The Popping Pine Cone- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Milo opened the cabin door and carried in more firewood. Cold air pressed through the thin window frame. He wanted a bright fire before night covered the hills. Outside, deep winter kept the stream under a hard sheet of ice. His old teddy bear waited beside the silent fireplace. Milo stacked three logs inside the black iron box. He struck a match and small flames began to dance. Sudden popping wood sent ash flying toward the open room. Grey smoke curled across his boots and reached his eyes. He coughed and stepped back, bumping the metal heater behind.

The heater rattled, and a small pan slid to the floor. Pine needles inside the pan scattered over the rug. Milo grabbed the iron poker, a long straight stick of steel. He pushed the unburned log deeper, clearing space near the vent. Fresh air rushed inside, and the smoke thinned at once. An unseen pine cone burst and bounced out of the fireplace. It rolled under the chair, leaving a trail of tiny sparks. Milo stamped the sparks, then returned the cone to the ash. A quiet spark lingered above the glowing logs.

米洛推開小木屋的門，抱進更多柴火。

冷空氣從薄薄的窗框縫隙鑽了進來。

夜幕即將覆蓋山丘，他想先點亮爐火。

屋外的嚴冬讓小溪結成厚厚的冰層。

他那隻舊泰迪熊正靠在靜止的壁爐旁。

米洛把三根木頭整齊放進黑色鐵爐。

他劃亮火柴，細小火舌立刻跳動。

木頭突然爆響，灰燼飛向敞開的室內。

灰煙繞過他的靴子，直撲他的眼睛。

他咳了兩聲，往後退撞到身後的暖爐。

暖爐嘎啦作響，一個小鐵盤滑落到地板。

盤中的松針撒滿地毯。

米洛抓起長長的鐵火叉，這是條筆直鋼棒。

他把未燃的木頭推深，讓通風口露出空隙。

新鮮空氣湧入，煙霧很快變淡。

一顆沒被看見的松果炸裂，從壁爐跳出。

它滾到椅子下，留下細小火星的軌跡。

米洛踩熄火星，再把松果推回灰堆。

火堆上方仍閃著安靜的小火花。