小时候，最吸引人的童话故事或者动画片总是与星空和宇宙有关。很多人在童年里都做过飞上太空?探索宇宙的梦想。爱德华将梦想付诸实施，虽然其结局是悲惨的，但谁能说，他的科学探索精神不是可贵的？
Edwardhadamarvelousplan.HewasgoingtocreateagenuineminiBlackHole,righthereonearth.
Edwardlivedaloneinthesuburbansprawl(无规则蔓延)ofalargecity.Hisfatherhadexperimentedwithinventionsinhislargesteelgarage.Becauseofthis,hismotherhadlefthomefouryearsago.Hemissedhisfatherwhohaddiedofaheartattacktwosummersago.
EdwardworkedduringthedayasanattendantattheCityLibrarywherehetaughthimselftechnologysothathecouldunderstandhisfather’snotebooks.Athomehestumbledaroundintrack-pants(运动裤)andaT-shirtandbusilymodifiedhisfather’sequipment.
Edwardputcoilsofcoppertube,largepermanentmagnets,sheetsofaluminumfoil,oldirontubesfullofsilicone(硅树脂)sealant(密封剂)togethertoconstructatwoandahalfmetershighintricateapparatus,puttingacopperverticalhornontop.Thehorn,likethefrontofalargetrumpet,waspointedtowardstheceiling.
TodaywasEdward’stwenty-secondbirthday,rememberedonlybythelovelyFiona,theCirculationLibrarian.Atlunchtime,Fionahadkissedhimonthecheekinfrontofeverybodyinthetearoom.Edwardhadflushedcrimson(深红色)withembarrassment.
Butnowwasthemoment.Heclimbedthestepladder(活动梯子)andpeeredintothetrumpet.Thecurvedmirroratitsbasemagnifiedhisreflectedimageandheadmiredhisgoldencurlyhairandhisgreeneyes,butloathed(讨厌)hisbigears.
Edwardsippedonaglassofcheapsodaandwhispered,“Blackholesarethemysteriesofouruniverse.Everythingthatentersthemneverleaves——evenlight.”HehadacollectionofhardwareitemsarrangednearhimsothathecouldthrowthemintotheBlackHoleandwatchthemdisappear.EdwardsatatthecomputercontrolsfortheBlackHoleGenerator.
“That’sonesmallstepforaman…”Edwardintoned(拖长音)anddouble-clickedonthestarticon.Therewasaloudvibratingnoiseandastrangeglaringeffectinthehorn.Edwarddidn’trealizethatasimplesoftwaremistakehadreversedthepolarity(极性)ofhisblackholdgenerator.Yes,hecouldseethattheinteriorofthehornwasindeedthedeepest,blackestthingthathehadeverseen,butwithintheblacknesshecouldsoonmakeoutsparklingpointsofeverycolorimaginable.
“Stars?”hethoughtjustbeforehedied.Withinafewseconds,aroundahundredmillioncolorfulballpointpensshotoutofthehorn,bouncedofftheroofandfilledupthegarage,spearingpoorEdwardtodeath.Aseverylostballpointpenintheworldpouredoutoftheblackhole,thepressureblewthetopoffthegarageandthemountainofpenscontinuedtogrow.
Sooneverylostsockintheworldflewintotheairfromthetrumpet,andcoveredthemountainofpens.Thenagreatnumberofshoppinglistsflutteredintotheair,followedbyanemissionoflotterytickets,andtrain,tram,busandconcerttickets.Thiswasfollowedbyeveryletter,telegramandE-mailthathadneverarrived.
Edward’sgaragethencollapsedasmillionsofmetalkeysshotoutofthehornandraineddown---lostfrontdoorkeys,carkeysandlockerkeys.Theoverflowcontinuedassewingneedles,cuff(袖口)links,pencilsharpeners,razorsandlostpassports,followedbycountlessofpins.
Canopeners,bottleopenersandcorkscrews(开塞钻)werefollowedbysinkplugsandremotecontrols.Asthesefloodedoverthelocalcommunity,theywerecoveredbyclothespegs(衣夹),thecapsoftoothpastetubesandaflowofoverdue(过期的)librarybooks.
Averitable(真正的)mountainoflost-receiptsneededbythetaxmanwasfollowedbyeverylostscrewnutfromaworldofcarengines,householdappliancesandtechnicalinstruments.
Asthecitysagged(下陷)beneaththeweightofalltheselostthings,millionsofcreditcardsflutteredintotheairandraineddown.
Edwardwouldhavebeenamazed,exceptthathewaslongdead.
Finally,justbeforetheblackholegeneratordisappearedinapuffofsmoke,everylostloveinthehistoryoftheworldwasexpelledintotheairandraineddowninanoverflowofdesolation.
注释:
incrediblecredit
marvel(l)ous
create
genuinegene
mini
experiment
attendantattend
notebook
stumble
pants
modify
coil
copper
permanentremain
magnetmagnet
alumin(i)um
foil
construct
intricate
apparatus
vertical
horn
trumpet
circulationbicycle
librarian
flush
embarrassment
curve
magnify
reflect
imageimagine
curlycurl
soda
universe
hardwarehard
item
generatorgene
vibrate
software
reverse
interior
imaginableimagine
bounce
spear
pressure
flutterflow
emission
tram
E-mailmail
collapse
lockerlock
overflowflow
link
razor
plug
remote
community
toothpastepaste
receiptaccept/receive
householdhouse
appliance
instrument
creditcredit
puff
expel
desolation