This is a short story for learners of English. We hope you enjoy it!

Angus had football practice on Thursday night. It didn’t finish until 8:30pm. When he was walking home, it was dark and cold. He saw the corner shop near his house.

I’d like to go in and buy some chocolate, he thought. I’m hungry.

He stopped outside the shop. No, he thought. I’ll go home. My mother will have made a meal for me. It will be keeping warm in the oven.

Just then a car stopped on the road next to him. Three people jumped out. They were wearing dark clothes and dark hats. They had masks over their faces.

They ran into the store. They were shouting. “Give us all the cigarettes! Give us the money from the till! If you don’t, we will hurt you!”

Angus was very frightened. He didn’t know what to do. He could hear shouting and screaming. He could hear breaking glass.

He looked at the car – the engine was running. The driver was still in the car.

I could take a photograph of the car, he thought. Maybe it would help the police. But I don’t want those robbers to see me.

He moved against the wall where it was dark. He took out his smartphone. He took a photograph of the car. The car window was open. Angus could see the driver. The driver was coughing. Then he pulled his mask down and blew his nose.

That’s my friend Benny! He’s in my class at school.  He’s a good guy. What is he doing driving a getaway car?

The robbers ran out of the shop. They were laughing and shouting. They jumped into the car and it drove away very fast.

Angus went home. He was very worried. I am sorry for the people who own that shop. I should tell the police what I know. I have a photograph of the car and I know who was driving it. But Benny is my friend! What shall I do?

The next day, Angus went to school. Benny was not there. Everyone was talking about the robbery at the corner store. Angus didn’t say anything.

At lunchtime, Angus said to his homeroom teacher, “Mrs Anderson, I’m sorry but I don’t feel well. I want to go home.”

“Oh, Angus,” said Mrs Anderson. “Do you have the flu?”

Angus felt bad for telling lies, but he said, “Maybe. Or maybe it is a cold. But I want to go home.”

“OK,” said Mrs Anderson. “Many students have colds and flu this week. I will call your mother later and find out if you are feeling better.”

Angus went to Benny’s house. He knocked on the door, but no one answered. But he could hear someone coughing. “Benny!” shouted Angus. “I know you’re in there! Open the door!”

There was no answer. So Angus tried the door. It was unlocked. He went into the house. He found Benny in his bedroom. Benny was in bed. He looked very ill.

“Benny! I saw you last night! I saw you driving the getaway car!” shouted Angus,

“Oh, no!” said Benny. “Did you tell the police?”

“No, I didn’t,” said Angus. “But I think I should. Why were you there?”

“There is a gang of young guys who live in the apartments next door,” said Benny. “They came here last night. They knew my father was away. They took my mother. They said I must steal a car and drive them to the corner store. They said ‘If you don’t do what we want, we will hurt your mother’. So I helped them. Then they said, ‘Don’t’ tell anyone or things will be very bad for your mother’.”

“Where is your mother now?” asked Angus.

“I don’t know. I am very frightened. I don’t know what to do,” said Benny.

“Why did they want you to help them?” asked Angus.

“They are bad guys, but they are also very young. They don’t know how to drive a car. I am a good driver. My father taught me,” said Benny.

Angus said, “Benny. We must call the police. They will find your mother. Everything will be OK.”

“OK,” said Benny. “But I am very scared. What if the gang see the police and kill my mother?”

“I am sure the police will be very careful,” said Angus. “We will tell them everything.”

Angus called the police. He told the police everything. He said that Benny’s mother was in danger.

The chief policeman said, “Stay in the house. Don’t go out. We will go to the apartments next door. We will rescue the woman. Then we will come to see you.”

Angus stayed with Benny in his bedroom. He found cough medicine for Benny and made him a hot drink. They waited and waited. It took a long time. Angus texted his mother — I will be late home from school today—

Finally two policemen came to Benny’s house. Benny’s mother was with them. “They tied me up and left me in a bedroom,” she said. She was very tired, but she was OK. Benny told his story.

“We have arrested all the gang,” said one of the policemen.

“I guess you will arrest me too,” said Benny. He was very worried.

“No,” said the policeman. “You were very silly. You should have called us as soon as they took your mother away. But we understand.  So you are not in trouble.”

After the policemen went away, Angus said, “I must go home now.”

Then he laughed.

“What’s funny?” asked Benny.

“That gang next door were all very bad guys. They thought they were very smart. But they are not so great. They didn’t know how to drive a car!”

By I Talk You Talk Press – Easy English Reading