The Whistle Behind the Swaying Curtain- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Four arm-lengths lay between the loading-dock door and the first tower of cardboard trays. June crouched beside her terrier, Rusty, in the narrow aisle. A wide fabric curtain swayed toward them on a rising draft from the floor fan outside the dock. She needed the bright plastic hand pump waiting on the top shelf; several party balloons in the hall were already wilting. Each fresh puff of air drew the curtain nearer, shrinking the only passage. Fine dust drifted through the beam of the single bulb, turning the light into pale haze. A cracked glass spiral, once marketed as a fairground curiosity, rested near her boot, yet she kept her focus on the shelf.

Another gust billowed the curtain and pushed its edge beyond a painted floor line, showing how quickly the gap was closing. Two choices appeared: climb the nearby stack of foam cushions for a direct but shaky shortcut, or circle two aisles along a slower route shielded from the draft. The cushions trembled under the airflow; the longer path already filled with restless plastic sheets. June tightened her grip on a metal support bar, picked the risky route, and scrambled onto the cushions. They sagged under her weight; one staple caught her sleeve and tore the fabric. Rusty barked below, his ears fluttering in the swirling air. She hooked a finger over the pump’s hose, tugged it free just as the curtain brushed her shoes. A small tin whistle rolled out from behind the pump—some forgotten bit of childhood innovation. She told herself to keep exploring these shelves later, but the curtain now pressed hard against her back. June let the pump swing against the rack and lifted the little whistle. A fresh draft fluttered the curtain again as a bright note pierced the storeroom.

裝貨門與第一座紙箱堆之間大約相隔四個手臂的距離。琼蹲在狹窄通道裡的推車旁，身邊跟著她的小獵犬拉斯蒂。門外風扇吹出的氣流讓寬大的布簾不停向內飄動。她急需頂層架子上的塑膠手動打氣筒；走廊裡的幾顆派對氣球正逐漸洩氣。每一道新氣流都使布簾更貼近，通道空隙也變得更窄。單顆燈泡灑下的光束中飄浮著細塵，光線像蒙上薄霧。她腳邊有條裂開的玻璃螺旋，曾是遊樂園販售的「新奇玩具」，但她此刻只盯著架子。

又一股風鼓起布簾，簾邊越過地面上畫的警示線，顯示通道正迅速關閉。眼前只剩兩條路：攀上近旁風中搖晃的泡棉墊，直接但不穩；或者繞過兩條通道，風較小卻耗時更久。風讓泡棉墊微微顫抖，較遠的路線則已被飛舞的塑膠片阻塞。琼抓緊金屬支撐杆，選了冒險的捷徑，踩上泡棉墊。墊子在她腳下下陷，一枚釘書針勾破了她的袖子。拉斯蒂在下方吠叫，耳朵被亂風掀動。琼勾住打氣筒的管子猛地一扯，恰好在布簾擦過鞋面時將它拉下。打氣筒後面還滾出一支小鐵哨——某種兒時的「創新玩意」。她心想以後一定要再探索這些架子，但布簾已緊貼她的背。琼讓打氣筒晃在架邊，舉起那支小哨子。一股新風再度拍動布簾，明亮的哨聲在庫房裡劃出尖銳的弧線。