- Just fuck off Darius ok?"
The silence that filled the room next was so heavy it as if a black hole had just swallowed the campers.
"I just- I need a shower, ok?" the vain, pink haired girl elaborated darting past everyone and directly into the bathroom.
Hurt, and confused Darius still stood, arms open and beginning to shake. With a deep look that was a blend of concern, and pity Sammy stepped into his arms and hugged him back. Darius buckled into the affectionate display and started to weep.
"I'm sorry!" he said. "What did I do? I've been so worried! I'm sorry- I just-"
"Shh..." Sammy soothed, though something about her seemed off, and antsy, she never once took her eyes off the bathroom door. "It's ok Darius, I promise. We've just been through a lot, especially Brooklynn. She needs time, and space."
"What did happen out there?" Kenji blurted, leaning forward with interest as a new bout of commotion broke out in the hall.
"A lot." Sammy summarized.
"Like, what?" Kenji persisted. "Why didn't you come back? Did you get the medicine?"
Sammy's uncharacteristic anger sparked to life once more, burning red-hot against the ignorant young man.
"A lot!" she screamed, ripping herself away from Darius and stalking towards him. "People fucking died, Kenji! We almost died, Kenji!" she motioned to the blood that Yasmina had been too deliriously excited to notice, that covered almost her entire frame. "When I say 'a lot' happened, I mean a lot happened. So, keep your fucking questions to yourself!"
No one dared breathe as they stared frightened and alarmed at the only one among them who had, until now, been a calm and collected presence.
"I'm sorry." Kenji croaked.
Taking a wavering breath the Texan gathered her composure. "It's ok." she said. "I'm sorry too, just please, don't ask us what happened. It was bad. It was really, really bad, and that's all any of you need to know."
No one knew what to say. Yaz sat on the end of the bed and watched as Sammy went to the bathroom, knocked on the door, declared herself and said she was going to find fresh clothes. Then, without looking at, or talking to any of them, Sammy left. A cold numbness settled over the room as it became clear that although Sammy and Brooklynn had both made it safely back to them, that something in them had changed.
Maybe, they weren't the only ones either, Yasmina mused to herself as she took in the once so confident and sure Darius as he sat weepy eyed on the floor picking at his nails. Kenji too, he was quiet, and stared vacantly at the ceiling, deeply wounded by Sammy's attack. He hardly cracked jokes anymore, and fluctuated between one of two modes stoic and beside himself with fear.
Yaz herself had changed too, though it was hard for her to see how, but she was sure it was there, the singing was definitely new...
Silence ate up the next several minutes as the children who had remained behind waited for the children who had left to gather themselves. Yasmina wanted to break the tension for the boys, assure them that everything was going to be alright, but she didn't know that, not for sure, besides she couldn't think of what to say. So they waited.
Sammy came back knocked on the bathroom door again, then tried the handle the but found it locked.
"Brooke, it's me, Sammy. I brought you clothes." the cowgirl explained, juggling an armful of shirts, undergarments, and bottoms.
"You don't gotta let me in, you just gotta get the clothes." Sammy called again, loudly, when nothing productive happened.
"Do you want me to try?" Darius asked, from where he sulked in the bunk room doorway.
"Nah, I got it." Sammy shook her head.
"I'm putting them outside the door for you. Whenever you're ready." Sammy shouted out to be heard over the running water.
Sammy hesitated, as though she was unsure of what to do next. She was spent and appeared to be on the verge of tears.
"A lot." Sammy had said, they'd been through a lot. Yaz hadn't seen it when they'd first walked in, she'd been too happy, too excited, too relieved, but she saw it now. Sammy had worn herself thin out there, like that band tee you couldn't bring yourself to throw away. She looked scared, she looked exhausted, and she looked utterly and completely lost.
"Sammy," Yasmina called to her from where she sat at Ben's feet. "You ok?"
"No." the other girl whimpered making fleeting, helpless eye contact.
Katie strode into room the then, just as dirty, just as tired, but much more gathered, and confident. In fact her face was so hard set with such clear determination that Yasmina, who had been getting up to hug Sammy, was afraid to get in her way.
"Shower." Katie spat in command to Sammy.
"But-" Sammy began gesturing over she shoulder.
"Brooklynn?" the woman asked, Sammy nodded. "I've got her, gonna be working on Ben. It's ok. Go shower."
Sammy stood with her back pressed against the door, watching the medic, but didn't move.
"Cadaver blood, viscera, and feces," the woman motioned with a hand. "Means real bad news. Get it off of you, now."
Looking down at herself with wide, horrified eyes as if remembering something terrible the young woman in question, was still slow to respond to orders. Inevitably she shook herself out of it and made her way to the other bathroom. Yaz and Darius looked down at themselves, up at each other in terror and disgust, and then to the medic.
Katie took one look at them, and the way they were suddenly holding their arms away from their bodies, like a pair of penguins, and said, "Go change."
Fighting horror and revulsion Yasmina walked fast to the living room pulling her shirt off as she went, modesty be damned, she needed it off. Throwing the tee to the floor she fell upon the luggage bag that resided in the corner, digging through it like a wild animal. She was gonna hurl, she thought, tasting breakfast, and lunch as she dug, a tremor running through her fingers.
At last both Yasmina and Darius had pulled on fresh shirts. They exchanged brief, nauseated, and bashful glaces before the boy dispelled the tension with one simple word, "Dibs." he said touching his nose at the same time.
"Oh, no buddy, I hugged her first, I'm next." Yaz elbowed him, trying to remember how to be friends, instead of just fellow survivors.
Heading back towards the charge who needed her most Yasmina saw Katie concentrating hard, eyes closed as she checked Ben's pulse. Kenji was sitting in bed, scooting closer, his breath held. Next the woman opened Ben's eyes and tested his pupil reflex. Yaz, a flare of protective vigilance igniting in her chest, started hurrying over. That was when Katie lifted the blanket to look his frame over.
"Don't!" Yasmina shouted rushing the last steps more than she should have.
Cheeks burning and ears ringing with shame, embarrassment, and anger Yasmina snatched the fabric from the medic's hands. Heart racing and knee throbbing she hurriedly covered Ben's nudity, and began tucking the blankets, his blankets, in all around him, making him a little Ben-rrito.
As she worked Yasmina could feel the judgment the woman surely felt. She could even hear what her parents would say, it was filthy, disgusting, najis, wrong, haram, and a sin for her to be lying in bed with a half naked boy. Pridefully Yaz set her jaw against all the commentary she heard in her head. He was hurt, sick, unconscious, and her friend. He needed someone to take care of him. Besides, they'd all, without talking about it, come to the decision that it was easier than wrestling him in and out of underwear and shorts every time.
More than that he had his own set of blankets, and she had hers. It was fine. And even though it might not have been "right," it was the best they could do.
Katie cleared her throat then, and Yasmina prepared to defend herself and justify her actions.
"I need an arm." Katie said evenly. "For the I.V.."
Yaz’s stomach did a back-flip, how could she have forgotten? Everything had been happening too quickly for her to even think, to process what was going on. It had been just one thing after another, after another. Yasmina yanked Ben's left arm out from beneath the covers at the same time she sat on the edge of the bed. This was it, what they'd been waiting for, what her friends had risked their lives for... The medicine.
"I can hold him." she offered maneuvering his outstretched limb across her lap.
Katie, who was producing the necessary equipment from the backpack she had brought with her nodded.
Yasmina was flooded with hope, and fear, and uncertainty. What if this didn't work? What if they hadn't been in time? What if this wasn't enough and he still died anyways? Looking up she locked eyes with Kenji who sat opposite her. His gaze swimming, and lips pressed together, she could see all these fears and many more written across his face.
"It's going to be ok." she smiled weakly reaching out to squeeze his hand. "So quit acting like a pussy." she added, earning a nervous chuckle and then a little sigh of relief. That's right, she told herself, if she was still name-calling that meant things weren't too serious. She had to project that, for him.
"Oh God," Darius who Yasmina realized had come to stand at the end of the bed muttered, a hand pressed hard into his stomach. "Sorry, I-I can't do needles." he apologized turning to leave when he realized everyone was now looking at him.
"It's cool, we got this." Yaz assured, letting go of Kenji's hand and returning her attention back to securing Ben's arm.
She watched as Katie meticulously scrubbed and sanitized the area with alcohol wipes. From there the woman produced a thick, blue rubber band like tourniquet, securing it above Ben's elbow. Probing around with her gloved finger for several minutes Katie swore just under her breath.
"He's really dehydrated." Yasmina commented grimly.
"Yes he is." Katie agreed leveling out the needle and diving straight into the bend of his arm. "But this should take care of that. You'll need to get more towels. If his kidneys are still in good shape you'll want them for the bed."
Katie fished, turning the instrument this way and that within his flesh as she tried to find a thin river of life. Ben didn't even flinch. At last there was a flash of blood, the needle was retracted, and the tubing was secured with medical tape.
"That's it?" Kenji asked, watching as, sans pole, Katie attached two bags of fluids to the sconces on the wall between the beds.
"That's it." Katie sighed. "This one's the antibiotics, and this is saline." she motioned to the smaller and larger of the two bags respectively.
"How fast will it work?" Kenji asked in a rush, panic setting in his tone.
"It's not a miracle cure Kenji." Katie smiled softly. "It'll take time, but we're here now, and Ben's getting the help he needs. That's the important part."
"When will we know it's working?" Kenji pressed sliding off his bed and moving to take Yasmina's position, the girl relented without argument.
Katie watched the boy lacing his fingers through Ben's. "When he wakes up."
Kenji looked like he'd taken a deep blow to the chest.
"She said 'when.'" Yasmina smiled trying to appear optimistic.
"Yeah," Darius agreed, Chase in arms as he came to inspect the woman's work. "Ben'll be ok now, for sure."
Katie tapped Yaz on the shoulder then, and made a motion for her to follow. Anxiously the girl complied, as Katie led the way into the living room.
"You've been taking care of Ben?" she asked weariness coming to her voice at last.
Yasmina nodded, "Yeah, he just... needed help."
Katie smiled approvingly, "Well, you've been doing a fantastic job, and a very kind thing."
"It wasn't anything." Yaz shrugged, uncomfortable with the compliment. She had literally done what anyone would do, the bare minimum even, it was nothing, and hearing praise for that left a bad taste in her mouth.
"Did you see how I connected the fluids to the I.V.?" the woman inquired looking the teen over with appraisal.
"Yeah." she nodded, recalling how the ports had twisted together.
"And how I set the flow-rate?" Katie continued.
"With the wheel." Yaz said, trying to figure out where this was going.
"Top of the class." Katie smiled. Swinging the backpack forward the woman pulled two more bags of fluid out, each identical to the ones now hanging from the lights in the bedroom.
"The antibiotics are going to run for two hours, then you're going to put a second bag on." she said firmly. "The saline will run for three. We'll need to give him a few hours, and hang the second bag. Do you think you can do that?"
The hairs on the back of Yasmina's neck rose, she wasn't sure she could or even should handle that level of responsibility. She looked Katie over then, the medic needed a shower and sleep just as badly as the other two had, and there was something else, something about her demeanor that seemed off from before the supply run. That was when Yaz realized she wasn't giving orders, or passing the buck, she was asking for help. Yasmina felt a pang for the only one among the ACU team who seemed to actually give a damn.
"Yeah." the girl agreed. "I think I can."
"Good." Katie said handing over the supplies. "You'd make a good nurse, you know." she went on then.
"What?" Yasmina scoffed. "I'm an athlete, a runner, I run."
"You can't run forever." the woman observed. "I'm just saying. Sorry. I'm tired."
"It's... ok." the girl shrugged.
"I'm going to grab a few things and I'll be back. Anyone using the couch?" Katie wanted to know as she removed her wrist watch.
"No?" Yasmina said.
"Good. I'll be here to help if you need it, but you've got this." with that Katie handed Yaz the watch and left their hotel room, calling, "Two hours." over her shoulder as she went.
Yaz stood there, long after Katie had left staring at the bags in her hand. She hadn't ever really thought about an after the Olympics before. Sure she'd always had this rough concept of where she was headed: gold metal, out of the closet, off to college and to start her own life. She'd never really thought about what she wanted to study though. Yaz had just always assumed that she'd figure it out when she got to that point.
A nurse?
Yasmina had never even imagined doing anything close to medicine, not even as a kid. And now after dabbling in it out of necessity the concept seemed even more farfetched. It was a constant struggle to care for the injured boy, one that tore at her soul. She couldn't imagine doing something like this for a living, it was too hard. Besides Yaz knew she wouldn't survive it if something bad happened to someone she was trying to help. Even now, she wasn't sure what she'd do if the worst did occur, she thought squeezing the saline bag as her pulse began to thunder in her veins.
Nursing? No, she'd probably go into accounting like her mom, she was pretty decent at math. Or, maybe if she was lucky she could do something artistic, and share her hidden passion with the world. Or maybe teach? Sad as it sounded some of her closest friends before all this were teachers, she thought reflecting on Mr Blavin, and Dave. Yeah, all of those seemed like much more stable, feasible options. When she got home, if she got home, after the Olympics, she would aim for one of those.
It was as Yasmina stood there contemplating her probably nonexistent future that Sammy emerged from the smaller of the two bathrooms. Freshly dressed, and mopping her hair with a towel Sammy's eyes were red and slightly puffy as though she'd been crying in there. She gave a start when she nearly ran into the contemplative Yaz.
"I coulda lived in there." Sammy laughed, sounding a bit more like herself.
"I bet." Yaz nodded, still transfixed by the objects in her hands.
"What're those?" the cowgirl asked coming to stand beside her, and get a look at what she was holding.
Yasmina glanced up, "I.V. bags, for Ben."
Her expression one of shock and sorrow Sammy let out a little gasp. "Ben!" she said, stumbling forward and snatching Yasmina by both wrists. "Ben, I didn't check on him, I-I didn't even think to ask! Is he- is he alright?"
Anger sparked in the athlete's chest, Sammy was right, she hadn't asked, caring only for Brooklynn and herself. She felt her teeth squeak together as she cast the other girl a look. Then, remembering the lost, haggard Sammy of a few minutes earlier she took a deep breath, and tried her best to let that anger go.
"It's ok." Yaz said. "You just got back. You've been through it, and we all attacked you when we probably should have just given you some space."
Sammy looked at Yasmina with gratitude, "Thanks for, understanding. Is he ok?"
Yaz shrugged it off. "I think he will be. Wanna go check on him?"
Sammy nodded eagerly.
"K, then I really need to put my leg up." Yasmina added, turning with a painful wobble back towards the bedrooms. Sammy followed her into the room where Darius watched as Kenji was propping Ben's left arm with a pillow.
"Like that?" Kenji asked.
"Yeah," Darius rasped. "Dad always said it hurt less when his I.V. arm was raised a bit."
"Thanks." the other boy replied while looking forlornly at Ben.
Yasmina led the way, waving a bit to Chase who must have felt very lost, and afraid with how everyone had been hustling and bustling around him, especially after being locked in the room with Bumpy for the better part of the day.
"Hey kiddo." she said.
Chase looked at her with a worried, imploring gaze.
"It's ok, we'll all be alright." the teenager promised him.
Yasmina waited at the foot of the two queen beds while Sammy squeezed between them, and the boys who sat facing each other. Sammy stopped when she'd reached Ben, misty-eyed she swept the hair off his forehead.
"Hi Ben, its Sammy." she said to the sleeping boy. "We're back, and I'm glad to see you're hanging in there. Looks like Katie's got you all hooked up, and everyone's been taking real good care of you, so... you just rest up now and let those meds do their job, ya hear?"
Yaz watched as Sammy pressed a little kiss onto the top of Ben tawny hair, and then sat back heavily beside Darius. She was quiet and lost deep in thought for a long minute, fighting not to cry. Then she looked up at Kenji and the tears started falling.
"I'm sorry." she said. "I shouldn't have gone after you like that. It's just- its just-"
"A lot?" Kenji smiled faintly.
"Yeah."
"It's been a lot for us too." Darius confessed. "We're just glad that you're both alright, and we forgive you."
"You don't speak for everyone." Kenji intoned catching everyone off guard. "I mean Yaz and Darius get hugs, Ben gets a princess kiss, and I get my ass chewed out? How's that fair?"
Sammy grinned before stretching forward and planting a kiss on Kenji's forehead, "Better?" she asked.
"It's a start." Kenji grumbled, then, cautiously, he added. "I'm not asking what happened. I'm just saying, whatever it was, thank you, and I'm glad you're alright."
"Yeah, thanks." Darius jumped in. "Ben really couldn't do it without those meds."
"It was nothing y'all." Sammy murmured, looking all the more troubled for it.
As the tenuous reunion went on Yasmina and Darius took the time the decontaminate, and Katie, sporting a rifle and a mountain of bedding had returned. The woman took position sleeping on the couch, just as she had said she would. It was at once very strange, but oddly comforting to have the armed woman bunking with them now, intending to protect them, but from what she wouldn't say.
Yasmina, who kept an eagle's eye on the time with the watch she now wore, fearful of missing Ben's next dose of antibiotics was about to raise concern for Brooklynn who'd been in the shower for an hour when at last the water shut off. The bathroom door opened, the clothes disappeared within, and then nothing happened for a long time. When finally she did come out Brooklynn darted straight for the bunks, stopping short when she saw Darius still in the room.
"H-hey Brooklynn!" he smiled awkwardly. "Sorry about earlier. Shoulda given you some breathing room, I was just-"
Brooklynn turned and walked away as though she hadn't heard a word he was saying, earning her only ire from Yasmina who could tell how deeply this had cut the boy. Brooklynn looked almost like a wild animal then, pacing about the little space between Kenji's bed, the bunks, and the door. Sammy got up to help when Brooklynn spotted the camcorder. Rushing to the nightstand where it lay she snagged the device and ran to the bunks where she climbed to the top and flopped onto her back.
"What up, Brooklanders?" the pink haired girl called to the camera in a light, chipper tone after a few minutes. "It's your girl, Brooklynn here, and have I got an exclusive for you! Unboxing the secret Jurassic World hospital!"
"Fucking bitch." Yaz muttered, glaring over Darius' shoulder as he fled, and into the room. Sammy shot her a look.
"Hey," Kenji called, stopping Darius short as he went to collect his notebook, undoubtedly head for the balcony again. "Where are you going?"
"I'm 'fucking off.'" the other boy mumbled bitterly.
"Well," Kenji said patting the bed where he and Chase sat watching television, and doodling on the backs of the spare park maps. "Come fuck off over here. Man club, no girls allowed, and if we get really creative, maybe we can make a fort!"
Darius softened when he saw a flicker of excitement cross the little boy's face. Chase was rarely happy, but Kenji seemed keyed in to how to make it happen, every time. Yaz watched as Darius weighed his options before heading into the living room and snagging some of the extra bed sets Katie had brought for the kids, but most especially Ben.
"All we really need are a couple flat sheets and some well placed knots!" Darius smiled lightly as he set to work, much to Yasmina's relief.
That night, after dinner, after switching out Ben's saline, and after everyone else had fallen asleep Yasmina and Sammy found themselves sitting outside. Quietly they watched the island as it teamed with night life beneath a thin veneer of clouds. The rains, it seemed had finally moved on after tormenting them all afternoon and early evening.
"I'm sorry, again, about before." Sammy, her head on Yasmina's shoulder, yawned. "I shouldn't have- It shouldn't have all come out like that. I just needed some time, I still might. And Brooklynn needs a lot of time, and some space. She's been through a lot."
Yaz scoffed, "She seems fine to me. 'Guess what Brooklanders, I did this, and I did that. Me. Me. Me.'"
"She's not, though." Sammy maintained. "And if y'all could give her a little bit of grace, I'd appreciate it."
Yaz bit her tongue to keep from saying anything nasty, "giving grace," was something the hothead wasn't particularly skilled in. They sat in a comfortable silence for a long time, just enjoying one another's company. It was nice, and the most relaxed Yasmina had been in a real long time.
"What you said earlier, when we first got here, sounded real, real pretty." Sammy murmured almost dreamily after a while. "What does it mean?"
"Nothing." Yasmina said as a knee jerk reaction.
"Come on shellmate, please?" Sammy pestered, nudging her.
Yasmina sighed, but nervously gave in, "la ilaha illa Allah Muhammadun Rasul Allah." she said. "It roughly means that 'there is no one worthy of worship except Allah, and that the Prophet Mohammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is Allah's messenger."
The quiet became just a little less comfortable then, as, guarded Yaz waited for Sammy to say something.
"What made you say that?" Sammy questioned gently.
Yaz shrugged. "I dunno."
"Yasmina?"
Letting out a little groan as she tried to figure out how to explain it the Muslim girl struggled to elaborate further. "I don't know. I guess I could have said, alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah, or subhanallah, glory be to Allah or something to express my gratitude, but I didn't..."
Yaz couldn't think of what to say for a long while, but Sammy seemed more than willing to give her the time to think. "What I said is an affirmation of faith. It means you believe, with all your heart. I guess... I guess seeing you there, alive, made me realize that we've only made it this far because of God, and that, deep down, I really did have faith, even if I kept telling myself otherwise."
"Hmm..." Sammy mused then, making Yaz anxious. "That's kinda funny, when you think about it."
"What?" Yasmina snapped angrily, her barbs showing.
"It's just, way back when, in the gyrosphere you didn't say you used to be Muslim, or that you were raised Muslim. You said you were Muslim." Sammy explained. "It's almost like you were more honest with me than you were with yourself."
"At lease one of us is honest." Yaz grumbled.
Sammy went stiff, then sat up. "Sorry." she apologized, standing to leave.
Yasmina grabbed her hand and pulled her back into her seat. "You know what else I realized?" Yaz asked rhetorically. "I realized that life is short. That life is painful. That life isn't fair. And that you can be mad at someone and still love them with all your heart. I'm mad Sammy, and I'm hurt, but I still love you."
"I love you too." Sammy sobbed.
They cried then, long and hard. Eventually, however responsibility got in the way of their heart-to-heart.
"I need to go roll Ben." Yaz yawned.
"And I should probably check on Brooklynn." Sammy said.
Getting up stiffly they made their way back inside.
Inside, Bumpy had knocked the drawers of the nightstand loose, but had also successful made her way up to Ben's side and was snoring loudly. The three boys were all sprawled out inside their makeshift tent, leaving Yaz to wonder how long it would last before someone kicked Kenji in the side and all of their fun ended in a flurry of screaming and swearing. Brooklynn was on the top bunk, and Katie was on the sofa.
It was all peaceful, and right, at last. Yasmina felt a weight lift off her shoulders with this contented knowledge.
"Night." Sammy waved heading off to bed.
"Goodnight." Yaz replied.
"Love you."
"I love you too, now go to sleep." Yasmina rolled her eyes as she tugged up on the extra flat sheet beneath Ben, using it to turn him, mindful of his I.V..
Insuring he was all covered up, and tucked in tight, the young woman took stock of everything and everyone she was blessed to still have.
She climbed onto her side of the bed, propped her leg and laid back. Trickling out of her like a river all of the fear and grief ebbed out of her bones as she lay there and closed her eyes.
"Alhamdulillah." Yasmina whispered contently and was, almost immediately, fast asleep.
Notes:
I'm not sure if any of you picked up on, or remember the fact that Yasmina is Palestinian as referenced in her mom Lailah's memories of growing up in The West Bank in The Day of Mourning Part 2. It was my weak attempt at commentary on an already contrite situation before recent events.
Needless to say what's going on in the world lately is very distressing on a whole, and has me feeling very sad and lost.
That said, if your a person of faith, good thoughts, positive vibes, activism, and/or charity please also remember the peoples of Sudan as well. There is a terrible civil war and outright genocide happening there right now, and no one seems to be talking about it.
With everything going on it genuinely feels like the world is falling apart at the seams, but we have to remember to be there for each other and to always think of the children. We should be building a better world for them, rather than destroying the only one we have to give.
Stay safe, stay kind, and know you're valued, loved, and can change the world. 💗
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All that aside, I hope y'all enjoyed this bittersweet chapter. 🥹💗
Also crisis of faith has always been a big part of Yasmina's character. I hope I did well with this portrayal of her struggles, the Islamic faith, and rediscovering one's faith! 💖
Please let me know if I've done something wrong or offensive. 🫶🏻
Thank you for reading! 🤟🏻
Chapter 38: Katie
Notes:
Trigger warning: Referenced past sexual assault, references to suicide, suicidal thoughts, self harm, war, physical violence, and possible transphobia.
If any of these are triggers for you please email me at [email protected] and I'll send you an edited version of this chapter to read! 🫶🏻
💗Enbysaurus
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I retroactively changed the date from: CCF (Camp Cretaceous: Fallen), to JWF (Jurassic World: Fallen) because it makes more sense from Katie's POV
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There are a few spelling and grammar errors in this thing that I made note of to fix later (while in like reader mode) but I completely lost track of them when I went in to edit this chapter, and it's really making me mad! lol I know they're in there! There's a sentence that's missing a whole dang word but I can't remember where so if you find my missing word, please tell me! I miss it very much! 😅
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
-JWF Day 16-
Katie woke to a thought splintering ray of sunlight that cut deeply across her face, making her eyes burn. Shifting so that she was out of the solar body's line of fire the woman rubbed her eyes hard as she came into herself. Her shoulders felt sunken into the couch, and as a consequence she regretted the pillow which now forced her chin into her chest. Her neck was stiff and her feet were freezing, but it had worked. She was awake, ready to function, and knew exactly where she was, and what was going on.
Swinging her legs off of the arm of the couch Katie stamped her booted feet lightly on the floor to return some warmth, and a more even blood flow to her extremities. This had been one of the hardest things to learn in basic, the eight minute nap. She'd slept much longer than eight, but the principle remained the same; sleeping with your legs elevated meant more blood flow for your vitals, and your brain. The only thing that left her feeling even the slightest bit disoriented was the asset that trotted over and sat at her feet expectantly.
These kids really were something else, the woman thought as she stared at the animal, and the animal stared back. Bumpy, she thought they called it cocked its head to the side and gave a tiny honk.
Reaching out Katie scratched Bumpy lightly around its horn-beds, and beneath its chin, like she would have King, her sister's spinger spaniel, rough horns in place of soft, fluffy ears. The little animal seemed to appreciate the affection and nudged Katie for more. That was when she noticed the relatively fresh wound to the ankylosaurus' mouth. Heaving a sigh the medic swung her pack from the floor and into her lap where she began digging.
There, beneath all of the painkillers, the antibiotics, the fluids, and even the candy stash that had slipped free from its many liner pockets was the ointment she'd been looking for.
"Now, don't bite me." Katie murmured, using her finger to apply cream to the wound as gently as possible. Bumpy was a model patient, at first. Then Katie must of touched a tender spot because the ankylosaurus hooted angrily, pulled away, and rubbed its face with aggravation against the carpet.
"Sorry!" the woman, startled by this reaction apologized. "I'm sorry. I was-"
Her words were cut short by a dull flare of pain in her shin when the juvenile animal clubbed her with its stump of a tail. Angrily Katie set her foot against the animal's rump and shoved it away. Giving her one last chirp of insult Bumpy fled into the bedrooms.
"Everyone hates the doctor." Katie rolled her eyes as she inspected the damage to her leg. It was definitely going to bruise, but it could have been worse. A lot worse.
A shuddering breath hissed through Katie's teeth as she unintentionally conjured up the memory of Colton Smith's untimely, and very gruesome demise. Eyes squeezed shut she could see him, running towards her. He'd known what was coming, had been covered in what was left of the doctors, the wisened fear of his own mortality etched so deeply into his face that the expression lived on in the woman's mind as some grim reminder of the inevitable that awaited them all.
It was like watching someone get hit by a car. One minute he was there, the next he was just a smattering of gore across the soil.
He'd been saying something, Katie recalled, a final command maybe? A word for his family? The woman wasn't sure, and that haunted her.
They all haunted her.
Everyone she'd ever failed to save.
Dust watered her eyes in a far away desert, grit in her teeth. She'd been riding in a convoy, as at ease as you got over there. That was when the first truck hit the landmine. In the firefight that ensued the woman couldn't save the private, the one with the lisp. He'd been like her, signed up to have an opportunity to get an education. Instead he'd received a war, and a hero's welcome beneath the red, white, and blue.
Some reward.
There were others, of course there were others, and they each stood out in their own, gruesome way. The interpreter, caught in the crossfire. The CO everyone hated, who took his own life. The woman who'd been burned, Katie had never gotten her story but the pleading eyes that shown beneath the waxy glint of ruined flesh told a harrowing tale all their own. The girl who had been carried to Katie, a river of blood where her legs once were. The jar-head who had taught her how to play poker, and had entrusted her with his final letter back home.
Then there was Rasul, the little boy from the village she'd befriended. He'd only ever deserved the opportunity to be a child. It was a chance he'd never get. He'd been deeply fond of chocolate.
Letting out a wavering breath Katie re-examined the contents of her backpack. Everything left a wound, a mark on your soul, and this, she thought, jiggling the pack so more candy slid into view was Rasul's mark. His way of making sure these kids got a little taste of something close to childhood, like she'd given him so long ago.
Katie shook her head to forget his baby toothed smile, and to drive away the past. To bury it, back down where it needed to be, where scars were scars but the wounds remained closed.
Getting up the woman moved sluggishly to the bathroom where she relieved herself. Afterwards she stretched, earning tight, but no less satisfying pops and cracks from her back and neck. She was going to be stiff and sore all day, Katie realized as she turned her head from side to side and rotated her shoulders forwards, then backwards. It wasn't ideal, but she could live with it.
Letting out a breath she put on a brave face, and braced herself for the day.
Making for the bedrooms Katie went to check in on her young, slumbering wards. She stopped short in surprise, taking in the humbling and chaotic disarray that stretched before her. Everywhere she turned was the touch of these young survivors trying their best to make a home. From the half collapsed tent three of the boys dozed under, to the drawings strewn across the floor, and even the drawers stacked together to make stairs for the asset to climb onto the beds their influence on the space was everywhere.
A contrite smile crossed her lips as Katie continued to edge her way inside before turning left and heading into the bunk room. Sammy slept heavily on the bottom bunk, shoes notably still on her feet. Ready to run at a moments notice, Katie thought. She felt for the girl, and everything she had been through. She'd been so scared when the girls had been lost that night in the park, the scratches on her face evidence of whatever quarrel had happened between the teenagers as they struggled to remain hidden.
Glancing about to be sure but, Brooklynn was, presumably, she decided, was the one curled in the corner of the top bunk, beneath a mountain of blankets and pillows. Only the faint rise and fall of her breathing was visible beneath the downy fortress she had erected to defend herself. On the bed beside her someone had placed a letter, and a pen. Stomach clenching Katie tiptoed forward. Squinting hard she tried to make out what it said, hoping whatever it was, it wouldn't be upsetting.
Brooklynn had been through more than any of them and it would take time, healing aways did, she thought recalling her older sister Ji Woo. In the halls of her battered heart Katie wished there was something she could do to make it better, to ease her pain, to ensure her safety, but there wasn't. That was what scared Katie, and hurt her the most.
Dry cereal crunched under the woman's boot, and starting at the sound she froze. She didn't want to disturb them, they more than the others deserved to sleep in. Backing out of the room the woman trusted the kids to their common sense and though she still held doubt, decided to leave the matter alone, for now.
At the nearest bed Katie peered beneath the caved in roof of the makeshift tent to see Kenji walled off by a stack of pillows snoring loudly in spite of the little foot resting atop the side of his face. The little boy to whom the foot belonged, the kids had nicknamed "Chase," a far more merciful name that the Unit had given him. He was upside-down, arms wrapped tightly around Darius' midsection, as the older boy sagged towards the floor, one leg dangling off the bed as he struggled to fit on the mattress' edge.
It was a bewildering scene to see the trio surrounded by crayons, markers, pens, and park maps. All sprawled out in the playful bliss of a slumber party. It truly gave her pause.
They were sweet, she thought at last, before ducking back out. Katie was bemused by the impression that somehow they'd found a refuge all their own, a playful counterpart to the doom and dismay of the girl's room. She hoped they could keep their spirits high, it was definitely key to making it in situations like these.
Leaving them the woman made her way to where Ben and Yasmina slept. There she was flooded through with an immense sense of pride. She hadn't even thought to ask Yasmina to annotate the times she'd changed the bags, and yet there, written on the wall beside the sconce the times stood. The empty bags were wrapped neatly on the dresser and the last 50mls of saline were dripping down now. Yasmina had done phenomenally.
The girl in question slept with her leg elevated, one hand loosely around the boy's wrist, and the other, the one bearing the watch, tucked awkwardly by her head. Wondering if she'd set an alarm Katie carefully made her way to Yasmina's side. Mentally re-orientating herself with the digital clock's face, she reached out and hit the buttons she knew by heart to cancel any such alarm. The teenager had more than earned her rest, Katie mused, looking down at the girl who's face seemed forever contorted with some sense of dismay. She was relieved to find serenity in her slumber.
Looking at, but not touching, Katie spared a moment for the girl's deeply bruised knee, which, all things considered appeared to be on the slow road to recovery. Then she moved, at last, to Ben. Mindful of his state of undress the medic checked the boy over, pleasantly surprised to find the towels folded beneath him to be wet. It was a good sign, a very good sign. He was definitely going to need a sponge bath soon, and a good shower if he woke up, but for now changing the towels would suffice.
Retrieving some of the fresh linens stored nearby the woman, disgruntled by the angry hoots thrown at her from the asset that had clamored onto the boy's stomach, got to work.
"Ben?" Yasmina sat up with a frightened gasp, her eyes wide when Katie rolled him.
"Just me." Katie whispered from where she crouched, yanking out the soiled linens.
"Is- What's happening?" the girl asked, half asleep and rather disoriented she immediately began tucking her friend in again, hampering Katie's work.
"Nothing happened, I'm just checking on him." Katie assured as she rolled Ben back onto the fresh towels. "Things are looking good, and you've done very, very well."
"Is Ben alright?" Yasmina asked, repositioning his arm onto a pillow.
Katie's heart felt troubled at just how young Yasmina looked then, face painted with worry, and burden, a burden Katie had added to out of desperation. The pride she'd felt moments ago was now tainted with the bitterness of such a hardship. She should have never asked the girl for help, Katie thought, mentally berating herself.
Asking kids to grow up before their time, and making them shoulder burdens that were too heavy to bear, weren't those things she had resented in her own parents? Wasn't that something she had vowed never to do herself? It was a loathsome reality to be forced to take responsibility for circumstances out of your control. A reality that had thrust her sister out into a cold, cruel world unprepared, and had seen Katie rebel in the turbulence of her late teens.
"He'll be alright." Katie assured with as much hope and confidence as she could muster though deep down it felt as though her heart was breaking. "You should rest now, though. I've got it from here."
Bundling the soiled bedding away Katie watched as the self-proclaimed "runner, and nothing else" tenderly fussed over her friend like a fretful mother before settling back down to sleep.
In what was now her room Katie stashed the towels in a trash bag near the door. Washing them was an egregious waste of resources, but leaving urine soaked calling cards of tasty little human morsels strewn across the pavement outside the hotel was far from the best idea either. Not to mention the potential risk of bio-contamination, she thought as she made her way to the bathroom to wash her hands. The last thing they needed was to usher in some terrible illness because of a lack of proper hygienic practices.
Glancing up Katie caught sight of herself in the mirror. God, she looked tired. Two weeks or so in a war zone would do that to you. No, she shook her head, it was selfish and obscene to compare what they were going through here to a war zone. War zones were the tattered remains of broken lives, and the hollowed out hopes of those who had no choice but to call such places "home." This, this was something wholly different, and a hell all its own, but it wasn't a war zone.
Splashing cool water onto her face Katie tried to muster a sense of confidence, and ease. She'd never been penned down with children before, and somehow that made all of this so much harder. She wasn't sure of what to do, or how to help them cope with everything they'd been through. Hell, being trusted to take care of kids was a daunting task in and of itself, life-threatening injuries, deeply traumatic experiences, and man-eating dinosaurs aside.
Katie was so far out of her element that it wasn't even funny. She'd never wanted kids, never wanted to repeat the same mistakes her parents, and their parents, and probably even their parents at that, had made. She didn't know what to do.
The woman stood, gripping the edge of the sink until her hands hurt as she tried to find the resolve to continue on. She thought she could do this, but she couldn't, she thought she could be strong and put on a brave face, but Yasmina's fear cut her to the core. It wasn't fair, not to her, but most especially not to them. How was she supposed to do it? How was she supposed to keep them going? How was she supposed to help them? Hell, how was she supposed to protect them if she'd already failed at that most basic of tasks?
"'Ten and two.'" she heard Steele's voice echo through her skull, as a faint aura began to develop around edges of her vision. "'You need to keep those girls at ten and two, ya hear?'"
It was so simple, all she had to do was keep an eye on them, and Katie hadn't been able to do that much. It gutted her. She could still see Brooklynn, frozen with fear, trembling, bruised, and left exposed from her ruined shirt as she cowered beneath Steele's rage. Katie's heart had leapt into her throat, a nauseating anger brewing in her stomach she'd almost gone for the man in a rage of her own. Until, she remembered he couldn't have been the one who'd hurt her when Katie herself had been on the man's heels after he'd raise the alarm that Brooklynn was missing and unaccounted for.
Had that been how Ji Woo stood beneath the wrath of their parents as they blamed her for what had happened? Had she stood wide eyed and full of terror as they reminded her that they'd told her no boys, no parties, no matter what? Had it been that moment that stole her sister, turned runaway from her for so long? Katie knew, in her soul that the answers to all these questions were a resounding "yes."
Katie cried, then. Her entire body felt heavy, and her chest quivered with her attempts to stay quiet, a hand smothering her wretching and sobbing. She mourned for her sister whom she wouldn't reconnect with until adulthood. She mourned for Brooklynn, and all other souls like her. And she mourned the death of the man who had tried to alert her, in his own way, to the danger.
He'd known, the woman thought distantly. Somehow, Terry Steele had known.
How, Katie wondered could someone like Reed slip past her radar? Past everyone's radar? There was something off-putting about him sure, but she'd never have guessed, but Terry did. Terry knew. Katie hated herself for her ignorance. She hated the dead man for his ambiguity when the situation couldn't have been more black and white. But most of all she hated Reed for everything he'd done, everything he was, and everything people like him represented.
It was common to speak of evil like it could never happen, but it was the Reeds of the world that proved evil was inevitable.
Evil was inevitable, the only thing that mattered was how you faced it when it came for you, she thought rather poetically. Evil had come. Evil was here. How, Katie asked herself finding her resolve, did she plan to face it?
"With everything I've got." she muttered to herself, fists still clenching porcelain.
No, she'd never wanted kids, but that wasn't how the universe conspired against her. Because now, now she had kids, seven of them, and somehow she had to keep them all safe, healthy, fed, clothed, and even mentally stable in an environment that was conducive to none of these things.
Katie remembered the humble woman that had been Rasul's mother, then. A bitter smile came to her. It was possible, she reminded herself, hard, but possible, for a time at least. All those poor people making a home for themselves out of war had shown her how. Now, no matter what time they had left, she was determined to give it her all.
Washing her face again Katie worked the handsoap vigorously into her face with her fingertips. Rinsing she looked up and saw not the frightened, and exhausted victim of circumstance that stood before her minutes ago. Now stood the fighter, the warrior she'd always been, long before the military broke her down so it could build her back up in its own image. Only, one thing was missing. Reaching up Katie worked at the ties and Bobby pins until, in a cascading black curtain the woman's hair fell around her shoulders.
Better, she thought, running her fingers though it. Somehow, Katie always felt stronger with her hair down. Now she was ready.
Moving out into the main living space of the hotel room Katie buckled down and got to work. Quickly, quietly, and efficiently she cleaned the room. Left mostly abandoned by the kids it had become a cluttered disarray of dirty clothes, gutted luggage bags, and discarded food containers. Where the bedrooms had become their home, the living room was their garbage dump.
Katie couldn't exactly blame any of them for wanting to stick close together, but after thrusting her hands beneath an unassuming pile of clothes and right into the asset's dung heap Katie really wished she could just yell at them. Teeth gritted with anger and disgust the medic made quick work of tossing everything out a window, her earlier concerns be damned. She wasn't about to live in that thing's litter box. It would be house broken, or it would be outside, she fumed, scrubbing and scouring her hands in the sink.
Katie made mental notes to aquire the proper materials for a deep clean, including a carpet shampooer, and a steam cleaner, if possible. It was sometime after uncovering the coffee table, but before realizing that the couch was also a pullout bed that the campers one by one, slowly started to get up. The woman took this as her opportunity to use the vacuum.
"Morning." Darius mumbled groggily from the door when she'd finished, "Chase" resting on his right hip.
"Good morning." Katie smiled as she wound the cord.
"Um, maybe next time-" Darius had begun, but more than a little frustrated with herself for losing track of time the woman made quick work of stowing the machine before squeezing past the boys with a rushed "Excuse me." to check on Ben.
Katie was immediately dismayed to find that Yasmina had beaten her to it, and that the spent fluids bag was resting neatly beside the others.
"That was some fucking wake up." Kenji grumbled irritability as he dug his fists into his eyes beneath the now ruined tent.
"Sure was." Sammy agreed with melancholy from where she sat on her bunk, fists clenching her pant legs.
"I'm sorry?" Katie laughed with confusion and offense.
"It sounded just like the wind when we jumped from the monorail." Yasmina murmured as she repositioned Ben to his left side.
"Yes it fucking did!" Kenji shouted. "Now stop talking about it!"
Katie felt chilled with shock at this new revelation. She hadn't meant to, hadn't thought, or even realized that certain things would be upsetting for the kids. Now, it couldn't be more obvious that there were bound to be a lot of things to go over with them, and that moving forward certain actions to be avoided.
"I'm sorry." Katie said again, more earnestly than before. "I didn't even think about it. I know you've vacuumed, so I didn't think there was-"
"We were all awake and knew what was happening!" the oldest boy continued. "Fuck! That scared the shit out me!" he exclaimed, still rubbing his eyes in what Katie now recognized as an attempt to hide his tears.
"I realize that now, I won't make that mistake again. I'm sorry." Katie apologized feeling that she'd done something unforgivable as the kids all waited in stunned silence for something to happen.
"'T's all right." Sammy smiled getting up and walking across the room to where Yasmina stood with the asset murmuring at her feet.
"Yeah," Darius smiled weakly as he came to stand next to the woman. "Accidents happen."
Katie was getting ready to thank them for understanding her mistake when in a pink flash Brooklynn shoved her way between them.
"Ow!" Darius yelped.
Caught off balance between the surprise, and the weight of the little boy he staggered a bit. Then his breath caught, and a tiny, muted smile tugged at his lips. "Good morning, Brooklynn." He called to the girl who made her way to the bathroom.
"Whatever." she grumbled, without turning to look at any of them. Still, her callous nature did nothing to perturb the boy who kept his smile.
That was when Katie noticed the note he clutched in his hand. Worry still painted the halls of Katie's heart, but she hoped this little back and forth was a good sign, and that it gave Brooklynn someone to talk to, and a chance to start healing.
Still feeling guilty, and out of place after the rude awakening she'd given the children whose space she'd invaded, though not without reason, the woman watched as they all quietly meandered to the own tasks or conversations. She had the nagging feeling that she had to remedy the situation, somehow, and nothing made for a better apology than chocolate.
"I'll be right back." she excused herself to fetch her backpack. Bending over she was struck with a wave of dizziness that almost brought her to the ground. Pushing it, and the mounting pressure in her skull away she stood up, gave herself a minute and then walked back into the rooms, trying her best to ignore the growing aura.
"I have something for you guys." the medic smiled hopefully through her pain as she swung the pack onto the foot of Kenji's bed and began to unload all of her pilfered candy.
The kids reactions varied as they all turned and stared quietly at the slowly growing mountain of sugar. Katie looked around the room, not a one said anything, or made a move. The feeling that she'd done something wrong again settled all around Katie as she stood beneath their silent deliberation. It gave the woman an uncanny sense of stage-fright.
Then Kenji scooted forward and was the first one to nab a bar. Though, much to her surprise he didn't immediately begin to eat. Instead he turned the candy bar around and started scrutinizing the ingredients list.
"Dairy." He announced tossing it to the side.
Sammy and Yasmina followed suit. "Eggs." Sammy called.
"What's the stance on honey?" Yasmina rolled her eyes with annoyance.
"No go." Darius shook his head, coming to join them after pocketing the paper he'd been reading.
Katie watched the bizarre ritual as the kids sorted and two distinct piles began to form. A part of her worried that something biased, or unfair was going to come from giving them everything all at once. She was thinking about intervening, when the kids seemed to remember she was there.
"Ben's vegan." Darius smiled up at her, when he realized Katie was watching them.
"Wait y'all!" Sammy said freezing everyone in their tracks. "We need to make sure Ch-" the girl stopped short, guilt written across her face. She cleared her throat and went on. "Chase doesn't get anything with nuts, just in case."
"Guess, I'm on pile three duty then." Yasmina intoned slapping down a pack of licorice in front of her. Quickly candies changed hands, and the kids found a rhythm.
It was surreal to watch them selflessly taking the time to be so considerate towards one another when most grown ass adults weren't even capable of anything close to this. What's more, they were doing it all without any debate, any arguing, and for the benefit of someone who wasn't even conscious. No, Katie had never wanted children, but if her future, imaginary, kids were anything like these ones, maybe it would be worth a few mistakes along the way.
Katie couldn't help but smile.
Brooklynn had been coming out of the bathroom when there was a brisk knock at the front door, and the pink haired girl quickly shut herself back in. Pulse racing, and anxiety flushing her cheeks Katie ran to her weapon.
"Napier." Napier announced herself, just as Katie shouldered the rifle and took aim. "Got chow."
Slowly, the woman who locked eyes with Katie allowed herself in. Seeing that she was alone Katie lowered her weapon, but not her guard. Weighed down by duty, and lightheaded with the dreadful anticipation of pulling the trigger Katie let out a sigh of relief, knowing that this time, she didn't have to.
Peyton Napier watched the whole thing with a look of indifference, her pokerface never faltering in the least. The black woman chose to ignore the medic as she walked the cart straight to the bedrooms, cool as she ever was. That was where Napier paused, staring at the children, and the candy, while the children stared back.
There was a quiet sort of stalemate as Napier seemed to think things over. Katie hated that she had never been able to read the other woman. Napier always played things close to the chest, and rarely gave anything away that she didn't want to. Then after an uncomfortable amount of time Napier snaked a Snickers bar, and a Milkyway. The kids didn't argue, object, or fight. Seemingly they all knew better, though truthfully Katie didn't know what Peyton's reaction would have been either way if they had.
"I need to see you after breakfast." Napier said to Katie, and with that she left, the air a little bit cooler than what it had been when she'd first arrived.
Feeling her shoulders sag at the relief of all her pent energy draining out of her Katie set the gun down, flashed an awkward smile, and moved towards the food tray.
"Breakfast?" she asked.
"So, is Katie like, your real name, or just your American name?" the question came as the group was milling through their granola, and the strawberry yogurt that was clearly on its last leg.
Her brow arching Katie would have called the question downright offensive, and possibly even racist if it hadn't come from Kenji. From him, however, it felt judgemental, unnecessarily rude, and still possibly racist. Even then, she was shocked. After seeing the way the kids had respected one another so deeply, a part of her couldn't even believe that one of them had asked that at all.
"Why?" she asked chewing her food thoughtfully.
"Nevermind." he snapped.
"No." Katie swallowed hard, turning fully towards the young man, treading carefully into the waters he had chosen to test. "Why do you want to know?"
Kenji half shrugged, it looked like the motion was a sore one. "I dunno..." he sighed, quiet for a long while as he toyed with his food. "My dad's name is Xi, but he goes by Josiah... I've never asked why. I just, I dunno. Wanted to know if you picked it, and why. Sorry."
Humbled yet again Katie couldn't help but feel shity at how she'd reacted. "No, I'm sorry. And you know, it's actually kind of both."
"Really?" Kenji grinned into his bowl. There was a distance to his gaze, one of longing, and the woman knew he'd much rather be asking his dad these questions.
"How?" Darius piped up from his space on the floor.
Looking around Katie found that once again she had an audience as everyone but Brooklynn who ate in bed watched her.
"Well, its not that interesting a story, really." she blushed lightly as she reflected fondly on being that braces wearing, skinned kneed, little kid of yesteryear. "My given name is Tae-Ki. Family name, personal name." she explained.
Across the room where the Yasmina and Sammy sat bumping elbows the Texan seemed to take a second for some mental mathematics before nodding, and Katie continued.
"But in America, and many other English speaking countries they go personal name, family name. So: Ki Tae." she smirked when a few of them seemed to figure out where she was going with this. "With teachers doing roll call kind of slurring everything together, and classmates struggling, I just decided to go with Katie. It already sounded like what everyone was saying, and it was a name so- I guess I just rolled with the punches." she surmised.
"Tae-Ki." Kenji tried under his breath. "It's pretty. What's it mean?'
"'Tae' means greatness, and 'Ki' means arisen. So, Arisen from greatness." Katie quirked a grin.
"Kenji means 'intelligent second son; strong and virtuous." Kenji announced.
"Second son?" Sammy perked up with interest. "You have a big brother?"
Kenji looked uncomfortable for a moment, as though he regretted bringing any of this up. "Sort of. I think it was a miscarriage or something... They didn't talk about it."
After a few minutes of silence the room started to feel cold. Troubled by this, the woman wanted to break the fresh ice and return the favor with a question of her own. "Anyone ever struggle with your name?"
"Had a friend who kept calling me 'Ken.'" he said. "But I didn't like it, so I hit him until he stopped."
"Oh," Katie laughed nervously. "Playground rules huh?"
Kenji shot her a look of confusion. "No, it was last year. He was just an asshole."
"Oh. What about you Yasmina, Darius? Your names are unique, any problems?" Katie tried to move the subject along.
"A little." the girl nodded.
"All the time, teachers are totally the worst about it!" Darius exploded. "'Dur-I-ass, Dar-wesse, Der-I-US, Dre-Us,' I've pretty much heard every combination you can think of."
"Dur-I-ass!" Kenji snorted a laugh.
"Ken!" Darius retorted.
The kids all started laughing, it was one of those good hearty laughs that spread throughout the room and filled it to the brim. Katie was warmed by their bond, and the way the found a joy of their own. But, eventually, the laugher started to go on just a little too long until it became uncomfortable, and strained as they used it to hide everything they weren't talking about.
"You kids alright?" Katie asked as she moved to gather bowls.
"We're good." Yasmina lied stacking her bowl inside of Sammy's and handing them over.
"You're sure?" Katie probed.
"Peaches and cream." Kenji said settling back onto his pillows.
Reluctantly Katie left it at that.
Once everything was loaded onto the cart and her rifle was looped securely over one shoulder Katie hesitated. Her stomach had twisted itself into knots, and a cold pit had formed in the center of her chest. Her palms were sweaty, and brightly colored orbs had begun to dart across her vision while the aura only grew. Katie's head was pounding, and it felt like her skull was too tight a fit for her brain. The woman knew that the migraine that had been building all morning was finally here. Stress brought them out, and right now the thought of coming face to face with Reed, or worse, Reed making his way in here with the kids while she was gone brought one out big time.
"Sammy." she called leaning on the cart, eyes closed as she tried to force it away.
"Are you alright?" Sammy asked, reaching to put a hand on Katie's arm.
"I will be. I just have headache, is all." Katie replied. Standing herself up straight she looked the girl over, knowing she'd promised herself not to ask anymore of these kids.
It couldn't be helped though, she realized, and maybe that's where she'd been wrong. They did have to grow up, and fast, but in some ways, the ways she would protect they could still be children. Taking her sidearm from her hip Katie put it into the teen's hand. The two locked eyes with tense purpose and meaning for a long sobering minute before the woman let go.
"Keep it under your shirt." Katie commanded. "Use it if you have to, but only if you have to. I'm trusting you."
"Yes ma'am." Sammy nodded with a grave understanding of her duty to her friends.
Turning back to the cart Katie was still troubled.
"Let Brooklynn know you have it." she sighed. "I don't want her to feel vulnerable, and unprotected while I'm gone. I don't want any of you to feel that way, or to be afraid, but being afraid is a way of life now. So, we have to be prepared too. You understand?"
"Yes ma'am." Sammy nodded again as Katie made to take her leave.
"Katie?" Sammy called then.
Turning back the woman was almost knocked off her feet by the Texas sized hug the girl wrapped her in.
"Thanks for trusting me." Sammy whispered into the trembling embrace.
Katie had to push the girl away to keep from crying, it was too much. It was just all too much. Her head was killing her, her neck was sore, and the medic felt compressed by the pressures she was under. Hugs were not the correct prescription at the moment, so she held Sammy at arm's length.
"You're welcome. Just, stay safe. I'll be back." Katie assured.
In the main hall the hotel felt strangely cold and lifeless. A foreboding sense of doom seemed to permeate every atom within the building. Glancing towards the elevators and then back behind her Katie made contact with Matt Howe and gingerly nodded her throbbing head in his direction. The man returned the gesture, stood, and moved his chair closer to the kids' room.
"I'll be right back." she said.
"And I'll be here." Matt, who desperately needed some sleep and someone to relieve him of watch, yawned.
Debriefing yesterday had been short and heated. A literal he said, she said as the medic had squared off against Reed. The verdict had been less than satisfactory: survival came first, civility second. They'd lost too many men already, and Reed could shoot, so, there was nothing to do on the matter until they got stateside when they could bring him up on charges. It was an all too familiar story. One as old as the very concept of a military itself. That was when Katie packed her shit and moved in with the kids.
As she made her way to the elevators the woman tried hard not to think less of Purdy for his decision, because as disgusting as it was he had a point, and both Purdy and Reed were well aware of it. Reed had even spelled out as they had huddled against the rain in that dilapidated theater. Like it or not they needed someone with his skills.
Besides Purdy had been in a state himself when they'd gotten back. They'd lost Lawrence, and he wasn't about to throw Reed to the lions over what he considered to be hearsay and speculation. Brooklynn wouldn't talk about what had happened, and Katie hadn't actually seen him in the room with her. Still, the decision sat poorly with Katie, and trust was lost between the two, and she'd made damn sure Purdy knew it.
It was Howe who'd listened. It was Howe who'd expressed his remorse, and concerns. It was Howe who'd told her what really happened to Lawrence, in the end. It was Howe that Katie trusted.
After she'd said everything there was to say Matt swore to keep an eye on Reed. Then without mincing his words he'd asked Katie to uphold her duty and look into Purdy's mental state. Slightly offended that the man thought she would let personal differences keep her from doing her job Katie agreed. Their alliance was formed.
Darting from the lobby to the kitchens Katie squinted against the harsh florescent lights that flared brightly throughout her vision as she entered. After adjusting, she found Napier at the sinks, wrist deep in hot water as she cleaned up from breakfast.
"Gonna give Howe a break after this, make a late lunch." Napier called over her shoulder. She seemed perfectly at ease there, positioned unarmed, and alone.
"If you're taking suggestions-" Katie started.
"I am not." Napier cut in. "There's a strict inventory, and goods about to expire."
"Ah, I see." Katie replied flatly as she plopped the dirty dishes she had brought with her into the sink.
The women past a look between one another. Katie wasn't sure how to interpret it, she never was with Napier who always seemed to stand in the median between annoyance and passive acceptance regardless of the situation. Like someone who always expected the worst, and was rarely disappointed.
"I need you to distribute those for me." Napier motioned to several neat and orderly backpacks positioned on a nearby counter.
It was clear that the bags had been tactically repurposed from various hotel rooms as they varied in size, style, and even target demographic. In spite of this they all had that boot camp readiness to them, as though the drill sergeant might walk in at any moment to declare them gear adrift and mete out one form of punishment or another.
"One a person."
"What are they?" Katie asked, pressing hard against her temples in an attempt to alleviate the attack.
"Bug out bags. Low odor foods: rice, dried legumes, dehydrated fruits and nuts, water." Napier explained. "Flashlights, and an allotment of basic medical supplies."
"Jesus Napier, you're a goddamn boyscout." Katie laughed dryly.
"No." the woman said, her voice hard. "I'm a marine."
Katie knew she'd touched a nerve there and waited reluctantly for the chance to talk about everything that had been troubling her, a chance she had now, likely ruined. A drum beating at the base of her skull Katie looked around the kitchen through glare blinded eyes. She needed Tylenol and caffeine.
"I wanted to talk to you." the marine said turning away from the sink to look at her. Katie felt herself wobble as she turned a little too quickly to look back. "Debriefing yesterday was a cluster-fuck."
"You can say that again." Katie muttered.
"I don't have a beef with Reed, never have. He's a good guy, never gave me any trouble." Napier observed evenly. Katie's heart started to race. "As far as I can tell he's a good man, just has a few quirks."
The medic opened her mouth the argue but Peyton held up a hand for silence.
"But that doesn't mean I'm stupid, or naive enough to believe that that's all there is to the story. There's lots of good men in the world who do very bad things." she went on thoughtfully. "You tell those kids I've got their six. Just know, he hasn't ever done wrong by me, and that Purdy is my CO, what he says goes."
Katie listened, trying hard to sift through the other woman's words for deeper meaning. "Understood." was all she could get out in response.
"Now, what the hell is wrong with you? You look like shit." Napier snapped.
"Migraine." Katie winced, clutching the back of her neck.
"You've got the drugs, do something about it."
"I'll be alright, I've gotta save the medication." Katie objected.
"Fucking medics!" Napier exclaimed as she rushed past. Acquiring a tall chair she pushed it towards Katie as she continued to mutter. "With their holier than thou complexes, walking around like their shit don't smell."
With that the irate woman stormed out of the kitchens, leaving Katie to slowly sink into the chair. Napier appeared a few minutes later with a coke, and a bottle of aspirin.
"Thank you." Katie murmured, downing everything as quickly as possible.
"I think you mean 'I apologize.'" Peyton said as she returned to the sink.
"Apologize for what?"
"Being shit at your job."
Wounded, and confused Katie stared.
"Don't be mad at me." Napier shrugged lightly as she finished up the washing. "You're the one who thinks she can take care of everyone without taking care of herself first."
She did have a point Katie conceded, as eyes closed she nursed the last bit of soda in the can. It was quiet for a few minutes, save for the occasional clang of two objects striking each other in the sink. Katie took the opportunity to just rest. It wasn't a long rest, but it had to do.
"Hey, Kate." Napier interrupted the woman's solitude. "Don't forget, need you to deliver the bags ASAP."
Irritable from the pain, and the disorientation of opening her eyes Katie snapped, "If you're so worried you do it."
"No." Napier said. "You're the medic. You are taking those bags and delivering them. One a piece-"
Katie tried to argue.
"One a piece!" Napier yelled, her voice echoing in the empty kitchen and reverberating through Katie's skull. "And when you do, you're gonna talk to those people. You're gonna check in on them. And you're gonna make sure we don't have any more quitters."
Katie stopped and stared in shock at what looked like tears welling in Napier's eyes.
"And if we got anyone fixing to quit you're gonna make sure they don't. Because that's your job, and I am done helping Purdy haul bodies to the top floor on some hypothetical of getting them home and buried proper." Now it was Napier's turn to stare, angry, and judgmental.
Maybe she did give a damn, in her own way, Katie thought.
"I'm going to relieve Howe." she excused herself, collecting her gun and leaving Katie to her thoughts.
Katie took a few minutes to collect herself before she moved to the counter and began loading a cart. The packs, she found, were deceptively heavy. After piling a few on top curiosity got the better of the woman and she snuck a peak. There, in the bag were two items that Napier had neglected to mention, a Bible taken from one of the rooms, and a novel. Scouting out a few other bags she found much of the same. There was no rhyme or reason behind which bag got which type of novel, but each and every one contained a book and a Bible, both of which seemed strangely out of place.
No, it was something for the survivors to escape in, and something for them to build a foundation upon, she reasoned against her initial skepticism. It was a thoughtful gesture, though one that seemed uncharacteristic for Napier.
Katie brought the densely packed cart upstairs and started her deliveries, and assessments with Trish and her daughter. The mother was standoff-ish and aloof, her clothes were unkempt, and her hair was a tangled mass of knots. The little girl on the other hand was well tended to, clean, hair in curly little pigtails, and she was sporting a new dress as she slept in front of a quiet television.
Katie explained the supplies and their purpose but Trish seemed distracted, chewing on her nails, giving brief nods, and little "Uh huhs," in place of reciprocating conversation. The room though generally tidy was ravaged by crayons and markers scribbled across all of the the walls, and various stains adorned the carpet.
"Is there anything you need?" Katie asked when she couldn't seem to make any headway.
"No, I'm fine." Trish said dismissively.
"What about Ivy, does she need anything?"
"Yes, actually." Trish said, alive for the first time since Katie had begun speaking to her. "Diapers, pull-ups, even, wipes, diaper cream, snacks, a fucking iPad, toys, something, anything!" she railed. "We're trapped in here in this room, she's scared, she's bored, she's hungry and picky eater, and are you people even trying to get us off this fucking island anymore?" she shrilled, her voice breaking.
Caught of guard, head throbbing, the medic was quick to try and remember to empathize and respond instead of simply reacting.
"I know it must be very frustrating, and frightening for the both of you." Katie mediated. "I will look around and grab you whatever I can find to help. We are definitely still trying to get out of here. I promise to keep you up to date and informed as to our progress."
Trish snorted, turning away, eyes aflutter.
"I'm sorry I can't give you anything more solid than that." Katie apologized. "Is there anything else you need?"
"It's fine, whatever, get out." Trish rolled her eyes as she moved to walk Katie to the door.
Outside Katie took a deep breath. Trish was detaching from everything, everything but her child. At least that was a silver lining, a slim one, but it was there. Katie had to remember not only to gather the necessary supplies, but to check in, to validate Trish's feelings, and support her as the mother of a small child in a survival situation. With that in mind she moved to the next room.
In stark contrast to Trish, Josh, the twenty-something ride operator wouldn't shut up. He rattled off an endless slew of anxiety driven questions, proposed likely answers to said questions, and then proceed to bombard the woman with even more inquiries all while refusing to give her the opportunity to speak.
"Are you alright?" Katie asked, brows raised in stunned silence when at last he'd finished.
"Yeah." the young man sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "It was a summer job, you know?" he laughed. "Seemed like the dream. Yeah the people sucked, but that's customer service for you. I'd have had the same luck in retail. Only I got to see the dinosaurs and go on all the rides when my shift was over. Don't get that working at Wal-Mart. I should have gotten a job there. It would have been better if I'd worked there. It was my burnout year though. College, burnout. Not drugs. I'm not a burn out. I mean, I smoke pot with my friends, but, like, I needed a break from school."
"Ok." Katie smiled, trying to separate herself from his overwhelming, and downright infectious amount of sheer dread.
"We're, we're getting outta here right?" Josh asked, ringing his hands together.
"With any luck." Katie said optimistically.
"Yeah, yeah, ok good." Josh nodded as he paced in front of her. "And this lockdown shit is bullshit. No offense. I mean, I'm going crazy in here by myself. Like, isn't this cruel and unusual punishment? Like, I didn't break any laws. I'm not in jail. Why am I in solitary confinement? And why is solitary confinement even a legal form of punishment? Did you know solitary was invented by the Quakers in, like, the 1800s? But even they thought it was too inhumane."
"I did not know that." Katie confessed, looking around at the chaotic disarray of the room, one that reflected the young man's frantic state of mind.
"So then, like, why?" he asked on the verge of tears. "Just, why?"
"I don't know." Katie said full of remorse. "I'll see what I can do, and I'll try to visit more often."
"You're leaving?" Josh's eyes went wide.
"I am." Katie winced. "There's other people I need to check on."
Josh sat heavily on his bed. He stared vacantly at the wall across from him for a long, hard minute. It didn't seem like he was there anymore 1,000 yard stare glossing over his eyes.
"Promise you'll come back?" he whispered.
Walking over Katie gave him a squeeze on the shoulder. "I promise." she vowed.
In the hall, the woman hesitated just outside his door. He was in a bad way, and the isolation was definitely making it worse. She couldn't remember, but it didn't seem like anyone had bypassed his TV, either. He'd literally been locked in there alone without any for of escapism, or communication. It was little wonder he was climbing at the walls and was so desperate for conversation. If they weren't careful they were going to lose him too, she thought.
Pete, who stood in the doorway, quietly inspected his supplies before offering up a half smile. "Mahalo, thanks."
"You're welcome." Katie said leaning around him to inspect his living space. The room appeared clean, but very lived in. "Is there anything else you need?"
"Nah. Dem kids gonna be alright?" the man questioned as placed his bag just inside the door. "Der were a lot of dem. Gotta be scared."
"They're hanging in there." Katie said.
"Good. Hate seeing kieki scared l'dat." Pete looked the woman over as if appraising her and much as she was him. "You kuleana, for dem?"
"What?" Katie puzzled, trying to piece together what he was saying. He spoke with a relaxed sense of ease in spite of how guarded he was around her.
"Kuleana, responsible. You der aunty?" he asked.
"Yes, I guess I am." she shrugged with a helpless smile.
"Good, dey need dat."
"Are you sure you don't need anything?"
"Nah, I'm good." Pete said as he closed the door. "Thank you."
After Pete Katie found herself lingering outside of room 611, her rage bubbling to the surface as she glared at the wooden panel that sperated her from Isaac Reed. He'd been moved there in the interest of peaceful cohabitation, it was Purdy's means of a compromise. The woman dropped the bag on the floor and turned away without any further ceremony. Peyton who watched her from Matt's chair didn't say a word.
That pretty much left Matt, Purdy, and the kids, Katie realized. Bracing herself to face her CO, the woman shouldered two packs, and walked into the room. The living room was a mass of what Intel and supplies they could gather. A row of walkie-talkies were lined up on chargers against the north wall, each set to a different channel. Paperwork, workers handbooks, the hotel's evacuation plans, and the like were cluttered along the table and sofa, their weapons stockpile, or what was left of it was lined up nearby.
Walking further into the base of operations Katie eyed the bunk room door. She had been staying there previously. It had been where she tended to the now dead Lawrence. A vice squeezed her heart.
In conflict with herself Kaite was unsure of where she stood on the subject of the mercy killing. She knew from experience what a stomach wound could do to someone, how long, and agonizing a death it could be. She knew that a nicked bowel meant sepsis. And she knew that it wouldn't have been a decision that Purdy would have made in the heat of the moment, nor was it one that he would have taken lightly. The medic just couldn't bring herself to reconcile with the fact that in her absence it had gotten to the point of no return, and therein lie her ethical dilemma.
Nothing was ever simple in life, she realized with a sigh, everything had to have such nuance to it. She hated living in a world of such varied grays, but that's just how life went, she guessed.
Matt was asleep on the bed nearest the door. That was where she gently deposited his pack. Even in sleep he looked spent. It was good he was getting sleep when and where he could.
Outside, on the balcony, the woman saw Prudy taking a long drag from a cigarette. A turbulent blend of lingering anger, fresh nerves, and deeply rooted doubts and confusion mingled within her soul. Sliding open the door she stepped outside and joined the man where he leaned against the railing. They stood without speaking for a long while as Katie breathed in the noxious, yet enjoyably ticklish fumes of his second hand smoke.
She missed cigarettes. She missed beer. She missed a lot of things. But she didn't miss who she had become after discharge. She was better now. Her sister had helped her get better. Katie loved her for that.
"It's too God damn beautiful here." Purdy thought aloud, breaking the silence between them. "I've always thought so."
Katie squinted out, across the cold unfeeling concrete, steel, and glass of the park and towards the mountain and into that deep impenetrable green. A breeze moved through the dense foliage in the far distance, bending, and bowing the trees, first one way, then the other. It was like nature's ballet as they danced beneath a peerless blue sky, not a cloud in site. If she got higher, the woman thought, she might even be able to catch sight of the ocean, even just a sliver of it. Breathing in the humid late-morning air, she had to admit that there really was something enchanting about this place. In its own, very complicated, way.
"That's what's so dangerous about places like this. You get five, maybe ten minutes of peace, you look around yourself and see paradise, and you forget where you really are, and what you're really dealing with." the man went on. "It's what I'm willing to bet happened with the asset, the one that breached containment. What, by the sounds of it, happened to Colton."
Katie's brow knit angrily and she started to object, but Purdy kept going.
"It's not incompetence, and it's not arrogance either. It's just human nature. No one ever truly believes that they're going to die, even when staring death straight in the eye." he paused to take another drag. "But death comes for us all sooner or later. Even here, in paradise."
"I have to ask, about Lawrence." Katie prodded after a while.
The man stared hard at the horizon, but nodded his head as if he'd expected such a line of questioning. "Yeah." he hissed the smoke between his teeth. "He was already going, started hallucinating, wasn't making much since, crying. He was in pain. I did what I had to do, the only thing I could do."
Katie listened gravely as she tried to put aside her arrogant notions that she could have saved the man's life. Purdy was right, it sounded like there really wasn't anything left to do for him. Infection, septic infection in particular spread like wildfire and it was hell in heels to try and stop it.
"I know," she said. "I just needed to hear it from you."
"I suppose you did."
"I've been seeing to the others," Katie went on. "And I think this lockdown has gone on for far too long. Some of them desperately need some socialization, or we're going to lose them, just like the suicide in 611."
Purdy seemed to give it some thought.
"All I'm asking is that you at least let them have free reign of the sixth floor!" she said with exasperation when the man didn't seem inclined to answer her.
"Everyone?" he asked in monotone as he continued to stare at the jungle.
Katie's heart skipped a beat, and the spots in her vision flared. "Everyone but Reed."
"I'll take your advice into consideration." he said in concession.
"He did it, Luis. He hurt that girl, and I think he killed Terry because Terry wouldn't stand for it." Katie said through grit teeth, voice hard and angry even as the tears slipped out.
The man turned to look at her for the first time since they'd begun to speak. "I know." he murmured. "But we need him. We don't know how long we're going to be stuck here, or if there's any other way off the island other than sitting on our hands and waiting to be rescued. Like I tried to tell you yesterday, that means that until there's a better solution, and until we can get him before a judge, that's just the way things are going to have to be."
Katie glowered at him in a hard scowl, hatred and distain for a man she once respected growing.
"You don't have to like it. I don't like it. It's just the way things have got to be, for now." Purdy reiterated.
There was a stretch of uneasy quiet before the CO began again. "You say you've looked in on the others?"
"I have."
"What's the status, other than a touch of cabin fever." he questioned, flicking away his spent cigarette butt, fidgeting for a moment and with an agitated sigh lit another.
"Trish is hanging on by a thread. The only thing that's kept her grounded is her daughter." Katie responded, as she reflected on the woman, and the state of her room. "She can't be left alone with Chase-"
"Chase?"
"The little black boy. I'm not calling him CB. It was a sick idea to begin with, but now that the kids have come up with something better the moniker 'Compy Bait,' dies here." Katie said hotly.
"Chase. Fine. Why not?"
"Trish was taking her anger and frustration out on him, physically, verbally, it got bad. I'm surprised you hadn't noticed." Katie kept going, she didn't even give the man time to formulate an argument or an excuse. "Josh, the park employee, seems to be in the worst shape. Crawling up the walls, trashed his space, but not with any sort of malice, he's just scared and alone. He'll be the first one to go if we don't ease up a bit. The kids- I don't even know where to begin with the kids. One minute they're all dust in the wind, the next they're more calm and collected than I am."
"Hmm."
"I'm going to try talking to them one on one." Katie thought aloud. "Get a feel for them away from the group."
"Good idea." Purdy agreed.
"Pete's a hard read, tight lipped, standoff-ish. We can thank Colton for that." Katie mused as she watched one of the flyers soar into the distance. "Speaking of difficult reads, Napier's got a handle on the situation, but, I don't know..."
"What don't you know?" the man asked.
"Have you ever known her to be particularly religious?" Katie countered with a question of her own.
"Not explicitly, no. Why?"
Katie shrugged, a thoughtful line creasing her forehead. "She packed Bibles in the bug out bags. There's one in all the rooms, but, now they're in all the bags too."
"Is that a problem?" Purdy muttered.
"No, its just, I didn't think-" Katie shrugged and left it at that. "Matt's, Matt, I don't think we'll ever know if he's cracking until he's good and shattered. Reed can go to hell for all I care. I'm fine. And you?"
Purdy took a long drag, let the smoke curl slowly from his lips and smiled, "You're 'fine.' Then so am I."
Katie glared. "I'm managing."
"So am I."
"They're kids!" she snapped. "They shouldn't be getting put through the meat grinder!"
"And Lawrence was my friend, and I shouldn't have had to do what I did." Purdy looked at her again, this time with tears in his eyes. "So, how're you doing?"
"I'm just about spent." Katie murmured in shock.
Purdy smiled as he started to cry. "Me too."
Katie stood rubbing the man's back as he leaned against the safety rail and, crying, recounted his each and every regret. It was, in a humbling way, bizarre to see the man wailing out his sorrows and remorse, the woman thought. She'd never seen him lose his composure before, not even in anger. He had always been the calm, level-headed anchor that kept the unit on task. Turning him towards her and enveloping him in an embrace Katie did her best to be of comfort. Angry as she was, he was still her friend and she wasn't about to leave him like that.
The whole ordeal of checking in on everyone, and gathering the items requested by Trish, had taken much longer than Katie had expected, and she was glad she'd armed Sammy beforehand.
"I'm taking a nap." the woman explained to the kids from where she checked Ben over when she'd gotten back.
"You doing alright?" Sammy asked with worry.
"Still just that darn headache." Katie assured. "The bags are by the door, one each, in case of emergency evacuation. See you in an hour or so."
Lunch, as Peyton had said it would be, was late, but by the time it arrived the migraine had passed. Sammy and Darius were quick to help hand out the bowls of beef heavy chili. The boy in question grabbed one and headed straight to the bunk room, trying hard to conceal the note he palmed at the base of the vessel as he went. Katie and her wards ate clustered around the television.
After cleaning up from their meal was when Katie announced, "I'd like to see each of you one on one to go over a few things. How you're doing, food allergies, and other basic medical history, and stuff. Nothing too personal, I promise. I just need something to work off of."
"Why?" Kenji questioned.
"Because, I need to know these things." Katie countered matching his tone.
"Why?"
"Because I'm the closest thing we have to a doctor here." Katie elaborated.
"But why can't we just answer your dumb questions in here?" the boy argued.
"Because what if there's something you don't want everyone else knowing. Or something you're embarrassed about." Katie said trying her best to remain cool tempered.
"Just knock your shit off asshat!" Yasmina shouted, clearly having had enough. Katie bristled at the blatant hostility and was getting ready to reprimand her when the kids moved the conversation along completely unphased.
"Yeah, quit giving Katie a hard time!" Sammy added.
After a minute Katie asked, "Now, who wants to go first?"
The room was suddenly very, very quiet.
"Well damn y'all!" Sammy laughed nervously. "Guess it's me, then."
Getting up Katie led the way outside. The medic gave Matt, who was back at with sentry duty, a nod and he respectfully picked up his chair and moved further down the hall.
"Did you tell Brooklynn about what I gave you?" Katie started out in a whisper.
"Yeah, here-" Sammy nodded, reaching towards her waistband.
"Keep it. Just promise you'll be responsible with it." Katie instructed.
"I swear." Sammy said earnestly.
"Did knowing help Brooklynn at all?"
Sammy shrugged. "I dunno, I think so. I hope so."
"Me too." Katie lamented in agreement. "Did it help you?"
"Yeah, it really, really did."
"Good. Did you tell anyone about... what happened?" Katie asked as gingerly, and tactfully as she could.
"No." Sammy shook her head. "I promised I wouldn't."
"Maybe you should tell Yasmin-"
"No!" Sammy snapped. "I promised, and you can't say nothing either!"
"Ok, ok. I'm sorry." Katie was quick to apologize, and try to make things right, though she thought it was better that they all be prepared, just in case. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine. What now?" Sammy, who started picking at her nail beds, asked anxiously.
"Now? Now you just talk to me like I'm your doctor." Katie stated. "Any allergies?"
"None that I can think of."
"Any illnesses or anything?" the medic who was nervous about how to approach the upcoming, and very uncomfortable topic of Sammy's secret, asked.
"When I was little I had asthma, but I grew out of it."
"Your head alright? What about the scratches?" Katie pointed first at Sammy's face, then motioned over her shoulder towards her back.
Sammy looked perplexed, reached up and touched her face with caution. "Um, no." she said in confusion. "All good."
"Anything, um, else, that I should know about?" Katie asked dragging it out.
"Not really." Sammy whispered, avoiding eye contact.
Katie pinched the bridge of her nose, as she flushed with embarrassment. "Sammy, I had your six on bathroom trips for three days. I know that you've got- that you're a-."
Sammy went bright red, she started shuffling her feet, and couldn't look at Katie anymore.
"I'm sorry." Katie apologized, feeling as though her headache was going to make a come back. "I don't know what the right words are. I've never met someone like- you..."
"The word is 'trans.' I'm trans." Sammy grit.
Katie smoothed a hand through her hair, pressing forward uncomfortably. "I have to ask though, what does that mean in this kind of situation?"
"What do you mean, 'what does it mean?'" the girl roared in tearful anger. "It doesn't mean anything! I'm still just me! I'm- I'm just-"
"Not what I meant!" Katie rushed out hands held in surrender. "Not at all what I meant."
Sammy stared at the woman full of hurt.
"Medically speaking, what does it mean? Like are you OK? Were you on hormones?" Katie cringed at herself.
"Oh." the girl said with lingering bitterness in her tone. "I haven't had any of my HRT since, well, since all this happened. So... no testosterone blockers, or estrogen, or anything like that."
"So, your testosterone will come back?"
"Yeah, like... puberty."
"So we should watch for mood swings, change in apetite... general puberty ...stuff. Anything else?" Katie tried, struggling to get a look at the girl's face. "Sammy, are you alright."
The girl sniffed her nose, "No. It's just not fair. None of its fair! Dinosaurs, Reed, dead people everywhere, I'm scared! And now this on top of it all? I don't want... I don't want to be off my HRT. I don't like myself without it. I don't feel like myself without it! And now I'm stuck here on Killer Dinosaur Island and I can't even feel right in my own skin!" she sobbed, heartbroken and afraid.
"I'm sorry, I really am." Katie said, trying to sympathize, but it was like the girl was speaking a foreign language.
Katie watched as she dissolved into a fit of, in Katie's opinion, unwarranted tears. There were much bigger things at stake than whatever this- this bizarre type of vanity was. The woman found herself staring in profound awe, and wondering what was wrong with this kid?
Empathize and respond, the medic told herself firmly, don't react, don't let your own feelings and opinions rob her of the help she so badly needs. Katie pulled Sammy into a hug and let her cry.
"This situation is hard enough as it is." Katie murmured into the girl's hair. "I can't imagine going through it, and all of these hormonal shifts, and all the emotions you must be experiencing. My headache alone just about knocked me out of my boots today, you must be in headache city, huh?"
Sammy nodded.
"Do any of your friends know?" Katie asked.
"I told Yaz and- Ugh!" Sammy covered her face with her hands and let out a whimper. "Darius walked in on me a few days ago. I don't know what he saw but, ugh! And if you know, Brooklynn knows! I fucking hate this!"
"It's ok." Katie hugged the girl closer. Her mind however, was whirling with concern and wouldn't let her leave it there. "Just keep it to yourself, as much as you can ok? I don't- I don't want anyone to- I don't know... I just don't know how they'd react. Just don't tell anyone."
"I won't." Sammy trembled into the embrace. "I won't!"
They stood like that for a long time, before with a final reassuring squeeze she sent Sammy to call for the next patient. Katie let out a held breath as she waited. Sammy was strong, but only on the outside, she realized, only for the people who needed her. The woman had suspected as much, after the night the girls had been lost, but this confirmed it. Katie knew now that she was going to have to keep a close eye on the girl, on all of them, if things shook out the way she expected them to.
"You made Sammy cry." Kenji glowered at the woman as he stiffly shuffled out the door. "Why?"
"I didn't mean to, we were just talking." Katie sighed. "I'm sorry."
"You say that, a lot." he spat with irritation.
"I mean it, a lot." the medic raised her eye brows in surprise at the venom he spoke with.
"Do you?" the boy glared.
"I do."
"If you say so." he muttered.
There was a tense standoff as they sized each other up like combatants, before Katie, doubtful of herself started in with the questions. "Do you have any allergies or medical problems that I should know about?"
"No."
"How are your ribs?"
"Broken." he said with dry sarcasm, testing her patience.
"How are you feeling about all of this?" Katie gave a tight-lipped smile, trying to maintain her composure with the teen.
"Just another day in paradise!" he smiled back. The expression had an uncomfortable amount of warmth to it, especially given how upset he clearly was.
"Kenji, please. It's my job to try and keep everyone together and in a good place. Just tell me, honestly, how are you feeling?" the woman pried.
"How do you think I'm feeling?" he laughed in bitter disbelief. "It feels like we're all going to die here and there's nothing anyone, not even you, can do about it."
They stood staring at one another as Kenji's first quiet tears fell.
"It feels like why even bother?" he went on. "Like nothing matters. But then, if nothing matters why am I so scared? Why am I so worried for everyone? Why do I care if Chase is getting knocked around? I mean we're all going to die anyway, so why do I care when Darius gets his stupid feelings hurt? Why does it kill me to know that Ben's dying? Or- or that- that he's dying- he's-"
Katie reached out to put a hand on his shoulder but the young man pulled away. Kenji tipped his head back then and closed his eyes, "Stop being such a pussy! Man up!" he muttered angrily towards the ceiling.
"Just, fix Ben... nothing else matters. Just fix him ok?" he demanded, pridefully wiping away his tears.
"I'm doing my best." Katie said softly. "And I'm-"
"Let me guess, you're fucking 'sorry?'" Kenji snapped casting her a final angry glance before heading back into the room. Behind the half closed door the young man let out a howl of pain and frustration, that made the woman jump.
"Everyone good down there?" Matt called to Katie.
"5 by 5." she called back.
Kenji was a loose cannon, the woman thought, a danger to himself, and possibly even others with his self-destructive nature. Getting him alone, and away from the group had revealed just how much he'd been hiding. Katie wasn't sure how to deal with the boy, and her heart was racing as she tried to puzzle out a solution. He was clearly anxious, and deeply depressed, but also strangely codependent on the others. She couldn't help but feel that of any of them were to meet their untimely end here on this island that it wasn't a question as to if, but when that reality would kill Kenji too.
Yasmina appeared, interrupting the woman's train of thought a few minutes later. Before Katie could even say hello she cut in with an inquiry of her own. "What'd you say to them?"
"We just talked about being here and how they're feeling about it."
"That was a stupid thing to do." Yasmina scoffed hard, like she had something caught in her throat.
"I'm starting to realize that." Katie agreed.
"I tore my ACL before, this feels a lot like that, I'm allergic to dogs, and I was born with a heart murmur, but that hasn't slowed me down yet." Yasmina summarized her medical history in a breath. "As far as being here, I'm trying my best not to think long term, just day by day. I think in a way we all are. Anything else hurts too bad. When are we hooking Ben up to fluids again?"
She was so strong, Katie thought looking the girl up and down, but she needed to be kept from pushing herself too far because breaking points were a lot closer than most people realized.
"How have things been with the girls since they've been back?" Katie asked, testing the subject.
"Fine." Yasmina shrugged. "Brooklynn's back to being a 'super star' which means being a super bitch, so, par for the course I guess..." the girl stopped and stared at the floor, she heaved a sigh.
"I've been trying to remind myself that Denali is no Everest, but it's no joke either." she muttered deep in thought. "Brooklynn's done a lot for us too. I've just been trying to remind myself of that, but 'giving grace' isn't exactly my greatest strength." the teenager shrugged.
"Sounds like you're doing great to me." Katie observed.
"Yeah, well, it sucks. I'd rather just be mad." Yasmina grumbled.
"Why?"
"Because that way at least I'd be right."
"How so?" Katie asked quizzically.
"Because she's acting like a bitch, so I should be able to treat her like one. Instead I've got to check myself, and now it's my problem, and I'm wrong for treating her like that." the girl explained with some very circular logic.
"Sammy's right though." Yasmina shrugged. "Whatever they went through, it was a lot. I need to just give them time... So, Ben?"
Katie smiled with an exhausted sense of approval, "I'll get him set up soon as we're done here."
"Cool." with that, Yasmina turned and left before anything else could be said.
"No, Bumpy, stay!" Darius scolded as he tried to squeeze his frame through a gap he'd made in the doorway. The asset hooted loudly as it tried to follow him out. "Sorry." the boy grinned once he was standing in front of the medic.
"How are you doing?" Katie cut to the chase.
"Fine, I guess." he said. "I'm better now."
"What do you mean now?" Katie asked.
Darius shrugged. "I was kinda out of it, while the team was missing. I dunno how to explain it. Autopilot or something. I got like that after my dad died. I'm better now though."
Stunned Katie just watched the boy, and all his minute nervous movements for a good long while, until he said something. "I've had my tonsils taken out." he piped up.
"What?"
"I've had my tonsils taken out." he said again. "I dislocated my shoulder a couple times since, well, Indominus, but other than that I think I'm good. Hypertension and diabetes run in the family though, but I don't think we really have to worry about that yet."
Darius seemed a little too at ease, she thought. Then his gaze flickered to something behind her, before shifting towards something on her left, and back again. Katie followed his look to Matt, then the door to the Command Center. His smile seemed to hold an uneasy waver to it, after she had taken note.
"Do you want to talk about what happened with Lawrence and Purdy?" the woman asked in a soft, forgiving tone.
Darius shook his head, eyes wide with fright.
"Ok. Um, how are you feeling, in general?"
"Just, really scared." he said, eyebrows coming together. "I mean, how am I supposed to feel?"
"There's no right or wrong answer to that."
"Oh, ok. I'm just scared, and really, really worried about my friends."
"That's natural, and its clear that you care about them very much." Katie breathed.
"I do." he was quick to agree. "Is um, is that all?"
"It can be. If you want it to be." Katie assured.
Darius turned to go back when he stopped and began to fidget.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah." he sighed as if admitting defeat to something. "Can I tell you something? I think it's important?"
Katie's heart leapt. She wondered if it had anything to do with Brooklynn, and the letters the two had been exchanging off and on throughout the day.
"Sure." she smiled.
"It's going to sound bad." he mumbled.
"You can tell me."
"We were all friends at Camp Cretaceous, right?" he started rattling out a story. "Like we used to do all these things together, you know? And it was fun, and it was good, but Roxie made sure we all knew we were in charge of our own laundry. There was a chore chart and everything, but we had to make sure we got our own laundry to the laundry room, right?"
"Ok?" the woman nodded though she couldn't tell where this was going.
"Well, I was hyped about everything, and seeing the dinosaurs, and just everything was so fun and exciting, and who has time for laundry, you know?" he said, pacing a little bit in front of the door now. "I wasn't always the best and remembering my laundry, neither was Kenji. So, I kept reusing my socks, but after a while, they started to get really ripe, you know? So- this is bad!" he stopped his story.
"This is going to sound so bad!" he said anxiously. "It kind of important, though, and I'm really worried that- I don't know. It's just bad."
"It's fine. Whatever it is, just tell me." Katie said with gentle authority.
"Well, Ben's always been so neat, and he had plenty of socks, so I thought I'd just borrow a pair of his, just for the day, but -" Darius winced. "I wasn't snooping or going through his things, I swear to God!" he exclaimed earnestly.
"I believe you!"
"He um... he had a bottle of pills wrapped in his socks..." Darius mumbled. "I wasn't snooping, but, Roxie and Dave were in charge of getting Brooklynn and Sammy their medicine, and everything. I wondered why he was hiding his. So, I looked at the bottle."
"What was it?" Katie asked, knowing now the importance of his story.
Darius' brow creased in concentration, "I don't know, it had a weird name, like Vanilla Fox or something."
Katie stared, trying hard to figure out what he meant. She wasn't the best with drug names, but something about it sounded distinctly familiar. "Vanilla fox?" she muttered. "Vanilla fox... venlafaxine?"
"I think so." Darius nodded, his eyes troubled. "I wasn't snooping, but... there were other bottles, too... is he like, sick, sick?"
"No." Katie shook her head. "But, he might have been a little depressed."
"Oh."
"He'll be alright. I used to be a vanilla fox, too." she winked, trying to make at least one of these kids smile.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Katie hugged him, but this news was far less than good.
Knowing that Ben, whom she'd never officially met had preexisting metal health problems, made things a whole lot more complicated. Knowing from her own experience with the drug that venlafaxine could be used for anything from depression to PTSD, and even certain types of chronic pain she didn't even know where to start with this kid. Her mind was wrestling with so much when, suddenly, a question rose to the surface.
"What medicine was Brooklynn on?" Katie asked then as an afterthought.
"I never asked." Darius admitted. "But, if I had to guess," he paused to lean in close to whisper. "Don't tell anyone, but, she has an eating disorder. I think it was for that."
Katie squeezed her eyes shut at the memory of the girl in a tattered shirt. Katie knew that Brooklynn was all skin and bones beneath her layers. "I won't. Thank you for watching out for them, Darius. You're a good friend."
"I don't feel like it." he muttered, betrayal and disappointment in his tone.
Brooklynn didn't come to see Katie. The medic hadn't exactly expected her to, but she'd hoped.
That night, Katie sat toying with her food as they all watched a movie. If anyone had said anything to her, she hadn't noticed. Buried too deeply in her thoughts, the woman was busy trying to find a way to rally her troops, and keep their spirits alive. There were a lot of things to consider, and she hadn't even thought to ask about what she could do to make things better for them, like avoiding the vacuum. She was just beginning to formulate a plan when the lights flickered, and went out.
Everything was panic as throughout the hotel people, scared, and alone were thrust into the darkness...
Notes:
This was a rough one, and I feel like it jumped around a lot. Sorry if it wasn't my best, I'm used to writing the campers from one another's perspectives, but from an outside party's POV there's a huge lack of understanding going on. And things are taken from this "first impressions," standpoint that I was trying to convey, because while Katie knows the kids, she doesn't really know them, you know? 😅
Anywho, I hope you liked it, I felt like Katie's POV was an important one and could help give us a clearer image of the bigger picture!
I also hope y'all are doing well, and hope everyone is having a happy December and/or holiday season! I know there's lots to celebrate this time of year! 😄
Thanks for reading! Love y'all!!!!! 💗💗💗💗
Chapter 39: Darkness
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Falling.
There was only falling.
Down,
and
d
o
w
n
a
n
d
d
o
w
n
a
n
d
D
O
W
N
!
Darkess. There was only darkness.
F
a
l
l
i
n
g
into darkness, never ending.
Screaming darkness.
Breathing darkness.
Being darkness.
Fear soul-rending.
Pain.
Deep, burning, dull, aching, sharp, inching, throbbing, constant, fury!
There was only PAIN.
Always.
Forever.
Anything else, there had been never.
But PAIN
Only PAIN!
F
a
l
l
i
n
g
!
Quivering in the darkness a broken soul does pitifully, remain.
Remain.
Why must "I" remain?
Suddenly: Light
Scorching, burning bright!
Darkness severed.
F
a
l
l
________suspended________
Fear and pain now truly blended.
Blinding!
Blinding!
Cursed light that brings forth pain's new bite.
Ears ringing.
Eyes watering.
A twitch.
A feeling.
Fingers flexing.
A tether felt, one most vexing.
Form so heavy, cumbersome.
A body trapping the inner-darkness fallen-one?
Pain!
Again, in marriage with fear.
Memory: Teeth and Claws! Ripping, Tearing! Running, Racing! Weeping, Wailing, try and try but no Out-Pacing!
Shattered glass and fractured mind.
F
a
l
l
i
n
g
!
F
a
l
l
i
n
g
!
...Left behind...
Voices?
Voices!
Voices, many, soft and caring.
"Is he going to be alright?" asks one.
"Pupil reflex is getting better." Another answer-sharing.
"Fever finally broke in the night." Declares yet a voice more.
"Thank God." Whispers one voice, gentle implore.
All still talking.
All still squaking.
Never showing signs of stopping.
Voices speak, and voices spoke.
The twinge in his arm, fresh needle poke.
Who they were or what they wanted, never known, their power flaunted.
Light thrown into dark abyss.
Calamity consuming the silence missed.
Make them stop and go away, for in the darkness "I" must stay.
For in the darkness there is just "me."
Then a word, a word is flung,
so carelessly.
"Ben." The word is softly spoken.
"Ben, can you hear me?" voice asks not knowing, how the word, has stung.
A word that makes the soul feel beaten, a word, a name, a thing that's broken.
"Ben." The the soul, the "I" the "me," knew now who they truly were.
And they were "Ben."
"Ben" which meant nothing.
"Ben" which meant pain.
"Ben" which meant only unyielding shame.
Darkness as eyes slowed to shut.
Darkness now so sharp it might cut.
Don't leave me here, here so alone.
For now they were "Ben,"
And Ben knew well, that in the darkness monsters roam.
Hands in the dark, they touch, they hurt.
They were "Ben," but didn't want to be. For being Ben could mean one thing.
Make it stop!
Just let me die.
Please make it stop, his fervent cry.
Memories make the soul now bleed.
Maybe darkness if embraced, Ben could now finally be freed?
Darkness take me.
Darkness bind.
Leave no trace of Ben behind.
I will not fight, or struggle again.
Please, just please, let this pain finally end...
And then?
A touch.
Soft and warm.
Palms and fingers gently meet.
Not to be fooled, or played with charm,
Ben knew this touch could mean only harm.
Yes danger dwells there, Ben truly knows, for with such tenderness a monster's hunger grows.
Waiting.
Pensive.
Fearing.
Fighting.
Always in the darkness crying.
The tether, the cord so thin and frayed.
The body given orders, orders not obeyed.
Fight and flee.
Flee and fight.
Laying there frozen.
No hope in sight.
Just let it end, the soul did beg, before the pain can begin again.
Waiting.
Dreading.
Diving down
Into darkness hoping to drown.
"Hey Ben. I don't know if you can hear me, but... I need you. I just, really, really need you."
Safe.
Safe,
safe at last.
Let fingers lock and tightly twine
Joined together, yours and mine.
Just hold my hand, and hold it fast.
For now I am safe at last.
And more.
So much more.
There is confusion, hope, annoyance, and adore.
Damn the darkness.
Damn surrender.
Damn you Death, it will not end here.
For Kenji, you,
I think:
I might need you too...
Notes:
Just a short chapter. Ben's still hanging on and so am I. Thanks to everyone who've been holding out hope for me, and wishing me well. With any luck chapter 40 will be out soon! 💗
Thank you for reading, hope everyone is doing well, love you all!!!! 🤟🏻💗
Chapter 40: Return to Duty
Notes:
Hi guys! 🤟🏻
-
Trigger Warnings for this chapter: Suicidal thoughts, self-harm, panic attacks, referenced childhood sexual abuse, guilt and shame surrounding past sexual abuse, and sexual abuse.
This one is heavy.
As always if any of these are triggers for you please contact me at [email protected] and I will email you a version of this story edited to remove your personal triggers so that you can continue to enjoy this story with out stress, anxiety, or harm to your mental health.
Love y'all RAWR! ~💗ENBYsaurus
-
Also, at one point I had like 6 drafts of this chapter. I think I published the most complete and well written version. 🤞🏻🤞🏻 If anything is amiss please let me know.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Ben opened his eyes. The sky above him was pale, soft, and white. He blinked. The haze of clouds remained as soft and distant as they had been before. Then, he noticed the dark patches of gray, perfect little puffs against the billowy white. It was hard to focus for long, and he felt himself slipping back into... a cold tang of fear wracked him to the core. It felt like he was falling. He didn't want to fall, but his eyelids were so heavy and he started slipping away again. Desperate to hold onto here, this place, the sky, he started to count the little gray plumes. One, two, three...
The sky grew lighter as he counted filling him with a peaceful, contented ease. Thirty-two. There were thirty-two gray puffs in his soft stretch of sky. Everything was soft he realized then, scratching inquisitively at the surface which cradled him. Was he in the sky? He wondered, brow lightly creased, eyes shutting. He wondered.
Opening his eyes again Ben found his clouds warmed with a yellowish hue, yet still not a spec of true sky to be found. His gaze searched fervently for even a hint of familiar, comforting blue. Instead, he found what could only be described as... a corner. He stared at the sloping patch of clouds. What was a corner doing there? And what was that sound? It sounded almost like a voice whispering. It was breathy, shaky, but completely nonsensical.
The more he concentrated on the voice and its alarming lack of clarity the less important the corner became. Turning towards the sound on a neck that resented him, in a head that was packed to the brim with hot coals he found the sun-lit figure of a girl. At least, he thought it was a girl. She looked flat, and soft, her features and outline muddied and out of focus. She looked like one of those felt dolls Dr Hansen used in therapy, when he was little.
His mind tried pulling him back there.
No, he thought firmly, desperately, as his heart fluttered and breath hitched. Just... no.
He blinked hard, forcing himself to stay here. Here, where everything was soft, and bright. The pain helped. It was a deep, dull ache that resided in his very bones, but at least it was grounding. At least it reminded him that he was here, wherever here was. Ben tried to focus on the girl, willing her features to take shape he strained his watery eyes. The girl seemed so familiar. She had dark hair, and dark eyes. Sammy? He thought, a name filled with affection fitting nicely into place within his mind.
Ben blinked his rough, heavy, sandpaper eyelids again, and looked once more. No, not Sammy. Yasmina. He realized, this name bringing with it a different type of endearment, one steeped in a sense of deep respect.
Forcing himself, he stared at the blurry, ever moving shape of Yasmina's lips as she spoke. What was she saying? he wondered, and why couldn't he understand any of it? Confusion washed over the boy, followed by a new kind of fear. Then, as fear gave way to panic he caught something, a word, a single word. It was his name. Whatever she was saying it was about him. Then he caught another name, Sammy, then Kenji, Darius, and Brooklynn. Ben watched, transfixed as wading slowly through waters of every other unknown thing she said he found hope, he found comfort, he found home.
As the boy watched Yasmina looked up, the deep brown of her eyes catching his.
"Ben?" she whispered.
He tried to nod, but his painfully stubborn neck refused to yield, causing tracks of lightning to scorch down his spine. He tried to speak, but a harsh crack of his vocal chords set him coughing.
Yasmina was sitting in an instant, scrambling to grab something. "Don't try to talk," she whispered urgently. "Not yet. Here, sip, slowly. Its water." Gently Yasmina pressed a straw to the boy's mouth.
Ben's lips floundered stupidly as they tried to capture the straw, his dry, fumbling tongue wasn't much help either as it kept knocking the plastic tube aside. Yasmina didn't seem to mind. She waited, the shape of her lips pressed into a thin line, her breath held. At last, victory. Or, rather, the first hurdle. Sucking the water up was the next obstacle to overcome. After a minute of struggle Ben was rewarded with a sense of immense relief and satisfaction as the life giving substance washed past his teeth and down a very grateful throat.
He tried to convey his gratitude when Yasmina finally moved the cup away, but all Ben could manage was tugging a loose smile, and grunt. Yasmina's voice sounded in a tight, nervous laugh.
Before he could try again, however, Ben felt it. A strange, warming sensation was slowly spreading across his lap, down his inner thighs, and beginning to pool beneath him. He fought to turn his head to look. Instantly the boy's stomach was wound tight into anxious knots of hatred, self-loathing, and dread. He saw his dirty, broken, and disguising body covered in the thin veil of a sheet, one rappedly growing wet and translucent as Ben urinated on himself.
Heart hammering hard against his ribcage the tears were instantaneous, he was dirty, so dirty, and he was naked! His skin itched with the filth, it burned! He tried to scratch, but his arms trapped beneath the sheet felt too long, gangley, and uncoordinated. His limbs flailed about uselessly in their insubordination, only adding to his distress.
Where was his fanny pack? Where was his sanitizer? He was dirty!
"Its, ok!" Yasmina whispered with a type command. "Its alright, I'll take care of it. Accidents happen."
As if with a practiced hand the young woman slid from the bed, rounded it, and retrieved fresh linens and a towel from somewhere near his feet. With these things in hand she quickly, and confidently set to work. Ben's panic was immediate. The cold harrowing rush of electricity racing throughout his nervous system as he tried to fight contacted every muscle in his body into agonizing spasms. He tried to kick, to hit, anything, everything to make her stop touching him. Yasmina took any blow that made contact in stirde, continuing to speak as she worked. She explained in a low, slightly alarmed voice every step of the process, and why she was doing the things she was doing.
The things she was doing was evil.
Eyes squeezed shut as mind and body rioted against her touch Ben was forced to relive his soul's greatest aguish in full. Every, moment. Yet no matter how his spirit bled, the only semblance of a scream Ben could manage was a low, hoarse, whimper, one that shuddered between his tightly clenched teeth.
When Yasmina was done she left him, alone, to wallow in his guilt, and shame. Just like him. Ben squeezed his eyes closed and saw his face, his smile, he was always smiling. Another hopeless whine came from boy's ragged throat. His stomach ached from how tightly it was clenched. His joints throbbed, his muscles burned, his skin crawled. He was dirty!
The tears wouldn't stop.
Why? Why him? Why would she do that to him? What did he ever do to deserve this? Why? Why? Why? He silently wailed to no one but himself. There was no God hear him, he'd known that for a long, long time. God wouldn't let these things happen, but they did. God was dead, a lie, a comforting bedtime story for children lucky enough to be kept from true cruelty of the world into which they had been born. A world which Ben had become familiar with at all too early an age.
Then, Yasmina was back. Lying in the bed next to him. No more, his mind begged. No more!
"I'm sorry!" she whispered, her voice was broken with the tears she tried to sniffle back. "I'm so sorry!"
Ben turned away from his abuser, and her blurred, felt features. He could still feel everything. He was dirty! He hated her.
"I-I... someone had to..." she continued to sob. "I don't know how much you remember, or how, how aware you are, or if you're even still in there, " she continued weakly. "I just don't know!"
There was a stretch of silence while she cried muted tears with that same aire of practice. He hated her.
"You've been out for nearly a week! Someone had to clean you up!" she muttered in the same wretched manner. "I didn't want to do it, I would put it off for so long, or rush and not do a good job but then your skin started to blister... the diaper cream! It's my fault... I'm sorry!" she whispered, but Ben burned with shame, anger, and hatred. He wasn't listening.
"It was gross and weird, but it needed to be done, and I'm sorry... just so, so sorry!" she whimpered, her voice half muffled by a pillow.
He hated her!
But not as much as he hated himself...
How could he have been so stupid? Stupid enough to believe that maybe, just maybe he was safe, and that it wouldn't ever happen to him again. Stupid enough to look up to Yasmina, to have admired her for her passion, dedication, and perseverance well before all the running. To have admired and relied upon her strength, courage, and daring afterwards?
He was such an idiot! It was all happening all over again! Again! Just like him! His uncle! His cool, funny, evil uncle. Ben had loved and admired that man so much when he was little. So very much! Why? Because he was stupid! Ben was stupid, stupid, stupid! Because Yasmina was just like him! And just like his uncle she betrayed him.
Ben hated himself! Hated himself! Hated himself! He was so dirty! He didn't want to be here anymore! He wanted to die! Just let him die! Ben just wanted to die!
Every muscle fiber strained so tightly his entire form shook as Ben lay stiff as a board, crying, and locked in a dirty, broken body he resented.
Just let him die!
"I'm sorry." Yasmina breathed in a scarce whisper as she wept. A fake, insincere show of remorse.
Turning towards her with hated in his clouded gaze Ben glared at the young woman. Her face was closer than it had been before, as she whispered, but her body was angled far and away from him. Ben could make out some details now, and the nearness gave her features shape, and dimension. Her eyes were red and swollen. She wasn't able to meet his gaze or even look at his face for long. Her hands, squeezed into loose fists, were pressed tight against her mouth.
"I'm sorry." she gulped in a miserable sob. "You were dying! I just- I just didn't want you to die like that! I tried to give you dignity- respect- I-I, I knew what it felt like! My leg was bad, I pissed all over Sammy and Brooklynn the first day we got here! I just wanted to help! You were dying! I'm sorry. I would have freaked out too! I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry! Ya Allah, I hope you can understand me!"
Yasmina sounded like she was in hell. The same hell that lashed about Ben's broken figure. Now that his spent muscles had relaxed their trembling seize he could even feel her shaking. She looked almost ill. Her tears seemed genuine. And above all, she wasn't smiling. Not like him.
Slowly memories of the girl found form. He remembered watching over his book, too afraid to act, as Yasmina clad in a body suit screamed at a pair perverts at the pool, a little girl cowering behind her. He remembered being knocked back, falling in a jumbled heap with Darius as Yasmina gave a war cry and put herself between her friends and an unknown attacker in the lab. He could still feel the warmth of her hands taking his, as she told him how strong he was, and how much faith she had in him, but that no matter what happened he had to keep rowing. He remembered the look in her eye, courageous yet resigned to a bitter fate before she leaped into the water. Water that he had been so very afraid of, though now he couldn't even remember why.
That was who Yasmina was, she was a protector, a guardian, the one who always put herself in harm's way if it meant protecting someone else. She was a badass, she was a fighter, and she was the one who had given him strength and courage when his own had long abandoned him.
But the one thing she wasn't was a monster.
Slowly he replayed the things she had said, things he had heard but hadn't truly listened to. He'd been unconscious, or, possibly even in a coma. Pissing and shitting on himself like an like a savage. She'd described blisters, a rash, and diaper cream. The words had been choked out with some disgust. She called it gross, and weird, and somehow even though his stomach was still knotted at the mere thought of being touched her discomfort made him feel... better.
She hadn't enjoyed any of it. She hadn't been acting out of perversion, or seeking her own twisted pleasures bought with his pain. Everything she'd done no matter how uncomfortable, no matter how violating had been... necessary. Guilt filled Ben's heart, while tears swam in his eyes. This was just one more way Yasmina had been protecting him.
Ben was ashamed to have even briefly compared Yaz to him.
She was his dear, dear friend, and he loved her.
Ben movements were jittery, his limbs jerking and snapping awkwardly as he tried to reach out towards Yasmina. A leg shot forward on it own accord colliding with the wall of pillows that had been carefully, thoughtfully built between them. She really was an amazing person he thought, using all of his strength to make contact, his loosely curled fingers knocking against her wrist.
Yaz peered up at him, taking his hand in her own. Ben could feel the rough scabs left by the braided metal cord that once hung over those deep, terrifying waters. What Yasmina was, was a hero.
Ben tried to talk, but, it didn't feel right. The muscles in his throat were tight, they hitched and convulsed. His tongue was inept, disobedient, and weak. It felt like there was a large gumball in his mouth forcing it down, a gumball he gagged on several times. After rolling the invisible barrier around in his mouth Ben managed to position his tongue behind his teeth.
"Th-th-" he struggled, voice a low croak, a spasm yanking at the muscles in his jaw. "Th-th-thank -ank, ank you-u." he managed.
"Ben?" She sobbed. "You're still, you're still our Ben?"
He did his best to nod.
"Tha-a-nk you." he said again. "F-f-for every-y-y every thing-ing-ing. Nnn-nn-nnnn."
"You're welcome," she sniffled back tears of joy. "Ben, habibi."
He didn't know what it meant, but Ben could feel the love and affection that word carried. It was a love and affection he shared, one she displayed by pulling his hand close and pressing a kiss onto the top of his knuckles. The gesture was meant to be a kindness, and in a way it was, but Ben shuddered with revulsion. He could feel it, the press of her lips, the lingering residue of her saliva on his skin. He could feel the staphylococcus, corynebacterium, HSV-1, and candida from her mouth racing wild and free across the top of his hand.
Ben's heart began to race, his tears returned, and a new found wave and nausea crashed over him. He was dirty! He was so dirty. He would never, never be clean, never! He was dirty and broken and ruined!
"Is someone crying?" Darius his voice worried, but thick with sleep called from somewhere just out of sight.
"Ben! No, Ben!" Yaz called as the boy deteriorated once more.
Ben let out a short wail as he tried to pull himself free from her infectious touch.
"Was that Ben?" Kenji demanded hotly, sounding very close to the other boy.
"Yes!" Yasmina cried, forgetting all pretense of strength. "He woke up, but somethings wrong! I don't, I don't know what I did! I'm sorry!"
"I'll get Katie!" Darius shouted. There was a loud pounding of feet.
"Ben!" Kenji half shouted for joy.
"Ben's awake?" Sammy's voice sounded furtherest.
There was another shiffling of feet. Soon Sammy and Kenji swam into his feild of vision vying for a space at his side, their faces muddled, and felt.
"Ben, sweetie it's us! What's wrong?" Sammy tried, her hand sweeping a host of bacterium across his forehead as she moved his hair to one side.
While everything around Ben was all happening at once, and very, very fast, everything within him had slowed into an agonizingly pinprick of time. He could feel it, the dirt, the germs, the hot touch of shame settle like the fallout from a nuclear bomb across his entire body, poisoning him. He was dirty, filthy, but worse, everything and everyone he touched was ruined by his radioactive decay. The corruption done to him passed on to everything around him. Ben cried desperately for help, but the words were trapped by the impediment of his tight and unruly musculature. It came out in a pitiful warble.
Soon Ben was fighting. He was fighting against his friends and the pestilence they bore, fighting against the past which flaired painfully through his mind, and even fighting against himself and the sickly radiation of defilement he carried within. Ben dug at any body part he could get his nails into as he tried feverishly to rip off the filth and shame one way or another. There was a sharp pain in his arm.
Yasmina let out a scream as she grabbed his wrists to try and stop him.
"What the fuck is happening in here?" A man yelled, his voice a hot lance in Ben's soul.
No, no, no, don't touch me! Don't hurt me! Please don't hurt me! Ben wept internally. "Nnn-nnn-nn!" the only sound he was able to get out.
"He pulled his IV out!" Yasmina screamed.
"Move!" a woman's voice commanded and then suddenly she was there, looking at him, touching him, asking questions. "You said he was on venlafaxine and what else?" she snapped.
"I-I don't know, I can't remember!" Darius shouted in a panic.
Ben's mind flaired with malease as they talked about his his medications. He fought to scratch. He cried. He was dirty, he was dirty!
"What the fuck?" Brooklynn shrieked from a distance, as an animal bayed wildly.
"Come here Chase! Its ok, don't be scared! He's ok!" Sammy piped in an overly cheerful tone as her voice got farther and farther away.
There were so many voices talking at once, so many hands on him, so much dirt!
"He has thing with germs!" Sammy called from her distance still trying to help.
"Where's his sanitizer?" Darius asked racing away.
"Ben?" Kenji's whisper was quiet and full of pain.
Ben fought!
Ben screamed!
"Everyone move!" the woman ordered.
All at once her arms were beneath him and Ben was being carried. He couldn't tell where. He didn't want to go! He continued to fight. His foot made sharp contact with the wall as they entered a small room. Pain flared, the woman swore, but kept her balance. Only a few more feet and she was lowering him to the ground. Shock caused Ben to go rigid, a breath hissing through his teeth at the sensation of cold shower tiles beneath him.
Then the water, sharp, and equally cold washed over him. He gasped, and shuddered, and came back into himself long enough to pick out pieces of what was being said around him.
"Yasmina, in here. Someone find him some clothes." the woman sighed with exhaustion.
"Ben!" Kenji called.
"Is he alright?" Sammy wanted to know.
"Ben!" Kenji tried again.
"What was that?" Darius asked nervously.
"Ben!" Kenji shouted to be heard.
"Will everyone shut up, and get this animal out of here?" the woman shouted over everyone else.
Slowly the water began to warm. Shivering and shuddering Ben leaned into it as best he could.
"Thank God the water heater is gas." the woman muttered.
"Amen!" Yasmina grunted as she came nearer. "Hey Ben. This is Katie, she's a medic we met, with ACU. She's basically a doctor."
"Basically." Katie agreed.
Squinting up at the running water Ben could just make out the shape of someone's hand testing the temperature of the water. It wasn't hot enough. It had to be hotter. It had to burn. It had to burn all of it away!
"Nnn-n. H-hotter." he begged as something shoved against his leg.
"Bumpy!" Yasmina groaned, and Katie added, "No, that's plenty hot."
"Hotter-er-er-er!" Ben shouted, a hand finding the little animal's head as she continued to nudge and bump against him.
"Dirty. I-I I'm dir-irty-y!" Ben wept when no one responded.
"Ben," Katie said calmly. "Your friend Darius tells me you were on several medications before all of this. Can you tell me what they were, and why you were prescribed them?"
What did any of that matter? He was dirty, and the water wasn't hot enough and- he realized they were looking at him. They were looking at him, and he was naked. Ben began to cry.
"Its ok Ben." Yaz tried gently. "There's lots of soap, and we can help you, if you need it."
Ben wasn't sure how long he'd been in the shower, or how much of that time he had spent fighting against his caregivers before finally relenting to their help. But even though he was completely drained of anything resembling life when they finally got him out and maneuvered his limbs into fresh clothes it still hadn't felt like long enough.
Bleary eyed as Katie who seemed remarkably strong for her size carried him back to the bed that had been cleaned and remade in his absence, he felt his joints settle stiffly as she laid him back down. He was sore, but overall, Ben felt better, cleaner, the comforting smell of soap still fresh in his nostrils. Yet there, just beneath the praise he listened to the medic giving Yasmina he could hear it, that constant voice in his head telling him that no matter what he would always be dirty...
When Ben woke again he was hot, the humid air clinging to ever inch of him. The ceiling still looked like a stretch of thick fluffy clouds. Slowly he looked around. The room was a myriad of dimentionless colors and hues all bleeding together. Some of the colors were even moving. As he lay there trying to make sense of the shapeless world around him Ben found that if he concentrated, and strained really hard not only could he make the foreground pull itself free from the background, but, he could create detail in his damaged vision, just not for long.
Even though their expressions were a mystery Ben could see Darius sitting at the head of the opposite bed. Sammy took her position near the foot, and, almost lost to the distance Ben was pretty certain it was Kenji.
"I basically invented it." the green clad blob scoffed as he described a Monte Cristo sandwich. Yeah, that one was definitely Kenji.
Ben listened quietly as they talked. It sounded almost like old times, when they would laugh and joke, and he would just try to enjoy their company from the sidelines. It felt almost safe, returning to that type of normal. It wasn't safe though, he knew that without exactly remembering why. His mind worked, but there were big black holes in his memory. They weren't safe, he couldn't quite remember why, but at least they were together.
Yeah, they were together. That was all that mattered.
"H-h-hi hi g-guys." Ben garbled out after a while.
Every felted face snapped in his direction.
"Ben!" they all shouted, like he was a beloved side character in a 80s sitcom.
The joyous chaos and excitement that followed was absolutely infectious. They were all running around with enthusiasm as they gathered things and chatted amongst themselves. Ben felt a smile tug across his face as his guardian angel asked him if he was ready to try sitting up. With Yasmina's help the boy, braced with downy fortifications, sat as his friend calmored in around him.
"Hi Ben!" Sammy clad in red gushed.
"You done scaring the shit out everyone yet?" Kenji asked he was trying to joke, but Ben could hear the nervous hitch to his tone, even if he couldn't quite make out his expression. "Because that's getting really old."
"I'm sorry!" Darius blurted. Then he yelped, a swift red blur told Ben that Sammy tried to hush him somehow, likely a sharp elbow.
"How are you feelin'?" the cowgirl asked quickly two-stepping around a sensitive subject.
Ben took a minute to assess himself. He was really sore, some parts hurt, like the back of his head, or, his arm where the IV had been. Mostly he just felt weak, and disoriented. He still couldn't remember where they were, how they'd gotten there, or who the other people were. If his friends were there though, and they weren't worried, Ben's rational was that they were, at least moderately safe, here.
"S-s-sore. Nn-nnn." he smiled.
Everyone laughed with a blend of sympathy, and understanding.
"Boom! Ka-pow, ka-pow!" Brooklynn's cheery on-air voice cut through their quiet revelry. "You heard that right Brooklanders, Ben is back! So, Ben, anything to say to the people?"
Ben's eyes went wide as the lense of a camcorder came into focus as it was maneuvered right in front of his face. Ben looked at the device and then searched his friends' nondescript faces for help.
"Well," Brooklynn chirped. "The people are waiting!"
"Are fucking serious?" Yasmina shouted.
"Just leave her be!" Sammy was quick to defend the pink haired blur. "But, Brooklynn, sweetie, now might not be the best time."
"Whatever." Brooklynn scoffed the bedsprings in front of Ben creaking ever so slightly as she stood back up. She was partway across the room when Brooklynn stopped and cleared her throat. "I'm really happy you're alright." she said, her voice sounding deep with sorrow, and ironically more like herself than she had moments ago. "I was really scared for you."
Ben tried to thank her, but Brooklynn didn't have the time to wait around for the invalid to choke out his broken words. She was already back to narrating events to the camera as she ignored the others and walked into another room. She left an uncomfortable silence in her wake.
"We got y'all somethin'!" Sammy said scooting closer, close enough for him to make out her wide, happy grin. "Hold out your hands!"
Worry shrouded Ben in deep shadow and self doubt.
"Sorry, I mean-" Sammy started.
"Let him try." Katie called as she made an unheralded appearance.
Using every ounce of strength, and bit of concentration he had Ben willed his hands together. They jumped, and fought, but inevitably, obeyed. Ben was flooded with self-satisfaction, and relief. He'd done it! Ben thought triumphantly as he stared down at his open, slightly trembling palms. His friends whooped and hollered for him in celebration. Ben's face felt hot as he blushed with a touch of embarrassment.
"Little victories." Katie intoned, but where the message was positive, her voice was strained with worry. "I'm just in the other room if you need me, but for now I'll let you kids catch up."
"Here!" Sammy who couldn't wait any longer practically shouted as she placed a plastic wrapped parcel in his hands.
Ben stared down at the object. It seemed very familiar. Squinting he could just make out the unmistakable font which read, "Smucker's Uncrustables."
"Surprise!" Darius laughed anxiously.
Ben's stomach grumbled, and his mouth began to water. For the first time he realized just how hungry he was.
"Sorry I know it's practically all you ate at camp but-" Sammy started.
"We also found protein bars!" Darius chimed in earnestly.
"Don't worry, we went over all the ingredients." Yasmina assured him from the right.
Only Kenji seemed to understand the problem. "Here." he said taking and opening the package.
"Shit, sorry!" "Yeah, sorry!" the others apologized, but Ben wasn't listening.
Pillowy soft the bread easily gave way beneath his teeth. Sweet, and delicate the grape jelly danced across his tongue while salty, savory, and the perfect counter balance the peanut butter clung to the roof of his mouth. Ben pressed past the invisible gumball that harried him, and savored the way the food felt and tasted. Tears overwhelmed him. It was the best damn thing he'd ever eaten.
"Ssso-o g-good!" he crooned with delight.
Once more his friends erupted in celebration.
"Y-y-you b-blew up-up Toro?" Ben gawked minutes later as his friends regaled him with everything they'd been through in his absence.
"Yeah, we're pretty much certified action heros at this point." Kenji said smugly from where he sat on the floor between the two beds, his head resting near Ben's knee.
"We made it to the dock." Yasmina muttered. "We were just too late."
"We didn't mean to leave you behind!" Darius' voice was tight with panic.
"'T's o-kay-ay." Ben tried to assure him, still not quite grasping the vast amount of guilt his friends felt, or the true gravity of the situation they were in.
Even as his friends talked the holes in his memory, and generalized confusion kept Ben blissfully ignorant to reality. Besides, the way his fingers thumped over Bumpy's armor plating as he stroked the sleeping baby dinosaur in his lap created a comforting repetitive motion. It soothed him so much, he forgot to question things like where exactly were they, or why were they all buddied up in a cramped, humid room. It was just nice to be together, safe, and sound, and far away from any danger.
"We wandered for a bit, and then came here." Yasmina summarized.
"We met the Nazis." Kenji added. The word Kenji used shocked Ben and made him feel uneasy.
"The ACU." Yaz snapped irritably.
"Whatever. I dont trust them." Kenji muttered. "Not after what Darius saw."
"Good." Sammy added shortly. "Only Katie."
Ben tried to read between the lines of his friend's conversation, but couldn't quite make out their meaning.
"What do you remember?" a miserable Darius asked.
Ben's brow furrowed as he struggled to recall anything. He had only vaguely remembered the running, the mosasaurus, and the monorail after his friends had first brought them up. Without anything to jog his damaged recollection he was left staring into the bright, rainbow auraed distance as the afternoon light cut through his eyes, and straight into his brain, dazzling him. Ben blinked.
"I-I nnn don't nnn-nnn don't kn-know." he confessed.
Ben's friends gave him time as he grew quiet and contemplative once more.
"Bu-umpy, an-nn-nnd, and," his brow furrowed sharply as he remembered cradling something small, red, and very precious. "A shoe-oe?"
Everyone laughed. It was getting to the point where Ben was genuinely beginning to question whether he really was in a sitcom.
"Thanks for, bringing it back to me by the way." Kenji snarked. "Cost more than most people's cars."
"What's wrong with you?" Sammy snapped. "Why are you acting like such a dick all of a sudden?"
"Hey, this is just Kenji being Kenji!" the oldest laughed.
"Bullshit!" Sammy swore.
Another uncomfortable silence followed.
In that quiet Ben slowly toyed with the bits and pieces of information he'd been given throughout the day. Yasmina had been taking care of him, cleaning him, and changing out his IVs with Katie's assistance and supervision. Katie was with the ACU, Asset Containment Unit, so were the others. There was nothing, no power to drive away the oppressive heat and humidity, but they were grateful to still have gas. His fellow campers talked like victorious champions for procuring several peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, as if food was scarce or hard to come-by.
Ben's relaxed stroking of the baby ankylosaurus slowed and began to grow uncoordinated as gradually a realization took hold of his mind.
Tears in his eyes and fear in his voice Ben whispered, "A-are we-e, are we sti-ill on the i-island?"
It felt like he'd been dropped into a tub of ice water as his friends could find nothing of comfort to say. Panic, his new constant companion overtook Ben. His mind was filled with blood, and teeth, talons, and screams. He couldn't remember everything, in fact he couldn't remember most of it, but he remembered the fear and he remembered the death.
Reality hit Ben full in the chest, driving the wind from his lungs. He was never gonna see his mom or dad ever again, was he? He was going to die here. He didn't want to die!
"Oh Ben." Sammy lamented, as she choked back a fresh wave of tears all her own.
"It'll, it'll be ok!" Darius tried with an indomitable sense of hope. "We'll all be ok!"
"Yeah, and, we still have each other." Yaz added reaching out to touch his shoulder.
"That's right!" Sammy agreed. "Its not all bad, honest!"
"Will everyone just shut the fuck up, and let the man cry?" Kenji barked from his seat on the floor. "Seriously!"
"I-I-I w-want my m-m-mom!" Ben sobbed. "My da-ad! I don't want, want-ant to die!"
With these words his friends were plunged into the same black, icy waters Ben tread. They all wanted their parents. They all wanted to go home. None of them wanted to die. Like that the honeymoon phase of Ben's return from the abyss of his coma was over. Now they were all crying as Ben mourned the false narrative of hope his mind had woven for him, and he came face to face with the sickening, hopeless truth of their desperate situation. The mood somber and oppressive the campers clung to one another.
It was late in the afternoon when Katie returned to give Ben an assessment. From having him squeeze her fingers, to testing his range of motion, and watching him struggle to walk, two, very uncoordinated steps his unassisted record. Katie carefully, and thoughtfully tested every physical attribute she could think of. Next came the improvised vision tests. He failed so miserably Katie could no longer hide her disappointment. It was bad enough when he couldn't talk, but now he couldn't walk or see. It was clear that he was a liability to everyone.
Finally after several long minutes scraped by Katie tested his cognition. Whatever logic puzzles or riddles she could think up, a few memory games, tons of questions, and even a kids shape sorter. The woman seemed satisfied that he still had complete, or nearly complete command of his mental faculties, memory a notable exception. Thankfully he didn't seem to be missing much only the events immediately before and after his TBI.
Finally Katie sat herself across from him, where he could see her well enough and asked the others to leave. "Its easier this way than asking you to go out into the hall." she explained.
"Why-y?" Ben asked.
Katie cleared her throat. "There are some things I'd like to discuss in private." she explained. "I'm the closest, only, thing we have to a doctor here. I've had this same conversation with everyone else. I'm not singling you out, I promise. I just want to go over past medical histories. That's all."
Ben's heart did a somersault. He didn't know this woman! He didn't want to tell her anything, or be left alone with her. She might have been the closest thing to a doctor they had but that didn't make her one. Not that a degree earned anyone blind faith and confidence. Trust was something earned, not ignorantly given away.
Ben watched as the others slowly shuffled out, butterflies swarming his stomach.
"Y-Y-Yasmin-ina stays!" he rushed to get out.
The young woman who had diligently watched over him, stopped and turned towards them. She was the one person he trusted more than anyone else here.
"Ple-ease?"
Katie evaluated the boy carefully. "Ok. If you want."
Coming to sit beside him Yaz took Ben's hand.
"Alright," Katie began. "What can you tell me about your past medical history?"
"N-nothing." Ben lied, his fingers tightening around Yasmina's. "I-I don't remember-er."
Ben watched ruefully as Katie reassessed the situation. "But you can remember the home addresses and birthdays of both your mother and father?" she probbed. "Because a few minutes ago it seemed like the only gaps you had surrounded your fall from the monorail."
Ben got a flash of wind rushing past, and a jolt of primal, unyielding horror. Then it was gone.
He made no comment.
"He got motion sickness on the ferry over here." Yasmina put in, trying to get the ball rolling.
"Ben?" Katie tried again, sounding very, very much like Dr Warner. Only, it had taken Dr Warner months of patience before she'd gotten that tone in her voice.
"She's just trying to help." Yasmina promised. "I told her all about my torn ACL, and my heart murmur."
Ben regarded Yasmina from the corner of his eye.
"He's got a thing with germs." Yaz put in. "Always using hand sanitizer."
Ben watched Katie's head bob up and down.
"May I ask if you have any psychological conditions or disorders that I should be aware of?" she asked. "Its nothing to be ashamed of. Most of us in the ACU have past military experience, and that includes the scars you can't see. I won't judge you."
Ben pressed his lips together. He didn't want to talk. Why did everyone always try forcing him to talk?
"I heard from one of your friends who was deeply worried that you were previously on venlafaxine. I'm familiar with that drug. I was given it myself for a while." Katie sighed. "The VA isn't the best at making sure vets are taken care of even though that's supposedly their only job. Being without it, when it's what you really need is no fun. Are you feeling extra anxious, or depressed?" she tried. "Are things popping up that you don't want to think about?"
The woman paused, waiting expectantly for him to say something. He rewarded her with only more disappointment.
"Are there any other medications I should know about?" the medic asked her tone becoming sharp and irritated.
Ben couldn't help squeezing Yasmina's hand even tighter. His heart was going so fast. He didn't want to talk but he was just as afraid of making the medic angry.
Katie sighed and stood to leave. "If you get anything out of him..." she started, looking directly at Yasmina. "Ben, please, I'm only trying to help."
Ben felt himself bristling hotly, the number of times he'd heard that from adults. No one could help, not then, and not now. People like her wanted to play the hero, swooping in to save the day. Only, by the time they got there, there wasn't anything left to save, and everything was left in ruins and decay.
After Katie left the others filed back in. The atmosphere had changed dramatically. No longer was this the happy glow of a reunion, it was the harrowing reality that they were still trapped in a life or death situation. Everyone settled around the room awash with sobriety. No one spoke.
"Hell yeah!" Brooklynn laughed with great enthusiasm as she came in several minutes after the others. "Look at this, I think we genuinely have the next great new dance craze on our hands people!" she was saying. Ben could tell from her fuzzy silhouette that she was still staring into the camera. "Add some music, the right editing... Ben! You're going to go internet viral!"
"Wh-what?" the boy asked not quite following as she girl came closer to him.
Suddenly Brooklynn hunched over, arms out, legs blurring into one mass of khaki brown as she cocked her knees together. While beat-boxing Brooklynn began shuffling around the room.
Darius gave a snort of laughter before hurrying to apologize.
"Brooklynn, honey that's not-" Sammy started, while in unison Yasmina and Kenji started to yell and curse.
It was ridiculous. So fucking ridiculous that they were here in this situation, and yet, somehow she was making jokes, making light of the very real struggle Ben was going through, a struggle that could eventually get him, if not more of them killed. The long yellow sleeves of Brooklynn's shirt made her movements obvious, even against the haze of the environment. Ben watched as she continued to twist, contort, and gyrate around the room. It was ridiculous, but it was also funny. Really funny.
Ben couldn't keep himself from laughing. He laughed hard, so hard it woke Bumpy up, so hard it hurt. Soon, as if given permission everyone relaxed. The jeering and harsh accusations died out, giving way to good natured humor.
"Woo!" Sammy called. "Go girl!"
"Yeah," Kenji added. "Do the 'Ben!'"
Soon it was something they were all chanting. "Do the Ben! Do the Ben! Do the Ben!" as Brooklynn, a little boy named Chase, and even Bumpy began to bound and dance around the room. Everything felt, good, if not safe, it was definitely good.
"I nnn l-l-love you guy-ys!" Ben gasped for breath between the laughter and tears.
And he did, he loved them with all his heart. He just wished they were anywhere, but here...
-CCF Day Eighteen-
Notes:
I'm sorry for all my long absences. I do love this story and all the friends I've made through it and the Fandom, though. So I will always come back to it.
Hope y'all are doing well! Thank you for reading! 💗💗💗
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