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ly 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 reggae； and several of the men were trying unsuccessfully to get the bar girls to dance with them。 It was Friday night； a time for drinking and wildness； tall tales； and an occasional fight to blow off steam； and with Saturday a market day the crews wouldn't be working until Monday。 Cigarette smoke swirled above the men's heads； drawn by the lazily turning ceiling fans； glasses clinked against bottles； and there was a din of loud laughter and talking。 On the rough plank walls tin signs advertising Red Stripe and Jaguar beers and Bacardi rums almost vibrated from the noise level。 The card dealer settled back in his chair and calmly surveyed his hand。 Then he looked from face to face； trying to read the other men's hands from their expressions。 They had been playing for over an hour and he had won most of their money； he was feeling loose now； all good and warm inside。 He had been drinking hard on purpose； hitting the rum bottle time after time； because he wanted to forget the stories he'd heard about that young buck Turk。 He had played cards with the man here in this bar； on another Friday night； and thinking about the way Turk had died unsettled him。 There was no sense to it； no reason for it at all。 Now Turk was cold and dead； lying on a slab over at the clinic。 The dealer reached over for his bottle and swigged again。 Damn。 Could have been anybody lyin' over there； he thought。 Damn； it was a bad thing！ He raised the rum bottle and took another slug； suddenly he didn't feel quite so warm after all。
〃Hell of a thing；〃 James Davis said from across the table； throwing down a card。 〃I hear they find the boy with his head almos' cut off。 God A'mighty； I'da hated to been the one who find him。 God A'mighty。〃
Smithson shook his head。 〃No； mon。 It was his back broke clean in two。 Somebody got him in one hell of a hug。〃
〃His head was split open；〃 Youngblood told them over his cards。 〃I hear that from one of the doctor's nurses。 He go messin' round that fuckin' boat and he find bad trouble。 Me； I wouldn't go near that t'ing。〃
〃What you know？〃 the dealer； a bulky man named Curtis； asked sharply。 〃Put down your money。〃
〃It's trouble； thass what I know；〃 Youngblood continued； throwing a few coins into the pot。 〃Been trouble since the white man brung it up。 Me； I say take the thing out and get rid of the sonofabitch！〃
Percy leaned over the table； looking from one face to the next。 〃They say his eyes was starin'； like he seen Death in' for him；〃 he whispered。 〃The talk's all over the yard。 He seen Death reach out for him； and take him by the throat and。。。〃
〃Stop that talk！〃 Curtis said。
〃Oh yah；〃 said the other man。 〃If you doan believe a man can see his Death in' then you crazy。 That boy did and he die right there on the spot。 I hope to God I never see it in'。 I hope it sneak up on me and take me from behind so I go quick。〃
〃You crazy； mon！〃 Davis told him。
〃How many cards？〃 Curtis asked the men； trying to get off the subject。
Youngblood said； 〃Few years ago I crewed on a freighter out of Jamaica； big industry boat。 We runs through a squall an hour out； slowin' us down； and we