Alpha Raptor [Owen Grady] - UNDER EDITING

one

Tess

If you had told me three years ago that I'd become a trainer at Jurassic World, I would've laughed in your face. Me, a dinosaur trainer at the world's largest theme park… What a hilarious thought! And yet, three years later here I am, an assistant velociraptor trainer on Isla Nublar, home of Jurassic World. A job that on most days doesn't even feel like one.

Who else gets to live in a tropical paradise and train dinosaurs… real dinosaurs for a living. It's so surreal, and yet it's my life. A life full of learning, excitement and growth. A life that I've loved for the last three years of it.

And today is no different.

Walking down the gravel path with a smile, I eagerly make my way towards his place. Today is my birthday, a day that I don't often get to celebrate.

"Hey Beta," Owen, my best friend of three years, greets as I approach his bungalow. It's a small place similar to mine with a sloped roof and deck, only mine doesn't have a trailer attached to the side.

"Hey Owen," I smile, placing the six pack of beer and pizza box I was carrying down on the picnic table. It's old and a bit splintered, yet comfortable.

"I thought we were having wings for lunch?" He hums, leaning towards his bike. He's been working on it during his breaks all week, trying to get it road worthy before the weekend.

"Pizza sounded better." I reply, circling the picnic table to grab a garden chair beside the deck. He watches me from behind the bike, using one of his hands to apply pressure to a gasket.

“Is Sam still coming over?”

“She should be. Said she was finishing something at home before coming over Should be here any minute now.”
  
“Good. Hey, hand me that valve?” He nods to the part with his chin. Reaching over, I grab it for him and pass it over, using it to pop the lid off my beer in the process.

“Thanks.”

I nod, taking a sip of my beer before holding it out towards him.

"Wanna taste?"

He laughs, shaking his head. "I'm good."

"Why not?" I playfully pout.

"It's two in the afternoon and I plan on taking us out to dinner in a few hours."

"So? Why not get the party started a little early, hmm?" I lean forward, smirking.

"Well-" he draws out, a smirk on his lips as well. "-I'm driving, and just 'cause we're on a tropical island doesn't mean I get a free pass to do anything stupid."

"Well yeah, but there's this thing for us employees called a shuttle. It's there for those times where we feel like living a little and want to drink a beer in the afternoon."

Owen shakes his head in laughter, causing a large and intoxicating smile to engulf his face.

"You crack me up."

"Of course I do. Drink?"

He shakes his head again so I drop it, opting to change the subject.

"Anything happen at the Paddock while I was gone?”

Owen makes a face between amused and annoyed. For a moment it seems like he's hesitant to speak, but when he finally does, he clenches his socket wrench tight.

"Hoskins is back. Asked about another field test."

I groan, sitting back in my chair. My shorts ride up a bit so I tug them back down.