Everyone in the queue thought it was normal. A long line outside the council payment office, grey sky, people staring at their phones. Mark stood halfway along, holding a paper slip with a number printed in black. The number was 48. The sign above the door showed 41.

Every few minutes, a soft beep sounded and the sign changed. Nobody spoke. When someone reached the door, they went inside alone and did not come back out.

Mark noticed this after twenty minutes. People entered, but nobody returned. He told himself it was obvious. There must be another exit. Still, his chest felt tight.

A woman behind him cleared her throat. “Busy today,” she said.

Mark nodded. “Seems so.”

“First time?” she asked.

He hesitated. “Yes.”

She smiled in a way that did not reach her eyes. “You get used to it.”

The beep sounded. 42.

Mark watched the door. It was plain, metal, with a small window that showed nothing but light. No voices, no movement. Just the beep, again and again.

After a while, he checked his phone. No signal. He frowned and put it away. The man in front of him turned slightly and whispered, “Do not leave.”

“What?” Mark asked.

“Do not leave the queue,” the man said. His eyes were wide. “They do not like that.”

“Who?” Mark said, but the man faced forward again.

The beep sounded. 45.

Mark felt a pull in his mind, a strong need to stay where he was. He tried to step aside. His legs shook, but he could not move. Panic rose like heat.

“Relax,” the woman behind him said softly. “It only hurts if you fight it.”

“Hurts?” Mark said.

She leaned closer. “They take what you bring. Worry, guilt, fear. That is the payment.”

The sign changed. 47.

Mark remembered the letter that told him to come here. No logo. No name. Just a time and an address. He had almost ignored it, but something had pushed him out the door.

The beep sounded. 48.

The door opened.

Inside was a small room with a desk and a mirror. A man in a plain suit gestured to the chair. “Sit.”

Mark sat. His heart hammered.

“State your balance,” the man said.

“I do not understand.”

The man tapped the mirror. Mark looked up and froze. His reflection stared back, older, tired, eyes full of regret.

“You owe yourself,” the man said. “We collect.”

Mark felt memories slide away. Nights awake, shame, fear. The weight lifted. He breathed easily for the first time in years.

When he stood, the door behind him was open. Outside, the street was bright. People walked past, laughing.

Mark walked away, calm and empty.

Behind him, the sign changed to 1.

---

Vocabulary Notes

Queue
Meaning: A line of people waiting for something, usually in an orderly way.
Example: “Everyone in the queue thought it was normal.”
Similar words: line, waiting line, row
Extra example: There was a long queue outside the cinema on Friday night.

Hesitated
Meaning: Paused before doing or saying something, often because of doubt or uncertainty.
Example: “He hesitated. ‘Yes.’”
Similar words: paused, delayed, wavered
Extra example: She hesitated before answering the difficult question.

Gesture
Meaning: A movement of the hand or body used to communicate something without words.
Example: “A man in a plain suit gestured to the chair.”
Similar words: signal, motion, sign
Extra example: The teacher gestured for the students to be quiet.

Regret
Meaning: A strong feeling of sadness or disappointment about something that happened in the past.
Example: “His reflection stared back, older, tired, eyes full of regret.”
Similar words: remorse, sorrow, guilt
Extra example: He felt deep regret for not calling his friend earlier.

Reflection
Meaning: The image you see when you look at yourself in a mirror, or deep thought about yourself.
Example: “Mark looked up and froze. His reflection stared back.”
Similar words: image, mirror image, thought
Extra example: She saw her reflection in the shop window as she walked past.

Story written by ChatGPT.

Image created by ChatGPT.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

British short stories, learning English, English speaking, English speaking practice, English reading, English reading practice, reading English, ielts, ielts listening, English listening practice, listening practice, short story, story time,