Camp Cretaceous: Unboxed

Chapter 7: Roxie

-CC Day One-

Taking a deep breath of salty sea air Roxie watched the sun rise, painting the sky in a gentle pink just before the mighty star burst victoriously over the horizon. Shielding her eyes with her hand as the light glittering and dancing across the waves caught her with it's glare. As she took a lavish drink from her paper cup, the woman was grateful that she had decided to make the trip to the main park for the posh coffee before starting her day. Employee services and rewards certainly did come with it's perks, she thought, relishing the lightly sweetened cream that balanced in the form of a foam floating just beneath the lid.

Having woken up much earlier than usual Roxie couldn't help but feel a burst of excitement. After all of the rigid organization and waiting, the setbacks and then the accelerated timetables, the day had finally arrived. Hopping down from hood of the SUV she climbed back into the driver's seat and revved the engine to life. Driving over the established, but not quite worn in dirt road, she was already planning the day before her as she headed back to camp.

Once there the head counselor immediately set to work ensuring that everything was ship shape and in Bristol fashion. From walking the expansive treehouse, inspecting every inch for cleanliness, and making triple sure that the kitchen was well stocked with both snacks and staples, to checking the tire pressure and petrol in the Jeep, and phoning ahead to confirm the docking schedule of the boat she was hard at work battening down the hatches and making preparations for any inevitability. Polishing up the observation binoculars on the north balcony the woman felt a swell of pride as she took in her surroundings.

It didn't feel like so long ago that she was toiling away at university, halfway to her bachelor's in teaching and education when, as she had been criticized for throughout her academic career, she became restless. Shifting gears unexpectedly she, much to everyone's surprise went into Zoology with a focus on biodiversity and conservation. Graduating with high marks Roxie got a job at Whipsnade Zoo with ease. There she spent the next few years caring for a variety of animals in the massive park that stretched six hundred acres and housed over three thousand six hundred different species. It was wonderful. Every day was a fresh adventure, the animals all having their own quirks and personalities, the thrilling rush of handling a big cat, or the humbling power of a 'light' touch from an African elephant.

Eventually word got out however, of openings in the fabled zoo to end all zoos that was Jurassic World and caught in the frenzy Roxie, as with probably every other person on the face of the planet that worked in any field remotely related to animals applied for the job. To her chagrin, the woman was rejected.

Still, far from being one to give up Roxanne kept her ear to the ground and refused to be deterred, focusing in the meantime on spearheading an outreach and education program at local schools. Then, when last fall, rumor began circulating of a Jurassic World summer camp in the works she saw her opportunity. While the prospect was spurned by others Roxie who felt given her credentials and background that she was uniquely qualified for the position which was one part babysitter, one part teacher, and one part lion tamer, threw her hat into the rink as they say, and much to her surprise landed the job.

She was just sitting down to toast and jam when Dave, her counterpart in this whole crazy endeavor walked into the kitchen, just in time for the bad news. Head bobbing to a beat only he could hear as the man drummed every surface he passed, clearly attending a concert of the mind as he half hummed a song.

"Roxie-roo, what is up with you?" he beamed, twirling a mug dangerously on his index finger as with the other hand he started the coffee machine. The woman fixed him with a look from where she sat. "I mean, morning! How goes... things?" he said changing his tone. First impressions of Dave, Roxie thought looking at him with deliberation through her eyelashes, not the best. While he did work hard the man seemed to lack motivation, and had an irritating habit of thinking of everyone as his best friend, and that he could charm his way out of anything.