OVERCAST LIFE
Janice Shen
Words checked: 1872 Words in Oxford 3000: 93%
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CONTENTS
About the author------------P3 Prologue---------------------P4 Chapter I: Duress-----------P5 Chapter II: Nightmare-----P10 Chapter III: Liar-------------P19 Chapter IV: Anxiety--------P25 Chapter V: Period----------P31 Chapter VI: Memory-------P34 References-----------------P40 Synopsis--------------------P41 2
About The Author Janice Shen was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1991. I am a 4th year student majoring in English at Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages.
“Overcast Life� was an idea I got from the news. Nowadays, melancholia is a serious and strange
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disease, and causes a lot of problems. Therefore, I wrote this story which can represent this kind of things have already caused a big problem in our society.
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PROLOGUE Adeline, a beautiful woman, always daydreams about a wonderful and free-minded life. However, she married a man who is stubborn and violent. She tried to make her life just like a dream; however, misfortune seemed to follow wherever Adeline would go‌
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Chapter I Duress
As always, at four o’clock, the alarm went off. Preparing breakfast for the family was the first thing which I had to do
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everyday. Actually, I was tired of doing the same thing. However, I could not do anything. I could not resist. I could not refuse. I could not be angry. WHY? Donald asked me to buy a six-pack of beer for him again. It was the second time today. I thought he was drunk. He yelled at me and said some words in a wrathful tone. Then, when I
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opened the door, I saw an elaborate card on the ground. I opened it in confusion. It was an invitation card for a college reunion. I was so surprised and excited to get it. Right then and there I made a big decision. I was going to attend this special reunion. Actually, I am not really sure why I wanted so much to go. I just longed to escape from the fetters of this unhappy marriage
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and life. Suddenly, Donald ran in and shouted at me. I quickly hid the invitation. However, Donald seemed to discover my reaction, so he threatened me to hand over the thing which I hid. At that time, I was so frightened that I could not say anything. I tried to persuade and calm down myself, but how could I tell this violent man? Finally, I made an excuse and told
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him I wanted to visit my mom, and persuaded him to let me do so.
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Chapter II Nightmare
The meaningful day was coming. I was so nervous but excited about the hard-won freedom. I felt my lips twitch, and
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my attention wandered. I tried to hold the steering wheel and tried not to think too much. Finally, I arrived at the restaurant where the reunion was to be held. I could not explain what I was thinking about. I was not in the mood to do anything else. “Adeline, you can do it! Try your best and be confident!� I looked into my rear view mirror and told myself. ****
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When I opened the door, I felt a strange atmosphere indeed. There seemed to be something the matter with those people - my college classmates. To my surprise, they were competing with each other for beauty. At that time, I was at a loss. I was fearful of that situation, and I just wanted to leave from here. Suddenly, someone called out to me. That was my best friend in
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college. I remembered that this girl, Anna, who was born into poor and single-parent family Also, she had to take part-time jobs on weekends when we were just college students. Although I did not want to take any notice of her continuous yell, I turned my head and tried to calm myself down. “Hey, Adeline, where did you go? Are you going to leave?� Anna confusedly asked.
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“Umm… I just feel a little bit nervous.” “How embarrassing condition was!” I murmured. The only thing I could do was to make a random excuse to smooth over the awkwardness. However, she still told me many of her personal things which I did not have any interest in. “You know what? I am married!” she said.
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“How is your husband?” I asked indifferently. “He is a kind and honest guy. Although he is not a millionaire or billionaire, he is really a considerate man. He always does so many sweet things, such as my birthday presents and candlelight dinners on Valentine's Day. I think I am so fortunate to have met him” Anna explained with a happy tone.
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Suddenly, a woman ran towards us and shouted. “ADELINE! ANNA!〞 That was Olivia, an outstanding girl. In college, she did not fail any of her exams, and she always won many prizes on behalf of our school. Furthermore, Olivia graduated from the English Department as valedictorian. Now I could feel that she must be a very successful woman because of
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her imposing manner. “Hey, dears, how are you doing?” Olivia genially asked. “Fine, I heard that you are chairperson now, aren't you?” Anna said. “Uh huh... I inherited my dad's business. By the way, our company will hold a tea party next week to celebrate our great profit this year. You are both welcome to join us!” she added.
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At that moment, I could not understand why they both could have a warm family and well-developed life. Why was my life so different? What should I do?
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Chapter III Liar
“Please… Please stop talking about that!” **** If they asked me, what should I
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say? Should I say I could not stand my terrible life? I struggled to keep back the tears. I did not want to tell them my husband was a violent and irascible person. I knew that they may laugh at my life, my family, and me even though they did not distinctly behave. “Adeline, how’s your life? I guess you must have a happy family and your husband is a
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talented man, right? ” Olivia asked. “Yes! Adeline, you must be a blissful woman just like a princess, aren’t you?” Anna had interjected the same question again. “Sure! My husband works in a big company, and he is a manager now. Moreover, on weekends, although he is so… so…so…busy, he still finds time to take me to travel. Do you know the luxury
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hotel, which stands on an artificial island in Dubai and has a seven-star rating? We went on a vacation there last month. Dubai is really a wonderful place. Oh! Also, we are going to vacation in Hawaii next month” I guiltily answered and wondered why I was telling such lies. “Really? Wow… how fortunate you are! I can’t believe you have been to Dubai and spent time in
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that beautiful and hotel” Olivia said with a strange tone. I thought they might be questioned whether what I was saying was the truth or not. Actually, they were! After I shared this “fictitious” story of my life, they all murmured something which I could not quite catch. What were they talking about? Did they say something about me? Had they already discovered my
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lies? Suddenly, the glass which I was holding fell on the floor and broke to pieces. Everyone turned to me, and whispered to each other. When I went to the restroom, another unfortunate event happened. I stumbled on the staircase but nobody came to help me. At that moment, I was so embarrassed and depressed.
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Chapter IV Anxiety
It was 10:00. That “ridiculous� reunion had finally ended and within my suffering. At Parker street corner, an old woman
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distributed handbills. When I passed her, she gave me one and looked at me with a strange but warm smile. I looked at the handbill. It was a white paper with some words and a simple picture.
Some way all the love that we had can be saved
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I did not really understand what this handbill was about. However, after I read that sentence, I turned and tried to find that old woman. There was nobody at that corner, but several pieces of paper remained on the ground. It seemed to be telling me something which I needed to know and understand. On my way home, I could not stop thinking about the terrible
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situation which happened on the reunion, the old woman as well as those meaningful words. I could not keep my mind on driving, and I started to think about the things which had happened today. *** I remembered when I was a seven-year-old girl I had said that I wanted to be the happiest woman in the world. ***
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Why has Olivia become a successful career woman? Why didn’t I receive a large inheritance just like her? Why did Anna have a sweet family just like in fairy tale stories? Why did I have to stand this kind of life? Why was I married to this awful man? I wanted everything to exchange. I wanted all the things which Olivia and Anna had. At that time, I could not stop
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thinking about my ill-fated destiny.
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Chapter V Period
Perhaps, this was my destiny. I could not be possessed of great intelligence, a beautiful appearance nor the admiration of
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all my friends. Suddenly, a misfortune happened. My car hit a traffic island and stalled. I tried to start my car again but it did not work. I tired to move my body with all my strength. However, I still was stuck in that small car. My head hurt, and I was bleeding. I hoped that someone would come to help pull me out from my car. I tried to phone Donald, but nobody
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answered. I used my last strength to shout to get the attention of anyone around me. Before I lost consciousness, I could hear many people talking about me, but nobody was helping me. At that time, I felt so helpless and disheartened. I hoped someone could help me, Donald especially. “Please, please help me!� That was the last sentence which I cried with hopelessness.
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Chapter VI Memory
Today, I came back to my house, and I saw an old serious man sitting on the sofa. I knew that he was my husband, Donald.
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Actually, I felt like slapping him across his face because of his treatment. It was what I hope, wasn’t it? However, I also wanted to give him a big hug at that moment. I could feel his sadness and pain. Although I do not understand what he is really thinking about or how he is feeling, I feel so sorry for him. I know that he may be miserable without me because he
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can not do anything by himself. He always depends on me. When I saw him sitting alone in that house where is full of our memories, I hoped I could talk to him, kiss him, and even comfort him. However, I could not do anything. I was just standing then looking at him. When I entered our room, I opened the drawer of the bedside table and saw many prescriptions
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inside. I discovered that Donald is ill. He has gotten a disease which would make him depressed and can not control his temper all the time. I felt so sorrowful. Why didn’t he tell me? I always thought that he was a violent and terrible man and husband before. If I knew this in advance, maybe we could have had a happy life together. ***
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After a few minutes, I saw my mom, dad and all of my relatives and friends including Anna and Olivia. They all cried. They cried out for me and said something about my past life. At that time, tears started trickling down my cheeks. I have never understood why there were so many people around me, and they also seemed to be accompanied me. Why could I only see the bad side but not the
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bright side of my life? I am so regretful that I always thought I am the most miserable person in the world. Why did I leave them in this world? If I paid more attention and didn’t hang in grief then, I would not get the car accident. I should be with them forever, shouldn’t I?
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References http://116583654.blog.163.com/ album/#m=2&aid=191056147&p id=5636559536 http://www.flickr.com/photos/mis s_bling/page7/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/ello angie/page2/
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Synopsis Adeline, a beautiful woman, always daydreams about a wonderful and free-minded life. However, she married a man who is stubborn and violent. She tried to make her life just like a dream; however, misfortune seemed to follow wherever Adeline would go‌
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“Some Way All the Love That We Had Can Be Saved”
Written by Janice Shen of E4A Composition 1 Instructor: Mr. Kenneth M. Smith Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages Kaohsiung, Taiwan June 2010