Splinter Across the Tide Pool- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Rotting kelp and sharp salt filled Wade’s nose as he stepped onto the tide pool shelf. He wanted a handful of bright shells for tomorrow’s craft lesson, yet two fierce loads arrived together. Afternoon sunlight bounced from every wet stone, flashing into his eyes, while a brisk onshore wind threw dry sand against his cheeks. The wide surface looked abundant with pink fragments, but glare and grit blocked every grab. A flat board lay nearby, bleached almost white; faded blue paint clung to its underside, which still showed the curve of a whale. Years of wave experience had peeled most of the picture and warped the grain, leaving splinters along the edge.

Wade lifted the board and held it high. The wood took the responsibility of shielding his face from the dancing light. With one force dimmed, he crouched low, turning the board toward the wind like an improvised wall. His free hand scooped shells, nudging them into a pocket. Sand kept striking, but less power slipped around the shield. The tall basalt block behind him stood like a silent guardian, catching stray gusts that missed the board. After a minute, the dry fibers on the board’s top edge cracked; a strip tore loose and flew away, tapping the water and startling a tiny fish from the pool. Wade gathered five smooth pieces before the board bent further and slipped from his grip. The cracked board leaned against the tall rock. Wind quietly pushed sand in a thin line around its edge.

魏德一踏上潮池岩臺，腐爛海帶混著濃鹹味立刻撲鼻而來。他想撿幾枚亮色貝殼帶去明天的美術課，卻同時遇上兩股猛烈的阻力。午後陽光從每塊濕石反射，刺得他睜不開眼；岸風攜著乾沙猛擊他的臉頰。岩面上粉紅碎片雖然豐富，但刺眼與砂礫擋住了每一次伸手。旁邊躺著一塊幾乎被漂成白色的木板；背面仍殘留藍色油漆，隱隱勾出一條鯨的弧線。浪潮多年的洗禮已經剝去大部分圖案，也把木紋扭曲，邊緣滿是細刺。

魏德舉起木板擋在頭上，讓它負起遮光的職責。遮去一道力量後，他身子壓低，把木板朝風面成臨時牆。空出的手迅速撈起貝殼，推進口袋。沙子仍然拍打，但繞過木板的力道小了許多。身後那塊高大的玄武岩像無聲的守衛，攔截了漏過的陣風。不到一分鐘，木板上沿的乾纖維裂開，一片碎木撕落，掠過水面，驚得小魚竄入石縫。魏德收集到五片光滑殼片後，木板再度彎曲，滑出他掌中。裂板斜靠在巨石旁。風靜靜地把細沙推成一道長痕。