jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第15部分

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　and　wore　his　hair　down　so　that　it　covered　half　his　pimply　face。　When　the　driver　stepped　out　in　front　of　the　others；　they　assumed　tough　guy　poses　behind　him；　〃What　are　you　assholes　doing　in　our　town？〃　The　creep；　John　knew；　was　referring　to　him　and　Ripman。　John　also　knew　a　rhetorical　question　when　he　heard　one。　Unfortunately；　Ripman　didn't；
　〃You　talking　to　us？〃　Ripman　said；　with　a　surprising　amount　of　menace　in　his　voice。
　
　John　had　known　Ripman　since　his　freshman　year　in　high　school。　Their　homeroom　turned　out　to　be　PE　class　and　the　exmarine　gym　teacher　had　screamed　out　their　names　as　he　worked　through　the　alphabet　assigning　locker　mates。　〃Ripman；　Roberts；　number　two　thirty…eight。〃
　In　all　the　time　he　had　known　him；　John　had　never　seen　Ripman　in　a　fight。　Ripman　claimed　to　be　six　feet　tall　but　was　probably　a　little　short　of　that　and　on　the　thin　side。　He　was　big　enough　to　discourage　the　bullies　in　school；　but　this　one　in　Newberg　didn't　look　or　act　discouraged。
　The　leader　snorted；　smacked　his　gum　a　few　times；　looked　Ripman　up　and　down；　then；　with　catlike　quickness；　snatched　Ripman's　pie。　The　wise…guy　grin　got　bigger　as　he　held　it　up。　Pimples　snorted　his　approval。
　The　big　dwarf　turned　back　to　Ripman。
　〃You　want　this　back；　asshole？〃
　Ripman　didn't　answer；　he　just　stared　defiantly。　The　big　dwarf　smacked　his　gum　and　grinned　some　more。　Ripman　flinched　when　the　hand　came　toward　his　head；　but　then　held　his　ground　when　the　big　dwarf　squished　the　pie　into　his　hair。
　〃All　right！〃　pimples　chortled。
　With　a　slow　deliberate　motion　Ripman　brought　his　hand　up　to　his　head　and　forcefully　scraped　the　pie　off；　throwing　it　toward　the　big　dwarf's　feet；　splattering　them　with　lemon　filling。　Then　the　door　behind　them　opened　and　Cubby　came　out。　He　was　doing　his　tough…guy　routine。
　〃There　a　problem　here？〃　Cubby　asked　in　a　voice　two　octaves　below　normal。
　Cubby　pushed　past　the　thugs　and　opened　the　van　door。　The　big　dwarf　was　turning　red；　his　blood　boiling…apparently　he　knew　his　limits　and　Cubby　was　a　little　beyond　them。　John　climbed　onto　the　bench　seat　in　the　back；　but　Ripman　surprised　him　by　climbing　into　the　passenger　seat。　It　surprised　Cubby　too。　He　almost　never　drove　his　van；　preferring　to　ride　in　the　passenger　seat；　hollering　out　the　window　while　Ripman　drove　fast　and　semirecklessly。
　As　Cubby　started　up　the　van　and　backed　slowly　out　of　the　parking　slot；　Ripman　maintained　eye　contact　with　the　big　dwarf。　Suddenly　the　big　dwarf　spit　his　gum　at　Ripman；　sticking　it　to　the　middle　of　the　passenger　window。　When　Ripman　gave　him　the　finger　in　return；　the　big　dwarf　nodded　and　glared；　in　mitment　to　see　Ripman　another　time　when　Cubby　wouldn't　be　around。
　As　Cubby　headed　them　north；　Ripman　sulked；　staring　at　the　glob　of　gray　gum。　John　knew　what　was　eating　at　Ripman。　Unable　to　handle　the　situation　with　the　big　dwarf　he'd　violated　his　〃elemental〃　principle　by　requiring　Cubby's　help。　They　drove　out　of　town　in　silence　and　darkness。
　Cubby　took　them　east　on　99　toward　Portland。　As　they　climbed　Breed's　hill　out　of　Newberg's　valley；　John　could　see　the　lights　of　the　little　town　below　them。
　Then　the　lights　went　out。　John　managed　to　get　a　〃hey〃　out　of　his　mouth　before　a　sonic　boom　rattled　the　van。　All　three　boys　gasped；　and　before　their　ears　and　hearts　had　recovered；　the　storm　hit。　The　sudden　wind　drove　the　van　across　the　lane　onto　the　narrow　shoulder　of　the　road；　bordered　by　large　rocks。　Cubby　hit　the　brakes　and　fought　to　keep　the　van　out　of　the　ditch。　Gravel　machine…gunned　the　bottom　of　the　van　and　the　tires　screeched　as　the　van　slid　to　a　stop。　Silently；　they　all　stared　out　the　van　windows。
　The　wind　roared　around　the　van。　John　was　horrified　to　see　the　fir　trees　on　the　other　side　of　the　road　bending　in　half。　Would　they　reach　the　van　if　they　fell？　The　van　rocked　with　each　gust　of　wind　and　John　honestly　wondered　whether　it　might　be　safer　to　get　out。　Then　behind　him；　emerging　from　behind　the　hill　to　the　west；　he　saw　a　funnel　cloud　was　dancing　through　farmlands；　ripping　up　crops　and　trees。　John　was　seventeen　years　old　and　had　spent　all　his　life　in　Oregon。　In　that　time　he　had　never　heard　of　a　tornado　in　the　state。
　The　funnel　was　stirring　up　so　much　debris　and　dust　that　the　road　and　fields　were　obscured。　If　it　continued　on　a　straight　line；　John　estimated；　it　would　cut　across　the　highway　and　then　continue　into　the　vineyards　on　the　east　side。　A　farmhouse　on　that　side　was　a　little　north　of　the　tornado's　path。　When　John　looked　back　he　realized　the　tornado　was　curving　back　into　Newberg。　John　sat　there　helpless；　watching　in　horrified　fascination。
　The　tornado　ripped　through　the　nursery　at　the　edge　of　town；　shredding　three　greenhouses；　then　lifted　into　the　sky　and　seemed　to　dissipate。　Seconds　later　it　was　back；　dropping　to　earth　again；　this　time　into　the　Ford　dealership；　first　floating　and　then　lifting　Aerpstars　and　Mustangs。　Then　the　funnel　ascended　again；　widened　into　a　swirling；　angry　cloud；　and　disappeared。
　The　three　of　them　sat　in　silence　for　a　minute　and　then；　all　at　once；　clambered　out　for　a　better　look　as　the　wind　died　down　to　a　soft；　restful　whishing　sound。
　〃Elemental；〃　Ripman　said；　surveying　the　damage　in　the　valley　below。　〃Let's　go　take　a　look　at　that　Ford　dealer。〃
　〃Forget　it；　Ripman；〃　Cubby　gut　in。　〃Take　a　look　at　the　road。〃
　John　looked　back　along　the　highway　to　Newberg。　It　was　littered　with　fallen　trees　and　debris　from　the　greenhouses。　They　would　need　a　chain　saw　and　a　bucket　loader　to　clear　a　path　to　the　Ford　dealer。　The　road　ahead　was　also　covered　with　debris；　but　no；large　trees　blocked　it。　With　one　last　look；　and　another　〃elemental〃　from　Ripman；　they　climbed　back　into　the　van　and　headed　home。　They　were　all　still　on　adrenalin　highs　and　peppered　their　talk　with　〃Did　ya　see　that？〃
　They　finished　climbing　the　hill；　went　down　the　grade；　and　hit　the　stretch　where　the　road　split　into　two　one…way　sections　divided　by　dense　trees。　It　felt　like　driving　down　a　dark　green　tunnel。　Suddenly；　Cubby　hit　the　brakes；　sliding　to　a　tire…squealing　stop。　Ripman　very　nearly　hit　the　windshield；　and　John　and　his　Big　Gulp　rolled　off　the　bench　seat。　He　came　up　cussing；　but　stopped　when　he　looked　out。　Cubby　was　ten　feet　from　where　the　road　ended　abruptly。　The　asphalt　was　neatly　cut　from　one　edge　of　the　road　to　the　other；　and　where　the　road　should　have　continued　was　a　forest；　but　unlike　the　one　that　had　lined　the　road　to　Newberg。　The　spindly　second…growth　Douglas　firs　were　gone；　and　in　their　place　were　giants；　with　girths　three　to　four　times　larger。　John　stood；　his　head　protruding　from　the　sunroof；　and　traced　one　of　the　giants　from　its　massive　base　to　its　crown；　towering　above　him。　Had　the　road　been　shifted　by　the　tornado？　Had　these　trees　always　been　there；　hidden　from　the　road　by　the　firs？
　Cubby　and　Ripman　climbed　out　of　the　van；　and　Ripman　walked　to　the　nearest　giant　and　kicked　it　with　his　foot。
　〃It's　real　enough；〃　he　snorted；　〃but　I　still　don't　believe　it。　Where　。　。　。　how　did　it…？〃
　Cubby's　sudden　loud　sobbing　cut　Ripman　off。　John　turned　to　see　Cubby　drop　to　his　knees；　his　hands　spread　wide　and　his　face　turned　to　heaven。　He　buried　his　face　in　his　hands　and　begged　for　Jesus　to　take　him。　Angrily　stomping　over；　Ripman　pulled　Cubby's　hands　from　his　race。　Cubby　jerked　his　hands　back　and　shoved　Ripman　away；　the　other　boy；　overpowered；　staggered　back　a　few　steps；　his　face　red　with　anger。
　〃Get　away　from　me！〃　Cubby　shouted；　his　voice　ragged　with　tears。　〃Don't　you　know　what's　happened？　Can't　you　see　it？　It's　the　second　ing。　It's　the　rapture。　The　righteous　have　been　taken　from　the　world　and　I　have　been　found　wanting。〃
　〃Don't　give　me　that；　Cubby。　This　is　just　some　kind　of　landslide；　or　maybe　that　tornado　did　something　weird；　but　don't　give　me　that　supernatural　crapola。〃
　　As　Cubby　kept　on　sobbing；　Ripman　stepped　forward；　stopped　and　kicked　dirt　at　the　weeping　boy；　and　then　stalked　to　the　edge　of　the　forest；　peering　into　the　blackness。　John　approached　Cubby　but　hesitated；　embarrassed　and　afraid。　Ripman　was　an　atheist；　but　John　was　an　agnostic　who　could　be　convinced　of　God's　existence　by　a　miraculous　event。　What　force　short　of　a　miracle　could　have　delivered　the　changes？　After　a　few　minutes；　Ripman　stomped　back　to　yell　disgustedly；　〃Stop　blubbering；　you　big　baby。　I'll　prove　to　you　this　isn't　the　second　ing。　John；　watch　him　till　I　get　back。〃
　John　opened　his　mouth　to　protest；　but　Ripman　walked　off　down　the　road　toward　Newberg。　John　watched　him　until　the　dark　enveloped　him；　then　he　turned　back　to　the　forest；　a　forest　that　hadn't　been　there　a　few　hours　ago。
　〃I　hope　you're　right　about　this；　Ripman；〃　John　whispered；　〃I　hope　to　God　you're　right。〃
　
　13。　　FLIGHT　DELAY
　
　The　flight　leader　radioed　they　were　off　course　and　his　pass　was　haywire。　The　pilots　of　the　other　four　torpedo　bombers　confirmed　their　instruments　were　going　crazy；　and　then　lost　contact。　After　the　planes　vanished　a　twin　engine　Martin　Mariner；　with　a　crew　of　13；　was　dispatched　to　search　the　area。　The　search　plane　was　never　heard　from　again。
　…Roger　Cochran；　Vanished：　Secrets　of　the　Bermuda　Triangle
　
　Honolulu；　Hawaii
　TIME　QUILT：　SATURDAY；　10：11　P。M。　AHT　（ALEUTIAN…HAWAIIAN　TIME）
　
　　Assistant　Professor　Emmett　Puglisi　hurried　through　the　airport　looking　for　the　arrival　monitor。　There　were　few　people；　but　because　he　feared　being　late；　everyone　was　in　his　way。　Spotting　a　monitor；　he　quickly　scanned　for　Dr。　Wang's　flight。　Emmett　was　relieved；　he　still　had　a　few　minutes　before　her　flight　arrived。
　Emmett　noted　the　gate　number　but　only　took　three　steps　before　he　was　stopped　by　a　touch　on　the　arm。　Emmett　turned　to　see　Professor　Carrollee　Chen…Slater's　beaming　face。　There　was　nothing　subdued　about　Carrollee；　not　her　smile；　not　her　personality；　and　not　the　way　she　dressed。　Today　she　was　dressed　in　a　brightly　colored　flowered　sundress；　which　on　most　people　would　be　gaudy；　but　Carollee　added　large　flowers　to　her　sandals　and　one　in　her　hair。　Carrollee's　taste　in　clothes　ran　well　past　loud；　and　stopped　just　a　little　short　of　being　circus　garb。
　〃Hello；　Dr。　Puglisi；〃　she　said　with　mock　formality。
　〃Hello；　Carrollee；〃　Emmett　replied　warily。　He　and　Carrollee　worked　at　the　university　but　in　different　departments；　and　he　knew　her　well　enough　to　be　careful　of　what　he　said。
　〃Droppi