jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第85节

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get　away。
　When　they　heard　a　distant　animal　roar；　the　men　froze　and　checked　their　rifles。　Another　roar　sounded　closer　and　they　marked　the　direction　and　moved　toward　it。　Knotting　together　in　a　small　group；　they　followed　Carl；　who　limped　in　the　lead。
　The　next　roar　was　much　closer…the　dinosaur　was　ing　toward　them。　John　spurted　ahead　to　catch　Cubby　and　pulled　his　arm　to　stop　him。
　〃Let　'em　go。　I　hope　the　dino　eats　them。〃
　Cubby　looked　thoughtful　for　a　minute；　then　nodded。　〃Yeah。　Ripman's　long　gone　by　now。〃
　Then　they　heard　the　scream…a　woman's　scream。
　
　Ripman　pounded　uphill　and　down；　running　full　speed。　Angie　and　Ellen　soon　lost　him　in　the　forest　ahead。　But　they　kept　on　the　same　path；　following　blindly。　Ellen；　ahead；　quickly　saw　Angie　was　falling　behind。　Pounding　up　to　the　top　of　a　rise；　Ellen　intended　to　wait　for　her　friend。　A　downhill　start　would　get　her　to　top　speed　as　quickly　as　possible。　At　the　top　Ripman's　voice　came　out　of　the　tall　grass。
　〃Get　down！〃
　Ellen　dropped　down　next　to　Ripman；　disappearing　into　the　grass。　Angie　was　having　trouble　with　the　hill；　barely　trotting　by　the　time　she　reached　the　top。　Ellen　pulled　her　down。　Angie　wheezed　and　Ellen　gasped　nearly　as　hard。　Ripman　lay　quietly；　trying　to　listen；　shushing　them　over　and　over。　When　they　caught　their　breaths；　Ripman　turned　his　head　to　listen　to　the　forest。
　〃Won't　it　follow　the　blood？〃　Ellen　asked：　〃Why　would　it　e　after　us　when　there's　all　those　dinosaurs　to　eat？　We're　too　small；　aren't　we？〃
　Ripman；　irritated　by　the　noise　of　the　questions；　ignored　Ellen　for　a　full　minute。　Finally　he　answered；　〃If　it's　a　carnivore　it's　probably　following　the　herd　because　that's　its　food　supply；　but　if　ir　just　ate　one　of　those　suckers　it's　not　going　to　be　hungry。〃
　〃So　it's　not　dangerous？〃　Angie　suggested。
　〃It's　more　dangerous　to　us。　If　it　smells　us　it　might　get　curious。　It　can　always　pick　up　the　trail　of　that　herd。　A　full　belly　means　it　can　afford　to　explore；　look　for　new　food。　Easier　food。〃
　〃Us；〃　Ellen　concluded。
　〃Just　a　little　cheesecake　for　dessert；〃　Angie　added　with　a　false　laugh。
　〃Quiet；〃　Ripman　said　suddenly。
　Ellen　listened　hard　and　picked　out　the　distant　sounds　almost　as　soon　as　Ripman；　who　lay　still　waiting；
　The　density　of　the　forest　and　the　dinosaur's　deep　brownish　green　coloring　made　the　carnivore　difficult　to　see。　It　walked　on　two　powerful　back　legs；　leaning　forward　so　far　it　looked　as　if　it　would　fall。　Somewhere　behind　it　was　a　massive　counterbalancing　tail。　It　had　long　forelegs；　nine　or　ten　feet　in　length；　and　a　huge　head　that　was　mostly　jaws。　Deep　breathing　sounds　rumbled　past　bloodied　teeth；　and　it　swung　its　head　back　and　forth　as　it　walked。
　Ellen　started　to　get　up　to　run；　but　Ripman　grabbed　her　arm　and　kept　her　down。　Then　he　leaned　into　her　and　whispered；　〃Slowly　and　quietly。　If　you　can't　keep　up　this　time；　I'll　leave　you。　Tell　your　friend。〃
　Ellen　relayed　that　to　Angie　in　a　whisper；　and　Angie's　face　fell。　Ripman　inched　his　way　down　the　hill　away　from　the　dinosaur；　moving　as　little　grass　as　possible。　His　bow　was　still　slung　over　his　shoulder；　but　Ellen　realized　it　would　be　of　little　use。　She　and　Angie　followed；　keeping　their　heads　below　the　top　of　the　grasses。　Halfway。down　the　hill　Ripman　turned　and　padded　softly　through　the　forest；　his　speed　and　noise　increasing　as　he　put　distance　between　himself　and　the　dinosaur。
　Again；　Ellen　and　Angie　followed；　but　their　best　speed　would　not　keep　Ripman　in　sight　for　long。　Angie　pressed　her　hand　against　her　waist；　wheezing　again　and　slowing。　Ellen　trotted　beside　her。　They　settled　into　a　low　running　rhythm；　a　pace　Angie　seemed　able　to　sustain。
　After　a　mile　they　heard　the　roar。
　Ellen　looked　back　to　see　the　dinosaur's　head　staring　at　them　from　around　a　tree。　As　they　gaped　in　horror；　the　dinosaur's　mouth　opened　wide；　and　another　deafening　roar　rattled　their　nerves。　Angie　poured　the　rest　of　her　energy　into　her　feet　and　picked　up　the　pace；　as　Ellen；　risking　another　look　behind；　saw　the　dinosaur　in　pursuit；　gaining　fast。
　Suddenly　they　broke　free　of　the　forest　into　a　small　clearing。　On　the　other　side　was　a　section　of　tumbled…down　forest…　smoke　drifted　up　from　the　far　side　of　the　clearing。　Ripman's　head　appeared　above　the　grass　and　his　arms　began　waving。　His　voice　drifted　over　the　clearing。　〃Here；　this　way！〃
　Angie　and　Ellen　raced　across　the　clearing；　too　afraid　to　risk　a　look　behind　them。　Ripman　was　waving　frantically；　signaling　them　to　pass　him　and　keep　on　going。　As　they　passed；　Ripman　dragged　a　flaming　bundle　behind　them；　setting　fire　to　the　grass。　When　Ripman　passed　her　at　a　dead　run；　she　looked　back　to　see　the　dinosaur　pound　through　the　fire；　extinguishing　the　small　flame　with　its　massive　feet。　Now　Ellen　knew　they　weren't　going　to　make　it。
　Ripman　made　it　to　the　fallen　trees　first；　dodging　around　the　massive　foliage　of　one　and　climbing　over　the　trunk。of　the　next；　using　broken　limbs　like　a　ladder。　Ellen　followed　his　lead；　throwing　herself　over　the　log；　panicked　by　the　crashing　sounds　of　the　dinosaur　behind　her。　She　reached　back　to　pull　Angie　down　with　her；　only　to　see　her　friend　silhouetted　on　the　top　of　the　tree　trunk　behind　her；　leaning　forward　to　roll　down　the　other　side。　But　she　never　made　it。　Towering　over　Angie　was　the　dinosaur。　A　nine…foot　foreleg　with　razor　sharp　claws　swept　the　length　of　the　tree；　shearing　off　limbs　six　inches　thick。　Angie　screamed　when　she　saw　the　arm　ing　toward　her；　and　with　a　whipping　motion　it　caught　her　full　in　the　side。　Her　left　arm；　across　her　body；　was　severed　above　the　elbow　as　the　claws　buried　themselves　into　her　torso；　and　it　tumbled　down　Ellen's　side　of　the　trunk　disappearing　into　the　grass　six　feet　from　Ellen's　face。　When　the　dinosaur　swiped　Angie　off　the　tree　and　threw　her　back　in　the　clearing；　it　followed　the　body　with　a　triumphant　roar。
　Ellen　lay　in　the　foliage　under　the　trunk　paralyzed　with　horror；　seeing　only　the　blood　stains　in　the　grass。　Then　she　felt　someone　pulling　on　her；　jerking　her　out　of　the　foliage。
　〃We've　got　to　go　while　it's　busy。　It　won't　take　long。〃
　Ellen　became　an　automaton。　She　followed　Ripman　over　and　under　trees　carelessly；　her　footing　and　grip　mattered　little。　She　tripped；　fell；　and　fell　again。　Her　pants　and　blouse　tore　and　shredded。　Her　skin　underneath　was　scratched　and　cut　by　broken　limbs。　She　felt　nothing　and　saw　nothing　except　Angie's　blood　in　the　grass。
　Every　time　she　fell　she　got　up　more　slowly。　Soon　Ripman　was　helping　her　to　her　feet　every　time　and　supporting　her　with　an　arm　around　her　waist。　They　worked　their　way　across　the　fallen　trees　and　to　a　small　stand　of　upright　trees；　then　back　into　fallen　trees。　Sometime　after　that　Ripman　pushed　her　up　onto　another　tree　with　his　hands　on　her　bottom。　When　she　reached　the　top　she　collapsed　spread…eagled；　her　eyes　in　a　glassy　stare；　her　mind　filled　with　bloody　grass。　This　time　Ripman　didn't　help　her　off　the　top。
　Shouts　and　laughter　filled　her　ears。　Slowly　the　bloody　grass　was　replaced　by　another　image。　It　was　Carl's　laughing　face。　She　forced　her　eyes　to　focus　and　realized　the　face　was　real。　It　was　Carl　and　behind　him　were　the　guys。　Carl　smiled；　showing　all　his　teeth。
　〃Now；　where　were　we？〃
　
　59。　　THE　TOOLMAKER
　
　According　to　the　rabbinical　authority　Rashi；　ancient　tradition　knows　of　periodic　collapses　of　the　firmament；　one　of　which　occurred　in　the　days　of　the　Deluge；　and　which　repeated　themselves　at　intervals　of　1；656　years。
　…Immanuel　Velikovsky；　Worlds　in　Collision
　
　Warm　Springs　Indian　Reservation；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　WEDNESDAY；　7：10　A。M。　PST
　
　　Moose　was　riding　on　the　dashboard；　stretched　out　and　soaking　up　the　rays　of　the　morning　sun　while　Sarah　was　curled　up　on　the　passenger　seat　with　a　blanket。　The　two　of　them　had　gorged　on　raisins　and　apples。　Behind　them；　tucked　safely　in　a　cabinet；　was　a　rifle　with　a　bore　big　enough　to　bring　down　an　elephant；　and　three　boxes　of　ammunition。　Colter　was　retracing　the　route　Dr。　Coombs　had　taken；　except　Colter　had　a　different　purpose　in　mind。　Dr。　Coombs；　Dr。　Piltcher；　and　Petra　had　e　to　explore；　to　understand　what　had　happened。　Colter　was　going　back　for　only　one　reason：　to　kill　the　monsters　that　had　taken　Petra　from　him；　and　especially　one。　He　didn't　know　how　he　was　going　to　get　it；　but　he　wasn't　leaving　without　its　head。
　Colter　knew　he　was　close　now。　The　road　was　nothing　but　two　ruts。　He　cleared　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　then　rolled　to　a　stop；　surprised。　He　expected　to　see　the　dinosaurs；　but　not　one　fifty　feet　away；　walking　down　the　road　ahead　of　him。　When　it　heard　Colter's　engine　the　animal　turned　and　looked　at　the　RV。　It　was　like　the　one　that　had　killed　Dr。　Coombs。　Colter's　anger　flared。　He　set　the　brake　and　dug　the　rifle　out　of　the　cab'　inet；　checking　the　clip　to　make　sure　he　had　a　full　load；　and　then　jacked　a　round　into　the　chamber。　When　he　aimed　the　rifle　through　the　front　window　at　the　rear　of　the　walking　dinosaur；　he　looked　down　the　sights　to　see　Moose's　head　staring　from　the　end　of　the　barrel。
　Colter　put　the　weapon　down　and　shooed　Moose　out　of　the　window；　and　then　carried　Sarah；　blanket　and　all；　to　the　back　of　the　RV。　To　keep　them　busy　and　out　of　the　way　he　put　a　few　raisins　on　top　of　Moose's　cabinet　and　a　bigger　pile　on　the　floor　for　Sarah。　Moose　immediately　attacked　Sarah's　pile；　kno