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zards 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 didn't know how。 Ever since he could remember he had always preferred to believe in things he could sense。 John had always described ESP； and all that paranormal stuff； as crap。 He stopped short of calling God's judgment crap； but he still had trouble believing。 The forest around him was physical； and that meant real…according to John。
Cubby was different。 The supernatural came easy for him。 Divine intervention； God； the Holy Spirit； sanctification； all fit together like so many pieces of the same puzzle。 Together they made a picture of a spiritual realm that was as real to Cubby as the forest was to John。 To Cubby the forest was physical proof of a spiritual truth。 It was as easy for Cubby to believe that the forest was an act of God as it was for John to believe that it came from the center of the earth。
〃Hey； Ripman disproved your theory；〃 John argued。 〃We didn't find the topless joint； remember。 Besides； I thought God was going to use fire or something to destroy the earth。 Where in the Bible does it say people are going to be eaten by dinosaurs？〃
〃Scripture isn't easy to interpret。 If you'd ever read any you would know that。〃 Cubby spoke thoughtfully； not in a mean way。 After a few minutes Cubby talked again。
〃Maybe God did do something like this once before。 A couple of months ago my father did a series for his radio show on the Tower of Babel。 You remember that story？ The people of earth had bee arrogant and were trying to build a tower to reach God。 To punish the people； and stop them； God gave them all different languages； they couldn't talk to each other anymore。〃
〃Cubby； I can still understand you。 I mean I know what your words mean； it's the bination that doesn't make sense。〃
〃Yeah； but if we meet some dude hunting dinosaurs； wearing a skin and carrying a spear； I bet you can't understand him。〃
〃Your theory's thin； Cubby。〃
〃Thinner than UFOs from the center of the earth？〃
Because John didn't quite believe his own theory； he couldn't argue it seriously； so he changed the subject。 〃Cubby； did those dinosaurs look right to you？ I mean； they didn't look like any dinosaurs I'd ever seen before。〃
〃Jeez； John； you've never seen a dinosaur before； only pictures。〃
〃You know what I mean。 That little one that was being chased； its head was too small and too pointy； and its legs were too big for the rest of its body。 And the big one didn't have much of a tail。 I thought they fought each other with their tails and stuff。〃
〃I didn't see much of the big one； but the little one did look funny。 All those pictures of dinosaurs in books are just guesses。 Maybe when they tried covering those dinosaur skeletons with skin they got it wrong？ Or maybe the dinosaurs that were chasing us were different from the ones in the museums。 They were around for millions and millions of years。 Maybe we don't have any bones of ones like these。〃
John and Cubby didn't sleep or talk〃 much after that。 Cubby mumbled prayers most of the night； sometimes loud enough for John to pick out names and words。 Cubby was praying not only for his family but also for John's and Ripman's。 John wanted to thank him for his prayers。 But； reluctant to disturb his friend； instead； John lay silent listening to the sounds of the forest and worrying about his parents。
26。 STREETS OF THE NEW WORLD
Never was there a thunderbolt to match that to e。 Italy； Spain； and the English will tremble。 And the whole world will never be the some。
…Nostradamus
The disasters came in three waves。 The immediate losses of land； crops； buddings； and people were the beginning。 Shortly thereafter came the secondary effects。 With roads and bridges gone； and sections of track missing； cars and train wrecks piled up all over the country。 Along foggy highway 1 in California thirty two cars drove off a cliff before a slow…moving Winnebago stopped in time。 In other parts of the country dams that had disappeared into the night released their waters； and towns and villages were washed away in unprecedented deluges。 Fires spread in some areas； growing into firestorms that the survivors were ill equipped to fight。 Numerous avalanches of rock； snow； and mud poured down from the hills and mountains； some onto people and houses。
The third wave of destruction was the most frightening。 The breakdown of civilization came slowly； but inevitably。 Those regions without power were the most dangerous。 With no lights； no burglar alarms； and the police needed everywhere； the professionals went right to work； breaking and entering at will。 But soon the looters appeared； mon folk who blended anonymously into crowds and began to help themselves to the luxuries of life that had eluded them。 Other less…noticed tragedies took place with increasing frequency。 People died waiting for transplants that never came； or for surgical teams that no longer existed。 Blood； at first ample； quickly became precious as those suffering from the disasters were ministered to。 Medicines too quickly became as rare as blood。 Some pharmaceutical panies were gone； others lost stock or couldn't get supplies。 Those that could deliver found the interstate system shredded with precious few alternatives。 Deaths from formerly curable diseases began to mount。
Unlike a drought； or storm damage； people were more affected than crops。 Concentrated in cities； people were lost by the millions。 Some canned and preserved foods were lost with warehouses； but more problematic was distribution。 Food shortages； unheard of in the United States； became mon as panicky citizens stockpiled。 Those with much had to make do with little。 Those with little soon faced hunger。 Those with nothing faced famine。
New York City
POSTQUILT： SUNDAY； 8：10 P。M。 EST
Luis watched his kids sleep。 He was using a candle for light； and its flickering gave the room an eerie look。 Everything in the room was normal though。 His kids were doubled up with their cousins。 Ramon was in with Randy。 Just the same size； the five…year…olds had giggled for an hour before falling asleep。 Jose was on the floor in a sleeping bag。 Though the nine…year…old went to bed with a worried face； he slept soundly now on the floor next to his cousin Nicky。 Luis went next door to check on Charlotte； who was in a trundle bed next to her favorite cousin； Mindy。 They were still awake and talking about boys。 At eleven and ten they were each other's best friend at family gatherings。 Katrina was in a sleeping bag near the far wall。 She had no cousin to match her three years； but she'd gone to sleep easily enough； listening to her sister and cousin。 That left only Cinda； who was asleep in a dresser drawer in the room Luis and Melinda would share。
Luis returned to Melinda in the living room； assuring her about the children with a nod。 Placing his candle with the others； he flopped down on the couch beside her； his head on her shoulder。 Melinda began stroking his head。 They sat silently like that until Melinda's brother and his wife came in with coffee heated on a propane stove and homemade zucchini bread。
〃Sounds quiet in there；〃 Steve said。
Luis sat up taking a cup of coffee from Tanya。 〃The little ones are asleep。 I know ours we