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〃Damn right； God wouldn't want them。 So let's go see。 It's only a few miles from here。 If the strip joint's gone then I'm right and you have to shut up about this rapture crapola。〃
John could see hope in Cubby's face； and some of the tough look started to e back。 Hiking into the forest to the strip joint was something to do； and John was pretty sure his dad would approve of occupation therapy。 Cubby was already drawing strength from the idea。
Ripman had them divide up the supplies。 They all ended up with portions of energy bars and trail mix。 Everyone had a hunting knife and sheath； John carried a snake bite kit； and Ripman had a first aid kit。 Everyone got a pass； a space blanket； disposable flashlight； and matches。 The light from the sun wasn't filtering to the floor of the forest yet； so they spent time practicing with the bows。 John had never used a bow like the one stolen by Ripman。 As a kid； he'd learned the shooting basics with a fiberglass bow； but these new ones had pulleys on each end； and the string wound back and forth； making three places to notch your arrow。
John wasn't surprised to find that Ripman was proficient with his bow。 He showed John and Cubby how to hold the bows； and shoot。 The arrows were definitely for hunting； with wicked…looking steel triangles for heads。 Ripman pulled his bow back； aimed at a piece of cardboard along the road forty feet away； and shot the arrow smack into the target。 John went next and found pulling this bow harder than his old fiberglass one。
〃e on； you wuss；〃 Ripman prodded。
John's arm was shaking； and he still hadn't pulled the bowstring all the way back to his ear。 Suddenly his arm snapped the rest of the way back； and he saw Ripman smiling。
〃Got easy all of a sudden； didn't it？ That's why they have the pulleys； so you can hold the arrow back longer。 It lets you wait for the best shot。〃
John aimed carefully and then let the arrow fly。 It disappeared into the grass ten feet short of the cardboard。 Cubby didn't have any trouble pulling his string back but his arrow flew way high and buried itself into the hill。 They each tried a few more shots； but Cubby and John didn't get better。
The light from the rising sun was sending shafts through the trees when they started into the forest。 The beams interwove with the trees creating a fabric of light and wood。 Ripman went first； using his hunting knife like a machete； but the undergrowth was sparse and he soon put the knife away。 A variety of ferns stood two to four feet in the air； and some clumps of grasses grew head high。 The ground felt soft and mushy； as if they were walking through mulch。 Occasionally they ran into tall grasses that were stiffer and sharp edged； like pampas grass。 They quickly learned to go around these。 The trees were all of one type； with coarse fibrous bark。 Many were big enough to drive a car through。 Ripman stopped by one and cut the bark with his knife。
〃Look here； Cubby。 This is nothing but a redwood tree； I've seen them in California。 Nothing supernatural here。〃
〃Yeah？ How did it get to Oregon？〃
Ripman ignored Cubby and led off again。 John trailed behind Cubby； wishing Ripman had an answer to Cubby's question。 John had never heard of giant redwoods in Oregon。 As he set a fast pace up the hill； Ripman soon had them puffing with the exertion。 Ripman reached the top of the hill well ahead of Cubby and John； and when they caught up； Ripman was kneeling and looking up into the trees。
〃Get down you guys； and be quiet。〃
Cubby and John squatted down next to Ripman。 〃What are we being quiet for？〃 John asked； still gasping from exertion。
〃Look around。 Do you see them？〃
John and Cubby looked around； first at the ground； and then following Ripman's gaze。 Cubby slowly lifted his arm and pointed into the tree in front of them。 About halfway up； perched on a limb； was a lizard…but like none John had ever seen。 It was reddish brown on top and dusky green on the bottom； so it blended in with the tree limb。 It had long back legs and shorter front legs； and around its head was a bony flared collar； with short spines protruding from the top。 Most striking of all was its size。 It was three feet long。 John suddenly realized that another similar lizard sat on the branch above the first。 As John looked through the trees around them； he realized they were filled with the three…footers； all staring at them。
Ripman leaned in front of the others and whispered； 〃Toto； I don't think we're in Kansas anymore。〃
The lizards sat motionless in the trees； seeming confident they were out of reach of the three strange creatures below。 The boys sat motionless； staring back； John because he was frozen in fear。 Finally the lizard on the lowest branch skittered higher up followed by others on the low branches。 That movement broke the stalemate； and Ripman slowly led them off through the trees。 Lizards slithered through the branches above them as they walked。 No one talked until they were sure the trees were free of lizards。
〃Jeez； I've never seen a lizard that size before；〃 John said。 〃Man； where did they e from？〃
Cubby looked like he was going to answer the question； but Ripman shut him up with a glare。
〃I don't know； but let's enjoy it while we can；〃 Ripman said。
John watched Ripman's back moving into the lead again； followed by Cubby。 He knew Ripman was actually enjoying this。 With every step deeper into the forest Ripman seemed more confident； as if he belonged there。 But Cubby was badly shaken。 He still wasn't saying much； and the panic attack had changed the way John and Ripman thought of him。 Silence； always a part of Cubby's personality； had now bee a symptom of his vulnerability。
The experience with the lizards sensitized John to his surroundings。 Movements； shadows； and noises he had missed before were now acutely important。 He began to notice soft rustlings in the grasses； and quick movements in the shadows。
Shortly they came to a fallen tree； its trunk nursing saplings all along its length。 Ferns covered the spots between the tree sprouts。 Ripman used the stumps of broken branches to climb to the top。 Suddenly； something came shooting out from under the tree； running across John's foot and disappearing into a patch of ferns behind him。 John yelped and jumped back； tripping and falling to the forest floor。
〃What was that？〃
〃I saw it；〃 Cubby said； speaking with confidence for the first time since they stepped into the forest。 〃It looked like a weasle but it had gigantic eyes。〃
〃The Bible say anything about weasles with big eyes？〃 Ripman asked； mockingly。
Cubby scowled； but then followed Ripman over the log。 John came behind cautiously； checking the placement of each foot before he put it down。 After cresting the hill； they made a slow descent and then a long level trek。 Occasionally they came to a section where the trees had fallen or leaned precariously； their roots exposed。 In one stretch John could see a whole hillside was covered with freshly fallen trees。 It was a crazy quilt forest。
John found the hiking easier when he put his mind into flowing consciousness。 One portion of his mind took over the routine task of walking while the higher cerebral matter played with ideas； allowing him to keep up with Ripman and Cubby。
The sun was high overhead when Ripman stopped； dropped his pack and quiver； and sat down； leaning against a branch from a fallen tree。 〃Well； Cubby？ You see any strip joint？〃
John looked around。 They were standing in a sparse stand of trees no different from a hundred other spots they had walked through。 John could not imagine why Ripman thought this was the spot where the bar with the nude girls had been。 Cubby looked around trying to confirm their location。
〃What makes you think this is the right spot？〃 John asked。
Ripman started to reply； but Cubby cut him off。 〃If it isn't this spot； then we're past it。〃
Again John marveled at their certainty。
〃Was I right； Cubby； or what？ You see any sinners around here？ You see any topless joint？ You think maybe heaven was getting a little boring so God decided to add nude dancing girls？〃
Cubby looked lost in thought。 〃Maybe； Ripman； maybe。 But if this isn't the rapture； then what is it？〃
Ripman didn't have an answer。 Instead he muttered 〃I told you so〃 and sat down with his pack in his lap。 John broke out some of his trail mix and rested on fern fronds。 What had happened？ The tornado he could understand。 Tornados had happened before； maybe not in Oregon； but they were mon enough。 There was even a part of the Midwest they named tornado alley。 But what about this weird forest？ Where did it e from and what happened to the nude girls？ What happened to the radio stations？ Could this forest go all the way to Portland？ Maybe the radio stations weren't broadcasting because they weren't there anymore。 And if they were gone what about John's house？ What about his parents？ Cubby interrupted John's thoughts by standing up and putting on his pack。
〃Where you going？〃 Ripman asked。
〃This answers one question；〃 Cubby said； gesturing at the forest around him。 〃But now I've got to find my parents。〃
John felt the same as Cubby； John had to know whether he had a home and what had happened to hi