jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第96部分

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z　ingly　close；　but　they　had　little　strength。
　They　lost　speed　with　each　stroke；　and　soon　were　doing　only　a　slow　crawl。　Without　life　jackets；　Ron　and　Carmen　struggled　through　the　waves。　Ron　found　he　didn't　have　the　strength　to　ride　the　waves；　and　they　began　breaking　over　him。　Each　time　he　went　under　it　took　longer　to　e　up。
　Ron　popped　to　the　surface　to　see　Chris　well　ahead　of　him；　Rosa　right　behind。　Carmen　was　to　his　right。　As　he　watched；　a　wave　caught　the　kids　and　washed　them　toward　shore；　pushing　them　well　ahead。　They　would　make　it；　he　knew…he　didn't　know　about　himself　and　Carmen。　Ron　relaxed　between　waves；　then　stroked　furiously；　trying　to　catch　a　wave　and　bodysurf　in。　Without　enough　speed；　the　waves　kept　washing　over　him。
　Ron　was　semiconscious　when　he　felt　hands　pulling　him。　Rosa　and　Chris　dragged　him　through　the　surf；　then　dropped　him　in　the　shallows。　Ron　crawled　the　rest　of　the　way　to　shore　and　turned　to　see　the　kids　helping　Carmen　out　of　the　surf。　Soon　they　were　lying　side　by　side　on　the　warm　sand；　thankful　to　be　alive。
　The　joy　of　survival　renewed　Ron's　strength；　and　he　pushed　himself　into　a　sitting　position。　The　remains　of　a　shattered　dock　littered　the　beach　and　a　parking　lot。　Behind　that　was　what　was　left　of　a　small　town…it　had　been　hit　by　a　tidal　wave。
　〃e　on；　everyone；〃　Ron　urged。　〃Let's　find　something　to　drink。〃
　〃And　eat；〃　Rosa　added。
　〃Do　they　have　a　McDonald's？〃　Chris　asked。
　Then　a　bloody　wave　washed　over　them　and　they　hunkered　down　to　keep　from　being　sucked　back　to　sea。　Turning；　Ron　saw　Patty　thrashing　in　the　surf。　She　struggled　to　get　what　was　left　of　her　legs　under　her　and　stand。　Weak　from　blood　loss；　she　couldn't　lift　her　long　neck；　and　only　her　head　was　held　above　the　waves。
　〃You　can　make　it；　Patty！〃　Rosa　yelled。
　〃Yeah；　you　can　make　it！〃　came　Chris's　echo。
　But　she　couldn't。　The　orcas　hit　her　again　from　the　oceanside　and　Patty　staggered　through　the　waves　and　then　fell　onto　her　side；　washing　the　family　with　another　bloody　wave。　Her　head　came　up　out　of　the　water　briefly；　then　slipped　below　the　surface　for　the　last　time。
　Hoping　she　would　recover；　they　stood　silently　and　watched　for　a　long　time。　Then　Carmen　took　charge　and　turned　them　toward　the　remains　of　the　town。　Ron　looked　back　at　the　mound　resting　in　the　sea　and　felt　sadness；　as　if　he'd　lost　a　family　member。　She'd　saved　his　family；　but　he　could　do　nothing　for　her　or　poor　Pat。　He　regretted　that；　but　it　also　made　him　cherish　his　own　family　more。　Stepping　closer　to　Rosa　he　said；　〃Well；　Rosa；　how　do　you　like　sailing？〃
　Rosa　turned　and　smiled；　then　reached　out　and　took　his　hand。
　
　65。　　MAGIC　MOUNTAIN
　
　Early　one　morning；　a　young　woman　looked　through　the　mist　to　see　a　herd　of　buffalo　approach。　Then　an　opening　appeared　in　the'mountain　and　inside　she　could　see　the　world　as　fresh　and　green　as　it　once　had　been。　The　buffalo　walked　into　the　opening；　and　the　mountain　closed　behind　them。
　…Kiowa　legend
　
　The　I…5　Mountain；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　WEDNESDAY；　11：32　A。M。　PST
　
　　Kyle　needed　a　bath　and　a　night's　sleep。　Instead；　he　found　himself　staring　up　the　sheer　face　of　a　mountain；　preparing　to　climb　into　the　unknown。　Kyle　had　listened　to　the　stories　of　the　I…5　mountain　with　mild　interest。　He　liked　a　mystery　as　well　as　the　next　person　。　。　。　until　it　involved　him。　And　it　involved　him　when　the　little　girl　had　been　carried　up　the　mountain　by　the　bird…thing。
　The　state　police　had　taken　charge　at　the　mountain　and　were　trying　to　send　trapped　motorists　back　down　I…5。　Many　of　the　motorists　were　resisting；　however；　preferring　to　stay　and　watch　the　drama　with　the　little　girl　unfolding。　The　congested　traffic　had　dissolved　a　little；　but　it　still　meant　driving　up　the　median。　To　Kyle；　the　mountain　looked　like　a　scene　from　Disneyland。　Right　where　the　freeway　should　continue　was　a　tall　rock　mountain；　surrounded　by　boulders　and　a　small　meadow。　Hundreds　of　people　milled　around　the　clearing；　radiating　fear　and　excite'　ment　in　the　air。　Kyle　half…expected　to　see　hot　dog　vendors。
　〃It　looks　like　a　carnival；〃　Shirley　whispered。
　〃It　looks　like　the　Twilight　Zone；'　〃　Kyle　responded。
　A　state　police　officer　named　Murphy　was　giving　orders　and　greeted　Kyle　and　the　other　climbers。　He　talked　directly　to　Kyle；　ignoring　Shirley　and　the　others。
　〃Thanks　for　ing。　You　can　see　the　situation；〃　Murphy　said。　〃We　got　no　idea　where　this　sucker　came　from；〃　he　said；　jerking　his　thumb　toward　the　mountain；　〃and　no　way　of　getting　up　the　damn　thing。　The　little　girl　makes　noises　once　in　a　while；　so　we're　pretty　sure　she's　still　alive。　We've　tried　climbing　up；　but　we　can　get　only　about　a　third　of　the　way。　Can't　get　good　footholds。〃
　〃What　about　this　bird　that　picked　up　the　little　girl？〃　Kyle　asked。　〃Not　many　birds　could　do　that。〃
　〃You　got　that　right；〃　Murphy　assured　him。　〃It　was　a　big　sucker　for　sure。　Had　wings　fifteen　or　twenty　feet　across。　Funny　thing　though；　it　seemed　to　have　trouble　picking　up　that　little　girl。　Like　it　didn't　have　much　strength。　Witnesses　said　it　kind　of　floated　her　up。〃
　〃What　kind　of　bird　was　it？〃　Shirley　asked。
　〃They　said　it　was　a　diseased　condor。　Didn't　have　any　feathers；　but　it　was　too　big　to　be　anything　but　a　condor。〃
　Shirley　shook　her　head　in　disbelief。　How　could　a　diseased；　featherless　condor　fly？
　〃Where's　the　bird　now？〃　Kyle　asked。
　〃Shot。　Probably　dead。　Fell　down　behind　those　rocks　up　there　with　the　little　girl。　Christy；　her　name　is…no；　Chrissy。〃　Murphy　pointed　to　an　outcropping　a　few　hundred　feet　up　the　mountain。
　〃Probably　dead；　or　dead？〃　Kyle　asked。
　〃Haven't　heard　the　bird　for　a　while。　Not　since　the　other　one　left。〃
　〃Other　one？〃　Kyle　probed。
　〃Where's　the　mother？〃　Shirley　cur　in。　Murphy　pointed　to　a　woman　sitting　on　a　blanket　in　the　clearing；　surrounded　by　people。　Two　men　with　guns　were　standing　nearby。　Shirley　walked　off　toward　the　mother。
　Kyle　waited　until　she　was　out　of　earshot。　〃Other　one？〃　he　repeated。
　〃Yeah。　There's　another　one。　Every　once　in　a　while　it　floats　out　over　the　peak　of　the　mountain。　It　came　down　low　at　first；　but　we　scared　it　off　with　shots。　It　doesn't　e　down　anymore。　We　figure　it's　the　mate。　Probably　gave　up　when　the　other　one　died。　I　don't　think　you　have　anything　to　worry　about。　If　it　es　back　while　you're　climbing；　we'll　give　you　cover　fire。〃
　Kyle　found　no　fort　in　the　thought　of　Murphy　and　his　men　blasting　away　over　his　head。
　〃Murphy；　when　we're　up　there　I　don't　want　any　cover　fire。　I　don't　want　any　fire　at　all。　I　don't　want　to　risk　a　ricochet　or　bringing　some　of　that　mountain　down　in　an　avalanche。〃
　Murphy　didn't　exactly　disagree；　so　Kyle　began　hauling　the　climbing　gear　over　to　the　mountain。　As　he　walked　a　man　separated　from　the　crowd　and　joined　him；　a　tall　thin　pale　man　with　black…rimmed　glasses。　He　obviously　had　something　to　say。　〃It's　not　a　condor。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃I　said；　it's　not　a　condor。　I　got　here　just　before　those　fools　over　there　shot　the　first　one。〃　The　pale　man　jerked　his　head　toward　the　two　civilians　with　rifles；　who　began　following　within　earshot。　〃Those　two　brainless　wonders　blew　the　wing　off　a　living；　breathing　pterosaur。〃
　Kyle　stopped　in　his　tracks　and　stared　at　the　man。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？　Are　you　trying　to　tell　me　it　was　a　dinosaur？　A　pterodactyl？〃
　〃Certainly　not。　It　was　too　big　to　be　a　pterodactyl。　Surely　it　was　part　of　the　pterosaur　family；　but　it　most　assuredly　wasn't　a　pterodactyl。　More　likely　it　was　a　pteranodon。　They　were　much　bigger。　Cretaceous　period；　I　believe。〃
　Kyle　stared　incredulously　as　the　pale　man　continued　talking。　〃It　was　magnificent。　So　graceful　in　the　air；　and　so　huge。　Nature's　finest　flying　creation；　perfectly　designed　to　conserve　every　ounce　of　energy。　The　aerodynamics　involved　stagger　the　imagination。　You　see　as　the　wingspan　increases；　the　weight　increases　exponentially。　Theoretically　anything　this　big　shouldn't　fly　at　all。　Even　with　the　hollow　bone　structure。　But　it　uses　the　surface　area　of　its　wings　to　maximize　use　of　the　thermal…〃
　〃What　about　the　little　girl？〃　Kyle　cut　in。
　〃Well；　they　were　most　likely　scavengers。　Carrion　eaters。　I　imagine　that　little　girl　was　too　tempting　a　target　to　ignore；　just　small　enough　to　lift　off　the　ground。　The　way　it　swept　down　and　grabbed　her　。　。　。　nature's　perfect　flying　machine。　And　those　two　men　shot　it。　They　should　be　shot；　not　that　beautiful　pterodon。〃　Kyle　couldn't　stand　it。　He　turned　and　walked　back　to　the　two　men　with　guns。
　〃You　the　two　that　shot　that　thing？〃　The　two　nodded　nervously。　〃Well；　I'm　going　up　there　to　see　if　that　little　girl's　all　right　and　when　I　get　back　I　want　to　punch　that　man；〃　he　said；　pointing　at　the　pale　one　behind　him。　〃Just　in　case　I　don't　e　back；　will　you　see　that　it　gets　done？〃
　The　two　men　looked　at　each　other　and　then　smiled。　The　pale　man　turned　even　paler　and　then　walked　hurriedly　toward　the　crowd；　the　two　following。
　What　had　the　jerk　called　it？　Kyle　wondered。　A　pterodon？　Kyle　had　heard　strange　reports　of　disasters　ing　through　the　station　house；　but　they　were　explainable。　But　what　could　explain　dinosaurs　flying　around？
　When　Jay　and　Kimberly　carried　the　rest　of　the　equipment　to　the　base　of　the　mountain；　Kyle　tried　to　examine　the　rock　face。　It　would　be　an　easy　climb　over　the　boulders　and　loose　rock　at　the　bottom；　but　above　that　the　rock　face