John Lindqvist - Handling The Undead

Hagar had been married three times. Since her last husband, Rune, died ten years ago Hagar had done nothing but attend seminars and meetings. For the past three years she had had a relationship with a man her own age, but hadn't moved in with him. They had simply had their little 'tete-a-teres' as Hagar put it. She had ended it when the man started to get senile.

A flighty woman, then; completely different from Elvy. And still they were best friends. Why? Well, for starters she had the same sense of humour. That could get you a long way. And in addition she was educated and still lucid, which was not true of all of Elvy's old friends. And even if they had different opinions most of the time, they understood each other.

But Elvy could not view this matter of Mary with the same levity as Hagar. Did not wantto. This was serious. Hopefully Hagar would understand that.

Hagar rubbed her knee, making a face.

'How should we start? You never become a prophet in your own country, you know. Maybe we'll have to go somewhere else with our prophecies.'

Elvy sat down on the other side of the table, pinning Hagar with a look. Hagar's gaze started to flit about. 'What is it?'

'Now Hagar, you have to understand… ' Elvy rapped her knuckles on the table for emphasis, 'We are not starting a three-ring circus. You may think this is exciting, like winning the lottery or something. But if you want to be part of this you have to understand…'

Elvy brushed the band-aid on her forehead. The wound had started to itch. She went on, 'what this is about. The Virgin Mary, Holy Mother of God, has personally told me that 1 should bring people to her. Do you understand what that entails?'

Hagar mumbled, 'That they should believe.'

'Precisely. We are not to get them to grow beards or give away their possessions or anything else. We must give them faith, through the power of our own convictions. And now 1 ask you, Hagar… ' Elvy was almost scaring herself with the tone of her own voice, but went on nevertheless, 'do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?'

Hagar squirmed on the chair, looking shyly up at Elvy like a pupil reprimanded by the teacher and said, 'You know I do.'

'No!' Elvy's index finger shot up in the air. She always spoke more loudly when she was talking to Hagar, but now her voice rose even further. It was as if she was possessed. 'No, Hagar! 1 ask you: do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God's only son?'

'Yes!' Hagar made fists. 'I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten son, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, who ascended into heaven and on the third day rose again, yes! I do!'

Whatever had come over Elvy receded. She smiled.

'Good. Then you are accepted.'

Hagar slowly shook her head. 'Goodness, Elvy. What is going on with you?'

Elvy had no answer.

The sky had grown darker, lying like a lid across the earth, when they ventured out. They both had their umbrellas. Hagar complained that it wasn't just a twinge in her knee, it was really hurting. It was going to be one heck of a storm.

But there was no rain yet. The birds sat silent in the trees, the people were inside their houses, waiting. The air pressure made the blood rise to the head in an intoxicating rush. Elvy was happy. It would probably be this very night. Maybe she was only one of many who had been called. She would perform her allotted task.

They started next door at the Soderlunds', Elvy knew that the man was a mid-level manager at Pharmacia, the woman a librarian who had taken early retirement. They had lived in the area for a long time but Elvy had never had close contact with them.

It was the husband who answered the door. He had a little pot belly, a checked jersey, a bald patch and a moustache.

Elvy had not prepared herself, trusting that inspiration would strike when it was time. The man recognised her and smiled amiably.

'Well, well, Mrs Lundberg, you're out and about… ' 'Yes,' Elvy said. 'And this is Hagar.'

'I see. Good evening.' The man's gaze travelled from Elvy to Hagar. 'How may I be of service?'

'Can we come in? We have something important to tell you.' The man raised his eyebrows, looked back over his shoulder as if to check that he really had a home to invite them into. He turned back to them and appeared to be on the verge of asking something, then simply said, 'Of course. Please come in.'

As Elvy stepped into the hall, Hagar on her heels, the man gestured to her forehead. 'Have you injured yourself?'

Elvy shook her head. 'Quite the opposite.'

The answer did not satisfy him. He frowned and backed up a few paces to give them room, then stood with his hands resting on his belly. The decor in the hall was spare and elegant, seemingly at odds with his personality and probably the work of his wife.

Hagar exclaimed, 'How lovely!'

'Yes, well… ' the man looked around and it was apparent that he felt differently. 'I guess you could call it… a certain style.'

'Excuse me?' Hagar said.

Elvy shot Hagar an angry look while the man repeated what he had just said. Then he waited. Before Elvy had decided what she was going to say, the words flew from her mouth.

'We have come to prepare you.'

The man stretched his head out a little. 'I see. For what?'

'For the return of Jesus Christ.'

The man's eyes widened, but before he had time to say anything, Elvy went on, 'The dead have arisen, as you have most likely heard.'

'Yes, but… '

'No,' Elvy interrupted, 'Not But. My own husband came back last night, the same thing has been happening all over. The scientists are at a loss-"impossible, inexplicable" they say. But it is completely self-evident and we all knew it was going to happen. Are you simply going to sit here and act as if this is an everyday phenomenon?'

The woman of the house came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a tea towel. Elvy heard her and Hagar exchanging greetings. The man asked, 'But… what is it you want?'

'We want… ' Elvy held up her hand and without being aware of it, she made the sign of peace, her thumb against the inside of her index finger, the other fingers stretched out. 'We want you to believe in the Lord Jesus.'

The man looked at his wife, a slight panic in his eyes. The woman returned his look with an expression that was closer to saying that this was an offer they had to take a position on. The man shook his head. 'What I believe is my business.'

Elvy nodded. 'Absolutely. But look around you. Can you reasonably interpret all this in any other way?'

The woman cleared her throat. 'I think we have to… '

'Wait a little, Matilda.' The man put up a hand to halt his wife and turned back to Elvy, 'Why are you doing this? What is it you want?'

Before Elvy had time to reply, Hagar said, 'The Virgin Mary appeared to Elvy and told her to do it. She has no choice. Nor do I, because I believe in her. And Jesus.'

Elvy nodded. For the first time she realised the point of having Hagar with her. Like the Lord Jesus-without making too much of the comparison-had had Peter, the rock.

'We're not making demands,' Elvy said. 'You must do as you wish. We cannot force anyone to do anything. We simply want to let you know that you may be on your way to making a terrible mistake if you turn away from God now that… now that we have all the evidence.'

The woman looked anxiously at her husband as if Elv y and Hagar were offering them a vaccine against a ravaging disease and she sensed that he was about to refuse it.

And sure enough, the man shook his head angrily and walked past Elvy and Hagar, opening the front door.

'I think it sounds a lot like a threat.' He used his hand to indicate that they should leave. 'But good luck to you. There are plenty of lost souls.'

Elvy and Hagar stepped out onto the landing. Before he had time to shut the door Elvy said, 'If you change your mind… my house is open, always.'