Something Under the Mist- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Leo and Mira hurried through the greenhouse with a wooden box full of young herbs. The timed spray system had started at the far end. Each hiss of water crept nearer like a slow tide. When the final row became wet, the fragile plants inside the box would soak as well. Glass overhead filtered noon light into soft patches that gave every leaf an enchanted shine. Their warm breath mixed slowly with the rising fog. They have already carried the box through half the greenhouse. The main gate at the far end was closed for repairs. This closure forced them to take the central route. Halfway along, a wheelbarrow lay sideways across the main aisle, its handles pointing up like horns. Damp soil from the spill covered the floor and slowed their steps. Behind them, another line of nozzles opened, and cool droplets tapped their shoulders.

Two different ways across the greenhouse remained open to them. The narrow catwalk ran beside the glass wall and stayed completely dry. A supportive metal rail bordered it, but the walkway curved far around hanging pots. The quicker route crossed three low beds by stepping stones, but wide puddles filled the gaps. Water now reached the third row, leaving seconds, not minutes. Mira chose the catwalk; Leo sprang onto the stones. A splash soaked his shoes, and a thorny stem scraped his sleeve. In the sudden spray, a nightingale burst from a hanging pot. Its wings stirred a magical swirl of mist around the stepping stones. Leo paused and noticed a tiny green creature—a young lizard—clinging to the wet stone. Droplets rolled over its back like beads of glass. He set the soggy box on a dry patch near the soil and turned toward the lizard instead. The small creature wriggled between the roots, and he leaned closer to watch.

里奧和米拉抱著一盒嫩草藥，在溫室裡快步前行。最遠端的定時噴灑系統已經啟動，每一次水霧的嘶嘶聲都像慢潮一樣逼近。只要最後一排被淋濕，盒裡脆弱的植物也會跟著泡水。頭頂的玻璃將正午的光線過濾成柔軟的亮斑，給每片葉子添上一層如同被施了魔法的光澤。他們溫熱的呼吸慢慢與升起的霧氣交融。他們已經把盒子搬過一半溫室。最遠端的大門因維修而關閉，迫使他們改走中央通道。走到一半，一輛手推車橫倒在主通道上，車把像角一樣翹起。潑灑出來的濕土覆蓋地面，拖慢了腳步。身後另一排噴頭打開，涼涼的水珠輕拍他們的肩膀。

他們面前還剩兩條路可走。靠玻璃牆的狹窄步道完全乾爽，一根支撐用的金屬欄杆沿邊延伸，但步道繞過吊盆的彎路很長。較快的路徑要踩著石塊跨過三排矮床，但石縫間積滿大水窪。水霧已到第三排，只剩幾秒而不是幾分鐘。米拉走向步道；里奧跳上石塊。一陣濺水淋濕了他的鞋，一根帶刺枝條劃破了衣袖。忽然的水霧中，一隻夜鶯從吊盆竄出，振翅攪出神祕的霧圈。里奧停下來，看見一隻小綠蜥蜴緊貼濕石，小水滴像玻璃珠一樣沿著牠的背滾落。他把濕透的盒子放在一塊乾土上，轉身朝蜥蜴看去。那隻小生物在根部間扭動，他俯身更近地觀察。