Elias worked on the thirteenth floor of a large building. It was late, almost midnight. The city below was dark and quiet. Elias was ready to go home. He closed his laptop.
He walked to the big window. Across the street, there was another tall office building. Elias saw a light on a floor high up. He saw two men inside. One man was tall and strong. The other man was smaller and looked afraid.
Suddenly, the tall man pushed the small man hard. The small man fell over. The tall man quickly looked up and looked out the window, right at Elias. Elias felt a shock. Did the man see him?
Elias walked fast to the lift. He pressed the button for the ground floor. When the lift doors opened, the long corridor was empty. He quickly walked past the security desk and out onto the street.
He needed his car. His car was in the underground car park, two streets away.
Elias walked very fast. The streetlights made long, scary shadows. He felt a cold, strange feeling. Someone was behind him.
Elias stopped and looked back. Nothing. The road was empty and wet. He started walking again. Clack. Clack. He heard shoes on the pavement, faster now.
He ran to the car park entrance. He showed his pass. The gate went up. He ran down the long concrete ramp. The air was cold and smelled of oil.
His small silver car was on Level B2. He found it. He quickly opened the boot and put his briefcase inside. He jumped into the driver’s seat. His hands shook as he put the car key in the ignition.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Someone was at the driver’s window. Elias froze. The tall man from the office window was there. He wore a dark coat and his face was cold.
Elias did not move. He quickly pushed the door lock button. Click.
The tall man spoke, but his voice was quiet. “You saw nothing, Elias. Nothing on the thirteenth floor.”
Elias thought fast. He started the engine and pulled the handbrake down, he pushed the accelerator pedal hard. The car made a loud, angry noise.
The tall man stepped back, surprised. Elias put the car into reverse gear and turned the steering wheel hard. The tyres screamed. The car hit the concrete pillar BAM!
The tall man was shocked. Elias changed gear again. He drove forward quickly, hitting the man’s legs lightly. The tall man fell over. Elias did not stop. He sped up the ramp and out onto the street.
He looked in the mirror. The tall man was standing up, but he was alone. Elias drove far away. He had seen a secret, and now he was safe. He would call the police later. The thirteenth floor secret was safe, for now.
Vocabulary Notes
Thirteenth Floor (Noun Phrase)
Definition: A specific level or storey in a building, numbered thirteen.
Example: “Elias worked on the thirteenth floor of a large building.”
Meaning in Context: The floor is where the action begins (the secret location).
Similar Words (Synonyms/Related): Level, storey (British English spelling), deck (for ships/planes).
Sentence Example: The hotel room was located on the thirteenth floor, offering a view of the whole city.
Corridor (Noun)
Definition: A long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms.
Example: “When the lift doors opened, the long corridor was empty.”
Meaning in Context: Elias checks that the hallway outside the elevator is clear before he leaves.
Similar Words (Synonyms/Related): Hallway, passage, hall, passageway.
Sentence Example: She walked quickly down the corridor to the meeting room, feeling nervous.
Pavement (Noun)
Definition: (British English) A path with a hard surface, usually next to a road, for people to walk on.
Example: “Clack. Clack. He heard shoes on the pavement, faster now.”
Meaning in Context: The walking surface outside where Elias hears the sound of his pursuer’s footsteps.
Similar Words (Synonyms/Related): Sidewalk (American English), footpath, walkway.
Sentence Example: The children skipped happily along the pavement on their way to school.
Ignition (Noun)
Definition: The mechanism in a car (or other machine) used to start the engine, often requiring a key.
Example: “His hands shook as he put the car key in the ignition.”
Meaning in Context: The place where the car key is inserted to make the car start.
Similar Words (Synonyms/Related): Starter switch, firing mechanism, start-up.
Sentence Example: He turned the key in the ignition, but the old engine refused to start immediately.
Accelerator Pedal (Noun Phrase)
Definition: The foot control in a vehicle that is used to increase the speed of the engine.
Example: “Instead, he pulled the handbrake down and pushed the accelerator pedal hard.”
Meaning in Context: The part Elias pushes with his foot to make the engine roar loudly as a distraction/threat.
Similar Words (Synonyms/Related): Gas pedal (American English), throttle, speed control.
Sentence Example: She pressed the accelerator pedal gently to smoothly merge into the traffic.
Story written by Gemini.
Image created by Gemini.
CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.
Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners 
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