"We're here."
Moomin rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked. The last hours or so he had dozed off now and again against his father's shoulder. His whole body felt unusually stiff and and his feet had gone numb against the wooden surface he was resting on.
Had it been under different circumstances, the trip might have been nice. Fun, even. Lying on soft mattresses in a cart while it rocked you to sleep in the night and gazed out at the nature passing by while imagining all the adventures just waiting out there… Yes, it might have been nice. But it had felt like an eternity and now at least they had reached their destination. After nearly three days. Little My and Moominmamma came to take a proper look as well. Little My climbed up to sit on Moominmamma's shoulder.
In front of them a city, big and picturesque, appeared downhill a mountain. There were many old wooden houses of uneven shapes and sizes. A river surrounded the entire mountain like a moat around a king's fort. Everywhere there were small bridges connecting the city with the rest of the world. And it was lively. The inhabitants moved about their business in the beautiful spring weather. They walked and talked, went in and out of shops with bags in their paws and children ran along the sloping streets, playing pirates and cowboys.
"What a beautiful town!" Moominmamma exclaimed. Her huge eyes practically drowned in the astonishing sight.
"Yes", Moominpappa agreed. "It's hard to believe there's a horrible prison among all of this."
Moomin sent a worrying glance at the inspector.
"You sure this is the right town?"
The inspector nodded and pointed to a sign by one of the bridges. Welcome to River Town! it said in cursive red letters. Moomin looked to the river. Yeah, he thought to himself. That surely seemed right...But then, where was the prison? He couldn't help but agree that River Town was indeed beautiful, but all he wanted was to find Snufkin. Only then might he be able to appreciate the view that lay before them.
"Where's the prison?" He asked it out loud. His eyes wandered over the town until they finally landed on a high stone building peeking up far behind all the pretty little houses and cottages. "Is that it?"
"Yes, I think so", said the inspector. "Well, we should head off then, shouldn't we?"
Moominpappa secured his grip on the reins as they took off at a slow speed over the bridge and entered the streets in the direction of the grey building. For the last day, he had been the one driving.
Little My jumped for the picnic basket back in the cart. She found an apple and took a bite.
"Hmf! I suppose everything that's pretty must have something ugly in it too", she said and took in all the the everyday harmony they witnessed. Moomin threw her a doubtful glance. He didn't know if he could agree on that one. So far, he hadn't noticed anything ugly with Snorkmaiden for example. She was just pretty right through.
"Look!" Little My pointed with one of her tiny fingers. "I wonder what happened there?"
They all looked and there to the left. High gates met them and inside those gates was a big garden that was half black. Burnt down to the ground.
"You see? Not everything here is pretty", added Little My and sounded rather satisfied with herself.
"Oh." The inspector put a paw to his mouth.
"I guess that's the major's garden?" asked Moominpappa. He pulled in to a sudden halt so they could take a more careful look.
"Ye-yes", stuttered the inspector. "It is."
They all stared. The damage was horrifying. It was far worse than they would have ever imagined. The iron fence were stained with black, about half of the big lawn was black and one corner of the white house was also black. Trees and bushes had burnt down, you could gather that from the pattern of the other remaining bushes. It looked positively spooky.
"No way Snufkin did this", Moomin heard himself whisper. "Absolutely no way."
Beside him was Little My. She didn't say anything, just stared ahead with a growing frown on her face. Moomin shook his head. The damage was simply too extensive. Far too extensive to be caused by his best friend.
"They've got it wrong!" he cried, somehow finding voice again. "They must have. Snufkin would never put a whole garden of fire! That's just… No!"
"I think the word you're looking for is 'absurd'", said Little My. She sounded like her usual confident self, but didn't really look it this time. Even she seemed somewhat shocked with her brother being held accountable for this.
"Well, we're going to set things right now." Moominmamma tried to calm them down and inspire some hope, but she fooled none. The slight shiver in her voice as she spoke was clear enough for those who knew her.
Moomin leaned closer against Moominpappa, quietly seeking some comfort in his warm, soft fur.
"Pappa, do you really think they'll let Snufkin go?" he whispered. The sight of the garden had strongly increased his already growing worries. What kind of penalty could one get for something like that? And the fire hadn't even been the only charge now, had it? What if they would refuse them Snufkin? What if they would have to return without him, after having traveled so far and worried so much? Then they would never stop worry. It would just go on until they knew he was out and free…
"I don't know, son", Moominpappa answered honestly. "I don't know."
But from behind they heard Moominmamma huff in response.
"Of course they will. Something has gone wrong and we're here to find out what and set it right." She offered her son a weak smile. "I'm counting on taking our little vagabond back home with us."
The determined look in her kind eyes eased Moomin's worries just a little bit.
They went up a steep slope at a slow speed and then they were in front of the threatening stone prison. It was impressive with it's heavy doors and walls and barbed wire surrounding the whole building. They couldn't see for how long it stretched, since the grey walls disappeared partly into a forest and was absorbed by the trees.
Moomin felt scared. Never in his life had he seen such a big prison and he felt as though if they were to go in, they would never come out, criminals or not. He hid behind Moominpappa as they approached the fence with the inspector taking the lead and Little My trotting by his came Moominpappa and himself, Moomin, and lastly, Moominmamma.
Just inside the fence were two hemulen guards. One of them came to greet the inspector as he halted outside.
"Hello, I'm the inspector from Moominvalley. I'm here to see about a prisoner brought in a couple of weeks ago. These are his friends and family. May we be let in?"
The guard eyed the trolls and the little mymble for a second before asking if they all were coming from Moominvalley. He then he asked to see the inspector's ID and after that they were let inside.
"Ask the receptionist once you go in. She'll help you through", he said as the last of many doors were closed behind them with a dusty sigh.
They looked around. They were standing in a hall that were strangely dark. The air was thick and dust was everywhere to be seen. Bars covered the few small windows that could be spotted, whereas the biggest one cast its shine over the reception. Behind the counter sat a fillyjonk and wrote frantically on a typewriter.
"Excuse me!" cried Little My, only to be immediately hushed by Moominmamma. She grabbed the mymble by the paw to keep her in place. But the cry made the fillyjonk react nonetheless. She had a narrow face with narrow eyes and small, round glasses resting on her narrow snout.
"Hello? How can I assist you?"
The inspector stepped forward.
"Well, I'm the inspector from Moominvalley, you see", he repeated and held his ID up for her to see. She took it, studied it for a moment before handing it back.
"I see. And what brings you here, if I may ask?"
"Uhm, we're here about a prisoner who was taken in about four weeks ago. I have reason to think that he might be innocent of the crimes he was sentenced for."
"I assure that we're very thorough here", the fillyjonk said. She sounded a little insulted, and Moominmamma decided to intervene:
"I don't doubt that you are. But please, could you check it up for us? We would be so grateful. We're family. We simply want to know what happened to a loved one. Surely that's understandable?"
At this, the fillyjonk's frown deepened. Without letting her intense eyes slip off Moominmamma, she reached for a big notebook under the counter and opened it.
"Well, yes. Of course. Well then, what is the name of this prisoner?"
"Snufkin", Moomin piped up.
"And species?"
"Mumrik", said Moomin.
The fillyjonk turned the pages in her book. The rustling of paper sent dust flying in the dim lamp light.
"Uhm… and you said he was brought in four weeks ago?"
"Yes", said the inspector.
She turned a few more pages. Moomin could see her thin finger run along the countless lists. Then suddenly the finger stopped moving.
"Ah, we did in fact have a mumrik brought in at that time, but there's no name to him, unfortunately, only a number. 135. Let's see... what was he convicted of?"
"Arson, Disorderly Conduct and Abuse of Staff", the inspector said after a bit of thought.
"Oh yes!" the fillyjonk's stern face suddenly lit up. "I remember him. Worn clothes... Rather dirty! Didn't want to sign his name."
"Ha! Wonder why." Little My rolled her eyes.
"Shut up, My!" Moomin snarled. If she was being difficult, maybe they wouldn't let them see Snufkin. What were she thinking?
"Don't be rude", he quickly added in a more collected manner. He glared at her and hoped she understood. She glared back, but turned quiet.
"That's sounds very much like Snufkin", Moominmamma cut in. "Please, may we see him?"
"And the inspector who arrested him?" Moominpappa cut in before anyone forgot it.
"Yes, that's the way you'll have to go." The fillyjonk turned around and unexpectedly left the counter. She had seemed more or less attached to it, but now she headed for a door at the far end of the room.
"I'll ask if he's in", she explained. But just as she opened the door, the main door behind them were pulled open and a police inspector stomped inside.
"Miss Fillyjonk", he exclaimed at the sight of the large company of trolls. "What on earth is going on here?"
"Oh, there you are! How appropriate! These people wish to speak to you. Have you got time?"
"Well", said the inspector. His voice was gruff and confident."I was just heading out for a lunch break, but... I suppose I could sacrifice a few minutes. What's it all about?"
The one inspector greeted the other and it was soon discovered that it was indeed this hemulen who the Moominvalley inspector had been talking to over a phone call. After a few short polite pleasantries between the two, this new inspector ushered his new company to a couple of chairs in the corner. He offered them to sit down while he explained the turn of events that had occured, according to him. He told them about the account coming from a security guard who had been on duty at the major's birthday party. The guard had intervened when an older hemulen lady started screaming about a mumrik bothering her and her orphanage children. The lady told the guard that the mumrik had thrown a glass of cider at her, and she was certainly very wet in the face, so he had believed her. When the guard grabbed the mumrik to throw him out, the mumrik had kicked him. As the hunt began, the mumrik pulled over a cresset, which put the lawn on fire. Guests fled, rescuing their children in the procedure and in all that chaos, the mumrik managed to get away. As the fire brigade were called, he, the inspector was consulted to help find the culprit. Together he and the guard searched the area until they found him sleeping under a bush. They brought him in and that was it.
"There was no doubt it was him", the inspector concluded once he finished his tale.
"Wasn't it?" Little My contradicted. "As far as I can tell, you didn't care to listen to his version of the events. What did Snufkin say about all this? I think you forgot to tell us that."
"Well, he mostly told us to 'let him go' for what I remember. And that he 'didn't do it'. But that's what they always say, believe me. I've been in the force for thirty years."
"He didn't say anything else?" Moomin asked. Snufkin surely was both strong and clever enough to stand up for himself. Surely he must have come up with something more? He found it hard to believe regardless of the "thirty years in the force" or whatever. The tale had frightened him immensely. It didn't sound at all like the peaceful Snufkin he knew.
"No… not really. Not that I can recall, no", the inspector said.
"Are you absolutely sure that this guard at the party were telling the truth?" Moominpappa asked and the doubt in his voice were clear. "Because I don't think it would hurt to hear his account again."
"But I've already told you!"
"What my husband meant is that we would like to hear it from him", said Moominmamma. "You don't think you could bring him here for us?"
The inspector looked suddenly exhausted.
"And there went my lunch break…" But he gave in eventually:
"Alright, I'll see if I can find him. But it may take a while. I don't know his hours."
"How long is a while?" asked the Moominvalley inspector.
"I don't know. A couple of hours, maybe?"
"Alright, in that case we may wait."
Little My jumped down from her chair and straightened out her dress.
"Good! Then can I go and see my brother meanwhile?" She gave the inspector in charge a sharp eye.
"If you please?" she added.
The inspector rose and looked down at her.
"You're his biological sister?"
"We have the same mother, yes."
"Uhm, very well... I'll ask someone to take you to him. If he recognizes you as his sister, I'll let the rest of you see him too."
That was unfair, Moomin thought. They all were Snufkin's family, for goodness sake! He sank in his chair, frustrated with the entire world.
I want to see him too! his heart shouted full force.
Though at the same time, he was thankful that at least Little My would get to him now. She shot him and the others a promising eye before she was led away to the far end door. There, on the other side, a guard took over and the door banged shut after them.
Little My was led through met a long, grey corridor. It was cold and from a far distance, she could make out the faint rumbling of machines. There were no windows here, only doors here and there. Thick, grey doors.
The guard was another hemulen and he didn't say anything at all as they walked. The inspector had told him to take her to "prisoner number 135" and observe the reaction: if said inmate recognized the mymble as his sister.
Little My didn't say much either, which felt pretty strange. She always had something to say, or at least she tended to think that she did. But now she was completely focused on the task at hand and the atmosphere around her was making her afraid. Not in the way as Moomin had been, of course. She wasn't afraid of being locked in herself, no, it was the realization of Snufkin being locked in a place like this for a month… She didn't know how he would handle that. She knew he would hate it, but would it show? Or would he pretend to be fine as he usually did? She almost wished for the first alternative, as she wasn't sure about what she would do if it turned out to be the later.
"Well, here we are."
They had stopped in front of a door with the number "135" on it. Little My took a deep breath and steeled herself for whatever was coming. The guard picked up a bunch of keys and unlocked the door. He pushed it open.
"Right, in you go. I'll wait."
Little My stepped inside.
The first thing she saw was the bundle of red and yellow lying on a small cot. The red bundle had short streaks of brown hair at the top. The red colour confused Little My for a second, since she had never seen Snufkin wear anything other than green. But then she realized it might be some sort of prison clothing and she slowly stepped further.
"Snufkin? Is that you?" she cried.
There was a weak grunt coming from the bundle and some slight movement. Little My jumped. She recognized that movement and that grunt, even though it sounded so hoarse and weary.
"Snufkin!"
She threw herself onto the cot and with her tiny arms managed to roll her little brother over so that he was facing her. He was so pale! Gaunt and sick looking, but it was him! In that ugly red one-piece and unusually short hair. She touched his face and slowly his brown, deep eyes flickered open to meet hers.
"My?" he whispered, like he didn't believe what he was seeing. His voice wasn't more than a whisper. Little My pressed a hard kiss on his nose and beamed at him, sitting wide legged on his chest.
"My!" Seeming to realize that she was indeed very real and not just a happy dream, he pulled her into the tightest hug Little My had ever experienced.