"T H E C LAS S T RI P" "So, 2 heavy sweaters, 3 shirts, 2 pairs of pajamas, 3 T-shirts, 4 pairs of underpants or shorts." "All the things the girls need." "4 pairs of socks." "I'd like to stress - all clothes must be marked with the child's initials..." " Even the underwear?" " Yes, or things get lost." "Give them stamped envelopes so they can write." "Please don't phone - except in an emergency." "I know it's hard to accept, but it's important the children don't feel tied by a phone line to their family." "They're young..." "It's for their own good." "Is it the school's aim to cut them off from their family?" "Let me give you a kind warning:" "If I feel like phoning N icolas, I will." "But that's beside the point." "I'd like to raise a more serious problem." "You all saw that road accident on TV last week?" "The children with third-degree burns?" "What guarantee do we have it won't happen to ours?" "No guarantee." "But what guarantee do we have?" "No guarantee." "But the bus has just been serviced, the driver is very competent and we're taking every precaution." "But accidents happen." "They can get run over." "Even if you keep them at home, they're not safe from a virus or a gas leak." "That's all right, then!" "They're not her children." "Excuse me, my daughter goes on class trips by bus like everyone else." "I'll take N icolas, so I know who's at the wheel." "The chalet's 100 miles away." "I'm not afraid of long journeys." "He's always on the road." "Do what you want, but please think it over." "It'd help N icolas fit in better." "Don't worry, he'll fit in just fine." "Arriving in his dad's car won't turn him into an outcast!" "There's a Fina gas station in 1 mile." "Are you filling up?" "It's a bit soon." "What if there aren't any more?" "Need many points?" "Four." "That should be enough." "But tell me... do you think you've deserved it?" "30 points." "That's fine." "So there's the telescope, the car, and the seeds." "And the human body?" "I don't know if there are any left." "You're in luck, there's one left." "I'm in luck." "We avoided a tragedy." "What if I wet the bed?" "You won't." "But what if I do?" "You'll change your pajamas." "We packed an extra pair." "When you arrive, take the undersheet out of your bag." "But what if the others see me?" "That doesn't matter." "It'd look bad." "You can't be the only one." "What...?" "I'm tidying up." "Sleep." "The traffic'll be O K now." "They were on vacation, headed for fun and relaxation." "But it turned into a nightmare." "Of the 60 grade school children 15 are already dead." "The others are critical or severely burned." "Initial reports suggest that the driver fell asleep at the wheel." "Who's already seen an avalanche?" "Oh, hello." " Good journey?" " Very good, thanks." "We wondered if you'd make it tonight." "Like a hot or cold drink?" "No, it's quite all right." "It'll be night soon." "The road's bad, and I leave early." "So I'd better drive back down." "Say goodbye, then." "Be nice to everyone." "Is that any way to kiss me?" "Now, do your best, have fun, and remember to write to us." "Hodkann, stop it!" "That's enough!" "You're hurting him." "Stop it!" "They're not too hard to handle?" "No, they're O K." "Right, well, I'll be off." "Goodbye and good luck." "Oh, I was wondering..." "At the end, do they get a certificate or something?" "A gold star?" "No!" "That's a much higher level." "Maybe a bronze star." "We'll have to wait and see what they're capable of." "You're going to be a real little champion, aren't you?" "We'll need snow for that." "We'll have fun just the same." "6 months earlier" "You want to go on that?" "Can't you read?" "Children under 14 must be accompanied" " So come with me." " Your brother can't go." "And we can't leave him on his own." "Sorry to interrupt but if you two want a ride, I'll look after the kid." "No, thanks." "No need." "Let's go." "What difference would it have made?" "I won't tolerate that." "When I say no, I mean no." "Don't make a scene." " I'm not..." " I thought you were." "Seen your face?" "You look like you're about to die." "You'd have rather come in the bus, huh?" "What do you want to do?" "Join your friends or unpack?" "U npack." "Let's go, then." "This way." "We'll go up the back way." "I forgot my bag." "What?" "Didn't you take it out?" "I thought my father had done it." "I don't believe it." "You could've remembered." "Never mind." "It's not a tragedy." "He'll see it when he opens the trunk." "Do you know where he's staying tonight?" "He may not bring it back till tomorrow." "Can a friend lend you a pair of pajamas?" "Well, we'll ask them." "What's the matter?" "There was also my undersheet..." "if I wet the bed." "Well, tonight you won't wet the bed." "Come on." "When I want to, I can stop myself sleeping." "I prefer that to having terrible nightmares." "What difference would it have made?" "I won't tolerate that." "When I say no, I mean no." "Your brother's too young, but you're old enough to understand." "You mustn't talk about it... to your friends or anyone." "O K?" "I was told by the director of a clinic." "Dr Chardy." "Remember?" "Not very long ago, in a place like this," "a child disappeared." "The parents had a moment of inattention and... the child was gone." "They searched for him all day, and they finally found him late that night behind a fence." " Was he dead?" " He'd just fainted." "But it was worse." "They took him to the hospital." "They saw he had a large bandage on his back with blood oozing out." "Do you understand?" "The doctors soon realized." "They knew what they'd see on the X-ray:" "The boy had been operated on." "They'd removed a kidney." "There are people who do that." "Filthy people!" "Bad people!" "Traffickers in human organs." "They have ambulances with all the operating equipment inside." "They lurk near amusement parks and shopping malls, near school gates and cinemas," "and they kidnap children." "It's very easy, you know, to disappear." "Pay attention!" "As you can see, N icolas has arrived." "But his head's in the clouds - he left his bag in the car." "H is dad'll bring it tomorrow, but who'll lend him pajamas till then?" "I can hear people not talking!" "I will." "That's kind, but I'd rather it was a boy." "Come on!" "Who'll lend him pajamas?" "What if he pees in them?" " I volunteer." " Wait a minute, Hodkann." " If you're trying to be funny..." " I'm not!" "I'll lend them to him." "You want them - yes or no?" "Yes." "You do." "Come on." "Sylvie, hurry up." "What's long and thin with a purple helmet?" "Do you know it?" "I don't know." "Do you know it or don't you?" "What's long and thin with a purple helmet?" " Do I put this in the kitchen, sir?" " Yes, but my name's Patrick." "Not bad!" "You've done a good job." "You deserve a reward." "Go on, pick one." "Hey, he did nothing special!" "That's true." "But I'm still giving him a reward." "When I was bad, my dad would punish my sister." "When she was bad, he punished me." "To teach us life isn't fair." "Tie it around your wrist like this." "And at the same time, you make a wish." "When it falls off, when the threads are worn, the wish comes true." " It's a talisman." " To kill your mom!" " What's your wish?" " It won't work if he tells!" "What if you wish that all the wishes in your life come true?" "Wise guy!" "Here, you win." "Well?" "Did you make a wish?" "Are you doing your homework?" "School is important this year." "You have to work hard." "You mustn't get left back again." "I'm absolutely exhausted!" "Stop." "Come here." "I love you." "You know that?" "To celebrate the class trip..." "To celebrate the first day, and N icolas' arrival..." "Let's eat." "Works every time!" "Does you good!" "Don't you like the canteen?" "I don't care either way." "Normally, we don't see you." "I'm not down for it." "Don't your parents want you to?" "My father doesn't." "Like the bus..." "so you don't mix with us." "Look at your plate." "You asshole!" "Where are you sleeping?" "I n the dorm." "I n which bed?" "My top bunk's free." "Sleep there." "You've already got my PJs." "Give us a kiss, Vanessa!" " Kiss me, Marie-Sophie!" " Shut your face!" "Get out, you brats!" "This is the girls' dorm!" " Where's N icolas?" " I n the dorm with Hodkann." "This is to wash that face of yours." "Like your pajamas?" "He already broke the elastic!" "You O K?" "Look... if he bothers you, you tell me." "There's no reason he should, but..." "All right?" "Everything will be great." " What?" " What does your father do?" "He's a traveling salesman." "He's always on the road." "What does your father do?" "He's dead..." "What does he sell?" " Surgical supplies." " U h, gross!" "What does he sell?" "Forceps..." "Foreskins!" "Yes, and artificial limbs, too." "Artificial limbs?" "Wooden legs?" "No, plastic." "He has plastic legs in his car?" "And arms and hands." " Heads!" " Foreskins!" "Lay off!" "Get down, so we can talk." "Go on, get down." "Have you seen these artificial limbs?" "Yes, I've seen them." "Ever tried one on?" "You can't..." "It goes where your limb was, but if you still have your limb, there's nowhere to attach it." "Know what?" "If I was your dad, I'd use you for demonstrations." "Cut off your arms and legs, and display you." "Great advertising!" "Can I see them when your dad comes back?" " I don't think so." " Why not?" "They're not toys." "They're his work." "What if you asked him?" "What if I said, in exchange, no one'd bother you?" "Well, I'll find another way." "Time to sleep." "They've come for me." "Because of my father." "They want to kill me in the woods, like they did with him." "They killed my dad, too." "We're the same now." "Get up!" " You O K?" " Yes." "Dreamt about wooden legs?" "See you later." "So, by going on vacation in the mountains and playing sports, you breathe fresh air..." "Oxy gen!" "The oxy gen is carried from the air cells to the blood cells, giving your blood its nice green color!" "Red!" "Yes, it's M iss Grimm speaking." "It's not serious." "It's just annoying." "He doesn't have his bag or a change of clothes, so we don't know what to do with him." "He didn't come back last night, so I'd like to know where I can reach him." "He can't be reached when he's away?" "U nbelievable..." "You don't know his itinerary?" "And in an emergency?" "He does phone you sometimes?" "He's bound to open the trunk eventually." "But we were surprised he didn't call." "If we have no news by noon, do you mind if we buy some clothes?" "The rescue team came, but it was too late to save him." "We heard his last words." "Something about a bag." ""Take Nicolas' bag back."" "You want to speak to him?" "Here's your mom." "Are you OK?" "Yes..." "Is everything OK?" "Not bad." "So, dad forgot your bag?" "What'll you do?" "We're waiting for him to come back." "But what'll you do with no pajamas?" "Someone lent me a pair." "A classmate." "You haven't wet the bed?" "No." "You're not telling lies?" "No, I said!" "So, everything's OK?" "Love you..." "Love you, too." "I've just had some terrible news." "You're going to have to be brave." "Don't cry." "Poor little orphan..." "Daydreaming, N icolas?" "Let's go." "This afternoon, you can go with Patrick and buy some clothes." "H urry up." "We've only got 2 hours." "This is Denise." "I'm not your chauffeur!" "Anyway, look at the mess in back." "It'd be good if it snowed." "J ust a bit." "We'd put chains on the car?" "But that's not the fun part." "I'd like to try that." "Anyone home?" "Penny for your thoughts?" "If you think hard about something, can it really happen?" "No, I don't think so." "Don't worry." "Maybe your father's 100 miles away and he forgot about your bag." "Don't let it ruin your vacation." "Do you like music?" "Hold on tight, then!" " That's great!" " Isn't it a bit long?" "Your mother can hem it up." " Like that?" " Er... yes." "O K, we'll take it." "We got socks... cotton socks..." "T- shirt..." "Very classy." "Isn't that right?" "Ski hat..." "We got everything!" "Great!" "Say, you've been spoiled!" " Is this handsome boy yours?" " No." "But if no one claims him," "I don't mind keeping him." "O K with you?" "Yes, maybe." "Well, that's it." "See you soon." " Wasn't she nice?" " Yes." "She seemed taken with you." "When I buy clothes with my parents, it takes forever to choose one thing." "We did it in 10 minutes!" "Sure." "You know why?" "We're the kings of the road!" "Want an ice-cream?" " I n winter?" " What kind?" "Banana Royal." "Maybe they don't have it." "A Banana Royal for my friend." "And a Heineken for me, please." "Apart from worrying, what d'you do?" "Lots of things." "I like to watch TV." "Play with my Gameboy." "And read." "What do you read?" "Stories." "Fairytales." "It's better than life?" "Know what you are?" "A dreamer." "A Banana Royal and a Heineken." "My favorite is "The Little Mermaid"." "Know it?" "Yes." "I can't remember it very well." "The Little Mermaid falls in love with the Prince during a storm." "She falls so much in love with him that she wants to be a real girl so he'll love her." "The Witch gives her a potion which makes her grow legs where her fishtail is." "I n exchange, the Witch cuts out her tongue." "There's a picture of the Little Mermaid." "She has long hair and scales which begin above her navel." "Her stomach looks soft." "The picture's not great, but it looks so soft above her fishtail." "Then, there's the good part." "She turns into a human one night." "She's in so much pain, she doesn't dare look down." "She knows there's something different." "She's changed." "Finally she dares to look." "She feels down below where the scales were ever since she was born." "She discovers soft skin all the way down." "That's great!" "Yes, but it's sad too, because she's lost her voice." "No one will hear her voice again." "First, have a stretch." "Have a good stretch as if you were having a nap." "Try not to arch your back." "Keep your body on the floor." "There..." "Let yourselves go." "Turn your palms up to the ceiling." "Close your eyes." "Relax." "Don't do anything." "Don't think about anything." "We're always busy doing things, thinking about things." "Now we won't do anything... or think about anything." "We'll get to know our selves, our bodies." "I'm breathing slowly with my stomach." "Slowly... and deeply." "Slowly... and deeply." "Slowly... and deeply." "Like the sea." "Like the ocean." "Like the waves going in... and out." "I n... and out." "I'm breathing." "The air is like water... from the sea... from the ocean..." "Water fills my body... my chest... my stomach..." "I am filling up with water." "I breathe out." "I feel the air flowing out of me." "Very slowly." "I'm like a pool of water... spread out on the floor." "My body is my house." "I can walk around inside it." "I can open doors." "Gently." "Now, start moving again." "Very slowly." "And then... stretch." "Take your time." "Now open your eyes." " Move!" " Let me get my soap." "I saved you a place." "Whatcha got on your ass?" " Never seen an appendix scar?" " You don't have 'em on your ass!" "Tom!" "Stop!" "Come back, Tom!" "Help me!" "I want to get out!" "N icolas, it's me!" "Calm down!" "Calm down." "It's me!" "What on earth's going on?" "What's all this?" "What the hell's going on?" "What do you think you're doing?" "Silly boy... 102F, yes..." "The doctor's coming." "No news." "And you?" "Strange though, isn't it?" "No, don't you worry." "Yes." "I think he was just sleepwalking..." "I'm not saying it's serious!" "It's just better to..." "Yes, to keep an eye on it." "No, you're right, I'm not a doctor." "Yes, I'll put him on." "Well, actually he's asleep." "I'll let you know." "Of course." "Goodbye." "Sleepwalking's no big deal." "Drink some water." "You must drink when you have a fever." "Can I ask you a question?" "If a sleepwalker does something wrong, is it his fault?" "Like what?" "Something bad..." "What happened last night?" "Tell me." "Don't worry so much." "Your father will come back." "If he'd had an accident, we'd know." "Maybe you don't want him back?" "Be quiet!" "Shut up!" "N icolas is sick!" "I don't care!" "Fraidy-Cat is a pain in the ass!" "She gave in to temptation." "She didn't even try." "She ate her fries." ""Ate":" "Transitive form." "From the infinitive "to eat"." "Caroline is chatting to Lucas." "She isn't listening." "TALES OF TERROR" "THE MONKE Y'S PA W" "What is it?" "A monkey's paw." "A what?" "It's a talisman." "It can make 3 wishes come true." "3 of our wishes." "You believe in it?" "I don't know." "It doesn't hurt to try." "I want... a million!" "First wish" "You should've asked for a billion!" "Good evening, sir... madam." "I have some terrible news for you." " N icolas!" "What's happened?" " It's awful." "At the sausage factory, your son went too near a machine." "He got caught in it." " Is he dead?" " Cut to pieces." "I know it won't bring your boy back, but..." "I'm here on behalf of the management." "I've been asked to give you this check as compensation." "One million." "I know what to do." "Monkey's paw, give us our son back." "Second wish" "N icolas is back!" "Who's there?" "It's me, Dad." "Open the door." "I'm cold." "I can't see a thing." "The light's not on." "Open the door, Dad." "I'm cold." "Come and get me." "Or I'll find another way." "And you'll regret it!" "We've one wish left." "Third wish" "Make him die!" "Make him die forever!" "Make him die!" "Caroline is chatting to Lucas." "She isn't listening." ""She's eaten up with remorse."" "Did I scare you?" "A bit." "Aren't you in class?" "I said I needed to pee." "So?" "What?" "So you're a sleepwalker." "It's nothing serious." "I'm dead into all that!" "Tell me about it." "O K, but it's not what you think." "What happened last night was more serious." "What?" "It's really horrible." "You must promise you won't tell anyone." "I promise." "Ever heard of people that traffic in organs?" "Yes, I saw it on TV." "They kidnap kids and remove their organs." "What happened last night..." "Everyone thinks it was sleepwalking, but it wasn't that at all." "I wasn't asleep." "And through the dormitory window," "I saw guys lurking outside." "I went outside and silently followed them." "There were ambulances near the lake." "I hid in Patrick's car and kept watch." "The guys got in the ambulances and left." "It made me think about this trafficking." "They were waiting in case a kid came out alone." "Yeah, the ski class is a huge source of kidneys and livers." "You're lucky you didn't get caught!" "You playing games?" "No, I came to get my PJs." "It's about time he gave them back." "I'll take him inside." "See you at the ski tow." " Putting Fraidy-Cat away?" " Shut up!" "Screw you, Hodkann!" "That's enough, Lucas!" "Vanessa, Lucas and Ribotton, hurry up!" "There." "A real pasha!" "Know what a pasha is?" " No." " Well, it's you." "You've even got comics." "What's wrong with him?" "Is he ill?" "It's good being ill!" "Hello, Officers!" "Hey, look at me." "It's not him." "He's on the class trip." "Could you put this up?" "Have you seen the boy?" "It's René." "Voiron's son from Panossi?" "Re." "He disappeared 2 days ago." "H is parents say he didn't run away." "He was a quiet boy." "Good grades." "Never in trouble." "It can't happen here!" "It can!" "That's just one child, but we've got a bulletin board of them." "Some go back years." "3, 5, 10 years with no news, nothing." "The parents keep on hoping, thinking about them all the time." "What else can you do when your kid disappears?" "You get a description:" "4 foot 3, 64 pounds." "You look at the date:" "7 years ago." "The kid's been 4 foot 3 and 64 pounds for 7 years." "Excuse me, Officer." "Can I see the picture?" "Sure." " I don't know him." " Of course you don't." "Don't get smart with me." "I'm not, but I disappeared 2 days ago, too." "That's enough." "Can I keep it please?" "I'll display it." "It might help." " Can't do any harm." " Keep it." "Come on, then." "We're off." "What were the cops doing?" "It's getting crazy!" "We have to meet tonight in secret." " You O K, N icolas?" " So-so." "All right, girls?" "Not too tired?" "We'll sleep tonight!" " The cops think he ran away." " Don't you?" "No way!" "The other night, the traffickers couldn't catch a kid here, so they took him instead." "All this is really serious." "Let's tell the cops." "No!" " Why?" " There are accomplices everywhere." "My father told me." "He's not really an artificial limb salesman." "That's just a cover." "He's hunting down the traffickers." "I'm one of his informers." "It's really dangerous." "He's on his own against all those powerful men." "Is your father a cop?" "No, not at all." "We have a score to settle." "A year ago - it's really horrible - they kidnapped my kid brother in an amusement park... and he was found 2 days later, behind a fence." "They'd taken a kidney." "Holy shit!" "You won't tell anyone?" "You promised." "They swiped your brother's kidney!" "I was wrong to tell you." " Why?" " You're in danger." "Now you know, you're like us:" "A target." "Well, you'll see..." "We'll get 'em!" "The Demon Salsa..." "Hang on a second." "I'll see what's up." "We're not getting off yet." "Wait a minute." "Sorry, no skiing today." "Something serious has happened." "3 days ago near Panossi?" "Re, a boy disappeared." "He was found dead." "M urdered?" "Yes." "They know who did it?" "No." "Were any organs missing?" "Let's go." "We have no leads, but we're working on it." " Nothing at all." " Someone saw a grey Renault." "Some of you may be religious." "Whatever your religion," "I think we should say a prayer." "That would be fitting." "Our Father who art in Heaven..." "So, from here, I do a bisecting line." "The angle... the bisector separates the angle in 2 equal parts..." "I can't concentrate." "I don't suppose you can either, so we'll stop." "Is there anything else you'd like to do?" "We could write a story." "Maybe." "Do you want to?" ""What happened on my class trip."" "Hodkann, don't start!" "I have a question." "Are we in danger here?" "No, not at all!" "The victim was found 100 miles from here, near Romans in the Dr?" "Me region." "That means he isn't in the area, so you have no reason to be afraid." "It's terrible, but it's over." "There's no risk whatsoever here." "But René was killed here." "The jerk didn't go 100 miles on his own!" "Listen, pal, change the subject!" "It happened, there's nothing we can do." "It's horrible to face such things at your age, but just drop it!" "No more muttering and chattering." "J ust stop talking about it!" "My dad says we should cut these sadists' heads off." "Before they kill you, they torture you." "I saw pictures of a corpse that'd been ripped open." "Often they rape you." " What does "rape" mean?" " A cock up the ass!" "I told you to stop!" "It's just that Vanessa asked Lucas what "rape" means." "He said it's when..." "Hodkann!" "O K, O K." "It don't mean nothing." " Teach' says it don't exist..." " Enough!" "J ust be quiet." "If you can't, stay in the dorm till tonight!" "Got that?" "Get out!" "They've come about René." "Hey, the party's not over." "Come on, let's dance!" "Where are you going?" "What is it?" "Get up." "I have some news." "We can't speak here." "It's too dangerous." " Where are you going?" " You didn't see us!" "What did you want to tell me?" "What color's your father's car?" "Grey." "Why?" "When the cops were here before," "I left the dorm." "I went downstairs." "I listened to all they said." "They said what the sadist had done." "I won't tell you though." "They asked if anyone had seen a grey Renault." "M iss Grimm said she hadn't." "They forgot your dad's car's a grey Renault." "But I remembered." "When I saw the cops leaving, I rushed out to get to the road first  to warn them." "Warn them about what?" "That your dad has a Renault and is in mortal danger." "But you promised..." "Your dad's in great danger!" "I had to tell the cops." "Anyway, it's done now." "It's a normal reaction." "These murders can affect a kid." "It shocked all of us, Doctor." "No doubt." "But from what I saw, it was a cry for help." " Oh really?" " Yes." "He's seeking attention from his mother." "He didn't get enough love or attention from her." "It creates problem kids like him." "He needs to rest." "You too, try to get some rest." "You could've answered it!" "Yes, it's me." "I'm sorry, I was asleep." "He's right here." "Why?" "Excuse me a minute." "Go down to the canteen, O K?" "What are you doing?" " M iss Grimm's in the office." " Is she?" "Doesn't she want you?" "Is she calling her boyfriend?" "It's me." "There's a problem at home." "M iss Grimm and I think you should go back." "When?" "Tomorrow morning." "Will the police come for me?" "No, I'll take you." "Is it O K if I do?" "We get along fine, don't we?" "We're the kings of the road." "You be quiet now!" "I think everything's ready." "We leave at 7 tomorrow, so try to get some sleep." " Want a sleeping pill?" " I don't know." "Half should be enough." "Ever taken one?" "Half is nothing at all." "I know." "A little's all right, but too much is dangerous." "You'll be O K with that." "Good night." " Will you speak to him?" " No, I can't." " Who'll tell him?" " I don't know." "H is mother." "She must've expected it." "The father was in trouble 2 years ago." "An ugly situation." "M iss Grimm wants to see you." "Come in." "I have something to tell you." "Are you thirsty?" "We'll stop for a drink, and get some gas." "Orange juice?" "Yes, that'll do." "I'll take you to the door, but we'll say goodbye here." "Well, anyway, I'll say goodbye here."