Written by Sophie Sung

publishing information

Written by Sophie Sung of E4A

Instructor: Mr. Kenneth M. Smith

Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

June 2012

p.3

About the author

The writer of this story, Sophie Sung, was born in

Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1993. She is a 4th year student

majoring in English at Wenzao Ursuline College of

Languages. She writes it as part of 4th year English

writing class, and her writing teacher is Mr. Kenneth M.

Smith. In this story, the reader will find the important

things that don’t believe all the gossip you hear, and

don’t merely see the surface, but penetrate beneath.

This is her first novel, and she hopes all of the readers

can enjoy “The House on the Cliff.”

p.4

Content

Publishing information……………………… ..p.2

About the author ………………………………p.3

Synopsis ……………………………………….p.5

Main characters ……………………………….p.6

Chapter 1 The House on the Cliff …………...p.7

Chapter 2 The Friendship ..……………….....p.12

Chapter 3 The Festival …..………………......p.17

Chapter 4 Marcus ………………...................p. 21

Chapter 5 The Birthday ..…………………….p. 25

Chapter 6 The Secret ..………………………p. 30

Chapter 7 The Differences .…………………p. 35

Chapter 8 The Ending ..……………………...p. 39

Acknowledgements…………………………...p. 45

References…………………………………….p. 45

Words checked: 5048

Words in Oxford 3000: 92%

p.5

Synopsis

Valerie is attractive and smart, but she is not

happy at all because no one wants to call in at

her house. The people always say “This is a

haunted house. “At night the strange things will

occur at the house. The neighbors hear the

scream, see the lights go in and out. People don‘t

want to be close to her and her mother. And the

situation is the same as at school, so Valerie has no

friends. Until one day Valerie is going out with

Marcus, who is the most handsome person in the

class, her life completely changes......

However, when the rain is over, can the sky really

clear up……?

p.6

Main characters

Valerie:

a smart senior high school student, but

has no friends

Valerie’s mother:

a woman who lives lonely with Valerie,

and whom everyone calls “witch”

Marcus:

the most handsome person in the class,

but not do well at the school

Lars and Susanne:

the friends of Marcus

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Chapter 1 The House on the Cliff

There is a house which lies on the coast. It is huge and

old. “The house on the cliff” is the name which the people

call the house. There, which is near a small village in

Husum, lives Valerie with her mother.

Valerie is a senior high school student who is not only intelligent, but also attractive. She has blue eyes and dark hair. She is tall and has got a beautiful slender figure. She loves reading, and she gets the best marks in the class.

However, Valerie is not happy at all. She and her

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mother are very lonely because no one wants to call in at her house. The people always say “This is a haunted

house.” At night the strange things will occur at the house.

The neighbors hear the scream, see the lights go in and

out. The mystery must be going on there. “Witchcraft,” the people always say: “There lives a witch!”

People don’t want to be close to her and her

mother. And the people who don’t believe the witch

and ghost also talk seldom with Valerie because she is

too shy. In the class she doesn’t say anything aloud. At

recess she lonely reads the books on the bench or

just looks around the classmates who happily chat

w ith each other. And she co lors up w henever

people look at her. She is trapped in her own world.

Every Wednesday she goes to the library because

she loves reading very much, but today it’s for the

schoolwork. She has to make a report about a German writer.

p.9

“Hallo!” She turns around. Marcus, the most

handsome person in the class, stands behind her.

Marcus is nice, has many friends, laughs usually, and

talks a lot. In the class he always talks about the

festivities, concerts and films. However, Marcus doesn’t do

well at school. The people always hear he says, “I have so

many things to do, so I don’t have time to do my

homework.” “Danny Sanfancisco!” Marcus reads the title of the

book which Valerie takes in her hands. “This is surely

to be the report, right? And you write it by yourself?”

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Marcus asks. “I plagiarized the content from the Internet. And I can give you the address.” However, Valerie

doesn’t respond. She is just silent, and her head is

bent low. Marcus looks at her and suddenly asks “Do you want to drink something with me?”

“Ok” Valeria says. So they go into a café for coffee. Marcus talks a lot without pause. He talks about the

school and teachers, and he imitates their history

teacher. Valerie laughs a lot, and then she asks Marcus

“Why do you come to the library? Do not tell me that you want to read the book?” she laughs again.

“Nmm… actually no. My paper from the internet is

a bit too short, and perhaps our beloved German

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teacher has already read it. The essay and composition

are on the computer all the time. And…” “You want to

extend the paper a little bit?” Valeria asks. “Maybe I can help you.”

“What's the title of your theme?” Valeria wants to

know. “My theme,” Mark laughed. “Tonio Kröger! By

Thomas Mann” “Then give it to me.” Valeria starts to

writes. She writes a new report. The text from the

Internet is terrible. “Look here. All of those are spelling

mistakes! That's what you can’t give the teacher!” Valerie says. Outside it's getting dark.

The clock strikes six. “I have to go home,“ Valeria

says. “We can meet here again tomorrow. There is

only two or three pages, and then this report is

perfect.” She happily helps him with whom she feels completely at ease.

He brings her home. They walk on the dike along

the sea. It is high tide. Black and gray water is below

p.12

them. “People say that there is a whole city which lies down there...”Valerie says. “Do you believe th is

story?” Marcus asks. “I don’t know, but sometimes

the sea can actually make people afraid.” Valerie

says. “Yes, it looks friendlier in summer, but I also like

the sea, even in the winter.” “Me too, and always!” They look at each other and smile.

Chapter 2 The Friendship

Since that November afternoon, Marcus and

Valerie became friends.

Dur ing the recess, people s ee them always

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together. Marcus often accompanies Valerie home

after the school. In the beginning, Valerie just speaks a little. She listens to him who talks about his life, his friends – he always has many things to tell. After some

days, she speaks more from day to day, and she talks

about herself. She tells him everything. With no one she can speak like that, even with her mother.

Valerie speaks frequently about books and music.

She plays piano and loves classical music. Marcus plays

a little guitar, but Beethoven and Mozart, which for

him is "junk". However, both of them love nature, sea, and they talk about everything they have experienced.

Valerie meets other people with Marcus and his

friends. She doesn’t speak much, but she likes to be with other people. This is all new to her!

Valerie changes. The teachers have noticed that,

too. "Valerie was really shy," she said, "and then there is

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the problematic family situation! But now she always seems very happy."

Valerie knows Marcus for a month, and their

fr iendship becomes more intens e than before.

However, perhaps there is more than friendship. Marcus thinks Valerie is very interesting and beautiful.

At first she seems shy, but then-"She is not like other

girls," Marcus says, "she has so many interests. It's

never boring with her." He wants to be more than just

a friend, but he is still waiting, because he is insecure.

"Does she really like me or she just want no longer to be alone?"

Soon the moment comes, which Marcus has been

waiting for a long time: a celebration. "Next Saturday is my friend, Stefan's birthday. Let’s go together!" "I’ll

stay at home." Valeria says quickly. "No, you will come

with me! There is nothing going on in the winter. No

concerts, nothing! "Markus answers. “I've never been

p.15

to a party," Valerie says. "Once is always the first time!" Marcus replies.

However, the thing is not so simple for Valerie: "You

know that people have something against me. No real

family. The father? Who knows? My mother? A witch!

You’d better go with another person at this birthday

party!" "Do not worry so much. We go there together.

Dancing, eating, drinking, and meeting people - that's really not so complicated!" Markus says.

Valerie is not yet convinced. She knows the

people, knows their eyes and the sharp vision. She will

stand in the corner all the time, or at the window, just

as she always does in class. However, Marcus comes with her, and he will help her……

"What should I wear?" she asks him. "Nmm…you

can go to downtown with Susanne and buy something,

which she likes and is really good at." "Susanne?"

Valerie is skeptical. She knows Susanne practically only

p.16

by the sight. She is a good friend of Marcus. He and she knew each other from kindergarten. She is always

cheerful, always stands in the center of the people.

Her hobbies are boys, clothes, and parties. She is

always nice to Valerie, but both of them have nothing

to say. Valerie thinks that Susanne has a crush on

Marcus and is jealous of her.

The next afternoon Valerie goes to the city with

Susanne. Valerie tries at least ten dresses. One is too

long, one makes her thick, one is too lean, and

another one is too “brave”. After more than an hour

they finally have bought the things which they seek. It’s a black dress. It is short - but not too much; elegant

- but not for "old ladies"; fashionable - but still

relatively "normal", as Susanne says. And Valerie is also satisfied because she really likes that dress.

p.17

Chapter 3 The Festival

Saturday night at 8 o’ clock the festivity begins.

Each one brings something to eat or drink. Valerie makes an ice cream cake.

Marcus picks her up by car. Susanne and Lars, who is an old friend of Marcus, are also sitting in the car.

Throughout the day, Valerie thought of the party.

She has her hair tied with red ribbon and put on a little

make-up. They go to a house by the sea. Everything is

brightly lit, and there are many cars in front of the

house. There is no one in the large garden because it

p.18

is too cold outside. Everyone is in the house. There is a big table on which there are a lot of drinks, big cakes, potato chips, salad, and rolls. There are about f ifty people, most of whom

Valerie has ever seen in school. Stefan's parents

are not there, and no one is older than twenty. Many

people are dressed elegantly; some – for example

Lars – are wearing just jeans; some are wearing fancy

clothes with funny haircuts. And all of them seems

know each other very well by talking loudly. Valerie

s its immediately on an armchair in the corner, but

Marcus stands next to her. "Come on, please stand up, Valerie!" he asks her,"

There's a couple of friends of mine who have come here,

and you have to know them!" And then she goes with

Marcus from one group to another and gets to know

many boys and girls. There are so many that she

p.19

forgets their names immediately, but all of them are

very nice to her. She dances well, drinks a bit, talks and laughs a lot. All of things that now make her feel

fun. Many boys look at her, and by the time the

slow dances come, many want to dance with her. However, she almost always dances with Marcus.

"You look really great tonight. Everybody says so."

he tells her. She knows it's very important for Marcus

what his friends and others say. Have fun together,

have lots of friends around, the group- that is his life.

"How different we are!" she thinks. "But he's really

wonderful!"

The party is finally ending at two o’clock in the

morning. Marcus carries Valerie, Lars and Susanne

home. Everyone is tired and doesn’t speak a word all

the way back home.

Then they arrive in front of the house, where

Valerie lives. It is old, large and stands on a small hill,

p.20

so the house seems bigger and darker than usual. The

trees in the garden bear no leaves which look like pictures of sad children. The sea is calm tonight. You

can hear the “splish splash” quietly just off the cliffs. Valerie looks at the others. Now she would like to know what they think. Susanne stares with big eyes at

the house and no longer speaks. Lars smiles to himself

and hums a song, but Marcus has already opened the car door and taken Valerie's hand. "I 'll take you to the door." he says. They walk

through the garden hand in hand. Just before the door

he stops and kisses her lightly on the lips. "Good night,

Valerie," he says and goes back to the car. She wants

to dance and sing because she is so happy at this

moment. "Hopefully it will not happen now!" she thinks. "Please not now!"

p.21

However, when Marcus just sits in the car, and the

car door still opens yet, they hear a terrible scream.

There is a man who cries. He screams loudly. In the

stillness of the night the cry seems twice as loud. It

comes out of the house on the cliffs, her house! She

sees the car of her friend go fast. As quickly as the devil would chase after them.

Chapter 4 Marcus

The next morning Valerie is nervous and confused.

p.22

"Now he has heard it, too. Perhaps he wants to know nothing more from me now. Oh, if I like him or not? I

hope he will call me. Maybe he's afraid of me and the

house. Just like all other people." All day she sits on the phone. "Just ring, please!" she says. In the afternoon at five o’clock the telephone rings

at last. Marcus asks: " Do you have time tonight?" She

replies: "Yes, I have time. I would also like to see

you, but I cannot leave my mother alone for too long.

It was too late yesterday......" "I see. Maybe we can go to Flip and stay there for some times." Markus says.

Flip is located directly on the beach. In summer

you can see that people sit there on plastic chairs in

front of the door and put the feet in the sand. There

are full of tourists. On weekends a lot of walkers go to there, mostly couples because they are undisturbed there.

p.23

Marcus and Valerie take hand in hand. They talk a

lot about everything except the scream which both of

them have heard. And then they continue to speak of their interests, nature and of "us". Valerie has a boyfriend for the first time, and she

is happy about that. For Marcus, it is not the first girlfriend, he has already had many. But Valerie is

different from the other girls. She does not talk so

much nons ens e. "S he's r eally s mar t. D o y ou

understand?" he explains to his friends.

On the fifth of February is Valerie's birthday. She

thinks of a romantic dinner for two, just her and

Marcus. Marcus thinks the idea is not good: "For two

on your birthday? You'll be eighteen! We can hold a

big party at your house or mine." "And then people can’t chat with each other!" Valerie says.

It is best to be alone with her Marcus. Sometimes

p.24

she also wants to be with friends, but never more than two or three at once. Marcus and Valerie are really very different, but

Marcus is still in love and refuses to see that. Marcus

always talks about sports cars or football. He likes to

ride into the city and spend a lot on clothes. At

night he likes to go to the club which is in. When he is alone, he sits in front of the computer and plays. Valerie thinks all of these are silly. She isn’t interested

in the shops in the city at all. She likes to go to the

l ibrary or mus eum. When s he’s at home, s he

listens to the music or plays the piano.

"Well," Marcus says, "maybe we can go to a

restaurant. Perhaps the Chinese-Restaurant, and then

we invite a few friends about ten or twelve. It is also

quite funny." "No," Valerie replies vigorously. "This is

my birthday, so we celebrate the way I want. I want to go out alone with you or just invite another one

p.25

couple."

Marcus is not qu ite interested, but he says

noth ing. "We can inv ite Lars and Susanne," he

suggests. "That's a good idea. I believe it will be a extremely fascinating evening." Valerie says.

Chapter 5 The Birthday

p.26

Marcus, Valerie, Lars and Susanne meet at Flip. They drink a glass of champagne. "Cheers!"

And then Valerie makes a suggestion: "Tonight

why not going to my home? My Mother has gone for

the weekend to a friend in Flensburg." Lars replies

immediately: "Good idea." Mark takes a few seconds.

Then he says: "Yes, we go ..." Susanne says nothing,

but she also goes with.

In ten minutes they are there. The big house is

dark in the moonlight. However, it's bright inside, and the facility is modern and elegant. "That looks quite normal." Susanne says. The others look at her. "I mean, a nice house! And you never have invited us! "

"I think we get into the dining room." Valerie says.

She's a little bit nervous. "I have not cooked anything special. Just simple spaghetti is with meat sauce. I also baked a pizza. Then there is chocolate ice cream and raisin pie."

The din ing room is very large. And it hangs

p.27

landscape paintings on one wall, and there are

bookshelves on the other walls. Everything is old and

valuable. Lars wants to look at everything closely, but

Marcus calls him to dinner: "Let the old stuff out and come to eat!"

When eating Lars asked Valerie about the pictures and many of the old books she has read. They talk incessantly. Valerie and Lars really have many interests in common: book s , ar t, c las s ica l mus ic , and they can usually talk to no one about these things. When Valerie brings the chocolate ice cream, the

seats have changed. Lars is sitting next to Valerie, and

Susanne is next to Marcus. Susanne does not seem

unhappy to that change. She tells Marcus about her

travel plans for the summer, but Marcus does not listen actually. He looks again and again to Valerie who happily talks with Lars. He is jealous, but he does not want to ruin the evening. Suddenly, they hear a scream.

p.28

Susanne jumps. "My God! Who cries there? This is a

man! It must be here in the house." Marcus also stands

up. Only Lars remains seated. "What happens?" he asks,

and he tries to tell it as normal as possible.

But Valerie only says: "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. "and

runs from the room, up the stairs.

"I can’t stay a minute longer here!" Susanne is crying now. "Marcus, bring me home," Marcus says

nothing. And then they hear another scream. "Marcus,

I want to get out of here!" "Yes, well, I'll bring you home...... And you, Lars?" "Nope, I still want to remain here for some time."

Marcus and Susanne go. Lars goes up to the stairs. He is

p.29

looking for Valerie and shouts: "Valerie! Valerie! Where are you? Are you all right? Can I help you? " It is dark in the hallway, so he cannot see. As

Valerie suddenly comes out of a room, Lars jumps up.

"What are you doing here? Are you ... the others are

also still there?" she asks. "No, the others have gone." he says. "Go out, too. Please!" Valerie says.

Does she cry? Lars does not want to leave her

alone. "Can I help you? Now tell me what is going on,"

he asks. "Nothing happens! I can…… that's none.

Please, go now!" Valerie says.

Someone laughs in the room, but the laughter

does not sound normal, it’s a bit like the laughter of

madmen in horror movies, but Lars does not impress by this. "Who's there?" He asks. "Lars, please. Go now! "

At that moment the door opens. An old man stands there: He is tall, and he wears a sailor's cap on his

p.30

head. He stands at the door and laughs more.

"Dad," Valerie says. "You're supposed to stay in

bed" She takes him by the arms and brings him back into the room. "Who is this boy?" he asks Valerie.

Lars is waiting in the hallway and listening still, as

she tells her father: "Good night, Daddy. If you need anything, please call me. "

Chapter 6 The Secret

Valerie and Lars go back into the living room. "So that is your father? "Lars asks. "Yes ..." Valerie says slowly. "And why do you close him here?”

p.31

"That's a long story ... one or the other you may

have already known. People here talk a lot about us, my family, my mother and this house." Valerie says.

"Nope," Lars answers, "I know nothing about it. I don’t listen to what the people tell so. "

And then Valerie tells him the story. First, it seems

like a fairy tale, but it has a sad ending. "My father and

my mother have known each other in Genoa, Italy. My

mother is Italian, as you know. My father was captain

of a large ship. With his ship, he often came to Genoa.

I was born there. We moved to Husum when I was

four or five years old. My father had inherited this

house from his aunt. That is why we are here. Nine

years ago my father's ship in the Pacific is caught in a hurricane. Only he has survived, and he has spent

three months alone on a deserted island. At the end people have found him there and brought him home,

but he was no longer the same ... he's gone crazy in

p.32

isolation, the doctors said that and put him in a psychiatric

hospital. Mom had often visited him there and always

came back home by crying. 'They lock him up like an

animal!' she said. 'He is not crazy, just a bit confused. He will never recover in that place.' Luckily we had money

and bribed a male nurse, so dad was able to escape. Mom then brought him home, but this must remain as a secret. No one may know about it, otherwise he must return to the clinic. My father wakes up from nightmare and then screams, but he does nothing to hurt anyone. He

dreams again and again of how did all of the people

drown, how did he live alone on a small island and wait.

My mother has tried every possibility to help him, and he

has become better. It is quite normal during the day. He

writes, and sometimes we sell his stories to newspapers or magazines. "

p.33

" But no one should know s omething of it ,

Marcus." It Is the mother of Valerie. She comes home at that moment. "Hello, Mummy" Valerie says. "This is not Marcus, this is Lars." Her mother looks at her, but says nothing. Lars gets up. "How beautiful she is!" He thinks,

"She does not look like a witch." "I think it's time ..."

he says. "Believe me, I say nothing to anyone. Good

night and goodbye." Valerie brings him to the door. That evening, Valerie and her mother are sitting

for a long time in the dining room. "I can understand

you," says her mother. "It is certainly hard for you to

always live with this secret." Valerie wants to deny it, but her mother let her cannot say a word.

"I know what people say about us, but things will

p.34

surely get better soon. Daddy will get well." Then she asks Valerie about Marcus and Lars. Valerie tells a lot about Marcus, but what she says is not entirely clear. Marcus has gone in this evening. Why is she not angry? Does she at the end become uninterested in what Marcus thinking and doing? "But I do not really understand," her mother says, "why does this Lars still stay here?" Valerie cannot explain it well, either. Why did Lars want to help her? Why could she tell him everything, and not Marcus?

It is three o’clock in the morning when two of

them finally come to bed. That night Valerie is in a

dream that everything is up and makes her confused: Marcus, the scream, and Lars.

p.35

Chapter 7 The Differences

Valeria feels more confident and relaxed in the

school. It’s the first time that she has been able to talk

to s omeon e ab out her s e cr et. Mar cus is v er y

embarrassed. When they meet at the break, he says: "Hey,

I have just gone away at Saturday night, and I'm sorry

about that. I don’t know what was wrong with me..."

Valerie replies: "Don’t worry. You have to also bring

Susanne home. I'm sorry for that evening. It had started so well….. but we speak no more of it!"

p.36

"We simply celebrate your birthday next Saturday again. Just two of us and in the little restaurant ...... if you like."

Valeria smiles. At Saturday night they go to a

restaurant together. And they also still meet each

other on the other days, but all of the things are just not like before. It is getting warmer. The days are getting longer.

On the beach you can see more and more tourists.

Valerie also takes long walks. Sometimes she goes

alone, but Lars is often with her. Marcus is no friend of

walking. "That's something for pensioners." he says.

And then Valerie and he gradually do not know what to talk about. They slowly become strange. Valerie has also changed very much. Now she has

many friends at school, but she is sti ll interested in

music, books and art- for all of the things which is different from Marcus.

p.37

A Saturday comes. Valerie and Marcus are sitting at a Chinese restaurant. Their conversation does not

continue. There are long breaks again and again. Finally, they look at each other. " We actually l ive in two d ifferent wor lds ."

Marcus suddenly says. "Two worlds ...... I still love you, but you're light years away...I ..." "Yes, we are very different, Marcus." she replies.

"We have very different interests, but it’s the thing

that makes the life more interesting. There are many

couples who live together happily, because everyone

has its own interest." "And we?" Marcus asks. At the

first time in his life he is red "I love you, Valerie. Yes, I

love you." He looks at her, but before she can answer, he asks, "And do you lov e Lars? You'r e a lways

together. Walk here. Go to Baroque concert. You have

so many things in common. When you're with Lars,

you look happy…. relaxed and happy..... Be happier

p.38

than with me!" He is not angry, he is just sad. Valerie does not respond because she doesn’t

have the courage, but she knows Marcus is right.

When she is with Lars, she feels as good as she has

never felt with Marcus. Then she says, what people all say in this situation: "Let’s break up and remain good friends."

People see that Valerie and Lars are together more

and more. Everyone looks at him now as Valerie's

boy friend. Marcus sti l l loves the beautifu l and

mysterious Valerie. However, he spends more time with Susanne, and at the parties with friends.

They are only eighteen. Nor does anyone think about when they fall in love, separate again and fall in love again.

p.39

Chapter 8 The Ending

One evening in summer, Valerie calls Lars: “Could

you please quickly come here? My father doesn’t feel very well……”

When Lars arrives the house on the cliff, it goes

dark. Valerie and her mother are both in the living

room. Her father with the closed eyes lies down on the

sofa. Valerie’s mother is crying. “He’s in a temperature

of 40 degree. He is really in a bad condition……very

bad……He is on the point of breathing his last breath.

He hasn’t eaten and drunk anything for many days!”

“I can call my father. He is a doctor, and he is at

home tonight. If I call him, he would come here right

away.” Markus says. “A doctor?” Valerie’s mother looks at

p.40

Markus and suspects, but Valerie says: “Please call him right now!”

After 10 minutes Dr. Schlicks stands in front of the

door with the briefcase. When he sees Valerie’s father,

he doesn’t say any word. He comes immediately ahead of the patient and examines him. And then he

stands up and looks at Valerie and her mother: “Just

a cold, madam. Don’t be so nervous. I will give him

some medicine, and he will be good after some days.”

“You are really an angel for us, but I have

something to request you. Please don’t tell anyone

what you are seeing here.” Valerie’s mother says. “One

man in a temperature” Dr. Schlicks says laconically.

“Of course I say nothing about my case. Good night, madam. I will come here tomorrow to check my case.”

p.41

A few days later Valerie’s father is recovering

nicely. And Lars’ father still comes usually. He talks a

lot with Valerie’s mother. Finally, she tells the complete story to him. He recommends her to consult a psychiatrist. “Don’t worry. No one will arrest him.”

The psychiatrist, whom she called, stays lonely for

2 hours with Valerie’s father and talks with him. When

he walks out of the room, he draws a deep breath and

laughs. “Your husband writes good story, Mrs. Sielsen.

Absolutely we have to do something to confront this

nightmare. First of all, your husband can’t stay at home all day long. Takes a walk, and takes him out with the crowd. This is the first step.”

p.42

Valerie’s mother hasn’t forgotten what happened

before 8 years ago: “When they brought him and came

back from that island, they took him to that horrible

psychiatric hospital and……”

“I give you my word that this won’t happen again

these days. He can be able to lead a perfectly normal life.”

Valerie’s mother runs quickly up the stairs, rushes to

the room, and says to Valerie’s father: “We are free! We can go to everywhere to which we want to go!” However,

her husband seems to be upset. He doesn’t want to go out and meets the people who still remember him.

And then Valerie’s mother has an idea: “I haven’t

been to Genoa for some time. It’ll be wonderful to stay in

Italy for a month.” She thinks no one knows him in

Italy. And then he can accommodate himself to the

crowd of people. Valerie is also very excited about this

vacation which she has already expected for long, long time.

p.43

It is autumn. Valerie goes to the school every day.

In the evening she does homework, goes to the library,

reads the book, and plays the piano, but actually Valerie’s life changes a lot.

Her affection for Lars grows with each passing day.

She makes the plans for the future: Where they study

together, how they live together. And now Valerie has

a real father, with whom she can go shopping, walk, and have tea. Valerie’s father is often at home because he wants to

write something, and now he has time for his daughter.

Sometimes Mr. Sielsen dreams still badly, sometimes this

fear suddenly comes back, but he continues to makes a

therapy with the psychologist. Normal life makes him feel

well, and his lovely wife helps him the most. He becomes better from week to week. Even Valerie's character has changed a lot. She isn’t shy anymore. She has become more confident

p.44

and ... speaks much, or, just like Lars says: “She talks much? -No, she just talks constantly.”

I think we can anticipate a still better tomorrow lies ahead of this family.

--------------------------------The End------------------------------

p.45

Acknowledgements The author wants to thank several people. I would like to

thank my friend, Emma Chen, for her continuous

inspiration. I would also like to thank Mr. Kenneth M.

Smith for his help and his direction with this novel. Last

but not least, I would like to thank all of my friends. This

novel would never have been completed without the

encouragement and devotion of them.

References Title page:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56939

Page 7:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielygo/sets/72157619098897

332/detail

Page 12:

http://rosesdailyjournal.blogspot.tw/2011/05/friendship.html

Page 33:

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-27372505/stock-photo-mans-

hands-behind-bars-in-jail-or-prison.html

Page 4,5,6,9,10,19,20,21,22,25,28,30,35,38,40,43: Microsoft

p.46

The House on the Cliff

Va le r ie i s a ttr a c tiv e a nd s ma r t , b ut s h e

i s n o t h a p p y a t a l l b e c a u s e n o o n e

w a n ts t o c a l l i n a t h e r h o u s e . T h e

p e o p le a lw a y s s a y “ T h i s i s a h a u n t e d

h o u s e . “ A t n i g h t t h e s t r a n g e t h i n g s

w il l o c c ur a t t he ho us e . T h e n e ig hb o r s

h e a r t h e s c r e a m , s e e t h e l i g h ts g o i n

a n d o ut . Pe o p le do n ’ t w a nt to b e c lo s e

her and her mother. And the situation is the

same as at school, so Valerie has no friends.

Unt il o ne da y Va le r ie is g o ing o ut w it h

Marcus who is the most handsome person in

t h e c l a s s , h e r l i f e c o m p l e t e l y

changes......

However, when the rain is over, can the sky

really clear up……?