One cold winter afternoon I sat at my computer in my playroom playing "3D Dinosaur Adventure." I heard a truck motor in the computer. Then I heard a t-rex. The sound was like thunder. The t-rex stepped out of the computer screen and landed on the keyboard. His tripped on the Y key and fell on the H. He jumped all the way to the spacebar and looked right up at me. He told me a secret and I was excited.

My new dinosaur friend invited me to come into the game with him. "Are you sure it is safe?" I asked.

"Yes, it is safe. Don't be afraid. Just follow me," said my friend.

I shouted to my mom in the kitchen that I was going with my friend and I would be back for dinner. My friend jumped from the spacebar to the F5 key. He took another jump and he went inside the screen. There he stood looking at me from the screen.

"Come, on, R.J," he said. "It's safe. You're magic now."

Suddenly I was shrinking in front of the computer. I walked up the keyboard and closed my eyes. I made a big jump and when I opened my eyes again I was in the computer! I could look outside the screen and see my room. I waved to my mom but she didn't see me.

I followed t-rex inside the computer. I wasn't afraid at all. We walked through the woods full of dinosaurs and tall trees. The dinosaurs were eating their lunch and they didn't even see us. They were plant eaters and they were eating leaves and grass. T-rex and I walked through the woods for a long time. We fished in the creek and then I remembered that I had promised my mom that I would be back for dinner.

T-rex walked with me to the edge of the monitor. I saw my keyboard and the mouse. I could see Mom making dinner and a special cake for me. I was hungry and jumped down to the F5 key and slid down to the spacebar. I could feel myself growing again. I was back to my real size and in my chair. Just then I heard my mom shout, "R.J., dinner time!"

I got up from the chair, went into the kitchen and sat down at the table with my mom, my sisters and my dad. Mom made my favorite dinner - hot dogs. I ate my dinner and no one knew where I had been. Dad asked me how my day had been and I smiled.

Patti Weeg
pweeg@shore.intercom.net

March 22, 2000