The Rolling Paint Can- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Warm afternoon light filled the empty school hall.

Milo, a student, carried folded chairs toward the storage room. The hall needed quick cleanup before tomorrow's big reunion. A floor polisher moved across the tiles, then paused, then rolled again. Its humming wheel spread fresh soap in a slow rhythm. Milo stopped when the machine passed right across his path. He watched the motion and counted quietly with one raised finger. Bright, optimistic paint on a banner hung above the stage entrance.

The polisher advanced for six seconds, then stayed still for five. Milo watched two full cycles and nodded. He stepped forward during the quiet pause, chairs high against his chest. A wheel brushed his shoe and kicked the power cord sideways. The cord slipped free and the machine stopped halfway. Soapy water leaked from its tank and spread under nearby paint cans. One can rolled, tipping bright drops across the clean tiles. Afterwards, Milo set the chairs down beside the storage door. The polisher stayed silent while water kept sliding across the floor. Footprints showed his path across the shiny surface.

溫暖的午後陽光灑滿空蕩的學校大廳。

學生米洛抱著折疊椅，走向儲藏室。大廳要在明天的團聚前完成快速清理。地板拋光機沿著瓷磚前進，然後停下，再次向前。嗡嗡的輪子慢慢把新肥皂水推開。當機器正好橫過他的路徑時，米洛停住腳步。他看著機器的動作，抬起一根手指默數節奏。舞台入口上方掛著塗成明亮而充滿希望色彩的橫幅。

拋光機前進六秒，再靜止五秒。米洛看了兩輪節奏，輕輕點頭。他在安靜的停頓間向前跨步，將椅子抱在胸前。一個輪子擦到他的鞋，踢動了電源線。電線滑脫，機器停在中途。肥皂水從水箱滲出，流到旁邊的油漆罐下方。一個罐子開始滾動，亮色油漆滴落在乾淨的瓷磚上。之後，米洛把椅子放在儲藏室門旁。拋光機保持安靜，水痕繼續滑過地面。閃亮地面上留下了一串腳印。