It was an unpleasant, cold Sunday evening. The sun was on its way home and so was Sara. Sara was a health inspector, so she had to check people’s houses to see if they were living a health y life.

Sundays were the only days she got a holiday, so she had been out trying to relax and enjoy the day. She was almost home when a small old house caught her eye. Her curiosity didn’t allow her to pass by without checking it.

Hesitantly, she approached the house and knocked. She did not think anyone would be living in such an old, shabby cabin, but, to her surprise, an old couple answered the door. The house and the couple were quite similar, both old, ragged and very easily broken.

She greeted them and asked if she could come in. Their house was empty, just like their empty stomachs that growled (低吼) aloud. It was a heartbreaking scene to witness the condition they were in.

She gathered her courage and asked the reason behind their condition. The couple were a bit nervous at first, but eventually opened up about their life. The couple, named Razia and Shahid,were going through tough times. Shahid was not educated, so he couldn’t get a decent job and only worked as a laborer, but that also for a short time because he would often fall il l due to old age. Rizia would work as a maid at people’s homes when she was young, but when age caught up with her, she also could not work properly and fell sick.

They had no children, so there was no one to look after them in their old age. Some nights, they slept hungry, while on other nights, they received a meal from some kind people. They explained how hunger was like an unwanted companion, always present, making their stomachs growl.

Sara felt saddened by their tough situation and tried to comfort them. She thought about making some arrangements for their care.

Suddenly her eyes li t up with, an idea.

The couple were delighted, and prayed for Sara’s health and long life.

The chain of kindness

The rain was coming down so hard that each drop seemed to explode as it hit the roof of the car. Tom looked out into the coal-black night, struggling desperately to keep his car on the road. The rain beatdown continuously and the road was deserted except for Tom and his car.

Tom could see his wheelchair in the backseat from the rear-view mirror and quickly looked down at his thin, broken legs. He could feel a familiar wave of despair start to wash over him. Suddenly, a loud noise shook him out of his moment of hopelessness as the car began to bump down the road. “Great,” he thought, “a flat tyre.”

With a heavy sigh, Tom brought the car to a stop, resting his head on the steering wheel, defeated! After a few seconds, he looked up and peered out of the window. In the distance, he could see a light twinkling in the blackness.

When Tom approached the house, a young girl around ten years old was standing in the doorway. He pulled up and rolled down the window. “Are your parents at home?” he shouted over the wind and rain. “I have a flat tyre and I need help.”

“Wait a minute,” the girl replied and went into the house. A few minutes later, she returned with an old man. The girl held his arm and smiled lovingly up at him.

Tom explained the problem to the old man and added, “I need help because my legs are paralyzed.” The words came out flat. But he did not know how else he could convey the fact that he needed help from this weak old man in the middle of the rainstorm. The old man simply nodded.

The old man and the little girl concentrated on their work and the rain was soaking them. Once again, Tom couldn’t help but feel he was useless. Soon the old man stepped to the window. “You’re all set,” he said. Tom handed some money to the old man, but he made no move to take it. Finally, the young girls aid, “Grandfather is blind.”

Tom was a skilled teenage surfer. He had always been attracted by the ocean and the challenge of riding its waves. He had trained tirelessly for years, sharpening his skills and perfecting his technique. He had participated in many competitions and won several titles. But one day, his world was turned upside down.

It was a routine training day. While Tom was concentrating on his training in the sea, a shark came in through the broken shark-proof net and approached him. The animal knocked over Tom’s surfboard and bit his right leg, tearing through his flesh (肉体) and causing massive damage. Despite the seriousness of his injuries, Tom was lucky to survive the attack. He was rushed to the hospital, where he received an emergency operation. With the efforts of doctors, his leg was saved.

Tom’s recovery was long and painful, but he refused to give up on his dream of surfing. At first, his progress was slow. He had to learn to walk again, and then to run, and then to jump. Every movement was a struggle. But with the help of his family and friends, as well as his own fierce determination, Tom gradually began to make progress.   He spent hours every day in the gym, doing strength and balance exercises to rebuild his body.

Finally, after months of hard work, Tom was ready to get back into the water. His first training was incredibly difficult, as he struggled to overcome his fear of the ocean and the memory of the shark attack. But gradually, he began to regain his confidence and his love for surfing. As his strength and skills returned, Tom set his sights on competing once again. He trained tirelessly, working with a coach to perfect his technique and improve his performance.   And finally, the day of the competition arrived.

Standing in front of the starting line again, Tom felt nervous．

Tom fell into the sea．