The Rainbow Streak at the Fountain- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Plip-plip of falling drops tapped against the stone rim. Hazel sat cross-legged beside the fountain, rubbing a coin between cloth circles as part of her morning routine. She volunteered for the task each Saturday. The staff left her alone with a short stick and a bucket. A woven bracelet from her best friend clinked softly against the bucket edge. A velvet pencil pouch lay open near her knee; during pauses she sketched the shifting surface. A pigeon approached, head bobbing with an endearing wobble, then hopped onto the wet rim. Hazel watched its adorable feathers puff when mist drifted over. Warm sunlight reflected from the basin, dappling her notebook page with silver ovals. The square behind her stayed quiet, only distant footsteps echoed. A scent of damp stone mixed with summer heat.

A gap in the passing clouds widened, and raw sunlight poured onto the water. One freshly cleaned coin flashed like a mirror. The sudden glare swept over the pigeon’s eye, and the bird sprang upward. Its wings slapped the pool, lifting a handful of bright droplets into the air. One droplet caught the same beam, acting as a tiny lens. It painted a sharp rainbow streak across Hazel’s open page. She blinked and leaned sideways, shading her notebook with her shoulder. The rainbow remained, even as the droplets fell back and melted into the rippling basin. Hazel turned the page and continued polishing the next coin, waterlight still dancing around her knees. A minute later another cloud drifted across the sun, softening every reflection. Ripples thinned, mist sank, and the square’s stone floor shone with a calm, muted glow.

噗通、噗通，水珠打在石質邊緣上。海柔坐在噴泉旁的石圈內側，雙腿交叉，用布圈來回擦拭一枚硬幣，這是她清晨慣常的工作。她每個星期六都自願做這項小任務。工作人員把一根短棍和水桶交給她後便離開了。她最要好的朋友編的手環輕輕敲碰水桶邊緣，發出叮聲。絨質的鉛筆袋攤開在她膝旁；間歇時她會素描水面的變化。一隻鴿子走近，腦袋可愛地點著，然後跳到濕滑的石沿上。薄霧飄過時，牠蓬鬆的羽毛漲起，看來討人喜歡。暖陽從水池反射，銀亮斑點灑在她的筆記頁。廣場後方很安靜，只有遠處腳步聲迴盪；潮濕石頭的氣味混著夏日熱氣。

浮雲間的縫隙張大，強烈日光直照水面。一枚剛擦亮的硬幣像鏡子閃光。突如其來的刺眼亮光掃過鴿子眼睛，牠猛然振翅飛起。翅膀拍打水池，幾滴明亮的水珠被帶上空中。其中一滴接住那道光束，變成小小透鏡。彩虹般的銳利色帶刷過海柔翻開的頁面。她眨眼並側身，用肩膀擋住筆記本。彩虹仍在，即使水珠落回，融入起伏水面。海柔翻頁，繼續擦下一枚硬幣，水光仍在她膝邊跳舞。片刻後，又一朵雲移過太陽，所有反射變得柔和。漣漪變細，薄霧下沉，廣場的石地板映出溫和而暗淡的光澤。