Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第20部分 (第2/7頁)

y　point。　Ellen　would　be　okay。　＇＇127＇＇　And　so　would　he。　It　was　just　a　matter　of　waiting。　Staying　calm；　and　waiting　out　the　storm。

He　got　into　the　shower；　wondering　if　they'd　still　have　hot　water　while　the　habitat　was　on　emergency　power。　They　did；　and　he　felt　less　stiff　after　his　shower。　It　was　odd；　he　thought；　to　be　a　thousand　feet　underwater　and　to　relish　the　soothing　effects　of　a　hot　shower。

He　dressed　and　headed　for　the　C　Cylinder。　He　heard　Tina's　voice　say；　〃…think　they'll　ever　get　the　sphere　open？〃

Beth：　〃Maybe。　I　don't　know。〃

〃It　scares　me。〃

〃I　don't　think　there's　a　reason　to　be　scared。〃

〃It's　the　unknown；〃　Tina　said。

When　Norman　came　in；　he　found　Beth　running　the　videotape；　looking　at　herself　and　Tina。　〃Sure；〃　Beth　said　on　the　videotape；　〃but　an　unknown　thing　is　not　likely　to　be　dangerous　or　frightening。　It's　most　likely　to　be　just　inexplicable。〃

Tina　said；　〃I　don't　know　how　you　can　say　that。〃

〃You　afraid　of　snakes？〃　Beth　said；　onscreen。

Beth　snapped　off　the　videotape。　〃Just　trying　to　see　if　I　could　figure　out　why　it　opened；〃　she　said。

〃Any　luck？〃　Norman　said。

〃Not　so　far。〃　On　the　adjacent　monitor；　they　could　see　the　sphere　itself。　The　sphere　was　closed。

〃Harry　still　in　there？〃　Norman　said。

〃Yes；〃　Beth　said。

〃How　long　has　it　been　now？〃

She　looked　up　at　the　consoles。　〃A　little　more　than　an　hour。〃

〃I　only　slept　an　hour？〃

〃Yeah。〃

〃I'm　starving；〃　Norman　said；　and　he　went　down　to　the　galley　to　eat。　All　the　coconut　cake　was　gone。　He　was　looking　for　something　else　to　eat　when　Beth　showed　up。

〃I　don't　know　what　to　do；　Norman；〃　she　said；　frowning。

〃About　what？〃

〃They're　lying　to　us；〃　she　said。

〃Who　is？〃

＇＇12