jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第116部分

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　That　〃maybe；〃　John　realized；　was　the　only　concession　to　the　possibility　of　God's　existence　Ripman　had　ever　made。　Ripman；　the　militant　atheist；　wouldn't　have　made　this　concession　a　few　days　ago。
　〃Let　me　run　John　out　on　the　bike；　then　we'll　go　looking　for　Portland。〃
　〃You　don't　need　to　e；　Ripman。　Take　John　out；　e　back　for　me；　I'll　take　you　out；　then　I'll　take　the　bike　in　toward　Portland。〃
　As　Cubby　and　Ripman　continued　to　argue；　the　helicopter　sounded　in　the　distance；　somewhere　out　of　sight。　John；　looking　for　it；　ignored　the　argument。　He　didn't　like　what　his　friends　were　saying　anyway。　Cubby　and　Ripman　were　assuming　he　needed　taking　care　of；　and　only　after　that　would　they　see　to　their　own　needs。　No　one　realized　that　he；　John；　had　outwitted　the　dinosaur　that　chased　them。　He　had　given　One　Eye　its　name。　He　had　helped　disable　the　motorcycles；　and　he　even　shot…　killed…Carl。　His　heart　sank　at　that　thought。　After　all　that；　his　friends　could　not　think　of　him　as　an　equal。　If　the　last　three　days　hadn't　changed　their　thinking；　nothing　would。
　〃Hey；〃　he　cut　in；　〃nobody　has　to　take　me　anywhere。　You　two　take　the　bike　and　go　find　Portland。　I'm　walking　out。〃
　John　swigged　down　the　rest　of　his　Coke；　picked　up　his　rifle；　and　started　walking　down　the　riverbed；　following　the　bike's　tire　marks。
　〃Where　are　you　going；　man？〃　Ripman　called。　〃Hey；　wait
　up。〃
　〃e　on　back；　John；　what　are　you　so　mad　about？〃　Cubby　added。
　John　stopped　and　turned　back。
　〃I'm　not　mad。　I'm　just　trying　to　save　you　the　trouble　of　looking　out　for　me。　You　two　head　on　into　Portland；　have　a　good　time。　If　I　don't　see　you　sooner；　I'll　see　you　later　。　。　。　maybe　at　the　beach　house。〃　John　turned　to　walk　off　and　then　stopped。
　〃I　hope　you　find　your　folks；　Cubby。　Hey；　Ripman；　thanks　for　the　food。　See　ya　guys。〃
　John　walked　off；　deliberately　splashing　noisily　in　the　puddles　to　keep　him　from　hearing　what　they　were　saying。　As　soon　as　he　was　out　of　sight　around　a　bend；　he　gripped　the　gun　tighter；　as　feelings　of　loneliness　replaced　his　bravado。　The　motorcycle　came　to　life　behind　him；　then　he　heard　the　put…put　of　someone　riding　it。　He　thought　about　hiding；　making　it　easy　for　them　to　leave　him；　but　that　would　be　cowardly。
　To　John's　surprise；　Cubby　was　driving；　and　Ripman　was　hanging　on　behind。　They　rode　up　next　to　him；　and　Ripman　climbed　off　to　face　John。
　〃We　decided；　John。　We're　all　going　home。〃
　〃It　was　great　wasn't　it；　Johnny　my　boy？　Let's　do　it　again　sometime；〃　Cubby　said；　then　released　the　clutch　and　rode　the　bike　in　a　slow　circle　and　disappeared　around　the　bend。　〃He's　crazy。　Ripman；　couldn't　you　talk　him　out　of　it？〃
　〃He's　a　fanatic。　I　never　could　talk　sense　to　him。〃　They　started　walking　again；　this　time　side　by　side。
　Terry　stood　by　the　helicopter　rubbing　his　eyes。　His　head　ached　from　the　refueling　vapors　and　from　staring　through　the　tops　of　trees　trying　to　spot　his　wife。　He　realized　finding　her　that　way　was　unlikely；　but　he　wasn't　ready　to　give　it　up…he　had　no　other　choice。
　Bill　returned。　Even　Bill's　size　and　official　manner　had　failed　to　get　free　fuel　from　the　crusty　operator　of　the　airfield。　But　he'd　taken　a　Visa　card…obviously；　he　didn't　understand　what　had　happened。
　When　Bill　climbed　back　in　and　lifted　off；　Terry　tried　to　find　a　way　to　sit　fortably　on　what　was　left　of　his　seat。　It　was　late　afternoon　and　there　was　little　daylight　left　to　search　with。　This　would　be　their　last　trip。　After　this；　he　didn't　know　what　to　do　or　where　to　go。
　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　The　house　was　a　two…story　Colonial；　with　a　bay　window　and　a　dinosaur　forest　for　a　front　yard。　The　windows　were　broken；　but　otherwise　the　house　was　intact。
　〃Through　there；〃　Ripman　said　pointing；　〃is　another　house　and　on　the　other　side　of　that　a　cul…de…sac。　Go　up　the　cul…de…sac　and　over　the　fence　of　the　blue　house　at　the　end。　There's　a　highway　on　the　other　side。　Follow　it　north　and　you'll　find　that　roadblock。　The　cops　will　take　you　to　your　mom。〃
　〃Aren't　you　ing　too？〃
　〃Like　I　said；　we're　all　going　home。　Your　home　is　with　your　parents。　Me；　I　don't　have　anyone。　My　dad's　gone　wherever　Cubby's　folks　are；　and　he　never　gave　a　damn　anyway；〃　Ripman　said　with　both　sadness　and　bitterness　in　his　voice。　〃Besides；　I　like　it　here。　It's　the　best　home　I　had；〃
　〃You　can't　stay　here！　Sooner　or　later　those　dinos　will　have　you　for　lunch。　e　with　me。　My　mom　asked　you。　We'd　have　a　great　time。〃
　〃Naw；　I'm　too　elemental　for　you　Yuppie　types；　but　I'll　trade　you　the　pistol　for　the　rifle。　A　bow　won't　cut　it　in　here。〃
　John　traded；　then　handed　back　the　pistol。　〃You're　gonna　need　both；　Ripman。　If　you　change　your　mind；　man；　we'll　be　at　the　beach　house。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　John　walked　through　the　trees　a　short　distance；　then　turned　and　looked　back。　Ripman　was　still　there　watching　him。　John　wanted　to　tell　Ripman　he'd　miss　him；　that　he　would　think　about　him；　that　he　loved　him。　But　none　of　that　was　elemental；　at　least　not　in　Ripman's　way　of　thinking。　So　instead　John　simply　nodded　his　head。　Ripman　nodded　back。
　〃See　ya；　Ripman。〃
　〃Later；　John。〃
　Cubby　followed　the　riverbed；　the　noise　of　the　bike　chasing　dinosaurs　from　his　path。　When　the　river　angled　off　away　from　Portland；　Cubby　cut　into　the　trees。　Occasionally　he　came　to　clearings；　some　small；　some　larger；　but　as　he　looked　into　the　distance　no　skyscrapers　appeared。
　He　rode　on；　the　sun　setting　on　his　left。　It　would　he　behind　the　hills　soon；　leaving　the　valley　in　shadow；　and　still　the　city　could　not　be　seen。　He　passed　a　section　of　collapsed　forest；　ran　into　an　impassable　rock　slide；　and　headed　uphill　to　skirt　it。　At　the　crest；　he　skidded　to　a　stop。　The　view　was　unobstructed；　and　to　his　dismay　he　saw　Mount　Saint　Helens　in　the　distance。　There　was　no　city。　Tears　blurred　his　vision；　and　he　wiped　his　eyes。　Then　he　realized　Mount　Saint　Helens　had　disappeared　into　a　haze；　and　shimmering　before　him　the　city　appeared。　Skyscrapers　towered　above　the　trees　as　he　looked　around。　He　was　in　a　city　that　wasn't　there。
　From　this　close　Portland　wasn't　transparent。　It　was　back；　but　Cubby　didn't　know　for　how　long。　If　God　had　opened　this　door　for　him；　he　wasn't　going　to　let　it　close。　You　don't　need　certainty　when　you　have　your　faith；　his　father　always　said。　Cubby　sucked　down　his　doubts；　revved　up　the　engine；　and　released　the　clutch。　〃Time　to　go　home；〃　he　said　to　himself；　and　angled　the　bike　down　the　hill　toward　the　city。
　
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　Now　Terry　rubbed　his　aching　eyes　with　both　fists。　He　admitted　defeat　to　himself　and　was　ready　to　convince　Bill。
　〃Bill；　this　is　useless。　We　don't　even　know　if　Angie　and　Ellen　are　in　there。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　know。　I　just　don't　know　what　else　to　do。　Where　do　we　start　looking　if　we　don't　look　here？〃
　〃Will　this　thing　make　it　to　the　beach　。　。　。　say　about　ninety　miles？　We　can　check　our　summer　house。〃
　When　Bill　didn't　answer　right　away；　Terry　rubbed　his　eyes　again；　and　opened　them　to　see　the　return　of　the　phantom　city。
　〃Bill；　it's　back。〃
　Bill　straightened　the　helicopter；　and　hovered　facing　the　city。
　〃We　can　try　flying　into　it　again。　What　do　you　think？〃　Terry　suggested。
　〃Mmmm…I　don't　think…〃
　Something　zoomed　past　the　helicopter　on　the　left；　banked　to　the　right　on　stubby　wings；　and　flew　directly　toward　the　city；　taking　Terry　by　surprise。　Bill　spun　the　helicopter　around　and　throttled　up　the　engine　until　the　rotors　screamed。
　〃What's　going　on；　Bill？〃
　〃It's　a　cruise　missile。　We're　in　big　trouble。〃
　Terry　looked　around；　trying　to　follow　the　flight　of　the　cruise　missile；　and　when　he　did　he　spotted　another　missile　in　the　distance；　then　suddenly　he　realized　the　sky　was　full　of　them。　Terry　was　trying　to　make　sense　of　what　was　happening　when　the　sky　went　white；　as　if　a　giant　strobe　light　had　just　flashed。　At　the　same　time　there　was　a　burst　of　static　over　the　earphones；　followed　by　the　acrid　smell　of　ozone。　The　helicopter's　engine　sputtered　and　then　died。　Terry's　stomach　made　him　think　they　were　suddenly　in　an　elevator　going　down。　The　rotors　continued　to　spin　but　without　any　power；　making　more　of　a　whistle　than　a　thump。　The　churning　of　his　stomach　increased　and　the　helicopter's　nose　dipped；　giving　Terry　a　good　view　of　the　onrush…ing　forest。
　
　
　When　John　stepped　out　from　beyond　the　las