Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 After a meal full of forced laughter, Charlie trudged upstairs, the knot in his stomach twisting tighter. He flopped on to his bed, staring at the ceiling, hands by his side. What exactly had happened at his dad's work? Why was it so serious? If Charlie was completely honest, he wasn't even sure what his dad's work involved. Something to do with computers? Inventing stuff, maybe? Charlie had asked umpteen times before, but whenever his dad had started replying with 'Well, son, I mean, I have explained this to you a number of times before, but never mind, my job involves…' he just switched off. He couldn't help it. His ears stopped working. And now something was happening at his dad's work that could mean they might have to sell their house and move in with Aunt Brenda?! Charlie groaned. A feeling, and yet not a feeling– a memory of a feeling– rippled through his body unnoticed. Would he have to share a room with SmoothMove?

查理吃了一顿满是强笑的饭，拖着沉重的步子上楼，胃里的疙瘩扭得更紧了。 他扑通一声躺在床上，眼睛盯着天花板，双手放在身边。 他爸爸工作的地方到底发生了什么？ 为什么会这么严重？如果查理是完全诚实的，他甚至不确定他父亲的工作涉及什么。 跟电脑有关吗？ 也许是在发明东西？查理以前问过无数次，但每当他爸爸开始回答“儿子，我的意思是，我之前已经向你解释过很多次了，但没关系，我的工作涉及……”时，他就不说话了。 他没办法。他的耳朵停止了工作。 现在他爸爸工作的地方发生了一些事情意味着他们可能要卖掉房子搬去和布兰达阿姨住！查理呻吟着。 一种感觉，但又不是一种感觉——一种感觉的记忆——在他的身体里荡漾，而不被注意。 他要和SmoothMove共用一个房间吗？

Charlie was so preoccupied with worrying, he didn't even notice his fingers beginning to crackle with static or his right eye twitching. I mean, SmoothMove smelled awful. He never changed his socks. Charlie couldn't possibly share a room with him– he'd have to wear one of those gas masks he'd seen in history lessons about the First World War. His left eye twitching. Both eyes twitching. And what happened if they couldn't stay with Aunt Brenda? What if they had to move areas? What if Charlie had to start a new school? Rumour had it that Huntsman's School for Boys– the only other school in town, which was located in a converted Victorian prison– made their students play full- contact rugby. In their underpants. In winter.

查理全神贯注地担心着，他甚至没有注意到他的手指开始因静电而发出噼啪声，他的右眼也在抽搐。 我是说，SmoothMove闻起来很难闻。 他从不换袜子。 查理不可能和他同住一个房间——他必须戴上他在第一次世界大战历史课上看到的那种防毒面具。 他的左眼在抽动。两只眼睛都在抽搐。 如果他们不能和布兰达阿姨住在一起怎么办？ 如果他们要搬家怎么办？ 如果查理不得不去另一所学校呢？ 有传言说，亨茨曼男校（亨茨曼男校是镇上唯一一所由维多利亚时代监狱改建的学校）让学生玩全身橄榄球。 穿着内裤。在冬天。

By the time Charlie recognized the electricity searing through his body, it was too late. I'm changing! Charlie thought in total panic. No! I've got it under control! He quickly started slowing his breathing down, trying to calm himself, but he could already feel the squeezing feeling, like he was being shot down a wire into a plug socket. Think happy thoughts! Think happy thoughts! Charlie tried telling himself, remembering that it was being happy that had stopped him from changing in front of the whole school during the school play. But the only thoughts his brain would allow him to think were of moving schools and SmoothMove's crusty socks. Charlie could feel fur springing out of his skin, millions of short hairs covering his arms, his face, his body. And now, he was shrinking. His teeth like tiny daggers. Fingernails into claws. A tail. It was too late. Charlie had changed.

当查理意识到全身灼烧的电流时，已经太晚了。 我改变了!查理惊慌地想。 不!我已经控制住了！他很快开始放慢呼吸，试图让自己平静下来，但他已经能感觉到挤压的感觉，就像他被一根电线射进了插座。 想些快乐的事吧！想些快乐的事吧！查理试着告诉自己，他记得，正是因为开心，他才没有在学校演出时当着全校的面换衣服。 但他的大脑只允许他想到搬家学校和SmoothMove的硬皮袜子。 查理能感觉到毛发从他的皮肤上冒出来，数以百万计的短毛发覆盖着他的手臂、脸和身体。 现在，他在萎缩。 他的牙齿像小匕首。 指甲变成爪子。一个尾巴。 太迟了。查理变了。

Now, Charlie had a fair idea what he had turned into, but it was confirmed when Chairman Meow wandered into his bedroom. Chairman Meow was the family ginger cat and was usually pretty chill, apart from the time he had tried to eat Charlie when Charlie was a spider. But we all make mistakes. However, the moment Chairman Meow clapped eyes on Charlie this time, all hell broke loose. 'WHAT THE– WHO THE– WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!' Chairman Meow screeched.

查理很清楚自己变成了什么样子，但当喵主席走进他的卧室时，他的想法得到了证实。 “喵”主席是家里养的一只姜黄色的猫，平时很冷淡，除了查理还是蜘蛛的时候，它曾试图吃掉查理。 但我们都会犯错。然而，这次当喵主席看到查理的那一刻，一切都乱了套。 “你到底——谁——你在这儿干什么？！”喵主席尖叫道。

Charlie could understand him– and that meant one thing: Charlie was a cat. 'A CAT! THERE'S A CAT IN HERE! I HATE CATS!' Chairman Meow screamed. He had puffed up to about ten times his normal size, his tail huge and fluffy. He was arching his back, standing on his tippy-claws, trying to make himself as big as possible.

查理能听懂他的话——这意味着一件事：查理是一只猫。 “一只猫!这里有只猫！我讨厌猫！”喵主席尖叫起来。 它已经膨胀到平常的十倍大，尾巴又大又蓬松。 它拱起背，用尖爪子站着，尽量使自己显得大一些。

'GET OUT OF HERE, UNKNOWN INTRUDER CAT, OR I WILL DESTROY YOU! I WILL SHRED YOU TO TINY PIECES! BUT FIRST, AS IS TRADITION BEFORE CAT-WAR, I MUST SING THE CAT-SONG OF DEATH!' And with that Chairman Meow began howling. 'Can you PLEASE stop screeching like that? Goodness me, what a racket,' Charlie meowed. Chairman Meow glared at Charlie. 'Answer me, unknown intruder cat. Who are you? Tell me your name before I resume the Cat-Song of Death.' 'I'm–' 'One moment! There is dirt on me!' Chairman Meow began licking one leg furiously. 'There. I am

“滚出去，不知名的闯入者，否则我就毁了你！”我要把你撕成碎片！但首先，按照猫战之前的传统，我必须唱死猫之歌！”说着，喵主席开始嚎叫起来。 “你能不能别那样尖叫了？” “我的天哪，这太吵了。”查理叫道。 喵主席怒视着查理。 “回答我，不知名的闯入者。 你是谁？在我继续唱死亡之歌之前告诉我你的名字。“我在——”“等一下！”我身上有脏东西！”喵主席开始狂怒地舔一条腿。 ”。我是