Chapter Two
Wow.
Shutting the door of the taxi, Rowan stared at the boat with wide eyes. The amount of people getting on...it is incredible. Isla Nublar is emblazoned on the sides in blue and excited people pat the name once before continuing on. Rowan shivered, rounding her shoulders and ducking her head as she clutched her bags and began walking across the street to the boat. She hadn't taken much steps before she was being jostled and shoved to the sides as other excited people rushed to the boat.
Ducking her head even lower, Rowan tucked her elbows in and powered forward, used to the treatment. She didn't stand out. She didn't really want to stand out. It's why she only dressed in dark brown shirt, jeans, dirty sneakers and a black jacket. Her frizzy rowan hair was pulled into a ponytail with her side bangs loose and hanging by her eye so she could peer around it.
Rowan really didn't like crowds.
Clutching the handle of her bag tightly, she edged around a small arguing family and hurried forward onto the boat. Because of the packets that had been faxed to her, Rowan already knew where her room was. Room 418B. She cringed every time she rounded a corner and saw a group of people. She had pretty much plastered herself to the wall and continued on.
In retrospect, going to work for the largest amusement park in literally the world was not the smartest of ideas. But she couldn't pass up the chance to work with Velociraptors. Well, helping someone else work with Velociraptors. She didn't know if she could bring herself to get so close to the mighty dinosaurs. Her awe of them was always going to be tempered by fear.
Finding her room, Rowan slid the card in the slot and the door beeped open.
Rowan walked inside and shut the door behind her, setting her bags down and sitting on the bed. It was going to take almost all day to get to the island. Excitement briefly flared but Rowan tamped it down, not wanting to get worked up before she even got there. She looked around the room awkwardly before pulling out her tablet and opening her Kindle app. Scrolling the books, she quickly found her favorite book on Velociraptors and settled in to read...
...the loud blaring of the horn startled Rowan awake and flailed wildly for a moment before stilling. Her heart was pounding in her chest, causing her breathing to accelerate and her palms to sweat. Fear pumped through her veins, causing her to tremble on the bed. It took a moment for her to look around and figure out where she was.
A boat.
Isla Nublar.
Working with Velociraptors.
Her breathing slowing down, Rowan sat up and swiped her hand across her face; coming away with sweat. Grimacing, Rowan glanced outside, seeing it would take a few more minutes to get to land. She hurried into the shower, stripping down and climbing in. The water normally soothed her but Rowan was too worked up right now for it to work its calming influence. She scrubbed herself down quickly before climbing out and drying off.
Rowan wrapped the towel around herself and hurried out into her room, unzipping her bag and pulling out some clothes. She pulled on a pair of grey pants, black flats, a black blouse and a grey jacket. She glanced in the mirror and grimaced, hurriedly yanking a brush through the tangled curls. Pain flared in Rowan's scalp but she powered through it, finally flinging her hair into a low ponytail.
She swiped on some clear gloss and shoved the clothes back into her bag, zipping it up. Per her instructions, she left a name tag on her bags and left them in her room, exiting into the loud and noisy hall. Her tablet clutched tightly in hand, Rowan struggled to navigate the large, loud crowds. Ducking her head, she wished for a moment that she had the commanding presence others seemed to have. The one so full of confidence that it gave the surrounding people no choice but to back away and clear a path.
Sighing, Rowan pressed closely up against the wall, her heart-rate increasing as she grew more nervous. A small family passed by, the youngest toddler screaming loudly and the oldest child laughing as they antagonized each other. It was chaos. Complete and utter chaos that left Rowan feeling scared and out of place. Hanging back, she tucked herself into a corner, deciding to let everyone else unboard before she would even look out from her hiding space.
It was a long time. There was a seemingly endless stream of people. Girlfriends arguing with boyfriends, fathers yelling at children, friends giggling and chattering loudly, boys shouting and jostling each other playfully...she just didn't get it. Rowan had never been a loud child. Her mother had always said even before she went to school she was a closed off kid. The only one who could ever make her be loud and even a little bit wild was her brother Brady.
Feeling longing pierce her heart like a bullet, Rowan took a deep, shuddering breath and shook her head. She couldn't think about him right now. It would only hurt her and Rowan couldn't collapse into an ocean of tears right now. She needed to be strong.
Rowan couldn't stop her snort.
Her? Strong?
"Miss? Are you okay?" Looking up, Rowan's wide gaze met the surprised eyes of a boat worker. He was dressed in a janitors outfit and she blushed, pushing away from the wall.
"Y-yes, thank you. I just was-" Rowan cut herself off, her cheeks burning with a blush. Ducking her head, she hurried past him, almost tripping over her own feet. Embarrassment was scalding on her cheeks and she kept her head ducked down, hurrying down the ramp and off the boat. She almost didn't see the person waiting for her.
"Ms. Main?" The same cultured voice from her phone belonged to a tall, dark-haired, dark-eyed beauty with warm caramel skin. Kara Levy was dressed in a sleek black pencil skirt, a pink silk blouse and nude pumps. Her dark hair was loosely curled and frizz-free...unlike her own curls.
Instantly, Rowan felt so far out of her league. Shrinking into herself, Rowan nodded quickly in a bird-like motion before stilling.
"Nice to meet you, we spoke on the phone? I'm Kara Levy." Kara smiled warmly, her teeth gleaming white against her flawless skin. Rowan hesitantly reached out, her other hand tightly clutching her tablet to her chest.
"H-hi." Rowan fell silent, wishing she could be a brave person. She had always wanted to be one of those people that were open, happy, wild and bubbly. Especially since that had never been her. Kara's warm smiled faltered but she quickly masked it by pulling out a folder.
"This is all the information you will need about the raptors you will be working with." Rowan hesitantly reached out and took the thick folder, wondering how it had even fit in the bag. Kara beamed brightly and Rowan smiled uncertainly.
She felt a trickle of sweat slip down her back and had to hide a grimace. The heat was almost overwhelming. It was a bit of a comfort, reminding the brunette of summer long vacations in Australia. The only thing she hadn't missed was how easily the sweat soaked her clothes and left them plastered to her skin. That had never been fun for her.
"Thank you." Rowan mummered quietly, lowering her long-lashed hazel eyes to the cream folder. "Is there anything about the handler in here?" Rowan asked softly, cringing as she initiated a conversation. Kara smiled brightly and nodded, her glossy curls bouncing with the movement.
"Of course! Sorry, I was supposed to mention that." Kara apologized, glancing at her wrist where a gleaming silver band with a small screen was. Kara's dark eyes widened and panic flashed through them as she glanced back up and smiled apologetically at Rowan. "We have to get to the main building. And we have to hurry. I was supposed to have you in Ms. Dearing's office about thirty minutes ago." Kara said before turning on her heel and gesturing for Rowan to follow.
Rowan hurried after her, juggling the heavy folder and her tablet. Her feet protested the quick movement and she winced but resolutely shoved that to the side. Rowan wasn't one for activity and as a result she wasn't in the best of shape. Kara's tall form was easily seen by Rowan and she darted around excited park goers, darting around happily. Her wide eyes taking in the sights, Rowan stumbled over her feet more than a few times in her effort to look around and follow the raven-haired beauty.
This place...it was beyond any of her wildest imaginings. She had seen the news reports but dismissed them if they didn't have anything to do with her raptors.
When Rowan set her mind to something, she had a single-minded intensity that her brother used to joke he envied. Rowan never believed him when he said things like that. In her mind, Brady was the perfect one and she was the flawed one.
"So you will not be starting work today. We will be taking you to where you will be living. Because the raptor's paddock is so far from the hotel, you have been set up in a closer bungalow." Kara called, Rowan watching enviously as the crowds parted effortlessly for her. Her heels made a smart rapping sound on the cobblestones and it was like people responded to that and moved aside. "Your work will start tomorrow at 8:00 am because until the raptors know you, it is best of they don't see you before they eat. The raptors handler will tell you when you can come see the raptors before feeding time but until then, it is advised that you do not come in at a time before 8." Kara said, glancing down at her watch and typing something into it.
Rowan and Kara reached the main building in half the time it would have taken Rowan on her own. Kara didn't seem to notice though, walking up the steps in a way that caused the nearest males to eye her hungrily. Rowan felt a stab of resentment but buried it quickly. Kara had been nothing but nice to her. It was wrong to resent her for something she couldn't help.
A large holoform of a triceratops lumbered past, opening its mouth in a silent yawning roar.
Rowan froze, her hazel eyes wide and reflecting blank shock and awe. The large animal was deceptively graceful and Rowan eyes were locked on the dinosaur. Her heart was beating in her chest and her mouth went dry. Clutching the folder and her tablet to her chest, Rowan slowly reached out only for her hand to go through the large no-longer-extinct dinosaur.
"Ms. Main. Excellent to finally see you." The crisp, polished voice made Rowan yank her hand back and whirl around. She briefly saw a woman before the folder slipped from her arm and crashed to the ground in a flurry of paper. Yelping, Rowan dropped to her knees and scrambled around, grabbing papers and shoving them back in the folder before climbing to her feet as a furious blush overtook her face.
"S-sorry!" Rowan gasped, raising her gaze to meet the woman's crystal blue eyes. She smiled with a lack of warmth, glancing at a flustered Kara and raising a perfectly arched fiery eyebrow. Ms. Dearing's fiery red hair was straightened and razor cut, going in an angled line down to where it brushed her shoulders. Her bangs were just the right length to not be too short or too long. She was dressed in an expensive blue suit and white silk blouse.
"That's...quite all right. If you would follow me, we can go to my office. Kara, make sure Ms. Main's bungalow is ready for her after our meeting is done." Ms. Dearing ordered and Kara nodded before hurrying off. Ms. Dearing turned her brilliant blue eyes to Rowan's hazel gaze and smiled thinly before turning and walking.
Gaping after her, Rowan stared before hurrying after.
Rowan had thought that Kara was beautiful...Claire Dearing was gorgeous. Her skin was a pale ivory, flawless. Her eye were a piercing blue and complimented her fiery hair perfectly. Her mouth was glossed in red and her suit was tailored to fit her perfectly. She was perfectly put together.
She intimidated Rowan.
"It is amazing to meet you, Ms. Dearing!" Rowan gasped, skidding up behind the red-head and trotting on her heels. The papers flapped in her face and Rowan rolled her eyes, tucking them back into the folder.
"Please. Call me Claire." Despite the beautiful smile, Rowan could see no warmth in it. She faltered a little before dropping behind and walking submissively after the headstrong woman. Automatically ducking her head low, Rowan curled her shoulders in and fell silent.
Was this place really going to be good for her?
Rowan couldn't help but have some silent reservations.
They passed by a picture of a Velociraptor and she perked up, her gaze following it wistfully before it passed out of sight. Rowan nodded to herself before picking up the pace again.
She would meet the raptors and then decide.