Sea Horses in Stone- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Leo balanced his sketchbook on one arm. He watched the yard behind the old castle in the city park. A bright rainbow arched above the fountain. Clouds slid in from the west and promised it would vanish soon. He wanted a clear sketch before the colors blurred. Maya stood beside him. The narrow bridge to the tower, usually clear, had been blocked by a line of stacked paint buckets. Water from earlier cleaning dripped over the wood, making it glossy and slick. While they paused, the shadow of the cloud crawled halfway across the rainbow, trimming one band already. A gust carried the cool scent of wet stone and fresh grass under the warm light. The same breath of air lifted soft cooing from distant pigeons.

Maya tapped the inner door that led through the castle hall. The corridor inside remained dry but climbed in slow circles. Outside, a stone stair zigzagged straight to the tower platform. Spray from the fountain left its steps dark and shiny. Without speaking, they weighed speed against safety. The cloud edged closer, swallowing another stripe of the rainbow. Leo dashed for the open stair. His shoe slipped once, splashing water onto his jeans, but he kept moving. Maya followed, and one of her pencils rattled down between the stones. Halfway up, a small arch opened beside the steps. A whimsical carving showed the entire royal family riding sea horses, lines so fine they almost danced; the shape lay like idle inspiration on the damp stone. The sight held them for a heartbeat, then the last bit of violet faded from the sky. They reached the platform, yet only pale mist floated above the fountain. Wet footprints darkened the ancient flagstones below their dangling sketchbook.

里奧把速寫本夾在手臂上，望著城市公園那座古老城堡後方的庭院。噴泉上方掛著一道亮麗的彩虹，西邊的雲層滑動，彷彿隨時要抹去它。他想在色彩散開前畫下清晰的線條。瑪雅站在旁邊。通往塔樓的窄橋原本暢通，現在卻被一排堆疊的油漆桶擋住；早先清洗留下的水珠滴落在木板上，表面又亮又滑。兩人停下時，雲影已經越過半道彩虹，少了一條色帶。暖光下，一陣風帶來濕石與青草的涼香，同時捲起遠處鴿子的柔和咕嚕聲。

瑪雅輕敲通向城堡大廳的內門。門後走廊乾燥，但要繞著塔樓慢慢攀升。外側則有一條石階直上平台，噴泉的水霧把階面染得又暗又亮。兩人沒說話，只在心裡衡量速度和安全。雲層更近，彩虹又少了一道色帶。里奧衝向露天石階，鞋底打滑，水花濺溼牛仔褲，但他沒有停下。瑪雅跟在後面，一支鉛筆叮噹掉進石縫。走到一半，階旁露出一道小拱門。一幅奇想雕刻呈現整個王室騎著海馬，線條細緻得像在舞動；那形象像無聲靈感躺在潮濕石面。兩人多看了一眼，天空最後的紫色也消失了。他們抵達平台，噴泉上方只剩淡淡水霧。濕腳印在古老石板上留下一片深色痕跡，速寫本懸在半空中。