The Graveyard by the Sea E-Book

Reto Koller

• Herausgeber: BoD - Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Krimi
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 378

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The small village of Halvik in northern Norway is known for its tranquility and seclusion, its closeness to the sea, and its long-standing fishing tradition. However, when three fishermen lose their lives during a storm at sea, rumors quickly begin to circulate in the village that it was not the storm that caused the tragedy. Years later, Harald Strøm, a journalist for the local newspaper in Tromsø, tries to reopen the case and starts investigating within the village community. But he soon realises that his inquiries are not welcomed by the people of Halvik. Behind the façades of the houses lie dark secrets ..., secrets that must be kept at any cost.

Leseprobe

All characters in this book are fictitious and a product of the author's imagination.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 1

Halvik, northern Norway, 23. August 1993

A light mist hovered over the fjord near Halvik, a sign that summer was coming to an end and making way for a short, but colourful autumn. Winter was near, and the landscape around Halvik would soon be locked in a deep freeze, only to thaw again towards the end of April.

When Linus Pettersen woke up that morning and the last fragments of his dreams faded before his inner eye, he had no idea that today would mark a turning point in his life.

It was the first day of school after the summer holidays, and if it were up to Linus, this day would qualify as a day of mourning on the calendar. He felt as if he had only just stepped out of the classroom yesterday—free, carefree, and full of energy. But now, the time for sleeping in, playing, and fishing was over.

As he made his way to school, he let out a loud sigh, kicked a stone off the pavement, and gazed longingly out at the sea. In his mind, he saw himself on his father’s boat, the fishing rod in his hands. He could feel the gentle rocking, hear the soft slapping of the waves against the hull, and smell the salty air. What could be better in life?

The images blurred, and he turned his attention to the peaks of the Lyngen Alps on the opposite shore, slowly bathed in golden light by the rising sun. A few seagulls circled noisily overhead, and he wished he could be as free as they were.

From afar, the voices of children reached his ears, and he reluctantly kept walking. A short time later, the school building came into view. The excited chatter of his classmates grew louder, and he longed to rewind time to the start of summer. Why couldn’t he just skip school and go fishing with his dad instead? School was pointless—he didn’t need it, just like he didn’t need vegetables.

Keeping a safe distance, he observed his classmates running around and wondered how on earth they could be so cheerful. They were all there: Aksel, who was always catching a cold and was blowing his nose even now. Magnus, the overweight boy who was constantly stuffing food into his mouth. Alma, the overachiever who was miles ahead of everyone else. And…! Wait—who was that?

His gaze landed on a girl he had never seen before. She had wavy brown hair, dimples (as far as he could tell from a distance), and was wearing a white, angelic dress with beige sneakers. Even though it wasn’t very warm, she stood there without a jacket, seemingly unbothered by the cold. She smiled shyly and, just like him, observed the scene from afar.

Linus found her beautiful at first sight. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, as if she were a bright star in an otherwise dark sky. The loud voices and shouts around him faded. He no longer saw his classmates—everything became blurry, indistinct. Everything except her. She was at the center of it all; only she existed.

She reminded him of the graceful mythical creatures from the stories he loved to read. Maybe an elf or a fairy.

She moved her head, glancing around, then took a step forward, hesitated, and seemed unsure. Then she turned away from the commotion and walked in his direction, stopping about five meters in front of him—but she didn’t notice him. Instead, she stared out at the fjord, motionless and lost in thought.

Linus followed her gaze, but there was nothing out at sea that could have caught her attention. She was simply staring into the distance, and in her eyes, he thought he saw a hint of sadness.

He grew a little nervous. He didn’t know whether to stay where he was or walk away. His feet felt rooted to the ground.

She shifted slightly in his direction, and now he could see the light colour of her eyes. He lost himself in her gaze, a feeling both pleasant and unsettling. This had never happened to him before.

Suddenly, she turned fully toward him, looking directly into his eyes. Then she smiled—the most enchanting smile he had ever seen.

He wanted to smile back, but before he could, she had already turned away and strolled toward the school building.

"Linus, are you dreaming?"

He flinched. His teacher stood in the doorway, motioning for him to come inside.

Linus caught one last glimpse of the elfin girl as she disappeared into the building, then hurried after her.

By the time he entered the classroom, most of the students had already taken their seats. The girl stood uncertainly in front of an empty desk, glancing around shyly before finally sitting down in the second row— farther away from him than he would have liked. Disappointed, he took his own seat and stole a sideways glance at her.

The teacher entered and welcomed everyone to the first day of school. After his opening remarks, he pointed to the new student and introduced her as Jonna Lundberg. She was twelve years old, had recently moved here with her family, and would now be part of their class.

Linus hung on to every word. He didn’t want to miss a single detail about Jonna. But unfortunately, the teacher’s introduction was brief.

To Linus’s delight, however, he then invited Jonna to introduce herself.

Linus watched intently as she rose from her seat and told the class that she had previously lived in Alta and had moved to Halvik because of her father’s job. She thought the place was very beautiful but missed her friends from Alta.

The teacher assured her that she would surely make new friends here soon.

Linus listened to Jonna’s angelic voice, which sounded as soft as silk. He could have listened to her for hours.

And then there was her shy but enchanting smile—it moved him more than he could explain.

Suddenly, she looked straight at him. Just like before, out in the schoolyard.

One second, two seconds, three sec…; and then she looked back at the teacher. But it had been three seconds— three long seconds.

A sudden jab against the back of his chair made Linus jump. He turned around and found himself staring into the grinning face of his brother, Arne.

"You like her, don’t you?" Arne whispered teasingly.

"Shut up!" Linus hissed back.

"What’s the matter, Linus?" the teacher asked, looking at him sternly. "Would you like to ask Jonna a question?"

Linus turned as red as a tomato and felt every pair of eyes in the room on him—including Jonna’s.

He glanced at her. Her expression was unreadable.

"No, I don't have a question," he replied meekly.

Linus heard the silly giggling of his brother and his friends, Michel and Ole.

Idiots! Linus thought. He would get back at Arne for this.

After the last lesson, the students packed up their books and left the classroom. As his brother Arne passed by, he bent down briefly and whispered, "Go on, get her." He let out a dumb laugh and joined his friends in the hallway. Linus shook his head, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and just caught sight of Jonna leaving the room. He hurried after her and stepped out into the hallway. There she was. She strolled towards the exit, chatting with Ellinor. Linus followed them at a slight distance. Thankfully, Arne had already disappeared. The two girls stepped outside the school building and stopped. Linus paused near the entrance door and looked through a window onto the street.

The sun was low, and the Lyngen Alps glowed in shades of orange. But the magical light show left him cold. He only had eyes for Jonna. Now she pulled a green woolen hat over her head, causing a strand of her hair to fall into her face.

She’s so beautiful, Linus thought. He had never seen anything so enchanting in his short life.

"Move it, loser." Linus was shoved aside roughly. Michel shot him a scornful look before leaving the school building with Arne, heading toward the main street. Linus watched them go.

He hated Michel. And Ole too. Why did they always make his life miserable? To make things worse, Arne hung out with those idiots.

He turned his gaze back to Jonna—and froze. She was gone. Wait… no, she wasn’t gone. She was moving toward the outskirts of the village, and she was alone. Hesitantly, he watched her go. She was getting farther and farther away from the school building, soon she would be out of sight.

Technically, he was supposed to go straight home after school. That was the rule in his house. But today, he didn’t care. He had to find out where Jonna lived. So he hurried after her.

She reappeared in his view on the main street. He followed her as discreetly as possible, passing Café Kystenshuset, the village store, and the church. At one point, she turned around, and Linus instantly froze. Clumsily, he bent down to tie his shoelaces, keeping his head down to avoid suspicion. That’s what they did in movies, anyway.

After a moment, he risked a glance forward—and his heart stopped.

She was gone.

Frantically, he looked around in all directions, but he was alone on the street.

Where had she disappeared to so quickly? Had she gone into a house, and he missed it?

He could have ripped his hair out.

Hesitantly, he walked a few more steps along the pavement and stopped in front of a small barn. A narrow footpath led around the barn down to the water. But there was no one down there.

"Why are you following me?"

Startled, he spun around—and found himself staring into the face of an angel. He couldn’t get a single word out.

"Why are you following me?" Jonna asked again.

"I-I… uh… I'm not following you."

"Now you're lying too."

He shook his head.

"Then why are you here?"

Linus’ thoughts raced. He wanted to say the right thing, do the right thing—but he had no idea what the right thing was. "I-I'm on my way home," he stammered.

"Which house do you live in?"

Damn, now he had trapped himself.

"Up there, on the hill." His eyes wandered up the slope to a row of houses. Jonna followed his gaze.

"I live up there too. The red one with the two fir trees on the left. Which one is yours?"

Uncertain, he glanced between her and the houses. What was he supposed to say now? Crap. He lived at the other end of the village. She’d find out soon enough. Lying wouldn’t help.

"You don’t live here, do you?"

"No," he admitted quietly. "I live over there, behind the church."

She nodded and looked in the direction he pointed. "What’s your name?"

"Linus."

"I've seen you at school."

He nodded.

"The teacher is nice," she said, smiling—this time without shyness.

"Yeah, I think he’s okay."

"Were you born here?"

"No. In Tromsø. You, in Alta?"

She nodded.

"Why did you move here?" he asked, even though she had already explained it in school. But he couldn’t think of anything better to say, and he wanted to keep the conversation going at all costs.

"My dad got a job in Tromsø. He earns more here."

"What does he do?"

"He’s a doctor. He works at the hospital."

Linus’ eyes widened. "A doctor? That’s exciting!"

She made a face. "Not really. He works a lot, so he’s hardly ever home."

Linus nodded.

"What does your dad do?" Jonna asked.

"He’s a fisherman."

Her gaze drifted toward the fjord. Linus frantically searched for a way to prolong the conversation. He didn’t want to say goodbye to this girl just yet. But nothing clever came to mind.

He saw how she squinted slightly, as if she were in pain. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He could tell she was lost in thought. Was she waiting for him to ask something, or was she thinking about something else?

"Do you like sitting on a pier?" she suddenly asked, rescuing Linus from his struggle.

The question surprised him. No one had ever asked him that before. He had never even thought about it. Sure, he had been on a pier many times—he often went fishing with his dad. But did he like it?

"I don’t know," he admitted. "I guess so."

"I love piers," she said, smiling dreamily. "It feels like walking out onto the water and leaving the world behind. I love the peace at the end of the pier and the seagulls rocking on the waves. I love the sounds of the water and the wind. It makes you feel one with the sea."

Linus thought about her words. Everything she said was true. But he had never consciously paid attention to those things before.

"There’s a pier down there, right?" She pointed towards the water.

Linus nodded.

"Let’s go."

"Now?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Several reasons immediately came to his mind: His mother, waiting at home with dinner, the maths homework in his backpack that needed solving. But the most pressing reason was that he was more nervous than he had ever been in his twelve years of life. His stomach felt like it was turning inside out. His legs were on the verge of giving out, and his heart pounded in his chest as if he had just climbed a mountain.

"Alright, I’ll come," he heard himself say.

They left the street and climbed down a small slope, pushing through bushes and tall grass. Behind the boathouse, the pier came into view. Linus followed Jonna onto the wooden planks, watching as she sat down at the edge and let her legs dangle. He sat next to her—but not too close.

The sound of the waves lapping against the pier’s posts rose up from below. A gust of wind rippled the water’s surface, but Linus and Jonna remained silent. Linus, because he had no idea what to talk to her about, and Jonna, because she was probably absorbed in the sounds of their surroundings. At least, that’s what Linus thought. He glanced at her from the side. Her face glowed in the evening light, and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her cheeks. He memorized every detail of her face—the fine hairs on her cheek, the dimples, the upward curve of her eyelashes. Her eyes shimmered like emeralds.

“Do you hear it?” she suddenly asked, making him flinch.

“Hear what?”

“What we were talking about earlier …”

What had they been talking about? Ah, right. Water, wind, seagulls.

“Come on, close your eyes,” she said, looking at him expectantly. He smiled briefly, turned his head toward the fjord, and closed his eyes.

“Now focus on nature. It’s speaking to you.”

Linus did as he was told. He hardly dared to breathe, instead concentrating on the sounds around him.

Somewhere in the distance, a generator rattled. A shovel scraped against asphalt. A seagull screeched as it soared overhead. The sound of the water mixed in with the rustling of the wind as it brushed through the reeds by the shore. But all these sounds became background noise— mere distractions. Because above all, he heard Jonna’s steady breathing. It was the most beautiful sound of all. Even with his eyes closed, he could see her face before him, hear her voice. And in that moment, he knew that he would never forget her for as long as he lived.

“Did you hear it now?” Jonna asked after a while.

Linus opened his eyes and looked at her. “Yeah, I did.”

She opened her eyes too, smiled, and brushed a strand of hair from her face. But suddenly, as if storm clouds had gathered out of nowhere, her expression darkened so quickly that Linus was startled. She turned away and gazed out at the fjord. Her face suddenly looked tired— somehow sad. Linus worried that he had said or done something wrong. He tried to think of what it could be but found nothing. Jonna seemed lost in thought, thoughts he couldn’t begin to guess.

Should he ask her if something was wrong?

He left the thought unspoken. And so, they sat there for a long time without saying a word. Linus feared that she now saw him as the most boring boy in all of northern Norway. He thought of his mother, probably watching the clock, waiting for him. His father, maybe already putting on his shoes to go looking for him. Perhaps they had even called the police by now.

He stole a glance at Jonna, whose gaze was still lost in the distance. Something was definitely wrong. Why did she suddenly seem so sad? Did she miss her old home? Her friends?

“I have to go home,” Jonna suddenly said, standing up without warning. “Will you walk with me?”

“S-sure,” Linus stammered in surprise, scrambling to his feet.

Jonna smiled at him. The melancholy expression on her face had vanished.

They left the pier, climbed up the embankment, and crossed the street. A paved path led between two houses and ended at the old Larsen house. Jonna stopped.

Did she live in the old Larsen house?

Until recently, Aksel Larsen had lived here. He was said to have died of a heart attack. But Linus wasn’t so sure about that. To the children of Halvik, old Larsen had been the devil himself. Whenever he saw kids, he would glare at them and chase them away with hissing sounds. And heaven help anyone who got too close to his house. Especially when the kids dared each other to step onto his property. He would storm out the door, furious, waving a stick, and drive them away. The adults had always warned the children to leave the old man alone. He had had a hard life, they said, and wouldn’t be around much longer anyway.

“Thanks for walking with me,” Jonna said, flashing the most enchanting smile he had ever seen.

“You’re welcome,” he said, scrambling for something else to say. But Jonna had already turned away and was heading through the garden gate toward the front door. As she climbed the steps to the porch, she turned back to him, held his gaze for a few seconds, and said, “I think you’re cute, Linus.”

She disappeared into the old Larsen house, leaving Linus standing at the gate, dumbfounded and weak in the knees.

Chapter 2

On his way home, Linus was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice how slowly he was moving forward. The minutes slipped away like sand in an hourglass, and by the time he finally stood in front of his house, his family's dinner had long since ended. He stepped through the door, stripped off his thick clothes, and went into the kitchen, where his abandoned meal was waiting for him on the table.

His mother, who insisted on punctuality, rushed out of the living room, and the expression on her face did not bode well. "Heavens, Linus, where have you been? Why are you coming home so late? Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

Linus hesitated before answering.

"Well?" his mother pressed.

"I was by the water."

She looked at him, puzzled. "By the water? What were you doing there?"

"I… uh… I wanted to show Jonna the pier."

"Who is Jonna?"

"A new student."

"Linus is in looove, Linus is in looove," sang Arne from the living room, only to be immediately reprimanded by their father.

"I'm not in love!" Linus shouted back into the living room.

"Of course you are," his brother retorted.

"No, you ass!"

"LINUS!" His mother stepped up to him and dragged him out of the kitchen. "Go to your room. No dinner for you tonight."

Linus wanted to protest, but the look on his mother's face said it all. No amount of begging or pleading would change her mind. Fortunately, he still had a tin of biscuits hidden in a safe place. He would have to make do with those.

He yanked himself free, stormed up the stairs, slammed the door behind him, and flopped onto his bed in a sulk.

Let them leave me alone, he thought, throwing a stuffed animal across the room. What did they even know about love? Least of all Arne, that mean jerk. One day, he would get back at him for all his teasing. He was already looking forward to it.

After a while, he closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift back to the pier. He listened to the waves, the gulls, smelled Jonna's floral scent, and saw her sad expression— a look he had never seen on anyone before. Now he wished he had asked her how she was feeling. But it was too late for that. She was in her house, and he was here on his bed. Was she thinking about him too? He hoped so.

When he opened his eyes again, he was under his blanket. His trousers were neatly folded on the chair beside his bed, and he could hear the sound of the coffee machine through the door. His father was saying goodbye to his mother and wishing her a nice day.

Confused, he looked at the clock. It was six-thirty. Had he really slept through the entire night?

He rubbed his eyes and pushed the blanket aside. Fragments of a dream still lingered in his mind—a pier, old Larsen chasing kids off the planks into the water—and he seemed to remember that Jonna had been in the dream too. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall what role she had played.

He got out of bed and stared out the window. The sun had already risen, and the early morning light poured over the fjord and the sea. The seagulls were cawing as if there were no tomorrow. Two boats chugged southward, and the neighbour was hammering away in his workshop.

Linus watched his father get on his bicycle and ride off toward the harbour. Yawning, he turned away from the window and headed for the bathroom.

An hour later, after devouring twice his usual breakfast portion and being reminded by his mother that he should be home on time today, he stepped outside and set off for school. He thought about the day ahead, about the homework he hadn’t done—but today, he didn’t care at all, even if it meant extra assignments. He couldn’t wait to see Jonna again. And to mark the occasion, he had even put on his father's aftershave.

When he arrived at school a few minutes later, he couldn't see Jonna anywhere. She wasn’t in front of the building, nor inside. He took his seat and waited, but Jonna still hadn’t appeared when the teacher entered and began the lesson. Desperately, he glanced at the clock above the door, hoping the teacher had started five minutes early, but the hands of the clock didn’t lie. Jonna’s chair remained empty. She didn’t show up for the second or third period either, nor in the afternoon.

Linus struggled to focus on the teacher’s words. More than once, the teacher had to snap him out of a daydream, and eventually, he asked if Linus was feeling alright. Arne answered for him, loudly announcing to the class that Linus must be missing Jonna because he was in love with her. This led to some laughter and a scolding from the teacher.

Linus wanted nothing more than to storm out of the room but thought better of it. He shot a glare at Arne, who was grinning smugly at him.

What an idiot, Linus thought, making a face at him.

The last lesson dragged on unbearably. Linus felt as if the minute hand was moving backward. When the school bell finally rang through the hallway, he packed his books at lightning speed and dashed out the door, startling two classmates in the process. Outside, he turned left onto the main road and headed toward Jonna’s house.

He wasn’t sure what he planned to do there. Should he ring the doorbell and ask for her? Peek through a window and hope to see her inside? Or would it be more strategic to observe her house from a distance, waiting for her to step outside?

With every step closer to her house, he became more nervous. Two cars passed him, and he turned away so they wouldn’t see his face. When Jonna’s house came into view, he stopped and looked up and down the street.

No one in sight.

Hesitantly, he turned onto the cobbled path and approached Jonna’s house with his head lowered. At the garden gate, he hesitated and glanced back the way he had come. A wave of regret washed over him, and he wished he had just gone straight home.

"Linus?"

He flinched.

Leaning against a garden shelter, not far from the gate, stood Jonna.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I-I… I… You weren’t at school."

She lowered her gaze. "I know. I wasn’t feeling well. But I’m better now."

She had moved closer—only a meter away now—and he could see that she had been crying.

"You shouldn’t be here. You probably have to go home," she said.

She was right, Linus thought. But now that he had seen her red-rimmed eyes, going home was out of the question. "Are you really okay?" he asked, putting on a concerned expression.

She nodded unconvincingly.

Linus searched for words, but came up with nothing better than, "You didn’t miss much. At school, I mean."

She gave him a tired smile and murmured something that sounded like, "That’s good."

Linus was about to suggest they go for a walk when she suddenly grabbed his sleeve and pulled him toward a small shelter between her house and the neighbor’s property. There, she sat down on a bench and motioned to him to sit beside her.

He gladly accepted.

For a while, they sat in silence, watching the shimmering water of the fjord and the rugged mountains in the distance. Linus knew every peak by name—his father had taught him them when he was little. He especially remembered the nights when he had been allowed to go out on the boat. The water had been smooth like a mirror, the snowy mountains like painted landscapes. Sometimes, the northern lights had added their glow, making everything seem like a scene from a fairy tale.

Their father always reminded them how privileged they were to witness such beauty. Most people in the world would never see nature like this. There were hundreds of thousands who had never even seen the stars because the lights of their cities drowned out all the magic in the sky.

And that, their father always said, was no way to live.

Linus enjoyed listening to his father. He always conveyed his knowledge as if it were a fictional story. He infused every one of his tales with suspense, no matter how dry the subject was. Linus often imagined how he would do the same for his own children one day.

After nearly five minutes of silence, Linus cast a furtive glance at Jonna's house and wondered if her family had gone out, leaving her behind alone.

"Is no one home with you?" he asked.

"Father and Mother are at work in the city," she replied with a shrug. "Uncle Steinar usually looks after me." She hadn’t turned to face him but continued staring into the distance.

"And where is your uncle now?"

"Already gone."

Linus wasn’t sure whether he should respond to that or keep quiet. After all, it was none of his business. But her expression—so similar to his grandmother’s when he left her after visiting the nursing home—troubled him more than anything else.

"Do you like it here?" Jonna suddenly asked.

Did he like it here? What a strange question. He had never thought about it before. "I don’t know, I guess so. I don’t know anything else," he finally answered.

She nodded absentmindedly, but didn’t comment further. So, Linus asked her the same question.

She shrugged indifferently. "It’s alright. I always spent my summer holidays here. With Uncle Steinar and Aunt Neja."

"Strange that we never ran into each other before," Linus remarked.

"We weren’t in the village much. My uncle usually took me fishing up at Nakkevatnet. Or we went with my aunt to her cabin in the mountains."

"My father is a fisherman too. My brother and I often go out with him. Want to come along sometime?"

A smile formed on her lips, and she nodded. Then they fell silent again for a while.

Linus thought about the scolding he had received from his parents the night before. He glanced at the watch on his wrist. Just past half-past five.

It was high time he went home. He had no desire to be grounded.

"I have to go home," he said reluctantly.

Jonna turned her head and looked at him, aghast. "Can’t you stay a little longer?"

Linus looked into her chestnut-brown eyes, and at that moment, he would have promised her the world. What was he supposed to do now? He could have spent the entire evening—no, the entire night—with Jonna. But of course, that was just wishful thinking and not a viable option.

"I… I would love to, but my mum—"

He didn’t get any further. She placed her hand in his and squeezed it tightly. "Please. Stay a little longer."

Linus stared at their hands, then at Jonna’s hand. He felt her cold fingers entwined with his own. His mind spun. His heart pounded in his chest. No girl had ever held his hand like this before, let alone looked at him this way. The world around him disappeared. He no longer felt his body—only his left hand and Jonna’s right hand. At that moment, that was all he needed.

He looked up into Jonna’s pleading eyes and nodded.

Later, lying in bed and reflecting on his encounter with Jonna, Linus wouldn’t have been able to say how long they had sat there in silence. He only remembered Jonna’s cold but incredibly soft hand, the rhythm of her breathing— sometimes faster, sometimes slower—and her gaze fixed on the distance, only occasionally interrupted by a blink.

The entire time, he had been searching for something to say, but every time he thought of a topic, he immediately dismissed it and instead stared out at the fjord. Perhaps Jonna hadn’t wanted to talk at all. She seemed content with his silent presence, asking for nothing more than to hold his hand and gaze across the fjord together.

He was glad she wasn’t a chatterbox. That would have been unbearable for him. Sometimes silence was enough. Sometimes, you understood each other without words.

At some point—which felt like a thousand years later— she had turned to him, thanked him for sitting with her and holding her hand. Then she stood up, saying she needed to go inside now.

And out of nowhere, she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Even now, five hours and a grounding sentence later, he could still feel her lips on his skin. But it wasn’t just her kiss that he couldn’t forget—it was also her empty stare and the long, silent minutes.

He would have given anything to know what she had been thinking at that moment.

Two days later, after a dull evening in front of the TV, Linus crawled into bed at ten o’clock and, to his surprise, fell asleep just minutes later.

Sometime during the night, he woke up to a sound.

He sat up and listened to the silence.

Had he been dreaming?

A loud plop against the window made him jump.

Puzzled, he threw back the blanket and stepped to the window. When he looked down, he saw a dark figure standing in the yard, looking up at him and waving.

It was Jonna.

Linus made sure his bedroom door was shut, then opened the window. "Jonna, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to visit you. Can you come out?"

"Now?"

"Of course."

"I-I don’t know. I’m grounded."

"Your parents are asleep."

Linus glanced toward his door again. If he got caught, he’d probably spend the rest of the year confined to his room.

But Jonna was here… in front of his house.

He had to go out, no matter what.

"Wait, I’m coming down."

He closed the window, put on warm clothes, and tiptoed out of the house.

Jonna was waiting for him with a smile on the porch.

"How did you know which window was mine?" Linus asked as he stood before her.

"I didn’t. First, I threw a pebble at that window over there and hid. But no one opened it, so I tried the next one. Got lucky. Your parents didn’t hear anything?"

"I don’t think so. My dad snores."

"Want to go down to the water?"

Linus hesitated for a moment. "I have a better idea. Come with me."

He led the way, and Jonna followed. He took her behind the house, through the neighbour’s garden, and up a steep slope.

They stopped in front of an old, half-ruined house.

"That looks creepy," Jonna said, eyeing the building skeptically.

"Don’t worry. I’ve been playing here for years. It’s safe."

He took her hand and guided her inside.

They entered a large rectangular room, with an equally large window on the north side offering an unobstructed view of the village and the fjord.

Linus lit a few candles scattered across the floor with a match. Then he went to the fireplace and started a fire with old newspapers and some logs.

"Come on, let’s sit over here," he said, leading her to two wooden chairs by a window.

They sat down, and silence settled over the room.

For a while, they gazed wordlessly at the sleeping village below. Behind them, the fire crackled.

"I’m sorry you got grounded because of me," Jonna said in a sad voice.

Linus shrugged. "Oh, forget it. It’s not your fault."

"I still feel responsible."

"Don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal."

Jonna smiled and looked back out the window.

Linus watched her from the side. He wanted to kiss her so badly.

But he had never kissed a girl before. Did he even know how? He had seen it in movies countless times, always wondering what it felt like.

Now, here he was, with the perfect chance to find out.

But mustering the courage… that was another thing entirely.

When they returned, Jonna stood in front of his house, her eyes meeting his.

His pulse pounded so hard he feared she could see it in his throat.

Then she leaned forward and kissed him.

Linus didn’t know what was happening.

How long had it lasted? A second? Maybe three? Or ten minutes?

She turned and slipped away.

"Jonna, wait!" Linus called after her.

She stopped and smiled at him.

"I… I wanted to ask you something," he stammered.

"Yes?"

"I feel like something is bothering you."

She frowned briefly, then smoothed her expression and placed a hand on his arm.

"Everything’s fine, Linus. Don’t worry. I’m okay."

Then she smiled, kissed him again, and disappeared into the twilight of the late summer night.

Chapter 3

Christmas and New Year had passed. Several weeks had gone by since the kiss in front of Linus’ house, and he was happier than ever. He and Jonna had become a couple, which was entirely new territory for Linus. He had never had a girlfriend before, and he was convinced that there was nothing more wonderful in the world. He wanted to spend every free minute with her, and he was glad that Jonna felt the same way. Their hideaway in the old house on the mountain had become their favorite retreat. They spent many evenings and nights there, sharing their wishes and dreams with each other.

However, during this time, Linus increasingly noticed how much Jonna suffered from the lack of parental care. Her father worked almost day and night, and although her mother didn’t financially need to work five days a week, she wouldn’t give it up. As a result, Jonna spent a great deal of time at Linus’ house.

One evening, Linus overheard a conversation between his father and mother. They were talking about how sorry they felt for Jonna and how they had come to see her almost like their own daughter. They debated whether they should talk to Jonna’s parents about it but ultimately decided against it, as they felt it wasn’t their place to interfere in her family matters.

In the months that followed, not much changed in the situation—until the day Jonna’s father suffered a stroke and passed away. It happened completely unexpectedly, right at home in the driveway. He had stepped out of his car, collapsed, and never regained consciousness. A rescue helicopter was called in, but the doctor could do nothing for Jonna’s father.

When Linus heard the news, he dropped everything and rushed to Jonna’s house. Her mother stood in the doorway, looking like a broken woman, weeping bitter tears. Linus found Jonna sitting a bit further away, on a bench near the arbour. They hugged for what felt like an eternity, until Jonna finally asked if he would take a walk with her.

Linus knew that a difficult time lay ahead for Jonna, and he tried to encourage her. She didn’t speak much, mostly listening to his words, and after a while, she simply said that she now felt even lonelier.

That statement hit Linus right in the heart, even though he knew she hadn’t meant it that way. She wasn’t referring to him but rather to the already difficult dynamics within her family.

However, her worries didn’t turn out to be true, as became clear a few weeks later when her mother quit her job and was suddenly at home almost all the time. For Jonna, this was an entirely new situation, and Linus hoped that it would bring positive changes within her family.

But soon he realized that Jonna was struggling with the sudden changes. She didn’t exactly ignore her mother, but she also didn’t give her a real chance to repair their strained relationship.

When Linus brought it up, she only said, "I can’t just pretend everything is fine now, as if we’ve always had this great mother-daughter relationship. Too much has happened, my feelings have been hurt too many times. Besides, you are my family now."

And Linus knew she truly meant it.

Throughout the time they spent together, Linus always had the feeling that something dark was weighing on Jonna. He saw it in her eyes, which often seemed distant and sad. Even during their very first meeting—which now felt like a lifetime ago—he had sensed that she was carrying a heavy burden.

He had asked her about it a few times, but she always assured him that everything was fine and that he didn’t need to worry. She was simply a bit melancholic sometimes, but it had nothing to do with him; it was just part of her nature.

At first, he had believed her, but as time went on—and as he grew older and more mature—he realized that there was more to it than met the eye.

That didn’t change in the years that followed. The only difference was that their lives had become busier, and school had grown more demanding.

After finishing secondary school, Linus secured an apprenticeship as a carpenter at Gunnar’s workshop in Halvik. Jonna went to college and later university to study medicine. From that point on, they didn’t see each other as often as they had before.

Jonna spent most of her time attending lectures, burying herself in books at the library, and when she wasn’t studying, she was too exhausted to do much.

Often, they would simply lie together, talking about the past, the future, their lives, their families.

They talked about getting married, about having children; they imagined sitting at home by the fireplace— Jonna knitting, Linus reading the newspaper, and their children playing on the floor with Lego bricks.

That thought always made them laugh. But this was how they envisioned their future—or rather, how they wished their future would be.

When Linus completed his apprenticeship, Gunnar offered him a permanent position. Linus loved working as a carpenter, and in a country where almost all the houses were made of wood, carpenters were always in demand.

Jonna was immensely proud of Linus and happy that he had found his calling. She, on the other hand, still had two more years of study ahead of her before she could even start looking for a job.

Since Linus was already earning good money, they rented a small apartment just outside Halvik, with a view of the fjord.

Some time after moving in, Linus noticed a slight change in Jonna’s demeanor. She was happier, lighter than she had been in previous years.

The separation from her old home seemed to do her good. The distant, empty look in her eyes had almost completely disappeared.

When Jonna finally received her doctorate at the end of her studies, she and Linus both felt the urge to get away for a while, to have some time just for themselves.

Linus quickly converted an old delivery van into a cozy camper, and on a grey Sunday morning in July 2003, they left Halvik behind and drove south.

They had no plans to leave Scandinavia. They wanted to stay in the northern regions, where the temperatures were more pleasant and where there were fewer people.

They sought solitude, and they could only find it here in the north.

For the first time, they were truly on their own, away from home, and they relished every moment.

They camped by rivers and lakes, on small hills in the otherwise flat landscapes of Lapland. They fished and hiked as much as they could.

At the beginning of their journey, the midnight sun still shone overhead. By late August, the first northern lights had already begun to appear in the sky.

It was on one of those colourful nights that Linus knelt before Jonna and asked for her hand in marriage.

Chapter 4

In early summer 2004, Jonna and Linus got married in the church of Halvik. Almost the entire community was invited, and the two were showered with gifts. The greatest gift came from Linus’ grandfather, who let them rent his house, as the time had come for him to move into a retirement home. A few months after they moved into their new home, Linus’ brother Arne took up residence in the basement apartment of the house.

On a stormy evening in July 2004, Jonna told Linus that she was pregnant. Linus could hardly believe his luck and was overjoyed. The very next day, he began planning the nursery, crafting a crib in his workshop, building a dresser, and carving countless wooden toy animals. Linus’ father was bursting with pride and even bought a fishing rod for his future grandchild.

Three months passed when, one evening, Jonna suddenly began suffering from excruciating abdominal pain. Linus immediately called the village doctor, Olsen, who arrived just a few minutes later. By then, Jonna had already lost a significant amount of blood. Linus could see what that meant from the doctor’s expression.

The days and weeks following the miscarriage were, as expected, incredibly difficult. Jonna withdrew into herself, while Linus threw himself into his work. Despite everything, they often talked to each other during this time, sharing their feelings and thoughts, helping one another process what had happened.

It was precisely during this time that Jonna opened her heart and entrusted Linus with her darkest secret—a secret she had carried for far too long, a secret that had cast her soul into darkness.