Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第50部分

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　scrambled　back；　ing　up　against　a　large　potted　plant。　The　tentacle　was　still　searching；　moving　restlessly　across　the　floor；　banging　the　pans。　Norman　pushed　the　plant　forward；　and　the　tentacle　gripped　it；　uprooted　it　easily；　sweeping　it　away　into　the　air。
The　distraction　allowed　Norman　to　scramble　forward。　A　weapon；　he　thought。　A　weapon。
He　looked　down　to　where　the　mattress　had　fallen；　and　he　saw；　lining　the　wall　near　the　bottom　hatch；　a　series　of　silver　vertical　bars。　Spear　guns！　Somehow　he　had　missed　them　on　the　way　up。　Each　spear　gun　was　tipped　in　a　fat　bulb　like　a　hand　grenade。　Explosive　tips？　He　started　to　climb　down。
The　tentacles　were　sliding　down；　too；　following　him。　How　did　the　squid　know　where　he　was？　And　then；　as　he　passed　a　＇＇244＇＇　porthole；　he　saw　the　eye　outside　and　he　thought；　He　can　see　me；　for　God's　sake。
Stay　away　from　the　portholes。
Not　thinking　clearly。　Everything　happening　fast。　Crawling　down　past　the　explosive　crates　in　the　storage　hold；　thinking；　I　better　not　miss　in　here；　and　he　landed　with　a　clang　on　the　airlock　deck。
The　arms　were　slithering　down；　moving　down　the　cylinder　toward　him。　He　tugged　at　one　of　the　spear　guns。　It　was　strapped　to　the　wall　with　a　rubber　cord。　Norman　pulled　at　it；　tried　to　release　it。　The　tentacles　drew　closer。　He　yanked　at　the　rubber；　but　it　wouldn't　release。　What　was　wrong　with　these　snaps？
The　tentacles　were　closer。　ing　down　swiftly。
Then　he　realized　the　cords　had　safety　catches：　you　had　to　pull　the　guns　sideways；　not　out。　He　did；　the　rubber　popped　free。　The　spear　gun　was　in　his　hand。　He　turned；　and　the　tentacle　knocked　him　down。　He　flipped　onto　his　back　and　saw　the　great　flat　suckered　palm　of　the　tentacle　ing　straight　down　on　him；　and　the　tentacle　wrapped　over　his　helmet；　everything　was　black；　and　he　fired。
There　was　tremendous　pain　in　his　chest　and　abdomen。　For　a　horrified　moment　he　thought　he　had　shot　himself。　Then　he　gasped　and　he　realized　it　was　just　the　concussion；　his　chest　was　burning；　but　the　squid　released　him。
He　still　couldn't　see。　He　pulled　the　palm　off　his　face　and　it　fell　heavily　onto　the　deck；　writhing；　severed　from　the　squid　arm。　The　interior　walls　of　the　habitat　were　splattered　with　blood。　One　tentacle　was　still　moving；　the　other　was　a　bloody；　ragged　stump。　Both　arms　pulled　out　through　the　hatch；　slipped　into　the　water。
Norman　ran　for　the　porthole；　the　squid　moved　swiftly　away；　the　green　glow　diminishing。　He　had　done　it！　He'd　beaten　it　off。
He'd　done　it。

DH…8

〃How　many　did　you　bring？〃　Harry　said；　turning　the　spear　gun　over　in　his　hands。
〃Five；〃　Norman　said。　〃That　was　all　I　could　carry。〃
〃But　it　worked？〃　He　was　examining　the　bulbous　explosive　tip。
〃Yeah；　it　worked。　Blew　the　whole　tentacle　off。〃
〃I　saw　the　squid　going　away；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　figured　you　must　have　done　something。〃
〃Where's　Beth？〃
〃I　don't　know。　Her　suit's　gone。　I　think　she　may　have　gone　to　the　ship。〃
〃Gone　to　the　ship？〃　Norman　said；　frowning。
〃All　I　know　is；　when　I　woke　up　she　was　gone。　I　figured　you　were　over　at　the　habitat；　and　then　I　saw　the　squid；　and　I　tried　to　get　you　on　the　radio　but　I　guess　the　metal　blocked　the　transmission。〃
〃Beth　left？〃　Norman　said。　He　was　starting　to　get　angry。　Beth　was　supposed　to　stay　at　the　munications　console；　watching　the　sensors　for　him　while　he　was　outside。　Instead；　she　had　gone　to　the　ship？
〃Her　suit's　gone；〃　Harry　said　again。
〃Son　of　a　bitch！〃　Norman　said。　He　was　suddenly　furious…really；　deeply　furious。　He　kicked　the　console。
〃Careful　there；〃　Harry　said。
〃Damn　it！〃
〃Take　it　easy；〃　Harry　said；　〃e　on；　take　it　easy；　Norman。〃
〃What　the　hell　does　she　think　she's　doing？〃
〃e　on；　sit　down；　Norman。〃　Harry　steered　him　to　a　chair。　〃We're　all　tired。〃
〃Damn　right　we're　tired！〃
〃Easy；　Norman；　easy　。。。　Remember　your　blood　pressure。〃
〃My　blood　pressure's　fine！〃
〃Not　now；　it's　not；〃　Harry　said。　〃You're　purple。〃
〃How　could　she　let　me　go　outside　and　then　just　leave？〃
＇＇246＇＇　〃Worse；　go　out　herself；〃　Harry　said。
〃But　she　wasn't　watching　out　for　me　any　more；〃　Norman　said。　And　then　it　came　to　him；　why　he　was　so　angry…he　was　angry　because　he　was　afraid。　At　a　moment　of　great　personal　danger；　Beth　had　abandoned　him。　There　were　only　three　of　them　left　down　there；　and　they　needed　each　other…they　needed　to　depend　on　each　other。　But　Beth　was　unreliable；　and　that　made　him　afraid。　And　angry。
〃Can　you　hear　me？〃　her　voice　said；　on　the　inter。　〃Anybody　hear　me？〃
Norman　reached　for　the　microphone；　but　Harry　snatched　it　away。　〃I'll　do　this；〃　he　said。　〃Yes；　Beth；　we　can　hear　you。〃
〃I'm　in　the　ship；〃　she　said；　her　voice　crackling　on　the　inter。　〃I've　found　another　partment；　aft；　behind　the　crew　bunks。　It's　quite　interesting。〃
Quite　interesting；　Norman　thought。　Jesus；　quite　interesting。　He　grabbed　the　microphone　from　Harry。　〃Beth；　what　the　hell　are　you　doing　over　there？〃
〃Oh；　hi；　Norman。　You　made　it　back　okay；　huh？〃
〃Barely。〃
〃You　have　some　trouble？〃　She　didn't　sound　concerned。
〃Yes；　I　did。〃
〃Are　you　all　right？　You　sound　mad。〃
〃You　bet　I'm　mad。　Beth；　why　did　you　leave　while　I　was　out　there？〃
〃Harry　said　he'd　take　over　for　me。〃
〃He　what？〃　Norman　looked　at　Harry。　Harry　was　shaking　his　head　no。
〃Harry　said　he'd　take　over　at　the　console　for　me。　He　told　me　to　go　ahead　to　the　ship。　Since　the　squid　wasn't　around；　it　seemed　like　a　good　time。〃
Norman　cupped　his　hand　over　microphone。　〃I　don't　the　remember　that；〃　Harry　said。
〃Did　you　talk　to　her？〃
〃I　don't　remember　talking　to　her。〃
Beth　said；　〃Just　ask　him；　Norman。　He'll　tell　you。〃
〃He　says　he　never　said　that。〃
〃Well；　then；　he's　full　of　it；〃　Beth　said。　〃What　do　you　think；　I'd　abandon　you　when　you　were　outside；　for　Christ's　sake？〃　＇＇247＇＇　There　was　a　pause。　〃I'd　never　do　that；　Norman。〃
〃I　swear；〃　Harry　said　to　Norman。　〃I　never　had　any　conversation　with　Beth。　I　never　talked　to　her　at　all。　I'm　telling　you；　she　was　gone　when　I　woke　up。　There　was　nobody　here。　If　you　ask　me；　she　always　intended　to　go　to　the　ship。〃
Norman　remembered　how　quickly　Beth　had　agreed　to　let　Norman　go　to　the　sub；　how　surprised　he　had　been。　Perhaps　Harry　was　right；　he　thought。　Perhaps　Beth　had　been　planning　it　all　along。
〃You　know　what　I　think？〃　Harry　said。　〃I　think　she's　cracking　up。〃
Over　the　inter；　Beth　said；　〃You　guys　get　it　straightened　out？〃
Norman　said；　〃I　think　so；　Beth；　yes。〃
〃Good；〃　Beth　said。　〃Because　I　have　made　a　discovery　over　here；　in　the　spaceship。〃
〃What's　that？〃
〃I've　found　the　crew。〃


〃You　both　came；〃　Beth　said。　She　was　sitting　on　a　console　in　the　fortable　beige　flight　deck　of　the　spacecraft。　〃Yes；〃　Norman　said；　looking　at　her。　She　looked　okay。　If　anything；　she　looked　better　than　ever。　Stronger；　clearer。　She　actually　looked　rather　beautiful；　he　thought。　〃Harry　thought　that　the　squid　wouldn't　e　back。〃
〃The　squid　was　out　there？〃
Norman　briefly　told　her　about　his　attack。
〃Jesus。　I'm　sorry；　Norman。　I'd　never　have　left　if　I　had　any　idea。〃
She　certainly　didn't　sound　like　somebody　who　was　cracking　up；　Norman　thought。　She　sounded　appropriate　and　sincere。　〃Anyway；〃　he　said；　〃I　injured　it；　and　Harry　thought　it　wouldn't　e　back。〃
Harry　said；　〃And　we　couldn't　decide　who　should　stay　behind；　so　we　both　came。〃
〃Well；　e　this　way；〃　Beth　said。　She　led　them　back；　through　the　crew　quarters；　past　the　twenty　bunks　for　the　＇＇248＇＇　crew；　the　large　galley。　Norman　paused　at　the　galley。　So　did　Harry。
〃I'm　hungry；〃　Harry　said。
〃Eat　something；〃　Beth　said。　〃I　did。　They　have　some　sort　of　nut　bars　or　something；　they　taste　okay。〃　She　opened　a　drawer　in　the　galley；　produced　bars　wrapped　in　metal　foil；　gave　them　each　one。　Norman　tore　the　foil　and　saw　something　that　looked　like　chocolate。　It　tasted　dry。
〃Anything　to　drink？〃
〃Sure。〃　She　threw　open　a　refrigerator　door。　〃Diet　Coke？〃
〃You're　kidding。　。。。。。
〃The　can　design　is　different；　and　I'm　afraid　it's　warm；　but　it's　Diet　Coke；　all　right。〃
〃I'm　buying　stock　in　that　pany；〃　Harry　said。　〃Now　that　we　know　it'll　still　be　there　in　fifty　years。〃　He　read　the　can。　〃Official　drink　of　the　Star　Voyager　Expedition。〃
〃Yeah；　it's　a　promo；〃　Beth　said。
Harry　turned　the　can　around。　The　other　side　was　printed　in　Japanese。　〃Wonder　what　this　means？〃
〃It　means；　don't　buy　that　stock　after　all；〃　she　said。　Norman　sipped　the　Coke　with　a　sense　of　vague　unease。　The　galley　seemed　subtly　changed　from　the　last　tim