The Killing Forest by Blaedel Sara

Author:Blaedel, Sara [Blaedel, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2016-02-01T23:00:00+00:00

25

When they drove past the lake, Louise realized she hadn’t been inside Hvalsø School since she’d graduated from ninth grade. School had practically been her whole life back then. It had ended so abruptly. But why should she have come back? After you graduate, there’s no reason to return.

She did remember her way around. She directed Eik to park in front of the auditorium, and they walked past the bicycle sheds. It was a shortcut, plus they wouldn’t have to use the main entrance. But they would have to go through the cafeteria, where curious eyes would follow them all the way to the principal’s office.

The sense of being in familiar territory slowly faded when she discovered that the cafeteria wasn’t there anymore. And of course she realized Mother Ellen wouldn’t be selling sandwiches and candy to the older students. She actually felt a bit indignant over all the changes in her old school.

They explained to the woman in the secretary’s office that they wanted to speak to Sune Frandsen, and they were sorry it had to be during classes, seeing that he had just returned to school.

The secretary looked surprised, but she recovered quickly and smiled. “I wasn’t aware he was back. That’s so nice to hear. He’s a very sweet boy, and no one could understand why he would do such a thing. To take his own life…” She seemed upset suddenly. “No child or young person—no one at all—should be able to go so far. Oh dear. Well, if you’ll have a seat, I’ll bring him in a moment.”

She pointed at two chairs under a wide photograph of the school. Gray cement, rust-red square windows. A long line of students stood in front of the school. Louise remembered when that picture had been taken. In fact, she was in it somewhere.

The principal came out of his office. They introduced themselves and nodded when he said that he’d been hoping this regrettable case would have a happy ending.

“Last week we held an assembly for ninth-grade classes. We talked to them about how life can be difficult and confusing; how sometimes you just want to give up.”

The secretary returned, accompanied by Sune’s class teacher.

“Who told you that Sune was in school?” The teacher looked back and forth at Louise and Eik. “Because he’s not. His classmates haven’t seen him, either. Who told you that?”

“We’ve just spoken with his father,” Eik said. “He said that Sune had started school again.”

The teacher was visibly upset. “I’ve talked about it several times. We should contact social services and find out what’s going on in that home. But no one does anything. I’ve called the district, tried to convince them to visit the parents. Nothing happens. It’s not so strange that things like what happened in Tønder and Mern take place—no one has the time anymore to protect the interests of children. It’s all about money, passing the buck to someone else, taking on less yourself.”

“Easy now, I think we should…” The principal sputtered, then recovered.

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