The Hissing Soil- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Sam stepped into the small garden at noon, holding a light watering can. He had come to water a tomato transplant that drooped beside the path. Warm light pressed on his neck, and soil released a sharp, earthy smell. Beyond the fence, a scarecrow leaned like a crooked guardian above silent rows. A tin feeding tray rattled where chickens feed whenever the gate stays open. The field yonder shimmered under heat, promising no shade for several steps. Sam visited the spot daily, yet today the sun felt especially fierce.

Heat rose in waves, and a sudden gust whipped loose dust into his eyes. The dust mixed with tiny gnats that hovered above the damp compost bucket. Both grit and insects struck his face at the same moment, blinding and stinging. He spotted a broad cabbage leaf that had detached during last night's rain. With one hand he lifted the leaf and held it above his eyes. The thick surface blocked the glaring light, giving him a narrow green shade. Protected from glare, he focused on the swarm, waving the watering can in slow circles. Moist drops burst from the spout, and the spray pushed the gnats aside enough. The leaf meanwhile started to wilt; edges curled and a tear opened near the stem.

Through the tear, a thin beam of light slipped and struck the wet soil. Steam rose at that bright spot, surprising Sam with a quick hiss from the ground. He had never seen soil hiss before, yet he watered until the can emptied. The gnats drifted elsewhere, their cloud broken by the steady droplets and shifting air. Sam dropped the tired leaf onto the path; its torn edge flapped weakly in the breeze. Wind snatched the leaf at once. Dust rolled over the footprints he left behind.

中午時，薩姆提著輕巧的澆水壺走進小菜園。他來給一株種在小徑旁、微微下垂的番茄秧澆水。溫熱的日光壓在他的脖子上，泥土釋放出濃烈的土腥味。圍欄外，一個歪斜的稻草人像守衛一樣俯視寂靜的菜畦。雞群在凹陷的鐵盤周圍啄食，只要大門開著牠們就會聚過來。遠處的田野在高溫下閃爍，幾乎沒有遮蔭；薩姆幾乎天天來，但今天的太陽特別毒辣。

熱浪升騰，一陣猛風把鬆散的塵土捲進他眼裡。塵土和停在潮濕堆肥桶上空的小蚋混在一起，同時襲向他的臉，沙粒刺痛，昆蟲叮咬。他看到昨晚雨中斷落的一片大高麗菜葉，便伸手舉到眼前遮光。厚實的葉面擋住刺眼的日光，只留下狹窄的綠色陰影。他專心對付昆蟲，慢慢揮動澆水壺口，水珠噴出，把小蚋趕開。葉片開始枯萎，邊緣捲曲，主脈附近撕開一道口子。

透過口子，一束細光射到濕土上，瞬間冒出蒸氣，地面發出短促的嘶嘶聲，讓薩姆吃了一驚。他以前從未見過土壤會冒聲，可仍把壺裡的水全部倒完。昆蟲群漸漸散去，被持續落下的水滴與流動的空氣打亂。薩姆把疲憊的菜葉丟在小徑上，破口在微風裡輕輕拍動。風立刻將菜葉卷走，塵土隨後覆蓋了他留下的腳印。