juThe Last Train
EN (target)
Elena Vargas glanced at the clock on her computer screen. It was 11:23 PM. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the document open in front of her — a fifty-page legal contract she had been translating from English to Spanish since seven that morning. She still had two pages left. "Just finish it," she told herself. "You can sleep on the train." The office was empty. Everyone else had left hours ago. The lights were off in the hallway, and only her desk lamp was on, creating a small circle of yellow light in the dark room. Through the window, she could see the rain falling on the streets of Madrid. November rain. Cold and persistent. Her phone buzzed. A message from Mateo, her boyfriend: "Are you still at work? I'm worried. The last train is at 11:47." She replied: "I know. I'll make it. I just need to finish this. I'll catch the last train. Don't wait up — I'll be home around 1 AM." He sent back a heart emoji. She smiled and put her phone away. By 11:31, she had finished the translation. She sent the file to her boss, closed her computer, and grabbed her coat. The office was on Calle Atocha, only three minutes' walk from the train station. If she hurried, she would make it. She locked the office door behind her. The hallway was completely silent. The elevator was old and slow. When the doors opened, the lobby was dark and empty. The security guard's desk was abandoned — only a half-finished cup of coffee remained. Elena stepped outside. The cold air hit her face. She pulled her coat tighter and started walking toward Atocha station.
EN (translation)
Elena Vargas glanced at the clock on her computer screen. It was 11:23 PM. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the document open in front of her — a fifty-page legal contract she had been translating from English to Spanish since seven that morning. She still had two pages left. "Just finish it," she told herself. "You can sleep on the train." The office was empty. Everyone else had left hours ago. The lights were off in the hallway, and only her desk lamp was on, creating a small circle of yellow light in the dark room. Through the window, she could see the rain falling on the streets of Madrid. November rain. Cold and persistent. Her phone buzzed. A message from Mateo, her boyfriend: "Are you still at work? I'm worried. The last train is at 11:47." She replied: "I know. I'll make it. I just need to finish this. I'll catch the last train. Don't wait up — I'll be home around 1 AM." He sent back a heart emoji. She smiled and put her phone away. By 11:31, she had finished the translation. She sent the file to her boss, closed her computer, and grabbed her coat. The office was on Calle Atocha, only three minutes' walk from the train station. If she hurried, she would make it. She locked the office door behind her. The hallway was completely silent. The elevator was old and slow. When the doors opened, the lobby was dark and empty. The security guard's desk was abandoned — only a half-finished cup of coffee remained. Elena stepped outside. The cold air hit her face. She pulled her coat tighter and started walking toward Atocha station.
Unlock the rest of the story
The full 12-chapter story, plus every other story in the catalog, in 7 languages. Seven days free.
Start my free trial