Short Stories in English for Beginners

Chapter 3 – The Object
Laura is back at the small park. There is a 
crowd
 of people. The police are
also there. What are all these people doing here? Laura thinks. Then she
realizes. They are there because of her!
Sophie and Raj are among the crowd. They are talking near a table. Laura
walks over to them. As she walks, Laura looks around. Everyone is there –
Laura’s friends, her relatives, the police, and 
volunteers
from Edinburgh.
Even Craig is just driving up!
‘Think, Sophie,’ says Raj sadly. ‘Where could Laura be? I mean, we were
right there!’
‘I have no idea,’ Sophie replies. ‘She’ll come back. It’s just so strange
…’
‘Yeah. One minute she’s talking on her mobile and then she’s gone!’
‘I know,’ says Sophie. ‘I’m really worried …’
Laura listens. She feels really bad. She doesn’t want to 
hurt
her friends
or husband. She doesn’t want to waste people’s time. She just wants to get
back to the metal ball. She’s done being invisible!
She hears Raj again. ‘Hey, Sophie. Do you remember that metal ball?
Over by the trees?’
‘Yes?’
‘Well, I have a theory.’
Sophie looks at him. ‘A theory?’
‘Yes,’ Raj continues. ‘What if it’s more than that? What if it did
something to Laura?’
Sophie continues to look at Raj. She seems 
confused
. But Laura is not
confused. She’s worried. She doesn’t want her friends to know anything.
She just wants to touch the ball and become visible. She doesn’t want to
explain!
Raj looks closely at Sophie. ‘Maybe the ball is special. Maybe it made
Laura sick. Or maybe it even took her somewhere! You never know…’

---

Sophie 
shakes
 her head. ‘You and your theories, Raj …’ Then she
pauses. There is no other explanation. Maybe …
‘Think about it. Laura went missing near it,’ Raj adds. They look at each
other. Then Raj says, ‘Come on! Let’s go look.’
Sophie finally agrees. ‘OK. Let’s go.’
The two friends start walking over to the trees.
Oh no! thinks Laura. What if they take the object? Or give it to the
police? Laura runs ahead of her friends. She has to find the object first!
Laura gets to the trees first. The metal object isn’t there! Where is it? she
thinks. It has to be here somewhere! It didn’t fly away! She keeps looking.
Raj and Sophie come closer. ‘It has to be around here. I threw it right
over here,’ says Raj as he points to the trees.
That’s it! thinks Laura. Someone moved it! What if they lost it? I need
that ball! Laura runs to where Raj is pointing. Raj and Sophia walk to the
area, too. Suddenly, Raj stands up. He has the metal object in his hand!
Laura looks carefully at the object. There is no light at all now. She
doesn’t know what that means. She just has to find a way to touch the
object again. She knows it will make her visible.
‘Hey, Sophie! I found it!’ calls Raj.
Sophie runs over. ‘Wow! What is it?’ she asks.
‘I have no idea,’ replies Raj. ‘It’s round and made of metal. But I don’t
know what it does.’
‘Do you really think it did something with Laura?’
‘I doubt it. It just doesn’t make sense. It’s just a metal ball. So much for
my theory …’ Raj throws the metal ball into the trees. Laura watches it
carefully.
‘Come on,’ says Sophie as they walk away. ‘Now let’s check with the
police. Maybe we should call the hospitals or ….’
Laura waits for Raj and Sophie to leave. She wants to touch the object.
But she doesn’t want to hurt her friends. If she suddenly appears, they
might be really afraid!

---

At last, Raj and Sophie are gone. Laura goes over to the trees. She picks
up the metal ball and touches it. At first she feels nothing. Then the strange
object starts to