Corn, Rabbit, and the Sudden Spill- 適合中高級的英語短篇故事

"Shift the ladder left," Hazel called.

Faye steadied the metal frame while its rubber feet squeaked across chalk-dusted tiles. The lunchtime bell had been ringing for nearly a minute, and their paper sun banner still lay rolled beside the teacher’s desk. Hazel paused to contemplate the remaining minutes before classmates flowed back inside. Sunlight from the high windows cast caramel streaks on the polished desktops, while a far-off whistle drifted in from the playground. She had forgotten the ladder’s wheels were unlocked, yet the banner had been painted by younger students for Friday’s entertainment booth, so she hurried. With a quick pull, she dragged the ladder toward the wall light. One wheel caught on a cracked tile, and the whole frame jolted, nudging a high shelf lined with dried corn cobs saved for science demonstrations.

One golden cob bounced off the shelf, dropped into the open top of the class rabbit’s pen, and landed beside the normally gregarious herbivore. The rabbit jerked backward, tipping its plastic water bowl. A thin sheet of water spread over the floor, overwhelming a narrow groove meant to guide spills toward the door. The water carried bits of sawdust that drifted toward a stack of freshly inked art posters waiting near the corridor. Faye lunged, but the posters slid and fanned across the wet tiles. She grabbed a plastic tray from the supply closet and pressed it flat on the floor; the tray blocked the flow and redirected it toward a floor drain under the radiator. A faint ripple continued beneath the tray’s edge, slipping toward the dark grate.

「把梯子往左移，」海澤爾喊道。

費伊扶穩金屬梯架，橡膠腳在佈滿粉筆灰的瓷磚上吱呀作響。午餐鈴已經響了一分鐘，他們的紙太陽橫幅仍捲在老師桌旁。海澤爾停下來思考同學們回到教室前還剩多少時間。高窗透進的陽光在桌面留下焦糖色的條紋，遠處操場的哨聲隱約飄進來。她忘記梯子輪子沒鎖，但這條由低年級學生為週五娛樂攤位繪製的橫幅必須掛好，她只得加快動作。她猛地一拉，想把梯子拖向壁燈。一個輪子卡在裂瓷磚上，整個梯子猛地一晃，碰撞到放著乾玉米棒的高架子。

一根金黃玉米棒落進班級兔籠敞開的頂部，掉在向來群居的草食兔身旁。兔子猛然後跳，打翻了塑膠水碗。一層薄水鋪開地面，淹過原本用來導流的窄槽。水帶著鋸末朝走廊旁那疊剛印好的美術海報漂去。費伊撲上前，但海報已在濕瓷磚上散成扇形。她從用品櫃抓出塑膠盤，壓平在地，擋住水流並將其引向暖氣下的地排水孔。托盤邊緣下方，微弱的水紋仍滑向黑暗的格柵。