The Fence Swing Surprise- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Rain kept falling after the quick summer storm. Warm light fell across the shiny wet grass. Kai held a small wooden boat in both hands. He wanted to return it to the neighbor next door. A deep gutter ran between the two yards. Water burst from the broken pipe in sharp waves. Five strong surges raced through, then two calm breaths followed. Kai crouched low and watched the cycle again. He counted the spray once, twice, three times. A radio softly played a joyful tune nearby. Wet air wrapped him, yet the tune added bright sound.

When the water paused again, Kai finally moved across. He stepped onto the stone edge and jumped across the gutter. His shoe landed safely, but the old fence shook. Many years without maintenance slowly loosened the hinge. The panel swung wide and hit a stack of empty pots. Metal and clay together started a loud clatter. Pots rolled over the patio and knocked the radio down. The joyful music stopped at once, completely ending sound. Silence followed and the brief enjoyment ended quickly. The gutter rhythm quickly returned right behind him. Kai quickly wiped his wet sleeve. He set the boat on the neighbor’s dry stairs. A final surge splashed hard against the fence. One pot kept slowly spinning beside the drain.

陣陣夏季暴雨過後，雨水仍不停落下。暖光灑在閃亮的濕草上。凱雙手捧著一艘小木船，想把它還給隔壁鄰居。兩戶人家之間有條深排水溝。破管子噴出水浪，急促又猛烈。五股強勢水流衝過去，接著兩次短暫平靜。凱蹲低，再次觀察這節奏。他數著水花，一次、兩次、三次。附近的收音機輕輕播放著愉悅旋律，潮濕空氣中多了明亮聲音。

水流再度停歇時，凱終於跨出。他踩上石邊，一跳越過排水溝。鞋子安全著地，但老木欄晃動起來。多年缺乏維修，轉軸已經鬆動。木板猛然甩開，撞上空陶盆堆。金屬和陶土一起響成一片。陶盆滾過露台，撞倒收音機。愉悅音樂立刻終止，聲音完全消失。隨後是寂靜，短暫的享樂瞬間結束。身後排水溝的節奏又快速回來。凱趕緊擦掉濕袖。然後把木船放在鄰居乾燥的階梯上。最後一股水浪猛地拍向木欄，一只陶盆在排水口旁慢慢旋轉不停。