Notes:
I just wanted to thank everyone who gave a comment, kudo'd, etc... Thank you all very much. This story is still just an idea but I'm glad people like it.

Note: This chapter is part of a flash back.
Ps, I am not a good writer so expect mistakes ahead! My bad.

Chapter 2
第二章

Salim couldn’t believe that they’d gotten out alive. It seemed so impossible. Part of him wanted to pinch himself just to know if it was real. That it wasn’t a dream. That they’d truly gotten away from those demons. Yet, as he turned to look at the Americans, one stood out to him, the one who gave him the biggest grin that he’d ever seen – and from that moment he knew it was all real.
他们活下来了。强烈的不真实感环绕着Salim,这听起来简直就像个不可能完成的任务,他甚至想掐自己一下,看看这是不是真的?是不是他在做梦?是不是确确实实从恶魔的巢穴里脱身了?但他侧目看向一旁的美国人,看向于他最耀眼的那一个,视线猝不及防撞进他脸上最纯粹的笑意——毫无理由地,他便就相信了。

They were alive.
他们活着。

Jason was alive.
Jason活着。

He was alive.
他也活着。

Salim found himself sharing that same stupid grin, thinking about his son, how much he missed him, and how he was going to tell him the story of the soldier who came back for him. He’d heard the conversation over the radio, Eric telling Jason that he wasn’t one of them, and his heart had stopped, but then the latter went through hell to come and get him.
Salim发现自己和周围人一样都在气喘吁吁地傻笑,他幻想着回去见他的儿子,像往常从战场回家那样抱住他,给他诉说那个奋不顾身回来拉了他一把的士兵。他当时的耳麦隐隐传来了其他人刻意压低的对话声,在听清那是Eric在劝说Jason他并非他们的一员时如坠冰窖,但后者执拗地踏回重重地狱来支援他了。

Something that he would be forever thankful for.
那是他将永远铭铸于心的一刻。

Suddenly, darkness began to swallow up the light that they were bathing in -something none of them thought they would see again- and all too soon it was being taken away by the oncoming eclipse.
不过情况在转瞬之间急转直下,厄运仍然死死纠缠着他们不放。如同神罚降临一般的日食将它们从奇迹生还的美梦中唤醒,黑暗饥渴地吞噬了每一寸阳光——一切都发生得太快了。

That’s when he heard it, the sound of screeches from those creatures that they tried to bury in the depths. As the sun disappeared - they began to rise.
那些他们想深埋在地底深处的“生物”刺耳的嘶嚎声从耳朵直直钻入心脏。烈日沦陷之时,恶魔倾巢而出。

Salim was frozen. Body seizing up. It wasn’t until his wrist was yanked by Jason that he realised he needed to move, being led into a hut, all of them trying to barricade the place but there was no way it would be enough.
Salim冻结在原地,脚如灌了铅一般动弹不得。他不知道他愣了多久,直到Jason猛地拉拽他的手腕才反应过来,紧跟他的步伐破入最近的屋舍,用尽手边所有可用的物件作掩护,即使谁都不会指望这些临时加固能使一个简陋的茅屋多坚持几秒钟。

“What are you doing?” Salim asked as he saw Jason pull down a barricade from the door.
「你在干什么?」Salim用余光瞥见Jason从门口处拉下一块挡板,心跳漏了一拍。

Jason turned to him, a certain look in his eye, a pulsation of emotion running through those orbs he’d grown to like so much.
Jason侧头看他,闪烁着光的眼里没有一丝犹疑,只有他看不透的心绪。

“I’m going out there.” The marine said as if it was obvious.
「我要出去。」陆战队员用肯定的语气说。

Salim gawked at him. “Are you insane? We can hold them off in here. Together. You go out there and you will die!”
Salim不可置信地瞪着他,「你疯了吗?我们可以在这里一起守着他们,一起!你出去会死的!」

Jason gave a silent curse. “And if I don’t go out there then we’ll all die in here.” He countered as he motioned to the building that they were standing in. “Look at this place – it isn’t gonna hold.”
极小声的咒骂从Jason口中蹿出,他咬牙,「我不出去,大家留在这都是一个死。」他挥手示意环顾四周,「看看这破地方,能撑下来就见鬼了。」

Salim made to protest, but Eric moved towards them, looking between the two with sympathy. “He’s right. We all stay here and we’re done for.”
Salim仍然抱持异议,但Eric走向他们,用同情的目光扫过二人。「他是对的。我们全员留守的话没人能活着走出去。」

“Then I am coming with you,” Salim took a step towards the American, but Jason lightly pushed him away, hand remaining on his wrist, shaking his head as their eyes locked.
「那我和你一起…」Salim朝眼前人迈了一步,但Jason轻轻地推开了他,环绕在他的手腕处的温度冰冷决绝。眼神交汇,他只微不可察的地摇首。

“Not this time, Salim. I have to do this myself.”
「这回不行,Salim。我得自己来。」

No, you don’t! Salim wanted to scream at him, but his throat felt tight, he didn’t want this to be goodbye.
不,你不需要!Salim想对他大吼,但他刹那间却是喉咙发紧,无语凝噎。这样唐突而荒谬的告别是他从来都没有想象过的。

“Six minutes,” Eric began. “You just have to hold them off for six minutes.”
「六分钟。」Eric开口,「你只需要拖着它们六分钟。」

“Piece of cake… I’ll be fine,” he nodded more to himself than anyone else there, gaze falling to the floor before meeting Salim’s again. “I’ll be fine.” He repeated.
「小菜一碟…难不倒我,没事的。」他对周围的战友—更多是对自己—重重地点了一下头,视线落在脚下,抬头再度和Salim交织,「我会没事的。」他重复。

Salim let out a soft scoff. “You are a terrible liar.”
Salim苦笑着骂道:「你撒谎也太差劲了。」

“So I’ve been told,” Jason replied. He gently squeezed the other male’s wrist. “You tell your son I said happy birthday, you hear me?”
「那句话我听得耳朵都生茧子了。」Jason自嘲地回应说。他轻按着手中男人的手腕,「嘿,答应我,给你宝贝儿子转告一下我祝他生日快乐?」

Salim wasn’t sure what sound he made. A whimper? A whine? Words? He didn’t know. He was a man with few regrets, but letting Jason slip away from him was his biggest, even as he watched him move into the darkness surrounding them from the lack of sun, all he could think about was how he shouldn’t have let him go.
Salim不确定他当时回答了什么。一声抽噎?一声啜泣?还是一串语句?他不知道。他这半辈子走来也不缺遗憾,但眼睁睁让Jason从他手边溜走是他最悔恨的一个。望着他慢慢陷入太阳隐遁带来的黑暗之中,不该放手的念头盘踞扎根在他脑海。

He could hear Jason goading them. Calling them names like they understood him. A string of selective curse words following every word he spoke.
他能听见Jason在嘲讽刺激着它们,拔高了音量一个接一个好似它们听得懂般地打招呼,一连串脏字争先恐后地从他嘴里蹦出。

There was a screech. 
一声长啸划破天际。

"Yeah, yeah - fuck you too!"
「对,对,也操你妈的!」

Salim looked through a hole in the wall, seeing how many of those demons were out there made his stomach drop -it was hard enough to survive a one-on-one encounter with them let alone dealing with a horde full- he held his breath as he saw Jason run once he gained their attention. Luring those creatures away.
Salim透过一处缝隙窥探,屋外那些恶魔无从估计的数量令他心惊胆跳。只身一人即使是对付一头都绝非易事,更何况他要面对这一大群——他屏息看着Jason逐步吸引了那些怪物的注意,然后拔腿朝他们屋舍的反方向狂奔。

“Jason!” Salim called out, trying to claw at the barricade next to him to go and help -to do something- but Nick grabbed him, hand over his mouth to silence his protests, pulling him away from the blockade but leaving him close enough to see through the gap in the wall. Witnessing everything.
「Jason!」Salim使劲推开一旁的门挡,恨不得冲出去帮忙,做点什么都好——但Nick从背后紧抓着他,手牢牢捂住他的嘴强行停下了他的控诉,拉到远离庇护所防线的角落里,但恰好是他还能看见墙缝之外的距离。目睹着一切。

“No matter what you see,” Nick whispered into his ear. “No matter what you hear. We stay put.”
「不管你看到了什么也好,听到了什么也罢。」Nick在他耳边低语,「我们待命不动。」

“Two minutes,” Eric announced, keeping a check on the time.
「五分钟。」Eric的声音是强压之下的冷静,目光停滞在他的腕表上。

There was gunfire. So much gunfire. It felt like an eternity was going by.
枪声。不绝的枪声。每一分每一秒此时都漫长得像是一个世纪。

“Three minutes.”
「四分钟。」

Salim’s heartbeat increased as he saw one of the creatures getting far too close, it grabbed hold of Jason’s backpack, lifting him into the air, the Marine struggled against its hold as he pulled out a knife and began to stab at it until it dropped him.
Salim的心率在看见其中一头怪物靠近得越线时疯狂加快,它的利爪戳穿了Jason的背包,把他轻而易举地提到半空中,失去了落脚点的海军挣扎着抽出一把短刃拼命地抽刺,直到它吃痛甩开了他为止。

“Four minutes.”
「三分钟。」

The sound of an empty magazine rang out. Jason beat one over the head with his weapon. Throwing it at another that zoned in on him.
空弹夹落地的声音此时格外地响。Jason用他的步枪狠狠地击打在他面前的怪物脑袋上,又将它扔向了另一个正冲刺而来的猛兽去。

However, Jason wasn’t quick enough to get away this time.
但他这回再没那么幸运了。

One clawed at his legs, bringing him down, the others toying with him -much like a child playing with their food- they dragged him away, Salim couldn’t see him any longer, but he knew the American was still kicking, punching, yelling -doing everything that he could to keep them solely focused on him- until ---
一只腐烂干瘪的手趁着破绽攥住他的脚踝将他倒吊起来,其他的魔鬼围绕着他,撕扯、拨弄,仿佛在用餐前玩闹的孩童——它们把他拖走了,彻底从Salim目所能及之处远去,但他知道那个倔强的大兵还在蹬踏、咆哮,尽他所能完全吸引住它们的注意。直到——

Silence.
死寂。

“Five minutes.”
「两分钟。」

More silence. It was deafening.
仍是死寂。却震耳欲聋。

“…Six minutes…”
「…一分钟…」

The sun gradually began to reveal itself.
太阳拨开圆月,缓缓显形。

The demon creatures began to burn.
那些恶魔一一被点燃。

Squealing. Crying. Dying.  
嘶鸣。嗥叫。垂死挣扎。

Once it was deemed safe enough, he was released, the barricades were removed, and Salim rushed out. Half expecting to see Jason standing there, that grin back on his face, cracking some stupid joke before they left that cursed place together. Like they were supposed to.
直到确认足够安全时,他终于被释放了,窗户和门口的加固一一被移除,Salim冲出屋外,连他自己都知道希望渺茫地盼着看见Jason挺立在阳光下,脸上笑意不减,在他们一起离开这个诅咒之地前说点什么滑稽的蠢段子。就像他们理所当然的那样。

Yet…
但…

There was no smiling face.
他没有看见那张笑脸。

There was no joke being told.
他没有听见什么笑话。

There was no Jason.
那里没有Jason。

 “We have to find him!” Salim turned to the others. “He’s still out there!” He tried the radio, calling out to Jason, but there was nothing but silence that greeted him.
「我们得去找他!」Salim转过身,急切得语无伦次,「他一定还在,他一定还活着!」他透过耳机一遍遍呼喊着Jason的名字,但耳边回响的除了沉默别无他物。

“He was torn to shreds,” Nick answered him despondently. “You saw the way they grabbed hold of him. No one would survive that.”
「他已经不剩下什么了。」Nick失魂落魄地回答。「你也看到它们是怎么抓住他的。没有人在那之后还能活下来。」

Rachel was shaking as she walked out of the house. “…He could have taken me out, but he didn’t… And we just let him die…”
Rachel走出屋舍时浑身都在发抖。「他可以叫我一起去的…但是…我们就那样让他去送死…」

Nick sighed as he went to comfort her. “Jason knew what he was doing,” he tried to reason. “Besides,” his eyes fell to where the Iraq soldier stood. “He didn’t do it for us.”
Nick深吸了一口气,上前去安抚被悔意席卷的女人,「Jason很清楚他当时在干什么。」他想尽办法挤出了一个理由,「而且,」他的目光最后停留在了伊拉克人的身上,「他不全是为我们牺牲的。」

There was a noise that came from the sky and Salim glanced up to see helicopters in the distance, he gripped the iron in his hands a little tighter, dread filling him as he remembered the story Jason told him about the Iraqi girl at the checkpoint. Would the newcomers see him as a threat? Would they shoot without asking questions? 
天空中传来了一阵阵嘈杂的噪音,Salim仰头,遥望着远处的直升机,不合时宜地想起Jason告诉过他的那个在检查哨被击毙的无辜女人,他忍不住将手中的铁器握得更紧了一些。来者会不会视他为威胁?会不会连交流都没有就向他开火?

Eric nudged him. “I don’t know what will happen to you if you come with us. I can’t promise your safety ---”
Eric暗示着轻推了他一把,「我不知道你跟着我们会有什么后果,我不能保证你的安全——」

The blonde continued to talk, filling him in on the possible outcomes, but the Lieutenant was no longer paying attention to any of it. Noticing something a little further up on the ground from where they stood. He walked over, bending down, he picked the item up. Dusting off the dirt that had gathered from the struggles that took place not long ago.
金发的男人一一例举着可能的走向,但他眼前的中尉已经听不进他在说什么了,目光紧咬住在不远处地面上突兀的一抹灰蓝不放。他走向前去,弯下腰捡起它,拍打下不久前经历过激烈的挣扎沾染上的尘灰。

It was Jason’s cap.
那是Jason的棒球帽。

There were traces of blood smeared over it as he clutched it tightly in his hand.
帽子里里外外都布满了星星血迹,他的手不觉间捏紧成拳,静悄悄把它塞进怀里。

Maybe he should have been listening to Eric. Maybe they were right; he wasn’t one of them. Maybe he should have walked away, returned to his son, leave behind the madness that happened. Yet he couldn’t do it. Even as he hid away and watched the others be taken somewhere he likely would never know, his eyes fell to the cap, one thought going through his mind.
或许他应该听Eric的。或许他们是对的,他从不是他们的一员。或许他该离开,回到他儿子身边去,遗忘这里发生过一切…但他不能。他的身体先于理智一步躲藏起来,看着其他人被接上直升机去往不知名的某处,再垂眸凝视手里的皱巴巴的帽子,没有过多犹豫就做好了接下来的打算。

Semper Fi.
Semper Fi——永远忠诚。

And he wholeheartedly blamed Jason for it…
Jason可得为此负责…

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