The Sandman

45

Joona talks to Reidar’s doctor, then returns to Mikael’s room, hangs his jacket on the hook behind the door, pulls up the only chair and sits down.

If it’s true that Felicia is still alive, then all of a sudden it really is urgent. Maybe there are even more captives? He has to get Mikael to talk about his memories.

An hour later Mikael wakes up. He opens his eyes slowly, squinting against the light. As Joona repeats that his father’s not in any danger, he shuts his eyes again.

‘I need to ask you a question,’ Joona says seriously.

‘My sister,’ he whispers.

Joona puts his mobile on the bedside table and starts to record.

‘Mikael, I have to ask you... Do you know who was holding you captive?’

‘It wasn’t like that...’

‘Like what?’

The boy’s breathing speeds up.

‘He just wanted us to sleep, that was all, we had to sleep...’

‘Who?’

‘The Sandman,’ Mikael whispers.

‘What did you say?’

‘Nothing, I can’t go on...’

Joona looks down at his phone and checks that it’s recording the conversation.

‘I thought you mentioned the Sandman?’ he goes on. ‘You mean like Wee Willie Winkie, putting the children to sleep?’

Mikael looks him in the eye.

‘He’s real,’ he whispers. ‘He smells of sand, he sells barometers during the day.’

‘What does he look like?’

‘It’s always dark when he comes...’

‘You must have seen something, surely?’

Mikael shakes his head, sobbing silently as tears run down his cheeks and onto the pillow under his head.

‘Does the Sandman have another name?’ Joona asks.

‘I don’t know, he never says a word, he never spoke to us the whole time.’

‘Can you describe him?’

‘I’ve only heard him in the darkness... his fingertips are made of porcelain and when he takes the sand out of the bag they tinkle against each other... and...’

Mikael’s mouth is moving, but no sound is coming out.

‘I can’t hear what you’re saying,’ Joona says quietly.

‘He throws sand in children’s faces... and a moment later they’re asleep.’

‘How do you know it’s a man?’ Joona asks.

‘I’ve heard him cough,’ Mikael replies seriously.

‘But you never saw him?’

‘No.’