TIMO LEHTO

a j o u r n e y

t e m p o r a r i l y

i n t e r r u p t e d

Just a short trip from one small village to another, from evening pastimes to a night’s rest. The path follows the shore of a small lake, or rather a large pond, shaded by deciduous trees along the side of the road and dark spruces deeper in the forest. The reeds on the opposite side separate the cow pastures from the waterline and beyond the fields the lights of few houses can be seen. The pond is used for carp farming and is shallow, its slopes are gentle, even those of the strengthening dam. A wooden arch bridge crosses the stream which flows from the pond into a lake a short distance away.

The two friends have taken this way hundreds of times and they know the road like the backs of their hands, even in blackness of the autumn night. So, what happened? How did they get into the water? Did either of them fool around on the few fallen trees which were partly submerged, and fell in, and his friend rushed to help? Or did they try to use the fish farmers’ small old boat, which then capsized? There are stone steps leading down from the dam but if one stumbles and falls, the water there is only ankle deep. The air is chilly and the water cold, yet it doesn’t mean there should be something to worry about. After all, they have lived here all their lives, they are in familiar surroundings, they are at home.

They were found on the next day, the 4th of November 2018.