jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第11章

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　〃Whatcha　doing；　man？〃　he　yelled。
　Now　the　other　one　stepped　forward；　his　face　contorted　in　menace。
　〃You'll　ruin　the　pool　doing　that。〃　Kenny　explained。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　hurt　him；　but　really；　that　will　change　the　color　of　the　pool。　Maybe　plug　it　up。〃
　〃That's　our　business；〃　the　big　one　responded；　and　punched　Kenny　in　the　solar　plexus。　Kenny's　breath　exploded　from　his　body　and　he　bent　in　half。　Then　he　felt　his　head　jerked　up　by　the　hair　and　he　found　himself　staring　in　the　angry　face　of　the　man。　〃You　got　something　to　say；　you　say　it　to　me；　not　my　friend。　You　understand？〃
　With　that　Kenny's　head　was　slammed　down　into　the　railing。　Kenny　put　his　hands　on　the　rail；　protecting　his　face　from　the　second　blow。
　〃Stay　out　of　our　way！〃　the　man　yelled　and　then　slapped　Kenny's　head。
　Kenny　leaned　on　the　rail；　smarting　from　the　slap　and　gasping　for　breath；　and　watched　the　two　men　walk　down　the　boardwalk　and　out　of　sight。　A　family　with　two　kids　came　down　the　walk　and　Kenny　turned　toward　the　geyser；　trying　to　hide　his　face。　A　few　seconds　later　he　felt　a　touch　on　his　arm　and　turned　to　see　the　mother　looking　concerned。　〃You're　bleeding。　Are　you　okay？〃
　〃Yeah；　fine。　I　just　slipped。　Hit　my　head。〃　Kenny　put　his　hand　to　his　forehead　and　a　trickle　of　blood　ran　down　into　his　eyebrow。　He　dabbed　his　forehead　with　tissues　the　woman　offered　and　found　them　soaked　with　blood。　Then　he　felt　something　in　the　wound。　Kenny　accepted　a　couple　more　tissues　and　then　thanked　the　woman　and　excused　himself。　He　would　need　to　clean　the　wound。
　As　he　approached　the　lodge；　an　attractive　young　woman　in　a　ranger　uniform　watched　him　closely　and　then　turned　and　fell　in　beside　him。
　〃You　better　let　me　take　a　look　at　that；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　all　right；　really。〃
　〃No；　you're　not；　and　if　you　think　you　are；　you're　delirious。　You　see；　I've　got　you　ing　and　going。〃
　Kenny　turned　to　look　at　her。　She　looked　determined；　so　he　let　her　guide　him　into　the　lodge；　dbwn　stairs　marked　EMPLOYEES　ONLY；　to　a　small　first　aid　station。　The　ranger　opened　a　cabinet　and　began　dabbing　Kenny's　wound　with　an　alcohol…soaked　wad　of　cotton。
　〃You've　got　something　in　this　wound。〃
　〃It's　probably　splinters。〃
　〃How　did　this　happen？〃　As　she　talked　she　searched　through　the　cabinets。
　〃I　slipped；　tried　to　catch　myself　and　ended　up　banging　my　head　on　the　railing。〃
　〃Uh…huh。　Here　they　are。〃
　She　turned　with　a　pair　of　tweezers　and　went　right　to　work　on　Kenny's　forehead。　The　first　two　splinters　came　out　easily　with　little　pain。　The　next　two　were　a　different　story。
　〃This　might　hurt　a　little；〃　she　warned　after　Kenny　winced。
　She　was　on　her　third　probe　when　another　ranger　led　a　woman　of　about　thirty　into　the　room；　followed　by　two　women　about　the　same　age。　All　of　them　were　wearing　cycling　clothes。
　〃Good；　you're　here　already；　Leslie。　I've　got　another　customer　for　you。〃
　When　Leslie　turned　to　look　at　the　newers　Kenny　got　a　clear　look　at　the　injured　woman。　She　was　holding　a　blood…soaked　handkerchief　to　her　head；　just　above　the　ear。
　Leslie　acted　surprised。　〃Two　head　wounds　in　one　day？　I'm　usually　treating　scraped　knees　and　bee　stings。〃
　〃And　occasional　buffalo　gorings；〃　the　second　ranger　added。
　〃Steve；　you　didn't　need　to　say　that。　I'll　be　finished　here　in　a　second。〃
　Leslie　dug　the　last　splinter　out；　dabbed　the　wound　with　peroxide；　then　covered　it　with　a　bandage。　Before　he　left；　Leslie　was　talking　to　the　new　patient。
　〃How'd　this　happen？〃　she　asked　as　she　guided　the　woman　into　the　chair　Kenny　had　vacated。
　〃Some　sort　of　freak　hailstorm；　I　guess。　We　biked　over　to　Black　Sand　Basin　and　were　walking　the　trail　when　these　huge　hailstones　started　pounding　us。〃
　〃Those　weren't　hailstones；〃　one　of　her　friends　corrected。　〃They　were　chunks　of　ice。　The　chunk　that　got　Gayle　was　six　inches　across　and　it　was　a　small　one。　I　swear　some　of　those　that　hit　the　geyser　pool　were　two　feet　at　least。〃
　Kenny　remained　frozen　in　the　doorway。　He　realized　he　had　just　missed　the　event　they　had　been　waiting　for。　He　listened　intently　to　the　narrative；　being　more　convinced　with　every　word。　Then　he　sprinted　back　to　the　pickup　point。　They　were　close　this　time。　Closer　than　they　had　ever　been。
　The　others　were　excited　by　the　news。　Kenny；　Phat；　and　Dr。　Piltcher　immediately　returned　to　the　campsite　and　began　modifying　the　model　to　make　it　fit　the　new　data。　The　others　fanned　out；　looking　for　other　witnesses；　who　gave　descriptions　nearly　identical　to　those　of　the　women？　Phat　and　Kenny　ran　the　puter　simulation　again　two　days　later　and　they　traveled　to　a　spot　near　Provo；　Utah。　After　seven　days　there；　nothing　had　happened。　Then　Mrs。　Wayne　turned　up　an　article　about　a　house　that　burned　up　two　days　before　they　arrived　when　the　linen　closet　suddenly　burst　into　flames。　Dr。　Piltcher　bed　his　hair　a　couple　of　times　before　agreeing　to　count　it　as　an　event。　The　model　next　sent　them　to　Las　Cruces；　New　Mexico。　They　were　still　setting　up　camp　when　they　heard　of　a　backyard　swimming　pool　suddenly　overflowing　with　saltwater　and　drowning　a　family　dog。　They　chased　the　next　events　to　Colorado　and　then　to　Idaho；　where　they　arrived　the　day　after　the　campground　had　been　showered　with　gravel。　That's　when　Dr。　Piltcher　called　a　halt　to　the　chase。
　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Dr。　Coombs　became　reclusive　for　a　few　days；　poring　over　their　notes　and　manuscripts；　and　debating　vigorously。　Finally　one　evening；　they　came　to　Kenny　and　Phat　in　the　RV。
　〃There　is；〃　Dr。　Piltcher　said；　〃a　fundamental　flaw　in　our　thinking。〃
　Kenny　and　Phat　listened　attentively。
　〃This　may　not　be　a　static　phenomenon。　What　I　mean　is　we　have　been　just　missing　the　events。　They　happen　either　before　we　arrive；　or　as　soon　as　we　arrive。　I　think　we　misled　you　with　our　historical　data。　We　relied　too　much　on　the　Zorastrus　manuscript。　Zorastrus　detected　the　pattern　but　he　didn't　have　enough　data　to　refine　his　model。　It　lacked　temporal　specificity。　I'm　trying　to　say　Zorastrus；　and　we；　believed　the　events　occurred　at　regular　intervals。　That's　not　the　case。　We　now　believe　the　events　in　the　past　occurred　in　waves。　Waves　that　bee　farther　apart　as　you　move　into　antiquity。　The　events　we　are　tracking；　however；　seem　to　be　getting　closer　together。〃
　From　then　on　they　fully　understood　the　implications　of　the　model　and　began　to　fear　the　future。　Each　day　after　that　Kenny's　anxiety　grew　slowly　and　steadily　toward　the　panic　that　drove　him　to　desperate　measures。　It　was　the　panic　that　made　him　purchase　the　gun　and　plot　to　kidnap　his　own　sister。
　He　couldn't　stand　being　a　pariah　much　longer。　Whatever　is　going　to　happen；　Kenny　prayed；　let　it　happen　soon。
　
　8。　　CAVE　CRISIS
　
　The　Lord　thundered　from　heaven；　the　voice　of　the　Most　High　resounded　amid　hailstones　and　bolts　of　lightning。
　…Psalm　18：13
　
　Oregon　Caves
　PREQUILT：　SATURDAY；　7：30　P。M。　PST
　
　　It　took　Deputy　Kyle　over　four　hours　to　reach　the　Oregon　Caves。　It　was　normally　less　than　a　two…hour　drive；　but　he　had　been　extra　cautious　and　slow　to　get　started。　First　he　stopped　by　the　station　and　picked　up　his　climbing　gear。　He　brought　two　165…foot　kermantle　ropes；　an　assortment　of　oval　and　D　carabines；　tapers；　camming　devices；　pitons　and　a　piton　hammer。　He　then　realized　his　climbing　shoes　and　helmet　were　at　home。　While　he　was　home　he　decided　to　change　into　his　climbing　clothes。　After　all；　he　reasoned；　there　might　not　be　a　place　to　change　at　the　caves。　As　long　as　he　had　his　clothes　off　he　decided　to　shower。　He　made　one　last　stop　at　McDonald's　for　a　Big　Mac；　large　fries；　and　super…size　Coke。　As　a　concession　to　the　repeated　requests　for　his　presence　at　the　cave；　Kyle　violated　his　personal　rule　about　never　eating　while　driving。　Ten　minutes　down　the　road　he　spilled　secret　sauce　on　his　climbing　shirt。
　When　he　arrived　at　the　cave　Kyle　was　disappointed　to　find　that　the　hostage　situation　had　not　been　resolved。　A　park　ranger　ushered　him　through　the　excited　crowd　of　spectators　that　had　gathered　around　the　park　entrance。　Off　to　one　side　Kyle　spotted　a　small　group　of　people　who　were　probably　the　hostages'　relatives。　They　looked　at　Kyle's　climbing　gear　hopefully。
　In　a　small　building　near　the　cave　entrance；　fifteen　people　were　in　a　strategy　meeting。　Three　wore　climbing　clothes。　Kyle　decided　they　were　either　rangers　or　state　police。　Two　ot