Luc needed a moment, just him and the coffee machine. It had been a long, hellish night. His wife called and he told her he didn't know when he would return home. She didn't need to panic but the situation was...rather complicated.

Honestly? He was starting to consider not coming back home. Ever.

Strange, but the more he thought of Sylvia, the more repulsive he found her.

Then, an apparition.

It was her. Julie. She was bringing the Man from the Star's dog with her on a leash—seeing the discomfort with which she moved and how she tried to keep the animal away from her, it was obvious the decision of keeping it was Wyatt's and not hers; she was probably afraid of dogs.

Their eyes met.

Their hearts bounced.

All tiredness seemed to leave Luc's body in a rocket, while Julie pressed her lips and quickly flashed a timid smile. They immediately walked to each other's encounter, but Warren got in the way.

"Julie! You should, I say, you shouldn't be here. Didn't your boy tell you the situation?"

"He told me two dangerous prisoners escaped last night, yes, but, well, the dog still needs to do its business." Julie replied. "I also wanted to see how you were doing, Warren."

"Horses get the sweet relief of getting shot between the eyes when they're like I feel now, but that's how it is. Nothing ever happened in this town and now everything's going to hell and getting worse day after day."

"Of course I hope Billy didn't hurt anyone but I'm worried that he gets hurt. I know he's dangerous but it's not his fault, it's his sickness. I remember when I was little and he already lived in the street. He said he liked my dresses and my ponytail...My parents didn't want him to get close to me but I used to go to Pierce's candy store and bought him chocolate with my piggy bank money. I don't think he remembers but oh, I think about it and..."

Luc barely listened but all his attention was on Julie. Maybe she was not the prettiest girl in town but she definitely had a certain something. Her cherry lips? Her naivety? The way she looked, with those big, beautiful eyes? Whatever it was, it was hypnotizing. So, so charming. It was funny how he felt better, much more awakened by listening to her and being in her presence.

"Please, please, Warren, tell me you won't hurt him if you find him. Please."

"Can't assure that, baby. If he poses a threat, we'll-"

A tire screech interrupted him. He ran towards the window to find that a car from a driving school was not only running at a higher speed than allowed but surely burning the tires. The examiner had half of his body out the window, pleading for help, while the driver, a petite blond lady with lips painted pink, smiled and cheered like she was having so much fun.

"For crying out-! Gotta go, kid. Be careful, alright?" Warren hurriedly left the police station along with some other officers. The situation was getting worse: two bearded, long-haired guys in a rust bucket and a pretty boy in a Lexus, seeing her go, cheered her and decided they wanted a race. "HEY, YOU, STOP, I SAY, STOP BEFORE I STOP YOU!"

Luc guessed there were enough agents taking care of that. Fine for him, because that way he could be alone with Julie...

"Don't worry. We won't hurt Billy. I promise."

He just couldn't upset her...

A brief moment of silence followed, interrupted by both of them saying at the same time:

"Uhm..."

"Oh, sorry. Tell me." Julie said.

"No, no. Ladies first. What were you going to say?" Luc smiled.

Well, for starters, that he needed a shower, but that was rude and there was no nice way to say something of the sort, right? It had been a long, hard night, so she decided not to tell him.

"Just that...Everything will be alright. You'll see. People will put themselves together eventually. And you? What did you want to say?"

"Me?"

That it scares me how happy you make me feel when I'm around you...

"...Oh, I forgot." Luc replied.

Julie smiled showing her teeth.

"I really admire you."

"Hm? Why?"

"Because no matter what happens, you always have a smile on your face."

That made Luc's smile grow wider. "Someone like you does not deserve a long face."

A while later, when he realized of what he had done, Luc wouldn't be able to tell what drove him to do it, but the fact was this: he took her hand. He took her soft, pale hand and kissed it with much delicacy, like he feared he would break it. It felt so right Luc felt his heart pounding inside of his chest, a bit like the announcement of a cardiac arrest.

A big shiver shook Julie's back, whose lips parted. Luc really needed to stop and take a shower. It was disgusting to be close to him. But all police officers in town were bathed in sweat anyways, and Julie appreciated his kindness enough not to push him away. In fact, she sucked it up and caressed the hand which was holding hers and looked at Luc into the eyes...

Not looking for it but not fighting it either, they were getting closer and closer...

"Hey, babe!"

She almost gasped when she found Wyatt by her side. Luc jumped backwards like the contact with her brought him an electric shock. However, Wyatt didn't say a thing. He looked like he had seen nothing wrong. He just kissed his girlfriend's lips and wrapped an arm around her.

"The Sheriff told me I could go home now. I'll change my clothes and be with you in a second."

"O-Okay, honey..."

Wyatt left but the atmosphere had already been killed.

"Uh...I need to..." Luc pointed at his back with a thumb.

"Sure! I mean...Eh..." Julie's answer trailed off before she finished.

"It's been nice seeing you again, mademoiselle Julie...Will you...come back soon?"

Julie didn't reply immediately. "...If you want to, yes..."

Just with a slight nod, Luc walked away fast.

As soon as he turned his back on her, all the bad thoughts he had been pushing away came to him at once.

For the love of God, you have Sylvia worried at home. You are too old for Julie. Think of your children, mince alors! You have children!

...But...I can only think of her...

"Ready! Let's go! I'm starving!" Wyatt wrapped an arm around her and, taking the dog leash in his free hand, he took Julie out of the station.

She turned back to see if she saw Luc one last time...

"Shall we eat out? What was the last time we had a plan?" Wyatt proposed.

"I don't know if dogs are allowed at Maltese's..." Julie pointed out, trying not to get tangled up in the leash the dog was wrapping around her while running around them.

"Oh, right. Didn't think of that. Then we can eat at home. I'll make pancakes. It's a pity they don't allow dogs everywhere. They can be better than many people."

Yes, Wyatt sure loved dogs...Julie didn't see their appeal. They drooled, shoved their snouts into the dirtiest places, and their barking made her very nervous. She hated it when a big dog came running towards her, her legs started tremble and the owners laughed at her. A dog would have been the last of her choices, but someone had to take care of this one and Wyatt offered himself and she didn't have the heart to say no.

"I used to have a dog when I was little."

"What breed?" Julie asked distractedly.

"I don't know. It was a big one. He was almost as big as a person. His name was...was..."

Julie turned her face and saw Wyatt was frowning.

"What is it?"

"...Funny, it's been so long I can't remember..."

From that moment, Wyatt's merry disposition changed. He looked around him like hoping to find in the streets something that was missing.


Brian did not show up at work until late. It was so strange in someone as punctual as he was. What was more strange was that he didn't tell anybody why. But his employees guessed it had to be something big. He looked and sounded like he had not slept one wink. This didn't change his usually affable behavior, though. He said hello to everybody, asked people about their kids, served himself a good cup of coffee and locked himself in his office to get working on all the things that were awaiting him.

Among those who have been waiting for his coming was Ben.

"Mr. Benson, the deliveryman brought you this."

Brian looked at the envelope and then at Ben in such a way he stood frozen, wondering what he had done wrong this time. Something in his face, a stain in his shirt, a snot hanging from his nose? The fax! That's right! He had been so busy with Lenny's report that he forgot to send that fax Rose told him to send! And perhaps he had done something more wrong.

"I heard you were attacked. Are you alright?" Brian asked then.

Why, of course he was staring at his face! The scar was still in there...

"Yes, it was nothing." Ben replied, calming down.

"I'm glad to see you are unharmed." Brian almost sounded like his father. He looked at him with such tenderness and worry one wouldn't have told he hadn't been aware of his existence just a few days before. "Heh...You know? Now that I see you...I get the feeling that you and me have met before." Brian commented, crossing his legs while staring at him.

"I don't think so." Ben muttered.

"Think. Maybe in another company? Monroe & Ross? Scriber I.N.C?"

"Never worked there."

Whitby...Whitby...

"Huh. You're probably right. Sorry. Thanks a lot for bringing me this. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, Doc."

Brian rose his eyebrows with surprise as Ben, not noticing that word escaping from his throat, closed the door.

He had the feeling that he wasn't wrong. He was positively sure he knew this guy from something. Someone who used to call everyone 'Doc'...

The effort to remember was being fruitless and it was giving him a big headache, so he decided to just stop thinking about it and get to work himself. He had a good pile of reports on his desk that needed his attention, a whole agenda full of people he had to call...

But his attention went back again and again to the shotgun on the trunk of his car.

He had spent the whole night walking around the forest, looking for something to shoot, settling for the trees in his way, escaping from the ranger. It had felt so good he didn't realize daytime had come was until he checked his watch and, like waking up from a dream, he had to run home and change his clothes. Hide all evidence of what he had done. People would have thought he had gone mad, showing up at work with his boots filled with mud and that shotgun.

...Hadn't he gone mad, really?

Because he had just left it and he wanted to shoot that thing again...

Brian, on the other hand, walked out of the office to find Terence in Daniel's place.

What made him interested was that Daniel wasn't around. After looking around, not noticing invisible Ben Whitby, Terence started to grab things from his coworker's desk. The stapler with all staples boxes he could find, a paper sheet pack, the can where he kept his pens, and a stamp. All of that he tried to hide inside his shirt, like he really believed nobody would find his flat, protuberant stomach suspicious.

He turned around to leave, and then he bumped into Daniel's corpulent body.

Daniel was a guy who never spoke above a whisper, and this time he didn't speak either. He just looked at the bulges in Terence's body from behind the curtain of red hair covering his face and, suddenly, punched him in the face.

Needless to say Terence gave him every little staple back without uttering a protest.

Ben was really curious to know where this attitude came from but he guessed it was none of his business and just walked to his desk. It was quite a sight, that big, muscled man acting intimidating for the first time in his life and the slender, polite, reserved coworker taking what was not his.

Back to his spot, Ben realized Terence and Daniel were not the only ones who were acting weird that morning. What about Oswald? He was typing on the computer, but his mind was not there, it was evident. He was shrunk, as if he was cold.

"Oh, Ben..." He told him as soon as he saw him, slowly, like marking every word. "Don't you feel like there's something...?"

"Something what, Oswald?" Ben asked.

"...I don't know...But I feel like there's...something missing..." Oswald touched his chest and back, almost as if he should have been wearing something over his shirt.

It was indeed a strange morning, Ben thought. Not that there was something missing, but...

And he would have confirmed it really was a weird morning indeed if he had looked through the window. He would have found a two-dimensional cartoon peeping.

The cartoon ran for cover when someone exited the office. A corpulent man who looked around him before heading towards the trash cans. There, hidden among some cardboard, was a black and white tiny kitty which meowed the very second she saw him, like she had been expected him. The man's severe expression shifted into a soft smile. Now that there was no one watching—or so he thought—, he gave the furry little dear part of his own lunch and caressed with with one finger, then took it in his two big hands in such a way he could have successfully hidden it if it wasn't for that something letting out a soft meow and the only thing one could see from the animal was her little black, furry tail slipping through the space between his fingers.

Buddy, taking advantage of his enrapture, slipped away.

It didn't matter if this one-shot character went back to the old habits, as long as Ben Whitby stayed as Ben Whitby, he thought.

He had free time. He guessed he could...

He hid again, among some bushes, when he came to see her.

Not the girl with red hair and ugly face who was pressing her finger against the glass window of the puppy store and shouting they were so cute she wanted to die. No, the friend who looked at her and laughed. The girl with the shoulder-length black hair and big, cheerful eyes.

Her smile faded and turned around. Buddy quickly hid further into the bush.

The black-haired girl seemed to squint, trying to see if there was something in there, until her friend called her attention and she looked back at the puppies, telling herself she had surely imagined things.

She was as pretty as he remembered...


Sheldon fell asleep on the toilet. Sat in there, he had the strangest dreams. He still thought about them when he woke up with a jump. What time was it? It didn't matter: he didn't have a job.

Half asleep, he walked to the basin and splashed water on his face to see if he could wake up that way. It worked—just a bit. He kept thinking about all voices and images in his dreams.

Dreams...That was it...Just dreams...

No, he told himself. Those were not just dreams. That was not just his imagination. It was real. It was all real! That was all that remained from his past! He clung to it. He didn't want to lose it. He didn't want to forget like Kath. That thought terrified him. No. He didn't want to forget.

He tried to remember Chuck's face and couldn't. He tried to remember what he had read at Marvin's hut and it was no use.

Did that really happen? What if it was just one more dream?

He checked his phone. He had the mayor's number. See? Everything that happened that night was real! Why else would he have that guy's number?

Marvin, Marvin...He couldn't remember his face either.

But he did remember his eyes.

"Look, bud. I have already claimed this bit of dirt for the Earth, and there's just not room enough on this planet for the two of us."

"I do believe you are right!"

"Heh! Little does he realize that I have on my disintegration proof vest. You may fire when ready, Grizzly!"

"Cut! It's Grisly, Daffy. Not Grizzly."

"Ooof! Darn it! Sorry."

"It's alright, Daf. Let's run through that again, from 'I claim this planet...'"

Marvin chuckled before going back to the original position, with that quick walking of his.

His nemesis...His workmate, it could be said...Yes, there was nothing personal, ever. Some guys just were made for the role of the bad guy, even if they are nice. Marvin was a nice guy. He didn't deserve to die.

There was someone familiar in there. He had been with him many, many times. He couldn't believe he didn't remember his name after so long. The stuttering...He always stuttered...Couldn't help it...

Porky! Porky was his name. Porky! He wouldn't forget it. He wouldn't forget him.

The people recording...The prompter, the director, the cameraman...Who were they? Their faces were in a blur...

The names they had mentioned hours before, they started to leave him.

Leon...

"Leon, you oughta be glad to get rid of Porky. How about me taking his place?"

Leon...Who was the guy Leon...What did he do to him, again?

He let out a desperate cry.

"Whoever you are, help me!" He shouted.

He said he would always be around if he needed him...Even if they were apart...

He woke up on a drawing board. First he blinked. He looked around and found a round face smiling at him. Next, he moved his wings, first the right, then the left. He moved his legs after that: right...left. He jumped out of the board with a 'woo-hoo!'. Made a mess. Knocked some ink bottles. The man in front of him didn't seem upset. He chuckled.

"You're my best creation. Between us, Porky's too well-mannered."

Who would have told, seeing him...He looked like a balanced, polite almost shy person. But he was a total screwball. Just like him. He had all of these crazy ideas. His mind was a complete madness pit. There were so many things he wanted to try and Porky sometimes didn't fit—that was why he created him.

"I'm not crazy, I just don't give a darn!"

"Tex!" He said aloud.

He repeated that name again and again, so he wouldn't forget it. Tex. Good old Tex. Now he remember what Leon did. He didn't like the ending to one of his shorts. He said it was obscene. Tex didn't like his wings being cut off and it wouldn't take long for him to leave them. He, on the other hand, stayed at the studio. He was property, after all.

"Don't forget me..."

"How could I ever forget my favorite duck?"

They kept talking, yes, although not working together, him getting involved in so many projects kept them apart. And perhaps he didn't want to worry him with his personal issues. Or didn't think a loon like him would understand. He started drinking too much. Something which is fun to see in a cartoon but not in a human being. He didn't know it was a problem until it was too late. Until they told him it was not the heart attack what killed him. He had no idea it was that bad. He didn't know Tex, lunatic, funny, good-tempered Tex was suffering so. He was born to lift people's spirits. He could have helped him...He would have been there, had he told him...

He realized tears were falling from his eyes.

He made Tex promise he wouldn't forget about him and he forgot him..."I didn't want to forget you, Tex, I swear! They made me forget you!" He shouted to the ceiling.

He had forgotten about everyone. Friz, Chuck, Bob, Robert...All the fun they had together. The cartoons they filmed just for their private pleasure, where they swore and did what was not allowed. Them dressing as the colorists, which at the time were all women...The drinks together, the laughter...One had to be a total loon himself in order to create them...

Duck season! Rabbit season!

Pronoun trouble!

Duck Dodgers. The Scarlet Pumpernickel. Stupor Duck. Duck Twacy. Western-Type Hero.

All the things he had done!

Mocked everyone. Tricked everyone. He was not the kind of duck who was willing to be served for supper.

And people loved seeing that.

Greetings!

My name is Daffy

There's no other duck like me

Because I'm so daffy

The applause...

The praise...

How good it made him feel...

He caused trouble and he had so much fun doing so. Tex used to say it. He was a crazy-darnfool...

He saw his reflection in the mirror and gasped. He drew back, tripped with his own feet and fell on his butt.


Mrs. Reese was watching television and Kath was sweeping the floor. She tried to avoid thinking, but the bad thing about having Sheldon as a friend was that he always made his way into her house and her mind whenever he pleased.

Cartoons! Past, glorious lives! Conspiracy! She wasn't surprised he had become enraptured by all those tales. After all, what did he have? An empty life. No job, no girlfriend, barely any friends apart from her. Nothing. And in those fantasies he could be something.

She wouldn't let herself fall for that. Would it be nice to know she was something more than her mother's keeper? Yes. But it wasn't bad. It was her duty. What a good child would do for a sick mother. And more after the father left the house following the first broad he found.

Her face everywhere, girls admiring her...Yeah, cool, but who believed that?

Some dreams just don't come true.

She was nothing more than her mother's caretaker and would be until she recovered...or until she succumbed to the cancer.

What a horrible remark! Every time she thought of it, she was horrified at herself and refused to even think about the possibility that her mother didn't survive. That made her double her efforts to take care of her, so she would recover and had nothing to hold against her. No one could say she didn't take her responsibilities.

Basketball was just a hobby. She couldn't feel miserable for not being able to play a stupid game.

It wasn't stupid. They were in danger. They needed her.

She looked at herself in the mirror. In all modesty, she saw a beautiful woman with a nice body, still young, still active. People thought a beauty like that couldn't wither taking care of a sick old lady, but what did people know about love and duty?

They had always thought wrong of her due to her looks. Not her fault, but of those who drew her—what kind of pervert finds bunnies sexy?

She shook her head and groaned. Bunny! She was not a bunny! She was a woman!

But it was true, people used to howl like animals at her. Looked at her like their eyes would pop out of their sockets. They didn't need to be a rabbit to appreciate her curves. She knew how to play basketball far better than all of them but that didn't seem important. Even those she thought would be a little more serious fumed about the decision of wearing baggier clothes which hid her attributes. Like there was nothing more to her than her appearance.

She had had a hard time being respected...

"What is with the script? I am not funny, I sound like I have a real retardation!"

When did that happen? ...Did that happen?

Yes, it did. She could remember how furious she was clearly. She wanted to show she was more than a pretty face, but she had her dignity and was angry that she had to do this. But who can argue with the big fish? If you don't like it, there's the door, they say. Good thing that the fans were a lot more supportive. There were perverts, of course, but others said she was an inspiration. She remembered this letter form a ten year-old girl from Germany, called Anna, who made an effort to write in English to her, who told her she had started playing basketball inspired by her. So many other girls who thanks to her knew they chose their own limits.

What was she saying?

It felt so good playing basketball...She was born for that. She missed it so!

She was good enough to make a difference, help the team win that super important match. Air Jordan himself was proud of her!

Michael...The Nerdlucks...That happened! That really happened! She wasn't imagining things!

Bugs pushed her out of the way when one of them tried to crush her!

Bugs...

Bugs!

Bugs Bunny! A bunny like...

She dropped the broom. She almost felt she was going to fall flat on the floor too. Stumbling like the house was moving, she made her way towards the door.

"Kathie?"

She stopped upon hearing her mother's voice.

"Where are you going now?"

She didn't reply. She was sure now that her name was not Katherine.

She tried to continue her path.

"...Are you leaving me alone again?" Mrs. Reese made an effort to stand up. It was very difficult for her to do so.

"You...You are not...really my mother...Aren't you?" It was impossible that she heard her. She was whispering to herself.

"You are leaving just like your father, aren't you?" Mrs. Reese was crying already. "I understand. It must be hard to throw your life away for someone like me..."

Kath's heart ached. She wanted to turn around and apologize.

But she didn't. She focused on that name, Bugs Bunny. And she continued walking.

"I love you, baby, I have always loved you. I'm sorry if I ruined your life. Luckily, I'll be dying soon and you'll be able to live your life..."

The more hurt her mother sounded, the more frightened Kath felt. This was being very hard, but she kept moving. She didn't turn around.

"Kathie...Katherine...!"

She hesitated before placing her hand on the doorknob.

"Kathie, please, don't leave me!"

Lies! They were only lies!

Her name was Lola, not Kath!

She burst the door open and, behind her, a big howl hurt her ears. She turned around just in time to find her mother dissolving into sparkling dust and disappearing without leaving any trace.

She felt out of breath, didn't know what just happened. But she understood enough.

She ran out of the house and towards Sheldon's. She slammed the door with her firsts, calling his name until he walked out, deadly pale.

"Sheldon! You were right! Marvin was right! There's something going on here!" She exclaimed.

"I'm not Sheldon!" He grabbed her by the shoulders like he was about to fall. "I'm Daffy! DAFFY!"