Archiwum
- Index
- Pilch Jerzy Inne rozkosze
- LE Modesitt Forever Hero 03 The Endless Twilight
- 135. Roberts Alison Dobre rokowania
- Cartland Barbara KśÂ‚amstwa dla miśÂ‚ośÂ›ci
- fs_nowyokresprog
- Glen Cook Darkwar 01 Doomstalker
- Eliette Abecassis Skarb śÂšwić…tyni
- Anderson, Poul Flandry 09 A Circus of Hells
- Lora Leigh Nauti Buoy (Samhain)
- Jules Verne A Journey To The Center Of The Earth
- zanotowane.pl
- doc.pisz.pl
- pdf.pisz.pl
- docucrime.xlx.pl
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Doyle; after all, he's a rational man. But I had hoped for better from you;
after all, you're a journalist.'
'Thanks a heap.' Sarah couldn't take her eyes from the slow, majestic movement
of lights. She couldn't even begin to imagine what it was. 'Are you suggesting
that there's somebody down there right now doing that? In 1880?'
'Yes.'
'But how? The submarine hasn't been invented yet.'
'Actually, it has,' the Doctor contradicted her. 'Simply not developed yet. But
I don't think that what we're seeing is native to this time. Or, perhaps, native
to this world.'
Doyle gave an inarticulate cry. 'This is getting too preposterous,' he
protested. 'That's the second time you've mentioned some kind of intrusion from
another era, and now you also imply that this anomalous phenomenon might be the
product of some otherworldly forces?'
Forget your preconceived notions, Doyle!' thundered the Doctor. He gestured over
the bows of the boat. 'Use your rationality to explain that if you can! If not,
shut up and listen to wiser heads than yours.'
Doyle subsided, but Sarah could tell that he wasn't at all happy at whatever
thoughts were passing through his mind. She could hardly blame them: the notion
of time travel and alien intruders must be horribly far-fetched to him. Even his
character of Professor Challenger hadn't faced quite this kind of puzzle, and he
wouldn't create that irritable man of science for years yet.
Sarah stared out at the waters, and smiled. 'I don't know what is causing it,'
she admitted, 'but it's very pretty.' There was also something vaguely familiar
about the lights, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
'"Pretty" isn't a scientific term,' the Doctor said softly. Then he grinned.
'But it is accurate. It's like a Christmas tree underwater, isn't it?'
'Perhaps we should be a little more cautious,' Doyle suggested, 'in leaning out
to observe those lights. After all, Tolliver was obviously looking over the side
of the boat when he was attacked.'
The Doctor appeared astonished at the thought. 'My dear chap,' he cried. 'Of
course! That's exactly what must have happened. He saw these lights, then leaned
over for a better look and - '
Sarah and Doyle both dragged the Doctor away from the gunwale as he looked set
to re-enact the accident. 'We may be safer here,' Sarah said, with a thankful
nod at Doyle. 'Smart thinking.'
'I knew what I was doing,' the Doctor said peevishly. 'There was no need for
that.'
'Whatever you say,' Sarah agreed. She could still see the wheel turning slowly
below the water, though not as dearly. The surface of the water was starting to
get choppy, breaking up the image.
'This is all very - ' Doyle began.
The boat gave a shudder as something slammed into it from below. It heaved in
the water, and twisted, falling back with a crash. Sarah, caught completely
off-guard, skidded across the small deck and into the gunwale. She barely had
time to yelp from the pain to her shins when the boat was rammed a second time
from underneath and it gave another lurch. Arms nailing wildly, Sarah attempted
unsuccessfully to regain her balance. She heard the Doctor cry out, and then she
was falling.
The water was cold and hard as she splashed down into it. The force of the
impact stunned her, and she felt herself going under. At least she'd taken a
gulp of air as she'd fallen, and she held her breath as she sank into the inky,
frozen depths. As soon as she could move, she started to stroke with her hands,
slowing her descent.
Her clothing was thoroughly wet. The Victorian dress, long and flowing, had been
so impractical on the surface; here, waterlogged, she was afraid it would drag
her down to her death. Frantically, she tried to stroke back toward the surface,
but it was too hard. It felt as if an icy hand was dragging her down to her
doom.
'My God!' exclaimed Doyle, badly shaken but managing to retain his grip on the
mast, 'what the devil was that?'
'Something rammed us from below,' the Doctor growled, fighting to stay on his
feet. 'Sarah! Sarah!'
Doyle's eyes whipped around. 'She must have gone overboard!' he exclaimed. He
started to move toward the side.
'No!' the Doctor ordered. 'That's what those creatures want us to do! Then
they'll attack.'
'Let them,' Doyle growled. He picked up his harpoon and hefted it. 'They'll get
a taste of cold steel if they attack me. But what about your friend?'
The Doctor appeared ashen. 'They're most likely going after her.' He shucked off
the cape coat and tossed the deerstalker on it. 'I'm going after her.'
'They'll kill you!' Doyle said in horror.
'They can try,' the Doctor growled. 'But I'm harder to kill than I look.' Before
Doyle could say anything else, the Doctor sprang onto the gunwale, and then
executed a clean dive into the darkness beyond.
Doyle shook his head, and staggered across to the side. The harpoon was cold and
familiar in his hand. If any of those monsters came after him, they'd get a
fight. And if, somehow, the Doctor or Miss Smith survived, Doyle could help them
regain the boat.
Slowly sinking, Sarah struggled with her encumbering clothing, trying to either
shed it or rip it free. But it was no use at all. She couldn't manage, and her
lungs were almost bursting.
Then there was a sudden movement in the water. She felt something like a
pressure wave slam into her. A dark shape grazed her, and she felt fire in her
left hand as something raked across it. She could barely restrain a scream of
pain, and the attacker was gone. She'd caught only a glimpse of it, but it had
seemed to be some huge seal.
And it had to be coming back.
There was agony in her hand, and she knew that the beast had been toying with
her. It could have killed her, but had instead just bitten her. The next time it
might go for the kill, or for another wounding.
She saw movement again, as something approached her. It was hard to make out,
between the darkness and the blotches in her eyes from the strain and pain, but
this shape appeared to be very different. She could make out a tail, and what
seemed to be hands. Struggling to get out of the way of this fresh attack, she
flailed about without much effect. Then the creature came in closer.
It was incredible. This was not her attacker. It looked like a young girl,
perhaps twelve or so, with long, light hair floating like a halo around her
head. She smiled encouragingly, and gripped Sarah's uninjured arm. Sarah,
struggling to stay conscious, was too astounded to know what to do. The girl
seemed quite at ease - if she were real, and not some nightmare of the deeps! -
and she gnpped Sarah's skirt. She bent her head, and bit at the fabric. Her
teeth must have been made of steel or something similar because they cut through
the skirt without effort, and the girl ripped the rest of it free.
A huge weight fell away from Sarah, and she stroked out with her hands. She felt
herself rising at last, and then the gende pressure of the girl's arms helping
her. Sarah wondered what had happened to the monster that had attacked her, but
concentrated on heading for the surface As she did so, she saw another form
close in suddenly. She had no energy left to fight it off, and then she felt the
Doctor grab her arm tightly, and saw his face close beside hers. He smiled
encouragingly.
The girl was gone in a flicker of motion. Sarah wasn't certain, but it looked
like the girl had left by flicking a tail and charging away at an incredible
speed. She had no strength left to wonder, though, and all she could concentrate
on was reaching the surface once again.
And then she was there, bursting back out of the icy water into the cold night
air. She emptied her lungs in a single burst and whooped in a fresh breath. She
choked a little, but the fire in her head and chest started to die down.
The Doctor still supported her, and Sarah could see as she took another gulp of
air that they were quite close to the boat. 'Chin up, Sarah,' the Doctor gasped
encouragingly. 'Almost there.'
She nodded, and put her strength into stroking out toward the boat. The pain in
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