John Lindqvist - Handling The Undead

Int: Our time is almost up. To wrap up: why do you think this has happened?]ohan Stenberg?

]S: If I had an opinion on that subject I would keep it to myself.

Int: Sten Bergwall?

SB: As I said, we're waiting for the results of the tests.

Int: Runo Sahlin?

RS: A mistake has occurred. Something has gone wrong that has… interrupted the normal order.

Int: And that's something I think we can all agree on. Now for the weather. Camilla?

Camilla: The high pressure fronts that have dominated the Stockholm weather for the past few weeks will give way tonight to low pressure coming in from the west. There will be plenty of rain this evening. In the satellite picture we can see…

[CNN World News, 08.30 Swedish time]

… are now searching for explanations of the bizarre events in the Swedish capital. So far none have been found, but the simultaneous awakenings in different locations hint at a driving force. A military commander said this morning that a connection with terrorist activity cannot be ruled out…

[Long shot of the Stockholm Forest Cemetery. The fence with the dead behind it, the military among the graves.]

[Spanish television 08.30]

… mucha gente han esperado por la misma cosa a suceer en pueblos espafioles, Pues, el fen6meno parece aislado a Estocolmo, donde los revividos durante la noche han crecido al total de dos mil personas. Ni los medicosni los sacerdotes tienen explicaci6nes a dar al multitud de los parientes que se han reunido al frente del hospital de Danderyd esta manana…

[Shot of hundreds of people outside Danderyd, a minister gesticulating dejectedly.]

[Ard Tagesschau 09.00]

… die Forscher, die heute nacht damit beschaitigt waren, das Ratzel zu losen. Auf der Presskonferenz heute wurdc mitgcteilt, dass einige Enzyme, die in den toten Korpern norrnalcrweise zerstort sind, es in den Wiederlebenden nicht seicn. 1m Moment untersucht man ob diese Enzyme tatsachlich dicselbcn sind, die lebendigcn Korpern ihre Nahrung zuhihrcn…

[Stock footage of a Swedish laboratory; a number of test tubes lined up in a stand.]

[TF! Journal 13.00]

… qui sont sortis des cirnetieres et des morgues cette nuit, L'Office du Tourisme Francais deconseille a tout le monde d'aller a Stockholm pour le moment. D'autres villes suedoises ne semblent pas etre atteintes de ce phenomene et la il n'y a pas de restrictions. Quand les habitants de Stockholm se sont reveilles ce matin, ils out VlI leur rcalitc changcc. Pourtaint la vie a la surface semble etre rctou rIlt'e J Ia normalc,

[ Cross cutting between images of the Forest Cemetery, the dead behind the fence, as well as the strolling pedestrians on Drottninggatan]

Vallingby 11.55

When Anna had been gone for three quarters of an hour, Mahler started to worry. He walked out onto the balcony and scanned the courtyard, her apartment. A fatherly feeling- what the hell is holding her up -gripped him and he immediately suppressed it. Caring was the operative word here. Caring and understanding.

For the past few years he had been more of a co-parent than a grandfather to Elias. Perhaps he was trying to recapture what he had lost when Anna was little, when he was in the middle of his career. His babysitting and daycare pick-ups had allowed Anna to live with a measure of freedom that he thought she did not take full advantage of, but since he knew she resisted his advice- don't you think it's a little late for that -he tried not to judge her.

And it was probably all his fault anyway. Anna's inability to settle down, to hold onto a job or complete an education was a learned behaviour. And who had taught her this? Gustav Mahler, the career journalist.

They had moved five times during her childhood, every time he got a better job at a bigger paper. By the time Anna was nine and he finally landed a position as a crime reporter for Aftonbladet , Sylvia-Anna's mother-had had enough. She left him. But actually he was the one who had left her, much earlier.

So he had certainly taught his daughter how life should be lived.

She had studied psychology for six months and before she dropped out she had learned enough to be able to tell him it was all his fault. He agreed whole- heartedly, although he did not say this to her, since he believed that each person was responsible for his or her own fate. Theoretically, anyway.

His relationship to Anna was marked by ambivalence. He thought that she should stop making excuses, pull herself together and do something. He also thought it was his fault that she made excuses, and neither pulled nor did. Yes. He was entitled to think that it was his fault; she was not.

Mahler lit a cigarette and had time for a single drag before three men emerged from Anna's front door. He ducked down, crushing the cigarette on the concrete floor-

so the enemy won't see the smoke

– and listened attentively to hear if the men were approaching his door. No. They left the courtyard, conversing. He could not hear what they said. He tore off the blackened end of the cigarette and lit it again. Inhaled twice. His fingers trembled. They had to get out of here. Now.

He had unplugged the phone and turned his mobile off for fear that someone would call and say something that he would have to pay attention to. Just as he was plugging the phone back in to check the messages, the front door opened and he froze.

'Daddy?'

His fingers relaxed again. He pulled the cord out of the jack as Anna walked into the room, a suitcase in her hand. She put it down and walked over to the balcony window, peering out.

'They left,' Mahler said. 'I saw them.'

Anna's lower lip was bright red from nervous biting.

'They searched the entire apartment. Pushed away the Legos and looked under the bed.' She snorted. 'Grown men. They said that I should… that I had to let them take care of him.'

'Who were they?'

'Police. And a doctor. They had a notice from the epidemi… something. Told me that it was illegal to… that it was dangerous for Elias.'

'You didn't say that he was here?'

'No, but…'

Mahler nodded, closed his laptop and collected the necessary cords. 'We have to leave immediately.'

'To the hospital?'

Mahler closed his eyes tightly and made an effort to keep his voice calm.

'No, Anna. Not the hospital. To the summer cottage.'

'But they told me…'

'I don't give a damn what they told you. We're going.'

When Mahler had finished packing up his computer and turned to walk into the bedroom, Anna was standing in front of the door with her arms crossed over her chest. Her voice was collected, cold.

'You are not the one who makes this decision.'

'Anna, can you move? We have to go. They could turn up at any moment. Take your bag.'

'No, you're not in charge. I'm his mother.'

Mahler's lips curled and he looked Anna straight in the eye as he said, 'I think it's wonderful that you suddenly feel such a great need to be a mother to him, which you haven't done much about for the past few years, but I intend to bring Elias with me. You can do what you like.'

'Then I'll call the police,' Anna said, and the ice in her voice started to crack. 'Don't you understand that?'

Mahler had the ability to manipulate people. If he had wanted, he could have used a mild voice and subtle accusations to get his daughter where he wanted in a couple of minutes. Out of kindness, or lack of time, he did not do this and instead gave his anger free rein-which he thought was fairer play. He put the bag on the table and pointed toward the bedroom.

'You just said that it wasn't Elias! So how the hell can you be his mother?'