小说园

第42部分（第2页）

〃This　manifesting　process　of　his；〃　Beth　said。　〃Do　you　think　he　has　to　be　pletely　unconscious　to　prevent　it　from　happening？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Or　dead；〃　Beth　said。

〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。　That　had　occurred　to　him。　It　seemed　so　improbable；　such　an　unlikely　turn　of　events　in　his　life；　that　he　would　now　be　a　thousand　feet　under　the　water；　contemplating　the　murder　of　another　human　being。　Yet　that　was　what　he　was　doing。

〃Id　hate　to　kill　him；〃　Beth　said。

〃Me；　too。〃

〃I　mean；　I　wouldnt　even　know　how　to　begin　to　do　it。〃

〃Maybe　we　dont　have　to　kill　him；〃　Norman　said。　〃Maybe　we　dont　have　to　kill　him　unless　he　starts　some　thing；〃　Beth　said。　Then　she　shook　her　head。　〃Oh　hell；　Norman；　whore　we　kidding？　This　habitat　cant　survive　another　attack。　Weve　got　to　kill　him。　I　just　dont　want　to　face　up　to　it。〃

〃Neither　do　I；〃　Norman　said。

〃We　could　get　one　of　those　explosive　spear　guns　and　have　an　unfortunate　accident。　And　then　just　wait　for　our　time　to　be　up；　for　the　Navy　to　e　and　get　us　out　of　here。〃

〃I　dont　want　to　do　that。〃

〃I　dont；　either；〃　Beth　said。　〃But　what　else　can　we　do？〃　〃We　dont　have　to　kill　him；〃　Norman　said。　〃Just　make　him　unconscious。〃　He　went　to　the　first…aid　cabinet；　started　going　through　the　medicines。

〃You　think　there　might　be　something　there？〃　Beth　said。

〃Maybe。　An　anesthetic；　I　dont　know。〃

〃Would　that　work？〃

〃I　think　anything　that　produces　unconsciousness　will　work。　I　think。〃

〃I　hope　youre　right；〃　Beth　said；　〃because　if　he　starts　dreaming　and　then　manifests　the　monsters　from　his　dreams；　that　wouldnt　be　very　good。〃

＇＇284＇＇　〃No。　But　anesthesia　produces　a　dreamless；　total　state　of　unconsciousness。〃　Norman　was　looking　at　the　labels　on　the　bottles。　〃Do　you　know　what　these　things　are？〃

〃No；〃　Beth　said；　〃but　its　all　in　the　puter。〃　She　sat　down　at　the　console。　〃Read　me　the　names　and　Ill　look　them　up　for　you。〃

〃Diphenyl　paralene。

Beth　pushed　buttons；　scanned　a　screen　of　dense　text。　〃Its；　uh　。。。　looks　like　。。。　something　for　burns。〃

〃Ephedrine　hydrochloride。〃

Another　screen。　〃Its　。。。　I　guess　its　for　motion　sickness。〃

〃Valdomet。〃

〃Its　for　ulcers。〃

〃Sintag。〃

〃Synthetic　opium　analogue。　Its　very　short…acting。〃

〃Produces　unconsciousness？〃　Norman　asked。

〃No。　Not　according　to　this。　Anyway；　it　only　lasts　a　few　minutes。〃

〃Tarazine。〃

〃Tranquilizer。　Causes　drowsiness。〃

〃Good。〃　He　set　the　bottle　to　one　side。

〃　And　may　also　cause　bizarre　ideation。　〃