The Choice E4B Rina Liang 1091300067
Words Checked: 3197 Words in Oxford 3000: 95%
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The Choice In the peaceful countryside near the little town, life follows an unchanging pattern.
One horrible murder breaks
the peace of this countryside and also influences the Dickinson family so deeply.
Becky and Betty, the two
daughters, come to their lives.
It
should be a joyful thing for them to accept.
However, when they have a
partiality for Betty, everything will be changed.
There are some conflicts
between them because of these two daughters.
Even the final conflict
becomes a tragedy for the Dickinson family‌ 3
CONTENTS
Story Introduction
3
1 A hard sentence
5
2 Two new family members
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3 Torment for the whole family
19
4 Happy time is passing gradually
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5 Becky discovered the truth
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6 The conflict
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Chapter 1
A hard sentence
Andrew, a middle-aged man with a moustache, has a thin face and always looks serious.
He is actually kind and
affectionate, but very strict with everything.
He is a just judge in his
hometown, and he is highly respected by everyone for his integrity. When something severe happens in this small countryside, he is the one everybody would like to ask for help.
This is an ordinary area, which is near the little town, but is not as boisterous as the town.
The surrounding area
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there is very beautiful, and people are conservative and pure.
No one here
would like to break the peace.
The
residents are diligent, and do whatever they should do all the time.
Nothing
special has ever happened here.
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Andrew has a wonderful family.
He
has a good wife and a cute son. Everything he has experienced has been so plain and easy.
He is very satisfied
with his life, but sometimes he would think, “How perfect my family will be, if a daughter will come into my life!� He seems content to live this type of life. His matters are always so simple to handle, just like this countryside.
The
community policing is considered very good. However, one difficult choice is coming toward him.
Angela was a poor woman because her husband was an alcoholic.
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Angela had
to undertake all the chores and difficulties herself.
She also worked
hard to support her husband. Her husband was a fierce man; moreover, he beat her constantly. When he was drunk, he became more violent. Angela felt sorry for her husband, and she didn’t know why he became like this. Actually, she was a perfect type silly woman, who always believed that her husband was just frustrated because he was unemployed and couldn’t immediately find a good job. Therefore, to be a good wife, Angela would like to help her husband pass through this tough time.
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When she found out that her husband was such a villain, who became fiercer day after day, she was very disappointed in him.
She also felt that she suffered
tortures from her husband’s coldhearted treatments.
Her husband didn’t care
about her even as she got pregnant. She felt her dislike rapidly deepening to hatred when her husband beat her again and tried to hurt her newborn baby. She knew she must harden herself and protect her daughter. She began to react against her husband’s outrages.
One terrible murder happened at midnight in this plain countryside,
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which shocked the residents.
Angela,
an abused woman murdered her drunk husband when he wanted to hurt her and her daughter again.
She couldn’t
finally put up with her husband anymore and killed him with a knife.
The night passed so quickly, and the sun began to rise.
The sun was bright and
shone through the windows.
Suddenly,
the dark room was brightened by the sunlight, and Angela felt warm and hopes. She looked at her little daughter. “I must do something, I know what I should do right away,” she whispered. She grasped her sleeping
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daughter in her arms, and walked out of the dismal house.
She was walking
toward the police station now.
For such a big case, Andrew was no doubt going to take charge of this lawsuit.
He thought that he was in the
difficult situation at this time. not have any clues.
He did
Nobody could tell
him how to handle this lawsuit because everyone had the same feelings as Andrew had.
Andrew felt sorry for
Angela, but he also knew that she would probably die on account of the capital punishment.
There’s no doubt about
her crime and she must pay a heavy
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price for the murder.
Andrew told his wife, Audrey, about this case and his choice for the sentence. Audrey has a round face and is a kindhearted woman. She felt a great grief growing in her mind when she got the news from her husband.
However,
she knew she couldn’t change anything. Audrey knew that Angela had a daughter, so she wanted to meet Angela and talked about adopting her daughter. Audrey always wanted a daughter and had been trying very hard to have a baby girl without results. The next morning, Audrey prepared
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some warm clothes and tasty food. She was going to meet Angela and told her that she wanted to adopt her child. When Audrey saw Angela, she told her why she came there visit. “How are you, Angela?”
Audrey
asked. “Who are you? Why do you know my name? I think I have never met you
before,”
Angela
answered
impolitely. “Of course you haven’t, I am the judge’s wife.
My name is Audrey.
I heard your story from my husband. I really feel sorry for you,” Audrey said carefully.
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“All
right,
compassion,
I
don’t and
want
you
your
are
not
supposed to come here to feel sorry for me.
Tell me straight what your
purpose
is,”
Angela
said
impatiently. Angela couldn’t accept that others would be concerned about her, and she was alert to whatever she heard now. Audrey was a little nervous, but she told Angela that she really wanted to help her, so she wanted to adopt her daughter. After hearing what Audrey has told her, Angela felt angry because she wouldn’t let anyone take her own daughter away from her.
She unhesitatingly refused
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Audrey’s request.
Chapter 2 Two new family members
A few days later after Audrey’s visit, Angela committed suicide and left Audrey a letter.
Audrey opened that
letter in confusion. Dear Mrs. Dickinson, I had to say sorry for my rude words that I said to you. I didn’t mean to say that.
I just considered
that you wanted to take my daughter away from me.
That
meant I would lose everything I owned because my daughter was
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everything to me now.
After you
left, I thought about your idea many times.
I was selfish and assumed
that I made a wonderful decision. I know you will be very kind to my little daughter, Becky. I know what I am going to do, which is a perfect decision for all of us.
I
hope you will treat Becky just like your own daughter. I will appreciate your help forever.
Best wishes, Angela Black
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The hot tears welled up in Audrey’s eyes when she read this letter. “God bless you, Angela, thank you, thank you so much!” she whispered.
The Dickinson family welcomed the new family member to their family. The family seemed to have been completed with Becky. Everyone liked this little girl very much, but the happy 17
times for Becky would be far away from her soon.
It was the beginning of spring. The transparent sky shed a rain of light sunlight on the roofs of the village, and on the trees and roads.
A soft wind
moved among the round white clouds on the shoulders of the hills. Everything looked very peaceful as before. Just like the warm season brought hopes to people, the Dickinson family had a surprise not long after adopting Becky.
Audrey was pregnant
and gave the birth to a little baby girl, named Betty.
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Chapter 3 Torment for the whole family
Betty’s birth inspired the whole family and everyone focused on this cute baby more than Becky.
Becky was being a
little ignored after Betty came to their family.
A tiny change was growing
through the Dickinson family, but was not so obvious because of Audrey’s carefulness and fairness.
She thought
both these two girls were her daughters. She treated them with the same love. However, she couldn’t control the other’s minds.
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Antony is the brother of these two girls. He had some problems because he didn’t know how to treat Becky. He always longed for a sister and Becky became his sister.
He liked Becky, but
now he felt that he liked to play with Betty more than Becky. The same change occurred in Andrew.
He
sometimes forgot Becky because he didn’t pay much attention to her. Now he had his own daughter, Betty.
Of
course, he always focused on her. Audrey knew the situation has changed, but she still wanted to keep the harmony. She showed much concern about everyone’s feelings.
However, she
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tried very hard to balance her time because her two daughters. She tried to take good care of Becky, but she knew that Betty always needed her.
The little Becky felt the delicate change in her little mind, but she assumed that her sister was little, so everyone must pay more attention to her. “I know it’s okay because I’m the daughter, too. They won’t forget me!” said to herself.
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Little Becky
Chapter 4 Happy time is passing gradually
How time flies!
The two little girls
grew up and prepared to go to school. Becky and Betty were happy with each other before going to school.
They
played together all the time when they were too little to go to school.
They
were their own playmates and they really relied on each other during their early childhood. Becky knew that everyone was fond of Betty more than her. Although Becky was a little jealous of Betty, she really liked to be with her. “Betty is my own sister!� Becky always said that to herself.
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School life was a wonderful experience for Betty. She rapidly made a lot of friends, and she enjoyed her school life with her new friends.
On the contrary,
Becky did not have a good time with her classmates because she was too shy to make friends.
Becky became lonely
and felt that everyone left her behind. She began to hate Betty because Betty seemed that she didn’t need her anymore.
Betty totally forgot about
her and she really didn’t know what to do.
Becky felt that she was helpless.
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Chapter 5 Becky discovered the truth
Being so lonely, Becky was very sad. She wanted to talk about her confusion with someone.
She needed someone to
help her, and therefore, turned to her brother, Antony.
She wanted some
help and advice from him.
On one Sunday morning, Becky decided to talk about her feelings with her brother, Antony. She came to his room, knocked on the door, but no one answered. She thought maybe he was lazy sleeping again as he usually does, but now it was 10 o’clock in the
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morning. her friends.
Betty already went out with Becky didn’t think too
much, just opened the door and walked in. She found out that her brother wasn’t in his room. Antony?”
“Where are you?
She asked, but no
responded. Suddenly, she glimpsed at the wastebasket filled with letter papers. She burned with curiosity over what those letter papers were.
She picked
one of them up and opened it. She understood right away that her brother was trying to write a love letter to a girl. It seemed clear that he was trying very hard and writing so many times.
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Suddenly, Antony snatched the letter paper out of her hand. “What are you doing?
Did you get
my permission to enter my room?” Shouting and turning purple with rage. “I didn’t mean to do that! I just didn’t know that…” Becky said faintly. She tried to explain everything, yet she couldn’t say any more. “You get out of my room right now. Don’t try to explain any more. Who do you think you are?
You are
nothing to this family.
Don’t
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bother my life!�
Antony yelled at
her blisteringly.
And then Becky rushed out of his room and ran to her own room.
Antony’s
harmful words broke Becky heart.
She
also had a lot of questions in her mind. She had no idea why her brother said that to her. She tried to figure something out, and she first thought why she was not beautiful.
As
appearance, she did not resemble her mother or her sister.
She thought about
something unfavorable and had a great fear of the truth.
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Becky thought that she didn’t need to worry so much after a few days. Because her birthday was coming, and her family would celebrate with her together.
That was usually the
happiest time Becky had.
Today is Becky’s birthday! Everyone is sitting in the living room and waiting for Dad to come back. “Maybe he is stuck on the street or something has tied him up,” Becky seems to talk to herself in a very low voice.
Actually, Andrew
perhaps totally forgot Becky’s birthday. It was a heartless fact because Becky always remembered how Dad organized
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a surprising birthday for Betty a few months ago, but for her birthday, Dad probably didn’t keep the date in his mind. “He doesn’t care about me,” Becky cried. “Why does Dad have a partiality for Betty,” Becky thought. “Dad is always busy and has less contact with me, but he’s not supposed to forget my birthday. It’s not fair at all,” Becky cried sadly.
Becky was desperately sad.
She
wanted Mom to comfort her because Mom was the one who cared about her. Becky left her room and went downstairs. Walking down the stairs
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lightly, she heard a depressing noise coming from the living room.
It
sounded like an argument between Mom and Dad. “You must care about Becky’s feelings.
You shouldn’t be partial
to Betty.
That’s too obvious, and
she will become suspicious. That’s unfair!”
Audrey said
quickly. “I know, I know, but I felt that I can’t treat her the same as before.
You
know that kind of feeling!” Andrew whispered. “I don’t know and I don’t want to know.
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I just know she is one of my daughters, and her mother asked me to take good care of her. ” Audrey was shaking her head said hastily. “You shouldn’t have forgotten her birthday. She’s been waiting today for a long time, and you hurt her feelings!” blamed Audrey in a sad voice. “OK!
I know I know!
I will keep
that in mind. It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have forgotten Becky’s birthday. I will apologize to her, and I will attend better to Becky
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more in future,� Andrew said embracing his wife warmly. Tears ran out of Betty’s eyes and fell on the floor. She walked into her room, and lay down on her bed soundlessly.
Chapter 6 The conflict
Now Becky knew everything, but she decided to pretend that she did not discover anything.
She considered that
was the best way to keep the harmony in 32
this family.
No matter how eager she
wondered, she just kept silent. If Mon and Dad didn’t want her to know that, she shouldn’t try to figure it out.
Life works out the same as before, and Becky just pretended that she did not discover anything.
One day at school,
her classmates gave a letter to Becky. Becky was puzzled.
“Who would
write me a letter?” she soliloquized opening the letter.
The letter was a
love letter, asking her to the top floor of an old building.
It showed that
someone would show his love to her.
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When Becky went there, she discovered that the love letter was a trick.
Her
wicked classmates just made fun of her. The thought of the way she had been treated made her rage.
Betty was
running there after hearing the trick as soon as possible.
She thought that it
was not funny at all.
In the meanwhile Audrey hastened to get to that building as soon as possible. She went to pick her children up as usual a while ago, but she couldn’t find them.
She asked other students
anxiously. The students told her what
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has happened and she ran to that building immediately.
When Betty arrived, she saw Becky squatting on the empty floor and cried loudly.
“Are you alright, Becky?”
Betty asked. When Becky heard that familiar voice, she raised her head gradually.
Becky
was in a fit of anger, and when she saw Betty, her anger became rage.
Becky
assumed that Betty came here to laugh at her. “You are such a awful girl. you happy now?” in a fury.
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Are
Becky replied
“Why are you saying that?
I just
rushed over here to help you,” Betty said quickly. “Don’t be so affected! Just laugh at me.
I don’t care anymore,”
Becky shouted. All of a sudden Becky sprang up and pushed Betty. At once Betty lost her balance and nearly fell from the building. It was very dangerous because they were on the 15th floor. Becky was shocked and rushed to grab Betty’s hand. However, she just dropped from the building with Betty.
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Upon hearing shouts of “Help,” Audrey lunged at them fleetingly. Their mother directly grabbed their hands. She clasped Betty’s hand tight in her right hand, and held Becky’s hand in a strong grasp. It was impossible for her to pull them up.
Nevertheless, she still
did not want to leave either of them behind.
Unfortunately, she was
running out of strength, and furthermore she couldn’t save both as she has wished. She knew that she must choose only one to save, or all of them would fall from this building. At that time, Audrey remembered the poor mother, Angela, and her letter, so she didn’t hesitate to
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let go of Betty’s hand at the last second. While Audrey let go of Betty’s hand, Audrey said to her real daughter deeply, “I am sorry, my dear!”
The Dickinson family lived as usual after Betty’s death.
However, Audrey
knew there’s something different and lost in her mind, her dear Betty had already left her forever, and she couldn’t pretend that Betty was still alive. She must confess that Betty’s death was a great grief to her.
Sometimes she
would recall that terrible day which a difficult choice was right there for her,
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and she couldn’t admit that she did it right until today.
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The Choice There are so many choices in our daily lives. Sometimes we are forced to make a decision even though we are unwilling to do. How good are you at deciding the right thing?
Have you
ever regret what you have done before? Take a look about the Dickinson family’s story, there is some surprises in their lives. Something should be a new hope to them originally, but what it turned to be a disaster.
Because of the
choice is so difficult for them to make the thing right.
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