Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第34部分 (第6/7頁)

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　didn't　see　anybody　else。　Where　were　the　others？　Then　he　remembered　something　about　Ted。　Ted　had　died。　The　＇＇231＇＇　squid　swinging　Ted's　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　wasn't　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　didn't　see　anybody　so　he　went　to　B　Cyl。

Fletcher　wasn't　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；　you're　up。　I've　got　most　of　the　systems　going；　I　think。　Thank　God　the　Navy　has　instructions　printed　on　the　housings。　Anyway；　the　smoke's　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。　I'm　trying　to　find　out　how　much　power　and　air　we　have　left。〃

〃Where's　Fletcher？〃

〃I　can't　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　w