Dew on the Bench Disappears - 適合初學者的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Chains creak.

Willa sits on the bench. A grandmother sits at the end, knitting. Needles click near Willa's elbow. Her knees press the wood. Her palm rests on the arm. Cool ridges touch her skin. Dew beads on the arm spread. Sunlight warms the wet line. One bead shrinks and slides. Two paw prints sit on the seat. The older mark looks pale. The fresh one stays dark.

Near the bench, a crumpled cup rests. A blue lake picture is on it. By the path, a drip falls. Rings spread on the stone. Dry air thins each ring. Leaves rustle. The creak rises, then lowers. Willa tilts her head to listen. Her mouth makes a small frown. The drip sound hides under creaks.

She looks back at the arm. Dew shrinks. The wet shine is smaller. Only a thin patch stays. Light shows pale wood under it. A leaf drops on her sleeve. It shakes, then rests flat.

The thin patch dries to nothing. Only pale wood stays bare. Across the path, rings fade. A drip taps on the stone.

鐵鍊嘎吱作響。

Willa 坐在長椅上。長椅的一端坐著一位祖母，正在編織。針在 Willa 的手肘旁輕輕作響。她的膝蓋頂住木板。她的手掌靠在扶手上。涼涼的木紋貼著她的皮膚。扶手上的露珠慢慢攤開。陽光溫熱著那條濕痕。一顆露珠縮小又滑動。座面上有兩個爪印。舊的印子發白。新的那個還很深。

長椅旁放著一個皺皺的紙杯。上面印著一幅藍色的湖景。小路那邊有一滴水落下。圓紋在石板上擴散。乾燥的空氣讓圓紋變薄。樹葉沙沙作響。嘎吱聲升高又降下。Willa 側著頭去聽。她的嘴角微微一皺。滴水的聲音被嘎吱聲蓋住。

她再看回扶手。露水變小。濕亮變得更少。只留下一小片。光線露出下面的淺色木頭。一片葉子落在她的袖子上。它抖兩下，然後平貼著。

那小片濕痕乾到看不見。只剩淺色木頭裸露著。小路對面，圓紋變淡。一滴水在石板上答答落下。