jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第101部分

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sisted　that　Ripman　take　John　and　Cubby　out　first。　John　insisted　Ellen　go　first；　and　Cubby　protested　going　at　all。　He　wanted　to　ride　into　Portland　if　they　could　find　it。
　Cubby　did　agree　that　Ellen　needed　to　get　to　a　doctor　and　should　go　first。　They　then　argued　over　who　should　have　which　weapons。　Ellen　wanted　to　take　only　the　pistol。　John　insisted　she　take　a　rifle。　Cubby　agreed；　pointing　out　that　he　and　John　had　survived　without　a　gun。　Ripman　muttered　something　about　dumb　luck　under　his　breath；　then　sided　with　Ellen。　With　the　bike　they　could　outrun　the　dinos；　so　they　would　take　just　the　pistol。　Cubby　and　John　didn't　want　to　stay　with　Carl's　body；　it　would　attract　scavengers。　So　the　three　boys　scratched　in　the　dirt　working　out　a　plan　to　rendezvous。　Ripman　started　the　bike　as　if　he　knew　what　he　was　doing；　then　Cubby　and　John　helped　Ellen　on　the　back；　John　giving　her　shoulder　a　squeeze。　It　was　too　painful　for　Ellen　to　turn　around；　so　she　didn't　see　her　son　waving　good…bye。
　
　67。　　OUT　OF　THE　PIT
　
　。　。　。　the　mountains　shall　be　molten　。　。　。　and　the　valleys　shall　be　cleft；　as　wax　before　the　fire；　like　water　rushing　down　a　slope。
　…Micah1：4
　
　Warm　Springs　Indian　Reservation；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　WEDNESDAY；　4：52　P。M。　PST
　
　　Petra；　still　wedged　against　the　tree　trunk；　shivered　uncontrollably。　A　bra　and　torn　panties　were　inappropriate　for　an　autumn　day　in　Oregon。　The　sounds　of　splashing　came　from　the　lake。　She　wondered　if　more　of　those　walking　fish　lived　in　the　lake；　and　wished　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher　could　have　seen　that　fish。。It　walked；　it　breathed　air；　it　swam　under　the　water。　Half…fish　and　half…mammal；　it　was　some　in…between　species；　like　millions　of　other　variant　forms。　As　such　it　must　have　been　ancient；　much　older　than　the　dinosaurs　onshore。　Dr。　Piltcher　would　have　given　his　life　to　see　it；　but　unfortunately　he　gave　his　life　a　little　too　soon。
　Determined　not　to　spend　another　night　with　the　dinosaurs；　Petra　climbed　down；　stiff　from　the　cold；　and　worked　her　joints。　When　they　were　loose　enough　to　let　her　run　if　she　had　to；　she　crept　back　toward　the　carcass。
　Petra　approached　from　the　back　side　again。　It　had　been　the　least　popular　side。
　She　was　shocked　when　she　saw　the　carcass。　It　had　been　hollowed　out　and　stripped　of　most　skin　and　flesh；　leaving　bare　bones。　A　huge　bloody　pool　lay　around　the　bone　pile　and　a　dozen　dinosaurs　of　different　sizes　surrounded　the　remains；　gnawing　on　bones　and　digging　pieces　of　bloody　flesh　from　inside　the　carcass。　One　small　dinosaur　was　peeling　skin　away　from　the　head。
　Petra　worried　she　had　waited　too　long。　They　were　digging　deep　into　the　carcass；　and　from　the　look　of　it　they　had　emptied　the　chest　cavity　of　every　bit　of　soft　tissue。　Had　they　eaten　clean　through　to　Colter？　Was　he　still　alive　under　that　bloody　mess　somewhere？
　Petra　approached　slowly；　gun　ready；　walking　out　between　the　trees　until　the　dinosaurs　spotted　her　and　froze。　None　of　them　was　bigger　than　about　ten　feet。　Apparently　the　giant　dinosaurs　had　eaten　their　fill　and　moved　off；　still　the　ten…footers　were　terrifying。　Sucking　up　her　courage；　she　ran　forward　screaming　at　the　top　of　her　lungs。　The　sound　was　pitiful　pared　to　those　of　the　giant　lizards；　but　it　got　their　attention。　She　charged　and　just　before　she　reached　the　nearest　one　fired　a　round　into　the　air；　the　noise　scattering　the　feeders。　After　Petra　fired　another　round；　they　moved　off　a　safe　distance。　Now　to　find　Colter。
　〃Colter？　Colter？〃　she　called。　〃Colter；　are　you　still　here　somewhere？〃
　Petra　listened　for　a　reply　but　heard　none。　She　walked　to　the　carcass；　her　feet　squishing　in　the　blood…soaked　grass；　and　then　reached　out　gingerly　with　one　hand　and　pushed　on　one　of　the　still　standing　ribs。　It　didn't　budge。　Petra　put　her　bare　shoulder　against　it　and　pushed　with　all　her　strength。　It　still　didn't　budge。　The　ribs　were　still　attached　to　the　backbone　and　weighed　tons。　She　had　no　hope　of　moving　it　off　Colter。　There　were　only　two　choices　now。　Go　back　to　digging；　or　climb　inside　and　try　to　get　through　past　the　backbone。　Petra　peered　into　the　carcass。　Something　was　moving。
　She　backed　up；　raising　the　rifle。　The　carcass　began　to　rock　ever　so　slightly；　the　still…hanging　skin　flapped　with　the　movement。　Then　something　rose　out　of　the　carcass；　covered　with　blood　and　reddish　mud。　The　figure　rose；　then　slipped　back　only　to　rise　again；　grabbing　on　to　the　hanging　skin　and　flopping　over　the　side　and　out。　Like　some　bizarre　cesarean…born　baby；　Colter　had　emerged　from　the　dinosaur。
　Hysterical；　overwhelmed　with　joy；　Petra　ran　to　him　and　cradled　his　head　in　her　lap。　She　wiped　the　blood　from　his　face　to　see　he　was　crying；　then　rocked　him　in　her　lap　and　cried　with　him。　She　continued　to　clean　his　face　and　head；　but　had　nowhere　to　wipe　the　blood　because　it　had　soaked　the　ground　too。　Petra　opened　Colter's　torn　shirt　gently　and　realized　some　of　the　blood　was　his。　There　was　a　gash　from　above　his　left　nipple　running　all　the　way　to　the　right　side。　She　looked　closer　to　find　perforations　in　his　shirt　along　his　left　arm。　A　splinter　was　sticking　out　of　one　of　the　holes。　Petra　reached　down　and　yanked　the　splinter　out。　That　sharp　jab；　of　pain　made　Colter　stop　sobbing　and　he　plained　instead。　〃Ouch。　That　hurts；　Petra！〃
　Petra　laughed　at　him　sadly。　〃Colter；　you've　got　a　gash　across　your　chest。　You've　been　buried　alive　under　a　dinosaur；　and　you're　plaining　about　a　little　splinter？〃
　〃Lots　of　splinters；〃　he　replied。　〃I　pulled　out　as　many　as　I　could　reach。〃
　〃How　did　you　survive　down　there？〃
　〃I　nearly　didn't。〃　Colter　paused；　but　he　fought　back　his　tears。　〃I　got　down　flat　when　it　started　to　fall。　It　had　dug　out　enough　of　a　space　for　me；　I　guess。　It　jammed　that　limb　down　on　me　though。　I　think　it　broke　a　rib　or　two。　That's　when　I　got　the　splinters。〃
　Petra　was　going　to　ask　about　the　stash　across　his　chest；　but　Colter　looked　like　he　was　trying　not　to　remember　some　things；　so　she　let　him　tell　it　his　way。
　〃I　heard　you　outside　and　I　tried　digging　out；　but　it　was　no　use。　I　could　hardly　move。　Then　I　heard　the　feeding　start。　You　can't　believe　how　horrible　it　sounds　from　underneath。　It　was　ing　toward　me。〃
　Colter　was　getting　louder　and　losing　control　over　his　emotions。
　Petra　tried　to　calm　him。　〃It's　okay　now；　Colter。　You're　out。〃
　〃Then　the　blood　started。　It　was　just　a　wetness　at　first。　I　didn't　know　what　it　was。　It　had　a　salty　smell　to　it。　It　just　kept　ing；　filling　the　hole　I　was　in。　Other　body　fluids　too。〃
　〃Don't　think　about　it；　Colter。〃
　〃I　nearly　drowned　in　it。〃
　〃Time　to　go；　Colter。〃
　〃Oh　God；　it　was　horrible。〃
　〃The　dinosaurs　might　e　back；　Colter。〃
　〃I　want　to　go。　I　want　to　go　out　of　here。〃
　〃Yes；　Colter。　Me　too。〃
　They　stood；　helping　each　other　to　their　feet　and　then　with　Petra　holding　the　rifle；　they　stumbled　through　the　trees　and　back　toward　the　RV。　They　leaned　on　each　other；　more　for　emotional　support　than　physical。
　Monoclonius　stood　in　the　clearing；　but　they　ignored　the　humans；　allowing　them　to　cross　the　clearing　without　incident；　and　then　they　were　into　the　tall　brush　on　the　other　side。　Petra　hated　the　brush。　There　was　no　visibility　and　they　had　too　little　energy　to　walk　stealthily；　so　they　crashed　through　it。　Petra　slowed　when　she　saw　the　RV；　Near　it　were　two　piles　of　bones。　Then　Petra　urged　Colter　to　go　faster。　As　they　walked；　Petra　scanned　the　clearing　nervously　for　predators。
　The　RV　was　close　now。　So　close　she　began　to　feel　its　safety。　It　could　take　them　away；　and　she　wanted　that　badly；　and　the　more　she　wanted　it　the　more　she　feared　something　would　snatch　it　away　again。　At　the　door　of　the　RV　Petra　pushed　Colter　up　and　inside。　Then　with　a　last　nervous　look　around　she　climbed　in；　vowing　not　to　leave　the　vehicle　until　she　was　safe　with　other　people。
　Colter　handed　her　a　quart　of　orange　juice　and　raised　a　second　quart　to　his　lips；　drinking　down　huge　gulps。　Petra　drank　half　of　her　juice　without　pause。　After　a　couple　more　swallows；　Colter　walked　into　the　back　of　the　RV　and　collapsed　on　the　bed。　Petra　started　back　to　join　him　but　jumped　back　in　fear　as　something　came　out　from　under　a　pile　of　blankets…Sarah。　Petra　had　forgotten　about　the　little　dinosaur。　It　stared　at　her；　but　unlike　earlier；　she　didn't　seem　panicked　by　Petra's　presence。　Then　to　Petra's　surprise　Sarah　waddled　over　and　banged　into　Colter's　dangling　legs。
　〃Petra；〃　Colter　moaned。　〃Feed　them　will　ya？〃
　Opening　the　fridge；　Petra　pulled　out　an　apple　and　rolled　it　to　Sarah。　Then　Moose　launched　himself　from　the　top　of　the　cabinet；　landed　next　to　Colter；　and　then　jumped　down　to　the　floor。　Petra　sliced　up　another　apple；　and　he　quickly　carried　a　piece　to　his　place　on　top　of　the　cabinets。　Petra　was　amazed　by　the　little　dinosaur's　new　confidence。　They　had　lost　all　fear　of　people。
　She　flopped　down　next　to　Colter；　lying　on　her　back　with　one　arm　over　her　face；　and　both　were　soon　asleep。　When　Petra　awoke　she　found　Moose　sleeping　next　to　Colter　on　the　other　side；　but　when　she　stirred　the　little　animal　scrambled　up　the　wall　and　to　his　hiding　place。
　Petra　propped　herself　up　with　one　elbow　and　looked　down　at　Colter。　His　face　was　caked　with　blood　and　red　mud；　so　she　got　up；　soaked　a　towel　with　water　and　began　to　clean　his　face。　He　woke　and　stared　at　her　blankly。
　〃Colter；　you're　coated　with　。　。　。　w