jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第66部分
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ar the dinosaur bulldozing through the brush； but it was nowhere in sight。 Colter kicked off his shoes； pulled off his shirt； and began unbuttoning his pants； Petra； exhausted； followed suit but kept her bra on。
Glancing at Colter's body； she saw it was cut in a dozen places with dried blood covering his chest and legs。 His white underpants were stained with blood too。 As Petra watched bewildered； he took her pants and zipped them up and buttoned them； then tied the legs in knots。 Colter looked up； his forehead creasing in concern。
〃Are you all right？〃 he asked。
〃What do you think？〃 she snapped。
Then Colter wiped a finger across her forehead。 When he pulled it away it was covered with blood。 Petra started to check her head for wounds； but then realized that when the monster blasted her with its breath； it misted her with Dr。 Piltcher's blood。
〃I'm okay；〃 she whispered。 〃It's not my blood。〃
Colter didn't ask whose blood it was。
〃I'm ready；〃 he said instead。 〃Let's go。〃
Colter got up； holding their pants in one hand and trotted toward the lake。 It was a warm autumn day； but they were wearing nothing but their underwear； and their sweat…coated bodies cooled rapidly in the breeze。 Halfway to the lake the monster came around the treeline。 It spotted them instantly and charged。 They sprinted the rest of the way to the lake across rock and weed； unmindful of the little creatures skitter' ing away from their feet。 Petra and Colter hit the water full speed； but the water slowed them。 Waist high and barely moving； they saw the monster was turning into the lake； splashing toward them。
Colter and Petra began stroking as fast as they could； pulling for deep water； realizing the lake would have to be thirty feet deep to force the monster to swim。 They heard it splashing behind them； creating deep waves that rolled Petra； making it difficult to swim。 She turned her head back with the next stroke to see the dinosaur behind them； very close to Colter who dove； disappearing beneath the waves。 Bellowing； the monster turned toward Petra。 She too dove； kicking and stroking furiously； holding her breath until her lungs were ready to explode。 Then she surfaced； blowing out the stale air； and breathing in new。
She heard the monster roar behind her and dove again； now angling away from her last position。 This time she couldn't stay down as long； but when she came up again she found the monster turned away from her and looking down into the water。 She took several quiet breaths and then dove again； stroking away from the beast。 When she came up the dinosaur was staring helplessly into the lake。
Now she breaststroked away from the beast； looking back frequently to make sure it wasn't following。 Well out into the lake； safe from the dinosaur； she was tiring quickly。 The monster watched her from shore but still didn't move to follow… she hoped it couldn't swim。 Colter was struggling through the water； swimming with one hand。 Petra worried that one of his arms had been injured but then realized he was still dragging the jeans。 When Colter splashed up close to her he reached out and thrust a pair of jeans at her。
〃Here； hold these。〃
〃What for？〃
〃Just do it；〃 Colter yelled breathlessly。
Petra took the jeans and found her arm immediately pulled toward the bottom of the lake。 Colter was struggling to stay afloat by using only his legs； while he fiddled with the jeans。 Then he took the pants by the waist and swung them up and then down into the water； inflating the legs。 Petra grabbed them at the waist and held it in the water and found the makeshift float supported her。 Colter inflated the other pair； then side by side he and Petra floated。
The lake was silent now。 The bellows of the frustrated carnivore retreated into the distance and then faded away。 The only sound was the sound of the air slowly leaking through the fabric of the jeans； which they had to reinflate every few minutes。 Small ripples in the water caught Petra's eye。 Still watching the surface of the water； she saw dozens of bumps appear on the surface of the lake。 When the closest set of bumps blinked； she screamed and smacked the water。
〃Petra； stop； stop。 Here； look at this。〃 Colter held out his hand。
Something was sitting in his palm： a little brown fish with huge bulging eyes。 It had two fins and four little legs。
〃What is it； Colter？〃
〃I don't know； but it's breathing。 It's kind of a fish and kind of a frog or something。 I don't think it's dangerous。〃
Colter dropped the little creature in the water and swam closer to Petra； then floated by her side。 They rested together until they began to shiver； then they knew it was time to move。 Kicking through the water； across the lake and away from where they entered； they reached the middle of the lake and turned toward shore。 They moved slowly； not wanting to attract attention。 The monster was gone； but as tired as they were； even the three…footers would be more challenge that they could handle。 The shore remained empty though； and they gained confidence as they neared。 Then something brushed Petra's leg。 Something big。
Whatever it was； was armored with bony scales and scraped a few inches of skin off of her calf。 She yelped when it hit and Colter immediately swam closer。
〃My leg！ Something hit my leg。 I think I'm bleeding。〃
〃That's bad。 Trailing blood is like ringing the dinner bell。 Make for shore as fast as you can。〃
Petra frog kicked herself forward； keeping both hands wrapped around her jeans float。 Colter settled in behind her； zigzagging across her wake。 The shore crept closer at a painfully slow pace。
〃Petra； to your left。 In the water。〃
Petra turned following Colter's instructions。 There was something swimming alongside of them； matching its pace to theirs…a dark mass six or eight feet long。 It looked like a fish to Petra； but without putting her head in the water there was no way to tell what kind。 If only Dr。 Coombs or Dr。 Piltcher were here； they could tell her what kind of fish to expect in a prehistoric lake。
Petra sifted through her own memories； but the only image that came to mind all had long thin necks and huge flippers。 This mass didn't look like that。 Instead it looked like something the size of a shark。 Freshwater sharks？ Realizing she was only scaring herself； she saw it wasn't attacking； and the only thing more important than that was the approaching shore。
〃Colter； it's gone。 Do you see it？〃
〃No。 Man； I wish I knew if that was good or bad。 Just keep swimming。〃
Petra gritted her teeth against the pain in her aching muscles and kicked even harder。 As she swam she watched left and right； vowing not to give herself up to some fish when she had beaten a monster like the one that killed Dr。 Piltcher。
Not just killed； she reminded herself； but eaten。 Why did being eaten horrify her more than just simple death？ Surely it didn't matter to Dr。 Piltcher and Dr。 Coombs； they were both beyond caring。 But to Petra it did matter。 Maybe she wanted something to bury and mourn。 But most of all she was repulsed by the idea of humans being used as food。 Humans weren't food。 At least they weren't in their own world。 Here the human place in the food chain was still being worked out and the humans hadn't done well so far。
〃It's back； Petra；〃 Colter announced。 〃It just cut between us。 I think it's trying to separate us。 Just keep going； I'll stay close behind。〃
Petra tried； but she had no more energy。 She was making her best possible speed…a snail's pace。 Suddenly Colter gasped； and Petra turned to see him struggling back up onto his float。 He was coughing and sputtering。
〃I'm okay。 It scraped me too。 I think it's tasting us。〃
〃Shut up； Colter； and swim！〃
Petra turned toward shore again and forced herself back into her rhythm。 Something rushed by her legs； creating powerful swirls around her dangling feet。 Petra kept up her pace； but then it rushed by again； closer this time。
Petra could feel the attack ing and then Colter shouted； 〃This is it！ Swim for it； Petra！〃
Confused and scared； Petra wanted to shout she was swimming but had no energy。 Colter was facing the other way。 She couldn't see the fish but its wake was rushing toward Colter； whose float； she realized； was gone。 She turned； let go of her float； and began arm stroking toward shore； finding her rested arms had more energy left than her nearly useless legs。 Despite her loud splashing； she heard the attack behind her； violent thrashing in the water。 Petra was too afraid for herself to think about Colter。 Instead she repeated to herself； left； right； left right。 Soon； her arms tired and her speed dropped off。
A new sound came behind her now； a rhythmical splashing Petra began to cry。 Her arms moved mechanically； and with every stroke she lost a little speed。 Her vision was blurring Before she had seen the blue murk of the depths。 Now a greenish fuzz hung before her eyes； drifting up to meet her； and then on her next stroke she hit it。 It was the bottom。
She folded at the waist trying to get her legs under her； but she was too near the shore。 Now she found herself kneeling in the water； chest deep。 Still； she felt as if she were onshore； safe from the lake's menaces。 Then she heard splashing behind her；
She spun to see Colter wading through the water； spreading his arms as he approached。 Petra stood to take his embrace； but instead Colter turned her toward shore。 With his arm around her they walked along the lake bottom toward the meadow beyond。
As their bodies met the cool air； they began to shiver。 Petra wanted to run to shore and into the grass of the meadow for warmth； but Colter held her back。
〃Let's make sure something's not waiting for us。〃
The breeze was chilly； so Petra squatted in the water to warm herself。
〃What happened back there； Colter？ I thought that fish had you for sure。〃
〃It almost did。 I stuffed my Levi's into its mouth。 It tore them up something bad； but while it was wasting its time I took off。〃
〃I'm sorry I didn't stop to help you。〃
Colter turned when she said that； anger flashing across his face。
〃Don't be sorry。 Petra； everything I've done； I've done for you。 Dr。 Piltcher is right 。 。 。 was right。 I'm not that smart； not like you。 I
