jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第43部分

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　building　was　close；　so　he　turned　toward　home　and　staggered　down　the　sidewalk。　He　didn't　bother　calling　for　help　he　knew　would　never　e。
　When　Luis　neared　his　building　he　suddenly　encountered　people。　Some　looked　at　him　curiously　but　no　one　offered　to　help。　They　were　standing　behind　cars　parked　three　deep　in　the　intersection　at　his　corner。　Luis　realized　the　cars　were　parked　fender　to　fender　on　the　sidewalks　as　well　as　the　street。　Finally；　he　understood：　The　cars　provided　a　barrier　between　the　buildings　to　keep　the　dinosaurs　out。
　Silently；　Luis　walked　up　the　stairs　to　his　building；　feeling　for　his　keys　and　then　his　wallet。　Both　were　gone。　When　he　realized　the　lock　had　been　jimmied；　he　pushed　open　the　door　and　went　up　the　stairs。　Weak　and　exhausted　he　paused　often　to　rest。　At　the　third　floor　he　sat　down　again；　his　head　hanging；　but　suddenly　he　heard　a　voice。
　〃Luis？　Is　that　you？〃
　Luis　looked　up　to　see　Mrs。　Weatherby　holding　a　bag　of　sugar。
　〃Oh；　Luis；　you　better　e　back　to　my　apartment　with　me。　Whatever　happened　to　you？〃
　〃Diablos；〃　Luis　managed　to　mutter。
　〃Those　horrid　young　men。　What　their　mothers　must　think　of　them！〃
　Mrs。　Weatherby　took　Luis　by　the　arm；　helped　him　to　his　feet；　and　then　guided　him　down　the　hall。
　〃Are　Melinda　and　the　kids　safe？　Oh；　thank　goodness。　What　are　you　doing　back　here？　You　didn't　e　back　for　me；　did　you？　I　told　you　I　would　be　fine　and　now　look　at　what's　happened。〃
　Mrs。　Weatherby　scolded　Luis　all　the　way　down　the　hall　to　her　apartment；　but　Luis　was　forted　by　it。　She　directed　Luis　to　her　couch　and　then　removed　his　shoes　and　covered　him　with　a　crocheted　bedspread。
　Luis　and　Melinda　slept　under　a　larger；　similar　bedspread…　crocheting　incessantly；　Mrs。　Weatherby　had　turned　out　a　queen…size　bedspread　for　the　Ibarra　family　in　less　than　a　year；　made　up　of　squares　of　intricate　yellow　flowers　and　green　leaves。　Mrs。　Weatherby　had　beamed　when　she　saw　it　in　their　home　and　then　promised　spreads　for　the　girls'　beds　too。
　Now　she　returned　with　a　plastic　tub　of　warm　soapy　water　and　began　washing　the　blood　from　his　face　with　a　washcloth。
　〃How　did　you　heat　the　water；　Mrs。　Weatherby？〃
　〃Don't　talk；　Luis；　until　I　get　you　cleaned　up。　When　you　talk　your　face　wrinkles。〃
　Luis　lay　quiet　while　Mrs。　Weatherby　cleaned　his　wounds。　While　she　worked　she　talked。
　〃I　heated　the　water　with　a　propane　stove　I　found　in　the　Santinis'　apartment。　I　know　you　think　I　stole　it；　but　I　didn't。　I　was　looking　for　some　sugar　to　borrow　when　I　found　it。　Besides；　someone　had　already　broken　in　anyway。　All　the　apartments　have　been；　even　yours　I'm　afraid；　Luis。　I　don't　know　what　else　they　took；　but　your　TV　and　stereo　are　gone。〃
　Luis　grimaced　and　groaned　but　Mrs。　Weatherby　ignored　him。
　〃By　the　way；　I　borrowed　the　sugar　out　of　your　apartment。　I　left　a　note　for　you　。and　Melinda。　I'll　repay　you　when　I　can　get　to　a　store。〃
　〃Don't　go　near　a　store；　Mrs。　Weatherby。　They've　all　been　looted　anyway…〃　Mrs。　Weatherby　hushed　him。
　〃You　lie　still。　I'll　go　up　to　your　apartment　and　get　you　a　change　of　clothes。〃
　Luis　didn't　bother　to　protest。　Too　tired　and　sore　to　manage　an　argument；　he　lay　on　Mrs。　Weatherby's　couch　with　his　eyes　closed　and　was　soon　sound　asleep。
　When　he　woke；　his　mouth　was　dry。　When　he　was　sure　he　could　stand　without　fainting；　Luis　walked　to　the　kitchen　sink；　took　a　glass　from　the　cabinet；　and　turned　on　the　faucet。　Nothing　came　out。　Then　he　remembered　Mrs。　Weatherby　and　the　pan　of　soapy　water。　Where　had　she　gotten　it？　And　where　was　she　now？
　Luis　went　back　to　the　living　room　and　spotted　a　neat　pile　of　his　clothes　on　an　end　table。　Mrs。　Weatherby　had　picked　out　a　pair　of　blue　slacks　and　a　white　dress　shirt。　Luis　smiled　at　her　choice　and　decided　to　use　the　bathroom　to　change；　in　case　Mrs。　Weatherby　came　in。　He　found　the　bathroom　down　the　hall　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。　When　he　turned；　he　noticed　the　top　of　the　toilet　tank　had　been　removed　and　was　sitting　on　the　floor。　There　was　a　cup　on　the　countertop　next　to　the　toilet　tank；　which　was　only　half　full。　Luis　said　out　loud；　〃Very　clever。〃　Convincing　himself　it　was　clean　water；　he　took　the　cup；　scooped　up　some；　and　quenched　his　thirst。
　When　he　was　finished　changing；　the　apartment　was　still　empty。　He　was　about　to　start　searching　the　building　when　he　heard　a　strange　sound。　〃Aaaaah；〃　loud　and　hoarse。　He　followed　it　to　the　living　room　window。　When　he　looked　out　he　couldn't　believe　what　he　was　seeing。　Mrs。　Weatherby　was　on　her　knees　in　her　garden；　working　with　her　flowers。　Luis　had　seen　this　a　thousand　times　but　never　seen　it　in　this　setting。　The　dinosaur　that　had　scared　the　Ibarras　out　of　their　apartment　was　walking　toward　Mrs。　Weatherby　with　its　head　down　and　its　mouth　open。　〃Run；　Mrs。　Weatherby！　The　dinosaur；　run！〃　Luis　yelled　out　the　window。
　Mrs。　Weatherby　looked　up　and　waved。　Then　she　stood　and　turned　toward　the　approaching　dinosaur；　which　went　down　on　all　fours；　its　huge　head　still　ing　directly　at　her。　Luis　yelled　again　but　to　no　avail。　Then；　the　head　stopped　with　its　mouth　open　wide；　〃aaaahing〃　louder　as　Mrs。　Weatherby　dug　in　a　big　satchel。　Then　she　pulled　out　a　bag　and　stepped　forward　and　dumped　the　contents　in　the　dinosaur's　mouth。　The　mouth　immediately　snapped　closed　and　the　jaw　began　to　grind。　Next　the　lips　smacked　and　its　massive　tongue　slipped　between　the　lips；　first　cleaning　the　lower　lip　and　then　the　upper。　Then　the　mouth　opened　again　and　the　〃aaaahing〃　started　all　over。
　With　another　bag；　Mrs。　Weatherby　produced　the　performance　again。　When　the　dinosaur　opened　its　mouth　a　third　time　Mrs。　Weatherby　spoke　to　it　sternly。　Luis　couldn't　make　out　the　words　over　the　〃aaaahing〃　sound。　Then　to　his　surprise　Mrs。　Weatherby　put　her　hands　on　the　animal's　huge　jaw　and　pushed　the　head　away　from　her。　The　head　barely　moved。　Mrs。　Weatherby　slapped　the　jaw　with　her　hand　and　pushed　again。　This　time　the　dinosaur　pulled　its　head　up　and　stood；　then　turned　and　walked　into　the　clearing；　pausing　twice　to　turn　around　and　〃aaaah〃　softly　at　Mrs；　Weatherby。　Then　it　pulled　up　a　mouthful　of　grass　and　walked　off　chewing　into　the　distance。　Behind　the　retreating　monster　Luis　saw　a　misty　shimmering　cityscape。　It　was　an　unsettling　sight…a　dinosaur　as　tall　as　a　two…story　build…ing　walking　off　toward　a　shimmering　city　skyline。
　Too　stunned　to　speak；　Luis　stood　in　the　window；　not　knowing　what　to　say　anyway。　Mrs。　Weatherby　called　up　to　him　and　waved。　Numbly　Luis　waved　back　and　then　went　to　the　couch　to　lie　down。　Soon　he　couldn't　tell　if　he　was　awake　or　asleep。　Was　he　hallucinating？　Had　the　Diablos　cracked　his　skull？　He　couldn't　have　seen　Mrs。　Weatherby　hand…feeding　a　dinosaur；　could　he？　Luis　was　still　trying　to　sort　reality　from　fantasy　when　consciousness　folded　into　sleep。
　
　32。　　PUGLISI
　
　The　theory　that　the　Cretaceous…Tertiary　mass　extinction　was　caused　by　a　meteorite　is　gaining　credibility。　It's　not　a　good　theory；　but　the　best　there　is　to　explain　what　happened　to　the　dinosaurs。
　…Cindy　Wong；　fhe　Cretaceous　Mystery
　
　Honolulu；　Hawaii
　POSTQUILT：　MONDAY；　9：30　A。M。　AHT
　　Emmett　Puglisi　reclined　in　Professor　Wang's　new　blue　executive　chair　and　gently　rocked　and　swiveled；　admiring　the　smooth　motion　and　the　deep　blue　padded　armrests。　He　wondered　vaguely　if　he　would　someday　have　this　chair　too。　He'd　inherited　Dr。　Wang's　old　chair。　When　the　new　one　had　been　delivered；　Emmett　happened　to　be　walking　down　the　hall。　Emmett　had　asked　for　the　old　chair；　and　she　gave　it　to　him。　Of　course　jealous　colleagues　claimed　he　kissed　up　to　Dr。　Wang　for　the　chair；　but　it　had　been　a　matter　of　timing；　not　brownnosing。　Dr。　Wang　had　taken　pity　on　him；　even　though　half　a　dozen　associate　professors；　with　seniority　on　lowly　Assistant　Professor　Puglisi；　would　have　liked　the　chair。　But　Emmett　had　been　in　the　right　place　at　the　right　time。　It　had　been　like　that　for　much　of　his　life。
　Emmett　had　been　wait…listed　for　the　graduate　program　in　astrophysics　at　the　University　of　Hawaii；　and　only　been　adnutted　late　in　August；　just　two　weeks；　before　the　start　of　the　semester。　He　fared　well　in　his　studies；　but　as　graduation　approached　his　efforts　at　finding　a　job　had　not　gone　well。　He　received　two　phone　interviews　for　instructor　positions　on　the　mainland；　but　no　offers　and　had　serious　prospects　until　one　of　the　faculty　at　the　University　had　taken　ill。　Then　Emmett　agreed　to　fill　in　on　a　one…year　appointment。　That　appointment　was　followed　by　another　to　fill　a　vacancy　created　by　a　sabbatical。　Another　sabbatical　followed　and　another　appointment。　That　year　Emmett　won　a　teaching　award　and　co…authored　a　successful　National　Science　Foundation　grant。　When　a　tenure…track　position　opened　up　for　the　next　year　Emmett　had　advance　information　and　successfully　campaigned　for　the　position。
　That　was　two　years　ago；　and　now　he　found　himself　in　the　right　place　at　the　right　time　again。　Although　this　time　he　wasn't　sure　it　wasn't　the　right　place　at　the　wrong　time。
　Dr。　Wang　had　disappeared　along　with　four　of　their　colleagues。　Now　there　were　five　empty　offices　on　Emmett's　floor；　but　only　Dr。　Wang's　was　part　of　PresNet。　Emmett　had　resisted　at　first；　but　the　news　reports　of　widespread　disaster　didn't　ring　true　to　him；　and　his　thirst　for　understanding　grew　until　he　could　no　longer　resist。
　Emmett　wasn't　authorized　to　access　t