Project Orpheus: A Tale of Blood and Feathers

Chapter 24: The Storm

Chester and Maddox made it to the Security Building, and Chester stepped out, quickly heading inside and down the hallways to the office. The two staff were there, running the operation. Two had been more than enough to keep things going now with the park so low.

David was just a brown haired scruffy latino in a suit. His parents were probably illegals, and using him as an anchor baby. He'd promised himself he'd look into it if he ever got on his nerves. For now though he was a good hard worker, taking extra shifts and not complaining.

Then there was Aretha. Aretha was a tall, skinny black woman who died a single strand of her hair bright blue. Chester liked the curve of her body, and he found the size of her breasts pleasing. He was trying to get her transferred to secretary at his office, but she seemed content here.

"Alright, Aretha. David. You guys can go take 15."

"But sir," Aretha began, "there's an emergency. We shouldn't really both be going, should we?"

Chester took a step forward and folded his hands together. "There is no emergency. Orenda's just over reacting to all this. Step out, I'll take care of things while you guys break."

"Don't have to tell me twice," David said, and got up to the break room.

Arthea watched him go, her eyes bugging out for a minute as they flickered between her council, Chester, and David. She got up and left, silently and quickly.

Chester leaned down, looking for where on the council the de-triggers for the alarms were, but he caught on the security feeds near one of the paddocks - his son was there, putting in a code to open the gate.

Steven laughed at all the adults having just run into the woods. Of course stupid adults would do that. He was going to follow the road. It might lead him someplace cool!

The road was easy enough to follow, too. Something caught his interest - a fence! There was an enclosure here they hadn't stopped by. He wondered what dinosaur was inside it. Or dinosaurs? He ran off the road, and by the time his dad's car was close enough to see him he had already gotten behind enough foliage he'd gone unnoticed. He followed the outline of the fence. It took him a bit longer then he thought to finally find the gate, as it turned out to be on the opposite side connected by a different part of the road, but once there he simply put in his dad's birthday - 1004 - and that actually worked!

With a loud groan, the door sprang to life, flashing lights and sounding sirens. On the other side of the security door was a much easier to deal with padlock that had a key in it already keeping the steel gate closed. He twisted it and went inside to the enclosure.

It took him a moment to notice the dinosaurs. Or rather, the dinosaurs to notice him. He heard their chirping first. One of them, sticking its head out from behind some leaves, let out a cheerful chirping sound and stepped out. It was a bright and colorful one, with a thin layer of feathers that included a tail fan. The feathers on its chest shimmered in rainbow colors. Wow, that was stupid.

Another chirp came from somewhere else, and Steven turned to look at it. Another one waddled out of the forest, the source of the chirp. Others made the same call, and surrounded him. There were about 12, and they were bouncing around playfully and happily.

"You know, you guys are kinda gay, but you're funny."

He reached his hand out to one and pet its head, which elicited a happy chirp from it. The others all started giving little hops and pressing against him, wanting attention as well. He pet them too, smiling a bit.

These were so cool. His dad hadn't lied, he really did end up liking this stupid project of his. They may have looked like overgrown birds but they were still dinosaurs. He could see it in the yellow reptilian eyes of the creatures looking at him. He played with them a bit more, petting and patting them, and even went to pick one up.