"Mickey? »
Minnie put his brush on the palette. He got no response; his model watched the flames dancing in the fireplace. Minnie couldn't tell which of the fire or Mickey was more fascinated by the other.
"Mickey, it's over for tonight. »
Mickey blinked, pulling himself out of a dreamy torpor. Minnie felt his vision as a painter disappear, that of the man take its place. Her gaze, as if irresistibly attracted, rested on the perfect outline of Mickey's lips, the delicacy of his jaw, of his throat. He looked away with difficulty.
Mickey stretched out his arms.
" Already ? »
He grabbed his T-shirt, then the black sweater and put them on with the grace of a dancer. Minnie wanted a cigarette, dug his fingers into his palms, and looked at the board. He had been as slow as possible, he could have finished tonight, but he wasn't ready. He doubted he would ever be, but he couldn't put off the end forever.
"I have a few touch-ups to do," he said. Tomorrow… tomorrow the painting will be finished. »
And there, what he had expected and dreaded: that expression on Mickey's face, like a decision made. As if all this time to pose had been only a long reflection.
"Oh," he said.
Then he smiled and Minnie wanted to scream.
If Mickey Klarheit was mad, then it was a perfectly reasoned, almost reasonable madness. He was lost in a world that was as real to him as Minnie's; more, even, since Minnie only knew people from the institute. He gave little thought to his difficulty in getting out of these walls now that he was healed, at least physically. He instinctively knew he wasn't the shy type. And yet...
He would almost blame Mickey for being the cause if the latter didn't regularly talk about when Minnie would walk out of here like he didn't doubt it for a moment.
One of the most terrifying theories Minnie had about Mickey was this: Mickey and Minnie had loved each other. Donald Duck was indeed Minnie, and the latter, during this mysterious life before his amnesia, had driven Mickey to madness. Maybe put him back in a wheelchair. Mickey had separated the man he loved from the man who hurt him. End.
This theory did not explain that no one knew who Minnie was. Nor why, regarding Mickey's affection, Donald Duck the manipulator had the advantage over Minnie the amnesiac.
It was a theory with no basis other than the desire to be loved by Mickey Klarheit and to make sense of an insane situation.
Her only certainty about Mickey was that somehow to finish the painting was to lose it. But not finishing it was unthinkable.
Deadlock.
"I know you don't want to talk about it anymore," Mickey said, "but I'd like to finish my story. »
Minnie gazed at the finished painting, death floating behind the staring gaze, put down the brush and took a breath.
" I'm listening to you. »
Mickey didn't even look at him.
"It was not Huseyin that was in the mithal. It was you.
- Sorry ? »
Mickey smiled one of those smiles which were neither false nor frank.
"Everyone believed that you had Huseyin locked up. In reality, it was Huseyin who locked you up. Finally, everyone except Donald.
Mickey's smile became more amused, tender, unbearable.
"After all this time, you might think I would have learned not to believe a word he said. »
Minnie rubbed his face.
"Very well," he said. Where is he then?
"The fight weakened him to the point of almost extinguishing him. If you hadn't locked the others in before, maybe they would have finished him off to steal his light. It was an accident, but you saved his life. Huseyin's spark hung on the mithal for a long time, and that's why Kate and Eliane believed he was there, and that's why when he woke up, he took on your appearance. »
Minnie walked around the board.
"Donald Soledango.
— Mmm. Someone had betrayed him, he didn't know who. He took another name and kept your appearance. The source belonged to him originally. »
Mickey waved as if the rest were details.
"It was Roy, the traitor, of course; he had delivered Huseyin to you in exchange for the source, but you locked him away before he could do anything with it. When Donald took it back from him, it lodged in me. My corpse, Mickey corrected with a smirk.
- Do not say that. »
He shrugged.
"The painting is finished, isn't it? »
Minnie didn't answer. Mickey approached the fireplace, bent over the flames. Minnie almost threw himself forward, driven by the irrational fear that arms would come out and drag him into the furnace. But Mickey seemed to stay still except for his lips. He was whispering something.
Before Minnie could get closer and hear him, he sat up.
"Donald is flush seemed the Candelabra to make his big reveal. There was a slight…shock, disbelief, a sense of betrayal…all mixed together. In short, the mithal has been broken. »
Mickey finally met her gaze.
" And here I am ? said Minnie.
"And here you are." But it wasn't so obvious. To give you body, it took energy. And that energy…"
They both looked down at Mickey's legs.
"It is part of the source. I don't have the details: the pain was too strong, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was in the hospital and I couldn't walk. »
Minnie knelt down in front of him.
"Mickey…"
Mickey put a finger to his lips and he fell silent. He didn't know how he felt.
"It's not your fault," Mickey said. Everything else maybe, and again I imagine your amnesia makes you a different being. I don't blame you for that. Don't get me wrong: I was very angry, but not at you.
— Against Julian. »
Mickey shrugged.
" To not change. Can I see the painting?
- It's not dry.
"Will that make any difference, or do you just not want to show it to me?" »
Minnie turned the easel without answering. Mickey studied the painting in silence, looking serious, focused. Then he nodded briefly.
" Yes it is perfect. »
Minnie huffed.
"Why did you want this portrait?
"I needed to face myself. »
Someone knocked at the door. Minnie suppressed a pang of irritation at the interruption.
" Yes ?
"Minnie?" said Caroline's voice. There is someone looking for Mickey…"
The next moment, a little girl appeared in the doorway.
"Mickey! I'm here ! »
Mickey's face changed, there was infinite tenderness on his face and the little girl ran to him, climbed onto his lap and put her arms around his neck.
" I missed you !
"You, too," Mickey replied, hugging her, eyes closed.
"I didn't see anyone put her down," Caroline said quietly with a frown. You know her ? »
Minnie had ringing ears.
"Another piece of the puzzle," he replied. Thanks. »
She left reluctantly. Minnie turned and leaned against the door. Mickey was smiling, and as always, it wasn't for him.
"Minnie, this is Oswald. Say hello, Oswald.
- Hello. It was you who took Mickey's legs. »
Minnie stiffened.
"Oswald, no. Where… where is Donald?
"Oh, he said he would come if you called him, not before. Do you want me to order him? »
Minnie needed to sit down. Mickey scowled.
" No it's not worth it. Come down, will you? »
Oswald jumped down. Mickey turned his chair toward the flames again, then held out his hand.
"Come on, you idiot," he said.
Minnie didn't see anything, but Mickey closed his eyes, looked up, a slight smile, held back on his lips. Minnie perfectly imagined kissing her on the forehead, the eyelids, the mouth.
"Can you make yourself tangible? Mickey asked the air in front of him. Oh, don't start, will you? »
The air clouded up like during a heat wave, there was smoke, then a spark, and Donald Duck appeared. A mirror, without being one. Minnie gave in to the urge to sit down.
Donald Duck had his hand on Mickey's neck. It was perhaps the biggest difference between Minnie and him, this contact, this freedom to touch Mickey Klarheit.
"It was true," Minnie breathed.
"I don't know if that will help you or not," Mickey said. But you have the right to know.
"That's your opinion," Soledango said.
Minnie tensed. It wasn't his voice. It was the voice of another man – of a creature?
"Yeah, that's my opinion," Mickey retorted.
The brutality of his reply was belied by the way he leaned against Donald Duck. The latter pursed his lips, briefly, then with a fluid gesture, walked around the chair and knelt in front of Mickey.
" Are you sure ?
- Certain.
- What's going on ? Minnie asked hoarsely.
Mickey did not answer. He turned to Oswald and held out his hand.
" You do not mind ?
"But I like you like that," she muttered.
"You won't love me anymore?" Mickey teased her.
She let out an exaggerated sigh and took his hand.
" Okay.
-Mickey. »
Minnie tried to get up but Donald Duck was suddenly in front of him. They looked at each other for a moment, Donald Duck glanced at the painting. Something contemptuous passed over his face.
"Another hunting board that is nothing but an illusion. »
He didn't give Minnie a chance to answer. He turned his back on her.
"Goodbye, Minnie," Mickey said suddenly. Take advantage of your second chance. »
He was smiling and for the first time, Minnie felt like he really saw him.
"Mickey...!" »
There was a hot flash, the breath that comes after an explosion, a scream, Minnie or Mickey, then nothing. When Minnie opened his eyes, there was only Oswald. the culprithe of Mickey was a charred pile on the floor. It smelled of burnt rubber and molten metal.
Minnie rushed aside, touched him, burned his fingers.
"Don't cry, sir," Oswald said. He is fine. »
Heedless of the heat, she reached into the blackened tips and pulled out a cloudy white stone, oddly luminous.
"I'll keep it," she said to the void over her shoulder. So Roy won't bother you.
"Oswald," Minnie said in a voice that ripped at his throat. Oswald, where is Mickey? »
She pointed to the air near her.
"He's not very strong yet," she explained. But soon it will. I will lend him fire.
"A candelabra," Minnie whispered.
"Yes, yes," Oswald went on, "but she wasn't talking to him. I know mom will be worried. »
She reached out and curled her fingers as if someone were taking it from her.
"Goodbye, sir," she called to Minnie.
The door closed behind her.
The apartment was small but bright, that was all Minnie wanted. There weren't a lot of cards: he didn't have a lot of possessions. He had been touched by the eagerness of the people at the institute to help him.
Caroline had offered to stay, but Minnie now needed to be alone and get his bearings. He had started to open a box when the doorbell rang. He wondered if something had been overlooked, but on the other side of the door was a dark-haired young man he had never seen who widened his eyes.
" The cow ! he exclaimed. We can expect it...
- Excuse me ?
- Oh sorry ! »
The young man held out his hand.
"My name is Goofy," he introduced himself. We have a common knowledge. »
Minnie froze.
"The Goofy of... Mickey?" »
Mickey gave a slightly sarcastic smile.
"Oh! If only. I'm here because he wanted to hear from you. That said, you can send me balls, it does him good when he is told no. »
Minnie inhaled, gripped the handle, then moved aside to let him pass.
(end)