jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第27部分

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　〃Damn　right；　God　wouldn't　want　them。　So　let's　go　see。　It's　only　a　few　miles　from　here。　If　the　strip　joint's　gone　then　I'm　right　and　you　have　to　shut　up　about　this　rapture　crapola。〃
　John　could　see　hope　in　Cubby's　face；　and　some　of　the　tough　look　started　to　e　back。　Hiking　into　the　forest　to　the　strip　joint　was　something　to　do；　and　John　was　pretty　sure　his　dad　would　approve　of　occupation　therapy。　Cubby　was　already　drawing　strength　from　the　idea。
　Ripman　had　them　divide　up　the　supplies。　They　all　ended　up　with　portions　of　energy　bars　and　trail　mix。　Everyone　had　a　hunting　knife　and　sheath；　John　carried　a　snake　bite　kit；　and　Ripman　had　a　first　aid　kit。　Everyone　got　a　pass；　a　space　blanket；　disposable　flashlight；　and　matches。　The　light　from　the　sun　wasn't　filtering　to　the　floor　of　the　forest　yet；　so　they　spent　time　practicing　with　the　bows。　John　had　never　used　a　bow　like　the　one　stolen　by　Ripman。　As　a　kid；　he'd　learned　the　shooting　basics　with　a　fiberglass　bow；　but　these　new　ones　had　pulleys　on　each　end；　and　the　string　wound　back　and　forth；　making　three　places　to　notch　your　arrow。
　John　wasn't　surprised　to　find　that　Ripman　was　proficient　with　his　bow。　He　showed　John　and　Cubby　how　to　hold　the　bows；　and　shoot。　The　arrows　were　definitely　for　hunting；　with　wicked…looking　steel　triangles　for　heads。　Ripman　pulled　his　bow　back；　aimed　at　a　piece　of　cardboard　along　the　road　forty　feet　away；　and　shot　the　arrow　smack　into　the　target。　John　went　next　and　found　pulling　this　bow　harder　than　his　old　fiberglass　one。
　〃e　on；　you　wuss；〃　Ripman　prodded。
　John's　arm　was　shaking；　and　he　still　hadn't　pulled　the　bowstring　all　the　way　back　to　his　ear。　Suddenly　his　arm　snapped　the　rest　of　the　way　back；　and　he　saw　Ripman　smiling。
　〃Got　easy　all　of　a　sudden；　didn't　it？　That's　why　they　have　the　pulleys；　so　you　can　hold　the　arrow　back　longer。　It　lets　you　wait　for　the　best　shot。〃
　John　aimed　carefully　and　then　let　the　arrow　fly。　It　disappeared　into　the　grass　ten　feet　short　of　the　cardboard。　Cubby　didn't　have　any　trouble　pulling　his　string　back　but　his　arrow　flew　way　high　and　buried　itself　into　the　hill。　They　each　tried　a　few　more　shots；　but　Cubby　and　John　didn't　get　better。
　The　light　from　the　rising　sun　was　sending　shafts　through　the　trees　when　they　started　into　the　forest。　The　beams　interwove　with　the　trees　creating　a　fabric　of　light　and　wood。　Ripman　went　first；　using　his　hunting　knife　like　a　machete；　but　the　undergrowth　was　sparse　and　he　soon　put　the　knife　away。　A　variety　of　ferns　stood　two　to　four　feet　in　the　air；　and　some　clumps　of　grasses　grew　head　high。　The　ground　felt　soft　and　mushy；　as　if　they　were　walking　through　mulch。　Occasionally　they　ran　into　tall　grasses　that　were　stiffer　and　sharp　edged；　like　pampas　grass。　They　quickly　learned　to　go　around　these。　The　trees　were　all　of　one　type；　with　coarse　fibrous　bark。　Many　were　big　enough　to　drive　a　car　through。　Ripman　stopped　by　one　and　cut　the　bark　with　his　knife。
　〃Look　here；　Cubby。　This　is　nothing　but　a　redwood　tree；　I've　seen　them　in　California。　Nothing　supernatural　here。〃
　〃Yeah？　How　did　it　get　to　Oregon？〃
　Ripman　ignored　Cubby　and　led　off　again。　John　trailed　behind　Cubby；　wishing　Ripman　had　an　answer　to　Cubby's　question。　John　had　never　heard　of　giant　redwoods　in　Oregon。　As　he　set　a　fast　pace　up　the　hill；　Ripman　soon　had　them　puffing　with　the　exertion。　Ripman　reached　the　top　of　the　hill　well　ahead　of　Cubby　and　John；　and　when　they　caught　up；　Ripman　was　kneeling　and　looking　up　into　the　trees。
　〃Get　down　you　guys；　and　be　quiet。〃
　Cubby　and　John　squatted　down　next　to　Ripman。　〃What　are　we　being　quiet　for？〃　John　asked；　still　gasping　from　exertion。
　〃Look　around。　Do　you　see　them？〃
　John　and　Cubby　looked　around；　first　at　the　ground；　and　then　following　Ripman's　gaze。　Cubby　slowly　lifted　his　arm　and　pointed　into　the　tree　in　front　of　them。　About　halfway　up；　perched　on　a　limb；　was　a　lizard…but　like　none　John　had　ever　seen。　It　was　reddish　brown　on　top　and　dusky　green　on　the　bottom；　so　it　blended　in　with　the　tree　limb。　It　had　long　back　legs　and　shorter　front　legs；　and　around　its　head　was　a　bony　flared　collar；　with　short　spines　protruding　from　the　top。　Most　striking　of　all　was　its　size。　It　was　three　feet　long。　John　suddenly　realized　that　another　similar　lizard　sat　on　the　branch　above　the　first。　As　John　looked　through　the　trees　around　them；　he　realized　they　were　filled　with　the　three…footers；　all　staring　at　them。
　Ripman　leaned　in　front　of　the　others　and　whispered；　〃Toto；　I　don't　think　we're　in　Kansas　anymore。〃
　The　lizards　sat　motionless　in　the　trees；　seeming　confident　they　were　out　of　reach　of　the　three　strange　creatures　below。　The　boys　sat　motionless；　staring　back；　John　because　he　was　frozen　in　fear。　Finally　the　lizard　on　the　lowest　branch　skittered　higher　up　followed　by　others　on　the　low　branches。　That　movement　broke　the　stalemate；　and　Ripman　slowly　led　them　off　through　the　trees。　Lizards　slithered　through　the　branches　above　them　as　they　walked。　No　one　talked　until　they　were　sure　the　trees　were　free　of　lizards。
　〃Jeez；　I've　never　seen　a　lizard　that　size　before；〃　John　said。　〃Man；　where　did　they　e　from？〃
　Cubby　looked　like　he　was　going　to　answer　the　question；　but　Ripman　shut　him　up　with　a　glare。
　〃I　don't　know；　but　let's　enjoy　it　while　we　can；〃　Ripman　said。
　John　watched　Ripman's　back　moving　into　the　lead　again；　followed　by　Cubby。　He　knew　Ripman　was　actually　enjoying　this。　With　every　step　deeper　into　the　forest　Ripman　seemed　more　confident；　as　if　he　belonged　there。　But　Cubby　was　badly　shaken。　He　still　wasn't　saying　much；　and　the　panic　attack　had　changed　the　way　John　and　Ripman　thought　of　him。　Silence；　always　a　part　of　Cubby's　personality；　had　now　bee　a　symptom　of　his　vulnerability。
　The　experience　with　the　lizards　sensitized　John　to　his　surroundings。　Movements；　shadows；　and　noises　he　had　missed　before　were　now　acutely　important。　He　began　to　notice　soft　rustlings　in　the　grasses；　and　quick　movements　in　the　shadows。
　Shortly　they　came　to　a　fallen　tree；　its　trunk　nursing　saplings　all　along　its　length。　Ferns　covered　the　spots　between　the　tree　sprouts。　Ripman　used　the　stumps　of　broken　branches　to　climb　to　the　top。　Suddenly；　something　came　shooting　out　from　under　the　tree；　running　across　John's　foot　and　disappearing　into　a　patch　of　ferns　behind　him。　John　yelped　and　jumped　back；　tripping　and　falling　to　the　forest　floor。
　〃What　was　that？〃
　〃I　saw　it；〃　Cubby　said；　speaking　with　confidence　for　the　first　time　since　they　stepped　into　the　forest。　〃It　looked　like　a　weasle　but　it　had　gigantic　eyes。〃
　〃The　Bible　say　anything　about　weasles　with　big　eyes？〃　Ripman　asked；　mockingly。
　Cubby　scowled；　but　then　followed　Ripman　over　the　log。　John　came　behind　cautiously；　checking　the　placement　of　each　foot　before　he　put　it　down。　After　cresting　the　hill；　they　made　a　slow　descent　and　then　a　long　level　trek。　Occasionally　they　came　to　a　section　where　the　trees　had　fallen　or　leaned　precariously；　their　roots　exposed。　In　one　stretch　John　could　see　a　whole　hillside　was　covered　with　freshly　fallen　trees。　It　was　a　crazy　quilt　forest。
　John　found　the　hiking　easier　when　he　put　his　mind　into　flowing　consciousness。　One　portion　of　his　mind　took　over　the　routine　task　of　walking　while　the　higher　cerebral　matter　played　with　ideas；　allowing　him　to　keep　up　with　Ripman　and　Cubby。
　The　sun　was　high　overhead　when　Ripman　stopped；　dropped　his　pack　and　quiver；　and　sat　down；　leaning　against　a　branch　from　a　fallen　tree。　〃Well；　Cubby？　You　see　any　strip　joint？〃
　John　looked　around。　They　were　standing　in　a　sparse　stand　of　trees　no　different　from　a　hundred　other　spots　they　had　walked　through。　John　could　not　imagine　why　Ripman　thought　this　was　the　spot　where　the　bar　with　the　nude　girls　had　been。　Cubby　looked　around　trying　to　confirm　their　location。
　〃What　makes　you　think　this　is　the　right　spot？〃　John　asked。
　Ripman　started　to　reply；　but　Cubby　cut　him　off。　〃If　it　isn't　this　spot；　then　we're　past　it。〃
　Again　John　marveled　at　their　certainty。
　〃Was　I　right；　Cubby；　or　what？　You　see　any　sinners　around　here？　You　see　any　topless　joint？　You　think　maybe　heaven　was　getting　a　little　boring　so　God　decided　to　add　nude　dancing　girls？〃
　Cubby　looked　lost　in　thought。　〃Maybe；　Ripman；　maybe。　But　if　this　isn't　the　rapture；　then　what　is　it？〃
　Ripman　didn't　have　an　answer。　Instead　he　muttered　〃I　told　you　so〃　and　sat　down　with　his　pack　in　his　lap。　John　broke　out　some　of　his　trail　mix　and　rested　on　fern　fronds。　What　had　happened？　The　tornado　he　could　understand。　Tornados　had　happened　before；　maybe　not　in　Oregon；　but　they　were　mon　enough。　There　was　even　a　part　of　the　Midwest　they　named　tornado　alley。　But　what　about　this　weird　forest？　Where　did　it　e　from　and　what　happened　to　the　nude　girls？　What　happened　to　the　radio　stations？　Could　this　forest　go　all　the　way　to　Portland？　Maybe　the　radio　stations　weren't　broadcasting　because　they　weren't　there　anymore。　And　if　they　were　gone　what　about　John's　house？　What　about　his　parents？　Cubby　interrupted　John's　thoughts　by　standing　up　and　putting　on　his　pack。
　〃Where　you　going？〃　Ripman　asked。
　〃This　answers　one　question；〃　Cubby　said；　gesturing　at　the　forest　around　him。　〃But　now　I've　got　to　find　my　parents。〃
　John　felt　the　same　as　Cubby；　John　had　to　know　whether　he　had　a　home　and　what　had　happened　to　hi