the.lost.world-第54部分

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King　came　around　a　curve；　and　saw　a　herd　of　animals　standing　thickly　in　the　road。　They　were　some　kind　of　green　dinosaurs；　about　four　feet　tall；　with　big　domed　heads　and　a　bunch　of　little　horns。　They　reminded　him　of　green　water　buffalo。　But　there　were　a　lot　of　them。　He　braked　sharply；　the　car　swerved　to　a　stop。
　　　　The　green　dinosaurs　looked　at　his　car；　but　they　did　not　move。　The　herd　just　stood　there　in　a　lazy；　contented　way。　King　waited；　drumming　his　fingers　on　the　steering　wheel。　When　nothing　happened；　he　honked　the　horn；　and　flashed　his　headlights。
　　　　The　animals　just　stared。
　　　　They　were　funny…looking　creatures；　with　that　smooth　bulging　curve　on　the　forehead　and　all　those　little　horns　around　it。　They　just　stared　at　him；　with　a　stupid　cow…like　look。　He　slipped　the　car　into　gear　and　edged　it　forward　slowly；　expecting　that　he　could　push　his　way　through　the　animals。　They　didn't　move　aside。　Finally　his　front　bumper　nudged　the　nearest　animal；　which　grunted；　took　a　couple　of　steps　back；　lowered　its　head；　and　butted　the　front　of　the　car；　hard；　with　a　metallic　clang！
　　　　Christ；　he　thought。　It　could　puncture　the　radiator；　if　he　wasn't　careful。　He　stopped　the　car　again　and　waited；　the　motor　idling。　The　animals　settled　down　again。
　　　　Several　of　them　lay　down　on　the　road。　He　couldn't　drive　over　them。　He　looked　ahead　toward　the　river　and　saw　the　boat；　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　He　hadn't　realized　it　was　so　near。　As　he　watched；　he　realized　that　the　fishermen　were　very　busy　on　the　deck。　They　were　swinging　the　crane　back；　lashing　it　down。　They　were　getting　ready　to　leave！
　　　　The　hell　with　waiting；　he　thought。　He　opened　the　door；　and　climbed　out；　leaving　the　car　in　the　center　of　the　road。　Immediately；　the　animals　jumped　to　their　feet；　and　the　nearest　one　charged　him。　He　had　the　door　open；　the　animal　smashed　into　it；　slamming　it　shut；　leaving　a　deep　dent　in　the　metal。　King　scrambled　toward　the　edge　of　the　hill；　only　to　find　he　was　at　the　top　of　a　steep　vertical　descent　of　more　than　a　hundred　feet。　He'd　never　make　it　down；　at　least　not　here。　Farther　along；　the　slope　was　not　so　steep。　But　now　more　animals　were　charging　him。　He　had　no　choice。　He　ran　around　the　back　of　the　car；　just　as　another　animal　smashed　into　the　rear　taillight；　shattering　the　plastic。
　　　　A　third　animal　charged　the　back　of　the　car　directly。　King　scrambled　up　onto　the　spare　tire；　as　the　animal　slammed　into　the　bumper。　The　jolt　knocked　him　off；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground；　rolling；　while　the　buffaloes　snorted　all　around　him。　He　got　to　his　feet　and　ran　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　Toad；　where　there　was　a　slight　rise；　he　scrambled　up　it；　moving　into　foliage。　The　animals　did　not　pursue　him。　Not　that　it　did　him　any　good…now　he　was　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　road！
　　　　Somehow　he　had　to　get　back　to　the　other　side。
　　　　He　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　rise　and　started　down；　swearing　to　himself。　He　decided　to　work　his　way　forward　a　hundred　yards　or　so；　until　he　was　beyond　the　butting　animals；　and　then　cross　the　road。　If　he　could　do　that；　then　he　could　get　to　the　boat。
　　　　Almost　immediately；　he　was　surrounded　by　dense　jungle。　He　tripped；　tumbled　down　a　muddy　slope；　and　when　he　got　to　his　feet　was　no　longer　sure　which　way　to　go。　He　was　at　the　bottom　of　a　ravine；　and　the　palm　trees　were　ten　feet　tall；　and　very　thick。　He　couldn't　see　more　than　a　few　feet　in　any　direction。　In　a　moment　of　panic；　he　realized　he　didn't　know　which　way　to　go。　He　pushed　forward　through　the　wet　leaves；　hoping　to　get　his　bearings　back。

The　kids　were　still　peering　over　the　railing；　looking　at　the　departing　raptors。　Thorne　pulled　Levine　to　one　side；　and　said　quietly；　〃Why　did　you　want　us　to　e　here？〃
　　　　〃Just　a　precaution；〃　Levine　said。　〃Bringing　the　infant　to　the　trailer　is　asking　for　trouble。〃
　　　　〃What　sort　of　trouble？〃
　　　　Levine　shrugged。　〃We　don't　know；　is　the　point。　But　in　general；　parents　don't　like　it　when　their　babies　are　taken　away。　And　that　baby　has　some　very　big　parents。〃
　　　　From　the　other　side　of　the　shelter　Arby　said；　〃Look！　Look！〃
　　　　〃What　is　it？〃　Levine　said。
　　　　〃It's　a　man。〃
　　　　Gasping　for　breath；　King　emerged　from　the　jungle　and　walked　out　onto　the　plain。　At　last　he　could　see　where　he　was！　He　paused；　soaked　and　muddy；　to　get　his　bearings。
　　　　He　was　disappointed　to　find　that　he　was　nowhere　near　the　boat。　In　fact；　he　still　seemed　to　be　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　road。　He　was　facing　a　broad　grassy　plain；　with　a　river　coursing　through　it。　The　plain　was　mostly　deserted；　although　there　were　several　dinosaurs　farther　down　the　banks。　They　were　the　horned　ones：　triceratops。　And　they　looked　a　little　agitated。　The　big　adults　were　raising　their　heads　up　and　down；　making　barking　sounds。
　　　　Obviously；　he　would　have　to　follow　the　river；　until　it　brought　him　to　the　boat。　But　he'd　have　to　be　careful　getting　past　these　triceratops。　He　reached　in　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　candy　bar。　He　ripped　the　wrapping　while　he　watched　the　triceratops；　wishing　they　would　go　away。　How　long　would　it　take　him　to　reach　the　boat？　That　was　the　only　question　on　his　mind。　He　decided　to　move；　triceratops　or　not。　He　began　walking　through　the　tall　grass。
　　　　Then　he　heard　a　reptilian　hiss。　It　was　ing　from　the　grass；　somewhere　to　his　left。　And　he　noticed　a　smell；　a　peculiar　rotten　smell。　He　paused；　waiting。　The　candy　bar　didn't　taste　so　good；　any　more。
　　　　Then；　behind　him；　he　heard　splashing。　It　was　ing　from　the　river。
　　　　King　turned　to　look。

〃It's　one　of　those　men　from　the　jeep；〃　Arby　said；　standing　in　the　high　hide。　〃But　why　is　he　waiting？〃
　　　　From　their　vantage　point；　they　could　see　the　dark　shapes　of　the　raptors；　moving　through　the　grass　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。　Now　two　of　the　raptors　came　forward；　splashing　in　the　water。　Moving　toward　the　man。
　　　　〃Oh　no；〃　Arby　said。
　　　　　　　　
King　saw　two　dark；　striped　lizards　moving　across　the　river。　They　walked　on　their　hind　legs；　with　a　sort　of　hopping　motion。　Their　bodies　were　reflected　in　the　flowing　water　of　the　river。　They　snapped　their　long　jaws；　and　hissed　menacingly　at　King。
　　　　He　glanced　upstream；　and　saw　another　lizard　crossing；　and　another　beyond　that。　Those　other　animals　were　already　deep　in　the　water；　and　had　begun　to　swim。
　　　　Howard　King　backed　away　from　the　river；　moving　deeper　into　the　tall　grass。　Then　he　turned；　and　ran。　He　was　chest…deep　in　grass　and　running　hard；　gasping　for　breath；　when　suddenly　another　lizard　head　rose　up　in　front　of　him；　hissing　and　snarling。　He　dodged；　changed　direction；　but　suddenly　the　nearest　lizard　leapt　in　the　air。　It　jumped　so　high　its　body　cleared　the　grass…；　he　could　see　the　entire　animal　flying　through　the　air；　its　two　hind　legs　raised　to　pounce。　He　glimpsed　curved；　dagger…like　claws。
　　　　King　turned　again　and　the　lizard　shrieked　as　it　landed　on　the　ground　behind　him；　and　tumbled　away　in　the　grass。　King　ran　on。　He　was　energized　by　pure　fear。　Behind　him　he　heard　the　lizard　snarling。　He　ran　hard：　ahead　was　another　twenty　yards　of　grassy　clearing；　and　then　the　jungle　began　again。　He　saw　trees　…　big　trees。　He　could　climb　one　and　get　away。
　　　　Off　to　the　left；　he　saw　another　lizard　moving　diagonally　across　the　clearing　toward　him。　King　could　only　see　the　head　above　the　grass。　The　lizard　seemed　to　be　moving　incredibly　fast。　He　thought：　I'm　not　going　to　make　it。
　　　　But　he　would　try。
　　　　Panting；　lungs　searing；　he　sprinted　for　the　trees。　Only　ten　more　yards　now。　His　arms　pumped；　his　legs　churned。　His　breath　came　in　ragged　gasps。
　　　　And　then　something　heavy　struck　him　from　behind；　forcing　him　to　the　ground；　and　he　felt　searing　pain　down　his　back　and　he　knew　…it　was　the　claws；　they　dug　into　the　flesh　of　his　back　as　he　was　knocked　down。　He　hit　the　dirt　hard；　and　tried　to　roll；　but　the　animal　on　his　back　held　on；　he　could　not　move。　He　was　pinned　down　on　his　stomach；　hearing　the　animal　snarl　behind　him。　The　pain　in　his　back　was　excruciating；　dizzying。
　　　　And　then　he　felt　the　animal's　hot　breath　on　the　back　of　his　neck；　and　he　heard　the　snorting　breath；　and　his　terror　was　extreme。　Then　suddenly　a　kind　of　lassitude；　a　deep　and　wele　sleepiness；　took　him。　Everything　became　slow。　As　if　in　a　dream；　he　could　see　all　the　blades　of　grass　in　the　ground　in　front　of　his　face。　He　saw　them　with　a　kind　of　languid　intensity；　and　he　almost　did　not　mind　the　sharp　pain　on　his　neck；　and　he　almost　did　not　care　that　his　neck　was　within　the　animal's　hot　jaws。　It　seemed　to　be　happening　to　someone　else。　He　was　many　miles　away。　He　had　a　moment　of　surprise　when　he　felt　the　bones　of　his　neck　crunching　loudly　…
　　　　And　then　blackness。
　　　　Nothing。

〃Don't　look；〃　Thorne　said；　turning　Arby　away　from　the　railing　in　the　high　hide。　He　drew　the　boy　toward　his　chest；　but　Arby　impatiently　pushed　away　again；　to　watch　what　was　happening。　Thorne　reached　for　Kelly；　but　she　stepped　away　from　him；　and　stared　out　at　the　plain。
　　　　〃Don't　look；〃　Thorne　kept　saying。　〃Don't　look。〃
　　　　The　kids　watched；　in　silence。

Levine　focused　his　binoculars　on　the　kill。　There　were　now　five　raptors　snarling　around　the　man's　body；　tearing　viciously　at　the　carcass。　As　he　watched；　one　of　the　raptors　jerked　its　head　up；　tearing　away　a　piece　of　blood…soaked　shirt；　the　ragged　edge　of　the　collar。　Another　was　shaking　the　man's　severed　head　in　its　jaws；　before　final