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Even when they started finding bones； many believers refused to accept the idea of dinosaurs。 A lot of people still don't accept the idea。 Man； what are they gonna say now？〃
Cubby picked up a stick and broke it into pieces； flicking them into the grass； lost in his own thoughts。 John's mind jumped from the impossibility of the dinosaurs； to his family； to his missing friend。
〃I'm gonna go on； John；〃 Cubby said finally。 〃I don't know what happened to Ripman； maybe he made it to Portland already； but I've got to find my mom and dad。 My dad will know what's happened 。。。 he can explain this 。 。 。 Noah's Ravens 。 。 。 everything。 He has the gift of discernment。〃
At that moment John realized that if Ripman had wanted to go on； John would have gone with him right away。 But when Cubby said the same thing； John lacked confidence； and suddenly Ripman's idea of heading to the cabin sounded better… especially since the incident with the dinosaur。
He didn't exactly understand what Cubby meant by the 〃gift of discernment；〃 but John already knew what Cubby's dad would say…using words like judgment； sin； and repentance； he'd spiritualize what had happened and Cubby would e away feeling better。 But it wouldn't do anything for John； who was betting that Cubby was wrong and that God didn't have anything to do with this。 John didn't need his parents in the same way Cubby needed his； John simply wanted them。
In the end the prospect of walking through the forest by himself led John to decide to stay with Cubby。 Besides； John's confusion about reality scared him。 Despite all the evidence of a new； dramatically changed world； John couldn't help but think that just over the next hill； or through the next stand of trees； they would run into a Burger King or a McDonald's； and there would be Ripman with a Big Mac in his hand asking what kept them。
Finally； he just nodded to Cubby and suggested they rest until morning。 It was getting dark； so they began looking for a safe place to spend the night。 Because of the big tree lizards they were afraid of sleeping in the trees； and besides； they doubted they could climb high enough to elude the big dinosaur。 Instead they walked until they found an area where several trees had fallen together and left a hollow underneath。 After digging the hollow a little deeper and wider； they wedged themselves inside it； pulled some smaller branches over the opening to hide themselves； and wrapped themselves up in their stolen space blankets。
Cubby muttered urgent prayers for a long time while John listened respectfully。 But finally John needed to talk；
〃Hey； Cubby； did you ever see that show about those guys who dug down to the center of the earth？〃
〃I read the Jules Verne book。〃
〃That's different。 In the Verne book they； climbed down into a cave to get there。 In this movie some scientist builds a digging machine that's supposed to be used for mining or tunneling； or something； but once they start digging with it they can't stop it。 They end up digging all the way to the center of the earth； and it turns out it's hollow inside。〃
〃I've seen a couple like that。〃
〃Me too。 I think they made a couple of sequels。 Anyway； I read once there's a bunch of people that really believe the earth is hollow and that there may be a whole civilization inside。 Some of them even think that's where flying saucers e from。〃
〃The saucers e from the middle of the earth？ How do they get in and out？〃
〃Caves at the poles。 Anyway； in the movie they got down inside the middle of the earth and there were dinosaurs inside and cave people； and stuff。 Maybe Ripman was right； maybe there was a volcanic eruption or something。 Maybe this place used to be inside the earth and somehow it got blasted up to the surface。〃
〃Jeez； John。 Do you really believe that？ This isn't some dumb science…fiction movie。 Besides； why are you so hot on this idea but you don't believe me when I tell you it's the second ing of Christ？ Why is a hollow earth turned inside out more believable than God's judgment？〃
John didn't answer right away。 He didn't know how。 Ever since he could remember he had always preferred to believe in things he could sense。 John had always described ESP； and all that paranormal stuff； as crap。 He stopped short of calling God's judgment crap； but he still had trouble believing。 The forest around him was physical； and that meant real…according to John。
Cubby was different。 The supernatural came easy for him。 Divine intervention； God； the Holy Spirit； sanctification； all fit together like so many pieces of the same puzzle。 Together they made a picture of a spiritual realm that was as real to Cubby as the forest was to John。 To Cubby the forest was physical proof of a spiritual truth。 It was as easy for Cubby to believe that the forest was an act of God as it was for John to believe that it came from the center of the earth。
〃Hey； Ripman disproved your theory；〃 John argued。 〃We didn't find the topless joint； remember。 Besides； I thought God was going to use fire or something to destroy the earth。 Where in the Bible does it say people are going to be eaten by dinosaurs？〃
〃Scripture isn't easy to interpret。 If you'd ever read any you would know that。〃 Cubby spoke thoughtfully； not in a mean way。 After a few minutes Cubby talked again。
〃Maybe God did do something like this once before。 A couple of months ago my father did a series for his radio show on the Tower of Babel。 You remember that story？ The people of earth had bee arrogant and were trying to build a tower to reach God。 To punish the people； and stop them； God gave them all different languages； they couldn't talk to each other anymore。〃
〃Cubby； I can still understand you。 I mean I know what your words mean； it's the bination that doesn't make sense。〃
〃Yeah； but if we meet some dude hunting dinosaurs； wearing a skin and carrying a spear； I bet you can't understand him。〃
〃Your theory's thin； Cubby。〃
〃Thinner than UFOs from the center of the earth？〃
Because John didn't quite believe his own theory； he couldn't argue it seriously； so he changed the subject。 〃Cubby； did those dinosaurs look right to you？ I mean； they didn't look like any dinosaurs I'd ever seen before。〃
〃Jeez； John； you've never seen a dinosaur before； only pictures。〃
〃You know what I mean。 That little one that was being chased； its head was too small and too pointy； and its legs were too big for the rest of its body。 And the big one didn't have much of a tail。 I thought they fought each other with their tails and stuff。〃
〃I didn't see much of the big one； but the little one did look funny。 All those pictures of dinosaurs in books are just guesses。 Maybe when they tried covering those dinosaur skeletons with skin they got it wrong？ Or maybe the dinosaurs that were chasing us were different from the ones in the museums。 They were around for millions and millions of years。 Maybe we don't have any bones of ones like these。〃
John and Cubby didn't sleep or talk〃 much after that。 Cubby mumbled prayers most of the night； sometimes loud enough for John to pick out names and words。 Cubby was praying not only for his family but also for John's and Ripman's。 John wanted to thank him for his prayers。 But； reluctant to disturb his friend； instead； John lay silent listening to the sounds of the forest and worrying about his parents。
26。 STREETS OF THE NEW WORLD
Never was there a thunderbolt to match that to e。 Italy； Spain； and the English will tremble。 And the whole world will never be the some。
…Nostradamus
The disasters came in three waves。 The immediate losses of land； crops； buddings； and people were the beginning。 Shortly thereafter came the secondary effects。 With roads and bridges gone； and sections of track missing； cars and train wrecks piled up all over the country。 Along foggy highway 1 in California thirty two cars drove off a cliff before a slow…moving Winnebago stopped in time。 In other parts of the country dams that had disappeared into the night released their waters； and towns and villages were washed away in unprecedented deluges。 Fires spread in some areas； growing into firestorms that the survivors were ill equipped to fight。 Numerous ava