Chapter 3: Out of The Darkness

I stepped up to the door again. I took a deep breath to push down my fears, then gently lifted the latch on the window, slid it open and peered out. It was day time but the light was not strong so I guessed it to be a cloudy day. I listened intently looking for what I could not see. I don't know how long I stood there but finally took a step back and slide the window closed until just a sliver of an opening was left so that I could get back inside. The latch had another notch in it for that, after I had requested it, to be sure it would stay open. I reached down and slowly unlatched the door, I took a few deep breaths to make sure I was steady before opening it. The door slid along slowly. cccrrrRRRREEEEKKKKK! I stopped moving the door as it made a noise but when nothing happened I finished sliding it open just enough so that I could step out. I put one sock-covered foot out then finally stepped out into the open.

The hallway was not the neat, clean environment it had been when this building had still been home to the scientists. There was a hole in the roof where ivy and other vines had started to grow through and take over the building. The walls were stained from weather and all this was right outside my door, which I now slid closed. I took a few steps away from the door, looking down the hall. After a few more steps my confidence began to grow. Still, I stepped lightly avoiding making any noise. I reached the end of this short hallway where it intersected another hall. One could choose to go forward, right or left. If I turned right it would take me to the labs and a set of stairs that led down to more labs and containment pens. If I went left I would be taken to the main room or "common room" which was wide open and at the front of the building with the doors. If I went straight I was taken to the kitchen, dinning hall and other rooms like that. Of course if I turned back I would reach my room, and the stairs that led up to the other living quarters. If you went up from there you would reach the roof with the helicopter landing pad.

I decided that my route was straight. I peered around the corners to check the connected passageway for danger. Once I had assured myself it was clear I started forward. I crossed quickly and made my way to the kitchen. There should be canned supplies somewhere, just like the ones that had been stored in the tiny room off mine. The door to the kitchen stood wide open, cautiously I entered the room. I walked around the perimeter of the room looking for a clue to where they might be stored. I made one circle and realized I would have to open the cabinets and such, if I wanted to know what was in them.

Just as I bent to open a likely cabinet I heard a sound. It was soft because it was far off, but it made me jump. I stood and ran/walk to my room, keeping my steps light. I stopped in front of my door, took a breath and slid the door open softly. I stepped inside and closed the door, latching first the door then closing the window and locking it as well. I sat down on my bed then, trying to slow my racing heart. Then I began to laugh as I recognized the sound I had heard. It was one of the islands native birds. My father had often taken me outside to look for wildlife other than dinosaurs. I hadn't enjoyed it much because who wants to look at boring birds when there are dinosaurs? Now I was glad I had paid some attention. I waited letting myself calm down. Then I stood, shaky from my adrenaline rush and looked at the clock. 1:00 pm. I opened the little closet and reached for my lunch, more canned food and water rations. I ate my food and put the can back in the closet in the corner the trash was kept and closed the door.

Standing I returned to the door and opened the window preparing to got out. I listened then I opened the door and stepped out. I was more confident than the first time, but not by much. It probably wouldn't take much to make me return to my room. I walked down the hall to the kitchen and resumed my search. It was a painfully slow process, trying to be as quiet as possible opening one cabinet closing it and moving on. I reached the third row of cabinets with all I had found in the past two being cooking instruments. I opened the first cabinet and found food and water rations. I sighed in relief and opening the next five cabinets on that row, saw they were all stocked with the same rations. It was well stocked because this island had lasted a year longer than Isla Nublar, Site A. Therefore, they had learned to at least stock this place in case of emergency. It was stocked for well over one lone survivor thankfully. I could probably last another five years or more. For what? I pushed away the thought and took out two rations to take back to my room.

It was much dimmer on the return journey. Once back inside I added my new supplies to the others and sat down. 6:30 pm. Seriously? It had taken me five and a half hours just for that. I laid back on my bed with a sigh. Right, not like it matters. Closing my eyes I drifted off into sleep quickly.

A month and a day later I was drawing a very impressionist style Parasaurolophus. 4:00 pm. I sighed in boredom. I put down my pencil and crumpled the pathetic drawing. I pulled out my Dinopedia and opened it. I had taken a new interest in it, now that I was leaving my room. So far I only went to get food rations and come back but that had been nerve racking enough. I had been doing stretches in my room, the same ones I had done for track before coming to the island. These had stared mostly because I was restless since venturing out of confinement and also because it made me stronger. Which I would need to be in good physical condition if I ran into trouble out there. The track exercises reminded me of my friends, Alice and Chris, his full name was Christopher. They had also been on the track team and for the year I had been here they sent me faxes about everything and I wrote them back. We had gone from school friends to pen pals, but we had still been best friends. I missed them. I wonder if the fax machine still works. I got up and opened my door, leaving the window cracked. I walked down the hall and turned to the left, to the "common room". It was a long hall with a four or five doors branching off to the sides, alternating sides of the hallway for each door. These rooms were for various things, I knew one was a conference room. I think some of the others were for storage. I hadn't been allowed in these rooms so I wouldn't know. I reached the end of the hall where it opened into the oval/rectangle shaped room.

I'm pretty sure my jaw hit the floor when I saw the room. Of course I knew it wouldn't be the same, but at one time this had been one of the friendliest feeling rooms in the compound. The couches and chairs that were so comfortable were in terrible condition. Which meant everything from ripped open cushions with molding stuffing and stained fabrics. The rugs were strewn at odd angles around the room, weathered papers were plastered into place and the two computers in the room had broken screens and ivy growing over their keyboards. I had become used to the hallway between my room and the kitchen but this was a shocking reminder of where I was. I found myself glad I had been exercising, however, there was no sign of current danger. I walked close to the wall as I made my way to the back wall where the fax machine was. Vines had wrapped their way around the machine. There was probably no hope for it and trying the power I found it had in fact died a slow and painful death. However, there was a clear plastic box over where the papers piled up before someone took them out to read. Opening it I found the papers still fairly crisp and fresh. The pile seemed to be 50 pages thick! It must have kept printing them for a while. I took the faxes and retreated to my room.

Once inside my room I sorted through the stack. I only glanced at the top line of the page where the date and name of who it was for. I noticed the last fax had been two and a half years ago. It was also to me. I made one stack for mine and one for the ones that weren't for me. When I was finished there were twenty faxes in my pile and twenty in the other pile. Five of the faxes that weren't mine seemed to be one long fax that was sent three years ago. I began reading the faxes addressed to me, starting with the oldest. The first ten were before the evacuation of the island. I must not have read my faxes for a while. They were from Alice and Chris, telling me about their latest track meets and daily lives. A few they had written together and they argued back and forth in their message just like they had at school. It made me smile to have these faxes but I was crying by the time I had finished. I missed them so much! I couldn't even reply to these messages now that I had never gotten before. Do they hate me now? Do they even know I was left behind? I picked up the other ten and the first four were from Alice and Chris. They had been sent after the evacuation but before anyone could have told them about what happened. The tears continued to roll down my cheeks as I read.

Hi Seda! You must be pretty busy out there at the island. Yeah we haven't heard from you in ages. Go away Chris! I told you, you can't help me write it this time! Sorry about that, you know how he is. Anyways, there's not much going on right now. We miss you and would love to hear from you! Write us back soon! No! Ugg, fine I'll tell her. Chris says to write about the Dinosaur's. WHAT? FINE! I forgot to add, in great detail.

Your best friend,

Alice

The other three were similar. Then the last six were attempts to contact me after the evacuation had been announced. Four were from Alice and Chris. The tone in Alice's was desperate and pleading, looking for me to tell them I was alive. Chris's messages were threatening and demanding that I reply, I knew he didn't mean it and that he was as worried as Alice. The very last two were from IGN, they were looking for me as I was un accounted for.

I picked up the other twenty messages that weren't too me. They were all official and were mostly from IGN. There were warnings of inspections and budgets before the evacuation, their were eight of those. The five page one that was the night of the evacuation. Some others that had been sent to the wrong number from other companies and three that were looking for survivors that hadn't been accounted for after the evacuation.

I scanned the official notices but there was no important or helpful information, I threw all of them away. I picked up the ones from my friends and folded them neatly placing them on my shelf. I yawned it was 8:00 pm. I picked up my Dinopedia and read until I fell asleep.

A/N: Wow, that was long or at least long compared to what I have been writing. So, I would love to know what you all think of this chapter! So, please review! Please? As for the fax machine, I have never used one and I know this one is probably a bit different from a normal one but come on it's in Jurassic Park! LOL XD hope you enjoyed and once again please review. ~ Tori