The Overnight Train Cabin
A free A1-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Two strangers both hold tickets for the same night-train bunk, and they end up sharing the cabin as friends.
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Marta boards the night train with a small green suitcase. She finds her cabin and opens the door. A man already sits on the bottom bunk.
"Excuse me, this is my bunk," Marta says.
"No, I think it's mine," the man says. His name is Nikolai.
They both check their tickets side by side. Marta has bunk four. Nikolai has bunk four too.
"Two tickets, one bunk," Nikolai says with a laugh.
Marta finds a worker in the hall. The worker looks at both tickets. "The system made a mistake today," she says. "There is an empty bunk in the next cabin."
Nikolai picks up his bag and thanks her.
"Wait," Marta says. "You can stay." "I don't mind the top bunk."
Nikolai smiles and puts his bag down again. They talk about their trips over tea from the cart.
Marta travels to see her sister. Nikolai travels to a work meeting in the north.
The train rushes through dark fields outside the window. Marta climbs to the top bunk near midnight.
"Goodnight," she says. "Two tickets, one bunk, one good trip." Nikolai laughs. "Goodnight, roommate," he says.
