White Death PDF

# White Death ## Story Introduction Sarah Harland is 19 and in prison. She was caught at the airport with heroin in her bag. If the court decides it was hers, she must die. She says she did not do it. Her mother and an old boyfriend try to find the real criminal before it’s too late. ## Chapter 1...

# White Death ## Story Introduction Sarah Harland is 19 and in prison. She was caught at the airport with heroin in her bag. If the court decides it was hers, she must die. She says she did not do it. Her mother and an old boyfriend try to find the real criminal before it’s too late. ## Chapter 1 - The woman stood in front of the prison. - The prison was a big, dirty building in the biggest town of a hot country. - She was very hot and did not like the noise. - She was an Englishwoman. - She did not like hot countries or a lot of noise. - She was tall, about 50 years old, with blue eyes and a long face. - She knocked at the door of the prison. - A little window opened in the door, and a man looked out: - “Yes? What do you want?” - “I want to see my daughter. It’s very important.” - “Name?” - “Anna Harland.” - “Is that your name or your daughter's name?” - “It’s my name. My daughter's name is Sarah Harland.” - “You can’t visit her today. Come back on Wednesday.” - “No! I came from England to see her today. It’s very important. She’s going to court tomorrow. Please take me to her now!” - “Wait a minute. ” - The woman waited in front of the door for a long time. - After 20 minutes, the door opened: - “Come with me,” the man said. - It was dark in the prison, but she could see hundreds of doors. - The man opened a door: - “In here,” he said. “You can have ten minutes.” - There was a table in the room and two chairs. - Sarah sat on one of the chairs. - She was a tall girl, about 19 years old, with big blue eyes. - “Sarah! ” Anna said, and put out her arms. - “Mother!” she said., “I’m very happy to see you.” - The man moved quickly and stood between them. - “No,” he said to Anna. “I’m sorry. I know you’re her mother. You can talk, but that’s all. Please sit down at the table. I am here to watch you.” ## Chapter 2 - Anna left the prison and went to talk to the police. - A policeman came into the room: - “Good afternoon, Mrs Harland,” he said. “My name is Detective Inspector Aziz. I… arrested your daughter three days ago. I'm very sorry for you. This is a very unhappy thing for a mother…” - Anna said: - “It’s a very unhappy thing for my daughter, Inspector. Because she didn’t do it. She’s innocent, you know. She knows nothing about those drugs.” - Inspector Aziz looked at her carefully. - “Well, Mrs Harland,” he said slowly. “It’s difficult for me. Is your daughter telling the truth? Is she innocent? Because the drugs were in her bag, you know.” - “I know,” Anna said. “But she was with a young man — Hassan. She doesn’t know him very well, I think. Tell me about him, please. I want to know.” - “All right,” he said. “But first, tell me about your daughter. Why was she on that plane? Why did she come to this country? Tell me.” - “He’s a nice man,” Anna thought. “He listens to people. Perhaps he wants to help. Perhaps he can understand Sarah.” - “Do you have daughters?” she asked. - “Yes,” the Inspector said. “Two.” - “Then perhaps you can understand,” Anna said. “Sarah is 19. She finished school last year, and she worked for six months in a hospital to get some money. Then she and her boyfriend, Stephen, visited a lot of countries. They went to Greece, Turkey, India, Australia — and now they’re here. They’re young, and they want to see new countries and new towns and new people. That’s all.” - “I see,” the Inspector said. “But sometimes young people do things — bad things — because they are in a different country and they need money. - “Not Sarah,” Anna said. “And not heroin. Sarah worked in a hospital, and she knows about heroin. She knows it can kill people. I’m a doctor, and she wants to be a doctor, too.” - “I see,” the Inspector said again. He looked at her, and thought, but he said nothing. - “Now,” Anna said. “Tell me about this young man, Hassan.” - “All right,” the Inspector said. He took some papers from the table and began to read to her. “But we don’t know very much about him. He’s a rich boy, from a good family. His father has two or three shops, I think. And the police in his town know him, too. Last year his father gave him a new car — a very fast car. And… listen to this! One day he hit a police car, and the police car went into the river! What a story! His father bought a new car for the police. His father has a lot of money.” - “Oh dear,” she said. “That’s not very good.” - “No,” he said. “It isn’t good. But this story about the heroin is worse. Much worse. I don’t like this story.” ## Chapter 3 -Anna went to the court the next morning. - She was first there. ## Chapter 4 - A lot of people came in, including a man and a woman. - “Perhaps they’re Hassan’s father and mother,” Anna thought. - The lawyers came in next. - Anna thought: “Those two lawyers… they’re old friends. But one of them wants my daughter to die, and one wants her to be free.” - The jury came in — 12 people. - Some policemen came in. - Sarah came in, looking afraid and white-faced. - Anna saw her daughter and gave her an unhappy smile. - There were two policemen behind Sarah. - “He’s about 20 years old,” Anna thought. “He’s very tall. But he has a nice face, and very beautiful dark eyes. Sarah likes him, and I can understand that. But he looks very unhappy, too… and afraid. His hands are moving all the time.” - The police lawyer began. “These two young people came into our country last week,” he said. “The young man lives in this country, and the young woman is English. At the airport, the police looked in their bags, and they found three tubes of toothpaste. These tubes of toothpaste!” - He had the three tubes in his hand. - “But are they tubes of toothpaste?” he asked. “No, men and women of the jury, they are not. Oh no. There is no toothpaste in these tubes. There is heroin in them! Yes, heroin — a bad, dirty drug. Perhaps the worst drug. People die from this drug. The “White Death,” they call it.” - “The lawyer stopped, and looked at the jury. He waited for a minute or two. The courtroom was very quiet.” - “But why, you ask me — why did these two young people have this heroin in their bags? I can tell you. Because heroin is one of the most expensive drugs, too. They can sell these tubes of heroin in our country for perhaps eighty thousand pounds. Eighty thousand pounds! Easy money! And, men and women of the jury, many people in our country — young people, schoolchildren, too — take this drug. At first it’s exciting and they feel happy. But then they need more and more heroin, and they need more money to buy the drug. They leave their homes and families. They take more heroin, and more. They can’t stop. Soon the drug begins to kill them. And in the end they die. The “White Death.” It’s not a quick death, and it’s not an easy death. Yes, men and women of the jury, many young people — and children — your children and my children, remember! — die because of this drug.” ## Chapter 5 - The judge said: - “It is now four o’clock in the afternoon. We can begin again in the morning. Please be here at ten o’clock.” - The judge and the jury left the courtroom. - The police took Sarah and Hassan back to the prison. - “What can we do now?” Anna asked Stephen. “We have 16 hours before tomorrow morning.” - Stephen said: - “I don’t know. I’m sure Hassan knew about the heroin. He put it in her bag, I’m sure he did. Sarah is innocent. But he isn’t.” - Mr Cheng said: - “She’s innocent.” - “But Hassan’s going to die.” - Mr Cheng asked Stephen: - “But did you listen to Hassan in court? He said: ‘Sarah did not buy the toothpaste. It was my toothpaste.’ Now why did he say that? It was not an easy thing to say, you know. What is the jury going to think about it?” - Stephen said: - “It doesn't matter.” - “Because it wasn’t toothpaste, and he didn't buy it in a shop! He made those tubes, because he wanted to sell the heroin. And he’s going to die. That’s the law in this country.” - “He’s very angry,” Anna thought. “His face is red and he’s talking very quickly. Does he want to kill Hassan? And what’s the matter with his eyes?” - “The telephone call! It’s important and I want to know,” Mr Cheng said. “I’m going to ask the police now. Would you like to come with me, Mrs Harland?” ## Chapter 6 - Anna and Mr Cheng talked to the police. - Inspector Aziz said: - “I don’t know.” - “It wasn’t a long telephone call. And the man didn’t give his name. Perhaps he was a policeman, and he knew about the heroin. - “Perhaps, Mr Cheng said. “But then, perhaps he put the heroin there. And he wanted the police to find it. Perhaps someone doesn’t like your daughter, Mrs Harland?” - “I don’t know,” Anna said slowly. “But perhaps…” - “The judge came back into the courtroom, and everybody stopped talking.” - “Hassan stood up and went to the front of the courtroom. ‘He’s a rich boy,” Anna thought. ‘That shirt and those shoes are very expensive.’ ” - Hassan waited for questions. - “He did not look afraid. But when Mr Cheng looked at his papers and asked the first question, Hassan closed his eyes.” -  “Did you know about the heroin in those tubes of toothpaste?” - “No, sir.” - “Did Sarah know?” - “No, sir.” - “Who bought the toothpaste?” - Hassan closed his eyes again for a minute. “I did, sir.” - “You did? You’re sure of that?”    - “Yes, sir. I’m sure. I clean my teeth a lot, you see.” - “Well, he does have very white teeth,” Anna thought. - “Sarah…” Hassan began. Then he stopped.    - “Yes?”    - Hassan closed his eyes and waited for a second.    - “Sarah did not buy the toothpaste. I bought it. I bought all three tubes of toothpaste. It was my toothpaste.” ## Chapter 7 - It was half past four the next morning. - Anna stood in a quiet road in front of a hotel and waited. - “He’s a rich boy,” Anna thought. “That shirt and those shoes are very expensive.” - “Hassan stood there, tall and very quiet. He waited for the questions. He did not look afraid. But when Mr Cheng looked at his papers and asked the first question, Hassan closed his eyes.” - “Did you know about the heroin in those tubes of toothpaste?” - “No, sir.” - “Did Sarah know?” - “No, sir.” - “Who bought the toothpaste?” - “Stephen’s in court again at ten o’clock,” Anna said to Stephen. “ I need your help, young man. Please get up." - “But… what can I do? - “You went to see a man last night,” Anna said. “What happened? Can he help Sarah?”  - “No. I’m sorry. He can’t.” -  “I see,” Anna said. “Well, can you and I help her then? Tell me, Stephen, what do you know about Hassan?” - “Well, we met him in Australia, and Sarah went away with him,” Stephen said angrily. “She doesn’t understand him, but I do — he’s a rich young man with a beautiful body. He likes playing with girls, but he doesn't love her!” - “Stephen, did you go to see Sarah and Hassan in Australia, the night before they came to this country? - “Yes, I went to their hotel,” Stephen said. “I asked Sarah to leave Hassan and come back to me. But how did you know that?” - “Sarah told me, of course. Was Hassan there?” - “No, He…” Stephen stopped. “Why do you ask?” - “Look at this,” Anna said, opening her handbag. “What is it? Do you know?” - “That’s right. A policeman gave it to me. And he took it from a man,” Anna said. “You met that man last night, Stephen. You gave him ten tubes of toothpaste. What was in those tubes of toothpaste, Stephen?” - “Stephen said nothing. He looked at the toothpaste, and stood up. But Anna was between him and the door. She gave the toothpaste to him.” - She asked Stephen: “Would you like to clean your teeth, Stephen?” - “You don’t love Sarah, do you, Stephen?” Anna said. “You hate her, because she left you! You put three of these tubes in Sarah’s bag, and then you phoned the police. You told them about the tubes in my daughter’s bag. You - want Sarah to die!” - “No!” Stephen said. “No, no…not Sarah… Hassan! I put them in Hassan’s bag, not Sarah’s. I wanted Hassan to die!” - “He opened the door quickly,” Anna said. “And then stopped. A man stood there — Inspector Aziz. He put his hand on Stephen’s arm.” - “It’s an old story, young man,” he said. "It happens every day. My first girlfriend left me for a new man. I was very angry too. I hated him. But I didn’t want to kill him. Come on. Let’s go. You can tell your story to the judge.” ## Chapter 8 - Sarah and Hassan were free the next morning. - “Mother, you’re wonderful! Now I can be happy! But… how did you know about Stephen?” - “Young woman,” Inspector Aziz said. “Remember, your mother is a doctor. She knew Stephen was ill because of his eyes, and his body. His eyes are very big and dark, and his body is always moving….’ - “Well, yes,” Anna said. “But you helped me, Sarah. You said he was different — remember? And I looked at him carefully, and began to think. Heroin does that to people.” -  “He did a very bad thing,” Sarah said slowly, “but I feel sorry for him now. When is he going to court, Inspector?” - “I don’t know,” the Inspector said. “In two weeks, perhaps. But don’t think about him. Would you like to see our beautiful country, Mrs Harland? Where would you like to go? - Anna smiled at him. “Thank you. But I can’t stay. Tomorrow, I’m going back to England, to talk to Stephen’s mother and father.” - “Yes,” Inspector Aziz said quietly. “I feel very sorry for them. It kills a lot of young people, this heroin.” - “Yes. But it isn’t going to kill my daughter. She isn’t going to die now.” Anna took Sarah’s hand. “So thank you again, Inspector Aziz and Mr Cheng. And goodbye. Now I’m going to have a long cold drink in a quiet garden with my daughter and her new young man. I want to know a lot more about him.” - “Hassan stood with his mother and father near the door of the court.” - “Anna Harland put her hand on her daughter’s arm, and smiled at them.” ## Glossary * arrest - to take bad people to prison * baby - a very young child * believe - to think that sometime or someone is true or right * buy (past tense - bought - to get something with money * clean (adj) - not dirty * clean (v) - to make something clean * court (n) - a place where people (judges, lawyers, a jury) listen to law cases * death - when a life finishes * drug - aspirin is a good drug; heroin is a bad drug * hate - opposite of ‘to love’ * heroin - a very bad drug (usually white); when people take heroin, at first they feel good, but then they cannot stop taking it (and it can kill them) * innocent - an innocent person does not do bad things * inspector - an important policeman * judge (n) - the most important person in a court * jury - a number of people (often twelve) who listen to law cases in a court; they say that someone is innocent or not innocent * knock (v) - to hit a door with your hand * law - people write laws to tell you what is right and what is wrong * lawyer - a person who knows about the law, and who helps people who do not know about the law * loudly - with a lot of noise; not quietly * prison - a big building for people who do something wrong (break the law); they live there and cannot leave * sell - to give something to someone for money * sir - a polite word when you speak to man (e.g. Yes, sir ) * stomach - the middle part of your body in the front * sure - when you are sure about something, you know that it is true * toothpaste - you clean your teeth with toothpaste * truth - things that are true * tube - toothpaste is usually in a tube