Welcome To Jurassic Hell

Ch. 48: Ouranosaurous

"Hey, girl."

Bumpy snorted and immediately pushed her head into my hand. I smile at the adorable gesture and run my hand along her scales, texture nipping gently at my skin. Bumpy leans into my touch, while Darius comes up next to me.

"Ready to go?"

I nod and pull myself up onto Bumpy's shell. Darius pushes up his hand and I reach down to grab it and pull him up.

For a moment, we just stare at each other while our hands are wrapped together. It's like a spark flutters through out interlocked fingers and twists up my arm, raising hairs as it did. I almost forget what I'm doing I'm so trapped in the moment. However, said moment passes quickly and I come back to reality. I pull him up behind me and we quickly ignore what just happened. The air becomes awkward, and no more words are shared as Darius holds onto me while Bumpy heads for the dock.

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So far, we encounter no dinosaurs. It's nothing beyond relief, though I wish there was something around us to distract from to uncomfortable tension. We're quiet for a good while, until Darius decides to break it with some more discomfort.

"So, uh...Tiff's..."

I grimace. "Ew, please don't remind me!"

"Sorry."

Another few minutes of silence. And then the boy decides to try again.

"Do you think we'll find gasoline at the dock?"

"Hopefully. It was your idea, I'd be surprised if we didn't."

I feel Darius tense but don't think anything of it.

"Y-You'd be surprised?"

"Of course. You've been right about almost everything so far, we're all alive only because you've been there to help. Without you, without...without a leader, we-we wouldn't be here right now."

"I don't think I'm that great, Blake. I just want to make sure we all get off this island unharmed."

"And that humbleness is exactly why you are great! Look, if you hadn't approached me that first night all those months ago, I might not have been strong enough to keep surviving."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

Oh, shit. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

I stay quiet, but it's too late. Darius is questioning me for what I let out.

"Blake, what are you talking about? Blake? Are you...what's...are-"

"Can we please stop." I cut him off, rather gruffly. "I think we're almost there."

Darius doesn't talk again.

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We finally come to see the wired gate up through an opening in the trees. I sigh with relief as Bumpy turns to lead us to the main entrance, of which I vaguely recall Tiff trying to escape through. Guess we saw how well that turned out for her...

As we're hiking, I finally decide to confront Darius. Neither of us, especially me, would like it, but with both Ben and Darius knowing about something being wrong with me...I'd have to do it anyway.

I suck in a hallow breath, not daring to turn to my friend.

I rip the bandaid off.

"I...I think I have depression."

This isn't just an admition to him, but to myself as well. I need to face that facts: Ben is right, I'm not being me. I'm not the same. I'm broken.

Before Darius can say anything, I keep talking.