第35部分(第2/7 頁)

th　Ted's　large；　enthusiastic　scrawl。　A　photograph　fell　onto　his　lap。　He　turned　it　over。　It　was　a　photo　of　a　red　Corvette。　And　the　feelings　just　overwhelmed　him。　Norman　didn't　know　if　he　was　crying　for　Ted；　or　crying　for　himself；　because　it　was　clear　to　him　that　one　by　one；　they　were　all　dying　down　here。　He　was　very　sad；　and　very　afraid。

Beth　was　in　D　Cyl；　at　the　munications　console；　turning　on　all　the　monitors。

〃They　did　a　pretty　good　job　with　this　place；〃　she　said。　〃Everything　is　marked；　everything　has　instructions；　there're　puter　help　files。　An　idiot　could　figure　it　out。　There's　just　one　problem　that　I　can　see。〃

〃What's　that？〃

〃The　galley　was　in　E　Cyl；　and　E　Cyl　is　flooded。　We've　got　no　food；　Norman。〃

〃None　at　all？〃

〃I　don't　think　so。〃

〃Water？〃

〃Yes；　plenty　of　water；　but　no　food。〃

〃Well；　we　can　make　it　without　food。　How　much　longer　have　we　got　down　here？〃

〃It　looks　like　two　more　days。〃

〃We　can　make　it；〃　Norman　said；　thinking：　Two　days；　Jesus。　Two　more　days　in　this　place。

＇＇234＇＇　〃That's　assuming　the　storm　clears　on　schedule；〃　Beth　added。　〃I've　been　trying　to　figure　out　how　to　release　a　surface　balloon；　and　see　what　it's　like　up　there。　Tina　used　to　punch　some　special　code　to　release　a　balloon。〃

〃We　can　make　it；〃　Norman　said　again。

〃Oh　sure。　If　worse　es　to　worst；　we　can　always　get　food　from　the　spaceship。　There's　plenty　over　there。〃

〃You　think　we　can　risk　going　outside？〃

〃We'll　have　to；〃　she　said；　glancing　at　the　screens；　〃sometime　in　the　next　three　hours。〃

〃Why？〃

〃The　minisub。　It　has　that　automatic　surfacing　timer；　unless　someone　goes　over　and　punches　the　button。〃

〃The　hell　with　the　sub；〃　Norman　said。　〃Let　the　sub　go。〃　〃Well；　don't　be　too