Seeds Roll Into the Ditch at the Station - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

"Pass the seeds here."

Kit cupped both hands under the paper cone. They sat on the public bench under the awning, well behind the painted line. The bench wood felt cool and a little dusty under their palms. Ulla tilted the cone, and a thin stream poured out. The grains built a small mound, then some rolled into a groove between the slats. Kit braced the cone against the canvas bag, steadying it with a thumb.

At the front garden, nature sat close to the station wall: soil, pebbles, and dry leaves. A narrow ditch ran along the flower bed, dry and pale. A squirrel worked there, quick and neat. Its small paws flicked soil up the bank, and fine sand trickled back down. Pebbles clicked as they settled, and a tiny pile formed, then slid again.

A single bell rang across the platform, and a low tremor passed through the boards. The little mound on the bench loosened. Several seeds trickled along the groove, scattered over the edge, and pattered onto the ground. At the same time, the loosened soil in the ditch shifted and made a soft slide. The rolling seeds met that slide and fanned out across the pale sand. The squirrel paused with one paw raised, then it picked a seed and hopped to the garden border. More grains kept sifting off the bench slat, and Kit brought both hands together to cup what remained. Ulla watched the clock and said, "The long hand reached the number." Kit nodded and drew the cone closer to stop the tiny stream.

The bell rang once more, and a faint breath of air lifted the corner of the timetable sheet. The scattered seeds on the ground settled into the small ruts near the ditch, mixed with grit and leaf bits. Kit pinched the cone’s top and folded it flat. Ulla slid it into the bag beside the scarf.

「把種子給我。」

基特把雙手在紙錐下方合起來。他們坐在雨棚下的公共長椅上，離著色的安全線很遠。長椅的木頭摸起來涼涼的，手心還沾到一點灰。烏拉傾斜紙錐，細細的一股就倒了出來。小顆粒堆成一個小土丘，有些又沿著板縫滾動。基特把紙錐抵在帆布袋上，用拇指頂住讓它不晃。

在車站前的小花園，自然就貼在牆邊：土壤、小石子和乾葉。花圃旁有一道淺淺的溝渠，乾乾淨淨、顏色發白。一隻松鼠在那裡忙著，動作俐落。它用小爪把土往上撥，細沙又順著坡面往下細細流回去。小石子碰來碰去，停下時發出輕輕的聲音，小堆一下子又滑落。

月台上響了一聲鈴，木板傳來一陣微微的顫動。長椅上的小土丘鬆了開來。幾顆種子沿著板縫細細流過，散開，落到地上噠噠作響。那時溝裡鬆動的土也輕輕下滑。滾動的種子撞上那道滑面，像扇形一樣鋪在淡色的沙上。松鼠停住一隻抬起的爪子，接著叼起一顆種子，跳到花園邊上。還有一些顆粒繼續從長椅板上篩下去，基特把雙手合攏，接住剩下的。烏拉看著時鐘說：「長針到了那個數字。」基特點了點頭，把紙錐拉近，堵住那條細細的小流。

鈴聲又響了一次，一股很淡的風把時刻表的一角輕輕掀起。地上的種子在小小的紋路裡安定下來，和砂礫、葉片混在一起。基特捏住紙錐的開口，把它壓平。烏拉把它塞進袋子裡，放在圍巾旁邊。