Fair and Square 一場“公平”的比賽

By+Eva+Apelqvis++譯+/+趙越

Hannah tightened the helmet strap2） under her chin. A man's voice boomed from the loudspeakers： "Participants in the Five-Mile Junior Fat-Tire Race， please gather behind the orange flags."

Hannah's stomach was churning3）. First prize was a mountain bike with clipless pedals4） and front suspension5）. On a bike like that， she'd fly through the woods.

"Good luck， junior mountain bikers，" the loudspeaker voice boomed. "Three， two， one， and go！"

The lead-out6）， a man in a bright orange shirt with the words Follow Me printed on his back， started pedaling down the dirt road. The racers followed close behind.

Hannah squeezed her bike between a boy in a black spandex7） suit and a girl with a silver helmet. She passed a girl in a bright-green shirt. Four of them were up front8） now. Hannah was itching9） to take off， but she knew she wasn't allowed to pass the lead-out.

The lead-out made a turn onto a section of single track and gathered speed. A girl with a red braid rolled in10） behind him. Hannah pulled up11） behind the girl. The lead-out sped up again. Hannah downshifted12） for the incline13）， following close behind the girl with the braid， but the girl was gaining speed.

Curving around a pond， the course flattened. Hannah shifted up14） and pedaled the downhill section. Still， the braid girl biked faster. They crossed a wooden bridge. The lead-out and the girl disappeared behind a thick stand15） of trees. When Hannah glanced over her shoulder， she saw nobody behind her.

Hannah watched for the orange arrows marking the course and biked through the muddy fields.

The girl might still get tired， she thought. Then Hannah saw her. At the edge of the forest， the girl was kneeling by her bike， the lead-out next to her. The girl must have gotten a flat16）. Hannah biked faster. She didn't shift down17） for the incline but pedaled harder. She wiped the sweat from her eyes， panting18）. The lead-out noticed her and jumped on his bike. Hannah was close enough now to see the girl putting the chain on the chain ring.

Hannah felt a jolt19） of energy as she followed the lead-out past the girl into the woods. Maybe she could win. On the uphill， she reached for her bottle and took a quick drink. She didn't have much water left， but they'd covered more than half the course.

In the middle of a small meadow， Hannah looked back. The girl was coming up behind her at a furious speed.

Hannah pedaled closer to the lead-out， who immediately pulled away20）. They entered the woods again， the lead-out now far ahead， disappearing around a bend21）. Hannah reached a fork22） in the trail. The lead-out was nowhere in sight， but there， to her left， was the sign with the orange arrow. When she turned， her foot slipped off the pedal， and she accidentally kicked the sign over.endprint