The Bulb That Turned Green- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Lena reached the old orchard after lunch, carrying a coil of string lights. Warm air smelled of cut grass while a faint breeze ticked through dry leaves. She has carried the coil from the house, and her arms already shook. She planned to hang the lights between two apple trees for the evening celebration. Overnight rain had softened the ground, and each ladder foot pressed deeper with every step. At the same time, the cable inside the coil twisted itself around tiny plastic hooks. The loops created a tight knot. Two forces slowed her work: sinking ladder and stubborn tangle. She climbed down, wiped mud from her shoes, and searched the shed for help. A rough plank rested behind a barrel, its surface marked by interesting rings that showed many seasons. It has waited there through spring storms and summer dust.

Lena slid the plank under the ladder, spreading the weight across firmer soil. The ladder stopped sinking, yet the knot remained. She tried pulling, but the cable only tightened. Her gaze caught a bucket filled with wooden clothes pegs. She chose a peg, clipped it to one loop, and turned it like a small handle. The knot loosened little by little until the coil fell open. Inside lay a variety of colored bulbs never seen before. When she lifted the strand, one bulb displayed a unique green glass among the usual white ones. Evening light dimmed, and the bulbs flickered to life. Green, red, yellow, and white dots glowed between the branches. The tasty bread aroma grew stronger in the calm air. A cricket chirped under the ladder as Lena stepped back, and the orchard held its new colour.

莉娜午餐後來到舊果園，手裡提著一捲串燈。溫暖的空氣混著割草味，微風輕敲乾葉。她從房子一路把燈捲拿來，手臂已經微顫。傍晚要舉行小型慶典，她打算把燈掛在兩棵蘋果樹之間。昨夜的雨把地面泡軟，梯腳每踩一下就更下陷。同時，燈線在捲裡打結，纏住細小的塑膠掛鉤。兩股阻力—下沉的梯子與固執的結—拖慢了進度。她爬下來擦掉鞋上的泥，走進工具棚找幫手。一塊粗木板躺在桶後，板面佈滿多年累積的有趣年輪。它自春季風雨以來一直待在那裡。

莉娜把木板墊在梯下，重量分散後梯子不再下陷，可結依舊。她拉了幾次，線卻更緊。她的目光落在一桶木製衣夾上。她取下一個衣夾，夾住其中一圈，像轉小把手般慢慢扭動。結逐漸鬆開，整捲燈線終於展開，裡頭竟藏著從未見過的各色燈泡。她抬起燈串時，發現其中一顆與眾不同的綠色玻璃燈泡夾在一排白光之中。夜色加深，燈泡開始閃亮。綠、紅、黃、白的光點在枝間閃耀；近處麵包的香味在靜靜的空氣裡更濃。蟋蟀在梯下鳴叫，莉娜退後一步，果園染上新的色彩。