jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第26节

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　〃There　are　also　reports　of　dinosaurs。〃
　Everyone　at　the　table　straightened　up　and　began　murmuring。　Nick　looked　around　the　table。　All　the　officials　were　talking　to　their　aides；　or　one　another　about　the　dinosaurs。
　The　President　spoke　first。　〃I've　seen　no　reports　of　dinosaurs。　Where　are　there　reports　of　dinosaurs；　Elizabeth？　Sam？　What's　this　about　dinosaurs？〃
　〃I　don't　know　where　Dr。　Paulson　got　that；　Mr。　President；〃　Cannon　said。　Then　he　resumed　whispering　with　his　aide。
　Everyone　turned　to　Nick。　Nick　decided　not　to　mention　the　radio　talk　show。
　〃It　is　an　unconfirmed　report；　sir；　but　it　would　be　consistent　with　time　displacement。　I　would　like　to　pursue　it　further。〃
　〃Dinosaurs；〃　the　President　mused；　〃imagine　that。　Dinosaurs。〃　Elizabeth　whispered　in　his　ear　again　and　he　roused　himself　from　his　reverie。
　〃Dr。　Paulson；　please　pursue　your　theory；　and　somebody　find　out　about　those　dinosaurs！　Sam；　I　want　to　see　even　the　unconfirmed　reports。　Elizabeth　will　arrange　the　next　meeting。　In　the　meantime　I　would　like　all　of　you　to　continue　to　gather　as　much　information　as　possible　and　begin　to　formulate　a　plan　to　deal　with　what　has　happened。〃
　〃Deal　with　it；　sir？〃　Nick　asked　in　surprise。
　〃Yes。　I　want　a　plan　to　reverse　what　has　happened。〃
　The　President　tossed　his　twisted　paper　clip　onto　the　table　and　it　skittered　toward　Nick；　who　collapsed　back　into　his　seat；　expelling　his　breath。　The　President　had　seen　too　many　bad　science…fiction　movies。　This　wasn't　some　invasion　from　outer　space　where　some　generic　〃scientist〃　would　create　a　deus　ex　machina　to　make　everything　right　again。　This　was　the　real　world；　even　with　time；　space；　and　the　entire　universe　altered。
　Nick　sat　at　the　table　long　after　the　others　had　left；　thinking　about　his　own　theory。　If　he　was　right；　it　was　a　new　world　now。　Would　the　old　rules　of　civilization　apply　in　a　crazy　quilt　world　of　the　ancient　and　the　modem？　The　dinosaurs　had　ruled　their　world　as　surely　as　humans　did　theirs。　What　would　happen　when　they　met？　What　was　happening？
　
　20。　　INTO　THE　FOREST
　
　I　found　my　sister；　Wilhemina；　burned　to　death　in　her　bed　in　our　home　in　Whitley　Bay。　The　bedclothes　were　unscorched　and　there　were　no　signs　of　fire　anywhere　else　in　the　house。　The　police　suspect　me；　hut　only　the　devil　himself　could　burn　a　person　to　charcoal　and　not　set　the　bed　on　fire。
　…Margaret　Dewar；　March　22；1908
　
　The　Newtonian；　Einsteinian；　and　quantum　views　each　approached　the　universe　in　a　unique　way；　but　all　agree　that　human　needs；　and　wants；　are　not　considered　as　the　laws　of　physics　are　played　out。　So　it　was　that　as　the　effect　wrought　havoc　across　the　planet；　it　did　so　remorselessly。　Some　children　staying　with　grandparents　or　friends　were　whisked　away；　leaving　parents　with　no　clue　where　to　look；　and　with　no　hope。　Fathers　and　mothers　away　on　business　trips　never　returned；　or　had　nothing　to　return　to。　Parents　separated　because　of　strife；　could　never　reconcile…too　much　time　and　space　between　them。　People　out　late　found　no　home　to　return　to；　and　those　at　home　waited　in　vain　for　loved　ones　to　return。
　But　as　ruthless　as　the　effect　was　with　human　feelings；　it　was　almost　gentle　in　its　dealings　with　the　physical。　No　person　or　animal　was　halved　or　quartered　by　the　effect；　nor　was　a　single　finger　or　limb　lost。　Time；　space；　and　matter；　three　forms　of　the　same　force；　interact；　so　that　the　effect　wrapped　around　each　cell　of　each　organism。　Plants　were　removed　in　their　entirety；　taking　even　capillary　roots。　People　and　animals　were　taken　whole　too；　existing　from　then　on　only　in　the　memories　of　the　survivors。
　Inorganic　matter　was　treated　as　gently；　the　effect　respecting　continuity　and　wholeness。　Cars　along　the　effect　lines　were　taken；　but　towed　trailers　or　boats　were　left。　Streets　ended　in　neat　lines；　as　if　the　road　had　been　broken　off；　but　at　the　break　the　gravel　making　up　the　asphalt　was　still　whole。　Brick　and　wooden　structures　fared　as　well；　with　whole　bricks；　and　whole　boards　gone；　but　no　severed　boards　or　smashed　blocks。　Most　structures　disappeared　intact；　roof　to　subbasements　；　but　in　some　coses　huge　segments　were　taken　from　walls　or　foundation；　and　the　remaining　building　collapsed。
　As　amazing　as　the　effect　was；　it　was　not　all　powerful。　The　effect　could　not　penetrate　deep　into　the　earth；　and　vessels　or　structures　deep　under　water　escaped。　Instead　the　replacing　land　was　stitched　together　with　the　new　topography　according　to　some　unfathomable　physical　laws。　Grasslands　layered　over　flat　surfaces　evenly；　but　on　hilly　or　rocky　terrain；　it　tore　or　fit　loosely；　like　a　rumpled　throw　rug。　Forests　that　appeared　fared　the　worst；　with　many　trees　poorly　rooted。　Forests　deposited　on　steep　surfaces　often　collapsed　like　dominoes；　the　trees　bringing　one　another　down。　Perhaps　the　shallw…rooted　sequoias　fared　best；　settling　into　their　new　home　with　dignity　and　majesty。
　
　East　of　Newberg；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　SUNDAY；　6：30　　A。M。　PST
　
　　Cubby　and　John　were　sitting　in　the　van　waiting　for　Ripman　to　return。　John　was　fiddling　with　the　radio；　but　he　wasn't　picking　up　anything　he　could　make　out；　and　he　certainly　wasn't　picking　up　any　of　the　Portland　stations。　Cubby　was　mumbling　to　himself；　with　his　eyes　closed　and　his　head　bowed。　John　guessed　he　was　praying…like　he'd　been　ever　since　Ripman　took　off　down　the　hill　toward　Newberg。　John　hoped　Ripman　would　return　soon。　Everything　was　clearer　when　Ripman　was　around。　〃Of　course　there　hadn't　been　a　second　ing　of　Jesus…what's…his…narne。　This　is　just　some　kind　of　avalanche；　or　volcanic　eruption；〃　he　would　say　with　such　certainty　that　John　would　believe　him。　John　needed　to　believe　him。
　John　often　found　himself　between　Cubby；　the　immovable　rock；　and　Ripman；　the　irresistible　force；　and　not　only　on　metaphysical　matters。　Their　confidence　extended　to　all　their　decisions；　whether　it　was　picking　a　road　to　take；　or　classes　to　fill　in　their　schedule。　John　envied　their　sureness　and　resented　being　blown　about。　Still；　he　forted　himself　knowing　that　somehow　he　was　the　glue　that　held　the　threesome　together。　Cubby　and　Ripman　never　went　anywhere　without　him。
　John　had　heard　his　dad　talk　about　his　patients　often　enough　to　know　Cubby　was　experiencing　an　anxiety　attack。　Cubby　was　severely　depressed；　and　scared。　He　was　breathing　rapidly　and　sweating；　his　only　sounds　were　rapidly　mumbled　prayers　for　forgiveness。　He　wouldn't　respond　to　John　and　was　losing　touch　with　the　world　around　him；　drifting　into　a　place　no　one　would　be　able　to　reach　him。　John　was　scared　too；　but　not　immobilized　by　it　like　Cubby；　who　had　convinced　himself　of　the　worst。　John　still　had　hope；　or　its　cousin；　doubt。
　Now　he　walked　down　the　road　toward　town；　to　get　away　from　Cubby's　incessant　praying…there　was　something　particularly　pitiful　when　a　guy　as　big　as　Cubby　was　so　terrified。
　It　was　nearly　dawn　when　John　spotted　Ripman　ing　up　the　road；　carrying　a　big　load。　He　stopped　twice　on　his　way　up　the　hill。　John　met　him　part　way；　and　helped　him。　Ripman　had　three　of　everything…stuffed　packs；　bows；　quivers　of　arrows；　and　canteens。
　〃Where　did　you　get　all　this；　Ripman？　You　stole　it；　didn't　you？〃
　〃I　midnight　requisitioned　it　from　the　sporting　goods　store。〃
　〃Jeez；　guns　would　have　been　better；　Ripman。〃
　〃You　don't　run　out　of　ammunition　with　a　bow。　Besides；　the　guns　were　chained　up。　How's　Cubby　doing？〃
　〃About　the　same；　but　at　least　he's　not　getting　any　worse。　I　think　that's　a　good　sign。〃
　〃Don't　you　know？　Your　dad's　a　shrink；　ya　know。〃
　〃Up　yours；　Ripman！　I'm　not　my　dad。〃
　Ripman　ignored　him　and　walked　over　to　Cubby；　dropping　his　share　of　the　booty　on　the　ground。　〃All　right；　Cubby；　it　will　be　light　soon。　I'm　going　to　prove　to　you　that　this　isn't　the　second　ing　and　there　hasn't　been　any　rapture。〃
　Cubby　stopped　mumbling　his　prayers　and　looked　up　at　Ripman；　eyes　puffy；　and　tear　streaks　on　his　face。
　〃How　are　you　going　to　prove　it；　Ripman？　It　couldn't　he　anything　else；〃　he　said　with　resignation。
　〃First　of　all；　Newberg　is　still　full　of　people。　They're　in　there　digging　through　the　wreckage。〃
　〃That　only　proves　how　ignorant　you　are；　Ripman。　God　isn't　going　to　take　sinners　in　the　rapture；　only　the　followers　of　Christ。　Of　course　there　will　still　be　people　around；　the　sinners。　It's　my　fault；　I　let　you　guys　down。　I　knew　the　path　to　follow　and　I　didn't　even　try　to　follow　it　myself；　let　alone　show　you　two。　Now　we've　got　to　face　the　tribulation。〃
　Ripman　blew　out　a　deep　breath。　〃Cubby；　use　your　head。　It's　the　road　that　disappeared；　not　the　people。〃
　Cubby　looked　back　at　the　forest；　confusion　edging　out　a　little　of　the　fear。　Ripman　saw　the　opening　and　pressed　on。
　〃I'm　not　saying　I　believe　in　this　rapture　stuff；　but　if　I　did　I　don't　think　God　would　want　whores　and　drunks。〃
　〃Of　course　God　would　want　them！　Ripman；　you　really　don't　know　anything　about　Christianity　at　all。　God　wants　anyone　who　repents；　confesses　their　sin；　and　asks　Jesus　into　their　hearts。〃
　〃Cubby；　do　you　remember　that　strip　joint　we　passed　on　the　way　here？　It　had　a　big　sign　outside　that　said　NUDE…GIRLS…NUDE。　There　were　pickup　trucks　parked　all　around　it。　Would　God　take　those　people？　If　they　were　there；　they　hadn't　repented　right？〃
　〃No　。。。　I　wouldn't　think　so。〃
　〃Damn　right；　God　wouldn't　want　them。　So　let's　go　see。　It's　only　a　few　miles