Shell on the Move- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Sam carried an empty cloth bag along the shore. Cool salt air touched his face. He wanted smooth stones for a class picture. He remembered a hidden cave nearby. He believed many stones waited inside it. Small gulls hopped around his boots, searching for crabs. Shiny seaweed lay in green lines over dark stones. Sam kicked gentle foam and laughed at the popping sound.

The tide sat low, yet water covered some rocks. He stepped forward; one flat stone suddenly tipped sideways. The move sent a stack of driftwood sliding across the gap. Wood blocked the narrow cave door like a quick fence. Sam knelt and dragged each piece onto higher ground. The work cleared a safe path inside.

Inside, dim light showed tiny crabs near a huge shell. They moved in alliance, pushing the shell across wet sand. The sight froze Sam; he stayed very still. When the crabs vanished into cracks, stones covered the floor. He chose five, round and grey. Outside, ocean waves rolled in slow rhythm. He held one stone under water until it looked clean. Sam tied the bag shut and walked toward home. Footprints stretched behind him across the bright sand.

山姆帶著一個空的布袋沿著海岸走。涼爽的鹹味海風撫過他的臉。他想為課堂海報找一些光滑的石頭。他記得附近有一個隱藏的洞穴，他相信裡面有許多石頭。小海鷗圍著他的靴子跳動，尋找小蟹。閃亮的海藻在深色石頭上畫出綠色條紋。山姆踢開輕柔的泡沫，聽著劈啪聲笑了。

潮水正低，但水仍覆蓋幾塊岩石。他向前踩去，一塊平石突然側翻。那一下推動一堆浮木滑過缺口。木頭像一道快速築起的柵欄擋住洞口。山姆跪下，把每根木頭拖到較高的地面。這些動作清出一條安全的入口。

洞內昏暗的光線照出一隻大貝殼旁的小螃蟹。牠們合作推著貝殼越過濕沙。這景象讓山姆定在原地，他保持十分安靜。螃蟹鑽進裂縫後，石頭散佈在地面。他挑了五顆圓滑的灰石。外頭，海浪緩慢翻滾。他把一顆石頭放入水裡，直到表面洗得乾淨。山姆系好袋口，往家裡走去。身後的腳印在明亮的沙上延伸。