Grofo shook his head. Sometimes I think this whole Norn act of yours is just a Like you're secretly laughing at us behind our backs, getting a kick out of our gullibility.
What else could appear on her face but one of that mysterious half - smiles? The kind that always messed with Grofo's head- made him wonder, Who is she really? Is that the real Suzie we're seeing?
But Grofo wasn't big on overthinking- he didn't like cluttering his mind with riddles when their goal was simple: find the creep who's been kidnapping and killing people. And how were they gonna do that, these three guys? Well- maybe with this knife, for starters.
He ran his finger along the blade again and again- good sharpening gave him confidence.
Was he really ready to use it, if it came to that? That was another thought he pushed out of his head. No time to burden himself with stuff like that- not now, not mid - adventure.
The woods were thinning. Trees got smaller, twisted, and pathetic - looking. That usually meant one thing- the edge of the forest was near, and the valley would soon come into view.
And when it did, Suzie immediately pointed to an old, crumbling factory sitting a bit outside Övrekjäla.
That's where we're going.
Grofo blinked, thrown off. He'd been sure they'd end up by the lake again- but now the plan had flipped. Roman beat him to the question:
Why'd you pick that creepy place? It's dark, broken, and totally
The girl's eyes kept narrowing and widening, shifting restlessly- just like her whole self. She looked like someone led by forces from another world, not by her own will.
She saw it in a vision, - Suzy said - And besides, I've thought a lot about it. This factory is the perfect shelter for an ancient soul. You can hide there, and at the same time keep watch over
the valley- a place clearly beloved by the spirits that have guarded it for centuries. This is their home.
The more you talk like that, the less I want to go, - Roman shivered and tugged on the rope around his wrist. - Maybe we should just call the central police station. They'll send a bunch of cops, SÄPO, intelligence units. And on top of that, the president and the Ghostbusters, - Grofo cut him off. - What are we supposed to say? That we're tracking a disembodied jerk who likes cutting off hands and stealing cops? Who would believe that? The whole town thinks Valdis just twisted her ankle and can't walk home. And our theory? Every adult will say it's just dumb guys making stuff up.
You think? - Roman frowned. - Then maybe we should call Grandma and
And what, they'll go investigate crimes for us? They've got nothing better to do? - Grofo fired back. - Think before you talk.
Their bickering was cut off by a commanding gesture from Suzanne. She raised her hand toward the sky, and then pointed a fist toward the ghostly ruins of the factory now wrapped in a hazy mist.
I can feel it- there's something there that will show us the
And just like that, she turned into a kind of guiding star herself, dashing ahead toward the factory. The brothers rushed to catch up. None of them heard Roman mutter under his breath:
Why are we even doing this? What are we, detectives now?
Suzy didn't know what awaited them. But the point wasn't to obtain some grand all - knowing truth- that's more for gods than mortals- but simply to understand that something was there. She wanted to reach out to the spirits and feel how they regarded her and her friends.
A gentle, non - aggressive hunt for the hunter was about to begin. She didn't get why the boys were so nervous. Spirits can't harm the living- unless the living show weakness.
They prey on the fearful. They destroy the uncertain.
But her heart was steady. And if fear was eating away at the boys, then her confidence would be the dam that held back that rising flood.
Time to run faster.
She dashed like never before, her scarf fluttering loose, cheeks flushed, eyes watering. But she didn't care. None of that would matter once they were inside the factory.
Behind her, the boys wheezed, trying to keep up. Roman was muttering constantly, and maybe she would've heard him- if her ears weren't already tuned to something else entirely.