按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Suddenly they broke free of the forest into a small clearing。 On the other side was a section of tumbled…down forest… smoke drifted up from the far side of the clearing。 Ripman's head appeared above the grass and his arms began waving。 His voice drifted over the clearing。 〃Here； this way！〃
Angie and Ellen raced across the clearing； too afraid to risk a look behind them。 Ripman was waving frantically； signaling them to pass him and keep on going。 As they passed； Ripman dragged a flaming bundle behind them； setting fire to the grass。 When Ripman passed her at a dead run； she looked back to see the dinosaur pound through the fire； extinguishing the small flame with its massive feet。 Now Ellen knew they weren't going to make it。
Ripman made it to the fallen trees first； dodging around the massive foliage of one and climbing over the trunk。of the next； using broken limbs like a ladder。 Ellen followed his lead； throwing herself over the log； panicked by the crashing sounds of the dinosaur behind her。 She reached back to pull Angie down with her； only to see her friend silhouetted on the top of the tree trunk behind her； leaning forward to roll down the other side。 But she never made it。 Towering over Angie was the dinosaur。 A nine…foot foreleg with razor sharp claws swept the length of the tree； shearing off limbs six inches thick。 Angie screamed when she saw the arm ing toward her； and with a whipping motion it caught her full in the side。 Her left arm； across her body； was severed above the elbow as the claws buried themselves into her torso； and it tumbled down Ellen's side of the trunk disappearing into the grass six feet from Ellen's face。 When the dinosaur swiped Angie off the tree and threw her back in the clearing； it followed the body with a triumphant roar。
Ellen lay in the foliage under the trunk paralyzed with horror； seeing only the blood stains in the grass。 Then she felt someone pulling on her； jerking her out of the foliage。
〃We've got to go while it's busy。 It won't take long。〃
Ellen became an automaton。 She followed Ripman over and under trees carelessly； her footing and grip mattered little。 She tripped； fell； and fell again。 Her pants and blouse tore and shredded。 Her skin underneath was scratched and cut by broken limbs。 She felt nothing and saw nothing except Angie's blood in the grass。
Every time she fell she got up more slowly。 Soon Ripman was helping her to her feet every time and supporting her with an arm around her waist。 They worked their way across the fallen trees and to a small stand of upright trees； then back into fallen trees。 Sometime after that Ripman pushed her up onto another tree with his hands on her bottom。 When she reached the top she collapsed spread…eagled； her eyes in a glassy stare； her mind filled with bloody grass。 This time Ripman didn't help her off the top。
Shouts and laughter filled her ears。 Slowly the bloody grass was replaced by another image。 It was Carl's laughing face。 She forced her eyes to focus and realized the face was real。 It was Carl and behind him were the guys。 Carl smiled； showing all his teeth。
〃Now； where were we？〃
59。 THE TOOLMAKER
According to the rabbinical authority Rashi； ancient tradition knows of periodic collapses of the firmament； one of which occurred in the days of the Deluge； and which repeated themselves at intervals of 1；656 years。
…Immanuel Velikovsky； Worlds in Collision
Warm Springs Indian Reservation； Oregon
POSTQUILT： WEDNESDAY； 7：10 A。M。 PST
Moose was riding on the dashboard； stretched out and soaking up the rays of the morning sun while Sarah was curled up on the passenger seat with a blanket。 The two of them had gorged on raisins and apples。 Behind them； tucked safely in a cabinet； was a rifle with a bore big enough to bring down an elephant； and three boxes of ammunition。 Colter was retracing the route Dr。 Coombs had taken； except Colter had a different purpose in mind。 Dr。 Coombs； Dr。 Piltcher； and Petra had e to explore； to understand what had happened。 Colter was going back for only one reason： to kill the monsters that had taken Petra from him； and especially one。 He didn't know how he was going to get it； but he wasn't leaving without its head。
Colter knew he was close now。 The road was nothing but two ruts。 He cleared the top of the hill； and then rolled to a stop； surprised。 He expected to see the dinosaurs； but not one fifty feet away； walking down the road ahead of him。 When it heard Colter's engine the animal turned and looked at the RV。 It was like the one that had killed Dr。 Coombs。 Colter's anger flared。 He set the brake and dug the rifle out of the cab' inet； checking the clip to make sure he had a full load； and then jacked a round into the chamber。 When he aimed the rifle through the front window at the rear of the walking dinosaur； he looked down the sights to see Moose's head staring from the end of the barrel。
Colter put the weapon down and shooed Moose out of the window； and then carried Sarah； blanket and all； to the back of the RV。 To keep them busy and out of the way he put a few raisins on top of Moose's cabinet and a bigger pile on the floor for Sarah。 Moose immediately attacked Sarah's pile； knowing his would still be there when he was done。 Colter snickered。 He liked Moose。 He was a thinker。
Now the dinosaur was well down the road； so Colter released the brake and pulled up on its left。 The creature kept walking but looked nervously at the RV rumbling along beside it。 Something was wrong； Colter thought。 Why wasn't it scared？ Colter pulled ahead of the dinosaur and parked； getting out with his rifle。 He checked the load。 There was one round in the chamber and eight in the clip。 He had three more clips tucked into a fanny pack。
Colter scanned the area； making sure none of the big carnivores were around。 When he did； he noticed other dinosaurs like the one on the road were milling around in the prairie grass bordering their meadow。 Everything looked the same as when he left； except the grass。 It was wilting。 Not enough water？ Colter wondered。 Maybe it was the cool air。 The dinosaur land looked almost tropical； but if it was too cold for the grass and brush； maybe it was too cold for the dinosaurs。 Maybe they were dying。 Colter smiled at the thought。 Then something blew across the road…one of Petra's T…shirts he'd thrown out the RV window。 Colter flushed at the thought of Petra； and he turned； bringing the rifle to his shoulder。 The dinosaur was lumbering toward him at a slow pace。 Colter waited with his finger on the trigger； letting the dinosaur e closer。 He didn't want to miss。 He knew the head and neck were heavily armored with bone； and he needed to hit it dead on to kill it instantly。 If he just wounded it； it would be as dangerous as the mother whose egg they had stolen。
Wait till you see the whites of their eyes； he said to himself。
The dinosaur came on straight toward Colter。 Slowly he began to pull back on the trigger； the sights lined up between the dinosaur's widely spaced eyes。 Just before he pulled the trigger it turned； angling to Colter's left to go around him。 Colter kept his aim； but the head began to swing； occasionally blocking his shot with the bony collar。 Colter's frustration grew； and he lowered the rifle。 He wanted a head shot； but he didn't want to get too far from the safety of the RV。 Frustrated； he raised the gun to his shoulder； aimed at the neck of the passing dinosaur； and pulled the trigger。
The slug entered just in front of the dinosaur's shoulder。 But the dinosaur only jumped from fright at the gun's loud report…then it jogged down the road。 Colter jacked another cartridge into the chamber and chased the animal。 He didn't have to go far。 Suddenly it collapsed to its knees； breathing deeply through its nose； and then fell to its side； its chest heaving。 Colter watched it dying； a feeling of deep satisfaction filling his soul。 After a few minutes the breathing became irregular and Colter worried it might die by itself。 So he put another slug into its throat and then another into its exposed chest。 It didn't breathe after that。
〃Man； that felt good！〃 Colter screamed。 Then he put two more rounds into the dinos