The Lost Screw- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Leo carried a small toolbox to the attic. A model solar lamp hung there, planets turning above his desk. One planet stopped moving last night, so Leo planned repairs. Soft light fell across the wooden floor. He climbed a short ladder and touched the silent gear. Dust lay underneath the gear and blocked its teeth. The lamp needed simple maintenance, but the ladder shook suddenly. A small screw slipped off and rolled toward the hatch.

The screw hit a paint tin, tipping brushes onto cables. Cables formed a loose orbit and unplugged the lamp. The room went dark, and Leo missed the rolling screw. He knelt, reached under the shelf, and found empty space. A faint click sounded from deeper inside the shadowy boards. Leo slid a magnet along the floor, moving gently forward. Metal touched magnet, and the missing screw lifted with it. He fixed the gear, wiped dust away, and returned the plug. Planets turned again, slow and bright above the quiet ladder. Finally, Leo closed the small attic hatch.

里奧提著小工具箱走向閣樓。那裡掛著一盞太陽系模型燈，行星在書桌上方旋轉。昨晚有一顆行星停了下來，所以里奧打算修理。柔和的光線灑在木質地板上。他爬上一把小梯子，摸到靜止的齒輪。齒輪底下積著灰塵，卡住了齒牙。燈只是需要簡單保養，但梯子忽然晃動。一顆小螺絲滑落，滾向閣樓門。

螺絲碰到油漆罐，刷子因此掉到電纜上。電纜形成鬆散的圓圈，將燈的插頭拔掉。房間瞬間變暗，里奧沒看到滾動的螺絲。他跪下，伸手到架子下方，卻只摸到空隙。更深處傳來輕微的喀噠聲。里奧用磁鐵貼著地板往前推，輕輕移動。金屬碰到磁鐵，失蹤的螺絲被吸了起來。他裝回齒輪，擦去灰塵，再把插頭插回去。行星再次慢慢明亮地轉動在安靜的梯子上方。最後，里奧關上了小閣樓門。