小说园

第46部分（第1页）

〃Well；〃　Beth　said；　〃whatever　the　reason；　you　saved　my　life。　Thank　you。〃

〃Any　time；〃　Norman　said。　He　smiled。　〃Just　dont　do　it　again。〃

〃No；　I　wont　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　hadnt　faced　the　implications　of　that。　It　was　time　to　do　it　now。　He　didnt　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？〃

〃Its　not　Harry。〃

〃No。　Its　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　distance　he　could　＇＇311＇＇　see　the　string　of　red　lights；　from　the　explosives　Beth　had　set　and　armed。　He　had　never　understood　why　she　had　wanted　to　do　that。　She　had　acted　so　strangely　about　the　whole　thing。　He　looked　down　toward　the　base　of　the　habitat。

Red　lights　were　glowing　there；　too；　just　below　the　porthole。　She　had　armed　the　explosives　around　the　habitat。

〃Beth；　what　have　you　done？〃

〃Done？〃

〃You　armed　the　explosives　around　DH…8。〃

〃Yes；　Norman；〃　she　said。　She　stood　watching　him；　very　still；　very　calm。

〃Beth；　you　promised　you　wouldnt　do　that。〃

〃I　know。　I　had　to。〃

〃How　are　they　wired？　Wheres　the　button；　Beth？〃

〃There　is　no　button。　Theyre　set　on　automatic　vibration　sensors。〃

〃You　mean　theyll　go　off　automatically？〃

〃Yes；　Norman。〃

〃Beth；　this　is　crazy。　Someone　is　still　making　these　manifestations。　Who　is　doing　that；　Beth？〃

She　smiled　slowly；　a　lazy；　cat　smile；　as　if　he　secretly　amused　her。　〃Dont　you　really　know？〃

He　did　know。　Yes；　he　thought。　He　knew；　and　it　chilled　him。　〃Youre　making　these　manifestations；　Beth。〃

〃No；　Norman；〃　she　said；　still　calm。　〃Im　not　doing　it。　You　are。〃

0640　HOURS

He　thought　back　years　ago；　to　the　early　days　of　his　training；　when　he　had　worked　in　the　state　hospital　at　Borrego。　Norman　had　been　sent　by　his　supervisor　to　make　a　progress　report　on　a　particular　patient。　The　man　was　in　his　＇＇312＇＇　late　twenties；　pleasant　and　well　educated。　Norman　talked　to　him　about　all　sorts　of　things：　the　Oldsmobile　Hydramatic　transmission；　the　best　surfing　beaches；　Adlai　Stevensons　recent　presidential　campaign；　Whitey　Fords　pitching；　even　Freudian　theory。　The　man　was　quite　charming；　although　he　chain…smoked　and　seemed　to　have　an　underlying　tension。　Finally　Norman　got　around　to　asking　him　why　he　had　been　sent　to　the　hospital。