jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第91章

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　turned　in　a　wide　circle；　around　him。　Carmen　yelled　for　everyone　to　lie　flat；　to　get　as　much　traction　as　possible。　Patty；　even　with　the　long　dragging　tail；　couldn't　e　close　to　encircling　her　baby。
　The　orcas　paused；　apparently　considering　Patty's　new　strategy。　As　Patty　circled；　Pat　floated　in　the　reddening　water；　squealing　for　his　mother's　help。　Ron　began　to　think　it　was　time　to　get　off。
　〃Here　they　e　again！〃　Carmen　shouted。
　Ron　turned　to　see　an　orca　darting　toward　Pat；　skimming　along　just　below　the　surface；　timing　its　attack　to　just　clear　Patty's　massive　tail。　They　could　feel　the　muscles　along　her　spine　bunch　as　she　suddenly　lifted　her　tail　and　stopped　swimming。　The　whale　continued　forward；　confident　it　would　clear　Patty's　tail；　but　Ron　realized　the　orca　had　miscalculated。　The　refugees　felt　the　collision　when　several　tons　of　tail　slammed　into　the　attacking　orca；　and　then　her　whole　body　wrenched　to　the　side。
　The　whole　family　cheered。
　〃You　show　them　you're　the　mama！〃　Carmen　shouted。
　〃Way　to　go；　Patty！〃　Rosa　yelled。
　〃Yeah；　way　to　go；〃　Chris　echoed；　and　then　added；　〃one　down；　nine　to　go。〃
　Chris's　mention　of　the　odds　sobered　the　group。　There　were　many　more　orcas；　and　they　had　no　idea　how　badly　their　member　was　hurt。　Then　it　surfaced　outside　Patty's　protective　circle。　When　it　blew　its　lungs　clear　the　spray　was　pinkish。　It　dove　again　and　then　quickly　surfaced；　again　blowing　pink　spray。
　The　family　watched　the　injured　whale　swim　off　to　the　west；　tilted　at　an　angle；　zigzagging　through　the　water。　Ron　realized　it　was　being　followed　by　the　flock　of　scavenging　birds。
　The　orcas　continued　to　circle；　now　deadly　efficient；　businesslike。　Then　an　orca　split　off　and　angled　in　at　Patty　broadside；　disappearing　beneath　the　waves　a　hundred　yards　from　them。　Suddenly　something　slammed　into　her；　shaking　Ron　and　his　family。　Patty　screamed；　swinging　her　tail　up　and　down　violently；　and　the　family　reached　out；　grabbing　onto　one　another's　hands　and　holding　one　another　up。　Another　hit　came　from　the　opposite　side；　and　Patty　wrenched　again；　twisting　toward　the　new　attack。　Another　hit　came　from　the　front　and　Patty's　screams　became　deafening。　The　attacks　stopped　for　a　moment；　and　Ron　looked　for　the　rest　of　the　orcas…now　busy　with　Pat。
　The　baby　was　twisting　in　the　water；　whipping　his　neck　back　and　forth　as　the　orcas　took　turns　hitting　him。　Pat　began　to　list　to　the　right　and　fought　to　keep　himself　upright。　As　he　rolled；　Ron　could　see　his　left　front　leg　e　up　toward　the　surface。　It　looked　like　the　leg　of　an　elephant；　thick　with　baggy　skin；　but　with　three　distinct　clawed　toes。　Now　an　orca　buried　itself　in　the　flesh　of　the　leg　and　whipped　its　body　back　and　forth；　tearing　free　meat　and　skin。
　Pat　had　no　more　screams　left　in　him。　Another　hit　to　his　belly　finished　pushing　Pat　to　his　side；　and　his　head　disappeared　into　the　water。　Pat　would　die　soon；　either　of　blood　loss　or　drowning。　As　he　rolled　over；　Ron　could　see　the　left　rear　leg　was　nothing　more　than　a　thick　white　bone　with　a　few　chunks　of　bloody　meat　still　dangling。
　The　attacks　on　Patty　continued；　even　though　the　orcas　were　at　the　same　time　making　a　meal　of　Pat。　It　was　getting　harder　for　the　family　to　stay　on　her　shuddering　back。
　Orca　after　orca　slammed　into　Pat's　body；　tearing　away　bloody　chunks　that　now　floated　in　the　crimson　water；　making　a　gory　soup。　The　seabirds　were　beginning　to　risk　dropping　briefly　into　the　water　to　feed　on　the　scraps。
　In　her　pain；　Patty　forgot　about　Pat　and　began　swimming　away　from　the　attack；　out　of　the　red　soup；　but　leaving　a　pink　trail　of　her　own。　For　a　moment　the　attacks　on　her　stopped。　She　resumed　her　eastward　swim；　returning　hope　to　Ron　and　the　rest　of　the　family。　A　sense　of　relief　spread　through　the　little　group；　but　they　kept　glancing　back；　fearful　the　orcas　would　follow。
　
　56。　　　MARIEL　FROM　THE　WINDOW
　
　They　do　not　know　the　hidden　meaning　of　what　is　taking　place　now；　nor　have　they　even　understood　the　lessons　of　the　past。　Consequently；　they　have　no　knowledge　of　what　is　ing　upon　them。
　…The　ing　Doom；　The　Dead　Sea　Scrolls
　
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　　Luis　woke　to　the　beat　of　a　drum　pounding　in　his　head；　the　rhythm　of　his　pulse；　but　with　each　beat　came　a　stabbing　pain。　It　was　another　blinding　headache；　but　he　managed　to　push　himself　up；　using　the　arms　of　the　rocking　chair；　and　then　stepped　close　to　the　window。
　His　vision　was　ing　back；　but　his　eyes　were　blurry；　making　it　difficult　to　see　into　the　distance。　In　the　bathroom　he　washed　his　eyes　with　a　little　water　from　the　toilet　tank；　now　three…quarters　gone。
　Back　in　the　living　room；　he　saw　a　large　still　form　in　the　meadow。　Still　groggy；　Luis　left　the　apartment　and　went　down　the　stairs　one　step　at　a　time；　his　hand　firmly　gripping　the　rail。　The　trail　was　easy　to　find。　It　was　marked　with　blood。
　Following　the　flattened　sticky　grasses；　Luis　moved　slowly；　keeping　his　eyes　on　the　ground　and　placing　each　foot　with　care。　When　he　looked　up；　he　spotted　a　dinosaur　in　the　path　ahead。　It　was　small　pared　to　Mrs。　Weatherby's　dinosaur；　and　only　half　as　tall　as　Luis；　but　it　stared；　unmoving。　Finally；　he　shouted　at　the　beast。
　〃Shoo。　Shoo！　I　said　get　the　hell　out　of　my　way！〃
　The　dinosaur　stared　back　at　him　blankly。　Suddenly　Luis　took　three　running　steps　forward；　screaming　at　the　top　of　his　lungs。　The　dinosaur　bolted　to　Luis's　left　and　disappeared　into　the　shoulder…high　grass；　but　two　more　appeared　and　darted　across　Luis's　path；　following　their　sister。　Luis　stood　still；　shocked；　then　laughed　at　himself　despite　his　throbbing　headache。　If　he　had　known　there　were　three　of　them　would　he　have　charged　？　Certainly　not。　Sometimes；　he　reflected；　the　victory　goes　to　the　lucky；　not　the　wise。
　Walking　faster　now；　Luis　plunged　ahead。　The　path　began　to　curve　left　as　if　the　wounded　dinosaur　had　lost　its　way。　Luis　paused　and　stood　on　the　tips　of　his　toes。　He　could　see　the　form　of　the　dinosaur　over　the　tops　of　the　grass。　Luis　turned；　cutting　through　the　grass；　and　then　he　froze。　Something　was　moving　ahead。　He　could　see　the　tips　of　the　grass　waving。　He　squatted；　waiting　and　listening。
　He　should　be　with　Melinda　and　his　kids；　he　thought。　He　longed　to　see　them　all；　but　especially　little　Cinda。　Luis　had　to　get　out　of　this　conjured　meadow　and　out　of　the　war　zone　that　surrounded　it。　Thinking　about　all　of　this；　Luis　still　moved　ahead。　He　would　leave；　he　told　himself；　but　with　Mrs。　Weatherby。
　Moving　slowly；　he　found　himself　behind　the　iguanodon；　who　was　lying　on　its　side；　his　massive　hind　legs　just　in　front　of　Luis。　At　more　movement　in　the　grass；　Luis　dove　behind　the　animal's　legs　for　cover。
　Something　slammed　into　the　ground　where　Luis　had　been…　the　iguanodon's　tail。　That　meant　the　animal　was　alive。　It　also　meant　Luis　was　sheltering　himself　between　the　legs　of　a　wounded　dinosaur。
　Afraid　to　stand；　he　crawled　along　the　creature's　belly。　Now　Luis　saw　the　dinosaur's　head　rise　a　foot　off　the　ground；　staring　with　a　massive　brown　eye。　As　Luis　froze；　transfixed；　he　heard　a　soothing　voice　pleading　with　the　dinosaur。
　〃No；　don't　move。　Please　lie　still。　You'll　only　hurt　yourself。〃
　The　voice　was　weak　and　hoarse；　but　it　was　Mrs。　Weatherby's。　When　the　dinosaur's　head　settled；　Luis　walked　slowly　forward。　Mrs。　Weatherby　was　lying　in　the　grass；　nestled　against　the　shoulder　of　her　dinosaur。　The　grass　under　the　dinosaur's　head　and　neck　was　soaked　in　blood。　Mrs。　Weatherby's　eyes　were　closed　and　she　was　talking　to　the　dinosaur　in　a　hoarse　whisper。
　〃Go　to　sleep。　Please　go　to　sleep。　It　won't　hurt　as　much　if　you　can　sleep。〃
　〃Mrs。　Weatherby？　Mrs。　Weatherby？　Can　you　hear　me？〃　Luis　asked。
　Mrs。　Weatherby　stopped　talking　when　Luis　called　to　her。
　〃Is　that　you；　Luis？　Oh；　dear　boy；　what　are　you　doing　here？　Why　aren't　you　with　your　family？〃
　When　she　spoke　she　opened　her　eyes　and　looked　at　Luis；　but　her　eyes　couldn't　seem　to　focus　on　him。　Luis　realized　she　wasn't　wearing　her　glasses。
　〃I've　e　to　take　you　home；　Mrs。　Weatherby。〃
　〃I　can't　leave　him。　He's　hurt　。　。　。　he's　dying。〃
　〃I'm　so　sorry；　Mrs。　Weatherby。　I　didn't　mean　to　get　him　shot。　I　only　meant　to　scare　the　Zombies　away　so　I　could　get　to　my　family。　I　didn't　mean　to　hurt　him　。。。　to　hurt　you。〃　。　〃I　know；　Luis。　To　you　he　was