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rah roused herself from her blanket and waddled down the aisle to the back。 Petra picked up Peaches and found a snug corner for her next to Sarah。 Sarah wriggled around until she was fortable with Peaches next to her。
Petra could hear Colter outside getting the shovel。 She pulled the blue and white plastic cooler out of the cabinet and checked the contents again。 It was all there。 Petra closed the cooler and headed for the door。 When she reached it she turned and went back for the rifle； then joined Colter outside。 The air was cool and the sky overcast。 When was the sky not overcast at the Oregon coast Petra reminded herself。
〃What's the rifle for？〃 Colter asked。
〃In case there's any deer hunting going on。 Never mind； I'll explain later。〃
Colter shrugged his shoulders and said impatiently； 〃Let's get this over with。〃
Two paths led from the parking lot。 One well…traveled path led to the beach； but the other path wound up the hill into the trees。 Colter followed the path uphill。 It was a gentle climb； marked frequently with signs identifying the vegetation。 A quarter mile up the trail they left the path； turning into the trees。 Soon they could see the ocean again on their right and a rocky cliff to their left。 Colter stopped by a small fir tree； looking out to sea； and then turned and looked at the cliff。 Then he walked to another young fir； looking again in all four directions。
〃This is the spot； right。〃
Petra stepped behind the fir and looked out to sea； lining the fir up with a large rock formation just offshore。 Then she stepped to the other side and lined the fir up with a large crack in the rocks of the cliff behind them。 Finally she stood to one side and made sure the fir lined up with a notch in the distant hills。
〃Yeah； this is the spot。〃
Colter stood with his back to the tree and then took two steps toward the sea。
〃About six feet？〃
〃Close enough。〃
Colter began digging with the shovel。 The ground was moist and soft but there were many rocks；'and the digging wasn't easy。 When Colter looked disgusted and ready to call it deep enough； Petra took the shovel and dug。 That shamed Colter into digging again。 Finally； he buried the tip of the shovel in the ground next to the hole and turned to Petra。
〃I say that's three feet deep。〃
Petra agreed but held back the cooler when Colter reached for it。 Opening it she checked the contents one last time。 Inside was a record of what had happened。 There were newspaper clippings about the disasters and the sudden appearance of dinosaurs and the sudden disappearance of people。 There were also articles about the bombing of Portland and the debate over whether Portland had been destroyed or not。 There were many articles about the dinosaurs and the problems they were creating。 Of all the items in the cooler； however； the most important was a history Colter and Petra had written of all that had happened to them and the group。 They wrote of the group's meeting with Kenny Randall and his strange story of corn falling from the sky。 They wrote of the group's research； and their discovery of Zorastrus。 They described the model Kenny and Phat had programmed and their search for confirming evidence。 They told the story of a boy who nearly drowned in saltwater in the middle of a prairie and of Yellowstone and the ice falling from the sky。 Then after recapping the before events they told in even more detail what happened next。 How they had divided into groups to be as widely dispersed as possible when it happened。 They told of losing contact with Mrs。 Wayne and Ernie Powell。 They told of their search for their friends and the discovery of the dinosaurs。 They told of their discoveries； especially Sid； Moose； Sarah； and Peaches。 Then in painful detail they talked of the death of Dr。 Coombs and Dr。 Piltcher。 Colter wrote of his adventures and Petra of her time in the walking fish's den。 When every painful detail was down they had taken the record； made three copies of it； and sealed them in plastic。 The first copy had been buried in Dr。 Piltcher's backyard。 The second was in a small cave east of Medford； and the third copy would be buried here； by the sea。 Like the other two copies it would be buried in a plastic cooler。 Dr。 Piltcher had assured everyone the plastic would last for centuries。
When Petra was sure the record was plete she put it in the cooler； latched the top securely； and placed it in the hole； Colter filled the hole in a little at a time； pressing the earth as he filled by stomping on it。 Soon the hole was firmly packed with earth。 Colter took the shovel and scattered the leftover dirt into the trees。 Then he spread pine needles and dried leaves over the hole。 Finally he pried a nearby rock out of the ground and placed the rock on top of the buried cooler。 When he was done he looked to Petra for affirmation。
〃Good enough；〃 she said。
Colter picked up his shovel and Petra the rifle and the two of them started back down the path。 The clouds had broken up； letting the setting sun peek through； but the air was cool and evaporated the sweat from Petra's body； making her shiver gently。 Colter put his arm around her shoulder and they walked together； their arms around each other。 There was no hurry； they had nowhere to go。
〃Petra；〃 Colter said softly； not wanting to break the feeling they were sharing。 〃Do you really think anyone will ever dig that up？〃
〃If Dr。 Piltcher was right； then the others may be digging it up right now。〃
〃Right now？ They disappeared； remember？〃
〃I mean right now in the future。〃
〃Now in the future。 That makes no sense。〃
〃I know。 What I mean is if the dinosaurs came here then the people and things that were here had to go somewhere。 Maybe they went to the future。 If so； Ernie and Mrs。 Powell would know where to go to find our message。 Maybe Phat and Kenny too。 We don't know what happened to them。〃
Colter walked on in silence； a puzzled look on his face。 Petra knew what he was feeling。 It didn't all make sense to her either…maybe it never would。 But she and Colter had to learn to live with what had happened。 They had lost all their close friends…the friends that made up their support network。 Colter still had a family in northern California。 That's where they would head next。 Petra still had her father； but there was little support to be found there。 Still they were lucky； they had each other。 So many had lost so much。
〃Look；〃 Colter shouted。
Petra followed his point to see something moving along the ocean shore。 Colter broke into a run and Petra followed down the path to the wire fence along the edge of the bluff。 To the north was a point of land that blocked the view farther up the coast。 ing around that point was the biggest dinosaur they had seen yet。 It walked on all four legs and had a long snaking head and dragged a long tail。 It was a brontosaurus； except they remembered it was technically an apatosaurus。 Everyone was quickly being a dinosaur expert。
The apatosaurus walked purposefully along the beach； its head held high； its gait slow but steady。 When it cleared the point ing fully into view； another appeared behind the first。 The second was only a little smaller and walked with the same steady pace。 Petra and Colter watched in awe as the majestic monsters moved down the beach toward them； the sun setting into the sea behind； creating an orange backdrop。 A third apatosaurus appeared behind the second； and then more； each descending in size； all following the mighty beast in the lead。
〃It looks like a bizarre circus parade；〃 Petra said。
〃Where do you think they're going？〃 Colter asked。
〃South； I guess。 Instinctively heading for the warm weather。〃
〃Should we go too？〃
〃No； Colter。 Let's watch for a while。〃
Colter put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close。 They stood like that until dark； watching the new world go by。
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