rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第8节

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　There　was　only　open；　rolling　terrain　ahead；　but　hopefully　they　could　reach　the　cliffs　he　could　see　miles　ahead；　find　shelter　before　the　storm　hit。　Worry　about　finding　the　museum　later。
　Within　minutes；　as　the　seven　brave　Freefighters　whipped　their　half…wild　teams　to　a　frenzied　pace；　the　storm　overtook　them。　A　thunderous　howl　of　wind…blown　snow　obscured　the　way；　and　in　that　blown　white　snow　appeared　black　specks　…　the　dreaded　black　snow。
　〃Faster；　we've　got　to　go　faster。　Shine　your　flashlights　ahead；　use　your　passes。　Keep　going　west…south…west。　We've　got　to　find　shelter。〃
　The　sled　he　was　riding　started　to　shimmy　in　the　wind；　the　dogs　were　howling；　their　voices　an　eerie　cross　between　wolf　howl　and　dogs'　growl。　Lightning　and　thunder　rent　the　air。　The　black　specks　increased。　Rockson　got　the　first　hit　on　his　lips。　It　burned。　Acid　snow；　all　right。
　There　appeared　a　dozen；　then　a　hundred；　smoking　tiny　holes　in　his　snow　suit。　The　acid　flakes　were　eating　into　his　clothing。
　He　pulled　the　hood　down　over　his　face　…　he　couldn't　see　ahead　anyway；　so　he　just　kept　the　luminous　pass　in　sight　through　the　tiny　hole　he　left　to　see　through。　〃Faster；　faster；〃　he　yelled；　whipping　the　howlers。
　It　was　totally　dark　now；　they　were　plunging　ahead　at　breakneck　speed；　but　they　had　no　choice。　The　super…strong　wolf…dogs　were　the　one　thing　in　their　favor。　Snow…wolf　pelts　were　special　…　they　were　immune　to　acid　snows；　the　result　of　a　hundred　years　of　genetic　mutation　after　the　nuke　war。　The　dogs　would　keep　going。　But　the　acid　snow；　though　it　didn't　blind　the　teams；　still　stung　their　eyes。　Therefore　the　howls　of　pain。　The　dogs　wanted　to　stop　and　huddle　together；　protecting　their　eyes。　But　if　they　stopped；　the　humans　they　pulled　would　be　burned　to　skeletons　in　a　matter　of　ten　minutes。
　Only　the　whip　kept　them　going。
　Rock　had　to　look　ahead　…　he　uncovered　his　eyes。　It　hurt；　but　he　had　to　look。　There；　through　the　swirling　gray…blackness；　Rock　dimly　saw　a　shape　…　the　cliffs。　〃We're　almost　there；　keep　behind　me；　I'm　going　to　find　a　niche　in　the　rocks　for　us　to　hole　up　in；〃　he　shouted；　the　wind　nearly　drowning　his　words。
　It　didn't　take　long　once　they　reached　the　jagged　jumbled　rocks　of　the　cliffs　to　find　a　deep　rock　overhang。　In　seconds　they　were　out　of　the　snow　and　wind。　With　their　flashtorches　lit；　they　unhooded　and　removed　their　outer　clothing　and　applied　ointment　to　their　stung　faces　and　eyes。　Detroit　had　a　space　between　his　left　glove　and　his　coat；　and　the　skin　was　badly　burned　there。　But　by　some　miracle　that　was　the　only　injury。　The　parkas　weren't　impervious　to　the　acid　snow；　but　they　had　some　resistant　quality。　Schecter　had　synthesized　the　material　the　parkas　were　made　of。　Good　old　Schecter。
　There　were　some　small　gnarled　tree　stumps　in　the　rock　shelter；　〃Joshua　trees；〃　said　Detroit。　〃Thousands　of　years　old。〃
　Rock　carefully　unhitched　the　teams　of　dogs　and　tied　them　to　the　stumpy　trees；　then　Chen　and　he　applied　ointment　to　the　wolf…dogs'　big　red　saucer　eyes。
　They　seemed　to　sense　that　they　were　being　treated　for　their　own　good；　and　the　salivating　teeth…aplenty　creatures　docilely　accepted　the　ministrations。
　That　acplished。　Rockson　said；　〃Maybe　we　can　get　a　fire　burning　…　there're　lots　of　broken　branches　and　some　dried　grass　in　clumps　here　and　there。〃　It　was　a　good　idea；　for　the　temperature　still　hovered　around　sixty　below。　In　no　time　at　all；　wood　and　kindling　had　been　gathered　and　a　roaring　fire　lit。　Rockson　sat　down　close　to　the　fire　on　the　bare　earth。　Ah；　this　was　better。
　He　felt　something　unfortable　…　maybe　a　root　…　under　him。
　He　stood　up　to　see　what　the　offending　object　was；　and　picked　up　what　looked　like　the　femur　bone　of　a　human　skeleton。　〃Hey；　look　at　this　…　seems　like　we're　not　the　only　ones　to　ever　stop　here。。。〃
　〃Nor　the　unluckiest。　I　wonder　what　he　died　of。〃　Chen　said。
　Rona　said；　〃Maybe　we'd　better　have　a　look　around。。。〃
　One　of　the　bigger　of　the　wolf…dogs；　the　one　that　Class　Act　seemed　to　always　huddle　with；　began　growling。　His　fierce　red　eyes；　glowing　in　the　campfire　light；　fixated　on　Rockson。　The　beast　yowled　and　lunged　forward；　snapping　his　restraint；　his　salivating　triple　jaws　heading　straight　for　the　Doomsday　Warrior。
　〃Drop　the　bone；〃　Rona　said；　throwing　her　weight　against　Rockson；　pushing　him　aside　in　the　nick　of　time。　Rockson　rolled　and　came　to　a　stand。　He　had　dropped　the　bone；　yet　was　preparing　for　another　onslaught　from　the　wild　dog。　But　the　dog　just　lost　interest　and　sat　down。
　Chen　put　his　exploding　star…knife　down。　〃I　was　just　about　to　throw　it　at　the　damned　animal。　We　would　have　been　out　one　damned　good　dog；〃　he　said。　〃Good　thing　it　quieted　down。〃
　〃I　wonder　what　upset　it？〃　Rockson　mused；　carefully　going　over　and　retying　the　creature。　It　didn't　even　growl。　Then　Rock　went　over　to　the　bone　again　and　started　lifting　it。　Instantly　the　dog　began　growling。　He　dropped　it。
　〃Looks　like　it　isn't　you　but　the　bone　the　dog　doesn't　like；〃　Rona　observed。
　〃Okay　with　me；〃　Rockson　said。　〃I'll　leave　the　damned　bone　alone。〃　He　walked　to　the　fire。　〃McCaughlin；　do　you　have　that　dried　caribou　meat？　The　dogs　might　be　a　bit　hungry。　Maybe　that's　what's　bugging　them。〃
　〃I'll　get　right　to　it。　Rock。　I'll　fix　it　up；　roast　it　on　a　spit　over　this　here　fire。　And　I'll　fix　us　humans　up　some　good　grub　too。〃
　〃Took　the　words　right　out　of　my　mouth。　Save　the　fatty　parts　for　our　dogs。　They　deserve　some　food。　They　sure　are　doing　their　job。　Glad　I　thought　to　use　them　for　this　trek。〃　Rock　shot　a　glance　at　Rona　and　winked。
　In　a　matter　of　twenty　minutes；　they　were　all　chomping　on　the　delicious　dried　meat　of　the　caribou。　The　howling　winds　were　subsiding　outside；　and　they　were　warm。　The　snow　had　bee　white；　and　the　hissing　acid　death　was　being　dissolved　by　pretty　white　snow…　flake　crystals。
　Detroit　took　some　of　the　gristle　over　to　the　dogs　and　fed　them　one　at　a　time；　in　size　order。　That's　the　way　they　ate　in　the　wild。　Biggest　first。　Feed　them　any　other　way　and　you're　a　dead　man。
　Then　he　hesitated。　There　were　some　funny　noises。　And　Detroit　felt　the　ground　under　them　tremble。　It　wasn't　an　earthquake；　it　was　…
　〃There's　something　burrowing　under　us；〃　Detroit　exclaimed。
　They　all　stood；　drawing　their　shotpistols。　The　ground　exploded　all　around　them。　And　out　of　the　exploding　gaps　came　hurtling　snarling　creatures。　Red…eyed；　fanged　creatures。　They　moved　so　fast　they　looked　like　blurs。
　One　took　a　snap　at　Rock's　heels；　he　shot　it　with　his　pistol。　〃They're　some　sort　of　gopher；〃　Rock　said　as　another　one　jammed　its　jaws　around　his　sleeve　and　tore　off　some　material。　Everyone　had　their　hands　full。　The　dogs　thought　it　was　great　fun；　for　the　creatures　from　the　ground　would　bite　at　them；　and　then　be　slavered　up　by　the　big　wolf…dogs；　who　didn't　even　bother　to　chew　the　foot…long　creatures。
　Chen　tossed　a　series　of　knives；　catching　three　of　the　hell…gophers　in　midair。　The　rest　of　the　Freefighters　fired　wildly；　but　to　some　effect。　The　ravenous　invaders　had　inch…long　fangs。　One　got　poor　Danik　on　the　right　wrist　and　hung　on　trying　to　tear　his　arm　off。　Rock　pushed　the　Eden　citizen　to　the　ground　and　stomped　the　brains　out　of　the　thing　that　wouldn't　let　go。
　The　humans　weren't　doing　too　well；　but　the　sled　dogs　had　broken　loose　and　were　having　a　field　day　chasing　down　the　creatures。　They　closed　their　triple　rows　of　teeth　around　them　and　swallowed　them　whole。　Then　a　snarling　gopher　lunged　for　Scheransky's　throat　before　he　could　fire；　Class　Act　intervened。　The　intelligent　female　wolf…dog　snapped　the　gopher　out　of　midleap　and　digested　it。
　Because　of　the　dogs；　and　only　because　of　them；　it　was　over。　The　dogs　were　sated；　and　fell　asleep　in　a　pile　over　by　the　scrubby　Joshua　trees。　The　humans　dressed　their　wounds　…　Danik　was　the　worst；　but　he　was　patched　up　and　Chen　gave　him　one　of　his　potions。　He'd　be　all　right；　Rock　believed；　they'd　been　lucky。　Rock　only　found　out　later　that　half　the　supplies　had　been　consumed　by　the　furry　devils！
　〃Do　you　think　there　are　any　more　of　them？〃　Danik　asked；　dry…mouthed。　〃Perhaps　we'd　better　leave　this　cave。。。〃
　〃You　crazy？〃　McCaughlin　said；　〃Go　out　in　that　temperature　and　wind　in　the　middle　of　the　night？〃
　〃Well　post　a　guard；〃　Rockson　ordered。　〃I'll　take　first　watch。　Keep　the　fire　high；　sleep　close　to　it。　They　shied　from　the　fire　…　the　holes　in　the　ground　are　no　closer　than　eight　feet　to　the　fire。。。〃
　〃You're　right。〃　Rona　exclaimed。　〃And　besides；　I　think　the　dogs　might　have　eaten　'em　all　…　if　not；　they　sure　will　eat　any　more　that　try　that　act　again。〃
　Scheransky　went　over　and　petted　the　furry　head　of　Class　Act。　〃I　will　never　call　you　a　mangy　wolf　again；　I　swear　it　by　Lenin　…　I　mean　George　Washington。〃
　They　had　an　uneasy　night's　sleep　but　there　were　no　more　incidents。　Rock；　between　dozes；　listened　to　the　wind　whistling　by。　It　was　as　if　it　were　speaking　to　him；　warning　him；　〃Go。。。　home。。。　Go。。。〃
　The　next　day　the　weather　was　better　…　overcast　but　not　quite　as　cold；　and　they　made　good　progress。　Rockson　said；　〃I　believe　what's　left　of　Colorado　Springs　is　right　over　that　hill。〃
　They　came　over　the　ridge　and　looked　down　on　a　glassy…surfaced　blackened　plain。　〃That's　the　area　that　took　a　nuke　bomb　hit　back　in　the　twentieth　century；〃　said　Rockson　grimly。　〃The　heat　of　the　air…detonated　blast　melted　the　sand