The bones in his arms made their presence known again, clacking against each other in the sealskin bag. He arranged them as best he could but stopped when he heard the sound of faint crying coming from within the cave. He knew the voice very well even though it was softer than it had been in life. It was Usinna. Her soul called to him, and asked again why he hadn’t reached out a helping hand. Death had clearly not eased her suffering. Now innumerable other voices joined in, all unhappy with their lot and demanding release.
The dog looked into Igimaq’s eyes. It understood its master and knew that it was not bound to follow him any further. He would compel no one to join him on his final journey, because that journey had to be decided upon by men and beasts themselves. The dog looked away from Igimaq and stared into the black cave mouth. It was determined to go with him; its neck was arched and the hair stood up on its back. It took a step closer to the entrance and looked inquisitively at the hunter, who nodded his head and set off. The closer they came to the cave the louder the voices within it grew. When they walked into the darkness the voices had reached an ear-shattering volume, and it seemed to Igimaq that they were looking forward to taking revenge for their cruel fate. Especially Usinna.
About the author
Yrsa Sigurdardóttir works as a civil engineer and lives in Reykjavik. The Day is Dark is her fourth adult novel.
About the translator
Philip Roughton is a highly respected translator of Icelandic literature, having translated works by the Nobel Prize winner Halldór Laxness, among others. He lives in Reykjavik.
