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military man barreled into the kid； knocking him backward； his hands outstretched and reaching for the gun as the kid fell onto his back。
Terry hesitated； but when he realized no one else was doing anything he jumped to his feet and sprinted toward the struggling men。 He could see the gun was still in the kid's hand and the military man was trying to hold the gun arm down。 At the same time the kid was kicking and shoving and punching with his other hand。 Terry dove onto the struggling pair； reaching for the gun。 His landing partially knocked the military man sideways； and he lost his grip on the gun arm； which Terry grabbed…then realized that the kid might be too strong for him to control。 There was a manic look in the kid's eyes and his strength seemed out of proportion to his body。
The military man was swinging around to get a better grip when another person hit the pile so hard he knocked Terry over the kid's arm and the military man off of the kid entirely。 The new person wore a helmet and climbing clothes； and slid so far forward that he was nearly sitting on the kid's face。
Terry realized that he was now lying in front of the gun and the gun was pointed at his leg。 He let go and jumped up as a young woman in climbing clothes held him back and then did a knee drop on the kid's solar plexus； ending the fight。
They were soon surrounded by police officers and rangers； and the kid； now handcuffed； had gone from mania to severe depression in seconds。 He was crying and begging them to leave him in the cave。 〃It may not have happened yet；〃 he said over and over again。 〃Please； let me stay here。 Jill！ Jill！ Please don't let them take me out。 It's too soon。 Please； Jill！〃
Jill began forting him； repeating 〃it will be okay；〃 but Terry doubted the kid could hear his sister。 The kid was in a different reality。
Finally； Terry heard someone call over the radio for a stretcher； and the police escorted the hostages from the cave。 The kid was still sobbing and begging when the hostages left。
When they reached the surface； the police needed to interview all the hostages and have them fill out reports。 It took hours。
It was nearly dawn when Terry and Ellen were finally released。 As they walked toward the parking lot Terry saw the military man。 When his eyes met Terry's； he and his wife began walking toward them。 The couples met with hands extended。
〃My name's Conrad； Bill Conrad。 Good job in there；〃 he said to Terry。
〃I only followed your lead。 I'm Terry and this is my wife Ellen。〃
〃This is my wife Angie。 Man； wasn't that strange？〃 Bill said shaking his head from side to side in slow movements。 〃I wonder what he thought was going to happen？〃
In the parking lot they found a knot of excited people clustered around a motor home。 Terry could hear voices from a CB radio。
〃What's going on？〃 Angie asked。
A couple broke off from the group； anxious to share the excitement with newers。
〃You're not going to believe this； but something has happened to the interstate。 It's gone！〃
〃What？ An avalanche？〃 Terry asked。
〃Maybe；〃 the woman responded； 〃but that's not the way it sounds。 You drive up 1…5 and it just ends。 Where there was a four…lane highway； now there's grass； trees； and a mountain。 Can you believe that？ A mountain。〃
12。 ROAD GAMES
。 。 。 the day of the Lord will e like a thief in the night。 When people say； 〃there is peace and security；〃 then sudden destruction will e upon them。 。 。
…I Thessalonians 5：2
Newberg； Oregon
TIME QUILT： SATURDAY； 11：20 P。M。 PST
Ripman was keeping time from the driver's seat of Cubby's van while Cubby stared at the Taco Bell sign。 John was spread out on the bench behind them。 All three of them had Big Gulps wedged in their crotches。 Ripman kept calling out the time and revving the engine。
〃Two minutes； big guy。 You got two minutes！ No way you're gonna win。 I can taste that pie already。〃
〃Cram it； Ripman；〃 Cubby growled。
All three of them slurped periodically on their Big Gulps。 It was the last turn of the last round； and the loser was buying Hostess pies。 Ripman was way ahead； so the contest was between Cubby and John。
They were twenty miles out of Portland in Newberg； one of the too…small towns that had nearly faded into obscurity when the interstate had bypassed it thirty years ago。 The motels； drive…ins； and restaurants that had eked out a modest living off the highway traffic were mostly gone now； and the town was at the mercy of the big paper mill。 Given another two decades of urban growth； Newberg would be absorbed into the urban sprawl of Portland。 For now； however； fifteen miles of forests and farms separated Newberg from the city。
John； Cubby； and Ripman normally played road anagrams on 82nd Avenue or 122nd in Portland； but they'd gotten bored and craved new territory。 So they found Newberg。 There was a little college there； and they drove around for a while yelling out the van windows at the coeds。 When they tired of that they found lots of opportunity for their game along the highway。
They started on the west side of town at the Dairy Queen； one of the old…fashioned kind with no eating space inside。 A reader board outside advertised specials on blizzards and banana splits。
BUZZARDS 1。99
BANANA SPLITS 1。99
SUNDAES 1。49
Ripman studied the sign for a minute； waited until there was a lull in the traffic； then reshuffled the letters so the sign read
LIZZARD LIP SUNDAES 99。99
He left the rest of the letters in a pile on the ground。 Cubby loved it； and John had to admit it was a high scorer。
John went next； picking the AM/PM sign。 The sign read
PARTY TIME？ WE HAVE BEER AND ICE
when they pulled in。 John switched the letters around so the sign read
PARTY？
WE HAVE RICE AND BEET
Ripman called it a 〃piss poor effort；〃 and Cubby just snorted agreement。
When John challenged Cubby to do better； Cubby picked the D &。 D video sign：
JOIN OUR VIDEO GOLD CLUB MEMBER DISCOUNTS
Cubby hopped out and came back a minute later。 As they pulled out they read
RODEO MOLD ONE DIME
Ripman cackled his approval； pulled into the 7…Eleven and made John buy Big Gulps。
When Cubby finished this round； one way or another he was going to have to tell them he had to get home。 It was nearly eleven…thirty； and under no circumstances could he take the chance of staying out past midnight。 His parents would be home from their trip by now； and he didn't want them to think he'd been out past curfew every night。
The worst part would be telling his friends he had to get home； 〃Jeez；〃 Ripman would say； 〃they've really got you whipped。 What a wuss。〃 Cubby wouldn't say much in words； but his crooked smile and raised eyebrows would say as much as Ripman did in words。
John was always the first to have to get home。 His father was a psychologist and occasionally taught parenting classes。 His credibility depended on how he raised his own kids； so he was meticulous in that area。 〃The keys to good parenting；〃 his father always said； 〃are consistency and discipline。〃 While John had a clear set of rules that were virtually inviolable； Ripman's father didn't care what he did； as long as he did it somewhere else。 And Ripman was usually somewhere else。
Cubby's father was the worst though。 He was the most popular minister in the state and even had a regional following on cable TV。 He 〃trusted〃 his son。 He 〃trusted〃 him enough to buy him the van； and 〃trusted〃 him enough not to put restrictions on him； except one。 He had to be in church every Sunday morning and every Wednesday evening。 Otherwise； until he violated his father's trust； what Cubby did was 〃between his son and the Holy Spirit。〃 As far as John knew； Cubby had never done anything to violate that trust。 At least not anything his father knew about。 There was no way to know what the 〃Holy Spirit〃 knew。
〃All right； Ripman；〃 Cubby said with confidence in his voice； 〃get me under that sign。 This is for Hostess pies； right？〃
Ripman put the van in gear and pulled up。 Before it stopped rolling Cubby had his head poked up through the sunroof and was holding the long…handled sign changer； which Ripman had 〃foun