One day a boy came down to the beach. He carried binoculars in a strap around his neck. He said he was spotting sea eagles. And had heard there was a strange little one. It could fly without wings and dive like a seal. The boy was an odd child as 267well. He was small for his age and dark and his mouth looked like a lion’s.

The tale was familiar. It began like thumbelina and ended like. Only I was so tired. Couldn’t keep my eyes open.

When I woke the room was light and the armchair empty. I rang for the nurse.

Sorry but you know the young woman who was here. When do you think it was. The other day or yesterday.

Long blond hair I said.

Now that was a few days ago. She left a note for you. I put it in your drawer. She nodded at the plastic bedside table. My mobile was there too.

I looked at the note once the nurse had left.

See you soon mum it said. Now I’m going to meet the boy on the strand.

And a phone number.

There was something I ought to remember. The feeling was very insistent but however hard I tried to weld the broken wiring of my memory together the past few days stayed as blankly white as mangled sheets.

I switched on the mobile. Very little charge left. Several missed calls. Märitljungqvist göranbäckström bror noragran petrabäckström and two more both unknown numbers.

Four texts. One from john. It was sent yesterday. Diana is with me. She is as lovely as you.

I read the lines many times. As lovely as you.

I dialled the number on her note. Her phone rang out but no reply. After a while an anonymous mailbox voice answered. I left a voice message. Hi diana it’s. It’s jana. Your mum. Please call me. Love. 268

Then I called john. His mobile was offline.

My body still ached and my head especially but at least the tubes had gone. My lungs made a wheezing noise. When I coughed my stomach muscles contracted and my chest burned like fingertips touching embers.

A knock on the door and the doctor entered then a cluster of her followers. The medic produced some of the tools of her job and then asked how I was.

Fine I said. But I’d like to go home. Got to look after the dog.

That’s what neighbours are for she said. Chatted with her acolytes at the same time as she prodded my body from the neck downwards.

This lady contracted haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Also known as nephropathia epidemica. With bilateral pneumonia as an extra. Admitted ten days ago.

She checked her notes. In this case the renal insufficiency was severe enough for us to have to put the patient on dialysis.