The Circle (Hammer) - By Elfgren, Sara B.,Strandberg, Mats Page 0,101

Vanessa calls after her as she breaks through the shimmering capsule surrounding the dance pavilion. Linnéa stops and turns.

‘We said we were going to stick together. We promised each other,’ says Vanessa.

‘That was when we thought it would make a difference,’ Linnéa says. ‘But it won’t. We’re all going to die anyway.’ She points at the principal. ‘And if you think she can protect you, you’re mistaken. She was a good liar as long as she believed her own lies. But now she can’t even lie to herself.’

‘But the Book of Patterns …’ Anna-Karin starts.

‘Any one of you know how to read it?’ Linnéa asks.

No one answers.

‘Didn’t think so,’ Linnéa says.

Minoo feels a moment’s shameful satisfaction: she’s not the only one who can’t decipher the mysterious symbols.

‘It takes practice,’ the principal insists.

‘Don’t ever talk to me again, okay?’ Linnéa says.

To Minoo’s great surprise the principal shuts up.

No one says anything until Linnéa has disappeared into the darkness.

‘Well,’ Vanessa says, ‘does anyone have anything to add?’

Minoo has never heard such a telling silence.

‘I don’t know what you guys are going to do, but I’m going to get drunk,’ Vanessa continues. ‘Happy fucking Lucia, everybody.’

The others gather their things together and leave the pavilion in silence. Eventually Minoo and the principal are the only ones left. The blue fire is starting to dim. The light is just strong enough for Minoo to make out Adriana Lopez’s features. She’s looking straight at her gravely.

‘I hope you don’t believe what Linnéa said,’ she says.

‘Of course not,’ Minoo answers. She may not altogether trust the principal, but the thought of her knowing less than them is too terrifying to even consider.

‘Good,’ the principal says, and her face softens into a smile. ‘Minoo, you mustn’t listen to the other stuff Linnéa said either. I’m sorry about how I expressed myself last time. I may have made it sound as if you don’t belong here as much as the others. The Council and I are convinced that you have an important role to play. Your powers are simply more difficult to define.’

‘Okay,’ Minoo says. ‘Thanks. I mean …’ She falters.

‘Minoo,’ the principal says, ‘perhaps I shouldn’t say this, but I see a lot of myself in you. You take this seriously. And you don’t sound off for the sake of it, but are bright enough to listen to those who know more than you do. Those are valuable qualities. The truth is, I sometimes wish you were the only Chosen One.’

‘Thanks,’ Minoo mumbles, dizzy with all the praise.

‘Would you like a lift home?’ the principal asks.

‘Thanks,’ Minoo says again.

It’s only when they drive out of the forest and see the lights at the centre of Engelsfors that Minoo wonders how much of a compliment it is to hear you’re good at taking orders blindly.

38

WHEN MINOO WAS little, she always felt that December dragged on for ever in an endless wait for Christmas Eve, but now the days just fly by.

This term Minoo has had a growing sense that she’s falling behind at school. Not enough to affect her grades – but as if it may begin to. Now she’s trying to catch up. She’s been hard at her books and stays awake to cram with the help of coffee, sweets and Coca-Cola. She’s started taking her Thermos mug to school so that she can excel during the first few lessons, rather than falling asleep with her cheek on the desk’s smooth cool plastic surface.

They’re performing a Christmas show on the last day of school. Ida’s singing a solo – ‘Gläns över sjö och strand’ – and is doing it with such a schmaltzy, fake R&B wail that the audience ought to die of embarrassment, but she receives thunderous applause. She lights up like the sun while the biology teacher, Ove Post, dabs discreetly at the corner of his eye.

The principal makes a short speech about how the coming new year will allow everyone to move on. Everyone understands that she’s talking about Elias and Rebecka, that they should try to put what happened behind them. Automatically Minoo tries to catch Linnéa’s eye, but she’s not there. Minoo realises she hasn’t seen her since Lucia night. Maybe she hasn’t been at school at all.

Afterwards they gather in the classroom and Max hands out his reports. When he passes Minoo her envelope he flashes the same impersonal smile he always bestows on her now.

The secret glance of mutual understanding they used to exchange has gone. Had it ever even