The Cloth Flip- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Soft morning light crossed the narrow path.

Sam took a slow stroll beside the community garden. He wanted to pick one bright flower for his notebook. A red bloom stood behind a loose wooden fence rail. Sam slid his arm through the gap to reach it. A sparrow burst from the leaves and brushed his wrist. He jerked back; his elbow knocked a tin watering can. The can tipped over and water poured onto the path.

The splash startled a hawk circling above the fruit trees. The hawk swooped low, chasing the sparrow across beds. Wind from the sweep lifted a cloth on a nearby line. The cloth flipped forward and covered Sam's head like a hood. He bent, pulled the cloth away, and gave a quick grin. Another gardener, Mia, ran over and held the loose rail. They set the can upright, but water already soaked the soil. Friendship hung in the brief pause between their actions. Sam left the bright flower where it stood and waved goodbye. Dripping water kept darkening the path beside their footprints.

柔和的晨光掠過狹窄的小徑。

山姆在社區花園旁慢慢散步。他想為筆記本摘一朵鮮豔的花。一朵紅花長在鬆動的木欄後。山姆把手臂伸進縫隙想摘花。一隻麻雀從葉子間竄出，擦過他的手腕。他猛然後退，手肘撞到鐵澆水桶。水桶翻倒，水流到小徑上。

水花驚動了果樹上空盤旋的鷹。鷹低空俯衝，追逐那隻麻雀。氣流掀起旁邊曬衣繩上的布巾。布巾向前翻落，像帽子蓋住山姆的頭。他彎腰扯下布巾，露出快速的笑容。另一位園丁米雅跑來扶住鬆動的欄杆。他們把水桶立好，但泥土已經濕透。短暫的停頓中，友情悄悄浮現。山姆讓那朵紅花留在原處，揮手道別。滴水持續把他們腳印旁的路面染得更深。