jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第47部分

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　〃What　is　it；　George？　I　believe　the　microceratops　has　a　cold　。　　。　。　wouldn't　that　be　interesting？　Not　surprising；　for　sure；　but　an　interesting　subject　to　study。〃
　〃Very　interesting；〃　Dr。　Coombs　agreed。　〃But　something　more　serious　is　happening。　Look　at　the　grass　here；　notice　how　it　is　drooping。　The　meadow　is　drying　out；　it　won't　last　long　without　rain。　And　when　the　snow　es　in　a　couple　of　months；　everything　will　die；　animals　and　all。〃
　〃Yes；　we'expected　this。　But　so　soon？　We've　only　begun　to　explore。〃
　Petra　cut　him　off　by　putting　her　hand　on　his　arm　and　then　slowly　standing　and　pointing　across　the　meadow。　The　others　looked　in　that　direction　to　see　the　biggest　animal　they　had　encountered　yet。　Its　huge　head　was　shaped　something　like　a　rhinoceros　and　was　tipped　with　a　long　horn　and　surrounded　by　a　large　collar。　Two　smaller　horns　protruded　from　its　collar　above　its　head。　It　was　five　feet　at　the　shoulder；　and　taller　at　the　back；　its　head　hanging　low　to　the　ground。
　〃What　do　you　think；　Chester？〃　Dr。　Coombs　asked。　〃Is　it　a　triceratops？〃
　〃No；　the　horns　are　wrong。　But　it's　similar。〃
　〃Maybe　we　better　get　inside；〃　Petra　whispered　quietly。　〃Please；　let's　go。〃
　〃I　don't　think　we　should　all　go　at　once；〃　Dr。　Coombs　said。　〃Petra；　you　go　first。〃
　Petra　slowly　backed　up　several　steps；　before　turning　to　walk　toward　the　RV。　When　she　was　nearly　to　the　door；　Dr。　Piltcher　turned　to　follow。　As　he　turned；　the　dinosaur　raised　its　head；　moving　it　back　and　forth　slowly；　then　dropped　and　lifted　it　quickly　again…and　came　up　roaring。　As　the　group　watched；　the　head　dropped　again　and　the　dinosaur　broke　into　a　run；　right　toward　the　group。
　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher　bolted　towatd　the　RV。　Petra　dashed　the　last　few　yards　to　the　door　and　then　shouted　for　the　others　to　hurry。　Colter　came　up　behind　her　and　watched　silently。　Petra　was　sure　her　friends　would　win　the　race…the　humans　had　too　much　of　a　head　start。　Petra　felt　relief　as　she　and　Colter　made　room　for　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher。　When　they　were　safely　inside　she　stepped　down；　grabbed　the　door；　and　pulled　it　closed　behind　them。　When　she　locked　it；　Colter　laughed。
　〃It's　not　going　to　make　any　difference；　Petra。　Look　at　the　size　of　that　mother。〃
　As　they　looked　out　the'window；　they　saw　it　looming　larger　and　larger；　not　as　big　as　the　RV；　but　close　enough。
　〃Everyone　get　down！〃　Colter　yelled。　〃Get　down　or　fall　down！〃
　They　all　sat　down　on　the　floor　and　against　the　back　wall　of　the　RV。　Watching　the　charging　dinosaur　had　been　terrifying；　but　sitting　on　the　floor；　unable　to　see；　was　worse。　Petra　linked　arms　with　Colter　and　Dr。　Coombs；　who　linked　his　with　Dr。　Piltcher。　Colter　pushed　his　legs　straight　out　against　the　cabinet　opposite　him；　wedging　himself　in　as　tight　as　he　could；　the　rest　copying　him。　They　were　all　tightly　packed　when　the　dinosaur　hit。　It　did　little　good。
　When　the　curved　horn　on　the　snout　slammed　into　it；　the　door　of　the　RV　crumpled；　ripping　from　its　hinges　in　a　scream　of　metal。　As　the　huge　mass　of　the　dinosaur　continued　forward　the　head　forced　itself　through　the　door　and　into　the　RV。　The　neck　collar；　too　wide　for　the　opening；　crumpled　the　wall　on　both　sides　of　the　door。　Now　the　impact　turned　loose　objects　in　the　RV　into　shrapnel。　Pens；　and　paper；　a　flashlight；　apples；　and　peaches　ricocheted　all　around；　drawers　flew　open　and　silverware　bounced　around。　Cupboards　opened　and　dry　goods　poured　over　the　four　heads；
　The　impact　of　the　collision　drove　the　RV　backward　across　the　clearing；　rocking　the　occupants　forward　and　then　throwing　them　back　as　the　RV　absorbed　the　rest　of　the　force　and　jerked　to　a　stop。　When　their　heads　cleared；　those　inside　realized　the　vehicle　was　tilted　at　an　angle。
　They　held　their　breath　waiting　for　it　to　fall　over　or　rock　back　onto　its　wheels。　Neither　happened。　Then　they　realized　why。　The　dinosaur's　head　was　still　jammed　in　the　door；　and　it　was　looking　at　them　with　a　huge　angry　eye。
　They　were　all　frozen　in　fear　except　Colter；　who　reached　down；　picked　up　a　spatula；　leaned　forward　and　slapped　the　dinosaur　on　the　nose。
　〃Get　the　hell　out　of　here！〃　he　yelled。
　The　dinosaur　went　crazy　and　began　thrashing　its　head。　Its　power　was　stunning。　The　RV　shook　back　and　forth　with　the　wrenching　head；　the　thin　metal　of　the　doorway　screaming　with　each　motion。　Then；　with　a　powerful　jerk；　the　head　withdrew　from　the　doorway。　Suddenly　the　beast　slammed　against　the　side　of　the　RV；　again　and　again。　The　powerful　shocks　reverberated　inside；　making　it　impossible　to　stand。　The　dinosaur　was　systematically　crushing　the　full　length　of　the　RV。　A　particularly　vicious　slam　shattered　the　window　farthest　back；　showering　the　inside　with　glass。　Sarah's　fearful　squeal　could　be　heard　above　the　din。　Then　the　attacks　stopped；　and　only　Sarah's　squeals　continued；　eventually　dying　to　a　whimper。
　When　the　group　managed　to　get　their　own　breath　under　control；　they　heard　the　dinosaur　breathing　outside。　They　sat　paralyzed　with　fear；　afraid　to　move　lest　a　sound　would　bring　another　attack。　Colter；　the　spatula　still　in　his　hand；　started　to　move　to　the　window；　but　Dr。　Piltcher　grabbed　his　back　pocket。
　〃Whatever　you　do；　don't　hit　it　with　that　again！〃
　Colter　smiled　reassurance　and　handed　the　useless　weapon　to　Dr。　Piltcher。　Then　the　dinosaur　screamed。　Colter　dove　to　the　floor　just　before　another　slam　shattered　the　window。
　The　dinosaur　continued　crushing　the　side　of　the　RV；　deafening　the　cowering　occupants。　Then　it　stopped　again。　They　waited　fearfully；　afraid　to　move。　The　dinosaur　slammed　the　vehicle　twice；　then　took　up　a　station　outside　the　RV；　its　wet；　ragged　breathing　sounding　menacing。　Soont　it　was　clear；　the　animal　wasn't　going　to　leave　until　it　had　what　it　came　for。
　
　34。　　TIME　WAVES
　
　I　can　foretell　what　is　ing　because　I　know　what　has　been。
　…Zorastrus；　Prophet　of　Babylon
　
　Washington；　D。C。
　POSTQUILT：　MONDAY；　3：58　P。M。　EST
　
　　Frustrated；　Phil　stared　at　the　piles　in　front　of　him。　Kenny's　disks　were　divided　into　three　categories：　〃software；〃　〃use…less；〃　and　〃what　the　hell　is　this？〃　The　software　category　contained　mercial　programs　for　word　processing；　drawing；　or　spreadsheets。　The　〃useless〃　pile　included　data　storage　files　that　contained　Kenny's　term　papers；　book　reviews；　class　outlines；　and　letters　home。　Bill　snagged　the　disks　with　the　letters　on　them。　The　〃what　the　hell　is　this？〃　category　were　the　programs　Phil　was　concentrating　on。
　〃Why　don't　you　tell　us　what　you　know　so　far；　and　maybe　we　can　help　a　bit；〃　Bill　suggested。
　〃There's　a　dozen　programs　here　but　they　seem　to　be　of　three　types。〃　Phil　pulled　down　menus　with　the　mouse；　then　three　columns　filled　the　screen。　The　first　column　was　labeled　DATE；　the　second　was　labeled　PLACE；　and　the　third　EVENT。　The　first　entry　was　July　22；　1879；　London；　frog　fall。　The　second　entry　was　August　19；　1881；　Kiev；　Ukraine；　woman　burns。　The　third　entry　was　March　2；　1882；　St。　Augustine；　Florida；　ice　fall。　Terry　scanned　the　list。　These　were　the　kinds　of　events　Kenny's　books　and　files　were　filled　with。
　〃There's　five　hundred　and　twenty…two　entries　on　this　list。　There's　three　other　lists　too。　One　of　the　lists　isn't　in　any　kind　of　order。　It's　kind　of　a　hodgepodge　of　things　like　Sasquatch　and　yeti　sightings；　UFO　reports；　junk　like　that。　Most　of　it's　garbage　except　the　report　about　a　prehistoric　fish　caught　off　the　coast　of　South　America。　I　saw　a　picture　of　that　fish　so　I　know　it's　true。〃
　Terry　understood。　He'd　never　have　believed　the　I…5　mountain　either；　if　he　hadn't　seen　it　in　person。
　〃Some　of　this　stuff　is　pretty　old。　I　found　a　file　labeled　with　Zorastrus's　name。　It's　got　the　really　old　stuff　in　it。〃
　Bill　and　Terry　exchanged　glances。　The　name　Zorastrus　kept　ing　up。
　The　screen　now　filled　with　programming　mands。
　〃This　is　the　second　kind　of　stuff。　He's　got　several　versions　of　this　program。　You　can　see　what　he　was　trying　to　do。　Most　of　this　stuff　is　just　display　instructions…mands　to　read　his　data　array；　plete　some　calculations；　and　display　the　output。　The　important　part　is　here。〃　Phil　scrolled　the　program　until　his　finger　came　to　rest　at　a　particular　spot。　〃This　is　where　his　formula　starts。〃
　〃Formula　for　what？〃　Bill　asked。
　〃I　ain't　no　mathematician；〃　Phil　protested；　but　then　he　yielded。　〃It　looks　like　he's　trying　to　fit　a　curve　to　three　sets　of　variable　data。　Okay；　it's　like　this。　Let's　say　I　draw　a　line　on　a　piece　of　paper　through　points　A；　B；　and　C。　Then　I　want　to　know　where　that　line　will　be　if　I　add　an　inch　to　A；　an　inch　to　B；　and　an　inch　to　C。　That's　what　he　had　the　puter　doing。　He　wasn't　using　inches　though；　and　he　wasn't　always　adding　the　same　amount　to　each　reference　point；　and　sometimes　he　subtracts。〃
　〃If　he　wasn't　using　inches　what　was　he　using？〃　Bill　asked。
　〃The　only　one　I've　figured　out　is　this　one。〃　Phil　reached　up　and　tapped　the　third　column。　〃It　looks　like　it　varies　between　1　and　200；366。　One　set　ranges　from　1　to　366　and　the　other　from　between　1　and　200。　It　works　something　like　an　odometer。　Once　this　column　reaches　either　365　of　366　it　rolls　over　a　number　in　the　next　column。〃
　〃It's　counting　days　and　years？〃
　〃Yeah；　it　even　corrects　for　leap　year。〃
　〃Umm。　。。〃　Bill　began。　〃That　makes　sense。　Kenny　thinks　these　events　in　the　past　have　something　to　do　with　what's　happened。　What's　the　third　kind　o