jurassic.park-第44节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　〃I　can't　see　how；〃　Hammond　said。
　　　　〃The　scientists　may　wish　to　constrain　you。　Even　to　stop　you。
　　　　〃Well；　they　can't　do　that；　〃　Hammond　said。　He　shook　his　finger　at　Wu。　〃You　know　why　the　scientists　would　try　to　do　that？　It's　because　they　want　to　do　research；　of　course。　That's　all　they　ever　want　to　do；　is　research。　Not　to　acplish　anything。　Not　to　make　any　progress。　Just　do　research。　Well；　they　have　a　surprise　ing　to　them。〃
　　　　〃I　wasn't　thinking　of　that；〃　Wu　said。
　　　　Hammond　sighed。　〃I'm　sure　it　would　be　interesting　for　the　scientists；　to　do　research。　But　you　arrive　at　the　point　where　these　animals　are　simply　too　expensive　to　be　used　for　research。　This　is　wonderful　technology；　Henry；　but　it's　also　frightfully　expensive　technology。　The　fact　is；　it　can　only　be　supported　as　entertainment。〃　Hammond　shrugged。　〃That's　just　the　way　it　is。〃
　　　　〃But　if　there　are　attempts　to　close　down…〃
　　　　〃Face　the　damn　facts；　Henry；〃　Hammond　said　irritably。　〃This　isn't　America。　This　isn't　even　Costa　Rica。　This　is　my　island。　I　own　it。　And　nothing　is　going　to　stop　me　from　opening　Jurassic　Park　to　all　the　children　of　the　world。〃　He　chuckled。　〃Or；　at　least；　to　the　rich　ones。　And　I　tell　you；　they'll　love　it。〃

In　the　back　seat　of　the　Jeep；　Ellie　Sattler　stared　out　the　window。　They　had　been　driving　through　rain…drenched　jungle　for　the　last　twenty　minutes；　and　had　seen　nothing　since　the　apatosaurs　crossed　the　road。
　　　　〃We're　near　the　jungle　river　now；〃　Harding　said；　as　he　drove。　〃It's　off　there　somewhere　to　our　left。〃
　　　　Abruptly　he　slammed　on　the　brakes　again；　The　car　skidded　to　a　stop　in　front　of　a　flock　of　small　green　animals。　〃Well；　you're　getting　quite　a　show　tonight；〃　he　said。　〃Those　are　pys。〃
　　　　Propsognathids；　Ellie　thought；　wishing　that　Grant　were　here　to　see　them。　This　was　the　animal　they　had　seen　in　the　fax；　back　in　Montana。　The　little　dark　green　propsognathids　scurried　to　the　other　side　of　the　road；　then　squatted　on　their　hind　legs　to　look　at　the　car；　chattering　briefly；　before　hurrying　onward　into　the　night。
　　　　〃Odd；〃　Harding　said。　〃Wonder　where　they're　off　to？　pys　don't　usually　move　at　night；　you　know。　They　climb　up　in　a　tree　and　wait　for　daylight。〃
　　　　〃Then　why　are　they　out　now？〃　Ellie　said。
　　　　〃I　can't　imagine。　You　know　pys　are　scavengers；　like　buzzards。　They're　attracted　to　a　dying　animal；　and　they　have　tremendously　sensitive　smell。　They　can　smell　a　dying　animal　for　miles。〃
　　　　〃Then　they're　going　to　a　dying　animal？〃
　　　　〃Dying；　or　already　dead。〃
　　　　〃Should　we　follow　them？〃　Ellie　said。
　　　　〃I'd　be　curious；〃　Harding　said。　〃Yes；　why　not？　Let's　go　see　where　they're　going。
　　　　He　turned　the　car　around；　and　headed　back　toward　the　pys。

Tim

Tim　Murphy　lay　in　the　Land　Cruiser；　his　cheek　pressed　against　the　car　door　handle。　He　drifted　slowly　back　to　consciousness。　He　wanted　only　to　sleep。　He　shifted　his　position；　and　felt　the　pain　in　his　cheekbone　where　it　lay　against　the　metal　door。　His　whole　body　ached。　His　arms　and　his　legs　and　most　of　all　his　head…there　was　a　terrible　pounding　pain　in　his　head。　All　the　pain　made　him　want　to　go　back　to　sleep。
　　　　He　pushed　himself　up　on　one　elbow；　opened　his　eyes；　and　retched；　vomiting　all　over　his　shirt。　He　tasted　sour　bile　and　wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　His　head　throbbed；　he　felt　dizzy　and　seasick；　as　if　the　world　were　moving；　as　if　he　were　rocking　back　and　forth　on　a　boat。
　　　　Tim　groaned；　and　rolled　onto　his　back；　turning　away　from　the　puddle　of　vomit。　The　pain　in　his　head　made　him　breathe　in　short；　shallow　gasps。　And　he　still　felt　sick；　as　if　everything　were　moving。　He　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　around；　trying　to　get　his　bearings。
　　　　He　was　inside　the　Land　Cruiser。　But　the　car　must　have　flipped　over　on　its　side；　because　he　was　lying　on　his　back　against　the　passenger　door；　looking　up　at　the　steering　wheel　and　beyond；　at　the　branches　of　a　tree；　moving　in　the　wind。　The　rain　had　nearly　stopped；　but　water　drops　still　fell　on　him　through　the　broken　front　windshield。
　　　　He　stared　curiously　at　the　fragments　of　glass。　He　couldn't　remember　how　the　windshield　had　broken。　He　couldn't　remember　anything　except　that　they　had　been　parked　on　the　road　and　he　had　been　talking　to　Dr。　Grant　when　the　tyrannosaur　came　toward　them。　That　was　the　last　thing　he　remembered。
　　　　He　felt　sick　again；　and　closed　his　eyes　until　the　nausea　passed。　He　was　aware　of　a　rhythmic　creaking　sound；　like　the　rigging　of　a　boat。　Dizzy　and　sick　to　his　stomach；　he　really　felt　as　if　the　whole　car　were　moving　beneath　him。　But　when　he　opened　his　eyes　again；　he　saw　it　was　true…the　Land　Cruiser　was　moving；　lying　on　its　side；　swaying　back　and　forth。
　　　　The　whole　car　was　moving。
　　　　Tentatively；　Tim　rose　to　his　feet。　Standing　on　the　passenger　door；　he　peered　over　the　dashboard；　looking　out　through　the　shattered　windshield。　At　first　he　saw　only　dense　foliage；　moving　in　the　wind。　But　here　and　there　he　could　see　gaps；　and　beyond　the　foliage；　the　ground　was…
　　　　The　ground　was　twenty　feet　below　him。
　　　　He　stared　unprehendingly。　The　Land　Cruiser　was　lying　on　its　side　in　the　branches　of　a　large　tree；　twenty　feet　above　the　ground；　swaying　back　and　forth　in　the　wind。
　　　　〃Oh　shit；〃　he　said。　What　was　he　going　to　do？　He　stood　on　his　tiptoes　and　peered　out；　trying　to　see　better；　grabbing　the　steering　wheel　for　support。　The　wheel　spun　free　in　his　hand；　and　with　a　loud　crack　the　Land　Cruiser　shifted　position；　dropping　a　few　feet　in　the　branches　of　the　tree。　He　looked　down　through　the　shattered　glass　of　the　passenger…door　window　at　the　ground　below。
　　　　〃Oh　shit。　Oh　shit。〃　He　kept　repeating　it。　〃Oh　shit。　Oh　shit。〃
　　　　Another　loud　crack…the　Land　Cruiser　jolted　down　another　foot。
　　　　He　had　to　get　out　of　here。
　　　　He　looked　down　at　his　feet。　He　was　standing　on　the　door　handle。　He　crouched　back　down　on　his　bands　and　knees　to　look　at　the　handle。　He　couldn't　see　very　well　in　the　dark；　but　he　could　tell　that　the　door　was　dented　outward　so　the　handle　couldn't　turn。　He'd　never　get　the　door　open。　He　tried　to　roll　the　window　down；　but　the　window　was　stuck；　too。　Then　he　thought　of　the　back　door。　Maybe　he　could　open　that。　He　leaned　over　the　front　seat；　and　the　Land　Cruiser　lurched　with　the　shift　in　weight。
　　　　Carefully；　Tim　reached　back　and　twisted　the　handle　on　the　rear　door。
　　　　It　was　stuck；　too。
　　　　How　was　he　going　to　get　out？
　　　　He　heard　a　snorting　sound　and　looked　down。　A　dark　shape　passed　below　him。　It　wasn't　the　tyrannosaur。　This　shape　was　tubby　and　it　made　a　kind　of　snuffling　as　it　waddled　along。　The　tail　flopped　back　and　forth；　and　Tim　could　see　the　long　spikes。
　　　　It　was　the　stegosaur；　apparently　recovered　from　its　illness。　Tim　wondered　where　the　other　people　were：　Gennaro　and　Sattler　and　the　vet。　He　had　last　seen　them　near　the　stegosaur。　How　long　ago　was　that？　He　looked　at　his　watch；　but　the　face　was　cracked；　he　couldn't　see　the　numbers。　He　took　the　watch　off　and　tossed　it　aside。
　　　　The　stegosaur　snuffled　and　moved　on。　Now　the　only　sound　was　the　wind　in　the　trees；　and　the　creaking　of　the　Land　Cruiser　as　it　shifted　back　and　forth。
　　　　He　had　to　get　out　of　here。
　　　　Tim　grabbed　the　handle；　tried　to　force　it；　but　it　was　stuck　solid。　It　wouldn't　move　at　all。　Then　he　realized　what　was　wrong：　the　rear　door　was　locked！　Tim　pulled　up　the　pin　and　twisted　the　handle。　The　rear　door　swung　open；　downward…and　came　to　rest　against　the　branch　a　few　feet　below。
　　　　The　opening　was　narrow；　but　Tim　thought　he　could　wriggle　through　it。　Holding　his　breath；　he　crawled　slowly　back　into　the　rear　seat。　The　Land　Cruiser　creaked；　but　held　its　position。　Gripping　the　doorposts　on　both　sides；　Tim　slowly　lowered　himself　down；　through　the　narrow　angled　opening　of　the　door。　Soon　he　was　lying　flat　on　his　stomach　on　the　slanted　door；　his　legs　sticking　out　of　the　car。　He　kicked　in　the　air…his　feet　touched　something　solid…a　branch…and　he　rested　his　weight　on　it。
　　　　As　soon　as　he　did；　the　branch　bent　down　and　the　door　swung　wider；　spilling　him　out　of　the　Land　Cruiser；　and　he　fell…leaves　scratching　his　face…his　body　bouncing　from　branch　to　branch…a　jolt…searing　pain；　bright　light　in　his　head…
　　　　He　slammed　to　a　stop；　the　wind　knocked　from　him。　Tim　lay　doubled　over　a　large　branch；　his　stomach　burning　pain。
　　　　Tim　heard　another　crack　and　looked　up　at　the　Land　Cruiser；　a　big　dark　shape　five　feet　above　him。
　　　　Another　crack。　The　car　shifted。
　　　　Tim　forced　himself　to　move；　to　climb　down。　He　used　to　like　to　climb　trees。　He　was　a　good　tree…climber。　And　this　was　a　good　tree　to　climb；　the　branches　spaced　close　together；　almost　like　a　staircase。　。　。　。
　　　　Crackkkk　。　。　。
　　　　The　car　was　definitely　moving。
　　　　Tim　scrambled　downward；　slipping　over　the　wet　branches；　feeling　sticky　sap　on　his　hands；　hurrying。　He　had　not　descended　more　than　a　few　feet　when　the　Land　Cruiser　creaked　a　final　time；　and　then　slowly；　very　slowly；　nosed　over。　Tim　could　see　the　big　green　grille　and　the　front　headlights　swinging　down　at　him；　and　then　the　Land　Cruiser　fell　free；　gaining　momentum　as　it　rushed　toward　him；　slamming　against　the　branch　where　Tim　had　just　been…
　　　　And　it　stopped。
　　　　His　face　just　inches　from　the　dented　grille；　bent　inward　like　an　evil　mouth；　headlamps　for　eyes。　Oil　dripped　on　Tim's　face。
　　　　He　was　still　twelve　feet　above　the　ground。