Lina Before the Music Starts- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Lina balanced a bouquet of helium balloons against her coat as she hurried across the stone floor of the town station. She had promised to bring the bright balloons to her cousin’s rooftop dance, part of a week-long celebration. A delay board blinked; the next train would arrive ten minutes late. Steam rose from cups held by commuters, and cold air pressed against Lina’s cheeks. She paced near a steel pillar, counting the seconds, while the balloons bumped against each other like restless birds. When the doors finally slid open, she stepped inside. The car was crowded, and ribbon ends brushed nearby shoulders, yet the balloons stayed afloat.

Twenty minutes later, the train emptied beside the shopping mall that held the rooftop stage. Inside, a stream of shoppers thickened around holiday displays. The pathway that Lina expected to use was blocked by a jeweled dragon statue built from tiny lights. The unexpected barrier slowed every staircase, and the audience above would soon gather without her colorful cargo. Lina slipped into a narrow service corridor; cardboard boxes lined one wall, leaving just enough space for her and the floating bouquet. A sharp corner rubbed one balloon, and a loud pop sent glitter swirling through the air. She burst onto the roof moments later. The final balloon tails wagged in the evening breeze, and bright glitter drifted over the first swirling dancers.

莉娜抱著一束氦氣氣球，快步穿過城鎮車站的石地板。她已答應把這些繽紛氣球帶到她表姐的屋頂舞台，這是為期一週慶典的一部分。顯示牌閃爍著延誤訊息；下一班列車要晚十分鐘。通勤者手中杯子冒出的蒸氣在冷空氣中盤旋，寒風貼在莉娜臉上。她在鋼柱旁踱步，數著秒數，氣球像一群躁動的小鳥互相碰撞。當車門終於滑開，她踏進車廂。車廂擁擠，彩帶末端擦過鄰近的肩膀，但氣球依然漂浮。

二十分鐘後，列車在擁有屋頂舞台的購物中心旁停下。商場內，逛街人潮在節日展示區周圍變得更密集。莉娜原本要走的通道被一座用細小燈飾成的珠光龍雕像擋住。這突如其來的障礙放慢了各條樓梯，上方的觀眾很快就會集合，而她手中的繽紛行李仍在路上。莉娜鑽進一條狹窄的服務走道；一側堆滿紙箱，只剩她和飄浮氣球勉強通過的空隙。轉角處刮破一顆氣球，砰的一聲，亮粉在空中旋轉。幾秒後她衝上屋頂，最後幾條氣球彩帶在傍晚微風中搖晃，閃亮粉末飄過第一位旋轉的舞者。