第30部分(第2/7 页)

ked　foot…gray　flesh；　purple　toenails…kicked　his　faceplate。　A　moment　of　nausea　quickly　passed：　＇＇200＇＇　Norman　had　seen　too　many　airplane　crashes　to　be　bothered　by　this。　He　dropped　the　boot；　watched　it　drift　down　to　Beth。　He　tugged　on　the　leg　of　the　corpse。　He　felt　a　mushy　softness　to　the　leg；　and　the　body　came　free；　it　gently　drifted　down。　He　grabbed　the　shoulder；　again　feeling　softness。　He　turned　the　body　so　he　could　see　the　face。

〃It's　Levy。〃

Her　helmet　was　filled　with　water；　behind　the　faceplate　he　saw　staring　eyes；　open　mouth；　an　expression　of　horror。

〃I　got　her；〃　Beth　said；　pulling　the　body　down。　Then　she　said；　〃Jesus。〃

Norman　climbed　back　down　the　stanchion。　Beth　was　moving　the　body　away　from　the　habitat；　into　the　lighted　area　beyond。

〃She's　all　soft。　It's　like　every　bone　in　her　body　was　broken。〃

〃I　know。〃　He　moved　out　into　the　light；　joined　her。　He　felt　a　strange　detachment；　a　coldness　and　a　remove。　He　had　known　this　woman；　she　had　been　alive　just　a　short　time　before；　now　she　was　dead。　But　it　was　as　if　he　were　viewing　it　all　from　a　great　distance。

He　turned　Levy's　body　over。　On　the　left　side　was　a　long　tear　in　the　fabric　of　the　suit。　He　had　a　glimpse　of　red　mangled　flesh。　Norman　bent　to　inspect　it。　〃An　accident？〃

〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Beth　said。

〃Here。　Hold　her。〃　Norman　lifted　up　the　edges　of　suit　fabric。　Several　separate　tears　met　at　a　central　point。　〃It's　actually　torn　in　a　star　pattern；〃　he　said。　〃You　see？〃

She　stepped　back。　〃I　see；　yes。〃

〃What　would　cause　that；　Beth？〃

〃I　don't…I'm　not　sure。〃

Beth　stepped　farther　back。　Norman　was　looking　into　the　tear；　at　the　body　beneath　the　suit。　〃The　flesh　is　macerated。〃

〃Macerated？〃

〃Chewed。〃

〃Jesus。〃

Yes；　de