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THE DREAM 1 DEAD OR ALIVE? VICKY KUO

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Page 1: The Dream Dead or Alive

THE DREAM

1

DEAD OR ALIVE?

VICKY KUO

Page 2: The Dream Dead or Alive

2

WORDS CHECKED: 5206

WORDS IN OXFORD 3000: 94%

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THE DREAM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – VICKY KUO------------------------------4

SYNOPSIS------------------------------------------------------------5

CHAPTER ONE A THIEF--------------------------------------------6

CHAPTER TWO THE STRANGE DEATH---------------------16

CHAPTER THREE TRUTH IS CRUEL? -----------------------23

CHAPTER FOUR CONFLICT-------------------------------------30

CHAPTER FIVE MISUNDERSTANDING----------------------38

CHAPTER SIX INSIDE STORY-----------------------------------47

CHAPTER SEVEN FRIENDSHIP--------------------------------53

CHAPTER EIGHT TIME’S UP. DEAD OR ALIVE? --------58

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Before you read this novel “The Dream”, you

should know Vicky is a girl of imagination. And she is

also a strange girl.

This strange girl was born on 28 November, 1988

in Kaohsiung, R.O.C. She was in fourth grade of

Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages upon writing

the novel. She likes to read books and to write essays

in Chinese. This is her first English novel.

When I finish the story, I think “What meaningful

it is. There is deep meaning inside.”

Hope you enjoy the novel.

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SYNOPSIS

This story was a about a girl.

“I knew one person’s outside could not really show

his mind and thinking.”

“I didn’t do it! I wasn’t the thief!”

“Yes, you did.”

She killed herself.

Then, she met Death.

“Am I dreaming now?”

“I will show you the truth.”

What does friendship mean?

What about dreams? What about truths?

Does anyone really know the truth?

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CHAPTER ONE : A THIEF

It was 3:15 p.m. I was standing at an intersection

and not in the mood to listen to the noise of the city.

The incessant streams of cars and trucks were

reflected in my eyes. Dust was flying everywhere and

it seemed like it would never fall to the ground. I

recalled having seen a mist with parents. It blurred my

view, my mind, everything.

There were some bad memories flashing in my

head. Many mean words and sentences were still

ringing in my ears. I smiled as usual. However, I

doubted how I could do that. Perhaps it didn’t matter

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anymore.

“Yes, it doesn’t matter anymore…” I whispered.

I walked straight into the road, just like I was

going to be awarded a prize on stage. The honking

sounds of the cars sounded like a wonderful song. The

passersby shocked, but I only thought they were proud

of me. I even heard someone cheering me!

I was sent flying across the pavement and then

fell down. “Hurry up! Call 119! Call police!” I could

hear someone shouting, “She has been bumped by the

truck!” At the moment, I saw a lot of red

flowers…Were they real flowers? Why did I feel

sleepy?

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There were many questions dancing in my brain,

which made me have a headache. Like a movie,

everything was produced again and again. There was

nothing I could redeem and I felt tired…very tired…

Gradually, I closed my eyes.

***

“You know what, believing is very important…”

I sneered. What does “BELIEVE” mean? This

word in my dictionary was crossed out. No matter

who tried to convince me of stupid sentences like

“Believing is important…” I wouldn’t trust anyone

again!

There would be a history test next class. I was

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studying history very hard and felt confused. Why did

they still have free time to chat? Forget it. I didn’t

want to know the answer.

“Hey, Green! Ms. Jones asked you to go to her

office!” one of my classmates shouted.

But why? I raised my head with a frown because I

didn’t know the reason. Normally, someone would be

asked to go to Ms. Jones’ office because he did

something wrong. However, I didn’t do anything

illegal. Perhaps if I wanted to get the answer, I should

go to Ms. Jones’ office. When I stood up, I heard

someone saying…

“…She stole her classmate’s money in junior high!

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Have you heard about that?”

“Oh? Teresa’s money was stolen yesterday!

Maybe she stole it… ”

“Her family is very poor. They can live because

of her scholarship.”

“No wonder she wanted to steal money!”

“…shhhhh…She is coming!”

A forced smile appeared on my face. Actually, I

could do nothing except smile. They didn’t know the

truth…

However, what was the truth? Who knew it?

***

“Miss Green, sit down, please. I believe you must

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have heard of some of the rumors swirling around

campus. ” Ms. Jones smiled and I said nothing.

Perhaps she thought I acquiesced in her words, so she

kept saying, “Do you want to express your thoughts

about that?”

What should I say? Try to deny that I am not the

thief? Actually, she didn’t believe I was innocent, so

she asked me to come here.

“Ms. Jones,” I said coldly, “It’s no use to say

anything if you believe the rumors. Even though I say

I am not the thief, you won’t trust me completely, will

you? And even though you trust me…but actually, if

you really trust me, you wouldn’t call me to come

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here, right? So it means you don’t believe me. In

addition, you have never trusted me, haven’t you?”

Ms. Jones was silent and

looked at my deadpan face

angrily. The next moment, I

fell down to the floor and

my face hurt bitingly. The

situation seemed familiar, but I forgot when it

happened before. We faced each other for minutes.

Only the ticktacks of the clock on the wall kept

moving…

***

I walked slowly to my classroom. My face hurt

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less than before. However, I guessed the red

impression might be evident. The bell was ringing and

I knew it was break time.

“Green, Mrs. Straight has announced that you are

fired and she will change her research assistant.”

Actually, helping a professor do research is very

popular. It was because not only you would get extra

points, but also everyone would respect you. Every

student wanted to get the chance. According to a

school sister, spreading some rumors was very normal.

Moreover, someone did everything dirty such as

menacing or threatening to force her to give up the

chance.

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Though I knew it very well, I still felt very

shocked. I was not shocked by being fired. I felt

shocked because I was not upset.

I looked at the blue sky as if in trance.

“Ha, Mrs. Straight always pays attention to our

behavior,” Rebecca Fool walking toward me and

said,” A thief will never be her research assistant!”

I shook my head and sighed.

When I returned to my seat, a girl came to me and

said “Vicky, don’t be so sad,” She was smiling like an

angel, “just confess the truth and apologize to Teresa.

I believe everyone will forgive you.”

I was wrong, totally wrong. She was not an angel.

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Did anybody believe me? I looked around the class.

Everyone stared at me like I was a prisoner. I smiled

sadly and walked out of the classroom.

I couldn’t think. My brain was blank. And then, I

walked out of the school……

It was 3:15 p.m. I

was standing at a

crossroad and not in

the mood to listen to

the noise of the city.

Perhaps it didn’t matter

anymore.

“Yes, it doesn’t matter anymore…” I whispered.

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CHAPTER TWO: THE STRANGE DEATH

“Who are you?” I asked.

This was the first sentence I said, and also the

first question I asked after opening my eyes. I was

standing in a white room and saw a strange person

standing in front of

me. He wore a black

robe and an ashen

mask covered his

face. A scythe he

holds was shining

and sharp.

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The question might be very stupid. (Perhaps the

stupid one was me.) However, I knew one person’s

outside could not really show his mind and thinking.

Though he looked like a ”funny” Death in the

advertisement of insurance companies, I still couldn’t

confirm that he was …Death.

Why? It was because I was not sure if he was

“real” Death. After all, I hadn’t met Death in my life.

No, I didn’t want to think about this question anymore.

“It must be a dream!” I thought. I knew when I closed

my eyes and opened them, I would go back to my real

life.

I closed my eyes and tried to wake up……I

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opened my eyes……

“Why are you still here? Where am I? Who are

you?”

He was laughing at me and didn’t answer my

questions. I felt angry.

“Do you want to ask who I am? Then, who do

you think I am?”

I looked at Death and shouted angrily, “I don’t

know who you are. I don’t know where I am. I don’t

know why I am here. I don’t know ANYTHING!”

He smiled and filliped his fingers. The place

where we were standing changed to a gallery. I was

sure that was a hospital because I saw many doctors

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and nurses. However, I was not sure of the Death’s

purpose. After he smiled at me, a light appeared. It

was too bright to open my eyes.

And I saw myself lying on the bed.

“Is that…me?” I

trembled. My body was

black and blue all over.

Nurses were bandaging

my wounds.

“Dr. Kind, please

save my daughter!” my father said to beg the doctor.

“She hurts very badly and has a concussion.

Maybe she will become a vegetable and won’t wake

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up anymore,” the doctor sighed, “but don’t worry. We

will try our best!”

“Thank you, doctor…thank you very much…”

Father’s voice cracked. Suddenly, I discovered I

was an unfilial and irresponsible daughter. But the

truth was cruel. I couldn’t recover from what I did.

However……

“You can save me, right?” I turned to the Death

and plucked at his sleeve. He looked at me deridingly

like what I said was a joke.

“What? Don’t you want to die? Your dream will

come true. Now, you should be very happy, shouldn’t

you? Do you think I can save you? No, no, and no,

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dear Vicky, I am Death. How can I save you? Ah?”

I was silent. According to him, I knew he was

true Death. In fact, I knew it very well, didn’t I?

However, was it really true? I doubted it because of

his ridiculing tone.

“Why don’t you take me away right now?

Anyway, I am going to die in a few days,” I said

coldly, like I was still in Ms. Jones’ office.

Death didn’t care about my cold words and said,

“I will let you know some truths which you don’t

understand and refuse to understand. Then, I think you

won’t have regrets.”

“Do you think that I will toe your line after

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understanding everything?” I laughed at him.

He smiled and said nothing. I demolished

Death’s impression because of him. The scythe he

holds disappeared. I still didn’t know what Death was.

The place changed again.

This time, where would we go? To Hell?

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CHAPTER THREE: TRUTH IS CRUEL?

The breeze was blowing warmly. The sunshine

was spraying into the classroom. There were two or

three books on each desk. Everything seemed familiar.

I was of course familiar with this place. That was…

“That was your class in junior high. I know you

must have bad memories here. By the way, now

is…… ”

He didn’t finish because I glared at him. I hated

this place! Why did stupid Death take me here? When

I was going to damn him, I saw a girl in a sport shirt

running into my classroom. She was…no, she was

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stealing someone’s wallet and putting it in my book

bag! Her face was brutal like she wanted revenge for

herself on me! I was very shocked because of her…

“Why? She was my best friend in junior high…”

Meanwhile, I saw

another girl looking at

her, too. I was sure she

must have seen

everything! Why didn’t

she confess the truth to

everybody? I was NOT the thief! I walked toward her

angrily.

Suddenly, I was losing my mind. Everything was

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broken around my world.

***

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?”

Basically, if you were concerned about someone,

you would ask her this question. Nevertheless, it

sounded like irony to me.

“How dare you ask me that? You saw that, didn’t

you? How come? Mandy and Amanda…they were my

best friends…One backstabbed me, and the other one

didn’t confess the truth! Why did they betray me?”

I shouted at Death and cried like a baby.

He sighed, “Calm down. OK?”

“It’s your fault! Why did you take me there? I

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wouldn’t believe in friends anymore! You made me

feel disappointed with everything! I have more regrets

at this world! ” I wiped my tears and bellowed at him.

However, he was not angry with my complaint.

Actually, he still smiled like a kind teacher. Until now,

everything seemed like a mystery.

“Listen to me. What you just saw happened one

year ago, in your third year of junior high,” he said

and walked behind me, and his voice is cool, “Do you

think it is true?”

I didn’t know how to answer, so I kept silent.

“You can’t only see the surface of a thing.

Sometimes, what you see is not the real truth.

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Someone garbles the truth. Someone has imagination

and makes it become more complicated,” he said

logically like he was a philosopher, “We both know

truth is usually cruel. However, if you misunderstand

the truth, that will be crueler and more terrible.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He smiled, “I think you should understand what I

have said, eh?”

“If I had known that, I would NOT have asked

you!” I shouted.

I knew I totally lost control. However, everyone

would get annoyed if the speaker used self-righteous

tone. Though I could understand what he said, what

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could I do after all these things happened? If I knew

the truth before, I’d rather choose not to know it.

I got much depression, so I didn’t hear what

Death said. And then, the space changed again.

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I bent my head and the wood floor seemed very

familiar. There was a piano. I walked closer to the

piano and touched the keyboard. I didn’t forget

Amanda, Mandy and I used to play the piano together.

We played very happily. I thought we would be good

friends forever.

I wept, but I wiped them quickly because I was

afraid that Death would laugh at me… Wait a minute,

where was Death?

I looked around the room to look for him, but he

was not here.

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CHAPTER FOUR: CONFLICT

“Hey, where are you? Stop playing!” I said.

I heard some voice behind me. I thought it must

be the Death, so I turned to him. No, I turned to

HER…

“Mom, do you see my…Mommy, where are

you?”

A girl with long hair walked downstairs. Her

voice was very nice. Her eyes were very beautiful.

And she had a sweet smile. I froze because of her.

Fortunately, I was just a spirit, so she couldn’t see me.

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I would never forget her pretty face. Amanda, one

of my BEST friends, was cute and gentle. However,

she didn’t have her own opinions. It was her

weakness……Well, it was no use thinking about that

right now. Anyway, I should find Death first.

The clock said it was 7:00 p.m. After I walked

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downstairs, I saw Death sitting on the sofa with

Amanda’s mother watching TV.

Does Death watch TV?

The reporter on TV was reporting the news, and

the news was the funniest one I’ve ever heard.

“A student in xxx senior high school was accused

of stealing money. All of her classmates repelled her.

She committed suicide at 3:20 p.m. because of

pressure. The school kept a low profile. They didn’t

want to answer any questions. The news is reported

by……”

Humph! Did they really know the truth? Did I

commit suicide due to pressure? In fact, I admired

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those journalists very much. How did they get the

news? Perhaps I committed suicide because I didn’t

have any pressure! How were they so sure? How

could they know that more clearly than me?

Many questions were increasing in my head. I

wanted to cross them out, but I couldn’t.

“Amanda, is he Vicky’s father?” Amanda’s

mother pointed at a picture of the newspaper. I looked

at the picture—that was my father! He was sitting on

a bench in the hospital. His hair became white like an

older man. Then, I saw the topic of the news: AN

INNOCENT GIRL or A THIEF’S SUICIDE? I felt

very sad. However, I had no tears.

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I stood back and tried to run away, run away from

real life. But Death blocked me. I shouted and cried

out like a beast that hurt badly. Unfortunately, I had no

power to protect myself. I just wanted to keep my

pride even though he made me die immediately…

“Do I really want to die?” I asked myself.

“No, I don’t want to die! I want to go back. I want

to live if I can.”

“But…yes, I am dying. It can’t be changed.”

The conflicting answers confused me.

At this moment, Amanda said, “Mom, I want

to …no, I must transfer to another school!”

I thought this was the first time Amanda had her

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own opinion although I didn’t know why she wanted

to transfer to another school. It was because she

studied very well and she was in a famous senior high

school. However, I swore that I wouldn’t care about

her. It was not my business anymore!

I didn’t notice Death had changed the place again.

I was back to the original white room. There was

nothing, even Death.

He disappeared again. I was abandoned here like

an orphan. Loneliness, fear, and helplessness were

killing me. I didn’t want to die twice, so I tried to

escape from here. But how to escape? I felt like a

drowned person in the ocean. Nobody saved me.

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Nevertheless, I forgot I had jumped down into the

ocean and drown myself.

“Hello──Anybody here──?” I asked.

“Hello──Anybody here──?” The echo

responded.

It was enough! I just wanted to leave and go

home. I hoped everything was only a dream. When I

woke up as usual, a new day would begin. But was it

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possible? I thought my wish would never come true.

I sat on the floor and laughed at myself because

of my foolish behavior, and then I cried. Actually, I

was too dizzy to think about anything.

Gradually, I closed my eyes and felt nothing in a

white room. I dreamed of my second and third years

of junior high school……

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CHAPTER FIVE: MISUNDERSTANDING

I remembered the day was cloudy.

“I am announcing that Vicky has won a place

for the camp. Take a break!” Ms. Golden said while

the bell was ringing one day during my second year.

I saw that Mandy was very sad, so I ran after Ms.

Golden.

“Ms. Golden, why did I win a place for this top

science camp? Mandy’s science report is better than

mine. She should win it, not me!” I asked Ms. Golden,

our class teacher. In fact, I was in her office and going

to fight for Mandy and her place for the camp.

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She just smiled and said, “Dear Vicky, I hope you

can understand our kindness. Because you do very

well on every subject, our school principal decided to

let you join the camp.”

“No, Ms. Golden. You don’t get my point. What

about Mandy? She should win the place! ” I stood up

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and looked at Ms. Golden.

“I think what I said is very clear. This top science

camp allows only one place for each school and you

are the only one in our school. Get it? ” She asked me

to sit down, “your average exam score is higher than

Mandy’s. That is the reason.”

“But according to the rules, you should choose a

student by his report grade, not his exam grade. And

everyone knows Mandy’s report is the best one in our

school.”

I didn’t feel happy after I won the place.

Reversely, I felt very angry. I didn’t believe they

could neglect Mandy’s effort. I was her friend and I

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knew how much she care about the chance.

Ms. Golden’s smile was disappeared. I could feel

that she had no patience for me.

“The principal said if you don’t accept it, you

will be given a demerit,” She said.

I sneered, “After I compare our friendship and a

demerit, I realize a demerit is nothing. Therefore, I

can accept it absolutely. ”

“Are you sure you can accept it? If you are

recorded a demerit, you will lose all your

scholarships,” as walking to me she said, “Vicky, you

are a very smart girl. I believe you understand the

consequence of losing your scholarships. Your family

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needs your scholarship to live, don’t they?”

The schools bastardly tricks struck me down. I

was a loser. I walked around campus after leaving her

office.

I wondered how to explain to Mandy. She looked

forward to the camp for a long time. But the place

which belonged to her was mine.

What should I do?

No, I shouldn’t do anything after I walked into the

classroom. I saw a mean sentence written on the black

broad: Vicky Green is a ROBBER and a BITCH!

I froze when I saw those words. Mandy sat at her

seat and Amanda shook her head. She tried to warn

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me not to come into the classroom. I didn’t know why

she did it. However, I realized it very clearly after I

went near them. Some of my classmates approached

me. One cankered girl said, “Everyone, look at the

robber!”

“What do you mean?” I knitted my brows.

“I mean, Mandy’s report is better than yours, but

you win the place for the camp. Why?” she said, “It

was because you begged our teacher to give it to you.

You robbed Mandy’s place!”

“No, I didn’t!” I tried to explain.

“Yes, you did!” she shouted and pushed me.

I was pushed over and bumped into a desk. My

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head hurt. I could feel my blood running down my

face and my shirt.

“Oh my god! Send her to the health center!”

I heard someone screaming. Everything in front

of me became darker and darker.

Finally, I fainted.

***

Before I got up, I heard Mandy and Amanda

talking about me.

“Mandy, don’t be angry, ok?” Amanda said.

“I am not angry.”

Mandy’s voice was very cool. However, I could

feel her anger. Amanda did, too.

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“Forgive Vicky. I believe she didn’t mean to…”

Amanda didn’t finish her sentence.

“I am not angry with her, so I don’t have to

forgive her,” Mandy said coldly, “Of course I know

she didn’t mean to do it. I try very hard to believe her,

you know? Everyone says she asked the teacher to

give her the place. Who should I trust? She couldn’t

even explain it to me!”

“Mandy……” Amanda wanted to say something

to comfort her. However, I guessed she didn’t know

how to do it.

Mandy continued saying,” I want to choose to

believe her. After all, we are good friends. I will try to

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believe and forgive her……”

I opened my eyes and tears shed down my face.

And then, I sat up and looked at them.

“Mandy, I am so sorry……”

In the health center, we held each other and cried.

I knew the misunderstanding between us had

disappeared and we were still best friends.

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CHAPTER SIX: INSIDE STORY

“Hey, wake up! I will show you the reason.”

Someone woke me up, and I knew it was Death.

“Where were you?” I asked him.

“It is not important. I was just chatting with

someone,” he smiled pulling me up, “Hurry up! I will

take you back to one year ago.”

“Again? Isn’t it enough? I have known too many

TRUTHS. I feel tired.” I flung his hand.

He said nothing and filliped his fingers.

At that moment, I saw Mandy and another girl.

Death touched my shoulder lightly.

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“That was your third year of junior high. You can

see Mandy…By the way, do you know the girl in

front of her?” he said.

We were at a gloomy corner of the school. I saw

a girl pushed over Mandy. I was so angry and tried to

stop her. However, I was only a spirit.

Mandy was sitting on the floor and keeping near

to the wall. The bad girl approached her like she

would eat her. I knew Mandy was very afraid, but she

didn’t want to grovel to her.

“Bitch, why did you tell the teacher that we

broke his car? Is it funny to be an informant? You

think you are right, eh?” plucking Mandy’s hair,

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“Then, one year ago, Vicky Green robbed your place.

Why didn’t you blame her?”

“No, she didn’t. She is my best friend.” Mandy

said while trying to stand up

49

“Ha, damn your best friend! Many people can

prove that Green went to the office. If I say she

actually asked Ms. Golden to exchange your place,

would you treat her like a BEST friend? ” she laughed.

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Mandy wept.

“Perhaps she was sniggering when you forgave

her. Maybe she never wanted to be your friend.”

The girl was the meanest girl I’ve ever seen.

“Anyway, if you tell the teacher what we did

again, you will have much more pain.”

The mean girl left after finishing her talk.

Mandy’s face was white and her eyes became

somber. She seemed like she hated someone very

much. I had never seen Mandy like this.

“You want to know the reason. Here it is!”

Then, Death and I returned to the white room.

***

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“Is this the reason she hates me? Because I

accepted the place? Because the school’s bastardly

tricks struck me down? Because my family needed

my scholarships to survive? “I shouted at him, “It

means it is all my fault? Therefore, she could steal the

wallet and blame it on me? That is too ridiculous!”

Death sighed.

“You don’t understand my purpose and the

reasons very clearly. Her feeling was like what you

are feeling right now.”

I asked, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, what the girl said or your behaviors are

not the reason she hated you.” He continued, “Both of

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you thought you understood each other very well. She

didn’t care about the place. She just hoped you could

explain everything to her. However, did you do that?”

I was silent. No, I didn’t. I thought she had

forgiven me already. Then, I wouldn’t have to explain

everything to her.

I laughed at myself.

Yes, I thought I understood her. But in fact, I am

the one who didn’t really know her.

So, I forgave her even though she blamed it on

me? There was no question. Before I tried to stop the

mean girl bullying her, I knew the answer.

I never blamed or hated her.

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CHAPTER SEVEN: FRIENDSHIP

Time flew. I wasn’t sure when it was. Maybe it

was because I went many places with Death. He made

me know many truths about the past. I changed a lot

because of him. Actually, he wasn’t like Death, but a

nice guy. We could become friends. However, he

smiled and said that was impossible. He was really an

interesting Death.

Sometimes I thought if I really knew everything

and had no regrets, could I leave the beautiful world

and die without obsessions?

I had no idea.

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54

“Hey, have you heard that Amanda is going to

transfer to your school?” Death asked.

I was surprised, “I only knew that she wanted to

transfer to another school. Are you sure she is going to

enter MY school?”

“I am sure. I have other news which will make

you more surprised,” he smiled, “Not only Amanda

but also Mandy will transfer to your school.”

“Are you kidding? You must be kidding!” I

laughed, “They did it at the same time?”

“I am not kidding you. They did it after seeing

the news. You can look with your eyes,” he said and

filliped his fingers.

Page 55: The Dream Dead or Alive

***

Mandy and Amanda were standing on the stage

and Ms. Jones was introducing them.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s welcome our new

classmates, Mandy Impulse and Amanda Blue! Give

them a big hand!”

Everyone clapped.

Amanda said with

her beautiful voice,

“Hello, everybody. I am

Amanda. And I want to

study here because of Vicky. I am her best friend from

junior high. She didn’t steal anything…..”

55

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56

Did I hear anything wrong?

“Hi, everyone. My name is Mandy Impulse. You

can call me Mandy if you want. Anyway, I am also

Vicky’s friend. And I can prove that she is innocent.

Never blame or bully her again!” Mandy announced.

I was too shocked to say anything. They

transferred to my school to prove my innocence?

Above all, they said that I was their friend.

I smiled happily because of what they had said.

I tried to hold them with my transparent arms,

but I couldn’t touch them. I wanted to complain to

Death. Nevertheless, he just shook his head and took

me back to the white room.

Page 57: The Dream Dead or Alive

After we went back to the room, he said a

sentence which confused me.

“Time’s up.”

57

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58

CHAPTER EIGHT

TIME’S UP. DEAD OR ALIVE?

“Time’s up? What do you mean?” I asked.

Death looked at me seriously, “Vicky Green, I

want to ask you a question.”

“Just ask,” I said.

I felt confused and nervous. What kind of

questions would he ask?

“If you could choose again, do you want to die

after learning all these truths?” he turned back and I

couldn’t see his face.

“Of course I don’t want to die if I could choose

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59

again. However, can I choose again?” I looked at his

backside and smiled sadly, “I knew it is no use to say

anything. Time’s up…right?”

He was silent. Suddenly, he disappeared.

Meanwhile, the white room also disappeared. I stood

in completely dark. It was too dark for me to see

clearly. I began to weep.

It was very terrible to be abandoned. I lost any

hopes or wishes of life. What was the truth of life? I

didn’t want to care about it anymore…I shouted

despairingly.

At the moment, a light was shining on me. I

followed the light and tried to find out the illuminant.

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60

However, every step was so heavy that I felt much

labored. I wanted to give up, but I heard someone

cheering me on. As a consequence, I continued

moving.

Finally, I found the head of the light. But the

light was too bright for me to open my eyes. I fainted.

***

“It hurts……” I said.

My head, my eyes, my face, and my body all hurt.

What had happened to me?

“Doctor, doctor! She is wakening up! Hurry, she

is wakening up!” someone screamed with surprise.

I opened my eyes. The white ceiling was shining.

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61

Where am I? Was I still alive?

Everything I dreamed is just a…dream?

I sat up and looked out the window.

A strange person was sitting on a tree. He wore a

black robe and an ashen mask covered his face. A

scythe he holds was shining and sharp.

I smiled at him and he smiled at me, too.

“Time’s up. It is time to wake up. Did you mean

that?” I whispered.

I knew it was not a dream.

I knew my new life would begin.

Page 62: The Dream Dead or Alive

THE END

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63

This story was a about a girl.

“I knew one person’s outside could not really show

his mind and thinking.”

“I didn’t do it! I wasn’t the thief!”

“Yes, you did.”

She killed herself.

Then, she met Death.

“Am I dreaming now?”

“I will show you the truth.”

What does friendship mean?

What about dreams? What about truths?

Does anyone really know the truth?