jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第30章

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　〃Jeez；　guns　would　have　been　better；　Ripman。〃
　〃You　don't　run　out　of　ammunition　with　a　bow。　Besides；　the　guns　were　chained　up。　How's　Cubby　doing？〃
　〃About　the　same；　but　at　least　he's　not　getting　any　worse。　I　think　that's　a　good　sign。〃
　〃Don't　you　know？　Your　dad's　a　shrink；　ya　know。〃
　〃Up　yours；　Ripman！　I'm　not　my　dad。〃
　Ripman　ignored　him　and　walked　over　to　Cubby；　dropping　his　share　of　the　booty　on　the　ground。　〃All　right；　Cubby；　it　will　be　light　soon。　I'm　going　to　prove　to　you　that　this　isn't　the　second　ing　and　there　hasn't　been　any　rapture。〃
　Cubby　stopped　mumbling　his　prayers　and　looked　up　at　Ripman；　eyes　puffy；　and　tear　streaks　on　his　face。
　〃How　are　you　going　to　prove　it；　Ripman？　It　couldn't　he　anything　else；〃　he　said　with　resignation。
　〃First　of　all；　Newberg　is　still　full　of　people。　They're　in　there　digging　through　the　wreckage。〃
　〃That　only　proves　how　ignorant　you　are；　Ripman。　God　isn't　going　to　take　sinners　in　the　rapture；　only　the　followers　of　Christ。　Of　course　there　will　still　be　people　around；　the　sinners。　It's　my　fault；　I　let　you　guys　down。　I　knew　the　path　to　follow　and　I　didn't　even　try　to　follow　it　myself；　let　alone　show　you　two。　Now　we've　got　to　face　the　tribulation。〃
　Ripman　blew　out　a　deep　breath。　〃Cubby；　use　your　head。　It's　the　road　that　disappeared；　not　the　people。〃
　Cubby　looked　back　at　the　forest；　confusion　edging　out　a　little　of　the　fear。　Ripman　saw　the　opening　and　pressed　on。
　〃I'm　not　saying　I　believe　in　this　rapture　stuff；　but　if　I　did　I　don't　think　God　would　want　whores　and　drunks。〃
　〃Of　course　God　would　want　them！　Ripman；　you　really　don't　know　anything　about　Christianity　at　all。　God　wants　anyone　who　repents；　confesses　their　sin；　and　asks　Jesus　into　their　hearts。〃
　〃Cubby；　do　you　remember　that　strip　joint　we　passed　on　the　way　here？　It　had　a　big　sign　outside　that　said　NUDE…GIRLS…NUDE。　There　were　pickup　trucks　parked　all　around　it。　Would　God　take　those　people？　If　they　were　there；　they　hadn't　repented　right？〃
　〃No　。。。　I　wouldn't　think　so。〃
　〃Damn　right；　God　wouldn't　want　them。　So　let's　go　see。　It's　only　a　few　miles　from　here。　If　the　strip　joint's　gone　then　I'm　right　and　you　have　to　shut　up　about　this　rapture　crapola。〃
　John　could　see　hope　in　Cubby's　face；　and　some　of　the　tough　look　started　to　e　back。　Hiking　into　the　forest　to　the　strip　joint　was　something　to　do；　and　John　was　pretty　sure　his　dad　would　approve　of　occupation　therapy。　Cubby　was　already　drawing　strength　from　the　idea。
　Ripman　had　them　divide　up　the　supplies。　They　all　ended　up　with　portions　of　energy　bars　and　trail　mix。　Everyone　had　a　hunting　knife　and　sheath；　John　carried　a　snake　bite　kit；　and　Ripman　had　a　first　aid　kit。　Everyone　got　a　pass；　a　space　blanket；　disposable　flashlight；　and　matches。　The　light　from　the　sun　wasn't　filtering　to　the　floor　of　the　forest　yet；　so　they　spent　time　practicing　with　the　bows。　John　had　never　used　a　bow　like　the　one　stolen　by　Ripman。　As　a　kid；　he'd　learned　the　shooting　basics　with　a　fiberglass　bow；　but　these　new　ones　had　pulleys　on　each　end；　and　the　string　wound　back　and　forth；　making　three　places　to　notch　your　arrow。
　John　wasn't　surprised　to　find　that　Ripman　was　proficient　with　his　bow。　He　showed　John　and　Cubby　how　to　hold　the　bows；　and　shoot。　The　arrows　were　definitely　for　hunting；　with　wicked…looking　steel　triangles　for　heads。　Ripman　pulled　his　bow　back；　aimed　at　a　piece　of　cardboard　along　the　road　forty　feet　away；　and　shot　the　arrow　smack　into　the　target。　John　went　next　and　found　pulling　this　bow　harder　than　his　old　fiberglass　one。
　〃e　on；　you　wuss；〃　Ripman　prodded。
　John's　arm　was　shaking；　and　he　still　hadn't　pulled　the　bowstring　all　the　way　back　to　his　ear。　Suddenly　his　arm　snapped　the　rest　of　the　way　back；　and　he　saw　Ripman　smiling。
　〃Got　easy　all　of　a　sudden；　didn't　it？　That's　why　they　have　the　pulleys；　so　you　can　hold　the　arrow　back　longer。　It　lets　you　wait　for　the　best　shot。〃
　John　aimed　carefully　and　then　let　the　arrow　fly。　It　disappeared　into　the　grass　ten　feet　short　of　the　cardboard。　Cubby　didn't　have　any　trouble　pulling　his　string　back　but　his　arrow　flew　way　high　and　buried　itself　into　the　hill。　They　each　tried　a　few　more　shots；　but　Cubby　and　John　didn't　get　better。
　The　light　from　the　rising　sun　was　sending　shafts　through　the　trees　when　they　started　into　the　forest。　The　beams　interwove　with　the　trees　creating　a　fabric　of　light　and　wood。　Ripman　went　first；　using　his　hunting　knife　like　a　machete；　but　the　undergrowth　was　sparse　and　he　soon　put　the　knife　away。　A　variety　of　ferns　stood　two　to　four　feet　in　the　air；　and　some　clumps　of　grasses　grew　head　high。　The　ground　felt　soft　and　mushy；　as　if　they　were　walking　through　mulch。　Occasionally　they　ran　into　tall　grasses　that　were　stiffer　and　sharp　edged；　like　pampas　grass。　They　quickly　learned　to　go　around　these。　The　trees　were　all　of　one　type；　with　coarse　fibrous　bark。　Many　were　big　enough　to　drive　a　car　through。　Ripman　stopped　by　one　and　cut　the　bark　with　his　knife。
　〃Look　here；　Cubby。　This　is　nothing　but　a　redwood　tree；　I've　seen　them　in　California。　Nothing　supernatural　here。〃
　〃Yeah？　How　did　it　get　to　Oregon？〃
　Ripman　ignored　Cubby　and　led　off　again。　John　trailed　behind　Cubby；　wishing　Ripman　had　an　answer　to　Cubby's　question。　John　had　never　heard　of　giant　redwoods　in　Oregon。　As　he　set　a　fast　pace　up　the　hill；　Ripman　soon　had　them　puffing　with　the　exertion。　Ripman　reached　the　top　of　the　hill　well　ahead　of　Cubby　and　John；　and　when　they　caught　up；　Ripman　was　kneeling　and　looking　up　into　the　trees。
　〃Get　down　you　guys；　and　be　quiet。〃
　Cubby　and　John　squatted　down　next　to　Ripman。　〃What　are　we　being　quiet　for？〃　John　asked；　still　gasping　from　exertion。
　〃Look　around。　Do　you　see　them？〃
　John　and　Cubby　looked　around；　first　at　the　ground；　and　then　following　Ripman's　gaze。　Cubby　slowly　lifted　his　arm　and　pointed　into　the　tree　in　front　of　them。　About　halfway　up；　perched　on　a　limb；　was　a　lizard…but　like　none　John　had　ever　seen。　It　was　reddish　brown　on　top　and　dusky　green　on　the　bottom；　so　it　blended　in　with　the　tree　limb。　It　had　long　back　legs　and　shorter　front　legs；　and　around　its　head　was　a　bony　flared　collar；　with　short　spines　protruding　from　the　top。　Most　striking　of　all　was　its　size。　It　was　three　feet　long。　John　suddenly　realized　that　another　similar　lizard　sat　on　the　branch　above　the　first。　As　John　looked　through　the　trees　around　them；　he　realized　they　were　filled　with　the　three…footers；　all　staring　at　them。
　Ripman　leaned　in　front　of　the　others　and　whispered；　〃Toto；　I　don't　think　we're　in　Kansas　anymore。〃
　The　lizards　sat　motionless　in　the　trees；　seeming　confident　they　were　out　of　reach　of　the　three　strange　creatures　below。　The　boys　sat　motionless；　staring　back；　John　because　he　was　frozen　in　fear。　Finally　the　lizard　on　the　lowest　branch　skittered　higher　up　followed　by　others　on　the　low　branches。　That　movement　broke　the　stalemate；　and　Ripman　slowly　led　them　off　through　the　trees。　Lizards　slithered　through　the　branches　above　them　as　they　walked。　No　one　talked　until　they　were　sure　the　trees　were　free　of　lizards。
　〃Jeez；　I've　never　seen　a　lizard　that　size　before；〃　John　said。　〃Man；　where　did　they　e　from？〃
　Cubby　looked　like　he　was　going　to　answer　the　question；　but　Ripman　shut　him　up　with　a　glare。
　〃I　don't　know；　but　let's　enjoy　it　while　we　can；〃　Ripman　said。
　John　watched　Ripman's　back　moving　into　the　lead　again；　followed　by　Cubby。　He　knew　Ripman　was　actually　enjoying　this。　With　every　step　deeper　into　the　forest　Ripman　seemed　more　confident；　as　if　he　belonged　there。　But　Cubby　was　badly　shaken。　He　still　wasn't　saying　much；　and　the　panic　attack　had　changed　the　way　John　and　Ripman　thought　of　him。　Silence；　always　a　part　of　Cubby's　personality；　had　now　bee　a　symptom　of　his　vulnerability。
　The　experience　with　the　lizards　sensitized　John　to　his　surroundings。　Movements；　shadows；　and　noises　he　had　missed　before　were　now　acutely　important。　He　began　to　notice　soft　rustlings　in　the　grasses；　and　quick　movements　in　the　shadows。
　Shortly　they　came　to　a　fallen　tree；　its　trunk　nursing　saplings　all　along　its　length。　Ferns　covered　the　spots　between　the　tree　sprouts。　Ripman　used　the　stumps　of　broken　branches　to　climb　to　the　top。　Suddenly；　something　came　shooting　out　from　under　the　tree；　running　across　John's　foot