Chapter Text
Lucy couldn't move.
That was funny.
She'd tried really hard.
First her fingers.
Then her toes.
Then her nose.
Nothing.
Maybe she was asleep.
She'd never been asleep before.
Not properly.
Because when you were asleep you dreamed.
She wasn't dreaming.
She was...
Thinking.
"Hm."
Well.
That was okay.
Maybe she'd wake up soon.
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The green light had been very pretty.
Maybe it was magic.
Or aliens.
Dinosaurs would've liked aliens.
Probably.
Maybe not.
A Tyrannosaurus would probably try to eat one.
She wondered if aliens tasted like chicken.
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Maybe not.
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Mr. Chomps!
Her dinosaur
She hoped he wasn't scared.
He was very brave.
But sometimes brave people got lonely.
Maybe he was waiting on her bed.
She hoped nobody threw him away.
She'd be sad.
—--------------------------
Maybe Dad would keep him.
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Dad.
—-------------------
He'd probably be angry she hadn't come downstairs.
Unless...
Unless the green light got him too.
"Oh."
Well.
Then maybe he wasn't angry.
That was nice.
—-----------------------
Maybe everybody got hit by the green light.
Even the mailman.
Even Mrs. Parker from next door.
Even the lady at the library.
She hoped not.
The library had dinosaur books.
Somebody had to look after them.
—-----------------------
Would the dinosaurs have turned green?
No.
Dinosaurs were dead.
She knew that.
Obviously.
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Unless...
Zombie dinosaurs.
—----------
That would be cool.
For a little bit.
Then scary.
Mostly scary.
—---------------
How long had she been here?
Five minutes?
Maybe ten.
Her legs should've gone numb by now.
They hadn't.
Weird.
—-------------
Maybe stone legs couldn't go numb.
—--------------
Could stone people get itchy?
She hoped not.
An itchy nose would be the worst.
—-------------
She wondered what stars looked like during the day.
They were always there.
Her teacher had said so.
You just couldn't see them.
She thought that was silly.
If they were there, they should wave.
Or sparkle.
Or something.
Otherwise how were people supposed to know?
—---------------
Maybe astronauts knew.
Astronauts knew lots of things.
Not as much as paleontologists.
But lots.
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She wanted to be a dinosaur scientist.
Then she'd find a brand-new dinosaur.
She'd call it...
Lucy-saurus.
No.
That sounded silly.
Mr. Chomps-saurus.
Better.
—---------------
Maybe she'd have to ask scientists first.
Adults liked asking permission.
Mostly.
—----------------
She wondered if Mom missed her.
—-------------
Probably.
Maybe.
Hopefully
—----------
Mom said crying was for babies.
Lucy hadn't cried.
So maybe Mom would be happy.
—------------------
Dad said good girls stayed quiet.
She was being very quiet.
The quietest she'd ever been.
Maybe he'd finally be proud.
—-------------
That was a nice thought.
She decided to keep it.
—------------
She wished she could see the sky.
Maybe there were clouds.
She liked cloud dinosaurs.
Sometimes clouds looked like stegosauruses.
Once she'd seen a diplodocus.
Nobody else believed her.
—--------------------
Maybe when she woke up she'd tell someone.
Someone nice.
The library lady would've believed her.
Probably.
—------------------
Her tummy didn't hurt.
That was strange.
She was usually hungry by now.
Stone people probably didn't need lunch.
Lucky.
Lunch was hard.
She never knew what she was allowed to eat.
—-----------------
She hoped Mr. Chomps had lunch.
—-------------
Could teddy bears get hungry?
—--------
Maybe only if you forgot to hug them.
—------------
"I'll hug you lots later."
She imagined he heard her.
That made her feel better.
—----------
Maybe the green light was taking a really long time.
Like waiting at the doctor's office.
Adults always said,
"Just a minute."
It never was.
Maybe this was one of those minutes.
A very...
Very...
Very...
Very...
Long minute.
Lucy decided she'd count until it was over.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
—------------
She lost count somewhere around three hundred.
So she started again.
After all...
She had plenty of time.