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m； looking down to avoid eye contact。 Ellen knew he was in pain； some of it physical； but most of it emotional。 He hated needing their help；
After a few minutes； Cubby took charge again。
〃Let's get going。 Maybe we can still make it to my house。〃
〃Your house？〃 Ellen asked。 She was puzzled。 Could Cubby's house be in this primeval forest somewhere？ 〃Your house is still here？〃
〃It's over that way a few miles。 We saw my dad's church yesterday； isn't that right； John？〃
John responded with a reluctant nod； and Ellen realized there was something her son was holding back。 Ellen looked around the woods。 It was like nothing she'd ever known。 Some of the trees were the size of the biggest redwoods in the nation； and there were thousands of them。 The plants were strangely unfamiliar； and the insect and small animal life seemed alien from an ancient world； one ruled by dinosaurs and gone for sixty…five million years。 Yet Cubby talked of going home； home to a parsonage。 The impossibility of what had happened hit her hard。
〃Well； if you're sure it's there； and it's not too far； I guess we should head for it。〃
She said it without conviction。 Her own inclination was to make directly for the nearest piece of confirmed civilization。 At last Ripman lifted his eyes and used the good one to stare at Cubby。
〃I wouldn't say it's there； and I wouldn't say it's not there；〃 he muttered thickly through his swollen lips。
Cubby turned on him angrily。
〃I'm not buying that rapture crapola of yours； Cubby；〃 Ripman continued； 〃I'm just telling you what I've seen。 I've seen Portland too； I've seen it e and go。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 Cubby snarled in his deepest voice。
〃It means what it means。 Sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not。 Even if it is there it doesn't look right。〃
〃I saw it。 John saw it。〃
〃That right； John？〃 Ripman turned his good eye to John； defying him to support Cubby。 〃Did it look all right to you？〃
〃It was there 。 。 。 but it was 。 。 。 hazy。〃
〃See； John saw it。 Now give it a rest； Ripman； we're going to my place。〃
Ripman turned his head back and forth； reading facial expressions with his good eye。
〃If it's there why haven't we run into any of the people from Portland？〃
〃It's too far away； that's why。〃 Cubby spoke with conviction； but no one shared his certainty。
〃It's not that far away。 You're sitting on Mount Tabor。〃
Cubby's eyes went wide and he mouthed 〃Mount Tabor〃 silently。 Ellen had been to Cubby's church on several occasions； and she knew it was on the hill just south of Mount Tabor。 Now； Ripman stood and threw a rock into the forest。
〃That means your house is about that far away。 You see your house？ Your church？ It's gone； Cubby； gone。 Get used to it。 Better yet； get out of here。 You don't belong here； none of you do。 Get out of here before you get me killed。〃
Ripman collapsed back onto the ground； pulled his knees to his chest； burying his head between his knees。 Ellen impulsively reached out to put her arm around him but held back。 Her gesture would only add to his pain。 Ellen didn't know how to fort Cubby either。 She only knew that it was time to get out of the forest。
She turned to John to ask for his support； but a new noise pulled their attention to the sky…the distinctive thump； thump； thump of a helicopter； flying low。 She； John； and Cubby spread out looking for a thin spot in the canopy to attract the attention of the pilot。 Ripman remained under the tree with his head between his knees。 The thumping got louder when the helicopter was nearly overhead。 Then leaves began fluttering out of the trees； hundreds of them； blocking her view。 As they drifted toward her she realized these were long elongated leaves； and that evergreens have needles； not leaves。
The whirling blades were directly above them when the first of the leaves drifted down to head height。 Suddenly the leaf changed course and swooped to Ellen's shoulder。 She turned to find an eight…inch lizard staring her in the face； its tongue slithering in and out。 It was a mottled green with a brown bone collar around its neck。 Spines； extending from its neck on either side； were folded flat along its body。 Screaming； Ellen knocked it from her shoulder； but its claws snagged her blouse and it hung upside down by its back legs。 Then it extended the spines from its side； stretching the attached webbing wide。 Its claws released and it rolled and glided to the ground； reared on its back legs and ran into the underbrush。 Other lizards landed nearby and ran off； some scrambling up trees and disappearing into the foliage。 Another scored a direct hit on Ellen's head； its claws enmeshed in her hair。 Ellen； in panic； tried to pull it free； and when it came loose with a hunk of hair in each fist； Ellen flung it to the ground； where it ran off with the others。 The lizard flights diminished； and when the air raid ended the helicopter was gone。
Tears filled Ellen's eyes。 She resolved then and there to take no steps that didn't lead out of this hell。 She saw the same desire in her son。 Cubby looked mostly confused； and Ripman was still hiding his emotions。 Ellen regarded the boys in a new light。 They were still young in many ways； struggling for an identity； not sure of their direction。 She had depended on them； and they had saved her。 Ripman had tried to save Angie too； he'd been remarkable； and so had her son。 But now they needed her。 She was going to lead them out of there。
Before she could act； she heard a new sound； growing louder。 Cubby and John looked at each other accusingly。
〃It was your bike；〃 Cubby said。
〃Uh…uh！ It was yours；〃 John replied defensively。
Ellen didn't have time to ask what they were talking about。 Cubby pulled Ripman to his feet and into the forest while John grabbed her arm and dragged her along behind。 The sound grew loud enough for her to recognize。 It was a motorcycle。
63。 OSCILLATIONS
Einstein's failure to explain time's arrow 。 。 。 is closely linked to the concept of causality 。 。 。 the notion that effects never precede their causes。 Consider a world in which causality is violated； it might mean that a pebble could levitate off the ground so that you could grasp it； worse than that； you might be struck down by a stone before it fell； or kill your own grandmother before you were born。
…Peter Coveney and Roger Highfield； the Arrow of Time
Washington； D。C。
POSTQUILT： WEDNESDAY； 1：15 P。M。 EST
The PresNet was rich with data now。 Scientists who had been absent from their labs studying local phenomena were back on…line providing reports。 They were still mostly descriptive but some included analysis and theorizing。 Unidentified plant life； unusual microscopic sea life； dinosaur sightings…the reports went on and on。 They were fascinating and seductive but Nick needed to concentrate on cause； not effects； so he programmed his puter to screen for messages on Gomez's theory。
That theory was receiving both support and criticism。 A physicist at the University of Virginia had organized mentary into confirming responses and invalidating arguments。 Nick skimmed the listings； but there was none for E。 Puglisi。 A few minutes later a messenger delivered an envelope。
It was from E。 Puglisi。 Nick tore it open and extracted a thick stack of photos and a two…page typed report。 Puglisi wrote in an efficient style and； like a good science writer； began with a summary of the entire report。 Nick read the summary； excitement building with each word。 When he finished； he dropped the report and thumbed through the pictures； finding the photo the summary referred to but unable to see the details。 His hands shaking nervously； he brought a magnifying glass down over the crater named Flamsteed until it came into focus。 There it was。
Nick leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling； trying to take in the implications。 He had been somewhat vague when he asked Puglisi to make the survey； but Puglisi had immediately taken the initiative。 Puglisi's report noted that he and his colleague Chen…Slater had reasoned that only three types of changes to an airless body like the moon could be passed from the future to the present。 Changes from internal events； like moonquakes。 Changes from celestial events； like meteorite impact。 Or man…made change。 Puglisi and Chen…Slater found only the third kind。
Nick leaned back over the photo to make sure he hadn't imagined it。 It was there； in the crater。 A rectangular structure； so symmetrical and sharp…edged there was no confusing it with natural phenomena。 Something from the future was now on the moon。 What could it be？ Nick wondered； his mind racing through endless possibilities。 Most likely； he thought； it's part of a permanent moon base。 But in the future we would know the time displacement was going to occur。 Knowing that； wouldn't we take steps to make sure a base would not be constructed in a location to be displaced？ Or at least built under the surface； where the effect doesn't seem to carry？ Of course it could be from such a far future that civilization had lost its collective memory for this time。 Perhaps civilization collapses； only to rise again。 Or perhaps the structure was placed there deliberately to travel to