Dino-Girl

Please Don't Disturb the Raptors

"And we're moving!" Owen held his hands up, sidestepping across the walkway, clicker in hand. The raptors followed suit, staring up at him. I leaned forward from my spot a little ways away, my elbows resting on the railing. "This one's for you, Blue!" Owen raised a large rat in his hand, causing me to scrunch up my nose in disgust. He tossed it down into the enclosure, and the reptile caught it in her mouth.

I reached up, slowly clapping my hands. Owen's head snapped over to me, his face lighting up with a grin as he saw me. I stepped towards him, dropping my hands. "Good job, it seems as though you've finally gotten your shit together." We bumped fists and separated our hands, making explosion noises. "Excuse you, but I've always had my shit together," he retorted, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Eh," I commented, tilting my head back and forth.

Owen scoffed and shoved me away from him, causing him to laugh. We approached Barry cheerfully, and I glanced around the raptor enclosure. That's when I saw Hoskins approaching. I softly nudged Owen, speaking quietly. "Dad, he's back." Owen glanced up as Hoskins approached, stepping forward so he could speak with Hoskins quietly. I glanced down at the enclosure, trying to spot the raptors. When I realized they were truly hidden, I walked over to where my dad and Hoskins were standing. They were arguing about something – probably Hoskins wanting to use the raptors for military again.

"Hoskins," I spat, stepping forward. "Didn't you hear him? He said no, now back off." Hoskins looked down on me, something I didn't appreciate – ever. "Whoa, I didn't know they let twelve-year-olds work here," he commented. "I'm seventeen," I snarled back, and Hoskins rolled his eyes. "Either way, this is adult business." Hoskins suddenly shoved me back.

I sucked a breath in as I was pushed, and I felt my back hit the railing. I caught myself on the metal before I tipped over, glancing over my shoulder at the ground thirty feet beneath me. When I looked back up, my dad was pushing forward, gripping Hoskins' collar so tightly his fists were turning white. "If you ever touch my daughter again, I will not hesitate to throw you to my raptors, do you understand me?" he growled. I pushed myself off the railing, swallowing.

Owen released Hoskins, shoving him backwards slightly. He put his hand between my two shoulder blades on the small of my back and led me forward and down the stairs to the ground. I heard Hoskins' feet pounding after us, and I sighed loudly. Owen opened the padlock and stepped inside as Hoskins kept talking and talking and talking.

I glared at Hoskins from the corner of my eyes, before rolling them and then stepping away from the padlock. Unexpectedly, a voice called from behind me: "Pig loose!" I turned around, only to let out a gasp when I watched the new worker standing on the walkway, suddenly, fall straight down in the raptor enclosure.

The raptors approached the poor worker and he scrambled back as they roared at him. Suddenly, a flash caught the corner of my eyes and I watched in horror as my dad scrambled over to the other side of the padlock. His hand slammed down on the button and the cage door started to slowly move up. A scream escaped my lips and I ran for the bars, grabbing ahold of them and screeching for my dad. My eyes were growing hot at the thought of losing him. He was the only person I had left since my mom died.

"Dad!" I screamed again as he crawled under the cage door and held his hands up the raptors as the coworker scrambled back into the padlock. "Delta, back up!" Owen spat. The blood pounded in my ears as my father slowly walked backwards. "Close to the gate!" he yelled. "You're crazy!" Barry called back. "Just trust me!" Owen said. Barry sighed and slammed his hair down onto the button. "Dad!" I sobbed, pounding my fist against the metal.

Suddenly, Owen spun around and slid under the door just as it closed. The raptors tried to stick their heads through the bars, snapping at him. I let out a sigh of relief as Owen opened the door and stepped out. I threw myself at him, throwing my arms around my father's neck and letting my panic evaporate as he held me close. "I'm okay, Squirt, I promise," I heard him sigh, and I shook my head. "You almost weren't, dad." Owen placed me down on the ground, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Baby, you know this job is dangerous." "Just don't go in the fucking raptor cage when they're hungry, okay?" I hissed, and he only laughed in response.

"Come on, let's head back to our lovely home," he placed a kiss on the top of my head and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, leading me back to the motorcycle. A short beep made me snap my head down. "Casey Grady, you there?" a voice spoke from the walkie-talkie that was hooked onto my shorts. I stopped walking, letting my dad step ahead of me. I unclipped the walkie and held it up to my mouth, "Casey here, what's up?" "We need you to come down to the petting zoo, your shift is starting." the voice spoke back and I rolled my eyes. "I'm in charge of the damn thing, I'm always on shift." I laughed. "Just get down here, Grady." There was another beep, signaling that the person was gone.

"Dad, can you drop me off at the petting zoo? I actually have to work," I sighed as I got onto the motorcycle, my father getting in front of me. "Oh, you have to work?" he cooed. "Poor baby, working with dinosaurs." "Shut the fuck up and drive," I slapped the back of Owen's head playfully. "Language," he commented, revving the engine. "Language," I mocked, and he laughed as we sped off down the trail.