Beans on the Run- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Blake carried a tin bowl toward the small pantry door. He planned to prepare bread before morning visitors arrived. A cold gust burst along the back corridor every few breaths. Each burst pushed the light wooden door wide, then slammed shut. Blake stopped and watched the pattern in the swaying lamp. Open, pause, slam; the rhythm repeated like steps in music. Voices behind him started a low debate about soup spices. The talk filled the hall but never broke the rhythm. He waited through one full cycle and counted the silent part. Warm kitchen light filled the long corridor.

When the next pause arrived, Blake pushed forward on quick toes. He slipped into the pantry just before the door moved again. The swinging edge missed his heel by a finger width. Inside, darkness held shelves of flour, sugar, and funny jars. Another gust came, and Blake lifted a heavy flour bag. The moving air struck a hanging pan; metal shook loudly. The pan hit a spoon, and a row of cans toppled. Beans rolled across the floor like quick marbles on stone. Blake dodged them and still held the bag near his chest. The cans stopped near the door, marking the new scene. A loose shingle scraped against the gutter above.

布雷克端著金屬碗走向小儲藏室的門。他想在早上客人來前準備麵包。每隔幾個呼吸，走廊盡頭就衝進一陣冷風。每一陣風都把輕木門推開，隨後又用力關上。布雷克停下來，看著吊燈隨風搖晃出的節奏。開、停、關，動作像音樂裡的拍子重複著。後方廚房裡開始出現關於湯料的輕聲討論，但沒有打亂門的節奏。他等著完整的一個循環，仔細數著那段靜止的時間。暖黃的廚房燈照亮長走廊。

下一次靜止出現時，布雷克踮腳迅速前衝，他在門再度動起前溜進儲藏室。門邊緣擦著他的腳後跟，差一點碰到。裡面一片昏暗，麵粉、砂糖和造型有趣的罐子排滿層架。另一陣風襲來時，布雷克抱起一袋沉麵粉。流動的空氣撞到掛著的平底鍋，金屬發出大聲震動。鍋碰到湯匙，一排罐頭跟著傾倒。豆子像彈珠般在石地上滾得飛快。布雷克閃過它們，仍把麵粉袋抱在胸前。罐頭停在門口旁，場面就此改變。屋頂上一片鬆動的瓦片磨著排水槽，發出持續的刮聲。