When Water Took the Sketchbook- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Lucas carried a small sketchbook while climbing the low plateau. A brown dog, Milo, trotted beside him, sniffing every tuft of grass. Warm sunlight mixed with cool air; pine scent drifted over dusty stone. They reached a narrow creek that cut across the flat surface unexpectedly. Lucas wanted to reach an outcrop beyond the water and start drawing. The creek seemed shallow, yet loose pebbles slid under each splash. He has already stepped into colder pools during other walks. Confident, he decided to wade straight through while Milo waited.

Halfway across, water rose above his boots and tugged loose the pebbles. One foot slipped sideways; muddy spray soaked the sketchbook cover. Milo barked once and bounded into the stream, bumping Lucas off balance. The unexpected jolt pushed the book from his hand toward a snagged branch. Instead of chasing it, Lucas lunged for a fallen trunk lying nearby. The trunk had been polished smooth by natural flow during past rains. He climbed onto it; water pressed below, yet the surface stayed steady. From that perch he hooked the branch, rescued the sketchbook, and laughed. Milo shook dry and circled the trunk, tail whipping bright drops everywhere. When they stepped onto gravel on the far bank, water swirled but calmed. Lucas opened the damp book; fresh pages remained unspoiled under the cover. He sat on the sunlit outcrop, pencil ready, while Milo settled beside.

盧卡斯帶著一本小畫冊，走上低緩的高原。棕色小狗米洛跟在旁邊，聞著每一撮草。溫暖的陽光混著涼爽空氣，松木氣味飄過灰色石面。他們意外來到一條切開平地的窄溪。盧卡斯想去對岸的岩台畫畫。溪水看來很淺，但鬆動的碎石在水花下滑動。他以前已經涉過更冷的水坑，於是有信心直接趟水前進，米洛則停在岸邊。

走到一半，水位升過靴子，拉動鬆石。盧卡斯一腳打滑，濺起的泥水淋濕畫冊封面。米洛突然跳進小河，把盧卡斯撞得更不穩。意外的衝擊讓畫冊飛向卡住的樹枝。盧卡斯沒有追著水流跑，而是撲向旁邊倒下的樹幹。那根樹幹在過去的雨水自然沖刷下變得光滑。他爬上去，水湧在下方，但木面保持穩定。藉著這個位置，他勾住樹枝，救回畫冊，還放聲大笑。米洛甩乾身體，繞著樹幹跑，尾巴把水珠甩得到處都是。兩人一狗踏上對岸碎石時，水流旋轉後漸漸平靜。盧卡斯打開濕漉漉的畫冊，裡面的乾淨頁面依然完整。他坐在日光照著的岩台上，拿好鉛筆，米洛安靜地依偎在旁。