(Part I)
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
The room grows smaller as Uncle Jasper, Seth, Odie, Thomas, and I crowd around Anna, who continues to coo at the baby she believes is wriggling in the empty bundle of blankets in her arms.
房间越来越小,因为叔叔贾斯珀,赛斯,奥迪,托马斯, 我围着安娜, 她继续凝视着她相信的婴儿,
After Thomas explains that Sarah’s mom is too lost in the illusion to hear us talking, Uncle Jasper describes how Anna was able to save him from the same fate years before.
在托马斯解释莎拉的妈妈在幻觉中太迷茫了,
“I don’t have the strength to do it,” Uncle Jasper says, “and it might not even work.”
贾斯珀叔叔说, “我没有能力做到这一点, “
“It’s worth a shot,” I reply.
我回答说,
“The instant you start manipulating the sands, the Queen will be alerted to our presence,” Seth cautions.
“一旦你开始操纵沙子,女王就会警觉到我们的存在。”
“You must be expedient, child, and unwavering in your commitment to liberate her.”
“你必须迅速、儿童并坚定不移地致力于解放她。 “
“I’m not concerned about that last part,” I say as I kneel down before Anna.
我对Anna跪下时,
She pushes a lengthy piece of dark hair behind her ear, and I’m struck by how content she seems, as if nothing could ever be wrong with the world.
她将一长片深色的头发推到耳朵后,
It’s not real.
这不是真的。
It’s not real, I remind myself and place my hands on her forearm.
我提醒自己,
It feels like billions of tiny, electrified insects are swarming beneath my palms, and I realize the sand is covering her in an imperceptibly thin coating.
感觉有几十亿个微小的,电气化的昆虫 在我的手掌下发热, 我意识到沙子覆盖着她 以难以想象的薄涂层。
With a deep breath, I concentrate intensely on the sand flowing over her, imagining it enveloping my body, pulling me deeper and deeper.
深呼吸后,我把精力集中在流过她身上的沙子上, 想象它笼罩着我的身体, 把我拉得更深了。
I close my eyes as the prickling electric sensations pulse over me.
我闭上了眼睛 当电动感觉压到我身上
Opening my eyes, I find myself in a sunny, clean nursery, the walls covered with cheerful multicolored balloon wallpaper, the bed covered with fresh linens.
打开我的眼睛,我发现自己在一个阳光明媚,干净的苗圃里, 墙上覆盖着欢快的多色气球壁纸, 床上覆盖着新鲜的被子.
The prickling feeling has vanished, and my hands are still on Anna’s arm.
刺痛的感觉已经消失,
She holds a squirming baby with curly black hair, who happily gurgles, grabs Anna’s index finger, and, with an expression of surprise, sticks it into her tiny mouth.
她抱着一个卷发黑发的被打倒的婴儿,她很快乐地咕噜地抓住了安娜的食指,并带着惊喜的表情,把它插入了她的小嘴.
Almost immediately, I am nearly overwhelmed by the sensation that this place—its warm sun, bright colors, and happy sounds—is more authentic than the existence that I had come from.
几乎马上,我几乎对这样的感觉感到不堪重负:这里——它的温暖的太阳,明亮的颜色,和快乐的声音——比起我来自那里的存在,更真实.
Maybe it would be better to stay here rather than return, since everything was so scary there—back there, where people are waiting but becoming hazy.
也许最好留在这,而不是返回,因为那里的一切都如此可怕——在那里,人们正在等待,但变得模糊。
Maybe all that was the delusion, but no, I remember someone—who was it?
也许所有这一切都是妄想,但是不,我记得有人——是谁?
—saying, “Nothing you will see is real—remember that.
——说道:"你不会看到什么是真实的"——记住这一点.
Say it to yourself.
向自说已.
Concentrate on remembering that none of it is real.”
集中精力记住,这些都不是真实的。 “
It’s not real, I think, focusing on the words because they seem important.
我认为这不是真的,
It’s not real.
这不是真的。
It’s not real.
这不是真的。
“It’s not real,” I say out loud.
我大声地说,
“It’s not real.”
" 这不是真的。 “
Anna looks up at me and blinks, mildly surprised, as she says, “Oh my!
安娜抬头看着我眨眼,轻而易举地惊讶地说:"哦!
Who might you be, young lady?”
小姐,你是谁? “
Her smile is gentle and kind.
她的笑容温柔善良.
“It’s not real.”
" 这不是真的。 “
“What did you say?”
“你刚才说什么? “
“It’s not real.
" 这不是真的。
It’s not real.”
这不是真的。 “
I’m shaking my head now.
我现在在摇头。
I hear a thunderous crack, and a fissure appears in the wall beside me as Anna, now terrified, protectively covers the baby, who lets out a heart- wrenching wail.
我听到一个雷声的裂缝, 一个裂缝出现在我旁边的墙上 作为安娜,现在吓坏了, 保护性地覆盖婴儿, 他放出一个心 --
“It’s not real.
" 这不是真的。
It’s not real.”
这不是真的。 “
“Why are you doing this?”
“为什么这样做? “
Anna cries as tears begin to fall from her eyes and onto the screeching baby.
安娜哭着说,眼泪开始从她的眼睛倒下,并倒向了尖叫的婴儿.
The wallpaper begins to fade and curl, and the bedding frays on its own.
墙纸开始逐渐淡出并卷曲,被褥自相残杀.
“I’m sorry,” I say, realizing that I’m forcing her back into a harsh reality.
我意识到我迫使她回到一个严酷的现实。
It is for the best—it has to be.
这是最好的,它必须是。
This isn’t real.
这不是真的。
The words feel all-encompassing.
言语自觉通通.
“It’s not real.
" 这不是真的。
It’s not real,” I continue, suddenly feeling the electric pulses of the sand again.
我继续说, 这不是真的,
I imagine the invisible layer sloughing off like a snake’s shed skin.
我想象看不见的地层会像蛇的外表一样被刮去。
My concentration is fixated on that image, and slowly, I feel the sand begin to recede, starting at my feet and ascending steadily.
我的注意力集中在那个图像上, 慢慢地,我感觉到沙子开始退去, 从我的脚开始,并稳步上升。
My head clears, and I begin to remember that I’m in the bowels of the Queen’s castle, and somewhere beyond this illusion, Uncle Jasper, Seth, Odie, and Thomas are watching me.
我头脑清醒,我开始记得我身处女王城堡的肠道,除了这种幻觉之外,叔叔贾斯珀、塞斯、奥迪和托马斯也在注视我。
Then something shifts, and it seems as if the sand is struggling against my will.
沙子好像在违背我的意愿
I focus even more intensely, but my progress is still sluggish.
我更集中精神,但我的进展仍然缓慢。
Looking at Anna, the expression of pure terror as she shields what she believes is her child, I realize the resistance is coming from her.
看着安娜, 纯粹的恐怖的表达 当她盾 她认为是她的孩子, 我意识到抵抗来自她。
She is clinging desperately to the illusion, which to her is more real than anything else.
她非常执着于幻觉,这对她来说比什么都更真实。
I have to break her free.
我必须让她自由自在
I shift some of my intention away from the enveloping sand to the bundle of blankets, envisioning it for what it really is—a pile of sand.
我将一些意向从被裹起的沙子转移到被子上,
It takes only a moment, and then the baby and blankets dissolve and sift away.
它只需要一分钟, 然后婴儿和被子溶解和筛出。
Anna gasps and stares at her hands, the shock providing me a window to concentrate all my effort on shedding the membrane of sand.
安娜喘气并凝视着她的手, 震撼给我一个窗口, 集中我的所有努力 将沙子的膜。
With a great rushing WHOOSH, the sand falls to the floor, and we’re standing in the dilapidated room with everyone else.
沙子倒到地上, 我们和大家站在破旧的房间里。
Uncle Jasper kneels down beside me as Anna shakes her head and runs her hands through her hair.
贾斯珀叔叔跪在我身后 当安娜摇起头来 用手穿过她的头发
After a moment, her eyes seem to focus again, and she whispers, “Jasper, is that you?”
过了一会儿,她的眼睛似乎又集中了起来,她低语道:“亚斯珀,是你吗? “
“Yes,” Jasper replies, and the two embrace like the old friends they are.
“是的,”贾斯珀回答说,两人像老朋友一样拥抱。
“I can’t believe.
我无法相信。
she starts, hesitating.
她开始犹豫不决
“It seemed so real, that world, and so perfect.
“世界看起来如此真实,如此完美。
How long was I trapped in there?”
我被困在这里多久了? “
“Too long,” Jasper says before adding, “years.”
“太长了,”贾斯珀在添加“岁月”之前说。
“Sarah!
“萨拉!
Is she here?
她在吗?
Is she okay?”
她还好吗? “
“I apologize for interrupting this tender reunion,” Seth interjects, “but we must evacuate this location immediately.”
Seth interjects说:“但是我们必须立即撤离这个地点。 “
As soon as he has spoken, the door to the hallway smashes shut with incredible force, and in the next moment, it vanishes altogether, becoming a solid wall.
他一说话,走廊的门就用不可思议的力力把门打碎了,在接下来的一瞬间,它就完全消失了,变成了一堵坚固的墙.
I open my mouth to speak, but the room suddenly shifts.
我开口说话 但房间突然变了
We all fall to the floor, and I get the distinct sensation that we’re actually moving— fast.
我们全都倒在地上, 我得到的明显的感觉是, 我们实际上正在移动—— 快速。
Then, with a violent jerk, we come to a halt.
然后,与一个暴力的混蛋, 我们停下来。
The walls and floor crumble and then dissipate to nothing, and we’re standing in the most amazing room any of us had ever beheld.
墙壁和地板倒塌,然后散去一无所有,我们站在我们曾经见过的最神奇的房间。
Silver and gold columns climb skyward, seamlessly transitioning to an ornately painted ceiling, and the floor, a mosaic of precious stones, is warm to the touch.
银和金柱向上攀登出天花,无缝地过渡到一副生前所绘的天花板上,地上是一幅由宝石所构成的镶嵌花纹相接而成的花地,与触地相接而来.
No fires or bulbs illuminate the immense room.
没有火和灯泡 照亮了巨大的房间。
Instead, everything glows softly with its own light.
相反,每件事物都会用自己的光线轻轻地发光.
“What a gaudy display,” Seth mutters with disgust.
赛斯的哑巴令人厌恶。
Before us, on an extravagant throne made of glass laced with gold, atop a raised dais, sits the Queen, appearing perfectly at ease, with a casual smile on her face as she straightens a wrinkle in her scarlet gown.
在我们面前,在一个由被金子所铺成的玻璃所铺成的奢侈宝座上,一个被升起的雏菊,坐在王后座上,完全安然地出现,当她把红花相衣的皱纹理直了时,她脸上却轻而易举地微笑.
“You have finally arrived,” she says, her voice velvety and kind.
她说,“你终于到来了,”她的声音天鹅绒和善良。
“I’m so happy.”
我很高兴。 “
“Where are Jake and Sarah?”
“杰克和莎拉在哪里? “
I yell.
我大叫着
“My, my, what greeting,” the Queen says unceremoniously, tapping her finger on the armrest of her throne, which must be some sort of signal.
“我的,我的,什么的问候,”女王说出不礼貌的话,在她王位的臂上用手指敲打她,这一定是某种信号。
Out of nowhere, a group of mutated cephaloids appear and grab everyone but me.
不知何故 一群变异的花生出现 抓住除了我以外的所有人
“Let them go!”
“让他们走!”
I scream.
我尖叫着
“I will, of course I will.
“我当然会。
The last thing I want to do is cause anyone pain, but first I need your help.”
我最不想做的就是给任何人造成痛苦 但首先我需要你的帮助 “
She stands and walks down the steps, her heels clicking.
她站着走下台阶 她的高跟鞋点击
“I’ll never help you,” I hiss.
「我永远不会帮你,
“Before you make any decisions, look at this.”
“在你作出任何决定之前,看看这个。 “
She lifts her hands, and the huge stained glass windows on either side of the dais slide forward.
她举起手来, 和巨大的彩色玻璃窗 在菊花的两侧 滑向前。
With a flick of her fingers, the glass separates at the bottom and splits up the center like a zipper.
用她手指的一闪,玻璃从下方分出,并像拉链一样将中心分出.
On one side, I see Sarah and her mom curled up on the couch I recognize from her house.
一方面,我看到莎拉和她的妈妈 卷起在沙发上 我认出她的房子。
They’re laughing together, Sarah’s face filled with a joy I’ve never seen before.
莎拉的脸上充满了前所未有的喜悦。
On the other side is Jake, galloping on a great steed through a cartoony looking desert, a broad grin slapped on his face.
另一边是Jake,他骑着一匹伟大的马跑过一个长相像漫画的沙漠, 一个大笑脸被扇了一巴掌。
“None of that is real,” I say defiantly.
我说,“没有一个是真实的,”是公然的。
“Look how happy they are, how blissful.
“看他们多么幸福,多么幸福。
How can you say that isn’t real?”
你怎么能说这不是真的呢? “
She walks over to stand beside me and places her hand on my shoulder in a very maternal gesture.
她走过来站在我旁边 把手放在我的肩膀上 一个非常母性的姿态
“They can feel, taste, hear, smell, and see everything around them, just as you can here.
“他们能感觉到、品尝、听到、闻到和看到周围的一切,就像你们在这里一样。
The only difference is that their worlds are filled with nothing but joy.
唯一差别是,他们的世界充满了欢乐。
No pain, sadness.
没有痛苦,悲伤。
or loss.”
或损失。 “
The Queen gives me a sorrowful smile.
后出一悲相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相相
“I gave them endless happiness, just as I can give it to you.
“我给了他们无尽的幸福,就像我可以给你一样。
All you have to do to help me is live happily ever after in your own personal paradise.”
你只要帮助我 在你个人的天堂里幸福地生活 “
“It’s not real, though,” I snap.
但「这不是真的」,
“No matter how realistic you make them seem, that’s not really Sarah’s mother in there, and that prairie girl in Jake’s world really isn’t me.
“不管你让他们看起来多么现实,
We’re out here, feeling the pain and loss you caused by taking them away from us.”
我们在这里感受你从我们身边带走他们带来的痛苦和损失。 “
“There must always be balance,” Seth says.
Seth说:“必须始终保持平衡”。
I look down to see him sitting at my other side.
我看着他坐在我的另一边
I’m not sure when or how he escaped the cephaloids, but I’m happy for the support.
我不确定他何时或如何逃出Cephaloids,
“By giving these few eternal happiness to serve your own will, you condemn their families to suffer the agony of losing them.”
“通过给予这些永恒的幸福来服务于自己的意志,你谴责他们的家庭遭受失去他们的痛苦。 “
“They know nothing of loss!”
“他们不知道什么是损失!”
the Queen screams, suddenly furious.
女王大叫,突然大发雷霆
The crack in her facade is terrifying, though it only takes her a moment to compose herself again.
她的外表的裂缝是可怕的, 虽然它只需要花一分时间 她再次作曲。
“Perhaps not presently, but they will if your schemes come to fruition,” Seth says quietly.
“也许目前不是,但如果你们的计划取得成果,他们就会这样做。”
“Happiness and sadness are opposite sides of the same coin—one doesn’t exist without the other.”
“幸福和悲伤是同一个硬币的对立面, “
Seth’s words click in my mind.
赛斯的言语吸引了我的心。
“You can’t really know what happiness is unless you’ve experienced sadness, and vice versa,” I say, more to myself than the Queen.
“除非你经历了悲伤,否则你无法真正知道什么是幸福,反之亦然,”我说,对我自己来说,比女王还要多。
“It’s the same with all negative emotions.”
“所有负面情绪都是一样的。 “
“Haven’t they experienced enough fear, sadness, and pain?”
他们难道没有经历过足够的恐惧、悲伤和痛苦吗? “
the Queen asks, her face becoming the epitome of sympathy.
女王问, 她的脸 成为同情的缩影。
“No,” I say, “because that’s all part of being alive.
“不,”我说,“因为这是活着的一部分。
We experience fear, pain, and sadness so we can learn and grow to overcome those emotions and find happiness.
我们经历恐惧、痛苦和悲伤,以便我们学习和成长,克服这些情绪并找到幸福。
If we’re happy all the time, there’s no reason to change and become better.
如果我们一直快乐,
The pain of losing her mother pushed Sarah to become strong and brave enough to face the Hollow.
失去她母亲的痛苦促使莎拉变得强大而勇敢地去面对"洞".
The fear and sadness we both felt kept us moving forward toward finding Anna and Jasper.”
我们感到的恐惧和悲伤 使我们继续寻找安娜和贾斯珀 “
Then a realization hits me like a punch in the chest: “The opposite is also true,” I say, looking at the Queen.
然后一个觉悟像一拳打到胸口 “恰恰相反,”我说,看着女王。
“Someone who only feels sadness and can’t move beyond it is also stuck.”
有些人只感到悲伤, “
I glimpse a minute shift in the Queen’s face—my words have struck a chord—but then her skin becomes like polished stone.
我看见女王脸上的一分一秒的一动——我的言语触动了一股和弦——但她的皮肤就变成被打磨过的石头了。
“Why have you stayed here all these years, manipulating people and these innocent cephaloids to do your will and changing this world into something it’s not?”
“为什么这些年来你一直呆在这里,操纵人们和这些无辜的cephaloids来完成你的意志,把这个世界变成它所没有的东西? “
I ask as she begins to walk away.
我问,当她开始离开。
“Since you have rejected my offer, I have no further need of you,” she says, sounding exhausted.
“既然你拒绝了我的提议,我不再需要你了,”她说,听起来已经筋疲力尽了。
“Be gone.”
“离开。”