When the Marble Appeared- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

The late afternoon air smelled of cut grass. Ben and Kari carried a young oak in a clay pot. They had watched the sprinkler all day, and they knew the arm would reach the planting bed soon. The thin trunk showed small bends, ordinary growing pains that would vanish once firm earth held it. Shining drops already dotted the first stones, and each hiss of water crept closer. A pile of wooden crates, which had been stacked by the grounds crew, blocked the straight path.

Kari scanned the barrier and noticed two possible gaps. A narrow lane behind the crates looked safe yet slow. A quick climb over their tops promised speed. She pointed; Ben nodded and chose the climb. He placed the pot on the nearest lid and pulled himself up. The lid sagged, then sprang back in a sharp backlash, shaking the clay. One proud nail on the edge scraped his sleeve and tore a thread. Soil spilled, and a single leaf drifted to the grass. Kari caught the pot close, as if to cherish every loose root. The next crate tipped sideways, so both of them jumped clear, losing more time. As they steadied themselves, a small blue marble rolled from a crack in the crate. Neither of them had seen it there before. Water finally reached the wood, splashing across the ground they still needed to cross. Dark soil streaked the wide crate surface and clung to the wet grain. The sprinkler kept turning slowly across the lawn.

午後的空氣帶著修剪草皮的味道。Ben 和 Kari 抱著一盆年輕的橡樹苗。整天他們都留意那支灑水器，知道水臂很快就會轉到預定的種植區。幼樹細幹微微彎曲，像植物成長時常見的些許不適，只要穩固的泥土支撐就能矯正。第一排石板上已閃著水珠，每一次嘶嘶聲都更靠近。工務隊堆起的一排木箱擋住了最直接的路。

Kari 打量障礙，發現兩個可行的空隙。木箱後的窄巷較安全卻繞遠；翻過箱頂則快得多。她指了指，Ben 點頭選擇翻越。他將花盆放上最近的箱蓋，撐身而上。箱蓋先陷後彈，猛烈的回彈震得花盆搖晃。邊緣一根凸出的釘子刮破了他袖口的線頭。泥土灑落，一片落葉飄到草地。Kari 把花盆抱得更緊，仿佛珍惜那些鬆動的根。下一個木箱側倒，他們只好跳下，又耽擱了時間。站穩後，一顆藍色玻璃彈珠從箱縫滾出，他們之前從未見過。水柱終於噴到木箱，濺滿仍要跨越的地面。深色泥痕沾滿寬闊的木面並黏在濕木紋上。灑水器仍緩緩在草坪上旋轉。