02 The End Is Near

Chapter 2. The End is Near. Jack opened his eyes. He pushed his glasses into place. Morgan was gone. And so were Jack's jeans, t -shirts, sneakers, and backpack. Instead, he had on a white tunic with a belt, sandals that laced up, and a leather bag. He looked at Annie. She was dressed the same way. Morgan had made them look just like kids in an ancient Roman town. I guess this is what Morgan meant, said Jack.

第二章 末日临近。杰克睁开眼睛，推了推滑下来的眼镜。 摩根不见了。杰克的牛仔裤、T恤、运动鞋和背包也不见了。 取而代之的是，他穿了件系腰带的白色束腰外衣，脚蹬系带凉鞋，还挎了个皮袋。 他看向安妮，她的穿着和他一模一样。 摩根把他们打扮得和古罗马小镇里的小孩没两样。 “我猜摩根说的就是这个意思。”杰克说。

Jack, when she said she'd help us blend in. I feel like Cinderella, said Annie. I like these clothes. Yeah, said Jack, although he felt a little as if he was wearing a dress. Annie looked out the window. It's pretty here, she said. Jack looked with her. They had landed in a grove of trees. On one side of the grove rose a gentle -looking mountain. On the other, a town sparkled in the sunlight. I wonder where we are, said Jack. He opened the book about Roman times. He read aloud. Almost 2 ,000 years ago, on August 24, AD 79, the seaside town of Pompeii was a typical Roman town. Many Romans went there on the seaside.

“杰克，之前她说会帮我们融入当地呀。” “我感觉自己像灰姑娘。”安妮说。 “我喜欢这些衣服。” “是啊。”杰克说，虽然他觉得自己有点像穿了条裙子。 安妮望向窗外。 “这里好漂亮呀。”她说。 杰克也跟着她往外看。 他们降落在一片小树林里。 树林的一边矗立着一座看起来很平缓的山。 另一边，一座小镇在阳光下闪闪发亮。 “不知道我们现在在哪儿。”杰克说。 他翻开那本讲古罗马时代的书。 他大声念了出来。 大约两千年前，公元79年8月24日，滨海小镇庞贝是一座典型的 古罗马城镇。 很多罗马人都到这个海边小镇来。

vacation. They built large houses called villas and planted grows of olive trees along the slopes of a mountain called Mount Vesuvius. Annie kept looking out the window as Jack pulled out his notebook and pencil. He wrote, Vacation in Pompeii, August 24th, AD 79, houses called villas. Jack looked out the window again. It does have landed in one of the olive groves, said Annie.

度假。他们建造了名为别墅的大房子，还种了一片片橄榄树 沿着一座叫维苏威的火山的山坡种植。安妮一直望着窗外 这时杰克掏出了他的笔记本和铅笔。他写道：庞贝度假， 公元79年8月24日，房子叫别墅。杰克再次望向窗外。我们确实 降落在一片橄榄林里呀。安妮说。

Yeah, and that town must be Pompeii," said Jack. He looked in the opposite direction, and that mountain must be Mount Vesuvius. Annie shivered. That name sounds scary, she said. Really? said Jack. Not to me. He looked down at his notes. Hey, did you feel that? said Annie. What? Jack looked up. The ground shook. I heard it rumble, too, said Annie. Jack frowned. I think you were just dreaming again, he said. No, I wasn't, said Annie. Something feels wrong about this place. I really think we should go home now. Are you nuts? said Jack. We have to go!

“对哦，那座城镇肯定就是庞贝。”杰克说。 他朝反方向看去，“那座山肯定就是维苏威火山。” 安妮打了个寒颤。 “这个名字听起来好吓人。”她说。 “是吗？” 杰克说。 “我不觉得呀。” 他低头看着自己的笔记。 “嘿，你感觉到了吗？”安妮说。 “什么？” 杰克抬起头。 “刚才地面晃了一下。” “我还听到了轰隆隆的响声呢。”安妮说。 杰克皱起了眉。 “我觉得你肯定又在胡思乱想了。”他说。 “我才没有呢。”安妮说。 “这个地方有点不对劲。” “我真的觉得我们现在应该回家。” “你疯了吗？”杰克说。 “我们必须得去！”

Find that lost story for Morgan. Besides, I've always wanted to see a Roman town." He threw his notebook and the Roman book into his leather bag. Then he went down the rope ladder. Come on, he called when he stepped onto the ground. Annie just stared down at him. Don't be chicken, he said. He pushed his glasses into place. Come on, it'll be fun. Annie still didn't move. What's wrong with her? Jack wondered. Usually I'm the worried one. Come on, he pleaded. We can't let Morgan down. Annie let out a big sigh. Okay, but we'd better find that story fast, she said. Finally she climbed down the rope ladder.

“帮摩根找到那个遗失的故事呀。” “再说了，我一直都想看看古罗马城镇是什么样的。” 他把笔记本和那本古罗马的书塞进了皮袋里。 然后他顺着绳梯爬了下去。 “快点呀。”他脚一沾地就喊道。 安妮只是低头盯着他看。 “别做胆小鬼呀。”他说。 他推了推架好的眼镜。 “来吧，肯定很好玩的。” 安妮还是一动不动。 “她这是怎么了？” 杰克很纳闷。 “往常担心的人都是我才对呀。” “快下来吧。”他恳求道。 “我们不能让摩根失望的。” 安妮重重地叹了口气。 “好吧，不过我们最好快点找到那个故事。”她说。 最后她还是顺着绳梯爬了下来。

The sun was bright and hot as they took off between the olive trees. With Mount Vesuvius at their backs they headed for the town of Pompeii. That's weird, said Annie. I don't hear any birds. She was right. The grove was strangely silent.

他们穿行在橄榄树之间，阳光明媚又灼热。 他们背对着维苏威火山，朝着庞贝小镇走去。 “好奇怪呀。”安妮说。 “我听不到一点鸟叫声。” 她说得没错。 这片树林安静得诡异。