𝙏𝙀𝙉𝘼𝘾𝙄𝙊𝙐𝙎 » 𝙅𝙒: 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙙𝙤𝙢 ✓ [2]

IV

CHAPTER FOUR
NUBLAR NUANCE

'I'll be fine,' I urge quietly to Winnie on the other line, eyeing the view as the taxi rolled up to the private charter terminal at San Francisco Airport.

The sun had just begun to bleed over the mountains behind the airstrip, a singular plane parked in the middle. I could already see figures loading items into the back of it.

'Just here, thank you,' I murmur to the driver, handing him a few notes and telling him he could keep the change.

'What happened to the well deserved holiday?' I ask Winnie, slipping out of the car with my measly backpack and into the bitter morning. The taxi sped away, rejoining the flow of regular airport traffic.

'Yes, and that was before this island was reported to erupt on the day you were flying there,' she panics. 'I'm serious Laura, be careful. I don't want to be stuck with Hudson finding out that you were either ripped to shreds by a dinosaur or melted in a pool of lava.'

'Charming visuals,' I say flatly, tossing open the metal gate branded with an 'authorised access only' sign.

'Also,' I say. 'About Hudson, can we please keep this as a work trip status? I just don't want him to find out about all of this because of, well... this.'

Winnie stays quiet for a moment. 'He won't,' she promises. 'But Laura, please keep yourself safe alright? If anything happens just... get yourself out of there. It's not worth it. And you're allowed to come home if you want.'

'I'll be okay,' I attempt to say convincingly.

'Please stay safe.'

'I'll see you in four days,' I say.

'I love you.'

'Love you most.'

With a distracted goodbye, I hung up, the phone going limp in my hand. I could faintly hear people chatting in the distance as the sun slowly stretched out its golden hands onto the airstrip, dialing up the strange day ahead.