兒童英語讀物《神奇樹屋》第十三冊 Vacation Under the Volcano 8 Nightmare at Noon
In the distance, fire burst from Mount Vesuvius.
Burning rocks and fiery ash fell from the sky.
The hot, dusty air smelled like rotten eggs as Jackand Annie rushed down the street. In the forum,everyone--shoppers, soldiers, gladiators, fruit sellers-wasrunning in every direction.
Stalls had collapsed. Carts were sliding.
Jack froze. He didn't know where to go.
"That way!" shouted Annie.
Jack followed her as they ran past the Temple ofJupiter. Its mighty columns had fallen, and its wallswere crumbling.
They ran past the Public Baths just as its roof cavedin.
"Which way now?" shouted Annie.
"The tree house is in the olive grove!" Jack said asthey kept running.
"The olive grove and the bridge are near the streetwith all those open shops!" said Annie. "Rememberthe bridge?"Jack looked up at the erupting mountain. A red-hotcloud billowed over it. Fires burned on its slopes.
"Head in the direction of Mount Vesuvius!" he said.
"It was behind us as we came into Pompeii.""Right!" cried Annie.
So while others ran away from Mount Vesuvius,Jack and Annie ran toward it.
On the street with the open shops, baskets andbroken jars rolled over the cracked stones.
Jack and Annie ran past the bakery and the shoeshop. They ran past the butcher shop and barbershop.
All the shops were empty. Their owners had fled.
The closer they got to the volcano, the more theground trembled. The darker and dustier it got.
14"This is just like my nightmare!" cried Annie.
Jack choked on the rotten fumes. His eyes watered.
"Look! The olive grove!" shouted Annie.
