2017-12-05

【Aiden in English】

        A boy sat alone in a graveyard. He was seven years old, his name was Phillip, and he was an orphan. Visiting the gravesite of his mother and father and deep in thought, the boy did not hear a stranger sneak up behind him.

        “Quiet, boy. Don’t say a word!” the stranger said, wrapping one arm around Phillip’s neck, almost choking him. “One word, and I’ll cut your throat!” He whipped out a clean blade, sparkling in the afternoon sun.

        Phillip, suddenly seized of control, limply hung in the man’s grip.

        Surprised at the lack of resistance, the stranger was astounded. “Kid, aren’t you going to do anything?”

        This man, Todd Bowles, a robber and murderer, terrorizer of a child who wandered too far from home. Towering in height, Todd’s hands could crush Phillip’s skull with a pinch.

        In total honesty, Todd was nothing more than a petty thief. A man who childishly defied society’s rules. A fraud. A man too lazy to work his way up society, and simultaneously too scared to murder. Some of his friends called him a wuss. He didn’t mind. Besides, most of the time, a knife pressed to the throat usually persuaded his victims to concede.

        However, the situation finally presented itself in the form of Phillip Cruso, a seven-year-old kid. At the end of the day, Phillip had no reason to live. While on a stroll through the park, his parents were murdered by a thief, the one who preyed off of the unsuspecting, much like Todd. Phillip watched it happen helplessly.

        Phillip’s life flew by, a sorrowing newspaper tossed around in the wind. He continued to watch it fly, moment to moment, until today.

        Phillip stiffened in Todd’s arms, realizing his situation, and how close he was to his parents’ same fate, nearly as helpless as he was ten years ago.

        In that instant, his parents emerged from the gravestone, kneeling beside him, faint outlines marking their presence. Although Phillip knew they weren’t there, and this was just all a part of his imagination, he was glad their spirits were with him. His mother’s perfume, sweet, floated through the brisk dusk air. His father, stout and tall, gingerly placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Phillip relaxed again, accepting his parents’ touch.

        “Kid, you’re really annoying me right now!” Todd, sweating in nervousness, was mustering all his energy to stop his hand from shaking. He had no experience with such a quiet response.

        “Hey, ya know, this can all be ova’, if you just give me some money. But if ya’ don’t…” Todd readied himself. He took long, deep breathes, but even that couldn’t stop his beating heart.

        “C’mon, Todd, you’re a man,” he murmured to himself. “This is very unprofessional.”

        Phillip, still entrapped in a trance, staring into empty space. His parents, waving and smiling, was all he could think about. “I’m coming ma, pap. I’m coming.”

        “Well, time’s up, kid.” Todd held his breath. He leveled the knife, edge nicking the soft tissue of Phillip’s bare neck. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He readjusted his grip on the knife, holding the handle in an iron grip. Gritting his teeth, Todd tensed.

        The next morning, Phillip awoke to the sound of chirping birds and shrieking crows. He was lying in front of his parents’ tombstone, covered in a fine layer of frost. He wasn’t cold.

        Phillip shakily stood up. After glancing around, he turned and began to walk away. However, he stopped a few steps later, turned, and waved goodbye to his parents.

        His parents waved back.

【紅霞譯文】

        小男孩獨自坐在墓地，時年七歲，名叫菲利普，是個孤兒。他呆在父母墳前沉思，沒有察覺身後陌生人正朝自己走來。

        “安靜，小子，別作聲！” 陌生人說道，一隻手臂卡住菲利普的脖子，差點叫他窒息。“一個字，我割斷你的喉嚨！”陌生人掏出乾淨刀片，在午後陽光下閃閃發光。

        菲利普一下子抓住對方手腕，轉眼之間便贏得了主動。

        絲毫沒有反抗跡象，陌生人甚感莫名其妙：“小鬼頭，難道你不想搞點名堂出來？”

        這人叫托德·鮑爾斯，是個小偷、殺人犯，並且愛嚇唬離家出走的孩子。他身材高大，雙手一掄足以把菲利普打個稀巴爛。

        說實在的，托德頂多算個扒手，別看他玩世不恭，行竊詐騙遊手好閒，但圖財害命的把戲真不敢玩，難怪有些狐朋狗友叫他膽小鬼，這傢伙並不在乎，何況多數情況下，只要把刀架到受害者脖子上，誰都會服軟求饒。

        然而，這招終於在年僅七歲的屁孩面前失靈，菲利普·克魯索沒想到能死裡逃生，當年散步路過公園時，其父母慘造小偷殺害，而這個小偷很像托德專門打劫無辜的人，菲利普親眼所見發生的一切卻又無能為力。

        光陰荏苒，悲傷的記憶一直隨風飄落，菲利普至今歷歷在目。

        菲利普遭遇托德雙臂挾持時便意識到自己的處境，這與十年前父母經歷的情景極其相像，這回他依舊束手無策。

        說時遲那時快，菲利普的雙親從墳墓里走出並緊挨着他跪在一旁，身影輪廓依稀可見。儘管菲利普明白父母沒在現場，所有一切只不過幻覺所致，但還是慶幸與父母心心相連，母親的香水在暮色中散發出溫馨可人的氣息，魁梧高大的父親伸出有力的手臂在他的肩膀上輕輕地拍了一下，菲利普重新鎮定起來，沉浸在父母愛撫之中。

        “小鬼頭，現在我特討厭你！”托德緊張得直冒虛汗，竭力控製發抖的手，他從來沒有見識過如此平靜的場面。

        “嘿，你知道，只要你給我錢，這事就算過去了；但如果你不給…”托德做好準備。他深呼了幾口氣，即便如此，仍然無法掩飾內心慌亂。

        “來喲，托德，你是男子漢，” 他自言自語：“這太掉價了。”

        菲利普依舊神志恍惚，盯着空曠的地方發呆，只見父母擺手微笑，他滿腦子在想：“媽爸我來了，我來了。”

        “好吧，時間到了，小鬼頭。” 托德屏住呼吸，拿平刀子，將刀刃緊貼菲利普脖子後面軟組織上，汗滴順着前額流了下來。這時他又調整了一下刀把，用手握住鐵柄。托德緊張得不行，牙齒咬得嘎嘎響。

        第二天早晨，鳥兒嘰喳聲與烏鴉尖叫聲把菲利普吵醒，他躺在父母墳前，渾身上下蓋滿了薄薄白霜，一點不冷。

        菲利普搖搖晃晃站了起來，掃了一眼周圍後便轉身走開，不過沒走幾步又停了下來，他轉過身，揮手向父母告別。

        他的父母向他揮了揮手。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2013: First Day in UAE(初到阿聯酋)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

8th Grade Flash Story─My Glory to Your Honor(小小說─為你驕傲)

8th Grade Flash Story─Sleep is Bliss(小小說─能睡是福)

6th Grade Flash Story─Crisis on Mulberry Street(小小說─桑樹街危機)

3rd Grade Flash Story─Halloween(小小說─萬聖節)