The Black Tongue (2015 edition) ••• by Marko Hautala Jenni Salmi (TR)

Author:Marko Hautala, Jenni Salmi (TR) [Marko Hautala]
Format: epub
Publisher: AmazonCrossing •••
Published: 2014-08-01T07:00:00+00:00

HOW THUNDER GOT ITS NAME

Julia went inside to charge her video camera, the woods nearby darkening as if a velvet shroud had been pulled over the sun. Samuel waited at a safe distance from the house. Just as he saw her at the end of the street, the first heavy drops of rain began to fall.

“Where should we take shelter?” he asked.

“Nowhere,” she said. “Let’s get wet.”

Thunder began to rumble in the distance. Samuel felt it in the pit of his belly.

“Wow,” Julia said.

They looked over to the sea. A wall of clouds had risen on the horizon, now visible between the treetops. The wall was black in the middle. They couldn’t stay outside, but they couldn’t go home, either. And the Suvikylä library was too far away.

“Let’s go to Helge’s,” Samuel suggested.

“You think he won’t mind? Last time he seemed a bit down.”

“Let’s cheer him up, then.”

The rain began to fall heavier as they ran into the woods. They heard another rumble, and the woods were illuminated in a bright flash for a second. Samuel grabbed Julia by the hand and pulled her down the shortcut. It meandered through tall ferns and fallen tree trunks, but they had no other option. He pulled her behind him, although his instincts told him to nestle in safety under the first fallen tree trunk he spotted. He realized he’d never experienced a proper thunderstorm before. The rumbling had always been in the distance, followed by a delightful flash of lights that he and Aki both observed from their balcony, excited to count the lightning bolts they saw.

Rain was coming down so hard now that its roar drowned the sounds of their shoes. By the time they reached Helge’s cabin, they were soaking wet and out of breath, their ears pounding from exhaustion.

To Samuel’s surprise Helge stood outside the cabin in the pouring rain, wobbling like a sleepwalker.

“What are you doing out here?” he yelled over the roar.

Helge yanked his head toward Samuel when he repeated the question.

“Hello, Samuel,” he said. “Lousy weather, isn’t it?”

“Can we get out of the rain?” Julia shouted.

“Of course.”

Helge slurred his words. His face was limp. Samuel saw he was barely holding on to a bottle of vodka.

Samuel led the way up to the porch and wiped water off his face. Julia’s breath was steaming. Helge opened the door and gestured to them to walk in.

As soon as the door closed behind them, the rain changed its tone. The drops rustling dully against the corrugated roof played a monotonous tune. The thunder rattled the windows and the glassware inside the house.

“You’re fucking drunk,” Samuel told Helge angrily, although he didn’t mean to.

“Your observation is correct.”

Arvid crawled from under the table to greet Julia first. His gait was calmer than usual, but he still managed to jump against her and lick her face. She almost fell over.

“The dog’s inside and you’re out there in the rain,” Samuel said.

Helge nodded.

“But why?”

He shook his head slowly. “What’s my life worth, huh?” he asked.

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