儿童英语读物 The Zombie Project CHAPTER 8 Fore!

Back at their cabin, the Aldens talked about their clues.

“What do we know so far?” asked Jessie.

“I saw a light in the woods at night,” said Benny.

“Twice,” said Violet. “It happened two nights in a row.”

“And there was a strange sound, too,” said Benny.

“Later, we found the expensive golf tees by flattened¹ grass,” said Henry.

“Twice,” said Benny.

“And they’re not from the lodge²,” said Violet.

“So someone brought the golf tees with them,” said Henry.

“The grass and dirt was flattened all the way to the fishing lodge,” said Jessie.

“But it wasn’t flat everywhere,” said Henry. “The flat part was only a foot or so wide. It wasn’t done by a mower³ or anything like that.” Henry knew his tools.

“Don’t you think the zombie was dragging his victim back to the fishing lodge?” said Benny.

“I haven’t heard about any victims,” said Jessie.

“No one is missing,” said Violet.

“So it’s not a zombie,” said Henry. “But what does all this have to do with the golf tees? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Maybe it’s not supposed to make sense,” said Jessie. “It is a legend after all.”

“But why tell it?” asked Violet. “There must be something we’re missing.”

Benny’s stomach grumbled⁴. “I know what’s missing,” said Benny. “We’re missing dinner.”

“Okay, Benny,” said Jessie. “Off to dinner we go.”

After eating dinner and s’mores by the fire pit, Violet wiped off her fingers and took the camera out of her pocket. Grandfather would love to see this. Everyone was telling stories.

Violet filmed the other guests sitting by the fire pit. The man who had gone off to paint that first morning was telling his wife about a beautiful spot he had found by the river. I’ll have to go and see it for myself, thought Violet.

The couple next to them had gone hiking on the trail that led all the way up to the waterfall. They were telling another guest all about it.

“And we saw them catch the fish we ate for dinner,” said the man.

“Fresh is best,” said the woman.

“I couldn’t agree more,” replied her companion.

Violet turned in a full circle around the campfire. It looked like everyone from last night had come back for another dinner outdoors.

Then she turned her camera toward Benny, Jessie, and Henry. They were sitting next to Jake, Caleb, and Abby. Caleb and Abby hadn’t been at the fire pit last night.

Violet filmed Benny as he made another s’more.

“Are you getting this?” asked Benny.

“You’re the star of the show,” replied Violet.

“A food show,” said Jessie.

“I like food,” said Benny. He took a big, hot, gooey bite, and then he licked his lips. Benny really liked s’mores.

Violet turned her camera back to the teens. They were talking about zombies again.

“And then the zombie comes up behind her,” said Jake.

Violet tapped Jessie on the shoulder and pointed⁵ to Jake. “Listen,” she whispered.

“And she screams,” said Caleb.

Jessie whispered Henry’s ear. “Listen.”

Henry quietly turned to listen.

“And she trips,” said Jake. “She’s so scared that she trips on a branch.”

“That will hurt,” said Abby.

“Yes, it will,” said Jake. “But that doesn’t stop the zombie.”

Benny’s eyes grew wide. He started to stand up, but Henry put his hand on Benny’s shoulder. Benny stayed put.

“He’s slowly moving closer,” said Caleb, “step by stumbling step.”

“So the girl looks up at the zombie and screams,” said Abby.

“Yeah, that’s right,” said Jake.

“And then the zombie gets closer and closer,” said Caleb.

“Until it’s standing⁶ right over the girl,” said Jake.

“Like this,” said Caleb. He stood over Abby, his arms reaching down to grab her.

“And I move in for a closer shot,” said Jake.

Abby leaned back and waved her arms as she pretended to scream. “So she screams even louder,” said Abby.

“But no one hears her in the woods,” said Jake.

“What next?” said Caleb.

“I’m not sure,” said Jake.

The teens stood up and walked away from the campfire.

“Did you hear that?” said Benny. “Someone is going to get shot!”

“But not with a gun, Benny,” said Violet.

“That’s good,” said Benny. He breathed a sigh of relief. Then he sat up straight. “Wait! How do . . .”

“With this,” said Violet. She held up her camera. “Remember how Jake looked at my camera on the trail? He knows a lot about cameras.”

“I get it,” said Jessie. “A closer shot is a camera shot.”

“Jake and his friends must be making a movie,” said Henry.

“A movie?” said Benny.

“A zombie movie,” said Henry. “Jake is filming Caleb chasing Abby.”

“If Caleb is chasing Abby, then he must be the zombie,” said Violet.

“But what about the light I saw?” asked Benny.

“Abby is probably using a flashlight so she won’t trip in the dark,” said Henry.

“So the zombie isn’t real?” said Benny.

Jessie shook her head.

Benny breathed another sigh of relief. “That’s good,” said Benny. Then he sat up again. “But what about the golf tees?”

“We’ll figure that out in the morning,” said Henry.

“Okay,” said Benny.
 

1 flattened   

[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的

参考例句：

• She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
• I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。

2 lodge   

v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆

参考例句：

• Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
• I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

3 mower   

n.割草机

参考例句：

• We need a lawn mower to cut the grass.我们需要一台草坪修剪机来割草。
• Your big lawn mower is just the job for the high grass.割高草时正需要你的大割草机。

4 grumbled   

抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声

参考例句：

• He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
• The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。