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strings of dense matter created by nuclear detonations。 When asked if it was true that only the former U。S。S。R。 had detonated devices of sufficient size to create the effect； he deferred to Natalie Matsuda； the secretary of defense； who proceeded to blame it on the U。S。S。R。 and single out the Russian Republic in particular to inherit the blame。 She also claimed credit for preventing a worse disaster with the action taken in the Portland area。 John noticed they never referred to it as a nuclear attack； calling it instead an 〃action。〃
There was quite a bit of debate over what had happened at Portland。 Some experts claimed the explosions destroyed Portland； others claimed the blast more likely took place somewhere between the two space/times involved。 John thought of Cubby during these discussions。 Had he been incinerated in a nuclear holocaust； or was he where he so badly wanted to be； with his family and church？
The networks interviewed a Dr。 Gomez of the Fermi Institute about the effect itself； but her explanation made little sense to John。 She talked of explosions in the sixties and the time quilting； as if they were concurrent events。 She referred vaguely to possible future events。 Apparently the first puter models had correctly predicted the focal point and the time quilting but had not projected the events into the future。 More sophisticated models were being tested and some of these projected additional events。 She also said something about effects on the moon； but being unable to confirm them until the space program could be reestablished。 That point was then lost in questions about identifying where the displaced people had gone。 John realized there was cold fort in knowing that friends and relatives could be alive in some other time period。
Dinosaur horror stories filled the rest of the news。 Of course the media concentrated on made…in…America stories。 Attacks by tyrannosaurs were the most popular。 Occasionally a story sympathetic to dinosaurs would surface。 The story of an old woman in New York with a pet dinosaur got a lot of play； and John was particularly touched by the story of the mother apatosaurus and her baby that saved a shipwrecked family； despite a killer whale attack。 There were also stories of organized protests of animal rights activists who were fighting for dinosaur rights。 There were many stories of food shortages； fuel shortages； and medical supply shortages。 These were invariably followed by predictions of more shortages； and how the poor were disproportionately affected。 The only silver lining in these reports was that the human losses were out of proportion to the crop losses。 In other words； they lost more people than crops to feed them。
John's mother came out of the bedroom to make a cup of tea。 Her right arm was in a cast； which she carried in a sling。 He watched her until he was sure she could handle fixing the tea one…handed。 The hotshot's noise drowned out the sound of the TV。
Ellen was more animated now than when she had learned of her husband's death； but her grief was still pounded by the fact she had been angry the last time she saw him。 She couldn't make peace with him now and would live the rest of her life with that knowledge。
They couldn't get through to John's sister； Carolyn； until after her father had been buried。 It wouldn't have mattered though。 Civilian air travel was restricted。 Ellen offered to bury Colonel Conrad next to John's father and include Angie's name on the marker； but the military took charge of Colonel Conrad's body。 John remembered vividly his mother sobbing as she explained what had happened to Colonel Conrad's wife； and after that Ellen had been more depressed than ever。
With her tea； his mother sat on the other end of the couch watching the TV。 The constant repetition couldn't hold her attention any better than it held John's； and her eyes wandered to the window and the distant ocean。 But that only reminded her of more death。 Animal carcasses mixed with debris had begun washing ashore。 The carcasses were victims of nature's recycling process and hard to identify。 Some of them were dinosaurs； of course； but with live ones loose in the countryside； the carcasses received scant attention。 At their beach house； John's parents used to walk the shore endlessly； occasionally collecting glass floats or unusual pieces of driftwood。 To walk the Oregon beaches now； though； was to risk an encounter with the bloated remains of a prehistoric animal； victim of something they could never conceive of。 Most sickening of all was the realization that somewhere in time there were undoubtedly human bodies washing ashore in the same condition。
The sound of a car outside distracted them。 They had few friends at the coast； since they were weekenders； and no one had e by to see them since they moved in。
John opened the door and stepped back with the shock。 Cubby's van was parked behind Angie's Jeep。 The glare on the tinted windows prevented John from seeing inside。 Behind him he heard his mother's gasp of recognition。 The driver's door opened； and Ripman stepped out； grinning sheepishly。 They smiled at Ripman and then turned and watched the other door。 Ripman lost his grin。
〃He's not with me。 I looked for Cubby after the 。 。 。 light； bombs； whatever。 I never found him。 Never found Portland either。 It's really gone now。〃
Ripman stayed by the car； making no move toward them； seeming uncertain。 John felt his mother's hand oh his shoulder and stepped aside to let her pass。 She walked around the car toward Ripman。 He stepped back； but she kept ing； wrapping her good arm around him in a big hug。 Ripman's hands went up； but he couldn't bring himself to hug her back。 His face went red； but the smile returned。
〃What's the matter； Ripman？〃 John teased。 〃A hug is as elemental as things get。〃
〃Screw you；〃 Ripman mouthed over Ellen's shoulder。
〃Up yours；〃 John replied silently。
Ripman looked at John and mouthed the word 〃El…ah…mental；〃 then let his hands fall and hugged Ellen back。
70。 THE NEW COUNTRY
South Oregon Coast
THE NEW WORLD
Petra was driving while Colter dozed in the seat next to her。 Peaches was cuddled in his arms and Moose was settled on his shoulder。 Sarah was on her blanket beneath his feet。 Petra guided the battered camper down a forest service access road not marked on many maps。 The dirt road was poorly maintained and filled with deep ruts and huge mud puddles； and Petra could do no more than twenty…five miles per hour。 Colter found the road； remembering it from deer hunting。 The main roads were filled with confused people or blocked by state police who were restricting travel。
Petra found herself driving along a hill so steep it was indistinguishable from a cliff。 Some tractor driver had carved a road across the middle。 Tons of debris littered the lower side of the hill； which dropped sharply to a creek。 Rockslides covered parts of the road。 Petra snaked around rock piles； fearful of triggering another rock fall。 Once across she cornered left around a huge boulder； following the road as it dropped off sharply。 Suddenly she was out of the forest into a clear…cut； those great ugly scars that peppered Oregon's gr