Night Run at Maple Station- 適合中高級的英語短篇故事

Rain pressed against the dark roof of Maple Station as Alex hurried inside. The youthful courier adjusted his cap and collected a slim wooden box from the silent counter. A pickup note, already damp, had been stamped by the station clerk earlier that evening. Alex had already delivered dozens of parcels that week, yet this one felt different because it ticked softly against its walls. Whenever unusual packages arrived, questions arise among couriers at the depot, but curiosity usually lost to schedule. He slipped the box into his backpack and stepped back onto the platform. Dim lamps glimmered across rails that branch out toward quiet distant warehouses.

His bicycle waited outside the gate, its spokes dripping silver lines onto the pavement. He pushed off, wheels cutting along empty streets that curved and branched like river channels. The city lights blurred while wind scratched his cheeks; meanwhile, the mysterious ticking grew louder. Halfway across the bridge, a leather strap loosened, and the backpack slid sideways, jolting his balance. Alex jerked the handlebars; tires skidded, and the box banged against steel railing. If he had checked the label earlier, the mix-up might have been avoided. For a moment, traffic lights flickered red over the water, and echoes swallowed the ticking entirely.

The backpack finally tore, and the wooden box tumbled onto the pedestrian lane, splitting its thin lid. Instead of fragile machinery, dozens of yellow rubber ducks bounced out, rolling toward startled joggers. Several ducks slid off the curb and seemed to dive into a wide puddle beside the railing. A handwritten card drifted after them; the ink announced, “Grand Opening Prank—Do Not Sabotage the Fun!” Alex crouched beside the scattered toys, rain dripping from his eyebrows onto bright beaks. He exhaled sharply, shoulders loosening a little with each squeaking bounce around him. Behind him, one jogger collected ducks into a grocery bag, laughing breathlessly at the unexpected flood. Broken wood, rubber ducks, and a soggy card rested quietly near his bicycle.

雨水敲打楓站昏暗的屋頂，Alex快步衝進室內。這位年輕的快遞員拉了拉帽沿，從寧靜的櫃檯取走一個纖薄木盒。早已受潮的取件單在傍晚被站務員蓋上印章。那週他已送出數十個包裹，然而這個盒子與眾不同，盒壁裡傳來細微滴答聲。每當怪異包裹出現，倉庫裡總有人議論紛紛，但排程往往壓過好奇心。他把盒子塞進背包，重新踏上月台；昏黃燈光照著分向遠方倉庫的鐵軌。

他的腳踏車停在大門外，輻條把雨水畫成銀色線條。Alex蹬上車，輪胎沿著空蕩街道前行，彎曲的道路像河道一般分流。燈光被雨幕拉成長線，風刮過臉頰，同時那神祕的滴答聲更響。過橋一半時，背包的皮帶鬆開，整包滑向一邊讓車身晃動。Alex猛扭把手，輪胎打滑，木盒撞上鋼欄。要是他早些查看標籤，也許就不會出錯。紅色號誌在水面閃爍，回聲吞沒了所有滴答。

背包終於裂開，木盒翻落行人道，薄蓋斷成兩半。裡面不是精密機械，而是一群黃色橡皮鴨，滾向驚訝的慢跑者。有些鴨子滑下路沿，像跳水般衝進欄旁的大水窪。一張手寫卡片隨後飄落，上頭寫著「開幕惡作劇—請勿破壞樂趣！」Alex蹲在散落的玩具旁，雨水從眉梢滴到鮮亮的喙上。他長吐一口氣，肩膀隨著每聲吱吱慢慢放鬆。身後一名慢跑者把鴨子撿進購物袋，大笑著面對這突如其來的景象。破木片、橡皮鴨與濕卡片靜靜躺在他的腳踏車旁。