Holmberg

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gkmoberg1
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Holmberg

Post by gkmoberg1 » Sat Oct 21, 2017 2:26 pm

My favorite time of the year. :twisted:

I did several years of the "XX years ago today". I think this year I'll explore the story from police commissioner Holmberg's point of view. I don't recall anyone doing that before. Do you?

For today, Oct 21st, he would have two experiences that I would want to relate. The first would be his visit to Oskar's school. I wonder what time of day that would be. Perhaps towards the end of the school day? I've always pictured the story starting as a sort of continuous flow: Holmberg visits the school, the kids go check out his car, Oskar sneaks away to the toilets, the bullies arrive and torment him, the goes home, Oskar and Tommy play with toy car. Of course it could have been the case that Holmberg's visit is earlier in the school day and Oskar returns to class and so on and then later goes home. But I've always considered the events as the series I just set out, meaning Holmberg's visit is at the end of the day.

The second experience would be that night. At 8 o'clock a girl in Vällingby discovers the inverted body in the woods. A question I have about that is the speed of journalism. The article is in the newspaper the next day (Thursday, 22 Oct 1981). What time of day would Expressen have been put to print for the day? I will guess that the articles for the issue would have been written overnight and submitted, including the photos, early in the morning for that day's print. Perhaps the photographer takes a couple pictures of the taped off area at first light, then rushes these to be developed and matched up with the article. Well, this is not that important for building Holmberg's point of view, yet it is of interest.

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metoo
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Re: Holmberg

Post by metoo » Sat Oct 21, 2017 3:52 pm

gkmoberg1 wrote:My favorite time of the year. :twisted:

I did several years of the "XX years ago today". I think this year I'll explore the story from police commissioner Holmberg's point of view. I don't recall anyone doing that before. Do you?

For today, Oct 21st, he would have two experiences that I would want to relate. The first would be his visit to Oskar's school. I wonder what time of day that would be. Perhaps towards the end of the school day? I've always pictured the story starting as a sort of continuous flow: Holmberg visits the school, the kids go check out his car, Oskar sneaks away to the toilets, the bullies arrive and torment him, the goes home, Oskar and Tommy play with toy car. Of course it could have been the case that Holmberg's visit is earlier in the school day and Oskar returns to class and so on and then later goes home. But I've always considered the events as the series I just set out, meaning Holmberg's visit is at the end of the day.
Without re-reading, my gut feeling is that Holmberg's visit to the school would have been before lunch. It just feels right that way...
Still, it could have been any time.
gkmoberg1 wrote:The second experience would be that night. At 8 o'clock a girl in Vällingby discovers the inverted body in the woods. A question I have about that is the speed of journalism. The article is in the newspaper the next day (Thursday, 22 Oct 1981). What time of day would Expressen have been put to print for the day? I will guess that the articles for the issue would have been written overnight and submitted, including the photos, early in the morning for that day's print. Perhaps the photographer takes a couple pictures of the taped off area at first light, then rushes these to be developed and matched up with the article. Well, this is not that important for building Holmberg's point of view, yet it is of interest.
Expressen is what is known in Sweden as a kvällstidning (literally evening paper), which means that it is published in the afternoon or evening. Thus Expressen would have had perhaps until lunch to get that piece of news to print.

Checking Wikipedia, the Swedish article Kvällstidning is associated with the English Tabloid journalism. This certainly holds true for Expressen, since it is and was printed in the tabloid format, and is and was slanted towards sensational journalism.
But from the beginning Eli was just Eli. Nothing. Anything. And he is still a mystery to me. John Ajvide Lindqvist

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Re: Holmberg

Post by gkmoberg1 » Sat Oct 21, 2017 6:40 pm

It is not surprising, then, the degree to which Oskar's mother was upset. She was crying with worry as she told Oskar that he must not go outside the area of the buildings until the murderer was found. The murder was a horrible act, and the tabloid writing would have played on this.

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Re: Holmberg

Post by gkmoberg1 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 9:41 pm

Oskar comes over and looks at gk. "So, where's the story?"

"Been busy working on it."

Oskar looks concerned. "You're going to share it?"

"Absolutely. Just working out all characters and dialog and such."

"You're stalling."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"..."

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PeteMork
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Re: Holmberg

Post by PeteMork » Tue Nov 14, 2017 5:06 am

gkmoberg1 wrote:Oskar comes over and looks at gk. "So, where's the story?"

"Been busy working on it."

Oskar looks concerned. "You're going to share it?"

"Absolutely. Just working out all characters and dialog and such."

"You're stalling."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"..."
I agree with Oskar. ;)
We never stop reading, although every book comes to an end, just as we never stop living, although death is certain. (Roberto Bolaño)

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ltroifanatic
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Re: Holmberg

Post by ltroifanatic » Tue Nov 14, 2017 10:06 am

Oskar opens the door.Eli is there.She doesn't come in, just points an accusing finger at GK."Skriva"..she hisses.Turns and walks into the shadows followed by Oskar..Better not make them mad GK.They know where you live.Besides Holmberg would be a very interesting character to explore. :D
Please Oskar.Be me for a little while.

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metoo
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Re: Holmberg

Post by metoo » Tue Nov 14, 2017 11:27 am

ltroifanatic wrote:"Skriva"..she hisses.
"Skriv" would be correct Swedish. ;)
But from the beginning Eli was just Eli. Nothing. Anything. And he is still a mystery to me. John Ajvide Lindqvist

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Re: Holmberg

Post by gkmoberg1 » Tue Nov 14, 2017 4:56 pm

I've been writing this as a detective story. I've been busy, in part, reading pieces of Martin Beck novels that I can access online and using them as inspiration for what I want to create. I've also gone through the LTROI novel several times looking for info on who is named as a police officer or detective because I want to include items from the story since this story will walk through the same timeline as JAL's work. That's led to my questions about Staffan elsewhere here -as I wonder who is this guy and what's his job?

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Re: Holmberg

Post by gkmoberg1 » Tue Nov 14, 2017 5:03 pm

Errr, I don't mean to have you think I am writing a Martin Beck novel. Nope. Just using it as inspiration into the 'nordic noir' atmosphere.

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Re: Holmberg

Post by gkmoberg1 » Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:12 pm

[Preface]
17 ocktober 81
lördag {Saturday}
17:10

Greta had not meant to become part of the impromptu birthday celebration going on in the main room, but it was unavoidable. To hide in the bedroom she shared with her sister would have become too awkward. Everything about the apartment was too close. As well, her mum seemed to need help managing the kitchen and the boys.

The birthday was for one of the guys on her brother’s hockey team. They were all about fourteen; she was sixteen. Lucas, the birthday boy, whose birthday was actually tomorrow, was being the noisiest. The team had descended upon the apartment after their afternoon ice time and game. It had been an offhand invitation from her mother to the group at the rink and the guys had all gone for it. The Vällingby rink was close to the town centre and their flat was yet right near that.

Greta and her sister Hanna, who was the twin of their brother Adrian, stayed clear as best they could, but as said, everything within the apartment was too close. At one point Greta sat down to watch. She and Hanna had tried staying off in the kitchen with mum as much as possible as the boys were constantly in motion and loud. Filip soon landed in her lap, said something stupid and typical for his age, and then disappeared back into the mix. The boys laughed in the way a group of boys will do. Lucas then did the same, with much cajoling from the guys. After that Greta got up and stayed put near the stove.

Yet there was a glance from Filip to her in that moment she understood. Greta had been part of the cast for the spring play at school with Peter, Filip’s older brother. She and Peter had held supportive roles as the mum and dad of one of the leads. It had been fun. As well she and Peter had found some supportive activities to try out in the weeks leading into when the play was held. There was about a half hour after school before play practice began. They had put it to good use. But Filip had walked in once and seen a little more than he should have. So, in that moment when he had landed on her lap, there was knowing in his eye. Only she and he shared that and she was glad when he jumped up and was gone.

Hanna likewise fidgeted about the kitchen. She and Greta got to passing back and forth the same oven mitt, giggling over having nothing to do but wait it out. Mum and dad had not meant to have more than two children, as mormor liked to reminded them with a wink. But, as she put it, nature is nature and so Greta was followed by twins. It made for a busy residence. Dad was with the local fire service; he’d be home in a short while and likely would surprised by the impromptu party and all its noise and mess. Greta sighed. The five of them were a good tight, mostly happy family. She knew plenty of kids whose home life was not anything like hers.

Filip’s little moment in her lap had Greta also thinking about Peter. She’d not seen him once the summer break came. It was fall now. The school year had started several weeks ago. She decided to look him up. He was in her grade and classes but must be somehow keeping a low profile. Filip was the outgoing type whereas Peter was the introvert. Maybe, she wondered, he needed some more support.

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