Sam Above the Stone Wall- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Sam crouched at the edge of the overgrown track that slipped down the hill. He had dropped a silver whistle during yesterday’s walk, and now he wanted it back. The narrow path, which curved through a quiet valley between rows of pine, was hidden by tall ferns. Rain has softened the earth since dawn, so brown mud clung to his boots with every step. Above the forest treetops, a pale strip of sky showed clear light, yet shadows still rested under the branches. Sam tapped his pocket, feeling the empty space where the whistle usually knocked against his keys, and he started down.

Halfway along, woolly shapes wandered onto the path; a small flock had broken through a sagging fence. Their hooves churned the mud and blocked the way. Sam paused, then climbed a low stone wall that bordered the track. His palms slipped on moss, but the higher ground carried him beyond the animals. From the top he spotted a thin gleam: the whistle hung on a twig just above the wall, caught by its cord. The surprise pulled a breath from him. He freed the whistle, then swung down on the other side. The sheep kept grazing, the valley lay quiet, and a late beam rolled across the stones where Sam stood, turning the metal bright.

山姆蹲在雜草叢生的小徑邊，這條小徑沿著山坡蜿蜒而下。他昨天散步時掉了一把銀色口哨，現在想把它找回來。那條彎曲的道路穿過一條安靜的山谷，被高高的蕨類遮住。自清晨以來，雨水已把土壤泡軟，棕色的泥巴在他每一步都黏在靴子上。森林樹梢上方，一線蒼白的天空透出明亮，但樹蔭下仍有陰影。山姆拍了拍口袋，感到口哨不在那裡，於是開始往下走。

走到一半，一小群綿羊從破損的柵欄擠到小徑上。牠們的蹄子攪動泥巴，擋住去路。山姆停下來，隨即翻上一道低矮的石牆，這道石牆與小徑並行。他的手掌在青苔上打滑，但較高的地面讓他越過那些動物。站在牆頂，他看到一道細微的反光：口哨的繩環正掛在牆邊的一根小樹枝。這突如其來的發現讓他倒抽一口氣。他解開口哨，然後從另一側躍下。羊群繼續吃草，山谷安靜無聲，夕陽的光線掠過石塊，山姆站在那裡，金屬在光中發亮。