Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I don't own Jurrassic park
super late but hopefully good.
In the distance a soft rumble shook the still morning air and dust plumed in a soft cloud towards the disappearing stars. A lone headlight bumped slowly along the rocky road towards the digsite. Gravel crunched beneath the aged tires of a run down indian motorcycle as it dragged itself to a lazy stop. Taking the keys from the ignition, Joanna admired the old motorcycle, it needed some work but it ran well enough... The adrenaline buzz from her early morning ride began to ebb away with each step she took, walking deeper into the site. Finally reaching the perimeter Joanna sank into one of the many vacant seats. The deep dark sky grew hungry for the first eager rays of sunlight to feed its vast expanses.
"Yawwn.. I am not cut out for this morning stuff anymore." She grumbled aloud but inside she knew her alertness would soon be worth it, even if her internal clock protested against her stubbornness.
Straggling rays of sunshine thought it time enough to pull themselves over a distant rocky ridge. The young rays grew in intensity and blinded her unadjusted eyes but served to remind her of her purpose, being there alone in the cool, dusty darkness. With shades pulled down over her protesting eyes, She relished the feel of the cool wind that lightly slid across her tired features. Now veiled from the bright daggers of light she gazed at the desert landscape that glistened in greeting to the glowing red sun.
The dry blistered earth was intricately decorated with delicate designs of light, loose sand and faint touches of sparkling frost. Erupting from the thirsty soil the green, leafy sage grew tall and strong. At a glance the weed was dull and void of life but, upon closer inspection, one could see the minute differences in hues and color the plant fought to contain. Earthy greens and robust purples yearned to be free of their woody stems as they clashed and contrasted against each other and the warm, orange light the sunrise provided. The sly dry winds carried the desert aroma of earth and sage to where Joanna lazily rested. Soaking in the display of raw and undisturbed beauty She noticed a family of Quail reveal themselves from beneath the nearby brush. The Quail came to a quivering stop, terrified that they'd been discovered but, before chirps could escape small beaks or an eye could chance a blink the desert in all of its entirety stilled and demanded the attentions of both human and avians alike. With the sky aflame at its paragon peek the desert exhaled the breath it had long held during the frigid, dark night and in response all of nature exploded with color, and warmth incomprehensible unless personally witnessed. Both species watched their beautiful home burst in life and they leisurely breathed in the rare moment of wonder. The desert peacefully sighed in release and the birds chirped and Joanna blinked and then the day continued on once again. The small birds quickly skittered away and Joanna smiled to herself, thinking now about her own family. Her childhood consisted of many moments like this one... quiet, serene, observational moments. Her father and herself would regularly observe mornings not unlike this one and take solace in the midst of each others company. Her younger self would endure cool darkness every morning possible so as to get the chance to listen to her dad as he would paint a story as fantastic and breathtaking as the display nature provided. His story would bustle into life in pace with the awakening desert, a epic dance combining imagination and natural beauty that would leave her younger self enchanted. Memories so unique and saturated in admiration and love flooded her mind and warmed her soul, their strength threatened to swell and spill out her sharp blue eyes. The world could be so overwhelmingly calm and beautiful if one would only take the time to a witness it Joanna thought to herself trying to contain her emotions... She had the feeling that this was the start of a wonderful day.
Joanna was left dazed and relaxed in her chair for some time oblivious to her surroundings before being suddenly struck with a large, ungraceful yawn. Her internal clock returning with its nagging protests, she rose from her comfortable seat to seek out a coffee maker wondering if they had changed its usual spot since her last visit. Joanna missed her family traditions... stabbed lightly by a bit of loneliness she glanced back at the beautiful glowing scenery to help ease the aching wound. It would be nice to just sit a bit longer but with the show over and another yawn the thought of a steaming cup of liquid gold became a quest of utmost importance to pursue. With this Joanna pushed on clambering back into the confines of the large dig site and reality.
"Bagles, and coffeeee... baaagles and cooffee." Joanna hummed lightly to herself as she walked placidly towards the direction of nourishment. Her brown hiking boot clad feet lazily scraping against the loose rocky dirt, she quickly jumped to grab at a piece garbage caught up in the wind. Grasping ahold of the bit of rubbish Joanna's heart painfully leapt up into her throat.. looking down at her still feet she could hear faint following footsteps behind her, growing closer.. then. they stopped. Her hair prickled on the back of her neck, "I'm not being followed.." she scoffed in her mind to reason while frantically squinting at the scattered tents behind her. "I'm just a spazz..." She mentally teased herself but failing to calm the pounding in her chest. She listened closely as she resumed her lazy pace and so matched the following footsteps. "Crap!? I'm being followed.. why me?...Things are pretty open I should have noticed someone arriving after me.." She worried. Her pace quickened and so did the following foot steps, veering towards her motorcycle she quickly cut through and between tents.
"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!Oh!.. Yay! I have a phone!" She cried out with a semi relieved and terrified giggle, her arms and neck still prickled in fear. No longer able to hear the following footsteps over her beating heart... She cursed herself and her really loud pulse.
"Damn it!" she squealed silently as she hastily turned again, forced to walk backwards as quietly as she could to scour and listen through the dim morning light. The pounding her heart made was excruciating when she was still not able to see or hear her follower she hoped that was good sign and that it meant she had gained some distance. "Shouldn't have come to the middle of nowhere.. alone. But. If you can't catch me you can't kill me.." She berated aloud to herself. With a quick pace that mocked a run she frantically rounded a tent corner, phone out and dialing when she toppled over a coffee bearing Billy. A scalding cup of "liquid gold" burned his white shirt and joanna's blue sweater.
"OWW! Jesus!... Joanna?" Billy recovered, noticing her frantic state softly asked " ...you ok?"
"Billy!" She exclaimed in relief, clutching him in a tight hug "There was someone chasing me. th-they were right behind me a second ago.." She squeaked out into his chest whilst practically chocking him with a tight hold around his neck.
Muscles tense and pulse rocketing, Billy pulled Joanna's shaking form closer against himself and the sun bleached tent.. Still clutching a steaming mug of coffee another lay shattered and forgotten upon the dirty earth, the liquid it once bore burned across their shirts. Peering through the empty dim expanses Billy searched in anticipating silence hoping to catch a glimpse of
RingJingle*buzz buzzz Ring Jingle *buzz buzzz
The sharp noise made them both jump, and clutch each other tighter. Billy let out a breath of relief reaching to pull the jingling phone out his pocket. Billy relaxed with a smile when Joanna's picture flashed across the screen. With a tone full of mirth he asked "Soo, in the process of running for your life you thought it best to call me to save you from the boogyman?" He chuckled showing her the screen.
"I uh. figured you'd find me faster.." She said locking eyes... "Well.. I. I had.. heard foot steps.." her heart beat returning to normal."You didn't see anyone?.."
Shaking his head "You probably heard the echo of your own steps." He reasoned politely, holding her tightly. He used his thumb to make reassuring circles on her back. "Besides, I'm the only one here and I prefer to murder in the evenings" He joked, happy to feel her relax underneath his palms. When she smiled up at him he felt a jolt of electricity storm through his body.
"Ha Ha. you're probably right..." She said sheepishly, there wasn't room for worry between their proximity.
She vaguely realized that she'd never been this close to Billy. Her arms still around his neck and one of his arms still wrap protectively around her waist the other making strong circles on her back.. Sharp blue eyes melted into his warm green inviting ones. The longest second passed with her heart rate spiking for a whole new and foreign reason. So warm, so close, she welcomed it and its comfort. How his hand was against her neck or How she leaned in, or was it he that leaned... did she pull? It didnt matter they were both there with lips only milimeters apart each tentatively holding back for the other.. unsure and lost in their emotions. they met with the same conclusion and kissed. Passionately for a good deal of time, each of afraid of the others reaction when the wonderful moment would end. The cool breeze whipped in around the tent and broke their moment. Chilled in their drenched shirts, and breathing heavily they slowly separated, their eyes the last thing to break contact.
Joanna recovered first ,bashfully, with eyes locked on the broken cup and between worried gasps of air stammered out "I'm sorry, look at the mess Iv'e caused and your shirt it's..
Shaking his head, he abruptly pulled her into a second deeper and slower kiss that they both savored effectively ending a discussion about the mess they've made physically or emotionally. But the persistent wind of reason blew with gusto causing them to shiver.
Separating just enough to whine against her lips he asked "Why does the wind hate us?"
"Lets continue this important conversation once we are less saturated in coffee..." Joanna said with a shy chuckle. He nodded in agreement though reluctant to move apart, "But I did make a bit of a mess let me pick up this mess and find my phone" Joanna said scanning around.. "I will meet you back at steve's tent."
"Okay I will run out to Ole winston for a few sweatshirts..meet you there." He agreed letting go with a long reluctant kiss. Billy ran off towards wherever his truck was parked lost in his thought and pleasantly shell shocked disappearing from sight amidst the mess of tents
Joanna was none the wiser to a pair off menacing eyes watching her and the events that had passed. Those eyes now smoldered with anger following her movements. Joanna was turned and busied with picking up the ceramic slices of coffee cup and searching for the phone she must have flung when she crashed into billy. After a few long minutes still lost in thought and task she heard footsteps trot slowly up behind her, calling out she said "Either you parked close or are really motivated.. haha I'm just about.."
"Loose sumfin." asked a lame and gruff voice.
Joanna spun around to see Jefferson leering down at her darkly waiving her Cell phone with mock tease.
"Oh! hey Jefferson. jeeze you gave me a scare their..." Joanna said cautiously getting up.
"You looken like ah scared lettle kat running roun with it tail cut off?" He sneered demeaning her earlier response to his lurking.
"Hey Jefferson, look if you're upset about yesterday, we got off to the wrong start and I apologize." Joanna humbly apologized. " It's no excuse but I'd had a bad day, we all get those right?" She tried to reason. Jefferson continued to leer with a malicious glint reflecting off his glasses. He looked undone with disheveled hair and a looming demeanor. Worry crept up Joanna's spine as he sneered down upon her in a menacing silence.
"It was a small prank Jefferson, lets move on. Doctor Allen will be back soon. Why don't you join Billy and I with the rapid prototyper?" Joanna asked warmly extending friendship.
Jefferson slinked towards Joanna with shoulders haunched. He precariously dangled the cell phone in front of her face. His neck craned to spill venom against her ear slowly saying
"You ill fine tha I don take light to be mayd a fool and know tha you won have people aroun alway to hear you scream. I'ma not as harmless as I seems..." He dropped her phone.
Deftly catching her phone from midair without a side glance Joanna's sharp blue eyes bore into Jefferson's lame ones meeting his challenge.
"You'd be good to understand that I'm not so helpless myself and I haven't a problem kicking your ass back into the Jurassic. So get out of my face before you lose it."She spoke strongly understanding he didn't want a friendship.
"We ill see abou tha.. remember tha I ave friends too an we ill see you layter.." He vehemently spat whilst walking away.. in the wrong direction. Coward didn't want to face Billy.
Joanna breathed a bit of relief at their growing distance as Jefferson walked away. "What a creep I knew someone was chasing me." she thought.
The ceramic shards in one hand and recovered phone in another she walked off towards Steve, and the machine's tent. Shaking the threats of a fool out of her mind she began thinking of how Billy and her might finish their conversation and really looking forward to the rest of her morning...