jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第76节

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　John　was　too　scared　to　risk　asking　why。　They　split　up　but　kept　each　other　in　sight。　After　a　few　minutes　Cubby　motioned　John　over；　a　pistol　in　his　hand。
　〃They　forgot　about　this；〃　he　whispered。　〃See　what　else　we　can　find。〃
　John　looked　reluctantly　at　the　body；　and　his　stomach　rolled。　He　was　glad　that　it　was　dark　because　the　body　was　being　consumed　by　the　small　inhabitants　of　the　forest。　John　tenderly　patted　at　the　dead　man's　many　pockets；　avoiding　the　crawling　insects。　The　pockets　on　his　chest　were　sticky　with　partially　dried　blood　and　John　could　only　poke　at　those。　They　found　a　package　of　blood…soaked　Camel　cigarettes　and　a　Bic　lighter　in　one　shirt　pocket。　A　wallet；　b；　and　loose　change　were　in　the　pants；　with　a　huge　set　of　keys　that　jingled　when　they　pulled　them　out；　freezing　John　and　Cubby　in　a　minute　of　panic。　They　found　two　spare　magazines　for　the　pistol　in　a　vest　pocket；　and　cartridges　for　his　rifle　were　in　another。　They　also　found　three　block…style　Hershey　bars　and　a　roll　of　mint　Lifesavers。
　〃You　think　they　left　his　rifle　on　his　bike？〃　John　asked；　in　a　barely　audible　voice。
　〃No；　I　checked。　I　think　his　bike　was　that　blue　one。〃
　Then　they　took　the　shortest　path　back　to　the　trees。　The　splintering　and　roaring　returned　as　they　faded　into　the　forest。
　〃You　know　who　that　is；　don't　you；　John？〃
　〃I　know　what　it　is。〃
　〃It's　your　old　buddy　One　Eye。　He's　looking　for　you；　John。　Wants　a　little　midnight　snack。〃
　〃Up　yours。　Give　me　one　of　those　Hershey　bars。〃
　〃Let's　find　a　good　hiding　spot　for　the　night　first。〃　They　looked　for　a　high　spot　this　time；　remembering　their　experience　in　the　fallen　trees；　but　couldn't　find　a　tree　they　could　climb。　Instead　they　found　a　fallen　tree　that　had　sprouted　a　mini　forest　of　its　own；　with　young　trees　twelve　inches　in　diameter　forming　a　semicircle。　The　boys　hid　in　the　middle　of　the　enclosure　and　filled　the　gaps　with　branches。
　They　ate　the　Hershey　bars　and　drank　from　their　canteens；　talking　briefly　about　the　success　of　their　mission　and　sharing　the　good　feeling　that　es　of　managing　one's　fear…they　had　ridden　the　most　dangerous　roller　coaster　in　the　world　and　walked　away　with　bragging　rights。　It　was　hours　before　they　fell　asleep。
　
　51。　　THE　MEAN　BIRD
　
　Therefore；　hear　what　the　lord　has　planned。。。。　The　young　of　the　flock　will　be　dragged　away；　he　will　pletely　destroy　their　pasture。。。。　Look！　An　eagle　will　soar　and　swoop　down；　spreading　its　wings。
　…Jeremioh；　49：20…22
　
　The　I…5　Mountain；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　10：05　P。M。　PST
　
　　Chrissy　woke　up　hurt　and　crying　for　her　mommy。　But　Mommy　didn't　e。　No　one　came。　She　finally　controlled　her　tears；　but　couldn't　keep　sobs　from　wracking　her　body。　When　she　sat　up　her　arm　ached；　and　she　screamed　and　then　began　to　cry　again。　But　when　she　screamed　something　big　moved　behind　her。　It　was　dark；　but　she　could　see　the　big　bird　staring　at　her。　She　instinctively　froze；　and　tried　very　hard　to　hold　in　her　crying。　She　remembered　the　big　bird。　A　mean　bird；　not　like　the　one　on　TV。
　Chrissy　remembered　the　bird　knocking　her　to　the　ground　and　then　hurting　her　arm　and　shoulder。　The　mean　bird　wouldn't　leave　her　alone　and　kept　hurting　her。　Then　it　picked　her　up　into　the　sky。　She　remembered　seeing　her　mommy　running　to　get　her；　and　being　lifted　out　of　reach　and　floated　up　in　the　sky　and　her　arm　and　shoulder　hurting　worse　and　worse。　She　remembered　yelling　at　the　mean　bird　to　put　her　down；　to　let　her　go。　But　the　bird　just　lifted　her　higher　and　higher。　Round　and　round　they　went；　getting　farther　and　farther　from　Mommy。　The　bird　kept　flying　close　to　the　mountain　and　then　away　from　the　mountain。　Chrissy　remembered　yelling　down　to　her　mommy；　yelling　for　help。　Then　she　remembered　falling。　The　bad　bird　had　fallen　too。　They　had　fallen　down　toward　the　mountain。　She　didn't　remember　anything　after　that。
　Chrissy　stifled　another　sob　and　stared　back　at　the　bird。　It　was　a　few　feet　away　from　her；　lying　in　a　pile　of　its　wings。　She　could　see　the　bird　was　hurt。　There　was　blood　on　its　wing。　Then　the　big　bird　opened　its　mouth　and　screeched。　Chrissy　screamed　and　tried　to　crawl　away　from　it；　but　her　arm　hurt　her。　Instead；　she　put　her　good　arm　down　and　pushed　herself　up。　She　looked　back　to　see　the　bird　struggling　to　get　up　too；　trying　to　get　its　wings　out　of　the　way；　so　it　could　get　to　its　feet。　Suddenly　the　bird　lunged　at　her；　its　big　beak　poking　toward　her　face。　Chrissy　screamed　again　and　backed　farther　away　as　the　bird　struggled　once　more　to　get　up。　She　looked　for　a　place　to　get　away　from　the　bad　bird；　and　ran　to　the　edge　of　the　ledge　and　looked　over。　It　was　so　far　down　she　got　dizzy。　She　looked　back　at　the　bad　bird。　It　would　be　up　again　soon。
　Chrissy　wanted　to　run；　but　there　was　no　place　to　go。　She　wanted　to　hide　but　there　was　no　place　to　hide。　Chrissy　ran　to　the　wall　of　the　mountain　and　tried　to　climb　up。　But　there　was　no　place　to　climb　to　even　if　she　had　two　arms。　Turning；　she　saw　the　bad　bird　stand　up。　Then　it　stumbled　toward　her；　dragging　the　hurt　wing。　Chrissy　tried　scrambling　up　the　wall　again　but　couldn't　get　up。　When　she　looked　back　again　the　bird　was　right　behind　her；　and　it　jabbed　at　her　with　its　beak。　She　tried　to　run　out　of　the　way　but　tripped　and　fell。　Her　hand　and　arm　went　deep　into　a　shadow　at　the　bottom　of　the　rock　wall　and　she　landed　on　her　sore　arm。　It　made　her　hurt　bad　again。　The　bad　bird　was　hopping　and　fluttering　around。　Chrissy　knew　it　would　hurt　her　again。　She　felt　with　her　good　arm　in　the　shadow。　It　was　a　crack　that　got　bigger　ahead　of　her。　Chrissy　wriggled　forward　and　down　until　she　got　herself　all　into　the　hole。
　The　bad　bird　was　outside。　Chrissy　could　see　it　looking　at　the　hole。　It　jabbed　its　beak　into　the　hole；　making　Chrissy　scream　and　cry。　She　wriggled　deeper　into　the　hole。　The　bad　bird　jabbed　again　and　again。　It　was　like　some　mean　game　that　her　brother；　Matt；　would　play。　Chrissy　finally　learned　the　bird　couldn't　reach　her。　Then　she　refused　to　play　anymore；　and　lay　quiet；　out　of　its　reach。　It　stayed　outside　her　hidey　hole　and　looked　at　her。　Sometimes　it　opened　its　mouth　and　screeched　at　her。
　〃Go　away；　you　bad　mean　bird！〃　she　yelled　back。
　The　bird　jabbed　and　screeched　some　more；　but　finally　it　hopped　away；　dragging　its　hurt　wing　across　the　hole。　Now　Chrissy　couldn't　see。
　〃You　mean　bird！〃　she　screamed　again。　Then　she　wondered　how　she'd　see　her　mommy　when　she　came。　Chrissy　cried　again。　〃You　mean　bird；〃　she　said。　〃I　hate　you。〃　She　lay　there　holding　her　hurting　arm　and　crying　for　her　mommy　until　she　fell　asleep　an　hour　later。　When　she　woke；　it　was　pitch　black　in　her　hidey　hole。
　
　52。　　TROPICAL　SNOW
　
　We　was　watching　Lucy　on　TV　when；　crash…a　naked　body　came　through　the　roof。　If　that　wasn't　strange　enough；　the　police　said　it　was　frozen。
　…Josh　Hinson；　Jacksonville；　Florida；　July　15；1959
　
　Hilo；　Island　of　Hawaii；　Hawaii
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　8：15　P。M。　AHT
　
　The　streets　of　Hilo　were　strangely　quiet；　the　tourists　and　residents　glued　to　the　news。　Debris　in　the　street　announced　every　grocery　store　as　they　drove　their　rental　car　out　of　the　city。　Just　like　on　Oahu；　those　stores　with　goods　left　had　armed　guards。　They　had　expected　vandalized　grocery　stores；　but　they　soon　encountered　looted　department　stores　and　electronics　stores。　Most　disturbing　of　all　were　the　gutted　liquor　stores。　But　the　countryside　was　quiet　and　dark；　with　few　vehicles　on　the　road；　and　Carrollee　resumed　her　usual　animation　as　they　began　the　climb　to　the　observatories　on　Mauna　Kea。
　〃Let　me　see　if　I　can　remember　her　name；〃　Carrollee　teased。　〃You　only　dated　her　two　or　three　times；　I　believe。　Scored　right　away；　though；　didn't　you？　Your　ear　is　turning　red。　I'll　take　that　as　a　yes。　What　was　that　name？　Barbie？　No；　I'm　thinking　of　her　figure。　Bunny？　No；　now　I'm　confusing　her　name　and　sexual　tendencies。　Fluffy？　No；　that　was　her　personality。　Floozy？　No；　now　I'm　thinking　of　her　moral　character。　What　was　her　name？　Oh　yes；　Bree…geet。〃
　〃Bridgette。〃
　〃That's　what　I　said；　Bree…geet。　What　makes　you　think　Breegeet　will　let　you　use　her　telescope？　As　I　remember　it　you　two　didn't　part　as　friends。〃
　〃We　were　friendly。　We　split　because；　well；　she　didn't　think　I　was　ambitious　enough。〃
　〃Oh　yeah；　that　was　it。　She　waited　。　。　。　I　think　it　was　a　week　wasn't　it？　。　。　。　before　moving　in　with　that　Canadian。。He　had　better　prospects；　oui？　prenez…vous？〃
　〃She　waited　a　month。　Anyway；　it's　not　her　telescope。　Dr。　Paulson　was　supposed　to　contact　her　and　authorize　the　photos。　If　everything　went　right　she　should　have　it　set　up　by　the　time　we　get　there。〃
　〃Tres　bien。〃
　〃Clampee　votre　mouth　shut；　will　ya？〃
　〃Oui。〃
　Carrollee　turned　and　looked　out　the　window；　pleased　with　the　pins　she　had　poked　into　Emmett　in　just　a　few　minutes。　Now　they　slowly　left　the　lush　tropical　forest　behind　as　they　traveled　to　the　higher　elevations。
　
　
　When　Emmett　had　received　the　PresNet　message　from　the　President's　science　advisor　he　had　nearly　panicked。　But　Dr。　Paulson　said　nothing　about　Emmett's　unauthorized　access；　he　was　only　interested　in　Emmett's　model。
　〃You　do　understand　the　implications？〃　he　asked。
　Emmett　assured　him　he　did。
　〃And　have　you　thought　of　verifying　your　theory？〃　Emmett　had　confessed　inadequate　math　skills；　but　Dr。　Paulson　had　something　much　simpler　in　mind。　E