The sun was setting down, casting an orange glow over the train station, when Jack entered the hall. He was scanning the crowd, searching for a man and a woman. He had been trying to catch up with them for the last few days, but they were always one step ahead of him. But not today. Not now. He could feel that they were close.
His eyes were darting from person to person, when suddenly, a voice shouted through the station speakers. They were calling out his name and announcing that he had a phone call. He didn’t expect this at all. He felt confused for a few seconds as he was trying to make sense of the unexpected announcement.
Caught between the curiosity and caution, Jack quickly weighed his options. He was wondering if the phone call could be a trap set by the couple he had been chasing in order to delay him. Of course, it was! Nobody knew that he was at that train station.
Jack quickly made his way towards the train platforms. Almost running, he crossed the hall. It didn’t take him more than just a few seconds.
Just as he reached the platform, the doors of the train on the opposite platform shut. The train started moving and just then he saw them. His eyes widened in anger as he watched the man and woman jump onto the moving train. Panic spilled all over him, fueled by the fear of losing them forever.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Jack jumped down on the rails and started sprinting alongside the departing train as fast as he could. But it wasn’t fast enough for him to catch up with the leaving train.
As the train was slowly vanishing into the distance, Jack caught back his breath. So close. He was smiling now and walking back to the train station hall to check the time of the next train going in that direction. He was smiling because he knew that the chase had only just begun.
glow /ɡləʊ/ – (žiara) – a steady light that is not too bright, like the light from a fire that has stopped producing flames
catch up with sb / catch sb. up – (dobehnúť, dostihnúť niekoho) – to reach somebody who is ahead by going faster
announce /əˈnaʊns/ – (vyhlásiť, oznámiť) – to tell people something officially, especially about a decision, plans, etc.
make sense of – to understand something that is difficult or has no clear meaning
weigh sth. /weɪ/ – (zvážiť) – to consider something carefully before making a decision
vanish /ˈvænɪʃ/ – (zmiznúť) – to disappear suddenly and/or in a way that you cannot explain
© Sparrow’s English Reader / Level 3, English Reading
Sparrow's English Reader 