jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第93部分
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That 〃maybe；〃 John realized； was the only concession to the possibility of God's existence Ripman had ever made。 Ripman； the militant atheist； wouldn't have made this concession a few days ago。
〃Let me run John out on the bike； then we'll go looking for Portland。〃
〃You don't need to e； Ripman。 Take John out； e back for me； I'll take you out； then I'll take the bike in toward Portland。〃
As Cubby and Ripman continued to argue； the helicopter sounded in the distance； somewhere out of sight。 John； looking for it； ignored the argument。 He didn't like what his friends were saying anyway。 Cubby and Ripman were assuming he needed taking care of； and only after that would they see to their own needs。 No one realized that he； John； had outwitted the dinosaur that chased them。 He had given One Eye its name。 He had helped disable the motorcycles； and he even shot… killed…Carl。 His heart sank at that thought。 After all that； his friends could not think of him as an equal。 If the last three days hadn't changed their thinking； nothing would。
〃Hey；〃 he cut in； 〃nobody has to take me anywhere。 You two take the bike and go find Portland。 I'm walking out。〃
John swigged down the rest of his Coke； picked up his rifle； and started walking down the riverbed； following the bike's tire marks。
〃Where are you going； man？〃 Ripman called。 〃Hey； wait
up。〃
〃e on back； John； what are you so mad about？〃 Cubby added。
John stopped and turned back。
〃I'm not mad。 I'm just trying to save you the trouble of looking out for me。 You two head on into Portland； have a good time。 If I don't see you sooner； I'll see you later 。 。 。 maybe at the beach house。〃 John turned to walk off and then stopped。
〃I hope you find your folks； Cubby。 Hey； Ripman； thanks for the food。 See ya guys。〃
John walked off； deliberately splashing noisily in the puddles to keep him from hearing what they were saying。 As soon as he was out of sight around a bend； he gripped the gun tighter； as feelings of loneliness replaced his bravado。 The motorcycle came to life behind him； then he heard the put…put of someone riding it。 He thought about hiding； making it easy for them to leave him； but that would be cowardly。
To John's surprise； Cubby was driving； and Ripman was hanging on behind。 They rode up next to him； and Ripman climbed off to face John。
〃We decided； John。 We're all going home。〃
〃It was great wasn't it； Johnny my boy？ Let's do it again sometime；〃 Cubby said； then released the clutch and rode the bike in a slow circle and disappeared around the bend。 〃He's crazy。 Ripman； couldn't you talk him out of it？〃
〃He's a fanatic。 I never could talk sense to him。〃 They started walking again； this time side by side。
Terry stood by the helicopter rubbing his eyes。 His head ached from the refueling vapors and from staring through the tops of trees trying to spot his wife。 He realized finding her that way was unlikely； but he wasn't ready to give it up…he had no other choice。
Bill returned。 Even Bill's size and official manner had failed to get free fuel from the crusty operator of the airfield。 But he'd taken a Visa card…obviously； he didn't understand what had happened。
When Bill climbed back in and lifted off； Terry tried to find a way to sit fortably on what was left of his seat。 It was late afternoon and there was little daylight left to search with。 This would be their last trip。 After this； he didn't know what to do or where to go。
The house was a two…story Colonial； with a bay window and a dinosaur forest for a front yard。 The windows were broken； but otherwise the house was intact。
〃Through there；〃 Ripman said pointing； 〃is another house and on the other side of that a cul…de…sac。 Go up the cul…de…sac and over the fence of the blue house at the end。 There's a highway on the other side。 Follow it north and you'll find that roadblock。 The cops will take you to your mom。〃
〃Aren't you ing too？〃
〃Like I said； we're all going home。 Your home is with your parents。 Me； I don't have anyone。 My dad's gone wherever Cubby's folks are； and he never gave a damn anyway；〃 Ripman said with both sadness and bitterness in his voice。 〃Besides； I like it here。 It's the best home I had；〃
〃You can't stay here！ Sooner or later those dinos will have you for lunch。 e with me。 My mom asked you。 We'd have a great time。〃
〃Naw； I'm too elemental for you Yuppie types； but I'll trade you the pistol for the rifle。 A bow won't cut it in here。〃
John traded； then handed back the pistol。 〃You're gonna need both； Ripman。 If you change your mind； man； we'll be at the beach house。〃
〃I know。〃
John walked through the trees a short distance； then turned and looked back。 Ripman was still there watching him。 John wanted to tell Ripman he'd miss him； that he would think about him； that he loved him。 But none of that was elemental； at least not in Ripman's way of thinking。 So instead John simply nodded his head。 Ripman nodded back。
〃See ya； Ripman。〃
〃Later； John。〃
Cubby followed the riverbed； the noise of the bike chasing dinosaurs from his path。 When the river angled off away from Portland； Cubby cut into the trees。 Occasionally he came to clearings； some small； some larger； but as he looked into the distance no skyscrapers appeared。
He rode on； the sun setting on his left。 It would he behind the hills soon； leaving the valley in shadow； and still the city could not be seen。 He passed a section of collapsed forest； ran into an impassable rock slide； and headed uphill to skirt it。 At the crest； he skidded to a stop。 The view was unobstructed； and to his dismay he saw Mount Saint Helens in the distance。 There was no city。 Tears blurred his vision； and he wiped his eyes。 Then he realized Mount Saint Helens had disappeared into a haze； and shimmering before him the city appeared。 Skyscrapers towered above the trees as he looked around。 He was in a city that wasn't there。
From this close Portland wasn't transparent。 It was back； but Cubby didn't know for how long。 If God had opened this door for him； he wasn't going to let it close。 You don't need certainty when you have your faith； his father always said。 Cubby sucked down his doubts； revved up the engine； and released the clutch。 〃Time to go home；〃 he said to himself； and angled the bike down the hill toward the city。
* * *
Now Terry rubbed his aching eyes with both fists。 He admitted defeat to himself and was ready to convince Bill。
〃Bill； this is useless。 We don't even know if Angie and Ellen are in there。〃
〃Yeah； I know。 I just don't know what else to do。 Where do we start looking if we don't look here？〃
〃Will this thing make it to the beach 。 。 。 say about ninety miles？ We can check our summer house。〃
When Bill didn't answer right away； Terry rubbed his eyes again； and opened them to see the return of the phantom city。
〃Bill； it's back。〃
Bill straightened the helicopter； and hovered facing the city。
〃We can try flying into it again。 What do you think？〃 Terry suggested。
〃Mmmm…I don't think…〃
Something zoomed past the helicopter on the left； banked to the right on stubby wings； and flew directly toward the city； taking Terry by surprise。 Bill spun the helicopter around and throttled up the engine until the rotors screamed。
〃What's going on； Bill？〃
〃It's a cruise missile。 We're in big trouble。〃
Terry looked around； trying to follow the flight of the cruise missile； and when he did he spotted another missile in the distance； then suddenly he realized the sky was full of them。 Terry was trying to make sense of what was happening when the sky went white； as if a giant strobe light had just flashed。 At the same time there was a burst of static over the earphones； followed by the acrid smell of ozone。 The helicopter's engine sputtered and then died。 Terry's stomach made him think they were suddenly in an elevator going down。 The rotors continued to spin but without any power； making more of a whistle than a thump。 The churning of his stomach increased and the helicopter's nose dipped； giving Terry a good view of the onrush…ing forest。
When John stepped out from beyond the last tree and onto the front lawn of the Colonial house； he felt tension being swept out of his body。 His legs went weak with relief and began to shake。 He hadn't realized how much fear and adrenalin had powered him； and he now felt every ache and pain； and he was exhausted。
He thought of his mom in a hospital； his dad in Washington； D。C。； or somewhere； maybe with his sister。 That meant John should be with his mom。
He found the cul…de…sac and the blue house Ripman had described。 Two other houses at the end of the cul…de…sac were surrounded by fences six feet high； making the end of the street look like Fort Apache。 The owners of the blue house had settled for a four…foot fence。 John jumped up and straddled it。 Balanced on the top he looked back down the cul…de…sac toward the forest。 Ripman and Cubby were in there somewhere； and that meant he was leaving a part of himself there too。 He knew the closeness they had shared was too good to last a lifetime； but he never expected it to end so abruptly。 It wasn't the way childhood friendships should end。 They should end slowly； day by day； month by month； each of them taking different paths that would lead them farther and farther apart。 The forest had replaced the slow march to separate lives with a race to adulthood； and to loneliness。
John stared at the forest one last time； knowing there was no going back。 As he turned to look for a soft landing spot beneath him； a blinding flash of light knocked him off the fence into the azalea bushes on the other side。
THE NEW WORLD
69。 BEACH HOUSE
The New World
NORTH OREGON COAST
Cable TV was out； since the Portland feed was gone。 At their beach house； Ellen and John could still pick up the Eugene and Salem stations； although the reception without the cable boost was terrible。 It didn't matter though。 The stations weren't carrying anything but disaster coverage； and John was sick of it。 He wanted escapism； some mindless sex or violence to distract him。
The network news people were dominat
