"African Dreams" By Stephanie (stephanie@nym.alias.net).

Mark's wife has died in a recent, tragic accident. Mark is lonesome for her, and so is his young son, Dean. They have a virtual playroom that focuses on an African veldt, as suggested by the set-up for this contest, and Dean has been spending an inordinate amount of time there lately. One night, after putting Dean to bed, Mark goes into the virtual world alone; and to his amazement he finds his deceased wife there. Apparently Dean has wished for his lost mother, and the obliging dinosaur that manages the virtual environment has created her. No wonder the boy has been spending so much time in there!

Nice set-up!

And we have humor too:

<<Mark's fingers ran slowly over his wife's body, and then he slipped them under the bikini bottom. She looked at him and smiled, "I'm already wet."

Mark couldn't help but laugh back, "Of course you are. We're standing in four foot of water." He pulled her bikini bottom off and she removed her top at the same time.>>

Damn! This was a good story! Be sure to read it.