Mila at the Leaf Pile- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Mila knelt beside the maple tree behind her building. She had promised herself she would collect bright leaves for tomorrow’s art class. A light, peaceful afternoon surrounded the yard, and birds flicked between branches overhead. She gripped a small rake with both hands and began to pull the red leaves closer. By that point, she has already filled one basket. A sudden breeze lifted half her pile and rolled it away. The leaves slid through the narrow garden gate, which a neighbor’s parked bicycle now blocked.

Mila reached the gate, but the bicycle handlebar hooked the wire and refused to move. Without speaking, her gaze drifted slowly across the yard. A smooth plastic sled had been forgotten beside the shed. She dragged the sled carefully to the gate. She tipped it on its side and used it as a shield against the wind. Leaves that had drifted outside bounced against the curved plastic and slid back through the gap. The restless breeze finally calmed soon after dusk. The bicycle owner walked over, lifted the wheel, and rolled away. Mila packed the rescued leaves into her basket. She placed the sled back and watched the gate stand quiet in the late light.

米拉跪在大樓後方的楓樹旁。她答應自己要收集鮮豔的落葉，明天帶去美術課。午後的院子十分寧靜，鳥兒在枝頭間輕快穿梭。她雙手握住小耙子，把紅葉拉到身邊。那時，她已經裝滿一籃。忽然一陣風捲走了一半的葉堆，葉片穿過狹窄的花園門，被鄰居停放的腳踏車擋住。

米拉趕到門邊，但腳踏車把手卡住鐵絲，動也不動。她默默地轉動視線，慢慢掃過院子。一塊光滑的塑膠雪橇被遺忘在工具棚旁。她小心拖著雪橇到門邊，把它側立起來，當成擋風盾牌。飄到外面的葉片撞上彎曲的塑膠，又滑回門縫裡。騷動的風在黃昏後終於平靜。腳踏車主人走來，抬起車輪推走。米拉把救回的葉子裝進籃子，再把雪橇放回原處，看著大門在晚光中靜靜佇立。