jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第86部分

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　was　right　behind　her；　and　it　jabbed　at　her　with　its　beak。　She　tried　to　run　out　of　the　way　but　tripped　and　fell。　Her　hand　and　arm　went　deep　into　a　shadow　at　the　bottom　of　the　rock　wall　and　she　landed　on　her　sore　arm。　It　made　her　hurt　bad　again。　The　bad　bird　was　hopping　and　fluttering　around。　Chrissy　knew　it　would　hurt　her　again。　She　felt　with　her　good　arm　in　the　shadow。　It　was　a　crack　that　got　bigger　ahead　of　her。　Chrissy　wriggled　forward　and　down　until　she　got　herself　all　into　the　hole。
　The　bad　bird　was　outside。　Chrissy　could　see　it　looking　at　the　hole。　It　jabbed　its　beak　into　the　hole；　making　Chrissy　scream　and　cry。　She　wriggled　deeper　into　the　hole。　The　bad　bird　jabbed　again　and　again。　It　was　like　some　mean　game　that　her　brother；　Matt；　would　play。　Chrissy　finally　learned　the　bird　couldn't　reach　her。　Then　she　refused　to　play　anymore；　and　lay　quiet；　out　of　its　reach。　It　stayed　outside　her　hidey　hole　and　looked　at　her。　Sometimes　it　opened　its　mouth　and　screeched　at　her。
　〃Go　away；　you　bad　mean　bird！〃　she　yelled　back。
　The　bird　jabbed　and　screeched　some　more；　but　finally　it　hopped　away；　dragging　its　hurt　wing　across　the　hole。　Now　Chrissy　couldn't　see。
　〃You　mean　bird！〃　she　screamed　again。　Then　she　wondered　how　she'd　see　her　mommy　when　she　came。　Chrissy　cried　again。　〃You　mean　bird；〃　she　said。　〃I　hate　you。〃　She　lay　there　holding　her　hurting　arm　and　crying　for　her　mommy　until　she　fell　asleep　an　hour　later。　When　she　woke；　it　was　pitch　black　in　her　hidey　hole。
　
　52。　　TROPICAL　SNOW
　
　We　was　watching　Lucy　on　TV　when；　crash…a　naked　body　came　through　the　roof。　If　that　wasn't　strange　enough；　the　police　said　it　was　frozen。
　…Josh　Hinson；　Jacksonville；　Florida；　July　15；1959
　
　Hilo；　Island　of　Hawaii；　Hawaii
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　8：15　P。M。　AHT
　
　The　streets　of　Hilo　were　strangely　quiet；　the　tourists　and　residents　glued　to　the　news。　Debris　in　the　street　announced　every　grocery　store　as　they　drove　their　rental　car　out　of　the　city。　Just　like　on　Oahu；　those　stores　with　goods　left　had　armed　guards。　They　had　expected　vandalized　grocery　stores；　but　they　soon　encountered　looted　department　stores　and　electronics　stores。　Most　disturbing　of　all　were　the　gutted　liquor　stores。　But　the　countryside　was　quiet　and　dark；　with　few　vehicles　on　the　road；　and　Carrollee　resumed　her　usual　animation　as　they　began　the　climb　to　the　observatories　on　Mauna　Kea。
　〃Let　me　see　if　I　can　remember　her　name；〃　Carrollee　teased。　〃You　only　dated　her　two　or　three　times；　I　believe。　Scored　right　away；　though；　didn't　you？　Your　ear　is　turning　red。　I'll　take　that　as　a　yes。　What　was　that　name？　Barbie？　No；　I'm　thinking　of　her　figure。　Bunny？　No；　now　I'm　confusing　her　name　and　sexual　tendencies。　Fluffy？　No；　that　was　her　personality。　Floozy？　No；　now　I'm　thinking　of　her　moral　character。　What　was　her　name？　Oh　yes；　Bree…geet。〃
　〃Bridgette。〃
　〃That's　what　I　said；　Bree…geet。　What　makes　you　think　Breegeet　will　let　you　use　her　telescope？　As　I　remember　it　you　two　didn't　part　as　friends。〃
　〃We　were　friendly。　We　split　because；　well；　she　didn't　think　I　was　ambitious　enough。〃
　〃Oh　yeah；　that　was　it。　She　waited　。　。　。　I　think　it　was　a　week　wasn't　it？　。　。　。　before　moving　in　with　that　Canadian。。He　had　better　prospects；　oui？　prenez…vous？〃
　〃She　waited　a　month。　Anyway；　it's　not　her　telescope。　Dr。　Paulson　was　supposed　to　contact　her　and　authorize　the　photos。　If　everything　went　right　she　should　have　it　set　up　by　the　time　we　get　there。〃
　〃Tres　bien。〃
　〃Clampee　votre　mouth　shut；　will　ya？〃
　〃Oui。〃
　Carrollee　turned　and　looked　out　the　window；　pleased　with　the　pins　she　had　poked　into　Emmett　in　just　a　few　minutes。　Now　they　slowly　left　the　lush　tropical　forest　behind　as　they　traveled　to　the　higher　elevations。
　
　
　When　Emmett　had　received　the　PresNet　message　from　the　President's　science　advisor　he　had　nearly　panicked。　But　Dr。　Paulson　said　nothing　about　Emmett's　unauthorized　access；　he　was　only　interested　in　Emmett's　model。
　〃You　do　understand　the　implications？〃　he　asked。
　Emmett　assured　him　he　did。
　〃And　have　you　thought　of　verifying　your　theory？〃　Emmett　had　confessed　inadequate　math　skills；　but　Dr。　Paulson　had　something　much　simpler　in　mind。　Emmett　quickly　agreed　with　the　idea；　after　all；　he　was　a　player　now。
　Emmett　had　feared　he　wouldn't　be　able　to　break　Carrollee　away　from　her　incubating　eggs；　but　it　had　been　easy。　Nearly　an　army　of　volunteers　was　protecting　the　site　now；　and　nothing　exciting　would　happen　until　the　eggs　hatched。　Emmett　explained　the　purpose　of　the　trip　vaguely　and　then　emphasized　it　would　take　only　a　few　hours。　Carrollee　quickly　agreed　to　e　along　and　even　seemed　eager　to　spend　more　time　with　Emmett；　who　was　surprised　and　glad。
　
　The　interisland　flights　were　operating；　so　they　flew　from　Oahu　to　Hawaii。　They　left　their　lightweight　tropical　clothes　in　an　airport　locker　in　exchange　for　the　heavier　clothes　the　cooler　climate　demanded。　Carrollee　came　out　of　the　airport　rest　room　wearing　the　least　outlandish　thing　Emmett　had　ever　seen　her　wear；　but　it　was　still　gaudy。　Her　Levi's　were　held　up　with　bright　red　suspenders　and　she　wore　a　long…sleeve　red　blouse　and　carried　a　red　checked　sweater。　On　her　feet　were　hiking　boots　with　red　socks　folded　neatly　over　the　tops；　and　her　bright　red　lipstick　matched　her　sweater　and　blouse。　Emmett　had　chosen　Levi's　too；　and　a　University　of　Hawaii　T…shirt。　He　carried　a　matching　hooded　sweatshirt。　He　wasn't　a　hiker　though　and　was　wearing　his　Nikes　instead　of　boots。
　He　was　about　to　pliment　Carrollee　on　being　circumspect　when　she　pulled　a　giant　red　and　white　checked　bow　out　of　her　bag　and　clipped　it　to　the　back　of　her　head。
　〃Did　that　outfit　e　with　a　red　rubber　nose？〃　he　asked。
　Carrollee　let　a　smile　flit　across　her　lips；　then　feigned　confusion。　。
　〃What　did　you　say　about　ing　with　a　rubber？〃　She　said　extra　loudly；　turning　heads　at　the　airport。
　Emmett　blushed；　opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　then　changed　his　mind。　He　wouldn't　get　the　better　of　Carrollee。
　
　
　Their　conversation　in　the　car　alternated　between　somber　and　silly　but　avoided　the　issue　of　the　time　quilt。　They　discussed　the　plesiosaur　and　the　unusual　seaweeds；　but　Emmett　held　back　what　he　knew　about　other　dinosaurs　from　the　PresNet。　Then　they　discussed　who　would　succeed　Dr。　Wang　as　department　chair；　and　who　might　be　recruited　to　replace　the　missing　faculty。　They　recognized　that　issues　of　hiring；　tenure；　and　promotion　were　part　of　the　old　world；　but　they　refused　to　acknowledge　the　new　order。
　As　they　climbed　the　extinct　volcano　Mauna　Kea；　the　air　cooled　and　Emmett　soon　turned　on　the　seldom…used　car　heater。　Mauna　Kea　towered　over　Hawaii；　the　peak　reaching　14；000　feet　above　sea　level。　At　half　the　height　of　Mount　Everest　it　was　a　nearly　ideal　location　for　the　university　to　build　an　observatory。　Several　instruments　sponsored　by　a　variety　of　nations　now　speckled　the　lunarlike　landscape　that　made　up　the　peak。　Emmett　and　Carrollee's　destination　was　the　Canada…France…Hawaii　telescope；　but　any　other　optical　instrument　would　serve　their　purpose。
　The　wind　picked　up　as　they　climbed　above　the　last　of　the　vegetation　into　the　broken　lava　fields　that　made　up　the　mountain's　dome。　The　car　was　warm　enough；　but　outside　it　was　cold　enough　to　snow；　and　indeed　frost　speckled　the　ground。　Emmett　knew　blizzards　were　frequent　here　in　winter；　and　that　somewhere　in　a　maintenance　shed　was　the　only　snowplow　in　the　islands。　Even　in　the　controlled　climate　of　the　car　they　began　to　feel　the　effects　of　the　elevation　and　cold。　The　dry　air　made　them　lick　their　lips　frequently。
　〃I've　heard　the　air's　so　dry　up　here；　they　have　trouble　with　the　electronics。　Sometimes　they　boil　pans　of　water　to　keep　things　working。〃
　Carrollee　nodded　her　head。
　〃When　do　we　break　out　the　oxygen　masks？〃　she　asked。
　〃They　fall　down　from　the　ceiling　in　an　emergency。　Seriously；　are　you　feeling　all　right？　It's　getting　pretty　thin。　We're　two　miles　above　sea　level。〃
　〃I'm　okay。　I　was　just　thinking　about　one　time　we　went　skiing　in　Colorado。　It　took　some　time　to　get　used　to　the　altitude。　I　would　get　sick　if　I　exercised　too　much。〃
　〃Yeah；　altitude　sickness。　We　shouldn't　have　a　problem　though；　I　don't　plan　on　skiing；　or　even　walking　much。　Just　watching　them　take　the　pictures　and　then　getting　off　th