小说园

第30部分（第1页）

＇＇199＇＇　〃I　dont　know。　They　might　be。〃

〃Lets　get　going；〃　Norman　said。

He　tasted　the　dry　metallic　pressed　air　inside　his　helmet　and　felt　the　numbing　cold　of　the　water　as　he　slid　through　the　floor　hatch　and　fell　in　darkness　to　the　soft　muddy　bottom。　Moments　later；　Beth　landed　just　behind　him。

〃Okay？〃　she　said。

〃Fine。〃

〃I　dont　see　any　jellyfish；〃　she　said。

〃No。　Neither　do　I。〃

They　moved　out　from　beneath　the　habitat；　turned；　and　looked　back。　The　habitat　lights　shone　harshly　into　their　eyes；　obscuring　the　outlines　of　the　cylinders　rising　above。　They　could　clearly　hear　the　rhythmic　thumping；　but　they　still　could　not　locate　the　source　of　the　sound。　They　walked　beneath　the　stanchions　to　the　far　side　of　the　habitat；　squinting　into　the　lights。

〃There；〃　Beth　said。

Ten　feet　above　them；　a　blue…suited　figure　was　wedged　in　a　light　stand　bracket。　The　body　moved　loosely　in　the　current；　the　bright…yellow　helmet　banging　intermittently　against　the　wall　of　the　habitat。

〃Can　you　see　who　it　is？〃　Beth　said。

〃No。〃　The　lights　were　shining　directly　in　his　face。　Norman　climbed　up　one　of　the　heavy　supporting　stanchions　that　anchored　the　habitat　to　the　bottom。　The　metal　surface　was　covered　with　a　slippery　brown　algae。　His　boots　kept　sliding　off　the　pipes　until　finally　he　saw　that　there　were　built…in　indented　footholds。　Then　he　climbed　easily。

Now　the　feet　of　the　body　were　swinging　just　above　his　head。　Norman　climbed　another　step；　and　one　of　the　boots　caught　in　the　loop　of　the　air　hose　that　ran　from　his　tank　pack　to　his　helmet。　He　reached　behind　his　helmet；　trying　to　free　himself　from　the　body。　The　body　shivered；　and　for　an　awful　moment　he　thought　it　was　still　alive。　Then　the　boot　came　free　in　his　hand；　and　a　naked　foot…gray　flesh；　purple　toenails…kicked　his　faceplate。　A　moment　of　nausea　quickly　passed：　＇＇200＇＇　Norman　had　seen　too　many　airplane　crashes　to　be　bothered　by　this。　He　dropped　the　boot；　watched　it　drift　down　to　Beth。　He　tugged　on　the　leg　of　the　corpse。　He　felt　a　mushy　softness　to　the　leg；　and　the　body　came　free；　it　gently　drifted　down。　He　grabbed　the　shoulder；　again　feeling　softness。　He　turned　the　body　so　he　could　see　the　face。

〃Its　Levy。〃

Her　helmet　was　filled　with　water；　behind　the　faceplate　he　saw　staring　eyes；　open　mouth；　an　expression　of　horror。

〃I　got　her；〃　Beth　said；　pulling　the　body　down。　Then　she　said；　〃Jesus。〃

Norman　climbed　back　down　the　stanchion。　Beth　was　moving　the　body　away　from　the　habitat；　into　the　lighted　area　beyond。

〃Shes　all　soft。　Its　like　every　bone　in　her　body　was　broken。〃

〃I　know。〃　He　moved　out　into　the　light；　joined　her。　He　felt　a　strange　detachment；　a　coldness　and　a　remove。　He　had　known　this　woman；　she　had　been　alive　just　a　short　time　before；　now　she　was　dead。　But　it　was　as　if　he　were　viewing　it　all　from　a　great　distance。

He　turned　Levys　body　over。　On　the　left　side　was　a　long　tear　in　the　fabric　of　the　suit。　He　had　a　glimpse　of　red　mangled　flesh。　Norman　bent　to　inspect　it。　〃An　accident？〃

〃I　dont　think　so；〃　Beth　said。

〃Here。　Hold　her。〃　Norman　lifted　up　the　edges　of　suit　fabric。　Several　separate　tears　met　at　a　central　point。　〃Its　actually　torn　in　a　star　pattern；〃　he　said。　〃You　see？〃

She　stepped　back。　〃I　see；　yes。〃

〃What　would　cause　that；　Beth？〃

〃I　dont…Im　not　sure。〃

Beth　stepped　farther　back。　Norman　was　looking　into　the　tear；　at　the　body　beneath　the　suit。　〃The　flesh　is　macerated。〃

〃Macerated？〃

〃Chewed。〃

〃Jesus。〃

Yes；　definitely　chewed；　he　thought；　probing　inside　the　tear。　The　wound　was　peculiar：　there　were　fine；　jagged　serrations　in　＇＇201＇＇　the　flesh。　Thin　pale…red　trickles　of　blood　drifted　up　past　his　faceplate。

〃Lets　go　back；〃　Beth　said。

〃Just　hang　on。〃　Norman　squeezed　the　body　at　legs；　hips；　shoulders。　Everywhere　it　was　soft；　like　a　sponge。　The　body　had　been　somehow　almost　entirely　crushed。　He　could　feel　the　leg　bones；　broken　in　many　places。　What　could　have　done　that？　He　went　back　to　the　wound。

〃I　dont　like　it　out　here；〃　Beth　said；　tense。

〃Just　a　second。〃

At　first　inspection；　he　had　thought　Levys　wound　represented　some　sort　of　bite；　but　now　he　wasnt　sure。　〃Her　skin；〃　Norman　said。　〃Its　like　a　rough　file　has　gone　over　it…〃