Excerpt -> “JOHAN” - A novella in progress

PROLOGUE

It lands upside down on its shell. That hadn’t been his intention.

Johan squats. The soil, too dirty for his knees. He’d thrown it a little too roughly. The snail struggles atop the pile of fellow gastropods. A mini hill of about twenty he’d been gathering all morning, his six-year old fingers gingerly pulling each snaíl off its spot. Carefully avoiding the earth, he picks up the snail.

“Johan!”

That voice. Too rough for his ears. It’s sharp, shrill. It hurts him when she calls him. Like Farmor Svea’s needles. Dozens of her sewing needles jabbing in his ear. He pricked his finger once. No tears fell, but that sensation, he’ll never forget.

“Johan!” Astrid’s voice is firm. From the corner of his eyes, he sees her tramping over towards him. A flash of blue. Cerulean. He likes this particular shade. He ignores her and continues stacking his snails. He runs a finger over the smooth shell, loving its texture. He could spend hours collecting them if Astrid didn’t come screaming his name.

He feels her shadow bearing down over him. He doesn’t bulge.

“Johan, what have I told you about those disgusting creatures?” Astrid is breathless once she reaches him. She is never breathless. His au pair usually does the running.

He doesn’t respond. She presses on. “Come here,” she’s terse. “We need to get ready.”

She reaches for his shoulder. He pulls away sharply and flies to his feet. She knows not to touch him. He wonders why she did it.

Johan peers at her, his eyes matching hers, laser focus. She doesn't back down from their standoff. His little fingers curl into fists by his side as he stares her down.

“Johan?”

It happens swiftly. So suddenly Astrid gasps. He crushes them all, his right foot stamping only once. All those tiny snails he’d collected with love.

He follows it with a blood-curdling scream.


Lola Akinmade Åkerström