The Backpack Drop- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Milo crossed the small back garden, an energetic breeze ruffling the tall grass. His bright kite had landed on the garage roof during lunch, and he intended to bring it down before dinner. A metal ladder, already leaning on the wall, offered a quick route upward, so he hooked one sneaker on the lowest rung and began to traverse the steps. Near the gutter he stretched out an arm, yet every pull on the string failed; the wind continued to drive the kite farther across the tiles. Milo braced both feet, tugged harder, and the ladder wobbled enough to warn him that force alone would not work.

He climbed down, thinking only with his hands. The heavy backpack that he had carried from school still lay by the door, loaded with books and a forgotten water bottle. He threaded the string through a side loop, then climbed once more. From the roof edge he pushed the backpack over the far side, letting it hang in space. Gravity began to drive the weight downward, and the tight line pulled the kite back toward him. The trick succeeded, yet another result followed: the strap slipped, the backpack slid free, and it splashed into the shallow puddle beside the drain. Pens drifted out across the water like tiny boats. Milo gathered his kite, coiled the string, and stepped onto the grass again.

Water stilled around the floating pens. A single drop fell from the roof edge and dimples widened across the puddle.

米洛穿過狹小的後院，活力十足的微風掀動高高的草叢。他的鮮豔風箏在午餐時間落到車庫屋頂，他想在晚餐前把它取回。一架金屬梯子已經斜靠在牆上，給了他向上的快速路徑，他將一隻運動鞋掛上最低的橫檔，開始攀梯。接近排水溝時，他伸長手臂，但每次拉動線都失敗；風持續把風箏推向屋瓦另一側。米洛雙腳撐穩，用力更大，梯子搖晃，提醒他僅靠蠻力行不通。

他爬下來，只用雙手思考。從學校背回來的厚重背包仍放在門邊，裡面裝滿書本和一瓶被遺忘的水。他把線穿過側面的環扣，然後再度往上攀。到達屋頂邊緣後，他把背包推向屋外，讓它懸空。重力開始向下拉動重量，繃緊的線把風箏拉回到他身邊。這個技巧成功了，卻帶來另一個結果：背帶滑脫，背包跌落，濺入排水口旁的淺水窪。原子筆像小船一樣漂在水面上。米洛收好風箏，盤起線，再次踏上草地。

水面恢復平靜，漂浮的筆仍慢慢移動。屋簷邊落下一滴水，水窪表面隨之擴開一圈圈漣漪。