jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第31部分

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om　under　the　tree；　running　across　John's　foot　and　disappearing　into　a　patch　of　ferns　behind　him。　John　yelped　and　jumped　back；　tripping　and　falling　to　the　forest　floor。
　〃What　was　that？〃
　〃I　saw　it；〃　Cubby　said；　speaking　with　confidence　for　the　first　time　since　they　stepped　into　the　forest。　〃It　looked　like　a　weasle　but　it　had　gigantic　eyes。〃
　〃The　Bible　say　anything　about　weasles　with　big　eyes？〃　Ripman　asked；　mockingly。
　Cubby　scowled；　but　then　followed　Ripman　over　the　log。　John　came　behind　cautiously；　checking　the　placement　of　each　foot　before　he　put　it　down。　After　cresting　the　hill；　they　made　a　slow　descent　and　then　a　long　level　trek。　Occasionally　they　came　to　a　section　where　the　trees　had　fallen　or　leaned　precariously；　their　roots　exposed。　In　one　stretch　John　could　see　a　whole　hillside　was　covered　with　freshly　fallen　trees。　It　was　a　crazy　quilt　forest。
　John　found　the　hiking　easier　when　he　put　his　mind　into　flowing　consciousness。　One　portion　of　his　mind　took　over　the　routine　task　of　walking　while　the　higher　cerebral　matter　played　with　ideas；　allowing　him　to　keep　up　with　Ripman　and　Cubby。
　The　sun　was　high　overhead　when　Ripman　stopped；　dropped　his　pack　and　quiver；　and　sat　down；　leaning　against　a　branch　from　a　fallen　tree。　〃Well；　Cubby？　You　see　any　strip　joint？〃
　John　looked　around。　They　were　standing　in　a　sparse　stand　of　trees　no　different　from　a　hundred　other　spots　they　had　walked　through。　John　could　not　imagine　why　Ripman　thought　this　was　the　spot　where　the　bar　with　the　nude　girls　had　been。　Cubby　looked　around　trying　to　confirm　their　location。
　〃What　makes　you　think　this　is　the　right　spot？〃　John　asked。
　Ripman　started　to　reply；　but　Cubby　cut　him　off。　〃If　it　isn't　this　spot；　then　we're　past　it。〃
　Again　John　marveled　at　their　certainty。
　〃Was　I　right；　Cubby；　or　what？　You　see　any　sinners　around　here？　You　see　any　topless　joint？　You　think　maybe　heaven　was　getting　a　little　boring　so　God　decided　to　add　nude　dancing　girls？〃
　Cubby　looked　lost　in　thought。　〃Maybe；　Ripman；　maybe。　But　if　this　isn't　the　rapture；　then　what　is　it？〃
　Ripman　didn't　have　an　answer。　Instead　he　muttered　〃I　told　you　so〃　and　sat　down　with　his　pack　in　his　lap。　John　broke　out　some　of　his　trail　mix　and　rested　on　fern　fronds。　What　had　happened？　The　tornado　he　could　understand。　Tornados　had　happened　before；　maybe　not　in　Oregon；　but　they　were　mon　enough。　There　was　even　a　part　of　the　Midwest　they　named　tornado　alley。　But　what　about　this　weird　forest？　Where　did　it　e　from　and　what　happened　to　the　nude　girls？　What　happened　to　the　radio　stations？　Could　this　forest　go　all　the　way　to　Portland？　Maybe　the　radio　stations　weren't　broadcasting　because　they　weren't　there　anymore。　And　if　they　were　gone　what　about　John's　house？　What　about　his　parents？　Cubby　interrupted　John's　thoughts　by　standing　up　and　putting　on　his　pack。
　〃Where　you　going？〃　Ripman　asked。
　〃This　answers　one　question；〃　Cubby　said；　gesturing　at　the　forest　around　him。　〃But　now　I've　got　to　find　my　parents。〃
　John　felt　the　same　as　Cubby；　John　had　to　know　whether　he　had　a　home　and　what　had　happened　to　his　parents。　He　just　wasn't　sure　how　to　go　about　it。
　〃Are　you　going　to　walk；　Cubby？〃　John　asked。　〃Which　way？〃
　〃That　way；〃　Cubby　said　nodding　in　the　direction　they　had　been　going。
　〃Why　not　head　back　to　the　van　and　try　to　drive　around？　If　the　road　is　clear　we　could　head　out　the　Wilsonville　Highway　and　try　to　e　in　on　I…5。〃
　〃There　was　a　lot　of　debris　on　that　highway。　I　bet　it　takes　two　days　to　clear　it。　And　they'll　clear　Highway　99　before　they　work　on　some　back　road　to　Wilsonville。　I　can　walk　the　rest　of　the　way　to　Portland　before　then。　Besides；　I　could　break　out　of　this　over　the　next　hill　and　hitchhike　the　rest　of　the　way…〃
　〃Cubby；　for　all　you　know　this　forest　could　run　all　the　way　to　Boston；〃　Ripman　interrupted。　〃Hey；　we　found　the　spot　where　the　topless　joint　was；　but　that　doesn't　mean　we　can　find　your　house。〃
　Cubby　thought　for　a　minute　and　then　squatted　down。　He　ripped　some　of　the　grass　and　ferns　out　of　the　ground　and　cleared　a　patch　of　dirt。　Then　he　drew　in　it　with　the　tip　of　his　knife。
　〃I　can't　pinpoint　my　house　too　well；　but　I　can　my　dad's　church。〃
　Cubby　drew　three　circles　on　the　ground　and　a　couple　of　squiggly　lines。
　〃We　know　the　hills　and　valleys　seem　to　be　the　same；　even　though　the　trees　and　stuff　are　all　different。　We　don't　know　about　rivers　though。　These　are　the　hills　I　can　see　from　the　church。　This　one's　Rocky　Butte；　this　one　is　Mt。　Tabor；　and　this　one　is　that　one　that　has　all　the　cemeteries　on　it。　My　dad's　church　is　right　here　on　this　hill。〃　Cubby　stuck　the　knife　in　a　spot　just　behind　two　of　the　hills。　〃This　is　the　Willamette　River　and　this　is　the　Columbia。　After　I　e　down　out　of　the　West　Hills　and　drop　into　the　valley；　all　I　need　to　do　is　cross　the　Willamette。　Then　if　I　hit　the　Columbia　I'll　know　I've　gone　too　far　east　and　need　to　turn　south。〃
　Ripman　had　been　studying　the　map。
　〃Don't　forget　the　Clackamas　and　that　other　river　out　here；〃　Ripman　said　adding　more　squiggly　lines。　Ripman　started　arguing　over　topographical　details；　but　finally　they　turned　to　John；
　〃You　going　with　him？〃　Ripman　asked。
　〃I've　got　to　find　my　parents　too。〃
　〃If　I　was　you；　John；　I'd　head　to　that　cabin　your　parents　have　at　the　coast。　They'll　look　there　for　you　eventually。　Besides；〃　he　said；　his　voice　softening；　〃if　your　parents　are　in　the　same　place　as　the　nude　girls；　then　you　are　going　to　need　that　cabin。　If　it　stays　empty　some　survivalist　is　going　to　occupy　it　and　you　won't　have　a　chance　of　getting　him　out。〃
　John　felt　stung。　His　parents　couldn't　be　gone　like　the　nude　dancers；　could　they？　Sure；　Ripman　was　right　about　the　beach　house。　There　was　food　there；　and　money　hidden　away。　Still；　Cubby　was　right　too。　This　forest　could　end　a　few　yards　away；　and　he　could　hitchhike　home　by　dinnertime。　Hitching　to　the　coast　would　probably　take　him　all　night。
　〃This　can't　go　on　much　farther；　Ripman。〃　John　said　it　without　conviction　and　then　added；　〃I'm　going　with　Cubby。〃
　〃Well　then　I　might　as　well　keep　you　wusses　pany。〃
　Ripman　didn't　say　anything　about　finding　his　father；　but　John　noticed　Ripman　had　marked　his　house　on　the　map　he　and　Cubby　made。
　It　was　late　morning　when　they　started　out　again；　and　a　warm　autumn　day。　One　by　one　they　took　off　their　jackets　and　tied　them　around　their　waists。　The　forest　thinned　as　they　walked　and　they　began　passing　through　small　natural　meadows。　Leafy　deciduous　trees　joined　the　giant　redwoods。　John　recognized　poplars　and　some　trees　hung　with　fruit　that　looked　like　figs。　There　were　no　ferns　in　the　meadows；　and　the　grass　was　knee　high。
　Ripman　stopped　in　a　stand　of　poplars；　waved　his　hand　for　silence；　then　unslung　his　bow　and　notched　an　arrow。　John　and　Cubby　imitated　him　clumsily。　Ripman　whispered　to　them　without　taking　his　eyes　off　the　forest　ahead　of　them。
　〃Something　ran　by　。　。　。　there。〃
　John　looked　in　the　direction　Ripman　indicated　but　saw　nothing　except　forest。　Suddenly　something　John　had　never　seen　before　ran　through　the　trees　and　disappeared。　It　was　five　or　six　feet　high　and　ran　on　large　black　legs；　holding　its　slender　tail　straight　out　behind。　It　had　long　slim　arms　in　the　front　and　a　snakelike　neck　that　ended　in　a　small　head。　Large　yellow　eyes　were　set　just　above　the　mouth。
　〃Did　you　see…〃　John　stammered。
　〃Yeah；〃　Ripman　replied。　〃Looked　like　a　plucked　ostrich。〃
　Two　more　ran　by；　glancing　at　them。　The　tails　and　the　necks　were　striped　with　wide　bands　of　greenish　yellow　alternating　with　grayish　greens。
　〃e　on；　let's　follow　them。〃　Ripman's　voice　overflowed　with　excitement。
　Ripman　led　off。　John　saw　the　doubt　on　Cubby's　face；　but　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　started　after　Ripman。
　The　boys　emerged　in　a　meadow　and　cut　across　it；　although　the　animals　were　out　of　sight。　They　had　nearly　reached　the　other　side　when　they　heard　a　motion　behind　them。　Turning　to　look；　they　suddenly　saw　an　animal　burst　out　of　the　forest　and　e　running　toward　them；　bent　over　and　speeding　on　two　powerful　legs　like　the　plucked　ostriches　they　had　just　seen。　But　this　animal　was　taller　and　bulkier。　Its　neck　was　shorter　and　thicker　and　its　head　larger；　with　a　ducklike　bill　for　a　mouth。　Covered　with　slick…looking　skin；　with　a　long　tail；　it　was　undoubtedly　a　dinosaur。