rm.thenightboat-第51部分
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Moore turned from the wheel； his eyes searching the shadows。 The oil lamp had gone over； it lay on its side and where the glass had cracked a single； weak finger of flame burned。 〃Take Jana and get off；〃 he told Kip。 〃Use that broken door as a raft。 Hurry！〃
Kip stared； shook his head。 〃No； David。 NO！〃
Moore ducked down through the hatch into the cabin。 He reappeared a moment later with the reel of fuse； unwinding it as he backed up the steps。 〃Get off； I said！〃 he shouted。
〃There's time for all of us；〃 Kip told him。 〃Please。。。！〃 He turned his head； a movement had attracted his attention。 The zombies were climbing down from the conning tower； moving across the deck toward the Pride。
〃Take Jana！〃 Moore shouted。 〃Go on！〃
Kip grasped his arm。 〃You're going with us！〃
〃If you don't try to fight the sea you can make it。 I did。。。 a long time ago。 Two can make it on that door。 Three can't。〃 He came to the end of the fuse； threw the reel aside； the things were scurrying down the conning tower ladder。 One of them tried to pull the anchor free。
Moore bent down and touched the fuse to the dying flame。 It hissed； sparked； a red cinder burned past him； along the plank flooring and toward the bow…section cabin。
〃DAVID！〃 Jana pulled at his arm。 〃Please！〃
〃I can't leave you；〃 Kip said。
〃They need you on Coquina；〃 Moore told him； his voice hurried。 〃The things are ing to board the trawler。 If they find the fuse and put it out； they may be able to work their boat free of the shoals。 They'll find someplace…maybe another Coquina…to repair it。 Go on！ Get out of here！〃
Kip paused。 There was something cold and resolute in Moore's eyes； he had seen a vision beyond Kip's sight。 There was nothing else to be said。 Kip grasped his good shoulder tightly； then took Jana's hand and dragged her out over her shouted protests。 He hauled the battered slab of the door over to the port side。 The water was black and wild underneath； dotted with coral。 〃Listen to me！〃 Kip shook her hard。 〃I SAID LISTEN TO ME！ Hang on to my back。 There'll be a shock when we hit； but don't let go！〃
And then； gripping the door before him like a shield； he leaped over with Jana clinging to him。 It was like hitting a solid wall when they struck； water crashed over them； tossed them high and then back down。 Kip pushed off from coral； shredding one hand。 He kicked with all his strength； trying to catch his breath； hearing Jana cry out in pain as her leg brushed one of the Teeth's needles。 The bulk of the door kept them afloat and away from most of the coral。 Kip clung to it with all the power he could manage。
Moore whirled around in the Pride's wheelhouse as two of the zombies appeared in the doorway。 They crept forward； claws outstretched。 He backed away from them； counting off the seconds。 One of them rushed him and he swung at it； the other grasped his arm； throwing him off balance。 He staggered and fell through the panionway into the lower cabin。 Fingers jabbed at his eyes； he kicked them back； struggling to his feet。 Behind him glowed the eye of the fuse。 Others came down after him； yellow fangs slavering； talons seeking his throat。 He kept backing away； making them follow him toward the bow partment。 How long？ his brain shrieked。 His flesh was crawling。 HOW LONG？
With another few steps he twisted around to look。 The primary fuse sparked higher； separated into four fuses that snaked toward the crates。 There was a hiss of fetid breath in his ear； a spidery thing with gaping eye sockets leaped for him； forcing him to the plankings； a claw reaching to rip at his throat。 He threw it off； kicked at it； crawled away。 He found an odd piece of wood and stood up； brandishing it like a club。 The cabin was filled with the stench of smoke and rot； whorls of smoke from the burning fuses undulated around them。 One of the things reached out…a face eaten by gray fungus； red eyes staring…and Moore slammed the wood into its chin。 It fell back； colliding into the others。
〃E ON！〃 he dared them； beckoning with his club。 〃E ON AFTER ME！〃
They stopped suddenly； watching him； the eyes moving past to probe the bow shadows。 They saw； in the next instant they surged forward； flailing at him； trying to reach the dynamite and tear out the racing fuses。 Moore swung wildly； felt the wood break beneath his grip； felt himself flung back by a tremendous； inhuman strength。 Only seconds now； the seconds breaking into fragments。 Seconds。 Hurry。 Hurry。 Hurry。
Moore stood his ground； blood streaming from a hairline slash； he fought madly with his bare hands against the hideous things that advanced upon him； throwing them to each side； slamming fists against brittle bone。
And through the knot of living corpses came the one that Moore recognized： the tall； livid…eyed form of Wilhelm Korrin。 Moore saw the jawkss face illuminated in the faint red glow of the fuses。 Korrin stepped forward slowly； a man in the grip of horrible pain； his arm came up； the finger pointing toward Moore。 The hand became a claw； grasping； reaching。 The others were motionless； watching their mander。
And then the hand stopped； inches from Moore's throat。 Korrin stood looking at the burning fuse。 His head fell back slightly； the eyes closing； the lids blocking off that hellish gaze； as if in expectation of death's final and merciful deliverance。
An instant before the heat seared him Moore had a split…second sensation： the touch of someone's hand； cool； kind； reaching for his through a wall of mist。 He held it tightly。 And his last thought was that he was staring toward the sea； that he had seen a beautiful boat in the distance and he must swim to it； must swim to it because he had recognized the name on the transom and they were waiting for him。
The blast parted the sea。 Kip and Jana； struggling through the churning waves； twisted around to look。 There was a yellow glare so fierce it hurt their eyes； jagged shards of wood flew through the sky； leaving fiery trails。 The bow section of the Pride had disappeared； beside the trawler the fist of a giant pounded the Night Boat； slamming a tremendous rent in the iron just at the waterline。 The forward deck collapsed…crumpling； metal shrieking…the conning tower was almost ripped from the superstructure。 Iron plates spun into the air； up into blackness。 Bits of railing were thrown to all sides。 In another roar of flame the Pride's wheelhouse vanished； the second blast deafened them。 Drums of fuel were tossed high； and as they dropped back into the sea they exploded just over the surface； covering the submarine with sheets of flame。 As Kip watched； he saw the Night Boat thrown free of the reef。 Its twisted； smoking bulk veered toward him and Jana； faster and faster； driven by the rolling currents。
And then came the collapse of the entire deck； the conning tower falling away； the periscopes snapping off。 Kip felt the pull of the water at him； he fought it； his legs kicking wildly。 A whirlpool had opened and the Night Boat began to whirl around the rim of a huge； black pit； as the submarine was sucked down； the bow peeled back； the noise of a dying beast screaming in agony。 The ocean's thunder drowned out the death cries。
The boat was folding in on itself； its iron caving in； being hammered into a misshapen mass。 It was happening； Kip realized； just as Boniface had tried to make it happen when he twisted that bit of wax cast in the submarine's image and tossed it to the flames。
The Night Boat's stern pitched high； dripping red flame； the bow vanished into the whirlpool。 There was a loud hissing as the sea swept over hot iron。 On the rising stern the screws glistened in the firelight。
Water crashed over them； forcing them down； Kip clenched the door and pulled them back to the surface。
And when his head broke free he saw the thing was gone。
Though the plain of the sea was studded with fire； the whirlpool's action was lessening。 A rush of bubbles exploded on the surface； then the whirlpool stopped； covering over the boat； its own deep grave。
Kip and Jana clung to the platform of wood； exhausted； breathing raggedly。 Kip shook his head to clear it； shrugging off water。 Jana was limp； one hand still clamped to his shoulder。 He could feel the strong beating of her heart。
On the horizon； silhouetted in a gash of orange sky； was a flat mass of land。 Kip blinked； unsure of what he was seeing。 It lay about two miles distant； but he could already feel the currents dragging them in。 〃Big Danny Cay；〃 he said hoarsely。 Beside him Jana stirred； lifted her head。
They began to kick for it； slowly because the water was still rough。 Kip looked over his shoulder； trying to pinpoint the spot where the submarine had gone down； but now the fires were dying and there was no way to tell。 The creature was gone； and there was no cause to look back again。 Now he could only think of all he would have to do； because he was the law on Coquina and there were people he was responsible for； people who looked to him for the kind of strength he knew he would find deep within himself。
And swinging his vision back across the sea he thought he saw something； there against the warmth of the horizon； something like a small boat heading into the sun with her sails filled and all the great expanse of the sky beyond it。
His eyes filled with tears and； looking away； he knew it would soon be out of sight。
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