jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第88部分

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't　she？〃　she　continued。　〃She　must　have　been　awfully　good　in　bed　for　you　to　put　up　with　that　kind　of　crap。〃
　Emmett　didn't　answer。　He　just　followed　Carrollee　out　the　door。
　〃Look　over　there；〃　Bridgette　was　saying；　pointing　to　a　dome　set　apart　from　the　others；　a　road　curving　up　to　its　rectangular　base。　〃That's　NASA's　IRTF。　Infrared　telescope；〃　she　translated；　looking　directly　at　Carrollee。　〃The　only　single…mirror　infrared　telescope　bigger　than　NASA's　is　right　there；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　another　dome　that　blended　smoothly　into　its　base。　〃And　over　there；〃　she　continued；　〃is　the　seventh　largest　optical　telescope　in　the　world。　And　do　you　know　what　this　telescope　is　doing　right　now？〃
　〃Taking　pictures　of　the　moon？〃　Carrollee　offered。
　〃That's　right；〃　Bridgette　said　patronizingly；　turning　to　face　Carrollee。
　〃It's　not　my　idea；〃　Carrollee　said　defensively。　〃I　just　came　along　to　keep　Emmett　pany。　If　I　had　my　way　I'd　be　taking　pictures　of　Pluto。〃
　Clearly　Carrollee　was　referring　to　Bridgette's　ments　about　Minnie　Mouse。　But　Bridgette　continued　coolly；
　〃There　are　many　things　in　the　sky　more　worthy　of　an　instrument　of　this　power。　I　would　have　refused　Paulson's　request　outright　if　we　hadn't　had　some　cancellations。〃
　〃Cancellations？〃　Emmett　prompted。
　〃Well；　no　shows　actually。　We　have　some　gaps　in　our　observation　rotation；　and　we've　had　trouble　contacting　those　on　the　waiting　list。〃
　Use　of　the　facilities　was　highly　petitive；　and　not　showing　up　was　unheard　of。　Emmett　understood　why　there　were　gaps　in　Bridgette's　schedule；　but　obviously　Bridgette　was　uninformed　about　what　had　happened　to　the　world　below　her。　He　decided　not　to　tell　her。　He　wanted　his　photographs。
　〃You　said　the　photographic　survey　has　already　begun？　Do　you　need　any　help？〃
　〃We　don't　need　help。　If　you　want　the　plates　developed　and　printed　it　will　take　another　hour　and　a　half。〃
　Emmett　decided　it　was　worth　the　wait。　He　wasn't　sure　he　could　get　the　developing　done　at　the　university；　given　the　situation。
　
　
　Two　hours　later　they　were　traveling　down　off　the　volcano　with　a　sheaf　of　photos。　Carrollee　drove　while　Emmett　shuffled　through　them　futilely；　looking　for　some　obvious　change。
　〃I　just　don't　know　enough　about　moon　topography　to　do　a　good　job　on　this；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Besides；　I'm　getting　car　sick。〃
　〃Emmy　not　take　his　Dramamine？〃　Carrollee　said　in　a　babyish　voice　and　clucked　her　tongue。　〃Just　what　are　you　looking　for；　anyway？〃
　〃Something　different。　Some　kind　of　change。　Something　that　would　support　my　model。　Dr。　Paulson　wasn't　very　specific。〃
　〃Maybe　you　could　ask　someone　to　help　you？〃　Carrollee　suggested。
　〃I　suppose　you　will　be　busy　with　your　babies。〃
　〃Nothing　to　do　now　but　wait。　I　don't　enjoy　staring　at　sand。〃
　Emmett　knew　Carrollee　was　as　hooked　as　he　was　on　the　project。　But　she　wanted　to　know　he　wanted　her　help。
　〃Carrollee；　would　you　help　me　examine　the　photos？〃　Emmett　asked　it　politely　and　seriously；　although　it　came　out　sounding　a　little　forced。
　Carrollee　stifled　a　smile　and　then　said；　〃Oui。〃
　
　53。　　MODERN　DEATH
　
　tt　wasn't　the　wheel　that　gave　man　dominance　over　other　species；　nor　any　other　implement；　save　one；　the　weapon。
　…Sir　John　Hammond；　A　Philosophy　of　History；　1872
　
　Warm　Springs　Indian　Reservation；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　10：30　P。M。　PST
　
　　Colter's　survival　instinct　barely　saved　him　from　drowning。　Already　physically　exhausted；　he　dove　repeatedly；　searching　for　any　sign　of　Petra；　but　when　he　found　none；　he　finally　splashed　to　shore　and　collapsed。　He　meant　to　rest　briefly　and　then　search　again　for　Petra；　but　his　good　intentions　faded　with　his　consciousness。　While　his　body　struggled　to　renew　itself；　he　was　near　atose。　Badly　chilled　and　without　food　to　replenish　his　resources；　he　woke　to　find　himself　still　near　exhaustion。
　It　was　nearly　too　much　for　him。　The　loss　of　Ernie　and　Mrs。　Wayne　scarcely　crossed　his　mind　because　he　hadn't　witnessed　it。　The　losses　of　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher　were　painful；　but　manageable。　He　had　liked　the　people　in　the　group。　Sure　they　were　kooks；　but　they　were　nice　kooks。　Kind　of　interesting；　if　you　didn't　take　them　too　seriously。　He　was　sad　to　know　how　they　died。　But　the　death　of　Petra　caused　personal　pain；　something　Colter　had　never　experienced。　He'd　never　been　as　close　to　anyone　as　to　Petra。　He'd　never　told　her；　but　he　loved　her。　Now　she　was　gone。
　They　were　all　gone。　And　it　was　because　of　the　monsters；　the　dinosaurs；　whatever　Dr。　Piltcher　called　them。　These　animals　came；　they　terrorized；　they　maimed；　they　killed。
　Well；　I　can　kill　too；　Colter　thought。　I'm　a　human；　and　humans　kill　better　than　any　animal　ever　could。
　He　got　to　his　feet　and　ran　recklessly　through　the　brush　toward　the　RV；　feeling　invulnerable；　even　though　he　was　nearly　naked；　exhausted；　and　unarmed。　He　defied　any　dinosaur　to　cross　his　path。　He'd　be　an　easy　target；　of　course；　but　now　he　didn't　care。　He　was　going　to　kill；　or　be　killed。
　When　he　burst　in　the　door　Moose　scrambled　to　the　cabinet；　and　Sarah　waddled　to　the　back　and　buried　herself　under　a　pile　of　clothes。　Colter　flared　when　he　saw　them。　But　he　only　cursed　at　them　and　then　began　digging　in　the　piles　looking　for　a　pair　of　jeans。　Still　angry　and　reckless；　Colter　threw　things　violently　to　the　side；　working　his　way　toward　the　back。　When　he　spotted　his　jeans　in　the　bottom　of　a　mound　he　jerked　at　them；　eliciting　a　squeal　of　pain　from　Sarah。
　The　painful　cry　melted　some　of　the　ice　from　Colter's　heart。　Gently；　he　pulled　the　clothes　off　the　pile　one　by　one　to　uncover　Sarah。　She　had　one　back　foot　stuck　in　his　jean's　pocket；　and　when　he　pulled　on　it；　it　twisted　her　leg　up　and　back。　Sarah　flinched　when　he　reached　down；　but　didn't　snap。　Slowly；　Colter　untangled　her　back　leg；　and　she　limped　away　to　another　pile　and　tried　burying　herself　again。
　Feeling　guilty；　Colter　dug　around　in　the　cabinets　until　he　found　a　package　of　raisins。　He　tore　it　open　and　dumped　about　half　of　it　in　front　of　Sarah's　clothes　pile；；　and　after　only　half　a　minute　her　head　and　neck　collar　emerged　from　under　the　clothes　to　sniff　at　the　raisins。　Something　pink　and　lacy　was　dangling　from　her　collar。　Colter　smiled　at　the　sight；　but　then　frowned　when　he　realized　it　was　a　pair　of　Petra's　panties。　When　he　reached　down　to　retrieve　them　Sarah　cringed；　but　didn't　run　away。　He　threw　the　underwear　out　the　shattered　window。　Sarah　looked　up　briefly；　then　started　nibbling　on　her　raisins。
　He　was　surprised　at　how　much　pain　a　piece　of　Petra's　clothing　could　bring。　The　look　and　the　touch　triggered　memories　of　what　had　been　and　would　never　be　again。　Now　Colter　sorted　through　the　pile；　pulling　out　whatever　pieces　of　Petra's　clothes　he　could　find；　and　threw　them　out　the　window。　It　was　crazy；　he　knew；　but　it　was　also　therapeutic。
　When　he　was　done；　he　thought　about　starting　on　the　belongings　of　the　others；　but　he　had　something　else　to　do。　Something　to　do　with　killing。　He　pulled　on　a　sweatshirt　to　finish　covering　himself；　and　then　put　on　his　old　Nikes。　When　he　was　done　he　looked　up　to　see　Moose　staring　longingly　at　the　raisin　pile　Sarah　was　devouring。　While　Moose　cringed　against　the　wall；　Colter　pulled　another　handful　of　raisins　from　the　package　and　dropped　them　on　top　of　the　cabinet。　The　animal　was　on　the　food　as　soon　as　Colter　stepped　away。
　
　
　It　took　over　an　hour　to　hammer　the　crushed　metal　of　the　wheel　wells　away　from　the　tires。　Colter　worked　by　flashlight；　bending；　prying；　and　hammering。　When　he　was　sure　he　had　enough　clearance　to　turn　without　cutting　the　tires；　he　climbed　into　the　driver's　seat　to　start　the　engine。　The　egg　they　had　found　in　the　clearing　was　still　wrapped　in　a　towel　on　the　dash。　Colter　placed　it　into　a　lower　cabinet　and　then　tried　starting　up　the　RV；　which　roared　to　life　on　the　second　crank。　Pulling　forward；　he　turned　away　from　the　prehistoric　world　toward　what　he　hoped　was　still　civilization。　When　he　adjusted　the　rearview　mirror　he　spotted　Moose　on　top　of　the　cabinet。
　〃All　ashore　who's　going　ashore。　Let's　go；　guys！　Last　stop！　End　of　the　line！〃
　Moose　stared　at　him　from　the　top　of　the　cabinet；　but　didn't　move。　Colter　swore；　set　the　brake；　and　walked　back　to　grab　Moose　and　throw　him　out。　Moose　skittered　away　to　the　back　of　the　RV　and　disappeared　behind