April Fool's

April Fool's, written by Russ Spujak. Illustrated by Thomas Boatwright.

《愚人节》，拉斯·斯普亚克 著 托马斯·博特赖特 绘

As I walk into Principal Taylor's office, I wonder who glued Mrs. Shoemaker to her chair. It would have been a hilarious April Fool's prank if the old faded glue bottle hadn't been hidden in my desk. My best friend Sarah sits on a bench in the office with other students crying like a baby. I didn't write those things, she moans, tears streaming down her face. I was practicing my tuba all morning. She explains how someone wrote nasty messages about Mr. Kendall on the board in her handwriting. Each of the other students is in trouble for some prank they claim they didn't commit.

我走进泰勒校长的办公室，心里好奇是谁把舒梅克太太粘在了椅子上 要是那只褪色旧胶瓶没藏在我课桌里，这本来会是个超好笑的愚人节恶作剧 我最好的朋友萨拉和其他同学一起坐在办公室的长椅上，哭得像个小娃娃 “那些话不是我写的，”她呜咽着，眼泪顺着脸颊往下流 我一整个早上都在练大号 她解释说，有人模仿她的笔迹，在黑板上写了骂肯德尔先生的坏话 其他每个学生都因为恶作剧受了罚，可他们都说自己没干过

Someone covered the gym floor with vegetable oil and blocked the toilets in the bathrooms with handfuls of dead leaves. Someone also stuck old baloney under the cafeteria tables so the whole place stinks like a garbage dump. The phone rings and Ms. Nathan, the secretary, answers it and swiftly hangs up. All morning, kids keep calling and laughing, she says. After a while, Principal Taylor comes out of his office. You've all been very busy, he begins. Sarah starts denying everything, and the rest of us follow suit.

有人把体育馆地板涂满了植物油，还大把抓枯叶堵住了卫生间的马桶 还有人把旧香肠粘在食堂桌子底下，弄得整个地方臭得像垃圾场 电话响了，秘书内森女士接起电话，很快就挂了 她说：“一整个早上，孩子们都不停地打电话过来笑” 过了一会儿，泰勒校长从他的办公室走出来 “你们可真是忙坏了，”他开口说道 萨拉马上开始否认一切，我们其他人也跟着否认

Principal Taylor waves his hands to silence us, but as he's about to speak, the phone rings. Ms. Nathan answers it with an abrupt, Hello. She points to Sarah and says, It's for you. Sarah takes the phone and says, Hello. I can barely hear you. Jake, is that you? When my little brother's name is mentioned, I go to the phone, and Sarah cradles it between us so I can listen. Basement. Find. R. T. It's a young boy's voice, but I can't tell if it's Jake's. Basement. Find. The. R. T. He repeats before the phone suddenly floods with laughing children and then goes dead.

泰勒校长挥手让我们安静，可就在他要说话的时候，电话响了 内森女士接起电话，突兀地说了句：“喂” 她指着萨拉说：“找你的” 萨拉接过电话说：“喂” “我听不清你说话” “杰克，是你吗？” 听到我弟弟的名字，我走到电话旁，萨拉把电话举在我们中间，好让我也能听 “地下室” “找” “R.T” 是小男孩的声音，可我听不出是不是杰克的 “地下室” “找” “找R.T”，他重复完，电话里突然满是孩子们的笑声，接着就断了线

I've spoken with your teachers, and they have some pretty compelling evidence," Mr. Taylor continues. As punishment, you will stay after school until all these pranks are cleaned up. We all groan, and a few of us offer more protests of our innocence. I'll call all your parents to inform them you'll be remaining late on school grounds today and why. Now, return to class.

“我和你们的老师谈过了，他们有相当有力的证据，”泰勒先生继续说 作为惩罚，你们放学后必须留下，直到把所有恶作剧的烂摊子收拾干净 我们全都唉声叹气，还有几个人继续抗议说自己是无辜的 我会给你们所有家长打电话，告诉他们你们今天要留在学校晚走，以及原因 “现在，回教室去”

As Sarah and I shuffle down the hallway, she groans, I'm in so much trouble. What was with that phone call, I ask. We've heard that creepy laughter before. I was trying not to think about it, Sarah whispers. It seems to follow us. The voice said we need to look around the basement.

我和萨拉拖着脚走在走廊上，她抱怨道：“我这下闯大祸了” 我问：“那个电话到底是怎么回事？” 我们之前听过这种吓人的笑声 萨拉小声说：“我一直努力不去想这件事” 它好像一直跟着我们 那个声音说我们得去地下室找找