jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第69部分

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！


head。　Carl　leaned　back；　putting　more　weight　on　her　stomach；　staring　at　her　breasts；　smiling　in　anticipation。　Thinking　quickly；　she　relaxed　a　little；　encouraging　Carl　to　lean　back　some　more；　then　she　jerked　her　knee　sharply　upward；　cracking　Carl　in　the　back。　Carl　yelped　with　the　pain。　His　eyes　flashed　and　he　slapped　Ellen　hard　across　the　face；　twice。　Suddenly　she　felt　Carl's　hands　on　her　chest；　tearing；　her　blouse　open。
　〃Hot　damn！〃　Carl　said。　He　looked　up　at　Bobby。　〃I　think　we　made　the　right　choice。　Besides；　we　can　always　have　a　go　at　Angie　later。〃
　Carl　reached　down；　trying　to　pull　off　Ellen's　bra。　The　straps　held；　cutting　into　Ellen's　back。　Finally；　the　clasp　gave；　and　she　felt　Carl's　rough　hands　on　her　breasts。　Bobby　was　giggling　uncontrollably　by　now；　and　Carl　rocked　back　and　forth；　inching　his　way　down　so　he　could　get　at　Ellen's　pants。
　Then　Bobby　screamed。
　He　reached　around　to　his　back　and　stood；　almost　falling　into　Ellen　and　Carl；　his　mouth　opening　and　closing。　But　the　screaming　had　stopped；　replaced　by　short　gurgling　breaths。　He　collapsed　to　his　knees；　then　fell　sideways　onto　his　face。　Ellen　could　see　an　arrow　sticking　out　of　his　back。　Carl　leapt　to　his　feet；　pulling　his　gun。　He　was　looking　past　Ellen　into　the　trees　when　another　arrow　flew　over　Ellen's　head　and　buried　itself　into　his　calf。　Now　he　too　fell　to　the　ground　with　a　scream；　dropping　the　gun　and　grabbing　at　his　leg。
　Ellen　rolled　to　her　stomach　and　then　came　up　onto　her　feet　running。　She　bolted　toward　the　darkness　of　the　treeline；　listening　for　pursuit　but　heard　only　her　own　blood　pulsing　through　her　system。　She　made　the　trees　and　ran　wildly；　not　looking　where　she　was　going。　Bushes　and　branches　swiped　at　her　face　as　she　ran。　When　she　stumbled　to　her　knees；　gasping　for　breath；　she　looked　behind　her。　Someone　was　crashing　through　the　trees；　a　strange　half…naked　figure。　Ellen　realized　it　was　Angie。
　〃Thank　God；〃　Ellen　sobbed。　〃I'm　sorry；　Angie；　I'm　sorry　I　left　you。〃　Ellen　felt　guilty　for　getting　Angie　into　this　mess　in　the　first　place；　and　for　thinking　only　of　herself　when　a　chance　to　escape　had　e。
　〃Nonsense；〃　Angie　said　briskly；　〃you　did　what　I　would　have　done。　Now　let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　They　were　about　to　head　off　again　when　they　heard　a　voice。
　〃This　way；　Mrs。　Roberts。〃
　Ellen　looked　to　see　a　man…no；　a　boy…emerge　from　behind　a　bush。　He　was　wearing　a　camouflage　jacket。　A　bow　with　three　strings　was　in　his　hand；　and　a　pack　and　a　quiver　of　arrows　was　on　his　back。　Ellen　searched　her　memory。　The　face　was　familiar；　it　was　Robert；　John's　friend。　Except；　she　remembered；　he　liked　to　be　called　by　his　last　name；　Ripman。
　
　41。　　　PURSUIT
　
　The　careful　arrangement　of　eggs　in　a　nest；　and　the　close　proximity　of　adult　fossils　and　that　of　their　young；　suggest　dinosaurs　may　have　had　a　maternal　instinct　similar　to　mammals。
　…Gregory　Hale；　Dinosaur　Dreams
　
　North　of　Bend；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　7：13　A。M。　PST
　
　　They　spent　the　night　huddled　in　the　RV；　afraid　to　move　or　even　make　a　sound。　Occasionally　the　dinosaur　could　be　heard　moving　around　outside；　and　twice　it　sounded　farther　in　the　distance。　Both　times　the　creature　returned　within　an　hour；　snuffling　around　the　outside　of　the　RV。　As　morning　broke　the　dinosaur　could　be　heard　moving　off　into　the　distance　again。　After　twenty　minutes；　Colter　stood　to　peer　out。
　〃It's　gone；〃　he　whispered。　He　walked　through　the　RV　checking　the　other　side　and　the　front　and　back。　〃Yeah；　it's　gone　for　sure。〃
　The　others　stood　slowly；　each　checking　separately　that　the　dinosaur　was　gone。　Only　when　they　were　all　sure　did　they　speak；　and　then　only　in　hushed　tones。　Incredibly；　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher　immediately　fell　into　another　debate。
　〃Are　you　sure　it's　not　triceratops？〃　Dr。　Coombs　asked。
　〃Certainly　a　ceratopsian；　but　the　horns　are　wrong　for　triceratops。　More　likely　monoclonius；〃　Dr。　Piltcher　countered。
　〃I　can't　agree；〃　Dr。　Coombs　argued。　〃The　curved　nasal　horn　would　be　typical　of　monoclonius；　but　the　frill　horns　seem　exaggerated　for　this　particular　species。　Mono　means　one　after　all。　Perhaps　it　is　an　intermediate　form…〃
　〃What　difference　does　it　make？〃　Petra　shouted。　〃Triceratops！　Monoclonius！　What　matters　is　whether　it　is　ing　back　or　not！〃
　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher　looked　sheepish。
　She　found　Colter　outside　looking　at　the　RV。　Its　entire　length　was　crumpled　or　dented。　He　tried　to　pull　a　crushed　fender　away　far　enough　to　free　one　tire；　but　failed。
　〃Help　me；　Petra；〃　he　urged；　straining。
　Petra　reached　in　next　to　him　and　grabbed　the　edge　of　the　wheel　well　just　below　his　hand。　Bracing　one　leg　against　the　side　of　the　RV；　the　two　of　them　pulled　on　the　metal。　It　barely　budged。　More　hands　reached　in；　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Dr。　Coombs　jockeyed　for　position。　Moose　appeared　in　the　broken　window　above　them；　startling　the　group；　he　was　balanced　on　the　edge　and　staring　down。　His　mouth　moved　open　and　closed；　but　no　sound　came　out。　When　he　made　no　move　to　jump　down　and　run　away；　the　others　went　back　to　their　task。　When　they　all　had　a　firm　grasp　they　pulled　and　the　metal　began　to　move。　Suddenly　Moose　screeched；　then　spun　and　dropped　back　in　the　RV。　Then　something　bellowed　behind　them。
　They　turned　to　see　the　dinosaur　charging　down　on　them。　Scrambling　to　get　in　the　door　they　automatically　paused　to　let　Petra　go　in　first。　She　dove　into　the　RV　as　the　others　realized　there　wouldn't　be　enough　time　to　get　in　before　the　dinosaur　rammed　it　again。　Hesitating；　not　willing　to　be　either　first　or　last　into　the　opening；　the　three　men　stood　in　the　doorway　paralyzed　with　indecision　while　behind　them　loomed　the　onrushing　dinosaur。
　〃Move！〃　Petra　screamed。
　Colter　was　the　first　to　break　and　ran　to　his　right；　the　dinosaur's　head　jerking　in　his　direction。　Dr。　Coombs　broke　next；　running　left　and　pulling　the　dinosaur's　attention　back　from　Colter。　Left　alone　in　front　of　the　door；　Dr。　Piltcher　struggled　to　climb　in　before　the　dinosaur　crushed　him　in　the　opening。
　When　Dr。　Piltcher　disappeared　inside；　the　dinosaur　turned　toward　the　escaping　Dr。　Coombs。　But　it　turned　too　late；　crashing　into　the　wall　of　the　RV。　Instead　of　pushing　the　RV　back　with　the　blow；　the　dinosaur's　snout　horn　penetrated；　peeling　the　metal　wall　away　followed　by　its　massive　head。　The　snout　horn　drove　deep　into　the　RV；　demolishing　cabinets；　and　only　the　massive　collar　of　the　dinosaur　prevented　the　head　from　pletely　penetrating　the　wall。　Dr。　Piltcher；　knocked　backward　by　the　force　of　the　blow；　bounced　off　the　back　wall；　falling　forward。　As　he　put　out　his　hands　to　stop　his　fall；　he　found　himself　slamming　against　the　snout　of　the　dinosaur。　The　dinosaur　and　Dr。　Piltcher　froze；　startled　at　such　close　contact。
　Then　the　massive　mouth　opened　and　screamed；　nearly　deafening　Petra；　and　Dr。　Piltcher　and　he　pushed　back　with　his　hands；　throwing　himself　away　from　the　opening　mouth。　When　the　dinosaur　screamed　again；　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Petra　scrambled　to　the　back　of　the　RV　to　hide　with　Sarah。
　The　dinosaur　roared　its　anger　again　and　then　began　violently　shaking　its　head　and　pulling　back　with　its　massive　legs。　With　every　swing　of　the　monster's　head　the　jagged　edges　of　the　torn　metal　sliced　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　thick　skin　of　its　head。　Blood　began　to　stream　in　rivulets　at　the　base　of　the　collar；　dripping　inside　the　RV。　Oblivious　to　the　pain；　however；　the　dinosaur　continued　to　swing　its　head。　As　the　opening　enlarged；　the　head　moved　back；　and　with　a　final　powerful　tug　the　head　wrenched　free；　leaving　a　gaping　hole　in　the　side　of　the　RV　as　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Petra　watched　with　relief　from　the　back。
　The　collision　stunned　the　dinosaur；　but　once　free　it　smelled　the　nest　robber。　The　dinosaur　backed　two　steps　and　then　spun　left；　toward　a　figure　racing　through　the　clearing　in　the　distance。　Then　putting　its　head　down；　it　charged　again。
　Petra；　horrified　to　see　the　rapidly　retreating　dinosaur　was　chasing　Dr。　Coombs；　turned　to　her　mentor。
　〃We've　got　to　help　him；　Dr。　Piltcher。　What　can　we　do？〃
　Dr。　Piltcher　stood　numbly；　frozen　into　inaction。　Theory　and　speculation　were　his　forte；　or　the　recall　of　fact　after　fact；　but　creative　problem　solving　on　the　spot　was　alien　to　him。　Sensing　this；　Petra　bolted　out　the　door　and　began　calling　for　Colter。
　He　popped　up　out　of　the　gra