Inlands by Elin Willows

Author:Elin Willows [Willows, Elin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780995485297
Publisher: Nordisk Books

41

One Sunday, Sonia’s husband and her sister take over in the shop so that we can all do something together, outside of work. It’s August, a day with bright skies and sunshine, a hint of the coming autumn in the air. We are supposed to have outdoors gear on and I’ve spent a long time wondering what in my wardrobe comes closest. Even Stina has waterproof trousers and a thin windbreaker. Everyone here knows how to dress appropriately, but my jeans and my thin cotton jacket still feel fine.

We are to meet at the shop at eight o’clock sharp, it’s going to be a full day. When I get there, most of the others are already sitting the minibus. Stina arrives last, a quarter of an hour late, and I know that she has been out at the Hotel the night before. Because it was a Saturday yesterday and because she keeps her sunglasses on when she gets in the bus.

The bus journey takes forty-five minutes and outside the tinted windows are firs and pines and the road towards Norway. The bus at last swings in to a smaller road where it stops. We get out and Sonia takes the lead.

The landscape feels different in company. After him, I’ve only been out here alone. This nature has been my place, even though still not within my grasp. Today it feels as if I know this nature. I’m not so unconsciously conscious as some of the others, don’t get it, don’t know how it all fits together, but I am close to this nature.

We’re standing at a picnic area with wooden shelter and a barbecue. The shelter is full of memories, names and years and declarations. Fredrik and Stina laugh at several of the carvings. Remember and imagine. I walk along the outside of the red-painted structure. Feel the wood under my hand, a splinter sticks but I get it out just as quickly.

On my free days, I sometimes wake up in bed and don’t know what time it is. Don’t know if I have just fallen asleep or if I need to go to work. When I eventually get the time right, know which side of the day I’m on, it still takes a long time before I feel properly awake. The dreams still hang around, the dizziness too.

It hits me that I have not touched another person since he was last home. Since he was last home and I knew about it and got a quick hug.

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