When the Balloon Burst- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Morning light stretched across the wide field, colouring the dew like tiny mirrors. Warm air touched the kitten’s whiskers; a distant tractor hummed under the steady sky. The kitten paused and sniffed its surroundings. Near the centre stood an old scarecrow that has guarded cabbages for several seasons. A metal star, used as an ornament, swung slowly on its chest. Just above the scarecrow, a red balloon floated, held by a thin white string. The balloon has drifted from somewhere beyond the hedges. It now bobbed against the soft breeze. The kitten lowered its body, ears forward, then sprang onto a low stone. At once the red shape moved even higher. The string trembled against a young branch at the field edge.

The string is caught on the branch, so the balloon dances just out of reach. Grass tips tickle the kitten’s belly while it circles, searching another angle. It has already tried one jump; paws still carry leftover dust. A fallen wheelbarrow, which once carried pumpkins, lies nearby. The kitten climbs its tilted side, tail raised for balance, and stretches toward the branch. One sharp claw finally nudges the string free. A sudden push of wind drives the balloon upward. The balloon shoots upward, hits the scarecrow’s rough hat, and bursts with a crisp pop. Bright pieces spin through the air like scattered petals. One scrap lands on the kitten’s nose; it shakes, then presses a paw over the rubber fragment. Light stays on the quiet ornament while the kitten sits beside the empty branch.

晨光鋪展過寬闊的田野，把露珠染得像小鏡子。溫暖空氣拂過小貓的鬍鬚，遠方的拖拉機在平穩天空下隆隆作響。小貓停下來嗅聞四周環境。中央附近站著一個老稻草人，這些季節以來一直守著高麗菜。一顆金屬星形飾品在他胸前慢慢晃動。在稻草人正上方，一顆紅色氣球漂浮著，被一條細白線牽住。那顆氣球從樹籬外漂來，現在在柔和微風裡點頭。小貓壓低身子，耳朵前傾，隨即躍上矮石。此時紅色身影升得更高。細線在田邊一根嫩枝上微微顫抖。

細線被枝條纏住，所以氣球在可及之外跳舞。草尖撓著小貓肚皮，它繞圈換角度。它已經嘗過一次跳躍，爪子仍帶著灰塵。一輛翻倒的手推車——曾經承載南瓜——躺在附近。小貓爬上傾斜車身，尾巴豎起保持平衡，伸向枝條。一枚尖爪終於把線勾脫。突來的風把氣球猛然送上高空，撞上稻草人的粗帽，清脆一聲破裂。亮片般的碎片在空中旋轉，像被撒開的花瓣。一片殘膜落在小貓鼻頭，它甩了甩，隨後用爪輕輕按住橡膠碎片。光線停在安靜的星形飾品上，小貓坐在空枝旁。