Raptor
Chapter 37: Epilogue

His eyes didn't leave hers. Her own were closed and he watched the rise and fall of her chest as she slept. She was sleeping on a mattress, under a mound of blankets in the middle of the control room. Where a mattress was found so quickly, he didn't know. But there she was, sleeping just a few feet from him. To say it was unnerving was a gross understatement. Because he'd been terrified since she was carried in.

Being this close... he shivered and fumbled with the radio receiver in his hand. "You uh... you're uh... certain?" His voice squeaked as he stumbled over the words.

There was a laugh at the end of the line. "Yeah, Lowery." The man said evenly. "I'm certain."

He shook his head and leaned back in his seat. "But like... she's not going to... eat me..."

Owen snorted loudly into the radio. "Dude. Look at her Lowery. She's on pain killers, she's injured, I doubt she can even walk. She's not gonna eat you."

"But why?" Lowery whined, his eyes still on the animal that shouldn't be in there. "Claire's gonna freak when she finds out."

Owen sighed over the line. "You said you stayed to help me. I need someone watching over Charlie and making sure she's okay. Now, I'll radio you when I get back."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Lowery said quickly. "But what if something happens? How do I get a hold of you?"

"Can't." Owen answered. "Echo broke my phone."

Lowery paused for a moment. "Echo broke your phone." He repeated.

"Yep." Owen said. "Like the second the ferry left. She decided she needed to find my phone that I dropped randomly in the jungle. And then she broke it."

Lowery shook his head. "Seriously?"

Owen let out a laugh. "She looked so pitiful and upset, I couldn't yell at her. Not like she did it on purpose or anything."

"I guess not." Lowery breathed out.

"You'll be fine, Lowery."

"But what if..."

"Bye, Lowery."

He dropped the radio receiver on his desk, knocking over one of his toy dinosaurs. "Shit." He bent over quickly to pick it up. Then put it back in its place. He turned slowly and oh god!

Charlie lifted her head slowly. She tilted it to the side and studied this new human. She'd never met him, not really. She'd seen pictures and videos of him. Her nostrils flared for a moment, catching the scent of the human. He smelled funny. She wasn't really sure why and she wanted to ask Alpha later. She just knew he smelled... off. She knew he was a good guy, Alpha had said so. But Alpha had also said the man was annoying.

She breathed out loudly and glanced around the room. Charlie had never been in the control room. None of the raptors had. None of any of the dinosaurs, she thought. She didn't have words for everything around her. But she knew they were like the box at Alpha's home, that they couldn't break.

"Uh..." Lowery was watching her, as she looked around. It was just as unsettling having her not look at him as it was when she was looking at him.

At his voice, Charlie turned her head back to him. She tilted her head a bit and blinked at him.

Lowery swallowed nervously. "Owen said uh... that you can uh... like understand me..."

She nodded her head.

"Yes? That's a yes?" He asked. "You can understand me?"

She nodded her head again.

Well, this was a start, he thought as he breathed out. "You're not... gonna like... eat me..."

Charlie shook her head quickly.

"You're not hungry... are you?"

Charlie let out a snort and shook her head again.

Lowery breathed out. "Uh... Owen left some pain shots for you... if you need one... do you need one?"

She tilted her head for a moment. Then she shook it.

Lowery watched her for a moment. "Is that a lie?"

She nodded her head.

"Damn." Lowery shook his head. "So uh... you won't bite me if I jam a needled in your back?"

She shook her head again.

Lowery took a deep breath and then breathed it out slowly. He turned and grabbed one of the needles. He held it up and turned back to Charlie. "I guess I need to uh... come over there."

Charlie let out a snort and nodded her head, like she was laughing at him.

"Alright, alright." Lowery stood up slowly. "I'm coming." His eyes fell to the floor. There was suddenly a lot of space between him and Charlie, a lot of steps he had to take. He swallowed and took a step. He glanced up at her and she hadn't moved. He could do this. Just walking. He could walk. Walking was easy. Just pick up his foot and move it and set it back down and repeat with the other. Simple.

Charlie laid her head on the ground and held perfectly still. She understood his hesitation and fear. She'd dealt with the same a lot of the years. Though most people didn't get quite so close without a wall between them. And despite his odd smell and Alpha calling him annoying, Charlie thought she liked this man.

Lowery finally made it over to her. The oversized lizard chicken was now just in front of him. He could reach out and touch her. Actually, he had to reach out and touch her. "Okay..." He said, his voice cracking a bit. "I'm gonna... do it... now... jam you with a needle..." His hands were shaking a bit as he lifted the syringe up. He swallowed nervously as he uncapped it. He took a small step closer to her, his foot bumping against her side. "Oh! Sorry! I didn't kick you, I swear!"

Charlie blew out loudly through her nose, almost a laughing sound. And she didn't move.

Lowery reached out and pulled the corner of the blanket down, exposing her side. He took a breath, trying to steady his nerves. Then he brought the needle to her rough skin and sucked in a breath. He held his breath as he pushed on the syringe.

Charlie flinched a bit but tried her best not to move. Then she breathed out as she felt the medication work almost instantly.

Lowery pulled the needle out and set the blanket back. He looked down at her and bit his lip. "Can I... uh..." His hand hovered above her neck, shaking a bit.

Charlie lifted her head off the ground a few inches. She nodded, the movement miniscule.

Lowery lowered his hand and touched her skin. And she didn't move. She didn't immediately snap at him or bite his hand off. He smiled as he ran his hand along her spine. He'd never been this close to any of the animals in the park. Honestly, he never did much of anything in the park that he couldn't do from this room. He watched the guests and dinosaurs from the screens. He had to admit. It was pretty awesome. Hanging out with a raptor. He was just like Owen.

Lowery's eyes widened with that thought. He was just like Owen. A large smile spread across his face. "This is awesome!"

Charlie lifted her head higher and turned to look at him.

And Lowery promptly jumped back, stumbling a bit over his own chair and then knocking all his toys off on the ground.

Charlie snorted again and shook her head.

Lowery bent over and collected all his fallen toys. "You're laughing at me, aren't you?" He asked, glancing back at her.

Charlie nodded her head.

"Not even gonna deny it, huh?" He asked. "Just gonna flat out admit it."

She nodded again.

He shook his head and dropped the toys on his desk. "Harsh, dude. Harsh." He turned back to his monitor and stared up at the screens. "Owen said you like watching movies... this is hooked up to the internet... could totally pull up Netflix." He glanced back at Charlie and she nodded. "Give me a minute." He sat down and pulled out his keyboard.