Cloud Over the Bridge Turns River to a Mirror - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Warm wood met Max's palm as he stepped onto the small bridge. Fine grain ran under his hand like tiny roads, and the smooth rail pushed back. When he slid his palm, the surface gave a faint, short squeak. Juliet walked beside him, and their steps made soft thuds on the planks. Cool air moved along the span and touched their cheeks while joints creaked below. He kept one hand on the sturdy rail and did not lean over. A corn kernel sat near his thumb, saved from the snack in his pocket. Sunlight made its yellow skin glisten against the smooth, polished wood in a clear beam.

At the middle, they looked down through the tall bars toward the slow river. Bright light lay on the water and turned it into a white sheet. The glare hid the stones and the thin lines that moved below the surface. Max cupped his free hand above his eyes, and striped shadows crossed his sleeve. He pressed his thumb on the warm rail again; the pressure left a pale oval. A damp smell rose from below and mixed with the dry sun on the boards. "I can see our shoes in the water," Max said, yet no clear shapes showed there.

A gray cloud drifted across the sun, and the white sheet faded at once. The river turned into a dark mirror, and their faces hung upside down between shadow bars. A thin stick near the bank looked bent where it reached the surface. Tiny fish lines flicked across the dark glass and then vanished quickly. "It looks like a mirror now," Juliet said, and both stood still with hands on the rail. After a moment, the cloud slid on across the bright sun again. The bright patch spread over the water, and reflections thinned across the surface and flattened.

當 Max 踏上小橋時，溫熱的木頭碰上他的手掌。細細的木紋像小路一樣在他手下滑過，光滑的扶手回推著他的指尖。他滑動手掌時，表面發出一聲短而輕的吱響。Juliet 和他並肩走，腳步在木板上發出輕輕的沉響。一縷涼意沿著橋身移動，碰到他們的臉頰，底下的榫接同時低低作響。他一手抓著結實的扶手，並沒有探身越過。靠近拇指的地方放著一粒玉米粒，是從口袋裡的點心留下的。陽光把它的黃色外皮照得在光滑、拋光的木頭表面上一道清亮的光裡發亮。

走到橋中央時，他們透過高高的欄杆向下看向緩慢的河水。強烈的光鋪在水面上，把它變成一張白色的薄片。耀光遮住了石頭和表面下緩慢移動的細線。Max 用空著的那隻手在眼上方搭起遮擋，欄杆投下的條紋影子掠過他的袖子。他又把拇指按在溫熱的扶手上；那股壓力在皮膚上留下淡淡的橢圓印記。下方飄上一股潮濕的味道，與木板上乾燥的日照混在一起。Max 說：「我看得到我們的鞋在水裡。」但那裡沒有清楚的形狀出現。

一片灰雲掠過太陽，那張白色薄片立刻消退。河面變成一面深色的鏡子，他們倒立的臉懸在一道道影條之間。靠岸的一根細枝在碰到水面的地方看起來彎了一下。細小如魚的線條在黑亮的表面上快速劃過，接著很快消失。Juliet 說：「現在看起來像一面鏡子。」兩人都把手放在扶手上站住。過了一會兒，雲又滑過明亮的太陽。明亮的區塊重新鋪滿水面，倒影在表面上變得細薄，最後慢慢攤平。