Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第34部分 (第5/7頁)

inst　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　couldn't　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；　We're　going　to　die。　This　time；　we're　going　to　die。

He　couldn't　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