My Dinosaur Akída

Chapter 7

She didn't seem to be afraid of her. Annie told her to stay away from people because she'll surprise them too much. But this little girl just waddled toward Akida, giggling with glee.

She reached out her arms towards Akida. "Dino...! Dinosaur!" she babbled. Akida slowly bent down towards her. The little girl giggled and put her arms around Akida's snout.

"Dinosaur..." she cooed. Akida was pretty much baffled by the girl's fearlessness towards her. But her touch felt pretty good. "Sissi!" a voice called. Akida looked. The girl's mother walked around, searching for her daughter. "Sissi, where are you?" her mother called.

Sissi went back to her mother. "Bye-bye, dinosaur!" Sissi said, waving to Akida. Buster growled at Akida. "Buster, come on!" Sissi's mother called. Buster then huffed at Akida and walked off.

"Akida, where are you?" Akida heard Annie's voice call. Akida walked towards the direction of Annie's voice. "Where are you, Akida?" Annie yelled. Then she saw Akida emerge from the thick shrubbery.

"There you are! Don't do that ever again!" Annie scolded. She pointed a finger at Akida. "Don't ever run off like that again." she said crossly. "You can't be seen!" Akida hung her head in shame. "Sorry, Annie. I didn't mean to run away." Akida said.

Annie's stern look softened. "It's all right, Akida. I forgive you." she said. Annie hugged Akida's snout. Akida licked Annie on the cheek "Oh, I love you too, Akida." she said.

When night fell, Annie snuck past the night guard and ran through the park. She walked to the forest. "Akida?" she called quietly. "Akida, where are you, girl?"

Suddenly, she heard a rustle in the trees. She turned around and saw Akida's snout poke out from the trees. Akida bent down and licked Annie's cheek. Annie hugged her snout.

"Did you miss me?" Annie asked. Akida licked her cheek again. "I got you a treat." Annie said, reaching into her backpack. She pulled out a box.

Akida licked her beak. "Pineapple, my favorite!" she thought. "I know it's not much, but it's all I got." she said. She held out her hand. Akida took the pineapple slices and ate them.

She then saw the red and white striped ball. She nudged it. "You wanna play?" Annie asked. Akida nodded. "Okay!" Annie said. She picked up the ball.

Akida ran off to the far side. "You ready?" Annie said. Akida crouched down and wagged her tail, signaling that she's ready. Annie threw the ball at Akida.

Akida balanced the ball on her head, and then she tossed it back to her with her snout. "Good girl!" Annie said. "Here, catch!" Annie called. She threw the ball at Akida. Akida balanced the ball on her head, the tossed it back to Annie.

Annie and Akida played their ball game for 2 hours. Then Annie heard thunder. She looked up. Rain started to pour down, drenching both Annie and Akida.

"Well, I'd better head home. It was nice playing with you." Annie said. Then she left. She heard footsteps behind her. She looked and saw Akida. Akida looked down at her. Then she gently grabbed Annie's arm with her mouth. "Hey, Akida, let me go!" Annie protested.

But Akida gently grabbed her arm and took her to the tree. "Akida, I have to go home. It's raining." Annie said. But Akida grunted. She stomped the ground with her foot.

Annie stroked her snout. "I know you're lonely, Akida, but I really have to get back home." she said. Akida looked at Annie with her round, blue eyes. Annie sighed. "How about I sleep with you tonight?" she asked. Akida jumped up excitedly.

"Ok, but just for one night." Annie said. They ran underneath a tree. Annie set her backpack down by the tree trunk as Akida shook the lower branches, making the leaves fall to the ground.

When she was done, Akida and Annie snuggled together. "Good night, Akida." Annie said. "Good night, Annie." Akida growled softly. They huddled together against the cold rain and fell asleep.

Little did that know that a round, robotic eyeball was watching them. It suddenly disappeared through a wormhole. The robotic eyeball appeared from the wormhole right into Sloan's waiting hand.

He looked at the images the robotic eyeball took of Annie and Akida. "Perfect. The little Styracosaurus has grown beautifully. Now I need to convince the owner how valuable she is to me." he chuckled evilly.

The next morning, at dawn, Akida yawned and stretched. Then, she saw Annie shaking. She looked cold and pale and was coughing. Akida nudged Annie gently. "Oh....G-g-good morning, T-Akida." Annie said, through clattering teeth. "Annie, are you all right?" Akida asked. "I.... don't feel....so good, Akida. I t-think.... I caught.... a fever." Annie said. Then she sneezed.

Akida snuggled close to Annie, trying to keep her warm. "No. Don't, Akida...Thanks anyway." Annie said. Suddenly they heard voices from the distance.

"Uh, oh. Akida, I think you'd better hide. Go, hurry." Annie said. Akida ran and hid in the thicket. Two policemen walked down the lane.

Then one of them noticed Annie sitting on a pile of leaves. "Look, that girl! Is she who we're looking for?" one of the policemen asked. They walked up to Annie. "Excuse me, miss. Are you Annie Morgan?" the policeman asked. "Y-yes." Annie said, shivering with cold. "Come with us. Your parents were worried about you." the policeman said. "Really?" Annie asked.

The policeman wrapped a blanket around Annie as they escorted her to the police car.

As they drove off, Annie looked back to see Akida peeking at the park entrance, sadly watching her go. As they opened the police station doors and walked inside, Diane and her husband, Luke ran to Annie and hugged her.

"Oh, Annie, where were you? You didn't come home last night, I was worried sick!" Diana said. "I was at the park." Annie said. "Thank goodness you're all right. I..."

Then Diane noticed Annie's pale face. "Oh, goodness, you're so pale!" Diane said, alarmed. She felt Annie's forehead. "And your forehead is hot!" she added. "I'm fine, Mom." Annie said hoarsely. "No, you're not fine. Come on, let's get you home." she said, leading Annie and Mark home. She turned to the police officers. "Thank you, officers, for finding my daughter." she said.

"No problem, ma'am." the police officers said. That night, Akida looked at the wet road where the police car went. She started to walk down the road, growling softly.

Annie lay in her bed, an ice pack on her head. "A-Akida." she whispered. Mark ran through the streets of Calgary. Annie sent him to feed Akida as an errand. When he got home, he ran to Annie's room.

Annie heard him and sat up in her bed. "Did you feed Akida?" she asked. But Mark shook his head. "She didn't eat a single bite." he said, pulling out a pineapple slice from the backpack. "I guess she misses you a lot." he said sadly.

"How cruel of me. I should go." Annie said, struggling to get up. "Wait! Don't go!" Mark said. But Annie climbed out of bed. She walked feebly towards the door.

She put her hand on the doorknob. Mark grabbed her. "Stop! You're still sick! You won't make it that far!" he said. Annie sighed. Mark gently helped her to bed. "Wait till your fever's gone." he said.

Annie lay in her bed, and then she quietly began to weep. "Oh, Akida." she moaned. Mark sighed.