jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第85章

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than　John；　and　all　with　biceps　twice　the　diameter　of　John's　skinny　ones。
　The　footsteps　were　almost　in　John's　ear　when　they　stopped；　replaced　by　fumbling　and　then　the　sound　of　peeing。　John　could　smell　and　hear　Butler's　loud　whizzing。　Soon；　John's　knee　felt　damp。　John　silently　cursed　him。
　A　loud　splintering　crash　rolled　through　the　meadow　startling　a　gasp　out　of　John；　who　trembled；　afraid　of　being　heard。　Butler　took　two　steps　forward　and　uttered　a　〃What　the　shit？〃　John　could　now　see　him　through　the　grass；　but　Butler's　eyes　were　riveted　on　the　far　side　of　the　meadow。　John　heard　the　sounds　of　running　men。
　Butler　shouted；　〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃
　〃You　see　anything？〃　an　approaching　voice　asked。
　〃Damn。　Maybe　Coop　and　the　bitch　was　right。　Sounds　like　there　are　more　of　those　things　around。　Maybe　bigger　ones。〃
　The　sounds　of　splintering　and　thumping　continued　but　gradually　drifted　off。　One　by　one　the　men　judged　the　noise　to　be　far　enough　away　and　then　turned　and　walked　back　to　the　fire。　Butler　was　the　last　to　go。　John　waited　until　Butler　had　enough　time　to　walk　to　camp；　and　then　pulled　his　leg　out　of　the　puddle。
　He　worked　his　anger　back　up　so　he　would　have　the　courage　to　continue　and　then　crawled　forward；　inch　by　inch；　as　silently　as　possible；　trying　not　to　sway　the　grasses　and　ferns。　He　reached　the　trampled…down　portion　and　pushed　his　head　out　far　enough　to　see　down　the　newly　created　path。　The　men　still　circled　the　fire。　When　John　looked　to　the　left　Cubby　poked　out　of　the　grass；　gave　him　a　thumbs…up　sign；　and　crawled　to　the　nearest　bike　as　John　did　the　same。　The　plan　was　to　cut　a　fuel　line　and　the　spark　plug　wires　on　each　one…otherwise　they　could　cannibalize　one　bike　to　fix　another。
　Ripman's　stolen　knife　was　sharp　and　the　fuel　line　cut　easily。　The　spark　plug　wires；　however；　were　deep　in　the　engine　and　John　had　trouble　reaching。　He　switched　from　the　smooth　edge　to　the　serrated　edge　and　sawed　more　than　halfway　through　the　wire；　seeing　no　point　in　cutting　any　further。　On　the　second　one　the　spark　plug　wires　were　easy　to　cut。　He　found　some　tubing…the　fuel　line？…and　cut　through　it。　He　approached　his　last　bike；　the　one　closest　to　the　fire；　slowly　on　his　hands　and　knees。　The　men　were　talking　softly　now；　poking　at　the　fire　with　sticks；　and　passing　around　a　bottle。
　John　sawed　through　one　spark　plug　wire；　and　then　another；　but　he　had　trouble　reaching　the　remaining　wires　from　this　side。　However；　the　cut　fuel　line　immediately　began　dripping　gas。
　He　turned　to　crawl　back　and　realized　Cubby　was　gone；　his　earmarked　destruction　apparently　plete。　John　was　debating　whether　to　follow　Cubby's　path　back；　or　his　own；　when　he　heard　a　〃pssst；〃　and　turned　to　see　Cubby's　face　poking　out　of　the　grass　on　the　other　side　of　the　bikes。　Checking　the　men　again；　John　crept　across　the　makeshift　parking　lot。　Cubby　disappeared　into　the　grass　as　he　approached；　and　John　followed。　A　few　yards　away；　Cubby　waited。　Putting　his　mouth　to　John's　ear　he　whispered；　〃Help　me　find　that　man　they　killed。　He's　around　here　somewhere。　But　be　quiet。〃
　John　was　too　scared　to　risk　asking　why。　They　split　up　but　kept　each　other　in　sight。　After　a　few　minutes　Cubby　motioned　John　over；　a　pistol　in　his　hand。
　〃They　forgot　about　this；〃　he　whispered。　〃See　what　else　we　can　find。〃
　John　looked　reluctantly　at　the　body；　and　his　stomach　rolled。　He　was　glad　that　it　was　dark　because　the　body　was　being　consumed　by　the　small　inhabitants　of　the　forest。　John　tenderly　patted　at　the　dead　man's　many　pockets；　avoiding　the　crawling　insects。　The　pockets　on　his　chest　were　sticky　with　partially　dried　blood　and　John　could　only　poke　at　those。　They　found　a　package　of　blood…soaked　Camel　cigarettes　and　a　Bic　lighter　in　one　shirt　pocket。　A　wallet；　b；　and　loose　change　were　in　the　pants；　with　a　huge　set　of　keys　that　jingled　when　they　pulled　them　out；　freezing　John　and　Cubby　in　a　minute　of　panic。　They　found　two　spare　magazines　for　the　pistol　in　a　vest　pocket；　and　cartridges　for　his　rifle　were　in　another。　They　also　found　three　block…style　Hershey　bars　and　a　roll　of　mint　Lifesavers。
　〃You　think　they　left　his　rifle　on　his　bike？〃　John　asked；　in　a　barely　audible　voice。
　〃No；　I　checked。　I　think　his　bike　was　that　blue　one。〃
　Then　they　took　the　shortest　path　back　to　the　trees。　The　splintering　and　roaring　returned　as　they　faded　into　the　forest。
　〃You　know　who　that　is；　don't　you；　John？〃
　〃I　know　what　it　is。〃
　〃It's　your　old　buddy　One　Eye。　He's　looking　for　you；　John。　Wants　a　little　midnight　snack。〃
　〃Up　yours。　Give　me　one　of　those　Hershey　bars。〃
　〃Let's　find　a　good　hiding　spot　for　the　night　first。〃　They　looked　for　a　high　spot　this　time；　remembering　their　experience　in　the　fallen　trees；　but　couldn't　find　a　tree　they　could　climb。　Instead　they　found　a　fallen　tree　that　had　sprouted　a　mini　forest　of　its　own；　with　young　trees　twelve　inches　in　diameter　forming　a　semicircle。　The　boys　hid　in　the　middle　of　the　enclosure　and　filled　the　gaps　with　branches。
　They　ate　the　Hershey　bars　and　drank　from　their　canteens；　talking　briefly　about　the　success　of　their　mission　and　sharing　the　good　feeling　that　es　of　managing　one's　fear…they　had　ridden　the　most　dangerous　roller　coaster　in　the　world　and　walked　away　with　bragging　rights。　It　was　hours　before　they　fell　asleep。
　
　51。　　THE　MEAN　BIRD
　
　Therefore；　hear　what　the　lord　has　planned。。。。　The　young　of　the　flock　will　be　dragged　away；　he　will　pletely　destroy　their　pasture。。。。　Look！　An　eagle　will　soar　and　swoop　down；　spreading　its　wings。
　…Jeremioh；　49：20…22
　
　The　I…5　Mountain；　Oregon
　POSTQUILT：　TUESDAY；　10：05　P。M。　PST
　
　　Chrissy　woke　up　hurt　and　crying　for　her　mommy。　But　Mommy　didn't　e。　No　one　came。　She　finally　controlled　her　tears；　but　couldn't　keep　sobs　from　wracking　her　body。　When　she　sat　up　her　arm　ached；　and　she　screamed　and　then　began　to　cry　again。　But　when　she　screamed　something　big　moved　behind　her。　It　was　dark；　but　she　could　see　the　big　bird　staring　at　her。　She　instinctively　froze；　and　tried　very　hard　to　hold　in　her　crying。　She　remembered　the　big　bird。　A　mean　bird；　not　like　the　one　on　TV。
　Chrissy　remembered　the　bird　knocking　her　to　the　ground　and　then　hurting　her　arm　and　shoulder。　The　mean　bird　wouldn't　leave　her　alone　and　kept　hurting　her。　Then　it　picked　her　up　into　the　sky。　She　remembered　seeing　her　mommy　running　to　get　her；　and　being　lifted　out　of　reach　and　floated　up　in　the　sky　and　her　arm　and　shoulder　hurting　worse　and　worse。　She　remembered　yelling　at　the　mean　bird　to　put　her　down；　to　let　her　go。　But　the　bird　just　lifted　her　higher　and　higher。　Round　and　round　they　went；　getting　farther　and　farther　from　Mommy。　The　bird　kept　flying　close　to　the　mountain　and　then　away　from　the　mountain。　Chrissy　remembered　yelling　down　to　her　mommy；　yelling　for　help。　Then　she　remembered　falling。　The　bad　bird　had　fallen　too。　They　had　fallen　down　toward　the　mountain。　She　didn't　remember　anything　after　that。
　Chrissy　stifled　another　sob　and　stared　back　at　the　bird。　It　was　a　few　feet　away　from　her；　lying　in　a　pile　of　its　wings。　She　could　see　the　bird　was　hurt。　There　was　blood　on　its　wing。　Then　the　big　bird　opened　its　mouth　and　screeched。　Chrissy　screamed　and　tried　to　crawl　away　from　it；　but　her　arm　hurt　her。　Instead；　she　put　her　good　arm　down　and　pushed　herself　up。　She　looked　back　to　see　the　bird　struggling　to　get　up　too；　trying　to　get　its　wings　out　of　the　way；　so　it　could　get　to　its　feet。　Suddenly　the　bird　lunged　at　her；　its　big　beak　poking　toward　her　face。　Chrissy　screamed　again　and　backed　farther　away　as　the　bird　struggled　once　more　to　get　up。　She　looked　for　a　place　to　get　away　from　the　bad　bird；　and　ran　to　the　edge　of　the　ledge　and　looked　over。　It　was　so　far　down　she　got　dizzy。　She　looked　back　at　the　bad　bird。　It　would　be　up　again　soon。
　Chrissy　wanted　to　run；　but　there　was　no　place　to　go。　She　wanted　to　hide　but　there　was　no　place　to　hide。　Chrissy　ran　to　the　wall　of　the　mountain　and　tried　to　climb　up。　But　there　was　no　place　to　climb　to　even　if　she　had　two　arms。　Turning；　she　saw　the　bad　bird　stand　up。　Then　it　stumbled　toward　her；　dragging　the　hurt　wing。　Chrissy　tried　scrambling　up　the　wall　again　but　couldn't　get　up。　When　she　looked　back　again　the　bird　was　right　behind　her；　and　it　jabbed　at　her　with　its　beak。　She　tried　to　run　out　of　the　way　but　tripp