jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第86章
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was right behind her； and it jabbed at her with its beak。 She tried to run out of the way but tripped and fell。 Her hand and arm went deep into a shadow at the bottom of the rock wall and she landed on her sore arm。 It made her hurt bad again。 The bad bird was hopping and fluttering around。 Chrissy knew it would hurt her again。 She felt with her good arm in the shadow。 It was a crack that got bigger ahead of her。 Chrissy wriggled forward and down until she got herself all into the hole。
The bad bird was outside。 Chrissy could see it looking at the hole。 It jabbed its beak into the hole； making Chrissy scream and cry。 She wriggled deeper into the hole。 The bad bird jabbed again and again。 It was like some mean game that her brother； Matt； would play。 Chrissy finally learned the bird couldn't reach her。 Then she refused to play anymore； and lay quiet； out of its reach。 It stayed outside her hidey hole and looked at her。 Sometimes it opened its mouth and screeched at her。
〃Go away； you bad mean bird！〃 she yelled back。
The bird jabbed and screeched some more； but finally it hopped away； dragging its hurt wing across the hole。 Now Chrissy couldn't see。
〃You mean bird！〃 she screamed again。 Then she wondered how she'd see her mommy when she came。 Chrissy cried again。 〃You mean bird；〃 she said。 〃I hate you。〃 She lay there holding her hurting arm and crying for her mommy until she fell asleep an hour later。 When she woke； it was pitch black in her hidey hole。
52。 TROPICAL SNOW
We was watching Lucy on TV when； crash…a naked body came through the roof。 If that wasn't strange enough； the police said it was frozen。
…Josh Hinson； Jacksonville； Florida； July 15；1959
Hilo； Island of Hawaii； Hawaii
POSTQUILT： TUESDAY； 8：15 P。M。 AHT
The streets of Hilo were strangely quiet； the tourists and residents glued to the news。 Debris in the street announced every grocery store as they drove their rental car out of the city。 Just like on Oahu； those stores with goods left had armed guards。 They had expected vandalized grocery stores； but they soon encountered looted department stores and electronics stores。 Most disturbing of all were the gutted liquor stores。 But the countryside was quiet and dark； with few vehicles on the road； and Carrollee resumed her usual animation as they began the climb to the observatories on Mauna Kea。
〃Let me see if I can remember her name；〃 Carrollee teased。 〃You only dated her two or three times； I believe。 Scored right away； though； didn't you？ Your ear is turning red。 I'll take that as a yes。 What was that name？ Barbie？ No； I'm thinking of her figure。 Bunny？ No； now I'm confusing her name and sexual tendencies。 Fluffy？ No； that was her personality。 Floozy？ No； now I'm thinking of her moral character。 What was her name？ Oh yes； Bree…geet。〃
〃Bridgette。〃
〃That's what I said； Bree…geet。 What makes you think Breegeet will let you use her telescope？ As I remember it you two didn't part as friends。〃
〃We were friendly。 We split because； well； she didn't think I was ambitious enough。〃
〃Oh yeah； that was it。 She waited 。 。 。 I think it was a week wasn't it？ 。 。 。 before moving in with that Canadian。。He had better prospects； oui？ prenez…vous？〃
〃She waited a month。 Anyway； it's not her telescope。 Dr。 Paulson was supposed to contact her and authorize the photos。 If everything went right she should have it set up by the time we get there。〃
〃Tres bien。〃
〃Clampee votre mouth shut； will ya？〃
〃Oui。〃
Carrollee turned and looked out the window； pleased with the pins she had poked into Emmett in just a few minutes。 Now they slowly left the lush tropical forest behind as they traveled to the higher elevations。
When Emmett had received the PresNet message from the President's science advisor he had nearly panicked。 But Dr。 Paulson said nothing about Emmett's unauthorized access； he was only interested in Emmett's model。
〃You do understand the implications？〃 he asked。
Emmett assured him he did。
〃And have you thought of verifying your theory？〃 Emmett had confessed inadequate math skills； but Dr。 Paulson had something much simpler in mind。 Emmett quickly agreed with the idea； after all； he was a player now。
Emmett had feared he wouldn't be able to break Carrollee away from her incubating eggs； but it had been easy。 Nearly an army of volunteers was protecting the site now； and nothing exciting would happen until the eggs hatched。 Emmett explained the purpose of the trip vaguely and then emphasized it would take only a few hours。 Carrollee quickly agreed to e along and even seemed eager to spend more time with Emmett； who was surprised and glad。
The interisland flights were operating； so they flew from Oahu to Hawaii。 They left their lightweight tropical clothes in an airport locker in exchange for the heavier clothes the cooler climate demanded。 Carrollee came out of the airport rest room wearing the least outlandish thing Emmett had ever seen her wear； but it was still gaudy。 Her Levi's were held up with bright red suspenders and she wore a long…sleeve red blouse and carried a red checked sweater。 On her feet were hiking boots with red socks folded neatly over the tops； and her bright red lipstick matched her sweater and blouse。 Emmett had chosen Levi's too； and a University of Hawaii T…shirt。 He carried a matching hooded sweatshirt。 He wasn't a hiker though and was wearing his Nikes instead of boots。
He was about to pliment Carrollee on being circumspect when she pulled a giant red and white checked bow out of her bag and clipped it to the back of her head。
〃Did that outfit e with a red rubber nose？〃 he asked。
Carrollee let a smile flit across her lips； then feigned confusion。 。
〃What did you say about ing with a rubber？〃 She said extra loudly； turning heads at the airport。
Emmett blushed； opened his mouth to speak； then changed his mind。 He wouldn't get the better of Carrollee。
Their conversation in the car alternated between somber and silly but avoided the issue of the time quilt。 They discussed the plesiosaur and the unusual seaweeds； but Emmett held back what he knew about other dinosaurs from the PresNet。 Then they discussed who would succeed Dr。 Wang as department chair； and who might be recruited to replace the missing faculty。 They recognized that issues of hiring； tenure； and promotion were part of the old world； but they refused to acknowledge the new order。
As they climbed the extinct volcano Mauna Kea； the air cooled and Emmett soon turned on the seldom…used car heater。 Mauna Kea towered over Hawaii； the peak reaching 14；000 feet above sea level。 At half the height of Mount Everest it was a nearly ideal location for the university to build an observatory。 Several instruments sponsored by a variety of nations now speckled the lunarlike landscape that made up the peak。 Emmett and Carrollee's destination was the Canada…France…Hawaii telescope； but any other optical instrument would serve their purpose。
The wind picked up as they climbed above the last of the vegetation into the broken lava fields that made up the mountain's dome。 The car was warm enough； but outside it was cold enough to snow； and indeed frost speckled the ground。 Emmett knew blizzards were frequent here in winter； and that somewhere in a maintenance shed was the only snowplow in the islands。 Even in the controlled climate of the car they began to feel the effects of the elevation and cold。 The dry air made them lick their lips frequently。
〃I've heard the air's so dry up here； they have trouble with the electronics。 Sometimes they boil pans of water to keep things working。〃
Carrollee nodded her head。
〃When do we break out the oxygen masks？〃 she asked。
〃They fall down from the ceiling in an emergency。 Seriously； are you feeling all right？ It's getting pretty thin。 We're two miles above sea level。〃
〃I'm okay。 I was just thinking about one time we went skiing in Colorado。 It took some time to get used to the altitude。 I would get sick if I exercised too much。〃
〃Yeah； altitude sickness。 We shouldn't have a problem though； I don't plan on skiing； or even walking much。 Just watching them take the pictures and then getting off th
