小说园

第34部分（第2页）

〃Off　the　metal！　Damn　it；　off　the　metal！〃　Fletcher　was　shouting；　and　they　stepped　onto　the　carpet　of　B　Cyl　and　she　threw　the　switch　on　the　Green　Box　and　there　was　a　hum　from　the　generators　and　the　red　heater　banks　dimmed　as　two　million　volts　of　electricity　surged　through　the　habitat。

The　response　was　instantaneous。　The　floor　rocked　under　their　feet　as　the　habitat　was　struck　by　an　enormous　force；　and　Norman　swore　he　heard　a　scream；　though　it　might　have　been　rending　metal；　and　the　tentacles　quickly　drew　down　out　of　the　airlock。　They　had　a　last　glimpse　of　Teds　body　as　it　was　pulled　into　the　inky　water　and　Fletcher　yanked　down　the　lever　on　the　Green　Box。　But　the　alarms　had　already　begun　to　sound；　and　the　warning　boards　lit　up。

〃Fire！〃　Fletcher　shouted。　〃Fire　in　E　Cyl！〃

Fletcher　gave　them　gas　masks；　Normans　kept　slipping　down　his　forehead；　obscuring　his　vision。　By　the　time　＇＇229＇＇　they　reached　D　Cylinder；　the　smoke　was　dense。　They　coughed　and　stumbled；　banged　into　the　consoles。

〃Stay　low；〃　Tina　shouted；　dropping　to　her　knees。　She　was　leading　the　way；　Fletcher　had　stayed　behind　in　B。

Up　ahead；　an　angry　red　glow　outlined　the　bulkhead　door　leading　to　E。　Tina　grabbed　an　extinguisher　and　went　through　the　door；　Norman　right　behind　her。　At　first　he　thought　the　entire　cylinder　was　burning。　Fierce　flames　licked　up　the　side　padding；　dense　clouds　of　smoke　boiled　toward　the　ceiling。　The　heat　was　almost　palpable。　Tina　swung　the　extinguisher　cylinder　around；　began　to　spray　white　foam。　In　the　light　of　the　fire　Norman　saw　another　extinguisher；　grabbed　it；　but　the　metal　was　burning　hot　and　he　dropped　it　to　the　floor。

〃Fire　in　D；〃　Fletcher　said　over　the　inter。　〃Fire　in　D。〃　Jesus；　Norman　thought。　Despite　the　mask；　he　coughed　in　the　acrid　smoke。　He　picked　the　extinguisher　off　the　floor　and　began　to　spray；　it　immediately　became　cooler。　Tina　shouted　to　him；　but　he　heard　nothing　except　the　roar　of　the　flames。　He　and　Tina　were　getting　the　fire　out；　but　there　was　still　a　large　burning　patch　near　one　porthole。　He　turned　away；　spraying　the　floor　burning　at　his　feet。

He　was　unprepared　for　the　explosion；　the　concussion　pounding　his　ears　painfully。　He　turned　and　saw　that　a　firehose　had　been　unleashed　in　the　room；　and　then　he　realized　that　one　of　the　small　portholes　had　blown　or　burned　out；　and　the　water　was　rushing　in　with　incredible　force。

He　couldnt　see　Tina；　then　he　saw　she　had　been　knocked　down；　she　got　to　her　feet；　shouting　something　at　Norman；　and　then　she　slipped　and　slid　back　into　the　hissing　stream　of　water。　It　picked　her　up　bodily　and　flung　her　so　hard　against　the　opposite　wall　that　he　knew　at　once　she　must　be　dead；　and　when　he　looked　down　he　saw　her　floating　face…down　in　the　water　rapidly　filling　the　room。　The　back　of　her　head　was　cut　open；　he　saw　the　pulpy　red　flesh　of　her　brain。

Norman　turned　and　fled。　Water　was　already　trickling　over　the　lip　of　the　bulkhead　as　he　slammed　the　heavy　door　shut；　spun　the　wheel　to　lock　it。

He　couldnt　see　anything　in　D；　the　smoke　was　worse　than　before。　He　saw　dim　patches　of　red　flame；　hazy　through　the　＇＇230＇＇　smoke。　He　heard　the　hiss　of　the　extinguishers。　Where　was　his　own　extinguisher？　He　must　have　left　it　in　E。　Like　a　blind　man　he　felt　along　the　walls　for　another　extinguisher；　coughing　in　the　smoke。　His　eyes　and　lungs　burned；　despite　the　mask。

And　then；　with　a　great　groan　of　metal；　the　pounding　started；　the　habitat　rocking　under　jolts　from　the　squid　outside。　He　heard　Fletcher　on　the　inter　but　her　voice　was　scratchy　and　unclear。　The　pounding　continued；　and　the　horrible　wrenching　of　metal。　And　Norman　thought；　Were　going　to　die。　This　time；　were　going　to　die。

He　couldnt　find　a　fire　extinguisher　but　his　hands　touched　something　metal　on　the　wall　and　Norman　felt　it　in　the　smoky　darkness；　wondering　what　it　was；　some　kind　of　protrusion；　and　then　two　million　volts　surged　through　his　limbs　into　his　body　and　he　screamed　once；　and　fell　backward。

AFTERMATH

He　was　staring　at　a　bank　of　lights　in　some　odd；　angled　perspective。　He　sat　up；　feeling　a　sharp　pain；　and　looked　around　him。　He　was　sitting　on　the　floor　in　D　Cylinder。　A　faint　smoky　haze　hung　in　the　air。　The　padded　walls　were　blackened　and　charred　in　several　places。

There　must　have　been　a　fire　here；　he　thought；　staring　at　the　damage　in　astonishment。　When　had　this　happened？　Where　had　he　been　at　the　time？

He　got　slowly　to　one　knee；　and　then　to　his　feet。　He　turned　to　E　Cylinder；　but　for　some　reason　the　bulkhead　door　to　E　was　shut。　He　tried　to　spin　the　wheel　to　unlock　it；　it　was　jammed　shut。

He　didnt　see　anybody　else。　Where　were　the　others？　Then　he　remembered　something　about　Ted。　Ted　had　died。　The　＇＇231＇＇　squid　swinging　Teds　body　in　the　airlock。　And　then　Fletcher　had　said　to　get　back；　and　she　had　thrown　the　power　switch。　。。。

It　was　starting　to　e　back　to　him。　The　fire。　There　had　been　a　fire　in　E　Cylinder。　He　had　gone　into　E　with　Tina　to　put　out　the　fire。　He　remembered　going　into　the　room；　seeing　the　flames　lick　up　the　side　of　the　walls。　。。。　After　that；　he　wasnt　sure。

Where　were　the　others？

For　an　awful　moment　he　thought　he　was　the　only　survivor；　but　then　he　heard　a　cough　in　C　Cyl。　He　moved　toward　the　sound。　He　didnt　see　anybody　so　he　went　to　B　Cyl。

Fletcher　wasnt　there。　There　was　a　large　streak　of　blood　on　the　metal　pipes；　and　one　of　her　shoes　on　the　carpet。　That　was　all。

Another　cough；　from　among　the　pipes。

〃Fletcher？〃

〃Just　a　minute　。。。〃

Beth　emerged；　grease…streaked；　from　the　pipes。　〃Good；　youre　up。　Ive　got　most　of　the　systems　going；　I　think。　Thank　God　the　Navy　has　instructions　printed　on　the　housings。　Anyway；　the　smokes　clearing　and　the　air　quality　is　reading　all　right…not　great；　but　all　right…and　all　the　vital　stuff　seems　to　be　intact。　We　have　air　and　water　and　heat　and　power。　Im　trying　to　find　out　how　much　power　and　air　we　have　left。〃

〃Wheres　Fletcher？〃

〃I　cant　find　her　anywhere。〃　Beth　pointed　to　the　shoe　on　the　carpet；　and　the　streak　of　blood。

〃Tina？〃　Norman　asked。　He　was　alarmed　at　the　prospect　of　being　trapped　down　here　without　any　Navy　people　at　all。　〃Tina　was　with　you；〃　Beth　said；　frowning。

〃I　dont　seem　to　remember；〃　Norman　said。

〃You　probably　got　a　jolt　of　current；〃　Beth　said。　〃That　would　give　you　retrograde　amnesia。　You　wont　remember　the　last　few　minutes　before　the　shock。　I　cant　find　Tina；　either；　but　according　to　the　status　sensors　E　Cyl　is　flooded　and　shut　down。　You　were　with　her　in　E。　I　dont　know　why　it　flooded。〃

〃What　about　Harry？〃

〃He　got　a　jolt；　too；　I　think。　Youre　lucky　the　amperage　＇＇232＇＇　wasnt　higher　or　youd　both　be　fried。　Anyway；　hes　lying　on　the　floor　in　C；　either　sleeping　or　unconscious。　You　might　want　to　take　a　look　at　him。　I　didnt　want　to　risk　moving　him；　so　I　just　left　him　there。〃

〃Did　he　wake　up？　Talk　to　you？〃

〃No；　but　he　seems　to　be　breathing　fortably。　Colors　good；　all　that。　Anyway；　I　thought　I　better　get　the　life…support　systems　going。〃　She　wiped　grease　on　her　cheek。　〃I　mean；　its　just　the　three　of　us　now；　Norman。〃

〃You；　me；　and　Harry？〃

〃Thats　right