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Orphans

                 By
            
             Jack L. Bryson

    Sharon ate a pomegranate. The seeds were tiny. She picked a couple out of her teeth. She dropped the rest of the fruit on the forest floor. Above her was a large fern. Water dripped off it and Sharon stuck out her tongue. She caught a few drops. She took off her top and stood and wiped sweat off her body.

    Sharon took off her backpack. She set the backpack on the ground. Then she took off the rest of her clothes. Sharon found a pebble and picked it up. She walked to the edge of a lake and tossed the pebble across the water. First she stuck a toe in the water. Then she took a couple steps in. An Iguanodon lifted its head from the water. Green seaweed hung from its mouth. Sharon approached the Iguanodon.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hello Sylvia,” Sharon said.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hello,” The Iguanodon approached Sharon. She stuck out her tongue and licked Sharon’s hand.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I have something for you,” Sharon said. She stepped out of the lake. Then she went for her backpack. Sharon kneeled by her pack. She unzipped the front portion. Then she took out an egg. She turned around and entered the lake again. “This is one of the dragon eggs I found. There are four more here around the lake.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I have to locate the other eggs.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll keep this one on the shore.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes,” Sylvia responded.

    The Iguanodon turned and swam away from shore. She swam until she reached the river. She stopped off at her den and told her children where she was going. She reached the edge of the lake. Once there she got on to shore. She lay on the bank and rested. Mud covered her ankles. After she rested an Iguanodon male approached her. They mated and he left her on the shore. In an hour Sylvia stood up. She walked into the jungle.

    Ten meters into the rainforest, Sylvia stopped. She found a man sitting on a rock eating a handful of cherries. The man wore a diving suit. Beside him was a scuba tank. He waved hello as Sylvia approached. Sylvia stopped by the man.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sharon found an egg,” Sylvia said.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m looking at the lake bottom.” Sylvia nudged the scuba gear with her nose.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll go with you,” Sylvia said. The man spit out a cheery seed and dropped the rest. He got up and put on his scuba gear. Sylvia followed the man to the shore. The man entered the water and Sylvia followed. The man turned on his flashlight. When he reached the bottom he looked behind him and spotted Sylvia. The Iguanodon swam up beside the man. She indicated with a nod that he should follow her in one direction. Sylvia led him to a cavern. The man followed Sylvia into the cavern. There was a lot of space. The man searched one side of the open area. Sylvia kicked up sand as she searched the bottom. At the back of the cavern Sylvia found an egg buried under the sand. She swam over to the man and showed him the egg. The man picked up the egg and followed Sylvia out of the Cavern.

    Minutes later, Sylvia and the man surfaced. The man took off his mask. “I’ll keep this egg on the shore.” Sylvia nodded and the man swam to shore. She watched him climb on shore and take off his scuba gear. Then the Iguanodon turned around and swam to the opposite shoreline.