It was a cold November evening, and Sarah was settling in for a quiet night at home. The fire crackled in the fireplace, and a cup of hot chocolate warmed her hands. Outside, the wind howled, rattling the windows.
Perfect night to stay in, she thought.
Just as she picked up her book, a loud BANG came from the front door. Sarah jumped.
Who could that be at this hour?
Cautiously, she walked to the door and peered through the peephole. A man stood there, soaked from the rain, his coat pulled tightly around him. Sarah didn’t recognise him.
She opened the door just a crack. “Yes?”
The man looked up, his face pale. “I’m so sorry to bother you,” he said, his voice shaking. “My car broke down just up the road, and my phone is dead. Could I possibly use your phone to call for help?”
Sarah hesitated. Letting a stranger into her house at night wasn’t a good idea. But the man looked genuinely distressed, and the storm was getting worse.
“Wait here,” she said. She grabbed her phone and handed it to him through the door.
The man nodded gratefully and made a quick call to a tow truck. When he finished, he handed the phone back. “Thank you. They’ll be here in about twenty minutes.”
Sarah was about to close the door when the man shivered violently.
“You’re freezing,” she said without thinking. “Do you… want to wait inside? Just until the truck comes?”
The man’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”
Sarah bit her lip. This is either very kind or very stupid. But the wind howled again, and she made up her mind. “Yes. Come in.”
She led him to the living room and handed him a dry towel. “I’ll make you some tea.”
As she boiled the water, she glanced back at the stranger. He was sitting stiffly on the edge of the sofa, looking around nervously.
Maybe I should have just given him an umbrella.
But when she brought the tea, the man relaxed slightly. “Thank you,” he said. “I’m Daniel, by the way.”
“Sarah.” She sat across from him, still cautious.
For a few minutes, they sipped their tea in silence. Then Daniel cleared his throat. “You have a lovely home.”
Sarah smiled slightly. “Thanks.”
Another silence. Then Daniel suddenly laughed. “I bet you’re thinking, Why did I let this strange, wet man into my house?”
Sarah blinked, then laughed too. “Well… it did cross my mind.”
Daniel shook his head. “I promise I’m not a criminal. Just a very unlucky guy tonight.”
Just then, headlights flashed outside. The tow truck had arrived.
Daniel stood up. “That’s my ride. Thank you again—for the phone, the tea, and… well, not assuming I was a thief.”
Sarah walked him to the door. “Take care, Daniel.”
As he disappeared into the rain, Sarah locked the door behind him. She returned to her sofa, picked up her book, and smiled.
Sometimes, kindness was a risk. But tonight, it had been worth it.
Vocabulary Notes
Settling in (phrasal verb)
Meaning: To relax and make yourself comfortable in a place.
Example: “Sarah was settling in for a quiet night at home.”
Similar words: Getting comfortable, relaxing, making oneself at home.
Crackled (verb)
Meaning: To make short, sharp sounds (often used for fire or static).
Example: “The fire crackled in the fireplace.”
Similar words: Snapped, popped, sputtered.
Howled (verb)
Meaning: A long, loud sound made by wind or animals (like wolves).
Example: “Outside, the wind howled, rattling the windows.”
Similar words: Roared, wailed, moaned.
Peered (verb)
Meaning: To look closely or carefully, especially when it’s hard to see.
Example: “Sarah peered through the peephole.”
Similar words: Glanced, stared, squinted.
Soaked (adjective)
Meaning: Completely wet.
Example: “A man stood there, soaked from the rain.”
Similar words: Drenched, sodden, dripping.
Distressed (adjective)
Meaning: Very upset or worried.
Example: “The man looked genuinely distressed.”
Similar words: Agitated, troubled, panicked.
Hesitated (verb)
Meaning: To pause before doing something because you’re unsure.
Example: “Sarah hesitated. Letting a stranger into her house at night wasn’t a good idea.”
Similar words: Paused, wavered, delayed.
Shivered (verb)
Meaning: To shake slightly because of cold or fear.
Example: “The man shivered violently.”
Similar words: Trembled, quivered, shuddered.
Stiffly (adverb)
Meaning: In a tense or uncomfortable way, not relaxed.
Example: “He was sitting stiffly on the edge of the sofa.”
Similar words: Rigidly, awkwardly, formally.
Worth it (phrase)
Meaning: Good or useful enough to justify the effort/risk.
Example: “But tonight, it had been worth it.”
Similar words: Rewarding, valuable, justified.
Story written by DeepSeek AI
Image created by Dezgo.com AI
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