The Stopped Escalator- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Leo held a small potted bean plant in both hands. His goal stayed clear: place the bean in the roof garden. He entered the station mall and stepped onto the escalator. Halfway up, the machine shook and then stopped. The sudden halt sent him forward; soil spilled over his shoes. A cardboard box above slid down the metal steps. It bumped his knees and knocked the plant from his grip. People behind gathered, so space tightened. Leo blinked hard and crouched low. This situation needed quick thinking before the plant lost more soil.

An orange toolbox rested beside a worker’s cart near the rail. Leo grabbed the smallest tool, a short screwdriver. He poked the side panel, lifted it, and saw a loose belt. The belt lay silent but intact. Footsteps sounded; an administrator in a blue vest hurried over. She raised her brows yet stayed silent. Leo pointed at the belt and turned the screwdriver. The belt slipped back onto its wheel. The escalator hummed again and carried everyone upward. At the top landing, the cardboard box stopped beside the bean pot. The reunited items rolled slightly. Leo collected both and walked toward the sunlit garden.

Leo 雙手抱著一盆小豆苗。他的目標很明確：把豆苗放到樓頂花園。他走進車站商場，踏上手扶梯。走到半途，機器晃了一下便停住，突如其來的停頓讓他身子往前傾，土壤撒到鞋面。上方的一個紙箱沿著金屬階梯滑下，撞到他的膝蓋，把盆栽擊落。後面的人擠了上來，空間立刻變窄。Leo 眨了眨眼，彎身撿拾，必須趕快行動，免得豆苗再掉土。

他看到欄杆旁一輛工作手推車，橘色工具箱就放在邊上。Leo 拿起最小的螺絲起子，撬開側板，發現一條皮帶鬆脫但未斷裂。這時傳來腳步聲，一位穿藍背心的管理員快步走近，抬眉卻沒說話。Leo 指著皮帶，旋轉螺絲起子，把皮帶套回輪軸。手扶梯再次運轉，載著大家往上。頂層平台上，紙箱剛好停在盆栽旁，兩件物品輕輕晃動又碰在一起。Leo 把它們都撿起，朝陽光灑落的花園走去。