It’s not much, but it introduces Bjäkk to the story, and he’ll carry some of the science in the book. It also is that linking scene as to how Ben and Hanna get from the bus stop on the edge of town to their beds for the night…
The thumping sound of Icelandic rock reverberates around Bjäkk – nodding his head to the beat. He drums thw wheel with his hand, singing the occasional line of song. Alongside him are Hanna and Ben – squeezed into the two passenger seats of the pickup truck. Their luggage, thrown into the back, secured under tarporlin wreaking of fish, they drive the road, cutting down towards the water, and then away into the mountains on the road signposted to Hólar.
Ben sits quietly in the the cab listening to Bjäkk’s thick, gravelly voice as he quizzes Hanna on life since school and she plays out to him the specifics of her degree, the placement in Italy, and of her new band – the recent gigs, and the rep from the record company who is handling their possible signing.
Here Ben breaks into the conversation, “You never told me that?”
Hanna cast her head round swiftly, a wry smile drawing into a grin.
“You sure. Sorry. I forget who knows,” she apologises quickly, “Yeah. He saw us about three months ago now. Got our demo, but of course he needs to sell it to his bosses.”
Bjäkk nods. Pleased, if a little jealous of his friend’s success. He swings the car round a last bend and leans on the accelerater, driving up past the cathedral tower, and round into the small car park, breaking with a scrunch of gravel. With a flick of a wrist he cuts the ignition, and turns to his passengers, grinning broadly.
“Welcome home to Hólar.”
