Author's Note: Ta-daaa, I'm back again with another update! I'm having so much fun. Watching the film again really inspired me, and gave me a few new ideas for where to take the rest of this story. But, before we get into it, I have a few notes to clear up.
A lot of reviews asked me to please not re-write over the old chapters of this story. Trust me, that's not going to happen! While maybe someday I'd sit to re-write this, I wouldn't ever get rid of the story that already exists. It stands to serve as a testimony to my growth as an author and a fan, so no worries there. Classic Marianne and Owen are not going anywhere!
Secondly, I had a plot bunny hit me this week for the sequel. It's only the prologue, but I had to get it out of my system, otherwise it was going to haunt me. So, that said, I' curious - would ya'll like me to leave it sit until this story is finished and I delve into the sequel, or do you want me to post the story with only the prologue as a pilot? I'm leaving it entirely in your hands, so please - speak up and let me know!
Again, I so appreciate every one tuning into Marianne and Owen's journey. I'm having a lot of fun digging back into this plot and I'm forever grateful for the reviews you leave behind. I'm hoping to maybe break 1,000 reviews by the time this story ends, so could we please make that happen? Please? Love you all, and sorry for the long note. Enjoy!
xoxo,
M.
Forty-Nine
Exhaustion pulling at his nerves but adrenaline keeping his heart steadily beating within his chest, Zach glanced around what had formerly been the lobby entrance of Jurassic Park. The gaping hole in the ceiling dropped beams of sunlight into the room, along with the life of the jungle, pouring into the man-made space to choke the life from it. Dripping in jungle humidity and beads of condensation, the place smelled like wet earth and musk, his eyes quickly adjusting to the shadows as he looked around.
"Do you know what that thing was?" He questioned the open air, though it was directed at Grey. Glancing over his shoulder, he scanned the room for his brother, panic flaring in his chest. After a sweep, he relaxed, sighing in relief.
Gray had strayed across the entrance to a pile of what appeared to be bones, heaped near the remains of a staircase, crumbling where they had been broken. The floor was hardly discernible through the overgrowth of jungle, and Zach stepped over a gathering of vines to cross to his brother, who stared blankly at the bones. Still damp from their escape in the lagoon, the boy's hair clung to his face, exaggerating his youth, his bloodied chin oozing steadily as he stared.
He shook his head solemnly. "It's not any dinosaur I've ever seen before," he answered, his voice small. "Maybe it's a cross between two species?"
The thought made Zach shiver with horror. Nothing on earth was that horrifying, at least that he knew of. "I don't want to think what's capable of making something like that," he murmured. "Look around and see what you can find."
Gray nodded, breaking from him. Zach peered around the room, eyes catching a doorway leading off the lobby. The sign beside it, hanging by one nail, read Personnel Only, and it was partially open, again overgrown with jungle. A part of him quivered with fear, wondering what a new room might hold for them, but he wouldn't chance standing in one place for too long – if that creature was still out there, hunting them, it was best to move. At least, that's what combat video games had told him, and he figured the thought was better than none.
Marching over to his brother, he grabbed his arm, and pointed to the door. "Through there," he said quietly, pulling Gray after him. Every movement felt painful and hurt his lungs, but he didn't dare show it, guiding his brother to the large set of doors. Hesitating at the darkness behind it, he swallowed a thick and heavy breath, looking down at his brother.
Gray exchanged a look with him, dark fear shadowing his eyes. The paleness of his skin was worrisome, but Zach tried to push the thought from his mind. He'd almost lost his brother. For the first time that he could remember, he was thankful to have Gray with him. He released a shaky sigh, then looked back at the door. Gray moved to his left, and he glanced to find him rummaging through his small pack.
He retrieved a small flashlight keychain, and clicked the switch. Immediately, a pale dome of light illuminated the space within the door, revealing nothing but air. Blinking in surprise at his brother, Gray smiled at him, then gestured for him to follow as he led the way through the door. Zach shouldered it open a little more, following his brother into the dark corridor.
The mural-painted walls, once probably beautiful and alive with depictions of dinosaurs, was stained with age and dirt, as well as water. Vines and dirt carried themselves across the floors and up the walls, slowly invading the last memory of what had been the start of modern dinosaurs. To think everything they knew about today's dinosaurs had begun here gave Zach a small wave of fear, his stomach churning with nausea. He worried his lower lip, following Gray carefully, until they happened upon a side door marked Maintenance Garage, which was just off the main corridor.
Zach moved past Gray as he illuminated the door. He tried the handle and found it locked, the keypad entry long since dead. He wiggled the handle again, straining, before he gave up and turned to Gray. "Look around for something to break the glass," he thumbed over his shoulder, where the large frosted window glared back at them.
Gray shined the light, moved down the corridor after a moment, and returned with a decent sized piece of concrete. Handing it to Zach, he shined the light again, and Zach stepped back a few paces to chuck the concrete at the glass. It indented, and the concrete dropped to the ground, Zach retrieving it quickly to toss it again. Two more throws had a hole small enough for him to stick his arm through, and he flipped the deadbolt on the other side. The door opened then, and they hurried into the garage.
A mess, the large door was open, shining natural light into the garage. Gray put his light away and immediately both of them noticed the two Jeep Wranglers, parked and filthy, sitting. Zach wondered quizzically why they'd never been retrieved and how long they'd managed to sit there, but swiftly pushed the thought away when he rounded the front of the car, moving to look inside for any sign of keys. Much to his surprise, a set dangled from the ignition, and he spun on his heel to look at Gray, who was examining a pair of odd-looking green and yellow goggles.
"Hey," he waved him over. "There's keys," he gestured to the car, looking around the garage for any other things that might be useful. He doubted the vehicle would be in very good working condition, but it would be better than nothing, even if it limped them back to the park. On the floor in the corner he spotted a reserve can of gas, and on the other wall was a large toolbox. A surge of hope shot through him.
He took off for the gas can, feet carrying him swiftly. Gray watched him curiously, glancing between the two Jeeps. "Get the hood open on that one," Zach ordered him promptly, "Let's see if we can get her started."
Gray's brows rose doubtfully. "You're going to try and get it to run?" He glanced at the rusting vehicle, a confused look on his face. "Do you even know how to drive it?"
Glancing at the vehicle's gearstick, uncertainty rose in Zach's throat. He'd only ever driven a manual once with his uncle, but it had been years ago. He couldn't worry about it though, because one look at Gray's face told him he had to try, no matter what. They couldn't stay out here and hope to survive, and he doubted anyone was looking for them – or would know where to look. He screwed open the gas can, then rounded to the appropriate side of the Jeep, reaching to screw the gas cap off. He hefted the can, felt the contents swirl, and began emptying it into the vehicle.
"Zach," Gray started, moving toward him.
He shook his head. "Gray, we have to do this. We can't stay out here!" The bite in his voice was harsher than he wanted, and Gray took half a step back from him, looking hurt. He sighed, shifted his weight as the can poured steadily into the Jeep, and softened a look at Gray. Releasing a breath through his nose, he offered his brother a small smile. "Just…trust me, bud. Okay?"
His brother stared at him, silent. When he didn't put up any kind of opposition, Zach nodded in the direction of the toolbox. "Find me a crescent wrench to tighten the battery cables. Let's hope it still has some juice left." At his hesitation, Zach added, "It's just like Uncle Joe's old Cuda, remember? We can do this, Gray. We have to."
Nodding solemnly, Gray turned from him and hustled to the toolbox, beginning to rummage for the wrench.
. . .
The oppressive humidity pulled at Marianne's shoulders as she followed after Owen, who cut a path through the jungle quickly, without hesitation. Sophie's hand tucked into her own securely, the girl plodded along, looking just as tired as Marianne felt. They both pulled up abruptly when Owen stopped, moving around him to peer at what had stopped him. Glancing at him, she swallowed back the thickness in her mouth, and batted aside a curl from her face.
"Owen –"
He threw up a hand, "Shhh," was all he said, shaking his head to dismiss her. She looked down at Sophie, who glanced back at her, cowering against her side. Running her tongue across her teeth, Marianne tried to ignore the pain stabbing through her legs and lower back, but dismissed it, watching Owen strain to listen.
Sweat trickled down his temple as he looked at her. "Do you hear that at all?" His brow crinkled with focus, stepping over a fallen tree limb. He moved quickly but silently, and all Marianne could hear was the throb of her own heart.
Hands wrapped around the Marlin rifle once again, his gaze swept the jungle around them in a predatory way, watching and apparently listening for some kind of noise, which was inaudible to her. If they hadn't been fleeing for their lives, Marianne would've appreciated the smooth movement of his muscles and his focus, and had to tear away her stare from the vein in his arm, which was practically pulsating.
She shook her head, coming up beside him. "No, Owen, I don't hear anything," she quieted herself and listened again, closing her eyes for only a moment. After a second of silence she stopped, the faint sound of something stirring rising in her ears. Her eyes flew open, finding that Owen was already moving through the jungle in the direction of the sound, her dragging Sophie to follow after him swiftly.
They ran a few yards, before Owen batted aside a huge frond of a fern, only to pause at the sight before them. Ducking under his arm, Marianne's heart stopped for a beat. Sophie broke free from her hand, moving past them, blinking at the sight. The girl bolted for the clearing, dropping to her knees beside the clear pool of glistening water, dipping her hands within to pull water to her lips.
Marianne followed the girl, Owen coming up beside her into the clearing, his grip tightening on the rifle. He scanned the clearing, brow dropped in suspicion, as Marianne took a knee beside the pool and drank deeply of the water herself. It tasted fresh, cool, and sweet, though tainted with the smell of earth, but she didn't care. She splashed her face momentarily, and it was only when she opened her eyes that she gasped in surprise.
"Owen," she pointed at the footprint, so small amidst the strength of the jungle. He took a knee beside her, following her finger to the print. It only took a moment to see the trail of matching ones, accompanied by a set of bigger prints, heading into the spread of trees away from the pool. Both she and Owen looked upstream, where now they could hear the faint roar of a waterfall in the distance, overshadowed by the cry of birds overhead.
"They must've lost her at the falls. There are no other prints – human or dinosaur." Owen said, relief flooding his voice. He sat back on his knees, letting his head fall back for a moment. "Smart kids," was his finishing comment as he sat forward and dipped a hand beneath the glossy pool. "That thing may be smart, but I don't think she can track in the water." He splashed the cool water on his neck, Marianne watching it stream into his beard.
"So now what?" Marianne said quietly, watching Sophie splash water on her face. She drank again, Owen slinging his rifle over his shoulder to take a moment and wash his own face. The redness that had risen in his cheeks subsided, and he stood, offering her a hand.
He gestured to the tracks left behind in the bank of the pool. "They're headed south, towards the park, so that's good. I think we're between the Aviary and the old park, so they can't be that far ahead of us." He glanced overhead as if to confirm their position with the sun, and looked back to her. "We should keep moving. Gotta stay ahead of that thing."
Marianne nodded, brushing past him as he turned to take Sophie's hand. She silently complied, and they moved from the pool, following the set of tracks Claire's nephews had left behind. Without warning, Marianne's phone buzzed in her back pocket, and she retrieved it, surprised to have service in the middle of the Costa Rican jungle.
It was a text message from Alan. "Alan texted me," she announced, moving to show Owen the message. "They're going find Lillian, and see if they can talk any sense into her about Hoskins." He took her phone, glanced through it, looking back to her. His expression confirmed her suspicion, and he passed it back to her. She stuffed the phone back into her pocket, moving aside a frond with her arm.
She stopped short when she noticed the huge chunk of concrete, sat crookedly against a rock. Her brow furrowed immediately.
At her pause, Owen rounded back to glance at the chunk. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her along. "We must be closer to the old park than I thought," his tone was careful, hardly above a murmur, though he pressed on. Heat hammered in Marianne's chest, taking his hand tighter in her own, hoping he couldn't feel the throb of blood coursing through her body. His reassuring squeeze comforted her mildly, evening the pounding of her heart.
They walked a little farther, moving a path through the jungle, more and more evidence of civilization peeking through the overgrowth of the wild. Soon, crumbling structures came into view, as well as an overgrown path, almost entirely lost to the jungle had it not been for Owen's keen observation. Within minutes, the remains of Jurassic Park stared at them, a sad and dilapidated reminder of what had once been the pinnacle of science some twenty years previous.
Memories of Alan assailed Marianne as she craned her head to look up at the structure of the old visitor's center, nothing more than a memory within the hands of the jungle. A huge hole in the ceiling dropped wildlife into what had been the lobby, and even from here, Marianne could see the structure had been almost entirely lost in the wilds of the land. Owen led them to the stairs leading up into the building, carefully navigating the cracks and upheaves from where the earth burst forth from beneath, Sophie now on his hip as he carried her.
Slowly, Marianne's hand came to cover her mouth, a strange sense of awe overcoming her. Alan's book, his stories, his lectures hadn't given this place due justice – it had been far grander than she had imagined it in her head. What she had once envisioned as a small up-and-coming attraction had once been so much more. She swallowed a thick breath, her gaze unmoving from the carved stone, until she jumped at the sound of movement.
Pulling her eyes away she saw that Owen had shouldered open the main door, large and intimidating, even in disrepair. He and Sophie disappeared inside, Marianne breaking her gaze to follow them. She slipped inside the heady darkness, her eyes blinking to adjust in the semi-darkness of the room. Owen and Sophie stood directly in the middle of the area, where sunlight streamed down from the aforementioned hole, jungle life spilling into the remains of Jurassic Park.
Her heart quivered in her chest, tears pulling at her eyes. She couldn't believe it, and was almost lost in thought until she felt Owen's hand brush against hers. Jarring from her stare, she found him smiling crookedly at her, dirt marring his features as he stood there, sweating. She hardly noticed Sophie poking through a pile of discarded bones behind him, lost in his stare.
She swallowed, a shaky breath passing through her lips. "Alan was right," she said softly, her voice almost cracking. "He was right all along, and I –" Owen turned sharply to face her fully, crossing to take her face in his hands, a seriousness etched across his face. His steady hands held her face for only a moment before he pulled her into an embrace, holding her securely against his chest.
"This has nothing to do with you, or Alan, or anyone else," he said confidently, the rumble in his chest assuring. "None of us could've predicted this would happen, Marianne." He held her tighter when she wrapped her arms around him strongly, holding tightly to breathe into his chest, the scent of gasoline almost overwhelming. After a moment, he snorted. "Maybe God's just ticked off and this is His way of showing His tell."
She let out a relieved laugh, thankful that his sense of humor hadn't entirely disappeared. He lifted a hand to her head, and shuffled her back a step, it falling to her cheek. He gave her a cool smile, brushing his thumb lightly across her cheek. Marianne just searched his eyes, uncertain of what to say. He just held her gaze, until movement from behind jarred them from their moment.
Sophie had ventured over the pile of bones to a pair of opened doors. She stood before them, unmoving, before Owen and Marianne crossed to join her. The sign, hanging by a solitary nail told them it was a personnel-only area, though that didn't stop Marianne from retrieving her phone and activating her flashlight. Handing it to Owen, he stepped forward through the doors, the dark corridor only mildly terrifying.
They followed it down slowly, jumping at shadows. Marianne's heart rate had returned to a steady and painful throb, it taking everything she had to steady her breathing. Sophie clung to her, trembling, both of them huddled behind Owen as he shown the light steadily. They stopped when shattered glass riddling the floor and an open door came into view, revealing what had once been a garage; large door opened to the jungle outside.
Handing her phone back to her, Owen checked the room silently before waving them in. The garage, filthy and in disrepair, contained one Jeep, rusting and fading into obscurity. Confusion dotted Marianne's brow as she watched Owen look around, picking up what appeared to be an armored case of flares, left open on one of the workbenches. Sophie peered curiously at a black searchlight, which sat on the hood of the unused vehicle.
"This is cool," Sophie said quietly. Moving from the hood of the car, she intercepted another of the workbenches, grabbing for a pair of night vision goggles. Picking them up, she flipped the on switch, and they whirred to life, the lenses spinning to retract. Surprised, she set them back down, only to pick them back up again. "These still work," she mused.
Marianne looked around the space. "I can't believe they just left all this here," Marianne glanced at Owen quizzically. "They just built around it and tried to forget, or what?"
Owen shrugged. "Probably would've cost more to tear it down than to structure around it," he glanced to the other Jeep again, then crossed to the empty space beside it, dropping to a knee. He swiped his fingers through a stain, bringing it to his nose. "This is fresh gas. It's still wet," he observed, looking at her.
Hope clawed at her stomach, Marianne moving to him, Owen rising with an emptied gas can at hand. "They were here?" she asked, looking around the space. "And they started one of these?" She thumbed at the other Jeep, disbelieving. "Can kids even do that these days?"
Owen shook himself out of his surprise, moving to the vehicle. He set his rifle against the vehicle and swung around its front, reaching to pop the hood latches on either side of the Jeep, gesturing with his head to the workbench. "Annie, see if you can find any –"
His statement hung in the air as the garage shook, dust falling from the ceiling. He braced into a crouch, shooting a fearful look at Marianne.
She gasped and Sophie began to whimper, Marianne intercepting the girl swiftly, pulling her to her chest as she shuffled in behind Owen. Both of them trembling against him, he slowly moved back around the front of the Jeep, watching the world outside the garage door. Marianne's throat closed, listening to the rumble of movement outside, trying to will herself to silence.
Out of nowhere, the large foot dropped outside the garage, the pale skin of the Indominous sinking slightly into the soft earth of the jungle floor. Its powerful leg twitched, and Marianne could hear the animal breathing, sniffing the air for any sign of life. She turned, her huge talons curling inward, thick arms lowering to touch the earth.
In one fluid motion, Owen whirled and pulled them down behind the Jeep, clamping a hand over Sophie's mouth and taking her under his arm. Marianne sat beside him, trying to calm her breathing, willing herself motionless as the Indominous snorted, the ground moving with her weight. The creature's breathing became clear and loud, taking up the entirety of the garage, and Marianne's peripheral vision showed its slow, creeping approach as it crouched into the space. Her curved teeth were still bloodstained and tainted with the remains of flesh, and her mouth smelled of putrid death as the creature's presence filled the garage.
Beside her, Owen's breath came in ragged puffs, his entire body trembling with the effort to remain calm. He glanced at her with his eyes, slowly moving his hand across the floor to grip her arm, tenderly. His other hand still clamped over Sophie's mouth. The girl was almost uncontrollably twitching now, her face tear stained and red, eyes widened in fear.
Giving the Jeep an investigative nudge, the animal snarled curiously, its breath falling over them from over the other side of the vehicle. The Jeep rattled as she nudged it again, Marianne trying not to move with the shaking of the car. Her blood was cold, and she couldn't feel anything other than the pumping in her ears. Every hair stood on end across her body, her resolve to live the only thought.
Seeming satisfied that nothing of interest was in the garage, the dinosaur slowly made her retreat, the ground shaking as she moved on. When all was quiet and the animal's stench began to subside, Owen carefully glanced around the Jeep to find her gone, and slowly retrieved his rifle from its position against the car. Marianne welcomed Sophie into her arms, holding her tightly as her body still trembled, rocking her back and forth for a moment. She couldn't swallow an even breath as Owen came back around to his former position beside her.
Releasing a heavy breath, he threw his arm around her shoulder, pulled her to him, and kissed her temple roughly, relief flooding through him. Heat radiated off his body and Marianne could feel his pulse as she rested her head against his chest, relishing in the pure silence as he pressed his nose into her hair, breathing deeply. She pulled back only enough to look up at him, smiling stupidly in relief, until there was an eruption of noise that overtook the garage, shaking the very foundation of the floor.
The Indominous burst through the garage's wall in an explosion of structure, supplies, and chaos, roaring loudly as it clawed its way through, debris flying everywhere. Marianne screamed and Owen shoved her towards the door, her and Sophie flying to their feet to escape. Owen's hand was on her back as he pushed her, scrambling, the Jeep flying into the other wall behind them. The noise was deafening and almost made it impossible to move, much less breathe.
"Go, go, run!" Owen's voice was screaming in her ear, loud and present as he violently pushed her on, her hand clutched so tightly to Sophie's that she feared she'd tear skin. It didn't matter, because she could feel the thundering steps of the Indominous, the rattling of the air as she screamed at them, even to the depths of her bones.
The corridor seemed to shrink as they flew down it, the rest of the building shuddering around them. Owen grabbed her arm and tugged her hard, Marianne's feet pulsing beneath her. She skidded to a stop as they bolted through the door, making for the lobby's entrance, the creature behind them still tearing through the building. Owen threw open the entrance doors savagely, practically leaping down the stairs. Marianne's boots bit the gravel as she slid to a stop on the jungle floor off the stairs, life around them rushing by in a blur of green and heat.
They tore through the jungle, Jurassic Park far behind them now, Marianne not able to break her stare with the path in front of her. Sophie gasped for breath, her breathing ragged beside her as she managed to keep pace, her arms pumping almost in flight. Owen guided them, whipping through vines and plants, his shirt and vest soaked through with sweat.
Her stomach was in her throat, the distant roar of the demon behind them mixing with the rumble of the earth. Owen skidded to a stop, looking around the jungle, until his eyes fixed on the giant tree before them. Marianne wasn't able to think when he grabbed her arm and propelled her toward the tree.
"Climb!" He shouted at her roughly, dipping to receive Sophie on his back. Marianne was pulling herself into a low branch when he tore into the tree, his thick arms straining with his niece's weight as he pulled himself up. Pulsing with adrenaline and skin cold with a fearful sweat, Marianne glanced down to see they were a good fifteen feet in the air, looking down at the jungle floor.
She clung to the safety of the tree, fingers biting into the trunk coated with wet moss and vines, breathing in its deep scent. The shaking of the earth had mildly subsided, the creature no longer actively chasing them. She closed her eyes, her lungs burning with painful heat, until the air began to beat as if it were alive, a mechanical rhythm pounding through the air. Her eyes flew open and she moved to look up through the canopy of trees, recognizing the noise.
"It's a chopper," Owen breathed quietly across the tree from her. Sophie clung to the tree's trunk, still trembling, Owen laid out on a thick branch, rifle poised as he glanced through the scope. "She's heading south again – I think she hears the chopper," was all he said, his voice a rumbling low that breathed life back into Marianne's blood.
"Is she leaving?" Marianne managed, her eyes still closed in an attempt to steady her heart rate, which felt like it was almost rushing out of her chest. She pressed her hand to her heart, feeling the trickling bead of sweat rush down her temple, and fluttered her eyes open to find Owen shouldering his rifle again, now straddling the tree.
He glanced back at her, offering her a hand, nodding reassuringly. "Yeah, she's gone. Let's get moving before we're downwind." He helped her down onto the next branch before gathering up Sophie again, working his way down until his boots touched down on the ground. Marianne fell into step beside him as he hustled, Sophie at hand. She wondered if his heart was hammering as hard as hers was, or if his Navy training had any effect in his agility.
They broke to a clearing, Marianne slowing to a stop, unable to run anymore. She collapsed to her knees, now overlooking a valley from above one of the island's massive cliffs, sunlight glinting off the shining dome of the Aviary, sitting in the distance like a gleaming jewel. Beautiful, had it not been for the scream of gunfire and the pulse of a mechanical engine tearing apart the serenity.
In the distance, they watched the helicopter fly overhead, firing live rounds at what could only be presumed as the Indominous as it tore through the jungle, upsetting trees. Her blood-curdling roar could be heard, even from the ridge; her presence and the gunfire from the helicopter disrupting the rest of the jungle. Marianne's breathing had slowed to normal, her heart just beginning to settle against her ribs as she watched the animal angle towards the Aviary, the helicopter following behind.
She stood quickly, backing away from the ridge, realizing what could happen. Ice slipped into her blood, her ears ringing with pain. "We need to go," she said quietly, eyes cemented from the scene before her. Her mouth was dry and her skin was slick with cool sweat, her head pounding with moving blood in her ears. She didn't even process Owen turning away from the ridge to follow her. She broke for the trees, batting away plant life and anything that threatened her path.
She didn't even hear the explosion as she tore away from the Aviary, desperate to be rid of the jungle, and death.