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〃He shouldn't die alone。〃
〃No； he shouldn't。 But maybe his animal friends will e if we leave。〃
Mrs。 Weatherby was silent for a minute after that。 As he carried her off； Luis swung his head back and forth to keep an eye on both the thumb spikes and the dinosaur's head。 Now the mouth opened slowly； not sudden or threatening； and Luis heard a familiar sound。
〃Aaaaaahhhhhh…〃
Mrs。 Weatherby's head came up。 Luis stopped and turned so Mrs。 Weatherby could see her friend。 The two of them looked at each other。 The sadness in Mrs。 Weatherby's eyes was clear。 Maybe Luis was imagining it； but he thought he saw the same emotion and intelligence in the dinosaur's eyes。 The animal's mouth opened again and another soft 〃aaaahhhh〃 came gurgling from its throat。 Then the head sank to the bloody grass； the eyes closed； and a long slow breath blew from its nostrils。 It didn't move after that。
Mrs。 Weatherby began to cry； tears streaming down her face。 Luis quickly turned away and carried her into the grass。 She never tried to look back。 The old lady hung limply in Luis's arms； still pale and sweaty。 Since the day was cool but not cold； the perspiration worried Luis。 He stopped frequently； resting his aching head more than his arms。 Twice things moved through the grass around him； but he ignored them。
When Luis paused near the apartment to rest again he heard a new sound： gunfire。 The battle for the streets was raging again。 Luis waited with Mrs。 Weatherby； trying to locate the sounds； muffled but not distant。 Perhaps on the other side of their apartment building？
Luis looked down。 Mrs。 Weatherby seemed to be asleep。 He didn't know if that was a good or bad sign。 He felt he could reach the safety of the apartment without getting shot； so he carried Mrs。 Weatherby across the open space； past her garden； and into their building； pausing twice on the stairs before he reached her apartment。 He lay her on the couch。
〃It smells like home； Luis。〃
Luis was surprised when she spoke； thinking she was asleep。
〃It is home； Mrs。 Weatherby。 Lie still。 Get some rest。〃
〃Are they shooting again？〃
〃Yes； in the streets。 Not too near； probably。〃
Mrs。 Weatherby； silent； was breathing shallowly。 Luis wasn't sure if she was asleep but used the quiet time to get a washcloth from the bathroom and soak it in the water from the toilet tank； and used it to wipe the perspiration from her face。
He didn't know what else to do。 Until the shooting stopped he had little hope of getting her any help。
The wet cloth seemed to revive her and she opened her eyes and looked up at Luis。
〃There's blood in your hair again；〃 she told him。
〃I know。 I'm okay。〃
〃I'll wash it out for you。〃
〃When you're feeling better。〃
Mrs。 Weatherby lifted her head but didn't have the strength to sit up。 Then she sank back down and looked at Luis。
〃Help me to my window chair。〃
〃You're better off here。 Maybe in bed？〃
〃My window chair。 That's where I always sit； well or sick。〃
Mrs。 Weatherby seemed agitated。 Making her unhappy wouldn't help her heal； Luis realized； so he set her down gently in the rocker by the window。
Mrs。 Weatherby turned her head and looked into the distance。 Luis had forgotten about the iguanodon's body； and to his dismay； he saw animals around it。 Mrs。 Weatherby's friend was being recycled。
〃Luis？〃 Mrs。 Weatherby spoke in little more than a whisper。 〃I lost my glasses in the meadow。 Can you see him？ Did his friends e to be with him？〃
〃Yes； I can see him； and he's got lots of friends with him。〃
〃I'm so glad。 I wanted to be with him too。〃
〃I took you away。 Don't blame yourself。〃
Mrs。 Weatherby was silent for a few minutes and then whispered again to Luis。
〃Please； dear； can you fix me a cup of tea？〃
In the kitchen； Luis lit the stove and then put the pot on to boil。 Then he sat with Mrs。 Weatherby to wait。 Her skin was ashen； now； and she perspired profusely。 As he watched her she involuntarily shifted from sweating to shivering。 Taking the crocheted blanket from the couch； Luis covered her。 She managed to sit； clutching it in her hands and staring out the window。
The teakettle whistled and Luis returned to the kitchen。 Then he took the tea back to Mrs。 Weatherby…she didn't move when he set it down。 Her eyes were open and staring out through the window。
Luis watched her chest and lips。 She wasn't breathing； and she didn't blink when he passed his hand in front of her eyes。 Luis rejected the idea of trying to revive her。 She wouldn't want to be brought back to the loneliness and the pain of grief。 Besides； she had died as she wanted； with a friend。
Luis left her in her chair by the window； her head turned to the meadow； her lifeless eyes forever open to take in the view。 A cup of tea lay at her right and her crocheting on the floor next to her。
She would never finish the girls' bedspreads。 Luis knew someday she would need to be buried； but he believed she should be entombed just this way； like a pharaoh sent to the next world with everything he needed。 Luis wished he could seal this room in concrete with Mrs。 Weatherby just as she was。 A thousand years later some archeologist could open it and see how one woman's life had ended。
It bothered Luis when he speculated that the archeologists of the future might think she had died alone and friendless。 It hadn't been that way。 She had had two good friends in her final hours。 One a dinosaur； who had e out of time and befriended her； and the other a human； no relation； who now grieved over her death。
Luis left； closing and locking the door and went to his own ransacked apartment。 On his couch he listened to the sounds of the gunfire in the street。 It was more sporadic now。 Someone was winning the battle。 Luis dozed for a few minutes and when he woke there was silence in the streets。 He waited another hour before he ventured out。
When he peeked through the front door of the building he saw two soldiers walking up the street。 They wore helmets but carried their guns casually； as if they felt safe from fire。
When Luis stepped from the doorway and called to them； their guns pointed at him and he instinctively put his hands in the air。 When the guardsmen demanded identification； Luis started a long explanation about being mugged and losing his wallet and pointed at his injured head to prove it。 Though they listened skeptically； they only searched him for weapons and then escorted him down the street to a looted furniture store used as a holding area。 He joined a room full of old men and women who were waiting for transportation。
An hour later Luis was called to a desk and a woman soldier asked him a long list of questions and filled out two forms with the answers。 Luis gave her Steve's phone number and address； but she reminded him the phones were not working； then sent him back to sit with the old men and women。
Luis sat against the wall with his head on his arms； finally dozing off。 Someone shook him awake。 It was the woman soldier。 She was moving all the sleeping people out。 He followed the crowd to find two canvas…covered army trucks and crawled in the back of one。
Luis watched out the back of the truck as he left his neighborhood behind。 Bodies lay here and there in the streets； some wearing the colors of the Zombies； then in the colors of the Diablos。 Finally the truck left the bodies and the burned…out buildings behind。
When the truck stopped； soldiers began helping the passengers out。 Luis looked for a familiar face but found none； so he pushed through the crowd； trying to find a street sign to orient himself。 He was nearly to the edge of the crowd when someone slammed into him from behind； wrapping her arms around his waist…his daughter Charlotte； hugging him。
His other kids…the older ones…ran up behind。 After he had hugged each one he looked up to see Melinda with tears in her eyes； and he opened his arms for her。 They both cried。
After a minute they separated and kissed and then looked into each other's eyes。 Melinda immediately noticed the blood in his hair。
〃Luis； you're hurt…〃 she began。
Luis shushed her with a finger to her lips； nodding to the kids。 He didn't want to scare them。 Melinda； prehending； quickly changed the subject。
〃We were so worried。 Steve and I both tried to look for you； but we couldn't get through。 It's almost like a war。〃
〃It is a war。 Where's Cinda？〃
〃With Steve and Tanya。 She's fine。 What about Mrs。 Weatherby？〃
Luis shook his head furtively； knowing Melinda and Charlotte would understand。
〃She's with a friend now。 A friend who'll never leave her；〃 he explained。 Later he'd report the details。
Then Luis picked little Katrina up in his arms； and he and his family walked off into what was left of the city。
57。 MOONSCAPE
Major Cox called today with a most bizarre report。 He claimed that the pond at his Sussex home had disappeared。 I investigated； as was my duty； to find it indeed was gone； boat； dock； water； fish and all； leaving nothing but a muddy hole。
…Constable Clarke； October 6；1921
Honolulu； Hawaii
POSTQUILT： WEDNESDAY； 3：25 A。M。 AHT
The moon photos were spread all over Dr。 Wang's office； Carrollee and Emmett had divided them up for a