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wn and under the overhanging roots； into a hollow。
Ellen and Angie collapsed against the dirt walls； enjoying the womblike security。 Temporarily safe； Ellen began to think about what had happened to Angie and was plagued by doubt and guilt。 Angie's friendship； which had made it possible to look for John； had resulted in disaster。 She had no idea how far the rape had gone before Ripman interrupted it。 She also knew she would never ask and doubted whether Angie would ever say。
Now Ellen and Angie were hiding in a hole； in a forest that couldn't possibly exist； and being hunted。 Ellen thought about the forest around her and hoped she had been wrong about the possibility of other dinosaurs。 But why would two dinosaurs be more impossible than one？
Perhaps if they had found John their situation would be easier to accept； but it was hopeless。 Portland was gone。 Their home was gone； and her son。 With that admission Ellen began her grieving。 She cried softly in the darkness； muffling the sounds with her hands。 After a few minutes she felt Angie's arm around her shoulders。 Then she remembered that John's friend Ripman was sitting in the hole with them。 〃Ripman！ You're here！ Is John here？ Is he alive？〃 Moonlight filtered into the hole； and Ellen could see Rip…man's face。 He looked unfortable and turned away； visibly ashamed。
〃I don't know。 Last time I saw him he was alive。〃
〃When was that？ Why didn't you stick together？〃
〃We did stick together at first。 We were out in Newberg when it happened。 John and Cubby wanted to find their moms and dads 。 。 。 you 。 。 。 so we headed into the forest to look。〃 Ripman paused and looked down again。 〃I couldn't believe those two 。 。 。 plete assholes。 They were clueless about what to do。 Made every mistake possible。 They talked； stumbled； wandered off the trail。 Didn't know when to be quiet and when not。 If it hadn't been for me they would have been dead a hundred yards in。〃 Ripman brought his eyes up to meet Ellen's。 〃Finally I had to ditch them。 They were stumbling along be…hind me making a racket I couldn't believe。 Some dinosaurs heard it and came after us。 We took off running。 I was leading； but when I looked back they were running off on their own with the dinosaurs right behind them。 I couldn't do nothing so I just kept running。〃
〃Oh no！〃 Ellen gasped。 Angie pulled her closer。
〃Those dinosaurs didn't get them。 I heard them calling my name later。 Walking through the forest yelling my name。 So stupid。 I knew they would only get me killed so I just let them keep looking。 They're still looking as far as I know。〃
〃You should have stuck together。〃
〃What for？ They almost got me killed。 If I stuck with them I'd be dead now。 It's every man for himself in here。 They needed me。 I didn't need them； I can take care of myself。 I don't need anybody。〃
Angie； whose arm was still around Ellen's shoulder； had been listening to the conversation； watching Ripman's eyes。
〃So why did you help us？〃 Angie asked。
〃For the fun of it。 I didn't like what they did to that dinosaur。 They didn't kill it for food； they did it for fun。 I decided to have the same kind of fun。〃
〃You could've left us。〃
〃I may still。〃
〃And you don't need anybody？〃
〃Nobody。〃
〃Then why do you keep looking at my breasts？〃 Angie challenged him。
It was too dark to make out colors； but Ellen was sure Ripman's face reddened。 He turned away and didn't say anything。 。 Angie obviously knew what men needed…especially teenage men。 Suddenly self…conscious； Ellen pulled her blouse together in front。 The absurdity of her sudden modesty struck her： one minute running through the forest dodging bullets； and the next minute embarrassed that a teenager was peeking at her bosom。
Then she realized Angle was naked from the waist up。
〃Ripman； give Angie your coat；'〃 Ellen told him crisply。
Ripman turned back defiantly。 He sat tight…lipped； making no move； facing the same crisis he'd faced with John and Cubby。 He didn't want anyone to bee dependent on him。 Finally Angie spoke up。
〃If you're cold； go ahead and keep it； I'm fine。〃
Ripman snorted softly and mumbled； 〃I don't get cold；〃 then removed his coat and tossed it to Angie。
〃Get some sleep；〃 he ordered。 〃I'll keep watch。〃
When he left he took his backpack and canteen with him。 Ellen wasn't sure they would see him again。 Eventually Angie slept fitfully； but Ellen spent the night worrying about John and damning her husband for leaving her。
They were drunk； but the party atmosphere was gone； replaced by fear and anger。 John was glad that one of the men was dead； one of those who attacked his mother。 Another one was hurt； but not hurt bad enough to suit John。 It must have been Ripman； John thought； who put those arrows into the men and helped John's mother escape。
Cubby and John had watched as the men fired after his mom and the other woman。 It was a long time before the bikers gave up searching。
Then the men built a fire away from the body of their friend and passed bottles around。 Cubby and John crept through the forest until they could hear the men talk of their fear and plans。 The injured man； Carl； listened for a while before cussing their stupidity and throwing the fiberglass arrow from his leg in their faces。 After that he led the discussion。
〃We can't let those women get away；〃 he argued。 〃They saw Deputy Dawg get it。〃 No one dared point out that Carl had done the killing。 〃What about what we did to the women？ Hey； Miller； what's your wife's old man gonna say about that？ Think you'll still be workin' at his mill after that？ Butler； Chief Peters hates your guts already。 He's been looking for some reason to get your parole pulled。 He finds out about this and your ass is back in the can。 He didn't like Deputy Dawg better'n anyone else； but what's he s'posed to do when one of his deputies gets killed？ He'll pin it on all of us； not just me。 And what about Bobby？ Kishton； you were a better friend a his than the rest。 You gonna just let someone murder him like that？ Shot him in the back 。。。 in the fuckin' back！ It ain't right。〃
Carl wheedled and worked on all of them till they agreed。 They couldn't let the women get away； and whoever killed Bobby was going to pay for it。
Cubby and John slipped away after that for their own discussion。
〃We gotta help them； Cubby。 Ripman helped my mom。 You know he'd help us if we were in a jam。〃
Cubby agreed and so they decided to disable the motorcycles； giving Ripman and the women a chance to get away。 It also gave Cubby and John a better chance if they came after them。 They then worked their way through the forest to a spot well away from the camp。 It wasn't close to the bikes； but a shorter crawl wasn't worth the risk。
John had listened to the men long enough to pick out their voices。 There was Carl of course。 One of the others was Miller； one Kishton； and Butler； who seldom spokethat worried John。 As John crawled he listened； checking the voices against his list。 They were around that fire…except Butler； who could be anywhere。
John had been inching through the grass on his stomach for what seemed like hours and was almost to the motorcycles。 The last stretch would be the most dangerous； because the grasses and the ferns were trampled down and even on his belly he would be visible。 John knew the roaring fire the men were staring into would help。 Their constricted pupils would find it hard to pick out shapes in the shadows。
He heard Cubby crawling through the grass to his left。 They'd started toward the bikes at different spots； but were angling toward the targets。 But another noise came from his right and he froze。 Someone was walking through the grass。 He pulled his knife from its sheath and slowly rolled over。 He was angry about what they had done to his mother； but he was also afraid。
There was a burst of shouts from the fire and he picked out Kishton's voice； then Miller's。 This one near him was either Carl； or Butler。 He listened to the approaching steps。 There was no hint of a limp； and Carl had been limping badly。 It must be Butler。 It wouldn't matter； they were all bigger than John； and all with biceps twice the diameter of John's skinny ones。
The footsteps were almos