She never had time to feel scared that someone might have got inside the cabin. Because the moment she turned around and noticed the window opening, she saw the little girl. A tiny person in green pyjamas, padding away barefoot through the grass.

Diana called out and then she ran, and that made the child break into a run too, and she was fast. Diana crouched down as she ran to drop the rifle on the ground and raced after the little girl, who was on her way up the slope. Just as she caught her, the girl hurled something away, but Diana didn’t see what it was. She picked her up and turned her to face her. Kiruna resisted, twisting her body and kicking and emitting a growling noise, with the teeth of her lower jaw jutting out like a riled beast. Diana knelt down in the grass and brusquely rocked her in her arms.

Susso was standing next to her with the rifle in her hands. She sank into a squat. They exchanged a look but said nothing.

Diana pushed the tangled hair out of the little girl’s face, took her head in both hands and turned it so she could look into her eyes. She hadn’t expected someone to be in there. But someone was. The little girl stared at her with wide-open pupils.

That made Diana smile, which caused the little girl to snort with mirth. Then she started giggling. It was so unexpected, Diana almost dropped her on the ground. The little girl lay in her lap, giggling, and it was an affected, shrill giggle she had never heard before.

‘Cover her ears!’

Susso had stood up and was resting the butt of the rifle against her shoulder; Diana looked at her uncomprehendingly. Until she heard the click of the safety. Then she cupped her hands over the girl’s ears.

The bang made Diana flinch. Susso reloaded, took a few steps forward and fired again. Diana didn’t know what she was firing at and didn’t want to.

‘We have to go.’

Diana got to her feet, picked up the little girl and ran with her toward the car. The squirrel was already on the car roof. The girl wasn’t giggling any more, but there was a creepy smile on her lips, which she hid behind clenched fists.

‘The key.’

‘Where is it?’

‘In the window. Just inside the door. Get my wallet as well.’

Susso jogged toward the cabin and Diana paced around in a circle, rocking the little girl. Her eyes roved back and forth across the yard and she thought Susso was taking an awfully long time.

Eventually, she came running back with the rifle.

‘I can’t find it. The wallet was there, but not the key.’

‘Did you check the floor?’

‘It’s not there.’

Diana strode off toward the cabin. Then she stopped.

‘Fuck,’ she said and turned around.

‘What?’