Herscht 07769

Rainbow Strands plunges immediately into a fragmented, stream-of-consciousness narrative that establishes the novel's experimental style and introduces key thematic elements. The text begins with its cryptic title phrase and immediately creates a disorienting meditation on disappearance and nothingness, suggesting a world in crisis or transition. Fragmented sentences create an atmosphere of uncertainty and dissolution, with references to "the world was disappearing" and "the silence in Berlin" establishing both a geographical setting and a sense of impending doom or transformation.

A narrator finds solace in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, described as "a source of deep consolation" in the "presence of greatness." This musical reference becomes central to the chapter's exploration of perfection and meaning, with the assertion that "nothing is easy" when it comes to Bach's work. The juxtaposition of Bach's mathematical precision and spiritual depth against the chaotic, fragmentary nature of the contemporary world suggests a longing for order and transcendence in an increasingly meaningless existence.

German phrases punctuate the text, including "Falsche Welt, dir trau ich nicht!" (False world, I trust you not!), which appears to reference Bach's cantatas and reinforces themes of distrust toward the material world. The experimental structure, with its lack of conventional punctuation and narrative flow, mirrors the disintegration it describes. Final images of "light blue" and "complete emptiness" create a sense of vast, overwhelming void, suggesting that the novel's characters and events will unfold against a backdrop of existential uncertainty and the search for meaning in an apparently meaningless universe.

This opening serves as both an overture to the novel's complex themes and a stylistic statement about Krasznahorkai's approach to narrative. The fragmented, almost musical structure of the prose echoes the Bach references, creating a literary composition that operates more through rhythm and association than through conventional storytelling. The chapter establishes the novel's concern with the intersection of high culture (Bach's music), contemporary crisis (the disappearing world), and the human search for consolation and meaning in the face of apparent chaos and emptiness.

Florian drags himself up the stairs in a state of physical and mental exhaustion, struggling to return home after his disturbing encounter with Herr Köhler's physics lessons. He moves like someone who has been beaten, finding his kitchen filled with murky fog that seems to prevent him from reaching his usual spot. The next day, his boss immediately notices something is wrong and berates him for his disheveled appearance, but Florian remains fixated on the terrifying implications of what Herr Köhler has taught him about elementary particle physics and the precarious nature of reality.

The narrative reveals Florian's background: he has only a secondary school certificate and graduated from baking industry vocational school, but has been attending Herr Köhler's adult education physics classes for two years. After helping Herr Köhler cut down a large spruce tree with remarkable strength, Florian earned regular Thursday evening visits where Herr Köhler explains the "wonderful world of elementary particles." However, these sessions have left Florian deeply disturbed by the implications of quantum physics, particularly the concept that reality emerges from nothing and could return to nothing at any moment.

Florian's distress leads him to write letters to Chancellor Angela Merkel, explaining his fears about the fundamental instability of reality based on quantum physics principles. He struggles to articulate complex concepts about subatomic chaos, the relationship between time and space, and the horrifying possibility that the universe exists on a knife-edge of destruction. Despite skepticism from Jessica at the post office and her husband Herr Volkenant, Florian persists in sending these letters, convinced that only the Chancellor can address this existential crisis.

Meanwhile, Florian's boss becomes increasingly aggressive about recruiting him into his Nazi unit, pressuring him to get tattooed with either an Iron Cross or a red-tongued German federal eagle. The boss, who has founded something called the "Kana Symphony" and reveres Johann Sebastian Bach as the embodiment of German spirit, represents a dangerous nationalist ideology that Florian fears but cannot escape. The unit operates from a house they call "the Burg" and awaits "Day X" when they will begin their battle for the Fourth Reich.

The chapter culminates with a crisis when the Bachhaus museum in Eisenach is vandalized with graffiti showing a wolf head and the word "WE." The boss's violent rage over this desecration of Bach's heritage reveals the depth of his fanaticism, and he vows murderous revenge against the perpetrator. After a year passes without response from the Chancellor, Florian sends a final, brief message announcing he will arrive in Berlin on September 6th. The chapter ends with Herr Köhler attempting to intervene, realizing that Florian has dangerously misinterpreted his physics lessons and is sending alarming letters to Angela Merkel based on his confused understanding of quantum mechanics.

Herr Köhler attempts to correct Florian's misunderstanding of quantum physics, explaining that the theoretical Big Bang event is fundamentally different from current particle interactions. He emphasizes that the original matter-antimatter imbalance that created the universe was a one-time occurrence, not an ongoing threat, but Florian refuses to listen and remains convinced of impending catastrophe. Herr Köhler realizes his powerlessness to change Florian's mind and contemplates the dangerous consequences of his student's misinterpretations, while privately wrestling with deeper questions about antimatter's absence from observable reality.

Meanwhile, the Boss receives another devastating call about vandalism at the Bach Mill in Wechmar, where the same perpetrator has struck again with the wolf head and "WE" graffiti. The Boss's rage intensifies as he and Florian clean the defaced site, and he begins planning a coordinated surveillance operation with his Nazi unit. The chapter reveals more about the Boss's obsessive knowledge of Bach sites and his frustrated attempts to cultivate musical appreciation in both Florian and his amateur Kana Symphony orchestra, whose members struggle with Bach's complexity and prefer simpler popular music.

The narrative delves into Florian's background and living situation in the notorious Hochhaus, a former Vietnamese worker housing complex that has become a symbol of social decay in Kana. Despite the building's seedy reputation, Florian treasures his modest apartment as his first real home and feels deep gratitude toward the Boss for providing it. The chapter explores Florian's acquisition of his laptop and his awkward relationship with technology, as well as his complex feelings about sexuality and his platonic relationships with maternal figures like Frau Ringer, who serves as his confidante and protector against the Boss's influence.

The Boss launches an elaborate surveillance operation, positioning unit members at various Bach-related sites throughout Thuringia to catch the vandal. The operation fails when the perpetrator doesn't appear, leading to frustration within the group. During this time, Florian successfully convinces the Boss to let him take a day off for his secret trip to Berlin, lying about needing to visit the Employment Center. The chapter culminates with Florian's actual journey to Berlin, where he travels by overcrowded train with the intention of personally delivering his warnings about quantum physics to Chancellor Merkel.

The chapter ends with Florian arriving at the Reichstag during an open house day, confidently approaching security and identifying himself as "Herscht 07769" while expecting to meet with the Chancellor. When told she isn't present, Florian's certainty begins to waver as he realizes his letters may not have had the impact he expected. Simultaneously, Herr Köhler visits Florian's apartment to definitively end their relationship, warning him about the consequences of his misguided theories and explicitly distancing himself from Florian's conclusions, though Florian subsequently finds Herr Köhler's house locked and apparently abandoned.

At the Reichstag, a sympathetic security guard redirects Florian to refreshment stands while claiming to check on the Chancellor's whereabouts. This encounter triggers memories of his first meeting with the Boss at the Ranis Kinderheim, when the Boss looked at him with paternal care and offered him work cleaning graffiti. The chapter reveals Florian's deep gratitude for the Boss providing him with his apartment in the Hochhaus and his driver's license, though the Boss refuses to let him drive alone, fearing he would daydream about the universe and crash.

The narrative shifts to the Boss's investigation of the Bach vandalism, as he takes Florian on mysterious surveillance trips to locations like Gotha's Schloßkirche, photographing potential targets without explanation. The Boss has concluded that the vandal is not working alone but is part of a professional criminal gang with security backup, leading him to recruit additional members for his Nazi unit. Meanwhile, the unit continues to gather at Nadír and Rosario's Aral gas station, where the beautiful Nadír makes Florian embarrassed with her kindness, and Rosario serves as one of Florian's few genuine friends, appreciating his strength and work ethic.

Florian's personal crisis deepens as he becomes increasingly worried about Herr Köhler's disappearance, writing another letter to Chancellor Merkel pleading for Köhler's release and taking full responsibility for the situation. Two men in civilian clothes from Erfurt visit Florian's apartment to question him about his letters and trip to Berlin, though they claim to know nothing about Köhler. The Deputy and Frau Ringer both warn Florian about the seriousness of his situation, with the Deputy advising him to extricate himself from whatever trouble he's in.

The chapter culminates with the Boss involving Florian in a secretive "deployment," taking him to meet tattooed contacts in Weimar as part of expanding their operations. On the return journey, the Boss rear-ends a Škoda and violently assaults the other driver before fleeing the scene, revealing his increasing desperation and violence. The chapter ends with Florian facing multiple urgent messages from Frau Ringer, Frau Hopf, and the Deputy, while Frau Ringer interrogates him about his relationship with Herr Köhler, leading to Florian's admission that Köhler visited his apartment to dissuade him from his apocalyptic beliefs about particle physics.

After Frau Ringer's confrontation about Herr Köhler's disappearance, Florian accompanies the Boss on another surveillance mission to Dornheim's Traukirche, where the Boss arranges with the pastor for night patrols to protect the church from potential vandalism. The Boss also meets privately with a certain Möller by the Wolfsbach while sending Florian away, suggesting expanding operations beyond their current surveillance network. Despite these activities, Florian remains consumed with worry about Herr Köhler's whereabouts and decides to take action independently.

Determined to find Herr Köhler himself, Florian travels to Eisenberg to meet Dr. Tietz, Köhler's childhood friend and closest confidant. After waiting hours for Dr. Tietz to return home, Florian learns that the doctor has heard nothing from Köhler, which is highly unusual since Köhler always informed him of any travel plans. Dr. Tietz confirms that Köhler would never abandon his Weather Station without arrangements, deepening the mystery of his disappearance. Florian's subsequent attempt to get information from police in Erfurt proves futile, with officials mockingly directing him to the Helios Clinic, suggesting Köhler might be under psychiatric supervision.

As winter passes without progress, Florian finds solace in Bach's music during the Kana Symphony rehearsals, finally understanding the Boss's passion for the composer. He begins listening extensively to Bach's cantatas and passions, finding them beautiful in themselves without needing to decipher their meaning as the Boss suggests. This musical awakening provides some comfort amid his ongoing distress about Köhler's fate and the continued lack of response from Chancellor Merkel. Meanwhile, Florian's failed attempt to meet Merkel at both the Reichstag and Kanzleramt leads him to the absurd hope that she might come to Kana by train, causing him to wait at the station with a sign until public mockery forces him to abandon this futile vigil.

The Boss eventually agrees to help find Köhler after Florian confides the entire story, acknowledging that despite being Jewish, Köhler is a 'decent character' whose disappearance is genuinely suspicious. Their investigation of Köhler's house reveals it neat but dusty, confirming he's been gone for months. The narrative also reveals broader political tensions as Herr Ringer works with friends in Jena to form a Bach-protection committee and contacts the Office for the Protection of the Constitution about the vandalism campaign. The story culminates during Kana's May Day celebration, where the usual tensions between the Boss's Nazi unit and the broader community surface, while Frau Hopf and others continue to worry about Florian's association with dangerous elements, setting up the investigation into Köhler's disappearance as a potential criminal case.

Frau Burgmüller provides testimony to the detectives investigating Herr Köhler's disappearance, expressing her deep suspicions about Florian. She tells the investigators that Florian is a disgrace to Kana, brought there by the aggressive Boss, and that his supposed concern for Köhler is merely a sham. Her testimony creates a neighborhood rivalry with Frau Schneider, who is not questioned by the detectives, leaving Frau Burgmüller triumphant as she watches from her window while the investigators spend an hour at Köhler's house before emerging with a large box of evidence.

Dr. Tietz also faces questioning from the Erfurt detectives, who interrupt his medical practice to interrogate him about his friendship with Köhler. The detectives' aggressive line of questioning, particularly their focus on what Dr. Tietz meant by "something like this might happen," leaves him confused and alarmed, feeling as though he's being accused of withholding information despite knowing nothing about his friend's fate. His distress affects his appetite for his favorite meal of pork liver, though he eventually recovers enough to eat a second helping while his wife speculates that Adrian might have had reasons for keeping secrets.

The narrative shifts to explore the Boss's ongoing struggles with the Kana Symphony, whose members continue to disappoint him with their lack of progress on Bach's compositions despite three years of rehearsals. The Boss finds some consolation in Florian's growing appreciation for Bach's music, as Florian begins to understand the beauty of the composer's work and even considers traveling to Leipzig to hear a performance at the Thomaskirche. This musical awakening represents a rare positive development in Florian's life amid his continued guilt over Köhler's disappearance.

The chapter reveals the community's mixed reactions to Florian's situation, with some like Ilona at the Grillhäusel continuing to support him by giving him food on credit despite her husband's prohibition due to Florian's "bad reputation." When Florian inadvertently reveals this kindness to the Boss during another surveillance mission in Gotha, the Boss becomes furious about the damage to Florian's reputation and vows to protect him. The chapter culminates with dramatic news that the Ringers have been attacked by a wolf while having their regular Saturday picnic at Leuchtenburg Castle, with Frau Ringer in intensive care and Herr Ringer insisting to skeptical police that a wolf was responsible for their injuries, creating panic throughout Kana about a wolf still being at large.

The community of Kana reels from the wolf attack on the Ringers at Leuchtenburg Castle. Initial confusion about the severity of the attack spreads through town, with Torsten's wife providing incomplete information that suggests fatal injuries. However, the medical resident from the University of Jena clarifies that while Frau Ringer lost significant blood and remains in critical condition, her wounds are not life-threatening. The attack resurrects old fears among Kana's residents, as older generations remember stories their fathers told about wolves in the mountains, making the incident feel both shocking and grimly familiar.

The Thuringian branch of the Naturschutzbund (NABU) quickly arrives to investigate, initially dismissing the wolf attack as impossible since wolves never attack humans. However, their team led by Tamás Ramsthaler discovers wolf tracks at Leuchtenburg, creating a contradiction they struggle to explain. At an informational meeting, Ramsthaler insists that wolves are "bashful" creatures that avoid humans, which enrages Herr Ringer from his hospital bed as he vividly recalls the animal's aggressive behavior and attempt to attack Frau Ringer's throat. The narrative reveals that the Boss heroically intervened in the attack, tracking the wounded wolf with a loaded Mauser M03 and killing it with two shots to the head, though the Revierförster notes the strange absence of the wolf's pack.

The aftermath of the attack transforms the Boss's reputation in Kana from villain to hero, though he remains characteristically dismissive of the praise, claiming he went after the wolf rather than to rescue the Ringers and expressing his usual anti-Semitic sentiments about not making a habit of "rescuing Jews." The incident also affects the Nazi unit's dynamics, as they switch from expensive Köstritzer beer to cheaper Ur-Saalfelder, which proves stronger and causes the members to become too drunk during their "solidarity sessions" to effectively receive the Boss's important communications. Meanwhile, Florian takes pride in others finally recognizing the Boss's true nature as a hero, visiting the Ringers in the hospital where they recover together in a double room.

The chapter concludes with the community's lasting fear and distrust of both NABU and police authorities, as residents begin double-checking locks and closing shutters at night. Frau Ringer's recovery is complicated by damage to her vocal cords from the wolf bite, changing her voice permanently, and she struggles to even name what attacked them when recounting the story. The Boss continues his obsessive focus on catching the Bach vandal, maintaining that internal threats are more important than external concerns like the spreading pandemic, while the unit remains on permanent standby despite their increasing dysfunction due to alcohol and repetitive briefings that bore the members.

Florian's deep fear of the Boss's Nazi unit members, particularly Karin and Jürgen, remains a secret he cannot confide to Frau Ringer, who would urge him to leave them immediately. He continues his routine visits to the library, sharing mundane details of his days while carefully avoiding discussion of Herr Köhler except for occasional dreams where Köhler appears at his door, only for Florian to wake and find no one there. Frau Ringer tries to console him by insisting people don't simply disappear without explanation, unknowingly striking at Florian's deepest fears about the fundamental inexplicability of existence that Herr Köhler's physics lessons had revealed.

Florian's growing obsession with Bach's music becomes a source of both solace and frustration. Despite attending the Kana Symphony rehearsals where the Boss positions him against wall bars to prevent comfortable leaning, Florian develops a profound connection to Bach that the Boss notices and celebrates as evidence of German artistic superiority. However, when Florian attempts to experience Bach directly by attending a concert at Leipzig's Thomaskirche, the experience becomes a disaster of social anxiety and physical discomfort, leaving him exhausted and convinced he should never get so close to Bach again.

The narrative reveals the Boss's escalating paranoia about connections between the Bach vandalism and the wolf attacks, leading him to interrogate homeless people in Eisenach with increasing violence. His investigation yields contradictory witness accounts, and a mysterious meeting in Erfurt with a contact provides no useful information about Herr Köhler's disappearance. Meanwhile, explosions in Jena and Suhl convince the Boss that anti-national terrorists are coordinating attacks, prompting him to suspend Florian's work duties and exclude him from unit activities for security reasons.

The chapter culminates with Florian's shocking discovery that Herr Köhler has returned, appearing at his house as if nothing had happened. Köhler casually confirms Florian's theory about working with the UN, though his manner suggests something has changed about him. The Boss investigates but finds Köhler's return suspicious, while the community experiences relief mixed with continued fear of the wolf pack. Florian writes another letter to Chancellor Merkel thanking her for Köhler's release, convinced his letters were responsible for resolving the situation, while the Boss becomes increasingly focused on what he believes is a coordinated terrorist campaign against German culture.

Florian seeks to share his newfound love of Bach with Frau Hopf, asking to borrow her hi-fi system and purchasing discounted CDs of Brandenburg Concertos and cantatas from a Jena music shop. His gesture reflects his deep transformation through Bach's music, which he describes as making him "become nothing" when listening, with Bach speaking continuously whether anyone listens or not. Meanwhile, Frau Hopf's anxiety about the Nazi unit leads her to seek help from Ringer, who assures her that a civilian alliance already exists to combat the growing threat and contacts the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

Florian writes another extensive letter to Chancellor Merkel, this time focusing entirely on Bach's music as a solution to the looming quantum catastrophe. He argues that Bach reveals the existence of a "veritable realm" that transcends scientific understanding, proposing that the Security Council should make Bach's music universally mandatory - playing constantly on all media, in all public spaces, and on every device. His letter becomes increasingly mystical as he describes Bach not merely as music but as "heaven itself," insisting that universal exposure to Bach would provide a path to understanding true reality beyond the mere "idea" of what we perceive as existence.

The chapter reveals the deteriorating living conditions at the Burg, where the Nazi unit members have all moved in together except for the Boss. Their cohabitation has created serious tensions over basic hygiene and household responsibilities, particularly around bathroom cleaning, with each member trying to avoid their share of domestic duties. The situation becomes so problematic that the Boss must write mandatory house rules, though the Burg continues to decay into squalor, prompting Florian's sympathy when he glimpses the dark, filthy interior.

Meanwhile, Herr Köhler has fully resumed his normal life and relationship with Florian, who now helps with Weather Station readings and feels honored to be called "my little meteorologist." Florian carefully avoids mentioning either his quantum fears or his correspondence with Merkel, maintaining the equilibrium of their renewed friendship. The chapter also explores the community dynamics around auntie Ingrid's loneliness and her daily sandwich deliveries to the post office, while Ringer continues his unsuccessful attempts to convince his Jena friends that the Boss was responsible for the recent explosions, facing skepticism about his theory despite his certainty about the unit's dangerous nature.

The Deputy reveals to Florian that the Hochhaus elevator will never be repaired and that the building's superintendent doesn't actually exist, before Florian heads to meet the Boss. At the Boss's house, Florian learns that Jürgen has been arrested after assaulting and raping Nadír at the Aral gas station, with Rosario catching him in the act and striking him with a fire extinguisher. The Boss immediately sends Florian home, but that same night a massive explosion destroys the Aral gas station, killing Rosario and Nadír in what appears to be multiple coordinated blasts rather than a single accident.

The explosion terrorizes the entire community of Kana, with residents afraid to leave their homes and speculation running wild about the cause. The Boss provides Florian with a Nokia phone and detailed instructions to lie about their communications, claiming they've been calling each other regularly for six months and specifically that the Boss called him five times the night of the explosion. Meanwhile, Herr Köhler's condition continues deteriorating - he becomes increasingly silent and withdrawn, spending all his time at his laptop watching streams of numbers and letters, no longer maintaining his weather station or personal hygiene.

As fear grips Kana, a series of violent deaths shakes the community further. The Boss is found murdered in his home, beaten to death with bare hands, followed by two more deaths at the Burg where Fritz and goalkeeper coach Eberhard Kossnitz are killed with a chair. Suspicion immediately falls on Ringer due to his known hatred of the Boss and his physical strength, and when Ringer disappears, the community becomes convinced of his guilt. Frau Ringer is left devastated, questioned by police while her husband remains missing.

The chapter concludes with Dr. Tietz arriving to take the increasingly incapacitated Herr Köhler to live with him in Eisenberg for safety and care. Köhler offers no resistance to leaving Kana, departing with just his laptop and a few randomly selected belongings as his neighbors watch the moving trucks with a sense of finality. The community continues to live in fear as the pandemic approaches, with residents like Frau Hopf resigned to a future of terror and auntie Ingrid still optimistically organizing her chrysanthemum competition despite the chaos around her.

Dr. Tietz and his wife care for the increasingly deteriorated Herr Köhler in their Eisenberg home. Köhler has become obsessed with antimatter theories, delivering incoherent nighttime lectures about how antimatter collapsed into black holes during the Big Bang, creating the universe. His condition has worsened dramatically - he no longer interacts with Dr. Tietz's young child who once adored him, requires constant reminders to eat, and spends all his time fixated on his laptop watching streams of numbers and letters. Dr. Tietz begins treating him for what appears to be dementia, knowing he can only slow the progression of the disease.

Meanwhile, Ringer finally surrenders himself to authorities in Erfurt, insisting on being interrogated to clear his name of the murders. He provides a full account with names and addresses to prove his innocence, though he cannot identify the real killer. After being cleared by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Ringer returns home to Frau Ringer, who has been struggling alone with the community's ostracism. He falls into complete apathy, refusing visits from his Jena friends and expressing deep disappointment that no one in Kana stood up for him when he became a suspect.

Frau Ringer finds solace in an unexpected friendship with Frau Feldmann, who reaches out with genuine warmth and understanding. Through their conversations, Frau Feldmann helps Frau Ringer cope with the isolation and provides much-needed emotional support. To occupy herself while caring for her despondent husband, Frau Ringer throws herself into home improvement projects, reorganizing their pantry and renovating their summer kitchen, finding purpose in these domestic tasks while the community remains fractured.

The chapter reveals the aftermath of the Nazi unit's dissolution, with surviving members like Karin, Andreas, and Gerhard dispersing throughout Thuringia and Sachsen while maintaining contact through secret websites. They coordinate the Boss's funeral since he had no known relatives, and deal with Fritz's burial through his alcoholic mother in Meuselwitz. A new wolf pack appears in the area, causing renewed fear among Kana residents despite NABU's continued efforts to educate the public about wolves' true nature.

The chapter concludes with Florian's complex relationship with the Nokia phone the Boss gave him before his death. Initially thrilled with his first cell phone, Florian spends days learning its functions and marveling at the technology. However, his joy gradually transforms into fear and revulsion, leading him to hide the phone progressively farther away in his apartment until he finally throws it behind the sink, unable to bear its presence. His excitement about sharing this achievement with others at Ilona's buffet goes unfulfilled, leaving him isolated with his conflicted feelings about this final gift from his murdered mentor.

Florian rushes home to the Hochhaus, eager to share exciting news but unable to find the Deputy, who is actually home but deliberately ignoring Florian's doorbell while watching MDR-Thuringia. The Deputy reflects on his nostalgia for East German times, sharing this sentiment with Pförtner. Meanwhile, Florian discovers additional call records on his Nokia phone - five outgoing calls to the Boss that he never made, which deeply disturbs him and begins to change his perception of his mentor.

Florian's growing unease about the Boss manifests dramatically at Ilona's Grillhäusel, where he angrily defends the Boss against Heinrich and Hoffmann's criticisms, shocking everyone with his uncharacteristic rage. His outburst alienates the other patrons, particularly Hoffmann, who faces Ilona's wrath for speaking against Florian despite constantly borrowing money from him. That evening, Florian stands by the Saale River in the rain, still agitated and wanting to defend the Boss further, but returns home soaked and increasingly troubled by the mysterious phone calls.

The narrative reveals the community's ongoing fear following the Aral station explosion and subsequent murders, with residents afraid to leave their homes and preparing for potential future attacks. Schools close, businesses struggle, and police maintain heavy patrols while conducting mass interrogations. When questioned by police about Jürgen and the Nazi unit, Florian proves uncooperative and reticent, frustrating both the officers and the Deputy, who had offered his apartment for the interrogation.

The chapter's climactic revelation comes when Florian discovers video footage on the Nokia showing Andreas, Fritz, Karin, and Gerhard setting fire to the Aral station while the Boss films them, with the Boss's voice clearly audible encouraging the documentation. This devastating discovery that his beloved mentor orchestrated the murders of Rosario and Nadír triggers a complete psychological break in Florian. His muscles understand what his paralyzed brain cannot process, and in a state of dissociation, he methodically kills the Boss with his bare hands, then goes to the Burg and murders Fritz and another resident with a chair.

After the murders, Florian flees Kana and begins living as a fugitive, developing supernatural abilities to move unseen and obtain food and water without detection. The chapter ends with him walking exclusively at night, avoiding all human contact while pursuing some unfinished mission. Meanwhile, the community continues to deteriorate under the weight of fear and suspicion, with Ringer drinking heavily and falling into depression, Frau Ringer finding solace only in her friendship with Frau Feldmann, and residents losing faith in the ineffective police investigation that has produced no arrests or answers.

Karin searches for Jürgen in Mücka, questioning his wheelchair-bound mother who reveals he might be in Suhl. After a long journey with multiple train transfers, Karin locates Jürgen at the Sportpension and executes him with two quick shots to the head using a silenced weapon. Meanwhile, Florian has been tracking the same target, arriving at the Sportpension just as Karin completes her mission and escapes through a back exit. This encounter confirms to Florian that he's on the right path in his systematic elimination of the Nazi unit members.

Florian continues his fugitive existence, living outdoors and developing an almost supernatural ability to move undetected while surviving on stolen food and raw vegetables. His physical transformation is complete - he can drink from any water source, eat almost anything from the wild, and animals no longer fear him, recognizing he poses no threat to them. He systematically tracks down Andreas in Jena after overhearing conversations about a Nazi gathering at the Braunes Haus in Lobeda-Altstadt, killing him and leaving the body by a dumpster without concern for concealment.

Back in Kana, the community remains largely unaware of Florian's absence except for the Deputy, who faces questioning from plainclothes detectives about Florian's whereabouts. The Deputy defends Florian as harmless, having no idea why police are seeking him. Frau Ringer grows increasingly worried about Florian's prolonged absence and visits the Hochhaus, learning from the Deputy that police have been looking for him. Her friendship with Frau Feldmann deepens as they bond over coffee and shared concerns, while Ringer shows signs of gradual recovery from his trauma.

The winter proves brutal for Florian's outdoor survival, forcing him to seek shelter in haystacks and abandoned buildings while avoiding detection. He struggles with the cold, unable to steal proper gloves or adequately protect his face and ears. During this period, he develops a relationship with a golden eagle that begins following him everywhere, eventually feeding it and accepting its constant presence. Police investigations into the murders begin connecting the similar methods used across different locations, though they remain confused by the different weapon used in Suhl.

Florian's methodical hunt for the remaining unit members continues as he successfully tracks and kills Gerhard in Saalfeld after interrogating local Neo-Nazis about his whereabouts. Uwe, the final remaining member besides Karin, becomes increasingly paranoid and initially suspects Karin of killing their comrades. After failed attempts to gather information through Archie, Uwe attends the funerals of his fallen comrades but remains unable to identify the real threat. The chapter ends with Florian returning to Kana with his eagle companion, breaking into Archie's tattoo studio and ambushing him for information about Karin's location, demonstrating his complete transformation into a methodical predator.

Florian waits for Archie to regain consciousness after interrogating him about Karin's whereabouts, learning she has moved to Mattstedt. Meanwhile, Karin has been strategically positioning herself in a rented apartment above a pizzeria on Margarethenstraße, anticipating Florian's inevitable visit to Archie's studio. Her patience pays off when she spots Florian leaving the studio, but he proves elusive, disappearing before she can act. Both hunters begin a deadly game of cat and mouse, with Karin disguising herself with different wigs and glasses while systematically covering all possible routes through Kana.

The narrative reveals that Karin has been methodically eliminating witnesses to cover her tracks, killing the owners of Ilona's pension where she's been staying. She establishes multiple observation points throughout the town, including the abandoned Burg and various strategic locations, while Florian takes up residence in the tower of Sankt Margarethenkirche to monitor Burg 19. During one surveillance session, Florian is nearly deafened when the church bell rings unexpectedly, causing him to tumble down the stairs in agony. The incident reveals a large rat scavenging in the church, creating an almost surreal moment of normalcy amid the violence.

Florian's golden eagle companion meets its end when Karin shoots it during an attack, wounding the bird fatally. Florian finds the eagle dying on Dohlenstein mountain and sits with it as it expires, marking the loss of his last connection to his former life. The community of Kana continues to deteriorate, with several prominent residents dying in quick succession - Ringer hangs himself in despair, Herr Feldmann and the Deputy both suffer fatal brain hemorrhages, and Jessica dies in a car accident. The rapid succession of deaths creates a morbid business boom for the local funeral homes, particularly Hartung's establishment.

As spring arrives, the town attempts to return to normalcy with May Day celebrations and the withdrawal of police presence. Frau Ringer emerges as an unexpected force of renewal, transforming the neglected library into a vibrant community center and organizing cultural activities. However, the final confrontation between Florian and Karin unfolds in the industrial district, where Florian silently approaches and breaks Karin's neck with lethal efficiency. A dying shot from Karin's gun wounds Florian in the thigh, but he completes his mission of eliminating all the Nazi unit members.

The chapter concludes with Florian, bleeding and weakened, making his way to the riverbank where he discovers two blind wolves - victims of a failed NABU experiment - sitting peacefully by the water. In a moment of profound symbolism, the wounded hunter sits beside the sightless predators, all three listening to the gentle sounds of the Saale River in the darkness. The Bach music that has sustained Florian throughout his journey finally falls silent, replaced by the eternal murmur of flowing water, suggesting both an ending and a return to something more fundamental than human civilization.