白襯衫與黑色吊帶長褲,男子就像跑錯影棚一樣出現在樹林中。格格不入的男子一手握住手提箱,另一手忙於以手帕擦汗。手帕上的金絲刺繡在烈陽下閃閃發光,高貴的標示著男子的名字『貝克』。436Please respect copyright.PENANAqJu02ugD5V
436Please respect copyright.PENANAt2cSaB0Gsm
這十年來,每逢暑假,每個晴天,貝克都會走進樹林與那位奇妙的朋友相見。城市變化日新月異;樹林不變十年如一。貝克把路都走熟了,他知道從那兒繞路可以避開斜坡,那兒的小路有大樹遮陽。436Please respect copyright.PENANADJgLYC6Mws
436Please respect copyright.PENANApSTizkMRKk
當他到達目的地,背靠大樹的綠色女性向他揮手。貝克止不住嘴角上揚的笑意,但此刻他必須小心翼翼,避免踩到散落一地的玻璃瓶。整個環境都被人造廢料包圍,一棵樹上嵌入數百塊五顏六色的金屬瓶蓋,另一棵樹的枝頭掛著被陽光曝曬致變色的包裝盒,各式各樣由垃圾造成的裝飾數之不盡。436Please respect copyright.PENANAb1NmZJSGe2
436Please respect copyright.PENANAgLd2RMTogJ
「等好久了,我好掛念貝克。」如花蜜般香甜的聲音說道。436Please respect copyright.PENANAUpjlafdUw2
436Please respect copyright.PENANAJtTlKCjSRy
「我也是,芬。」他說。436Please respect copyright.PENANAybct3fxK0k
436Please respect copyright.PENANAXHLxdMQ8Nm
芬的外表對比上次見面又更加成熟,嫩枝與葉片構成的垂髮及腰,紗裙般的根連接地面,皮膚如同青蘋果般翠綠光滑。436Please respect copyright.PENANAt8kWPI6HDr
436Please respect copyright.PENANAaQD2VRpBue
他們於横倒的枯樹並肩坐下,貝克把手提箱放在腳邊,繞起二郎腿,神態自若。436Please respect copyright.PENANAvPG28riT5C
436Please respect copyright.PENANAlA8GIiUdkW
「最近過得好嗎?我們只能在夏天見面,其餘日子一定很寂寞。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAWaNSTunIgy
436Please respect copyright.PENANAKAHeMu1bMh
「今年出了點狀況,我錯過了初春,直到兩天前才甦醒。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAXLB21b2E8N
436Please respect copyright.PENANAUc9b5o2bna
「這不是遲了一整季嗎?為甚麼會這樣?身體還好嗎?」436Please respect copyright.PENANA5XEfbYpDf4
436Please respect copyright.PENANAXG0bguBx1c
「只是未完全恢復,容易感到疲累而已。會延遲甦醒的原因,或許是温度問題……吧?我也不知道。總覺得今年的空氣沒有往年的熱。」436Please respect copyright.PENANA1noBmVcqXo
436Please respect copyright.PENANAjwWBqCCEpc
「是因為全球黯化吧。」貝克捏住下巴低頭說,「燃燒化石燃料排放的懸浮顆粒在大氣層積聚,顆粒會反彈太陽光也會吸收太陽幅射,從而抵消了温室效應。全球黯化做成的冷卻效果導致全球寒化,有不少植物因為温度改變而延遲開花,農產品收成也因而大受影響。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAm07GKf2cp1
436Please respect copyright.PENANAG4MLNd9sp8
「原來如此。」芬兩眼雖然對著貝克,瞳孔卻完全沒有聚焦。436Please respect copyright.PENANAV7ODhJE06p
436Please respect copyright.PENANA1fzkxl2Hom
「你理解得真快!」貝克說,「你們阿娜温喜好温暖的天氣,秋天過後都在泥土下冬眠,直到初春才會甦醒。也就是說,你的身體對氣候變化特別敏感,因此全球寒化影響到你延遲甦醒。果然要阻止全球黯化,只能積極研究可再生能源,從而減小污染……」436Please respect copyright.PENANA8FzohuT2Hr
436Please respect copyright.PENANAVc0vtqiumA
芬雙掌捧著臉頰,手肘放到膝蓋。貝克打住說話,二人四目交投。436Please respect copyright.PENANABWJ88P5U58
436Please respect copyright.PENANACmTSUB4aU9
「抱歉,說了沉悶的話題。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAy55xuWfZhO
436Please respect copyright.PENANAQTYbFpZqlD
芬搖搖頭,葉片沙沙作響。「我喜歡這樣的貝克。」她天真無邪的笑著,「對了!約好要給我看的那個,有帶來嗎?」436Please respect copyright.PENANAu9229MB3T0
436Please respect copyright.PENANAkIMHGIViDq
「當然有,我不會忘記約定。」貝克彎腰去取手提箱,在芬看不見的角度拼命往頸上的紅蕃茄扇風。他掀開箱子,從中取出十條金屬棒,狀似HB鉛筆,白色,表面有坑紋。貝克將其垂直插入泥土,又拿出平板電腦操作。金屬棒自動埋入土中,未幾,又從地下鑽出,像獲得了生命,不斷扭曲變型,在地底鑽動翻攪泥土。436Please respect copyright.PENANAbApvyCMAUx
436Please respect copyright.PENANAS8uHCiRUKu
芬不由得發出驚嘆,「好厲害,好像蚯蚓,這是貝克做出來的?」436Please respect copyright.PENANAPcZ81FymSD
436Please respect copyright.PENANAhWVWAVf8zr
「不錯,我們公司研發的仿生蚯蚓,用於農業上取代真正的蚯蚓,而且更有效率和不怕農藥。」貝克見芬看得入神,說,「要看它的十倍速模式嗎?」436Please respect copyright.PENANAjZgZeO0JFv
436Please respect copyright.PENANAFvpSaCZcV5
「想看!」436Please respect copyright.PENANATqbWhLcekU
436Please respect copyright.PENANAHIbwTDeE3B
貝克輸入指令,仿生蚯蚓在地底高速鑽動,泥土如海浪般翻騰。
「碰到了!好癢!」裙狀的根從泥土抽出,她跳到枯樹上逃離地面。蹲下來,對起伏的泥土歡快的大笑。「這個東西好有趣!」436Please respect copyright.PENANAuydeCXgOYC
436Please respect copyright.PENANApPBUqm4ldL
「你喜歡就好。」貝克說。「我還擔心你會覺得很無聊。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAvP4vggfQRe
436Please respect copyright.PENANASbsQtunG5W
「我喜歡發現未見過的事物,如果是七彩繽紛的東西我會當作收藏品。這裡全部都是我在岸邊撿到的,水流總會帶來很多有趣的東西。」
貝克的目光飄向湖畔,翠綠色的湖水在陽光照耀下閃閃生輝,好像一片星河。寶特瓶、塑膠袋、還有更多叫不出名字的廢料垃圾隨波漂流。微風吹拂,吹來一陣酸臭。
「只要是顏色鮮豔的東西我都喜歡,但近年真的太多了。我懷念以前充滿生氣的樹林。小鳥的歌聲,樹上的蟬鳴,滿地的鮮花。樹林可以回到以前那樣就好了。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAkkuI5m5OPZ
436Please respect copyright.PENANAvlDj9L15Xy
「因為那座大型購物商場的緣故。」貝克說,「交給我處理吧。」436Please respect copyright.PENANADcr2Aa8mps
436Please respect copyright.PENANAt59xSoPvmm
「真的!?」芬的雙眼閃過亮光,「貝克好厲害啊!」436Please respect copyright.PENANAKPswVUKt4J
436Please respect copyright.PENANAIa2IN587lY
「因為我是除了賺錢和做研究外甚麼都不會的笨蛋,公司的人都在背地裡叫我『植物人』。正是這樣,用錢能解決的問題,再多我都能應付。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAxPJiWGvZlV
436Please respect copyright.PENANAG04QR3qiTs
「我還是弄不懂『錢』的概念。總之就是貝克超級厲害的意思吧!」436Please respect copyright.PENANA6M4s0oDvnf
436Please respect copyright.PENANAbNw4EqHe9P
「總之沒有商場就沒有人流聚集,垃圾污染一定會減小。」貝克舉起平板電腦遮擋熱情的視線,「我要把蚯蚓收回了,不然會有過熱——」刺耳的警報音打砸貝克,泥土的波動也同時安靜下來,螢幕跳出鮮紅的警告視窗。436Please respect copyright.PENANAWkFcMCaD5P
436Please respect copyright.PENANAPS8fhbz1zv
「沒事嗎?貝克的臉好紅啊。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAYHnIfGAxFq
436Please respect copyright.PENANA9c3bMMoRJ3
「是螢幕的反光啦!」他狡辯道。「蚯蚓過熱停機,都怪我沒有注意讀數。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAKcIB3BfaTk
436Please respect copyright.PENANA4IWRqLJtl4
「鍋熱田雞?好吃的嗎?」芬見貝克嘴巴半開準備長篇大論,嚇得把話題接下去,「是會有大麻煩的意思嗎?」436Please respect copyright.PENANACji3cPLg2r
436Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7CZifmb3Z
「蚯蚓無法重啟,要回收就必須人手挖出來。這下有得忙了。」貝克放下平板電腦,萬般不願的捲起衣袖。436Please respect copyright.PENANAnfKkkTz3R9
436Please respect copyright.PENANAV4UpnTgG14
「交給我吧!」芬跳到地上,舉高雙手,裙狀的根全方位散開。她大喝一聲,雙手揮向地面,所有根同時插入泥土。436Please respect copyright.PENANAjh0O1607sM
436Please respect copyright.PENANAEaThkhLK7F
地面泛起漣漪,不同於仿生蚯蚓粗暴的大浪,那是更為平靜,像花瓣落入湖水一樣自然優美的震動。不一會,仿生蚯蚓像飛魚般跳出地面,貝克把仿生蚯蚓放回箱中,全部完好回收。436Please respect copyright.PENANAe0Ubhgdpou
436Please respect copyright.PENANAfwU7P4eohf
「幫大忙了,要是弄丟了,那怕是我也會惹上大麻煩。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAXZoSd5Lata
436Please respect copyright.PENANAxLH70h6CUi
芬沒有回應貝克,她蹲在地上,雙手交叉緊抱肩膀,身體止不住抖擻,頭上的枝葉沙沙作響。436Please respect copyright.PENANAm2dNqnoUWd
436Please respect copyright.PENANAQpGgtZ8SG6
「芬!」436Please respect copyright.PENANA0PwtfhVt23
436Please respect copyright.PENANAF4Qy1ASS2U
貝克上前,芬舉手制止。436Please respect copyright.PENANAi1fo1DkQyy
436Please respect copyright.PENANAApAqQzVrBI
「我感到前所未有的美妙!」436Please respect copyright.PENANAtfZSUBpgSt
436Please respect copyright.PENANAC77pEur7xp
芬猛然跳起來。當她伸手撥動秀髮,像施加魔法一樣,七彩鮮花不絕地綻放,花的魔法一路延伸,腰下裙狀的根上開出鮮豔奪目的花朵,像把彩虹織成紗裙。腳下亦出現了變化,嫩芽破土而出,棕色的地面馬上舖上一片鮮嫩的綠油油。436Please respect copyright.PENANA35P0aOGqNI
436Please respect copyright.PENANApHHqb9gorj
芬轉了一圈,展示身體的變化。「好看嗎?」436Please respect copyright.PENANAm2lRz8HthM
436Please respect copyright.PENANAK4rp804Pee
貝克的心神被眼前的詩中仙女奪去,一刻忘記了呼吸。嘴唇順從本能輕聲抖出幾個字:436Please respect copyright.PENANAmLA8hwf6FD
436Please respect copyright.PENANAQbAqPFIxI8
「堪稱絕景。」436Please respect copyright.PENANA75LTznRX0r
436Please respect copyright.PENANADveByBPaIY
芬的笑容如耀眼的太陽,「是貝克帶來的奇蹟,謝謝。」436Please respect copyright.PENANAlc5NIwJa9f
436Please respect copyright.PENANAeOpT5kjFEp
貝克接不上話,唯有呆呆的點頭。他甚至捨不得眨眼,要把美景深深烙印於腦海。他在心中發誓,一定要把這份美麗延續下去。436Please respect copyright.PENANANdxwUOFBGR