English Short Stories For Intermediate Learners: 8 Unconventional Short Stories to Grow Your Vocabulary and Learn English the Fun Way!

Multiple-choice questions
Select one answer for each question
1. Amber thinks the driver is weird because he:
a. keeps looking at her
b. keeps laughing
c. smells bad
d. all of the above
2. Amber stands up on the bus, but then almost falls. Why?
a. She tripped on a bottle
b. She was looking out a window
c. The bus hits a hole in the road
d. The driver is drinking and driving
3. Why does the driver breathe heavily?
a. Because he is out of shape
b. Because it is late at night
c. Because he likes Amber’s hair
d. Because he is sick
4. Who does Amber call?
a. Her brother

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b. Her friends
c. The police
d. Her sister
5. What happens to Amber when she gets off the bus?
a. The driver falls on her
b. She hurts her ankle
c. She runs to the police
d. She makes a phone call

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Answers to Chapter 1
1. d
2. c
3. a
4. d
5. b

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Chapter 2
Amber saw an old abandoned warehouse. The parking lot they were in was
for the warehouse employees. But now, this business was gone. Closed forever.
Most of the businesses in this part of town were closed. The buildings were not
used by anyone. There weren’t any houses around here either.
This was the emptiest part of town. Even if she screamed, no one would hear
her.
“Why did you bring me out here?” she asked. She knew it was a dumb
question, but she wanted to keep him talking. Perhaps she could talk him out of
his plan. She could make him realize he was making a mistake. She could tell
him that he didn’t want to hurt her.
“You need more patience,” the hairy driver said, walking toward her. His
walk was funny. He walked more like a duck than a person. But, there was
nothing funny about his behaviour. “Have patience,” he said again. “You’re
going to learn why I brought you here. I will teach you. I’m going to teach you
until you understand.”
“You’re crazy!” she yelled, talking a step back. “Somebody help me!”
“Love is crazy. And I’m in love with you!” He laughed again, then spit
something on the ground. “By the way, you can yell and scream as much as you
want to…but it won’t do any good.”
Amber turned in a circle, looking around her. She already knew he was right.
No one could save her. She was alone.
Then, she saw something. Amber saw a small light in the darkness. There
was only one tiny light coming from a small old building. The building was on a
side street back behind the warehouse. Inside, a golden light was flickering.
Is that a candle? she wondered, since the light was not steady. It was
flickering like a candle flame. If there is a candle, then somebody must be inside!
They would not leave a candle burning by itself.
She ran in the direction of the flickering light. Her ankle was hurting her, but
she had no choice. She had to take the pain. The man behind her was coming. He
was not going to change his mind.

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“Young lady, there is no reason to run away,” he said. “You’ll like me once
you get to know me better.”
“That’s not going to happen!” she shouted. “Get away from me!”
“Where are you running to? There is nobody out here!”
She kept going even though her foot was hurting a lot. She was getting
nearer to the building with the candlelight. It seemed like that was the only place
to go.
It was hard to see. The night was darker than usual. There were clouds in the
sky covering the stars. The moon was hiding behind the clouds too. But, Amber
could see on top of the building. On the roof of the building was a cross.
Is that a church? Out here in the middle of nowhere?
She got closer and saw, yes, it was a church. The church looked abandoned
too. Some of the windows were broken. Wooden boards were falling off the
sides. The grass around the area was very tall.
No one had come here in many years.
If no one uses it, why is there a candle burning inside? I hope it isn’t a
homeless person living in there.
But, she changed her mind. Even if it was a homeless person, perhaps they
could help her. Anything was better than fighting the crazy bus driver alone!
*
The front door was unlocked. Amber ran inside the empty church. She saw
the candle in the window. There were candles in each of the windows, but there
was nobody around.
She closed the door.
Oh no, there isn’t a lock on it!
The bus driver was coming. He was walking fast, but he could not run. He
was not in good enough shape for running. He was out of breath.
“I told you, don’t make me chase you!” he said, looking through the
window. His face was sweaty. He looked like an animal.
“Stop! Stop it! My sister will call the police. You heard me call her!”

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“Yeah, but she doesn’t know where you are.”
“The police can track my phone.”
The driver was holding her phone. He raised it. It was destroyed. “You
should have held onto it better,” he said, smiling his creepy smile. “Now stop
running, little lady. You’ve got nowhere else to go.”
Amber stood a step back. The driver was standing outside looking in the
window. The door didn’t have a lock on it. She needed to put something in front
of the door to block him. There were a few heavy benches. She took one of the
benches and started to drag it towards the door, but it was too late, he was
coming in!
“Help!” she cried again. Where was the preacher for this place? Someone
had to be here because there were candles! They weren’t burned down yet…
Who had lit the candles?
She tried to keep the door closed, but he was too heavy. He was pushing and
pushing, and finally, he got inside. Amber punched at him with her fist, but she
missed.
“Whoa, take it easy!” he said. “I don’t want to fight you.”
“You tricked me,” she said. “This church…you live here, don’t you? This is
your place!”
“Are you kidding?” the bus driver said. He threw her phone over his
shoulder. “I have a nice apartment. I would never live in a church. That is just
weird.”
“But you put the candles in here. It was a trick to get me to come inside.”
“You’re wrong about that first part. I did not put the candles here, but you’re
right about the second part. Yes, it was a trick…”
Then, Amber heard the sounds of the other person in the building. Somebody
else is here!
The man walked out from behind a large curtain. He was very tall and
skinny with long black hair. He wore an old black suit. At first, Amber thought
maybe he was a preacher.
Like the bus driver, the man smelled terrible. He looked like he had not
taken a shower in a long time, and he looked very hungry.

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“Hi Fred,” the fake preacher said to the bus driver. “Nice catch. You brought
a good one tonight. But next time, bring me something to eat. You know I
always like a good cheeseburger!”
“Stop complaining,” the driver said. “And why did you call me Fred? Now
she knows my name!”
“So? Who will she tell?”
Amber was trapped between them now. The driver was standing in front of
the door, and the preacher was walking closer and closer.
“You’re right,” said Fred the bus driver. He looked at Amber with his red
eyes. “The dead tell no secrets.”

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Annex to Chapter 2
Summary
Amber tries to escape the bus driver. She sees a building with a candle
inside. When she runs to it, she sees it is an old church. She goes in, but there is
no way to stop the driver. He comes inside too. Then, his friend comes out. They
have Amber trapped!