It was a good idea to get cleaned up. I guess since Oskar let me do it here he must trust me.

CHAPTER 6

“Here, lift up your head for a moment. This will help.”

Oskar did as he was told, and Eli slid a heating pad beneath his neck. She plugged the other end of the cord into a wall socket and adjusted the temperature.

“There. It should warm up in a minute. Are you comfortable?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“That pain reliever should start to work soon. If you don’t feel any better, we’ll give you another one.”

“Okay.”

Eli sat cross-legged on the floor next to Oskar, who was lying on his mattress. He turned his head slightly and smiled weakly at her.

The following work is fiction based on and derived from the novel Let the Right One In by John A. Linqvist and the film of the same name. The characters and basic story elements in this work were created by Mr. Linqvist. No copyright protection applies.

A Complex Relationship

CHAPTER 5

It’s dark and I’m out of my cell

Hungry, haven’t eaten for days

I drift down a passageway to a door at the end

There’s fresh blood on the handle, it draws me like a magnet

More on the other side, I know

Been in there before, no need for an invitation

I hate this room, but love it too

I reach the door, but instead of pulling the handle I kneel and lick it

My tongue flicks rapidly over the cold, bitter metal until it’s clean,

let nothing go to waste

The higher powers of the reflective intellect
are more decidedly and more usefully tasked
by the unostentatious game of draughts than
by all the elaborate frivolity of chess.
E. A. Poe, The Murders in the Rue Morgue

Esteban placed the jug of lemonade he was carrying on his bedside table, next to which Oskar was lying awake.

'How are you feeling?'

'Tired, but OK I guess.'

CHAPTER 4

“These are lovely,” she said, holding the flowers in the plastic cup up to her nose. “What are they?”

“I think they’re anemones,” Oskar replied. “I saw them in the park along the path, and thought you’d like them. They’re a sign that Spring is coming.”

“They’re beautiful. Thank you.” Eli smiled at him. “Look at the pretty little green parts in the middle. Do you think the petals are blue or purple?”

“I’m not sure, but . . . I’d say probably more purple.”

These aren't my characters but I love them enough to write about them.

"A Cold Treat "

The time is mid-October 1983
The place is a public park near in Norway.

Eli was a silent shadow among shadows. Creeping slowly along a thick horizontal branch high above a tarmac path she stopped and looked about and down, then stretched out wrapping her arms and legs around the limb.

Oskar, I want to be your friend, but if you hate me now you are dangerous to me. You know about me. If you won't be my friend, then I will kill him. No, I could never do that. Then I will have to leave. Tonight.

Someone in the hall. So what? No one knows I'm here. No one but... no one that cares.

They stopped right outside. Stay quiet. Are they going to try to get in?

<knocking>: "•"

CHAPTER 3

“Are you ready?” Eli asked, shouting to be heard above the wind.

“Yeah. I think so!” Oskar yelled back.

He sat in the black rubber inner tube, bundled up in his heavy winter coat, red scarf and hat, his nose running as usual. He faced forward, holding the nylon rope that was tied to the tube in his gloved hands.

“Okay!” she replied, making the last adjustments to the rope tied around her waist.