JК
Burnt Offerings :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 236 из 286I'd managed not to dwell on the thought that we were about to walk across a floor that might collapse underneath us, then walk under it and wait for it to collapse on top of us, while wading through water full of coffins and vampires. What could be better?
"Let's just say I'm cautious."
"And you don't want to risk Larry."
"That's right. I don't like the idea of Larry getting hurt, by anything." I stared at her while I said it.
She blinked hazel eyes at me, then smiled. "Neither do I, Anita, neither do I."
I nodded and let it go. I'd done my parenting bit. I wasn't even sure why I didn't trust Tammy, but I didn't. Women's intuition, or maybe I just didn't trust much of anybody anymore. Maybe.
Tucker came back to us. "Time to suit up." She looked right at me.
I nodded. I let her help me adjust the mask over my face. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing—in, out, in, out. In diving if you breathed too fast, you could blow your lungs. Now it was just a way to keep from hyperventilating.
She fitted the suit's hood over my head. I watched her do it and knew my eyes were a little too wide.
Wren's cheerful voice came over the radio in the mask. "Breathe normally, Anita."
"I am breathing normally," I said. It sounded odd to be able to talk normally while my own breathing was wheezing, loud and ominous in my ears. With a regulator in, you couldn't talk, though I'd learned you could scream with a regulator clenched between your teeth. Sounds echo like a son of a bitch under water.
With the helmet over the mask, visibility was not the best. I practiced turning my head, seeing just how big the blind spots were. My peripheral vision was almost gone.
Tammy's voice came over the radio. "It's hard to see in this thing."
"You'll get used to it," Tucker said.
"I hope we're not in this get-up long enough to get used to it," I said.
"If we say 'run, run like hell," Tucker said.
"Because the floor will be caving in, right?" I said.
I think she nodded, but it was hard to tell through the layers. "Right."
"Fine, but when we get to the stairs, I have to take the lead, and if I say 'run like hell, it means the vampires are going to eat us."
Wren and Tucker exchanged glances. "You tell us to run," Wren said, "we'll ask how fast."
"Agreed," Tucker said.
"Great," I said. Truthfully, it was a damn relief not to have to argue with anyone. No debate. What a relief.
"Let's just say I'm cautious."
"And you don't want to risk Larry."
"That's right. I don't like the idea of Larry getting hurt, by anything." I stared at her while I said it.
She blinked hazel eyes at me, then smiled. "Neither do I, Anita, neither do I."
I nodded and let it go. I'd done my parenting bit. I wasn't even sure why I didn't trust Tammy, but I didn't. Women's intuition, or maybe I just didn't trust much of anybody anymore. Maybe.
Tucker came back to us. "Time to suit up." She looked right at me.
I nodded. I let her help me adjust the mask over my face. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing—in, out, in, out. In diving if you breathed too fast, you could blow your lungs. Now it was just a way to keep from hyperventilating.
She fitted the suit's hood over my head. I watched her do it and knew my eyes were a little too wide.
Wren's cheerful voice came over the radio in the mask. "Breathe normally, Anita."
"I am breathing normally," I said. It sounded odd to be able to talk normally while my own breathing was wheezing, loud and ominous in my ears. With a regulator in, you couldn't talk, though I'd learned you could scream with a regulator clenched between your teeth. Sounds echo like a son of a bitch under water.
With the helmet over the mask, visibility was not the best. I practiced turning my head, seeing just how big the blind spots were. My peripheral vision was almost gone.
Tammy's voice came over the radio. "It's hard to see in this thing."
"You'll get used to it," Tucker said.
"I hope we're not in this get-up long enough to get used to it," I said.
"If we say 'run, run like hell," Tucker said.
"Because the floor will be caving in, right?" I said.
I think she nodded, but it was hard to tell through the layers. "Right."
"Fine, but when we get to the stairs, I have to take the lead, and if I say 'run like hell, it means the vampires are going to eat us."
Wren and Tucker exchanged glances. "You tell us to run," Wren said, "we'll ask how fast."
"Agreed," Tucker said.
"Great," I said. Truthfully, it was a damn relief not to have to argue with anyone. No debate. What a relief.