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om under the tree； running across John's foot and disappearing into a patch of ferns behind him。 John yelped and jumped back； tripping and falling to the forest floor。
〃What was that？〃
〃I saw it；〃 Cubby said； speaking with confidence for the first time since they stepped into the forest。 〃It looked like a weasle but it had gigantic eyes。〃
〃The Bible say anything about weasles with big eyes？〃 Ripman asked； mockingly。
Cubby scowled； but then followed Ripman over the log。 John came behind cautiously； checking the placement of each foot before he put it down。 After cresting the hill； they made a slow descent and then a long level trek。 Occasionally they came to a section where the trees had fallen or leaned precariously； their roots exposed。 In one stretch John could see a whole hillside was covered with freshly fallen trees。 It was a crazy quilt forest。
John found the hiking easier when he put his mind into flowing consciousness。 One portion of his mind took over the routine task of walking while the higher cerebral matter played with ideas； allowing him to keep up with Ripman and Cubby。
The sun was high overhead when Ripman stopped； dropped his pack and quiver； and sat down； leaning against a branch from a fallen tree。 〃Well； Cubby？ You see any strip joint？〃
John looked around。 They were standing in a sparse stand of trees no different from a hundred other spots they had walked through。 John could not imagine why Ripman thought this was the spot where the bar with the nude girls had been。 Cubby looked around trying to confirm their location。
〃What makes you think this is the right spot？〃 John asked。
Ripman started to reply； but Cubby cut him off。 〃If it isn't this spot； then we're past it。〃
Again John marveled at their certainty。
〃Was I right； Cubby； or what？ You see any sinners around here？ You see any topless joint？ You think maybe heaven was getting a little boring so God decided to add nude dancing girls？〃
Cubby looked lost in thought。 〃Maybe； Ripman； maybe。 But if this isn't the rapture； then what is it？〃
Ripman didn't have an answer。 Instead he muttered 〃I told you so〃 and sat down with his pack in his lap。 John broke out some of his trail mix and rested on fern fronds。 What had happened？ The tornado he could understand。 Tornados had happened before； maybe not in Oregon； but they were mon enough。 There was even a part of the Midwest they named tornado alley。 But what about this weird forest？ Where did it e from and what happened to the nude girls？ What happened to the radio stations？ Could this forest go all the way to Portland？ Maybe the radio stations weren't broadcasting because they weren't there anymore。 And if they were gone what about John's house？ What about his parents？ Cubby interrupted John's thoughts by standing up and putting on his pack。
〃Where you going？〃 Ripman asked。
〃This answers one question；〃 Cubby said； gesturing at the forest around him。 〃But now I've got to find my parents。〃
John felt the same as Cubby； John had to know whether he had a home and what had happened to his parents。 He just wasn't sure how to go about it。
〃Are you going to walk； Cubby？〃 John asked。 〃Which way？〃
〃That way；〃 Cubby said nodding in the direction they had been going。
〃Why not head back to the van and try to drive around？ If the road is clear we could head out the Wilsonville Highway and try to e in on I…5。〃
〃There was a lot of debris on that highway。 I bet it takes two days to clear it。 And they'll clear Highway 99 before they work on some back road to Wilsonville。 I can walk the rest of the way to Portland before then。 Besides； I could break out of this over the next hill and hitchhike the rest of the way…〃
〃Cubby； for all you know this forest could run all the way to Boston；〃 Ripman interrupted。 〃Hey； we found the spot where the topless joint was； but that doesn't mean we can find your house。〃
Cubby thought for a minute and then squatted down。 He ripped some of the grass and ferns out of the ground and cleared a patch of dirt。 Then he drew in it with the tip of his knife。
〃I can't pinpoint my house too well； but I can my dad's church。〃
Cubby drew three circles on the ground and a couple of squiggly lines。
〃We know the hills and valleys seem to be the same； even though the trees and stuff are all different。 We don't know about rivers though。 These are the hills I can see from the church。 This one's Rocky Butte； this one is Mt。 Tabor； and this one is that one that has all the cemeteries on it。 My dad's church is right here on this hill。〃 Cubby stuck the knife in a spot just behind two of the hills。 〃This is the Willamette River and this is the Columbia。 After I e down out of the West Hills and drop into the valley； all I need to do is cross the Willamette。 Then if I hit the Columbia I'll know I've gone too far east and need to turn south。〃
Ripman had been studying the map。
〃Don't forget the Clackamas and that other river out here；〃 Ripman said adding more squiggly lines。 Ripman started arguing over topographical details； but finally they turned to John；
〃You going with him？〃 Ripman asked。
〃I've got to find my parents too。〃
〃If I was you； John； I'd head to that cabin your parents have at the coast。 They'll look there for you eventually。 Besides；〃 he said； his voice softening； 〃if your parents are in the same place as the nude girls； then you are going to need that cabin。 If it stays empty some survivalist is going to occupy it and you won't have a chance of getting him out。〃
John felt stung。 His parents couldn't be gone like the nude dancers； could they？ Sure； Ripman was right about the beach house。 There was food there； and money hidden away。 Still； Cubby was right too。 This forest could end a few yards away； and he could hitchhike home by dinnertime。 Hitching to the coast would probably take him all night。
〃This can't go on much farther； Ripman。〃 John said it without conviction and then added； 〃I'm going with Cubby。〃
〃Well then I might as well keep you wusses pany。〃
Ripman didn't say anything about finding his father； but John noticed Ripman had marked his house on the map he and Cubby made。
It was late morning when they started out again； and a warm autumn day。 One by one they took off their jackets and tied them around their waists。 The forest thinned as they walked and they began passing through small natural meadows。 Leafy deciduous trees joined the giant redwoods。 John recognized poplars and some trees hung with fruit that looked like figs。 There were no ferns in the meadows； and the grass was knee high。
Ripman stopped in a stand of poplars； waved his hand for silence； then unslung his bow and notched an arrow。 John and Cubby imitated him clumsily。 Ripman whispered to them without taking his eyes off the forest ahead of them。
〃Something ran by 。 。 。 there。〃
John looked in the direction Ripman indicated but saw nothing except forest。 Suddenly something John had never seen before ran through the trees and disappeared。 It was five or six feet high and ran on large black legs； holding its slender tail straight out behind。 It had long slim arms in the front and a snakelike neck that ended in a small head。 Large yellow eyes were set just above the mouth。
〃Did you see…〃 John stammered。
〃Yeah；〃 Ripman replied。 〃Looked like a plucked ostrich。〃
Two more ran by； glancing at them。 The tails and the necks were striped with wide bands of greenish yellow alternating with grayish greens。
〃e on； let's follow them。〃 Ripman's voice overflowed with excitement。
Ripman led off。 John saw the doubt on Cubby's face； but he shrugged his shoulders and started after Ripman。
The boys emerged in a meadow and cut across it； although the animals were out of sight。 They had nearly reached the other side when they heard a motion behind them。 Turning to look； they suddenly saw an animal burst out of the forest and e running toward them； bent over and speeding on two powerful legs like the plucked ostriches they had just seen。 But this animal was taller and bulkier。 Its neck was shorter and thicker and its head larger； with a ducklike bill for a mouth。 Covered with slick…looking skin； with a long tail； it was undoubtedly a dinosaur。