What the Tide Carried- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Warm air carried salt across the pier and onto Leo’s face. Light blinked on wet sand while foam traced a white line along the shore. Near the end of the narrow pier, Leo set a freshly waxed skimboard against his leg. He hoped to ride the first thin sheet of water sliding over the beach. The ocean breathed in long rhythms below, and slick rocks waited beside the ladder. A distant surfer balanced beyond the break, board cutting bright arcs against deeper blue. Leo started down the wooden steps, yet the wind lifted the board and twisted his grip. Water slapped the lowest rung, throwing a cold splash across his knees. His progress halted at once, and sea foam surrounded his shoes.

Another gust pressed his shirt flat, and the rope rail shook beside him. He noticed a loose loop hanging from a ring that sailors have used to tie small boats. Without delay, he threaded the skimboard leash through the loop and let the board hang over the water. Each swing of the tide now pushed the board forward, so his arms stayed free for balance. A gull dropped toward the surface and offered a brief yell that vanished in wind. When the board knocked against the final post, Leo jumped down after it and landed on firm sand. Wind still raced across the beach that morning. The wide sheet of water arrived seconds later, allowing him a fast, smooth ride. Foam rolled behind him while the pier stood quiet.

溫暖的空氣帶著鹹味越過棧橋，撫過里歐的臉。光線在濕沙上閃爍，白色泡沫沿著岸邊畫出細線。在狹長棧橋的盡頭，里歐把剛上蠟的滑水板靠在腿旁。他盼望踩上第一片掠過沙面的薄水。下方的海洋以長長節奏呼吸，滑石緊貼梯子等待。一名遙遠的衝浪者在浪外維持平衡，板面在深藍上切出明亮弧線。里歐踏下木梯，但風把板抬起，扭動了他的手。水擊打最低一級，冰冷水花濺到膝蓋，他的進展立刻停住，海泡包圍鞋面。

又一陣風把他的襯衫壓平，旁邊的繩欄晃動。他注意到一個鬆弛的圈套在用來繫小船的環上。毫不遲疑，他把滑水板繩穿過圈內，讓板懸在水面。每次潮水擺動都推動板子向前，他的雙臂得以空出來維持平衡。一隻海鷗俯衝到水面，發出短促叫聲，隨風消失。當板撞到最後一根柱子時，里歐跟著跳下，穩穩落在硬沙上。那天早晨，風仍在沙灘上奔跑。寬闊水幕數秒後湧來，給他帶來快速而順滑的滑行。泡沫在身後翻滾，棧橋保持寂靜。