jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第50部分

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　〃Ladies；　I'm　tired　of　people　not　believing　me；　I've　talked　myself　blue。　I　don't　give　a　damn　what　you　do；　just　don't　try　to　bring　a　car　into　this　town。〃
　With　that　Officer　Peters　walked　off　a　short　distance　and　began　to　attract　another　crowd　of　people　as　Ellen　felt　hope　leave　with　him。　They　were　so　near；　yet　miles　from　her　home。　The　Jeep　might　take　them　closer；　but　all　the　fields　they　had　seen　were　ringed　by　either　forests　or　fences。　If　they　had　to　cut　their　way　through　with　a　chain　saw　and　wire　cutters　it　would　take　days。　The　only　option　left　was　to　walk。
　〃　'Scuse　me；　ladies。〃
　Ellen　turned　to　see　the　other　officer　staring　at　Angie；　or　more　precisely　at　Angle's　cleavage。　Tall　and　thin；　he　had　a　small　head；　and　his　nose　and　chin　poked　out　too　far。　He　wore　a　pair　of　glasses　with　one　of　those　straps　basketball　players　wear；　to　keep　them　from　falling　off。　Other　generations　would　have　called　the　man　geek；　nerd；　queer；　square。　He　seemed　to　be　all　of　those　and　more。
　〃I　couldn't　help　but　overhear　your　situation　and　I　might　just　be　able　to　offer　you　some　assistance。　I　happen　to　know　a　group　of　off…road　recreational　enthusiasts　who　are　planning　a　little　excursion　into　the　Portland　area。　I'm　sure　they　would　be　willing　to　help　you　once　I　explain　your　situation。〃
　　Ellen　didn't　know　what　to　make　of　the　offer。　The　name　tag　on　the　uniform　said　STANLEY　COOPER　and　the　look　in　his　eyes　suggested　sincerity。　Still；　the　man　seemed　decidedly　strange　and　made　Ellen　unfortable。　Angie　was　looking　him　over；　too。　Now　he　wasn't　staring　at　Angie's　cleavage；　but　he　was　sneaking　occasional　glances。
　〃Could　this　excursion　take　us　into　southeast　Portland？〃　Ellen　asked。
　〃If　it's　there。〃
　Apparently　Angie　had　made　up　her　mind　and　accepted　for　both　women　as　she　slipped　her　arm　through　the　cop's　and　leaned　into　him　so　that　her　breasts　were　pressed　firmly　against　his　arm。
　〃Could　you　really　help　us？〃　she　asked　in　her　little　girl　voice。　〃We'd　feel　so　much　safer　if　you　could　take　us；　Stanley。〃
　〃Call　me　Coop。〃
　〃Okay；　Coop。　Coop；　that's　cute；〃　Angie　giggled。　Ellen　didn't　know　whether　to　laugh　or　throw　up。
　〃Coop；　we　can't　thank　you　enough；〃　Angie　said　squeezing　his　arm　in　her　hands　and　giving　him　a　peck　on　the　cheek　as　Ellen　nearly　gagged。
　Coop　used　a　police　car　to　lead　Angie's　Jeep　up　the　left　side　of　the　road；　getting　them　closer　to　town。　The　women　ended　up　spending　the　night　in　the　Jeep。　It　was　unfortable　and　they　slept　fitfully。　Ellen　spent　the　night　alternating　between　worry　about　her　son　and　daughter　and　anger　at　her　husband。　Mostly　she　wondered　about　her　son；　she　knew　where　her　husband　was　and　knew　he　was　checking　on　their　daughter；　but　she　had　no　idea　where　her　son　was　or　what　had　happened　to　him。
　
　36。　JAWS
　
　I　deployed　3000　reinforcements　across　the　Yangtze　River　to　defend　the　bridge　and　the　town。　The　next　morning　only　a　small　pocket　of　100　could　be　found。　The　sentries　stationed　on　the　bridge　reported　no　crossings　during　the　night；　and　when　we　were　overrun　the　Japanese　claimed　no　contact　with　my　troops。　Perhaps　my　vanished　army　could　have　saved　Nanking　from　the　rape　that　followed。
　…Colonel　Li　fu　Sien；　December　1937
　
　Forest；　former　site　of　Portland；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　MONDAY；　　4：10　P。M。　PST
　
　　It　was　late　afternoon　when　the　rex　finished　and　wandered　off　down　the　valley。
　〃Thank　God　he　went　the　other　way；〃　John　whispered。　Cubby　whispered；　〃Amen；〃　then　urged　his　friend；　〃we've　got　to　move；　John。〃
　〃No　way。　We're　safe　here。〃
　〃That　carcass　will　attract　scavengers　all　night　long。　They　could　find　us　too。〃
　John　desperately　wanted　to　stay　where　he　was。　He　didn't　even　know　how　to　deal　with　bears；　or　lions；　let　alone　dinosaurs。　Now　if　Ripman　was　here；　he　might　know　what　to　do。　After　all；　he　knew　about　survival；　he　knew　about　animals；　he　knew　about　being　elemental。
　But　Cubby　persisted。　〃John；　every　dinosaur　from　ten　miles　around　heard　that　rex　make　a　meal　out　of　that　other　one。　They're　probably　already　thinking　about　the　leftovers。　Let's　get　out　of　here　before　they　get　here。〃
　John　was　nearly　persuaded　when　a　noise　outside　distracted　him。　It　grew　louder；　stopped；　and　then　something　started　sniffing　at　the　opening。　John　cringed　and　backed　into　Cubby；　and　they　both　fell　back　against　the　logs　that　made　up　the　back　wall。　Suddenly　a　three　toed　claw　appeared　in　the　opening；　each　toe　tipped　with　curved　spikes；　ripping　away　chunks　of　dirt；　first　on　the　left；　then　on　the　right。　To　John's　horror　the　opening　was　already　doubled。　The　claws　dug　methodically　several　more　times；　then　disappeared；　and　Cubby　and　John　froze　in　fear。　Cubby　feverishly　whispered　a　prayer。　Then　they　both　screamed　as　a　giant　triangular　head　jammed　its　way　into　the　opening。
　John　was　about　to　be　eaten。　The　head　in　the　opening　strained　forward；　trying　to　get　at　Cubby　and　him。　The　gaping　maw；　blood　red　with　a　double　row　of　jagged　teeth；　exhaled；　filling　the　small　enclosure　with　the　smell　of　rotting　flesh。　Both　boys　were　paralyzed　with　fear　and　indecision。　Suddenly　the　head　pulled　out；　and　the　paws　returned　to　make　the　opening　larger。　John　turned　in　panic　and　started　pushing　through　the　spaces　between　the　logs；　trying　to　find　a　way　out。　The　biggest　space　would　acmodate　only　his　arms　and　his　head。　Try　as　he　might；　he　couldn't　push　his　shoulders　through　the　opening。　If　he　was　going　to　die　he　didn't　want　to　be　eaten　from　the　bottom　up。　He'd　rather　have　his　head　go　first　and　get　it　over　with。
　John　pulled　back　in　to　look；　but　he　saw　no　other　way　out　except　where　the　giant　claws　were　diligently　excavating。　Cubby　knelt　on　the　ground　and　began　fumbling　with　his　bow　and　quiver；　notching　an　arrow　and　preparing　to　use　his　bow　。　。　。　his　weapon。　Seeing　him；　John　did　likewise；　pulling　an　arrow　out　of　his　quiver。　There　wasn't　enough　room　to　stand；　and　he　tried　to　figure　out　a　good　position　to　shoot　from…assuming　he　could；　because　his　hands　were　shaking　terribly。
　Cubby　held　the　bow　diagonally；　because　he　couldn't　hold　it　vertically　without　hitting　the　roof。
　With　a　wham　and　a　roar　the　animal's　head　was　back。　The　roar　stretched　every　nerve　in　John's　body　to　the　breaking　point。　The　head　roared　again；　its　warm　sour…smelling　breath　in　John's　face。　It　wriggled　back　and　forth　in　the　opening；　shifting　the　logs。　From　a　few　feet　away；　Cubby　let　his　arrow　fly　into　the　green　scaly　flesh　above　its　eye。　The　dinosaur　didn't　even　flinch。　It　just　kept　wriggling　and　ing　closer　and　closer。　Shaking；　John　fumbled　an　arrow　into　place。　Unable　to　stand；　he　put　his　feet　on　the　bow　and　pushed　until　he　felt　the　pound　bow　give　into　its　ready　position。
　〃Shoot　it；　John；　shoot　it！〃　Cubby　shouted；　fumbling　with　another　arrow。
　The　dinosaur　lunged　again；　and　this　time　the　logs　shifted。　John　suddenly　slipped；　rocking　onto　his　back。　He　shook　his　head　to　clear　it　and　looked　between　his　legs。　Inches　from　his　feet　was　the　biggest　eye　he　had　ever　seen。　Screaming；　he　let　go　of　the　bowstring。
　Twelve　inches　away；　the　razor　sharp　arrowhead　penetrated　the　eye　of　the　dinosaur；　who　screamed　and　reared。　The　roof　gave　way　under　the　pressure　and　the　back　wall　collapsed　and　rolled　away。　Cubby　yelled　a　warning　and　pointed　to　an　opening　behind　John；　who　scrambled　out。　Cubby　followed　him　and　they　started　running；　the　dinosaur　screaming　behind　them。
　In　John's　blind　panic　he　tripped　over　a　root　and　sprawled　flat。　Cubby　literally　ran　right　over　him。　A　short　distance　later　Cubby　fell　and　John　passed。　They　continued　running　and　tripping　until　they　could　go　no　farther。
　John　and　Cubby　found　themselves　in　a　patch　of　ferns；　gasping　for　breath；　and　holding　their　aching　sides。　Slowly　their　breathing　grew　normal　and　they　began　listening　for　sounds。　They'd　made　so　much　noise　running　and　panting；　they　were　afraid　they'd　attract　flesh　eaters。
　They　sat　for　more　than　an　hour　without　speaking；　each　lost　in　his　own　thoughts。　John　was　worrying　about　his　family。　He　knew　his　sister　was　safe　in　Washington；　D。C。；　but　were　his　parents　at　the　beach　cabin　or　in　Portland？　John　knew　Cubby　would　keep　looking　until　he　found　his　parents；　and　John　would　keep　following　Cubby。　John　couldn't　go　back　now。　He　was　closer　to　Portland　than　to　where　they　had　left　the　van。　He　still　worried　about　the　way　Portland　had　looked；　but　what　choice　did　he　have？　After　a　while　Cubby　lay　down　in　the　ferns。　John　soon　followed；　pushing　his　back　up　against　Cubby；　and　fell　asleep　listening　to　Cubby's　prayers。
　
　37。　　SEA　MONSTER
　
　In　my　visions　I　see　the　shadows　of　great　beasts。　Before　them　flee　the　shadows　of　man。
　…Zorastrus；　Prophet　of　Babylon
　
　Off　Naples；　Florida
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　6：50　A。M。　EST
　
　　Dawn　broke；　bringing　them　the　clearest　view　yet　of　the　monster's　head。　It　was　perched　on　a　neck　rising　fifteen　feet　out　of　the　water　and　wasn't　much　larger　in　diameter　than　the　neck。　The　skin　appeared　to　be　the　same　color　as　the　mound　they　were　sitting　on；　a　deep　green。　The　neck　and　head　undulated　rhythmically。　Ron　looked　behind　where　the　mound　curved　down　to　the　water。　He　knew　there　was　a　tail　under　there　somewhere；　and　from　the　swirls　behind　them　he　could　tell　the　tail　was　moving。　Undoubtably　the　animal　was　swimming　and　making　slow　steady　progress。
　Chris　was　still　in　the　front　sitting　between　Carmen's　legs　with　Carmen's