'Over the next few days, I explored the area carefully.' 'I found many deep wells scattered across the land.' 'They were round openings, lined with bronze.' 'When I looked down into them, I could see only darkness.' 'But I could hear sounds coming from below.' 'There was a strange thudding noise, like distant machines.' 'Air came up from the wells, warm and stale.' 'The Eloi never went near these wells.' 'When I pointed at one, Weena pulled my arm away.' 'Her face showed pure terror.' 'I began to form a theory about this world.' 'There were two kinds of creatures here.' 'The Eloi lived above ground, in the sunlight.' 'The other creatures lived below, in the darkness.' 'That night, I stayed awake and watched.' 'It was a dark night with no moon.' 'I saw pale shapes climbing out of the wells.' 'They moved quickly, keeping to the shadows.' 'Their eyes shone red in the darkness.' 'They were heading toward the buildings where the Eloi slept.' 'I followed them as quietly as I could.' 'One of them noticed me and made a strange chittering sound.' 'Instantly, they all froze.' 'Then they scattered, disappearing back into the wells.' 'I had seen them clearly now.' 'They were human, or at least they had been once.' 'But they had changed terribly.' 'Their skin was white as paper, never touched by sunlight.' 'Their eyes were huge and pale, adapted to see in the dark.' 'They were thin and stooped, like creatures who lived in tunnels.' 'I felt a deep unease when I looked at them.' 'I went back inside to check on the sleeping Eloi.' 'They were huddled together in large groups.' 'Weena woke up when I approached.' 'She grabbed my arm and would not let go.' 'I could feel her trembling with fear.' 'I sat with her until the sun began to rise.' 'Only then did she calm down and fall asleep again.' 'I knew now that I had to go below.' 'I had to descend into the darkness.' 'That was where the answers were.' 'And perhaps, that was where my machine was hidden.'
B1Chapter 8 / 15350 words42 sentences
Shadows in the Night
Chapter 8 · The Time Machine · B1 English. Tip: Click on any word while reading to see its translation. Take your time with each chapter and review the vocabulary before moving on.
Chapter Summary
The Time Traveller notices the Eloi's fear of darkness and glimpses pale creatures moving in the shadows.
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
What did the Time Traveller find scattered across the land?
2
What theory did the Time Traveller form about this world?
3
What did the Time Traveller see when he watched the wells on a dark night?
4