rm.thenightboat-第20部分

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　　Kip's　light　moved　past　more　openings　on　each　side　and　came　to　rest　on　the　outline　of　a　sealed　iron　hatch　farther　down　the　passage。
　　His　legs　began　moving；　sluggishly；　and　carried　him　to　that　hatch　as　if　he　were　drawn　to　it。　It　was　not　closed　after　all；　but　cracked　open　an　inch　or　so。　An　empty　crate　lay　in　his　path　and　he　pushed　it　aside。　Before　him　was　the　grisly；　crushed　body　of　a　large　rat。　Flesh　still　clung　to　the　head　and　front　half　of　the　thing；　but　its　hind　quarters　and　stomach　had　been　ripped　away；　leaving　bare　bone；　as　if　something　had　been　gnawing　greedily　at　the　carcass。
　　Get　out；　he　heard　a　whispering　voice　say；　his　skin　crawled；　writhing　on　his　spine　and　arms。　Get　out　while　you　can。
　　Moore　stepped　to　one　side　of　the　passage　and　drew　back　the　remnants　of　a　green　curtain；　it　fell　away；　across　his　arm。　There　was　a　bunk；　a　small　writing　table　with　a　mold…smeared　blotter；　a　few　metal　lockers。　There　was　a　paperweight；　amid　a　clutter　of　old　books　and　papers　on　the　table；　and　Moore　held　it　up　to　the　light。
　　It　was　a　heavy　glass　cube；　and　a　scorpion　was　frozen　at　its　center。　The　gold　letters　etched　across　it；　some　of　them　chipped　away　by　time；　spelled　out：　WIL　E　M　KO　RIN；　SEPTEMB　R　1941。　And　directly　beneath；　a　portion　of　a　swastika。　〃Kip；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Look　at　this。〃
　　Kip　turned　from　the　hatch　and　came　over；　shining　the　light　around　the　small　cubicle。　He　examined　the　paperweight　for　a　moment　and　then　handed　it　back　to　the　other　man。　〃I'd　say　this　must　have　been　the　mander's　quarters；〃　he　said；　his　voice　sounding　hollow。　〃You'd　best　keep　that。　It's　probably　all　you'll　get　to　salvage　off　this　goddamned　crate。〃　Moore　slid　it　beneath　his　shirt。　It　was　like　the　touch　of　ice　against　his　flesh。
　　Kip　focused　his　attention　on　the　hatch　again。　He　slid　his　fingers　into　the　crack　and　pulled　at　it；　steel　grated　across　steel；　but　the　hatch　came　open　more　easily　than　he　expected。　Wiping　the　sweat　from　his　eyebrows；　he　aimed　the　light　inside。
　　〃David。。。〃　Kip　said；　hoarsely；　not　moving　from　where　he　was。　He　didn't　think　Moore　had　heard；　so　he　called　again；　more　loudly　this　time。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　Moore　stood　next　to　him　and　peered　through；　following　his　beam　as　it　crept　across　the　flooring。
　　They　were　staring　into　the　control　room；　the　U…boat's　heart。　At　the　ceiling　hung　a　mass　of　pipes；　flywheels；　and　tubing。　There　were　banks　of　controls；　rows　of　gauges　and　dials。　The　glass　caught　Kip's　light　and　glinted　back。　In　the　center　of　the　room　stood　a　chart　table；　surrounded　by　machinery　and　more　gauges；　their　needles　frozen　in　place。　Equipment　took　up　almost　every　inch。　It　was　suspended　from　the　ceiling　in　clusters；　jammed　into　the　corners：　multiple　rows　of　toggle　switches；　levers；　flywheels；　blank…faced　dials。
　　And　something　else。
　　The　corpses。
　　Some　of　them　were　still　at　their　stations；　obedient　to　a　long…dead　mander；　but　now　they　wore　the　rags　of　uniforms；　they　were　the　ghost　crew　of　a　dead　boat。
　　And　they　had　been　mummified。
　　One　whose　face　was　half…covered　by　a　white　veil　of　fungus　had　crossed　his　brown；　shriveled　arms　on　a　table　before　him；　a　grinning；　eyeless　mask　stared　into　their　lights　from　the　aft　shadows；　bone　showed　in　a　misshapen　skull。　Here　were　empty　brown　eye　sockets；　here　one　with　the　nose　rotted　away　and　the　facial　features　collapsed　around　a　cavernous　hole。　On　the　flooring；　washed　by　less　than　an　inch　of　water；　a　corpse　stared　directly　at　them；　its　mouth　a　straining　O；　broken　teeth　showing。　More　littered　the　rear　of　the　control　room；　lying　singly　or　in　groups；　some　with　facial　features　still　distinct；　others　coated　with　yellow　and　gray　fungus；　which　had　covered　them　like　a　thick　and　creeping　leprosy。　The　lack　of　oxygen　had　helped　to　preserve　the　bodies；　had　mummified　them　and　left　their　flesh　brown　and　crusty…looking。　Skin　was　stretched　tight　over　bones　and　tendons；　and　the　dark　eye　sockets　were　deep；　fathomless　pits　in　front　of　solidified　brain　matter。　In　one　corner　a　corpse　held　up　both　stiffened　arms　before　its　face；　as　if　trying　to　hide　from　the　lights。
　　Kip　released　his　breath　from　between　clenched　teeth。　Moore　could　feel　the　tension　holding　his　own　body　upright。　Kip's　stomach　was　churning　from　the　reek　of　decay。　He　coughed；　the　pain　throbbing　in　his　tissues。　What　was　it？　Gas；　vapors　oozing　from　the　guts　of　the　U…boat；　from　the　aft　section　where　the　diesel　engines　lay？　It　was　an　airless　crypt；　an　iron　coffin　that　had　taken　these　men　to　their　deaths。　There　was　an　opening　at　the　far　end　of　the　death…chamber；　the　men　aimed　their　lights　into　it　but　they　could　see　nothing　except　a　murky　curtain　of　black。
　　〃Must　be　other　bodies　back　through　here；〃　Kip　heard　himself　say；　realizing　they　were　the　first　words　to　be　spoken　in　this　terrible　place　for　nearly　half　a　century。　〃Could　be　they　were　trapped　in　the　aft　section　when　this　bastard　headed　down；　and　none　of　them　could　get　out。〃
　　Moore　shivered　involuntarily；　moving　his　light　from　corner　to　corner。　The　drawn；　hideous　faces　stared　back；　as　if　watching　them。　The　darkness　seemed　to　be　closing　around　him。　The　cone　of　light　was　a　weapon　of　protection　he　held　before　him。　The　beam　glinted　across　a　bronze　plaque　mounted　on　a　bulkhead：　KIEL…1941。　As　he　stared　at　it　the　lettering　faded　out　of　focus；　and　every　breath　he　took　seemed　to　draw　the　stench　of　decay　deeper　within　him。　He　wiped　his　face；　his　skin　cold　and　clammy。　He　could　barely　move　his　hand　from　his　face；　as　if　suddenly　paralyzed。
　　〃Let's　get　the　hell　out　of　here；〃　Kip　said；　but　the　words　were　distant；　muffled　sounds。　Kip　coughed　violently　into　his　hand；　and　had　to　support　himself　again　in　the　frame　of　the　hatch。
　　And　then　something　in　the　aft　section；　beyond　the　range　of　their　lights；　clattered。　The　sharp　sound　of　iron　against　iron　riveted　the　men；　raising　the　hair　on　their　necks；　causing　their　hearts　to　pound　with　the　fear　of　the　unknown。
　　〃Jesus；〃　Moore　whispered。　〃Jesus；　what　was。。。〃
　　〃Back　away；〃　Kip　said；　slurring　his　words。　〃Back　away　from。。。〃
　　And　then　the　hammering；　the　frenzied　clattering　of　hellish　noise；　exploded　through　the　aft　opening　and　pounded　at　the　two　men　before　they　could　get　away；　the　echoes　building；　sweeping　wildly　past　them；　filling　the　boat　with　more　echoes；　and　more；　a　thousand　others　a　hundred　thousand　others　and　no　escape　from　it　no　way　to　get　out　get　out　get　out　get　out。。。
　　〃GET　OUT！〃　Kip　shouted；　his　voice　lost。　He　couldn't　see；　the　black　motes　had　obscured　his　vision；　and　he　could　no　longer　make　out　his　light。　Moore　reached　for　him；　slowly；　too　slowly；　grasping　the　man's　elbow　and　trying　to　pull　him　away　from　the　hatch　opening。　The　entire　boat　seemed　to　vibrate；　and　Moore　heard　something　like　the　shrieks　of　the　damned　roaring　in　the　passageway　just　above　his　head。　He　twisted　around；　staring　into　the　control　room；　gritting　his　teeth　in　terror。
　　Things　stirred　within；　uncoiling　themselves　like　reptiles　rising　from　the　water。　A　wave　of　cold；　pure　hatred　hit　the　men　like　an　icy　blast。　Moore　could　see　the　inhuman　forms　reaching　out　with　black…taloned　fingers；　ruined　faces　gaping；　black　eyeholes　now　red　and　hungry。　Moore　pulled　Kip　back；　shouting　out　but　not　knowing　if　he　actually　had　because　he　couldn't　hear　himself。　He　threw　his　full　weight　against　the　hatch；　forcing　it　closed；　and　as　he　did　he　saw　the　greedy　mouths　open　and　the　teeth　glitter。　Kip　had　turned　and　was　staggering　back　down　the　passage；　flailing　at　the　unseen　with　his　light。　Moore　started　after　him；　tripping　over　a　crate　and　falling　to　his　knees　in　the　water；　losing　his　flashlight。　He　struggled　up；　dripping；　trying　to　hold　back　the　panic　about　to　burst　out　of　him。　He　fought　on；　locked　in　the　nightmare；　his　feet　thickened　in　the　cement　hold　of　the　water。　God　what　was　it　God　what　was　it　MY　GOD　WHAT　WAS　IT！　He　opened　his　mouth　to　cry　out　but　all　that　emerged　was　a　dry；　dusty　rattle；　like　the　voice　of　something　long　buried。　GET　OUT　GET　OUT　GET　OUT　GET　OUT　GET　OUT。。。
　　Kip；　almost　blind　with　terror；　tripped；　slamming　his　head　against　a　pipe。　He　struck　out　with　his　arm；　cracking　the　bull's…eye　lantern　against　metal。　It　flickered　to　a　dim　yellow。
　　And　in　the　shadows　that　lay　beyond　him；　between　the　two　men　and　the　way　out；　something　was　rising　up；　a　skeletal　thing　with　a　half…consumed　rat　clutched　in　one　clawlike　hand。　Kip　tried　to　warn　Moore；　but　he　was　struck　dumb　and　frozen　with　fear。　The　thing's　other　hand　came　up　quickly；　and　an　object　flew　at　Kip's　face　from　the　blackness；　turning　end　over　end；　whistling　as　it　passed　his　head。　The　hammer　slammed　into　a　bulkhead　and　bounced　off　even　as　Kip　steeled　himself　and　threw　his　lantern　at　the　walking　corpse。　There　was　a　sharp　crash　of　shattering　glass　and　then　the　darkness　claimed　all。
　　Moore　reached　Kip　and　they　stayed　together；　moving　as　rapidly　as　they　could　toward　the　bow　section；　still　dazed　and　staggering。　The　light　was　growing　stronger；　the　noises　of　hatred　and　madness　falling　behind。　The　open　deck　hatch　was　ahead；　and　the　ladder。　Moore　grasped　it　and　hurtled　up　into　the　rush　of　clean；　pure　air。　He　fell　across　the　deck；　the　strength　drained　from　him；　and　crawled　toward　the　railing　like　a　madman。　Behind　him　Kip；　his　face　a　tight；　drawn　mask；　rocketed　up　and　slid　the　heavy　hatch　lid　back　over　the　hole　to　seal　it。　He　threw　himself　across　it；　breathing　raggedly；　shivering　and　unable　to　stop。　He　thought　he　must　be　losing　his　mind。　〃No；〃　he　protested　in　a　raw；　pained　voice。　〃NO！〃
　　Moore　reached　the　port　railing　and　leaned　over；　vomiting　into　the　water。　〃What　was　that？〃　he　said；　wiping　his　face。　Then　he　demanded　in　a　choked　whisper；　〃WHAT　WAS　THAT？〃
　　Kip　listened。　No　sounds；　no　movement。　He　couldn't　stop　shaking；　his　body　was　out　of　control。
　　〃They're　dead。。。〃　he　spat　out　finally。　〃They're　DEAD！〃
　　And　then　the　echo；　ing　up　around　them；　engulfing　them　with　a　word　that　seemed　strange　and　terrible。
　　And　untrue。
　　　
　　　Ten
　　
　　THE　SQUARE…SHOULDERED　black　fisherman　dealt　cards　to　the　four　other　poker　players　arranged　around　a　central　table　in　the　Landfall　Tavern。　Evening　was　rapidly　falling　and　the　trawler　crews　had　long　since　finished　their　labors。　The　place　was　now　a　maelstrom　of　noise　and　movement；　on　the　other　side　of　the　plank…floored　room　a　jukebox　blared　a　raw；　insistent　reg