Wind Buries the Rolling Egg - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

"Tray coming through," Keane called.

His boot sank into loose straw near the doorway. A tangible crunch rose under weight, and grain dust puffed around his knees. The metal tray balanced flat on his palm with the ease he had kept since working as a waiter last winter. He crossed the narrow aisle, poured feed into shallow dishes, then flicked a small dose of vitamin liquid into the water trough. Behind him, spare lumber leaned against the wall, each plank edged with old nails.

A speckled hen, light as a cushion, nudged a fresh egg along the floor. The shell rolled, gathered slow momentum, and tapped a wooden divider. She pressed again with her beak, steering it toward the low ramp that climbed to a nesting box. Hens nearby fluttered, and warm dust hung under the roof beams, the soft darkness smelling of dry hay.

Keane rested the empty tray on the perch bar. The bar dipped, slid half a handspan, and knocked the leaning lumber. One plank slipped free, struck the ramp, and the egg shot forward, spinning down the slope. The sudden jolt made every perch creak in sympathy, and feathers drifted from the rafters. The egg thumped against the metal trough, settled unbroken, and rocked side to side. Keane steadied the loose plank, while the hen followed the wobbling shell and circled it. Wind burst through the doorway and slammed the loose hatch. Straw swept over the floorboards and buried the streaked shell.

「托盤過囉！」基恩喊道。

他的靴子踩進門口的鬆散稻草，腳下傳來實在的嘎吱聲，穀粉在膝邊揚起。金屬托盤平穩地放在他手掌上，自從去年冬天當過餐廳服務生以來，他早已練就這份穩定。他穿過狹窄通道，把飼料倒進淺碟，又在水槽裡滴入一小劑維生素。身後，備用木板靠牆而立，邊緣還帶著舊釘子。

一隻花斑母雞像軟墊般輕盈，用喙推著剛下的蛋在地面前進。蛋殼滾動、慢慢加速，然後碰到木質隔板。她再次用喙頂住，把蛋導向通往巢箱的矮坡道。附近的母雞撲棱翅膀，溫暖的塵粒掛在屋樑下的暗處，聞起來是乾草味。

基恩把空托盤放到棲木桿上。桿子下沉、滑動半掌寬，撞到靠牆木板。一塊木板脫離，擊中坡道，雞蛋向前衝出，在坡面旋轉下滑。突如其來的震動讓每根棲木同步嘎吱作響，羽毛從椽木間飄落。雞蛋撞到金屬水槽，完好無損地停下，左右搖晃。基恩扶好鬆動木板，而母雞跟著晃動的蛋繞圈。

風吹進門口，砰地關上鬆脫的活門。稻草被捲起，鋪滿地板，將帶痕的蛋掩埋。