"Dear God, or whoever it is that's listening." "I don't really give a shit about tits, but if that's what it takes,   then let me get them during the summer holidays." "Or a friend." "Preferably both." "But if I get to choose, I'll go for tits." "BEYOND THE SKY" "Who nicked my shoes?" " Try looking where you left them." "But where was that?" " Mari!" "Here they are, dad." " Thanks a lot, Morten." "Did you iron your shirt yourself?" " Well done, old chap." "Where is Mari?" " Still in the bathroom." "I'm in the shower!" " Hurry up, then." "Give me time to finish." " Just don't go down the drain." "Skinny as you are." " We're leaving now." "I want to be there when it starts." " Mari!" "Oh dear, I forgot to iron her dress!" "Here it is, mom." "I did it along with my shirt." "What would we do without you?" " Try to scrape by, I guess." "Mari, you sweet thing" "did you get yourself new..." "I think she's done, mom." " What is it now, Mari, dear?" "Just another shitty day." " Morten has ironed your dress." "He can wear it himself!" " But it's so cute on you." "Wear it." "When you're a grown-up, you get to decide for yourself." "Maybe I'll never get to grow up." "We're all going to die some day." "You're making me angry." " I'm not wearing that dress." "Ever." "You talk to her." "She won't listen to me." "What are your plans for the summer?" " Going hiking with the boy scouts." "What about you, headmaster?" " Well, who knows?" "Out of my way!" "You must excuse Miss Kjaer." "She's a bit... peculiar." "And you, Mari?" "Where are you going this summer?" "Backpacking in the Himalyas." "Well, maybe not the Himalayas..." " Mari has a very vivid imagination." "Hiya!" " Petter, come over here." "Randi." "Linda." "Don't forget presents!" "Christian, Petter, Kathrine..." "You should have been invited, too." " Seeing as everyone else was." "Well, whatever." "Maybe you'd rather hang out with Bjoern Roar?" "Maybe you should lose some weight." " Hey, back off." "Go clean that smudge off your mug." "What a bitch." "Dear students, dear parents, dear colleagues." "Dear Rebekka..." "Kjaer." "What you have meant to this school and what it has meant to you - cannot be described in just a few words." "You've been a charismatic teacher - and you've been a source of great inspiration as a colleague." "Now, as you enter into retirement, I just want to say - that with your disposition - and your vast knowledge of so many subjects - you've always been... here." "So allow me to just thank you for all that you've done - and wish you all the best in your retirement." "I'm sure you'll..." "Here you are." "Maybe you'd like to say a few words after all these years?" "May I have my handkerchief back?" "Certainly." "And now, Morten from 5.a. Is going to sing for us." "I'd like to sing a song for my sister, who is so very dear to me." "Mari, you sweet thing did you get yourself new shoes?" "Oh no, these I didn't choose cause there was no shoestring" "Mari, you sweet thing your puffed out skirt is surely new" "Oh no, it's been sewn askew because I got it last spring" "Come on, let's all sing the chorus." "And therefore I've become whoopie-doopie-loopie" "Therefore I can stand and shine time after time" "Wonderful!" " That concludes the entertainment." "Happy holidays!" "I can do magic." "I can do magic." "I didn't know that you..." "I need the help of my brother, who is so very dear to me." "Don't do anything stupid." "I'll bet she turns it into a chicken." "Abracadabra!" "She reminds me of Clint Eastwood." " Why?" "'Cause she only speaks when she has to." "You'll never be a girl scout!" "What's the matter with her?" " She's stark raving bonkers." "Well, you must admit she's not exactly normal." "And she's always so grumpy." " Is there any reason to be sweet?" "She's completely lost her marbles." " You're talking about your daughter." "Miss Kjaer?" " Being grumpy is not illegal." "But all the time!" " What do you know about that?" "Stop fighting, you two." " There's no fighting going on." "Sweetie pie!" "A raffle ticket, Miss Kjaer?" "We're raising money for the school band." "I don't give a shit about the band." " She's one tough cookie." "7: 38: 00." "7 minutes, 38 seconds and 0 tenths." "It's a new record." "A new what?" " Record." "Ever heard of such a thing?" "It's almost completely melted." "What did you do that for?" " Because..." "Because I like you." "You put ice cream in my face, because you like me?" "Yeah, I guess so." "Don't you have a home to go to?" "Mom!" " Yes?" "Now, don't stay up too late." " Sure." "I get to sound "lights out"." "Poor boy scouts." " Okay, that's it." "I could be a psycho." " Good for you..." "A psycho!" " What on earth are you reading?" ""The History of Madness"." " Stop it." "That's serious stuff." "Be prepared!" " Always prepared, dad." "Take care not to cut yourself on those sharp, boy scout knives." "Please say goodbye, Mari." " "Goodbye, Mari"." "You can always call us, you know." "Your flashlight is in the side pocket." "Have a great hike!" "Now it's just the three of us." " Just relaxing at home, for once." "What do you think we should do?" "Well, what would you like to do, Mari?" "Take a trip to Euro Disney." " We can't afford that." "Just grab some money from the bank." " That's not your father's money." "Then find me some child labour." "Can we go to Copenhagen?" "Maybe next year." " Maybe when I'm a hundred." "Mari, we do the best we can." " That's not good enough." "What did you say?" "I'm going for a walk." " Me, too." "Wanna come, Mari?" " Walks are for boy scouts." "Thanks for lending me this." "Wanna come for a walk?" " A walk?" "Ship me somewhere East of Suez where the best is like the worst" "Where there are no Ten Commandments and a man can raise a thirst" "Kipling." "Have you read any of his works?" "Kipling!" "No." "I don't read when I'm on holiday." "Aren't you going to pick flowers?" "Why would I?" "I like flowers." "Wild ones, of course." "Can't stand the domesticated ones." "Do you want a Danish?" " Sure." "There aren't any left." "But you can blow up the bag." "No, I want to do it." "One of life's small pleasures." "Old lady, jaunty spirit." "The world is never completely quiet, is it?" "No, it's never completely quiet." "It would be my honour." " How so?" "It would be my honour to invite you." ""Rebekka Kjaer would be pleased to see Mari at her birthday party."" "Her name is Rebekka." " Friday July 2nd." ""From three till seven thirty." "Refrehments will be served."" "I see." " What do you mean by that?" "I don't mean anything." "I just don't like it." "But it's so sweet of Miss Kjaer." " That's not the issue at all." "I just don't want my daughter hanging around Miss Kjaer." "We don't know what she might do." " And what might that be?" "That's what I don't know." "How would I know what I don't know?" " I don't give a shit." "Go to your room!" " No!" "All right, then I'm going to mine." "One, two, three, four, five, six..." "Where's my present?" "Happy birthday." "What are these for?" " Your pants." "When you ride a bike." "I wear a skirt, when I ride my bike." "Come on in, then." "Don't just stand there." "Where's the bird?" " It flew away." "Who is he winking at?" "Fondly in rhythm to pin you down deeply and forever to preserve you" "What was that?" "It was a poem, child." "Written by a man named Olaf Bull." "He is dead." "Sit yourself down, before the cream turns sour." "He's winking at you." "Now, there's three of us." "Mari, Rebekka and Alexander Larsen." "Who is he?" "Alexander Larsen?" "Promise not to laugh?" " I hardly ever laugh." "No, let's have a good time." " Why?" "And why would I laugh?" "Alexander Larsen was the love of my life." "And my curse." "Is he dead?" "I have no idea." "It's been ages, you know." "I grew up on a farm in Sweden, near the border." "He grew up here." "He was young." "The same age as me." "During the final days of the war - he helped people escape to Sweden." "He led them across the border." "One day things turned ugly." "He was shot by a German soldier." "I found him in the woods." "We hid him in our outhouse and I nursed him back to health." "And that's when he made my heart explode." "Then what happened?" "What happened?" "The war ended." "Then what happened?" "My, you're a nosy kid." "I don't want to talk about it." "Life is short, and what's done is done." "I haven't seen him in ages." "Some of us are destined to live without our one true love." "But what happened?" " Please, this is a birthday party." "And at a party you don't waste time pouring your heart out to people." "What you do is sing a birthday song." "I don't want to sing." "I want to know what happened." "I see." "You don't want to sing for me, even though it's my birthday." "No." "Miss Kjaer?" "You're crying." "I'm sorry." "Here's to you on your birthday we're here to congratulate you" "Around you in a circle we stand now, look how we're marching" "Bow, nod, curtsy ring around the rosy" "Dancing for you with leaps and bouncy hops" "Wish with all your heart for all good things" "What more can you ask for?" "Congratulations!" "Let me put on some music." "Let's play Monopoly." "Let's see..." "You're bankrupt!" "Bankrupt!" "What a tremendous run of visitors it's been today." "Maybe they're here to congratulate you on your birthday." "It's your old man." " It's just..." "The time is..." "Mari should have been home half past eight." "It's almost nine." "I thought that maybe..." " I'd eaten her for dinner?" "No, of course not, but..." "Can I please stay a little while?" " Sure, no problem." "Your mother and I were just a bit worried, that's all." "Scared stiff, more likely." " No, we weren't scared at all." "Having a good time, princess?" " I'm not your princess." "I was referring to..." " Can I stay just one more hour?" "You'd best go home now." " Happy birthday." "And what are these?" " They're carnations." "I'm going to celebrate with a glass of wine now." "Preferably alone." "Miss Kjaer is quite something." " Miss Kjaer is Miss Kjaer." "Mari, breakfast is ready!" "Your father's made pancakes." "Take it easy." "Where's the fire?" " She must have a mighty appetite." "Where are you going, Mari?" "Breakfast is on the table." "You're going out before breakfast?" " Yes." "I'm going cycling." "With some friends?" " Can't it wait a little while?" "You can't go on an empty stomach." " Drive carefully, then." "Quit smoking!" "Are you going cycling?" " What makes you think that?" "Can I go?" " No." "It's not for kids." "You just don't quit, do you?" " Where are you going?" "Where the wind takes me." "What is it?" " Nothing." "Just a leg cramp." "Do you need help?" " No, I'll be fine." "Go home." "I'll just sit here and rest a while." "But we're almost there." " Where?" "Where we're going." " I'm not going anywhere." "How I wish I could fly." "I'm not leaving you." "You might catch a cold." " And you might die." "We're all going to die some day." "You'll be fine." "You're not exactly climbing Mount Everest." "Thank you." "This is as far as we go." " What a lovely place." "Come winter, the roof will cave in, and then the house is finished." "How do you know?" " It's rotten to the core." "I don't think it's rotten." "Mari, you sweet thing" "You stupid, old hag!" "In that case, I think you should go home and leave the old hag alone." "You're no better than the rest of them!" "It may not be so rotten after all." " I hate you!" "I hate that song." "Life is no easy matter." "You push, while I turn it." "Welcome to my paradise." "This is yours?" "This is where we were going to live, Alexander and I." "It wasn't true what you said, was it?" "That you never think of him." "You think of him all the time." "No." "Yes." "Damn that Alexander Larsen!" "He is my sorrow and my joy." "My hope and my despair." "He is the locked door to my heart." "Alexander Larsen is the man I have loved, still love - and always will love." "For short:" "My love." "Did he let you down?" "He lived with us till the war was over." "Then he moved back home and I went with him." "And we got engaged." "Those were the happiest months of my life." "Then what happened?" "Then he went on a sea voyage to make money for the wedding." "And before he went, he carved something in the wall." "What?" "What did he write?" "He wrote..." ""I love you beyond the sky, Rebekka."" "And then he just vanished?" " "Beyond the sky." What rubbish." "I don't think so." "Then what happened?" " One day I received a postcard." "Where from?" " Singapore." "Wait here a bit." "Do you like it?" "It's lovely." "I was going to get married in it." "Do you want it?" "But, you might need it." " No." "I've waited too long for that." "It's too late now." "It's yours." "Here comes the Saint Bernard!" "What was that?" " My father." "I like that thing you said." " What?" "That I wasn't climbing Mount Everest." "But one day you may discover that a bicycle can become a mountain." "At some point it just has to end." "We've been so worried about you." " Don't be." "You'll get wrinkles." "Where have you been?" " With Miss Kjaer." "You could catch a cold." "You open that bag, and I won't talk to you again for the rest of my life." "Touch that, and I'll kill you!" "I've seen a moose." "Mari, how are you feeling?" " Are you still sick?" "I only have 38.2 degrees." " That's a fever." "Paal Pettersen came to school with 38.9." "Paal is not our responsibility." " Besides, the teacher sent him home." "Fuckface!" " Who taught you language like that?" "Morten taught me." "He knows a lot of foul words." "Don't you?" "Today "fuck" doesn't mean what it meant in our day." "What did it mean back then?" " Don't worry too much about that." "I don't worry about it much." "Only at this very moment." "Take your temperature." "Are you taking your temperature?" " I just stuck the thermometer in." "In where?" " Where do you think?" "In your butt hole." "Now, I'll read to you while you can't move." "I'm going to read you instructions on how to build a lean-to." "No!" " Yes. "Lean-to." "Start by..."" " Rebekka..." " At some point it just has to end." "No, Rebekka!" "Miss Kjaer?" "Miss Kjaer?" "What's wrong, Mari?" " Miss Kjaer is dead." "She's dead." "I rang her doorbell and went in, but there was nobody there." "She could be visiting some friends." " Or maybe she went on vacation." "And left the door open?" " I'm sure there's an explanation." "You just don't like her." "Don't like her?" "Well, we don't really know her." "She is a bit strange." " You're the strange one!" "She's my only friend." "You always say I should make some friends." "Miss Kjaer cannot be your friend." " She is my friend." "Well, she was." "Did Miss Kjaer die?" " We'll find out in the morning." "It may be too late by then." "Don't say a word." "About what?" "You can't take my flashlight!" "I need it." "I'll give you my allowance for this week." "I'll join the girl scouts." " Why?" "I'll be your servant for 4 weeks." " I don't need one." "I have mom." "Tell me what you want, then." "I want to see what's in the bag Miss Kjaer gave to you." "Mom and dad will have a fit." " They're asleep." "When I tell them you've gone, they'll be wide awake." "But you won't do that." "You swore an oath." "Oh, did I?" "A scout who can't keep his word is no scout at all." "Here." " Why would I want that?" "You can blow it if something scary happens." "Mari, was that you screaming?" " I just blew my whistle." "Your parents will be mighty pleased with you running off into the night." "I thought you were dead!" "Alexander sent you a postcard." " Yes, he did." "Just now." "He still loves you." "He loves you beyond the sky." "Not so far beyond anymore." "He sent me 83 postcards." "From Calcutta, Venice, Miami, Marseille..." "The first one was from Singapore, and he wrote:" ""I love you."" "But nothing more than that, right?" "Never "I love you beyond the sky"." "He only wrote that on the wall 45 years ago." "No, he never wrote "I love you beyond the sky"." "It's turning to ashes, just like love." "Why did you do that?" "I did it, because Alexander Larsen is a toad!" "I finally learn to live without him, and then this comes along." ""I love you beyond the sky."" "That's why Alexander Larsen is a toad." "Wouldn't you like to know where he is?" "He's living on Svanoey." " How do you know?" "That's what the postmark said." "And he loves you beyond the sky." "A very low-hanging and awfully dark sky." "He sits out there waiting for me to come crawling on my bare knees." "But I'm not coming, ever!" "I think you should look him up." " And suffer my life's defeat?" "Never." "I'll go with you." "It's too late for love." "But you have to give it a shot once in your life." "Give me one good reason to do it." "Just to tell him that..." "That he's a toad!" "You and I are going to Svanoey to tell Mr. Larsen that he's a toad." "Do you know what you are, Mr. Larsen?" "You're a toad!" "A horribly, slimy, disgusting toad." "Why hello, Alexander Toad." "Long time, no see." "I'm sure your carnation of a father won't let you borrow the boat." "He might, if you ask him." " I guess I'll have to, then." "Where have you been?" "Your father and the police have been looking for you." "I can't even cry now, I have no more tears left." "Have you no thought for others?" " I'm getting my first wrinkle now." "You have a certain responsibility." " No, you took that away from me." "Oh, honey..." "I didn't mean it." "I was just so terribly scared for you." "I found Miss Kjaer." "Love is the strangest thing." "Well, this isn't always so..." "It's a great thing that you and Mari have such a good relationship." "The tea is good." "So many strange things happen nowadays, so... we just thought..." "Well, not exactly strange." "We'd like to ask you something." " Is it Lipton?" "May we borrow the boat?" "May we?" "Steer carefully, now." "And keep close to the shore!" "You'll be fine." " Is your life vest fastened?" "Has Mari fastened her life vest?" "Don't stand up in the boat!" "You'll fall overboard!" "I never fall overboard." "Have a safe trip!" "If we should sink, the water is pretty deep around here." "Are you any good at rowing?" "Oh no!" "Oncoming boat!" "Aren't the waves fun?" " They're just wonderful." "Look, I forgot my hat." "Can't we just go back?" "Off to the high seas!" "Do you have to go so fast?" "You're making for the open ocean!" "Relax." " I think there's a storm coming." "Let's put in here." " Let's go back." "Rain's coming." "A rainstorm can appear right out of the blue." "It's not going to rain." "Why are you blushing?" " I'm not blushing." "Don't worry about it." "I blush all the time." "Not bad." "It's a B+." " Are you a teacher?" "I was, young man." "Now, I'm free as a bird." "And who might you be?" " Henrik Mortensen." "So that's who you are." " I guess so." "What are you doing here?" "It's our jetty." "Belongs to the hut." "Did my mom send you?" " Why would she do that?" "To tutor me." "I'm a bit behind in school." "I won't be teaching you anything, Henrik Mortensen." "We're going back pretty soon." " Call me Henrik." "I'm only..." "Fourteen?" " How did you know?" "You're blushing." "We're looking for a man." "Alexander Larsen." "So you've been exiled here, because you're behind in school?" "Alexander Larsen?" " We're talking about you now." "Concentrate on one thing at a time." "Is there a boardinghouse around here?" "We're hungry and tired." "It's going to be dark sooner or later." "What then?" "What did she mean?" "I think she wants you to invite us back to your house." "Hurry it up." " What did I tell you?" "Rain." "Come on in." "I didn't get around to tidying up." " Right." "Because you're a bit behind." "I think my mom left some clothes here." "She'll be back on Tuesday." "You look nice." "Dig in." "Dinner is served." "That was quite a meal." "Tasty, unhealthy and varied." "Chocolate spread on white toast isn't exactly cheese on rye." "Why did you come here, exactly?" "We're looking for a man." "Alexander Larsen." "You know how to ruin a good time." " We're not here to have a good time." "Who's Alexander Larsen?" " That rainstorm let up pretty fast." "He's... just this guy we need to talk to." "Do you know where he lives?" "Who is he?" "I'm not telling him." "Can I tell him, then?" "Alexander Larsen is my soul mate." "It happened during the war." "We lived near the border." "He was helping people escape to Sweden." "And suddenly, this postcard arrives." "Posted here on the island." "You must have loved him dearly." " Yes." "And he loved her beyond the sky." "There was this poem, he used to recite to me." "Fondly in rhythm to pin you down..." "Deeply and forever to preserve you" "In a poem's eternal alabaster" "You sun-crossed romantic with your brow" "Girlishly poised towards the ocean's pale gold" "You mildly turn one heaven against another" "Just as bright and tender and mysterious" "Mom used to read it to me." "It reminded her of my dad." "Is he dead?" " No, they're divorced." "It was for the best." "Their best, anyway." "Maybe Larsen is that old hermit." " Old hermit?" "That's the man living on Soerodden." "I've seen him from the tower." "My watchtower." "No, it's late." "And you haven't made our beds yet." "Aren't we going out there?" " No, we're going to bed." "But he's the reason we're here..." " You two can sleep in the bedrooms." "Good night." " Good night." "Mari?" "My eyesight is really quite bad." "It's so bad, you don't have to dress if you need to go to the loo." "I can't even see you blushing." " Fuckface." "What did you say?" " I was talking to Henrik." "I thought you said fuckface." " What did you say?" "I thought you said fuckface!" " No, Mari said that." "Why did she say that?" " I don't know." "We can talk about it in the morning." "Why did you call me fuckface?" " What?" "I was talking to Mari." " Because I called him fuckface." "I never said such a thing." "How could he think that?" "I have no idea." "Good night." " Good night." "Henrik!" " What's up?" "Miss Kjaer is gone." "Miss Kjaer!" "Hello!" "Is that you?" " No, it's not me." "You'll see him soon." "We're going out there." "No." "We'll do no such thing." " But that's why we came here." "No." "I've decided to let things be as they are." "That's really lousy." " I know." "I ran away from home for your sake." "You old hag!" "Cut it out!" "I won't have quarrelling in my cabin." "Okay, let's go." " Forget it." "Can't a man ever get some peace around here?" "This is private property!" "See the sign?" "Is that him?" "Alexander Larsen!" "You're a toad!" "Rebekka..." "Hey!" "That was it." " What do you mean?" "They've found one another." "It's done." "Do you think she'll kill him?" " She won't." "She loves him." "It didn't seem that way." " Then you know nothing of love." "Where are you going?" "I'm going to show you what love looks like." "Do you think..." " Shhh!" "We have to help him." " Wait." "They're fighting!" " No." "What did I tell you?" "First, she kisses him, then she kills him." "What's he saying?" " Fondly in rhythm to pin you down." "You think so?" " I know so." "Mari?" "Come along." "What's wrong?" "Are you crying?" "I never cry." "What's that?" " It's her wedding dress." "How do you like it?" "I think you're the prettiest thing I've ever seen." "You're standing on my dress." "What're you thinking of?" "That spring, when I was seven years old." "I found a secret patch of wild flowers in the woods." "And I'm thinking that I'll never be seven again." "What are you thinking?" "I'm thinking about you." "If you ever tell anyone about this, I'll kill you." "Sounds like you've had a wild life." " Well, I was so young." "I wanted life to be a raging storm." "But our life begins now." " That's what you think." "Wait, Rebekka..." "No." "It's your time to wait." "Come along, Mari." "Where are we going?" " It's time to go home." "But, wait!" "What's that?" " It's your wedding dress." "I haven't the time to get married." "I hardly have time to live." "Rebekka!" "Did you tell her?" " Tell her what?" "That you love her?" "Tell her now." " It's too late." "It's never too late." "Tell her." "Come along." "We haven't got our whole lives in front of us." "I love you!" "Tell her, you love her beyond the sky." "I love you!" "Beyond the sky, Rebekka!" "If you really mean that, I'll let you walk me to the boat." "You might as well keep it." " Will you be back, then?" "Prince or toad, that is the question." "That's it, then." " What do you mean?" "You're leaving." "It's over." "I'll be back." "Will you be back?" " I'll send you a postcard." "I have an invitation for you." " What?" "An invitation for a small trip." " Where to?" "Singapore!" " Excuse me?" "Singap..." "Are you hard of hearing?" "Do you really mean it?" "I'm too old to say things I don't really mean." "Rebekka..." "Do you know what you are?" "You're a toad." "No standing up in the boat."