“Y’r wn v ɖ bst in ɖ wrld at ẃt y d,” Svanta sd. “N az fr m, I am mor lîc a beispleyr in ɖ Swīdiś ʈiytr n cn vri īẓli b rplest. Nt t mnśn y rn so dámd mć mor ɖn I d.” I pṛtstd a litl haf-hartidli bt ɖ ćôs wz md.

A fy wīcs lêtr w wr at ɖ premier fr Don Giovanni at ɖ Stātsoper in Brlin n Svanta xplend hiz cuṛnt pṛfeśnl steṭs t Dańl Baṛnbôm n Sesīła Bartoli.

“So nǎ I’m a hǎswîf.”

W carid on lîc ɖt fr 12 yirz. It wz ardẏs bt gret fun. W spent tū munʈs in ć siti n ɖen muvd on. Brlin, Paris, Viena, Amsṭdam, Barṣlona. Rnd n rnd. W spent ɖ sumrz in Glînbōrn, Saltsbrg or Ez-õ-Provãs. Az y d ẃn y’r gd at sññ oṗra n uɖr clasicl ḿzic. I rhrst 20 t 30 aurz a wīc n ɖ rest v ɖ tîm w spent tgɖr.

Beata wz born ʈri yirz aftr Griéta n w bòt a Volvo V70 so w’d hv rūm fr dol’z hǎzz, tediberz n trîsiclz. Ɖoz wr fntastic yirz. Ǎr lîf wz marvḷs.

Wn īvnñ in ɖ ōtm v 2014, Svanta n I sat slumt on ǎr baʈrūm flor in Stochom. It wz lêt, ɖ ćildṛn wr aslip. Evrʈñ wz startñ t fōl apart arnd s. Griéta wz 11, hd jst startd fifʈ gred, n wz nt dwñ wel. Ś craid at nît ẃn ś śd b slīpñ. Ś craid on hr we t scūl. Ś craid in hr clasz n jrñ hr brecs, n ɖ tīćrz cōld hom olmst evri de. Svanta hd t run of n brñ hr hom t Mozz, ǎr goldn rtrivr. Ś sat wɖ him fr aurz, petñ him n strocñ hiz fŕ. Ś wz slǒli dis’pirñ intu sm cnd v darcnis n litl bî litl, bit bî bit, ś sīmd t stop fuñṣ́nñ. Ś stopt pleyñ ɖ piano. Ś stopt lafñ. Ś stopt tōcñ. N ś stopt ītñ.

W sat ɖr on ɖ hard mzêic flor, nwñ xacli ẃt w wd d. W wd ćenj evrʈñ. W wd fînd ɖ we bac t Griéta, no matr ɖ cost. Ɖ sićueśn cōld fr mor ɖn wrdz n fīlñz. A clozñ v acǎnts. A clīn brec.

“Hǎ r y fīlñ?” Svanta asct. “D y wont t cīp gwñ?”

“No.”

“Oce. Fuc ɖs. No mor,” h sd. “W’l cansl evrʈñ. Evri last contract,” Svanta wnt on. “Mdrid, Zŭrih, Viena, Bruslz. Evrʈñ.”

Wn Saṭde sn aftwdz, w dsîd w’r gwñ t bec bunz, ol for v s, ɖ hol faṃli, n w’r dtrmind t mc ɖs wrc. It hz t. F w cn bec ǎr bunz az yźl, in pīs n qayt, Griéta wl b ebl t īt ɖm az yźl, n ɖen evrʈñ wl b rzolvd, fixt. It’s gwñ t b az īzi az pî. Becñ bunz z aftr ol ǎr feṿrit activti. So w bec, dansñ arnd in ɖ cićn so az t criet ɖ most poẓtiv, hapiist bunbecñ parti in hymn hisṭri.

Bt wns ɖ bunz r ǎt v ɖ uvn ɖ parti stops in its tracs. Griéta pics p a bun n snifs it. Ś sits ɖr holdñ it, trîz t opn hr mǎʈ, bt… c’nt. W si ɖt ɖs z’nt gwñ t wrc.

“Plīz īt,” Svanta n I se in cōṛs. Cāmli, at frst. N ɖen mor frmli. Ɖen wɖ evri ǎns v pnt-up fṛstreśn n pǎrlisnis. Untl fîṇli w scrīm, letñ ǎt ol ǎr fir n hoplisnis. “Īt! Y hv t īt, d’nt y unḍstand? Y hv t īt nǎ, uɖ̇wz y’l dî!”

Ɖen Griéta hz hr frst panic-atac. Ś mcs a sǎnd w’v nvr hŕd bfr, evr. Ś lets ǎt an abizml hǎl ɖt lasts fr ovr 40 minits. W hv’nt hŕd hr scrīm sins ś wz an inf̣nt.

I credl hr in mî armz, n Mozz lîz alñsd hr, hiz môst nǒz prest t hr hed. Griéta ascs, “Am I gwñ t gt wel agn?”

“V cors y r,” I rplî.

“Ẃn am I gwñ t gt wel?”

“I d’nt nǒ. Sn.”

On a ẃît śīt v pepr fixt t ɖ wōl w not dǎn evrʈñ Griéta īts n hǎ loñ it tecs fr hr t īt it. Ɖ amǎnts r smōl. N it tecs a loñ tîm. Bt ɖ imrjnsi-ynit at ɖ Stochom Sntr fr Ītñ-Dsordrz sz ɖt ɖs meʈ̇d hz a gd loñ-trm s’xesret. Y rait dǎn ẃt y īt mīl bî mīl, ɖen y list evrʈñ y cn īt, ʈñz y wś y cd īt n ʈñz y wont t b ebl t īt frɖr dǎn ɖ lîn.It’s a śort list. Rîs, avcādoz n gnoći.

Scūl starts in fîv minits. Bt ɖr z’nt gwñ t b eni scūl tde. Ɖr z’nt gwñ t b eni scūl at ol ɖs wīc. Yesṭde Svanta n I got anɖr īmeil fṛm ɖ scūl xpresñ ɖer “cnsrn” abt Griéta’z lac v atndns, dspt ɖ fact ɖt ɖe wr in pześn v sevṛl letrz fṛm bʈ doctrz n sîcoḷjists xplenñ hr sićueśn.

Agn, I inform ɖ scūl-ofis v ǎr sićueśn n ɖe rplî wɖ an īmeil seyñ ɖt ɖe hop Griéta wl cm t scūl az yźl on Munde so “ɖs probḷm” cn b dlt wɖ. Bt Griéta w’nt b in scūl on Munde. Bcz unls a sudn dṛmatic ćenj ocŕz ś’z gwñ t b admitd t Sacsca ćildṛn’z hospitl nxt wīc.

Svanta z bôlñ gnoći. It z xtrimli importnt ɖt ɖ cnsistnsi z prfict, uɖ̇wz it w’nt b ītn. W set a sṗsific numbr v gnoći on hr plet. It’s a delic̣t baḷnsñ-act; f w ofr tù mni ǎr dōtr w’nt īt enʈñ n f w ofr tù fy ś w’nt gt inuf. Ẃtvr ś injsts z obvịsli tù litl, bt evri litl bît cǎnts n w c’nt aford t west a sngl wn.

Ɖen Griéta sits ɖr sortñ ɖ gnoći. Ś trnz ć wn ovr, presz on ɖm n ɖen dz it agn. N agn. Aftr 20 minits ś starts ītñ. Ś lics n sucs n ćuz: tîni, tîni bîts. It tecs fr evr.

“I’m fl,” ś sz sudnli. “I c’nt īt eni mor.”

Svanta n I avôd lcñ at ć uɖr. W hv t hold bac ǎr fṛstreśn, bcz w’v startd t riylîz ɖt ɖs z ɖ onli ʈñ ɖt wrcs. W’v xplord ol uɖr tactics. Evri uɖr cnsivbl we. W’v ordrd hr strnli. W’v scrīmd, laft, ʈretnd, begd, plīdd, craid n ofrd evri imajiṇbl brîb. Bt ɖs sīmz t b ẃt wrcs bst.

Svanta gz p t ɖ śīt v pepr on ɖ wōl n raits:

Lunć: 5 gnoći. Tîm: 2 aurz n 10 minits.

Nt ītñ cn mīn mni ʈñz. Ɖ qsćn z ẃt. Ɖ qsćn z ẃ. Svanta n I lc fr ansrz. I spend ɖ īvnñz rīdñ evrʈñ I cn fînd on ɖ inṭnet abt aṇrexia n ītñ-dsordrz. W’r śr it’s nt aṇrexia. Bt, w cīp hírñ ɖt aṇrexia z a vri cunñ dsordr n wl d enʈñ t ived dscuṿri. So w cīp ɖt dor wîd opn.

I spīc endlisli t ɖ ćildṛn’z sîcaytri srvis (BUP), ɖ hlʈcer inf̣meśn srvis, doctrz, sîcoḷjists n evri cnsivbl aqentns hu me b ebl t ofr ɖ līst bit v nolij or gîdns.

At Griéta’z scūl ɖr’z a sîcoḷjist hu z xpirịnst wɖ ōtizm. Ś tōcs wɖ bʈ v s on ɖ fon n sz ɖt a cerfl invstgeśn mst stl b cnductd, bt in hr îz – n of ɖ record – Griéta śoz clir sînz v biyñ on ɖ ōtizmspectṛm. “Hî-fuñṣ́nñ Asprjr’z,” ś sz.

Mītñ aftr mītñ foloz ẃr w rpit ǎr stori n xplor ǎr opśnz. W tōc awe ẃl Griéta sits sîḷntli. Ś hz stopt spīcñ wɖ enwn xpt m, Svanta n Beata. Evrwn riyli wonts t ofr ol ɖ hlp ɖe cn bt it’s az f ɖr’z no hlp t b hd. Nt yt, at līst. W’r fumḅlñ in ɖ darc.

Aftr tū munʈs v nt ītñ Griéta hz lost olmst 10cg, ẃć z a lot ẃn y r rɖr smōl t bgin wɖ. Hr bodi-tmpṛćr z lo n hr puls n bludpreśr clirli inḍcet sînz v starveśn. Ś no longr hz ɖ eṇji t tec ɖ sterz n hr scorz on ɖ dpreśn-tsts ś tecs r scî hî. W xplen t ǎr dōtr ɖt w hv t start pripẹrñ ǎrslvz fr a ste at ɖ hospitl, ẃr it’s poṣbl t gt ńtriśn n fūd wɖt ītñ, wɖ tybz n drips.

In mid-Nvmbr ɖr’z a big mītñ at BUP. Griéta sits sîḷntli. Az yźl. I’m crayñ. Az yźl. “F ɖr r no dveḷpmnts aftr ɖ wīc-end ɖen w’l hv t admit y t ɖ hospitl,” ɖ doctr sz.

On ɖ sterz dǎn t ɖ lobi Griéta trnz rnd. “I wont t start ītñ agn.” Ol ʈri v s brst intu tirz n w g hom n Griéta īts a hol grīn apl. Bt nʈñ mor wl g dǎn. Az it trnz ǎt, it’s a litl hardr ɖn y ʈnc t jst start ītñ agn. W tec a fy cerfl trîlsteps n it wrcs. W inć fwd. Ś īts tîni amǎnts v rîs, avcādo n bnanaz. W tec ǎr tîm. N w start on srtṛlīn, an antidipreṣnt.

“D ɖe olwz lc at y ɖt we?”

“D’nt nǒ. Ʈnc so.”

Svanta n Griéta hv bn at ɖ end-v-trm seriṃni at scūl ẃr ɖe traid t mc ɖmslvz inviẓbl in ɖ coṛdorz n sterwelz. Ẃn stydnts opnli pônt n laf at y – īvn ɖo y’r wōcñ alñsd yr peṛnt – ɖen ʈñz hv gn tù far. We tù far.

At hom in ɖ cićn, Svanta xplenz t m ẃt ɖ’v jst xpirịnst, ẃl Griéta īts hr rîs n avcādo. I gt so angri at ẃt I hír ɖt I cd ter dǎn haf ɖ strīt w liv on wɖ mî bér handz, bt ǎr dōtr hz a difṛnt riax́n. Ś’z hapi it’s in ɖ opn.

Ś dvots ɖ hol Crisṃs brec t telñ s abt unspīcbli ōfl insidnts. It’s lîc a muvimontāź fīćrñ evri imajiṇbl bŭliyñ s’nario. Storiz abt biyñ pśt ovr in ɖ plêgrǎnd, resld t ɖ grǎnd, or lurd intu strenj plesz, ɖ sisṭmatic śunñ n ɖ sef spes in ɖ grlz’ tôḷts ẃr ś smtmz maṇjz t hîd n crî bfr ɖ brecmonitrz fors hr ǎt intu ɖ plêgrǎnd agn. Fr a fl yir, ɖ storiz cīp cmñ. Svanta n I inform ɖ scūl, bt ɖ scūl z’nt simṗʈetic. Ɖer unḍstandñ v ɖ sićueśn z difṛnt. It’s Griéta’z ǒn fōlt, ɖ scūl ʈncs; sevṛl ćildṛn hv sd rpitidli ɖt Griéta hz bhevd strenjli n spocn tù softli n nvr sz hlo. Ɖ latr ɖe rait in an īmeil.

Ɖe rait wrs ʈñz ɖn ɖt, ẃć z luci fr s, bcz ẃn w rport ɖ scūl t ɖ Swīdiś scūlz-inspctṛt w’r on a frm ftñ n ɖr’z no dǎt ɖt ɖ inspctṛt wl rūl in ǎr fevr.

I xplen t Griéta ɖt ś’l hv frendz agn, lêtr. Bt hr rspons z olwz ɖ sem. “I d’nt wont t hv a frend. Frendz r ćildṛn n ol ćildṛn r mīn.”

Griéta’z pulsret gts strongr n fîṇli ɖ weit crv trnz upwdz stroñli inuf fr a ńrosîcîatric invstgeśn t bgin.

Ǎr dōtr hz Asprjr’z, hî-fuñṣ́nñ ōtizm n OCD, obsesiv-cmpulsiv dsordr. “W cd forṃli daygnoz hr wɖ s’lectiv ḿtizm, tù, bt ɖt ofn gz awe on its ǒn wɖ tîm,” ɖ doctr tlz s. W r’nt s’prîzd. Besicli, ɖs wz ɖ cncluźn w drù sevṛl munʈs ago.

On ɖ we ǎt, Beata cōlz t tel s ś’z hvñ dinr wɖ a frend, n I fīl a stñ v gilt. Sn w’l tec cer v y tù, darlñ, I promis hr in mî mînd, bt frst Griéta hz t gt wel.

Sumr z cmñ, n w wōc ɖ hol we hom. W olmst d’nt īvn nīd t raśn ɖ brnñ v caḷriz eni mor.

Six munʈs aftr Griéta rsivd hr dạgnosis, lîf hz levld ǎt intu smʈñ ɖt rzmblz an evride rūtīn. Ś hz startd at a ny scūl. I’v clird mî caḷndr n pt wrc on ɖ bacbrnr. Bt ẃl w’r fl p wɖ tecñ cer v Griéta, Beata’z hvñ mor n mor v a tuf tîm. In scūl evrʈñ z ticñ alñ. Bt at hom ś fōlz apart, craśz. Ś c’nt stand biyñ wɖ s at ol eni mor. Evrʈñ Svanta n I d upsets hr n in ǎr cumṗni ś cn lūz cntrol. Ś clirli z nt fīlñ wel.

Wn de nir hr 11ʈ brʈde I fînd hr standñ in ɖ livñrūm, hrlñ DVDz fṛm ɖ bc-ślf dǎn ɖ spîṛl sterces t ɖ cićn. “Y onli cer abt Griéta. Nvr abt m. I het y, Mum. Y r ɖ wrst bludi muɖr in ɖ hol wrld, y bludi fucñ bić,” ś scrīmz az Jaspr ɖ Penḡn hits m on ɖ fōrhed.

It’s ōtm 2015 ẃn Beata unḍgz an ivalyeśn fr verịs ńrodiveḷpmntl dsordrz. Ś z dạgnozd wɖ ADHD, wɖ elimnts v Asprjr’z, OCD n ODD [oṗziśnl dfaynt dsordr]. Nǎ ɖt ś hz ɖ dạgnosis it fīlz lîc a freś start fr hr, an xpḷneśn, a rdres, a reṃdi. At scūl ś hz marvḷs tīćrz hu mc evrʈñ wrc. Ś dz’nt hv t d homwrc. W drop ol activtiz. W avôd enʈñ ɖt me b stresfl. N it wrcs. Ẃtvr hapnz w mst nvr mīt angr wɖ angr, bcz ɖt, priti mć olwz, dz mor harm ɖn gd. W adapt n w plan, wɖ rigṛs rūtīnz n rićlz. Aur bî aur. W trî t fînd habits ɖt wrc.

Ɖ fact ɖt ǎr ćildṛn fîṇli got hlp wz dy t a gret mni factrz. In part it wz abt xistñ cer, prūvn meʈ̇dz, advîs n meḍceśn. It wz olso ʈancs t ǎr ǒn tôl, peśns, tîm n luc ɖt Griéta n Beata faund ɖer we bac on ɖer fīt. Hvr, ẃt hapnd t Griéta in ptiklr c’nt b xplend simpli bî a sîciatric lebl. In ɖ end, ś simpli cd’nt recnsîl ɖ contṛdix́nz v modn lîf. Ʈñz simpli dd’nt ad p. W, hu liv in an ej v historic abundns, hu hv axes t hyj śerd rzorsz, c’nt aford t hlp vulnṛbl ppl in flît fṛm wor n terr – ppl lîc y n m, bt hu hv lost evrʈñ. In scūl wn de, Griéta’z clas woćz a film abt hǎ mć rubiś ɖr z in ɖ ośnz. An îḷnd v plastic, larjr ɖn Mx̣co, z flotñ arnd in ɖ Sǎʈ Psific. Griéta crîz ʈrt ɖ film. Hr clasmets r olso clirli muvd. Bfr ɖ lésn z ovr ɖ tīćr anǎnsz ɖt on Munde ɖr wl b a substtyt tīćñ ɖ clas, bcz ś’z gwñ t a wedñ ovr ɖ wīc-end, in Cnetic̣t, rît ǎtsd v Ny Yorc. “Wǎ, luci y,” ɖ pyplz se. Ǎt in ɖ coṛdor ɖ traś-îḷnd of ɖ cǒst v Ćíli z olrdi fgotn. Ny iFonz r tecn ǎt v fŕ-trimd dǎn jacits, n evrwn hu hz bn t Ny Yorc tōcs abt hǎ gret it z, wɖ ol ɖoz śops, n Barṣlona hz amezñ śopñ tù, n in Tîland evrʈñ z so ćīp, n smwn z gwñ wɖ hr muɖr t Vietnam ovr ɖ Īstr brec, n Griéta c’nt recnsîl eni v ɖs wɖ eni v ẃt ś hz jst sìn.

Ś sw ẃt ɖ rest v s dd nt wont t si. It wz az f ś cd si ǎr CO2 imiśnz wɖ hr necid î. Ɖ inviẓbl, culrlis, séntlis, sǎndlis abis ɖt ǎr jeṇreśn hz ćozn t ignor. Ś sw ol v it – nt litṛli, v cors, bt nnɖles ś sw ɖ grīnhǎs gasz strīmñ ǎt v ǎr ćimniz, woftñ upwdz wɖ ɖ windz n trnsformñ ɖ atṃsfir intu a jîgantic, inviẓbl garbijdump.

Ś wz ɖ ćîld, w wr ɖ emprr. N w wr ol necid.

‘Y s’lebṛtiz r besicli t ɖ invîrnmnt ẃt antiimigṛnt poḷtiśnz r t multiculćṛl ssayti,” Griéta sz at ɖ brecfsțebl rli in 2016. I ges it’s tru. Nt jst v s’lebṛtiz, bt v ɖ vast mjoṛti v ppl. Evrwn wonts t b s’xesfl, n nʈñ cnvez s’xes n pṛspeṛti betr ɖn lux̣́ri, abundns n travl, travl, travl.

Griéta scrolz ʈru mî Insṭgram fīd. Ś’z angri. “Nem a sngl s’lebṛti hu’z standñ p fr ɖ clîṃt! Nem a sngl s’lebṛti hu z priperd t sacṛfîs ɖ lux̣́ri v flayñ arnd ɖ wrld!”

I wz a part v ɖ probḷm mslf. Onli rīsntli I hd bn postñ sún-drenćt slfiz fṛm Jpan. Wn “Gd mornñ fṛm Tocio” n tnz v ʈǎzndz v “lîcs” rold in t mî brand-ny iFon. Smʈñ startd t ec insd v m. Smʈñ I’d prīvịsli cōld travl-añzayti or fir v flayñ bt ẃć wz nǎ tecñ on anɖr, clirr form. On 6 Marć 2016 I flù hom fṛm a conṣt in Viena, n nt loñ aftr ɖt I dsîdd t ste on ɖ grǎnd fr gd.

A fy munʈs lêtr w wōct hom fṛm ɖ erport śutl hvñ met Svanta n Beata of a flît fṛm Rǒm. “Y jst rlist 2.7 tunz v CO2,” Griéta sz t Svanta. “N ɖt corispondz t ɖ ańl imiśnz v fîv ppl in Seṇgōl.” “I hír ẃt y’r seyñ,” Svanta sz, nodñ. “I’l trî t ste on ɖ grǎnd fṛm nǎ on, tù.”

Griéta startd planñ hr scūlstrîc ovr ɖ sumr v 2018. Svanta hz promist t tec hr t a bildñ s’playr’z t bai a scrap̓ìs v wŭd ɖt ś cn pent ẃît n mc a sîn ǎt v. “Scūlstrîc fr ɖ Clîṃt”, it wl se. N olɖo mor ɖn enʈñ w wont hr t drop ɖ hol îdīa v gwñ on strîc fṛm scūl – w s’port hr. Bcz w si ɖt ś fīlz gd az ś drwz p hr planz – betr ɖn ś hz flt in mni yirz. Betr ɖn evr bfr, in fact. On ɖ mornñ v 20 Ōġst 2018, Griéta gts p an aur rlịr ɖn on a reğlr scūlde. Ś hz hr brecfst. Filz a bacpac wɖ scūl-bcs, a lunćbox, ytnslz, a wōtrbotl, a cŭśn n an xtra swetr. Ś hz printd ǎt 100 flayrz wɖ facts n sorsrefṛnsz abt ɖ clîṃt n ssteṇbiḷti crîsis.

Ś wōcs hr ẃît bîsicl ǎt v ɖ garij n rolz of t parḷmnt. Svanta sîclz a fy mītrz bhnd hr, wɖ hr hom-md sîn undr hiz rît arm Ɖ weɖr z rɖr luvli. Ɖ sún z rîzñ bhnd ɖ old tǎn n ɖr z litl ćans v ren. Ɖ sîcl paɖz n pevmnts r fild wɖ ppl on ɖer we t wrc n scūl.

Ǎtsd ɖ prîm ministr’z ofis, Griéta stops n gts of hr bîsicl. Svanta hlps hr tec a picćr bfr ɖe loc ɖ bîsiclz. Ɖen ś nodz an olmst inviẓbl gdbî t Dad n, wɖ ɖ sîn in hr armz, stagrz arnd ɖ cornr twdz ɖ guvnmntbloc ẃr ś stops n līnz ɖ sîn agnst ɖ grêiś-red granit wōl. Sets ǎt hr flayrz. Setlz dǎn.

Ś ascs a pasrbî t tec anɖr picćr wɖ hr fon n posts bʈ picćrz on sośl mīdia. Aftr a fy minits ɖ frst śẹrñ on Twitr starts. Ɖ p’liticl sayntist Stafan Lindberi rītwīts hr post. Ɖen cm anɖr tū rītwīts. N a fy mor. Ɖ mītịroḷjist Per Holmgren. Ɖ sñr-soñraitr Stefan Sŭndstrom. Aftr ɖt, it axeḷrets. Ś hz fywr ɖn 20 folowrz on Insṭgram n nt mni mor on Twitr. Bt ɖt’s olrdi ćenjñ.

Nǎ ɖr z no we bac.

A dokmntri filmcru śoz p. Svanta cōlz n tlz hr ɖt ɖ nyzpepr Dagens ETS hz bn in tuć wɖ him n r on ɖer we. Rît aftr ɖt [anɖr dêli nyzpepr] Aftonbladet śoz p n Griéta z s’prîzd ɖt evrʈñ z muvñ so fast. Hapi n s’prîzd. Ś wz’nt xpctñ ɖs.

Îvn n Fani fṛm Grīnpīs śo p n asc Griéta f evrʈñ z oce. “Cn w hlp wɖ enʈñ?” ɖe asc. “D y hv a p’līsprmit?” Îvn ascs. Ś dz’nt. Ś dd’nt ʈnc a prmit wd b nīdd. Bt evidntli it z. “I cn hlp y,” Îvn sz.

Grīnpīs z far fṛm alon in of̣rñ its s’port. Evrwn wonts t d ɖer utmost t hlp ǎt. Bt Griéta dz’nt nīd eni hlp. Ś maṇjz ol bî hrslf. Ś z inṭvyd bî wn nyzpepr aftr ɖ nxt. Ɖ simpl fact ɖt ś z tōcñ t strenjrz wɖt fīlñ unwel z an unixpctd jô fr s peṛnts. Evrʈñ els z a boṇs.

Ɖ frst hetrz start t atac, n Griéta z opnli moct on sośl mīdia. Ś z moct bî anoniṃs trol-acǎnts, bî rît-wñ xtrimists. N ś z moct bî membrz v parḷmnt. Bt ɖt’s no s’prîz.

Svanta stops bî t mc śr ɖt evrʈñ z oce. H dz ɖs a cupl v tîmz evri de. Griéta standz bî ɖ wōl n ɖr r a duzn ppl arnd hr. Ś lcs strest. Ɖ jrṇlist fṛm [nyzpepr] Dagens Nyheter ascs ẃɖr it’s oce f ɖe film an inṭvy, n Svanta siz ǎt v ɖ cornr v hiz î ɖt smʈñ z roñ. “Wêt, let m ćec,” h sz, n tecs Griéta bhnd a pilr undr ɖ arć. Hr hol bodi z tns. Ś z briɖñ heṿli, n Svanta sz ɖt ɖr’z nʈñ t wuri abt. “Let’s g hom nǎ,” h sz. “Oce?” Griéta śecs hr hed. Ś’z crayñ.“Y d’nt nīd t d eni v ɖs. Let’s fget abt ɖs n gt ǎt v hir.” Bt Griéta dz’nt wont t g hom. Ś standz prf̣cli stl fr a fy secndz. Briɖz. Ɖen ś wōcs arnd in a litl srcl n smhǎ pśz awe ol ɖt panic n fir ɖt ś hz bn cariyñ insd hr fr az loñ az ś cn rmembr. Aftr ɖt ś stops, n stérz stret ahd. Hr briɖñ z stl ajtetd n tirz r runñ dǎn hr ćīcs. “No,” ś sz. “I’m dwñ ɖs.”

W monitr hǎ Griéta z fīlñ az closli az w cn. Bt w c’nt si eni sînz ɖt ś’z fīlñ enʈñ bt gd. Ś sets ɖ alarmcloc fr 6.15am n ś’z hapi ẃn ś gts ǎt v bed. Ś’z hapi az ś sîclz of t parḷmnt, n ś’z hapi ẃn ś cmz hom in ɖ afṭnun. Jrñ ɖ afṭnunz ś caćz p on scūlwrc n ćecs sośl mīdia. Ś gz t bed on tîm, fōlz aslip rît awe n slīps pīsf̣li ɖ hol nît loñ. Ītñ, on ɖ uɖr hand, z nt gwñ wel.

“Ɖr r tù mni ppl n I d’nt hv tîm. Evrwn wonts t tōc ol ɖ tîm.”

“Y hv t īt,” Svanta sz. Griéta dz’nt se enʈñ. Fūd z a snṣtiv topic. Ɖ most dificlt wn. Bt on ɖ ʈrd de smʈñ els hapnz. Îvn fṛm Grīnpīs stops bî agn. H’z holdñ a ẃît plastic bag. “R y hungri, Griéta? It’s nūdlz. Tai,” h sz. “Vīgn. Wd y lîc sm?”

H holdz ǎt ɖ bag n Griéta līnz fwd n rīćz fr ɖ fūdcntenr. Ś opnz ɖ lid n smelz it a fy tîmz. Ɖen ś tecs a litl bît. N anɖr. Nwn riacts t ẃt’s haṗnñ. Ẃ wd ɖe? Ẃ wd it b rmarcbl fr a ćîld t b sitñ wɖ a bunć v ppl ītñ vīgn pad Tai? Griéta cīps ītñ. Nt jst a fy bîts bt olmst ɖ hol srvñ.

Griéta’z eṇji z xplodñ. Ɖr dz’nt sīm t b eni ǎtr limit, n īvn f w trî t hold hr bac ś jst cīps gwñ. Bî hrslf.Beata sits wɖ Griéta wn de in frunt v parḷmnt. Bt ɖs z Griéta’z ʈñ. Nt hrz. Ɖ sudn fus ovr hr big sistr z nt īzi t handl. Beata siz ɖt Griéta sudnli hz 10,000 folowrz on Insṭgram, n w ol ʈnc ɖt’s crezi. Bt Beata handlz it wel. Īvn ẃn hr ǒn fīd z fild wɖ coments abt Griéta, n cn y tel hr ɖs n ɖt. Ol evrwn sudnli cerz abt z Griéta, Griéta n Griéta. “It’s nuts,” Beata sz wn afṭnun aftr scūl. “It’s xacli lîc Bionse n Je-Zī,” ś stets, wɖ an asrbic emf̣sis. “Griéta z Bionse. N I’m Je-Zī.”

W gt deʈ̓rets on sośl mīdia, xcrimnt ʈru ɖ letrbox, n sośl srṿsz rport ɖt ɖe hv rsivd a gret numbr v cmplents agnst s az Griéta’z peṛnts. Bt at ɖ sem tîm ɖe stet in ɖ letr ɖt ɖe “d NT intnd t tec eni ax́n”. W ʈnc v ɖ capitļetrz az a litl luvnot fṛm an anoniṃs ofiśl. N it wormz s.

Mor n mor ppl r cīpñ Griéta cumṗni in frunt v parḷmnt. Ćildṛn, adults, tīćrz, rtîrīz. Wn de an intîr clas v eḷmntri-scūl pyplz stops n wonts t tōc, n Griéta hz t wōc awe fr a bit. Fīlz mîld panic. Ś steps asd n starts crayñ. Ś c’nt hlp it. Bt aftr a ẃl ś cāmz hrslf dǎn n gz bac n grīts ɖ ćildṛn. Aftwdz ś xplenz ɖt ś hz a hard tîm asośietñ wɖ ćildṛn smtmz bcz ś hz hd sć bad xpirịnsz. “I’v nvr met a grūp v ćildṛn ɖt hz’nt bn mīn t m. N ẃrvr I’v bn I’v bn bŭlid bcz I’m difṛnt.”

Sevṛl tîmz a de ppl cm p n se ɖt ɖe hv stopt flayñ, parct ɖ car or bcm vīgnz ʈancs t hr. T b ebl t inflụns so mni ppl in sć a śort tîm z bwilḍrñ in a gd we. Ɖ fnoṃnn cīps growñ. Fastr n fastr bî ɖ aur. In ɖ run-up t ɖ end v ɖ strîc, Griéta z biyñ foloud bî TV cruz fṛm ɖ BBC, Jrmn ARD n Deniś TV2.

Oltgɖr 1,000 ćildṛn n adults sit wɖ Griéta on ɖ last de v ɖ scūlstrîc. N mīdia fṛm sevṛl difṛnt cuntriz rport liv fṛm Mynttorget Sqer. Ś hz s’xidd. Sm se ɖt ś alon hz dn mor fr ɖ clîṃt ɖn poḷtiśnz n ɖ masmīdia hv in yirz. Bt Griéta dz’nt agri. “Nʈñ hz ćenjd,” ś sz. “Ɖ imiśnz cntiny t incris n ɖr z no ćenj in sît.”

At ʈri o’cloc Svanta cmz n pics hr p n ɖe wōc tgɖr ovr t ɖ bîsiclz ǎtsd Rosenbad.

“R y saṭsfaid?” Svanta ascs.

“No,” ś sz, wɖ hr gêz fixt on ɖ brij bac twdz ɖ old tǎn. “I’m gwñ t cntiny.”

Ɖ nxt de z Saṭde 8 Sptmbr. It’s ɖ de bfr ɖ Swīdiś parḷmntri ilex́nz n Griéta z gwñ t spīc at ɖ Ppl’z Clîṃtmarć in Stochom. Ś hz onli gvn wn spīć bfr at a smōl ivnt. Prîr t ɖt ś’d nvr spocn in frunt v mor ppl ɖn fit in a clasrūm, n on ɖoz fy oceźnz ś hd nt xacli sīmd at īz. Ɖr r a lot v ppl in ɖ parc fr ɖ marć n ɖ rali. Olmst 2,000 hv crǎdd tgɖr at ɖ stej n mor r on ɖer we. Smhǎ ɖr’z a difṛnt fīlñ abt ɖs protest. It dz’nt fīl ɖ sem az yźl. It fīlz az f smʈñ mt hapn. Sn. It’s no longr jst ɖ fmiłr fesz. Ɖ reğlrz. Ɖ acṭvists. Ɖ Grīnpīs voḷntirz in polrber sūts. Hir, sudnli, r ol cnsivbl cndz v ppl n caṛctrz. Ppl hu mt hv ol sorts v jobz. “Ɖs z mî frst demnstreśn,” stets a wel-drest man in hiz 40z. “Mîn tù,” a wmn nxt t him sz, wɖ a laf.

Ɖ host intṛdysz Griéta n ś wōcs slǒli bt steḍli intu ɖ midl v ɖ stej. Ɖ ōdịns ćirz. Svanta, on ɖ uɖr hand, z scerd ǎt v hiz wits. Ẃt wl hapn nǎ? Wl ś start crayñ? Z ś gwñ t run awe? H fīlz lîc an ōfl peṛnt fr nt ptñ hiz ft dǎn n seyñ “No” fṛm ɖ start. Ol ɖs z startñ t fīl tù big n unriyl.

Bt Griéta z az cām az cn b. Ś tecs ɖ spīć ǎt v hr pocit n lcs ǎt ovr ɖ sì v ppl. Ɖen ś grasps ɖ mîcṛfon n starts spīcñ. “Hai, mî nem z Griéta,” ś sz in Swīdiś. “I am gwñ t spīc in Ñgliś nǎ. N I wont y t tec ǎt yr fonz n film ẃt I’m seyñ. Ɖen y cn post it on yr sośl mīdia.”

“Mî nem z Griéta Tŭnberi n I am 15 yirz old. N I hv scūlstrîct fr ɖ clîṃt fr ɖ last ʈri wīcs. Yesṭde wz ɖ last de. Bt…” Ś pōzz. “W wl g on wɖ ɖ scūlstrîc. Evri Frîde, az fṛm nǎ, w wl sit ǎtsd ɖ Swīdiś parḷmnt untl Swīdn z in lîn wɖ ɖ Paris agrīmnt.” Ɖ crǎd ćirz.

Griéta cntinyz. “I rj ol v y t d ɖ sem. Sit ǎtsd yr parḷmnt or locl guvnmnt, ẃrvr y r, untl yr cuntri z on a sef paʈwe t a b’lo-tū-dgri wormñtargit. Tîm z mć śortr ɖn w ʈnc. Fełr mīnz dzastr.”

Hr vôs z stedi n ɖr r no sînz v nrṿsnis. Ś apirz t b at īz p ɖr. Ś īvn smîlz smtmz.

“Ɖ ćenjz rqîrd r inorṃs n w mst ol cntribyt in evri part v ǎr evride lîf. Ispeṣ́li s in ɖ rić cuntriz, ẃr no neśn z dwñ nirli inuf.”

Ɖ ōdịns standz p. Śǎtñ, aplōdñ. Ɖ oveśn dz’nt stop. N Griéta z smîlñ ɖ most bytifl smîl I hv evr sìn hr smîl. I’m woćñ evrʈñ fṛm a lîv strīm on mî fon in ɖ hōlwe ǎtsd ɖ dresñrūmz at ɖ Oscarsteatern. Ɖ tirz cīp cmñ.