Footprints of Thunder

by James F. David

  The apatosaurus walked purposefully along the beach, its head held high, its gait slow but steady. When it cleared the point coming fully into view, another appeared behind the first. The second was only a little smaller and walked with the same steady pace. Petra and Colter watched in awe as the majestic monsters moved down the beach toward them, the sun setting into the sea behind, creating an orange backdrop. A third apatosaurus appeared behind the second, and then more, each descending in size, all following the mighty beast in the lead.

  “It looks like a bizarre circus parade,” Petra said.

  “Where do you think they’re going?” Colter asked.

  “South, I guess. Instinctively heading for the warm weather.”

  “Should we go too?”

  “No, Colter. Let’s watch for a while.”

  Colter put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. They stood like that until dark, watching the new world go by.

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Dramatis Personae

  Prologue: Corn Fall

  PreQuilt

  1. Residence Hall

  2. The Entrepreneur

  3. Gun In The Dark

  4. Offshore

  5. Hostages

  6. Kid With A Gun

  7. Chicken Little Summer

  8. Cave Crisis

  Time Quilt

  9. Mariel Weatherby

  10. The Group

  11. Pig Pile

  12. Road Games

  13. Flight Delay

  14. Tidal Wave

  15. Coop

  PostQuilt

  16. The President

  17. Science Advisor

  18. The Meadow

  19. Security Council

  20. Into The Forest

  21. Iguanodon

  22. Little Ones

  23. Mountain Mystery

  24. Rogues’ Gallery

  25. Cubby and John

  26. Streets Of The New World

  27. Flowers From The Sky

  28. The Brood

  29. Life In The Forest

  30. Debris

  31. Luis

  32. Puglisi

  33. Hunted

  34. Time Waves

  35. Ellen and Angie

  36. Jaws

  37. Sea Monster

  38. Friends

  39. Black Ripple

  40. First Kills

  41. Pursuit

  42. The President and Gogh

  43. Unfinished Business

  44. Ocean Ride

  45. Contribution

  46. Operation Mend

  47. Death For Dinner

  48. Big Bird

  49. Prehistoric Shore

  50. Rescue

  51. The Mean Bird

  52. Tropical Snow

  53. Modern Death

  54. The Den

  55. Pat and Patty

  56. Mariel From The Window

  57. Moonscape

  58. The Guys

  59. The Toolmaker

  60. Guard Duty

  61. Helicopter

  62. Captured

  63. Oscillations

  64. Landfall

  65. Magic Mountain

  66. Noah’s Raven

  67. Out Of The Pit

  68. Choices

  The New World

  69. Beach House

  70. The New Country