jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第16章

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　…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　more。　I　don't　think　this　is　it。〃
　〃Agreed；〃　Dr。　Piltcher　said。　He　directed　Petra：　〃You　shouldn't　get　near　it　tonight。　Keep　a　safe　distance　and　check　it　out　in　the　morning。　We'll　contact　Mrs。　Wayne　and　Ernie　just　to　be　sure。〃
　Dr。　Piltcher　signed　off　and　then　called　for　Mrs。　Wayne。　The　static　had　diminished　some　but　was　still　annoying。
　〃Mrs。　Wayne；　Mrs。　Wayne。　Are　you　reading　me；　Mrs。　Wayne？〃
　After　a　few　minutes　he　switched　to　calling　for　Ernie　Powell。　Neither　ever　answered。
　
　II。　　　PIG　PILE
　
　Fiery　winds　and　fierce　clouds　lashed　the　world　acpanied　by　violent　hailstorms。　When　the　storm　abated　the　beings　who　hod　been　hidden　beneath　the　earth　multiplied　upon　the　earth。
　…New　Zealand；　Moari　Oral　History
　
　Oregon　Caves
　TIME　QUILT：　SATURDAY；　11：05　P。M。　PST
　
　　Terry　saw　that　the　military　man　had　inched　his　way　forward　so　that　he　was　sitting　near　the　front　of　the　group　now。　He'd　moved　there　during　the　blackout。　When　the　kid　finally　pulled　a　light　out　of　his　pack　and　snapped　it　on；　the　military　man　was　in　the　front　row。　The　kid　was　distracted　for　the　next　few　minutes；　screaming　out　the　entrance　that　he　wanted　the　lights　back　on；　and　Terry　was　sure　the　military　man　would　make　his　move；　but　the　kid　did　a　good　job　of　keeping　his　gun　pointed　at　the　group；　and　nothing　happened。
　Now　Terry　wanted　to　move　forward　too；　but　felt　it　might　jeopardize　the　rescue。　So　instead；　Terry　had　inched　himself　a　little　sideways　until　there　was　a　clear　path　between　him　and　the　kid　with　the　gun。　Terry　did　not　have　the　training　or　nerve　to　do　anything　alone；　but　he　hoped　he　could　help　the　military　man　if　necessary。
　The　chance　came　sooner　than　Terry　had　expected。
　He　was　partially　dozing　with　his　head　on　his　knees　when　another　voice　reverberated　through　the　cave；　startling　everyone　awake。
　〃Hello　in　the　cave。〃
　The　kid　was　startled　too　and　stood　turning　toward　the　noise。　At　that　instant　the　military　man　jumped　to　his　feet　and　raced　toward　the　kid；　who　jerked　back　around；　but　it　was　too　late。　The　military　man　barreled　into　the　kid；　kno