Read In the Darkness for Free Online
Authors: Karin Fossum
ridge of the barn.
At regular intervals she ran to the window watching eagerly for her father’s car. Every other weekend she stayed with her father and she looked forward to it each time with equal fervour. Eva was expectant too. She sat tensely on the sofa and waited, needing to get the child out of the house so she could have peace to think. She usually used such free weekends for working. Now she was totally paralysed. Everything was different. They’d found him.
Emma hadn’t brought up the subject of the dead man for several days. But that didn’t mean she’d forgotten him. She could tell by her mother’s face that he wasn’t to be mentioned, and although she didn’t know why, she respected it.
In the studio a canvas stood prepared on the easel. She had already primed it black, without a hint of light. She couldn’t be bothered to look at it. There was so much else now that needed to be done first. She sat on the sofa listening with the same intensity as Emma for the red Volvo which would turn into the courtyard at any moment. Complete order reigned on the farm, apart from the green monster that towered behind the barn. It looked strange.
‘That dinosaur doesn’t quite fit in, does it Emma?’
Emma pouted.
‘I know that. It’s only visiting.’
‘Ah, I see. I should have realised.’
She drew her legs up and pulled her long skirt over her knees. Tried to empty her head of thoughts. Emma sat down again, pushed the piglets one after the other under the sow’s belly.
‘There’s not enough teats. This one hasn’t got one.’ She raised a piglet between two fingers and looked enquiringly at her mother.
‘Mmm. That’s what happens. Those piglets starve to death. Or you have to feed them from a bottle and farmers usually haven’t got the time.’
Emma pondered this for a bit. ‘I can give it to Dino. He’s got to have food, too.’
‘But they only eat grass and leaves and that sort of thing, don’t they?’
‘Not this one, he’s a meat-eater,’ Emma explained, and pushed the piglet between the green monster’s sharp teeth.
Eva shook her head in disbelief at this practical solution. Children never ceased to amaze her. And just then there was the sound of revving in the courtyard. Emma vanished as fast as she was able, out through the hallway to greet her father.
Eva raised her head dully as he appeared in the doorway. This man had been the guiding beacon in her life. When Emma stood next to him she seemed smaller and trimmer than usual. They suited one another, both with red hair and carrying far too much weight. They loved each other, too, and she was pleased about that. She’d never been jealous, not even of the new woman in his life. Her great grief was that he’d left her, but now that he’d done it, she wished him the best of luck. It was that simple.
‘Eva!’ he smiled, his ginger forelock nodding. ‘You look tired.’
‘I’ve got one or two problems.’ She smoothed her skirt.
‘Artistic things?’ he asked, without a trace of sarcasm.
‘No. Tangible, worldly things.’
‘Are they serious?’
‘Far worse than you can imagine.’
He contemplated her answer and his brow furrowed. ‘If I can help with anything, you must let me know.’
‘You may have no choice in the end.’
He stood there staring at her earnestly, with Emma hanging on to his trouser leg. The child was heavy enough to make him lose his balance. He felt enormous sympathy, but she inhabited a world that was completely beyond his ken, an artistic world. He’d never felt at home there. Nevertheless, she was an important part of his life and would always remain so.
‘Fetch your bag, Emma, and give Mum a hug.’
She obeyed his command with great enthusiasm. Then they disappeared through the door. Eva went to the window and looked after them, followed the car with her eyes as it slid out into the traffic, then seated herself again, with her legs up and her head on the back of the sofa. She shut
At regular intervals she ran to the window watching eagerly for her father’s car. Every other weekend she stayed with her father and she looked forward to it each time with equal fervour. Eva was expectant too. She sat tensely on the sofa and waited, needing to get the child out of the house so she could have peace to think. She usually used such free weekends for working. Now she was totally paralysed. Everything was different. They’d found him.
Emma hadn’t brought up the subject of the dead man for several days. But that didn’t mean she’d forgotten him. She could tell by her mother’s face that he wasn’t to be mentioned, and although she didn’t know why, she respected it.
In the studio a canvas stood prepared on the easel. She had already primed it black, without a hint of light. She couldn’t be bothered to look at it. There was so much else now that needed to be done first. She sat on the sofa listening with the same intensity as Emma for the red Volvo which would turn into the courtyard at any moment. Complete order reigned on the farm, apart from the green monster that towered behind the barn. It looked strange.
‘That dinosaur doesn’t quite fit in, does it Emma?’
Emma pouted.
‘I know that. It’s only visiting.’
‘Ah, I see. I should have realised.’
She drew her legs up and pulled her long skirt over her knees. Tried to empty her head of thoughts. Emma sat down again, pushed the piglets one after the other under the sow’s belly.
‘There’s not enough teats. This one hasn’t got one.’ She raised a piglet between two fingers and looked enquiringly at her mother.
‘Mmm. That’s what happens. Those piglets starve to death. Or you have to feed them from a bottle and farmers usually haven’t got the time.’
Emma pondered this for a bit. ‘I can give it to Dino. He’s got to have food, too.’
‘But they only eat grass and leaves and that sort of thing, don’t they?’
‘Not this one, he’s a meat-eater,’ Emma explained, and pushed the piglet between the green monster’s sharp teeth.
Eva shook her head in disbelief at this practical solution. Children never ceased to amaze her. And just then there was the sound of revving in the courtyard. Emma vanished as fast as she was able, out through the hallway to greet her father.
Eva raised her head dully as he appeared in the doorway. This man had been the guiding beacon in her life. When Emma stood next to him she seemed smaller and trimmer than usual. They suited one another, both with red hair and carrying far too much weight. They loved each other, too, and she was pleased about that. She’d never been jealous, not even of the new woman in his life. Her great grief was that he’d left her, but now that he’d done it, she wished him the best of luck. It was that simple.
‘Eva!’ he smiled, his ginger forelock nodding. ‘You look tired.’
‘I’ve got one or two problems.’ She smoothed her skirt.
‘Artistic things?’ he asked, without a trace of sarcasm.
‘No. Tangible, worldly things.’
‘Are they serious?’
‘Far worse than you can imagine.’
He contemplated her answer and his brow furrowed. ‘If I can help with anything, you must let me know.’
‘You may have no choice in the end.’
He stood there staring at her earnestly, with Emma hanging on to his trouser leg. The child was heavy enough to make him lose his balance. He felt enormous sympathy, but she inhabited a world that was completely beyond his ken, an artistic world. He’d never felt at home there. Nevertheless, she was an important part of his life and would always remain so.
‘Fetch your bag, Emma, and give Mum a hug.’
She obeyed his command with great enthusiasm. Then they disappeared through the door. Eva went to the window and looked after them, followed the car with her eyes as it slid out into the traffic, then seated herself again, with her legs up and her head on the back of the sofa. She shut