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l his teeth。
〃Now； where were we？〃
59。 THE TOOLMAKER
According to the rabbinical authority Rashi； ancient tradition knows of periodic collapses of the firmament； one of which occurred in the days of the Deluge； and which repeated themselves at intervals of 1；656 years。
…Immanuel Velikovsky； Worlds in Collision
Warm Springs Indian Reservation； Oregon
POSTQUILT： WEDNESDAY； 7：10 A。M。 PST
Moose was riding on the dashboard； stretched out and soaking up the rays of the morning sun while Sarah was curled up on the passenger seat with a blanket。 The two of them had gorged on raisins and apples。 Behind them； tucked safely in a cabinet； was a rifle with a bore big enough to bring down an elephant； and three boxes of ammunition。 Colter was retracing the route Dr。 Coombs had taken； except Colter had a different purpose in mind。 Dr。 Coombs； Dr。 Piltcher； and Petra had e to explore； to understand what had happened。 Colter was going back for only one reason： to kill the monsters that had taken Petra from him； and especially one。 He didn't know how he was going to get it； but he wasn't leaving without its head。
Colter knew he was close now。 The road was nothing but two ruts。 He cleared the top of the hill； and then rolled to a stop； surprised。 He expected to see the dinosaurs； but not one fifty feet away； walking down the road ahead of him。 When it heard Colter's engine the animal turned and looked at the RV。 It was like the one that had killed Dr。 Coombs。 Colter's anger flared。 He set the brake and dug the rifle out of the cab' inet； checking the clip to make sure he had a full load； and then jacked a round into the chamber。 When he aimed the rifle through the front window at the rear of the walking dinosaur； he looked down the sights to see Moose's head staring from the end of the barrel。
Colter put the weapon down and shooed Moose out of the window； and then carried Sarah； blanket and all； to the back of the RV。 To keep them busy and out of the way he put a few raisins on top of Moose's cabinet and a bigger pile on the floor for Sarah。 Moose immediately attacked Sarah's pile； knowing his would still be there when he was done。 Colter snickered。 He liked Moose。 He was a thinker。
Now the dinosaur was well down the road； so Colter released the brake and pulled up on its left。 The creature kept walking but looked nervously at the RV rumbling along beside it。 Something was wrong； Colter thought。 Why wasn't it scared？ Colter pulled ahead of the dinosaur and parked； getting out with his rifle。 He checked the load。 There was one round in the chamber and eight in the clip。 He had three more clips tucked into a fanny pack。
Colter scanned the area； making sure none of the big carnivores were around。 When he did； he noticed other dinosaurs like the one on the road were milling around in the prairie grass bordering their meadow。 Everything looked the same as when he left； except the grass。 It was wilting。 Not enough water？ Colter wondered。 Maybe it was the cool air。 The dinosaur land looked almost tropical； but if it was too cold for the grass and brush； maybe it was too cold for the dinosaurs。 Maybe they were dying。 Colter smiled at the thought。 Then something blew across the road…one of Petra's T…shirts he'd thrown out the RV window。 Colter flushed at the thought of Petra； and he turned； bringing the rifle to his shoulder。 The dinosaur was lumbering toward him at a slow pace。 Colter waited with his finger on the trigger； letting the dinosaur e closer。 He didn't want to miss。 He knew the head and neck were heavily armored with bone； and he needed to hit it dead on to kill it instantly。 If he just wounded it； it would be as dangerous as the mother whose egg they had stolen。
Wait till you see the whites of their eyes； he said to himself。
The dinosaur came on straight toward Colter。 Slowly he began to pull back on the trigger； the sights lined up between the dinosaur's widely spaced eyes。 Just before he pulled the trigger it turned； angling to Colter's left to go around him。 Colter kept his aim； but the head began to swing； occasionally blocking his shot with the bony collar。 Colter's frustration grew； and he lowered the rifle。 He wanted a head shot； but he didn't want to get too far from the safety of the RV。 Frustrated； he raised the gun to his shoulder； aimed at the neck of the passing dinosaur； and pulled the trigger。
The slug entered just in front of the dinosaur's shoulder。 But the dinosaur only jumped from fright at the gun's loud report…then it jogged down the road。 Colter jacked another cartridge into the chamber and chased the animal。 He didn't have to go far。 Suddenly it collapsed to its knees； breathing deeply through its nose； and then fell to its side； its chest heaving。 Colter watched it dying； a feeling of deep satisfaction filling his soul。 After a few minutes the breathing became irregular and Colter worried it might die by itself。 So he put another slug into its throat and then another into its exposed chest。 It didn't breathe after that。
〃Man； that felt good！〃 Colter screamed。 Then he put two more rounds into the dinosaur's belly and one into an eye。 〃Yes！〃 he screamed。 〃How does it feel to be the hunted？ Huh？ See what a toolmaker can do？ Huh？ That's why you guys are extinct； you dead piece of crap！〃
Colter enjoyed the kill for another few minutes and then walked back to the RV。 It was going to be a good day。 These evolutionary rejects would learn who the real top predator was； and Colter would be the teacher。
He looked around for another target； the other monoclonius； scared by the sound of the gunfire； were positioning themselves defensively in the prehistoric clearing。 Colter jeered； then screamed down the hill at them： 〃It ain't gonna do you any good。 I got the magic！〃 Then he held the rifle above his head； whooped and danced； and ran back to the RV。
He parked the RV near its earlier spot。 Debris from the dinosaur attack； as well as Petra's clothes； littered the clearing。 Leaving Moose and Sarah in the RV； Colter approached the dinosaurs。 Six of them stood lined up in two rows。 Their heads were down； the horns pointed at Colter。 He walked parallel to the dinosaur wall； watching the horns track him every step of the way。 When he reached the end of the line he lifted his rifle； lined the sights up between the eyes of the last dinosaur； and pulled the trigger。 The rifle kicked into his shoulder； and the loud report startled the lines of dinosaurs； but they didn't bolt。 The one on the end took the slug just above the snout。 Colter was disappointed； he thought for sure at this distance he could put it right between the dinosaur's eyes。 But it didn't matter。 The dinosaur's front legs buckled； and it dropped to its knees。 Its back legs seemed locked and held its rear haunches high。 Then its eyes closed； and with the back legs still locked； it tipped left and fell onto its side； dead。
The back row of dinosaurs moved nervously back and forth； swinging their heads。 They looked like they wanted to bolt for the taller brush； but their instinct told them staying in the line was the best defense。 Colter smiled。 These poor dumb bastards were too stupid even to save themselves。