第一小说网

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第37部分（第1页）

se　he　was　afraid。　At　a　moment　of　great　personal　danger；　Beth　had　abandoned　him。　There　were　only　three　of　them　left　down　there；　and　they　needed　each　other…they　needed　to　depend　on　each　other。　But　Beth　was　unreliable；　and　that　made　him　afraid。　And　angry。

〃Can　you　hear　me？〃　her　voice　said；　on　the　inter。　〃Anybody　hear　me？〃

Norman　reached　for　the　microphone；　but　Harry　snatched　it　away。　〃Ill　do　this；〃　he　said。　〃Yes；　Beth；　we　can　hear　you。〃

〃Im　in　the　ship；〃　she　said；　her　voice　crackling　on　the　inter。　〃Ive　found　another　partment；　aft；　behind　the　crew　bunks。　Its　quite　interesting。〃

Quite　interesting；　Norman　thought。　Jesus；　quite　interesting。　He　grabbed　the　microphone　from　Harry。　〃Beth；　what　the　hell　are　you　doing　over　there？〃

〃Oh；　hi；　Norman。　You　made　it　back　okay；　huh？〃

〃Barely。〃

〃You　have　some　trouble？〃　She　didnt　sound　concerned。

〃Yes；　I　did。〃

〃Are　you　all　right？　You　sound　mad。〃

〃You　bet　Im　mad。　Beth；　why　did　you　leave　while　I　was　out　there？〃

〃Harry　said　hed　take　over　for　me。〃

〃He　what？〃　Norman　looked　at　Harry。　Harry　was　shaking　his　head　no。

〃Harry　said　hed　take　over　at　the　console　for　me。　He　told　me　to　go　ahead　to　the　ship。　Since　the　squid　wasnt　around；　it　seemed　like　a　good　time。〃

Norman　cupped　his　hand　over　microphone。　〃I　dont　the　remember　that；〃　Harry　said。

〃Did　you　talk　to　her？〃

〃I　dont　remember　talking　to　her。〃

Beth　said；　〃Just　ask　him；　Norman。　Hell　tell　you。〃

〃He　says　he　never　said　that。〃

〃Well；　then；　hes　full　of　it；〃　Beth　said。　〃What　do　you　think；　Id　abandon　you　when　you　were　outside；　for　Christs　sake？〃　＇＇247＇＇　There　was　a　pause。　〃Id　never　do　that；　Norman。〃

〃I　swear；〃　Harry　said　to　Norman。　〃I　never　had　any　conversation　with　Beth。　I　never　talked　to　her　at　all。　Im　telling　you；　she　was　gone　when　I　woke　up。　There　was　nobody　here。　If　you　ask　me；　she　always　intended　to　go　to　the　ship。〃

Norman　remembered　how　quickly　Beth　had　agreed　to　let　Norman　go　to　the　sub；　how　surprised　he　had　been。　Perhaps　Harry　was　right；　he　thought。　Perhaps　Beth　had　been　planning　it　all　along。

〃You　know　what　I　think？〃　Harry　said。　〃I　think　shes　cracking　up。〃

Over　the　inter；　Beth　said；　〃You　guys　get　it　straightened　out？〃

Norman　said；　〃I　think　so；　Beth；　yes。〃

〃Good；〃　Beth　said。　〃Because　I　have　made　a　discovery　over　here；　in　the　spaceship。〃

〃Whats　that？〃

〃Ive　found　the　crew。〃

〃You　both　came；〃　Beth　said。　She　was　sitting　on　a　console　in　the　fortable　beige　flight　deck　of　the　spacecraft。　〃Yes；〃　Norman　said；　looking　at　her。　She　looked　okay。　If　anything；　she　looked　better　than　ever。　Stronger；　clearer。　She　actually　looked　rather　beautiful；　he　thought。　〃Harry　thought　that　the　squid　wouldnt　e　back。〃

〃The　squid　was　out　there？〃

Norman　briefly　told　her　about　his　attack。

〃Jesus。　Im　sorry；　Norman。　Id　never　have　left　if　I　had　any　idea。〃

She　certainly　didnt　sound　like　somebody　who　was　cracking　up；　Norman　thought。　She　sounded　appropriate　and　sincere。　〃Anyway；〃　he　said；　〃I　injured　it；　and　Harry　thought　it　wouldnt　e　back。〃

Harry　said；　〃And　we　couldnt　decide　who　should　stay　behind；　so　we　both　came。〃

〃Well；　e　this　way；〃　Beth　said。　She　led　them　back；　through　the　crew　quarters；　past　the　twenty　bunks　for　the　＇＇248＇＇　crew；　the　large　galley。　Norman　paused　at　the　galley。　So　did　Harry。

〃Im　hungry；〃　Harry　said。

〃Eat　something；〃　Beth　said。　〃I　did。　They　have　some　sort　of　nut　bars　or　something；　they　taste　okay。〃　She　opened　a　drawer　in　the　galley；　produced　bars　wrapped　in　metal　foil；　gave　them　each　one。　Norman　tore　the　foil　and　saw　something　that　looked　like　chocolate。　It　tasted　dry。

〃Anything　to　drink？〃