Circles Around a Leaf- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Milo turned the tap and aimed a short hose at a cup. He wanted clear water to rinse the dusty utensil inside. A tiny beetle crawled across the rim, shining dark green. Milo paused, analyzing the creature with quick, curious eyes. Wind pushed warm air along the patio. He nudged the beetle onto a dry leaf. Then he squeezed the hose, and water burst toward the cup. Afternoon light fell across the wet stone path gently. Distant lightning flashed once over the quiet roofs beyond the fence. The stream missed its mark and splashed over scattered garden sand today.

Water raced through the sand and formed a narrow channel. The channel curved, met a rock, and split. One branch ran under a toolbox near Milo's feet. It soaked a random pile of nails and lifted thin rust. The other branch slid toward the leaf holding the beetle. The leaf tipped, so the beetle floated in circles. Milo grabbed an old cloth and pressed it across the flow quickly. The cloth blocked the water and guided it toward grass. Thin droplets slipped through the cloth edges onto the soil below.

米洛轉開水龍頭，將短水管對準杯子。他想要乾淨的水來沖洗裡面的餐具。 一隻小甲蟲爬過杯沿，閃著深綠色光澤。米洛停下來，帶著好奇的眼神仔細觀察。暖風推過露臺。 他把甲蟲輕輕移到乾葉上。然後他擠壓水管，水流衝向杯子。午後的光落在濕濘的石徑上。遠處一道閃電劃過籬笆外的屋頂。水柱偏離目標，濺到散落的園土。

水流穿過沙粒，形成窄窄的水道。水道轉彎，遇到石頭後分開。一支水流跑到米洛腳邊的工具箱下，浸濕隨意堆放的釘子，帶起薄薄的鐵鏽。另一支水流滑向放著甲蟲的葉子。葉子翻轉，甲蟲就在水圈中漂浮。米洛抓起舊布迅速壓在水流上。布料擋住水，並把水引向草地。細小水滴穿過布邊，持續滴落到下方的土壤。