Ready or Not | Jurassic World

Chapter One: Home

Zach gnaws anxiously on his bottom lip as he stands in front of the familiar yellow house. He clutches the blue and white bus ticket so firmly that it crumples under his compressed grip, and a gentle gust of wind deranges his smoothed down hair. This is it, he thinks, sighing softly. This is finally it.

He quickly darts behind a bush and kneels beside it, arching his back in an uncomfortable position to remain hidden from the people outside. He gingerly parts the green leaves to keep them from rustling as a tall figure dashes from the front door, having no mind to acknowledge the loud slam that resonates over their shoulder.

"I'm going out, Mom! You can't stop me because I'm taking your car!" the slender silhouette shouts mercilessly, lunging for the silver door handle. "I'll try not to crash it into too many trees!"

Zach's brows furrow in bewilderment as he stares the figure down. They seem all too familiar—almost as if it's his brother—but Gray doesn't speak to his parents that way. He never has. Then again, many things can change in a period as large as five years.

He shakes his head, tugging a strand of hair away from the bristly twigs of the bush when another shadow appears on the front porch.

The gold key to the car glimmers against the harsh sun as she—who he's assuming is his mother—dangles them scornfully from her nimble fingers. "You didn't actually think you were gonna get away with that, did you?"

The first silhouette stands still by the car door, gaping silently at the fact that they had forgotten the keys. The keys that start the engine. "Mom, I-"

"Enough, Grayson! Get inside, now!"

Zach watches quietly from behind the clump of dense branches, his jaw seemingly locked in an open position. This really is his brother. This disrespectful, outgoing, rebellious slender figure. Man, he sure has a lot to catch up on. . .

"Mom, really! I'm sorry! It's just that I was looking forward to going out with my friends! Tonight, Emerson's having a party at her house, and I want to go! Please!" Gray pleads diligently as he tugs on her arm, stretching the worn material of her peppered cardigan. "Please! I-"

"Gray!" Karen bellows ferociously and spins on her heel to face him. She jabs a finger into his chest, causing him to stumble back a few steps. "Get out. Now. If Emerson is such a good friend, maybe she'll let you stay for a few weeks until we both cool off."

Gray's complexion blanches immediately as his sparkling blue eyes stare deeply into her bitter ones. His lip quivers and the coruscating liquid begins to stream down his cheeks. "Y-you're. . .you're kicking me out?" he stumbles lightly over his own words as Zach remains out of sight, mutely observing the situation from afar.

"Go stay at a friend's house! Go to Aunt Claire's house! Maybe go find your brother and live with him!" Karen barks angrily as she whips away from Gray and places her hand on the doorknob.

She pauses mid-turn when a small sniff is heard from behind—the 16-year-old senses his emotional walls caving in at the mention of his long-lost family member. "Gr-"

"No!" he snarls, nimble index finger stretched in Karen's direction. "Don't talk about Zach like that. Don't even bring him into this conversation. You know I would've found him if I could. You know! You know I would've located him five years ago if I had the ability! Five years ago, today, actually, he went missing, ran away. . .got killed. And you're willing to berate him like that?

You're willing to treat him like he's right across the street and 'oh, we can visit any time! Gray is being a rebellious teenager, better send him over to Zach!' No! That's not how it works, and I will not let you bring your useless optimism and bullcrap into this argument! Leave Zach out of it."