Camp Jurassic (Completed)

Chapter 6. The Cage*

The maintanence shed wasn't far from where we stopped in the woods. We just had to pass the Velociraptor enclosure, and go through some trees to the other end of the compound.

As we approached the raptor enclosure, Thace and I stopped dead in our tracks.

The fence had been broken.

No, not broken. Chewed through.

"Oh my God." I breathed.

"Dammit. If I knew-" Thace raked his fingers through his hair.
"We need to keep moving. Come on. Eyes, and ears open." He gestured with the rifle in his hand. I took the pistol out of my belt ready to use if needed.

Raptor tracks were made in the dirt and led to the woods where our destination waited for us. I had a sinking feeling something had happened to Arnold.

Halfway through the thick jungle foliage, I spotted the shed. Thace ignored me as I pointed it out.

"We can make it if we run." I whispered, feeling that even that had been too loud.

"We can't. We're being hunted." Thace murmured in return. I felt my heart nearly stop.

"What?" I gasped. My eyes quickly scanned the fronds around us. My fingers itching to pull the trigger on my pistol.

I had been around carnivores most of my life, but I never felt fear as I did now. Sweat poured down my body. My heart was beating erratically against my ribs. Panic and anxiety rose in my chest. My instinct of fight or flight was on edge.

"It's alright. I see her. I've got her." Thace spoke softly. My head reeled, and my heart tried to leap out of my chest.

"Run. Toward the shed. Go. Now!" Thace barked walking forward with his shot gun raised, and aimed at the raptor in the bushes straight ahead.

Barely registering what he was saying, I took off toward the shed like a bullet from a gun. I leapt over some downed branches and stumbled over tree roots.

My eyes were honed in on the prize. The shed. I had almost reached it when a horrific scream echoed in the distance, but I didn't dare stop or look back.

As I whipped the door wide open and slammed it shut behind me, I became encased in complete darkness. I flicked on my flashlight and drew a shaky breath.

He's gone. Thace Griffin is gone. There's Raptors out there and I'm alone.

What do I do?

I drew a deep shaky breath to calm myself. I came for a purpose. To find Arnold, and to turn the power back on.

Right. Find Arnold. He could have fallen and hurt himself. Or worse.

"Arnold?" I called. As I took my first tentative step forward, it never occurred to me that the door had already been cracked open.

***
The sound of heavy footsteps approaching roused me. I quickly surveyed my surroundings. Lance was nuzzled against my side. His arm was wrapped tightly around my waist. His nose was buried between my shoulder blades. Embarrassed I felt my cheeks warm. I had noticed Pidge lying beside him holding onto his shirt even in her sleep. Griffin was on the other side of me curled into a tight ball. Ina-

"Ina?" I called in a loud whisper.

I detached Lance's arm from my waist and searched the trough for Ina. I found her standing near a back door. In her hands she held what looked like a back pack. The closer I got the more I could see that it was an inflatable raft.