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〃I see hellfire and brimstone。 I see the wrath of God poured out from the heavens。 Not a stone will be left standing。 Not a being left living。〃 Mr。 Love stood up； eyes burning。
〃Thank you for ing。〃
〃Vengeance is mine； sayeth the Lord 。 。 。〃 The man leaned forward； gesturing wildly；
〃Guard？〃 Nick turned。
Mr。 Love was still speaking as the marine led him away。
〃。 。 。 turn to Jesus while there is still time。〃
The masturbator was nothing like Madame Sylvia or Mr。 Love。 Mr。 Gauthier did not seem to take himself； or anything else； seriously。 He was a short pudgy man； with a round cherubic face； a ready grin； and long wisps of golden hair bed across a balding head。
〃I understand you predicted the end of the world。〃 As soon as Nick said it Mr。 Gauthier began to laugh。
〃That's good。 That's good。 I pre…dick…ted it all right。 Right there on the Capitol steps。〃
Nick flushed as he pressed on。 〃I mean you anticipated that something was going to happen to the world。〃
〃I never said the world was going to end。 I jerked off to symbolize what is happening。〃
〃And what's that？〃
〃We're all getting screwed by the government。 Here； let me show you。〃
Mr。 Gauthier unzipped his pants and began fumbling inside。
〃I get the point； Mr。 Gauthier； you don't have to show me。 Thanks for ing。〃
Mr。 Gauthier looked up and chuckled again。
〃Well； I haven't e yet but just give me a minute。〃
He was laughing and masturbating when Nick left the room。 After closing the door Nick turned to the marine guard。
〃Tell Elizabeth Hawthorne she needs to see Mr。 Gauthier immediately。〃
25。 CUBBY AND JOHN
So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth； and they stopped building the city。 That is why it was called Babel…because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world。 From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth。
…Genesis 11：8…9
Forest； former site of Portland； Oregon
POSTQUILT： SUNDAY； 4：40 P。M。 PST
Cubby and John backtracked until they came to the spot where Ripman disappeared。 They called out softly； afraid to shout。 They searched fruitlessly until they found themselves deep in a darkening forest。
〃Cubby； you think the dinosaurs got him？〃
〃No way！ Not Ripman。 Besides； they were following us。〃
〃Then where did he go？ Wouldn't he be looking for us？〃
Cubby didn't answer； he just flopped down on a clump of grass and took off his pack and bow。 John thought Cubby； like him； was worried about Ripman。
〃What's going on； Cubby？ Those were dinosaurs 。。。 I mean I've never seen one 。。。 a real one； but I know that's what those were。 What else could they have been？〃
〃Noah's Ravens；〃 Cubby answered。 〃That's what they used to be called； that's what a lot of people in our church still call them。 It's an old name。 It used to be all the evidence of dinosaurs they had were footprints。 They make a three…toed track that looks like the footprint of a big bird。 Since there were no birds around that make a track like that people thought Noah's flood had killed off all the giant birds； so they called them Noah's Ravens。 Even when they started finding bones； many believers refused to accept the idea of dinosaurs。 A lot of people still don't accept the idea。 Man； what are they gonna say now？〃
Cubby picked up a stick and broke it into pieces； flicking them into the grass； lost in his own thoughts。 John's mind jumped from the impossibility of the dinosaurs； to his family； to his missing friend。
〃I'm gonna go on； John；〃 Cubby said finally。 〃I don't know what happened to Ripman； maybe he made it to Portland already； but I've got to find my mom and dad。 My dad will know what's happened 。。。 he can explain this 。 。 。 Noah's Ravens 。 。 。 everything。 He has the gift of discernment。〃
At that moment John realized that if Ripman had wanted to go on； John would have gone with him right away。 But when Cubby said the same thing； John lacked confidence； and suddenly Ripman's idea of heading to the cabin sounded better… especially since the incident with the dinosaur。
He didn't exactly understand what Cubby meant by the 〃gift of discernment；〃 but John already knew what Cubby's dad would say…using words like judgment； sin； and repentance； he'd spiritualize what had happened and Cubby would e away feeling better。 But it wouldn't do anything for John； who was betting that Cubby was wrong and that God didn't have anything to do with this。 John didn't need his parents in the same way Cubby needed his； John simply wanted them。
In the end the prospect of walking through the forest by himself led John to decide to stay with Cubby。 Besides； John's confusion about reality scared him。 Despite all the evidence of a new； dramatically changed world； John couldn't help but think that just over the next hill； or through the next stand of trees； they would run into a Burger King or a McDonald's； and there would be Ripman with a Big Mac in his hand asking what kept them。
Finally； he just nodded to Cubby and suggested they rest until morning。 It was getting dark； so they began looking for a safe place to spend the night。 Because of the big tree lizards they were afraid of sleeping in the trees； and besides； they doubted they could climb high enough to elude the big dinosaur。 Instead they walked until they found an area where several trees had fallen together and left a hollow underneath。 After digging the hollow a little deeper and wider； they wedged themselves inside it； pulled some smaller branches over the opening to hide themselves； and wrapped themselves up in their stolen space blankets。
Cubby muttered urgent prayers for a long time while John listened respectfully。 But finally John needed to talk；
〃Hey； Cubby； did you ever see that show about those guys who dug down to the center of the earth？〃
〃I read the Jules Verne book。〃
〃That's different。 In the Verne book they； climbed down into a cave to get there。 In this movie some scientist builds a digging machine that's supposed to be used for mining or tunneling； or something； but once they start digging with it they can't stop it。 They end up digging all the way to the center of the earth； and it turns out it's hollow inside。〃
〃I've seen a couple like that。〃
〃Me too。 I think they made a couple of sequels。 Anyway； I read once there's a bunch of people that really believe the earth is hollow and that there may be a whole civilization inside。 Some of them even think that's where flying saucers e from。〃
〃The saucers e from the middle of the earth？ How do they get in and out？〃
〃Caves at the poles。 Anyway； in the movie they got down inside the middle of the earth and there were dinosaurs inside and cave people； and stuff。 Maybe Ripman was right； maybe there was a volcanic eruption or something。 Maybe this place used to be inside the earth and somehow it got blasted up to the surface。〃
〃Jeez； John。 Do you really believe that？ This isn't some dumb science…fiction movie。 Besides； why are you so hot on this idea but you don't believe me when I tell you it's the second ing of Christ？ Why is a hollow earth turned inside out more believable than God's judgment？〃
John didn't answer right away。 He did