1

The truth is, I never even knew I suffered from seasickness until today. Although, I've never been on a small boat in the middle of a large ocean until today either...

With every wave that crashes along the side of the boat, I can feel myself turning greener and greener. I swallow the small amount of vomit in my mouth while trying to keep my composure and simultaneously listen to the last minute instructions.

I'm trying to recall why I applied for this position in the first place. Sure...I'll get to live out my dream of seeing dinosaurs in real life, but that won't happen if I can't survive the trip there. Plus the reality of being cut off from the outside world for six months is starting to sink in.

When I heard through the grape vine that they were looking for a veterinarian to live on the island and take care of the creatures, I jumped at the chance. When I was nine, my parents surprised my brothers and I with a trip to Jurassic World, and I have been hooked ever since. I...love...dinosaurs.

I was assured that I would be safe. There had been no fatalities on the island since that fateful day seven years ago when the Indominus Rex escaped, causing a hail storm of chaos and death. I was brought back to reality by my companion's voice.

"Due to unexpected budget cuts, it will only be the two of you on the island." Wait...what is he talking about? I need to focus.

"Two of us?" I ask, confused. "I thought there would be a whole team there."

I did think it was odd that my supervisor, Barry, and I were the only passengers on the boat heading to the island. I was told there would be nine to ten of us working together.

He sighed, obviously losing patience with the fact that my sea-sickness was making it hard for me to concentrate. "Yes, that is the current situation at the island. However, we were forced to make some adjustments. We only have enough resources now for a team of two."

My nausea is returning, so I can only stare at him, hoping he will elaborate. "You will be joining Zach Mitchell. He has already been on the island for the last six months and has volunteered to stay another six."

He's willing to stay on the island, completely secluded from the world, for a whole year? This dude must have some issues.

"Okay," I manage to stammer, swallowing hard. "Do you mind if I lie down for a minute?"

I can tell he is fighting the urge to roll his eyes, probably wondering if I actually have what it takes to make it on the island. But he quietly leaves the room, giving me privacy.

I know it's time to pull on my big girl pants and get prepared. We have to be getting close to the island (I hope). Sea-sickness is simply mind over matter, right? But then I look down at my cot, and it looks so inviting. Okay. I'll get prepared later...

I fall asleep instantly. Trying to keep oneself from projectile vomiting for several hours is apparently exhausting. I get woken up by Barry knocking on my door.

"Ivy?" He hear through the door. "We're here."

My eyes pop open, and I jump up to a sitting position. "I'll be right out!"

I had envisioned standing on the boat deck, seeing the island in the distance, surrounded by water, before it slowly gets larger and larger, just like I did as a kid. I sprint out of my room and up the stairs, but when I reach the outside, I see that we are already docked.

Damn. I push down the feeling of disappointment I feel, and carry on. No use crying over spilt milk. Besides, I will be on this island for the next six months. I'm sure I will get to know it very well.

Barry and a few other people I don't recognize are loading supplies off of the boat. I quickly join them, setting packages of pain medicine and antibiotics gently on the deck. We finish surprisingly quickly, and I head down to my room to grab my things.

I was told to only bring the necessities, so I only have one duffel bag of clothes and few pictures of my family. I knew I would miss my books and my iPhone, but I'm sure I will find something to occupy my time.

I figured out that the other people unloading the boat were the current crew on the island. I meet with their veterinarian, and he fills me in on what I would need to know about their equipment and supplies. He also shows me the room I will be sleeping in, which was his previously.

"You're lucky. We don't currently have any on-going cases. All the animals are pretty healthy at the moment," he then pauses, and places his hand on my shoulder. "And listen, don't let him tear you down. Okay?"

I nod, confused, and thank him for the information. I assume he's referring to Zach Mitchell, my lone teammate, but I always like to make my own judgements on people--not let others influence my opinions.

I decide to go outside to the dock to see everyone off on their journeys home. As they pass me on the dock, they all give me a similar, uneasy look. A few of them murmur, "Good luck with him" or "It's only for six months". And one girl stops and looks directly at me, "I'm sorry you have to be alone with him. When he gives you hell, just give it right back."

I'm a little freaked out now. "Should I be scared?"

She shakes her head. "No. No. He's not dangerous or anything. He's just a miserable person, who wants to make everyone else as miserable as he is."

"Okay...well, thanks for the advice."

She looks like she wants to hug me, but she doesn't. Thank God. I am not a hugger.

I stand on the dock by myself and wave as they take off. I watch the boat until I can no longer separate it from the water. I know I'm stalling. When I walk back to camp, he will be there. I do find it incredibly odd that he didn't even say goodbye to the people he has been living with for the last six months. There is apparently no love lost.

When I reach the make-shift home, I quietly walk in and really look around for the first time. There is a small kitchen with pre-made, long lasting, meals laid out on the counter, waiting to be put away in the cabinets. To my immediate left is my small bedroom, which consists of a cot and a small bedside table. There are five to six bedroom doors along the wall surrounding the "dining area"--which consists of a table with ten chairs. This is my home for the next six months.

I jump when one of the doors opens suddenly, and a tall, brown-haired boy begins walking into the kitchen. He doesn't look at me or say anything and has his hood pulled up over his head, actively trying to avoid me.

Not what I was expecting. By everyone's description, I had pictured an old, cranky man. This kid is not old. He has a baby face--with big eyes and big lips--which makes it difficult to guess how old me might be. It couldn't be older than me, though, at twenty-five.

"Um...hi," I say hesitantly, slowly walking in his direction. "I'm Ivy. And you must be Zach." I reach out my hand, but he doesn't even look at me. He's packing away the food like it's a matter of survival.

"Yep."

I giggle under my breath--a nervous habit. "Well I guess we're going to be living together for the next six months."

"Yep."

"I do have a few questions, if you don't mind." Why is he making this so uncomfortable?

He sighs deeply--like I'm the one being difficult--and looks at me for the first time. His eyes are unreadable, completely emotionless. "What?"

I decide to be strictly professional. "Well, first of all, how do you leave the camp? I see that we are surrounded by an electric fence, but what happens when I need to be on the outside of the fence?"

He sighs again and wordlessly heads to one the rooms that I had assumed was a bedroom. When he opens the door, however, I see that it is filled with electrical equipment. He comes out with a tablet and a watch and hands them to me.

"Every dinosaur has a tracking device embedded in its back. Most of them are from the park, but when a new one is born, it's our job to give it a chip. So we know where every creature is at anytime. You can see it here." He turns on the tablet and I can see a satellite map of the entire island with hundreds of tiny red and blue dots scattered throughout it. "The red dots are carnivores, and the blue dots are herbivores."

He starts to walk away, but I grab his shirt sleeve. "What are the watches for?" He looks annoyed, and I add, "And if you sigh at me one more time, I'm going to rip that annoying hood off your head and shove it straight up your ass."

His eyebrows shoot up. I can handle this kid. I grew up with three older brothers who could teach him a thing or two about insults.

He doesn't sigh or roll his eyes, but he also doesn't smile or make any attempt to be friendly. "The watch is for you to wear at all times when not at camp. It keeps track of your location in relation to the animals. If you look on the map," he points to the screen I am holding, "you can see that you are the green dot. I'm the yellow one."

"Yellow? That's ironic, isn't it?" I laugh, but he looks confused. "You know? Because of your sunny disposition?"

I get the slightest hint of his lip curling up before he catches himself and returns to his permanent scowl. "Also, when I dinosaur gets close to you, maybe within like a quarter-mile, the watch face will light up bright orange."

I put the watch on my wrist, and he takes the opportunity to walk the few feet away to the kitchen. After he's done straightening up the meals, he places one in the microwave and begins to heat it up. I'm still not ready to eat—lingering effects of the boat ride, so I just sit at the table, assuming he'll sit with me. I still have so many questions about the island.

When his food is done heating up, however, he simply picks it up and walks back into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Hey guys! I know this chapter is pretty boring, but it will pick up soon. I try to update every few days, and I will do my best to stick to that!