Her thought processes were too slow. The man was pointing, explaining something to the woman, then they set off through the forest, disappeared. Malin remained where she was, arms dangling by her sides. Should she take a risk? Hope the couple didn’t have anything to do with the man who’d kept them here? If so she would be a fool if she didn’t seize the opportunity to try and communicate with them.

She turned away. The children were dozing on the bed; they’d refused to eat or drink. Malin was planning to give them a couple of hours, then she’d have to force-feed them.

‘I’m going downstairs for a little while. Back soon.’

They didn’t react as she left the room. Her legs only just carried her down the stairs; she had grown so weak.

She went into the living room, positioned herself by the window overlooking the drive where the car was parked. They wouldn’t leave it there, they had to come back.

The house was totally silent. She thought about switching on the TV, just to bring a little life into the place, but she couldn’t be bothered. She had lost so much energy, lost so much of the person she used to be.

And I thought that everything could be fixed.

There was a horrible stench coming from the hallway. She had mopped it several times, but the smell of blood had seeped into the floor, and she couldn’t get rid of it. She felt nauseous, wanted to go into another room, further away.

But I can’t.

She waited and waited. Minutes passed, or was it hours? She’d lost all sense of time, but suddenly they were back. The man was soaking wet.

As if he’d been swimming.

With his clothes on.

Malin raised her hands, placed her palms against the cold pane of glass. The one she’d tried to smash with a plant pot.

‘Hello!’ she shouted.

But the man and woman didn’t see her. They got in the car and drove off at speed.

Leaving Malin behind.

I have become invisible. No one can see me any more.

*

Time passed. Time that Malin was unable to count in minutes or hours. She stayed where she was at the window, palms resting on the glass. There wasn’t a sound from upstairs. The children were sleeping. Or had they died while she was standing at the window? She began to cry, tore herself away and ran up to the bedroom.

Hedvig was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling. Max was on his side with his mouth open, eyes closed. They were both alive. Neither of them reacted when she walked in.

‘Hedvig, wouldn’t you like something to eat?’ Malin wasn’t even sure when she herself had last eaten.

No response.

Malin perched on the edge of the bed and stroked her daughter’s hair.