I awoke dreading this my second day. Already I'm a slave to scalies, and with other scalies to help me besides. Sure, there's no bars on the windows -- yet I'm a prisoner on this rock, one even smaller than that one they call Dinotopia -- that "terrible land."
"Lee, time for breakfast." He showed me a spread of hot quinoa cakes and fresh fruit. "Looks like a usual Dinotopian breakfast to me. No bacon, eggs, or cheese." "C'mon, do you really want sentient animals -- to eat?"
"T-rex eats Triceratops steaks, why can't we?"
"You know that’s not the Dinotopian way. Yet we do enjoy fish with our lunch," Heraclio said. "We’ll need to do something about your lack of footprint knowledge. Thus, each day after breakfast we’ll enjoy a footprint class."
"You mean scaly talk."
"Your negativity might be your downfall. I can help you only if you want help. Let me know when you wish to learn footprint -- for now, I'll read the recipes for you. Ah, the boat just arrived. Let’s help unload the day's catch.”
"There's so many fish! I thought iron ingots were heavy.”
"We had a good catch today!" said a crewman.
I remarked, “And do they stink!" as we loaded our carts with fish and slimy eels. Disgusting!
I couldn’t bring myself to help with the prep work. All I could do was remark about how everything stank of fish. And seeing the Deinonychus deftly fillet fish with their foot claws – I could only imagine how they might fillet me if they just wanted to!
Heraclio noticed my moping in a corner. “OK, you’ve seen enough fish cleaning. Bryon and Hunter can finish on their own. We’ll proceed to the kitchen.”
“For today I’ve picked the easiest recipe: Stewed Fish.” Heraclio pulled out the appropriate scroll. “The first thing we need is 10 tubs of water. Let’s pour in the water, then start a fire under the pot.” With the pot boiling, they added the ingredients. “First, 16 tubs of fish.” I said, “That’s a lot of fish.” “Well, we’re feeding 35 tons of dinosaur. We flavor the fish with one tub of hot peppers, and a measure of salt. Stir the stew with this boat oar, while timing the cooking with this hourglass.” Soon their stew was done. They filled the serving carts, one for each of the dinosaurs.
Heraclio announced, "Byron, Hunter, and I will go serve the Acrocanthosaurs. Until your attitude towards dinosaurs improves, it would be for the best that you don’t help with the serving."
I said to myself, “Good, I never want to see them.”
Afterwards, Heraclio reported that the dinos liked their dinner.
I replied, "It's good to know that I'll live to see another day."
"Time for lunch, then we clean the kitchens. After dinner, Byron, Hunter, and I sing sea chanties together. Would you like to join us?"
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