While I'm Alive (An Owen Grady Story)

Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER NINETEEN

"FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THAT MORNING, I FELT SAFE AND WAS OVERCOME WITH THE REALIZATION THAT I CARED ABOUT OWEN SO MUCH MORE THAN I'D KNOWN"

SONG TO LISTEN TO: THE JUNGLE BY X-AMBASSADORS

Owen and I finally made it back to park and were met with chaos. It was incredibly clear to me that no one had any idea what to do, that no one had ever come up with a realistic, functioning plan on what should happen if all hell ever broke loose. So instead, I watched dumbfounded as park employees scrambled all over the parking lot of the staff center, trying to find a vehicle to make a getaway in. Never mind that there were countless other people just on the other side of the walls in danger.

"Get on!" Owen's voice shattered my thoughts as he revved the engine of an ATV. I scrambled onto the back of it, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist as we sped off.

My hair whipped around me in a frenzy as we zoomed down the paved road, taking the maintenance road that led to the back entrance to the visitor's center on Main Street. I pressed my cheek to Owen's shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent, hoping it would calm me down. Instead, when we pulled up short to the staff entrance, I felt more paranoid than ever of what kind of chaotic horror we would found inside the park. I did my best to cram the feeling into the back of my mind, knowing there was much more at stake here. That I needed to be the best, brave version of myself possible for what I needed to do once we got inside.

"You ready?" Owen asked. He had shouldered off the strap of his gun and held the weapon in both hands.

I swallowed hard. "No." I answered honestly and Owen allowed himself a tiny amused smirk.

His blue eyes scanned my face for a quick second before he pulled me in for an abrupt kiss, catching me off guard yet again. "We find the kids, we find Claire, and we get the hell out. Don't do anything stupid, you hear me? If we get separated, you come right back here. I'll find you. Got it?"

"You know, you can be pretty damn bossy." I said, giving him a shaky smile.

He returned it for only a quick second before it was replaced with the hardened, determined look I was slowly coming to recognize. He pushed open the door and I ducked inside. The hallway was empty, the narrow corridor leading to a single white door at the other end. I glanced at Owen, and knew from the look on his face that I wasn't the only one who could hear the distant screams and yells coming from the other side. I gave him a curt nod, letting him know I was ready. Then we were jogging down the hallway, Owen's shoulder ramming into the door and throwing it open as we stumbled inside and were immediately swept up in the chaos. I was almost separated from him within a minute as a sea of terrified people came between us. I latched onto his arm, holding on tightly as we pushed our way inside.

Crying came from every side of the room as I stumbled over feet and pressed myself through the mob of people running away from the exact thing I was trying to get to. I finally managed to weave my way through to the front doors of the visitor's center, and I pressed my hands against the glass as I stared out towards the other side. It reminded me of a scene from a horror movie. Dimorphodons and pteranodons swooped down from the sky, picking off people from the midway as the ducked and dived for cover wherever they could find it.

"Stay low to the ground and be fast." I heard Owen's voice in my ear. "One the count of three...one, two-"

At the last count, I pushed open the doors and we rushed outside, joining the thrum of chaos. Following Owen's advice, I moved quickly down the steps, my eyes scanning every face that was passed. The midway looked like a war zone. Shattered glass, overturned food carts, souvenirs and toys that had been forgotten and dropped in the stampede. All around us people were hiding beneath benches and tables, peering around the corners inside the shops and restaurants.