jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第80章

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o。〃　Rita　grabbed　his　arm；　barely　slowing　her　stride。
　〃Where's　Chrissy？〃
　〃I　dunno。　She　wanted　to　play　dumb　games。〃
　〃You　were　supposed　to　watch　her；〃　she　scolded；　feeling　guilty　she'd　delegated　her　responsibility　to　an　eight…year…old。　She　jogged　along　the　edge　of　the　mountain　with　Matt　in　tow　stopping　periodically　to　look　between　rocks　and　up　onto　ledges；　all　the　while　shouting　Chrissy's　name。　Then　she　saw　Chrissy；　in　the　clearing　ahead　walking　away　from　the　rocks；　her　head　tilted　back　looking　into　the　sky。
　Then　the　shadow　of　the　bird　passed　over　Rita　again。　This　time　she　felt　the　breeze　from　its　wings。　To　her　horror　she　saw　that　the　shadow　was　heading　directly　toward　Chrissy。　Then　the　bird　swooped　down；　flexed　its　huge　wingspan　slightly；　and　dropped　onto　her　daughter；　knocking　her　to　the　ground。
　〃Chrissy！〃　she　screamed。
　Other　people　were　screaming　too　and　bolting　across　the　clearing　to　reach　the　bird　and　the　little　girl。　Then　the　bird　floated；　pirouetting　around　to　face　the　angry　crowd　and　again　landing　on　Chrissy's　back　and　shoulders。　It　was　a　bird　like　none　Rita　had　ever　seen　before。　It　seemed　all　wing　and　head；　its　body　no　bigger　than　Chrissy's。　The　head　was　almost　all　beak；　with　huge　black　eyes。　It　had　no　feathers；　just　taut　skin。　A　long　rigid　crest　ran　along　its　head　and　extended　out　far　behind。　From　the　crest　on　its　head；　sinew　stretched　out　to　its　spine。　The　underside　of　its　wings　were　a　light　gray；　and　the　back　so　deep　green　it　was　nearly　black；　with　tan　splotches。　Then　it　opened　its　mouth；　revealing　a　set　of　sharp　teeth；　and　screeched；　stopping　would…be　rescuers　in　their　tracks。
　〃Go　hide　in　the　rocks；　and　don't　e　out　until　I　e　to　get　you！〃　Rita　screamed　at　her　son。
　Shoving　Matt　toward　the　rocks；　she　ran　toward　her　prostrate　daughter。　Chrissy　moved　beneath　the　bird；　which　danced　to　stay　on　top　of　her。　Then　it　dug　its　claws　into　the　child's　shirt　and　shoulder。　Chrissy　screamed　and　wriggled　beneath　the　bird。　It　floated　in　the　air　again　and　then　came　down；　seizing　Chrissy's　arm　as　well。　
　Then　twenty　feet　of　wing　stretched　taut；　the　huge　surface　area…as　big　as　the　sails　on　a　small　yacht…trapping　every　bit　of　the　gentle　breeze。　The　bird　flexed　its　wings；　curving　them　slightly　to　direct　the　captured　breeze　and　floated　upward…but　the　bird　couldn't　lift　Chrissy；　who　struggled　to　get　free。
　Then　the　wing　tips　bent　and　then　flapped；　and　to　Rita's　horror；　Chrissy　was　lifted　into　the　sky。　In　response　to　Chrissy's　weight　the　bird's　clawed　feet　dug　deeper　into　her　shoulder　and　arm；　and　Chrissy　cried　out　again；　breaking　Rita's　heart。　More　of　the　wing　tips　bent　in　another　flap；　and　the　bird　carried　its　prey　higher　into　the　air。
　Rita　put　every　bit　of　energy　she　had　into　a　last　sprint。　But　as　she　approached　everything　happened　in　slow　motion。　Chrissy　was　dangling　beneath　the　giant　bird；　screaming　and　crying；　floating　higher　and　higher。　Rita　approached；　raising　her　arms　to　grasp　her　daughter's　legs　and　rip　her　away　from　the　bird。
　Just　then　the　bird's　full　twenty　feet　of　wings　pushed　down　in　a　slow；　powerful　motion；　and　Chrissy　and　the　bird　shot　beyond　Rita's　reach。
　Rita　watched　helplessly　as　the　bird　pumped　its　wings　again　and　Rita　felt　the　rush　of　air。　Above　the　sound　of　the　breeze　she　heard　her　daughter's　voice。
　〃Help　me；　Mommy；　help　me！〃
　The　words　brought　Rita　to　tears；　and　she　fell　to　her　knees　begging　God　to　help　her　daughter。　Still　the　bird　spiraled　upward；　floating　on　air　currents　close　to　the　mountain　where　it　caught　the　updrafts。　It　glided　out　away　from　the　hillside；　dropping　slightly；　and　then　circled　back　where　it　would　catch　another　updraft。　It　gained　altitude　on　each　pass。
　Rita　had　never　felt　so　helpless。　Her　baby　was　floating　ever　farther　out　of　her　reach　to　a　horrible　fate　and　there　was　nothing　she　could　do。　In　desperation　she　picked　up　the　nearest　stone　and　threw　it　into　the　sky　only　to　watch　it　fall　well　short　of　its　target。　Once　again　she　dropped　to　her　knees；　sobs　wracking　her　body。　Then　she　heard　the　shot。
　Rita　turned　to　see　two　men　wearing　jeans　and　flannel　shirts　standing　with　rifles　at　their　shoulders。　She　watched　as　one　of　them　fired。　She　turned　to　look　at　the　bird；　but　it　continued　to　climb；　seeming　oblivious　of　the　rifle　fire。　Another　shot　rang　out；　but　the　bird　still　climbed。　Rita　suddenly　felt　panic。　What　if　they　shot　Chrissy　by　mistake？　Then　she　admitted　to　herself　that　it　wouldn't　matter；　a　bullet　would　be　kinder　than　the　bird。　Another　shot　and　another　miss。　The　bird　was　getting　too　high。　Soon　there　would　be　no　chance　for　Chrissy　to　survive　the　fall；　even　if　Rita　could　catch　her。　Rita　turned　to　the　men　with　the　rifles　and　shouted；　〃Either　save　her　or　kill　her！〃
　The　men　looked　at　her　in　surprise；　but　then　their　faces　turned　grim。　They　both　raised　their　rifles　again　and　took　aim；　but　they　didn't　shoot。　What　were　they　waiting　for？　The　bird　was　on　the　outward　swing　of　its　spiral　and　turned　to　float　back　toward　the　mountain。　Still　they　did　not　shoot。　〃Shoot！〃　she　said　out　loud。　The　bird　drifted　toward　the　rocky　mountain；　then　turned　to　catch　the　updraft；　its　wing　tip　barely　scraping　the　edge　of　the　nearest　rock。　Then　two　shots　rang　out。
　There　was　the　slightest　pause　when　nothing　happened…a　tiny　piece　of　time　just　big　enough　for　hope　to　die；　only　to　be　reborn　an　instant　later　when　one　wing　buckled　and　the　bird　collapsed　against　the　mountain；　sliding　down　the　smooth　rock　face　and　disappearing　behind　an　outcropping。
　Pandemonium　broke　out。　The　people　in　the　clearing　cheered　and　shouted　their　approval　and　Rita　felt　waves　of　relief　sweep　over　her。　But　where　was　her　daughter　now？　Rita　looked　to　see　if　the　bird　or　Chrissy　appeared　anywhere　below；　but　nothing　but　a　trickle　of　gravel　came　tumbling　down　the　mountain。　Rita　ran　back　and　forth　under　the　mountain　looking　for　any　sign　of　Chrissy；　but　found　none。　Other　bystanders　helped　her　in　her　search；　and　others　appeared　with　binoculars；　but　no　sign　of　Chrissy　or　the　giant　bird　was　found。
　Then；　when　the　noise　of　the　crowd　died　down；　Rita　heard　something　else。　She　shouted　for　quiet；　others　taking　up　her　cry；　and　soon　she　could　hear　her　daughter's　distinct　crying。　It　was　the　happiest　sound　Rita　had　ever　heard；　and　she　laughed　out　loud　with　the　hope。　Others　came　to　her；　reassuring　her；　telling　her　that　her　daughter　would　be　okay；　and　she　believed　them。　She　needed　to　believe　them。
　She　believed　them　right　up　until　she　heard　the　shriek。　All　heads　in　the　clearing　snapped　up。　There；　just　above　where　the　bird　and　Chrissy　had　disappeared；　was　movement。　The　people　in　the　clearing　all　pointed　and　gasped　at　once　when　the　head　of　the　bird　appeared　briefly　above　the　rocks　and　screamed　at　them。　The　men　with　rifles　raised　them　again；　but　the　head　bobbed　back　and　forth　behind　the　rock；　preventing　a　clear　shot。
　The　bird's　screeching　drowned　out　Chrissy's　crying。　At　least　that's　what　Rita　hoped；　because　they　could　hear　nothing　of　Chrissy　now。　The　screeching　continued　and　then　suddenly　sounded　weaker。　The　louder　screech　sounded　again；　quickly　followed　by　a　softer　one。　The　pattern　repeated；　the　second　screech　growing　louder　and　louder。　Then　above　the　mountain…top　appeared　the　silhouette　of　a　second　giant　bird…thing。
　
　49。　　　PREHISTORIC　SHORE
　
　After　a　hundred　years　of　collecting　specimens；　we　have　but　a　small　record　of　the　vast　dinosauria。　How　many　thousands　of　other　forms　might　have　existed；　we　will　never　know。
　…K。　Carmen　Sontog；　Nature's　Lost　Species
　
　Warm　Springs　Indian　Reservation；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　4：25　P。M。　PST
　
　Petra　stood　on　the　limb　and　leaned　out；　one　hand　firmly　grasping　the　overhanging　branch。　She　could　see　through　the　leafy　overhang；　but　couldn't　see　why　the　dinosaurs　were　reacting。　In　the　herd；　the　pickets　were　moving。　The　large　males　on　the　forest　side　of　the　herd　were　pawing　the　earth；　while　those　along　the　lake　side　were　trotting　to　take　position　next　to　their　brothers。　Finally；　the　large　males　were　spaced　evenly　along　the　side　of　the　herd　facing　the　jungle。　The　females　formed　a　ring　within　that；　encircling　the　calves。　Petra　was　impressed　with　their　instinctive　wagon…train　behavior。　The　males　made　a　formidable　barrier　with　their　long　snouts　and　collar　horns；　and　their　huge　bony　collars。