jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第59节
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Ellen realized she still had her arms wrapped around Carl。 She let go and sat back； giving Bobby a piercing look。 He just smiled。
They cut through a sparse stand of Douglas fir to a field of strawberry plants。 Running along the far side was a forest。 Ellen had heard about it on the CB； but seeing it made it even more unbelievable。 The trees were not the expected fir or yew； and she realized they were huge。 As the forest loomed above her she identified the trees as redwood； as big as any she had seen along the Avenue of Giants in California。 The guys stopped their bikes at the edge； staring at the trees in awe。 The undergrowth was sparse but oversize。 Some ferns grew nearly as tall as Ellen； and big patches of grass climbed nearly six feet in height。 Elephant grass？ she wondered。
Ellen thought back to the kid in the cave。 It seemed like a hundred years ago。 〃The end of the world；〃 that's what he had said。 Ellen looked at the forest and wondered if he had been talking about this。 Mountains on I…5； a redwood forest dropped on Portland？ Is this how the world was to end？ In confusion？
Even the guys were surprised by the forest。 When they started off again Coop led； with Carl right behind。 They rode across the strawberry rows； crushing the plants as they followed the edge of the forest。 Worried about the damage； Ellen looked around for a farmhouse but saw no buildings。 She was so close to her son now； she didn't。want to get stopped for trespassing。 Finally； Coop cut into the forest and Ellen could see what he had been looking for…a clearing on the other side。 They rode to the middle of it； where Coop stopped。 Carl pulled up next to him and the guys pulled up on both sides。
〃I saw him right over there；〃 Coop said； pointing。
Ellen wondered what 〃him〃 they were talking about。
〃Bullshit；〃 said the one called Kishton。 He was the shortest of the group but probably the strongest； his upper arms and chest were muscular； forming a body builder's classic V shape。 He also had the only full beard in the group。
〃I still say it's bullshit。〃
〃Coop wouldn't lie to us； would you； Coop？〃 Carl said。
Kishton shut up and looked around。
This is the classic adolescent friendship pattern； Ellen thought。 How had Terry described it？ 〃A like…minded group of males loosely associated for the purpose of fellowship； with no formal leader。〃 As Ellen remembered it； the individuals of the group would adamantly deny there was a leader； yet to an outsider the leader was clearly discernible。 Carl was the leader here。 Ellen knew leadership depended on having something the other males prized…being the strongest； having the best car； or making it with girls。 Ellen studied Carl and decided he wasn't the toughest。 Kishton probably was； or maybe Bobby。 Carl didn't look that tough； yet he was clearly the leader。 Why？ Kishton started talking again。
〃All right； if he's here； how do we find the mother？〃
〃Coop'll find him； won't you Coop？〃
It wasn't really a question。 Carl was telling Coop to deliver what they were looking for； or else。
They seemed to have forgotten about Ellen's son； so she spoke up。 〃I thought you were going to help me find my son。 What about us？〃
Carl turned to Ellen and smiled broadly； revealing his missing eye tooth。
〃Oh； don't worry。 We'll be getting to you。 Lead off； Coop； I'll pick up the rear。〃
Angie pulled Ellen to one side and put her arm around her shoulder。
〃How you doing with good ole Carl？ You want me to switch with you？〃
〃No。 You're doing a great job with Coop。 Just keep him under your spell。〃
〃Don't you worry about that。 He's mine；〃 Angie giggled。
Coop led them once around the perimeter of the clearing and then headed through the trees。 The ferns and grass were thick and tall in the clearing； but once under the canopy of the giants the undergrowth thinned。 The going was slow but steady。 Carl kept cussing and kicking at the clumps of vegetation as they worked their way around and through the undergrowth。 Once Carl rode close to a patch of grass that brushed Ellen's arm； leaving three painful；bleeding slices； like paper cuts。
They broke out of the trees into another clearing； and Ellen looked around Carl in time to see Coop and Angie drop over an edge and disappear。 One by one the other cycles followed。 Carl went over the edge last； into a soggy creek bed with a small stream running through the middle。 The going was slippery here； but they made better time。 There wasn't much of a bank； and Ellen could watch the scenery。 The forest thickened and thinned in no particular pattern； but it was being clear that Portland was no longer here。 Ellen realized if Portland was gone； so was her son。
Coop led them back up a bank into a clearing and stopped； turning off his motor。
〃Looky there；〃 Coop said； pointing into the clearing。
Ellen could see nothing but grass and clumps of ferns。 Suddenly a head popped up over the top of the ferns； with a dome； perched on a long thin neck； and covered with a gray…green skin。 Ferns were hanging from its mouth and its eyes were fixed on their group。 Ellen had never seen one before； at least not alive； but it was a dinosaur；
〃Hot damn！〃 Carl screamed。 〃That mother is mine。〃
〃Holy shit； deputy dawg wasn't lying。〃
〃I told you。 I wouldn't prevaricate about something like this。〃
Ellen watched as the men pulled their rifles and checked the load；
〃Leave it alone！〃 Ellen shouted。 〃If that's a dinosaur； it's the last of its kind。 You can't kill it。 Let's just leave it alone。〃
〃Who asked you？〃 Kishton snapped。 〃I say whoever nails it gets dibs on its head。〃
The rest of the guys cheered and yelled； 〃All right。〃
〃I don't know about this；〃 Coop added。 But he looked nervously at Carl and the other guys； and whatever he was going to say withered away under their gaze。
〃She's right； boys；〃 Angie cut in。 〃That dinosaur is worth a lot more alive than dead。〃
The mention of money slowed them down until Carl spoke；
〃Hell； there's more where that one came from。〃
Excited； the men jump…started their bikes and were off； bumping across the rough terrain。 Only Coop and Carl hung back； Carl fixing Coop with a piercing stare。
〃You one of us or not； Coop？〃
〃You know I'm with you； Carl；〃 Coop said weakly。 But it was being clear to Ellen that Coop had bought his way into this group with his knowledge of the dinosaur。
Poor； nerdy； Coop was beginning to look like Ellen felt。 The deeper they got into the forest； and further from civilization； the less civilized the 〃guys〃 were。
The dinosaur hunt was on。 Briefly； the creature watched the cycles ing toward it； then it bolted in the other direction。 As it ran； Ellen watched intently。 Running on two legs； it was faster than a man…about eight feet tall with long forelegs and a domed head。
The cyclists split up； racing to each side of the running dinosaur； trying to cut it off before it reached the forest。 One cyclist； burly； balding Butler； who seldom spoke； skidded to a stop and fired his rifle。 The shot missed； but the sound made the running dinosaur bolt to the right； forcing Kishton to swerve。 As he did he clipped a clump of ferns； and the front wheel of the bike buried into the patch； launching him over the handlebars。
Butler fired again； and this time the dinosaur dropped to its knees； skidding and then bouncing onto its long neck。 Now Butler jumped on his bike and raced after the remaining cyclists as they closed in； but before they could shoot him again the dinosaur was up and racing toward the trees。 Too far away to see the action； Coop started up his bike； Angie climbing on behind him。 But Carl made no move to follow； and Ellen had no intention of squeezing up behind him unless she absolutely had to。
The motorcyclists cut the dinosaur off again； and it raced toward the center of the clearing。 Anguished； Ellen could see blood running down its right rear leg。 She gave up hope of saving it and wished now they would kill it and get it over with。 But the bikers were enjoying the hunt。
The dinosaur circled back toward Carl and Ellen； ing straight for them。 Ellen had a good view now as the dinosaur closed on them； but suddenly another shot rang out； and the dinosaur went down； dropping onto its right side and struggling to get up。 Its back legs seemed to be working but the front ones could not support its weight； and they collapsed； creating a pivot； and the dinosaur went into a spin。
The animal's blood soaked the ground as it flattened a circle of grass； going round and round。 The hunters gathered； pointing and laughing at the spectacle…until Coop joined them。
Coop got off his bike； angrily confronting Bobby； who pushed his face within inches of Coop's and began shouting。 Angie wrapped her arms around Coop's waist and pulled him back； then Bobby said something that made the others laugh。 The hunters went back to enjoying the dinosaur's struggle。 After Angie and Coop talked for a second； Coop turned； pulled his revolver； and emptied it into the dinosaur。
The hunters jumped back at the sound of the revolver and watched…then they turned on him。
Even from this distance Ellen could feel their anger。 Ellen started forward； fearing for Angle's safety； but a rough grip on her arm sto
