Sabina Kvarnström

“The Ritual” tells the story of two undead, hound-like figures, Eckhard and Borke, trapped in the realm of the dead. Through a series of mystical events, a solar eclipse, a crocodile tear, and a blue flame, they manage to perform an ancient ritual offering a way back to the land of the living. In a moment of pure selflessness, Borke chooses to stay behind in the shadows so that Eckhard may live again.

But life among the living is not what Eckhard imagined. His newfound freedom is stained by loneliness. Meanwhile, deep within the silent corridors of the afterlife, Borke keeps watch by a window that never cries.

In this story, we follow the shifting fates of these two characters as we explore themes of death, irony, moral dilemmas, and the heavy price we are willing to pay to never be alone.