The Wind That Pushed Them Off Course
A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in English, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
A sudden wind pushes Jonas and Tara's kayaks off course, so they wait it out on a small island.
Jonas and Tara paddle their kayaks across the calm lake. The morning air is still, and the water looks like glass.
Halfway across, the wind picks up fast. Small waves slap against the kayaks. Tara's kayak turns sideways.
"Paddle hard on the left!" Jonas shouts.
Tara paddles hard, but the wind pushes them off their path. The shore looks small and far away now.
"There's an island ahead," Jonas says. "Let's go there instead."
They turn their kayaks toward a small island with a few trees. The wind pushes from behind now, and they move quickly.
They reach the island and pull their kayaks onto the sand. Tara sits down and breathes hard.
"That wind started very suddenly," she says.
"It happens on this lake," Jonas says. "My uncle told me about it once."
They wait on the island and eat the snacks from their bags. Slowly, the wind grows calm again. The lake turns flat and quiet.
"Ready to try again?" Jonas asks.
Tara nods and pushes her kayak back into the water. They paddle together toward the real shore. This time, the water stays calm the whole way.
