Short Stories in English for Beginners

Something just doesn’t add up
 …
After a moment, Sylvia looked around. She couldn’t see the groups! She
couldn’t see anyone! ‘Where are you?’ she called. ‘Hello? Can anyone hear
me?’
Sylvia walked towards the woods. Maybe they’re all there, she thought.
As she walked, she took a torch from her backpack. She turned it on. It was
getting dark again.
‘Where are you all? Is anyone there?’ she shouted. No one answered. I
don’t understand! she thought. She looked around the dark woods.
Suddenly, she turned around. It was better to wait in the old house than to
walk in the woods in the dark!
Sylvia went back to the house and sat on the old bed again. She waited
for a few minutes. No one came. Suddenly, Sylvia heard a noise coming
from the kitchen.
She got off the bed. She walked slowly towards the kitchen. She tried not
to make any noise. She wanted to see what was going on. Maybe it was her
friends? Her mother?
She turned on the torch. Then she saw it – the creature! It was very ugly,
and it was coming towards her!
Sylvia shouted and ran from the house. ‘Help! Help!’ she cried. No one
was there. She ran as fast as she could. But the creature was quicker than
she was. It was soon right behind her. Sylvia turned to see it. She fell to the
ground in a 
panic
. She was really scared so she started 
kicking
. The
creature had her legs. She couldn’t get away!
Sylvia kept fighting. But suddenly, the creature stopped and got up. It
reached down. It wanted to help Sylvia stand up! What is going on here?

---

thought Sylvia.
Suddenly, Sylvia saw movement around her. All of her friends and family
came out of the woods. They had their torches on. But they had something
else in their hands, too – 
candles
! And they were singing something. It was
a song she knew well.
At that moment, Sylvia understood everything. The creature took off its
costume
. It was her father! ‘Happy birthday, Sylvia!’ he said. Then he
joined in the singing.
‘Happy birthday to you!’ everybody sang around her. Sylvia didn’t know
whether to laugh or cry.
‘Dad, were you the creature?’ Sylvia asked in surprise. ‘Was it you this
whole time?’
‘Yes, my love. It was me all along. I had a great time playing the role!’ he
laughed. Then he continued, ‘We planned the party for yesterday. But then
there was a development at your mother’s office. So we had to move the