𝘼𝙐𝘿𝘼𝘾𝙄𝙊𝙐𝙎 » 𝙟𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 ✓ [1]

VIII

CHAPTER EIGHT
WE'RE THE MITCHELLS

Two sets of utterly terrified eyes; one blue, one brown, dart back and forth between the two of us.

The older one had on a grey hoodie clung tightly to his arms, water dripping from the sleeves, clumped strands of black hair swept over his forehead. The younger one was so much smaller, more lanky. Dressed in khaki shorts and an oversized, dirtied plaid shirt that almost grazed his elbows. They were still desperately hanging on to their breaths, the little boy's knees shaking underneath his weight from presumed exhaustion.

Four strangers, on estranged grounds, equally battered and bruised without explanation.

Nobody spoke.

Alex swallows, still pointing that pathetic stick at them.

'Are, uh, are you guys lost?' he asks. The comment and tone, though spoken politely, was deafening. The look on my face was enough for him to protest.

'I'm just trying to help, Laura.'

I scoff. 'I think you've done enough helping for today.'

'Okay then, what else did you want me to ask them?'

'Uh, maybe their names or if they're injured for starters, Mr. Brightside.'

'Uh,' croaks a dainty, fragile voice. The little blond boy was stepping away from the older boy with extreme caution, pouting up at me with eyes that dipped down to his cheeks. His hair was ruffled with flakes of mud. He stuttered on his words, inhaling a shaky, terrified breath as he flickers his eyes away from us both. 'Do um... do you know who... who Claire Dearing is?' he asks quietly.

Suddenly, it clicked, and my anger with Alex simmered away entirely. The immediate shock of finding these two boys in the heart of the Isla Nublar terrain led me away from the partial reason we were in it ourselves. These poor kids. My expression softened.

'You're Claire's nephews,' I breathe.

The boy in the maroon shirt looked at me with uncertainty. 'How do you know that?' he questions me, stepping forward to join his brother. His tone was much more stern. And not in an overly protective way. It was passive. Dare I say arrogant, though I didn't even know him. Definitely a relative of Claire's. First impressions had done a lot for her, too.