We heard they were dropping hundreds of commandos from helicopters into the mountains in the north.
我们听说他们利用直升机，在北部山区空降了数百名突击队队员。
More troops appeared in Mingora too.
驻扎在明戈拉的士兵也增加了。
This time they would clear the town.
这一次，他们要彻底扫荡这座城镇。
They announced over megaphones that all residents should leave.
他们用麦克风喊话，要求所有居民都暂离此地。
My father said we should stay.
父亲说我们应该留下。
But the gunfire kept us awake most nights.
但在大多数夜里，我们都被枪炮声吓得睡不好觉。
Everyone was in a continuous state of anxiety.
每个人都陷入持续的焦虑状态。
One night we were woken up by screaming.
一天晚上，我们被尖叫声唤醒。
We had recently got some pets – three white chickens and a white rabbit that one of Khushal's friends had given him and which we let wander around the house.
我们家新近增添了几只宠物——三只白鸡和一只白兔。兔子是胡沙尔的朋友送他的，我们任它在家里随处活动。
Atal was only five then and really loved that rabbit so it used to sleep under my parents' bed.
阿塔尔当时只有五岁，他很喜欢那只兔子，所以它常常就睡在我父母的床下。
But it used to wee everywhere so that night we put it outside.
但兔子到处撒尿，因此那天晚上，我们把它放到了户外。
Around midnight a cat came and killed it.
大约是午夜左右，一只猫经过，咬死了它。
We all heard the rabbit's agonised cries.
我们都听见了它凄惨的哀号。
Atal would not stop weeping.
阿塔尔不停地哭泣。
'Let the sun come and I will teach that cat a lesson tomorrow,' he said. 'I will kill him.'
“等太阳出来以后，我要给那只猫点颜色看看。”他说，“我要杀死它。”
It seemed like a bad omen.
这听起来是个不祥的预兆。