So. My computer crashed and I lost EVERYTHING. Pictures, music, chapters I haven't updated yet. Luckily, I had all the chapter for this uploaded already on to my docs. I would have died otherwise. I also have to get a new laptop, so I don't know how often updates will be. I have a desktop computer but it's kind of a pain. So, please be patient with me!

Oh, and I love love this chapter, too! :)


Chapter Eight

The next morning, no one seemed too eager to go to their first day of work. Especially Carol, Daryl, Sasha, Tyreese and Michonne, since they would be dealing with the most dangerous animals at the park. However, Phillip Blake seemed to have enough excitement than all of them put together. After breakfast, he greeted them in the lobby of the main lobby, beaming. "Good morning, everyone!" The tone of his voice grated against Daryl's nerves. He had not slept well the night before.

Looking to Carol, who was standing next to him, he blushed. Last night, he hadn't slept well because of his dreams. Fortunately, no nightmares plagued them. They might as well have, though, for all the times he forced himself to wake up. One time, he even had to rush to the bathroom and splash cold water on his face.

Carol had been featured in all of his dreams and in them, they were kissing and touching. Every time, he woke up before things got too far, though Daryl desperately wanted to stay asleep. But he knew he wouldn't feel comfortable around Carol if he had let them continue. Even now, he knew his face would heat every time he looked in her direction.

Daryl wondered how soft her lips were. They must have been like heaven for the way his dream self seemed to constantly seek out her mouth.

"Good luck out there, everyone," Blake was saying. "And I will see you all for dinner." Daryl realized that he had zoned out during whatever speech Blake had said and didn't care. If it were anything important, Carol would tell him.

When Blake turned to walk away from the group; Lori, Andrea, Rick and T-Dog followed. They were the lucky ones that didn't have to travel to their work spot and didn't have to deal with any of the dinosaurs.

Carol's hand brushed his and Daryl looked down just in time to see her jerk it away, as if he had burned her. He didn't know what to make of that, so he crossed his arms over his chest and made sure it didn't happen, again.

The remaining members walked outside to await the yellow jeeps that would take them to their job. Milton was behind the wheel of the jeep that would take them to the velociraptors. Carol took the front seat without a word and Daryl had no choice but to sit in the back by himself. Something was going on with Carol and his stomach felt all tied up in knots. Had she finally grown sick of him? She had seemed fine the night before teasing him as they played with Maggie and Glenn and afterwards, she had hugged him.

Had he smelled weird when she did that and it grossed her out? He had taken a shower that morning, so he should have smelled fine.

"Well, here we are," Milton announced as he pulled the jeep into the front of the concrete enclosure that held four velociraptors. His eyes darted between Carol and Daryl, almost as if he sensed the tension between them.

"In the trunk are all of the things you will need while you are here. Today is just about learning about the raptors," he said mostly to Carol. "It will be like this for a few days and later we'll practice how you will conduct a tour."

Carol nodded and Milton's gaze shifted to Daryl. "For you, you will familiarize yourself with the security booth and you will keep on eye on Carol. Not only are you security for our dinosaurs, but for our employees, as well."

That's what I thought I was for here for in the first place, he thought. Not for the dinosaurs, but for the people! If a dinosaur had razor sharp teeth and claws, they didn't need protection.

"I'll come by at noon for your lunch and you will have an hour to eat. If you have any problems, there is a walkie talkie in the booth. When I come by with your lunch, please feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Hopefully, I'll have the answers for you."

The two of them nodded. When he didn't speak anymore, they saw that as their cue to get out of the jeep and gather the things from the back. Daryl was the first to reach the door and he opened it for Carol, since it was all of her things back there.

"This is it?" She asked, lifting up a thick book with a picture of a velociraptor on the cover (which she shuddered a bit at it). There was also a notebook and pen that he assumed were for taking notes.

"It looks like its school all over again," Daryl said and shut the door. Milton didn't waste any time in driving away, leaving them alone.

"Good thing I planned on being a teacher someday," she sighed and held the book close to her chest, not wanting to see the picture on the front anymore.

The tension from earlier seemed to disappear and Daryl wondered if he had imagined the whole thing. At least, Carol was talking with him and acting normal.

"Uh, you got a specific place you have to go to read that thing?" He asked.

"Um, I don't think so. Milton didn't say anything about that. I'd rather not be close to the raptors, though, if I can help it."

"Want to hang out in my booth? It's probably small as shit, but this way we can keep each other company."

"Sure. I'd rather be with you, then by myself with them." She shuddered again.

"All right. Um." Daryl looked around, hoping to spot the booth. It was odd that Milton had just dropped them off with a book and no other instructions. "I think that's it." He finally spotted a small building several feet from the raptor enclosure.

"Lead the way." Carol swooped her arm in front of her with a teasing grin.

The booth was small, but it had a desk and a chair for Daryl. There were also several monitors focused on different places around the enclosure. There was even one set inside of it. Daryl was glad he couldn't see any of the raptors at the moment.

"Do you think I'll have any down time between tours so I can hang out here?" Carol asked from the other side of the desk. She had taken an extra chair and set it down, leaving Daryl the chair that was on wheels behind the desk.

"I hope so. I mean, we should be able to eat lunch together, right?"

"I just hope that while we're eating lunch, the raptors are getting fed, too, so we don't have to see it." She shuddered, thinking of what they had to witness the day before.

"We'll still have to hear it, though," he grumbled.

Carol shuddered, again.


"Did you know that velociraptor means 'speedy thief' and that they can run up to forty miles an hour?" Carol had her guide book opened on her lap and a notebook set in front of her. She had titled the first page Interesting Facts about Raptors and had scribbled down anything she found interesting on the lined page. Daryl had his feet propped up on the desk, his desk and went between looking at the monitors and watching Carol. After all, it was his job.

"I didn't know that and honestly, I could have gone my whole life not knowin' the last part," he said. He didn't want to know that the damn things could run fast. It meant they had a less chance of survival if they were to ever break lose.

"They also hunt in packs," she continued, nibbling on the eraser of her pencil. "Oh, and here's another fact you'll love." She smiled at him before looking down at her book. "They have thirteen to fifteen teeth in its upper jaw and fourteen to fifteen teeth in its lower jaw. These teeth are widely spaced and serrated, though more strongly on the back edge than the front."

"Maybe you should stop readin' from that before I piss my pants."

Carol giggled and closed the book. On her sheet of paper, she had three lines filled but that didn't seem to bother her. "Now what should we do? I hope I'm not supposed to read this thing all day. I'd die of boredom."

Daryl shrugged. "Don't know. It seems like that's what you're supposed to do. I wonder if everyone else is doing the same."

"I don't know." Carol placed the book on the desk. "I'm bored. Let's play a game."

"Like what? And should I quit now since I know you'll win," he teased.

"No! But you're right, I'll probably win." She cocked her hip and gave him a smug smile. "Let's place I Spy."

"What?"

She walked around the desk and took a seat by his feet on the desk top, glancing at the various monitors. "We can play it right here," she said and pointed at the different screens. Daryl's feet slid from the desk and he turned in his chair to look more closely at them.

"All right," he agreed. "You go first."

"Hmm." She tapped her chin, blue eyes flitting from monitor to monitor. Daryl tried to watch to see which one her eyes would land on, but she caught up to him real quick and placed a hand over his eyes, playfully.

"No cheating, Daryl Dixon!"

"Yes, ma'am." He quickly shut his eyes, but peeked through one after a few seconds with a smile. Carol was still glaring at him, so he shut it once more. It was easy to mess with her.

"Okay. I got it," she finally announced. "I spy with my little eye something...green."

Daryl opened his eyes to scan the monitors. "Everythin' is green!" He exclaimed and narrowed his eyes at each monitor. After a few minutes, he stopped at one and pressed his finger against it, pointing at a bush near the woods. "That bush."

Carol gaped. "How did you know? Were you peeking again?"

"Nope." He chuckled, leaning back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head. "Just a lucky guess."

They played for an hour, laughing so hard their sides hurt and tears spilled down their cheeks.

"I spy with my little eye something g-"

"That tree."

"Dammit, Daryl!"

"I spy with my little eye so-"

"That rock right there."

"Fuck."

And so it continued. The clock that had seemed to be moving slow before was now speeding up and when Daryl glanced at it, he saw that it was almost time for lunch. Carol turned her head and noticed it, too. "Okay," she said. "One more and then, we can be done. It's your turn." She turned her back to the monitors, a rule they had established after Carol had spotted Daryl peeking more than once.

"All right. I spy with my little eye someth-Shit!" He nearly fell out of his chair.

"What?" Carol whirled around, nearly falling from the desk. "What is it?"

On the monitor that was in the raptor pen, the screen was completely filled wit a yellow eye. The pupil shifted around as if it was looking for them through the camera.

"What is it doing?" Carol asked, recovering a little.

"Don't know, but it's creepy as fuck."

The raptor stepped back so it's whole body was in view, but it's eyes never left the camera. Behind it, the other three joined it and they seemed to be talking to another by making strange noises as they looked at the camera.

"Why do I get the feeling they know we're watching them?" Carol whispered as if they could hear her from where they were.

"They probably are," Daryl whispered back.

At that moment, a yellow jeep pulled near the booth. Carol and Daryl were never more happier to see Milton than they were, then. They all but ran to the man, who looked a little alarmed at their fast approach.

"Everything all right?" He asked and adjusted his glasses on his face.

"Yeah, we're good," Daryl answered for the both of them, slightly out of breath. "Just starvin'."

"Oh, good." He brightened. "Then, I have something you'll want." He walked around to the front seat and presented them with two large lunch boxes. "I hope you all like chicken salad," he said. "Because that is what's in there, along with a bottle of water, some potato chips and a few chocolate chip cookies."

"It's perfect," Carol said and took her bag. Daryl did the same with his.

"So, uh, do you have any questions?" Milton asked, somewhat awkwardly as they stood staring at one another.

"All I'm doing today is reading that book, right?" Carol asked.

"Yes, and if you would like, you can walk around the enclosure and familiarize yourself with it."

Carol looked stricken and Daryl knew there was no way she was going to do that and if she did, he knew she'd be dragging him along.

"Okay."

"Daryl, do you have any questions?"

"Nope." He shook his head. "My job seems to be pretty straight forward."

"All right. If you don't have any questions, I'll be off." He walked back around to the driver's seat. "I'll return around five to pick you up. Normally, when there are tours, you will be here until six, but since you're still learning, you'll get out early."

"Sounds good," Carol smiled. Even though it was just an hour early, she was grateful that they wouldn't be out there as long as normal today. She had a weird feeling in her gut and it wasn't because she was hungry.

"See you two later." With a final wave, Milton was gone.

"Where do you want to eat this?" Daryl asked. "It's a beautiful day, so I'm sure you don't want to be cooped up in that booth. But there doesn't seem to be anywhere else to go."

Carol looked around, biting her lip. "Hm, I don't know."

Moooo!

They both froze, backs tensing at the sound, knowing what it meant. At the same time, they looked at one another, eyes wide. "Let's go somewhere where we can't hear them eating," Carol said. "I'll even eat in the woods."

Daryl knew the woods, well the woods back home, but how different were these ones, anyway. "Come on," he said. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Without looking back, they disappeared in the thick greenery that surrounded the velociraptor exhibit.

Daryl led the way as they journeyed through the trees. He was looking for a perfect place to eat their lunch, but so far hadn't found a thing. The trees and underbrush were dense and for a moment, he scared himself, thinking that there could be dinosaurs lurking somewhere.

"What's that?" Carol's voice had him stopping. She was pointing off to the right and when he followed her finger, he was surprised to see what looked like a little cabin. Did someone live out here?

"Want to check it out? Maybe we can eat lunch there." He asked.

"Sure."

They walked towards the building and Daryl knocked on the door, wondering what kind of person would be out there and why. However, when no one answered, he looked at Carol and shrugged.

"Open the door," she said.

So, he did.

The inside was small, so small that Daryl didn't think anyone could live there. At least, permanently, anyway. There were three doors, one led to a tiny room, only big enough for a small cot and the other led to a bathroom that only had a sink and toilet. The main room was bare and along side one wall, there was a sink, stove and refrigerator.

The other door was on the opposite end of the cabin and Daryl opened it, sucking in a breath when he saw what was inside.

"Oh my God..." Carol whispered.

It was a storage closest...for weapons. There were rifles, pistols, knives and even grenades. It was like a small army store. Underneath the rows of weapons, were boxes marked MREs and canned foods. There was also some sleeping bags, pillows and toiletries; like toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap.

"What the hell is this place?" Daryl asked, closing the door. That was when he noticed something on the door they had walked through. There was not only one lock on it, but five. Heavy-duty ones, as well.

"The glass in the windows look thick," Carol said, noticing what Daryl had been staring at and decided to take a look around the cabin.

"Let's get the hell out of here. We can eat outside and head back. Who knows if we're even supposed to know this place exists."

"Good idea," Carol agreed and followed him outside. They took a seat on the ground and leaned their backs against the wall of the cabin. They ate in silence for awhile, but one thing ran through their minds.

Whoever had built the cabin and stocked it, seemed to be preparing for a war.


Thanks for reading!