Interactive English speaking story
An earthquake stops your train in the dark. Twenty-three people. One way up.
At 7:12 a.m., an earthquake stops your metro train in a dark tunnel, and phones have no signal. Leo, an off-duty train driver, needs your help to lead twenty-three people out before the smoke comes. Count heads, calm scared passengers, help an old man with a hurt ankle, and choose the safest way up when the exit on the map is closed. Four endings.
เวลา 7:12 น. แผ่นดินไหวทำให้รถไฟใต้ดินของคุณหยุดนิ่งกลางอุโมงค์ที่มืดสนิท และโทรศัพท์ก็ไม่มีสัญญาณ Leo คนขับรถไฟที่วันนี้ไม่ได้เข้ากะ ต้องการให้คุณช่วยพาคนยี่สิบสามคนออกไปให้ได้ก่อนที่ควันจะมาถึง นับจำนวนคน ปลอบผู้โดยสารที่ตื่นกลัว ช่วยคุณลุงที่ข้อเท้าเจ็บ และเลือกทางขึ้นที่ปลอดภัยที่สุดเมื่อทางออกบนแผนที่ถูกปิดตาย มีสี่ฉากจบให้ค้นหา
Help Leo, an off-duty train driver, lead twenty-three passengers out of a dark subway tunnel after an earthquake: count people, give clear instructions, help the injured, and choose the safest way up.
Speak aloud · a few missed words are okay · 4 endings
A story that changes with your voice
Follow one possible opening route below. Your choices lead to different outcomes. Speaking rehearsals revisit your chosen route after its resolution and are counted separately from the story chapters.
7:12 a.m. Morning rush hour. You stand in the little Line 4 metro train with sleepy people going to work. Then the floor jumps. The whole train shakes hard, and bags fall from the racks. An earthquake! The brakes scream, and the train stops in the tunnel. The lights go out. Your phone says: No signal. Next to you, a man turns on a small torch. He wears a train driver's jacket.
7:14 a.m. You lift your phone light and count, face by face. A woman helps you. Her camera flash fills the carriage with white light. Click. Twenty-three people, with you. Near the door, an old man sits on the floor. His name is Mr. Tan. He fell when the train stopped, and now his ankle hurts. The woman kneels next to him. 'I'm Mira. I know first aid.'
7:16 a.m. An eighteen-year-old student with a red hair clip holds up a small battery radio. 'I'm Aiko. This is my hiking club radio. It plays the news, and it can talk on channel 9.' The news says: 'Strong earthquake. All trains have stopped. Passengers, stay in your train.' Then, on channel 9, a different voice breaks through: '...Ash Street... old shaft... over.' Then only noise.
Useful expressions
Story vocabulary
Choose your support
See the full model sentence, then say it aloud. Best when you want maximum support.
Use a clue and build the sentence yourself. Best for flexible everyday speaking.
Respond naturally in your own words. Best when you want a real conversation challenge.
Ten Minutes Under the City is written for CEFR A2 learners. The level describes the story's target language difficulty, not an official proficiency assessment.
Choose what you want to say, speak the response aloud, and continue when your meaning is clear. Echo, Remix and Improv modes provide different amounts of support.
Yes. Create a free account to use the Pine Speak trial. Continued access after the trial requires a Story Pass.
Keep speaking
The painting is gone. The most dangerous thing in the room is the truth.
Fifty minutes to air. One truth that could save a city or break it.
Everyone looks flawless. Someone is lying beautifully.
Leo is waiting.