Elias Before the Bell- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Elias has spent three afternoons building his science fair display. Under a clear bowl, a silver minnow darted beside river stones, while a damp oak block, covered with thriving white threads, waited to release tiny mushroom caps. The bell for first class echoed down the corridor as Elias hurried toward the gym, holding the bowl in one hand and the block in the other. A storeroom door, open like a narrow cavern, reduced the hallway space, and classmates squeezed past him. Shoulders brushed his arms; water sloshed against the glass; a few drops landed on the oak surface.

At the tightest point two friends dashed from opposite directions. They collided with Elias; bowl and block tilted simultaneously. Water flooded over the oak, and a pale cloud of spores burst upward, sparkling under fluorescent lamps. Elias steadied the bowl, eyes wide, as the mushroom block soaked. Instead of sinking, the minnow surfed the tiny wave back into safety. When the gym doors opened, the display was carried inside on a cart that had been waiting for lost projects. Overnight, the damp wood produced fresh pins, and the exhibit greeted visitors with a living scene: a fish gliding beside newly formed mushroom buds.

伊萊亞斯花了三個下午準備他的科展作品。透明碗裡，一尾銀色小魚在河石間來回穿梭；一塊潮濕的橡木上，茂盛的白色菌絲正等待冒出細小蕈傘。第一節課的鐘聲在走廊裡迴盪，他一手捧著碗、一手抱著木塊，快步衝向體育館。倉庫的門像狹窄的洞穴般敞開，走道變窄，同學們從他身邊擠過。他的手臂被肩膀擦過，水花撞擊玻璃，幾滴水落在橡木表面。

在最擁擠的轉角，兩位同學從相反方向急奔過來，撞上伊萊亞斯；碗和木塊同時傾斜。水淹過橡木，一團淡色孢子雲向上炸開，在日光燈下閃亮。伊萊亞斯穩住碗，雙眼睜大，木塊已被浸透。小魚沒有沉下去，反而隨著微浪滑回安全處。體育館的門打開後，一輛原本等候失物的推車把作品送進場。隔夜，潮濕木塊長出新的菌針，展台迎接觀眾時呈現一幕生動景象：小魚在新長出的菇芽旁優雅滑行。