A few minutes later the were packed and heading into the forest. Eric had told them about how the water had appeared with the blood on it, and how he got a creepy feeling they were being watched. Dr. Grant had the same feeling. Natalie said nothing. Their voices got low as they ventured deeper into the forest. Eric's eyes darted this way and that, listening to anything that was out of place. And suddenly, there was. Natalie had stopped walking.
"What's wrong?" Dr. Grant asked from the head of the group.
"Um… I think we should go that way." She said, pointing to her left, "I need to… get something."
"GET something? Like what?" Eric asked.
"Look can we pleas just go that way? I mean I know this isn't a vacation and all, and it's not like I'm fighting over which ride to take first. This is life and death matter… but something might be there that will help us get out of here alive. Plus there will be evidence you can take back to your people and have them stop this experimenting they're doing."
"We'll have some other's come back and get it. Right now we need off of this island." Eric said. But Natalie frowned, and suddenly took off. "NATALIE!!" Eric yelled taking off after her. She was surprisingly quick in the forest and uneven ground. But Eric kept up easily. His mind wondered to Dr. Grant, but only for a second. Then it focused in on his surroundings, and he swore at himself for letting his mind drift. One, because he felt eyes on him. Those eyes that had been watching him since he got here. They were watching him as he was running… which meant… whatever was watching him, was running to, with him in sight. Eric looked around as he tried to keep up with Natalie, but he saw nothing. What could move so fast and not make any sound? Natalie slid to a stop, and Eric came next to her. In front of them, was a clearing and another compound. But this one was different. It was above the ground. Maybe fifteen twenty feet high, with only a single ladder and a small door above as it's entrance. If Eric had seen this first, he would have made it where he stayed, instead of that water tank. It was a good place to hide and escape from raptors.
"She might still be alive!" Natalie said more to herself the to Eric.
"What? Who?" Eric said, but Natalie was off. She cleared the distance between them and the compound in a few seconds, and flew up the ladder. Eric followed, with a quick look behind him. Those eyes were still on him. Maybe he was imagining things. He was probably just paranoid. Come to think about it, he was always paranoid on this island. He sighed and caught up to Natalie. He found her searching the compound breathing hard from running and eyes wide. "Who are you looking for?"
"She's got to be around here somewhere!!" Kimberly said.
"Will you two… just take it easy… once in a while?" came Dr. Grant's voice. Eric turned around. Dr. Grant was emerging out of the hold in the floor where the ladder was, breathing hard, "I'm not as young as you all think."
"She's looking for someone." Eric told Dr. Grant, "And she won't tell me who."
"Who? Who? Who they ask, well who do ya think?!" Natalie said, "Who else was alive after the experiment? Who else were you guys looking for sides me to lead you around on that island?"
"Um…" Dr. Grant thought.
"Kimberly Corterel." Eric said, "She's here? On this island? No wonder I couldn't find her!"
"Wait, there's a girl on this island?" Dr. Grant asked.
"Um… yes and no." Natalie said. But before Dr. Grant could say more, Natalie shrieked, "Look!" she yelled opening a cubbord. Candy bars dropped out from their messy piles on the shelves. Hot chocolate packs and foot spilled from behind those, and water bottles stood neatly next to each other on the top shelf. "TOLD you we should have come here."
"Yeah, yeah, but where is this Kimberly?" Eric asked almost not wanting to ask the question.
"Kim? Oh, I don't know. I thought she was dead after they experimented on her. But I think she's still alive. I know Sam… and Eliot… and Kelly… are all dead. Those no good dirty rotten scum bags!" Natalie sank to the floor, her voice shaking, "you don't know what it's like to know you're friends are leaving to be tested… to be eaten alive. All THOSE people called them were 'failed experiments.' But… that raptor we saw on that third island… was the one they experimented with. The one that killed so many."
"How do you know?"
"Cause they never put two raptors on that island. To dangerous. But how it died I don't know. Old age probably. Or it got fried by the cables. Either way I'm glad it's dead."
"So you think Kimberly… Kim, is still alive? How?" Dr. Grant asked. Natalie's eyes were clouded, and were suddenly filled with rage.
"When the five of us came to this island… we were secretly told we were going to be rescued. A man told us that. Said he couldn't stand to see us killed any longer. We didn't know what was going on. I wasn't tested on. KC was the last one to be taken. Before I could even SEE the raptor DNA, the man got a distraction outside of our rooms, and got me out of there. Saved my life. I never knew what happened after that. The research suddenly stopped. The man never went back. It went to a deadly halt." Eric didn't want to say anything, but Kim was probably dead. Surviving raptors was impossible. "Then I suddenly caught word that they were continuing the experiment. They let some of their samples out into the forest. That's all I know of. That's why I think something's out there… something we've never seen before. A new kind of mix of species or something." Natalie said.
"Ok." Eric said, "Look, I don't mean to pop you're bubble, but we gotta move on. We'll take the food and all, but we gotto keep going." Natalie looked at him.
"You wanna leave with Compy's outside?" she said. Eric looked at her. He walked over to the window and peered out. Little green dots moved around on the ground outside, pacing back and forth and chomping on flies that buzzed around. He turned around to Natalie, who's eyes were hard. "They were following us all morning, so they won't be around to much longer. They'll either fall over sleeping, or find a safer place to sleep."
"How did you know they were out there?" Dr. Grant asked.
"Easy…" Eric interrupted, "Their chattering is audible to someone's who heard it many times before. They hear it and know it's a threat. I heard it… just didn't think of it as a threat. I haven't been here in a long time."
"YOU'VE been on this island before?" Natalie asked.
"yeah. Survived eight weeks on my own. Wasn't pretty, but I lived." Eric said, "Can't say I'm having much of a welcome back party though. No good memories of this place other then seeing my mom and dad together. Even then it was from separate sides of a fence… and a Mr. Spino on our tails." Natalie smiled.
"A typical vacation in the neighborhood." She said. Eric scoffed and nodded. It was amazing how much ease he felt around Natalie. He didn't feel as timid or scared. She eased off that fear with some smooth talk or a joke. That was ok. For now. But Eric made note not to let him put is guard down. He was still on this island. And who knows what might jump out at him when he's not expecting it. He looked around.
"So what is this place?" he asked, moving along the wall.
"Some kind of communication post." Dr. Grant said, "There could be a radio or something…"
"I doubt it." Eric said. "If… Natalie's friend lived here… then she would have used it. And we would have known she was on this island."
"Good point." Dr. grant said, "Look all the same." Eric sighed, and nodded. Before turned to start, he flashed a look at Natalie. Her eyes were dark and distant. They must have been good friends. A lot of people died out here on this island… not as much as the war… but more blood was spilled. Eric went down the hallways and checked the rooms. Nothing other them abandoned desks, dirt and muck. The place didn't smell to bad, and the air was lighter in here then out there. He checked the drawers, finding only papers to ruined to read. He moved from room to room, finding nothing. He opened a door, and found stairs, leading up. Funny, this place didn't look like it had a second story. He started up the stairs slowly, and came to another door. He starred at if for a second, wondering what was on the other side. It was quiet, and nothing moved. Which made fear grip his stomach. He reached out, his sweaty fingers gripped the handle, and twisted it. He cracked it open, and peeked out. It wasn't a second story… it was the roof. He peeked out further, seeing nothing other then a few smoke pipes, heaters, and metal roofing. He sighed, relaxing a little. He stepped out getting a better view. He looked down, his shadow in front of him. But… his shadow was a little bigger then it was suppose to be.
He starred at if for a second, then almost chocked in realization. His shadow… had a long snout… claws… and a tail. Eric's blood went hot, and his heart seemed to stop. The sickening feeling of fear and the thought of his life ending gripped him and felt like it weighed him down. Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned around. The hot yellow eye of a raptor was starring at him, not moving. It blinked, it's claws extending. It was standing on top of the door, on a raised platform… looking down on Eric. Eric looked at the door. It was open. He would have to… the raptor jumped. Eric's reflexes sent him flying through the door, and slammed it shut. He was breathing hard, and listened hard. Nothing.
It was quiet again.
SLASH!! Sharp claws sliced through the door, and got Eric across the shoulder. He yelled and threw himself away from the door. His heart jumped when the door began to shake. No way. They couldn't open doors… but they were smart… he told himself. It jiggled… and a roar came from behind the door. Eric turned and flew down the stairs just as he heard the raptor scream, and the juggling of the door stopped. There was sounds of crashing and struggle now. The raptor made a sound Eric knew to well. It was fighting… and getting ready for the kill. Fighting? Fighting what? But the sound turned into a sickening wail… more crashing. Then it was quiet again.
Eric was breathing hard, his eyes locked on the door. Slowly, he took a step up… and other. Listening and his muscles tensing to turn and bolt the other way. He got back to the top… and peeked through the hole the raptor's claw had made. He could only see a little part of the roof, but that was in ruins. Blood splattered across the rusted metal floor, and a tail. Eric strained his eyes to see around the door through the hole… and found the raptor dead. He let out his breath. But it wasn't over. The door knob jiggled again.
Eric turned around, and jumped the flight of stairs. He shut the second door hard behind him, fear rising to his throat. Something grabbed his shoulder, and he spun around, flinging whatever it was into the wall, he grabbed a metal pole and held it above his head.
"HEY!!" came Natalie's voice. Eric dropped the pole grabbed Natalie's arm and yanked her up.
"RUN!!" he yelled. No questions asked. They bolted down the hall way, slid around the corner and yelled at Dr. Grant ahead of them. "Get out of here!! Now! This place is full of raptors!" Dr. Grant dropped his chocolate bar, turned on his heel. They took off, heading for the stairs. But Dr. Grant slammed the door shut.
"What are you doing?!" Eric yelled. BANG!! The imprint of a raptor's head indented into the door. "Oh." They took off the other way.
"Guys follow me!" Natalie said, "This way!" Natalie took a sharp turn down a hall, and the other two followed. There was a crash and Eric looked behind him. A raptor ran around the corner, but slid into the wall, crates, and ruble, having no grip like the forest floor. "In here!" Natalie opened a door and they all piled in. Dr. Grant slammed it shut. Eric jumped to his feet and locked it. The other's gave him a puzzled look.
"They know how to open doors." Eric said. Dr. Grant's shoulder's dropped.
"I forgot." He said. Eric looked at him like he was crazy. How could you FORGET? There was a bang and claws plunged through the heavy metal the blood stained tip showing through. "Where are we?"
"Why'd you lead us here? Is there another way out?" Eric asked. Natlaie nodded her mouth open to catch her breath. She ran down the dark room, beckoning the others to follow. They did so without hesitation. The banging got louder, and more frequent, like more then one was at it now. They growl and hiss of them still reached their ears as they slid to a stop. A ladder was in front of them now, and Natalie scaled it in seconds. Dr. Grant was second, just as the door crashed open. Eric jumped up the ladder, the raptors racing toward him, their eyes locked on dinner. Eric missed his step, and his foot knocked down, hitting the raptor's face that had suddenly appeared. There was now three of them… two behind him, and one underneath the ladder. The one Eric kicked on accident jerked back, tripping the other two. Eric felt a strong hand grip his arm and pull him up. Dr. Grant pulled him through the trap door in the ceiling and slammed it shut. Natalie tired to push a few boxes, but couldn't do so without Eric's and Dr. Grants help. Just as they got it over the door, it bumped upwards, and the blood thirsty yellow eyes flashed at them. They took off down the dark tunnel, bending down so as not to hit their heads.
"Where are we?" eric asked.
"The heater shafts or whatever." Natalie said.
"How did you know they were here?" Dr. Grant asked.
"This was a place we hid out before the man and I escaped." Natalie answered. She stopped, and pulled another trap door open. Eric peeked his head out. Nothing. Quiet. Extremely quiet. Eric pulled himself back in.
"They're out there." Eric said, "Waiting for us." Natalie shut the door and took off again. A few more turns and she stopped again. Eric peeked out again. This time it was quiet… but not to quiet. It had a certain edge to it. They jumped down one by one, Dr. Grant first, and helping the kids. They were in an empty hall, and the stairs were just around the corner. Dr. Grant tightened his backpack and took off down the stairs with the two children at his heels. They jumped to the forest floor and took off across into the underbrush. Eric could hear the raptors jump, hit the ground and crash through the brush after them. "The trees!" Dr. Grant yelled. But Eric was already a step a head of him. On his way in, he had already found the best and fastest tree to climb. Now he was climbing fast through the branches. His back pack came to his mind, and the thing he had that he could use. Natalie was beside him, and Dr. Grant was in the tree next to him.
"You're bleeding." Natalie said. Eric looked at his shoulder. He had forgotten. It didn't hurt much now, but he knew once the fear of raptors dimmed, the pain would sharpen.
"Would a raptor kill another raptor?" Eric asked.
"What? I suppose not why?" Dr. Grant said.
"Because one did. On the roof." Eric pulled off his back pack. Suddenly a raptor jumped out of nowhere and bit down hard on his backpack. Going down, and dragging Eric and his backpack with him.
"ERIC!!" Natalie screamed.
Eric hit the ground hard, his body jolting with the hard impact. His eyes went out of focus for a second… but was still intact. Not for long he thought. The raptor was busy ripping his backpack up, and Eric crawled away. As soon as he could, he got to his feet and took off. He heard the raptor yelp, witch made his heart jump. A dark, and deep tone. For help. Eric was breathing harder now, his feet moving like a blur and making a quick beat. A raptor jumped in front of him and he slid to a stop. To his right, a cement pipe stuck out of the ground. Eric dived into it without hesitating. He squirmed backward until his back hit the hard ground. The raptor's claws stretched for him, barely missing his leg. Eric pulled his legs back, further. The Raptor couldn't fit, but Eric was having a hard time figuring out how he was going to survive this one. The raptor pulled back, and stuck it's head through, it's teeth now inches away from clamping down on him. The raptor pulled back, and Eric looked behind him. Dirt. He began to dig. He clawed at he dirt, throwing it behind him. The raptor stuck it's head in again, and Eric threw the dirt at it's eyes. He screeched, hit it's heads, and pulled back again. But the head had made a crack in the ceiling. And the raptor shook his head and saw it. It threw it's body at it, now knowing the cement could break. It cracked some more, and a few pieces fell. It threw itself at it again and again, each time scarring Eric into a digging frenzy. then it was yanked back, shrieking. Eric looked up. The raptor was hissing at something above the pipe. The raptor jumped, and Eric saw the shadows above him tumbling and wrestling. Eric thought fast. Should he stay there? Or make a run for it? There might be raptors still around… so he should stay here. But the pipe was already cracked, so he should leave. Any tree's close by? Maybe he could climb a tree? Suddenly, the noise stopped. It just stopped. Eric looked at the entrance of the pipe. He saw the forest… but heard something coming his way. His breath was heavy, and he got ready to kick hard. He braced himself, as the steps came over the pipe, shaking dust that trickled down on his face. He wiped his forehead, surprised to find it drenched in sweat. Suddenly, the thing above, jumped down, and all Eric saw, was legs. HUMAN legs. Bare feet, ripped jeans… but not Natalie's.
