第48部分(第2/7 頁)

　down；　touched　the　floor；　felt　a　shard　of　glass　cut　his　finger；　paid　no　attention。　His　hand　closed　over　a　cold　metal　cylinder。　It　was　small；　hardly　longer　than　the　palm　of　his　hand。　At　one　end　was　some　fitting；　a　nozzle。　。。。

It　was　a　spray　can…some　kind　of　damn　spray　can。　He　threw　it　aside。　Oxygen。　He　needed　oxygen！

By　the　bed；　he　remembered。　Wasn't　there　emergency　oxygen　by　every　bed　in　the　habitat？　He　felt　for　the　couch　where　Beth　had　slept；　felt　for　the　wall　above　where　her　head　would　have　been。　Surely　there　was　oxygen　nearby。　He　was　dizzy　now。　He　wasn't　thinking　clearly。

No　oxygen。

Then　he　realized　this　wasn't　a　regular　bed。　It　wasn't　intended　for　sleeping。　They　wouldn't　have　placed　any　oxygen　here。　Damn！　And　then　his　hand　touched　a　metal　cylinder；　clipped　to　the　wall。　At　one　end　was　something　soft。　Soft　。。。

An　oxygen　mask。

Quickly　he　pushed　the　mask　over　his　mouth　and　nose。　He　felt　the　bottle；　twisted　a　knurled　knob。　He　heard　a　hissing；　breathed　cold　air。　He　felt　a　wave　of　intense　dizziness；　and　then　his　head　cleared。　Oxygen！　He　was　fine！

He　felt　the　shape　of　the　bottle；　gauging　its　size。　It　was　an　emergency　bottle；　only　a　few　hundred　cc's。　How　long　would　it　last？　Not　long；　he　thought。　A　few　minutes。　It　was　only　a　temporary　reprieve。

Do　something。

But　he　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　do。　He　had　no　options。　He　was　locked　in　a　room。

He　remembered　one　of　his　teachers；　fat　old　Dr。　Temkin。　〃You　always　have　an　option。　There　is　always　something　you　can　do。　You　are　never　without　choice。〃

I　am　now；　he　thought。　No　choices　now。　Anyway；　Temkin　had　been　talking　about　treating　patients；　not　escaping　from　sealed　chambers。　Temkin　didn't　have　any　experience　escaping　from　sealed　chambers。　And　neither　did　No