On the whole, death and innocence packaged in newspaper was an inspiring thought. A plan was beginning to form in her mind. Her fists clenched, she contemplated the magnificent flowers and realised that life would never be the same again.

STILL NO TRACE OF MISSING 41-YEAR-OLD

It has been more than two weeks since 41-yearold Peter went missing in central Visby. Despite extensive search efforts, including assistance provided by the Swedish Home Guard, the man has still not been found.

The man was last seen on the fourth of February. He reportedly left his place of work around lunchtime and disappeared without a trace. His car was found in the car park adjacent to his workplace. His mobile phone was last active in the same location. The search is now being de-intensified.

The man is described as being 5ft10, 12 stone and with short, dark hair. He is thought to have been wearing a black jacket, light shirt, and a pair of dark trousers when he disappeared.

GOTLANDS ALLEHANDA

JANUARY–FEBRUARY

2014

29

Karl-Erik

HE HAD SLEPT for a while on the ferry from the mainland, so he felt fairly rested as he sat in the car heading home. It was freezing on Gotland—it hadn’t been yesterday morning when he had left the island. Temperatures were in free fall and it was already at the freezing point. He had to be careful, because a hazardous layer of frozen slush was forming a crust on the road.

But there wasn’t far to go. Soon he would be home in the warmth, where Kerstin would hopefully be waiting with some little surprise for him. He assumed she would after all these years of waiting. At this very moment, he felt that it might still have been worth it. He wouldn’t repeat it—definitely not—and if he got to relive the last thirty years of his life he would make different choices. But as of now they had a future ahead of them that wouldn’t have been possible if the last thirty years hadn’t happened, and he had to see that as being worth something. The fact that he, they—Kerstin too, of course—were worth it. Otherwise everything was a waste, and he didn’t want to look back on his life like that.

He realised he had forgotten to call her. He had promised to give her a ring when he came ashore so that she could prepare whatever it was she was going to prepare. He smiled at the thought of it—Kerstin was a rock. In the kitchen and in every other way. She put up with him—that in itself was noteworthy. And she had been patient and waited for him all these years instead of finding a new man. Which he, against his better judgment—although he was a good-natured soul—had suggested to her at an early stage. But it had never been in the picture. For some completely incomprehensible reason she apparently loved him.

“My dove!” he bellowed when she answered.

She laughed, used to his theatrical expressions of affection.