Short Stories in English for Beginners

pretended
 that they didn’t see anything.
‘Eric, as you know, I’m a watchmaker. I need to see your watch.’
The pirate’s face changed completely.
‘What for?’
‘If you let me see it. I think we can win the battle.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Eric. He was looking at Carl suspiciously.
Carl didn’t know what to say. He thought hard. Then he continued. ‘I
think I know how it works,’ he lied.
‘So?’
‘If you let me see it, I can change it. I can change the watch. It will take
us to another place. One that is far from here. That way we don’t need to
fight.’
The time had come. The English ships had arrived. They began 
firing
their cannons. The pirate boats fired their cannons back. The ships rocked
as the cannon balls hit around them. Eric shouted at his men, ‘Come on!
Keep firing! We can’t lose!’
Carl tried to think. He needed the watch. As long as Eric had the watch,
he would fight. And without the watch, Carl and Susan couldn’t return to
Penzance.
‘Listen to me!’ shouted Carl. Eric ignored him. The English ships’
cannons kept firing. ‘Let me see it!’ continued Carl. ‘Let me see the watch!’
he shouted. ‘Then we can win the battle! We can beat the English!’
Eric looked at him. But he held 
tightly
 on to the watch.
Suddenly, a cannon shot through the helm. Eric lost his 
balance
. He fell.
This was Carl’s chance! He 
grabbed
 the watch from Eric and ran. Eric
realized what had happened. ‘Stop! Stop that man!’ he shouted.
Eric’s men began to chase Carl. Carl threw the watch to Susan. She
quickly caught it and ran. Carl ran towards her. Then they saw Eric. He was
coming their way.
The English cannons fired again. Eric tried to grab Susan. Suddenly,
Frank stepped in to stop Eric. He was helping Susan!

---

Susan had the watch. Carl grabbed for the watch. Eric grabbed for the
watch. Frank grabbed Susan to keep her safe. The next thing they knew, the
watch was 
activated
. The whole group was travelling forward in time.
They were going to the twenty-first century!
Day turned to night and they were back on Eastern Green Beach. Eric
was the first to realize what had happened. He looked around for the watch.
He couldn’t see it anywhere!
Then Eric saw it. It was under Frank’s foot. He pushed Frank away. He
picked up the watch. It was broken. ‘What have you done, Frank? What
have you done?’ Eric cried.
Frank ignored him. He was looking at the beach. Then he looked at the
town and the people. It was the first time he had been in the future. It was
all new, and a little strange.
Eric got more and more 
angry
. He said to Frank, ‘What do we do now?
We can’t go back! What do we do?’
Nobody said anything. Finally, Susan spoke. ‘Come to the workshop,
Eric. Carl will try to fix your watch. And if he can fix it, you can get home.
But then you must 
destroy
 the watch. It is dangerous! No good will come
from it.’
‘I will,’ replied Eric.
Then Susan looked at Frank. ‘I have a request. You must promise to help
Eric. He must destroy the watch. Make sure he does not keep it. 
Force
 him
to do it if you have to. If you do not destroy it, it will be the end of you. Do
you understand?’
‘I do,’ said Frank. ‘When I am back home, I never want to see that watch
again!’
Finally Susan looked at Carl. ‘And you!’ she said smiling. ‘The next time
you have a crazy idea – like wanting to time-travel, don’t take me with
you!’
Carl smiled and agreed.