jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第87节

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owd　by　now。　Checking　that　all　his　clips　were　fully　loaded；　Colter　slid　a　hunting　knife　in　a　sheath　onto　his　belt；　picked　up　his　pack；　and　left　the　RV。　The　trail　was　easy　to　follow。　It　led　him　straight　into　the　tall　brush；　and　toward　the　clearing　where　the　big　carnivore　had　eaten　Dr。　Piltcher。　It　also　led　toward　the　lake　where　that　walking　fish　had　killed　Petra。　That　suited　Colter　fine。　First　he　would　kill　the　dinner　guests；　and　then　he　would　camp　by　the　lake　and　wait。　If　he　had　to；　he'd　wade　out　into　the　lake　making　himself　bait。　But　he　wasn't　leaving　until　that　walking　fish　paid　for　what　it　did　to　Petra。
　There　was　so　much　blood；　Colter　guessed　the　animal　must　have　a　severed　artery；　but　the　track　went　on　and　on。　He　was　approaching　the　clearing　when　he　heard　growling。　Making　sure　the　rifle　had　a　bullet　in　the　chamber；　he　crept　forward。　The　monoclonius　had　made　it　through　to　the　clearing　and　its　carcass…picked　nearly　clean　from　neck　collar　to　tail…was　fifty　feet　from　the　brush　line。　All　of　its　ribs　were　bare。　Three　of　the　fifteen…foot　carnivores　were　in　the　clearing　chewing　on　rib　bones；　and　half　a　dozen　of　the　three…footers　were　reaching　around　looking　for　tidbits。　It　was　just　what　Colter　wanted；　a　shooting　gallery。
　Colter　crept　right　to　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　crawling　under　a　bush　until　he　had　a　clear　shot。　Then　he　lined　up　his　first　one；　aiming　at　the　head　of　one　of　the　fifteen…footers。　As　its　head　came　up　with　something　red　from　the　body　cavity　it　turned　to　look　around。　When　the　head　was　parallel　to　Colter　he　fired　and　it　screamed　in　pain。　The　other　dinosaurs　froze　at　the　sound　of　the　rifle；　trying　to　spot　the　danger；　their　heads　pointed　up。　Colter　realized　that　in　this　food　chain；　none　of　them　would　think　to　look　under　a　bush　for　an　enemy。
　The　wounded　dinosaur　was　using　its　small　front　legs　to　paw　at　his　jaw。　Colter；　skilled　from　his　first　killing　spree；　turned　and　shot　another　of　the　fifteen…footers　in　the　side；　leaving　the　first　wounded　dinosaur　for　later。　The　second　dinosaur　screamed　like　the　first　and　spun；　looking　for　its　attacker。　Blinded　by　its　pain　and　rage　it　sunk　its　teeth　into　its　wounded　brother's　neck。　The　first　dinosaur　crumped　and　bellowed　and　the　fight　was　on。　The　dinosaurs　fell；　rolling　to　the　ground。　The　first　one　still　had　its　teeth　in　the　neck　of　its　friend；　but　the　one　on　the　bottom　was　using　its　three　toes　to　rip　at　the　belly　of　its　attacker。　The　noise　was　deafening；　but　Colter　couldn't　have　been　happier。　He　loved　it。　They　were　killing　each　other。
　Colter　decided　to　add　the　last　dinosaur　to　the　fight；　the　one　who　had　backed　off　a　few　feet　and　was　watching　the　fight　from　a　safe　distance。　He　put　a　slug　into　its　chest。　But　this　dinosaur　simply　shuddered　and　stood　dumbly；　watching。　Colter　shot　it　in　the　leg；　trying　to　get　a　reaction。　This　time　it　spun　around　and　Colter　shot　it　in　the　tail。　When　it　spun　again；　Colter　excitedly　repeated　the　tail　shot…again　and　again　as　the　beast　whirled　and　shrieked；　ten　times　in　all。　It　took　two　shots　at　the　head　before　he　dropped　the　spinner。
　By　now；　the　dinosaur　fight　was　over。　The　one　on　the　bottom　had　died　in　the　grasp　of　its　brother。　Colter　took　aim　to　kill　the　winner　but　never　fired　the　shot。
　Something　was　ing　up　behind　him；　and　from　the　sound　of　the　crashing　brush；　something　big。　He　realized　it　was　almost　on　top　of　him；　its　progress　covered　by　the　noise　of　the　gun　and：　the　dinosaur　fight。　He　rolled　onto　his　back　and　looked　up　through　the　brush。　There；　towering　three　stories　above　him；　was　the　dinosaur　that　had　chased　Colter　and　killed　Dr。　Piltcher。　He　was　about　to　shoot　when　he　realized　the　dinosaur　wasn't　looking　at　him。　It　didn't　seem　to　know　he　was　there。　Instead　it　was　lodking　into　the　clearing　at　the　remaining　carnivore。
　Colter　began　to　worry　about　the　dino's　feet。　If　it　kept　ing　it　might　step　on　him。　He　quietly　got　to　his　knees。　He　couldn't　get　all　the　way　up　without　noisily　pushing　branches　out　of　his　way。　Colter　watched　the　huge　legs　for　movement；　but　nothing　happened。　Then　he　heard　the　loud　sounds　of　a　dinosaur　sniffing　and　saw　the　giant's　head　dropping　toward　his　bush；　where　it　paused　and　inhaled　loudly　and　deeply。　With　its　head　low　over　the　brush　it　bellowed；　blasting　Colter　with　its　warm　putrid　breath。　It　remembered　him。
　Colter　pushed　the　rifle　up　into　the　bush　above　him　until　the　barrel　pointed　up。　Then　he　steadied　the　gun　and　pulled　the　trigger。　The　dinosaur　took　the　slug　in　its　snout　and　blood　gushed　from　its　left　nostril。　The　dinosaur　reared；　blinded　by　its　agony；　and　Colter　slithered　out　from　under　the　bush；　then　turned　just　in　time　to　see　three　huge；　clawed　toes；　swinging　toward　his　head。　He　rolled　out　of　the　way　and　came　up　firing　wildly；　hitting　the　dinosaur　in　the　side。　It　didn't　flinch。　Instead；　it　turned　toward　Colter；　a　murderous　gleam　in　its　eyes。
　Colter　bolted　into　the　clearing；　running　past　the　cringing　fifteen…footer；　hoping　the　big　monster　would　pick　on　something　closer　to　its　size。　It　didn't　work。　As　the　monster　followed　him；　Colter　had　a　terrifying　feeling　of　deja　vu…running　from　the　monster　again；　toward　the　trees　where　Dr。　Piltcher　had　been　eaten；　and　the　lake　where　Petra　had　been　taken。
　
　
　Hours　had　passed；　and　with　each　one　Petra　had　bee　more　miserable。　She　was　terrified　of　the　fish；　she　was　in　throbbing　pain；　and　she　had　a　new　fear：　She　was　afraid　of　falling　asleep；　of　moving　and　alerting　the　fish　to　the　life　still　in　her。　So　Petra　spent　the　hours　lying　motionless；　enduring　the　pain；　and　fighting　to　keep　herself　conscious。　She　spent　most　of　the　hours　grieving　for　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher；　and　fearing　for　herself。　Strangely；　she　never　worried　for　Colter。　The　last　time　she'd　seen　him　he　was　swimming　after　her；　but　somehow　she　knew　he　was　safe。　But　was　he　looking　for　her？　No；　he　was　probably　back　at　the　RV　with　Moose　and　Sarah。　She　hoped　he　was　grieving　for　her。　An　image　of　Colter　sitting　in　the　RV；　knees　pulled　up　to　his　chest；　head　down　and　crying；　flashed　through　her　mind。　It　was　too　much　for　her。　She　began　to　cry　over　Colter's　grief；　over　her　own　death。　In　her　exhaustion　and　pain　she　lost　control　and　one　sob　wracked　her　body。　It　was　enough。　The　fish　stirred。
　Petra　felt　the　fish　rock　back　and　forth　against　her　back　as　it　struggled　to　its　rudimentary　feet；　Petra　lay　there　too　exhausted　to　be　terrified；　too　exhausted　for　anything　but　resignation。　She　lay　there　motionless　waiting　to　see　what　came　next。　She　would　fight。　But　there　was　little　life　left　in　her。　Too　little　to　fight　long。
　The　fish's　scales　scraped　skin　off　her　bare　back　and　tore　at　her　panties；　shredding　them　and　the　flesh　underneath。　Then　it　was　up　and　moving。　Petra　listened　and　waited；　sure　it　knew　she　had　moved。　But　it　walked　deep　into　the　den　and　began　to　feed。　Petra's　body　ached　from　lying　motionless　for　hours；　and　her　ankle　was　still　throbbing；　but　her　head　was　clearer。　It　still　ached；　but　now　the　blinding　pain　was　reduced　to　a　bad　headache。
　The　walking　fish　finished　its　meal　and　then　waddled　back　toward　Petra。　It　paused　by　her　back　and　sniffed　up　and　down　her　body；　pausing　at　her　bottom。　Petra　realized　it　was　smelling　the　fresh　blood。　The　fish　was　confused。　Probably　few　of　its　meals　bled。　It　sniffed　higher　up　onto　her　back　and　then　pushed　her　again。　This　time　she　resisted　slightly；　trying　to　mimic　rigor　mortis。　After　one　more　push；　the　fish　snorted；　the　warm　wet　spray　from　its　nostrils　coating　Petra's　back。　As　Petra　lay　there；　eyes　wide　open；　the　fish　padded　to　the　pool　and　splashed　into　tne　water。
　Petra　counted　to　five　hundred　and　then　moved　slowly。　Her　head　throbbed　when　she　rolled　over　and　sat　up；　but　she　hung　on　to　consciousness。　The　pool　was　glowing　much　brighter　now；　making　Petra　wonder　how　long　she　had　been　in　the　den。　She　scooted　her　bottom　across　the　stone　until　her　feet　were　dangling　in　the　water；　so　cold　it　brought　out　the　ache　in　her　ankle。　It　also　revived　her；　however。　She　sat　there　breathing　deeply；　trying　to　oxygenate　her　blood　for　what　might　be　a　long　swim。　Her　own　feeble　efforts　might　nor　be　enough　to　reach　the　surface。　Finally　she　sucked　in　air；　filling　her　lungs；　and　let　her　body　slip　down　into　the　pool。
　As　soon　as　she　was　below　the　surface；　she　pushed　off　hard　from　the　edge　of　the　pool。　Only　one　leg　was　working；　so　she　had　little　speed。　She　kept　her　eyes　open；　focused　on　the　brightest　glow　ahead　of　her。　Mostly　she　pulled　herself　along　by　grasping　on　the　rocks　that　lined　the　entry　tunnel。　She　made　slow　progress；　however；　and　her　air　was　running　out。　The　glow　was　brighter；　she　was　sure　of　that；　but　a　ceiling　still　hung　over　her。　She　kicked　and　pulled　again；　desperate　to　clear　the　overhang。　She　had　only　seconds　of　air　left　when　she　turned；　swam　out；　and　kicked　upward。　Her　lungs　demanded　air　and　she　felt　faint…　then　she　broke　the　surface。
　
　
　He　made　the　treeline　a　few　steps　ahead　of　the　monster　and　darted　around　the　trunks。　Still　the　beast　came　on；　shearing　off　limbs　and　bulldozing　smaller　trees。　This　time　it　wasn't　going　to　let　the　forest　keep　him　from　his　prey。　Colter　knew　he　was　little　more　than　snack…size　for　this　beast；　but　this　wasn't　about　hunger；　his　tormentor　had　a　personal　mission。　That　was　fine　with　Colter；　his　was　personal　too。
　At　the　lake　shore；　the　enraged　monster　was　still　forcing　it