Chapter 4
Bowen
Aperson could only run on adrenaline and fear for so long. By the time my feet touched land on a second island, I was exhausted. The sun was setting behind an overcast sky, but there was a pathway lit by torches leading to God knew where.
I didn’t even know there was a smaller island near Catalina.
It certainly wasn't where I was planning to go, not that I had a plan. Once I had reached Avalon, it hadn’t taken long before the local wildlife offered me the same warning I’d received earlier, urging me to find a private charter to Malterra Island.
Clouds seemed to sit on the island like a cloak.
There had been a moment on the small boat that I wondered if its captain was taking me out to the middle of the ocean to toss my body overboard, never to be seen again.
If it had been a ploy to steal from me, he wouldn’t have gotten more than a variety of animal treats.
I certainly hadn’t packed for this unplanned trip.
The boat had pushed through the fog to a hidden port.
The ominous vibe and the way the captain was quick to leave once I got on the dock made me wonder if I had just arrived at Isla Nublar.
Were there velociraptors waiting in the thick trees?
Predators didn’t typically worry me, but with something resurrected from the past, it might take longer to break through their language than more familiar animals.
If I’d learned anything from Jurassic Park, it was to respect their unmatched hunting skills.
I doubted prehistoric beasts would give me time to introduce myself.
A chill swept over me as I took a cautious step onto the lit path.
My short-sleeved button-up and khaki pants weren’t ideal for an island excursion, though it wasn’t as bad as the bone-deep cold out on the ocean.
Folding my arms over my chest, I wished there was some sort of creature that could offer me assurance, or at least accompany me.
I was feeling incredibly alone, and exhaustion was seeping in after being on the run all day.
With no idea of what was at the other end of this path, my imagination started filling in details.
I heard a rustling in the distance, making me pause to see if I could determine what kind of animal might be out there.
I hoped it was an animal. Or at least, not a person.
Or a velociraptor. Meeting a man alone in the dark woods on an isolated island was about as scary a scenario as I could imagine.
I doubted a treat from the bottom of my messenger bag would get me out of that.
Man or bear? The answer was easy. I would choose bear every time.
Another rustle sounded, making my heart rate spike. “Hello?” I called out, instantly chastising myself. Wasn’t that how all horror movies started?
A low chortle rumbled through the trees, bringing momentary relief. It didn’t sound like a velociraptor, as if Jurassic Park were an absolute authority on dinosaur sounds. It also didn’t sound human, which was probably the bigger relief. I know… I know… I shook my head at myself.
Then I saw it. Saw… something. It was big.
Really big. Long arms swung as it walked quickly.
I froze in place. It had a primate-like appearance.
If a primate stood eight feet tall and had an almost human gait.
In the light of the torches, I thought I caught a glimpse of something pink on the top of its head. Two pink things. Bows? What?!
I blinked hard, and it was gone. Weird fucking day.
Maybe all the stress was getting to me, or maybe the mist that seemed to settle over the island was fucking with my head. Either way, I needed a bed. I took off my glasses, rubbing my tired eyes, and continued along the path.
The mist parted, and a building appeared before me.
It looked like a cozy bed-and-breakfast with a large porch and welcoming, warm light, which was the absolute last thing I expected to see.
A sign hung over the front door that read Creature Comforts Inn.
It seemed inviting enough, but so did the Visitor Center on Isla Nublar.
At least it meant they probably had beds.
Hopefully. If there weren’t any vacancies after everything it took to get here, I might cry.
Walking up the steps, I felt that stirring return deep in my gut, only it felt…
different. It didn’t feel like a warning, but rather like a push.
It was pushing me through the front door to something inside.
At this point, my brain and body were so worn from the long day that I didn’t know what to make of it.
A petite man with long hair straightened behind the counter when I walked in. He wore elbow-length gloves paired with a simple V-neck tee. It was an unusual look, but not unappealing. He hurried around the counter to meet me, pulling off a glove to shake my hand.
I took it as he greeted me. “Hello. Welcome to Creature Comforts Inn. I am Maxime. My sincere apologies for not having an escort meet you at the dock. I was unaware we were expecting a guest arriving late this evening. I hope you didn’t have any trouble along the way.”
His hand held mine the entire time he spoke.
The man had a hint of an accent I couldn’t quite place, though I was far more familiar with animal linguistics than human.
The way he gripped my hand didn’t feel intimate; it wasn’t like a spark or anything.
No, it was more… assessing. Even now, he looked at me with his head tilted, as if he were trying to read me.
I pulled my hand back and subtly tried to wipe it on my pants.
There was something off about his eyes; maybe it was a trick of the light, but it seemed as if his dark irises had a ring of red around them.
“I didn’t expect to arrive either. It was a last-minute thing. But the path was fine.” I wasn't going to tell this small, strange man that I might have seen Bigfoot in hair bows in the woods. That wasn’t exactly a confidence-inspiring icebreaker.
“Ah. I see. Expected or not, we are happy to have you. While I check you in, please enjoy our complimentary infused water. You must be parched after a long journey.” Maxime pointed to a table with a glass water cooler.
The water had a pinkish hue to it, likely from the strawberries mixed in.
It looked ice cold and refreshing, and my mouth suddenly felt like sandpaper.
“Thank you.” I poured myself a cup of water, and the sweet, cool liquid hit my tongue, feeling like heaven as I swallowed it. There was a slight undertone beneath the berry flavor. Something almost coppery. But it wasn’t enough to keep me from pouring a second glass.
I felt like I could actually breathe for the first time since I’d left the duck pond. With my cup in hand, I followed Maxime back to the desk. He looked up at me once more, head tilted, reminding me of the way Cat had studied me.
“Huh,” he muttered to himself.
Thanks, such a reassuring response, I thought to myself. I stood taller, took another drink of the strawberry water, and tried to muster my poor people skills. “Sorry for not giving you any kind of notice.”
Maxime blinked, and a friendly smile replaced the puzzled look that had been there a moment before. “It is no bother, simply that we don’t typically get walk-ins.”
Adjusting my glasses, I said, “Please tell me you have a vacancy. I don’t really know where else to go, to be honest, and I've had a really long day. Maybe just for tonight, maybe two. I really don’t know.”
Please don’t turn me away. My eyes misted and burned with tears threatening to fill and let loose. Tired. I was just tired.
His hand landed on mine across the counter, and he met my gaze. I felt a wave of warmth come through the connection, and my eyes blinked clear. “You are welcome as long as you like.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” The relief I felt practically made my knees give out, and I clung to the counter for support.
Maxime turned his attention to the computer in front of him. “Please tell me your name and if you have any special requirements or dietary restrictions.”
“My name is Bowen Thomas. I, uh, can’t really think of anything special I need. I’ll take anything with a bed at this point. Oh, for food…I’m a vegetarian.” I’d spent enough time talking with animals of all sorts; it was harder to think about eating them.
“Perfect, I’ll pass that along to our chef.
We cater to a wide variety of nutritional needs.
Let’s get you to that bed, why don’t we?
If you should wake and need a midnight nosh, just give us a call from your room.
There’s always someone in the kitchen. We at Creature Comforts understand that guests may have differing biological clocks.
Now, let’s put you in room… ah, yes, room three-oh-one.
That’s here in the main building, third floor.
You'll have the entire floor to yourself for now. Would you like me to show you the way?”
Third floor; seemed easy enough, and my patience was wearing thin. “No, thanks. I'll be fine.”
“Okay, great. I hope you enjoy your stay. If you need anything, just ring the front desk. Oh, and keep in mind, this is an old building, so you may hear some creaks and moans as it settles at night. All is fine.”
Maxime handed me a key. An actual key and not a keycard.
Something about the simplicity of it made me smile, or maybe it was the fact that I could end the interaction and go collapse into bed.
Climbing two flights of stairs to the third floor, I was glad my room was the first one.
As I entered the room, another wave of exhaustion hit me.
I threw my bag on a chair and the key on a table.