jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第86部分
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ose's cabinet and a bigger pile on the floor for Sarah。 Moose immediately attacked Sarah's pile； knowing his would still be there when he was done。 Colter snickered。 He liked Moose。 He was a thinker。
Now the dinosaur was well down the road； so Colter released the brake and pulled up on its left。 The creature kept walking but looked nervously at the RV rumbling along beside it。 Something was wrong； Colter thought。 Why wasn't it scared？ Colter pulled ahead of the dinosaur and parked； getting out with his rifle。 He checked the load。 There was one round in the chamber and eight in the clip。 He had three more clips tucked into a fanny pack。
Colter scanned the area； making sure none of the big carnivores were around。 When he did； he noticed other dinosaurs like the one on the road were milling around in the prairie grass bordering their meadow。 Everything looked the same as when he left； except the grass。 It was wilting。 Not enough water？ Colter wondered。 Maybe it was the cool air。 The dinosaur land looked almost tropical； but if it was too cold for the grass and brush； maybe it was too cold for the dinosaurs。 Maybe they were dying。 Colter smiled at the thought。 Then something blew across the road…one of Petra's T…shirts he'd thrown out the RV window。 Colter flushed at the thought of Petra； and he turned； bringing the rifle to his shoulder。 The dinosaur was lumbering toward him at a slow pace。 Colter waited with his finger on the trigger； letting the dinosaur e closer。 He didn't want to miss。 He knew the head and neck were heavily armored with bone； and he needed to hit it dead on to kill it instantly。 If he just wounded it； it would be as dangerous as the mother whose egg they had stolen。
Wait till you see the whites of their eyes； he said to himself。
The dinosaur came on straight toward Colter。 Slowly he began to pull back on the trigger； the sights lined up between the dinosaur's widely spaced eyes。 Just before he pulled the trigger it turned； angling to Colter's left to go around him。 Colter kept his aim； but the head began to swing； occasionally blocking his shot with the bony collar。 Colter's frustration grew； and he lowered the rifle。 He wanted a head shot； but he didn't want to get too far from the safety of the RV。 Frustrated； he raised the gun to his shoulder； aimed at the neck of the passing dinosaur； and pulled the trigger。
The slug entered just in front of the dinosaur's shoulder。 But the dinosaur only jumped from fright at the gun's loud report…then it jogged down the road。 Colter jacked another cartridge into the chamber and chased the animal。 He didn't have to go far。 Suddenly it collapsed to its knees； breathing deeply through its nose； and then fell to its side； its chest heaving。 Colter watched it dying； a feeling of deep satisfaction filling his soul。 After a few minutes the breathing became irregular and Colter worried it might die by itself。 So he put another slug into its throat and then another into its exposed chest。 It didn't breathe after that。
〃Man； that felt good！〃 Colter screamed。 Then he put two more rounds into the dinosaur's belly and one into an eye。 〃Yes！〃 he screamed。 〃How does it feel to be the hunted？ Huh？ See what a toolmaker can do？ Huh？ That's why you guys are extinct； you dead piece of crap！〃
Colter enjoyed the kill for another few minutes and then walked back to the RV。 It was going to be a good day。 These evolutionary rejects would learn who the real top predator was； and Colter would be the teacher。
He looked around for another target； the other monoclonius； scared by the sound of the gunfire； were positioning themselves defensively in the prehistoric clearing。 Colter jeered； then screamed down the hill at them： 〃It ain't gonna do you any good。 I got the magic！〃 Then he held the rifle above his head； whooped and danced； and ran back to the RV。
He parked the RV near its earlier spot。 Debris from the dinosaur attack； as well as Petra's clothes； littered the clearing。 Leaving Moose and Sarah in the RV； Colter approached the dinosaurs。 Six of them stood lined up in two rows。 Their heads were down； the horns pointed at Colter。 He walked parallel to the dinosaur wall； watching the horns track him every step of the way。 When he reached the end of the line he lifted his rifle； lined the sights up between the eyes of the last dinosaur； and pulled the trigger。 The rifle kicked into his shoulder； and the loud report startled the lines of dinosaurs； but they didn't bolt。 The one on the end took the slug just above the snout。 Colter was disappointed； he thought for sure at this distance he could put it right between the dinosaur's eyes。 But it didn't matter。 The dinosaur's front legs buckled； and it dropped to its knees。 Its back legs seemed locked and held its rear haunches high。 Then its eyes closed； and with the back legs still locked； it tipped left and fell onto its side； dead。
The back row of dinosaurs moved nervously back and forth； swinging their heads。 They looked like they wanted to bolt for the taller brush； but their instinct told them staying in the line was the best defense。 Colter smiled。 These poor dumb bastards were too stupid even to save themselves。 He walked down the line to the next dinosaur。 When he was directly in front； it pawed the ground。 Colter raised his rifle and was about to shoot when a dinosaur in the back moved out of line and ran behind the one he was about to kill。 Colter froze but held the moving dinosaur in his scope。 The newer trotted up to the dead one； pushed it in the back with its horns； then raised its head and bellowed； prodding the carcass again and again。 It then turned toward Colter； put its head down； and charged。
This time Colter's life was on the line。 The huge monster was picking up speed and closing fast； so he kept the rifle aimed between its eyes； fired； and then dove to the side。 When he hit the grass he rolled to get well clear of the monster； and swung his rifle up to fire another shot if needed。 It wasn't。 The bullet had hit the dinosaur in the head； killing it instantly； but the momentum carried it into a skid； then a tumble。
Colter crawled forward and then stood； using the dinosaur's body to steady his gun。 He sighted on another dinosaur and fired。 This time the shot was wide and buried itself somewhere in the dinosaur's neck； but it roared in pain and began swinging its head； then turned and staggered away。 Now the rest of the herd bolted for the tall brush and were soon at a full gallop。 Colter fired another round at the wounded dinosaur； hitting it in the rump； it roared again but kept walking even as blood streamed down its left rump and leg。 When Colter put another round into it； the retreating dinosaur only whimpered and Colter was disappointed； but at least it bled more。 Another shot got no further response； and as Colter watched； the bleeding dinosaur walked across the clearing and disappeared into the tall brush。
Colter was satisfied。 It was heading into the heart of the dinosaur land and bleeding bad enough to attract a pack of scavengers。 He smiled。 This was one dinner party he planned on crashing。
He returned to the RV and packed some water； a little food； and a box of ammunition。 Then he stretched out on a mattress on the floor to take a nap； his hands behind his head。 He wanted to give the scavengers time to gather before he went after them。 Besides； he was days behind in his sleep。 Sarah came out from under a pile and sniffed all around Colter； looking for food。 When she was sure there wasn't any； she flopped down next to him； pushing her head into the warmth of his armpit。 Her closeness bothered Colter； bringing back memories of Petra； but he soon fell asleep。
When he woke； Moose was stretched out on his chest； but as soon as he stirred the animal was up the wall to the top of the cabinet。 Sarah stirred but didn't wake。 Colter realized she was shivering and he covered her with a blanket。 It was just too cold for them； he realized。 Colter remembered Dr。 Coombs or Dr。 Piltcher talking about the extinction of the dinosaurs。 He remembered one of the theories was that a et slammed into the earth； kicking up enough debris to block out the sun and bring winter to the entire planet。 The dinosaurs just plain froze to death。 Colter hadn't paid much attention to the theory then； but he could see that Moose and Sarah weren't equipped for an eastern Oregon fall； let alone winter。 They were both lethargic and slept much of the time。
Of course there's another thing that might have happened to the dinosaurs； Colter told himself； something Dr。 Piltcher or Dr。 Coombs never would have thought of。 Maybe the dinosaurs died off because they all came to the future and were blown away 。 。 。 by me！ Colter frowned as a memory of Petra drifted through his mind。 Then he put out a bowl of water and more fruit for Moose and Sarah and left。
Outside the RV； the position of the sun told him he had been asleep for hours。 The carcasses nearby were still intact。 Probably the gunfire had scared the scavengers deeper into the forest。 But there was still the one that got away； leaving a blood trail； and it should have drawn a crowd by now。 Checking that all his clips were fully loaded； Colter slid a hunting knife in a sheath o
