按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
at the empty streets。 Then gunfire sounded again up the street somewhere near his building。 Luis thought again of Mrs。 Weatherby； and how he'd eaten her eggs； and felt guilty。
He ducked down and crawled across the floor to the Choi's kitchen。 There was an old…fashioned white refrigerator against the wall； with rounded edges and a huge handle。 He opened the refrigerator and felt a soft rush of cool air…not cold air； but cooler than the room temperature。 The light was out of。 course； but on a middle rack Luis found two cartons of eggs。 One carton was full and one half full。 Luis took the eggs and dug deeper into the shelves。 He found a quart of orange juice； which he placed with the eggs。 If he'd taken anything from downstairs he would have felt like a looter； but up here it was borrowing。 He and the Chois hadn't exactly been friends； but they were at least acquaintances。
In the cabinets he found two six…packs of juice boxes and canned fruit； including peaches and pineapple tidbits。 In the last one he found an unopened ten…pound bag of sugar。 He was loading a box when the sound of the shooting changed。
Now the burping of automatic weapons met his ears。 Luis crawled to the window and inched up； peering out。 The street was empty； but the sounds of battle were ing closer again。 He watched the soldiers appear。 They were retreating； running from cover to cover； spraying the streets with automatic fire from their M…16s。 Then they were gone and the street was empty again。 Luis waited； knowing what was to e。 Soon a red…coated Zombie came into view； carrying a weapon whose rapid fire told Luis it was a machine gun。 Another Zombie appeared； firing with a machine pistol。 More automatic fire sounded。 Still another Zombie shot up the far side of the street； and Luis could hear weapon fire surrounding the Chois' store。
Luis shrank back； despairing。 He knew the soldiers would be back eventually； armed to handle the Zombies； but it could take days。
As the gunfire faded into the distance again； Luis realized most of the Zombies and their allies were busy driving the Guard off of their turf。 Figuring the odds； he decided now might be a good time to risk it。 The box of groceries he had gathered for Mrs。 Weatherby would make him look like a looter scurrying home with a few extra spoils。 If anyone stopped him he could offer the food to buy passage。
The streets looked empty； but Luis could feel eyes on him。 He didn't mind as long as the eyes stayed in the buildings。 Heading away from the gunfight； he kept a close watch on the barrier of cars between his building and that across the street。 He couldn't see anyone near the cars now。 But ing down the street was a small group with two men wearing red。 Luis turned to go the other way but spotted men in doorways a half a block off。 They looked at him； and Luis felt panic。 He had only one choice…to turn and walk between the cars and down the street to dinosaur land。
When the street ended abruptly and the meadow began； Luis hesitated。 It was too unnatural； too surreal。 The sound of voices behind him forced him forward。 He carried his box around the corner of the building。 Afraid to step on the meadow grass； he set the box down and peeked back around the corner。 Three men were standing by the cars talking。 When one of them pointed between the buildings where Luis had gone； Luis folded back around the corner； pressing his back against the wall。
He stood staring at the meadow and thought of the dinosaurs Mrs。 Weatherby had described； How many were there； he wondered？ What had she called the ones？ Terrible killers。
He stood undecided。 He had killers on all sides of him and wasn't sure which were the most dangerous。
Now he peeked back around the corner。 Six men stood by the cars now； seemingly content to wait Luis out。 They're afraid of the meadow； Luis realized。 Afraid of the dinosaurs； just like me。
Looking back across the meadow； he saw something moving in the distance…something big； walking on all fours with a huge frilly spiked collar； moving parallel to the buildings。 Soon it disappeared into the grass。
Luis quickly scanned the meadow looking for other dinosaurs。 There were none； but in the distance he saw the faint； image of buildings。 Hadn't he stood in Mrs。 Weatherby's win…dow； seeing similar buildings？ Then； just as before； the shimmering image faded away。 He shook his head in confusion。 His cracked skull must have scrambled his brains。 It was too much for Luis。 He wanted out of there and could think of only one way to do it。
Luis dug the bag of sugar out of his box； walked to Mrs。 Weatherby's garden and then into the meadow…Luis walked gingerly； expecting the meadow grass to disappear like a mirage at any second。 When he saw movement ahead he froze in his tracks…the tops of the grass were moving。 Luis watched carefully； and when he was sure it was gone； he ripped open the top of the bag and poured a pile of sugar in the grass。 Then he retreated quickly out of the meadow； poured another pile by Mrs。 Weatherby's garden and three more piles leading to the corner of the building。 At the corner； with part of the bag still left； Luis sat down to wait。
Mariel rocked in her chair； occasionally sipping her tea。 The meadow was still； and she made good progress on her crocheting； quickly finishing one square and starting another。 Time passed pleasantly and soon a familiar figure appeared in the distance。
The iguanodon was ing straight toward her window； and it was time to get his treat ready。 Mariel walked to the kitchen and measured out two sacks of sugar； reminding herself to search the rest of the apartments for more。 Still； she had quite a supply now； brown sugar； powdered sugar； Karo syrup； and molasses； anything she thought might please a dinosaur's sweet tooth。
Mariel took her bags back to the window to wait for the dinosaur's 〃aaah〃 sound。 She hadn't been able to break him of the noise and had finally given up。 It had been irritating at first； but now she thought it kind of cute…a big monster like the iguanodon singing for his supper。 Mariel thought about that late…night show where people brought their dogs on TV to do stupid tricks。 What would they think of the iguanodon and his 〃aaahing〃？ She chuckled to herself while she pictured the look on the host's face when the iguanodon walked out onstage and chuckled again as she watched the dinosaur striding through the meadow。 He would scare any audience to death。 They wouldn't know he was a gentle giant。
Mariel watched the iguanodon approach in his usual way until he neared the edge of the meadow。 Suddenly he stopped and bent to sniff the meadow grasses^ Then he backed up and began eating something。 It wasn't grass； because when he ate grass he ripped it up and then stood to chew it； looking around。 Then he did something strange again。 The iguanodon sniffed the air and then turned away from Mariel's window； stopping to eat something off the asphalt； Mariel leaned out the window and spotted Luis standing by the corner of the building。 What was Luis doing here？ Mariel wondered。 Why wasn't he home with his family？ She pulled her head in； picked up her bags of sugar； and left the apartment。
Luis stood with his back to the wall； watching the dinosaur walk to the next sugar pile； which it devoured eagerly。 From the window； Luis had been afraid of the dinosaur； but up close it was terrifying。 Its head was massive； bigger than an ele…phant's； and covered with thick leathery skin。 Its mouth contained rows of huge teeth； its back legs were gigantic and its front legs thick and powerful。 Worst of all its forelegs carried thumb spikes large enough to skewer a human being。 Luis gained a new respect for Mrs。 Weatherby。
When it finished the sugar it stared quizzically at Luis； who poured another pile by the corner of the building。 When the dinosaur moved toward the new pile Luis ducked around the corner and walked toward the cars。
Mariel stepped out of the building by her garden just in time to see Luis disappear around the end of the building； the iguan…odon following him toward the corner。 He shouldn't be there； Mariel knew。 That's where all the horn blowing and some of the shooting came from。 She hurried down the side of the building toward the iguanodon； who was busy eating something off of the ground at the corner。 When he finished he lifted his head and sniffed the air。 Mariel was afraid he was going to step into the alley； so she shouted to him。
〃Wait； wait！〃
The dinosaur turned its head and looked her over。 Then he walked toward her； his head lowered。 When he reached her his mouth opened and the 〃aahing〃 sound began。 Mariel poured the first bag of sugar into his mouth and then waited while he went through his slurping and lip…licking routine。 After the second bag； Mariel pushed on his jaw； told him to go back to the meadow； then left him and walked to the corner to find Luis。
Luis poured another pile of sugar halfway down the street and then walked up to the car barrier。 The men behind the barrier…one wearing a red coat…were staring at him。 Two of the men held pistols。 One man spat something over the car he was leaning on and yelled at Luis。
〃Whatcha doin； asshole？〃
He wasn't wearing a re