Page 149 of The Sleepwalker
‘You’re safe here, you’re relaxed .?.?. Breathe slowly and feelthe sense of calm in your body as you turn around and look at the woman outside the caravan .?.?. Do you see the snow? The soft flakes landing on her blonde wig?’
‘It’s not Mum. I .?.?. I thought I was following Mum, but .?.?.’
‘Hold on now, Hugo. There’s no rush. I want you to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth .?.?. Listen to my voice .?.?. You’re sleepwalking, and you think you’ve seen your mother at the campsite, but it’s someone else standing outside of the caravan.’
‘Yes,’ he whispers.
‘Can you see her face?’
‘No,’ he replies, so quietly that he is almost inaudible.
‘I think you can see her.’
‘I can’t.’ Hugo raises his voice and shakes his head.
‘He’s struggling,’ says Grind.
‘Relax,’ Erik continues. ‘Take a deep breath. And once you feel ready, tell me what you see.’
‘She’s holding an axe,’ Hugo mumbles, licking his lips.
‘In which hand?’
‘The right .?.?. and she has to twist a bit so she can open the door with her left .?.?. Oh God, oh God .?.?.’
‘Maybe we should stop now?’ says Grind.
‘What’s happening?’ Agneta whispers, a hand to her mouth.
‘Look at her reflection in the door and tell me what you see,’ says Erik.
‘There’s no time, it’s too quick .?.?. White cheekbones, eye sockets .?.?. I don’t know, she’s already inside .?.?. I can hear loads of thudding and shouting.’
Hugo holds his breath, his entire body shaking.
‘Let the air stream out between your lips and then slowly inhale,’ Erik tells him. ‘You’re relaxed, now breathe out .?.?. Tell me what’s happening at the campsite.’
‘I don’t know.’
‘You’re standing outside the caravan, and you hear shouting.’
‘Who’s shouting?’ Joona asks quietly.
‘Who is doing the shouting, Hugo?’ Erik repeats.
‘The man .?.?. At first he sounds angry, but now .?.?. Now he’s just scared and confused.’
‘What do you see?’
‘I see .?.?. shadows flickering over the bright window. I don’t know, I .?.?. I’m walking around the caravan, and I climb onto a breezeblock and look inside right as blood sprays across the window. Oh God .?.?. I fall into the grass, hit my back on a gas canister .?.?. but I stand up again, brush myself off and walk around the front, into the caravan .?.?. I have to get Mum, we need to hide, that’s all I can think. I don’t care about anything else, I just walk straight in.’
Hugo tenses, sweat pouring down his face.
‘What do you see?’ Erik asks softly.
‘A cop. He’s screaming at me, but I don’t know why. I’m lying on the floor and my ears are ringing. I can smell gunpowder .?.?.’
‘But what happens before that?’ Erik presses him.
