Henrik still hasn’t returned. The thought of another night in the forest fills me with dread. I begin to overheat and peel off my coat, then shortly afterwards slide back into it when a chill creeps up my spine. My body cannot decide if it is hot or cold. It is dusk when he returns. He has everything we need: soap, clothes, a coat that’s too big for me, and a stick to help me walk. The clothing looks clean and warm. He helps me back to the icy edges of the river, and we use the soap to wash our hair and faces and hands. I pull my hair back into a tight bun. Henrik dangles a silk scarf in front of me. “For class.” He has become quite the thief. We turn away shyly from one another to dress ourselves. Henrik’s pants are too short but the shirt fits well across his shoulders. Over this he wears a jacket, and a cap is on his head. “How do I look?”
