0 Prologue

Peanut Jones and the Twelve Portals by Rob BIDDULPH

《花生·琼斯与十二扇传送门》 罗布·比杜尔夫 著

Prologue To their great surprise, the door opened. Four pairs of eyes peered into the cool, dark room. Silence. Feeling brave, the older girl pushed against the wafer-thin surface. It crackled as it swung further on its papery hinges. Tentatively, the children crept through. The scent of turpentine mixed with cheap soap hit their nostrils as they jumped down and stood on the dusty floor. Two red lights, a couple of metres from the ground, were glowing at the back of the room. The younger boy with the big hair gulped. "Who's there?" he said. "I-I can hear breathing." Something small with claws scuttled across the floor in front of them.

序章 令他们大感意外的是，门开了。 四双眼睛望向阴凉昏暗的房间深处。 一片寂静。 胆大的姐姐伸手推了推那薄如威化的表面。 纸合叶带着门越转越开，还发出噼啪的开裂声。 孩子们怯生生地慢慢挪了进去。 他们跳下来站在落灰的地板上，松节油混着廉价肥皂的气味钻进了鼻腔。 房间深处，离地面两米左右的位置，有两团红光正发着光。 那个留着蓬松头发的小男孩吞了口口水。 “谁在那儿？”他问道。 “我、我听到呼吸声了。” 一个长着爪子的小东西从他们面前的地板上飞快窜过。

"OK, that's it. I've had enough." He turned to leave, but the girl grabbed his jacket and pulled him back. "Hello?" she said into the darkness, her voice full of hope. "Is anybody in here with us?" This time, nothing. Suddenly, dazzling light flooded their vision and all four of them instinctively brought their hands up to their faces. After a few seconds, they stopped rubbing their eyes and lowered their arms. As her sight adjusted, the girl watched the tall figure in front of them turn away, put the torch down, and reach up to his right. He slid open a metal grate and four diagonal brushstrokes of light raced into the room, painting one side of him in bright, iridescent colours. Long, unruly hair, shimmering with warm reds, deep oranges and rich golds, tumbled down over his shoulders. As he slowly turned to face his visitors, he revealed a long beard. The girl stepped forward and rubbed her eyes again. Could it be? Underneath all that hair? Was it him? "Hello, Peanut," said the man. She exhaled. And then she smiled. "Hello, Dad."

“好了，就这样吧。 我已经受够了。” 他转身要走，可女孩抓住他的外套把他拉了回来。 “有人吗？”她对着黑暗问道，声音里满是期待。 “有谁在这儿和我们一起吗？” 这一回，什么回应都没有。 突然，刺眼的亮光照得他们睁不开眼，四个孩子下意识抬手挡住了脸。 几秒钟后，他们停下揉眼睛，放下了手臂。 等视力慢慢恢复，女孩看见面前的高个子转过身，放下手电筒，抬手伸向右方。 他推开金属格栅，四道斜斜的光线冲进房间，把他身体的一侧染成明亮斑斓的色彩。 一头蓬乱长发披在他肩上，闪着暖红、深橙与浓金的光泽。 他慢慢转过身面对孩子们，露出了长长的胡须。 女孩上前一步，又揉了揉眼睛。 这会是真的吗？ 在那满头头发下面？ 真的是他吗？ “你好，花生。”男人开口道。 她长出了一口气。 接着她露出了笑容。 “你好，爸爸。”