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an pushed it away。 When they went around the foliage of the last fallen tree； they ran into the forest。
Now a familiar voice whispered to them； and a hand motioned from a tree。 Ellen guided Ripman there and around the other side。
At the sight of her son her knees went weak and she collapsed into his arms。 After a long relieved squeeze Ellen opened her eyes to see Cubby holding a pistol。
〃Hello； Mrs。 Roberts。〃
The voice wasn't as deep as the one shouting from the forest； but she realized both were Cubby's。 He smiled at her； then turned to Ripman。
〃Ripman； you look like crap。〃
Ripman turned his head to look at Cubby with his good eye。 〃We'll all be crap tomorrow if that dino eats us today。〃
In her relief Ellen had forgotten about the dinosaur。 She leaned out around the tree to see Carl and Kishton climbing over a log； moving fast。 But so was the dinosaur。
〃It's ing 。 。 。 they're ing。〃
Cubby leaned around the tree and fired three times at Carl and Kishton； who were running the length of a trunk to reach another tree and dove between the two logs。 Cubby fired another shot before the gun clicked on an empty chamber。
〃Time to go；〃 he said and ran off through the trees。
As they followed Cubby； semiautomatic rifle fire echoed through the trees； quickly drowned by roaring and bellowing。 Carl and Kishton were putting up a fight。
Ripman's breathing was heavy and ragged and he stumbled frequently。 Ellen and John bracketed him； taking turns supporting him； but he didn't tolerate their touch for long and pushed their hands away。
The rifle fire continued behind them； the sharp cracks and pops peting with the screaming roars of the enraged dinosaur。 Then a tremendous crash and splintering drowned out the gunshots。 When the new noise faded； the rifle fire and the screams were gone。
Cubby pulled up behind a tree and plopped down； pretending to catch his breath but keeping his eye on Ripman。 He remained standing； leaning against the tree； but slowly sank onto his bottom like the rest of them； looking down to avoid eye contact。 Ellen knew he was in pain； some of it physical； but most of it emotional。 He hated needing their help；
After a few minutes； Cubby took charge again。
〃Let's get going。 Maybe we can still make it to my house。〃
〃Your house？〃 Ellen asked。 She was puzzled。 Could Cubby's house be in this primeval forest somewhere？ 〃Your house is still here？〃
〃It's over that way a few miles。 We saw my dad's church yesterday； isn't that right； John？〃
John responded with a reluctant nod； and Ellen realized there was something her son was holding back。 Ellen looked around the woods。 It was like nothing she'd ever known。 Some of the trees were the size of the biggest redwoods in the nation； and there were thousands of them。 The plants were strangely unfamiliar； and the insect and small animal life seemed alien from an ancient world； one ruled by dinosaurs and gone for sixty…five million years。 Yet Cubby talked of going home； home to a parsonage。 The impossibility of what had happened hit her hard。
〃Well； if you're sure it's there； and it's not too far； I guess we should head for it。〃
She said it without conviction。 Her own inclination was to make directly for the nearest piece of confirmed civilization。 At last Ripman lifted his eyes and used the good one to stare at Cubby。
〃I wouldn't say it's there； and I wouldn't say it's not there；〃 he muttered thickly through his swollen lips。
Cubby turned on him angrily。
〃I'm not buying that rapture crapola of yours； Cubby；〃 Ripman continued； 〃I'm just telling you what I've seen。 I've seen Portland too； I've seen it e and go。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 Cubby snarled in his deepest voice。
〃It means what it means。 Sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not。 Even if it is there it doesn't look right。〃
〃I saw it。 John saw it。〃
〃That right； John？〃 Ripman turned his good eye to John； defying him to support Cubby。 〃Did it look all right to you？〃
〃It was there 。 。 。 but it was 。 。 。 hazy。〃
〃See； John saw it。 Now give it a rest； Ripman； we're going to my place。〃
Ripman turned his head back and forth； reading facial expressions with his good eye。
〃If it's there why haven't we run into any of the people from Portland？〃
〃It's too far away； that's why。〃 Cubby spoke with conviction； but no one shared his certainty。
〃It's not that far away。 You're sitting on Mount Tabor。〃
Cubby's eyes went wide and he mouthed 〃Mount Tabor〃 silently。 Ellen had been to Cubby's church on several occasions； and she knew it was on the hill just south of Mount Tabor。 Now； Ripman stood and threw a rock into the forest。
〃That means your house is about that far away。 You see your house？ Your church？ It's gone； Cubby； gone。 Get used to it。 Better yet； get out of here。 You don't belong here； none of you do。 Get out of here before you get me killed。〃
Ripman collapsed back onto the ground； pulled his knees to his chest； burying his head between his knees。 Ellen impulsively reached out to put her arm around him but held back。 Her gesture would only add to his pain。 Ellen didn't know how to fort Cubby either。 She only knew that it was time to get out of the forest。
She turned to John to ask for his support； but a new noise pulled their attention to the sky…the distinctive thump； thump； thump of a helicopter； flying low。 She； John； and Cubby spread out looking for a thin spot in the canopy to attract the attention of the pilot。 Ripman remained under the tree with his head between his knees。 The thumping got louder when the helicopter was nearly overhead。 Then leaves began fluttering out of the trees； hundreds of them； blocking her view。 As they drifted toward her she realized these were long elongated leaves； and that evergreens have needles； not leaves。
The whirling blades were directly above them when the first of the leaves drifted down to head height。 Suddenly the leaf changed course and swooped to Ellen's shoulder。 She turned to find an eight…inch lizard staring her in the face； its tongue slithering in and out。 It was a mottled green with a brown bone collar around its neck。 Spines； extending from its neck on either side； were folded flat along its body。 Screaming； Ellen knocked it from her shoulder； but its claws snagged her blouse and it hung upside down by its back legs。 Then it extended the spines from its side； stretching the attached webbing wide。 Its claws released and it rolled and glided to the ground； reared on its back legs and ran into the underbrush。 Other lizards landed nearby and ran off； some scrambling up trees and disappearing into the foliage。 Another scored a direct hit on Ellen's head； its claws enmeshed in her hair。 Ellen； in panic； tried to pull it free； and when it came loose with a hunk of hair in each fist； Ellen flung it to the ground； where it ran off with the others。 The lizard flights diminished； and when the air raid ended the helicopter was gone。
Tears filled Ellen's eyes。 She resolved then and there to take no steps that didn't lead out of this hell。 She saw the same desire in her son。 Cubby looked mostly confused； and Ripman was still hiding his emotions。 Ellen regarded the boys in a new light。 The