jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第83部分
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They were nearly out of the fallen trees when they heard three quick shots； followed by a roar。 As they all turned and looked back； a loud thumping and crunching sound nearly frightened them off the log they were standing on。 Then Miller appeared around the corner of the tree stand； his rifle in one hand； climbing one fallen log； and then jumping from tree to tree。 Another roar trumpeted and a dinosaur came around the tree stand； the one that killed Angie。 It had trouble negotiating the fallen trees and picked its way slowly。 Miller tripped over a trunk and disappeared； then popped back up； steadied his rifle across the trunk； and fired another three quick shots。 When the dinosaur bellowed in pain； Carl and Kishton brought their guns to their shoulders and fired； missing it。
Miller raced to another fallen tree looking for a way over； then began climbing limbs recklessly。 The dinosaur swiped at him； but too late； and Miller jumped down between trunks。 Before Miller reappeared the animal stepped up on one trunk； and then another； and another。 Then； poised precariously on two logs； it looked down。 As the tail slammed down； acting as a stabilizer； the dinosaur bent its head between its feet； using the forelegs to swipe。 Two quick shots came from beneath the trunk。
〃Reload； Miller； reload！〃 Kishton shouted。
Miller's first scream was shorter than Angle's； but he got two more out before the digging claws silenced him。
〃Move it！〃 Carl yelled； shoving Ellen again。 〃And you； you sonofabitch！〃 Carl screamed； kicking Ripman in the groin and knocking him to the ground。 〃You did that on purpose。 You knew that thing was there！〃 Ripman groaned； then whimpered as Carl kicked him in the back。
〃He wanted to be with Angie； didn't he？〃 Ellen said； hoping to distract Carl。 〃Now they'll always be together。〃
Carl whipped around at the sound of her voice； his face red with fury； the lust in his eyes replaced by murder。 Ellen's mind raced as she searched for a way out。
〃I think it's ing this way；〃 she lied。
Carl's head snapped back to the dinosaur； which still had its head poked under a log。
〃You'll pay for this！ You'll both pay；〃 Carl hissed。
Carl shoved Ellen and once again they were climbing toward rhe forest。 Everyone except Ripman kept looking back。 Occasionally the animal glanced in their direction； but it was preoccupied with eating。
Again Ellen was facing what her psychologist husband would call an avoidance…avoidance conflict。 If she tried to escape she would probably be killed by Carl or Kishton； and if she did escape； this dinosaur； or some other…； would probably eat her just like Angie。 But if she didn't escape she would end up being gang raped first and then killed。 Then there was Ripman。 He could have left her and Angie to the dinosaur。 Instead he tried to help them。 Now it looked like Carl and Kishton would beat him to death。 If she escaped； she resolved； it would be with Ripman。
The standing forest was only a few logs away when a bullet slammed into a fallen tree next to Ellen； followed by the report of a pistol。 Confused； Carl and Kishton looked in all directions。 Two more bullets whined over their heads； and all four people ducked behind the nearest log。 Then a voice rang out of the forest； a deep menacing voice； a voice that was vaguely familiar to Ellen。
〃Let the woman and boy go！〃
〃Who are you？〃 Carl shouted back。 The voice repeated its demand。 Carl gave Kishton a quizzical look； but Kishton merely shrugged。 Carl then turned； his rifle on Ripman。
〃Who's out there； kid？〃
The right side of Ripman's face was swollen and purplish。 He could scarcely move his lips； but he whispered； 〃Someone with a gun。〃
Carl slapped Ripman across his discolored cheek。 As Ripman grimaced with pain he gasped and moaned。 Satisfied momentarily； Carl turned to Ellen； who flippantly offered； 〃Someone with a gun and an attitude？〃
Carl slapped her down； then jerked her up by her hair。
〃They ain't gonna get you。 You're mine。〃
Two more shots echoed out of the forest； and the bullets whined overhead。 From the log； Carl fired three quick shots in response。
〃e and get them； if you want them！〃 he shouted。 〃We got plenty of ammunition； and we ain't movin'。〃
〃Look behind you！〃 the deep disembodied voice called。
They all turned to see the dinosaur looking in their direction。 When it stepped toward them Kishton kicked Ripman twice more。
Carl looked around wildly for another escape route； but Ellen could see they were trapped and hoped Carl was smart enough to see it too。 They could move parallel to the forest until they were out of range of the gun； but there was no way to know that the man in the forest wouldn't follow them。 And it would be slow； and the dinosaur was getting better at walking through the fallen trees。
〃What we gonna do； Carl？ Maybe we better let them go？〃 Kishton offered hopefully。
〃Let me think。 Just shut up and let me think！〃
Ellen was watching the dinosaur； afraid 1t was moving faster than Carl could think。
Carl finally shouted into the forest defiantly； 〃If we let them go； how do we know you'll let us out of here before the dinosaur gets us？〃
〃Let the woman and the kid go。 We have no interest in you。〃
At the word we Ellen felt hope。 Whoever they were； they couldn't be any worse than Carl and the guys。 Ripman； his head down； showed no reaction。 Carl and Kishton were taking too much time。 If they didn't act soon they wouldn't be able to release her and Ripman and make it to the forest themselves before the dinosaur caught up。
〃All right； all right！〃 Carl shouted to the forest。
Then to Ellen and Ripman he said； 〃This isn't over。 Now you go； and you go fast； or I'll shoot you in the back just like you did Bobby。〃
As soon as they climbed on top of the log； the dinosaur spotted them and picked up its pace。 Its enthusiasm spoke of an acquired taste for people； Ellen realized；
〃Hurry it up！〃 Carl shouted behind them。 〃Hurry it up or I'll shoot you！〃
Ripman was slowing them down。 His swollen face impaired his vision； and Ellen had to help him climb and guide him toward the forest。 But if she held his arm too firmly or too long； Ripman pushed it away。 When they went around the foliage of the last fallen tree； they ran into the forest。
Now a familiar voice whispered to them； and a hand motioned from a tree。 Ellen guided Ripman there and around the other side。
At the sight of her son her knees went weak and she collapsed into his arms。 After a long relieved squeeze Ellen opened her eyes to see Cubby holding a pistol。
〃Hello； Mrs。 Roberts。〃
The voice wasn't as deep as the one shouting from the forest； but she realized both were Cubby's。 He smiled at her； then turned to Ripman。
〃Ripman； you look like crap。〃
Ripman turned his head to look at Cubby with his good eye。 〃We'll all be crap tomorrow if that dino eats us today。〃
In her relief Ellen had forgotten about the dinosaur。 She leaned out around the tree to see Carl and Kishton climbing over a log； moving fast。 But so was the dinosaur。
〃It's ing 。 。 。 they're ing。〃
Cubby leaned around the tree and fired three times at Carl and Kishton； who were running the length of a trunk to reach another tree and dove between the two logs。 Cubby fired another shot before the gun clicked on an empty chamber。
〃Time to go；〃 he said and ran off through the trees。
As they followed Cubby； semiautomatic rifle fire echoed through the trees； quickly drowned by roaring and bellowing。 Carl and Kishton were putting up a fight。
Ripman's breathing was heavy and ragged and he stumbled frequently。 Ellen and John bracketed him； taking turns supporting him； but he didn't tolerate their touch for long and pushed their hands away。
The rifle fire continued behind them； the sharp cracks and pops peting with the screaming roars of the enraged dinosaur。 Then a tremendous crash and splintering drowned out the gunshots。 When the new noise faded； the rifle fire and the screams were gone。
Cubby pulled up behind a tree and plopped down； pretending to catch his breath but keeping his eye on Ripman。 He remained standing； leaning against the tree； but slowly sank onto his bottom like the rest of them； looking down to avoid eye contact。 Ellen knew he was in pain； some of it physical； but most of it emotional。 He hated needing their help；
After a few minutes； Cubby took charge again。
〃Let's get going。 Maybe we can still make it to my house。〃
〃Your house？〃 Ellen asked。 She was puzzled。 Could Cubby's house be in this primeval forest somewhere？ 〃Your house is still here？〃
〃It's over that way a few miles。 We saw my dad's church yesterday； isn't that right； John？〃
John responded with a reluctant nod； and Ellen realized there was something her son was holding back。 Ellen looked around the woods。 It was like nothing she'd ever known。 Some of the trees were the size of the biggest redwoods in the nation； and there were thousands of them。 The plants were strangely unfamiliar； and the insect and small animal life seemed alien from an ancient world； one ruled by dinosaurs and gone for sixty…five million years。 Yet Cubby talked of going home； home to a parsonage。 The impossibility of what had happened hit her hard。
〃Well； if you're sure it's there； and it's not too far； I guess we should head for it。〃
She said it without conviction。 Her own inclination was to make directly for the nearest piece of confirmed civilization。 At last Ripman lifted his eyes and used the good one to stare at Cubby。
〃I wouldn't say it's there； and I wouldn't say it's not there；〃 he muttered thickly through his swollen lips。
Cubby turned on him angrily。
〃I'm not buying that rapture crapola of yours； Cubby；〃 Ripman continued； 〃I'm just telling you what I've seen。 I've seen Portland too； I've seen it e and go。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 Cubby snarled in his deepest voice。
〃It means what it means。 Sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not。 Even if it is there it doesn't look right。〃
〃I saw it。 John saw it。〃
〃That right； John？〃 Ripman turned his good eye to John； defying him to support Cubby。 〃Did it look all right to you？〃
〃It was there 。 。 。 but it was 。 。 。 hazy。〃
〃See； John saw it。 Now give it a rest； Ripman； w
