Øresund Base, Year 77
Mikkel winced as he passed Michael the bucket, just in time. He fixed his stare stolidly at the opposite wall as Michael utilised the bucket before settling back onto the bed with a groan.
“It’s okay. I’m okay,” Michael shook his head. “Just something I ate.” He sat up groggily. “’Scuse me,” he took an empty specimen vial off the bedside table. “You’re in the way. Gotta go get this sample.”
Mikkel did not move. “Listen, Michael, you’re in no condition to go anywhere today. I’m going to fix you up some electrolyte solution. You should be much improved by tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait until tomorrow. I promised I’d return the vial before the ship sails for Iceland, this afternoon.” He glanced at the clock. “It’s no use. I just can’t. I needed that money, too.” He put the vial back on the table as he lay back down.
“Money?,” Mikkel looked with renewed interest at the specimen vial. “They’re going to pay you for it?”
Michael nodded weakly and closed his eyes. “Once you pass the screening. I’ve done, what? Three? Four times? But, I like to think I’m sort of helping, too.”
Mikkel sucked in his cheeks for a moment as he contemplated his twin. Standing up, he loaded the various discarded cups and cloths left on the table onto a tray, nonchalantly putting the vial on it as well. Picking up the tray, he said, “Never mind, I’ll just go clean these off. No use getting whatever bug you’ve got going around.” He reached for the bucket, but Michael lunged for it before he could pick it up. Mikkel winced, “Never mind, I’ll come back for the bucket.”
Mikkel put the cloths into the laundry hamper and the dirty dishes into the sink. Washing his hands thoroughly, he contemplated the vial once again. After fixing Michael a pitcher of electrolyte and leaving it with him with stern instructions to drink it, he slipped into the toilet and locked the door. He placed the vial carefully on the edge of the counter, turned on the warm water tap and soaped his hands liberally. Taking a deep breath, he willed himself to think good thoughts.
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Brúardalur, Year 91
It had been a very exciting day for Eva Rúnarsdóttir. It wasn’t often strangers came to Brúardalur, and two of the famous Silent World explorers had been in her very own produce shop! Foreigners could be so strange. Sigríður had gossiped to Eva all about her guests, and she gathered that this must be the Norwegian woman and the Danish man. She couldn’t understand much of anything the tall red-headed woman said, but Eva got the distinct idea that she did not appreciate the fine greenhouse mandarines on display, and had actually pointed and laughed at the carrots. The man with her laughed at her jibes, but he surprisingly spoke Icelandic quite well despite his accent, and had bought a large bag of the mandarines. He had a fine head of wavy hair and large hands. Eva noticed details like that about people.
Eva went home and hung her coat on its hook, next to her husband’s. The next three hooks were marked Matthías, Mikaela, and Marit, each holding the neatly hung jackets and hats of three of her children. On the floor under the empty hook marked Magnús, was a crumpled jacket and hat. Not for the first time, she could remember the Director of the Institute saying, “I assure you, madam, young Magnús is definitely from the same material as your other children. We vet the donors very carefully.”
A trail of muddy footprints tracked from the front room into the kitchen, where she heard her younger daughter’s voice chiding, “Why did you have to badger him like that? I thought he was very brave. And they say he’s actually a mage, imagine that!”
Magnús scoffed, “Are you kidding? That guy was so laaaame. I see right through him.” He rolled his eyes and flicked his wavy hair. ‘OOo, look at me, I had to get rescued from the Silent World ‘cause I got loooost. I banished a ghost, ooo, I’m special.’ He just wants to pretend to work while he’s asleep. Pfft. You should have seen Bergþóra going all googly-eyed at him!” He let out a large belch. “How come you weren’t there, I thought you were all gooooogly over Reynir toooo.”
“Don’t be disgusting, Magnús. And I was still cleaning up my shawl after you tied it to the rooster! Which, by the way, I’m telling Mamma.”
“He needed a cape. Anyway, you didn’t miss anything. He admitted he didn’t even kill a troll. I told Reynir Mamma could banish a ghost.”
“I’ll banish you if you don’t clean up this mess immediately.” Eva grabbed the broom and thrust it at her wayward youngest son.
Although his mother had startled him, Magnús didn’t look abashed as he took the broom. “No, you won’t. You paid good money for me,” he grinned.
