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turned in a wide circle； around him。 Carmen yelled for everyone to lie flat； to get as much traction as possible。 Patty； even with the long dragging tail； couldn't e close to encircling her baby。
The orcas paused； apparently considering Patty's new strategy。 As Patty circled； Pat floated in the reddening water； squealing for his mother's help。 Ron began to think it was time to get off。
〃Here they e again！〃 Carmen shouted。
Ron turned to see an orca darting toward Pat； skimming along just below the surface； timing its attack to just clear Patty's massive tail。 They could feel the muscles along her spine bunch as she suddenly lifted her tail and stopped swimming。 The whale continued forward； confident it would clear Patty's tail； but Ron realized the orca had miscalculated。 The refugees felt the collision when several tons of tail slammed into the attacking orca； and then her whole body wrenched to the side。
The whole family cheered。
〃You show them you're the mama！〃 Carmen shouted。
〃Way to go； Patty！〃 Rosa yelled。
〃Yeah； way to go；〃 Chris echoed； and then added； 〃one down； nine to go。〃
Chris's mention of the odds sobered the group。 There were many more orcas； and they had no idea how badly their member was hurt。 Then it surfaced outside Patty's protective circle。 When it blew its lungs clear the spray was pinkish。 It dove again and then quickly surfaced； again blowing pink spray。
The family watched the injured whale swim off to the west； tilted at an angle； zigzagging through the water。 Ron realized it was being followed by the flock of scavenging birds。
The orcas continued to circle； now deadly efficient； businesslike。 Then an orca split off and angled in at Patty broadside； disappearing beneath the waves a hundred yards from them。 Suddenly something slammed into her； shaking Ron and his family。 Patty screamed； swinging her tail up and down violently； and the family reached out； grabbing onto one another's hands and holding one another up。 Another hit came from the opposite side； and Patty wrenched again； twisting toward the new attack。 Another hit came from the front and Patty's screams became deafening。 The attacks stopped for a moment； and Ron looked for the rest of the orcas…now busy with Pat。
The baby was twisting in the water； whipping his neck back and forth as the orcas took turns hitting him。 Pat began to list to the right and fought to keep himself upright。 As he rolled； Ron could see his left front leg e up toward the surface。 It looked like the leg of an elephant； thick with baggy skin； but with three distinct clawed toes。 Now an orca buried itself in the flesh of the leg and whipped its body back and forth； tearing free meat and skin。
Pat had no more screams left in him。 Another hit to his belly finished pushing Pat to his side； and his head disappeared into the water。 Pat would die soon； either of blood loss or drowning。 As he rolled over； Ron could see the left rear leg was nothing more than a thick white bone with a few chunks of bloody meat still dangling。
The attacks on Patty continued； even though the orcas were at the same time making a meal of Pat。 It was getting harder for the family to stay on her shuddering back。
Orca after orca slammed into Pat's body； tearing away bloody chunks that now floated in the crimson water； making a gory soup。 The seabirds were beginning to risk dropping briefly into the water to feed on the scraps。
In her pain； Patty forgot about Pat and began swimming away from the attack； out of the red soup； but leaving a pink trail of her own。 For a moment the attacks on her stopped。 She resumed her eastward swim； returning hope to Ron and the rest of the family。 A sense of relief spread through the little group； but they kept glancing back； fearful the orcas would follow。
56。 MARIEL FROM THE WINDOW
They do not know the hidden meaning of what is taking place now； nor have they even understood the lessons of the past。 Consequently； they have no knowledge of what is ing upon them。
…The ing Doom； The Dead Sea Scrolls
New York City
POSTQUILT： WEDNESDAYA。M。； 7：50 A。M。 EST
Luis woke to the beat of a drum pounding in his head； the rhythm of his pulse； but with each beat came a stabbing pain。 It was another blinding headache； but he managed to push himself up； using the arms of the rocking chair； and then stepped close to the window。
His vision was ing back； but his eyes were blurry； making it difficult to see into the distance。 In the bathroom he washed his eyes with a little water from the toilet tank； now three…quarters gone。
Back in the living room； he saw a large still form in the meadow。 Still groggy； Luis left the apartment and went down the stairs one step at a time； his hand firmly gripping the rail。 The trail was easy to find。 It was marked with blood。
Following the flattened sticky grasses； Luis moved slowly； keeping his eyes on the ground and placing each foot with care。 When he looked up； he spotted a dinosaur in the path ahead。 It was small pared to Mrs。 Weatherby's dinosaur； and only half as tall as Luis； but it stared； unmoving。 Finally； he shouted at the beast。
〃Shoo。 Shoo！ I said get the hell out of my way！〃
The dinosaur stared back at him blankly。 Suddenly Luis took three running steps forward； screaming at the top of his lungs。 The dinosaur bolted to Luis's left and disappeared into the shoulder…high grass； but two more appeared and darted across Luis's path； following their sister。 Luis stood still； shocked； then laughed at himself despite his throbbing headache。 If he had known there were three of them would he have charged ？ Certainly not。 Sometimes； he reflected； the victory goes to the lucky； not the wise。
Walking faster now； Luis plunged ahead。 The path began to curve left as if the wounded dinosaur had lost its way。 Luis paused and stood on the tips of his toes。 He could see the form of the dinosaur over the tops of the grass。 Luis turned； cutting through the grass； and then he froze。 Something was moving ahead。 He could see the tips of the grass waving。 He squatted； waiting and listening。
He should be with Melinda and his kids； he thought。 He longed to see them all； but especially little Cinda。 Luis had to get out of this conjured meadow and out of the war zone that surrounded it。 Thinking about all of this； Luis still moved ahead。 He would leave； he told himself； but with Mrs。 Weatherby。
Moving slowly； he found himself behind the iguanodon； who was lying on its side； his massive hind legs just in front of Luis。 At more movement in the grass； Luis dove behind the animal's legs for cover。
Something slammed into the ground where Luis had been… the iguanodon's tail。 That meant the animal was alive。 It also meant Luis was sheltering himself between the legs of a wounded dinosaur。
Afraid to stand； he crawled along the creature's belly。 Now Luis saw the dinosaur's head rise a foot off the ground； staring with a massive brown eye。 As Luis froze； transfixed； he heard a soothing voice pleading with the dinosaur。
〃No； don't move。 Please lie still。 You'll only hurt yourself。〃
The voice was weak and hoarse； but it was Mrs。 Weatherby's。 When the dinosaur's head settled； Luis walked slowly forward。 Mrs。 Weatherby was lying in the grass； nestled against the shoulder of her dinosaur。 The grass under the dinosaur's head and neck was soaked in blood。 Mrs。 Weatherby's eyes were closed and she was talking to the dinosaur in a hoarse whisper。
〃Go to sleep。 Please go to sleep。 It won't hurt as much if you can sleep。〃
〃Mrs。 Weatherby？ Mrs。 Weatherby？ Can you hear me？〃 Luis asked。
Mrs。 Weatherby stopped talking when Luis called to her。
〃Is that you； Luis？ Oh； dear boy； what are you doing here？ Why aren't you with your family？〃
When she spoke she opened her eyes and looked at Luis； but her eyes couldn't seem to focus on him。 Luis realized she wasn't wearing her glasses。
〃I've e to take you home； Mrs。 Weatherby。〃
〃I can't leave him。 He's hurt 。 。 。 he's dying。〃
〃I'm so sorry； Mrs。 Weatherby。 I didn't mean to get him shot。 I only meant to scare the Zombies away so I could get to my family。 I didn't mean to hurt him 。。。 to hurt you。〃 。 〃I know； Luis。 To you he was