Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第42部分 (第2/7頁)

〃Yes。〃

＇＇283＇＇　Beth　stood；　clenched　her　fists。　〃So　it's　him　or　us。〃

〃Yes。　I　think　so。〃

The　implications　hung　in　the　air；　unspoken。

〃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。

〃I'd　hate　to　kill　him；〃　Beth　said。

〃Me；　too。〃

〃I　mean；　I　wouldn't　even　know　how　to　begin　to　do　it。〃

〃Maybe　we　don't　have　to　kill　him；〃　Norman　said。　〃Maybe　we　don't　have　to　kill　him　unless　he　starts　some　thing；〃　Beth　said。　Then　she　shook　her　head。　〃Oh　hell；　Norman；　who're　we　kidding？　This　habitat　can't　survive　another　attack。　We've　got　to　kill　him。　I　just　don't　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　don't　want　to　do　that。〃

〃I　don't；　either；〃　Beth　said。　〃But　what　else　can　we　do？〃　〃We　don't　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　don't　know。〃

〃Would　that　work？〃

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

〃I　hope　you're　right；〃　Beth　said；　〃because　if　he　starts　dreaming　and　then　manifests　the　monsters　from　his　dreams；　that　wouldn't