Glitter in the Puddle- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

A small squirrel entered the quiet playground after dawn. Warm sunshine lay across the low plastic slide. Near a bench, clear water burst from ground jets. The spray rose high, then fell and stopped for seconds. Old paper banners from a spring dance still hung above. A nut lay on the dry wooden bench. The squirrel sniffed the air and edged closer. Spray blocked the direct path each time it climbed.

The animal crouched low and watched two full bursts of spray. His ears twitched during the silent gap between water waves. When the third burst dipped, he sprinted under fading drops. His feet touched a loose rubber ball near the puddle. The ball rolled away in a sudden zigzag across tiles. It bumped a row of paper lanterns that served as bright decor. Lanterns swung, shook loose glitter, and colored water with tiny sparks. Spray returned and carried the glitter toward a nearby drain. The squirrel reached the bench and pressed the nut between paws. Water kept moving behind him in a steady up-down rhythm. A pinwheel spun slowly beside the shallow, glittering pool.

清晨，一隻小松鼠走進安靜的遊樂場。溫暖的陽光灑在矮矮的塑膠溜滑梯上。長椅旁，清澈的水自地面噴頭衝出。水柱升高，然後落下，停歇幾秒。舊紙旗幟仍掛在上方，那是春季舞會留下的裝飾。乾燥的木長椅上放著一顆堅果。松鼠嗅了嗅空氣，慢慢靠近。每次水柱升起時，水霧都擋住正中央的路。

松鼠蹲低身子，注視著兩次完整的水柱噴發。水波之間出現短暫的寧靜，他的耳朵在這空檔抽動。第三次水柱降低時，他衝過稀疏的水滴。腳掌碰到水窪旁的鬆動橡膠球。球突然以之字形在地磚上滾動。它撞到一排紙燈籠，那些燈籠本是亮麗的裝飾。燈籠搖擺，抖落亮粉，讓水面閃起細小火花。水柱再次升起，把亮粉帶向近處的排水溝。松鼠抵達長椅，雙爪夾住那顆堅果。身後的水繼續有節奏地上下移動。一個風車緩慢旋轉，停在閃閃發光的淺水邊。