The Board That Lifted- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Lena carried a small toolbox along the wooden pier. Cool air from the bay moved between the posts. She knelt near a loose plank to check its nails. Her goal was simple: stop the board from rocking. Light faded, and a wide shadow crossed the grey boards. A seagull landed beside her, flapping sand across the pier. The bird pecked the toolbox lid and it sprang open.

A long wrench rolled out and struck a metal bucket. The bucket tipped, sending cold water over the loose plank. Water soaked the wood, and the plank began to swell. The board lifted slightly, then caught the seagull’s ankle feathers. The startled bird jumped, pulling the plank even higher. Lena grabbed the rising end and slid the wrench under. The metal bar wedged the plank flat against the joist. Darkness gathered; bands of dusk color spread across the sky. A thin stream of water slid between the boards toward the sea.

莉娜提著一個小工具箱走在木製碼頭上。海灣的涼風在柱子間穿梭。她跪在一塊鬆動的木板旁，查看釘子。她的目標很簡單：讓那塊板子不要晃動。光線漸暗，一大片影子掠過灰色木板。一隻海鷗落在她身旁，把沙子拍到碼頭上。那隻鳥啄開了工具箱蓋子。

一支長板手滾出來，撞到一個金屬桶。桶翻了，冷水澆在鬆動的木板上。水滲入木頭，木板開始膨脹。那塊板微微抬起，勾住海鷗腳上的羽毛。受驚的鳥跳起來，把木板拉得更高。莉娜抓住翹起的一端，將板手塞到下面。金屬桿把木板卡回橫梁上。黑暗聚集；暮色的條帶在天空中擴散。一條細水流在木板縫間滑向大海。