The Day the Marbles Broke Loose- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Cal began a slow stroll along the wooden pier just before sunset. Long shadows from the railings stretched over the planks like dark ladders, and orange light floated between them. A faint smell of river moss mixed with the dry scent of rope. While observing drifting leaves, Cal noticed two forces pushing against the pier at once: a strong upstream current pulled a net that had been tied to a post, and fresh wind from the open water pushed several empty plastic tubs stacked beside it.

The wind won first. One tub slid, struck the tight net rope, and snapped it free. The released net whipped sideways, slapped a crate of glass marbles, and shook the pier. The crate tipped; colorful spheres poured across the boards. Each rolling marble thrilled the loose planks, producing small rattles that echoed underfoot. Detecting the growing wave of glass, Cal dropped his shoulder bag and kicked a wide broom that leaned nearby. The broom skidded, stopped the first line of marbles, but the next wave bounced over the bristles and nudged a metal bucket of river water. The bucket toppled, and a rush of cold water spread toward a narrow crack in the pier.

Cal planted both boots against the bucket, wrestled it upright, and shoved the broom flat to slow the water. A few marbles continued to circle his ankles, then drifted into gaps between boards. Water stains darkened the same planks where he had been walking moments earlier. The broom lay soaked and crooked across the boards, and a thin stream still seeped between the cracks.

太陽快落下時，卡爾在木製碼頭上慢慢散步。欄杆投下的長長影子像黑色梯子鋪在木板上，橘色光線在中間漂浮。河苔的微微氣味和乾繩的味道混在一起。他一邊觀察飄動的樹葉，一邊注意到兩股力量同時推拉碼頭：上游的急流拉扯綁在柱子上的漁網，而開闊水面吹來的風推動一堆空塑膠桶。

風先佔上風。一個桶滑動並撞到緊繃的網繩，網繩被扯斷。被釋放的網子猛地甩向一箱玻璃彈珠，整個碼頭都震了一下。箱子傾倒，彩色小球滾滿木板。每顆彈珠都讓鬆動的木板微微發顫，發出連串碰擊聲。卡爾察覺到滾動的玻璃浪潮，立刻放下肩包，踢向旁邊靠著的寬掃把。掃把滑出，擋住第一排彈珠，但下一波跳過刷毛，頂翻一桶河水。水桶倒下，冰涼的水向碼頭縫隙湧去。

卡爾用靴子頂住水桶，把它重新立好，並把掃把壓平來減緩水流。幾顆彈珠仍在他腳踝附近打轉，接著掉進木板的縫隙。水漬染黑了他剛才走過的那幾塊板子。掃把浸水後歪歪斜斜地橫在地上，一條細流仍從裂縫慢慢滲出。