Darkest Hour | Jurassic World

🦕 A Dinosaur Ally 🦕

❛It's like he protected me.❜

✛✛✛

I wake up bright an early with a grin on my face. Although my conversation with Claire remains lingering in the back of my mind, today is the first day of (hopefully) the rest of my life and I can't help but buzz with excitement. Seeing the dinosaurs yesterday filled me with an indescribable feeling and to be starting on behavioural techniques today has me tingling. Throughout school and university, this is the sort of job I could only have imagined, yet here I am, the youngest Jurassic World employee, about to start this brand new chapter in my life.

This morning I feel refreshed. For the first time in a long while, I had a good night's sleep and felt safe. I knew I could be alone with my thoughts and I knew where I was laying was a place I could call home.

I did think about Owen last night and everything Claire said. I know I need to tell him...but I just don't know how.

I finish up getting ready and grab a bowl of cereal. It's weird not having to go to a supermarket for food anymore. The island gets bulk shipments of stock, some necessities especially for those who live here but we can place an order of what we want.

Once I've washed up the little mess I made, I head out to the car. Claire gave me the keys to one of the company cars, meaning it's easier for my journey to the plains everyday and further adds to the independence I've come to depend on.

Upon arrival to the main gate, I park up and clip my worker pass to my belt. I decided on a simple outfit: beige trek shorts and a khaki vest top - anything more and I might die of heat stroke.

"You must be Kara Grady," a young man who can't be much older than myself says while running over to me. "Sorry, I should have introduced myself." He puts out a hand for me to shake. "My name's Oliver Vaughn, I'm your research assistant."

I raise an eyebrow. "Assistant?"

He sighs, laughing slightly. "Claire didn't tell you. Wow, something she actually forgot to do. I'm a writer and amatuer scientist - Claire's allowed me to work alongside some staff members here to build my knowledge and experience for a piece I'm writing on this place, and for now, she's paired me with you."

I smile, scanning my pass to open the gate and wait for him to follow before walking. "Well, it might be a little touch and go right now. I don't know if Claire forgot to tell you this as well but I'm new and this is my first day."

"She told me. She said I'm very lucky to be able to work with you."

"Yeah?" I ask, hopping in a buggie.

"Of course. I read some of your research papers, you were what, 16 when you wrote them?"

"Uh, 15."

I start up the engine and drive off into the plains.

"Exactly, and they were amazing! When Claire said she'd managed to hire you, I couldn't help but get a little excited."

I raise an eyebrow. "Over assisting a kid?"

"I wouldn't call you a kid, and you definitely don't act like one."

"Well I'm flattered but I'm really not that much of a professional. I just found something I loved that no one seemed to understand and pursued it."

"That sounds professional enough to me. So, what have you got planned for today?" he asks.

"Mainly experimental observations. I want to see how they react around humans. When I walked through here yesterday they seemed fine, but there was no physical interaction. I need them to learn that we're not a threat."