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head。 Carl leaned back； putting more weight on her stomach； staring at her breasts； smiling in anticipation。 Thinking quickly； she relaxed a little； encouraging Carl to lean back some more； then she jerked her knee sharply upward； cracking Carl in the back。 Carl yelped with the pain。 His eyes flashed and he slapped Ellen hard across the face； twice。 Suddenly she felt Carl's hands on her chest； tearing； her blouse open。
〃Hot damn！〃 Carl said。 He looked up at Bobby。 〃I think we made the right choice。 Besides； we can always have a go at Angie later。〃
Carl reached down； trying to pull off Ellen's bra。 The straps held； cutting into Ellen's back。 Finally； the clasp gave； and she felt Carl's rough hands on her breasts。 Bobby was giggling uncontrollably by now； and Carl rocked back and forth； inching his way down so he could get at Ellen's pants。
Then Bobby screamed。
He reached around to his back and stood； almost falling into Ellen and Carl； his mouth opening and closing。 But the screaming had stopped； replaced by short gurgling breaths。 He collapsed to his knees； then fell sideways onto his face。 Ellen could see an arrow sticking out of his back。 Carl leapt to his feet； pulling his gun。 He was looking past Ellen into the trees when another arrow flew over Ellen's head and buried itself into his calf。 Now he too fell to the ground with a scream； dropping the gun and grabbing at his leg。
Ellen rolled to her stomach and then came up onto her feet running。 She bolted toward the darkness of the treeline； listening for pursuit but heard only her own blood pulsing through her system。 She made the trees and ran wildly； not looking where she was going。 Bushes and branches swiped at her face as she ran。 When she stumbled to her knees； gasping for breath； she looked behind her。 Someone was crashing through the trees； a strange half…naked figure。 Ellen realized it was Angie。
〃Thank God；〃 Ellen sobbed。 〃I'm sorry； Angie； I'm sorry I left you。〃 Ellen felt guilty for getting Angie into this mess in the first place； and for thinking only of herself when a chance to escape had e。
〃Nonsense；〃 Angie said briskly； 〃you did what I would have done。 Now let's get out of here。〃
They were about to head off again when they heard a voice。
〃This way； Mrs。 Roberts。〃
Ellen looked to see a man…no； a boy…emerge from behind a bush。 He was wearing a camouflage jacket。 A bow with three strings was in his hand； and a pack and a quiver of arrows was on his back。 Ellen searched her memory。 The face was familiar； it was Robert； John's friend。 Except； she remembered； he liked to be called by his last name； Ripman。
41。 PURSUIT
The careful arrangement of eggs in a nest； and the close proximity of adult fossils and that of their young； suggest dinosaurs may have had a maternal instinct similar to mammals。
…Gregory Hale； Dinosaur Dreams
North of Bend； Oregon
POSTQUILT： TUESDAY； 7：13 A。M。 PST
They spent the night huddled in the RV； afraid to move or even make a sound。 Occasionally the dinosaur could be heard moving around outside； and twice it sounded farther in the distance。 Both times the creature returned within an hour； snuffling around the outside of the RV。 As morning broke the dinosaur could be heard moving off into the distance again。 After twenty minutes； Colter stood to peer out。
〃It's gone；〃 he whispered。 He walked through the RV checking the other side and the front and back。 〃Yeah； it's gone for sure。〃
The others stood slowly； each checking separately that the dinosaur was gone。 Only when they were all sure did they speak； and then only in hushed tones。 Incredibly； Dr。 Coombs and Dr。 Piltcher immediately fell into another debate。
〃Are you sure it's not triceratops？〃 Dr。 Coombs asked。
〃Certainly a ceratopsian； but the horns are wrong for triceratops。 More likely monoclonius；〃 Dr。 Piltcher countered。
〃I can't agree；〃 Dr。 Coombs argued。 〃The curved nasal horn would be typical of monoclonius； but the frill horns seem exaggerated for this particular species。 Mono means one after all。 Perhaps it is an intermediate form…〃
〃What difference does it make？〃 Petra shouted。 〃Triceratops！ Monoclonius！ What matters is whether it is ing back or not！〃
Dr。 Coombs and Dr。 Piltcher looked sheepish。
She found Colter outside looking at the RV。 Its entire length was crumpled or dented。 He tried to pull a crushed fender away far enough to free one tire； but failed。
〃Help me； Petra；〃 he urged； straining。
Petra reached in next to him and grabbed the edge of the wheel well just below his hand。 Bracing one leg against the side of the RV； the two of them pulled on the metal。 It barely budged。 More hands reached in； Dr。 Piltcher and Dr。 Coombs jockeyed for position。 Moose appeared in the broken window above them； startling the group； he was balanced on the edge and staring down。 His mouth moved open and closed； but no sound came out。 When he made no move to jump down and run away； the others went back to their task。 When they all had a firm grasp they pulled and the metal began to move。 Suddenly Moose screeched； then spun and dropped back in the RV。 Then something bellowed behind them。
They turned to see the dinosaur charging down on them。 Scrambling to get in the door they automatically paused to let Petra go in first。 She dove into the RV as the others realized there wouldn't be enough time to get in before the dinosaur rammed it again。 Hesitating； not willing to be either first or last into the opening； the three men stood in the doorway paralyzed with indecision while behind them loomed the onrushing dinosaur。
〃Move！〃 Petra screamed。
Colter was the first to break and ran to his right； the dinosaur's head jerking in his direction。 Dr。 Coombs broke next； running left and pulling the dinosaur's attention back from Colter。 Left alone in front of the door； Dr。 Piltcher struggled to climb in before the dinosaur crushed him in the opening。
When Dr。 Piltcher disappeared inside； the dinosaur turned toward the escaping Dr。 Coombs。 But it turned too late； crashing into the wall of the RV。 Instead of pushing the RV back with the blow； the dinosaur's snout horn penetrated； peeling the metal wall away followed by its massive head。 The snout horn drove deep into the RV； demolishing cabinets； and only the massive collar of the dinosaur prevented the head from pletely penetrating the wall。 Dr。 Piltcher； knocked backward by the force of the blow； bounced off the back wall； falling forward。 As he put out his hands to stop his fall； he found himself slamming against the snout of the dinosaur。 The dinosaur and Dr。 Piltcher froze； startled at such close contact。
Then the massive mouth opened and screamed； nearly deafening Petra； and Dr。 Piltcher and he pushed back with his hands； throwing himself away from the opening mouth。 When the dinosaur screamed again； Dr。 Piltcher and Petra scrambled to the back of the RV to hide with Sarah。
The dinosaur roared its anger again and then began violently shaking its head and pulling back with its massive legs。 With every swing of the monster's head the jagged edges of the torn metal sliced deeper and deeper into the thick skin of its head。 Blood began to stream in rivulets at the base of the collar； dripping inside the RV。 Oblivious to the pain； however； the dinosaur continued to swing its head。 As the opening enlarged； the head moved back； and with a final powerful tug the head wrenched free； leaving a gaping hole in the side of the RV as Dr。 Piltcher and Petra watched with relief from the back。
The collision stunned the dinosaur； but once free it smelled the nest robber。 The dinosaur backed two steps and then spun left； toward a figure racing through the clearing in the distance。 Then putting its head down； it charged again。
Petra； horrified to see the rapidly retreating dinosaur was chasing Dr。 Coombs； turned to her mentor。
〃We've got to help him； Dr。 Piltcher。 What can we do？〃
Dr。 Piltcher stood numbly； frozen into inaction。 Theory and speculation were his forte； or the recall of fact after fact； but creative problem solving on the spot was alien to him。 Sensing this； Petra bolted out the door and began calling for Colter。
He popped up out of the gra