Lifeforce Read Online Free PDF

Steinberg floating along the hallway, carrying the coffin shell. He said: “You don’t have to squeeze in through the door. Come on through the wall.”
    “How the hell’d you do that?”
    “Like this.” As he stared at the wall, he knew it would move. As he concentrated, it clicked into place. “This whole thing’s designed to respond to telepathic orders. But only from inside.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Look.” He walked to the wall, willing it to open; it slid aside to let him past. Outside, he ordered it to close. Nothing happened. “You see. It was designed only to be operated from the inside.”
    The men were staring down at the body of the blonde. She was slimmer than the other girl, and a few years older; but the flesh was as firm and unwrinkled.
    “Come on. Let’s get back to the Hermes .”
    As they removed their spacesuits in the airlock, he observed that Ives and Steinberg looked ill. Ives massaged his eyes with his hand. “I think I need a sleep.”
    “Me too,” Steinberg said.
    “Both of you go and lie down. You deserve it. Leave the girl, though.”
    Steinberg said: “Believe me, I feel so bushed I wouldn’t be any use to her even if she was alive.”
    As he went into the control room, Craigie said: “We’ve just had our orders from moonbase. We’re to spend a day filming the ship from end to end, then proceed back to earth.”
    In Hyde Park the daffodils were beginning to flower. Carlsen lay stretched out in a deck chair, his eyes closed, his skin soaking in the April sunlight. He had been back three months now, and he still found everything on earth almost painfully beautiful. The earth’s gravity still exhausted him after a few hours of being awake, so that he usually felt a pleasant fatigue, like convalescence.
    A voice said: “Excuse me, but aren’t you Captain Carlsen?”
    He opened his eyes wearily. This was one of the penalties of notoriety; strangers accosted him in the street. A powerfully built young man standing against the sunlight, his hands in his pockets. Carlsen’s stare was unwelcoming.
    “Don’t you remember me? I’m Seth Adams.”
    The name meant something, but he could no longer recall what it was. He said noncommittally: “Ah, yes.”
    “You were a friend of my mother’s — Violet Mapleson.”
    “Of course.” Now it came back.
    “Do you mind if I talk to you?”
    He indicated the empty chair beside him. “Please sit down.”
    A girl’s voice called: “Seth. Are you coming or not?” A pretty girl in a white dress came across to them. She had a Pekingese on a lead. The young man glared at her irritably. “Yes, in a moment. I —” He glanced with embarrassment at Carlsen. “This is Captain Olof Carlsen, a very old friend of my mother’s.”
    Carlsen heaved himself to his feet and held out his hand. The girl’s blue eyes were very wide. “Oh, you’re Captain Carlsen! How absolutely marvellous! Oh, I’ve so wanted to meet you… Queenie, do be quiet!” The dog had begun to yap furiously at Carlsen. Seth snorted, “Oh, Christ,” and raised his eyes to heaven.
    “That’s all right,” Carlsen said soothingly. He knelt down and held out his hand.
    The girl said: “Do be careful. She’ll bite.” But the dog stopped barking, sniffed his hand, then licked it. The girl said gushingly: “Oh, she adores you. She never does that to strangers.”
    Seth said firmly: “Look, Charlotte, do you mind making your own way home? I’ve got something I want to say to Captain Carlsen.” He took her by the elbow. The dog began to yap at him. He snapped, “Quiet, you little monster,” and the dog ran behind the girl’s legs. Seth turned to Carlsen with a charming smile. “Would you excuse us just a moment?” He drew the girl aside. Carlsen made a half-bow to her and sat down.
    He sat there, watching them ironically. Yes, he was Violet’s son, all right — totally ruthless when he wanted something. Twenty-five years ago Carlsen had been engaged to