A Californian circus tent welcomed all the gathered guests, children, and adults, to its humble doors as it usually benefited the morning. Each more guest was special in a person because even if profitable for the owner, gave a bigger approach and communication.
Mr. Morton Fizzback, that was the name of the owner of the exhibitions carried, was not disappointed with the obvious arrival of a swarm of action-hungry guests. Surprisingly, he even expected this result after hanging a poster on the Bulletin board.
"Please, please. Stay calm!" the chubby man in a bowler hat waved his arms in reply to people's sour babbles. "There is enough space for everyone!"
The street poster itself was the reason for Fizzback's swarm. It included a vintage portrait of the animal, a lizard, but so much larger than a normal human being.
The most recently discovered exhibit, a specimen from 65 million years ago. You could pet it and feed it. And that's all for only 1 dollar.
Most visitors doubted the authenticity of the real living dinosaur exhibit in the circus, so they bought tickets to deny the existence of this creature and write about the scandal.
Morton Fizzback knew that well.
Everyone sat down in their seats, leaned back from the darkness in front of their faces. Patiently waiting for the beloved circus show.
The gentlemen talked to the ladies, while their kids waited. Some kicked the seats in front of them and some slapped each other.
Finally, parents went silent, as the headlights came on and brightened the place. The children pouted in annoyance, at the absence of tigers, lions, elephants, and other exotic animals of Africa. There was one cage covered with a sheet placed in the middle of the field.
Soft sobbing rang out all over the room. It didn't belong to the children, nor certainly to the acrobat standing next to the construction covered in cloth.
The miserable sound of weeping was coming from inside the cage.
"Ladies and gentleman!" the patent voice of the Circus owner echoed through the large space. "I present to you! Denver, the Last Dinosaur!"
The skinny Acrobat caught the cloth and with one firm pull, took it from the surface of the cage, revealing what the bars hid inside.
The full crowd gasped and loudly applauded, marveling from edge to edge at what a miracle of nature the imprisoned being was.
The sitting large green reptile with majestic crest and long neck, same as tail, cried on the corner of its prison. Definitely bipedal, since both claws were hiding Its watery blue eyes in the grip.
"Corythosaurus!" Fizzback imposingly announced. "Cunning Herbivore. Hadrosaurus proved in his docile appearance and very pleasant to the touch! Children, come up and pet him! Go ahead! Denver doesn't bite!"
The kids did, as told. They ran to the cage in crowds and started to push their fingers inside a claustrophobic room, stubbornly targeting the neck of a very petrified creature. Denver didn't react, but meanwhile, wailed out his heart even louder.
All at once, Denver slowly stood up and a few steps later fell to his knees. Parents quickly dragged their children away for safety.
"Do not worry, my visitors! I'm sure our buddy is just playing! Denver is a friendly animal. He never dared to hurt anyone, especially you, kids"
Despite the assurances, some worried parents still kept their children in the clasp. The dinosaur did not look amused and playful, but rather despairing at his position. Who knows if he could bite someone's finger off.
Denver knelt and held his hands in a clash of limbs marching his scaly body, staring sorrowfully at the man standing by the entrance.
"I... beg... I... beg..."
The humbly clothed grown-ups flinched in their posture, looked at each other in astonishing surprise, and then burst into loud applause. Something incredible! The prehistoric reptile spoke. They never saw a talking animal.
"Did I mention Denver can talk?" Morton Fizzback surely grinned in the background, as he said that. "I'm a well-meaning klutz! He can talk like a human, but is shy"
The crowd of youngsters proceeded with small boxes towards the crate and started throwing handfuls of popcorn inside. The little children desired to feed the imprisoned reptile, but the creature apparently ignored it in his despair. Corythosaurus begged Fizzman to be freed, but the man seemed to take no notice of his exhibit's pleadings.
"Go... home... Go... home... Go... home..."
Denver was overwhelmed by the laughter of those people and the light-hearted sound of music encompassing his whereabouts. He had a terrible headache, and couldn't do a thing about it.
"Stand aside, ladies and gentlemen!" the shallow voice of Circus' owner ordered. "The cage with the hadrosaur will open!"
The green dinosaur was forced to get up, as the chains on his neck were pulled up. The poor thing almost suffocated, his cheeks paler than usual and in need of breath. The entrance to the fore threw wide, giving enough space for the good lizard to move around.
He was pushed outside by a group of circus strength athletes, pulling his chain like a small pair of shoelaces, straight to the mass of watchers. In the light, there was a visible bruise on his stomach.
Denver whimpered, his voice trailing off in the act of nervousness. He began to writhe in panic and try to break free, but the duo held him tight.
"Careful! The creature can escape!"
The tall dinosaur shook and kicked in defense, roared, and waved his neck in deep fear. His body weight was too high. He carried several tons.
Thankfully, both strong athletes had enough willpower to place him on the belly. He screamed really loudly in that viewpoint. And for a reason.
That place was where Denver went through the throbbing pain. On top of all that, these gorilla-like people pushed him even harder to make this pain more unbearable.
Denver wanted this torture to end, but the number of hands stroking his back only made his case worse.