jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第97部分

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　〃Man；　that　felt　good！〃　Colter　screamed。　Then　he　put　two　more　rounds　into　the　dinosaur's　belly　and　one　into　an　eye。　〃Yes！〃　he　screamed。　〃How　does　it　feel　to　be　the　hunted？　Huh？　See　what　a　toolmaker　can　do？　Huh？　That's　why　you　guys　are　extinct；　you　dead　piece　of　crap！〃
　Colter　enjoyed　the　kill　for　another　few　minutes　and　then　walked　back　to　the　RV。　It　was　going　to　be　a　good　day。　These　evolutionary　rejects　would　learn　who　the　real　top　predator　was；　and　Colter　would　be　the　teacher。
　He　looked　around　for　another　target；　the　other　monoclonius；　scared　by　the　sound　of　the　gunfire；　were　positioning　themselves　defensively　in　the　prehistoric　clearing。　Colter　jeered；　then　screamed　down　the　hill　at　them：　〃It　ain't　gonna　do　you　any　good。　I　got　the　magic！〃　Then　he　held　the　rifle　above　his　head；　whooped　and　danced；　and　ran　back　to　the　RV。
　He　parked　the　RV　near　its　earlier　spot。　Debris　from　the　dinosaur　attack；　as　well　as　Petra's　clothes；　littered　the　clearing。　Leaving　Moose　and　Sarah　in　the　RV；　Colter　approached　the　dinosaurs。　Six　of　them　stood　lined　up　in　two　rows。　Their　heads　were　down；　the　horns　pointed　at　Colter。　He　walked　parallel　to　the　dinosaur　wall；　watching　the　horns　track　him　every　step　of　the　way。　When　he　reached　the　end　of　the　line　he　lifted　his　rifle；　lined　the　sights　up　between　the　eyes　of　the　last　dinosaur；　and　pulled　the　trigger。　The　rifle　kicked　into　his　shoulder；　and　the　loud　report　startled　the　lines　of　dinosaurs；　but　they　didn't　bolt。　The　one　on　the　end　took　the　slug　just　above　the　snout。　Colter　was　disappointed；　he　thought　for　sure　at　this　distance　he　could　put　it　right　between　the　dinosaur's　eyes。　But　it　didn't　matter。　The　dinosaur's　front　legs　buckled；　and　it　dropped　to　its　knees。　Its　back　legs　seemed　locked　and　held　its　rear　haunches　high。　Then　its　eyes　closed；　and　with　the　back　legs　still　locked；　it　tipped　left　and　fell　onto　its　side；　dead。
　The　back　row　of　dinosaurs　moved　nervously　back　and　forth；　swinging　their　heads。　They　looked　like　they　wanted　to　bolt　for　the　taller　brush；　but　their　instinct　told　them　staying　in　the　line　was　the　best　defense。　Colter　smiled。　These　poor　dumb　bastards　were　too　stupid　even　to　save　themselves。　He　walked　down　the　line　to　the　next　dinosaur。　When　he　was　directly　in　front；　it　pawed　the　ground。　Colter　raised　his　rifle　and　was　about　to　shoot　when　a　dinosaur　in　the　back　moved　out　of　line　and　ran　behind　the　one　he　was　about　to　kill。　Colter　froze　but　held　the　moving　dinosaur　in　his　scope。　The　newer　trotted　up　to　the　dead　one；　pushed　it　in　the　back　with　its　horns；　then　raised　its　head　and　bellowed；　prodding　the　carcass　again　and　again。　It　then　turned　toward　Colter；　put　its　head　down；　and　charged。
　This　time　Colter's　life　was　on　the　line。　The　huge　monster　was　picking　up　speed　and　closing　fast；　so　he　kept　the　rifle　aimed　between　its　eyes；　fired；　and　then　dove　to　the　side。　When　he　hit　the　grass　he　rolled　to　get　well　clear　of　the　monster；　and　swung　his　rifle　up　to　fire　another　shot　if　needed。　It　wasn't。　The　bullet　had　hit　the　dinosaur　in　the　head；　killing　it　instantly；　but　the　momentum　carried　it　into　a　skid；　then　a　tumble。
　Colter　crawled　forward　and　then　stood；　using　the　dinosaur's　body　to　steady　his　gun。　He　sighted　on　another　dinosaur　and　fired。　This　time　the　shot　was　wide　and　buried　itself　somewhere　in　the　dinosaur's　neck；　but　it　roared　in　pain　and　began　swinging　its　head；　then　turned　and　staggered　away。　Now　the　rest　of　the　herd　bolted　for　the　tall　brush　and　were　soon　at　a　full　gallop。　Colter　fired　another　round　at　the　wounded　dinosaur；　hitting　it　in　the　rump；　it　roared　again　but　kept　walking　even　as　blood　streamed　down　its　left　rump　and　leg。　When　Colter　put　another　round　into　it；　the　retreating　dinosaur　only　whimpered　and　Colter　was　disappointed；　but　at　least　it　bled　more。　Another　shot　got　no　further　response；　and　as　Colter　watched；　the　bleeding　dinosaur　walked　across　the　clearing　and　disappeared　into　the　tall　brush。
　Colter　was　satisfied。　It　was　heading　into　the　heart　of　the　dinosaur　land　and　bleeding　bad　enough　to　attract　a　pack　of　scavengers。　He　smiled。　This　was　one　dinner　party　he　planned　on　crashing。
　He　returned　to　the　RV　and　packed　some　water；　a　little　food；　and　a　box　of　ammunition。　Then　he　stretched　out　on　a　mattress　on　the　floor　to　take　a　nap；　his　hands　behind　his　head。　He　wanted　to　give　the　scavengers　time　to　gather　before　he　went　after　them。　Besides；　he　was　days　behind　in　his　sleep。　Sarah　came　out　from　under　a　pile　and　sniffed　all　around　Colter；　looking　for　food。　When　she　was　sure　there　wasn't　any；　she　flopped　down　next　to　him；　pushing　her　head　into　the　warmth　of　his　armpit。　Her　closeness　bothered　Colter；　bringing　back　memories　of　Petra；　but　he　soon　fell　asleep。
　When　he　woke；　Moose　was　stretched　out　on　his　chest；　but　as　soon　as　he　stirred　the　animal　was　up　the　wall　to　the　top　of　the　cabinet。　Sarah　stirred　but　didn't　wake。　Colter　realized　she　was　shivering　and　he　covered　her　with　a　blanket。　It　was　just　too　cold　for　them；　he　realized。　Colter　remembered　Dr。　Coombs　or　Dr。　Piltcher　talking　about　the　extinction　of　the　dinosaurs。　He　remembered　one　of　the　theories　was　that　a　et　slammed　into　the　earth；　kicking　up　enough　debris　to　block　out　the　sun　and　bring　winter　to　the　entire　planet。　The　dinosaurs　just　plain　froze　to　death。　Colter　hadn't　paid　much　attention　to　the　theory　then；　but　he　could　see　that　Moose　and　Sarah　weren't　equipped　for　an　eastern　Oregon　fall；　let　alone　winter。　They　were　both　lethargic　and　slept　much　of　the　time。
　Of　course　there's　another　thing　that　might　have　happened　to　the　dinosaurs；　Colter　told　himself；　something　Dr。　Piltcher　or　Dr。　Coombs　never　would　have　thought　of。　Maybe　the　dinosaurs　died　off　because　they　all　came　to　the　future　and　were　blown　away　。　。　。　by　me！　Colter　frowned　as　a　memory　of　Petra　drifted　through　his　mind。　Then　he　put　out　a　bowl　of　water　and　more　fruit　for　Moose　and　Sarah　and　left。
　Outside　the　RV；　the　position　of　the　sun　told　him　he　had　been　asleep　for　hours。　The　carcasses　nearby　were　still　intact。　Probably　the　gunfire　had　scared　the　scavengers　deeper　into　the　forest。　But　there　was　still　the　one　that　got　away；　leaving　a　blood　trail；　and　it　should　have　drawn　a　crowd　by　now。　Checking　that　all　his　clips　were　fully　loaded；　Colter　slid　a　hunting　knife　in　a　sheath　onto　his　belt；　picked　up　his　pack；　and　left　the　RV。　The　trail　was　easy　to　follow。　It　led　him　straight　into　the　tall　brush；　and　toward　the　clearing　where　the　big　carnivore　had　eaten　Dr。　Piltcher。　It　also　led　toward　the　lake　where　that　walking　fish　had　killed　Petra。　That　suited　Colter　fine。　First　he　would　kill　the　dinner　guests；　and　then　he　would　camp　by　the　lake　and　wait。　If　he　had　to；　he'd　wade　out　into　the　lake　making　himself　bait。　But　he　wasn't　leaving　until　that　walking　fish　paid　for　what　it　did　to　Petra。
　There　was　so　much　blood；　Colter　guessed　the　animal　must　have　a　severed　artery；　but　the　track　went　on　and　on。　He　was　approaching　the　clearing　when　he　heard　growling。　Making　sure　the　rifle　had　a　bullet　in　the　chamber；　he　crept　forward。　The　monoclonius　had　made　it　through　to　the　clearing　and　its　carcass…picked　nearly　clean　from　neck　collar　to　tail…was　fifty　feet　from　the　brush　line。　All　of　its　ribs　were　bare。　Three　of　the　fifteen…foot　carnivores　were　in　the　clearing　chewing　on　rib　bones；　and　half　a　dozen　of　the　three…footers　were　reaching　around　looking　for　tidbits。　It　was　just　what　Colter　wanted；　a　shooting　gallery。
　Colter　crept　right　to　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　crawling　under　a　bush　until　he　had　a　clear　shot。　Then　he　lined　up　his　first　one；　aiming　at　the　head　of　one　of　the　fifteen…footers。　As　its　head　came　up　with　something　red　from　the　body　cavity　it　turned　to　look　around。　When　the　head　was　parallel　to　Colter　he　fired　and　it　screamed　in　pain。　The　other　dinosaurs　froze　at　the　sound　of　the　rifle；　trying　to　spot　the　danger；　their　heads　pointed　up。　Colter　realized　that　in　this　food　chain；　none　of　them　would　think　to　look　under　a　bush　for　an　enemy。
　The　wounded　dinosaur　was　using　its　small　front　legs　to　paw　at　his　jaw。　Colter；　skilled　from　his　first　killing　spree；　turned　and　shot　another　of　the　fifteen…footers　in　the　side；　leaving　the　first　wounded　dinosaur　for　later。　The　second　dinosaur　screamed　like　the　first　and　spun；　looking　for　its　attacker。　Blinded　by　its　pain　and