The Last Stop

It was a cold autumn night. The wind was loud and the streets in the city were empty. Maria waited at the bus stop for her bus to come. It was very late, and she wanted to go home. She looked at her phone, but it didn’t work. With nobody to talk to, she felt scared and alone.

Maria looked down the road. No people. No cars. There were only dark buildings and the sound of the wind. Finally, she saw lights far away. The bus was coming and she felt better.

When the bus stopped, the doors opened with a loud sound. The driver was an old man. He looked tired. “Good evening,” Maria said. The man didn’t answer. He only looked at her for a second. Maria got on and sat near the back.

The bus was almost empty. Only one man was there. He wore a dark coat and sat near the middle. He looked out of the window and didn’t move. Maria wanted to read her book, but she couldn’t. The bus was too quiet.

They passed shops and houses, but they were all closed. The man in the coat didn’t move. The driver didn’t speak. Maria started to feel nervous. She told herself, “It’s okay. I’ll be home soon.”

At the next stop, no one got on. No one got off. The bus kept going. Maria looked out the window again. She didn’t know the streets. They were going the wrong way.

She stood up and walked to the front. “Excuse me,” she said. “Does this bus go to Maple Street?” The driver said nothing. He looked straight ahead. “Sir?” she said again. No answer.

Maria turned. The man in the coat was now sitting very still. His eyes were open. He didn’t move. He looked cold and white.

Maria felt her heart beat fast. “Driver!” she shouted. The bus did not stop. The road outside was empty.

Then the driver spoke. His voice was low. “This is the last stop,” he said. “No one gets off after this.”

The bus turned down a small road. It was very dark. Maria looked out the window. She saw only trees and fog. She tried her phone again, but it still didn’t work. The bus kept going slowly into the dark night.

Outside, the wind became louder. Inside, nobody spoke.

📒 Key vocabulary

• bus stop – the place where you wait for a bus
• scared – afraid
• alone – with no other people near you
• tired – when you need to rest or sleep
• empty – without people inside
• nervous – a little afraid or worried
• fog – thick white mist that makes it hard to see

🤔 Comprehension quiz

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