Chapter 1

I SURVIVED THE GREAT ALASKA EARTHQUAKE, 1964

我在1964年的阿拉斯加大地震中幸存了下来

CHAPTER 1 FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1964 5:36 P.M. VALDEZ, ALASKA To eleven-year-old Jackson Barrett, it seemed like the world was ending. He was caught in the middle of the most powerful earthquake in United States history.

第一章1964年3月27日星期五下午5点36分 瓦尔迪兹，阿拉斯加州。对11岁的杰克逊·巴雷特来说，世界似乎要结束了。 他被困在美国历史上最强烈的地震中。

Across Alaska, the ground shattered like glass. Buildings fell to pieces. Icy cliffsides crashed into the sea. Giant tsunami waves smashed into towns and villages along the coast. Just moments before it started, Jackson had been at the waterfront in the small town of Valdez. The docks were crowded with families and happy kids. Suddenly, a strange roar filled the air. Jackson's body shook. But wait … it wasn't just his body that was shaking. Everything around him was shaking, too. And then a woman screamed. "Earthquake!" The roaring got louder, hammering Jackson's ears. The ground shook harder, knocking him down to his knees. The freezing water in the harbor seemed to boil like an evil witch's brew. On the streets, cars swerved and spun. Trees and telephone poles swayed. The roaring got louder. The shaking got harder. Louder. Harder. Louder. Harder.

整个阿拉斯加，地面像玻璃一样破碎。 建筑物倒塌了。冰冷的悬崖崩塌入海。 巨大的海啸冲击着沿海的城镇和村庄。 就在比赛开始前，杰克逊还在瓦尔迪兹小镇的海滨。 码头上挤满了家庭和快乐的孩子。 突然，空中响起了一声奇怪的吼声。 杰克逊的身体颤抖着。但是等等，不只是他的身体在颤抖。 他周围的一切也都在颤抖。 然后一个女人尖叫起来。 “地震!”咆哮声越来越大，震得杰克逊耳朵直响。 地面摇晃得更厉害了，把他打倒在地。 港口里冰冷的水沸腾起来，就像邪恶的女巫酿造的酒。 在街道上，汽车急转弯、打转。 树木和电线杆摇晃着。 咆哮声越来越大。摇晃得更厉害了。 响亮。困难。响亮。困难。

Jackson tried to stand up, but it was impossible. The ground seemed to have come alive — rising and falling, twisting and rolling. For Jackson, it was like riding on top of a giant squirming snake. He clawed his way forward on his hands and knees, inching his way across the shaking ground. He had finally made it out to the street when … Crack! A massive gash opened in the ground right in front of him. Jackson turned around, but … Crack! An even bigger gash tore open behind him. A sickening stench rose from the darkness below. Jackson tried not to think of what could be waiting for him down there. Boiling lava? Shooting flames? The slobbering mouth of a hungry beast? The ground under him started to crumble apart. "Please, please, nooooooooooooooooo!" Jackson screamed.

杰克逊想站起来，但不可能。 地面似乎活了起来——起起伏伏，扭曲翻滚。 对杰克逊来说，这就像骑在一条巨大的蠕动的蛇上面。 他用双手和膝盖在颤抖的地面上爬行。 他终于走到了街上，突然……啪！他面前的地上裂开了一道巨大的口子。 杰克逊转过身来，但是……他身后撕开了一个更大的口子。 一股令人作呕的恶臭从下面的黑暗中升起。 杰克逊尽量不去想下面会有什么在等着他。 沸腾的熔岩吗?拍摄火焰? 饥饿野兽的流口水嘴？ 他脚下的大地开始崩裂。 “求你了，求你了，不要！”杰克逊尖叫。

But down he fell, helpless and terrified, into the darkness.

但是他又无助又害怕地倒在了黑暗中。