Dinosaur Armageddon Vol. 1: Vengeful Promise

Chapter 21

It was a little past noon and we all sat in the living room as we waited for Natasha to come down the stairs. Of course there was a lot to talk about between us now that she was conscious again. Hailey had brewed coffee for me and Vincent and tea for herself. Walter decided to make himself a glass of orange juice.

   “Did she seem okay when she woke up?” Vinny asked me, moving his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

   “I would think so,” I replied, taking a sip of the hot, steaming coffee out of my mug. “When she woke up, she had a bit of energy. But I think we shouldn't rain a lot of questions down on her when she comes down here. She’s been through quite a lot, I imagine.”

   “I’m just relieved that she's awake,” Hailey said, lifting her mug by the handle in her hand. “I was worried that she would be out cold for a long while.”

   “Well, at least it is safe for us to say that your worry has been misplaced,” Walter said. “But what I can’t say is that we are not concerned about her story. I am still rather curious about how she ended up lying unconscious on the shore of the river.”

   “I would really like to know if she knows if there are more survivors,” Vinny said. “If she was not alone before she washed up on the shore.”

   That would be something, I thought. If Tash knows any other people that have made it this far, the better our odds of surviving this whole ordeal.

   At that moment, there was a soft thumping sound coming from the stairs. The sound of someone coming down the steps. Hailey, Vinny, and Walt looked over me, their expressions on their faces a combination of wonder and surprise. I looked back over my shoulder, and standing there by the foot of the stairs was Tash. She stared at us with a similar expression on her face.

   I smiled warmly; it felt great to see her come down to meet the others. Although, she looked rather shy, reluctant even. I knew that it was up to me to break the ice.

   So, I stood up from my seat and approached her. “Natasha,” I said, doing my best to demonstrate and speak with hospitality, to let her know she was welcome. I came to a stop just in front of her. “I’m glad you came down here. Please, have a seat.”

   That seemed to get Tash over her hesitancy. She smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Toby.”

   She then made her way to the living room, with me following close behind her, and took her place on the couch where I once sat. I decided to remain standing beside her. The others were still staring at her, but no longer in silence.

   “Wow,” Hailey spoke up. “You’re really beautiful.”

   Tash’s cheeks turned a very faint shade of pink, but she smiled. “Thank you.”

   I cleared my throat. Tash and the others turned their eyes on me. I placed a hand gently on her shoulder “Everyone, this is Natasha.”

   “Hi,” she said, raising her hand a bit.

   “Tash,” I said, gesturing to each of my friends, “this is Hailey, Vinny, and Walter.”

   “Nice to meet you,” Hailey said, grinning.

   “The pleasure is all ours,” Vinny said.

   Walt had an odd look in his stare, looking like he had become dumbstruck with ecstasy, a bit of blood coming from his nose. It took me a second before realizing that he was staring at Tash’s breasts. She looked at him, her head tilted and her face full of innocence. When Walt spoke, he sounded dreamy.