My Dinosaur Akída

Chapter 3: Little Akída

As they arrived home, Annie grabbed a few leaves from the nearby bushes. Diane looked at her in surprise. "What are the leaves for?" she asked. "It's for a nest." Annie said. "Oh." Diane said. "Why a nest?" she wondered as she walked away. Annie found a small tub in her room.

She put the leaves into the tub and gently placed the egg into the tub. The egg was small enough to fit in the tub. She put it underneath the window in her room. Mark watched her curiously. "Why put the leaves in there?" he asked.

"Maiasaura mothers put leaves in the nest after they lay their eggs. When the leaves rot, it keeps the eggs warm and cozy." Annie explained.

"Oh, I see." Mark said, nodding. "You know, Jessica's right. You know a lot about dinosaurs. You really are a dinosaur freak. I-In a good way, I mean." he said. "Thanks." Annie said. The hours passed. Annie and Mark kept constant watch at the little egg. Then afternoon passed and Mark grew bored. "This is taking too long." he said as he got up. "I'm gonna get something to eat."

But Annie wasn't feeling hungry. She just sat beside the egg, watching it. "How did a real dinosaur egg get here?" she pondered. "All the dinosaurs died out millions of years ago." She looked at the dinosaur egg. "When the egg hatches, I'll find out for sure."

That night, Annie and Mark were brushing their teeth. "Mark, tonight, I'm gonna sleep with that egg." Annie said.

"Why?" Mark asked. "Because the egg might get cold and lonely." Annie replied. "Oh, okay?" Mark said as he went the bathroom.

That night, Annie was sleeping peacefully. She then woke up to find she was on the floor. She stood up to find her egg on her bed, exposed. "Mark! Mark!" she said. Mark groaned as rubbed his eyes. "What?" he asked a bit grumpily. "Sorry to wake you up, but can you please help me? I need you to tie me up. I can't do it myself and the egg will get cold." Annie said. A few minutes later, Annie was wrapped in a bundle. She looked like a human burrito.

But she didn't mind. "Ah, thanks, Mark." she said. Then she closed her eyes and went to sleep. But then, at 5:00 in the morning, Mark heard a cry of excitement. "Mark! Mark, wake up!" Annie's voice rang out. Mark roused from his sleep. He leapt awake. He quickly ran to Annie's room. He quickly opened her bedroom door. Annie was hopping up and down on her bed.

"Untie me! Hurry! The egg! It's hatching! It's hatching! Hurry!" she cried excitedly. Mark quickly untied her. Annie crawled to the other side of the bed and watched the egg.

She and Mark sat there, waiting. They saw the egg budge. They could hear little squeaks inside the egg. Suddenly a little crack appeared on the egg. Annie gasped as she saw the little crack grow larger.

Then, a little copper-colored head with a small parrot-like beak and a small frill with six little studs popped out with a little crack. Then a little copper tail and two little beige hind legs popped out. They were thick like a rhino's legs.

Then the rest of the egg cracked. It revealed a little copper body with a beige underbelly, gold stripes on its back and small thick legs. The little baby dinosaur struggled on its feet. The little dinosaur sniffed around, then it turned its head towards Annie. The little dinosaur looked at Annie with her cute blue eyes and squealed.

"Wow! See? I told you so!" Annie said. "So cool!" Mark said, looking at the baby dinosaur. The baby dinosaur wobbled a little. "What kind of dinosaur is it?" he said. Annie looked at the baby dinosaur. "It's a little Styracosaurus!" she said.

"An what?" Mark asked. "Seriously? You don't know? Styracosaurus. It means 'spiked lizard'. Lives during the Late Cretaceous era in prehistoric Alberta." Annie said.