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〃For better or worse； isn't that what we said？〃 Ron asked。
〃You should have been more specific；〃 Carmen responded； then slid down； pulling Ron down after her。 They were still swimming when Patty's screams started again； and kept on until they were outside what they considered the orca's circle。 They finally stopped； exhausted。 They were pletely spent； and the adults hung on to the kids' life jackets to keep their heads above water。
Patty swam slowly in circles； suffering the constant attacks of the orcas。 They could see her shudder with every piece of flesh torn from her body。 Shortly she fell silent and rolled over in the sea； her head disappearing into the waves。 Her blood slowly diffused through the water； and soon the Tubmans were swimming away； fearing the orcas； but also sharks and other predators。
The family swam for shore； under a canopy of screeching seabirds。 They were coated with Patty's blood and left a pink trail of their own； and Ron worried something might follow it。 Slowly the waves washed them clean and Ron switched to worrying about making it to the beach。 It was there； tantaliz ingly close； but they had little strength。
They lost speed with each stroke； and soon were doing only a slow crawl。 Without life jackets； Ron and Carmen struggled through the waves。 Ron found he didn't have the strength to ride the waves； and they began breaking over him。 Each time he went under it took longer to e up。
Ron popped to the surface to see Chris well ahead of him； Rosa right behind。 Carmen was to his right。 As he watched； a wave caught the kids and washed them toward shore； pushing them well ahead。 They would make it； he knew…he didn't know about himself and Carmen。 Ron relaxed between waves； then stroked furiously； trying to catch a wave and bodysurf in。 Without enough speed； the waves kept washing over him。
Ron was semiconscious when he felt hands pulling him。 Rosa and Chris dragged him through the surf； then dropped him in the shallows。 Ron crawled the rest of the way to shore and turned to see the kids helping Carmen out of the surf。 Soon they were lying side by side on the warm sand； thankful to be alive。
The joy of survival renewed Ron's strength； and he pushed himself into a sitting position。 The remains of a shattered dock littered the beach and a parking lot。 Behind that was what was left of a small town…it had been hit by a tidal wave。
〃e on； everyone；〃 Ron urged。 〃Let's find something to drink。〃
〃And eat；〃 Rosa added。
〃Do they have a McDonald's？〃 Chris asked。
Then a bloody wave washed over them and they hunkered down to keep from being sucked back to sea。 Turning； Ron saw Patty thrashing in the surf。 She struggled to get what was left of her legs under her and stand。 Weak from blood loss； she couldn't lift her long neck； and only her head was held above the waves。
〃You can make it； Patty！〃 Rosa yelled。
〃Yeah； you can make it！〃 came Chris's echo。
But she couldn't。 The orcas hit her again from the oceanside and Patty staggered through the waves and then fell onto her side； washing the family with another bloody wave。 Her head came up out of the water briefly； then slipped below the surface for the last time。
Hoping she would recover； they stood silently and watched for a long time。 Then Carmen took charge and turned them toward the remains of the town。 Ron looked back at the mound resting in the sea and felt sadness； as if he'd lost a family member。 She'd saved his family； but he could do nothing for her or poor Pat。 He regretted that； but it also made him cherish his own family more。 Stepping closer to Rosa he said； 〃Well； Rosa； how do you like sailing？〃
Rosa turned and smiled； then reached out and took his hand。
65。 MAGIC MOUNTAIN
Early one morning； a young woman looked through the mist to see a herd of buffalo approach。 Then an opening appeared in the'mountain and inside she could see the world as fresh and green as it once had been。 The buffalo walked into the opening； and the mountain closed behind them。
…Kiowa legend
The I…5 Mountain； Oregon
POSTQUILT： WEDNESDAY； 11：32 A。M。 PST
Kyle needed a bath and a night's sleep。 Instead； he found himself staring up the sheer face of a mountain； preparing to climb into the unknown。 Kyle had listened to the stories of the I…5 mountain with mild interest。 He liked a mystery as well as the next person 。 。 。 until it involved him。 And it involved him when the little girl had been carried up the mountain by the bird…thing。
The state police had taken charge at the mountain and were trying to send trapped motorists back down I…5。 Many of the motorists were resisting； however； preferring to stay and watch the drama with the little girl unfolding。 The congested traffic had dissolved a little； but it still meant driving up the median。 To Kyle； the mountain looked like a scene from Disneyland。 Right where the freeway should continue was a tall rock mountain； surrounded by boulders and a small meadow。 Hundreds of people milled around the clearing； radiating fear and excite' ment in the air。 Kyle half…expected to see hot dog vendors。
〃It looks like a carnival；〃 Shirley whispered。
〃It looks like the Twilight Zone；' 〃 Kyle responded。
A state police officer named Murphy was giving orders and greeted Kyle and the other climbers。 He talked directly to Kyle； ignoring Shirley and the others。
〃Thanks for ing。 You can see the situation；〃 Murphy said。 〃We got no idea where this sucker came from；〃 he said； jerking his thumb toward the mountain； 〃and no way of getting up the damn thing。 The little girl makes noises once in a while； so we're pretty sure she's still alive。 We've tried climbing up； but we can get only about a third of the way。 Can't get good footholds。〃
〃What about this bird that picked up the little girl？〃 Kyle asked。 〃Not many birds could do that。〃
〃You got that right；〃 Murphy assured him。 〃It was a big sucker for sure。 Had wings fifteen or twenty feet across。 Funny thing though； it seemed to have trouble picking up that little girl。 Like it didn't have much strength。 Witnesses said it kind of floated her up。〃
〃What kind of bird was it？〃 Shirley asked。
〃They said it was a diseased condor。 Didn't have any feathers； but it was too big to be anything but a condor。〃
Shirley shook her head in disbelief。 How could a diseased； featherless condor fly？
〃Where's the bird now？〃 Kyle asked。
〃Shot。 Probably dead。 Fell down behind those rocks up there with the little girl。 Christy； her name is…no； Chrissy。〃 Murphy pointed to an outcropping a few hundred feet up the mountain。
〃Probably dead； or dead？〃 Kyle asked。
〃Haven't heard the bird for a while。 Not since the other one left。〃
〃Other one？〃 Kyle probed。
〃Where's the mother？〃 Shirley cur in。 Murphy pointed to a woman sitting on a blanket in the clearing； surrounded by people。 Two men with guns were standing nearby。 Shirley walked off toward the mother。
Kyle waited until she was out of earshot。 〃Other one？〃 he repeated。
〃Yeah。 There's another one。 Every once in a while it floats out over the peak of the mountain。 It came down low at first； but we scared it off with shots。 It doesn't e down anymore。 We figure it