by Amy Cross
“A fingernail?”
Anna nodded.
“Are you sure it wasn't one of yours?” Marit asked.
“Pretty sure,” Anna replied, holding her hands up to reveal ten intact nails. “I put it in the bin next to my bed. Weird thing to find, huh? Did someone happen to lose a fingernail the last time you were here?”
“I... don't think so.” They walked on in silence for a moment, and for the first time Marit seemed to be genuinely a little shocked, as if she wasn't quite sure how to respond. “Well, I guess fingernails aren't too vital,” she said finally, “I mean, as lost body parts go, you could totally, like, lose one and not really notice. It's definitely not one of mine, but...” Another pause, and she was clearly lost in thought. “Oh, do you know what? I think Joe actually mentioned something a while back, about his uncle having something like that happen to him while he was fixing something in one of the upstairs rooms. He was hammering and a fingernail came off, so maybe -”
“I'm pretty sure it's a girl's,” Anna told her.
“Oh.” More silence, as they reached a point where the forest floor began to slope downhill ahead of them, revealing a shimmering blue lake beyond the trees. “Well, stuff happens,” Marit added with a shrug. “I wouldn't go reading too much into it, I mean, a fingernail's just a fingernail. If you think about it, pretty much every person on the planet has ten of them, plus ten toenails, so it's a miracle you don't find the damn things tossed aside more often. And they grow back, so I don't think the person will be in too much danger.”
“As long as I don't start finding ears and stuff,” Anna replied, “I think it'll be okay.”
“Ha!” Marit forced a smile. “Just make sure you hang onto your nails, okay? You might need them later in the weekend, to dig into the back of Daniel or Christian as you make sweet love in some secluded spot out by -”
“That's not going to happen,” Anna said firmly.
“You don't think they're hot?”
“I didn't come on this trip just so things could get complicated.”
“Uh-huh. But they are hot, right?”
Anna shook her head, but she couldn't hide a faint smile.
“Then why are you grinning like an idiot?”
“I'm not!” Anna hissed, even though by this point she was starting to blush. “I'm definitely not,” she added, before starting to laugh. She was feeling a little looser now, as if some of the tension from back home was already lifting from her shoulders.
“Come on,” Marit continued, nudging her arm and then starting to run ahead. “You have to see the lake! It's the most beautiful thing ever! It'll make all your other problems disappear forever and ever!”
***
Staring down at her toes, Anna wiggled them in the water for a moment, letting the lake's gentle current wash between the gaps. Having spent pretty much her whole life in London, she'd always dreamed of remote landscapes but had never experienced one before, and now she was finding it difficult to adjust to the vast, awe-inspiring peace and quiet. She felt as if she was a million miles from the rest of the world, and Marit had been spot-on when she'd suggested that all her worries would fade away. A little over a thousand miles from home, Anna finally felt at peace. The noise of London was finally out of her hair.
Reaching down, she ran her fingers through the water and realized that for the first time since the break-up, she could actually focus on other things.
“Screw you, Max,” she muttered under her breath. “Lying, cheating...”
After a moment, she realized she could hear a faint sniffing sound from nearby, and she turned to see that Marit was sitting with her back to her on the edge of the wooden dock, and that she seemed to be crying. She watched for a few seconds, confused, before starting to make her way along the rocky shore until she got to the dock's steps. Now that she was closer, she could tell that Marit was definitely in tears about something, although she hesitated for a moment, wondering whether or not she should ask.
Finally, she told herself that of course friends should worry about one another.
“Hey,” she said cautiously, “are you okay?”
Marit immediately started wiping her face, and she took a big sniff before turning to Anna. Sure enough, there were tears in her eyes.
“I'm fine,” she said, forcing an unconvincing smile. “What did I tell you, huh? Is this place beautiful or what?”
“Sure, but...” Anna wandered barefoot along the dock and plopped down next to her, trying to act casual and not let on that she was worried. She'd never really had a close friend before, at least not one she'd ever tried to console. “You're upset.”
“I'm just overcome by the beauty of the natural world,” Marit replied unconvincingly, sniffing back more tears. “Sorry, I guess I'm a pussy that way.”
“Yeah, but -”
“Leave it, okay?” Marit continued. “It's nothing. Just let a girl have a few tears now and then, without turning it into a big investigation.” She put an arm around Anna's shoulder and pulled her closer. “I'm just glad you finally came to visit after all these years.”
“Me too,” Anna replied.
They sat in silence for a moment, as Marit continued to sniff.
“Hey Anna,” she said finally, “do you ever feel like...” Her voice trailed off for a moment.
“Like what?”
“It's dumb, but...” Staring out at the lake, Marit seemed trouble by something. “Do you ever wish you were perfect?”
Anna frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Like, do you ever wish you were a perfect person who never did bad things, who never made mistakes or hurt other people?”
“I... I've never really thought about it.” She paused. “Is that something you think about a lot?”
“Sometimes.” Marit paused, still watching the lake's calm waters as fresh tears reached her eyes. “Sometimes I wish I was a really good human being, someone who always made the right choice. It's crazy how quickly your life can start filling up with compromises and fuck-ups, right? Like, I'm only twenty-one and already I'm having to negotiate these land-mines made up of dumb things I did in the past. Not to mention all the goddamn student debt I've managed to built up.” She sniffed again. “Sorry. I guess I'm just surprised by how early in life you can end up trapped by your own mistakes.”
Anna watched her for a moment, as a tear ran down her friend's cheek. She wanted to say something that might make her feel better, but she wasn't quite sure where to start.
“Hey,” Mari added suddenly, forcing a grin, “do you know what's super fun to do out here?”
“I -”
Before Anna could finish, Marit grabbed her arm and jumped forward, pulling her down and sending the pair of them crashing into the lake.
Further back, deep within the forest, a dark figure stood watching, holding a video camera to record every moment.
Chapter Three
“This one, then,” Christian said, grabbing another raw steak from the plate and tossing it onto the grill. “Trust me, you'll love reindeer steak when you try it.”
And then he winked at her.
No-one had ever winked at Anna before in her entire life.
“Great,” she stammered, her voice cracking slightly as she turned and headed back toward the others, where Marit was waiting with the biggest grin on her face. Nearby, their impromptu campfire was burning in the center of the clearing, sending smoke up into the night sky.
“Did he just -”
“He was talking about meat,” Anna replied, sitting cross-legged next to her.
“I bet he was. Fancies some rump, does he?”
“Stop it!” Anna hissed, before turning to see that Jennifer was sitting on the other side of her, picking at a salad. “Hey,” she continued, hoping to change the subject, “I just wanted to thank you again for letting me come up here with you all for the week. Your family has such a beautiful cabin, I've honestly never been anywhere like it. I really -”
“That's cool,” Jennifer replied, interrupting her. “I'm glad you appreciate it. Did you get that awful stain out of the floor?”
“I...” Anna took a deep breath. “Of course. It's as good as new.”
“I doubt that.”
“You know what it's like when you're traveling,” Anna continued. “Even if you pack really carefully, things can just explode in your suitcase.”
Jennifer stared at her. “That's never happened to me.”
Anna opened her mouth to reply, but something about Jennifer's tone made her think the girl just wanted to be left alone. Turning back to Marit, Anna was just in time to see her rolling her eyes as she shoved a forkful of chicken into her mouth.
“Some people are just bitches,” Marit said, spitting out flecks of chewed chicken as she spoke. “Best to ignore them, in my experience.”
“I'm going to go to the bathroom,” Anna replied, feeling as if the situation between Marit and Jennifer was becoming increasingly awkward. Getting to her feet, she made her way toward the steps. Frankly, she felt as if Jennifer was the kind of person who sucked the life out of any situation, and she was starting to think that she should just try to avoid her as much as possible during the week. Plus, Jennifer definitely seemed to draw out a darker, nastier side of Marit.
Heading into the cabin's main room, Anna made her way toward the bathroom on the far side, only to realize after a moment that she could hear hushed, frantic voices coming from the kitchen. She knew she shouldn't stick her nose in, but she couldn't help slowing and then lingering as she reached the door.
The first voice she heard was Joe's. He was speaking Norwegian, so she barely understand a word of what he was saying. She was about to turn away and head to the bathroom when suddenly she heard the name Karen being mentioned.
“Something something Karen,” Joe said. “Something something something Karen something.”
Daniel immediately interrupted him, sounding annoyed and speaking fast. The name Karen came up again, followed by a blast of words, some of which Anna recognized from the time Marit had given her a drunken rundown of how to curse in Norwegian.
“Something Karen,” Daniel was saying. “Something Karen Lund, something -”
He stopped suddenly, and after a moment Anna realized they might have sensed her presence. Keen to make sure that things didn't get too weird, she immediately stepped through the doorway and smiled as she saw that they were over by the window.
“Hey,” she said, quickly trying to think of a reason to be in the room. “I... just came to fetch some more beer.”
“Cool,” Joe replied, hurrying over to join her at the fridge while Daniel sighed and headed outside. “More beer's always a good thing.”
“Did I interrupt something?” Anna asked.
Joe glanced over his shoulder, just in time to see Daniel disappearing into the darkness. “No,” he said, turning back to her, “of course not. Captain Intensity was just fussing about the usual garbage. Seriously, he and Jennifer really know how to bring the mood down, I swear they must have studied it at school or something.” He paused. “I guess that's why it's so much fun having people like you and Marit tagging along, lifting everything up. If you two weren't here, it'd just be me and Christian with Jennifer and Daniel, and that would be...” He paused, as if he was struggling to find the right word. “A downer,” he added finally. “Isn't that what you call it in English?”
“Marit's pretty good at livening the mood,” Anna muttered, opening the fridge door and taking two more bottles from the massive stash of beer before pushing the door shut again. “She's like a human grenade. You can just throw her into any kind of social situation and, boom, instant party.”
“You're not the same?”
Anna shook her head. “No, I can't quite do that.”
“It takes all sorts,” he pointed out. “Some people are showers and some are growers, but I bet you're great once you get settled somewhere and you feel like you know people.”
“I'm not sure about that,” she told him. “I just feel bad that you guys are having to speak English around me all the time. I know about three words of Norwegian, which is pretty lame.”
“We like having you here,” he replied with a smile, before taking a sip of beer. “It kind of gets boring when it's just the same old gang up here all the time. Jennifer and Christian always argue and semi split up, Daniel's always brooding with his camera and his art projects, and Marit... Well, she's fun, but she can be kind of exhausting. To be honest, this is the first time I've really enjoyed myself at the cabin since... Well, it's definitely been a while, and I'm sure at least part of that is down to you.”
“I'll do my best,” she replied awkwardly.
“I bet your best is pretty good,” he continued, hesitating for a moment before reaching out and putting a hand on her waist. “I'd like to see your best some time.”
“Oh.” Stepping back, just far enough to move away from his touch, she felt a little shocked. “I...”
“Just being friendly,” he added. “I can tell you're feeling a little out of place, I thought maybe you'd like to be... welcomed more.”
She smiled, but she already felt uncertain about how to respond. Silence fell between them for a moment, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd misinterpreted his move, that he was just being friendly after all.
“We should go outside,” they both said finally, before laughing.
“I think Marit runs on beer,” Joe added, clinking the bottles together. “She needs her fuel, so go deliver it to her.”
Heading back to the front room, she couldn't help feeling as if she was still the odd one out at the cabin. She'd never been brilliant at making new friends and she'd always had a tendency to over-analyze everything, but she'd accepted Marit's invitation partly because she wanted to challenge herself by leaping into a new situation and by forcing herself to be sociable. So far that plan wasn't working out too well, but by the time she got out onto the porch she'd started to realize that she was being a little harsh on herself for her progress so far. She'd been at the cabin for all of six or seven hours, in a foreign country where she didn't know a word of the language, and she told herself she should wait until at least the second morning before writing herself off as a complete anti-social loser.
As she headed down the steps, making her way back toward the campfire, she could hear Marit and Jennifer engaged in some kind of heated discussion, and the name Karen was mentioned a couple of times before they fell silent, as if they knew they were being overheard.
“So who's Karen?” Anna asked, sitting next to Marit. “And don't say no-one, because that was like the third time I've heard her mentioned today.”
Marit opened her mouth to reply, before pausing and then turning to Jennifer, who muttered something in Norwegian as she got to her feet and stomped off.
“Sorry,” Anna continued, “is it a sore subject?”
“It's really not a big deal,” Marit replied, glancing over her shoulder to see that Jennifer was talking to Christian by the barbecue. After a moment, she turned back to Anna. “Look, to be honest, a few of us were disagreeing slightly over whether it's okay to even talk about it. I mean, it all happened three years ago, or rather the story started coming up three years ago, but most people think that's all it is. A story.”
“Well now you've got to tell me,” Anna replied, feeling a little disturbed by the concern in her friend's eyes. “Who's Karen? I don't think I've ever heard you mention her before, is she a friend of yours?”
Marit paused, before sighing and shaking her head.
“Then who is she?” Anna asked. She waited for an answer, but she could tell Marit was reluctant to say any more. “Did something bad happen?”
“Karen was...” Marit sighed again. “Karen Lund was this girl from a town about twenty kilometers to the north,” she explained finally. “She was nothing to do with any of us, we didn't go to the same schools or anything like that but, like, d
uring the summer three years ago she vanished from her home and there was this massive manhunt.” She paused, as if the mere mention of the story made her feel uncomfortable. “It was huge news all over Norway for, like, a couple of months, but anyway they never found a body. I'm pretty sure the case is still open, it gets mentioned occasionally but no trace of her was ever picked up. They had sniffer dogs, all that kind of stuff, but they never got a lead. It's like she went out one day to meet a friend, and then she just vanished into thin air.”
“Okay,” Anna replied cautiously, “that's horrible but... Why are you guys talking about it so much?”
Marit stared at her for a moment, before looking down at her bottle of beer. For the first time that evening, she didn't seem to want to drink.
“So everyone thinks she was murdered, right?” Anna asked, feeling a shiver of concern in her chest. “Do they think someone abducted her, and that's why she was never seen again?”
Marit paused, and then finally she looked at Anna again. This time, the nearby flames seemed to be casting darker, deeper shadows across her face.
“I said they never found a body,” she said with a hint of ice in her voice. “I never said she wasn't seen again.”
“I -” Pausing, Anna tried to work out exactly what she meant. After a moment, however, she heard raised voices from nearby and she turned to see that Jennifer and Christian were engaged in a hushed but clearly very angry argument. Finally Jennifer turned and stormed off toward the trees, with Christian hurrying after her. A moment later, Anna saw that Joe was watching from the kitchen door. Feeling a little uncomfortable, she turned back to Marit. “So what happened? Who saw Karen Lund after she disappeared?”
Sighing, Marit closed her eyes, as if she was regretting saying anything at all.
“Come on,” Anna continued, ignoring the sound of Jennifer and Christian arguing nearby, “just tell me. Is it like... Is it a ghost thing? Do people reckon they've seen her ghost somewhere nearby?” She forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood. “You kind of should've warned me if you were bringing me to a place with ghost stories. Not that it's a problem, though, 'cause I totally don't believe in that sort of thing.”
