第36部分(第6/7 页)

Then　he　realized　the　cords　had　safety　catches：　you　had　to　pull　the　guns　sideways；　not　out。　He　did；　the　rubber　popped　free。　The　spear　gun　was　in　his　hand。　He　turned；　and　the　tentacle　knocked　him　down。　He　flipped　onto　his　back　and　saw　the　great　flat　suckered　palm　of　the　tentacle　ing　straight　down　on　him；　and　the　tentacle　wrapped　over　his　helmet；　everything　was　black；　and　he　fired。

There　was　tremendous　pain　in　his　chest　and　abdomen。　For　a　horrified　moment　he　thought　he　had　shot　himself。　Then　he　gasped　and　he　realized　it　was　just　the　concussion；　his　chest　was　burning；　but　the　squid　released　him。

He　still　couldn't　see。　He　pulled　the　palm　off　his　face　and　it　fell　heavily　onto　the　deck；　writhing；　severed　from　the　squid　arm。　The　interior　walls　of　the　habitat　were　splattered　with　blood。　One　tentacle　was　still　moving；　the　other　was　a　bloody；　ragged　stump。　Both　arms　pulled　out　through　the　hatch；　slipped　into　the　water。

Norman　ran　for　the　porthole；　the　squid　moved　swiftly　away；　the　green　glow　diminishing。　He　had　done　it！　He'd　beaten　it　off。

He'd　done　it。

DH…8

〃How　many　did　you　bring？〃　Harry　said；　turning　the　spear　gun　over　in　his　hands。

〃Five；〃　Norman　said。　〃That　was　all　I　could　carry。〃

〃But　it　worked？〃　He　was　examining　the　bulbous　explosive　tip。

〃Yeah；　it　worked。　Blew　the　whole　tentacle　off。〃

〃I　saw　the　squid　going　away；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　figured　you　must　have　done　something。〃

〃Where's　Beth？〃

〃I　don't　know。　Her　suit's　gone。　I　think　she　may　have　gone　to　the　ship。〃

〃Gone　to　the　ship？〃　Norman　said；　frowning。

〃All　I　know　is；　when　I　woke　up　she　was　gone。　I　figured　you　were　over　at　the　habitat；　and　then　I　saw　the　squid；　and　I　tried　to　get　you　on　the　radio　but　I　guess　the　metal　blocked　the　t