Leaf in the Printer- 適合中高級的英語短篇故事

"Pass the cable."

Wade draped the honey-colored wire across the meeting-room table, where late sunlight painted amber stripes on a stack of sweet cupcake boxes—yesterday’s generosity from a visiting client. The projector’s socket lay near the wall, but the wire stopped short. He pulled gently; tape that had been applied earlier had loosened, and the line slid free, brushing a small pot of basil on the sill. Leaves fluttered like green confetti, and the pot tipped, rolling toward the open door.

A puppy from the corridor adoption display sniffed the scattered basil. The kennel had been secured with a simple latch, yet the loose door bounced once, then the pup squeezed through. Catching the zesty scent, it trotted after the rolling pot, ribboned leash whispering over the warm oak floor. Luke stepped into the corridor, trying to persuade the runaway explorer with half a cupcake, but the little nose aimed elsewhere. The ribbon snagged a tower of printed reports beside the copier, pages fanned out, and one sheet slid into the feeder slot. Gears whirred, then the printer groaned and froze mid-page.

Paper corners now stuck, Wade hurried over while the receptionist lifted the puppy, tucking it gently back behind the latch before it clicked shut. He eased the crumpled sheet from the machine; flecks of basil clung to the ink. Another tug freed the rest, but a single leaf had slipped deeper, unreachable without tools. The slideshow could wait—error lights kept flashing, and inside the machine, a corner of green leaf kept turning under the warm lamps.

「把線遞過來。」

韋德把帶著蜂蜜色澤的線纜鋪在會議室桌面，晚陽在一疊甜杯子蛋糕盒上投下琥珀色條紋——那些是昨天客戶慷慨留下的點心。投影機插孔靠牆，但線長不夠。他輕輕一拉，先前貼上的膠帶已經鬆動，線滑脫時碰到窗台上的小羅勒盆栽。葉子像綠色紙片般飄落，花盆滾向敞開的門口。

走廊領養展示中的小狗聞到散落的羅勒。原本關好的犬籠只用簡單插銷固定，門彈了一下，小狗就鑽了出來。受到帶點辛香氣味的吸引，它追著滾動的花盆跑，彩帶牽繩在溫暖的橡木地板上細聲摩擦。盧克拿著半個杯子蛋糕走到走廊，想用點心勸回這位小探險家，但小鼻子指向別處。彩帶勾到影印機旁的報告紙塔，紙張像扇子展開，一頁滑進進紙口。齒輪轉動後，影印機發出低沉聲響，中途卡紙。

角落卡死，韋德趕來協助，接待員把小狗抱起，重新扣上插銷。韋德抽出皺紙，墨跡上沾著羅勒碎屑。他再拉出剩餘紙張，但一片葉子滑得更深，沒有工具拿不到。投影片暫時擱置——錯誤燈閃個不停，而機器內那片綠葉仍在暖光下來回轉動。