jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第105节

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tepped　out；　grinning　sheepishly。　They　smiled　at　Ripman　and　then　turned　and　watched　the　other　door。　Ripman　lost　his　grin。
　〃He's　not　with　me。　I　looked　for　Cubby　after　the　。　。　。　light；　bombs；　whatever。　I　never　found　him。　Never　found　Portland　either。　It's　really　gone　now。〃
　Ripman　stayed　by　the　car；　making　no　move　toward　them；　seeming　uncertain。　John　felt　his　mother's　hand　oh　his　shoulder　and　stepped　aside　to　let　her　pass。　She　walked　around　the　car　toward　Ripman。　He　stepped　back；　but　she　kept　ing；　wrapping　her　good　arm　around　him　in　a　big　hug。　Ripman's　hands　went　up；　but　he　couldn't　bring　himself　to　hug　her　back。　His　face　went　red；　but　the　smile　returned。
　〃What's　the　matter；　Ripman？〃　John　teased。　〃A　hug　is　as　elemental　as　things　get。〃
　〃Screw　you；〃　Ripman　mouthed　over　Ellen's　shoulder。
　〃Up　yours；〃　John　replied　silently。
　Ripman　looked　at　John　and　mouthed　the　word　〃El…ah…mental；〃　then　let　his　hands　fall　and　hugged　Ellen　back。
　
　70。　　THE　NEW　COUNTRY
　
　South　Oregon　Coast
　THE　NEW　WORLD
　
　　Petra　was　driving　while　Colter　dozed　in　the　seat　next　to　her。　Peaches　was　cuddled　in　his　arms　and　Moose　was　settled　on　his　shoulder。　Sarah　was　on　her　blanket　beneath　his　feet。　Petra　guided　the　battered　camper　down　a　forest　service　access　road　not　marked　on　many　maps。　The　dirt　road　was　poorly　maintained　and　filled　with　deep　ruts　and　huge　mud　puddles；　and　Petra　could　do　no　more　than　twenty…five　miles　per　hour。　Colter　found　the　road；　remembering　it　from　deer　hunting。　The　main　roads　were　filled　with　confused　people　or　blocked　by　state　police　who　were　restricting　travel。
　Petra　found　herself　driving　along　a　hill　so　steep　it　was　indistinguishable　from　a　cliff。　Some　tractor　driver　had　carved　a　road　across　the　middle。　Tons　of　debris　littered　the　lower　side　of　the　hill；　which　dropped　sharply　to　a　creek。　Rockslides　covered　parts　of　the　road。　Petra　snaked　around　rock　piles；　fearful　of　triggering　another　rock　fall。　Once　across　she　cornered　left　around　a　huge　boulder；　following　the　road　as　it　dropped　off　sharply。　Suddenly　she　was　out　of　the　forest　into　a　clear…cut；　those　great　ugly　scars　that　peppered　Oregon's　great　forests。　Clear…cut　is　a　funny　name；　thought　Petra；　Sure；　the　towering　firs　were　gone　giving　a　clear　view　of　the　sky；　but　nothing　resembling　a　clearing　was　left　behind。　The　〃clear…cut〃　was　filled　with　massive　stumps；　limbs　shaved　from　the　fallen　ancients；　and　junk　timber　felled　to　reduce　the　petition　for　sunlight　for　the　newly　planted　fir　seedlings。
　The　road　led　down　to　the　creek；　which　flowed　over　and　around　boulders　creating　a　swirling　frothing　stream。　Petra　found　herself　hypnotized　by　the　creek　and　slowed　to　enjoy　it。　Something　moved　in　the　trees　on　the　far　side　and　Petra　stopped　to　watch。　Peaches　lifted　her　head　briefly；　looked　around；　and　then　snuggled　into　a　new　position。　Colter　and　Moose　never　moved。　Petra　understood。　She　slept　like　the　dead　now　too。　Her　body　was　still　replenishing　and　renewing　itself；　and　the　poor　little　dinosaurs　had　little　energy　in　the　cool　weather。
　Then　a　doe　walked　out　of　the　forest　and　down　to　the　stream　for　a　drink。　The　deer　stared　at　the　RV　long　and　hard　before　it　finally　dropped　its　head　and　drank。　Petra　watched　with　an　odd　feeling。　Something　as　normal　as　a　deer　now　seemed　strange　to　her。　Petra　had　been　in　the　pany　of　dinosaurs　for　too　long；　she　longed　for　mammals。
　Suddenly　the　deer's　head　snapped　up；　its　oversized　ears　erect　and　cocked　sideways。　Out　of　the　shadows　of　the　forest　came　something　ancient…something　no　deer　had　ever　contended　with。　It　was　five　feet　high；　lizard　green；　and　ran　on　two　large　back　legs。　The　body　of　the　animal　was　small　pared　to　the　massive　head。　The　deer　jumped　but　wasn't　up　to　running　speed　before　the　jaws　of　the　dinosaur　tore　into　the　flesh　of　its　neck。　The　deer　went　down　in　a　tumble　with　the　dinosaur；　rolling　once　and　ending　their　struggle　in　the　stream。
　There　had　never　been　any　doubt　about　the　oute。　When　the　deer　stopped　thrashing　the　dinosaur　dragged　its　kill　from　the　stream　to　the　shore　and　only　then　released　the　death　grip　of　its　jaws。　The　dinosaur　examined　its　kill；　licking　its　lips；　perhaps　tasting　the　blood　of　a　mammal　for　the　first　time。　Then　the　dinosaur　began　its　meal。　Petra　had　no　desire　to　watch　another　bloody　feast；　so　she　put　the　RV　in　gear　and　gave　it　some　gas。　When　the　engine　revved　the　dinosaur　looked　up　and　watched　the　RV　drive　away。
　Petra　continued　down　the　road；　now　aware　the　forests　of　Oregon　were　a　different　place。　The　radio　reports　told　of　patches　of　prehistoric　land　here　and　there　all　over　the　state。　The　dinosaurs　must　be　exploring　the　turf　of　the　mammals。　There　were　no　fences　to　prevent　it；　and　no　fence　would　stop　some　of　those　dinosaurs。　The　question　now　was　could　they　live　in　this　new　climate？　Oregon　winters　were　mild　along　the　coast；　not　like　east　of　the　Cascade　Mountains。　Certainly　dinosaurs　in　Florida　or　closer　to　the　equator　could　live；　but　Oregon's　dinosaur　would　struggle。　Petra　wondered　if　the　government　would　try　to　kill　them　or　save　them。　All　levels　of　government　were　working　on　survival…restoring　transportation　for　food　and　fuel；　restoring　munication；　and　restoring　order。　But　soon　it　would　have　to　deal　with　the　marauding　dinosaurs。
　The　dirt　road　intersected　a　gravel　road。　A　forest　service　sign　directed　Petra　to　the　left；　and　soon　she　had　the　RV　up　to　forty　miles　per　hour。　Even　at　that　speed　the　gravel　pounded　away　at　the　underside　of　the　RV。　Still　her　little　family　slept；　oblivious　to　the　rock　rhythm　being　pounded　out　on　the　floorboard。　After　they　drove　through　a　couple　of　miles　of　forest；　the　road　intersected　blacktop；　which　led　through　a　small　valley　dotted　with　dairy　farms。　Dairy　cows　watched　with　disinterested　eyes　from　behind　barbed　wire　fences　as　the　RV　passed。　Petra　left　the　valley　and　entered　another　stretch　of　woodland；　winding　up　a　hill　and　then　back　down。　As　she　started　down　she　could　see　the　ocean　ahead。　They　were　almost　there。
　Petra　lost　sight　of　the　ocean　as　she　wound　down　the　hill　and　through　the　woods　again；　but　then　suddenly　there　was　the　coast　highway；　and　there　on　the　other　side　was　the　Pacific　Ocean；　Petra　felt　a　sudden　sense　of　freedom　cleanse　her　soul。　She　could　almost　forget　what　had　happened　to　her；　and　to　the　others。　She　always　felt　this　way　by　the　ocean…renewed；　or　at　least　recharged。　Petra　turned　left；　heading　south。　There　were　few　cars　on　the　road。　Gas　was　rationed　and　only　necessary　trips　were　taken。　The　RV　was　an　obscene　use　of　fuel；　but　it　served　as　both　home　and　transportation。　Petra　had　asked　Colter　how　he　managed　to　get　its　three　fuel　tanks　filled；　but　he　had　only　smiled　and　mumbled　something　about　the　golden　rule。
　Petra　gave　the　RV　more　gas　and　soon　was　doing　fifty　miles　per　hour。　Colter　stirred；　disturbing　Moose；　who　scrambled　from　Colter's　shoulder　to　his　place　on　the　dash。　Soon　Colter's　eyes　flickered　open。　He　remained　slumped　in　the　seat　for　a　minute　and　then　pushed　。himself　up。　Peaches　still　cuddled　in　his　arms。　When　he　was　upright　he　discovered　the　ocean。
　〃All　right；　we　made　it。　How　far　is　it？〃
　〃We're　almost　there。〃
　Colter　watched　the　ocean　in　silence　for　a　few　minutes；　stroking　Peaches's　head。　The　baby　dinosaur　kept　its　eyes　closed　but　make　a　little　squeaking　sound　with　each　stroke。　Colter　scratched　behind　its　little　collar　eliciting　more　squeaking；　then　he　leaned　over　and　put　Peaches　on　the　blanket　next　to　Sarah　and　went　into　the　back　of　the　RV。　Petra　heard　the　refrigerator　open。
　〃Petra；　want　a　Pepsi？〃
　〃I'll　split　one　with　you；〃　Petra　offered：
　Colter　came　back　with　two　cans　of　Pepsi；　opened　one　and　put　it　on　the　dash。
　〃Drink　as　much　as　you　can；　I'll　finish　the　rest。〃
　Petra　shook　her　head。　〃Colter；　we　better　start　taking　it　easy　on　some　of　this　stuff。　You've　heard　all　the　reports　on　the　shortages　and　all　the　rationing。〃
　〃They　aren't　rationing　pop。〃
　〃That's　because　it's　not　a　necessity。〃
　〃That's　what　you　think。〃
　Colter　opened　his　can　and　swigged　down　half　of　it。　When　he　was　done；　he　saw　her　watching　him；　and　frowned。　〃All　right；　from　now　on　you're　in　charge　of　supplies；〃　he　said。
　〃I　don't　want　to　be　in　charge；　I　just　want　you　to　take　it　easy。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　be　in　charge。　You　know；　and　I　know；　I　don't　have　any　self…control。〃
　Petra　could　see　he　was　serious…he　was　asking　for　her　help。　This　was　a　new　Colter。　She　knew　she　would　never　be　the　same　person；　but　she　had　wondered　about　Colter。　She　appreciated　his　new　self…awareness　but　hoped　some　of　the　reckless　courage　and　other　traits　remained。　She　had　fallen　in　love　with　the　old　Colter。　Then　he　opened　his　mouth　and　loosed　a　long；　loud　belch。　Yes；　some　of　the　old　Colter　remained。
　The　sun　was　nearing　the　horizon　when　they　came　to　the　turnoff　and　followed　the　road　around　a　hill　to　the　parking　area；　The　lot　sat　on　a　little　bluff　overlooking　the　ocean。　A　narrow　gray　sand　beach　separated　the　ocean　from　the　massive　piles　of　driftwood　directly　below。　There　was　one　other　car　in　the　parking　lot　but　looked　abandoned。　Colter　opened　the　door；　and　the　cool　sea　air　rushed　in；　cleansing　the　RV　of　animal　smells。　When　the　door　opened　Moose　quickly　retreated　deeper　into　the　RV　out　of　the　cool　air。　Sarah　roused　herself　from　her　blanket　and　waddled　down　the　aisle　to　the　back。　Petra　picked　up　Peaches