Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第62部分

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pain　＇＇306＇＇　somewhere。　Rust　very　close　to　his　face；　a　sharp　edge　of　metal。　Cold　metal。　Cold　air。　Lights　in　his　eyes；　dimming。　Fading。　Blackness。


The　sensation　of　warmth　was　pleasant。　He　heard　a　hissing　roar　in　his　ears。　He　looked　up　and　saw　Beth；　out　of　her　suit；　looming　large　above　him；　adjusting　the　big　space　heater；　turning　the　power　up。　She　was　still　shivering；　but　she　was　turning　up　the　heat。　He　closed　his　eyes。　We　made　it；　he　thought。　We're　still　together。　We're　still　okay。　We　made　it。　He　relaxed。
There　was　a　crawly　sensation　over　his　body。　From　the　cold；　he　thought；　his　body　warming　from　the　cold。　The　crawly　sensation　was　not　pleasant。　And　the　hissing　was　not　pleasant；　either；　it　was　sibilant；　intermittent。
Something　slithered　softly　under　his　chin　as　he　lay　on　the　deck。　He　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　a　silvery　white　tube；　and　then　he　focused　and　saw　the　tiny　beady　eyes；　and　the　flicking　tongue。　It　was　a　snake。
A　sea　snake。
He　froze。　He　looked　down；　moving　only　his　eyes。　His　entire　body　was　covered　with　white　snakes。
The　crawly　sensation　came　from　dozens　of　snakes；　coiling　around　his　ankles；　sliding　between　his　legs；　over　his　chest。　He　felt　a　cool　slithering　motion　across　his　forehead。　He　closed　his　eyes；　feeling　horror　as　the　snake　body　moved　over　his　face；　down　his　nose；　brushed　over　his　lips；　then　moved　away。
He　listened　to　the　hissing　of　the　reptiles　and　thought　of　how　poisonous　Beth　had　said　they　were。　Beth；　he　thought；　where　is　Beth？
He　did　not　move。　He　felt　snakes　coiling　around　his　neck；　slipping　over　his　shoulder；　sliding　between　the　fingers　of　his　hands。　He　did　not　want　to　open　his　eyes。　He　felt　a　surge　of　nausea。
God；　he　thought。　I'm　going　to　throw　up。
He　felt　snakes　under　his　armpit；　and　felt　snakes　slipping　past　his　groin。　He　burst　into　a　cold　sweat。　He　fought　nausea。　Beth；　he　thought。　He　did　not　want　to　speak。　Beth　。。。
＇＇307＇＇　He　listened　to　the　hissing　and　then；　when　he　couldn't　stand　it　any　more；　he　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　the　mass　of　coiling；　writhing　white　flesh；　the　tiny　heads；　the　flicking　forked　tongues。　He　closed　his　eyes　again。
He　felt　one　crawling　up　the　leg　of　his　jumpsuit；　moving　against　his　bare　skin。
〃Don't　move；　Norman。〃
It　was　Beth。　He　could　hear　the　tension　in　her　voice。　He　looked　up；　could　not　see　her；　only　her　shadow。
He　heard　her　say；　〃Oh　God；　what　time　is　it？〃　and　he　thought；　The　hell　with　the　time；　who　cares　what　time　it　is？　It　didn't　make　any　sense　to　him。　〃I　have　to　know　the　time；〃　Beth　was　saying。　He　heard　her　feet　moving　on　the　deck。　〃The　time　。。。〃
She　was　moving　away；　leaving　him！
The　snakes　slid　over　his　ears；　under　his　chin；　past　his　nostrils；　the　bodies　damp　and　slithering。
Then　he　heard　her　feet　on　the　deck；　and　a　metallic　clang　as　she　threw　open　the　hatch。　He　opened　his　eyes　to　see　her　bending　over　him；　grabbing　the　snakes　in　great　handfuls；　throwing　them　down　the　hatch　into　the　water。　Snakes　writhed　in　her　hands；　twisted　around　her　wrists；　but　she　shook　them　off；　tossed　them　aside。　Some　of　the　snakes　didn't　land　in　the　water　and　coiled　on　the　deck。　But　most　of　the　snakes　were　off　his　body　now。
One　more　crawling　up　his　leg；　toward　his　groin。　He　felt　it　moving　quickly　backward…she　was　pulling　it　out　by　the　tail！
〃Jesus；　careful…〃
The　snake　was　out；　flung　over　her　shoulder。
〃You　can　get　up；　Norman；〃　she　said。
He　jumped　to　his　feet；　and　promptly　vomited。

0700　HOURS

He　had　a　murderous；　pounding　headache。　It　made　the　habitat　lights　seem　unpleasantly　bright。　And　he　was　cold。　Beth　had　wrapped　him　in　blankets　and　had　moved　him　next　to　the　big　space　heaters　in　D　Cyl；　so　close　that　the　hum　of　the　electrical　elements　was　very　loud　in　his　ears；　but　he　was　still　cold。　He　looked　down　at　her　now；　as　she　bandaged　his　cut　knee。
〃How　is　it？〃　he　said。
〃Not　good；〃　she　said。　〃It's　right　down　to　the　bone。　But　you'll　be　all　right。　It's　only　a　few　more　hours　now。〃
〃Yes；　I…ouch！〃
〃Sorry。　Almost　done。〃　Beth　was　following　first…aid　directions　from　the　puter。　To　distract　his　mind　from　the　pain；　he　read　the　screen。

MINOR　MEDICAL　（NON…LETHAL）　PLICATIONS

7。113　Trauma　
7。115　Microsleep
7。118　Helium　Tremor
7。119　Otitis
7。121　Toxic　Contaminants
7。143　Synovial　Pain

Choose　one：

〃That's　what　I　need；〃　he　said。　〃Some　microsleep。　Or　better　yet；　some　serious　macrosleep。〃
〃Yes；　we　all　do。〃
A　thought　occurred　to　him。　〃Beth；　remember　when　you　were　pulling　the　snakes　off　me？　What　was　all　that　you　were　saying　about　the　time　of　day？〃
〃Sea　snakes　are　diurnal；〃　Beth　said。　〃Many　poisonous　snakes　are　alternately　aggressive　and　passive　in　twelve…hour　cycles；　corresponding　to　day　and　night。　During　the　day；　when　they're　passive；　you　can　handle　them　and　they　will　＇＇309＇＇　never　bite。　For　example；　in　India；　the　highly　poisonous　banded　krait　has　never　been　known　to　bite　during　the　day；　even　when　children　play　with　them。　But　at　night；　watch　out。　So　I　was　trying　to　determine　which　cycle　the　sea　snakes　were　on；　until　I　decided　that　this　must　be　their　passive　daytime　cycle。〃
〃How'd　you　figure　that？〃
〃Because　you　were　still　alive。〃　Then　she　had　used　her　bare　hands　to　remove　the　snakes；　knowing　that　they　wouldn't　bite　her；　either。
〃With　your　hands　full　of　snakes；　you　looked　like　Medusa。〃
〃What　is　that；　a　rock　star？〃
〃No；　it's　a　mythological　figure。〃
〃The　one　who　killed　her　children？〃　she　asked；　with　a　quick　suspicious　glance。　Beth；　ever　alert　to　a　veiled　insult。
〃No；　that's　somebody　else。　That　was　Medea。　Medusa　was　a　mythical　woman　with　a　head　full　of　snakes　who　turned　men　to　stone　if　they　looked　at　her。　Perseus　killed　her　by　looking　at　her　reflection　in　his　polished　shield。〃
〃Sorry；　Norman。　Not　my　field。〃
It　was　remarkable；　he　thought；　that　at　one　time　every　educated　Western　person　knew　these　figures　from　mythology　and　the　stories　behind　them　intimately…as　intimately　as　they　knew　the　stories　of　families　and　friends。　Myths　had　once　represented　the　mon　knowledge　of　humanity；　and　they　served　as　a　kind　of　map　of　consciousness。
But　now　a　well…educated　person　such　as　Beth　knew　nothing　of　myths　at　all。　It　was　as　if　men　had　decided　that　the　map　of　human　consciousness　had　changed。　But　had　it　really　changed？　He　shivered。
〃Still　cold；　Norman？〃
〃Yeah。　But　the　worst　thing　is　the　headache。〃
〃You're　probably　dehydrated。　Let's　see　if　I　can　find　something　for　you　to　drink。〃　She　went　to　the　first…aid　box　on　the　wall。
〃You　know；　that　was　a　hell　of　a　thing　you　did；〃　Beth　said。　〃Jumping　in　like　that　without　a　suit。　That　water's　only　a　couple　of　degrees　above　freezing。　It　was　very　brave。　Stupid；　but　brave。〃　She　smiled。　〃You　saved　my　life；　Norman。〃
＇＇310＇＇　〃I　didn't　think；〃　Norman　said。　〃I　just　did　it。〃　And　then　he　told　her　how；　when　he　had　seen　her　outside；　with　the　churning　cloud　of　sediment　approaching　her；　he　had　felt　an　old　and　childish　horror；　something　from　distant　memory。
〃You　know　what　it　was？〃　he　said。　〃It　reminded　me　of　the　tornado　in　The　Wizard　of　Oz。　That　tornado　scared　the　bejesus　out　of　me　when　I　was　a　kid。　I　just　didn't　want　to　see　it　happen　again。〃
And　then　he　thought；　Perhaps　these　are　our　new　myths。　Dorothy　and　Toto　and　the　Wicked　Witch；　Captain　Nemo　and　the　giant　squid　。。。
〃Well；〃　Beth　said；　〃whatever　the　reason；　you　saved　my　life。　Thank　you。〃
〃Any　time；〃　Norman　said。　He　smiled。　〃Just　don't　do　it　again。〃
〃No；　I　won't　be　going　out　again。〃
She　brought　back　a　drink　in　a　paper　cup。　It　was　syrupy　and　sweet。
〃What　is　this？〃
〃Isotonic　glucose　supplement。　Drink　it。〃
He　sipped　it　again；　but　it　was　unpleasantly　sweet。　Across　the　room；　the　console　screen　still　said　I　WILL　KILL　YOU　NOW。　He　looked　at　Harry；　still　unconscious；　with　the　intravenous　line　running　into　his　arm。
Harry　had　been　unconscious　all　this　time。
He　hadn't　faced　the　implications　of　that。　It　was　time　to　do　it　now。　He　didn't　want　to　do　it；　but　he　had　to。　He　said；　〃Beth；　why　do　you　think　all　this　is　happening？〃
〃All　what？〃
〃The　screen；　printing　words。　And　another　manifestation　ing　to　attack　us。〃
Beth　looked　at　him　in　a　flat；　neutral　way。　〃What　do　you　think；　Norman？〃
〃It's　not　Harry。〃
〃No。　It's　not。〃
〃Then　why　is　it　happening？〃　Norman　said。　He　got　up；　pulling　the　blankets　tighter　around　him。　He　flexed　his　bandaged　knee；　it　hurt；　but　not　too　badly。　Norman　moved　to　the　porthole　and　looked　out　the　window。　In　the　di