C10 Chapter 10

More had happened the night before Gabriel arrived at Oppdal.

Halkatla didn’t need any sleep. Nevertheless, it was exciting having one’s own room. She was to have shared a room with Tova, but it actually suited her that Tova was tending to the sick Morahan. Halkatla laughed a little to herself.

She walked around, felt the unfamiliar materials, looked at her reflection uninhibitedly in the full-length mirror, tried the bath taps with great enthusiasm, even though she didn’t want a bath, and threw herself on the soft bed.

Halkatla groped for life as much as she could during these intense days, after the failed life she had previously led.

The big windows that were part of all the houses nowadays fascinated her, now that she was out among humans again after her centuries’ long sleep of death. She went over to the window of her room and looked out. It was nighttime, but the day was beginning to break so she could see things much more clearly now. She touched the window pane in order to better understand it and enjoyed its cool lustre.

Down in the courtyard Rune was examining the motorbike. Halkatla eagerly searched for a way to open the window and found the latch. After fumbling with it, she got the window to swing open.

It was so astonishing what people could do in this era! This window was quite a different story from the ox bladder stretched over a hole in the wall of her time!

“Rune!” she whispered loudly.

He turned his head, scanned the row of windows and discovered her.

“Come up here!” she chirped secretively. “I’ve got plenty of space here!”

Rune shook his head and returned to the motorbike.

“Yes, please come, I’m so lonely!”

Then he looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. “You’ve always been lonely,” he said, as though to reconfirm it to himself as well. “And I know how that feels! But no, Marco wouldn’t approve.”

Damn! Halkatla slammed the window shut. But that confounded paragon of virtue, Marco, was still asleep. While she and Rune, who were strangers in the world, were doomed to keep vigil.

Halkatla’s witch-like eyes showed a devilish glow. Laughing with anticipation, she once again looked at her own reflection in the mirror. She was good-looking, very good-looking. She could see that herself. And that fine, simple tunic she was wearing was the best piece of clothing she had ever owned. It was quite different from the sack-like rags she had had to wear in the Valley of the Ice People. Probingly she lifted the tunic. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath it. Yes, she was nice there, too. And she had never had the chance to feel a man’s love. Hadn’t even had the opportunity of getting close to one.

Marco was inapproachable and unassailable.

But Rune?

She had to admit that she was enormously curious about Rune. Whether he was made of wood or could get an ... No, no naughty words now, it seemed Marco had had some kind of influence on her after all. Whether Rune was affected at all by her presence? Was it really just a little wooden stick? Or did he have nothing at all there? How had the mandrake looked? She couldn’t answer that.

But she was determined to find out now!

She had to have a man now that she was among the living again. A small inner voice told her that Rune wasn’t the right one, but there were no other men to choose from!

She quietly tip-toed out.

He was still in the courtyard. Sitting down leaning against a railing.

“Halkatla, what are you doing outside?”

“The question is rather: what are you doing?”

“Keeping guard, of course. We aren’t safe anywhere, even though we sent Tengel the Evil southward. He has many assistants.”

“Yes, don’t I know it? Wasn’t I impressive when I chased him away like that?”

“Very impressive, Halkatla,” said Rune gravely.

She looked around, swinging her arms. “But what are you doing here, you can’t see anything here! Let’s go to the grove up there – we’ll have a view of the road, the courtyard and the hotel entrance.”

He took a look at it himself and had to admit that she was right.

“Go inside, Halkatla; I’ll take care of this myself.”

“Why? We’re both lonely in an unfamiliar era. Why can’t we be lonely together?”

“Aren’t you cold? You aren’t wearing many clothes.”

“Cold? When was a spirit ever cold?”

“You’re not a spirit, Halkatla, you’re so much more. You are real and corporeal. Spirits aren’t.”

“Maybe, but who cares? I’m not in the least bit cold and I’ve never had so much fun as I’m having now. The only thing is that I’ve promised Marco not to perform any magical spells. What a bore!”

They started to climb the hill, Rune shy and Halkatla overwrought with excitement.

There wasn’t the same kind of tenderness in her as there had been between Ian and Tova. Halkatla was and remained a witch. She was, in fact, a creature very much like Sol, but without her brains and fine upbringing. Halkatla had pretty much had to raise herself. However, both had sought out evil and the dark side, but had turned their backs on it when they discovered the mental pain it caused. But it was clear that Halkatla had been tarred with the same brush. Neither she nor Sol could escape their need to perform amusing little dirty tricks.

And now Halkatla was curious about Rune, as he knew perfectly well.

She didn’t have the kind of inhibitions that Tova had suffered from. Halkatla was well aware that she was attractive.

But would someone like Rune allow himself to be affected by her?

That was what she was curious to know.

They found a spot among the trees where the view was excellent: from there they could keep an eye on all the roads leading towards the hotel.

Without shame she said, “Do you think I’m pretty?”

“Of course,” he croaked slowly.

“Do you think I’m attractive? Do you feel anything when you look at me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, don’t be stupid! Do you get an ... No, I’m not allowed to say that. But if I were to say, do you want me? That’s a proper phrase, even Marco would have to approve of it. Do you?”

At this he turned away, didn’t want to answer her.

“But I want to know,” she persisted. “I have no one else I can ask. Otherwise I’ll just go after any man that comes my way and offer myself to him.”

“No,” he said intensely. “You mustn’t do that.”

“Why not? Are you afraid of the scandal it would cause? There’s nothing to be afraid of, they don’t burn witches these days. And don’t you think I’ve noticed how young girls are allowed to put on airs with boys and even decide whether or not they are going to sleep together? So why shouldn’t I be able to do that? Or perhaps you’re a teeny-weeny bit jealous?”

“I was just thinking of the man who’ll be exposed to you,” he said sulkily.

“But you can stand looking at me?”

“Halkatla, be so kind as to go back up to your room,” he said, tormented. “This isn’t going to lead to anything.”

“Won’t it?” she said, quickly slipping out of her tunic behind his back. She crept up to him from behind and wrapped her arms ingratiatingly around his angular body.

“Do you feel anything now?” she said as she pressed against him in a very encouraging way.

“No, I don’t,” he said, trying to free himself. But her lips clung to his neck as her hands moved quickly downwards.

In one movement he bent her arms up and released himself. He turned towards her and Halkatla was scared when she saw the burning glow in his eyes.

“You’re never to do that again,” he said in a low and warning voice. “Or you won’t be allowed to join us anymore.”

She let out a whimper of appealing despair.

Rune sighed. “Halkatla, you managed a great feat when you got Tengel the Evil to go back south, and you have proven to be worthy of being with us in every way. But don’t push your luck too far! If you become too difficult we won’t be able to take you with us any farther, I’m sure you understand. What do you think Marco would say about this?”

She laughed tremulously. “He wouldn’t have to know anything.”

“Don’t you think he’d know anyway?”

“No, I don’t,” she said, turning visibly pale.

“Maybe he wouldn’t, but this is important, Halkatla. We want to keep you, but you’re making problems for yourself.”

She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was serious, and suddenly she felt utterly ridiculous in her nakedness.

Then Rune grew gentler and he took her by the arm.

“You are very attractive, but hurling yourself at me doesn’t make any sense.”

“Well, who can I do it to, then? she asked, putting her tunic back on. “Marco is inaccessible, and Morahan is dying ... and belongs to Tova. And you forbid me to approach others.”

“Does a random encounter really mean that much to you?”

“Rune,” she said persuasively, more confident now that she was dressed again. “In my real life I was like most girls, hungry for experiences with men. I wanted to be loved or at least desired. But I was a witch, and everyone avoided me like the plague. All I could do in my loneliness was satisfy myself. And that became rather empty and dry and lifeless and dull in the long run. Now I’ve been given a short time to live again and I want to experience it this time!”

“I can’t help you.”

“Can’t – or won’t?”

“Dear Halkatla,” he said with dismay, not looking at her. “What am I really? I don’t know myself. I long to be something whole, but human food doesn’t appeal to me and sucking water from the ground strikes me as grotesque now. It’s as though I don’t need nourishment at all anymore.”

“Neither do I,” she said quickly.

“No,” he merely acknowledged. “So what does that make me? Something in between – a bastard. I don’t have a heart ...”

“Yes, you do, just not physically, only emotionally.”

“Exactly. I’m like something that’s been created, like a work that no one can give a name to. A unique object,” he concluded clumsily.

In a flat voice she said: “I felt your skin, your arms and your muscles. You’re as cold as an eel and your skin doesn’t feel human. And not like an animal’s either. Your bones and muscles have more in common with a birch tree. I believe you, Rune, when you claim that you can’t help me. Because I’ve never heard of a birch tree getting an erection,” she concluded abruptly with a mocking laugh.

It was clear that he didn’t care for her final words. And Hatkatla, who was uneducated and rather straightforward, began to realize that Rune was a delicate, highly cultivated being. Whereupon she became ashamed of herself.

“I’ll go down now,” she said quickly.

At first, she thought she had misheard him. But he really did say something that made her stop in her tracks.

“But perhaps I can help you after all, Halkatla, if you really need my help.”

“Wha–?” she asked stupidly. “What do you mean?”

“I’m sure you know that better than I do,” he said without looking at her.

Halkatla inspected his injured hands. “Do you really think you can manage it?”

“I don’t know,” he said shyly and awkwardly. “But I don’t want you to get involved with ordinary living humans.”

She swallowed. He looked so upset that she realized that he really meant it. But also that he was doing it solely for her sake and that he himself felt utterly ill at ease about it.

And she couldn’t bear to see that.

She gave him a small, sad smile and caressed his coarse cheek. “Thank you, Rune,” she said tenderly. “You’ve just made me very happy. But I’ll have to decline your offer. A little more enthusiasm from your end would be needed. “

He remained speechless and unable to move. Halkatla gave him a friendly kiss on the cheek.

“I care deeply for you, my friend,” she said gently. “But you haven’t quite fathomed what it is I’m after.”

Whereupon she went down, rather surprised at herself. What did I just say? she thought. Do I even really know what I’m looking for? I thought it would be an amusing adventure, an experience with a man.

But it seems I want more?

At least I don’t want to end up as lonely in my experience as I would have been had I done it with Rune. A sacrifice on his part. No thank you!

Rune stayed where he was and watched her go. No one would have been able to decipher the expression on his face had they seen him now.

His gaze followed her right up until she entered the hotel.

But Halkatla was upset. Why did he do that? Why did he say those words? Her thoughts continued to churn. Her breathing grew rapid and she writhed and sighed impatiently. She didn’t feel like lying down. Anyway, she didn’t need to sleep.

I’m so damned lonely, she thought. What am I doing here? My time was several centuries ago.

But if she were to be honest with herself she was actually very happy in her new life. Though everything was different, things were also a lot more comfortable and more luxurious in ways she would never have been able to dream of. The previous day she had gone to a supermarket with Tova and had been completely overwhelmed. She had taken various items off the shelves but Tova had taken them from her and said that you had to pay to get those things. And Halkatla didn’t have any money, that was one thing her dear ancestors had forgotten to provide her with when they had placed her in the 1960s.

She couldn’t wake the others and she couldn’t return to Rune after having made such a dignified exit. But she couldn’t just sit there all night, not with that aching need in her body.

She had so little time, didn’t have a clue how many days she actually had left of her new life.

She looked probingly towards Rune up there on the hill.

She couldn’t get past him without his noticing her.

Oh, nonsense! Couldn’t she? She was a witch, after all. Couldn’t she make herself invisible again? Just for a short while, so that she could get past him?

No, maybe that would be too risky. What if she was unable to become visible again afterwards? What if it had been the spirits doing that she was allowed to be present among the living and if she were to ruin their project it might never succeed? No, she didn’t dare take the risk.

But she had to get out!

So Halkatla, the witch, created an illusion for Rune. She made him see some large, strange birds float past him in the opposite direction. While he was busy watching them, she sneaked out and rushed behind the next-door building.

Now he was no longer able to see her.

Happily she hummed to herself as she sauntered down the road, which was now leading her into a forest. She was free and she was sure to find a willing man. There were bound to be a couple of night owls out there. Halkatla was determined to test her attraction on modern men!

He had been attending a course in Trondheim. Some further training. He was a sales manager and often went on business trips. Cheating on his little wife back home in Lillehammer was just part of the deal, he felt. A little adventure here and there couldn’t do much harm. What you don’t know won’t hurt you, was his motto.

He felt a little woozy after his final night in Trondheim. He hadn’t managed to find a girl, but he had, of course, had a few shots. He was used to consuming one or two glasses without getting pulled over for drunk driving. He was also good at predicting road checks and avoiding them at all costs.

This was going just fine. The roads were all clear during the early hours of the morning, so he could put his foot right down.

Oppdal ... he was making great time, he had to admit. Now there was only Dovre and Gudbrands Valley left ...

What in hell was this? He had to make a sharp swerve in order not to hit the girl who was plodding along so carelessly in the middle of the road.

Damn! The right front wing of the car skidded right into her! Should he just go on? No one had seen him ... no one could accuse him of anything.

No, a small sense of justice made him stop. Or was it perhaps because he knew that the fault had been hers? If there were any dents in the car as a result he could get compensation, either from her or her family.

No, those were ridiculous thoughts, he hadn’t run her over: that sort of thing happened to others, not to him.

But he had alcohol in his blood, not very much and nothing that really made much difference, but the police were so finicky. It was probably best to flee after all.

He looked in the rear-view mirror. But there she was! Trudging along as though nothing had happened! And after that thump against the car!

He was seized by anger, the kind of anger that comes over a person after they’ve been terribly frightened by something.

He darted out of the car, puffing himself up. “What in hell do you think you’re doing staggering about like that on the road? Do you think you own it or what?”

The girl gave him a careless look. She even smiled. But she must have been injured? Or ...

He bent over the car and looked at it. Yes, it had a dent above one of the lights. And she wasn’t even limping!

“Look what you’ve done! The car was as good as new! And you’ve ...”

He took a moment to look at the girl. My God, she was as gorgeous as a princess, her golden hair like a halo about her face, and those eyes! It was pitch dark now, but they seemed to sparkle like gold. And that smile! Like a cat ready to pounce after having caught its prey.

God, what a specimen! He had never seen anything like it! She was oddly dressed, in a modest, light tunic. She was probably an art student, they usually dressed like that. And she was wearing sandals even though it was only May.

He automatically put on his big, charming smile and the risqué angle of his eyebrows. “Are you all right?” he asked, forgetting his offended tone regarding the car a few moments ago.

“Yes, nothing happened,” said the unbelievable girl in her husky voice. “Would you mind giving me a lift? I love cars. Especially fast ones. And yours is fast, isn’t it?”

“You bet it is! Where are you going?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Anywhere. Doesn’t matter, I just want a little ride.”

He was immediately in on it. If she was going to be that cooperative, he certainly wasn’t going to stand in her way.

A minute later he drove off the road into the woods and stopped. Out of sheer habit, he turned towards her and placed his hand on her back. His other hand immediately began to find its way into the neckline of her tunic.

She let it all happen and received his experienced kisses – he certainly knew what he was doing – and settled back comfortably as he placed his hand on her thigh and let it glide upwards. Goodness! She wasn’t wearing anything underneath! She was definitely ready for him, he could feel.

She grabbed hold of the front of his trousers and he loosened his belt a little to help her. But then it was suddenly as though she froze. She let out a violent sigh.

“No,” she whispered. “That’s not how it should be, either.”

“What do you mean?” he mumbled, trying to kiss her neck.

“Leave me alone,” she said in an ominous voice, but he was already too excited, there was no stopping him now. He pawed her roughly under her dress, mowed down any resistance she put up. How dare she?

All at once it was as though he had burned himself on her. Surprised, he looked up at her and couldn’t believe his own eyes. Her beautiful, golden eyes began to burn with a dark glow and he sensed fire burning through his head. She muttered something unintelligible to him. And that entire beautiful being he was holding in his arms suddenly transformed into a smouldering bonfire. The front of his pants started burning: the fire was concentrated solely there. He hit himself to put the fire out and screamed and screamed, but to no avail.

Then the young woman made a nonchalant movement with her hand and the fire went out. She pulled away from him. Weeping, he stared at his burnt clothes: the zip of his fly had melted and was left twisted and ridiculously limp. But the worst thing was that it had affected his private parts, which had conquered so many married and unmarried women when he had been on his little extramarital escapades. His organ had retreated as much as possible but it was still clear that it had been sadly singed at the tip.

Halkatla got out of the car and looked at the man weeping inside.

“You don’t understand anything after all,” she muttered. “You were just coarse and nasty in your behaviour. Your soul is black. The world would be a better place without you.”

Then she ran the short distance back to the village. She caught sight of Rune, who was still standing up on the hill, and rushed up there as fast as she could.

He was astonished when she threw herself into his arms, sobbing with despair.

“Forgive me,” she whispered. “You are so good and I am so bad. I promise not to tease you anymore, but please forgive me, forgive me for what I did! It was wrong of me, I know, but the witch in me is still alive. Help me to become good, Rune!”

“Did you do something stupid, Halkatla?” he asked gently. “It certainly wasn’t towards me. Don’t you know that I understand you?”

“I did act stupidly towards you. But I’ve done something terrible. I’m so sorry, but I couldn’t help it.”

“I’m sure it’ll all work out, Halkatla. Why don’t you go and rest for a while and everything will be all right.”

“Yes,” she said obediently as she went down the hill, sobbing. “I’ll never be a good person, Rune.”

“You may have a long way to go,” he said. “But you’re well on your way to improvement. Being aware of the fact that one has done something wrong is a huge victory.”

She turned towards him, her face wet with tears. “But you don’t know what I’ve ...”

Rune looked into the fog of time and space. His features turned very grave. “Yes,” he said slowly. “I now see what you did. It was indeed very bad, but he also acted shamelessly towards you, didn’t he?”

“Yes, but it was my fault. I was the one who took the initiative. And then ...”

Rune went down the few steps it took to reach her. He placed his bruised hands on her face and Halkatla had never seen him look so alive and expressive before. He smiled at her sadly.

“Your soul is developing, Halkatla, without your being aware of it. It’s love you’re after. Even though you also need the other thing. Your physical need may be extra strong because you’ve always been a lonely witch. But sheer raw sexual instinct isn’t enough for you. You want to share something deeper, don’t you? Something fine and delicate ...”

She sniffed. “Why can’t you give me both, Rune?”

“That’s a good question,” he said in despair.

“You see, I also want to give something back, not just receive.”

“What you’ve just said is very important, my friend. It means that you are no longer one of Tengel the Evil’s witches. It shows that you are a human, and the best kind one can be.”

“Thank you,” she said as she wiped away her tears. “I could probably improve even more if I were only allowed to live long enough. But my time here is so short. Much too short!”

Then she ran away from him back to the hotel, where she went up to her room, sat down on the edge of her bed and stared into space.

“I don’t think I want to be human anymore,” she said. “I forgot how painful it is!”