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』。354Please respect copyright.PENANA7ttRdaOjaQ
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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。354Please respect copyright.PENANAbHYOFyuOVP
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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。354Please respect copyright.PENANAvBIp0reSh3
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「等好久了,我好掛念貝克。」如花蜜般香甜的聲音說道。354Please respect copyright.PENANAhnL92QhNxO
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「我也是,芬。」他說。354Please respect copyright.PENANArHw5Uj5utq
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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。354Please respect copyright.PENANApRk46zxexN
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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。354Please respect copyright.PENANAcX8cb62yL9
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「最近過得好嗎?我們只能在夏天見面,其餘日子一定很寂寞。」354Please respect copyright.PENANADJhNB6C18X
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「今年出了點狀況,我錯過了初春,直到兩天前才甦醒。」354Please respect copyright.PENANAjVNSiMAQVZ
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「這不是遲了一整季嗎?為甚麼會這樣?身體還好嗎?」354Please respect copyright.PENANATrmTm3BYB6
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「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。」354Please respect copyright.PENANADnMiWbnwRl
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「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。」354Please respect copyright.PENANAb1TcaCSNHA
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「原來如此。」芬兩眼雖然對著貝克,瞳孔卻完全沒有聚焦。354Please respect copyright.PENANApJ8Rq8bUMH
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「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……」354Please respect copyright.PENANAEuFmwA5Ukn
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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。354Please respect copyright.PENANAmRwdSFZbT1
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「抱歉,說了沉悶的話題。」354Please respect copyright.PENANAAWMymOZ5NL
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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?」354Please respect copyright.PENANAywuoEbLPdp
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「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。354Please respect copyright.PENANAv9hbwfsrgN
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芬不由得發出驚嘆,「好厲害,好像蚯蚓,這是貝克做出來的?」354Please respect copyright.PENANAKVcjUxZPtK
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「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?」354Please respect copyright.PENANAm27A8dXL9i
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「想看!」354Please respect copyright.PENANAnnJa3LaoPQ
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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!」354Please respect copyright.PENANAiLMpPBm9Fn
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「你喜歡就好。」貝克說。「我還擔心你會覺得很無聊。」354Please respect copyright.PENANA56wgjjzg6U
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「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。」354Please respect copyright.PENANALOqxOhCWfL
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「因為那座大型購物商場的緣故。」貝克說,「交給我處理吧。」354Please respect copyright.PENANAlvQdfVtb0M
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「真的!?」芬的雙眼閃過亮光,「貝克好厲害啊!」354Please respect copyright.PENANAmZiNIjGKz0
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「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。」354Please respect copyright.PENANANK7HMTKb80
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「我還是弄不懂『錢』的概念。總之就是貝克超級厲害的意思吧!」354Please respect copyright.PENANA9khKrH0awm
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「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。354Please respect copyright.PENANA9IiQYqrbQB
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「沒事嗎?貝克的臉好紅啊。」354Please respect copyright.PENANAxtuIJzpR0M
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「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。」354Please respect copyright.PENANAfTwMYUaMx7
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「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?」354Please respect copyright.PENANAuyVOw2pmvb
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「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。354Please respect copyright.PENANA7cstz0ljJj
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「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。354Please respect copyright.PENANAeeWgBTthhb
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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。354Please respect copyright.PENANAoKdpMQbF20
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「幫大忙了,要是弄丟了,那怕是我也會惹上大麻煩。」354Please respect copyright.PENANAhHo1Nv278c
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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。354Please respect copyright.PENANAg6ATGLb9Mq
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「芬!」354Please respect copyright.PENANA8NO8bJLdjQ
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貝克上前,芬舉手制止。354Please respect copyright.PENANAkAOj6J5AAm
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「我感到前所未有的美妙!」354Please respect copyright.PENANAdwbg5idL02
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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。354Please respect copyright.PENANA6zQ1OI3yti
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芬轉了一圈,展示身體的變化。「好看嗎?」354Please respect copyright.PENANArnkqfPgRde
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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:354Please respect copyright.PENANAJitgxBxgUd
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「堪稱絕景。」354Please respect copyright.PENANAIVXTA6oGDU
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芬的笑容如耀眼的太陽,「是貝克帶來的奇蹟,謝謝。」354Please respect copyright.PENANAMS9qHzaOPs
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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。354Please respect copyright.PENANAFaU2JUlSHG