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wenson； who listened attentively but kept glancing at Petra。 The next Saturday Colter showed up without Bonnie and sat by Petra。 Colter became a regular after that。 There were others who came occasionally but were never part of the core。
Two weeks later Dr。 Coombs arrived at the meeting all excited。 He had managed to track down a translation of some of the writings of Zorastrus。 He did indeed live in ancient Babylon and was called a prophet right up until they stoned him to death。 Dr。 Coombs was particularly excited by the discovery of； something called the Apocrypha of Zorastrus。 Some scholar had separated out Zorastrus's collection of stories of things falling from the sky and other bizarre phenomenon from his 〃serious〃 works。 Confirming Kenny's corn fall in an ancient document was reassuring to Kenny。 They also found Zorastrus had his own theory； a theory disconcertingly similar to Kenny's。
With the discovery of the Apocrypha of Zorastrus the group began to meet more often。 Now the group spent Saturday nights trying to understand the events Kenny had researched and those in the Zorastrus manuscript。 They considered other theories besides Kenny's and that of Zorastrus； including those contributed by Shontel； but always returned to Kenny's explanation。
Phat Nyang showed up one night； recruited by Dr。 Piltcher to work with Kenny on puter modeling the theory。 Kenny and Phat worked out a crude puter model suggesting possible causes。 The group critiqued it； and the model was refined； again and again。 As summer approached they made plans to utilize the model。 Dr。 Coombs offered to provide financial support for the summer project。
Kenny now found himself walking around the geyser basin at Old Faithful for the tenth time。 It was more than a mile out to Morning Glory Pool； and he could make the circuit and be back before his pickup time。 It was the third day of the eight…day watch； and he had walked to the pool four times a day； looking at the skies and meadows surrounding the geysers。 A small herd of elk were grazing near Castle Geyser and Kenny paused to watch them before continuing to Morning Glory Pool。
That had been a disappointment to Kenny。 It was only pale blue； not the bright blue…green of the pictures on the postcards。 His trail guide explained tons of coins thrown by tourists had changed the temperature of the pool； causing the colors to fade。 The trail guide referred to the penny…tossing tourists as vandals。 Kenny felt disgust and loss。
Kenny started up the boardwalk to the viewpoint。 Ahead of him he heard loud laughter and looked to see two well…muscled men about his own age leaning over the steaming water。 As he approached one of them spat a big wad of gum into the center of the pool。 The other one laughed uproariously and then flipped a coin in after the gum。 Kenny's temper flared as the man prepared to flip another。 Grabbing the hand with the coins； Kenny slapped it down onto the wooden railing。 Money clattered onto the boardwalk and the man yelped from pain。
〃Whatcha doing； man？〃 he yelled。
Now the other one stepped forward； his face contorted in menace。
〃You'll ruin the pool doing that。〃 Kenny explained。 〃I didn't mean to hurt him； but really； that will change the color of the pool。 Maybe plug it up。〃
〃That's our business；〃 the big one responded； and punched Kenny in the solar plexus。 Kenny's breath exploded from his body and he bent in half。 Then he felt his head jerked up by the hair and he found himself staring in the angry face of the man。 〃You got something to say； you say it to me； not my friend。 You understand？〃
With that Kenny's head was slammed down into the railing。 Kenny put his hands on the rail； protecting his face from the second blow。
〃Stay out of our way！〃 the man yelled and then slapped Kenny's head。
Kenny leaned on the rail； smarting from the slap and gasping for breath； and watched the two men walk down the boardwalk and out of sight。 A family with two kids came down the walk and Kenny turned toward the geyser； trying to hide his face。 A few seconds later he felt a touch on his arm and turned to see the mother looking concerned。 〃You're bleeding。 Are you okay？〃
〃Yeah； fine。 I just slipped。 Hit my head。〃 Kenny put his hand to his forehead and a trickle of blood ran down into his eyebrow。 He dabbed his forehead with tissues the woman offered and found them soaked with blood。 Then he felt something in the wound。 Kenny accepted a couple more tissues and then thanked the woman and excused himself。 He would need to clean the wound。
As he approached the lodge； an attractive young woman in a ranger uniform watched him closely and then turned and fell in beside him。
〃You better let me take a look at that；〃 she said。 〃I'm all right； really。〃
〃No； you're not； and if you think you are； you're delirious。 You see； I've got you ing and going。〃
Kenny turned to look at her。 She looked determined； so he let her guide him into the lodge； dbwn stairs marked EMPLOYEES ONLY； to a small first aid station。 The ranger opened a cabinet and began dabbing Kenny's wound with an alcohol…soaked wad of cotton。
〃You've got something in this wound。〃
〃It's probably splinters。〃
〃How did this happen？〃 As she talked she searched through the cabinets。
〃I slipped； tried to catch myself and ended up banging my head on the railing。〃
〃Uh…huh。 Here they are。〃
She turned with a pair of tweezers and went right to work on Kenny's forehead。 The first two splinters came out easily with little pain。 The next two were a different story。
〃This might hurt a little；〃 she warned after Kenny winced。
She was on her third probe when another ranger led a woman of about thirty into the room； followed by two women about the same age。 All of them were wearing cycling clothes。
〃Good； you're here already； Leslie。 I've got another customer for you。〃
When Leslie turned to look at the newers Kenny got a clear look at the injured woman。 She was holding a blood…soaked handkerchief to her head； just above the ear。
Leslie acted surprised。 〃Two head wounds in one day？ I'm usually treating scraped knees and bee stings。〃
〃And occasional buffalo gorings；〃 the second ranger added。
〃Steve； you didn't need to say that。 I'll be finished here in a second。〃
Leslie dug the last splinter out； dabbed the wound with peroxide； then covered it with a bandage。 Before he left； Leslie was talking to the new patient。
〃How'd this happen？〃 she asked as she guided the woman into the chair Kenny had vacated。
〃Some sort of freak hailstorm； I guess。 We biked over to Black Sand Basin and were walking the trail when these huge hailstones started pounding us。〃
〃Those weren't hailstones；〃 one of her friends corrected。 〃They were chunks of ice。 The chunk that got Gayle was six inches across and it was a small one。 I swear some of those that hit the geyser pool were two feet at least。〃
Kenny remained frozen in the doorway。 He realized he had just missed the event they had been waiting for。 He listened intently to the narrative； being more convinced with every word。 Then he sprinted back to the pickup point。 They were close this time。 Closer than they had ever been。
The others were excited