jdavid.footprintsofthunder-µÚ117ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
¡¡
¡¡
¡¡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¡¡dominating¡¡the¡¡coverage£»¡¡sitting¡¡in¡¡anchor¡¡booths¡¡and¡¡telling¡¡the¡¡camera¡¡what¡¡other¡¡people¡¡were¡¡telling¡¡them¡£¡¡John¡¡could¡¡only¡¡pick¡¡up¡¡two¡¡of¡¡the¡¡networks£»¡¡but¡¡neither¡¡had¡¡its¡¡regular¡¡anchor¡£¡¡Apparently¡¡the¡¡New¡¡York¡¡problem¡¡had¡¡taken¡¡some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡network¡¡people£»¡¡the¡¡second¡¡string¡¡was¡¡now¡¡anchoring¡¡from¡¡Chicago¡£
¡¡The¡¡news¡¡might¡¡have¡¡been¡¡fresh¡¡at¡¡one¡¡time¡¡but¡¡was¡¡now¡¡a¡¡series¡¡of¡¡recycled¡¡reports£»¡¡including¡¡oft¡repeated¡¡interviews¡¡with¡¡the¡¡President's¡¡chief¡¡of¡¡staff£»¡¡Elizabeth¡¡Hawthorne¡£¡¡¡¨The¡¡President¡¡is¡¡devoting¡¡himself¡¡to¡¡dealing¡¡with¡¡the¡¡crisis£»¡¡but¡¡will¡¡meet¡¡with¡¡the¡¡press¡¡when¡¡the¡¡time¡¡is¡¡right£»¡¨¡¡Ms¡£¡¡Hawthorne¡¡was¡¡shown¡¡saying¡¡over¡¡and¡¡over¡¡again¡£¡¡John¡¡watched¡¡Ms¡£¡¡Hawthorne¡¡deny¡¡rumors¡¡that¡¡the¡¡President¡¡was¡¡ill£»¡¡take¡¡questions¡¡about¡¡relief¡¡efforts£»¡¡and¡¡defer¡¡questions¡¡requiring¡¡an¡¡explanation¡¡of¡¡what¡¡had¡¡happened¡¡to¡¡the¡¡President's¡¡science¡¡advisor¡£
¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Paulson¡¡was¡¡interviewed¡¡repeatedly¡¡by¡¡the¡¡networks¡£¡¡He¡¡labeled¡¡what¡¡happened¡¡as¡¡time¡¡quilting£»¡¡and¡¡described¡¡it¡¡as¡¡a¡¡natural¡¡result¡¡of¡¡the¡¡interaction¡¡of¡¡strings¡¡of¡¡dense¡¡matter¡¡created¡¡by¡¡nuclear¡¡detonations¡£¡¡When¡¡asked¡¡if¡¡it¡¡was¡¡true¡¡that¡¡only¡¡the¡¡former¡¡U¡£S¡£S¡£R¡£¡¡had¡¡detonated¡¡devices¡¡of¡¡sufficient¡¡size¡¡to¡¡create¡¡the¡¡effect£»¡¡he¡¡deferred¡¡to¡¡Natalie¡¡Matsuda£»¡¡the¡¡secretary¡¡of¡¡defense£»¡¡who¡¡proceeded¡¡to¡¡blame¡¡it¡¡on¡¡the¡¡U¡£S¡£S¡£R¡£¡¡and¡¡single¡¡out¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡Republic¡¡in¡¡particular¡¡to¡¡inherit¡¡the¡¡blame¡£¡¡She¡¡also¡¡claimed¡¡credit¡¡for¡¡preventing¡¡a¡¡worse¡¡disaster¡¡with¡¡the¡¡action¡¡taken¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Portland¡¡area¡£¡¡John¡¡noticed¡¡they¡¡never¡¡referred¡¡to¡¡it¡¡as¡¡a¡¡nuclear¡¡attack£»¡¡calling¡¡it¡¡instead¡¡an¡¡¡¨action¡£¡¨
¡¡There¡¡was¡¡quite¡¡a¡¡bit¡¡of¡¡debate¡¡over¡¡what¡¡had¡¡happened¡¡at¡¡Portland¡£¡¡Some¡¡experts¡¡claimed¡¡the¡¡explosions¡¡destroyed¡¡Portland£»¡¡others¡¡claimed¡¡the¡¡blast¡¡more¡¡likely¡¡took¡¡place¡¡somewhere¡¡between¡¡the¡¡two¡¡space/times¡¡involved¡£¡¡John¡¡thought¡¡of¡¡Cubby¡¡during¡¡these¡¡discussions¡£¡¡Had¡¡he¡¡been¡¡incinerated¡¡in¡¡a¡¡nuclear¡¡holocaust£»¡¡or¡¡was¡¡he¡¡where¡¡he¡¡so¡¡badly¡¡wanted¡¡to¡¡be£»¡¡with¡¡his¡¡family¡¡and¡¡church£¿
¡¡The¡¡networks¡¡interviewed¡¡a¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Gomez¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Fermi¡¡Institute¡¡about¡¡the¡¡effect¡¡itself£»¡¡but¡¡her¡¡explanation¡¡made¡¡little¡¡sense¡¡to¡¡John¡£¡¡She¡¡talked¡¡of¡¡explosions¡¡in¡¡the¡¡sixties¡¡and¡¡the¡¡time¡¡quilting£»¡¡as¡¡if¡¡they¡¡were¡¡concurrent¡¡events¡£¡¡She¡¡referred¡¡vaguely¡¡to¡¡possible¡¡future¡¡events¡£¡¡Apparently¡¡the¡¡first¡¡puter¡¡models¡¡had¡¡correctly¡¡predicted¡¡the¡¡focal¡¡point¡¡and¡¡the¡¡time¡¡quilting¡¡but¡¡had¡¡not¡¡projected¡¡the¡¡events¡¡into¡¡the¡¡future¡£¡¡More¡¡sophisticated¡¡models¡¡were¡¡being¡¡tested¡¡and¡¡some¡¡of¡¡these¡¡projected¡¡additional¡¡events¡£¡¡She¡¡also¡¡said¡¡something¡¡about¡¡effects¡¡on¡¡the¡¡moon£»¡¡but¡¡being¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡confirm¡¡them¡¡until¡¡the¡¡space¡¡program¡¡could¡¡be¡¡reestablished¡£¡¡That¡¡point¡¡was¡¡then¡¡lost¡¡in¡¡questions¡¡about¡¡identifying¡¡where¡¡the¡¡displaced¡¡people¡¡had¡¡gone¡£¡¡John¡¡realized¡¡there¡¡was¡¡cold¡¡fort¡¡in¡¡knowing¡¡that¡¡friends¡¡and¡¡relatives¡¡could¡¡be¡¡alive¡¡in¡¡some¡¡other¡¡time¡¡period¡£
¡¡Dinosaur¡¡horror¡¡stories¡¡filled¡¡the¡¡rest¡¡of¡¡the¡¡news¡£¡¡Of¡¡course¡¡the¡¡media¡¡concentrated¡¡on¡¡made¡in¡America¡¡stories¡£¡¡Attacks¡¡by¡¡tyrannosaurs¡¡were¡¡the¡¡most¡¡popular¡£¡¡Occasionally¡¡a¡¡story¡¡sympathetic¡¡to¡¡dinosaurs¡¡would¡¡surface¡£¡¡The¡¡story¡¡of¡¡an¡¡old¡¡woman¡¡in¡¡New¡¡York¡¡with¡¡a¡¡pet¡¡dinosaur¡¡got¡¡a¡¡lot¡¡of¡¡play£»¡¡and¡¡John¡¡was¡¡particularly¡¡touched¡¡by¡¡the¡¡story¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mother¡¡apatosaurus¡¡and¡¡her¡¡baby¡¡that¡¡saved¡¡a¡¡shipwrecked¡¡family£»¡¡despite¡¡a¡¡killer¡¡whale¡¡attack¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡also¡¡stories¡¡of¡¡organized¡¡protests¡¡of¡¡animal¡¡rights¡¡activists¡¡who¡¡were¡¡fighting¡¡for¡¡dinosaur¡¡rights¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡many¡¡stories¡¡of¡¡food¡¡shortages£»¡¡fuel¡¡shortages£»¡¡and¡¡medical¡¡supply¡¡shortages¡£¡¡These¡¡were¡¡invariably¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡predictions¡¡of¡¡more¡¡shortages£»¡¡and¡¡how¡¡the¡¡poor¡¡were¡¡disproportionately¡¡affected¡£¡¡The¡¡only¡¡silver¡¡lining¡¡in¡¡these¡¡reports¡¡was¡¡that¡¡the¡¡human¡¡losses¡¡were¡¡out¡¡of¡¡proportion¡¡to¡¡the¡¡crop¡¡losses¡£¡¡In¡¡other¡¡words£»¡¡they¡¡lost¡¡more¡¡people¡¡than¡¡crops¡¡to¡¡feed¡¡them¡£
¡¡John's¡¡mother¡¡came¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bedroom¡¡to¡¡make¡¡a¡¡cup¡¡of¡¡tea¡£¡¡Her¡¡right¡¡arm¡¡was¡¡in¡¡a¡¡cast£»¡¡which¡¡she¡¡carried¡¡in¡¡a¡¡sling¡£¡¡He¡¡watched¡¡her¡¡until¡¡he¡¡was¡¡sure¡¡she¡¡could¡¡handle¡¡fixing¡¡the¡¡tea¡¡one¡handed¡£¡¡The¡¡hotshot's¡¡noise¡¡drowned¡¡out¡¡the¡¡sound¡¡of¡¡the¡¡TV¡£
¡¡Ellen¡¡was¡¡more¡¡animated¡¡now¡¡than¡¡when¡¡she¡¡had¡¡learned¡¡of¡¡her¡¡husband's¡¡death£»¡¡but¡¡her¡¡grief¡¡was¡¡still¡¡pounded¡¡by¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡she¡¡had¡¡been¡¡angry¡¡the¡¡last¡¡time¡¡she¡¡saw¡¡him¡£¡¡She¡¡couldn't¡¡make¡¡peace¡¡with¡¡him¡¡now¡¡and¡¡would¡¡live¡¡the¡¡rest¡¡of¡¡her¡¡life¡¡with¡¡that¡¡knowledge¡£
¡¡They¡¡couldn't¡¡get¡¡through¡¡to¡¡John's¡¡sister£»¡¡Carolyn£»¡¡until¡¡after¡¡her¡¡father¡¡had¡¡been¡¡buried¡£¡¡It¡¡wouldn't¡¡have¡¡mattered¡¡though¡£¡¡Civilian¡¡air¡¡travel¡¡was¡¡restricted¡£¡¡Ellen¡¡offered¡¡to¡¡bury¡¡Colonel¡¡Conrad¡¡next¡¡to¡¡John's¡¡father¡¡and¡¡include¡¡Angie's¡¡name¡¡on¡¡the¡¡marker£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡military¡¡took¡¡charge¡¡of¡¡Colonel¡¡Conrad's¡¡body¡£¡¡John¡¡remembered¡¡vividly¡¡his¡¡mother¡¡sobbing¡¡as¡¡she¡¡explained¡¡what¡¡had¡¡happened¡¡to¡¡Colonel¡¡Conrad's¡¡wife£»¡¡and¡¡after¡¡that¡¡Ellen¡¡had¡¡been¡¡more¡¡depressed¡¡than¡¡ever¡£
¡¡With¡¡her¡¡tea£»¡¡his¡¡mother¡¡sat¡¡on¡¡the¡¡other¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the¡¡couch¡¡watching¡¡the¡¡TV¡£¡¡The¡¡constant¡¡repetition¡¡couldn't¡¡hold¡¡her¡¡attention¡¡any¡¡better¡¡than¡¡it¡¡held¡¡John's£»¡¡and¡¡her¡¡eyes¡¡wandered¡¡to¡¡the¡¡window¡¡and¡¡the¡¡distant¡¡ocean¡£¡¡But¡¡that¡¡only¡¡reminded¡¡her¡¡of¡¡more¡¡death¡£¡¡Animal¡¡carcasses¡¡mixed¡¡with¡¡debris¡¡had¡¡begun¡¡washing¡¡ashore¡£¡¡The¡¡carcasses¡¡were¡¡victims¡¡of¡¡nature's¡¡recycling¡¡process¡¡and¡¡hard¡¡to¡¡identify¡£¡¡Some¡¡of¡¡them¡¡were¡¡dinosaurs£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡but¡¡with¡¡live¡¡ones¡¡loose¡¡in¡¡the¡¡countryside£»¡¡the¡¡carcasses¡¡received¡¡scant¡¡attention¡£¡¡At¡¡their¡¡beach¡¡house£»¡¡John's¡¡parents¡¡used¡¡to¡¡walk¡¡the¡¡shore¡¡endlessly£»¡¡occasionally¡¡collecting¡¡glass¡¡floats¡¡or¡¡unusual¡¡pieces¡¡of¡¡driftwood¡£¡¡To¡¡walk¡¡the¡¡Oregon¡¡beaches¡¡now£»¡¡though£»¡¡was¡¡to¡¡risk¡¡an¡¡encounter¡¡with¡¡the¡¡bloated¡¡remains¡¡of¡¡a¡¡prehistoric¡¡animal£»¡¡victim¡¡of¡¡something¡¡they¡¡could¡¡never¡¡conceive¡¡of¡£¡¡Most¡¡sickening¡¡of¡¡all¡¡was¡¡the¡¡realization¡¡that¡¡somewhere¡¡in¡¡time¡¡there¡¡were¡¡undoubtedly¡¡human¡¡bodies¡¡washing¡¡ashore¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡condition¡£
¡¡The¡¡sound¡¡of¡¡a¡¡car¡¡outside¡¡distracted¡¡them¡£¡¡They¡¡had¡¡few¡¡friends¡¡at¡¡the¡¡coast£»¡¡since¡¡they¡¡were¡¡weekenders£»¡¡and¡¡no¡¡one¡¡had¡¡e¡¡by¡¡to¡¡see¡¡them¡¡since¡¡they¡¡moved¡¡in¡£
¡¡John¡¡opened¡¡the¡¡door¡¡and¡¡stepped¡¡back¡¡with¡¡the¡¡shock¡£¡¡Cubby's¡¡van¡¡was¡¡parked¡¡behind¡¡Angie's¡¡Jeep¡£¡¡The¡¡glare¡¡on¡¡the¡¡tinted¡¡windows¡¡prevented¡¡John¡¡from¡¡seeing¡¡inside¡£¡¡Behind¡¡him¡¡he¡¡heard¡¡his¡¡mother's¡¡gasp¡¡of¡¡recognition¡£¡¡The¡¡driver's¡¡door¡¡opened£»¡¡and¡¡Ripman¡¡stepped¡¡out£»¡¡grinning¡¡sheepishly¡£¡¡They¡¡smiled¡¡at¡¡Ripman