jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第14节

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　〃The　government　bought　off　all　the　scientists。〃
　〃Even　the　scientists　in　the　former　Soviet　Union？〃
　〃They　need　the　money　worst　of　all。〃
　〃Makes　sense。　Makes　sense　if　you're　a　paranoid　idiot。　Let's　get　another　caller　in　here。〃
　Most　nights；　Mariel　had　heard　Gene　Diamond　make　rude　ments　like　that。　It　was　a　wonder；　she　thought；　anyone　would　ever　call　in　to　his　dreadful　show。　Still　they　did。　Often　the　same　people　who　had　been　rudely　treated　called　in　over　and　over。　Now　Mariel　clucked　her　tongue　in　disbelief　and　then　turned　down　the　radio。　She　only　wanted　news　tonight；　not　chatter。　She　wasn't　feeling　lonely；　not　with　a　whole　new　world　to　explore。
　Mariel　sat　by　the　window　through　the　night　studying　the　meadow；　straining　to　hear　the　night　sounds　it　might　make。　Only　once　did　she　hear　something　that　seemed　to　e　from　the　meadow。　It　was　a　low　rumbling　sound；　something　Mariel　had　never　heard　before。
　The　sky　brightened　as　the　sun　neared　the　horizon；　and　more　of　the　meadow　was　visible。　The　swamp　could　he　clearly　seen　now　and　even　more　distant　was　a　treeline。　Mariel　reveled　in　each　new　discovery。　When　the　sun　appeared　over　the　distant　trees；　Mariel　attached　a　pair　of　snap…on　dark　lenses　to　her　eyeglasses　and　sat　in　excited　expectation　waiting　for　the　unexpected。
　The　sound　of　voices　came　from　below　her。　She　leaned　out　the　window　to　see　a　group　of　teenagers　walking　out　into　the　meadow。　She　could　tell　by　their　jackets　they　were　gang　members。　She　had　seen　them　often　enough；　standing　on　the　streets；　harassing　the　passersby。　Mariel　and　her　neighbors　had　little　use　for　them；　but　they　were　the　sons　and　daughters　of　the　neighborhood　and　you　had　to　take　the　good　with　the　bad。
　The　gang　members　all　looked　to　be　boys；　but　Mariel　wasn't　good　at　guessing　sex　these　days。　They　walked　out　into　the　meadow；　looking　at　the　grass　and　talking　and　laughing。　Mariel　was　surprised　by　how　tall　the　grass　was。　It　came　nearly　to　the　waist　of　even　the　tallest　boy。　She　realized　she　detested　having　the　boys　in　her　meadow…not　the　boys；　only　their　presence。　They　weren't　part　of　this　new　world；　and　Mariel　didn't　want　it　to　turn　back　into　what　it　had　been。　First　would　e　the　teens；　then　their　parents。　More　and　more　people　would　e　to　the　meadow。　Then　they　would　divide　it　up；　put　in　roads；　and　put　in　buildings。　Soon　Mariel　would　be　looking　at　an　unfriendly　glass　wall　again。　No；　these　boys　had　to　go。　Mariel　was　about　to　yell　at　them；　to　tell　them　to　get　out　of　her　meadow；　when　the　boys　shouted　and　pointed　into　the　distance。
　Mariel　tried　to　spot　what　had　the　hoys　so　excited。　There　was　something　there；　ing　closer。　The　boys　below　turned　and　ran　from　the　meadow。　Mariel　clapped　her　hands　in　delight。　Hooray　for　whatever　had　scared　the　boys　from　her　meadow！　Wishing　again　for　Phillip's　binoculars；　she　watched　it　ing　closer。　Finally　her　eyes　managed　to　focus　on　it；　and　Mariel　knew　then　the　view　from　her　window　would　never　be　boring　again。
　
　10。　　THE　GROUP
　
　Who　can　fathom　the　minds　of　the　gods？　There　will　e　a　time　when　the　words　past；　present；　and　future　will　have　no　meaning。
　…Zorostrus；　Prophet　of　Babylon
　
　East　Lake；　Oregon
　TIME　QUILT：　SATURDAY；　7：35　P。M。　PST
　
　　Phat！　It's　getting　late；　give　it　up；〃　Dr。　Piltcher　yelled。　〃Soon；　Doctor；　soon！〃
　Phat　was　high　in　one　of　the　pine　trees　surrounding　their　campsite　trying　to　move　the　antenna　for　the　shortwave　radio　higher　into　the　tree。　They　could　pick　up　Petra　and　Colter　at　Summer　Lake；　but　not　Mrs。　Wayne　and　Ernie　Powell　at　Warm　Springs。　To　help　them　with　the　antenna；　Phat　had　stayed　longer　than　he　should　have；　and　family　was　waiting　for　him　in　Eugene。
　〃e　on　down；　Phat；〃　Dr。　Coombs　urged　him。　〃I'll　get　up　there　and　rig　it。〃
　〃You　too　big；〃　came　Phat's　reply。　Phat　was　too　gracious　to　add　he　thought　Dr。　Coombs　also　too　old。　〃Got　it。〃
　Phat　climbed　down　carefully；　placing　each　foot　solidly　on　a　limb。　He　wasn't　going　to　risk　a　fall　that　might　keep　him　from　his　family；　not　at　this　crucial　time。
　〃Thank　you；　Phat。　Now　go！　Give　my　regards　to　your　family。〃
　〃I　will；　Dr。　Piltcher。　Dr。　Coombs？〃　Phat　said；　holding　out　his　hand；　then　shook　hands　with　both　men。　〃See　you　afterward。〃
　〃Remember　what　to　do？〃　Dr。　Piltcher　asked　unnecessarily；　to　reassure　himself。　'〃Yes；　Doctor。〃
　After　Phat　drove　away；　Dr。　Piltcher　worried　about　him。　The　group　had　dispersed　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　window；　all　except　Phat；　who　had　stayed　to　help　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Dr。　Coombs。　The　window　was　three　days　long；　but　they　had　never　been　able　to　pinpoint　events。　If　something　significant　came　earlier　rather　than　later　in　the　window；　Phat　was　at　risk。　Dr。　Piltcher　hoped　Phat　made　it　to　his　family　before　anything　happened。
　Dr。　Coombs　cranked　up　the　shortwave　again。　Colter　and　Petra　answered　immediately；　the　atmospheric　conditions　made　for　good　reception。　But　it　took　three　tries　to　get　Mrs。　Wayne　and　Ernie　Powell；　who　could　barely　be　heard　through　static。　They　agreed　to　check　in　every　half　hour。
　The　half…hour　checks　continued　into　the　evening；　but　nothing　happened。　It　was　late　when　Dr。　Coombs　cooked　up　a　stew　for　dinner；　and　they　ate　the　beef　and　vegetables　in　silence；　soaking　up　the　gravy　with　buttermilk　biscuits。　After　dinner　they　built　a　fire　and　sat　in　lawn　chairs　outside　the　RV。　It　was　a　clear　night；　and　despite　the　full　moon　they　could　see　the　Milky　Way。　In　the　campground　other　travelers　slowly　drifted　off　to　their　tents　or　trailers；　taking　their　family　sounds　with　them　and　leaving　the　doctors　in　silence。
　The　radio　crackled　to　life　at　eleven。　Petra　was　calling　with　nothing　to　report；　except　a　beautiful　evening。　Colter　shouted　something　unintelligible　from　the　background；　eliciting　a　frown　from　Dr。　Piltcher。　The　call　from　Ernie　Powell　followed；　the　static　just　as　bad　as　ever；　but　they　too　had　nothing　to　report。　Dr。　Coombs　found　a　stick　and　began　poking　the　fire。　After　sending　several　showers　of　sparks　into　the　air；　he　spoke　to　Dr。　Piltcher。
　〃You　know；　Chester；　I've　been　thinking　about　that　static。〃　Dr。　Coombs　poked　the　fire　again。　〃I've　been　wondering　if　it　could　have　anything　to　do　with　the　effect。〃
　Dr。　Piltcher's　eyebrows　raised　slightly。
　〃I've　been　thinking　the　same　thing；　George。〃
　Dr。　Coombs　knew　Dr。　Piltcher　had　been　thinking　no　such　thing；　but　he　was　unwilling　to　concede　an　original　thought　to　anyone。　It　irritated　Dr。　Coombs　only　mildly。　Dr。　Coombs　had　long　ago　given　up　the　endless　quest　for　recognition。　He　was　a　true　scientist　now。　He　wanted　only　to　understand。　Whether　he　or　Dr。　Piltcher　took　credit　for　good　ideas；　made　no　difference。
　He　poked　the　fire　again。　〃Of　course　the　static　could　be　the　effect　itself。〃
　Dr。　Piltcher's　eyebrows　went　up　sharply　again。
　〃Oh；　no。　I　。。。　I　can't　accept　that。〃
　Dr。　Coombs　understood。　They　both　feared　what　could　happen；　but　they　also　had　invested　in　it。　They；　and　the　rest　of　the　group；　had　cut　their　social　and　professional　ties　believing　something　was　going　to　happen。　They　needed　an　event　more　important　than　a　little　electromagnetic　interference　on　the　radio。
　They　talked　awhile　about　the　static；　speculating　on　its　source。　As　the　fire　burned　hot　and　bright　they　sat　exchanging　ideas；　questioning　each　other；　building　up　and　breaking　down　theory　after　theory。　These　kinds　of　discussions　had　characterized　their　entire　friendship。　Two　lonely　men；　whom　others　thought　odd；　drawn　together　by　a　mon　love　of　the　ancient　and　the　mysterious。　Not　once　in　their　seven…year　friendship　had　they　ever　run　out　of　conversation；　because　the　world　had　never　run　out　of　mysteries。
　The　midnight　check…in　brought　no　news。　Petra　reported　she　would　take　the　first　watch；　but　they　could　hear　Colter　giggling　drunkenly　in　the　background。　Dr。　Piltcher's　face　reddened；　but　there　was　nothing　he　could　do。　Colter　was　useful　at　times；　and　Petra　seemed　to　need　him；　but　Colter　was　undisciplined；　and…　even　worse　from　Dr。　Piltcher's　perspective…dumb。　Petra's　attraction　to　Colter　was　one　mystery　Dr。　Piltcher　could　not　even　begin　to　fathom。　Here　was　a　serious；　brilliant　young　woman；　who　lived　to　learn；　while　Colter　was　a　young　man　with　a　mediocre　intellect；　dedicated　to　drinking；　partying；　and　apparently　sex。　Dr。　Piltcher　could　understand　why　Colter　was　attracted　to　pretty　and　personable　Petra。　Dr。　Piltcher　finally　concluded　Petra's　need　for　Colter　must　be　hormonal。
　Mrs。　Wayne　checked　in　a　minute　later　and　reported　no　changes。　Dr。　Piltcher　could　hear　a　radio　in　the　background　going　over　the　evening's　baseball　scores…Ernie's　Cincinnati　Reds　were　in　the　thick　of　the　pennant　race。　Mrs。　Wayne　also　reported　that　Shontel　assured　her　their　prediction　was　accurate　and　it　would　happen　soon。　Dr。　Piltcher　thanked　her　and　asked　her　to　pass　his　thanks　to　Shontel。
　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Dr。　Coombs　returned　to　the　discussion　of　the　static　problem；　and　the　role　of　sunspots　in　such　interference。　They　had　just　begun　discussing　spot　cycles　when　Petra's　voice　sounded　behind　them。　They　hurried　to　the　RV　to　respond。
　〃Something's　happened　here。　It　might　be　nothing；　but　there　was　a　strange　noise　a　minute　ago；　a　kind　of　whumping　sound。　Now　there's　a　range　fire　east　of　here。　Pretty　big　one。　It　came　out　of　nowhere。〃
　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Dr。　Coombs　turned　to　look　at　each　other。　Dr。　Coombs　spoke　first。
　〃I　expected　something　m