The Rolling Candle- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Morning light fell across the narrow path beside the slow river. Ned carried a small basket and walked with a striped cat. A tall wooden crate blocked the path near an old fence. He pushed the side hard, yet the crate stayed still. The cat sniffed the corner and stepped back quickly. Ned paused, trying to understand the strange weight of the box. He knelt and tapped the surface with his knuckles. A soft hollow thump followed each tap.

He leaned closer and noticed a thin gap below one plank. Cool air slipped through the gap and moved over his fingers. Ned slid his hand under and felt nothing but empty space. The crate only touched the ground at two narrow beams. He braced both knees and lifted one beam upward. The whole crate tilted easily, lighter than it first seemed. As it rose, a dusty candle rolled across the path. The cat chased the rolling candle across dry leaves. Leaves scattered, and a hidden latch on the fence rattled loose. The fence panel swung inward, showing an open shortcut. Cat and boy moved together through the new gap in silence. Behind them, the tilted crate stayed crooked on one beam. A breeze carried small leaves into the space behind them.

晨光灑在緩慢河邊的狹窄小徑上。奈德提著一個小籃子，和一隻條紋貓一起走著。一個高大的木箱擋在靠近舊籬笆的小路中央。他用力推側面，但木箱紋風不動。貓嗅了嗅角落，快速退後。奈德停下腳步，想弄懂這箱子的奇怪重量。他跪下，用指節敲擊箱面。每次敲擊後，都傳來空洞的低沉聲。

他俯身，注意到一塊木板下方有細縫。涼風透過縫隙，滑過他的手指。奈德把手伸進去，卻只摸到空氣。木箱僅靠兩條窄樑接觸地面。他雙膝用力，抬起其中一條樑。整個木箱輕易傾斜，比剛才想像的還輕。木箱升起時，一支蒙塵蠟燭滾過小徑。貓追著滾動的蠟燭，穿過乾葉。落葉四散，籬笆上一個隱藏扣環隨之晃開。籬笆板向內擺動，露出一條捷徑。貓和男孩並肩穿過新的空隙，現場一片寂靜。他們身後，傾斜的木箱歪在單邊樑上。微風帶著小葉片飄進那片空間。