The Storyteller

Something was wrong. Abel hadn’t mentioned anything about Micha boarding a dark green ship. The dark green ship belonged to the fairy tale, not to the harbor of Wieck. For several seconds, A

The ship didn’t go anywhere, though. A

“It doesn’t have a yellow rudder?” Micha asked.

“No,” said the adult voice—a man’s voice. “Should it have a yellow rudder?”

“I think so. Abel said it would. Is the ship yours? All yours?”

“Yes, it is,” the man answered. “But if you want, it can also be yours. We could take a sailing trip on it together. This summer … if you like ships, that is.”

“Oh, I absolutely like ships,” Micha replied. “I just don’t know if Abel will let me. In my fairy tale, I have a ship, you know, and it nearly looks like this one. But only nearly. You don’t have a … a sea lion here?”

“A sea lion? No. None that I know of …”

“Abel said, on the green ship, there is a sea lion. Or swimming next to it. He fetched it. The ship. Or did he build it? I don’t remember.”

“Abel seems to say a lot,” the man said.

“Yes,” said Micha, and she sounded proud. “He’s my brother.”

“I know, Micha.” The man sighed. “I know.”

“You know?” Micha asked. “Who told you? And how come you know my name?”

“I’ve been waiting for you,” the man replied. “I’ve been waiting for a long, long time. I knew you would find me one day. Maybe you really can come sailing with me this summer. I have been very lonely without you.”

In his voice, there was the sadness of all the lonely men of the earth. A

“You don’t know who I am, do you?” The sadness in the man’s voice moved back and forth, deep and low, like a swing hung from a very high branch of a beech tree. Or—a rope. The sadness was faked, A

“No,” Micha said. “Who are you?”

“Oh, Micha,” the man said. “My little Micha.” He pulled up the sleeve of his jacket, and A

“But … that’s my name!”

The man pulled her gently, onto his knees, onto the swing of sadness. “Of course that is your name,” he said. “I am Rainer. Do you know who Rainer is? Rainer Lierski?”

“I’ve heard that name before,” Micha answered. “Who is that again?”

“Your father, Micha. I am your father. I wasn’t allowed to see you for a very, very long time. They forbid me to. Your mother and … Abel. He hates me. I don’t know why. Your mother … she’s gone, isn’t she?”

Micha nodded her head. “She’s on a trip. But she’ll be back soon.”

“Until she comes back you could live with me,” the man said. “I have a nice, big apartment. You’d have your own room there, a nice, big room with tall windows that let in lots of light … The apartment seems very empty at the moment. It’s sad to live in an empty place all by yourself, you know.”

Micha stood up. “No thank you,” she said politely. “I’d rather stay with Abel. Abel hasn’t gone away, you see, and he won’t, not ever, not without me. Promise not to tell my mother, but I love Abel best. Can I … can I go on a sailing trip with you, without having to move?”

“Sure,” the man said. “I’d be happy to have you along. But you still have to think about the nice, big apartment. I happen to know your apartment. It’s really tiny. I lived there once, you know. Only for two years. But you wouldn’t remember that. You’re going there now? Home? Do you want me to come with you?”

“I can find the way myself, thank you,” Micha said. “But … could I have a look at your ship before I go? Like … could I see what the cabin looks like from the inside? I’ve never been in the cabin of a ship.”

“Certainly,” the man said, getting up and putting an arm around Micha. That was enough. Maybe A

He was a liar.

“Micha!” she called out. “Micha!”

Micha looked up, and Rainer looked up, too. In his eyes, there was something like anger at being caught. His arm was still around Micha’s shoulders. “Who is this?” he asked.

“Oh, that is A

“You forgot your key!” she said. “I’ve got it with me! I’ll explain it to you later. Come on! It’s cold!”

“I just wa

“No!” A

“In a minute!” Micha said.

“Now!”

“It won’t take long, I promise!”

Rainer Lierski looked around as if someone might be watching them. Then he stepped forward to the dark green railing. “A

A

“No,” A

Rainer snorted. Micha looked from A

“Of course it is,” Rainer said in a low, sharp voice, and his tone confirmed A

His arm was still bared, and A

“Micha,” she said, “do you remember what the white mare told you? Before the island sank?”

She saw Rainer’s expression glide into incomprehension. “What the fuck are you talking about?” he asked angrily. “What is this? Some kind of stupid code?”

“The white mare?” Micha asked. “She said I’d die … oh, that part was horrible … and that I must run fast, to the highest cliff … and if I meet a man who’s wearing my name …”