insomnia [✔]

scene. ii

"It doesn't make sense..." Madeleine said, and Gar brought her a cup of hot coffe.

They were both in a small, very modern kitchen. Madeleine was leaning on a kitchen worktop that looked like a bar counter. Gar had his back, but was listening. He was making them something to eat. Meanwhile, Madeleine had begun to tell her about her visions - or at least what she remembered. She told him about the circus, and then about that time she had met her mother.In fact, she had no real memories of her parents. She hadn't grown up with them, for some reason that escaped her memory.

"I was separated from them a very long time ago. I don't even remember the name of the town where we lived!"

"I lost my parents, too" Gar said, bringing two plates. He placed them on a table and smiled to invite the young woman to sit down.

"I'm sorry..." Madeleine replied, The boy had just told him a piece of his story. An event that must have been very painful.

"How is it ?" Gar asked about the meal.

Madeleine took a bite, then assured her that it wasn't bad. And then she kept eating and recognized that it was really good.

"Thanks to the paprika!" Gar answered with a smile and then he began to eat.

Madeleine stood looking at him for a few minutes. She wondered how he could keep smiling. It was something she couldn't understand.

"Come to think of it... What was the name of that Circus?" Gar asked, referring to the dream she had told him.

"Uh... Haly's Circus, I think... Does that ring a bell?" answered Madeleine.

"Grayson..." Gar thought aloud.

"Who?" asked Madeleine.

"Do you know the story of the flying Graysons? A family of famous trapeze artists..."

"No. What happened?"

"Something really bad. For a very long time everyone thought it was an accident. But in fact, it wasn't."

"A whole family? None survived?"

"Their son. And he was adopted."

"And what about the culprits? Have they been arrested? Justice has been done?"

"Yah. it was Tony Zucco all along. He did it because of money. Money that Haly wouldn't give him back. Something like that..."

Madeleine was silent. She saw again the images of the Circus, and one detail caught her attention. A detail she hadn't noticed the first time. It was a poster representing trapeze artists. The colors were washed out, and the paper was creased. Yet she managed to read "The Flying Graysons". There was a woman, a man and a little boy.

"I have to meet him. Maybe I'll get some answers..."

"I completely agree with you, but there is a catch. You haven't been here long, so you probably haven't noticed, but we're a little bit lonely. Well, to be honest, there's us and the other guy in a coma..."

"A guy in a coma... but what the hell are you talking about?"

"I'll take care of the introductions. But first he'd have to wake up."

"Okay...I'm trying to understand... I will only ask it once: do you take home everyone you find passed out on the street?"

"Things are a bit more complicated than that... First, I don't live here alone. Normally it's not that quiet. There are more people..."

"And if so where are they?"

"Let's say everyone needed to get some fresh air... It's a hard time, but they will come back, for sure."

"You guys are sort of roommates?"

"Better than that. A team!"

Madeleine was disconcerted. It could be seen from the expression on her face. Gar's explanations weren't enough. She needed context. So she asked another question. She wanted to know what kind of team it was.

"I'm gonna show you something, Madeleine. Follow me."

Madeleine crossed a corridor following Gar, and discovered, on the way, a kind of dojo. She stopped for a few minutes, amazed by all the equipment there, including real weapons. When she was no longer following him, Gar turned back. He stood next to her and said: "That's pretty cool, isn't it?"

"Have you ever used one of these blades?"

"Of course, but don't worry, it was always a part of a training session."

"Fine."

"Would you like to try?"

"Why not?"

"In that case we'll come back here later. You'll show me your skills!"

"Yeah... My skills..."

////////////////////

The place Gar wanted to show her reminded her of a museum. Extravagant costumes were under glass. They looked like those outfits worn by superheroes in the comic books Madeleine sometimes flipped through as a child. She felt obliged to give a minute of silence in front of what she believed to be relics. Gar, let himself be overwhelmed by the solemnity of the moment.

"Your team... It's a team of superheroes."

"Yes. We are the Titans."

"Titans?"

"Yeah.

"I think I've heard of it before...So... this thing about you turning into a tiger..."

"I wasn't lying."

"But... how is that possible?"

"Close your eyes."

"What? Noway! It's weird."

"Please, it makes me nervous if you stare at me like that!"

"Okay, I close my eyes" answered Madeleine putting her hand over her eyes "Happy?"

She heard no response. Worried, she called Gar asking if he was still around. And then she heard a low growl. She spread her fingers to spy and saw a green shape. A roar startled her and she realized that a green feline was a meter away from her.

"Oh shit... Gar... is that you?"