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Coming in from the Cold

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Coming in from the Cold COMING IN FROM THE COLD By Peter Mork Coming in from the Cold1 By Peter Mork 2010 1 This novel is inspired by the John Ajvide Lindqvist novel, Let the Right One in, published in 2004, and the Film by the same name released in 2008, screenplay also by John Ajvide Lindqvist. This novel and film had a profound impact on me, resulting in this ‘Epilogue,’ in which, in my obsession, I tried to make up for the darkness of Eli’s past, and the loneliness both she and Oskar endured before they met. Table of Contents Part 1: Karlstad Chapter 1 Eli and Oskar – The Outing ............................................................................................. 1 Chapter 2 The Bargain ....................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 3 Dinner in Karlstad .......................................................................................................... 17 Chapter 4 Surprises .......................................................................................................................... 27 Chapter 5 Eli’s Vengeance ............................................................................................................... 37 Chapter 6 Eli Flies ............................................................................................................................ 45 Chapter 7 Oscar Makes a Decision ................................................................................................. 55 Chapter 8 Oscar Flies ....................................................................................................................... 65 Chapter 9 Laying Low ...................................................................................................................... 75 Chapter 10 The Awakening ............................................................................................................... 85 Chapter 11 Weird Science .................................................................................................................. 93 Chapter 12 Oskar’s Birthday ........................................................................................................... 103 Part 2: London Chapter 1 Eli asks Questions ......................................................................................................... 115 Chapter 2 Sunny Days .................................................................................................................... 123 Chapter 3 Oskar’s Challenge ......................................................................................................... 135 Chapter 4 A Chance Encounter ..................................................................................................... 147 Chapter 5 Redemption .................................................................................................................... 157 Chapter 6 The Confrontation ........................................................................................................ 169 Chapter 7 Recovery ........................................................................................................................ 183 Chapter 8 Shadows of the Past ...................................................................................................... 193 Chapter 9 Hibernation .................................................................................................................... 203 Chapter 10 The Plot Thickens ......................................................................................................... 213 Chapter 11 The Artist ....................................................................................................................... 221 Chapter 12 The Art Critics .............................................................................................................. 233 Chapter 13 An Unexpected Death ................................................................................................... 243 Chapter 14 Preliminary Flight Check and Growing Pains ........................................................... 255 Chapter 15 Elaine Reminisces ......................................................................................................... 267 Chapter 16 New Relationships ......................................................................................................... 281 Chapter 17 Revelations ..................................................................................................................... 293 Chapter 18 The Puppet Master ....................................................................................................... 307 iii Chapter 19 Family Reunion ............................................................................................................. 317 Chapter 20 The Meeting ................................................................................................................... 329 Chapter 21 Eli’s Choice .................................................................................................................... 343 Chapter 22 The Cure ........................................................................................................................ 359 Chapter 23 The Sacrifice .................................................................................................................. 369 Chapter 24 The Decision .................................................................................................................. 379 Epilogue Epilogue, Part 1 ....................................................................................................................................... 389 Epilogue, Part 2 ....................................................................................................................................... 399 Epilogue, Part 3 ....................................................................................................................................... 405 Epilogue, Part 4 ....................................................................................................................................... 409 iv Coming in from the Cold: Karlstad by Peter Mork Part 1: Karlstad Chapter 1: Eli and Oskar – The Outing Eli and Oskar walked slowly across the courtyard, leaving soft footprints in the still-falling snow. They had made their final choice this afternoon, and waited until well after dark to set out from their little apartment. The Biology Building at Karlstad University was barely visible through the snow as they turned onto the well-lit walkway towards the main entrance. Oskar could see the lights in the window on the second floor, where Professor Dawson’s office was located. On a sudden impulse, Oskar moved ahead, climbed the stairs, opened one of the heavy wooden doors and stepped inside, letting the door close behind him just as Eli reached the top step. He leaned back against the closed door. Are we dong the right thing? he thought to himself. We’ve talked about this for days now, and I’m still not sure. What will we do if he doesn’t understand? I’m so frightened! What if they take her away? And Eli thinks you can’t depend on adults for anything. She’s had to rely on herself for everything for over 200 years, because no one cared enough to give her a second thought -- unless they wanted something. He felt himself getting angry all over again at everyone who had hurt Eli. The man with the dice, who used her in unspeakable ways, took her identity from her, mutilated her and threw her away when he was tired of her; her neighbors and friends, who because of their weakness and superstition, would have never taken her back; all the men like her “dad” who helped her for reasons he couldn’t understand, even after Eli had tried to explain it to him. A vampire! A vampire who was nothing! Just as she had told him that night, ‘Not a boy, not a girl, not old, not a child,’ nothing! All these people took everything she was away from her and gave her the gift of loneliness, despair, and isolation, and made her into a legend, a thing that can’t look at the sun and is considered evil and Godless. Only she is everything to me! Everything! And these are the people we want to ask for help! But I have to help her do this because I love her so much! There was a light knock on the door. “Oskar? Is something wrong?” He sighed, and slowly opened the door. Eli stood outside looking at him quizzically. “Oskar…” “I know, I know! Maybe we shouldn’t… “ “Oskar, we’ve discussed this! We agreed! You know I can’t wait much longer, and I’m not sure I can …. you know.” She shuddered. He had already noticed some changes in her; the subtle changes that indicated that she was in the beginning stages of starvation. That seemed to be the way she looked most of the time lately. “Okay, Okay! You can come in.” He saw the dust of snow in her hair and absently brushed it away as she quickly stepped inside. “Oskar. Please don’t be like that! Everything will be fine. If this doesn’t work out, we’ll find another way.” 1 by Peter Mork Coming in from the Cold: Karlstad “What other way? This is all my fault! If it wasn’t for me, you would be … doing just fine. You would be healthy and wouldn’t be hungry all the time!” Eli pulled him close and hugged him. He hugged her back, hard. “Silly Oskar! Don’t you know that I could never be happy without you?” She kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Now let’s get going. I don’t want him to leave before we can
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