Soil Gone by the Second Bell- 適合中高級的英語短篇故事

A dented watering can, three clay pots, and a roll of masking tape waited on the corridor trolley beside the supply closet. Amber light from the landing window drew long bands across the polished floor while Oscar steered the trolley toward the science room. He had planned to fill every pot with soil, drop herb seeds inside, and attach neat labels before the period’s forty-minute bell spoke again. The plastic sack of soil still felt heavy; grains shifted with a hushed, sandy sigh whenever the wheels nudged a ridge in the linoleum. Ivy walked beside him, her arms laden with thin wooden sticks for labeling; copper flecks of tarnish dotted the metal tin holding them. Inside the classroom, vacant desks formed a narrow lane toward the sun-warmed windowsill reserved for their display, and the first ten minutes slid by in comfortable abundance.

Midway through the task the corridor bell chimed its warning, and time seemed to tighten around their wrists. Two classmates arrived, scooped generous mounds for their own project, and the soil level dipped fast. Oscar split the bag wider; only a crumbly ridge lined its bottom. He lifted the sack, careful not to spoil the shining floor with loose earth, then caught Ivy’s glance. They shortened the plan: two pots instead of three, one seed per hole, the remainder of the sticks returned to the tin. A single strip of tape was being pressed along each rim, ready to hold ink once it dried. When the final grains slipped among the roots, the closing bell rang down the hall. Oscar slid the pair of finished pots onto the warm windowsill, and an earthy scent mixed with chalk dust as students shuffled past the doorway.

一個凹痕的澆水罐、三只陶盆和一卷膠帶擺在供應櫃旁的走廊推車上。著色溫暖的窗光在打磨過的地板上拉出長長的光帶，奧斯卡推著推車朝科學教室走去。他原本打算在鈴聲再次響起前，把每個盆裝滿土壤、放入香草種子，再貼上整齊的標籤。塑膠土袋仍顯得沉重；車輪每撞上一道地面隆起，顆粒便沙沙移動。艾薇並肩同行，雙臂抱著用來做標籤的木棍；裝木棍的金屬盒上點綴著銅色斑痕。進入教室，空著的課桌形成一條通往被陽光曬暖的窗台的小道，前十分鐘在從容中悄悄溜走。

任務進行到一半時，走廊鈴敲響了提醒，時間像繩索般收緊。兩名同學趕到，迅速舀走大把土壤，袋中的土面急速下降。奧斯卡把袋口撕得更開；只剩一條鬆碎的土壤脊線貼在底部。他小心提起袋子，避免散土弄髒光亮的地面，隨後與艾薇對視。計畫被縮減：三盆改為兩盆，每孔只下一粒種子，多餘的木棍重新放回盒中。每個盆沿都被壓上一道膠帶，等墨水風乾後就能貼字。最後一撮土滑入根旁時，下課鈴在走廊響起。奧斯卡把兩盆完成品推到溫暖的窗台上，泥土氣息與粉筆灰輕輕交融，學生們擦肩而過。