按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
eous and alive。 On either side； fungus and rust had scrawled strange multicolored patterns。 The boat was a fester of decay。 Moore felt filthy and contaminated； his throat was burning but he made an effort to suppress the urge to cough。 Oddly； he feared making more noise than was necessary。 The lack of oxygen and the fumes were beginning to take their toll。
Kip was sweating profusely； the droplets running down his arms and beading up on his face。 He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand； wondering what it was that frightened him so much about being inside here。 It was only a machine。。。 a machine of war； yes。。。 but now only a dilapidated relic of days past。 It was not the closeness of the place； or the darkness； or the sense of being buried alive。 No。 It was something else； a sixth sense he had and had possessed all his life； that was now trying to whisper to him； to reach into his soul and shake it。
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 othe