Cat Tips the Starch Powder in the Laundry Room - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

The bulb above the basin flickered, drawing a trembling circle of light across the damp tiles.

Fiona balanced on a short stool. She passed dry cloths to Kellan, who rinsed shirts in soapy water. Their striped cat crouched near the doorway, nose twitching at drifting starch powder on the floor. Steam rose in gentle clouds, and fine soap flakes poured from Kellan’s hand like pale sand.

Fiona wanted to refresh the basin, so she lifted the tin of flakes with both palms. The metal felt cool, yet the damp air made the soap clump into stubborn lumps. She tapped the rim, hoping the grains would migrate through the spout and fall smoothly. Instead, a heavy chunk landed, splashed, and pushed a small wave over the basin edge onto the tiles. Kellan laughed softly and said, “That splash woke my arms.” Water rolled back, carrying a thin mound of suds that molded itself around Fiona’s ankle. She stepped away, and the cat crept closer, whiskers brushing the bright broadway of foam across the floor.

The animal sprang, landing on the folding table where Fiona had stacked fresh shirts for their future ironing. Its paws scattered starch powder that Kellan had sifted earlier, sending a white cloud over the neat pile. Flakes drifted, settled on the lamp cord, and formed tiny dunes along the basket rim. Fiona paused, yet Kellan shook powder from a sleeve and watched the dunes collapse under weight. Soon steam on the rafters condensed, dripped onto scattered powder, and turned it into slow gray paste. Paste spread between the tiles, darkened the foam trail, and fresh drops kept falling.

水槽上方的裸燈閃了一下，在濕滑的瓷磚上畫出顫抖的光圈。

Fiona 站在小凳上，把乾淨的布遞給正在肥皂水裡沖洗襯衫的 Kellan。他們條紋的貓蹲在門口，鼻子對著飄落的澱粉粉末輕微抽動。蒸氣緩緩上升，Kellan 的手指像倒沙一樣倒下細細的肥皂片。

Fiona 想換一盆水，雙手抬起裝肥皂片的鐵罐。金屬觸感冰涼，但潮濕的空氣讓肥皂片結成頑固的塊。她輕敲罐口，希望顆粒能順暢地從出口滑下。結果，一大塊落下，濺起水花，把一小波水推過盆口，潑到瓷磚上。Kellan 輕聲笑著說：「這下水花把我的手臂都叫醒了。」水又退回去，帶著一小堆泡沫環住 Fiona 的腳踝。她往旁邊一挪，貓靠得更近，鬍鬚掠過地上明亮的泡沫大道。

貓突然跳上摺疊桌，Fiona 為未來熨燙而疊好的乾襯衫全在那裡。牠的爪子把 Kellan 早先篩過的澱粉粉末掃得四散，白霧覆到整齊的衣堆上。粉片飄落，落在燈線上，又在籃緣堆出小丘。Fiona 一愣，Kellan 只是抖掉袖子上的粉末，看著那些小丘在自重下坍落。不久樑上的蒸氣凝成水珠，滴在散落的粉上，把它變成慢慢擴開的灰色糊狀物。糊狀物沿著瓷磚縫蔓延，泡沫痕跡變暗，新的水滴還在不斷落下。