Page 179 of The Sleepwalker
After a moment, his wide eyes turn back to the corridor.
He holds back something invisible with his left hand, ducks slightly and keeps moving.
Svanhildur reaches for Hugo’s hand and grips it tightly.
The dark figure sways and takes a step forward. In the green glow of the emergency exit sign, his face suddenly becomes visible.
It is Lars Grind.
The doctor is staring at Hugo, grinning like some sort of crazed wizard as the camera continues straight towards him.
Hugo doesn’t seem to have noticed his presence at all.
The reflections of the nightlights in the locks and hinges flow by like debris in a current.
Hugo anxiously glances back over his shoulder, then keeps hurrying towards Dr Grind, who is waiting for him at the end of the corridor.
‘‘What’sthat? Did you see?’ Svanhildur asks, pointing to the screen. ‘There, do you see?’
‘I’ve got goosebumps.’
On the floor by the wall a few metres behind Lars, something moves jerkily in the soft underwater glow.
Like a frightened dog, a spider crab.
Hugo holds his breath as he watches himself approach Lars.
The doctor’s bald head flashes in the green light, sweat pouring down his cheeks. His eyes are focused and intense, his teeth bright between his lips.
Lars Grind catches Hugo’s upper arm, forcing him to stop and pulling him down to the floor. Hugo lands on his side and starts to struggle.
The camera shakes as it films the floor.
There is another patient huddled in the corner up ahead: Kasper. He starts crawling towards Grind and Hugo with nervous movements.
From the other direction, Rakia appears with a syringe. The grubby plaster on her index finger fills the screen as she pulls the protective cover from the needle.
Hugo is still struggling, but Grind has him pinned down on the floor.
A bare foot lashes out.
Kasper crawls over to them, and Grind holds him back withone hand as Rakia gives Hugo an injection.
The camera trembles and turns briefly towards the floor before rolling back the other way.
Kasper seems to have hurt his mouth somehow, because his teeth are covered in blood. He tries to reach Hugo, but Grind is still holding him back.
‘This is insane,’ Hugo whispers.
Grind and Rakia drag Hugo to his feet, guide him back to his room and put him into bed.
Svanhildur reaches out and closes the lid of her laptop. She and Hugo sit quietly for a moment.
‘Did they tell you about the injection?’ she asks.
‘Nope, not yet.’
‘Because they can’t just .?.?. I mean, you’re here voluntarily. You should request your full records.’
