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ed and tried to crawl away from it； but her arm hurt her。 Instead； she put her good arm down and pushed herself up。 She looked back to see the bird struggling to get up too； trying to get its wings out of the way； so it could get to its feet。 Suddenly the bird lunged at her； its big beak poking toward her face。 Chrissy screamed again and backed farther away as the bird struggled once more to get up。 She looked for a place to get away from the bad bird； and ran to the edge of the ledge and looked over。 It was so far down she got dizzy。 She looked back at the bad bird。 It would be up again soon。
Chrissy wanted to run； but there was no place to go。 She wanted to hide but there was no place to hide。 Chrissy ran to the wall of the mountain and tried to climb up。 But there was no place to climb to even if she had two arms。 Turning； she saw the bad bird stand up。 Then it stumbled toward her； dragging the hurt wing。 Chrissy tried scrambling up the wall again but couldn't get up。 When she looked back again the bird was right behind her； and it jabbed at her with its beak。 She tried to run out of the way but tripped and fell。 Her hand and arm went deep into a shadow at the bottom of the rock wall and she landed on her sore arm。 It made her hurt bad again。 The bad bird was hopping and fluttering around。 Chrissy knew it would hurt her again。 She felt with her good arm in the shadow。 It was a crack that got bigger ahead of her。 Chrissy wriggled forward and down until she got herself all into the hole。
The bad bird was outside。 Chrissy could see it looking at the hole。 It jabbed its beak into the hole； making Chrissy scream and cry。 She wriggled deeper into the hole。 The bad bird jabbed again and again。 It was like some mean game that her brother； Matt； would play。 Chrissy finally learned the bird couldn't reach her。 Then she refused to play anymore； and lay quiet； out of its reach。 It stayed outside her hidey hole and looked at her。 Sometimes it opened its mouth and screeched at her。
〃Go away； you bad mean bird！〃 she yelled back。
The bird jabbed and screeched some more； but finally it hopped away； dragging its hurt wing across the hole。 Now Chrissy couldn't see。
〃You mean bird！〃 she screamed again。 Then she wondered how she'd see her mommy when she came。 Chrissy cried again。 〃You mean bird；〃 she said。 〃I hate you。〃 She lay there holding her hurting arm and crying for her mommy until she fell asleep an hour later。 When she woke； it was pitch black in her hidey hole。
52。 TROPICAL SNOW
We was watching Lucy on TV when； crash…a naked body came through the roof。 If that wasn't strange enough； the police said it was frozen。
…Josh Hinson； Jacksonville； Florida； July 15；1959
Hilo； Island of Hawaii； Hawaii
POSTQUILT： TUESDAY； 8：15 P。M。 AHT
The streets of Hilo were strangely quiet； the tourists and residents glued to the news。 Debris in the street announced every grocery store as they drove their rental car out of the city。 Just like on Oahu； those stores with goods left had armed guards。 They had expected vandalized grocery stores； but they soon encountered looted department stores and electronics stores。 Most disturbing of all were the gutted liquor stores。 But the countryside was quiet and dark； with few vehicles on the road； and Carrollee resumed her usual animation as they began the climb to the observatories on Mauna Kea。
〃Let me see if I can remember her name；〃 Carrollee teased。 〃You only dated her two or three times； I believe。 Scored right away； though； didn't you？ Your ear is turning red。 I'll take that as a yes。 What was that name？ Barbie？ No； I'm thinking of her figure。 Bunny？ No； now I'm confusing her name and sexual tendencies。 Fluffy？ No； that was her personality。 Floozy？ No； now I'm thinking of her moral character。 What was her name？ Oh yes； Bree…geet。〃
〃Bridgette。〃
〃That's what I said； Bree…geet。 What makes you think Breegeet will let you use her telescope？ As I remember it you two didn't part as friends。〃
〃We were friendly。 We split because； well； she didn't think I was ambitious enough。〃
〃Oh yeah； that was it。 She waited 。 。 。 I think it was a week wasn't it？ 。 。 。 before moving in with that Canadian。。He had better prospects； oui？ prenez…vous？〃
〃She waited a month。 Anyway； it's not her telescope。 Dr。 Paulson was supposed to contact her and authorize the photos。 If everything went right she should have it set up by the time we get there。〃
〃Tres bien。〃
〃Clampee votre mouth shut； will ya？〃
〃Oui。〃
Carrollee turned and looked out the window； pleased with the pins she had poked into Emmett in just a few minutes。 Now they slowly left the lush tropical forest behind as they traveled to the higher elevations。
When Emmett had received the PresNet message from the President's science advisor he had nearly panicked。 But Dr。 Paulson said nothing about Emmett's unauthorized access； he was only interested in Emmett's model。
〃You do understand the implications？〃 he asked。
Emmett assured him he did。
〃And have you thought of verifying your theory？〃 Emmett had confessed inadequate math skills； but Dr。 Paulson had something much simpler in mind。 Emmett quickly agreed with the idea； after all； he was a player now。
Emmett had feared he wouldn't be able to break Carrollee away from her incubating eggs； but it had been easy。 Nearly an army of volunteers was protecting the site now； and nothing exciting would happen until the eggs hatched。 Emmett explained the purpose of the trip vaguely and then emphasized it would take only a few hours。 Carrollee quickly agreed to e along and even seemed eager to spend more time with Emmett； who was surprised and glad。
The interisland flights were operating； so they flew from Oahu to Hawaii。 They left their lightweight tropical clothes in an airport locker in exchange for the heavier clothes the cooler climate demanded。 Carrollee came out of the airport rest room wearing the least outlandish thing Emmett had ever seen her wear； but it was still gaudy。 Her Levi's were held up with bright red suspenders and she wore a long…sleeve red blouse and carried a red checked sweater。 On her feet were hiking boots with red socks folded neatly over the tops； and her bright red lipstick matched her sweater and blouse。 Emmett had chosen Levi's too； and a University of Hawaii T…shirt。 He carried a matching hooded sweatshirt。 He wasn't a hiker though and was wearing his Nikes instead of boots。
He was about to pliment Carrollee on being circumspect when she pulled a giant red and white checked bow out of her bag and clipped it to the back of her head。
〃Did that outfit e with a red rubber nose？〃 he asked。
Carrollee let a smile flit across her lips； then feigned confusion。 。
〃What did you say about ing with a rubber？〃 She said extra loudly； turning heads at the airport。
Emmett blushed； opened his mouth to speak； then changed his mind。 He wouldn't get the better of Carrollee。
Their conversation in the car alternated between somber and silly but avoided the issue of the time quilt。 They discussed the plesiosaur and the unusual seaweeds； but Emmett held back what he knew about other dinosaurs from the PresNet。 The