Chapter 1

I SURVIVED THE HINDENBURG DISASTER, 1937

我在1937年兴登堡灾难中幸存下来

CHAPTER 1 THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1937 7:25 P.M. LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY In seconds, the Hindenburg would explode. The greatest flying machine ever built would burst into flames. It would crash to the ground in a heap of twisted metal and smoldering ash.

第一章1937年5月6日星期四下午7:25 几秒钟后，兴登堡号就会爆炸。 有史以来最伟大的飞行器将会燃烧起来。 它会坠毁在地上，变成一堆扭曲的金属和冒烟的灰烬。

Just minutes before, eleven-year-old Hugo Ballard had been standing at the airship's huge windows. After a three-day journey across the Atlantic, the Hindenburg was about to land. But then came the massive explosion. Kaboom! On the ground, hundreds of people had gathered to watch the landing. Now they stared in horror as the great airship erupted into a massive fireball. And inside the crippled airship, Hugo was in a fight for his life. The force of the explosive blast sent him flying back. He landed on the ground with a sickening thud. Frantic people fell on top of him, and he was nearly crushed. Someone's heavy shoe kicked his face. An elbow jabbed him in the eye. A knee pressed against his throat, making it impossible to breathe. He managed to free himself, but now the flames were everywhere. Poisonous black smoke rushed up his nose and down his throat. Tears gushed

就在几分钟前，11岁的雨果·巴拉德还站在飞艇巨大的窗户前。 经过三天的大西洋之旅，兴登堡号即将着陆。 但随后发生了巨大的爆炸。 大爆炸!在地面上，数百人聚集在一起观看着陆。 现在他们惊恐地看着那艘巨大的飞艇突然变成一个巨大的火球。 在残破的飞艇里，雨果正在与死神搏斗。 爆炸的力量使他飞了回来。 他重重地摔在地上。 疯狂的人们扑在他身上，他几乎被压碎了。 有人沉重的鞋子踢到了他的脸。 胳膊肘打在了他的眼睛上。 一只膝盖压在他的喉咙上，使他无法呼吸。 他设法逃了出来，但现在到处都是火焰。 有毒的黑烟从他的鼻子里冒出来，又从他的喉咙里冒出来。 眼泪涌

from his burning eyes. Red-hot drops of molten metal rained down, burning through his clothes and sizzling against his skin. But Hugo barely noticed the pain. He just wanted to find his parents and his little sister, Gertie. He cried out for them, but his words were smothered by the terrible noises all around — screams of pain and panic, the shattering of glass, the crackle and roar of the flames. People smashed windows and leaped out, their terrified cries echoing as they fell through the fiery sky. Hugo clawed his way across the floor, gasping for breath. The searing heat blistered his hands and knees. He could feel the airship falling, falling, falling. Any second it would crash to the ground. The Hindenburg was doomed. And so, it seemed, was Hugo.

从他燃烧的眼睛里。炽热的金属熔化物如雨点般落下，烧穿了他的衣服，在他的皮肤上发出咝咝声。 但雨果几乎没有注意到疼痛。 他只是想找到他的父母和妹妹格蒂。 他大声呼喊，但他的声音被周围可怕的声音盖住了——痛苦和恐慌的尖叫、玻璃破碎的声音、火焰的噼啪声和轰鸣声。 人们砸碎窗户，跳了出去，他们惊恐的哭声在火红的天空中回荡。 雨果在地板上挣扎着，喘着粗气。 酷热使他的手和膝盖起了泡。 他能感觉到飞艇在下落，下落，下落。 它随时都可能坠落到地面。 兴登堡号完蛋了。 雨果似乎也是如此。