Steam Fog on the Station Timetable Glass - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

The iron bench felt cool under Troy's palm as he unlocked the station gate before dawn.

He lined three tin mugs on the low table and tipped a kettle against them. Warmth rose in soft waves and curled around his fingers. A lamp clicked above the platform, its glow steady. Distant rails ticked with night air. Troy continued his routine. He wiped dew from each wooden slat and straightened a loose poster. The faded yellow line near the edge still showed old wisdom about standing back.

Steam leaked from the kettle each minute. The cloud drifted upward and pressed against the timetable glass beside the door. A pale trace spread across the pane, hiding the arrival numbers. Troy leaned closer. Heat inside the glass met cool morning air outside, and drops began to slide downward. One drop reached the rim, gathered two more, then fell in persistent rhythm onto the metal plate. The plate grew slippery. When Troy stepped back, his boot skidded; he flung his arms wide to keep balance. The mugs rattled but stayed upright. He shifted his weight, then kicked loose sand toward the wet patch so feet would grip. Vita walked in from the square and lifted an eyebrow. "Early shower?" she said. Troy chuckled and offered her the dry mug.

Sunlight slipped over the roof and warmed the rail at his side. The fog on the glass thinned, yet a faint smear stayed like chalk. Troy dabbed the pane with his sleeve, leaving it clearer but not perfect. He hooked the damp cloth over the railing beside the cooling kettle. The cloth dripped once, then hung still.

黎明前，特洛伊打開車站大門時，鐵製長椅在他掌心裡帶著冰涼。

他把三個鐵杯排在矮桌上，傾斜水壺把水注入。溫暖的蒸氣柔柔升起，繞過他的手指。月台上一盞燈啪地亮著，光線穩定。遠方鋼軌在夜氣裡發出輕微咔嗒聲。特洛伊照著慣例行事。他擦去每根木條上的露水，又扶正一張鬆動的海報。月台邊那條褪色的黃線依舊訴說著「請站後些」的老經驗。

水壺裡的蒸氣每分鐘都冒出一些。雲狀水氣向上飄，貼在門旁時刻表的玻璃上。淡淡的霧痕擴散，遮住到站號碼。特洛伊湊近。玻璃內側的熱氣遇到外頭的清涼，水珠開始往下滑。一滴水碰到桌緣，又攜兩滴，一起有節奏地持續滴到金屬踏板上。踏板變得濕滑。特洛伊往後一步，靴子打滑，他張開雙臂穩住身體。杯子震了一下，但仍站得住。他換個重心，再踢些乾沙到濕處增加摩擦。薇塔從廣場走進來，挑眉笑問：「一大早就淋雨？」特洛伊輕笑，把乾杯遞給她。

陽光越過屋頂，溫熱了他身旁的扶手。玻璃上的霧淡了，可還留著粉筆般的痕。特洛伊用袖子輕擦，雖然更清晰卻仍不完美。他把濕布掛到正在散熱的水壺旁欄杆上。布料滴了一下水，隨後靜靜垂著。